Writing a Good Essay: Some Reminders
(or "Things I Wish My TAs Had Told Me in College")
Since you have to write a number of short essays in this course, it's only fair that you should know what teachers are looking for in your writing. Of course, the main thing we look for is serious thought: evidence that you have grappled with the readings and drawn some of your own conclusions, using your powers of analysis and your historical imagination. In other words, do you have something interesting to say?
Beyond that, there are a few general writing reminders that will serve you well, both in your weekly response papers AND IN YOUR EXAM ESSAYS. I've tried to be brief; contact me if you have any questions.
A good essay is well organized and coherent.
PLAN BEFORE YOU WRITE. Take a few minutes to outline your answer--it will save you time and result in a much stronger essay. Each paragraph in your essay should introduce and develop a single idea; if you introduce a new thought, start a new paragraph.
A good essay is concise.
Don't make the mistake of doing the "data dump" or "information spew." The best response papers I have read are those which present a clear, well-supported argument in a brief space, without digression, padding, or wordiness.
A good essay avoids repetition.
Good writers do not repeat themselves. Repetition is dull and detracts from your argument. No one likes to read a repetitive essay, in which the author says the same thing over and over. Redundancy should therefore be avoided. The best essays are those which eliminate both major and minor (sentence-level) redundancies. Therefore, in my opinion, I think it is clear from the above that repetitive essays will be downgraded by the reader, the person who reads and grades the essays. (Get the picture?)
A good essay maintains a professional tone.
Keep in mind that you are writing as a historian. Observing the conventions of scholarly writing will enhance the persuasiveness of your argument. (Keep your language clear, though, and avoid pomposity and jargon.)
A good essay is specific rather than vague.
The most effective essays deal in specifics rather than generalizations, making good use of concrete evidence and examples. Avoid sweeping statements and vague pronouncements, and do not use "this" or "that" as a noun ("this what?").
A good essay has a central thesis supported by concrete evidence.
Your answer should advance and develop an argument, which you support with well chosen references to texts. The best essays I have read show reflection and original thought; they do not not merely summarize the readings. If you can take a strong position and defend it, you'll do well. (Remember that the difference between argument and mere assertion is evidence.)
A good essay is grammatically correct.
Do I need to say it? In formal and informal writing, sloppy grammar makes you look ignorant, interferes with communication, and completely undermines your argument--why should anyone take you seriously if you do not bother to construct a sentence properly? Pay attention, therefore, to diction, grammar, and spelling, and PROOFREAD WHAT YOU WRITE. (If it's a take-home essay, have someone else proofread it.)
A good essay is legible.
Not a trivial point. If we can't decipher what you've written, we can't give you credit for it.
This page is http://instruct1.cit.cornell.edu/courses/nes257/writingtips.html
© Jo Miller (djm8@cornell.edu)
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