how to get first class essay

Tips for writing a first-class essay

• Tuesday, April 13, 2021
• Undergraduate

Chloe Softly

• United Kingdom
• minute read

As a final year student, I have noticed huge developments in my academic writing and ultimately would like to share a few wise words on what I think has helped me to achieve first-class essay marks.

Firstly, how will we ever get a first without being aware of what is expected? We need to get to know the mark scheme. A great way of guaranteeing we are achieving all the key elements of the mark scheme, is to align our initial plan with each point of the criteria and keep checking throughout our essay writing to assure all areas are being covered.

Another BIG thing is always to make sure you understand the question. Now I hope this doesn’t sound patronising, but it is so important to read, read and read the question again to fully understand. A main part of understanding fully includes evaluating the action phrase in the question, so make sure you know what is required when you see phrases such as ‘Describe’ and ‘Critically Analyse’.

Along with understanding the question, we need to be able to answer it effectively, and the best way to do this is through the structure. Within academic writing it is vital to frame your argument coherently so the essay flows from paragraph to paragraph. A massive factor in enabling this stems from our essay structure outlined in the introduction. A thing I like to do after finishing my essay is putting a tick next to each paragraph if it matches with this initial outlined structure to guarantee that the essay flows.

The final tip I have is to make sure your references reflect the depth of your knowledge. I always include references from the core and further reading lists, but also carry out additional reading to provide my markers with new perceptions. They want to learn from us! In order to find new sources, I make sure to use the University of Manchester Library, to certify these sources are credible (Peer-Reviewed). With some essays you may end up having a multitude of sources that can be difficult to organise, so one way that I handle this is by creating a table that consists of three columns: one for the main argument, one for the supporting evidence, and one for the source citation. This presents me with a simple method of creating a bibliography, without adding extra pressure to myself.

Although these tips may be useful, we cannot ignore the abundance of resources that are available to assist us. One great resource is the ‘Academic Phrasebank’, a document put together by Dr. John Morley at the University of Manchester, that provides insights into how to succeed within your academic writing. From providing notes on essay structure, grammar, and most essential key phrases, this document has become an indispensable guide to me. All in all, from mark schemes to structure to sources, these are just a few tips that will hopefully help. It’s time to go get that first!

I am Chloe Softly, follow my blogs for an insight into life as an Undergraduate student at Alliance MBS.

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The Beginner's Guide to Writing an Essay | Steps & Examples

An academic essay is a focused piece of writing that develops an idea or argument using evidence, analysis, and interpretation.

There are many types of essays you might write as a student. The content and length of an essay depends on your level, subject of study, and course requirements. However, most essays at university level are argumentative — they aim to persuade the reader of a particular position or perspective on a topic.

The essay writing process consists of three main stages:

• Preparation: Decide on your topic, do your research, and create an essay outline.
• Writing : Set out your argument in the introduction, develop it with evidence in the main body, and wrap it up with a conclusion.
• Revision:  Check your essay on the content, organization, grammar, spelling, and formatting of your essay.

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Table of contents

Essay writing process, preparation for writing an essay, writing the introduction, writing the main body, writing the conclusion, essay checklist, lecture slides, frequently asked questions about writing an essay.

The writing process of preparation, writing, and revisions applies to every essay or paper, but the time and effort spent on each stage depends on the type of essay .

For example, if you’ve been assigned a five-paragraph expository essay for a high school class, you’ll probably spend the most time on the writing stage; for a college-level argumentative essay , on the other hand, you’ll need to spend more time researching your topic and developing an original argument before you start writing.

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Before you start writing, you should make sure you have a clear idea of what you want to say and how you’re going to say it. There are a few key steps you can follow to make sure you’re prepared:

• Understand your assignment: What is the goal of this essay? What is the length and deadline of the assignment? Is there anything you need to clarify with your teacher or professor?
• Define a topic: If you’re allowed to choose your own topic , try to pick something that you already know a bit about and that will hold your interest.
• Do your research: Read  primary and secondary sources and take notes to help you work out your position and angle on the topic. You’ll use these as evidence for your points.
• Come up with a thesis:  The thesis is the central point or argument that you want to make. A clear thesis is essential for a focused essay—you should keep referring back to it as you write.
• Create an outline: Map out the rough structure of your essay in an outline . This makes it easier to start writing and keeps you on track as you go.

Once you’ve got a clear idea of what you want to discuss, in what order, and what evidence you’ll use, you’re ready to start writing.

The introduction sets the tone for your essay. It should grab the reader’s interest and inform them of what to expect. The introduction generally comprises 10–20% of the text.

1. Hook your reader

The first sentence of the introduction should pique your reader’s interest and curiosity. This sentence is sometimes called the hook. It might be an intriguing question, a surprising fact, or a bold statement emphasizing the relevance of the topic.

Let’s say we’re writing an essay about the development of Braille (the raised-dot reading and writing system used by visually impaired people). Our hook can make a strong statement about the topic:

The invention of Braille was a major turning point in the history of disability.

2. Provide background on your topic

Next, it’s important to give context that will help your reader understand your argument. This might involve providing background information, giving an overview of important academic work or debates on the topic, and explaining difficult terms. Don’t provide too much detail in the introduction—you can elaborate in the body of your essay.

3. Present the thesis statement

Next, you should formulate your thesis statement— the central argument you’re going to make. The thesis statement provides focus and signals your position on the topic. It is usually one or two sentences long. The thesis statement for our essay on Braille could look like this:

As the first writing system designed for blind people’s needs, Braille was a groundbreaking new accessibility tool. It not only provided practical benefits, but also helped change the cultural status of blindness.

4. Map the structure

In longer essays, you can end the introduction by briefly describing what will be covered in each part of the essay. This guides the reader through your structure and gives a preview of how your argument will develop.

The invention of Braille marked a major turning point in the history of disability. The writing system of raised dots used by blind and visually impaired people was developed by Louis Braille in nineteenth-century France. In a society that did not value disabled people in general, blindness was particularly stigmatized, and lack of access to reading and writing was a significant barrier to social participation. The idea of tactile reading was not entirely new, but existing methods based on sighted systems were difficult to learn and use. As the first writing system designed for blind people’s needs, Braille was a groundbreaking new accessibility tool. It not only provided practical benefits, but also helped change the cultural status of blindness. This essay begins by discussing the situation of blind people in nineteenth-century Europe. It then describes the invention of Braille and the gradual process of its acceptance within blind education. Subsequently, it explores the wide-ranging effects of this invention on blind people’s social and cultural lives.

Write your essay introduction

The body of your essay is where you make arguments supporting your thesis, provide evidence, and develop your ideas. Its purpose is to present, interpret, and analyze the information and sources you have gathered to support your argument.

Length of the body text

The length of the body depends on the type of essay. On average, the body comprises 60–80% of your essay. For a high school essay, this could be just three paragraphs, but for a graduate school essay of 6,000 words, the body could take up 8–10 pages.

Paragraph structure

To give your essay a clear structure , it is important to organize it into paragraphs . Each paragraph should be centered around one main point or idea.

That idea is introduced in a  topic sentence . The topic sentence should generally lead on from the previous paragraph and introduce the point to be made in this paragraph. Transition words can be used to create clear connections between sentences.

After the topic sentence, present evidence such as data, examples, or quotes from relevant sources. Be sure to interpret and explain the evidence, and show how it helps develop your overall argument.

Lack of access to reading and writing put blind people at a serious disadvantage in nineteenth-century society. Text was one of the primary methods through which people engaged with culture, communicated with others, and accessed information; without a well-developed reading system that did not rely on sight, blind people were excluded from social participation (Weygand, 2009). While disabled people in general suffered from discrimination, blindness was widely viewed as the worst disability, and it was commonly believed that blind people were incapable of pursuing a profession or improving themselves through culture (Weygand, 2009). This demonstrates the importance of reading and writing to social status at the time: without access to text, it was considered impossible to fully participate in society. Blind people were excluded from the sighted world, but also entirely dependent on sighted people for information and education.

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The conclusion is the final paragraph of an essay. It should generally take up no more than 10–15% of the text . A strong essay conclusion :

• Returns to your thesis
• Ties together your main points
• Shows why your argument matters

A great conclusion should finish with a memorable or impactful sentence that leaves the reader with a strong final impression.

What not to include in a conclusion

To make your essay’s conclusion as strong as possible, there are a few things you should avoid. The most common mistakes are:

• Including new arguments or evidence
• Undermining your arguments (e.g. “This is just one approach of many”)
• Using concluding phrases like “To sum up…” or “In conclusion…”

Braille paved the way for dramatic cultural changes in the way blind people were treated and the opportunities available to them. Louis Braille’s innovation was to reimagine existing reading systems from a blind perspective, and the success of this invention required sighted teachers to adapt to their students’ reality instead of the other way around. In this sense, Braille helped drive broader social changes in the status of blindness. New accessibility tools provide practical advantages to those who need them, but they can also change the perspectives and attitudes of those who do not.

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Checklist: Essay

My essay follows the requirements of the assignment (topic and length ).

My introduction sparks the reader’s interest and provides any necessary background information on the topic.

My introduction contains a thesis statement that states the focus and position of the essay.

I use paragraphs to structure the essay.

I use topic sentences to introduce each paragraph.

Each paragraph has a single focus and a clear connection to the thesis statement.

I make clear transitions between paragraphs and ideas.

My conclusion doesn’t just repeat my points, but draws connections between arguments.

I don’t introduce new arguments or evidence in the conclusion.

I have given an in-text citation for every quote or piece of information I got from another source.

I have included a reference page at the end of my essay, listing full details of all my sources.

My citations and references are correctly formatted according to the required citation style .

My essay has an interesting and informative title.

I have followed all formatting guidelines (e.g. font, page numbers, line spacing).

Your essay meets all the most important requirements. Our editors can give it a final check to help you submit with confidence.

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An essay is a focused piece of writing that explains, argues, describes, or narrates.

In high school, you may have to write many different types of essays to develop your writing skills.

Academic essays at college level are usually argumentative : you develop a clear thesis about your topic and make a case for your position using evidence, analysis and interpretation.

The structure of an essay is divided into an introduction that presents your topic and thesis statement , a body containing your in-depth analysis and arguments, and a conclusion wrapping up your ideas.

The structure of the body is flexible, but you should always spend some time thinking about how you can organize your essay to best serve your ideas.

Your essay introduction should include three main things, in this order:

• An opening hook to catch the reader’s attention.
• Relevant background information that the reader needs to know.
• A thesis statement that presents your main point or argument.

The length of each part depends on the length and complexity of your essay .

A thesis statement is a sentence that sums up the central point of your paper or essay . Everything else you write should relate to this key idea.

The thesis statement is essential in any academic essay or research paper for two main reasons:

• It gives your writing direction and focus.
• It gives the reader a concise summary of your main point.

Without a clear thesis statement, an essay can end up rambling and unfocused, leaving your reader unsure of exactly what you want to say.

A topic sentence is a sentence that expresses the main point of a paragraph . Everything else in the paragraph should relate to the topic sentence.

At college level, you must properly cite your sources in all essays , research papers , and other academic texts (except exams and in-class exercises).

Add a citation whenever you quote , paraphrase , or summarize information or ideas from a source. You should also give full source details in a bibliography or reference list at the end of your text.

The exact format of your citations depends on which citation style you are instructed to use. The most common styles are APA , MLA , and Chicago .

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How to write a First-Class Essay that Scores an A

A first-class essay has an 80 percent or higher score, although some institutions categorize papers graded at 70-75% as first-class. In most cases, not so many students attain the benchmark. Nevertheless, writing high-grade essays in all your classes guaranteed you a first-class degree in your final combination transcript.

An A essay uses an appropriate attention-getting opening, makes a good transition, is well organized, has in-text citations and a bibliographic page, has a thesis statement supported by the body paragraphs , and has a befitting conclusion. Such an essay only attains distinction. Attaining a distinction in your essay takes practice, perfection, and dedication. If you write high-score essays, they will always be used as examples in class. You can also get the privilege of being published on the school's writing center's website.

Maybe you are a law, political science, criminology, music, anthropology, science, or business student, wondering how to write a distinction essay. Your questions end here because we have put together a guide that will help you write a good essay that scores good and excellent grades.

Wondering if you can write a first-class essay? Yes, you can, and here are some tips, tricks, and steps to help you ace your essays.

Top 8 tried and tested Steps to Write a High-Score Essay

Everybody dreams and wishes they get the best grades in their high school, college, and university essays. Even when writing MBA and graduate-level essays, scoring higher grades can be challenging if you are unaware of the steps.

Our confident essay writers have developed these steps to help you achieve much, even with little time.

If you are wondering how an A essay looks, how it is written, and the steps it takes, we clarify all that here.

1.  Read the prompt to understand the marking criteria

A good essay begins with reading the prompt, instructions, and rubric. Although this is a straightforward step, it carries too much weight in your writing process and determines the score you will get. Most students who skip this step end up derailing or getting confused with the ideas they present in their essays.

Reading the instructions helps you determine what the instructor, marker, or professor will look for when marking the essay to grade it among the top-scoring, average, or below-average essays. Knowing these benchmarks allows you to write an essay that meets the points.

All our writers will not begin writing an essay until you provide the prompt or instructions. Sometimes, when necessary, a writer will ask you to present them with the rubric to help them structure the essay and write it by following what the professors will be targeting.

2. Choose a topic or question

Given the understanding of the prompt, rubric, and instructions, you must choose a question or topic.

 You should put effort when choosing your essay question or topic because it determines the scope or direction of the essay. However, do not rush to pick a question because you think it sounds exciting or easy. Although doing so might sound convenient, the fact that you rushed into it will make you lose focus.

Instead, choose a topic or question with the information you can use to support the ideas that are interesting and neither too broad nor too narrow.

A first-class essay is engaging, flowing, and reinforced using academic/scholarly sources. Therefore, choose a topic where you can find high-standard sources and the correct number of sources.

Therefore, cross-check the sources available online through preliminary research to choose an outstanding topic. A focused question or topic guarantees a first-class score. If you are to select the topic, conduct research, weigh the available ideas, and determine if it is an essay, you can write within the number of words given. Choosing a good question demonstrates methodological rigor, a plus when marking your essay.

3. Understand the question/topic

After you have chosen the topic and are well-informed of the marking criteria, you need to understand your topic or essay question. Doing so brings you closer to your essay's high scores.

Someone would say it is a cliche and a fundamental step, but you must do it to avoid failing your essay. Check for the directive words such as elaborate, assess, outline, explore, elaborate, critique, critically analyze, explain, compare, contrast, classify, prove, or discuss.

These signal words help determine the scope of your essay. Besides, understanding the question or topic enables you to develop a creative title for your essay .

After you understand the topic or question, you can write an outline for your essay. This is sometimes called the essay plan. The process is often called brainstorming, which entails evaluating your options, thoughts, and ideas and then coming up with the best.

4. Research and Write an Essay Plan

As you settle down on the topic or question, you must begin researching to understand the topic further and plan your points for the essay. The question or the topic will determine the scope of your research stage for essay writing.

Focus on getting information from non-scholarly sources to familiarize yourself with the topic and develop a perspective. Then, skim through the scholarly resources to earn points and evidence for your essay .

Such evidence includes books, peer-reviewed articles, journal articles, periodicals, news from magazines and international news websites, books, government, educational, and NGO websites, and other relevant materials.

This research's results should help you develop an essay plan. When researching, use the thesaurus to understand technical terms and jargon so that you can simplify and use them in your essay. A high-quality essay does not have to use complex words. The simpler it is, the better.

Writing an essay plan helps you organize your ideas, which you can modify as you research, read, think, or discuss. An essay plan is a basic outline that lets you list the points you want to discuss in your essay.

It entails the essay topic or question, possible thesis statements, introduction statements, paragraph highlights (topic sentence (argument), evidence/elaboration/supporting materials, and the conclusion sentences), and conclusion. You can complete your essay plan as you research the topic.

The essay plan can help you write a good outline for your essay. Besides, you can know where the weight lies and what evidence to use. You can also draw mind maps to help plan your essay.

5. Organize material and Create an Outline

Using your essay plan, create an outline for your essay. Some students prefer to jump straight to the outline and leave out the essay plan, which is still okay. Either complements the other.

Therefore, you can write an outline summarizing the introduction sentence starters, essay hook, thesis statement, signpost, topic sentences, supporting sentences, and concluding sentences. In addition, your outline should have an organized list of materials you will use in your essay. You can organize these materials using online citation management tools.

Because you have not formed ideas in your outline, you need to refine the ideas in your essay plan or outline in the subsequent stages. Using the citations and references from the sources helps you structure your arguments. Categorize the sources based on the strength they have in supporting your arguments.

For example, if you are writing a three-page essay, ensure that the body of your essay has at least three main arguments that relate to the thesis, each well-supported by facts, evidence, and elaboration. The themes of the body paragraphs should relate to the essay title and the thesis statement. Front your strongest arguments first and go in order of decreasing strength.

The outline should have the structure of your essay. Let it be what you envision the top-grade essay to look like when complete. You can use the numbered approach when writing your outline to ensure that each point is presented. Also, your outline should determine the organization format: either spatial order or a chronological organization approach.

6. Write the first draft of the Essay

By now, you have everything you need to write an excellent essay that scores you an A. The remaining bit is to piece the information into a first draft. As a rule of thumb, when writing the first draft, focus on writing first and editing later. Following this will make essay writing less stressful and straightforward. Therefore, fill your outline by fulfilling the word count for every essay section.

Write the introduction

Begin writing your introduction with an opening statement. An excellent way to start your essay is by using facts, contradicting information, statistics, or statements that draw your readers' attention. These attention grabbers signal your readers to read your essay to get the main argument.

These statements should be catchy, concise, and straightforward. Ensure that they are not broad claims or statements without correct facts. After the hook statement or the attention grabber, have a few lines or sentences detailing the topic's background.

Introduce the context of the topic and let the readers know why they should read your essay. Help the reader context the topic you are handling in the essay. You can summarize theories or define concepts and terms.

By now, you have a preliminary or working thesis and need to refine it as you proceed or maintain it. Therefore, follow your background statement with your refined thesis statement.

The thesis statement should condense the gist of your entire essay in a sentence or two.

Each topic sentence is a mini-thesis statement, meaning it draws strength from it. For more extended essays, you can signpost the ideas as they appear in the paragraphs so that your readers know what to anticipate and in what order.

Write the body paragraphs.

After clearing your introduction, you need to develop the body paragraphs. A body paragraph should be between 130 words and 150 words. This means you should balance the sentences: using a mix of short and long sentences to achieve a reasonable word count.

Begin every paragraph with a distinct, relevant, and valid topic sentence. The topic sentences must connect to the thesis because each body paragraph elaborates on the thesis.

Have supporting details such as evidence, examples, illustrations, and explanations expounding on how the topic sentence and the evidence relate to the thesis and the topic.

Finally, you need a conclusion sentence that transitions your paragraph to the next one.

Write the conclusion

After writing the body paragraphs, complete your essay with a firm conclusion. 90% of the time, your professor, marker, or teacher will read the title, introduction, and conclusion and be able to tell the grade you get by skimming through the body paragraph.

A conclusion is worth 10% of the entire word count for your essay. Therefore, you have no time to introduce any new ideas. Instead, begin with the right conclusion statement and draw your readers' attention to the fact that the essay is coming to a close.

Next, write a summary wrapping up the main points in the body. Finally, your last sentence should be a call-to-action or final sentence that announces your stance on the topic.

• The minimum and maximum number of paragraphs in an essay
• How to write the last paragraph (conclusion) of an essay.
• Comparison essay writing guide.

7.  Proofread and Polish your Essay

Although there is no bulletproof way to write an essay, editing, and proofreading thoroughly can turn a below-average essay into a first-class essay. We have received average essays and edited/proofread them to the extent of scoring As and distinctions for our clients.

After completing your essay, you should edit for grammar, punctuation, spelling, and organization. Check whether your points are flowing or whether you need to reorganize the paper and revise your thesis statement.

Likewise, check and correct mistakes to make your paper readable, gradable, and destined for high scores. This is technically the last step in the essay writing process.

Before this step, you can take a break to refresh your brain, break the writing monotony, and develop an objective mind. When editing and proofreading, read aloud to determine if the sentences fit into the context of a paragraph.

When you are done editing, check whether you have met the word count, dotted all your Is and crossed all your Ts, achieved the proper in-text citations depending on the formatting style, and set up your paper to 1-inch margins and font Times New Roman or Arial size 12.

Sometimes, take advantage of our online proofreading and editing services, for they have saved and turned around grades!

8. Submit on Time

After you have ascertained that everything has fallen to its respective place, input your details, countercheck the submission guidelines, and submit the essay.

Submitting a well-written essay early increases the chance that your professor will read and mark it early when they still have a taste for marking.

You can bet that your essay will be marked and appropriate feedback is given. When submitting, ensure that your essay is in a Word document or any format your markers prefer.

Top 9 Hacks and Tips for the First-Class Essay on Any Subject

Now that you know the steps, here are some essay cheats, hacks, and tips to help you write a high-score essay without breaking a sweat. So, whether you want a first-class essay in your law, political science, geography, English and Literature, or government class, here are the tips to help you. These tips can help you write an essay even if you lack the motivation to write one.

1. Begin preparing and writing early

Once you are assigned to write an essay and want to score an A, you should plan, research, and write it early. 95% of the successful students always do and submit their assignments in three-quarters of the allotted time.

It allows them to write the essay when they still have the morale and burn. So, instead of waiting until the last minute, plan and begin writing your essay early.

Beginning early helps you reach out to your teacher for help with any questions regarding the essay prompt, topic, or essay questions. Sometimes, it also enables you to internalize everything and gather as many resources as required to write the essay.

2.  Avoid informal words

Never use words you are unsure of, slang, and other informal words in your essay. Instead of complicating things, make them plain and simple. Professors know many things; they also have a lot of other things to do.

Using words that will prompt them to use dictionaries as they mark your paper makes them hate marking it. When you keep it simple, you are an inch closer to scoring an A in your essay.

3. Demonstrate depth of knowledge

When writing your essay, you must demonstrate that you have researched well beyond the course reading materials. Lecturers prefer and like novel materials and ideas. It makes them think of your essay as one that has in-depth information. And such is fodder for a distinction essay. Therefore, when writing your essay, research widely and in-depth.

First-class essays do not clumsily have unsupported points. All the claims, arguments, and points have to be substantiated. And as you support them, ensure that you critically elaborate on the evidence and weave in your opinions to explain them further.

4. Have coherent arguments

 A good way of demonstrating knowledge depth is through coherently framing the arguments. Then, in most cases, form an opinion based on the research. And you can only do this if you have the essay question, topic, title, and thesis statement in mind.

You can then build insights and thought processes that can be established through reading the essay. When your essay has a high level of logical reasoning and critical thinking, it is undoubtedly a first-class essay.

Let the reader know where your essay stands, given the conceptual and theoretical framework available in the literature. Of course, every claim statement in your essay has to be supported using relevant evidence.

5. Have an essay outline or essay plan

We pride ourselves as a first-class essay service , given our insistence that writers develop essay plans and outlines. We have a post outlining the benefits of structuring your essay during pre-writing.

If you have a well-thought-out structure for your essay, you can present your arguments, support them, and give the right flow. First, map out your intro, body, and concluding paragraphs. A focused essay structure helps you visualize what falls where and in what order. That way, you can take your markers through the essay step-by-step.

6. Maintain Clarity and Style

With the basic structure of your essay, you can easily score a distinction on it, even if you write it at the last minute. The secret lies in ensuring your writing is clear, concise, coherent, comprehensive, compelling, and correct.

Your writing style should engage your readers right from the first sentence to the last dot for you to score an A. Only use the appropriate terms that demonstrate knowledge and not jargon or vocabulary that make reading your essay challenging.

Besides, stick to the citation and formatting styles to allow your readers to determine the scope and direction of your essay. Your arguments, too, must be solid and coherent. Let them demonstrate some technical knowledge to relate well with and engage your instructor or marker. Finally, a good essay sticks to the style requirements of the university or college.

And if there are opposing views, present them in your writing but show why your viewpoint is superior. This demonstrates maturity in your writing and that you have done in-depth research.

7. Use Quality sources and references

A distinction essay effectively uses core readings, further reading, and personal research (scholarly articles and sources outside of what is provided in class).

When incorporating the sources into your essay, use appropriate words such as posits, contends, illustrates, demonstrates, reports, assets, etc., to draw your readers' attention to the evidence.

 You should then provide appropriate citations and elaborate or expound on the evidence given in your thesis. Again, use recent sources (those published in the last five years) unless you have to cite seminal work or primary sources published in the past.

Strive to get scholarly sources from academic databases such as EBSCOhost, ProQuest, Jstor, PubMed, etc., which can be accessed via the university library. If unsure, you can also ask the librarian for good sources. And when you borrow ideas, cite every piece of information to avoid plagiarism in your essay .

8. Maintain originality

Plagiarism is the first of the things you can do to mess up a first-class essay. A top-grade essay demonstrates reasoning, creativity, critical thinking, and mature writing and presentation skills. As you weave in what others have said, bring in your personal perspective to demonstrate independence and mature reasoning.

You can do this in the body paragraphs. Present logical arguments that are concise, clear, complete, correct, and coherent. Demonstrate confidence in your writing by expressing your perspective when explaining the evidence. Stay formal and original all through to make a first-class essay.

Avoid using too many quotes from other sources unless stated otherwise. Likewise, do not paraphrase too much. Instead, let your personal opinion be seen and demonstrated through your writing.

9. Seek a second opinion before submitting

You can be stuck in your world of wrongness throughout the pre-writing, writing, and post-writing phases. However, when you have a second and third eye on your work, chances are that things will be okay. Therefore, check with someone outside your class, such as a professional proofreader, grading, marking services, or your professor, if your essay meets the standards set in the rubric.

Let them read and critique your essay's presentation, content, and organization. Our advice is that you take their critique seriously and revise the essay.

And as you revise, check the marking criteria to ascertain that your changes improve your grading. Remember, your target is beyond 75 marks to attain a first-class in your essay. Getting 80 points and above makes it a distinction essay.

Checklist for an A-grade Essay

A typical university- or college-level essay is assessed based on several characteristics that make it score an A or a lower grade. You can produce a first-class essay consistently if your paper meets the criteria below. After writing your essay, ensure to countercheck if it checks all the checkboxes in this first-class essay checklist.

Introduction

• Appropriate and relevant use of a hook statement to grab the attention of the readers
• Use of transitions to introduce the topic and the essay question
• An outstanding thesis statement that is debatable, informative, and concise
• Signposts the ideas in the essay
• Is 10% of the entire essay
• Uses clear topic sentences with a variety of placements
• The topic sentences relate to the topic and thesis
• Uses strong transitions into support sentences
• Incorporates sufficient evidence (quotations, paraphrases, and summaries) from scholarly sources
• Good organization of ideas and points
• Clarity of the writing and choice of language
• Demonstrates solid research without over-relying on a few sources to support claims and arguments
• Provides abundant and supported examples and elaborations
• Has outstanding concluding sentences with transitions to the following paragraphs
• Meets the word count allotted for the body paragraphs (80% of the word count)
• Has in-text citations as necessary
• Has original thought and demonstrates imagination
• Uses strong clincher sentences
• Begins with appropriate conclusion starters
• Links to the introduction to the body
• Summarizes the main points
• Creates closure or final insight that comes in the form of a lesson or call to action
• It does not introduce any new ideas

We often get questions regarding how to write good essays. We have provided answers below to some of the commonly asked questions.

What is the score for a first-class essay?

The score for a first-class or distinction essay varies depending on the university. Some universities cap 65-75 as the best score, whereas others are 70-80 percent. To be safe, strive to write essays scoring at least 80% to attain first-class grading.

Can someone write a first-class essay fast?

Yes, you can write a perfect essay that scores the top grade in your rubric. To do so, research, read, plan, and write well. Ensure that your essay's argument is supported and weaved in your voice. Your essay should be mechanically sound and devoid of any errors and mistakes. A first-class essay is good; it is written up to the standards of essay writing and has a thesis statement, a hook, and a reasonable conclusion.

How do you begin writing an essay?

Start writing your essay using an attention-grabber or a hook. Let it be a statement, an idea, a fact, a statistic, or some statement that can attract the attention of any reader. Let the readers know the value of your essay off the bat.

Can I score an A in an essay if I write it overnight?

Yes, why not? If you get your peace and pieces of ideas, thoughts, and arguments together and follow the eight steps we illustrated and the tips we gave, you can write an essay overnight and score an A. But, of course, the secret lies in how deep your research is. Writing an A-grade essay is as easy as snapping your finger if you have researched well. Oh! And remember to organize your research; this is where your essay plan and outline comes in handy.

How can I write a first-class law essay?

To write a distinction law essay, start in advance. Deconstruct the question early enough, research widely, write an essay plan, write your essay, include the relevant citations, meet the length requirements, and have a reasonable conclusion.

How do I write a political science essay that scores an A?

When writing a political science essay, choose a good topic. Ensure that you can convince your readers using the few words at hand. Plan your essay early enough, brainstorm ideas, write an outline, write the paper beginning with the intro and finishing with a conclusion, polish your thesis, and proofread the essay.

How many sources should I use in my essay for the best scores?

Referencing is a mainstay in academic essay writing. References help the markers understand your thought process and tell the reader you have researched. Writing an essay with evidence helps shine a light on your readers and advances a scholarly discussion. It is proof that you organized your ideas, researched what scholars are saying, integrated the evidence into your essay then explained using your own words.

The number of sources you can use depends on the length of your essay, the data you are using, and the university essay instructions. A one-page essay should have at least two references. A two-page essay can have 4-5 references. The three-page essay will have at least 6-8 references, and the trend continues.

If you are writing a 1200 to1500-word essay, use 10-13 sources. And if you are writing a 2000 words essay, have up to 15 or 17 references. A 10-page essay can have up to 20 sources. Do not depend on just two to three references when writing an essay beyond two pages. In most cases, you will be told the number of sources to use. Do not overcite as you need to present your opinion as well.

Check out our custom writing services page for the best essay assistance. We are the leading essay-writing platform online . 

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Essay and dissertation writing skills

Planning your essay

Writing your introduction

Structuring your essay

• Writing essays in science subjects
• Brief video guides to support essay planning and writing
• Writing extended essays and dissertations
• Planning your dissertation writing time

Structuring your dissertation

• Top tips for writing longer pieces of work

Advice on planning and writing essays and dissertations

University essays differ from school essays in that they are less concerned with what you know and more concerned with how you construct an argument to answer the question. This means that the starting point for writing a strong essay is to first unpick the question and to then use this to plan your essay before you start putting pen to paper (or finger to keyboard).

A really good starting point for you are these short, downloadable Tips for Successful Essay Writing and Answering the Question resources. Both resources will help you to plan your essay, as well as giving you guidance on how to distinguish between different sorts of essay questions. 

You may find it helpful to watch this seven-minute video on six tips for essay writing which outlines how to interpret essay questions, as well as giving advice on planning and structuring your writing:

Different disciplines will have different expectations for essay structure and you should always refer to your Faculty or Department student handbook or course Canvas site for more specific guidance.

However, broadly speaking, all essays share the following features:

Essays need an introduction to establish and focus the parameters of the discussion that will follow. You may find it helpful to divide the introduction into areas to demonstrate your breadth and engagement with the essay question. You might define specific terms in the introduction to show your engagement with the essay question; for example, ‘This is a large topic which has been variously discussed by many scientists and commentators. The principle tension is between the views of X and Y who define the main issues as…’ Breadth might be demonstrated by showing the range of viewpoints from which the essay question could be considered; for example, ‘A variety of factors including economic, social and political, influence A and B. This essay will focus on the social and economic aspects, with particular emphasis on…..’

Watch this two-minute video to learn more about how to plan and structure an introduction:

The main body of the essay should elaborate on the issues raised in the introduction and develop an argument(s) that answers the question. It should consist of a number of self-contained paragraphs each of which makes a specific point and provides some form of evidence to support the argument being made. Remember that a clear argument requires that each paragraph explicitly relates back to the essay question or the developing argument.

• Conclusion: An essay should end with a conclusion that reiterates the argument in light of the evidence you have provided; you shouldn’t use the conclusion to introduce new information.
• References: You need to include references to the materials you’ve used to write your essay. These might be in the form of footnotes, in-text citations, or a bibliography at the end. Different systems exist for citing references and different disciplines will use various approaches to citation. Ask your tutor which method(s) you should be using for your essay and also consult your Department or Faculty webpages for specific guidance in your discipline. 

Essay writing in science subjects

If you are writing an essay for a science subject you may need to consider additional areas, such as how to present data or diagrams. This five-minute video gives you some advice on how to approach your reading list, planning which information to include in your answer and how to write for your scientific audience – the video is available here:

A PDF providing further guidance on writing science essays for tutorials is available to download.

Short videos to support your essay writing skills

There are many other resources at Oxford that can help support your essay writing skills and if you are short on time, the Oxford Study Skills Centre has produced a number of short (2-minute) videos covering different aspects of essay writing, including:

• Approaching different types of essay questions  
• Structuring your essay  
• Writing an introduction  
• Making use of evidence in your essay writing  
• Writing your conclusion

Extended essays and dissertations

Longer pieces of writing like extended essays and dissertations may seem like quite a challenge from your regular essay writing. The important point is to start with a plan and to focus on what the question is asking. A PDF providing further guidance on planning Humanities and Social Science dissertations is available to download.

Planning your time effectively

Try not to leave the writing until close to your deadline, instead start as soon as you have some ideas to put down onto paper. Your early drafts may never end up in the final work, but the work of committing your ideas to paper helps to formulate not only your ideas, but the method of structuring your writing to read well and conclude firmly.

Although many students and tutors will say that the introduction is often written last, it is a good idea to begin to think about what will go into it early on. For example, the first draft of your introduction should set out your argument, the information you have, and your methods, and it should give a structure to the chapters and sections you will write. Your introduction will probably change as time goes on but it will stand as a guide to your entire extended essay or dissertation and it will help you to keep focused.

The structure of  extended essays or dissertations will vary depending on the question and discipline, but may include some or all of the following:

• The background information to - and context for - your research. This often takes the form of a literature review.
• Explanation of the focus of your work.
• Explanation of the value of this work to scholarship on the topic.
• List of the aims and objectives of the work and also the issues which will not be covered because they are outside its scope.

The main body of your extended essay or dissertation will probably include your methodology, the results of research, and your argument(s) based on your findings.

The conclusion is to summarise the value your research has added to the topic, and any further lines of research you would undertake given more time or resources. 

Tips on writing longer pieces of work

Approaching each chapter of a dissertation as a shorter essay can make the task of writing a dissertation seem less overwhelming. Each chapter will have an introduction, a main body where the argument is developed and substantiated with evidence, and a conclusion to tie things together. Unlike in a regular essay, chapter conclusions may also introduce the chapter that will follow, indicating how the chapters are connected to one another and how the argument will develop through your dissertation.

For further guidance, watch this two-minute video on writing longer pieces of work . 

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How to write a first-class paper

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Manuscripts may have a rigidly defined structure, but there’s still room to tell a compelling story — one that clearly communicates the science and is a pleasure to read. Scientist-authors and editors debate the importance and meaning of creativity and offer tips on how to write a top paper.

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doi: https://doi.org/10.1038/d41586-018-02404-4

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The first class essay system: step-by-step guide to writing amazing essays 🎓.

I failed out of high school.

Last year I received an  academic achievement award — here's the proof .

Almost every essay I have written has been awarded at least 70% (Lower First Class Honours, or a 4.0 GPA). 

T his is not  because I am smart. If you want smart, listen to Balaji Srinivasan talk for more than 90 seconds . That is smart.

Regardless of being a bit of an idiot, I have managed consistently achieve good grades because I follow a system that addresses each part of the essay writing process  individually .

What process, you ask?

Well, you're in luck.

Introducing the The First Class Essay Writing System: a collection of tools , tricks and tactics repeatedly   proven   to repeatedly produce first class essays . 

I have refined this system over two years. Far from perfect, but it works. Let me walk you through it.

Let's break the process into four stages: 1) research , 2) reading , 3) writing , and 4)  editing .

1—Research Stage

The average undergraduate essay question tests your knowledge of a specific area covered throughout the semester. If your professor has not provided core reading, ask them.  Depending on the professor, it can also be helpful to ask for 2 to 3 papers they would definitely read if they were answering the question you picked.

Next, we'll need a place to collect and take notes on all of our papers. For those unfamiliar, let me introduce you to a tool that has changed my academic life: Zotero.

Zotero  helps by collecting and organising academic papers. No more horrendous thumbnail-painted desktops. Zotero automatically generates references in most referencing standards. Here's what it looks like:

Follow these step-by-step instructions to download, install, and set up Zotero:

Step 1 : Create a Zotero account by clicking here

Step 2 : Go to the Zotero Downloads page by clicking here

Step 3 : Download and install Zotero and the Zotero Connector

The Zotero Connector is a browser plug-in that automatically saves references of academic papers with a single click—gold!

Step 4 : Download the  Zotfile plug-in for Zotero by clicking here . Zotfile automatically renames PDFs based on author, year, and title

To install, open Zotero, click Tools → Add-ons and drag the download onto the Add-ons window

Step 5 : Follow Simon Perdrisat’s guide here on how to get Zotero to fetch PDFs using SciHub

Simon's guide enables direct downloads of most academic papers for safe offline reading.

Next, we want to discover some more papers. We can always manually search popular academic research databases. Or you could just use another tool that will do this for you.

Let me introduce you to...

1.2—ResearchRabbit

ResearchRabbit is like the Discover feature on Spotify but for massive nerds. You feed it some papers from Zotero and it will recommend similar papers. You can sort by date, citation count, and more.

Warning : it’s very easy to go crazy and add a tonne of new papers. Skim the abstracts and see what is relevant to you and your essay.  I often get sucked down rabbit holes reading obscure papers. But in general, I think it’s a good idea to focus on the basics before getting fancy. 

Note : A rule of thumb for deciding what to read might be 80% core material relating to the topic, and 20% ancillary material that could help make creative connections. 

Step 1 : Create a ResearchRabbit account by clicking here

Step 2 :  Connect Zotero to ResearchRabbit by following  this video guide

Step 3 : In Zotero, create a folder by navigating to File → New Collection and add your core readings to folder

Step 4 :  In ResearchRabbit, click Import Zotero Collection in the top left-hand corner and select the relevant folder

Step 5 : Learn how to discover  new papers in ResearchRabbit by following this video guide

ResearchRabbit sends your newfound papers back to Zotero, who will then automagically download and store them for reading. 

2—Reading Stage

So you’ve got what you need to read. Now you have to schedule a time to read. Schedule a time that works best for you.  I like to read very early in the morning, between 6 and 10 AM. Experiment and you’ll find what is best for you.  You’ll need a program to read and for capturing notes. 

For reading, I recommend using Zotero for tracking purposes as when you copy and paste highlight, it appends citations and page numbers. For note taking, use   whatever   note-taking  software or  system works best for you. 

Inspired by YouTuber  Jack Edwards , I create a three-column table with labels  Source , Passage , and Notes .  Add your citation in the Source column. Highlight important sections and copy them into the   Passage   column. Take notes on creative connections in the   Notes   column.   Here’s what my table looks like:  

As you can, highlight and bolding  act as a way finder for information relevant to the essay at hand. Experiment to figure out what highlighting system works best for you, or just copy my system.

3—Writing Stage

So we have done enough preliminary reading enough to have an idea of what the topic is about. We have seen the same issues mentioned repeatedly throughout different papers. We have a grasp on the dominant ideas and authors in the area. Now we are just about ready to create a working thesis. 

3.1—The Sheridan Baker Thesis Machine

Your thesis is a statement, based on your reading, that you're setting out to prove in your essay. Adapted from Sheridan Baker's The Practical Stylist, follow  these steps to turn a topic idea into a working thesis for your paper:

Step 1 : State the topic under consideration

• Writing classes

Step 2 :  State the specific issue in the form of a debating proposition

• Resolved: Cats should be subject to leash laws.
• Resolved: Writing classes should be abolished.
• Resolved: Grades are unnecessary in college.

Step 3 : Using a because clause, convert the resolution into a sentence that states your position on the issue and provides a main rationale for that position (this is a rough thesis)

• Cats should be subject to leash laws because they are inveterate wanderers.
• Writing classes should not be abolished because many students are unpracticed writers.
• Grades are unnecessary in college because students learn more rapidly without them.
• Although it is against a cat’s instinctive wanderlust to be restrained, the crowded nature of city life demands that cats not be allowed to roam around freely
• Although gifted high school graduates should be exempt from writing classes, most entering students need help in attaining college-level writing skills
• Although there may be a legitimate need to evaluate the work of college students, the traditional grading system hinders learning and stifles creativity

Step 5 (Optional) :  Test your faith in the thesis and explore potential counterarguments by reversing your position.

• The cat’s independent and adaptable nature makes it the only pet capable of living an unrestricted existence within the city
• Although introductory writing classes may have remedial value for some students, most high school graduates possess writing skills sufficient for success in college courses
• Traditional grading procedures may offend educational purists, but public school systems require pragmatic approaches to evaluation

We're getting there. You have a working thesis ready to go. We have a foundation to work from. Now it's time to...

3.2—Create an Outline

Research: done. Reading: done. Thesis: done.  Now you can scream at the top of your lungs into the void (or pillow), because now comes the hardest part—writing.  The groundwork put in up until now will make this so much easier than going in blind.

Your outline is the basic argument for your essay. This will be based on your thesis, which is backed by your reading.  The following outline example is adapted from Jordan Peterson’s essay writing guide. Get a copy of the full guide by clicking here (highly recommend reading through this once). Peterson recommends that you add no more than 10 main outline heading , adding sub-points for longer essays. And let's be honest, he has an IQ of 150+, so his guide is a safe bet. Each  outline heading accounts for roughly 100 words of essay length.  Here’s an example of a thesis for a three-thousand-word essay titled,  "What is capitalism?":

• How has capitalism been defined?
• Where and when did capitalism develop?
• How did capitalism develop in the first 50 years after its origin?
• How did capitalism develop in the second 50 years after its origin?
• Repeat as necessary
• Historical precursors?
• choose as many centuries as necessary
• Advantages of capitalism?
• Wealth generation
• Technological advancement
• Personal freedom
• Disadvantages of capitalism?
• Unequal distribution
• Pollution and other externalised costs
• Alternatives to capitalism?
• Consequences of these alternatives
• Potential future developments?

Before writing an outline, I find helpful to skim my notes table to trigger my memory. A mind map might also be helpful. Try different things here to see what works for you. And now, let's get...

3.3—Writing

“The first draft of everything is shit” — Ernest Hemingway

If you’re anything like me (read: easily distracted and extremely good-looking ), you must be militant in cutting distractions out.  Use and browser plugins block access to all distracting websites for an extended period of time. Leave your phone in the next room.

I use StayFocusd and SelfControl . 

While StayFocusd enables scheduled blocking of websites at a browser level, SelfControl blocks access to websites across all web browsers by infiltrating your computer’s network settings. It doesn’t reset if you restart your computer or delete the application. It resets when the timer ends. Find a Windows-based alternative by clicking here .

Now that everything is blocked (right?!), write without stopping. Use your notes table as reference.  Add placeholders for your references—for example, Darwin (18XX)—so that you can write without stopping.

Note for writing : Do not expect perfection . Even though that would be awesome if perfection could spill out of our fingertips, to expect perfection is greedy . Lower your expectations, and just write.

Anyways, we're nearly there. Now for let us move on to the...

4—Editing Stage

  “To err is human; to edit, divine” — Unknown, or Grammarly staff, or Steven King 

Editing is what takes a 50 to 60% essay to a 70%+ essay.  I used to hate the edit. Now it has become my favourite part of the process. Returning to Jordan Peterson’s essay writing guide , take each paragraph and separate each sentence onto its own line. Write a better (read: shorter, simpler ) version of each sentence under each sentence. Aim to make it 15 to 25% shorter. 

"It is my ambition to say in ten sentences what others say in a whole book." — Friedrich Nietzsche

Ultimately, Peterson reckons you should aim to make each word, sentence, and paragraph exactly right. No longer. No shorter. No fluff. Juuust right.  Here’s an example from Peterson’s guide:

As you can see, there is no magic. Just work. Repeat this process for every single paragraph.

4.1—Reorganising

Next, read through the essay in its entirety.  Reorder each sentence to ensure they flow logically from one to the next, cutting out everything that is unnecessary for your final argument .  Peterson recommends that you write a new outline of ten to fifteen sentences without looking back at your essay.

Now that we have our sentences tightened up, and our paragraphs reordered, it's time to take it up a notch. Let me introduce you to...

4.2—Academic Phrasebank

Academic Phrasebank  is basically a dictionary for academic nerds. Think of it as academic lego : you can plug bits and pieces in to your essay during the editing phase ensure you're meeting the appropriate (read: pretentious) academic tone. 

I like to use it to make the beginning and end of each paragraph as relevant and tight as possible while ensuring it has an academic tone.  It’s at this point that I ensure each paragraph's topic sentence and concluding sentence links back to my thesis statement. Here’s an example:

Question : Research has suggested that the genetic component of schizophrenia may have been overestimated and that an increased focus on gene-environmental interaction studies may advance our understanding of the aetiology of schizophrenia more than studies of genes or environmental factors alone. Consider the evidence for this statement with reference to recent research.

My thesis statement : While researchers have historically separated explorations of genetic and environmental risk factors in the aetiology of schizophrenia, this paper will argue that future research may benefit from examining more closely how genes and the environment operate interactively to produce schizophrenia.

The phrasing of the bolded-italicised sections in the following paragraph was plugged in from Academic Phrasebank:

Now a word on... 

4.3—Introductions and Conclusions

A general note on introductions and conclusions inspired by my amazing biological psychology professor: introductions start broad and end specific . Unless you have a good reason, we want to end the introduction by introducing our thesis statement. Here’s an example from the essay mentioned in the thesis statement above:

Our conclusion goes the other way. You want to start specific and end broad . This can look come in the form of outlining the wider (social, economic, cultural)  impact of the issue. Here’s an example from the same essay:

Schizophrenia is a devastating psychiatric disorder that affects individuals, their families, and society. Previous research generally placed emphasis on exploring the role of genetics in the aetiology of schizophrenia. However, modern research is beginning to identify the role of environmental risk factors in schizophrenia, largely disproving the long-held belief that schizophrenia is unaffected by time and place. While our understanding of schizophrenia has come a long way in recent decades, precise mechanisms of action remain to be elucidated. If our understanding of schizophrenia is to be moved forward, a better understanding of how genetics interact with environmental factors needs to be developed .

OK, fantastic work. You've done everything above and your essay is in first-class shape. Last but not least, let's fishing by perfecting...

4.4—Referencing

Never lose marks for incorrect referencing again. Here's a step-by-step guide on how to automatically generate you references list using Zotero:

Step 1 : Within Zotero, navigate to File → New Collection  and create a folder with the same name as your current essay folder, but add ‘final’ to it

Step 2:   Read through your edited essay with Zotero opened in another window

Step 3 : For each citation you find in your essay, add the associated paper to your final folder within Zotero

Step 4 : In Zotero, select all papers within your final folder using  Control + A (Windows) or Command + A (Mac), then right click your selection and select   Create Bibliography   from Items... 

Step 5:  Select your citation style, set Output Mode to Bibliography , set Output Method to Copy to Clipboard  and click OK

Step 6: Paste your  bibliography into document using Control + V (Windows) or Command + V (Mac)  

Here what it looks like:

..and that's it. Following this system all of the way through will make writing first class essay a piece of cake. If you have any issues, questions, or feedback, post a comment below or reach out to me on Twitter —always happy to help.

Very well written!

You have a natural talent for writing and have spent the time to perfect it as demonstrated by the content of the og post, and the blog post itself.

Excuse my own punctuation and grammatical errors for I am a mere mortal.

Leave a comment

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Improving Your Marks in Academic Writing

• Understanding the Question
• The Criteria for a First-Class Assignment
• Proofreading
• Mindsets for Academic Writing
• Video Playlist
• Audio Playlist
• Downloadable Resources
• Further Reading
• Relevant Workshops This link opens in a new window
• Criteria for a First-Class Assignment
• Knowledge and Understanding
• Critical Thinking
• Use and Integration of Sources and Referencing
• Grammar, Expression and Layout
• Answers the Question

It may seem obvious, but to achieve a first you must attempt to satisfy the marking criteria for a first-class essay. If you do not believe you can get a first and thus do not attempt to hit the criteria, you will not get a first. However, at university prior attainment is irrelevant and the key to getting a first is trying to hit the criteria (and potentially failing), reflecting on your efforts, and taking actions to refine how you complete your assignments to improve. Many students have come to the University of Derby with poor A-Levels and come out with a first-class degree. Listen to the podcast titled from A-Level failure to University Success to hear about recent graduate Joel Boulter’s experience in getting a first.

The main criteria for a first can be broken down into the following headings: (taken from Roberts, J. (2017) Essentials of essay writing. What markers look for. UK: PALGRAVE. PALGRAVE Study Skills.)

• Knowledge and understanding
• Critical thinking
• Use and integration of sources and referencing
• Grammar, expression, and layout
• Answering the question

Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of key works, relevant facts, problems, debates, theories and concepts.

Awareness of complexity of the issues. This includes using cautious language   to highlight the certainty of your writing.

Reading goes beyond what is required. Often this means reading more than the text given to you by your lecturer. Note that wider reading is done alongside reading and understanding the key works on the area.

Used reliable sources. See our evaluating your sources   guide for information on how to check the reliability of a source. Some factors for checking reliability of a source include asking:

• Is the source peer reviewed?
• Is the information up to date?
• Is the source from a respected publisher or author?

Accurate presentation of others’ views.

A first-class essay requires:

• Strong reasoning and evidence used to support arguments.
• Clarity of ‘voice’
• Independent bold analysis is undertaken
• Obvious objections/counter arguments are anticipated
• Assumptions of others are identified and tested

For more information about critical thinking and evaluating sources see our critical reading guide .

Referencing is accurate. Students have access to Cite Them Right. Cite Them Right explains how to reference over 150 types of source and includes a referencing tutorial. See the referencing guide for further information . If you are interested in attending one of the library’s referencing workshops, use this link to see our upcoming workshops .

Strong illustrations are used

Use includes:

• Comparison/Contrast

Synthesis in academic writing is where you combine two different sources together to make one argument. You can use synthesis where there is clear overlap or similarity between two points. If two points clearly agree it would be a waste of words to write the same thing twice. Instead paraphrase the idea that they agree upon and cite both sources afterwards. If the sources agree on the idea but given different reasons these can be explained afterwards. Using synthesis is seen positively by markers as it highlights understanding, clarity in writing and efficiency. It also allows you to save words that can be spent elsewhere in your essay.

Style is fluent and engaging. See the  Structure and Flow guide for further information .

Grammar and spelling are flawless. See our Grammar guide for further information.

Presentation guidelines are followed.

Writing is:

• In 3rd person
• Understandable by the audience

Question is clearly and coherently answered.

Response is focused on the question throughout.

Arguments and evidence are relevant. 

Methods of ensuring that the question is answered can be found in the Understanding the Question and Proofreading tabs of this page.

Structure provides a sound basis for addressing the question.

Parts of structure required by essay type are used (e.g. recommendations in reports).

Argument is logical.

Purpose of each part is indicated.

Relationship between parts is clear.

Conclusion is justified by the evidence.

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How to Write and Get First-Class in an Essay: A Distinction

write and Get A Distinction in Your Essay

Essays cannot be avoided at any academic level. They play a huge role in the grades that students get. Therefore, every student needs to know how first-class essays are written to ensure that they get good grades in their different fields of study.

This enables students to consistently write good essays and cross the boundary between average and good to excellent scores. To add to that, understanding the purpose of the essay is what determines the score of the essay. You can write a first-class essay, but if it does not serve the purpose it was meant to, then it leads to failure.

6 Steps to Write a Good Essay                  

1. research the topic.

To begin your research, read and understand the topic properly to ensure that everything you will look into relates to what the topic requires. The instructions that are given usually bear the nature of the research.

For example, a topic could contain terms such as compare, discuss, prove, and contrast that dictate what to do in the essay.

After understanding the topic, brainstorm the ideas that you will write in the essay. This helps you understand the topic more before delving into deeper research.

When researching the topic, you should use relevant books and peer-reviewed journal articles. Also, only government and education institutions’ websites should be used for research.

While researching, take notes on important points you will use to form arguments in the essay.

Have a dictionary on your side to make sure you understand the meaning of terms you are unfamiliar with. Additionally, formulate your arguments, opinions, and views to avoid plagiarism.

Lastly, write down all the sources you have retrieved information from for the reference page at the end of the essay

2. Prepare an Outline

An outline is important because it helps plan the structure of the essay before writing it. It involves writing a few summary sentences under every major point to give you a picture of how each argument will unfold in the essay.

Sometimes you can be required to submit an outline before writing the essay, but it is equally important even if it has not been requested. To write an outline:

3. Organize your Material

Ideas are not fully formed when writing the essay outline. Preliminary research and sources should help in shaping your ideas into structural arguments. Once you have an idea of how your overall argument will look arrange your content into several arguments.

The different aspects of your arguments should be arranged into categories. For example, you can split your arguments into three main themes. These themes should relate to the thesis statement of the essay.

Also, consider the order of information. It is usually advisable to start with your stronger arguments.

4. Write the outline

A few points should be used to discuss the relation between every idea and the main topic in different paragraphs. The points are presented as short, numbered sentences and phrases that can be split into sub-points when more details are required.

For example, the introduction can have a hook, background, and thesis statement.

Under the body paragraphs, include points and follow them up with two or three pieces of evidence, and the conclusion can have a summary, the importance of the topic, and strong closing statements.

5. Write the thesis and introduction

The first task when writing the introduction of your essay is making sure that you hook the reader. The first sentence should set the tone for the whole essay.

It should be clear, concise, and catchy. Also, it should not be a broad claim or a plain statement of fact.

Secondly, you should give the background information. This is the context that your readers will need to understand the topic. It can be historical, geographical, or social context.

It can be a summary of relevant theories or the definition of key terms. Thirdly, write your thesis statement. This is where you narrow down the focus of your essay and show what your essay is all about.

The thesis statement sums up your overall arguments. It is the most important part of the essay that will require evidence and explanation throughout the essay.

Every argument made in the essay should reflect on the thesis statement. Therefore, it should reflect all the issues that are on the outline.

6. Write a draft essay

With the outline and introduction already written, you only need the body paragraphs and the conclusion to complete your draft essay.

Make sure that the last statement of your introduction, which is mostly the thesis, connects with your first body paragraph. Body paragraphs must have a topic sentence. They also should link with the thesis statement to show that they are relevant and advance your arguments.

No conclusion statements are needed in paragraphs. Additionally, all paragraphs should be connected with the previous one to enhance the free flow and understanding of the reader. The length of the paragraphs should be as your instructor requires.

However, most paragraphs should range from 90 to 130 words to make the arrangement logical.

The conclusion paragraph should synthesize the arguments made in the body paragraphs. It also should reflect on the introduction, but it is important to make sure there is no repetition involved.

The conclusion should reiterate your essay arguments and not introduce any new ideas or make recommendations. It should be simple and straight to the point.

7. Reference your Sources

Two ways are used when referencing sources in essays. One is the in-text citation, and the other is the reference page.

In-text citations are a brief form of references that you include in the paragraphs of your essay. The information they give should be enough to identify a source on the reference list. The technique used when writing in-text citations depends on the writing format used in the essay.

APA, MLA, Harvard, and Chicago formats all have different ways of writing citations.

On the other hand, the reference page is the last page of the essay. It lists all the sources cited in the essay so that readers can easily find what you have cited.

Similar to in-text citation, the formatting method used determines how the defense page will be written. Therefore, it is important to master all the different formatting methods to ensure you cite essays, as they require

8. Proofread your Essay

Proofreading essays is important in ensuring that they are error-free before submission. You can write the best content in the world, but if it has spelling, grammatical, and structural errors, then you are likely to fail.

To proofread your essay effectively, you will need to:

• Read your essay backward. This helps you look at the surface elements of the essay rather than its meaning.
• Proofread for one type of error at a time. This is done to your known typical mistakes. If they are full stop and comas, read the essay two times, correcting each typical mistake at a time.
• Take a break after writing before you proofread. This helps read through the paper with a fresh mind to increase the chances of detecting every mistake made.
• Ask someone to read your paper for you. Other people will likely have different views to the one that you have and probably detect mistakes you cannot.
• Proofread severally. Do not go through the paper once and think that you have cleared all the errors. Read it again and again.

Read our guide on how to write a college essay.

Tips on how to get first-class in an essay

The pass mark of getting first-class in essays that is hard for many students to get can be achieved if the following tips are understood and put into practice:

Know the marking criteria

Always know what the instructor is looking for so that you can meet the demands of the essay effectively. Mostly, instructors provide a rubric with instructions and sections of essays together with the score expected if they are done effectively.

This is what you are required to do. Do not assume. Always follow the criteria and instructions provided to get full marks.

Understand the Essay Topic or Question

It is important to understand the topic of the essay before you start writing it.  You cannot get a high grade if your essay deviates from the essay topic and question.

If you are required to support, oppose, discuss, or summarize a topic, which is exactly what you are supposed to do to maximize the chances of getting a high grade.

In instances where you don’t understand the essay question or topic, you can ask for help from your instructor or other students.

Quality Sources and Referencing System

A first-class essay should always demonstrate your awareness of available literature on the essay topic and your familiarity with the empirical and theoretical literature applicable.

Books are the most common sources of information, but peer-reviewed journal articles are also reliable because they are published frequently. A first-class essay will always reference these sources and not online unverified sources.

Only websites of government, reputable academic databases, and scholars should be referenced. This ensures that the credibility of your essay’s arguments is not in question.

Frame your Argument Coherently

When you go through the available information, form your opinion on the essay question. Keeping the essay question in mind is important when tailoring arguments and viewpoints to ensure that you do not go out of topic.

Each argument is represented in its paragraph. A first-class essay will always demonstrate logical thinking and a high level of reasoning in each argument made in the essay.

Structure your Essay and make it Clear

The introduction, body paragraphs, and conclusion of your essay should serve their purpose. The introduction paragraph should always show what your essay is all about and include the thesis statement.

The body paragraphs should always systematically present the arguments. The conclusion should summarize everything about the essay. To add to that, the essay should engage the reader through the use of appropriate technical terms.

The language used should be formal and avoid jargon and hard vocabulary.

Originality

Even if you are required to use different sources to make arguments, do not copy. Always try to understand arguments and present them in your way. Plagiarized work leads to poor grades.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is it hard to get first-class in an essay.

It is not hard to get first-class in an essay. All you need to do is to make sure you are thorough in every aspect of the essay. Everything should be perfect, from the beginning of the research to proofreading. 

How do you write an introduction to a first-class essay?

An introduction to a first-class essay should introduce the essay effectively. It should grab the attention of the reader and provide a background of information that gives the reader knowledge about the essay. Lastly, it should end with a thesis statement

How do you start an essay well?

To start the essay well, you need to know what the essay is all about and introduce it in a way that the reader will grasp everything about it after reading the first paragraph. If the introduction does not make the reader want to read more of the essay, then it has not achieved its purpose.

How long does it take to write a good essay?

The time taken to write a good essay always depends on the number of words required and the expertise of the writer. Experienced essay writers take a shorter time writing an essay compared to inexperienced writers. Also, the amount of time that research takes determines how long it will take to complete writing a good essay.

How do you get an A on an essay?

To get an A on an essay, do quality research and formulate a good thesis statement. Also, write an outline that will guide your writing and start your essay. At the end, cite reliable sources of information and adhere to the format required before proofreading the paper thoroughly to check for errors.

An essay should be structured on three parts. The introduction where what the essay is all about will be presented. The body paragraphs where all the arguments will be fully discussed and the conclusion where the essay will be summarized.

James Lotta

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