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The simplest definition of an essay can be an attempt by a writer to explain a topic based on his research and personal preferences, depending on the scope and type of the essay. Whether you are writing a narrative essay or an argumentative essay, it is necessary to acknowledge and even leverage the limitations of formatting.
The format of an essay is covered at two levels. One is the overall look and feel of the essay which is covered by margins, font size, style, spacing, and so on. The other aspect of formatting includes essay structure and the balancing of different sections to get the best value.
In this blog, we will take a look at the perfect structure of an essay, and its importance, and then a deeper dive into both aspects of formatting.
What Is A Perfect Essay Format?
It is hard to define what the best or perfect essay format would be. It is because these are often perceived and felt than gauged and quantified. But for the sake of learning and applying the wisdom from master writers to students, it is necessary to explain what the perfect essay format will look like.
Even though an essay is based on different sections with contrasting purposes, the writer’s job is to adopt a holistic approach to the writing. This becomes the format of the essay, whether you are looking at it from a physical point of view or a contextual frame of reference.
Importance of A Proper Essay Structure
One of the major purposes of writing an essay is to educate and entertain the readers. To do that, writers need to formulate the whole essay with ease and convenience. So, instead of randomly sprinkling around information in the essay, writers follow a somewhat rigid structure of essay examples.
This helps them to write quickly and with a clear heading. On the other hand, readers know where to look if they are having issues with understanding the contents or want to reference them somewhere else.
From a student’s perspective, instructors in schools and colleges pay a lot of attention to the way information is packed into the essay, along with the quality of the information. In many cases, they assign the type of formatting for essays and evaluate writings based on the prescribed rules.
Different Types of Essays
Potentially, there could be countless types of essays based on their focal points, purposes, and overall structures. Students should keep in mind that essays often share characteristics across the board, which is why tips and hacks for one kind could be as much valid for another type.
Following are some of the most common essays that are covered in schools and colleges.
At this point, students are much more familiar with the types as they have attempted to write them in classes. So, we will focus on the structure in the upcoming section.
Structure For Writing An Essay
When it comes to the physical aspects of essay structure examples, certain things must check out. These are more on the onlooking side and make or break the deal for the prospective reader.
Picking The Right Font Size & Style
In the early days, many students make the mistake of choosing a fancy font style which leads to poor reception of the writing. In reality, they must stick with standard font styles, such as Times New Roman, Arial, Calibri, etc. As for the size, these are often prescribed by the teachers for both the headings and the text.
Clearing Margins & Spacing
Margins and spacing make up a major spot in the formatting canon. When students are attempting to write essays based on different formatting styles, they need to follow the norms of that style.Â
Otherwise, the written essay would not have the intended effect on the readers.
Minding Headings & Subheadings
Headings and subheadings play a major role in distinguishing between different sections of an essay. The title is written in the H1 format, whereas the main headings are covered in H2, and so on. Writers should follow them to make their essays more riveting and understandable.
Adding A Title & References Page
Again, this is dependent on the formatting style. That’s why students should consult their instructors before getting down to write the essay. If the teachers ask for a dedicated references page, they can create one at the end of the text.
Major Sections With Essay Writing Structure
In this section, we will take a deeper look at the major sections in the structure of writing an essay. No matter which type of essay you are writing, it can be divided into three distinct sections. We will explore all three sections in the succeeding paragraphs so that students can understand their purpose, formulation, and more.
Opening With A Solid Introduction
Every essay needs to start somewhere but it needs to be effective. The essay introduction does that by opening with interesting lines and then easing into the context. Often in the closing lines of the opening paragraph, writers put down a thesis.
Essentials of An Essay Introduction
When you are writing an essay introduction, you need to cover these three major elements:
A Hook to grab readers’ attention
Background information on the subject/ topic
A thesis statement
By doing so, you will start your essay on a high note and make sure that readers will read the whole thing – from start to finish.
Body Paragraphs – Meat & Bones of Academic Format Essay
In a typical essay, the main body paragraphs take up around one-third of the word count for the complete essay. That’s why it is called the meat and bones of the essay.
Showcasing Topic Sentences
Since it is what the whole essay is all about, writers need to stay focused and showcase topic sentences to stay on course with the topic and the title of the essay.
Reinforcing Arguments With Empirical Evidence
Depending on the type of essay, writers need to provide arguments to the readers and then back them up with empirical evidence. Although this mostly applies to argumentative and expository essays, descriptive and narrative essays should follow a logical lead.
Integrating Counterarguments
In the same way, writers need to anticipate the counterarguments from readers and peers in the body. Instead of turning a blind eye, they should integrate them into the body for a more well-rounded approach.
Tying All The Loose Ends With A Conclusion
A conclusion of an essay is as important as the introduction of an essay, if not more. Still, many writers make the mistake of writing loose conclusions with no character and refinements.
Rephrasing Your Thesis
The opening lines of the conclusion should reiterate the thesis statement of the essay. There is no need to write it again as is, but writers should expand it and rephrase it in such a manner that it becomes more accessible to the readers.
Summarizing The Main Points
After the reiteration, it is time to cover all the main points from the body paragraphs. Many students make the mistake of adding a new point or argument to the conclusion. This is not practical as it takes away the focus from original ideas.
Departing Thoughts With Catchy Sentences
Before signing off, writers should spend some time with the departing thoughts and lines. These are the portions that readers will read in the end and probably remember the best. So, adding some effort and time can yield better value.
Mastering References & Citations
No matter how expert and well-commanded a person is in a subject, essay writing requires a lot of research to find the most relevant information. With different formatting styles, there are different ways to credit a reference to its source. When students are writing an essay, students need to ensure they are following the right steps.
Students have already heard about MLA, APA, and Chicago Styles, among others. These are the citation styles that are used by colleges and universities around the world. Some are more suited for certain disciplines whereas others are more versatile and easy to use. School and college teachers often highlight the citation styles for students to follow.
Value Addition to Your Essay Structure Examples
There is always some room for improvement, even when you are at the top of the pyramid. In essay writing, it takes more than just following the simple rules, as sometimes, the best value comes from bending them a little and creating something extraordinary.
If you are a student who dreads the process of writing an essay from scratch, let alone acing the assignment, we know a great way of getting a well-researched essay.
PerfectEssay is a leading brand when it comes to essay writing and editing services. We have a team of professional writers with ample experience and advanced degrees in their relevant subjects. Our pricing is competitive without cutting a lot of corners and we always deliver on our promises. So, the best way to add value to your essay is to assign it to us and we will inbox a submission-ready essay to you before the deadline!
Final Thoughts
Essay formatting is something that many students need to pay more attention to while researching, writing, and editing their essays. This results in poor grades and overall reception of the writing. In this blog, we have gone through the definition and importance of formatting, along with a detailed note on different sections in a typical essay. We hope that students will find the resource helpful in acing their assignments. If they are not up for the challenge, we are always happy to oblige with pre-written essays. So, keep that in mind!
