A good essay should have
- A good introduction
- Very good flow
- Coverage ( of different aspects)
- well articulated points
- A good conclusion
Let us consider each of these points seperately.
A good introduction
The introduction eases the reader into the topic. It should be able to invite the reader into the topic that is being discussed without he/she knowing it. Different people attempt different strategies to begin the essay. The most popular method that I have seen people use, but I don’t personally like is to use a quote to begin the essay. Another method is to paint a picture about the topic and then introduce the matter. I almost always rely on this method.
For example, in 2014 essay paper, I remember that the question that I attempted was
Words are sharper than the two-edged sword.
I began the essay with something to this effect:
Thousands of years ago Mark Antony stirred an entire nation to action standing on a podium. Thousand years hither, it was the same podium that Hitler used to stir men into committing atrocities. Words, history has proven to us, are sharper than a two edged sword. I scored 145 marks in essay that year ( if I remember correctly)
The advantage with this method is that it requires only a good imagination. It doesn’t ask of you to learn numerous quotes which you fit in whatever the essay. The downside of course is that imagination is hard to come by for everyone.
Very good Flow
A good essay should effortlessly segue through its various parts. This means you should properly plan the execution of the essay before you even start writing it. One technique I apply is to write down every single point that comes to mind and then categorise and put them into a framework. In this, I write down the points as it would appear in the essay and then simply go on and expand them. This would ensure that the flow between the various parts is maintained.
Coverage
I always tried to cover different aspects of a topic when attempting it. Many people advocate a “SPELTE” strategy, which is analysing the topic’s Social, Political, Economic, Legal, Technological and Environmental aspects. I have found that this makes the essay very mechanical and reducing the vitality of the essay. I don’t compartmentalise the essay into such pigeon holes, but attempt to cover all aspects without such explicit compartmentalisation.
Articulation
There is a difference in being able to say something concisely and having to put it out in so many words. Long, tardy sentences reduces the readability of the essay. To score on this aspect, you need to have a good command over the language. In my case, I developed it through reading a lot. The best place to start is the newspaper editorial. I used to regularly read the editorials of Hindu, LiveMint and Business Standard. Without you even realising it, your vocabulary would expand and many of the words which were otherwise inaccessible to you would come to you by second nature. This is something you should work on right from the beginning.
Conclusion
As they say, All is well that ends well. A good essay should not end abruptly. The main constraint here would be space and time. Many people write and write and by the end find themselves with very less space in the paper to end the essay. Don’t commit this mistake. Also make sure that you end the essay very well. It could either put out an opinion, or an outlook for the future or an exposition of both sides of the debate. Use your discretion in making this good.
Some people would be natural in writing well. For the others, the only way they can improve is by writing a lot of essays and practicing the craft. I never had much difficulty in the essay department. I would recommend that you find out whether it is a strong forte for you and then decide on the future course of action.