Writing a Personal Narrative Essay

One of the first essays I assign my college writing students is the well known personal narrative. If you’re like most college students, this may very well be one of the first “college essays” you’re asked to write - like it or not.

The reasoning behind this common first assignment is simple: college writing instructors want to help you develop critical writing skills through a simple writing assignment that requires basically zero outside research. Everyone should be able to write about him or herself on the spot!

The other reason you have to write a personal narrative is to provide your instructor with a baseline for your abilities as a writer. Chances are, the stakes are much lower for this assignment than other essays you will have to write. Still, that should not be an excuse to slack off. Remember: your instructor will also be formulating an opinion of your work at this stage of the game, so be sure to make a strong effort.

Above all else, be sure you’re absolutely sure what the terms of the writing assignment are.

Without knowing what your assignment is, I can promise you one thing with about 90% accuracy: your professor is expecting you to demonstrate lots of critical thinking in your work. Be sure to avoid these common problems:

  • Do NOT tell every single detail from your birth until now. Focus on key events targeting a specific theme.
  • Do NOT overuse the word “I” throughout the paper. This is ok in a first draft, but you need to edit it out later.
  • Do NOT wait until the last minute to complete this assignment. It is more difficult than you think.

Your essay should be simple in structure and easy to read. Don’t think for a second that this is going to be easy to do. Get started writing now, and you’ll be happy you did!

How to Write a Philosophy Essay

Philosophy essays are often very difficult to write because they require lots of organization. Still, you should look upon the task as a very rewarding one since this type of essay will teach you how to be a better thinker.

Really, a philosophical essay is about argumentation. Essay types can be misleading because there is always at least some overlap. The point is that doing philosophy is mostly about critical thinking and argumentative writing.

Let’s remember the golden rule: you need to follow your instructor’s guidelines very closely when writing any essay. That rule definitely applies to philosophy essays.

Your first question should be - “What is my argument?”

I can almost guarantee you one thing: your professor is going to evaluate your writing in terms of your ability to clarify and support your argumentative position. So make it clear and obvious.

If your philosophy essay assignment is typical, your instructor probably gave very clear instructions on how to write it. Philosophers are pretty picky about paper organization, format, and layout, so follow those rules to the letter.

Here’s a simple model you can use if your instructor did not provide instructions:

    1. Introduce the Issue
    2. State Your Argument
    3. Discuss Other Viewpoints
    4. Provide Your Rebuttal
    5. Conclude the Issue

Again, this is very general, but it should help you organize your thoughts. Since clarity is incredibly important in philosophy writing, you’ll really need to steer clear from fuzzy thinking in your essay (a.k.a. “B.S.”). This is definitely NOT a good way to develop your paper.

How to Start Your Essay in 10 Minutes

If you’re like most people who visit our essay writing website, you’re probably in need of help RIGHT NOW.

Well, this article is going to do exactly that – help you start writing immediately so you can get beyond writer’s block.

Here’s what you need to do: Start writing!

The problem most people have with writing is almost always in “getting started.” From my experience, students struggle with this part because they are unwilling to see that *writing is a process* that must begin somewhere… Click Here to Read more ->

Your Professor Tells You Exactly What to Do

What is your writing assignment?

Now that you’ve answered that question, answer this one:

What exactly is your writing assignment?

This is the first question I pose to anyone who comes to me for writing help, and it’s immensely important. If you cannot spell out exactly what your writing assignment is, you’re in serious trouble.

Teachers and professors are all the same – well, mostly the same. We are very consistent about one thing: telling you in no uncertain terms what we expect in your essay.

I know what you’re probably thinking. Click Here to Read more ->

Simple Writing is Good Writing

One very common problem I encounter in student writing is “advanced diction.” This occurs when the writer uses (or attempts to use) words, concepts, or expressions that he or she is not really ready to use.

Ironically enough, the writer usually attempts this in hopes of impressing a college instructor who probably does use “big words” from time-to-time. While in some cases it may be a good idea to use an expansive vocabulary in an essay, it is typically a bad idea.

If you’ve ever had the experience of writing an essay that suddenly confuses even you, then you were probably using words or working with concepts you Click Here to Read more ->

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