Essay writing is not all about putting words on paper but skillfully doing so in order to achieve the intended goal. This is one lesson that I have learned through my learning and writing experience in this course this semester. I must admit that I have grown from one level to another because my writing skills have improved over the said time. It is good to know that learning how to write very good essays can be such a daunting task yet so beautiful and encouraging. A couple of weeks ago, whenever I could be asked to write an essay I could get down to writing without giving it much thought. Little did I know that writing a very good essay should be done skillfully while taking great care to ensure that I do the right thing and meet the expectations of not only the reader but also make me happy. In this essay I am going to write about my learning experience in essay writing and everything that needs to be done in order to write a very good essay.
Rhetorical techniques are very helpful in that they endear the audience to the essay. Some of the aspects that I have learned to take into consideration are emotional, ethical and logical appeals of an assay to the intended audience. This is otherwise known as ethos, pathos and logos. When writing it is imperative that one develops the thesis which they are supposed to develop arguments which should support it adequately. It is at this point that ethos, pathos and logos are used. Logos is the appeal to reason and must be based on logic (Lunsford, Ruszkiewicz & Walters 2013) derived from solid facts and a good essay should rely on these facts. When one says that smoking is harmful, then it is true because of the logical argument that arises from the fact that cigarette smoke contains harmful substances many of which are known to cause cancer. On the other hand there is pathos which entails appealing to the audience by touching their emotions by convincing them of my argument (Lunsford, Ruszkiewicz & Walters 2013).With regard to ethos I have learned that it is as important to use trustworthy resources because this is the only way that the audience can trust the essay. This brings us to the next important view point which is conducting research.
It is imperative that as a good essay writer I find very good and reliable sources to use in backing up my argument. I have learned to appreciate resources that are credible and that they are the most reliable ones. In the advent of social and electronic media, anyone can write anything and publish it online. It is upon any seasoned writer to deduce hard facts from mere hearsay. At the university level, one is expected to write essays based on the works of other writers and it is prudent that as a writer I quote them. Aside from this I will have assured my audience that I have read and understood my research. Am aware that this will give authority to what I write. Unlike some time back when I could write just to fill up the pages and get whatever marks the professor deems fit, it has come to my realization that this is what being knowledgeable means (Lunsford, Ruszkiewicz & Walters 2013). A good writer should find credible resources such as books, journals, magazines and websites. It is not enough that I just quote them but I have to do it correctly according to the style that is required for instance MLA and APA. Referencing is as important, both in-text and the reference page and they need to be done correctly at all times. Academic integrity is very important and by upholding it I can be more convincing to my audience.
After doing all the research and writing a perfect essay it is supposed to be handed in to the professor. They will be required to go through the essay and give me feedback as whether I did the right thing or not. Through the experience I got from the last three essays that I wrote, I have come to understand what I know and express in an essay, I have also understood what I need to know and how to present it, and also how to move forward and make my essays better in future. It is not enough that I take corrections from the professor but also my peers because there are those who know something that I do not know. This is an ongoing formative assessment that helps mould a student (Lunsford, Ruszkiewicz & Walters 2013). As a student I have learned to take ownership of my strengths and weakness and they have helped me get better by the day. The content of my assignments have to be good if I am to get good grades. I have to structure my essays well and present them well because this also contributes to a good essay.
In order to write a successful academic essay, it is important that the above viewpoints and many more others should be considered. Aside from this, very well structured sentences are a plus. Grammar should also be very good because without good and correct grammar the main points in an essay cannot be well understood. It came to my realization that good writing is a journey and it takes effort to perfect one’s skills. It is not enough that a writer just puts words and points on paper but writing should be done without a lot of care. It takes the effort of both the student and the professor to bring the best out of a writing experience. A well written academic paper also brings to the fore the confidence and intelligence of a student. When the two work collaboratively it is no doubt that the learner will know how to express themselves well in order to be well understood. It goes without saying that this does not come easy. From my experience I have come to appreciate that the tremendous growth and improvement I have achieved will take me places.
Reference
Lunsford, A. A., Ruszkiewicz, J. J. & Walters, K. (2013). Everything’s an Argument With Readings. 6th Edition. New York: Bedford- St, Martins.
