How to Choose the Best Essay Format

 Best Essay Format

It is always very important that you know how to choose the best essay format that can facilitate you in writing an outstanding essay paper. By using a properly written essay format, you are able to easily craft a good paper that will attract better results on submission. Read on for insights on how to make an informed choice for essay format.

Knowing how to choose the best essay format will enable you to get proper guidance on how to craft an essay paper. A format refers to a plan or ‘blueprint’ showing how your essay paper will look. Basically, it is an outline of the ideas or points that you intend to discuss in the essay, according to the right order.

Benefits of knowing how to choose the best essay format

Essays are common assignments at school and knowing how to choose the right format will help you in writing top notch essay papers for the entire period of your studies.

Choosing the best essay format is the easiest way to organize your thoughts and information related to the subject of the paper. A good format will significantly help in the clarification of points for a unique essay.

Writing an essay paper always begins with an outline. Besides, the way your outline or format is written dictates how the final essay will look. Therefore, it is always recommended that you know how to choose the best essay format in order to create a unique paper.

In fact, the best essay format will make your work even much easier and fast when it comes to writing the paper. The best essay format will set the pace and tone of the paper so that you have a defined starting point when writing.

Tips on how to choose the best essay format

Students often take different approaches when outlining essay papers. Besides, there are also various essay writing styles to choose from including APA, MLA, Chicago and Harvard. However, not all can successfully work for you since each has guidelines that must be followed to the latter.

There are certain factors that you should consider in order to choose the right essay format for your paper.

Carefully read the following guidelines to find out how to choose the best essay format.

Consider the type of essay

Whenever you are given an essay assignment to write, it is important that you first determine the type in order to establish the appropriate approach or format to take. In many cases, specifications are given on whether the essay is argumentative, descriptive, comparison or cause and effect essay. If you are not given specifications on the format for the essay, it is advisable that you first get clarification to avoid mistakes.

Understanding the type of essay that you are asked to write will enable you to easily determine what to go for since you will have better knowledge of the requirements.

For instance, a critical analysis essay paper requires you to begin by identifying the purpose of the author, which has to be clearly outlined in the format.

Get to know the topic of the paper

In order for you to make the right choice on an ideal essay format, it is advisable that you also get to know what the paper is about. Understanding the topic will make it less hectic to formulate the right format for a compelling discussion.

In case you do not have proper knowledge of the topic, there is no doubt that even writing the essay will be challenging. Try to do some research on the subject in order to make the right choice for a good essay format.

Understand the purpose of the paper and target audience

Every essay is always written for a particular reason, which must be clearly shown in the text. In order to effectively deliver this, you have to know how to choose the best essay format for the specific paper that you want to write.

For instance, if your paper is a comparison essay, you will need to identify and use a format that can enable you to effectively and fairly present differences and similarities between two subjects to be discussed in the paper.

Based on your audience or readers, there is always a unique approach in writing that appeals to a particular group of people. Therefore, it is also critical that you know your intended readers in advance, so as to choose the best essay format.

Consider the standard essay format

Although there are various formats, it is always advisable that you go for one you are comfortable working with. The standard essay format is straightforward and requires that your format is segmented into three parts; introduction, body paragraphs and conclusion.

The standard format will help you to enhance smooth flow of ideas in the paper. However, it should only be a structure highlighting the key aspects of the paper precisely. Details and explanations should be reserved for the essay. However, the format must give a clear representation of the actual essay.

Look into the length of the discussion

When choosing an essay format, you should also consider the points that will be covered in the paper. Some essays are quite short while others can also be written in several pages. Knowing the number of words for the essay and its length can assist you in picking an ideal format to effectively address all the intended ideas.

By knowing the length of your discussion, you will be able to choose a format that can offer proper guidance on how to comprehensively handle every section of the paper. Remember the length of the essay will also determine how the structure should be drafted and its contents.

Qualities of the best essay format

When choosing the right format for an essay, it should be noted that the format is only a guide or plan. In some instances, there are formats with detailed instructions such that you only need to fill in the blanks with the points for the paper.

The following are some of the qualities of a good essay format that you should also look out for when making choices.

  • Clearly show the main sections of the essay i.e. introduction, body and conclusion.
  • Highlight the thesis statement
  • Indicate the topic sentences for the essay
  • Have provisions for examples or evidences that will be used in supporting the argument.
  • The format should also clearly show the title of the paper

The best format for an essay paper should also be precise and without too much vague words that could end up confusing the writer. In fact, always ensure that you choose a format which you can easily use in writing the paper without any problem.

An ideal essay format should be one that can enable you to deliver a logical and proper argument when writing the paper. In case you are planning to use formats written by others, it is advisable that you choose those that have been crafted by professionals for the best results.

Examples of the best essay formats

Reading professionally written sample essay formats can also help you in knowing how to choose the best essay format for your paper. The following are some that should carefully read in order to always make the right choices on appropriate essay formats.

Example 1

Sample format for an essay paper

  1. Introduction
  2. Subject
  3. Main Points
  4. Thesis

Point one

  1. Intro and explanation of point
  2. Evidence
  3. How point relates to the thesis

Point Two

  1. Intro and explanation of point
  2. Evidence
  3. How pointe relates to the thesis

Point Three

  1. Intro and explanation of point
  2. Evidence
  3. How point relates to the thesis
  4. Conclusion
  5. Restate subject
  6. Summarize Main Points
  7. Restate Thesis

Simply follow this link to find the sample essay format; mcdaniel.edu.

Example 2

Sample Argumentative essay format

Introduction

  • 1-2 paragraphs tops
  • Purpose
  • Optional elements
  • Required elements

Background Paragraph

  • Optional 1-2 sentences tops
  • Purpose; Lays foundation for proving the paper
  • Summary or works to be discussed
  • Definition of key terms
  • Explanation of key theories
  • Supporting Evidence Paragraph #1
  • Purpose
  • Topic sentence
  • Explain topic sentence
  • Introduce evidence
  • State evidence
  • Explain evidence
  • Concluding sentence

Supporting Evidence Paragraph #2, 3…

Read the whole sample argumentative essay format on this link.

Example 3

Model essay structure

  • Introduction
  • Arouse readers interest
  • Set the scene
  • Explain how you interpret the question set
  • Define or explain key terms
  • Identify issues that will be explored
  • Give a brief outline of how the issues will be handled, in order.
  • Argument/ Main Body
  • Paragraph One…

Find the whole sample essay format at; web.anglia.ac.uk.

In case you may need professional assistance on how to choose the best essay format for your paper, do not hesitate to talk to us. We have experienced writers who are always ready to help you with all essay papers. For more on how to easily obtain the best online essay writing help, simply check out our homepage.

 

References

http://forensicsinschool.com/how-to-choose-an-essay-format-list-of-useful-suggestions.aspx

http://www.profilesinjustice.com/choosing-an-analysis-essay-format-right-for-you

http://www.inspiration.com/visual-learning/outlining

http://www.bestessayhelp.net/choosing-an-essay-format-list-of-great-suggestions.aspx