If you’re a college student, chances are you’ve been assigned at least one essay that you needed to write from scratch. For some people, writing an essay from scratch can be daunting, especially if it’s something that you’ve never written before or if it’s on a topic that interests you less than others. In this guide, we have compiled 10 tips for writing a great essay as a college student. Check out these tips to learn how to use your background research and how to determine the best way to present your ideas in your essay.

1) Put yourself in the shoes of your reader

Your professor or boss won’t be reading your essay with fresh eyes; she will be looking at it through the lens of every other essay she has ever read. Your job is to make sure that when your reader looks through her lens, your essay passes with flying colours. To do so, you’ll need to craft an introduction that catches and holds her attention, create persuasive body paragraphs and anticipate common criticisms of your work in order to preemptively address them in a conclusion.

2) Connect with something you have already written

Nothing is more difficult than writing an essay on a topic that you know little to nothing about. If you’re struggling to find ideas, try researching topics that you have already written about in your personal or professional life. You may be surprised at how many of your previous writings can apply to college essays!

3) Follow their guidelines

The first thing to do when you’re assigned an essay is follow your professor’s guidelines. What type of paper are they asking you to write? Is it argumentative or expository? Does it have a word count, or does it have to be over a certain length? Write down all of these details, and make sure that your essay follows all of their guidelines. This will ensure that your essay won’t receive any deductions from its original grade due to formatting issues.

4) Double-check their requirements

Before starting to write, it’s always good to be sure you’re meeting your teacher’s guidelines. In other words, make sure you know exactly what they want from you. After all, a lack of clarity will only frustrate everyone (including yourself) and waste time that could have been spent on writing or working on other classes. If you aren’t sure about anything, ask! Your professor should be more than happy to answer any questions and even offer some helpful advice if necessary.

5) Trust your gut instincts

If something seems off, go with your gut. If you’re unsure about whether or not to include certain information, don’t do it. In a professional essay, leave out anything that doesn’t directly pertain to answering one of your prompt questions. Take out names and dates if they aren’t required to support your arguments—you want a reader to be able to approach your writing objectively.

6) Look at other essays for ideas, but do not copy them verbatim

It’s essential to read other essays by other essay writer, but don’t just copy them in your own words. A good essay is unique—that’s what makes it compelling and memorable. Instead of copying someone else’s words, use them as inspiration or as examples of ways to write.

7) Write shorter paragraphs

A long paragraph can be intimidating to read. Use shorter paragraphs in your essay to make it easier for your reader to digest and understand. Use one or two sentences per paragraph with at least five lines of text. This will make it easier on both you and your readers!

8) Spend more time editing than you think is necessary.

A rule of thumb for college essay length is about 250 words per page. The more time you spend editing, however, the fewer mistakes you’ll make and the clearer your writing will be. Editing can include revising structure and even going back to rewrite certain passages (and it often does). Don’t obsess over every single word—but do try to hone your prose as much as possible.

9) Have someone else edit your work.

Having someone else proofread your work is always better than editing it yourself. Having multiple people check over your essay is even better. You can ask friends, family members, or professors to read over your work and offer suggestions. Take their advice into consideration when you edit, but don’t be afraid to go against their opinions if you think they’re wrong! You’re ultimately responsible for turning in an essay that reflects well on you and your writing ability—not anyone else.

10) Keep working on it! Even after submitting.

Even after handing in your essay, continue to work on it. If you’re not satisfied with how it reads, or if you think of ways to make it even stronger, there’s still time to revise before your deadline. As mentioned previously, there are some things that may be worth changing after submission, but timing is everything when it comes to revising an essay—so be sure to get started early!