Top 5 Most Essential Components of an Essay: Writing for Beginners

Did you know that having strong writing skills comes with a ton of benefits? We don’t just mean in the classroom or on your report card. So what are the most essential components of an essay to boost your writing skills?

Research has found that people who have strong writing skills have strong communication skills, emotional intelligence, and the ability to focus on many tasks at once. These are all valuable traits in the workforce, in interpersonal relationships, and in life as a whole.

If you’re not so sure that your writing skills are as strong as they could be, you’ve come to the right place! We’re going to look at the components of an essay and how nailing every one of them will transform your writing abilities.

As always, our goal is to help you turn in the best papers possible. Read on to learn more about the 5 components of an essay that are sure to earn an A.

The Thesis

The thesis is the foundation of your essay. It is the first stop on a roadmap you’re creating for your readers so that they can follow your train of thought.

In order to write a good thesis, you need to touch on three things: the subject, the answer to your question, and the outline of your argument. While this sounds like a lot, you want to summarize it in one to three sentences, depending on your teacher’s instructions.

A strong thesis statement is bound to change. It can seem strange to tell your readers what you’re going to prove before you’ve proven it. It can feel stranger still to come to a conclusion before your paper is complete.

Don’t stress if you uncover information that contradicts your thesis or leads you to a more compelling argument. It’s normal to tweak your thesis statement several times over the course of writing an essay. In the end, the most important thing is that your thesis is easy to comprehend and that the body of your paper supports it.

Research and Evidence

You can’t craft a compelling argument without providing the evidence to back it up. This is where your sources come in. Most academic papers often have two kinds of sources: primary and secondary.

Primary sources are first-hand accounts of your subject. For example, if you’re writing about a novel, the novel is your primary source. If you’re writing about a period in history, your primary sources may be newspaper articles or photos from that time period.

Secondary sources are analyses, evaluations, or interpretations of your primary source. Most of the time, your secondary sources will be peer-reviewed scholarship written by experts on your primary source.

(Every once in a while, you may be asked to provide tertiary sources, although this is only common in advanced courses and programs.)

Analysis

Remember how we mentioned that secondary sources are often analyses of a primary source? When you’re writing an academic essay, it’s sort of like throwing your hat into the ring of analysis. Your goal is to join the conversation being had by other scholars and bring your own perspectives or findings.

Generally, you’re going to need to analyze both your primary and secondary sources. For example, let’s say you stumble across a secondary source regarding the novel you’re writing about. Perhaps you don’t agree with the author of the secondary source, and saying so is central to your own argument.

In order to bring that source into your paper in a compelling way, you’ll have to explain why you don’t agree with it. It’s not enough to say, “It doesn’t add up.” Your job is to show the reader what this secondary source is all about, why it’s relevant to you, and how your interpretation differs.

Avoid quoting secondary sources without explaining why you’re doing so. Whether you agree with the source or not, it’s important to analyze the function of the source in your own work.

Concrete Examples

The entire time you’re working on an academic essay, keep your reader in mind. Remember that even if you know all about your primary sources, you can’t assume that they do, too.

Concrete examples give you the opportunity to share your analysis in action. In a longer paper, an entire paragraph may be dedicated to a specific example of the analysis you’ve just given. In shorter papers, you will need to find ways to provide a few short examples in three to five body paragraphs.

The Conclusion

Your conclusion is just as important as your introduction and thesis statement. In your conclusion, you’re going to restate your thesis, although you should not use the same exact wording. While a thesis statement is telling the reader what you’re about to prove, the conclusion is reiterating what you’ve just proven and how.

Many people rush through their conclusion, but a great essayist will take their time with this component. You want the reader to put down your paper feeling fully convinced of your thesis based on the work you have done. You also want them to walk away with something compelling to think about.

Master the 5 Components of an Essay and Master Writing

Mastering the 5 components of an essay will enable you to think critically and communicate in a clear manner. This isn’t just a skill that will benefit you inside of the classroom. Then you master essay writing, you’ll feel the benefits in both your personal and professional life.

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