All students have to write a great variety of academic papers. It goes beyond all doubt that essays are the most popular and frequently assigned types. There are several types and various sub-types of essays. Each has its own goal and demands. One of the most challenging types is surely a scholarly essay.
This one is based on scientific research. You are obliged to use proven informative sources that can support your theory and claims. You simply cannot write out of your head or use blogs of various authors who are not competent in the field you study. It’s a pretty long process, but it cannot be ignored. Otherwise, your essay will be worth nothing, and you will be deprived of all grades. This guest post clarifies how you can cope with this challenge with excellence.
How to Write a Scholarly Essay: The First Steps
The process of scholarly writing consists of many steps, and each is important in its unique way. First of all, you need to give to the preliminary stage. Begin by asking yourself. You should answer three main questions – How? Why? What? More specifically, check here:
- How should I disclose the topic?
- Why is it important?
- What do my readers expect to find in my text?
After you get the answers, you will know what to look for and how to disclose your findings to your readers. You need to understand their potential needs and desires. Check the current niche in the direction you need to cover. It may be technology, marketing, literature, etc. What are the most popular topics? Narrow down your choice to them and study what could be used in your essay.
The topic must suit the needs of your target audience. Make sure you find enough facts about it. If you cannot disclose it entirely, you will have to opt for another topic or at least reshape it a bit to be sure it fits your findings. It’s better to take notes and make online bookmarks when you research. Thus, you will never miss or lose something vital.
After you get enough facts, think about how and where to use them in your text. Many students ask “how to write a scholarly essay” because they come up with no plan. The right outline helps to track what must be done, when, and how. It should contain such essentials like:
- Vital points in the text.
- Clear timeframes.
- Effective tools and methods.
- Short descriptions of all actions.
Every time you forget what comes next, take a look at your plan. It will give the answer immediately, and you will not lose precious time.
Scholarly Essay: The Writing and Post-Writing Stages
When you go to the writing stage of a scholarly essay, you need to write 3 major parts of it. These are the introduction, main plot, and conclusion. These parts are familiar to all students but some of them aren’t quite sure what exactly should be done and what goals should be reached in them. We offer short and plain descriptions.
The intro to your essay is very short. It takes about 3-5 sentences only. Yet, it is significant because it’s supposed to ignite the desire to read what comes next. It’s recommended to use a special hook that draws the attention of a reader. It may be:
- Anecdote
- Shocking statement
- Citation
- Rhetoric questions, etc.
You should always finish your introduction with a thesis statement. This is only one sentence, but its significance is decisive. This sentence explains to your readers why you have chosen the topic and why it is important.
The rest of the text “dances” around your thesis statement. The main plot should develop it by offering various examples and using sub-theses. Each paragraph is dedicated to a specific issue that helps to understand your topic better.
The conclusion summarizes the whole work. It is also only 3-5 sentences long. It must restate the thesis statement, outline the most significant findings, and interpret them in your own vision. If you did not manage to find something, don’t be afraid to confess it. You can research it in the next essay.
Do not think that finishing writing means the job is done. It’s not so because you should revise your own text. No one is perfect, and there are surely at least grammar mistakes. Besides, you may see that something does sound natural, or you want to add a few more ideas. The revision stage perfectly suits such cases.
You need to reread the paper at least 2-3 times if you can. Thus, you increase the chance of spotting if something is wrong. Use various revision methods to ensure better results. One of the best ones is to apply technology. Use various checkers to see if you’ve missed grammar mistakes or if the readability of the text should be enhanced.
What Is a Scholarly Essay and What Mistakes Should Be Avoided?
So, what is a scholarly essay? This is a special essay type that demands a writer to use only officially verified informative sources. If one does not do that, one risks providing irrelevant data that cannot be trusted. Thus, the whole text goes a mess. This is one of the most terrible mistakes a writer can make. Yet, there are many others.
To be sure you will not repeat the common mistakes, you need to memorize them. We have decided to add the list of the most typical kinds of mistakes made by millions of students from all over the globe. Make allowances for them here below:
- The wrong lexicon. Many students use the wrong language. The one that does not belong to the topic. However, a more frequent mistake is to use slang, jargon, and technical terms. They do not sound scholarly at all and thus spoil everything.
- Too long sentences and paragraphs. Many folks want to explain what they mean and do not watch how hard it may be to read what they write. Too long sentences make readers forget what was at the beginning when they read to the end, especially if the explanations are complicated. Too long paragraphs lower the attention of a reader, and he/she automatically misses a lot of vital points.
- Abrupt transitions. A lot of issues begin when students go from one paragraph to another. They do that illogically. They may not finish the idea of the previous part and go explain a new one. In the meanwhile, there is no logical connection between them. At times, students simply lack the so-called linking words to make it look natural.
- Overuse of the passive voice. Another popular mistake is to use too many passive constructions, and it is related to the issue of length too. The passive voice needs more words to be finished compared to the active voice. Thus, you make everything longer. Besides, the active voice makes every text livelier and more dynamic thanks to the words it commonly uses.
- Frequent repetitions. Many students cannot notice that they reuse the same words and even phrases a lot of time in their texts. It’s a serious mistake because such an essay is supposed to impress readers with vivid language. If you cannot find synonyms, you spoil the general impression of your text.
- Watery sentences. Another common mistake is writing the so-called “watery sentences.” These are the ones that have no relation to the topic of your essay. They show that you don’t really know what to tell your readers. You must always be straight to the point!
How Can a Custom Writing Service Help?
Why is scholarly writing important? First of all, it’s one of your common and regular duties that helps to earn grades and thus improve your academic rating. Secondly, it helps to develop a curious researcher in you. Thirdly, it develops various skills when you complete it. Fourthly, you learn something new when you cover every new topic.
This assignment type isn’t always easy to complete. When you feel you cannot handle it on your own, it may be the right time to look for professional aid. There are many reliable custom writing services with outstanding writers, proofreaders, and editors. These are verified and skilled professionals who know how to write any academic paper, including a scholarly essay.
All the orders are individual. It means you can contact your writer directly to discuss the best way of completing your paper. Get instant feedback and recommendations to write a perfect scholarly essay and get an A+ grade.
Final Words and Conclusions
A scholarly essay is one of the compulsory elements of every curriculum in US schools, colleges, and universities. If you cannot handle all its types properly, you will surely lose a lot of important grades. That is why you should use the tips and tricks provided in our article. They are universal and suit any of them. Use them wisely, and your chance for success will sufficiently increase.
