This skill is used in countless areas—from history to science—and can come in handy in both professional and personal settings.

While we may still talk about essays a little bit here, I’m going to show you how to synthesize information in a way that you can apply in a range of areas.

What Synthesizing Is: Finding the Common Thread

All too often, I hear that to synthesize information means to compile information. However, that’s not a very good definition because it makes synthesizing too similar to summarizing. While the ideas may seem similar, synthesizing actually takes summarizing a step further.

Synthesis involves taking information from various sources and drawing links between them. Summarizing and paraphrasing the information is the first step, but you need to be able to see—and explain—what unifies it.

It takes a lot of skill to synthesize. It draws on the following skills:

• Reading comprehension
• Organization
• Analysis
• The ability to communicate your ideas

Because of all that’s involved, it can take some time and practice for it to feel natural. But once you start getting into synthesis for your essays, it gets much easier to do it in other areas.

I know this all sounds kind of ambiguous right now, so let’s give the ideas above some more context.

How to Synthesize for School

Synthesizing information in English/literature essays

In high school, many of the essays you write will be for English classes. And even if you’re not specifically writing a synthesis essay, that doesn’t mean you can’t, or shouldn’t, use your synthesis skills.

Let’s get into some examples.

Say you’re writing an essay analyzing the symbolism of Yorrick’s skull in Hamlet. You can draw on your personal knowledge of the material and of symbolism in general to conclude that the skull is a symbol of death.

However, if you read other critiques of Hamlet (and there are countless critiques out there), you may find other meanings, such as Hamlet’s destiny, or that no matter how useful, kind, funny, or charismatic a person may be in life, death and decay make the dead person useless.

Once you see common threads in multiple sources, your mind starts piecing the information together, and you can form your own opinion. All you need to do then is share that opinion in a clear, cohesive way supported by evidence.

It’s important to note that, if you’re using other people’s ideas as evidence for your own, you should always cite your sources using whatever style guide your prof requires, such as APA or MLA format.

Synthesizing information in humanities/social sciences papers

The social sciences—such as history, anthropology, sociology, and philosophy—rely heavily on synthesis. There are a lot of arguments in these fields, so you have a lot of evidence to draw upon no matter what your opinion.

For example, I once wrote an essay about Louis Armstrong and whether he used his music as a subversive force to shake up the status quo and get black musicians (and black people in general) the respect they deserve. There were many historians who believed he was “playing the minstrel” and acting on stereotypes.

However, others believed that, while he played up some stereotypes to get white audiences to let their guard down, his lyrics and personal philosophies were subversive.

I had personal biases going into the essay because Louis is one of my favorite musicians. But I kept an open mind and read many secondary sources on the subject. I then found primary sources of his music, as well as interviews and voice recordings from his personal life. I sorted through the information to pick out themes and commonalities. My opinion was formed because of the evidence, not because of my bias.

Once I had the information organized, I could use the evidence I found from some of the sources to make my case.

When you do this on your own, you may feel the urge to just write down all the information you found. But that is not synthesis. Instead, explain your argument, and use the most compelling evidence you found to support it.

You should also consider referencing sources you don’t agree with. Perhaps you could say something like, “While Smith argued x, this other evidence suggests y.” This method shows that you truly understand the point you’re arguing and that you’ve considered all angles.

Writing a literature review (in any subject)? Synthesis will be ultra important in that process as well.

Other Areas Synthesis Skills Will Help

Synthesizing information in your professional life

There are so many professions that it’s hard to tell you exactly how to synthesize information in your future job. But let’s look at a couple different professions anyway.

I’ve worked as a digital marketing analyst, which was almost always synthesizing information. I looked at raw data to analyze trends. But simply finding the trends wasn’t enough. I also had to draw on information from other accounts and on industry knowledge of how digital marketing worked.

After synthesizing the data, other account information, and industry expertise, I was able to make changes and recommendations to help my clients perform their best.

Let’s say you take a completely different route and choose not to work in an office setting. If you were a restaurant owner, you’d still have to know how to synthesize information.

For instance, if you wanted to add a dish to your menu, you’d first have to know what people in your area like to eat. But you’d also need to know about trends in the restaurant industry, the cost/availability of ingredients, the amount of time it would take to make the dish, and your employees’ specific talents.

You wouldn’t come up with the new menu item before you had all of this information. Instead, you might have a general idea of a dish, but you would synthesize this information, balancing the price of ingredients with the demand from your customers, and knowing whether your staff had the time, knowledge, and resources to make it.

Synthesizing information in your personal life

Knowing how to synthesize information is actually something most people do without thinking about it. We do it all the time in our personal lives.

If you’re planning a vacation but don’t know where to go, you’d ask family and friends for ideas, look at information about different destinations, check out airfare and lodging options, etc. Then you’d use those synthesis muscles to pick out the perfect spot for your interests and budget.

Weaving It All Together

As you can see, the synthesis skills you learn in school can help you in virtually any aspect of life. While there’s no fool-proof way to synthesize every situation, here are the basic steps:

• Pull your resources. Think back to the primary and secondary sources mentioned earlier. Make sure sources are credible and relevant to the topic.

• Read, watch, and/or listen to the information you find. It helps to highlight or take notes, so you can find the important parts later.

• Organize information into groups of similar ideas. I find using color-coding systems works best. But you may find lists, graphic organizers, or other organizational methods to be the thing for you.

• Analyze information based on the evidence. Not all information is going to say the same thing. Which articles make the most sense based on what you know? Which speakers make the most compelling arguments?

• Form an opinion based on your analysis. Where does the evidence point? Are there any biases that may be altering your opinion? If so, try to filter those out.

• State your opinion, and back it up with the evidence. An opinion without evidence is fine in some situations, but if you’re trying to persuade someone or argue a point, you better be able to back up what you’re saying.

Learning how to synthesize information can help you write better essays. But it goes beyond that—it helps you stay skeptical, evaluate multiple points of view, build stronger arguments, and be more well-informed.

While the editors at Kibin can’t help you synthesize information in your day-to-day life, they can help you take the first step and do it in your essays. Whether you think you don’t have enough evidence or you’re just looking for proofreading to help your opinions shine, Kibin editors are there to help.

If your bad habits only cause a few disagreements with your roommates, maybe it’s not worth the effort to try to change them (though it probably is—sorry).

What if your bad habits have greater consequences, though, like bad grades? What if you have a few bad writing habits that you didn’t even know you had?

We often form our habits at a young age, never realizing that we were actually doing them. (You know, like biting your nails when you watch a movie.) You likely formed your writing habits in middle school when you learned the basics of how to write an essay.

Whether you acquired your bad writing habits in middle school or just yesterday, it’s time to break them ASAP. Here are five of the worst offenses.

5 (Bad) Writing Habits You Need to Break

If your writing habits include prewriting, researching credible sources, and leaving ample time to revise and edit your paper, congrats! You’ve established good writing habits.

If, on the other hand, you count yourself among those who have one (or more) of the five bad writing habits below, you need to break them (and replace them with more effective ones—we’ll cover that too).

1. Over-using the thesaurus

There are plenty of times when a thesaurus comes in handy, but over-use of a thesaurus leads to stiff, boring, and unnecessarily complicated word choices.

If you’re writing a scientific report, then dry, complicated language might be appropriate. But if you’re writing something like a history essay, a literary analysis, or a narrative essay, such wording won’t seem natural. Your writing will sound like you tried too hard to find a fancier word to make you sound smart.

Here’s a good use of a thesaurus: Looking up a more appropriately descriptive word for “shiny” when describing a diamond ring. (A check of the thesaurus might turn up “brilliant” or “radiant.”)

Here’s a bad use of a thesaurus: Trying to sound like an academic by replacing common words like “house” or “home” with “abode” or “domicile.”

Sure, there are times when “abode” might be more appropriate than “house.” But don’t try to throw in these types of words just to try to impress your prof. (It won’t work.)

How to break this bad writing habit

The easiest way to break this bad habit is simply to resist the temptation to click on any page that gives you a list of synonyms.

If you feel you absolutely must use a thesaurus, do so sparingly. Wait until you edit your draft, then select any words that you think might need to be changed.

2. Relying on your sources to write your paper

No, I don’t mean setting up some shady deal in a back alley like the kind you’d find in a 1940s film noir. Relying on sources doesn’t mean you discreetly hand a guy in a trench coat (who happens to be one of your most reliable sources) a few folded bills, and in return, he hands you a perfectly written and researched essay.

By “relying on your sources” I mean that you’re including too many paraphrases and quotes from your research sources.

This means your paper becomes a copy and paste of the words of other writers and includes very little of your own writing or analysis.

How to know if this is one of your bad writing habits: Grab one of your recently written research essays, and highlight every word that’s taken from a source. If your paper changes to the color of your highlighter, you’re a victim of this bad habit. (Don’t have a research paper handy to test? Try it with a research paper from our essay library.)

How to break this bad writing habit

Fully understand your arguments before you begin writing. Try outlining or drafting your ideas first (without the help of your sources). Graphic organizers are great for this too. Whatever your approach, once you have solid key ideas in place, use sources to support your claims.

3. Expecting your prof to tell you exactly what to include in your paper

In some classes, your prof will give you a list (often a long list) of everything that must be included in your paper. These types of assignment guidelines can sometimes make it easier to write the paper because you know exactly what your prof expects.

But don’t count on detailed guidelines for every assignment.

Some profs give instructions that read something like this: “Write a 4–6 page essay about the symbolism in The Scarlet Letter.”

With these guidelines, you know that you should focus on symbolism in a specific novel, but that’s about it. The rest is up to you.

If you’re in the habit of looking for explicit, detailed instructions, a set of guidelines like this can leave you more than a little overwhelmed because you’re not used to writing without your prof leading you through it step by step. You can also be a bit overwhelmed because you might have slacked a little in class because you thought your prof would tell you what to write.

How to break this bad writing habit

One of the first things you need to do to break this habit is to pay attention in class and read (and take notes on) everything your prof assigns. Having a solid grasp of the material means you won’t be panic-stricken when you’re asked to write about it.

The second thing you can do is to actually trust yourself and your ability to write well. Follow the writing process, and get help from your school’s writing center or from a professional editor when you need it.

Remember, if your teacher gives you super-specific instructions on what you need to put in your paper, by all means, follow the guidelines. If, on the other hand, there are limited instructions, breathe easy, and let your creative juices flow.

4. Assuming all types of writing are the same

When you text your friends, you know they’ll understand every acronym you type. But you wouldn’t use the same acronyms in a handwritten thank-you note to your grandma, would you?

Probably not.

Why? Because all writing (and all audiences) are not created equal. (And grandma is more likely to think that “lol” means “lots of love,” rather than “laugh out loud.”)

If you treated all writing assignments equally, it would mean that you’d use the same writing style and tone in a first-person narrative essay as you would in your lab report.

If you did that, your lab report might read like this:

I carefully watched as the liquid changed from cool blue to a deep red. I was amazed at the chemical reaction and quickly noted my excitement and the results of my experiment in my notebook.

While this is fine for a narrative essay, the use of first person, added description, and narrative quality of the sentences are definitely not appropriate for a lab report (which should be objectively written in third person).

How to break this bad writing habit

Before you start any writing assignment, consider your audience, and consider the appropriate tone for the writing.

You also need to think about the type of writing you’re assigned. As I’ve mentioned, a report requires different word choices and a different style than a narrative.

5. Writing exclusively in first- and second-person point of view

If you’re used to writing emails, narrative essays, poetry, or short stories, you likely use first- and second-person point of view liberally. Using first and second person is fine (and generally preferred) in this type of writing. But remember my previous comments about how all types of writing are different?

This most certainly applies to point of view.

In most academic writing, first and second person aren’t permitted, and you should only write in third-person point of view. (There are, of course, exceptions, but for the most part, academic writing is pretty formal.)

How to break this bad writing habit

Transitioning from first and second person to third person can be hard because, well, you’re so used to it.

To break this habit, start by continuing to write in first and second person. I know this sounds counterintuitive, but stay with me.

Start by writing your drafts in first and second person. (Use this point of view in any place that seems natural. Don’t go out of your way to try to insert first or second person.)

Once you’ve drafted your paper, cross out or highlight any instances of first- and second-person point of view. Then change them to third-person point of view.

Here’s what those changes might look like:

Example 1

Second person point of view: Spending too much time on social media can actually make you lonely.

Changed to third person point of view: Spending too much time on social media can actually make people lonely.

Example 2

First person point of view: I think everyone deserves the right to a free college education.

Changed to third person point of view:  Everyone deserves the right to a free college education.

After practicing this strategy a few times, you’ll naturally begin to move away from first and second person and be more likely to write in third person as you draft.

Breaking (Bad) Writing Habits

As the saying goes, “Old habits die hard.” We often fall back on our (sometimes bad) habits because we don’t know what else to do.

In the case of bad writing habits, it can be easy to fall into your old habits. It’s the quickest way to get the paper finished. For instance, if you can’t think of a way to end a paper, you simply add “in conclusion” at the beginning of your final paragraph and move on. (BTW: there are better ways to end your paper. Check out this post to learn more.)

You might also fall back on old writing habits because you’ve procrastinated and are now feeling the suffocating stress of an impending deadline. To break this habit, make a plan, and stick to it. Work a little bit each day on your assignment to ease the stress and make huge projects a little more manageable.

Want more ways to improve your writing? Check out this post with 20 ways to improve your academic writing.

And if you’ve been working hard to break all of your bad writing habits but are worried that your paper isn’t as strong as you’d like it to be, let us help. Our editors offer constructive feedback to help you make your paper better than ever.

Probably not.

Why? Because writing to your boss demands a higher level of professionalism and formality than does writing to your friend.

The same is true for academic writing.

You wouldn’t use “I’m gonna write this paper about how much I love playing video games” as your thesis.  And you wouldn’t write one giant paragraph about how playing video games is the best pastime ever (even if that’s how you feel).

Why? Because academic writing requires a specific format and style. It needs to be organized, clear, and professional.

But how do you improve your academic writing? What specifically should you do to make your writing more professional?

Start by reviewing these 20 ways to improve your academic writing.

20 Ways to Improve Your Academic Writing

Good writing takes practice, and you simply can’t write the perfect paper on the first (or even the second or third) attempt.

You can, however, review these tips to begin to improve your academic writing one step at a time.

#1: Follow assignment guidelines

Before you start any writing assignment, take the time to review the assignment guidelines again. Really. It’s important.

Here’s why. Let’s say you thought that you knew exactly what you were supposed to be writing: a literary analysis of the themes in The Handmaid’s Tale. You write a brilliant essay about the theme of complacency in the novel and its relevance to today’s political climate.

When you finish your masterpiece, you decide to review the assignment details, only to find out that the actual assignment is to compare one of the themes of The Handmaid’s Tale to another dystopian novel.

With only four short hours left before the assignment is due, you have to rush to create an entirely new paper. Not exactly what you wanted to do on Sunday evening (especially after working so hard on your original paper).

The takeaway: Professors provide assignment guidelines for a reason. Follow them. (Your grade will thank you.)

Need more help with a certain essay type than your assignment guide offers? Use this survival guide on 6 popular types of essays.

#2: Master the academic essay structure

It may sound simple, but if you’re writing an academic essay, remember to use the proper essay structure.

All formal essays require an original title (that gives readers an idea of what your paper is about), one or more introductory paragraphs, a strong thesis, at least several body paragraphs to explain the key arguments of the essay, and one or more concluding paragraphs to wrap things up.

Need help with the basic components of an academic essay? Check out these resources:

• How to Title an Essay When You’re Absolutely Stumped
• What’s Missing From Your Introduction Paragraph (and How to Fix It)
• How to Write an Essay Introduction in 3 Easy Steps
• 12 Examples of Good Topic Sentences (and Why They Work)
• How to Write a Thesis Statement in 5 Simple Steps
• How to Turn a Good Thesis Statement Into a Great One
• How to Write a Paragraph That Supports Your Thesis
• 20 Essay Conclusion Examples to Help You Finish Strong

#3: Use the correct format for an academic essay

Before people even read your paper, they’ll look at the format. Incorrect formatting looks sloppy. A sloppy paper is like showing up to a job interview with a dirty T-shirt and ripped jeans. It creates a horrible first impression.

Make your paper look professional by following the basics:

• Use a standard font and size (usually Times New Roman 12)
• Set one inch margins on all sides
• Double space between lines

Check out this Essay Formatting Survival Guide (Infographic) for more tips.

#4: Narrow your topic appropriately

Writing about a broad topic can mean you have lots of information to throw into an essay to meet length requirements. But it can also mean that you’re writing a simplistic paper about a complex topic.

To write a compelling essay, narrow the topic to focus on a smaller, more specific issue. This approach will allow you to write a more detailed and effective essay.

Take, for example, the standard elementary school report. Let’s say you wrote about earthquakes. Your report likely explained what earthquakes are, where they have occurred, and the damage they can create. You may have even earned an “A” on your report.

It was an awesome report for an elementary school student, but it was also probably pretty basic and generalized (like a standard encyclopedia article). This type of broad overview is definitely not what you want to write about at the high school or college level.

Can you imagine telling your geology prof that the focus of your term paper will be “earthquakes”? I’m sure you can guess that she wouldn’t be impressed.

Now imagine telling her that you want to focus on the impact earthquakes have on coastal cities and how new technology can help predict earthquakes and save lives.

Much better, right?

If you’re pondering a broad topic like “earthquakes” and struggling to find a narrow focus, read How to Narrow a Topic and Write a Focused Paper.

#5: Prewrite

A lot of students (and you might be one of them) hate prewriting because they think it takes up too much time.

While prewriting does require time and effort, it will help you organize your thoughts and help you plan your ideas before you actually begin drafting. All of this organizing means that you’ll actually save time in the long run because you’ll be that much more prepared when it comes time to write your paper.

Looking for more information about how to get the most out of prewriting? Take a look at these posts:

• 6 Prewriting Strategies to Get Your Essay Rolling
• How to Use Graphic Organizers for Writing Better Essays
• 7 Essay Outline Templates to Get Your Essay Going

#6: Choose your words carefully to create the right tone

Using the right words can make all the difference in how you present yourself to an audience.

Sure, if you use “too” instead of “to” or “there” instead of “their,” you’ve used the wrong word (and sloppy editing can make your paper seem rushed and unprofessional). But the word choices I’m referring to in this case are words that help boost your credibility and create a professional tone.

You want readers to find you credible. But you want readers to respect you too. You won’t be considered credible or respectable, however, if you’re rude, condescending, or sarcastic.

Thus, your tone should be appropriate for academic writing. Choosing the right words to convey your tone can improve the audience’s impression of you as a writer.

Take a look at this example:

Don’t write: 

“If you’re smart, you’ll realize my solution is the best.”

Do write: 

“Evidence demonstrates that this is the most effective solution.”

The first example is condescending and rude. You’re basically telling the readers that they’re not smart if they don’t agree with you. This is definitely not the impression you want to make.

The second example, however, is objective. It uses reason and logic to explain the statement and creates an academic and professional tone.

#7: Eliminate wordiness

Adding a bunch of words can help you make word count in no time flat, but more words don’t always equate to better writing.

Here’s an example:

Don’t write: 

“Due to extremely unfortunate circumstances, which were a result of a terrible computer error, students were unable to go online and register for their courses for the upcoming fall semester.”

Do write: 

“Due to a computer error, students were unable to register online for fall courses.”

The first sentence adds a lot of words but not a lot of content. The second sentence, on the other hand, eliminates 15 unnecessary words and is clear and concise.

To learn more about how to eliminate wordiness in your own writing, read these posts:

• Why Eliminating Wordiness Is So Important for Your Essay
• Why Wordy Sentences Are Killing Your Writing

And when you do need to extend your word count, make sure you’re doing it the right way.

#8: Write in third person

Many types of writing—such as narrative essays, op-eds, and blogs—allow (and often prefer) the use of first-person and even second-person point of view.

Most academic essays, such as research papers and literary analysis essays, however, require more formality and thus require you to write in third person.

Here’s an example to illustrate.

Don’t write: 

“If you read Romeo and Juliet, you’ll learn about the star-crossed lovers.”

Do write: 

“Romeo and Juliet tells the tale of a pair of star-crossed lovers.”

Notice that the first sentence directly addresses the reader by using second person (“you” and “you’ll”). The second sentence, though, is a stronger example of academic writing as it’s written in third-person point of view.

#9: Use formal language

Formal, academic writing requires formal language. In other words, don’t write like you speak. If you always use slang, you’ll need to edit it out of your academic writing. (Save the slang for texting your friends.)

Here are examples of informal and formal language to illustrate:

Don’t write: 

“She freaked out when she saw her final grade.”

Do write: 

“She was shocked and angry when she saw her final grade.”     

“Freaked out” is clearly too informal for academic writing, and the first sentence sounds like speech, rather than a statement from an academic essay.

#10: Write in active voice

While writing in active voice or writing in passive voice is a matter of style (rather than correct or incorrect grammar), in most cases, you should write in active voice.

Active voice creates a stronger statement and can help reduce confusion in your writing.

To learn more about the differences in active voice and passive voice (and when you should use each) read these posts:

• Passive Voice: 3 Things You Need to Know for a Better Essay
• Passive Voice: How to Avoid This Writing Pitfall

#11: Explain concepts your audience may not know

Your audience consists of intelligent, educated readers. There’s no need to define basic words or explain simple concepts that your readers already understand.

In other words, don’t start your essay with something like this: “According to Merriam-Webster.com, a tree is ‘a woody perennial plant having a single usually elongate main stem generally with few or no branches on its lower part.’” Readers already know what a tree is, so don’t waste their time by explaining what doesn’t need to be explained.

At the same time, do spend time explaining any concepts that your audience isn’t already familiar with.

For instance, if you’re writing for a general audience and you have specialized knowledge about trees, you might need to explain the term “petiole.” (It’s the stalk that connects a leaf to a branch, in case you’re wondering.)

#12: Appeal to your specific audience

Take the time to consider what your audience believes and understands about the subject.

If your audience is a group of environmentalists and you’re writing about a recycling program, for example, appeal to your audience by explaining how your proposed program will benefit the environment by preventing further climate change.

If you’re trying to pitch the same recycling program to a group of skeptical parents at a school board meeting, you might try another angle and appeal to their love of their children. You might explain how the recycling program will teach their children responsibility and help protect the environment for future generations.

#13: Be sincere

While you should appeal to your audience, don’t go so far as excessively complimenting or flattering your audience. This will likely turn readers off, and they won’t feel you are sincere.

You know, it’s kinda like trying to butter up your parents when you’re a kid. You tell them what great parents they are in hopes of convincing them to buy you a new phone.

Both your audience and your parents can see right through these poor attempts at flattery, and it damages your credibility.

Here’s what sincerity might look like in academic writing:

Don’t write: 

“If you’re reading this, you’re obviously smart, so you understand my point.”

Do write: 

“Based on the evidence presented, the thesis is valid.”

Notice that the first example tries to flatter the reader, while the second example is a more appropriate form of academic writing because it remains objective.

#14: Support arguments with evidence

Because academic writing isn’t just your own opinion, you’ll need to use sources to support your arguments. Even if you’re a self-proclaimed expert on the benefits of sleeping until noon, chances are you don’t have any research to support your claim.

That’s where the experts come in.

Remember, you want readers to know that you’ve done your research, and you want them to see you as credible. Citing authorities and experts to support your arguments is crucial to achieving this credibility.

If you need more help with supporting your arguments and writing a research paper, take a look at How to Write a Research Paper: A Step-by-Step Guide.

#15: Choose credible sources

And speaking of credibility, you absolutely need to choose credible sources. You’ll lose all of your hard-earned cred if you choose unreliable resources.

After all, who would readers believe is more credible, an anonymous person who created his own website about why teens require more sleep or a psychologist who has spent hours researching and studying sleep patterns and the science behind the importance of sleep in teens?

(FYI: If you do happen to be an expert in sleeping in but still need to find a way to make it to class on time, read How to Wake Up Early and Never Oversleep Your 8AM Class Again.)

#16: Incorporate your own analysis

Keep in mind that, while you need sources to support your arguments, sources are there as support. They shouldn’t take the place of your own arguments.

Here’s a quick way to tell if your sources have taken the place of your own arguments: Take a look at a research paper you’ve written. Highlight all information that you’ve used from your sources. In most cases, if you highlight more than a few lines in each paragraph, you have used too much information from sources.

Looking for another way to see if you’ve used the appropriate amount of evidence to support your claims? Try a reverse outline.

#17: Cite all sources according to assignment guidelines

Most academic writing requires the use of sources, and these sources must be cited. (Without citation, you’re plagiarizing, so don’t forget this step!)

Before you begin researching, and certainly before you begin writing, know what citation style is required. Two of the most common types of citation used in academic writing are MLA (Modern Language Association) or APA (American Psychological Association). (You may, however, also be asked to use other styles, including CSE or Chicago.)

#18: Start your assignment early

Good academic writing is polished. It’s clear, concise, and professional. Good writing doesn’t magically appear after writing a draft 25 minutes before the assignment is due. Good writing takes time, so start your assignment early enough to leave time to revise.

If you’ve mastered the art of procrastination but need a little help with that whole “starting assignments early” bit, read How to Stop Procrastinating and Start Writing.

On the off chance that you’ve procrastinated longer than you’d like, here are a few tips that can help you write a strong essay in a short timeframe.

Need help with time management? Stay on track with the advice in How to Manage Time Better When Writing (and Living Your Life).

#19: Revise, and revise again

In most cases, one revision isn’t enough, so make sure to save time to revise at least twice. Set the paper aside for a day or two, and review your paper again to make sure you have a clear thesis, topic sentences, and supporting evidence.

Here’s a tip to help you through the revision process: Try reading your paper out loud. If you stumble over sentences while reading aloud, your readers will stumble too. Revise your sentences until they’re easy to read aloud.

Need more help with revision? Read these posts:

• Why Self-Editing is Killing Your Writing
• How to Revise an Essay and Make It Better Than Ever

#20: Edit your paper

Finally, edit your paper. Look for grammar errors and any spelling or word choice errors (such as incorrect use of their/they’re/there or too/to/two). Also check for punctuation, format, and citation errors.

BTW: Don’t forget that Kibin editors are always here to review your paper and help you improve your academic writing through both corrections and feedback.

Final Thoughts on Improving Your Academic Writing

If you’re thinking that all of this is a lot to remember and it takes a lot of work to write a good academic paper, you’re right.

Though writing is a lot of work, it really isn’t so bad, and English class isn’t so bad either. But it does take practice—and lots of it.

Remember, if you follow the tips outlined in this post and you practice these tips each time you write a paper, before you know it, you’ll have improved your academic writing.

Not sure what good academic writing actually looks like? Take a look at these hand-picked Kibin staff recommendations that illustrate strong academic writing:

• A Study of Different Issues Faced by High School Students Who Transition to College
• The Different Factors Affecting the Retention of Students in College

Happy writing!

Editor’s note: This post was originally published on March 16, 2015, but has been updated for freshness and to add even more expert advice. 

You don’t work well under pressure. You have no time to organize your thoughts. You never know what to write. You’re freaking out and can feel your heart pounding out of your chest. You need a panic button or, at the very least, an Easy Button.

Even if you do have one of those, chances are, hitting it during the middle of class isn’t going to make writing your essay any easier. It certainly won’t impress your prof, either.

So what to do?

The best thing you can do is stay calm and prepare before you have to write an in-class essay (and maybe leave the Easy Button at home).

The Best Way to Prepare for Your In-Class Essay

If you know you’re going to have to write an in-class essay, your prof might assign the essay in one of two ways:

1. Your prof might simply tell you that you’ll be writing an essay (and provide no clue as to what you might be writing about).
2. Your prof might give you a list of possible topics or questions to help you prepare for the essay.

I’m going to give you a few tips to help you prepare for either type of in-class essay.

Writing an in-class essay without prior knowledge of topics or the essay prompt

If your prof tells you nothing more than to expect to write an in-class essay on a specified date, you have to do your best to anticipate the what you’ll be asked to write about.

Here are three strategies to help you anticipate the questions.

#1: Get inside the mind of your prof

If it’s the beginning of the semester, this may be a little harder to do. But if it’s at least mid-term, you should have a pretty good sense of what your prof is like.

No, I don’t mean knowing that he’ll wear that goofy tweed jacket with elbow patches just because it’s Thursday and that’s what he wears every Thursday. I mean knowing what types of topics he thinks are important and what he’ll likely ask you to write about.

For instance, does he constantly remind you to review the study questions at the end of each chapter? If so, he’s most likely giving you a hint as to what type of information to study.

Has he done nothing but ramble on about the causes of the Vietnam War for the past three weeks, then seemingly at random mentions an in-class essay? If so, you can probably assume that he’ll ask you to write something about the causes of the war.

#2: Review your notes, the course handouts and PowerPoints, and the text

Think about the major themes of the information you’ve been studying. Consider the goals of the chapter or module.

Has your professor already given you objectives or told you what you should learn? (If you don’t remember, try the syllabus. Course descriptions usually have the goals and objectives of the course.) All of these can help you anticipate possible questions.

#3: Try to anticipate the type of question your prof might ask

Is your prof into comparing characters from different novels? If so, any type of comparison question could be an excellent candidate for the essay.

Does your prof start every lecture discussion by asking the class to relate course content to current topics or today’s news? If so, chances are pretty good he might ask this type of question on the in-class essay.

Writing an in-class essay with knowledge of the topic or the essay prompt

If your prof gives you lots of tips for studying for the essay or even gives you sample questions, don’t assume that you can just blow off studying. Winging it when you get to class isn’t a good option.

You’re not going to be able to write a successful essay without any practice or preparation. It would be like getting a top rank in Call of Duty the first time you play the game. It just isn’t going to happen. Good writing (and good gaming) takes practice.

Good writing (and good gaming) takes practice.
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Here are three study strategies you can use to prepare for an in-class essay.

#1: Review the sample questions carefully

Remember, these are essentially assignment guidelines, so make sure you know what you’re supposed to be doing. Should you compare and contrast, explain, analyze, or argue?

Also, pay attention to the details. If you’re asked to include at least three examples, make sure you’ve included three. If you’re specifically asked to avoid certain topics or arguments, then by all means avoid them.

Don’t lose valuable points for simply failing to read the directions!

Don’t lose valuable points for simply failing to read the directions!
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#2: Annotate your text or take notes on a separate page

If you’re allowed to use your book or your notes as you write an in-class essay, take advantage of the opportunity. Don’t make the mistake of thinking that you’ll have time to look up information as you work. You’ll need that time to write.

Instead, mark sections in your book or take note of what passages you might paraphrase, quote, or otherwise use to support your arguments.

Even if you can’t use the notes in class, the simple act of writing the information helps you remember it. This means, of course, that when it comes time to write the essay, you’ll have a better chance of remembering the important stuff.

#3: Try a practice essay or outline

If your prof has given you two or three questions and tells you that you’ll have to write about one, you might try writing out the answers to the questions.

If you decide to write a practice essay, don’t forget to time yourself. This will help you budget your time for the actual in-class writing. If you have a list of 10 possible questions, you may not have the time (or energy) to write 10 sample essays. But you can certainly outline ideas for each question.

Even if you can’t use your notes during the in-class essay, you’ll be better prepared to write the essay because you’ll have a clear sense of what you want to write about.

You might also try reviewing example essays on your anticipated topic to give you ideas for how to approach your own essay.

“That Was Easy!”

Don’t you already feel better about writing an in-class essay? A little preparation goes a long way in relieving the stress that often comes with timed writings.

If you’re one of those people who now feels a little more prepared but is already stressed out about how to budget your time once you’re sitting in class, check out How to Write a Timed Essay in 45 Minutes or Less.

Good luck, and breathe easy!

Imagine you’re on an African safari dream vacation. Your tour guide stops in the middle of the Serengeti to point out a pride of lions and to allow a photo op.

The right way to enjoy this breathtaking moment: Stay inside the vehicle (as instructed), and admire the lions from afar. Use your new long-range lens to take amazing closeups of the lions.

The wrong way to enjoy this breathtaking moment: Leave the tour behind, and strike out on your own to get a once-in-a-lifetime selfie with a lion.

Sure that selfie would be amazing, but it’s not worth the risk. On your African safari, it’s always wise to listen to your tour guide (and stay a safe distance from the lions). After all, she’s the expert, and she’s there to protect you and help you enjoy your experience.

Consider me your guide too—one who’s here to help protect you from poor grades and to help you analyze an article the right way.

So let’s get started on how to analyze an article by first looking at the wrong way to do it. (Feel free to take photos along the way, but please keep your hands and feet inside the vehicle at all times.)

The Wrong Way to Analyze an Article

Just like there are certain things you shouldn’t do when you’re on safari with dangerous lions in your midst, there are certain things you shouldn’t do when analyzing an article.

Here are three things you shouldn’t do.

Don’t stop reading after you skim the article

When reading any article, especially longer scholarly articles with headings, it’s always a smart strategy to skim the article to get a sense of the key headings and the gist of the contents.

You don’t, however, want to stop there. You won’t fully understand the arguments of the article if you only skim the content. You’ll need to read the article with a critical eye (more about that in a bit).

Don’t assume there’s nothing to critique

If students are assigned an article to analyze, they sometimes wrongly assume their profs want them to only point out the positive aspects of the article.

Your profs expect you to look at both positive and negative aspects of a piece, so it’s okay to find fault in the article or with the writer’s logic or arguments.

Don’t forget the evidence

Another important point to remember is that no matter whether you ultimately present a positive or negative critique, you’ll need to support your comments with evidence. Don’t make the mistake of writing your analysis without directly referring to evidence from the article itself or using outside sources.

Now that you know what you shouldn’t do, here’s what you should do when analyzing an article.

How to Analyze an Article the Right Way

We covered what not to do. Now let’s look at how to analyze an article effectively.

Analyzing an article—such as a news article, an editorial, or a scholarly article—is different than analyzing literature. (If you’re looking for help with writing a literary analysis, read How to Write a Literary Analysis That Works.)

When you’re analyzing literature, you’re looking for things like symbolism, metaphors, and other literary techniques. Though an article might contain a stray metaphor or two, the goal of an article isn’t to tell a story. The goal is to inform or persuade.

With this in mind, here are three strategies to help you see how to analyze an article the right way.

Read and take notes

Remember, you can’t get away with skimming the article. It would be like watching a movie trailer and assuming you know the entire plot of the film.

So read the entire article, and read it more than once. As you read, take notes.

What type of notes should you take?

Here are a few tips:

• It’s only natural to have to stop and read a section again or to have a few questions. These are key points to notice. Write about what confuses you, and ask questions about the content.
• Identify and take note of key arguments. Articles often uses headings to identify specific sections. If no headings are included, look for changes in topics at the beginnings of paragraphs.
• Look for patterns in the writing. Does the author use the same type of reasoning, logic, or evidence to support arguments throughout? Does the author use humor, or is the tone serious? Jot down your thoughts on how the writer develops the article.

If you’d like to learn more about specific note-taking strategies, read 10 Note Taking Strategies to Write a Better Essay.

Examine the arguments in detail

Through your note-taking, you’ve already identified the main arguments of the article, now take a closer look. How do the arguments hold up?

Here’s what to look for:

• Evidence: What type of evidence does the writer use to support the argument? Does he/she use statistics, examples, or original data? Remember, writers shouldn’t simply make statements without sufficient evidence to support their claims. It’s like a little kid asking a question and a parent replying, “because I said so.” There’s no real evidence to support the parent’s statement. The child is simply supposed to accept the statement.

Don’t automatically accept writers’ statements as fact if they don’t support their arguments!
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• Credibility: Even if a writer appears to use a variety of evidence to support arguments, you need to make sure the sources are reliable. Does the writer cite Wikipedia or statistics from a peer-reviewed, scholarly article? Clearly, there’s a difference between the two.

• Persuasion: If the goal of the article is to persuade, you’ll need to consider whether the writer is convincing. What makes the piece convincing, or why isn’t it convincing?

Need help on what questions to ask? Here’s a pretty solid list of what to consider when analyzing a research article OR a newspaper (or other informational-type articles).

Look for what’s missing

Even if a writer supports the arguments presented in the article, it doesn’t mean that there isn’t something missing.

For instance, let’s say that a writer argues that more students should be eligible for student loan forgiveness. While anyone who has student loans would certainly agree with this idea, the writer may fail to address how the forgiveness of student loans may affect other parties, such as the lenders, colleges, or financial aid programs.

If you find yourself reading an article and saying things like, “…but what about…,” or, “why doesn’t he mention…,” this is a good indication that there is, in fact, something missing from the article and the writer’s arguments.

The End of Our Tour

We’ve reached the end of our tour about how to analyze an article, but as you exit, please stop by the gift shop and check out our additional resources to help you turn your notes into an actual essay.

Here are some resources to help you get started with your paper:

• How to Write an Analytical Essay That Digs Deep
• This Analytical Essay Outline Will Kick Start Your Writing
• How to Write a Smart Rhetorical Analysis Essay

If you’d like to book another tour, Kibin also offers editing services, so send your essay to us to make sure your paper can soothe even the most savage of professors.

Your English prof might assign a “short essay” that’s 3,500 words, while your history instructor might assign a “short essay” that’s only 500 words. Big difference.

A longer paper has its advantages. Sure, you’ll have to write a lot, but a 3,500-word essay means you have more chances to write something that will impress your prof, right?

But what about that 500-word essay? Yeah, it means you only have to write 500 words (sounds easy enough), but that doesn’t leave you a heck of a lot of space to express your true genius.

So how do you fit in everything you want to say in a truly “short” essay? Here are some tips on how to write a short essay that stands above the rest.

How to Write a Short Essay That Stands Above the Rest

There are a lot of writing tips I could point out to help you with your paper, but I don’t have space for all of them in one post. We do, after all, have an entire blog full of expert writing advice.

This post, though, will offer you a few specific tips to help you write a short 500-600 word essay.

Tip #1: Understand your topic

Your prof assigned a short essay to assess your knowledge about a specific topic, but of course, you need to know at least a little about your topic before you can demonstrate that knowledge.

It’s pretty obvious that if you’re writing about something like the Electoral College, it helps to know what it is. Makes sense, right?

If you don’t know much about your topic, you’ll need to research. Understanding your topic means you’ll need to do more than just read a Wikipedia article. Read your textbook, a few journal articles, and maybe even a book in order to know enough to write about your subject.

In need of a little help with resources? Read 5 Best Resources to Help With Writing a Research Paper.

Tip #2: Organize your thoughts

Once you understand more about your subject, you need to put your ideas into place. You need to decide what you want to say.

This, of course, will be partially determined by your assignment. So read the assignment guidelines carefully to know if you should be informing, arguing, comparing, or writing some other type of paper.

And if you’re supposed to write an argument essay, don’t just start writing with a topic like, “I want to argue something about the Electoral College.” This is too broad for any paper, let alone a short essay.

Instead, figure out what you want to argue before you start writing.

Maybe, for example, you want to argue why the Electoral College should be abolished. This gives you a solid start as you can then decide roughly three reasons (backed by your research) that you believe it should be abolished.

Next: outline. It seems like a major pain to outline your ideas, but trust me, it’s a useful strategy. It saves you lots of time in the end.

Don’t believe me?

Consider this scenario: Let’s say you’re writing about the Electoral College and are arguing why it is or isn’t an effective system. You’ve written three solid arguments (and about 450 words) before you realize you haven’t even gotten to the one really important point you want to make.

This leaves you with two options:

1. Leave the paper as is, and skip the most important point (and jeopardize your grade by doing so).
2. Scrap one or two of the previous arguments, and start writing again to make room for the key argument you forgot.

You know you need to revise if you want to earn a passing grade, so you’ve just wasted a lot  of time by not outlining your ideas first.

Don’t forget: A thesis statement is also an important part of your outline. Take a look at How to Write a Thesis Statement in 5 Simple Steps to learn more about writing a concise thesis.

Tip #3: Don’t add anything extra

Think of writing a short essay like posting a Tweet.

Twitter gives you 140 characters to make your statement. You need to be precise and include only the most important points.

While your average Tweet might be something inspiring like, “Need Skinny Caramel Macchiato ASAP,” these types of declarations aren’t usually what you’ll be writing about in academic essays.

But you get my point. Stick to what’s important.

How does that translate to a short essay?

First, keep in mind that Twitter and texting allow you to use a common shorthand language, such as FWIW to mean “for what it’s worth.” Of course, you can’t use such slang in academic essays. If you’re used to writing this way, take extra time to proofread to eliminate these errors.

Next, don’t forget that you should include only the most important points.

Focus, focus, focus. Include ONLY the most important points in a 500- to 600-word essay.
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In other words, if you’re supposed to write a short essay about your stance on the Electoral College, don’t write a detailed explanation of the history of the Electoral College or compare the system to other election systems across the world.

These are points to be included in a longer research essay. You simply don’t have space for them in a 500-word paper.

Remember my example above that stressed the importance of outlining? Take my advice. Use an outline to make sure you stick to key ideas.

Finally, concise writing counts. If you’re writing a long essay and struggling to meet word count, it can be easy to throw in a few extra words and phrases like “extremely” or “most experts completely believe that…,” but these are just fillers. They don’t add anything to your paper.

Here’s a quick sentence to illustrate.

Wordy sentence:

The Electoral College is an unfair system that should most certainly be abolished because it means that in many cases, a candidate could definitely win the presidency with a small percentage of votes and would then likely become president without the majority of the popular vote of the US citizens.

That’s a 50-word sentence with a lot of unnecessary words.

Concise sentence:

The Electoral College should be abolished because a candidate could win the presidency without the popular vote.

This 17-word sentence says the same thing but uses 33 fewer words. A 33-word difference might not seem like a big deal. But if you only have 500-600 words to use, it can make a big difference in the content (and quality) of your paper.

Looking for additional information about why you should write more concisely? Read Why Eliminating Wordiness Is So Important for Your Essay.

Be a Shining Star

Remember how happy you were when you got a gold star on your work when you were in kindergarten? Getting an “A” on your paper can make you feel that way again.

Check out these resources to help you polish your short essay to stunning brilliance:

• How to Narrow a Topic and Write a Focused Paper
• 3 Types of Essay Support That Prove You Know Your Stuff
• 97 Transition Words for Essays You Need to Know

Check out our essay examples to see what how other students have tackled short essays. You can even narrow down your search to show only essays that are 500 words or fewer.

You can also review two easy-to-digest annotated examples to see what works and what doesn’t in essays written by other students.

Kibin editors are also expert resources, so let us review your work. We might not hand out gold stars, but our feedback can make you feel like you earned one. Plus, we’re really good at trimming word count when you need it!

Logic dictates that, if you’re assigned to write a literature review, you’d read some type of literature and then critically evaluate it. But that’s not the case.

Sometimes logic can fail you.

It’s like if you see the word “bother.” You’d think it would rhyme with “mother.” It doesn’t.

Regardless of whether the terminology makes sense, writing a literature review definitely does not mean that you’ll read a piece of literature and then write a review of it.

So what is a literature review, and how do you write one? Keep reading, and you’ll be ready to write one in no time.

What Is a Literature Review?

The “literature” in a literature review is not the stuff of your literature classes. That means no Moby Dick, Romeo and Juliet, or Handmaid’s Tale.

The literature you’ll use to write a literature review will consist of academic writings, such as journal articles and books. (The same types of sources you’d use to write a research paper, in other words.)

Even though you’ll be using articles, books, and other scholarly sources to write a literature review, a literature review is not merely a research paper.

When you write a research paper, the general goal is to inform readers or to make an argument (like whether 8:00 a.m. classes should be scheduled or whether plastic straws should be banned). You use research to support your paper.

When you write a literature review, the goal is to discuss existing research about a specific topic. You’ll summarize, and usually synthesize, the information to provide readers with an overview.

Your goal isn’t to argue for a specific position. Your goal is to inform the audience and discuss the literature in a larger context.

This means you’ll review the literature to do the following:

• Examine the historical progression of your topic
• Identify and discuss the connections between pieces of literature
• Identify and examine any former and current debates surrounding the topic
• Draw your own conclusions based on the literature to discuss new approaches to ideas regarding the topic

A quick example of the purpose of a literature review

Let’s say you’re writing about how social media affects teens, and your assignment requires you to include seven journal articles in your literature review.

Once you’ve read through your selection of sources, you discover that the bulk of the articles solidly falls into one of two lines of thought: social media is harmful to teens or social media is beneficial to teens.

Thus, your review might examine the reasoning behind each argument, discuss the debate of whether social media is harmful or beneficial, and explain how the debate has changed over time.

Through your research, you realize that not one of your articles mentions the role of parents in teens’ social media use. This is exactly the kind of discovery you want to make! In this case, you might discuss the need for future studies to examine how parental influence factors into social media’s effects on teens.

NOTE: A literature review is not an annotated bibliography. You’re not simply listing sources and summarizing and evaluating as you would in an annotated bibliography.

Your goal when writing a literature review is to draw connections between sources to see how the research presented in each piece fits into the larger discussion of the topic. The goal is not to evaluate each source in isolation (as you would in an annotated bibliography).

How Do You Write a Literature Review?

Writing a literature review isn’t as simple as pulling a few sources from the library or from the internet and writing your opinion about them. (Writing is never that easy, is it?)

Writing a literature review is like writing most research essays in one key way, though—you’ll need to spend plenty of time researching, drafting, and revising.

Follow these steps to help you get rolling on your paper.

Know your assignment

Each prof will require a slightly different assignment, so before you even start planning, make sure you understand what you should be doing.

You need to know the information below:

• Whether you should write a standalone literature review or a literature review as part of a larger paper. While you may be asked to write a literature review as a standalone essay (in which you only explain a variety of sources related to the topic), it’s more common that you’ll be asked to include a literature review as a section in a longer paper.

• What kinds of sources to include. Should you review only books or only journal articles? Can you use books and journal articles? Are you allowed to use websites? (In case you need help with finding sources, read 5 Best Sources to Help With Writing a Research Paper.)

• How many sources to include. You know what will happen if you include four sources and you were supposed to include eight.

• How much of your paper should be summary and how much should be synthesis. In other words, are you mainly reporting the information (summarizing)? Or are you including some summary but primarily looking for a common thread among the sources and discussing a theme or connection (synthesizing)?

• The paper’s format. Do you need to include APA citations or MLA citations? Are headings required? Do you need to include any other course-specific information in your paper?

Once you’ve sorted all of that out, you need to figure out what you want to write about.

Find a topic for your literature review

If you’re in a psychology class, it’s pretty much a given that you should be writing about a topic related to psychology. That, however, doesn’t exactly give you a topic for your paper.

The list of potential topics can seem endless, but choosing the right topic for your paper is sometimes like finding a needle in a haystack.

To find the right topic for your literature review, spend a little time researching. Do a Google search to learn more about current discussions in the field, or try using social media to help you find the perfect topic.

Need a little help with topic ideas? Try these:

• 13 Sociology Research Topics That Won’t Bore You to Death
• 40 Persuasive Essay Topics to Help You Get Started
• 7 Awesome Secrets for Choosing More Interesting Essay Topics

Narrow the topic for your literature review

Let’s say that, after pondering a whole list of topics, you ultimately decide to write about phobias.

If the mere mention of the word “phobia” sends you into a tailspin because you’re deathly afraid of even the tiniest of spiders, take a deep breath. Calm down. There are no spiders here.

Let’s refocus. We’re writing about phobias.

The topic is ginormous (and far too broad for most any type of paper). You can’t possibly write about every phobia in existence.

Writing a literature review about phobias, though, does not mean that you’ll narrow your topic by only writing about a handful of phobias.

It also doesn’t mean that you should simply define a few phobias and explain how they affect people. For instance, if you do some research and learn that people suffer from spectrophobia and are afraid to look at themselves in the mirror, you need to do more than define the phobia. (More about that in a bit.)

That’s a lot of what you shouldn’t do, so what should you do to narrow a topic for a literature review?

Start by identifying a general focus

This is crucial because, without a clear focus, you’ll end up writing a paper about a bunch of stuff related to your topic, but it will lack direction.

To remember the importance of focus (and direction) in your paper, think of it this way. Imagine trying to ride the subway to a new store across town. When you look at the map of subway lines, it’s obvious that there’s no clear direction for the lines. They meander every which way, and you realize that getting to the new store means riding a handful of lines in hopes that you’ll eventually end up where you need to be.

Traversing the town on a subway line for hours with no direction will leave you frustrated because you know that there should be a direct path to your location.

Reading a paper that discusses a bunch of stuff related to a topic, but with no clear path or focus, leaves readers just as frustrated.

So how, exactly, do you focus your ideas for a literature review?

Write about a theme or issue that connects ideas or about debates surrounding your chosen topic.

If you’re writing about phobias, you might focus on one of the following angles:

• How people are affected by phobias
• The history of phobia treatment
• Traditional approaches to treatment
• New and/or experimental treatments
• The effectiveness (or lack of effectiveness) of specific treatments

By narrowing your topic, you’ll not only have a better topic choice but also have a general sense of what type of information to search for. (This will make researching a heckuva lot easier—and faster.)

Looking for a little more help? Read How to Narrow a Topic and Write a Focused Paper.

Organize the literature review

The literature review is an essay (or a section of a larger essay), so you should include an introduction, body, and conclusion just as you would with any type of essay.

Here’s a quick run-down of what you should include in each section.

• Introduction: Introduce the topic and focus of your paper. The introduction will usually be no longer than one or two paragraphs.

• Body: Discuss the topic, and present the information in a specific format, such as a history of the topic or a specific theme or trend. This is the bulk of your essay and will need to be at least several paragraphs long. (The actual length will be determined by your assignment requirements.)

• Conclusion: Wrap up the essay, and possibly discuss any further implications of the information. Keep in mind that, if you’re writing about further implications, your conclusion will usually need to be more than one paragraph.

Additional Literature Review Tips

Before you start writing your literature review, take note of these additional tips to make sure it’s the best it can be.

Choose appropriate sources for your lit review

You can generally find lots of sources by doing a quick online search, but don’t just pick the first few you find.

Spend some time reviewing sources before giving them the thumbs up and putting them into your paper. It’s essential that you use only credible sources.

Synthesize, don’t summarize

The goal of a literature review isn’t simply to report information but to make connections and synthesize ideas.

Here’s what I mean. If you’re writing about traditional approaches to treating phobias, you won’t simply list and describe each of these approaches. Instead, your goal is to make connections.

For instance, you might ask:

• What do these approaches have in common?
• Did they evolve from the same type of original treatment?
• How effective are the treatments, and how do their success rates compare?

Need more help with synthesizing? Read How to Synthesize Information the Smart Way.

Limit quotations

It can be easy to throw in a bunch of quotes to help support your statements. After all, your sources are written by professionals, so they sound pretty good. And they take up lots of space, so that means you have to write less, right?

While this all sounds like a superb idea, adding too many quotes means that someone else is writing your paper, and your voice becomes lost in the writing.

While I do recommend that you include quotes to support your ideas, use quotes sparingly. They should only be used when you can’t state the information any better yourself.

Not sure how to include information from sources without quoting? Paraphrase instead. Learn how to paraphrase correctly here or learn through these examples.

A Few Final Words

If this is the first time you’ve written a literature review, it can be stressful. You’re writing in an unfamiliar format, and you might not know what the finished product should look like.

If you want to check out a few examples before you start your own literature review, here are three samples:

• A Literature Review on the Benefits and Controversy of Stem Cell Research
• An Overview of Male Sexual Assault, Its Effects, and the Views of Society
• Stress and Coping for Adolescents

Hopefully, you’re no longer asking, “What is a literature review?” But if you want some extra reassurance that you’re on the right track, Kibin editors are here to provide feedback, so send your literature review our way!

Editor’s note: This post was originally published on May 22, 2017. It has been updated with fresh advice and new information. 

To steer your readers through the curves and straightaways of your essay, it helps to give them signposts along the route. An important one is the topic sentence.

When woven throughout your argument, these important guides put your readers in the fast lane and help them arrive at your conclusion.

In this blog post, I’ll explain what a topic sentence is, teach you how to write one, and give a few examples of how it’s done.

What Is a Topic Sentence?

It’s simple enough. A topic sentence is the one sentence in a paragraph—usually the first—that informs readers of what’s to come.

Your topic sentence is like a mini-thesis statement. It provides important context and lets the reader anticipate what’s ahead. It introduces the main idea of a paragraph and supports the details that follow.

Before you set off on a journey, though, you need to know where you’re going and how to get there. The thesis statement is your map: it gives you a high-level view of where you’re going.

The topic sentence, then, is like a road sign along the way, revealing the next leg of the journey. It defines what’s immediately ahead.

The topic sentence is like a road sign. It reveals the next leg of the journey.
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And because each of your supporting paragraphs will support your main thesis—that specific claim or argument you’re hoping to make with your essay—your topic sentences will include both the topic of your paper and the main point you’re hoping to make about it to support that claim.

Your Topic Sentence = Your Topic + A Main Point

Got that? If not, it’s okay. Read on to see how it’s done.

Topic Sentence in Action: Where the Rubber Meets the Road

Let’s come up with a strong thesis statement for your hypothetical paper:

While some may find the prospect terrifying, the rise of self-driving cars will ultimately benefit society as they will reduce accidents, ease traffic congestion, and eliminate parking.

Here, we’re arguing that self-driving cars will ultimately reduce car accidents, lower time spent in traffic, and eliminate the need for parking.

But how do you turn these main points into topic sentences? Easily—with that equation above: Your Topic + A Main Point.

Your Topic Sentence = Your Topic + A Main Point
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Let me show you how that looks in action with these three basic topic sentences:

1. Self-driving cars will reduce accidents on the road.
2. Self-driving cars will ease traffic congestion.
3. Self-driving cars will eliminate the need for driving block by block at 3 a.m. looking for on-street parking while banging your head into the steering wheel.

The Nuts and Bolts of Topic Sentences

Now let’s take it further.

Your topic sentence has to go beyond simply stating what it is that you’ll be discussing. It’s not so much about the what as it is about the why. So let’s go back to that equation: Your Topic + A Main Point.

There are a few elements that make for a good topic sentence. Let’s cover each of these with examples.

Example 1: Make it thorough

A good topic sentence is thorough. It gives you enough content and context to provide a full discussion in the rest of the paragraph.

      The first true self-driving cars appeared in the 1980s.

This statement refers to your what—self-driving cars—so why isn’t it a good one?

Because it’s not thorough. It’s simply stating a fact. It doesn’t contain a real point of discussion on which you can elaborate in the rest of the paragraph.

Let’s try this topic sentence instead:

Technological advancements in the 1980s ushered in the first true self-driving cars.

This one includes that same fact—that self-driving cars appeared in the 1980s—but also a point of discussion—the technological advancements that drove that appearance. You can back this up with facts that elaborate how this came to be.

Example 2: Make it precise

A good topic sentence is precise. Avoid making vague or big statements that don’t clearly move your readers forward in their understanding of your discussion.

      I am going to explain how self-driving cars are better for the environment.

Again, you’ve got that main topic—but this statement is a broad declaration. It lacks any precise point of discussion. The words “I am going to explain” also just add unnecessary filler to your sentence.

While self-driving cars do not eliminate pollutants, their improved efficiency is a huge step toward a cleaner future.

This sentence gives you a lot to discuss.

(Need help with wordiness? Read Why Eliminating Wordiness Is So Important for Your Essay.)

Example 3: Make it brief

A good topic sentence is brief. Help your readers out by sticking to one main point. You’ll have the rest of your paragraph to add the details that expand, prove, or describe your topic.

Self-driving cars should be a priority because they’re better than environment-polluting gas-guzzlers, and in just a few years, traffic will become so awful that no one will be able to get to where they need to.

Pant, pant. This sentence is so convoluted. It’s difficult to know where to start. The main idea is not clear. Worse, there’s no one main point to support. And there’s too much to address in one paragraph.

Let’s try this topic sentence instead:

Given how much self-driving cars could positively impact society, the automotive industry should make research and funding a priority.

By focusing on one main idea, your topic sentence can direct the supporting sentences within the paragraph.

Topic Sentence Checklist

Here are some quick questions to ask yourself about your topic sentences:

• Is your main idea clear?
• Can your topic sentence direct the other sentences in your paragraph?
• Can you address your main idea in one paragraph?
• Does it provide a transition from the previous paragraph?
• Is your topic sentence thorough yet precise, and brief?

If you answered yes, consider this your green light to proceed.

Next Stop: Check under the Hood

Now that you’ve populated each of your supporting paragraphs with a fleshed-out topic sentence, don’t forget to thoroughly review your essay for grammar mistakes, misspellings, and sentence structure errors.

If you need help, Kibin’s editors are familiar with essays of all makes and models. The last thing you want is to start your road trip only to find that you have a bad alternator.

Revved Up for More Help with Your Topic Sentences?

Get more help from Grammar Girl, who wrote a great blog post on the magic of a good topic sentence. To learn more about perfect paragraph structure in general, refer to this handout from the UNC-Chapel Hill Writing Center.

For help with your overall thesis statement, try Kibin’s easy Thesis Statement Builder. Learn better by example? See how other students have tackled their topic sentences in these example essays.

Pedal to the metal, writers!

• Bull float
• Expansion joint
• Forms
• Screed
• Trowel
• Rebar

Yes, these are literally words related to concrete, but that’s most likely not what your prof means when he tells you to focus on concrete language.

Keep in mind, though, that these words could be considered concrete language because they’re very specific and descriptive words.

Need a little help sorting that out?

In basic terms, concrete language doesn’t mean you’re talking about pouring a new sidewalk.

Concrete language means using specific and detailed language.

So if your prof has written “Be specific!” one too many times on your essays, here’s your chance to make that happen.

Before you check out the three ways to focus on concrete language in your next essay, let’s first review exactly what “concrete language” means.

What Is Concrete Language?

Concrete language helps readers understand what you’re writing about through the use of tangible and specific characteristics and details. They’re usually words you can experience through your senses of sight, sound, taste, touch, or smell.

Concrete language is the opposite of abstract language, which is more generalized and often refers to intangible qualities and things that can’t easily be measured, such as love, hate, fear, or happiness.

The examples below illustrate the difference.

Abstract language: We did some prep work for the job yesterday, and it felt great to finally finish.

If you are, in fact, working on pouring the cement for your new driveway and you tell friends that you’ve “done some prep work,” they may have a general sense of what you’ve accomplished, but the statement is vague.

It also uses the term “great.” This is a feeling that can’t easily be measured. Thus, this sentence contains abstract rather than concrete language.

Concrete language: Yesterday, Adam and I finished building the forms and adding rebar for the driveway.

This sentence is more effective because it uses concrete language (words/phrases such as “Adam and I,” “forms,” and “rebar”) to provide specific details to help readers understand the focus.

Looking for some strategies to help you add concrete language into your own writing? Here are three tips.

Three Ways to Focus on Concrete Language in Your Next Essay

Effective writers use a combination of abstract and concrete language, but if your paper is too vague, general, or lacks specifics, here’s how you can add more concrete language into your next essay.

#1 Get rid of empty words

Empty words are those filler words you use to bump up the word count on your paper. You know the type—words like “really,” “very,” “a lot,” “awesome,” “basically,” or “extremely.”

Empty words don’t add anything to your writing. They just take up space. They’re like your favorite soda. They’re filled with empty calories that contribute nothing to your diet.

Empty words don’t add to your writing. They just take up space. Use concrete language instead.
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Look for the empty words in the following sentence.

I had a really tough time with a lot of the questions on the test because it was extremely difficult.

This sentence is too vague and doesn’t use concrete language. It uses empty phrases— “really tough time,” “a lot,” and “extremely difficult.” To revise, add more specific word choices.

Essentially, it’s adding fluff. This is an easy trap to fall into, especially when you’re stretching to reach a required word count. But don’t do it. (There are better ways to make your essay longer.)

Here’s a revised sentence with concrete language.

I struggled to complete the algebra test during the one-hour time limit because three of the questions focused on quadratic equations.

This sentence replaces empty words with concrete language (“algebra test,” “one-hour time limit,” and “quadratic equations”) to help readers understand the exact meaning.

(Bonus: It’s also longer if you’re reaching for a higher word count.)

Want to learn even more about choosing the right word for your paper? Read The Ultimate Guide to the Perfect Word Choice for Your Essay.

#2 Add specific details

To add specific details, think of the phrase show, don’t tell. Your English teachers have said this a thousand times… and with good reason. Adding specific details not only makes your reading more interesting, but it also help readers understand the meaning of your writing.

Keep in mind that even though details are important, too many details are actually a bad thing.

Here’s an example of too many details in a descriptive essay:

I put on my new purple flip flops, a purple tank, and white shorts and walked down to the beach. It was a beautiful sunny day, and I enjoyed my walk as I passed the souvenir stands that littered the sidewalks. They were filled with colorful T-shirts, key chains, beach blankets of every color, water bottles, and sunscreen. I stopped briefly at a stand to look at blue and white striped shirt, but the short woman in the red sundress behind the counter informed me that they were out of my size. So I kept walking. When I finally got to the beach, I spread out my red beach towel to cover the scorching hot sand and sat down to watch the cerulean blue sea.

This paragraph certainly contains numerous details, but did you really learn anything by reading it? Probably not. It’s a paragraph filled with description for the sake of description.

How do you know what type of description and detail to include?

Consider your purpose and audience before deciding what details are important in your paper.

Here’s what that means. If you’re writing a narrative essay, your purpose is to tell a story. While descriptive detail is important in this type of writing, you want to limit the details to the most important parts of the story.

In other words, don’t go into great detail about your long wait in the airport if the real action of your story takes place on the plane.

Here’s another example. If you’re writing a letter to the director of food services to discuss the lack of healthy options on campus, your audience only needs to know your concerns about the food on campus. You don’t need to include details about your class schedule or when you eat lunch. Such details are irrelevant.

#3 Decide the level of abstract wording

Put simply: Words can move from general to specific. As a writer, it’s your job to select the most appropriate word for the situation.

Remember, this will depend on the purpose and audience.

Check out this basic example:

GENERAL: Clothing, footwear, shoes, women’s dress shoes, high heels

SPECIFIC: Stilettos

The word “footwear” is obviously much more general than the word “stilettos,” and which word you choose will depend on what you’re writing and why you’re writing it.

Let’s say you’re writing a report detailing the results of a study. If you indicate that the women in the study spent an average of $300 per year on footwear, you’re stating that the results include all footwear (boots, tennis shoes, dress shoes, sandals, and perhaps socks).

However, if the study actually only surveyed women about the money they spent per year on stilettos, using the word “footwear” in your report misleads your reader (and skews the results of the study).

Remember, effective writing requires a mix of abstract and concrete language. It’s up to you to decide how much detail to include and what level of abstract or concrete language you will use.

Hit a Concrete Wall?

Making a change in your writing style or word choices isn’t always easy. Don’t sweat it if you don’t write a paper full of precise, concrete language in your first draft.

Remember, first drafts are a chance for you to get your ideas into place.

Wait until you revise and edit to look for abstract words you might replace or revise into more concrete language. Need more help with revision, read How to Revise an Essay and Make It Better Than Ever.

If you’d like some professional help with revision, let a Kibin editor check out your paper.

Happy writing!

Now let’s say you’re assigned a response paper. Your first thought would be to write something similar, right? You think you’d write your response—what you liked or didn’t like about a movie or article.

You might think that, but you’d be wrong.

A response paper doesn’t simply express your opinion. It’s an analytical essay that presents an informed response to a work, such as an article, book, movie, or play.

If you already feel lightheaded and are experiencing shortness of breath because you have no idea how to move from a basic opinion to an analytical analysis, don’t panic just yet.

Consider me a one-woman Emergency Response Team.

I’m here to stabilize you and explain what you need to know to learn how to write a response paper that will get a great response from your prof.

What to Avoid in a Response Paper

As an emergency response professional, I’m here to tell you that there are things you definitely should not do when writing a response paper.

WARNING: Engaging in the following writing strategies can be dangerous and/or harmful to your response essay grade. Use only by permission of your instructor.

Don’t read the article only once

Reading an article only once will give you a  general idea about the author’s arguments, sure. But you won’t get a complete understanding on the first read. Trust me, read it a few times (and take some notes as you do). You’ll be happy you did.

Don’t focus on summary

Remember, this is a response essay. If you’re writing a summary, you’re simply reporting back the information. It doesn’t mean you’re responding. It’s okay to include a brief section of summary within your paper, but the focus should be response.

Don’t write about how you feel

In the world of academia and response essays, your feelings (whether you loved it or hated it) aren’t the point. Think academically. You need to analyze and respond to what you’ve read. (I’ll explain more about this later.)

Don’t write in first person

In rare cases, your prof might allow you to use first person. Usually, though, you’ll see lots of red ink if you use first person. Follow standard academic format and stick with third person.

Okay, now that you have been officially instructed on what not to do, here’s what you need to do to write a super response essay.

How to Write a Response Paper That Will Get a Great Response

Take a few deep breaths. Relax. Things are going to be fine. I’ve come prepared with my Emergency Response Kit and am here to help you through how to write a response paper.

DIRECTIONS: Apply the following writing strategies to your response paper (unless otherwise directed by your instructor).

Identify the focus and key arguments

Highlight or underline the key arguments of the article. Think about:

• The purpose of the article.
• The point the author is trying to make.
• What arguments and evidence the author uses to support his arguments. (Remember, read the article a few times to make sure you understand the author’s arguments. Try taking notes as you read to help you remember the important stuff.)

Analyze the evidence

Once you’ve identified the arguments, take a look at the evidence the author uses to support those arguments.

• Does he provide ample evidence?
• Does he fail to include sufficient evidence to make a compelling case?

Here’s a quick example: If the author argues that Superman: The Movie is the best classic superhero movie ever but only supports the argument with the fact that he’s a huge Christopher Reeve fan, the author hasn’t exactly supported his argument.

In this case, the author would need to provide additional evidence. He might, for instance, discuss the acting, characters, plot, directing, or special effects in order to support an argument of Superman: The Movie being the best classic superhero movie of all time.

Decide how you’ll respond

Once you have a better understanding of the key arguments of the article, you’ll need to decide how you feel about what the author has said. Remember, this isn’t a love it or hate it type response; this is an analytical response.

You’ll need to consider how the writer develops his arguments and how the writer uses language to get his point across.

Here are some questions to ask as you start to develop your response.

• What are the strengths and weaknesses of the arguments?
• Does the author provide sufficient evidence to support the arguments?
• Does the author address possible counterarguments (and refute counterarguments)?
• Does the author fail to address any key concerns or arguments?
• Is the author convincing?
• What is the tone of the article? Is it serious, sarcastic, or funny?
• How does the author use language? Is the article formal or informal in word choices?
• Does the author use emotional or logical appeals?

I know it can be tempting to gloss over these questions and start writing.

Don’t do it.

Use these questions as a prewriting strategy. Take the time to write down the answers to the questions. Doing so will help you focus your ideas (and give you something to respond to!).

After prewriting, it’s always a good idea to outline your ideas before you begin drafting. This will give you a road map to follow. It will also make the writing process that much more efficient.

Once your outline is in place, get writing!

Writing the response essay

Don’t hit the panic button. A response essay is a lot like any other academic essay: you need a strong introduction, body, and conclusion.

Here are a few tips on how to write a response paper that focus on what to include in your essay.

What to include in the introduction

The introduction to your response paper should include:

• The title and author of the article you’re responding to.
• A one- or two-sentence summary of the article you’re writing about.
• The thesis statement. In a response paper, the thesis statement should focus on your stance (what you want to say about the article). The thesis statement should not be a summary of the key arguments of the article you’re writing about.

Ineffective thesis: In this article, the writer talks about why Superman: The Movie is the best movie ever.

Effective thesis: Though Cooper claims that Superman: The Movie is the best superhero ever made, his arguments are flimsy. He provides no real evidence as to why the movie shouldn’t be relegated to the bargain bins of yesterday.

What to include in body paragraphs

As you draft the body of your paper, remember the importance of evidence! You need evidence to effectively support your arguments.

Good evidence includes examples and quotes from the article. Choose ideas that stand out. Don’t just choose a quote because you’re supposed to. Make them count!

For instance, let’s say an author writes a statement about Superman: The Movie being an amazing film because Christopher Reeve is the star. You might summarize or quote the statement to highlight the fact that this is the only real evidence the author provides to support why he believes the movie is so great.

What to include in the conclusion

The conclusion of a response essay is pretty standard. You should sum up the main points of your paper and wrap up your essay.

Don’t forget, though, that a response essay is a response to another person’s work. This means that you should again remind readers of the title and author of the article you’re responding to as you write your conclusion.

Before Resuming Normal Activities

Even though you’re now in pretty good shape, it’s not yet safe to resume your normal activities (like playing video games, eating, sleeping, and binge-watching movies).

You still need to put the finishing touches on your paper. To do that, check out these helpful resources:

• 97 Transition Words for Essays You Need to Know
• 3 Types of Essay Support That Prove You Know Your Stuff
• How to Write Good Essay Titles That Are…Good

Still feeling faint? Think your paper is in need of a little first aid? Let the specialists (our Kibin editors) take a look at your paper!