Writing Lessons & Advice: Essay Help- Choosing an Essay Topic
How do I decide what to cook? The things that either I or my husband like are a good place to start. I narrow down the options further based on what ingredients are in my cupboards, what time I have on-hand, or what the occasion might be. For example, on workdays, I usually have just enough time in the mornings to put together some cereal, oatmeal, or eggs. While on Saturdays or work holidays, I have ample time to work on pancakes. Lunch may be leftovers or sandwiches we take to work. While dinner may entail an entree with either beef or chicken-- either one of those meats are usually ready to prepare when we want them and we can easily make a few different meals with them.
When faced with the start of an essay assignment/project, sometimes a selection of topics is offered to you, or other times, the topic is completely up to you. How do you decide what to write about? The decision is much like how I decide my meals. Your ideal choice can be based on what sparks you or clicks with you. Are there any choices based on topics you already know about or want to learn about? Do any choices have a basis in something you care about, relate to, have experience with, or feel inspired by? Whatever topic resonates a yes to these questions is a good starting point for starting your essay. Plus a topic within your wheelhouse makes the rest of the project a little more bearable.
When you have that spark of an idea, you’ll need to fine-tune it for your assignment. To do this, you might:
Use a thesis structure. A broad, general approach to an idea can be overwhelming in the research stage, but narrowed down just right--like to fit this formula: (main idea) + (supporting details)-- should help keep things in focus. Some of the sources have more recommendations for narrowing your topic.
Brainstorm what you know regarding your potential topic.You may come up with good areas of discussion for your topic. Alternatively, you might determine what you or your audience needs to know about your potential subject.
Make sure your potential topic has enough length and/or content for the assignment purpose. Is your essay supposed to argue, compare and contrast, or explain a process? Are all bases covered between your idea and the guidelines? Does any criteria require you to have a certain amount of points supporting your thesis? Are there any counterpoints to consider or address?
You should have a good direction for your essay to go if your brainstorming yields a lot of useful ideas that meet your essay purpose and assignment requirements.
Deciding your essay topic can be your time to shine! It offers chances to express your ideas on a matter, to develop your knowledge, and to grow as an academic writer. Also, a well-crafted topic is your guidepost through the research and drafting steps of writing. Take what time you can and use what resources available to you to turn your idea spark into a full-fledged essay. Don’t forget to cite your sources and proofread where needed too!
Hopefully you have some better direction and understanding in deciding your essay topic!
If there's a topic you want me to cover in the future, you're welcome to reach out to me on the web chat feature or socials!
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