Improving your essay writing skills calls for a concerted and consistent effort on your part. It is not something you accomplish in a day but is more of a continuous process. That is why the skill is practiced at different stages of learning, leading up to your eventual final presentation. Along the way, there are a number of skills you need to repeatedly work on to arrive at the intended levels. These include research, composition, proofreading and referencing.

Improving on Research

In order to write an academic essay, you cannot rely on your own ideas alone. That is unacceptable. You must include other scholars’ contributions to the topic you are writing. This calls for reading and citing the references your instructor may give you. It also calls for other references you get on your own. You will eventually include the ideas you choose from such references and cite them accordingly. You will need to paraphrase the source ideas, especially if you are picking very long sections. This will help you to avoid being penalized for plagiarism. Nevertheless, you have to cite the sources even after you put the ideas in your own words. Practicing on your research skills continuously will lead you to much better essays.

Improving on Composition Skills

Composing the paper involves creating its overall structure, then filling in the content. Each paper must have an introduction, body, and conclusion. It must also conform to sections required of specific papers. Such sections include the thesis statement which usually comes in the introduction. Others are the arguments for, against, or both, on the given topic. The conclusion then summarizes the inference made from the arguments presented. There are many types of essays, and it is good to be familiar with each.

Always Proofreading

Your work is not done until you go over it again. This will help you to eliminate mistakes that may be there. Such mistakes include spelling and typological errors. There may also be constructions that are unclear or clumsy. Proofreading gives you the opportunity to write them better. Even if the paper is without blemish, you will not know until you go over it again. So proofreading is compulsory for all those who want to be good writers.

Practicing Referencing

You should practice how to include in-text citations, references or bibliography page. There are a number of citation styles. You should familiarize yourself with all of them. Remember citations not only make your work academic, but they also augment the points you are conveying. They act like evidence of what you are presenting.

Consulting Experts

It also helps to get professional help to become a better writer. There are a number of writing companies that can help you with the necessary writing tips. In some cases, you may not have enough time to complete an essay on your own. Such companies can enable you to get a cheap essay that is affordable to you, at short notice. They will also give you a professionally done paper.