5 Practical Tips To Improve Your Essay Draft Writing

Many students struggle with creating a draft for their assignments, as it is often considered “a waste of time” or “extra work”. However, what many people don’t realise is that this stage of your essay-writing will save you a lot of time in the long run and gain you extra marks. A draft serves as a blueprint for your essay, meaning that the majority of the work will be completed by time you have finished it. Here are 5 useful tips to make it easier for you to create a draft for your next essay:

1. 1. Think about the format of your assignment

The layout of your work will depend on the type of essay you have been given. Has your teacher specified which paragraphs should be included or how many sections you should divide the document into? If not, look online or speak to a classmate to see what the standard format is for your assignment. If your teacher has not given you a topic, you should also use this time to consider what it is you would like to write about, ensuring that it is within the guidelines you have been given.

2. 2. Do the majority of your research

You are now ready to start researching your chosen topic. Begin with the background and more general information for your topic, before moving on to the more specific details and statistics. It is a good idea to pre-order books from the library (if this is possible) to ensure that you have enough research material; otherwise, start your search online and this will soon lead you to useful sources.

3. 3. Start transferring general ideas and information to paper

At this point, you can start noting down relevant details within the sections you created when you started your draft. Write down page numbers and important chapters of articles you have read, as this will save you lots of time when it comes to writing your final version and reference page! You can also include statistics and interesting information that you have come across – just write it down on a separate page if you are unsure where it will fit in at the moment.

4. 4. Complete a rough version of your introduction and conclusion

Now that you have a good idea about the aims and general direction of your assignment, you are in a position to be able to write your introduction and conclusion. You may choose to write the introduction at an earlier stage, but many people end up going back to it to change details based on their research. Remember, this is only a rough version of the two paragraphs, so don’t worry if you feel they are not 100% complete yet.

5. 5. Review your draft and make any necessary alterations

The final stage of creating your draft is to review what you have noted down and look for gaps or irrelevant details in each section. Don’t worry if some parts seem incomplete; it is actually a good thing for you to notice this as you will avoid having to do extra research the day before the submission date! Move paragraphs and sentences around if you think they will sit better in a different place – the more time and effort you put in now, the less you will have to put in when creating your final version.

Once you have completed your draft, it is a good idea to put it aside for a day or two before writing your assignment. This will allow you to see it with fresh eyes and include/remove information as you see suitable. Many people write their essays in half the time if they have a high-quality draft to work with, so you won’t regret the time you put into it – we promise!