7 Elements Professors want in an essay

Writing is an art form. Like any other art, you must study and practice writing a lot to be good at it. When you think about it, we all write a variety of different things in our daily lives. Whether it is an email, a witty statement for Twitter, or a post for your Instagram feed, we all write. Instead, I would like to talk about specific elements in an essay. So, the question is, what is the difference between informal writing versus academic writing? The main difference is that your professors are looking for specific components in your paper. In this piece, we will discuss precisely what 7 elements professors want in an essay.

Title

You must choose an appealing and informative title for your paper. An informative title means that it gives the subject and the focus of the piece. An engaging title, on the other hand, might involve an ambiguity, a phonetic spin, or a remarkable phrase taken from one of your sources. It is important to remember that your engaging title should not be cute, and your informative title should not state your thesis.

Thesis

This part of your essay is the central insight or idea about a text or topic. It is the primary hypothesis that your essay needs to demonstrate. As a student, your professor wants you to argue this point throughout the article. You should state your thesis at the beginning of your essay with the available evidence. So you have to make sure it doesn’t disappear in places of your content. 

Motive

Motive part of your essay is for the rational connection that you need to provide for your subject and thesis at the start of your composition. You need to suggest why someone other than your professor, might want to read your essay or need to hear your particular argument. Your goal should be clear for your audience, and you should capture your readers’ attention. It has to be genuine. Therefore, it is essential to define a clear motive in your introductory paragraph.

Evidence

This section of your essay is the part where you give your readers related information such as facts, examples, or details to support your thesis. You can quote or summarize them to strengthen your main argument. However, it is crucial to provide enough evidence to prove your thesis. Your proof should be concrete for your readers to trust it, whether you quote it or summarize it. However, if you are going to summarize it, make sure to do it precisely and fairly.

Analysis

In this part of your essay, you break down, explain, and reflect on the data while supporting your thesis. You must avoid summarizing the data. Instead, you have to link the data to existing scholarly literature and theories. The analysis must show your professor that you are a rationalizing person with a well-supported thesis.

Reflecting

During your analysis, you need to raise or answer questions about your thesis. These questions can be an objection to your main argument or a problem that a doubtful reader might ask. You can ask and answer questions like:

What do I imply by this term?

What am I implying here?

If so, then how can this be?

What does my argument propose about the whole subject?

What might have caused this event or incident?

As you ask and answer these questions, you will also have a good idea of how your conclusion is going to sound.

Conclusion 

The last part of your essay is the conclusion. In this paragraph, your professor wants to see that you restate your thesis while you incorporate your ideas to show and prove the accuracy and importance of your central argument. The conclusion is the part where you have the final say about the points you have proposed in your essay, and it is where you should convince your reader on your thesis as you conclude your case. Please remember not to give the whole summary of what you have said previously. Instead, provide an overview of the paper’s main points. Take the most significant, relevant, and valuable main points from your body paragraphs and summarize them here. In the end, it should illustrate why your argument is particularly salient or connected to the topic and must include three components:

  • the answer
  • a summary of the main points
  • a final note on the importance

Final thoughts (7 Elements Professors want in an essay)

Let’s review what we have covered so far and summarize what 7 elements your essay should include. Your professor wants you to choose a captivating title, a thesis where you must clearly state your main argument. And most importantly, remember to provide a rational connection with your reader. While doing so, you must provide evidence from an analytical point of view. Be reflective during your analysis, asking questions on behalf of your potential audience. Finally, in your conclusion part, restate your thesis and conclude by connecting the last paragraph to your first.

I hope I was able to provide an insight on how to write a compelling composition and clarify what seven elements professors want in an essay. Keep practicing and keep writing. And in the meantime, please let us know if you have any questions. If you need help with your essay, please contact us today.