Writing a short essay is common for all courses of study. A short essay has a maximum of 1000 words and it describes the essay’s topic clearly and concisely. This article gives you a guide on how to write a short essay.
What is a short essay definition? A short essay is a piece of writing that emphasizes a clear and concise presentation of an argument or topic. In contrast to long research papers, short essays are normally between 250 and 500 words hence each word should be informative. When assigned an assignment paper and you are required to write a short essay, you should choose your words carefully to properly convey your ideas.
Qualities of a short essay
Below are the qualities of a short essay:
a) Short
As the name suggests, a short essay should be short in length. It should have a precise and narrow focus. Do not attempt to fit too many ideas into the essay. You should instead, focus on one main idea and provide carefully considered instances or evidence to support it.
b) Clear
Clarity is crucial due to the limited word count. Use basic language to guarantee that your views are clear to your readers and there are no ambiguities. You should clearly present your essay’s information in a way that is easy to comprehend
c) Concise
The goal of the essay as a whole should be furthered by each sentence. Cut any words that are not required or that don’t advance the main point. You should only cite the sources that give relevant information about the essay’s topic.
d) Thesis statement
The thesis statement is a very important quality of your essay. It describes what your essay will talk about. The thesis statement should be the last sentence in your introduction. For an argumentative essay, you should state your stance on the topic in the thesis statement and for an explanatory essay, you should explain the essay’s key idea in the thesis statement.
e) Parts of the essay
A short essay has 3 parts which include an introduction, 2 or 3 body paragraphs, and a conclusion. The introduction introduces the essay’s main idea, the body paragraphs describe the essay’s main idea in detail and the conclusion summarizes the essay. You should always have a proper flow of information throughout your essay.
What is considered a short essay
The goal of a short essay is to express a topic in a few numbers of words. It is a type of essay that is succinct and brief. A short essay’s exact number of words can vary, although it commonly falls between 250 and 500. However, some short essay assignment instructions may require you to write up to a maximum of 1000 words.
In an exam setting, you may be required to write a short essay with 300 words. This aims to test your ability to convey the essay’s main idea in a concise and precise manner. When given a test like this, you should always write the most important information only.
The main objective of a short essay is to convey a focused and well-organized idea while being conscious of the word count. This can be challenging for many students. However, to easily write a short essay, you should be selective of the sources, concentrate on the subject’s most important elements, and effectively communicate a strong argument or viewpoint.
Short essays frequently concentrate on a particular topic of a larger subject because of their concision, detailed background material, or in-depth examination. They provide a plain and clear presentation of concepts, making them appropriate for expressing a single argument or defending a single assertion.
How long is a Short Essay?
A short essay is an essay that is succinct, concise, and falls within a certain number of words. The precise length can change based on the situation, including the essay’s goal, publication requirements, or any special instructions provided by the lecturer or publisher.
A short essay often ranges in length from 250 to 500 words. A maximum of 1000 words may be allowed for slightly lengthier short essays by some lecturers or writing requirements. Nevertheless, they are often kept in a lower number of words to push writers to efficiently and succinctly communicate their views.
A short essay could be constrained in length for standardized examinations or exam situations. It could be limited to 300 words, to judge the writer’s capacity to convey a clear and logical point within a constrained word count. You should always adhere to the number of words instructed to use thus making sure your essay is the appropriate length
How to write a good short essay
Below is how you write a good short essay:
a) Read the prompt
When you are given a short essay assignment, you are given a prompt to write the essay about. For you to understand what you should write in the essay, you should carefully read and understand the prompt. From the prompt, you will be able to come up with the essay’s topic. If a prompt is not given, you should choose a topic that you understand and can compose a good essay about it.
b) Write an outline
After narrowing down to a specific topic for your essay, you should conduct research. You should write down the key ideas from the research in the outline. When writing the outline for a short essay, you should stay on topic thus use the most relevant sources about your topic to cite your work. The outline helps you to properly plan for your essay and you can use it as a point of reference once you start writing the essay.
c) Come up with a compelling thesis statement
The thesis statement shows what your essay will tell. In a short essay, the thesis statement should be specific and to the point. This avoids ambiguity in the essay. For an argumentative essay, you should state your stance on the topic while for an explanatory essay, you should explain the essay’s main purpose.
d) Write the introduction
You should start the introduction with a statement that makes the reader interested in reading the essay. Explain your essay’s topic and what the essay will be about. Then write a compelling thesis statement that describes your essay’s purpose. When writing the introduction, you should keep it short by being specific.
e) Write the body paragraphs
The body paragraphs describe the topic in detail. Each paragraph should have a unique key point of the essay’s topic. Start the paragraphs with a topic sentence that introduces the key point, a middle sentence with evidence-based information or your interpretation of the key point, and complete the paragraph with a conclusion sentence that sums up the whole essay.
You should always stick to the main theme of the essay and use transition words to have a proper flow of information in the essay. For the evidence-based information in your essay, use the most relevant sources for the research. Give key information on the topic of the essay and you should always be precise in your body paragraph.
f) Write the conclusion
The conclusion summarizes your essay thus you should not bring new ideas in the conclusion. You should restate the thesis statement and show how the key ideas of the essay support it. Complete the essay with a good concluding statement or a call to action if required. After the conclusion, write the references of the sources you cited your essay from.
g) Proofread the essay
Once you complete the essay, you should proofread it severally to remove any wording, punctuation, or spelling errors. You should also omit any information that does not answer the essay’s question. Always make sure you meet the word count instructed for your coursework short essay assignment.
Tips for writing a good short essay
When writing a short essay, you can use the tips for writing a short essay to compose a good essay. Below are the tips for writing a good short essay:
a) Identify the topic
Once you are assigned a short essay assignment, you are given an essay prompt. You should read through the prompt underlining the keywords. This helps you to understand what is expected of you and also it helps you identify the essay’s topic. If you do not understand the prompt, you can ask your lecturer to help you interpret it.
b) Be specific
Writing a short essay requires you to be very specific. You should stick to the essay’s main idea and avoid long explanations. The short essay should be informative thus each sentence has a relevant meaning.
c) Write in active voice
Your sentences will be more concise and to the point if you write in the active voice. Create clear, concise language that communicates your ideas. Start your sentences with the subject and the action they carry out instead of stating how an object is being acted upon. This will make your essay short.
d) Use the relevant sources
When writing a short essay, you should use the most relevant sources to carry out research. This helps you to get the key information about your essay’s topic. Always use competent secondary sources like books or reliable articles on the topic.
To sum up
Writing a short essay requires you to be clear and precise throughout your essay. You can use this article as a guide once you start writing your short essay. If you need help with your short essay, we provide essay writing services.
