As a rule, essays are written on relevant, meaningful, and often controversial topics. Lately, one of the most common essay topics has been gender equality. We all know that the equal rights of both genders have been a pressing issue for decades. Academic papers written on this topic cause genuine interest because there are many differing opinions on this matter.
So, if you were assigned such a task, where to start? A good idea would be to take a look at good persuasive essay examples which will give a sound knowledge on how it should look like in the end. Below, students can find a detailed step-by-step guide on how to cope with this assignment and create an informative and high-quality piece with ease. Let’s get to it!
Step 1: Research
Being a big and pressing issue, gender equality holds lots of ideas presented from different angles. There are many controversial opinions, stats, and experts’ opinions. Therefore, students will need to search through multiple sources and carefully analyze the collected data to create a good piece.
How to research information most accurately and efficiently? Here are the steps you’ll have to take:
- Preliminary research – start by checking available resources by the relevant keywords on the Internet, books catalogs, periodical databases, and libraries.
- Locate materials – next, start defying the primary resources you are going to use. We recommend making a long list of resources so that later you would have enough references to use.
- Assess the resources – when you already have a complete list of available resources, your next move should be a careful evaluation of each source’s quality and relevancy.
Step 2: Search for Official Statistics
Writing an informative essay on such a broad topic as gender equality requires providing some statistics. Official stats should strengthen your ideas and, thus, make your points look even more convincing.
For example, you could mention the stats given in one of the recent studies that claim that women in the US who give birth to a child may have their earnings drop by about 31%. How can a student disclose this fact in an essay?
It is quite simple – this number indicates that there is still room for gender inequality in the USA. Although women have been actively fighting for their rights during many decades, many laws still need to be adjusted to reach true equality among men and women.
Step 3: Make Notes
Taking clear notes of the key concepts from your sources while conducting research can save you lots of time and energy. Later, when you move on to writing an outline of the paper, these ideas will serve as helpful hints on what you need to include in the essay.
Also, be sure to write down the necessary bibliographic details of the source next to every note. This will help you to create a correct list of references later.
Step 4: Modify the Topic
Inequality is a massive issue, so covering every little detail or idea in a single essay is simply impossible. Choosing a narrower, but still prominent topic can be a real challenge. That’s why we recommend dedicating enough attention to this step which concludes the following actions:
- Choose something that resonates with you personally. The only way to write a really thoughtful and engaging paper is to work with something you have a genuine interest in.
- Choose a topic that supposes a vast theoretical base. It is crucial to choose an idea for which you could find enough information.
- Select a theme that looks fresh and original. Be sure that there are already thousands of essays written on common topics, so being original will be quite hard in this case.
Step 5: Develop a Powerful Thesis
A thesis is pretty much a statement of the paper’s main idea, and it has to be included in every essay. As a rule, it should be just a few sentences long, precise, and clear. In this statement, the author should clarify the topic and a central message of a piece. Pin a general idea on the desktop and continue working.
Do not try to make it flawless right away because, as a rule, a thesis statement will be adjusted and revised numerously during the writing process.
Step 6: Create an Outline
When you already have a topic, enough resources, and some fresh ideas, it may feel like you are all set and ready to start writing your essay. However, writing it from scratch without having a detailed outline is a huge mistake!
Creating an outline, be sure to follow the correct essay structure, and keep in mind the requirements and recommendations given by your professor. Also, don’t forget to include brief statements of your main points and arguments.
Step 7: Introduction
A paper’s intro should be concise, accurate, straight to the point, and engaging at the same time. This part of attracts the most attention and, thus, defines whether readers will be interested in reading your paper to the end.
Some people find writing a paper’s intro less stressful when the body is already created. Thus, if you are feeling stuck with an introductory piece, consider skipping it and get back to it later.
Step 8: Body
This is the most significant section of your essay and, thus, it requires the most attention from your side.
An excellent body section should consist of at least three or more paragraphs. Each paragraph should focus on a specific point and contain a few arguments, facts, or stats to confirm this idea.
Step 9: Conclusion
The conclusion of the paper is a summary of its main points and arguments. Just like an introductory section, it should be concise, so writing one or two paragraphs should be enough.
One of the most important tips for creating a great conclusion is to use an intro as a general guide. Restate the thesis of your essay, then include a brief summary of the body section, and draw a logical conclusion. However, do not add any new facts or ideas in the closing paragraph as this will confuse the readers and make your essay look unfinished.
Step 10: Proofreading
Finally, proofreading and editing are the two last, but not least important steps. Even with the best stats and clear structure, an essay that has any grammar or syntax errors will not get a high assessment. That is why we encourage students not to neglect the importance of this step and carefully proofread their essays before submission!
Wrapping Up
Hopefully, now, having such a detailed and extensive guide, now you are ready to create a real masterpiece on such a complicated topic as gender equality. Don’t waste any more time; go give it a shot!