January 27, 2014

Things You Can Do to Improve the Flow & Organization of Your Essay


Writing is the easy part. Revision is hard. But there are a few things you can do to help improve the flow and organization of your essay. Check out some writing tips below to help keep your momentum going.

Read it aloud to get a sense of the flow and coherence. Rewrite or omit anything that sounds awkward or nonsensical.

Make sure the first sentence of everybody paragraph sets up for the entire paragraph. This topic sentence should be like a mini-thesis for each paragraph.

Be wary of using too many transition words like first of all, secondly, in addition, however, and to conclude. See how your sentence sounds without a transition word first. Then, adjust accordingly.

Instead of trying to rewrite a sentence that just isn't working, start from scratch. Clarify what you want to say and then write a new sentence without looking at the old one. You will be surprised how much easier this is than trying to rework a difficult sentence.

Simplify. When in doubt, write what you want to say in as simplest terms as possible. Imagine you are explaining a concept or subject to someone who has not been exposed to it yet. Do not overcomplicate the language and wording. This often leads to confusion.


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