Some teachers assign the background synthesis essay for further mastery of a topic as this entails both the positive and negative positions, giving the student a well-rounded view of a key issue in society. Other teachers require this as a prelude to a bigger academic paper, such as a research paper or thesis.

Pointers for the background synthesis essay

• Research well

As the whole point of a background synthesis essay is to understand the full issue, it is necessary to consult several sources. Most teachers will expect you to have at least two to three sources per theme that you will discuss. For example, if you plan on examining the pros and cons of online degree courses, you’ll need at least four resources to begin. But the deeper you dig into the issue, you will find yourself requiring more resources to discuss additional ideas that come your way.

• Take detailed notes as you read

Because of all the sources that you will be referencing, it will be hard to remember everything. As you read, it makes sense to create detailed notes to help you in the future. Some students do this by using index cards as they are easy to shuffle around. Others may take notes on their computer. It helps to write down the key facts and ideas along with the source’s details (page number, edition) so that you can quickly find them when it is time to write.

• Creativity is needed in the Introduction

The Intro and Conclusion require creativity. In the Introduction, creativity is needed to catch the reader’s attention so that the person is interested in what you are about to present. This is often done by including compelling data, a relevant anecdote, or a popular quote.

• Synthesizing in the Body

When writing the Body, it will make more sense to allocate one paragraph per theme. This makes it easier for the reader to grasp what is being shared. Each theme should have input from two or more resources to show that you understood what each source said and how they link together.

• Tying things up in the Conclusion

As this is a background synthesis essay, the ending will probably be semi-neutral. This means you will not favor a particular side.

Summary

The background synthesis essay is a great way to prepare for the more difficult academic papers you are sure to encounter in college or graduate school. Do take note of the pointers above so that you have an edge when making your synthesis essay.

The essay is a favorite assignment that teachers may use for homework, major projects, or exams. However, if it is not your favorite task, you can purchase essays online anytime you need help and avoid struggles. The problem here is that the teacher leaves it up to the student to decide just how much is enough. If you have experienced such a situation or if you are anticipating that your next professor will put you in such a position, then read on to learn about the proper length for your essay.

General Assignments

A weekly occurrence is to have at least one essay assignment. If it is a reflection or reaction paper, then a safe essay answer will be anywhere from 250 to 400 words. This means your essay follows the usual format (Intro, Body, Conclusion) where the body needs two or three reasons for why you liked or disliked the topic.

Assignments where Research is Involved

When some research is required for your essay, it is a clear sign that much is expected from you. If the teacher does not give a minimum word count, then expect a safe answer to be between 1000 and 2500 words. Such assignments often require you to have at least three sources to look at, unless it is an in-depth book report where one source is more than enough.

However, if you are tackling a thesis or a major term paper, expect 3000 words to be the minimum.

Essays as a part of your subject’s exams

Essays are also a popular question type in midterm or final exams. Professors often assign a certain number of lines for each question where a quarter of a page is around 50 to 100 words, half a page is 150 to 200 words, with a full-page meaning you may need 250 to 400 words.

The subject matter also plays a part here. Science subjects may just expect answers of around 150 words or less to explain whatever theory, chemical reaction, or result is needed to get a good score. But subjects such as History, Literature, or Psychology may need at least 300 words per question for a decent result.

Essays for entrance to school

One more essay a student should expect is the admission essay for college or graduate school. Such essays are supposed to present who you are, what you offer, and how you may fit in so that the school of your choice will take you in.

A college admission essay may require around 250 to 600 words. But for graduate school, many expect you to tell your story within 400 to 500 words only, as they expect you are professional and mature enough to succinctly explain who you are.

Summary

As a necessary part of school life, essay writing is something that every student will encounter. Consider the above information about the expected essay lengths so that you have an idea of what to create.

What to Write About In an Informative, How-To Essay

One great topic to pick for a how-to essays is something you love to do, or something only you know how to do that is really interesting. For example, how to decorate a fancy birthday cake, how to knit a scarf with ease, making your own tissue box, or something that shows off your own uniqueness like “how to raise a wolf pup” (this is one of the more interesting essays I received as a teacher.” Other fun ones include cooking essays and how to do something that turned out to be harder than you thought it would, like a “laying your own laminate flooring, laying your own roof, changing your own oil kind of essay.

Use a Step Structure and Finish Your Essay Quickly

You can move through this kind of essay very quickly with a how-to essay because the entire essay can be visualized as each paragraph covering a different step of the how to process. For example, in the how to decorate the perfect cake above, you can spend a paragraph on gathering and or buying all the tools you need for really decorating a fancy cake. Then, you can spend the next paragraph on getting the cake ready for decorating, for example, evening up the edges, letting it cool properly, dusting off crumbs from the coat. Next, you can discuss the art of the crumb layer of icing (the first layer). Then spend a paragraph on cake decorating proper—little roses, finishing touches, adding color and adding swirls and whatnot.

Use Descriptive Details in Excess

How to essays really come alive when you add lots of descriptive details to your paper. Any kinds of details that involve your senses really engage your reader. Involving the senses is always crucial in descriptive essays of any kind.

How to Write a Closing for an Informative Essay

This is best shown through example. What you do not want to do is write a very predictable “so this is how to do that, bye” kind of paragraph. Instead, perhaps say how fun it will be decorating new cakes, or how if the first effort at anything is not a complete success, the next attempt will surely result in a better product.