Utilize a strong vocabulary

Make use of strong and mature diction throughout your essay. Word choice is an extremely important detail in any field of writing. The more well developed and sophisticated the words, the better. If necessary, use outer tools such as dictionaries, thesauruses, or online tools to strengthen your vocabulary.

Pay attention to your tone and syntax

It is important to maintain a scholarly and usually passive tone in scholastic writing. Disregard bias and use of opinion or personal statements and stick to passive tones unless otherwise expressed. Sentence structure is also an extremely important detail to writing, so while you should not keep your structure boring and predictable, it is important to also not overcomplicate your writing as well. Try smooth transitions in sentence structure.

Ensure your paper is well developed

When a paper is well developed, not only it is sophisticated in its writing and tone, but it is also cited correctly and notes support from any outward sources. To ensure your paper is well developed, you must make sure you are able to prove accuracy throughout it.

Present a strong thesis

A thesis is one of the most pivotal aspects of an essay; it is where the author makes their claims or argument. When creating your thesis and presenting it, make sure that it is focused, relevant, worded correctly, and presents itself strongly. It is also extremely important to retain your focus and to not deviate from your main point.

Research and use outside sources

When applicable, it’s essential for the author to research the given topic and utilize any outside sources which may strengthen his or her argument presented in the thesis. Use of scholarly and reputable sources are sure to not only strengthen the accuracy and quality of your paper, but also impress classmates and professors alike.

There is no true way to define what exactly a “good” essay is. However, if given the right amount of effort and dedication, students will find that writing an impressive essay is actually quite simple. Use of proper diction, syntax, organizational and development skills, alongside proper research is all it takes to create a well-rounded paper. If you apply yourself and follow the aforementioned guidelines, your professor will undoubtedly deem your paper not just ‘good’, but ‘great’.