this essay will discuss alternative

10 Better Ways To Write “In This Essay, I Will…”

“In this essay, I will” is a common way for people to talk about what they will write in their essays. However, it’s often overused, which is why it might be wise to look into a few available alternatives. This article will share the best ones with you.

What Can I Write Instead Of “In This Essay, I Will…”?

There are plenty of other ways to write this phrase. We’ll take you through the following to show you how they’re effective:

• You will learn about
• You will find out about
• I find… really interesting…
• This essay demonstrates
• This essay will discuss
• In this essay, you will learn
• I will show both sides of the argument
• This essay will analyze
• I strongly agree/disagree, and this essay will explore why
• This paper will explore

The preferred versions do not reference the “essay” at all. Instead, the best options are “you will learn about” and “you will find out about.” These work well because they save time and words in the essay, and they don’t seem like wasted space for the reader.

You Will Learn About

“You will learn about” works well because it shows the reader straight away what they will learn. We do not have to use the phrase “In this essay” or anything similar because they’re already aware that they are reading an essay.

The biggest problem with writing “in this essay” is that it’s a waste of time and words. Anyone reading your essay is typically evaluating it, so they do not need to be reminded what they are reading.

Instead, you should try to impress them with the contents of your essay and the points you want to highlight. The quicker you can explain the basic points you will touch on, the more engaged your examiner will be throughout the written piece.

Here are a few examples that will help you make the most of it:

• You will learn about my beliefs here, and I will make sure to elaborate on why I think it’s important to change the current rule system.
• You will learn about how it helps to practice these things before you undertake them.
• You will learn about what makes elephants such captivating creatures, and I’ll be sure to convince you by the end.

You Will Find Out About

“You will find out about” works in much the same way. We still do not mention the “essay.” It helps us show what we will be demonstrating. It only needs to be a sentence or two, but it’s a great way to explore our main idea without any other unnecessary bits.

Check out some of these examples to see how it works:

• You will find out about what makes them tick and how you can decide whether they’re right for you and your lifestyle.
• You will find out about many things from this piece, and I’ll make sure that your mind will be blown by the end of it.
• You will find out about the inhabitants of this fine city, as I will demonstrate going forward.

I Find… Really Interesting…

“I find… really interesting…” is a two-part phrase. We typically include the subject of the essay after “find” and then go on to explain why we find that subject “really interesting.” It’s a great way to avoid using “essay” in the introduction for no reason.

We can use this phrase with great success in many cases. It helps us to evaluate the overall tone and message behind our essay before we’ve even begun. Many readers and examiners look forward to reading essays set up in this way.

You can see how it works in the following examples:

• I find the people’s beliefs really interesting because they do not back down from them even when challenged.
• I find the current state of things really interesting because they’re nowhere near as glamorous as they would have been five decades ago.
• I find the things we talk about really interesting, and I will explain to you what it takes to become the best teacher you can be.

This Essay Demonstrates

“This essay demonstrates” is a good phrase to start an essay if you want to include the phrase. There is nothing fundamentally wrong with starting essays with a phrase like this; it mostly depends on personal choice and writing style.

Some examiners do not like reading things starting with “in this essay” or “this essay does this.” In those cases, you might be better suited to try to remove it. It’s also good practice to get you used to start your essays in more exciting ways.

However, if you like the style of including “this essay” and similar phrases, there are no reasons why you shouldn’t be able to do that!

• This essay demonstrates my vital opinion on the matter and what we can do about it.
• This essay demonstrates everything you need to know about how to fix the issue.
• This essay demonstrates why it is crucial that we start making strides to fix the current global situation.

This Essay Will Discuss

“This essay will discuss” is another way to share the overall point of your essay. The sooner we can convey the overall meaning, the more interested the reader will be. It helps them to know what they are reading about before they begin.

Here are a few examples to show you how it works:

• This essay will discuss all of the most important things you need to consider.
• This essay will discuss what it takes to make it in today’s climate.
• This essay will discuss the importance of making sure you care for your family no matter what.

In This Essay, You Will Learn

“In this essay, you will learn” helps to show a bit more confidence in your writing skills. If you say “you will learn,” it sounds like an order, which is a great way to show that you are confident enough to explain things correctly. It’s the mark of a strong and capable writer.

Check out some examples of how it might work:

• In this essay, you will learn a lot about what needs to be done to correct the path you’re going down.
• In this essay, you will learn all the psychological benefits of doing physical exercise daily.
• In this essay, you will learn how to manage your stress much better.

I Will Show Both Sides Of The Argument

“I will show both sides of the argument” helps you to evaluate the question of the essay. This works because it does not outright state you are writing an “essay” (saving time). It also shows that you want to cover both sides to remain unbiased as best you can.

Here are some examples of how it works:

• I will show both sides of the argument before the end of this paper.
• I will make sure to show both sides of the argument and try to convince you to agree with my view.
• I will show both sides of the argument and come to an ultimate decision by the end.

This Essay Will Analyze

“This essay will analyze” is another great way to start an essay with the words “essay” and “will.” It helps to sound confident when using phrases like this, and it goes over the things that the essay is likely to cover.

Some examples will help you to understand it better:

• This essay will analyze the effects on children of being surrounded by troublesome youths.
• This essay will analyze the findings from my previous experiment.
• This essay will analyze common social interactions and why they exist.

I Strongly Agree/Disagree, And This Essay Will Explore Why

This phrase works well to either agree or disagree with the question. Most essays ask a question that you are supposed to ponder. Starting an essay with your direct opinion is a good way to engage the reader early on.

The sooner you can keep the reader engaged, the better off you’ll be. It’ll make your writing sound much more professional and should score you higher marks in the long run.

Check out these examples for more help:

• I strongly agree with this question, and this essay will explore my reasons why.
• I strongly disagree with the quote above, and this essay will explore why.
• I strongly agree with this, and this essay will explore why I think that this is the best move for everyone.

This Paper Will Explore

“This paper will explore” is the last alternative we want to cover. It’s possible to replace “essay” in all cases with “paper,” and many readers prefer to see this because it does not sound as wasteful or as obvious.

The idea behind both “this essay” and “this paper” is the same. However, it’s up to you which one you think looks best on the page.

Here are some examples:

• This paper will explore the benefits of outreach for smaller companies .
• This paper will explore how to keep member retention much higher than in previous calendar years.
• This paper will explore the effects of mental illnesses.

Martin holds a Master’s degree in Finance and International Business. He has six years of experience in professional communication with clients, executives, and colleagues. Furthermore, he has teaching experience from Aarhus University. Martin has been featured as an expert in communication and teaching on Forbes and Shopify. Read more about Martin here .

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16 Synonyms for “In This Essay I Will”

If you’re unsure how to introduce what you will be talking about in an essay, you’ve come to the right place!

In this article, we’ll discuss whether it’s okay to use the phrase “in this essay I will” as an introduction. Moreover, we’ve provided a list of alternative phrases you can use instead!

“In This Essay I Will” Synonyms

• The following essay will
• The purpose of this paper is
• In the following essay, I will
• This essay will
• This paper will
• The following paper will
• The aim of this paper is
• The aim of this essay is
• The purpose of this essay is
• This paper aims
• In this paper, I intend to
• The following paper shall
• In this paper, I will
• This study will
• The following dissertation will
• This thesis will

KEY TAKEAWAYS

• It is not bad to introduce a paper with “in this essay I will,” but you should ask your teacher whether they prefer a paper without personal pronouns in it.
• “The following essay” is a great alternative that uses similar words while removing the personal pronoun “I.”
• You can use “the purpose of this paper is” if you want to completely change your phrasing from the original.

Keep reading to see how we use our choice of alternatives for “in this essay I will” in a couple of helpful examples.

After that, we’ll talk about whether it’s a bad idea to use the phrase “in this essay I will” in an academic paper.

The Following Essay Will

Another way to say “in this essay I will” is to say “the following essay will.” This alternative is great for when you’re writing a particularly formal essay.

After all, many academics urge against the use of personal pronouns like “I” in some academic essays. This synonym uses similar words to the original but removes the controversial “I”!

“The following essay will” isn’t an inherently better phrase than “In this essay I will.” However, it is a fact that most markers warn against the use of personal pronouns. Therefore, it’s a safer option if you’re unsure!

Let’s see a couple of examples making use of this alternative:

The following essay will discuss the sociological impacts of neocolonialism in former British colonies.

While both Clapton and Hendrix were self-taught, the following essay will illustrate that both possessed skills that were equal to, if not surpassing, their classically trained counterparts.

The Purpose of This Paper Is

If you’re wondering what to say instead of “in this essay I will,” we’d go with the phrase “the purpose of this paper is.”

This alternative is great if you want to completely alter your choice of words in your introduction. It replaces “essay” with “paper” and removes the personal pronoun “I” to boot!

This makes this synonym a better option than “in this essay I will” if you are unsure whether the marker will penalize you for using personal pronouns.

Finally, consider the following examples to see this phrase in action:

The purpose of this paper is to demonstrate the link between patriarchy and capitalism.

With the following questions in mind, the purpose of this paper is to theoretically unpack Kant’s notion of a “universal and objective law” in light of globalization and arguments for moral relativism.  

Is It Bad to Say “In This Essay I Will”?

The phrase “in this essay I will” is not inherently bad . For example, this may be a perfectly acceptable way to start an essay at a high school level.

There are even some higher academic papers that start this way. In general, how one goes about introducing their topic is a matter of preference .

That being said, it’s always a good idea to talk to the person who will be grading your paper before you start. Ask them if it’s okay to use personal pronouns. In recent times, some professors prefer papers written in an accessible way that’s easy for everyone to understand!

Likewise, some teachers would prefer a more formal tone, so using personal pronouns like “I” should be avoided. That’s why we recommend that you always ask before you start!

So, if you’ve found out that “in this essay I will” is acceptable according to your teacher, here are a few variations of this phrase you might try:

• In this essay I will discuss
• in this essay I will be discussing
• in this essay I will argue

It would also be correct to add a comma after “in this essay.” Whether or not you add a comma is a stylistic choice , and some people choose not to for a smoother read. Nonetheless, the following variations would also be correct:

• In this essay, I will show
• In this essay, I will demonstrate

In conclusion, it isn’t necessarily bad to say “in this essay I will” to introduce your paper. However, it’s always good to check with your teacher or professor and find out how formal they want your paper to sound.

If you found our list of synonyms helpful, feel free to bookmark this page!

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9 Synonyms for “In This Essay, I Will”

It’s all too easy to fall into a repetitive trap in essay writing. So, you need to actively avoid being too repetitive and boring.

This article will explore another way to say “in this essay, I will.” There are plenty of great alternatives available that will spice up your essays.

Is It Bad to Say “In This Essay, I Will”?

It is bad to say “in this essay, I will.” Generally, it’s a repetitive and bland phrase that adds nothing of value to your essay. The reader knows they’re reading your essay, so you shouldn’t be redundant and say “in this essay, I will.”

It is too personal of a phrase to include in most essays. Also, it’s informal , making it problematic when you’re writing in a more formal environment.

• It’s clear.
• It’s a basic phrase that might help you write your first essay.
• It’s redundant.
• It makes your essay sound boring and repetitive.

Clearly, “in this essay, I will” is not a good phrase to use. If you want to keep your essays readable and interesting, you should have a few synonyms ready to go.

Keep reading to learn alternatives to “in this essay, I will.” We’ve also provided essay example sentences for each.

What to Say Instead of “In This Essay, I Will”

• You will learn about
• I find… really interesting…
• This essay demonstrates
• We will discuss
• The key factors are
• Both sides of the argument will be explored
• I will analyze
• I will explore
• My personal reflections

1. You Will Learn About

One of the best alternatives to “in this essay, I will” is “you will learn about.” Using “you” instead of “I” makes it clear to the reader what to expect from your essay.

Generally, this phrase implies that you are writing your essay for the reader. It puts them in control and shows them that they should listen to what you have to say.

It’s also a very confident phrase. Saying “you will learn” is very confident and implies that you are certain you will teach the reader something new .

You may also benefit from the following examples:

You will learn about different systems in place to keep the workforce moving. Also, I will explore alternative options that might appear in the future.

You will learn about all of the relevant arguments. Hopefully, you can come to your own conclusion alongside mine.

2. I Find… Really Interesting…

Start an essay with “I find” to discuss the topic . It allows you to explain what you’re going to discuss later in the essay. From there, you can say how interesting you find it.

So, the full phrase might look like this:

• I find this topic really interesting .

It’s a simple sentence, but it’s a great way to set up an essay. It’ll entice the reader immediately. From there, you can start talking more about the topic and what makes it so interesting to you.

Here are a couple of examples to help you understand it:

I find these matters really interesting , so I would like to discuss them in more detail. It’s vital you understand more.

I find the experiment really interesting . Therefore, I will be exploring the different ways to go about completing it.

3. This Essay Demonstrates

Another great confident alternative to “in this essay, I will” is “this essay demonstrates.” Using “demonstrates” shows that you know your essay is good and will explain something important to the reader.

However, you should always be careful using a phrase like this too often. Any phrase that includes “this essay” in it might be a bit redundant and overused. It could bore the reader if you’re not careful. Use it once only. Any more than that might cause issues.

You can also refer to the following examples:

This essay demonstrates the difference between the two standpoints. After that, you can create a fair conclusion.

This essay demonstrates the different means behind both arguments. Therefore, you will learn which one you relate to more.

4. We Will Discuss

There’s no reason why you can’t use “we” to group yourself and the reader together . It shows that you value the reader’s insights just as much as your own while writing an essay. That’s why “we will discuss” works so well here.

It tells the reader what to expect . Also, it’s a great way to open a discussion quickly inside an essay. Then, the reader will be much clearer on where you’re going and whether they’re interested in your essay.

Here are some examples to help you understand more about it:

We will discuss the alternatives to see whether there are better options. The conclusion will determine which is the best.

We will discuss both theories in great detail. It’s the only way to settle the debate and decide which is better.

5. The Key Factors Are

It’s also worth including fancy words in your essays to keep things interesting. Something like “the key factors are” is a great way to do this.

It shows that you’ve explored your options before writing about a topic. This should show the reader that you know what you’re talking about .

Also, “the key factors are” is a great way to get to the point quickly . You can explain what your essay is about immediately before diving deeper into the key factors.

Check out the following examples if you’re still unsure:

The key factors are laid out in front of you. I will be discussing the best situations to keep things uniform between attempts.

The key factors are related to the way they conduct the projects. Therefore, I will focus on the conduct rather than the outcome.

6. Both Sides of the Argument Will Be Explored

Exploring both sides of an argument is integral to a well-written essay . So, why don’t you say “both sides of the argument will be explored” at the start of your essay? After all, it shows that you want to have an unbiased discussion .

Generally, this phrase is great at the start of an essay. It entices the reader to learn more about your discussion without expecting you to favor one side over the other.

Obviously, they can wait to hear your final verdict when they read your conclusion. However, letting the reader know you will explore both sides openly is a great way to get them to keep reading.

Also, these examples should help you to figure things out:

Both sides of the argument will be explored before any conclusions are made.

Both sides of the argument will be explored in this essay. Then, the conclusion will focus on the most reasonable argument.

7. I Will Analyze

We recommend writing “I will analyze” in your essays instead of “in this essay, I will.” It’s a great way to demonstrate what you’re trying to achieve .

You can analyze anything that you think needs to be dived into. This allows the reader to understand your motives and follow along with what you say in the rest of the essay.

You should also check out the following examples:

I will analyze the reasons behind the debate. Also, I will discuss both views to keep things fair.

I will analyze and argue both points. That way, it will be clear where we stand and what should happen next.

8. I Will Explore

Another great simplistic alternative to “in this essay, I will.” You can say “I will explore,” which removes the need to say “in this essay” at all. Instead, it lets the reader know what to expect from your essay.

It’s a great way to keep the reader engaged. It’s also clear and concise . So, they should be no confusion about the contents of your essay and what you plan to write about.

Here are some examples to help you:

I will explore different alternatives to creating sustainable living environments. There are many options available.

I will explore appropriate ways to keep things fair during all experiments. Variables are vital and must be uniform.

9. My Personal Reflections

Personal opinions can often make your opinions biased. Unfortunately, this can create issues when you’re supposed to remain unbiased in certain essays.

However, if you highlight this with “my personal reflections” at the start of an essay, you can try to explain your opinions .

It’s a great alternative to “in this essay, I will.” Of course, how you can use it is a bit more specific . Nevertheless, we recommend it to start a sentence when you want to explore an idea without directly saying “in this essay” at any point.

Perhaps these examples will clear some things up:

My personal reflections will be explored in this essay. I hope to explain more about why I chose these options.

My personal reflections might create some bias during this paper. However, I will try to keep my opinions level.

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11 Synonyms for “In This Essay, I Will”

Alex Carter

In the diverse world of academic writing, it's common to find yourself in a loop of repetitive phrases. One such phrase is "In this essay, I will". This article aims to break that loop by providing you with 11 alternative phrases that can be used.

The Significance of Varied Phrasing

Variation in language is essential for maintaining reader interest and demonstrating linguistic competence. Continually repeating phrases like "In this essay, I will" can make your work appear unprofessional and monotonous. Diversifying your language not only enhances your writing but also reflects your understanding of the subject. Here are the key benefits:

• It prevents your writing from becoming monotonous
• It displays your linguistic proficiency
• It makes your essay more engaging and appealing to the reader

Alternative Phrases for "In This Essay, I Will"

Let's delve into the actual synonyms for "In this essay, I will". Here are 11 fresh alternatives, along with a context for their use:

Tips for Varied Language Usage

Incorporating variety in your language can significantly enhance your writing. Here are a few tips:

• Use a thesaurus to find synonyms for commonly used words.
• Read extensively and diversely to expose yourself to different styles and vocabularies.
• Rephrase sentences to avoid repetition.

Avoiding Common Pitfalls

While striving for variety, it's important to avoid some common pitfalls.

• Overuse of thesaurus : While a thesaurus is a useful tool, overuse can make your writing sound unnatural and forced.
• Using inappropriate synonyms : Ensure the synonyms you choose are suitable for the context.

Real-World Application of Alternatives

Here are some examples of how these alternatives can be used in real-world scenarios:

The Art of Diversifying Language

Diversifying your language is an art that takes practice and patience to perfect. It's about balancing variety and relevance to create a piece that is engaging and informative. By incorporating these synonyms and following the provided tips, you can enhance your academic writing and make it more appealing to your readers.

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• Knowledge Base
• How to write an argumentative essay | Examples & tips

How to Write an Argumentative Essay | Examples & Tips

Published on July 24, 2020 by Jack Caulfield . Revised on July 23, 2023.

An argumentative essay expresses an extended argument for a particular thesis statement . The author takes a clearly defined stance on their subject and builds up an evidence-based case for it.

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Table of contents

When do you write an argumentative essay, approaches to argumentative essays, introducing your argument, the body: developing your argument, concluding your argument, other interesting articles, frequently asked questions about argumentative essays.

You might be assigned an argumentative essay as a writing exercise in high school or in a composition class. The prompt will often ask you to argue for one of two positions, and may include terms like “argue” or “argument.” It will frequently take the form of a question.

The prompt may also be more open-ended in terms of the possible arguments you could make.

Argumentative writing at college level

At university, the vast majority of essays or papers you write will involve some form of argumentation. For example, both rhetorical analysis and literary analysis essays involve making arguments about texts.

In this context, you won’t necessarily be told to write an argumentative essay—but making an evidence-based argument is an essential goal of most academic writing, and this should be your default approach unless you’re told otherwise.

Examples of argumentative essay prompts

At a university level, all the prompts below imply an argumentative essay as the appropriate response.

Your research should lead you to develop a specific position on the topic. The essay then argues for that position and aims to convince the reader by presenting your evidence, evaluation and analysis.

• Don’t just list all the effects you can think of.
• Do develop a focused argument about the overall effect and why it matters, backed up by evidence from sources.
• Don’t just provide a selection of data on the measures’ effectiveness.
• Do build up your own argument about which kinds of measures have been most or least effective, and why.
• Don’t just analyze a random selection of doppelgänger characters.
• Do form an argument about specific texts, comparing and contrasting how they express their thematic concerns through doppelgänger characters.

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An argumentative essay should be objective in its approach; your arguments should rely on logic and evidence, not on exaggeration or appeals to emotion.

There are many possible approaches to argumentative essays, but there are two common models that can help you start outlining your arguments: The Toulmin model and the Rogerian model.

Toulmin arguments

The Toulmin model consists of four steps, which may be repeated as many times as necessary for the argument:

• Make a claim
• Provide the grounds (evidence) for the claim
• Explain the warrant (how the grounds support the claim)
• Discuss possible rebuttals to the claim, identifying the limits of the argument and showing that you have considered alternative perspectives

The Toulmin model is a common approach in academic essays. You don’t have to use these specific terms (grounds, warrants, rebuttals), but establishing a clear connection between your claims and the evidence supporting them is crucial in an argumentative essay.

Say you’re making an argument about the effectiveness of workplace anti-discrimination measures. You might:

• Claim that unconscious bias training does not have the desired results, and resources would be better spent on other approaches
• Cite data to support your claim
• Explain how the data indicates that the method is ineffective
• Anticipate objections to your claim based on other data, indicating whether these objections are valid, and if not, why not.

Rogerian arguments

The Rogerian model also consists of four steps you might repeat throughout your essay:

• Discuss what the opposing position gets right and why people might hold this position
• Highlight the problems with this position
• Present your own position , showing how it addresses these problems
• Suggest a possible compromise —what elements of your position would proponents of the opposing position benefit from adopting?

This model builds up a clear picture of both sides of an argument and seeks a compromise. It is particularly useful when people tend to disagree strongly on the issue discussed, allowing you to approach opposing arguments in good faith.

Say you want to argue that the internet has had a positive impact on education. You might:

• Acknowledge that students rely too much on websites like Wikipedia
• Argue that teachers view Wikipedia as more unreliable than it really is
• Suggest that Wikipedia’s system of citations can actually teach students about referencing
• Suggest critical engagement with Wikipedia as a possible assignment for teachers who are skeptical of its usefulness.

You don’t necessarily have to pick one of these models—you may even use elements of both in different parts of your essay—but it’s worth considering them if you struggle to structure your arguments.

Regardless of which approach you take, your essay should always be structured using an introduction , a body , and a conclusion .

Like other academic essays, an argumentative essay begins with an introduction . The introduction serves to capture the reader’s interest, provide background information, present your thesis statement , and (in longer essays) to summarize the structure of the body.

Hover over different parts of the example below to see how a typical introduction works.

The spread of the internet has had a world-changing effect, not least on the world of education. The use of the internet in academic contexts is on the rise, and its role in learning is hotly debated. For many teachers who did not grow up with this technology, its effects seem alarming and potentially harmful. This concern, while understandable, is misguided. The negatives of internet use are outweighed by its critical benefits for students and educators—as a uniquely comprehensive and accessible information source; a means of exposure to and engagement with different perspectives; and a highly flexible learning environment.

The body of an argumentative essay is where you develop your arguments in detail. Here you’ll present evidence, analysis, and reasoning to convince the reader that your thesis statement is true.

In the standard five-paragraph format for short essays, the body takes up three of your five paragraphs. In longer essays, it will be more paragraphs, and might be divided into sections with headings.

Each paragraph covers its own topic, introduced with a topic sentence . Each of these topics must contribute to your overall argument; don’t include irrelevant information.

This example paragraph takes a Rogerian approach: It first acknowledges the merits of the opposing position and then highlights problems with that position.

Hover over different parts of the example to see how a body paragraph is constructed.

A common frustration for teachers is students’ use of Wikipedia as a source in their writing. Its prevalence among students is not exaggerated; a survey found that the vast majority of the students surveyed used Wikipedia (Head & Eisenberg, 2010). An article in The Guardian stresses a common objection to its use: “a reliance on Wikipedia can discourage students from engaging with genuine academic writing” (Coomer, 2013). Teachers are clearly not mistaken in viewing Wikipedia usage as ubiquitous among their students; but the claim that it discourages engagement with academic sources requires further investigation. This point is treated as self-evident by many teachers, but Wikipedia itself explicitly encourages students to look into other sources. Its articles often provide references to academic publications and include warning notes where citations are missing; the site’s own guidelines for research make clear that it should be used as a starting point, emphasizing that users should always “read the references and check whether they really do support what the article says” (“Wikipedia:Researching with Wikipedia,” 2020). Indeed, for many students, Wikipedia is their first encounter with the concepts of citation and referencing. The use of Wikipedia therefore has a positive side that merits deeper consideration than it often receives.

An argumentative essay ends with a conclusion that summarizes and reflects on the arguments made in the body.

No new arguments or evidence appear here, but in longer essays you may discuss the strengths and weaknesses of your argument and suggest topics for future research. In all conclusions, you should stress the relevance and importance of your argument.

Hover over the following example to see the typical elements of a conclusion.

The internet has had a major positive impact on the world of education; occasional pitfalls aside, its value is evident in numerous applications. The future of teaching lies in the possibilities the internet opens up for communication, research, and interactivity. As the popularity of distance learning shows, students value the flexibility and accessibility offered by digital education, and educators should fully embrace these advantages. The internet’s dangers, real and imaginary, have been documented exhaustively by skeptics, but the internet is here to stay; it is time to focus seriously on its potential for good.

If you want to know more about AI tools , college essays , or fallacies make sure to check out some of our other articles with explanations and examples or go directly to our tools!

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An argumentative essay tends to be a longer essay involving independent research, and aims to make an original argument about a topic. Its thesis statement makes a contentious claim that must be supported in an objective, evidence-based way.

An expository essay also aims to be objective, but it doesn’t have to make an original argument. Rather, it aims to explain something (e.g., a process or idea) in a clear, concise way. Expository essays are often shorter assignments and rely less on research.

At college level, you must properly cite your sources in all essays , research papers , and other academic texts (except exams and in-class exercises).

Add a citation whenever you quote , paraphrase , or summarize information or ideas from a source. You should also give full source details in a bibliography or reference list at the end of your text.

The exact format of your citations depends on which citation style you are instructed to use. The most common styles are APA , MLA , and Chicago .

The majority of the essays written at university are some sort of argumentative essay . Unless otherwise specified, you can assume that the goal of any essay you’re asked to write is argumentative: To convince the reader of your position using evidence and reasoning.

In composition classes you might be given assignments that specifically test your ability to write an argumentative essay. Look out for prompts including instructions like “argue,” “assess,” or “discuss” to see if this is the goal.

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Writing Better University Essays/Main part

This part constitutes the main part of your essay. Try to use about 60% of your words for this part. You can understand it as delivering what you have promised in the introduction. This part of the essay is often referred to as the main body, or the argument. It’s the part of the essay, where you develop the answer. Whilst doing so, it’s important to be aware of the question at all time. This is the only way to keep to the topic set.

Ideally, every paragraph is geared towards answering the question. It does not suffice, if you are aware of how a particular paragraph is focused on your task: you need to show the relevance to your reader. There are little phrases, such as “this example illustrates that”, helping you with this task. Consider the following example: “The resistance in Harlem insisting to keep an open market in 125th street helped to point out that there are people with different needs in the city (Zukin, 1995).” After outlining resistance in Harlem, these few sentences make it plain what the example showed us: that different people in cities have different needs.

Writing an essay can take a considerable time, but it’s important that you keep to your original plan as much as you can. Of course, new ideas will come up as you write. In this case, you should jot them down, so as not to lose them. Next, think about it: How will this help me answering the question? Is this relevant to the essay? Do I not have another example of this already? What you do is to make sure that what goes into the essay has one purpose only: answering the question. Sometimes it’s difficult to resist the temptation, but don’t explore thoughts by the way. This should not discourage you from having original ideas, or even exploring them, but it should encourage you to use your essay for one purpose only.

Keeping to the plan means keeping to the structure. This is important, because you can lose your reader by jumping around from one topic to the other, even if all you say as such is relevant and useful. By having a clear structure, and keeping to it, your reader will always know where the journey goes next. This makes your essay a pleasant read. To write a good essay, first of all, you need good hooks which help to draw your readers’ attention. A hook is a small element in the introduction of an essay which motivates people to read your work. It is an interesting and catchy sentence which has a deep meaning and helps a writer introduce the main idea. Essay hook Identifies a purpose of writing.

When writing the main part of the essay, it’s important to keep the argument and illustrations in balance. Too few examples make the essay dry and difficult. Too many, on the other hand, make the argument disappear. The trick is to include illustrations to bring the text alive, but link them tightly with the argument. Rather than stating that “this is an example of white-collar crime,” you may say “tax avoidance is a good example of white-collar crime, because…” By so doing, you demonstrate the importance of the example, you highlight how and why it is important, and most importantly, maybe, you avoid that the examples take over. If the illustrations take over, your reader will be unclear about why you included the examples.

• 1.1 Useful Phrases
• 2 Structuring the Main Part
• 3 Dealing with Repetition
• 4.1 Weasel Terms

Sections [ edit | edit source ]

Sections are an important tool to structure the answer of an essay. The longer the answer, the more important sections probably are. Some courses and tutors may ask you to include subheadings (as used in this book); some institutions even have explicit recommendations on their use. Subheadings can be a good way to structure an answer into sections. However, the lack of subheadings—or the fact that your tutor discourages you from using them—is no excuse for not having sections.

Sections group paragraphs that elaborate a similar point. Often, within a section, you’ll have a number of paragraphs discussing the same issue from a number of different perspectives. A section can be treated, in some ways, as if it was a mini essay in itself. This is the case, because in each section, a particular point is explored. For example, there might be a section on the arguments for abortion, and then a section on the arguments against.

What is important when writing a section, is that both you and the reader are aware of the purpose of the section. It’s tiring and frustrating for your reader to read half a page before knowing what you’re writing about, or more often why you’re writing this here. For these reasons it’s important to link the sections into a coherent one. By linking the sections, and linking the paragraphs within each section, your essay will be more focused on answering the question.

For example, after a paragraph outlining problems of studying and measuring the transmission of social disadvantage, in one of my essays I discussed how sibling data may be the solution. I opened the paragraph as follows: “The use of sibling data promises a cure to at least some of the problems outlined above.” In one sentence, the new topic (sibling data) is introduced, but it is also indicated why this may be important (because these data help tackling the problems already outlined). The reader should not be puzzled as to what the link is between problems of measuring the transmission of social disadvantage on the one hand, and sibling data on the other.

Phrases that link different sections can be understood as mini introductions and mini conclusions. Particularly when a section is long, or where the link to the next section is not immediately apparent, it might be useful to write one or two sentences to summarize the section. This will indicate to the reader how far we have come in developing the argument, but also remind him or her, why we have bothered to write a section in the first place.

Useful Phrases [ edit | edit source ]

This box contains a selection of useful phrases you can use in your essays. You can use these words and phrases to connect the different bits and pieces of your text into a coherent whole. The following list is intended to give you an idea of all the phrases that are available to you.

Express improbability : is improbable, is unlikely, it is uncertain in spite of, despite, in spite of the fact that, despite the fact that, nevertheless, nonetheless, instead, conversely, on the contrary, by contrast, whereas, while, whilst, although, even though, on the one hand, on the other hand, in contrast, in comparison with, but, yet, alternatively, the former, the latter, respectively, all the same

Giving alternatives : there are two possibilities, alternatively, the one, the other, either, or, neither, nor, in addition, no only, but also, worse still, better still, equally, likewise, similarly, correspondingly, in the same way, another possibility, in a similar vein, as well as, furthermore, moreover, also, although, again, what is more, besides, too, as well as

Giving examples or introducing illustrations : for example, for instance, to name an example, to give an example, is well illustrated by, a case point is, such as, such, one of which, illustrates, is an example of this, is shown by, is exemplified by, is illustrated by

Stating sequence : first of all, first, firstly, second, secondly, thirdly, fourthly, now, then, next, finally, to complete, after that, 1, 2, 3, last, lastly, furthermore, to begin with, moreover, in addition, to conclude, afterwards

Reformulate the same point : in other words, to put it more simply, to put it differently, it would be better to say

Stating consequences : so, therefore, as a consequence, as a result, now, consequently, because of, thus, for this reason, then, this is why, accordingly, hence, given this, with reference to, given, on this basis, is caused by, causes, due to, has the effect, affects, the reason for, because of this, if, then, results in, leads to, produces, owing to, through, as, since, because

Stating purpose : in order to, so that, so as to, to

Giving the method by which something happened: by …ing, by (noun), by using

Stating surprise about something unexpected: besides, however, nevertheless, surprisingly, nonetheless, notwithstanding, only, still, while, in any case, at any rate, for all that, after all, at the same time, all the same

Summarizing : to sum up, in summary, to summarize, in brief, altogether, overall

Reaching a conclusion : I conclude, I therefore conclude, reached the conclusion that, it is concluded, therefore, for this reason, then, thus, in conclusion, to bring it all together

Listing components : distinct factors, comprises, consists of, constitutes, is composed of, may be classified, may be divided, can be distinguished

Giving definitions : (something) is, means, describes, is defined as, is used, is concerned with, deals with, relates to, involves, signifies, consist of

Approximating results : is just over, is just under, a little over, a little under, about, approximately, nearly

Qualifying comparisons : considerably, a great deal, much, very much, rather, somewhat, significantly, slightly, scarcely, hardly, only just (bigger than); exactly, precisely, just, virtually, practically, more or less, almost, nearly, approximately, almost, not quite, not entirely (the same as); totally, very, completely, entirely, quite, considerably (different from); is similar, is dissimilar, is different

Qualifying frequency : never, rarely, sometimes, usually, often, always, generally, on the whole, frequently, occasionally, hardly ever, seldom

Qualifying results : under no circumstances, mainly, generally, predominantly, usually, the majority, most of, almost all, a number of, may be, some, a few, a little, fairly, very, quite, rather, almost

Qualifying change : no, minimal, slight, small, slow, gradual, steady, marked, large, dramatic, complete, steep, sharp, rapid, sudden (rise, increase, fluctuation, decrease, decline, reduction, fall, drop, upwards trend, downward trend, peak, plateau, level off)

Just like sections are structured into paragraphs, each paragraph should have some internal logic. You can usually use the first sentence of a paragraph to introduce what the paragraph is about. This is particularly useful at the beginning of a new section. Consider these phrases as bridges. For example, in one of my essays, I opened a paragraph with “It will now be necessary to consider the argument that local cultures are dominated by transnational corporations.” My readers will immediately know what the paragraph is about.

Ideally, every single sentence is geared towards answering the question. Practically, this is hard to achieve, given the lack of infinite time resources available to most of us. However, by your trying to link similar paragraphs into sections, and by linking sections into a wider argument, every essay will benefit. The result is an essay that is easier and more pleasant to read.

Each paragraph, and definitely each section, should be geared towards the essay question you’re answering. It’s therefore a good idea to evaluate each section in terms of how far this helped to answer the essay question. You do a number of things with this: demonstrate that you’re still on track; you’re working towards a conclusion; you demonstrate the relevance of what you wrote in the section. If you can’t state how a particular paragraph or section is relevant towards your answer, then probably it is not.

Structuring the Main Part [ edit | edit source ]

There are different ways to structure the main part of the essay. One key difference is between essays structured along the lines of analytic dimensions, and those structured along the lines of argumentative dimensions. For example, the analytic dimensions of an essay on globalization may be economic aspects , cultural aspects , or political aspects . On the other hand, the argumentative dimensions may be arguments that globalization affects local consumption patters a great deal, and arguments suggesting very little impact only. The analytic approach would examine the different views in terms of economic aspects first, before moving on to cultural aspects. The argumentative approach would first explore the views in favour of strong impacts in all the different dimensions: economic, cultural, political, and then move on to do the same for arguments against.

There is no fast rule which of these approaches is better. In fact, both approaches can be very successful. You should consider the extent to which your structure helps you avoid saying the same thing twice. Whatever approach you choose, a clear indication in the introduction as to how you approach the essay will make sure your reader knows where you’re going.

Dealing with Repetition [ edit | edit source ]

An essay where the same word or sentence structure is repeated time and time again is often boring. Many writers consider repetitions bad writing. There are a few things you can do to avoid repetition. Where you should be careful, however, is the use of specialist terms. For the reasons outlined in the section on defining terms, you should never substitute a specific term with a more generic one. If you talk about power, then say so, even if this means using the same word over and over again. By no means use a thesaurus and pick a random suggestion offered there. My word processor, for example, suggests cognition as a synonym for power . This may be the case in some contexts, but as a key term, this is hardly ever the case.

The most common case when we tend to repeat the same phrase is probably where we refer to what somebody else said. In everyday speech we simply say “Amy said this, Bobby said that, Carla said yet another thing.” In the more formal style required in essay writing, this is commonly written in the following way: “Adams (2006) states that…, Bird (1999) suggests that.”

In order to make your essay less repetitive, consider the following options in addition to the common states and suggests. Always use your own judgement, when a phrase feels overused. By suggesting that repetition may leave a less than ideal impression, it’s not argued that this is an area of essay writing worth spending hours on. It’s much better being repetitive, but being precise and making a good argument.

• Crouch (1977) argues that …
• Daniels (2004) sees the problem as resulting from …
• Elton (1848) identifies the problem as consisting of …
• Ferro (1997) is of the opinion that …
• Gallagher (2003) defends the view that …
• Hall (1998) notes that the problem originates from …
• Inglehart (2000) considers that …
• Jackson (1984) views the issue as caused by …
• Kanter (1970) maintains that …
• Lewis (2002) concurs with Mann (2000) that …
• Nixon (1955) supports the view that …
• Orwell (1999) holds the view that …
• Perry (2005) agrees that …
• Quart (2001) denies that …

These alternative ways to put the ever same idea may be particularly useful when reviewing what different authors had to say on an issue—the parts of the essay where you simply restate what has been said before. Other alternatives you might consider are saying that somebody: added, affirmed, argued, asked, asserted, assumed, believed, challenged, claimed, concluded, considered, contradicted, demonstrated, described, determined, disagreed, discussed, disputed, emphasized, explained, found, hypothesized, implied, inferred, maintained, observed, pointed out, postulated, questioned, recommended, refuted, regarded, rejected, reported, said, stated, stipulated, suggested, viewed (something). This list should illustrate that there need be no conflict between variation in writing and writing clearly. If in doubt, however, you should always prioritize clarity.

Academic Style [ edit | edit source ]

When writing for academic purposes, there are a number of conventions that you should follow. A key difference to most other forms of writing is that we give references to the sources of our argument. Ambiguity is something most academics dislike, and you’re more credible, too, if you avoid it. Academic writing tends to be rather formal, and many will advise you to avoid writing in the first person (that is, not write using I). This makes academic writing both formal and impersonal.

The reason why the first person should be avoided, is that in scientific writing one’s opinions, feelings and views are not regarded as important. Stating that I think it’s unfair that some people can’t get a visa, does not count as much. However, urging you not to use I in essays can fail in two ways. Firstly, you could still write about your own feelings and opinions using different phrases, and secondly, not all uses of the first person are bad. It’s a good idea to stay clear of phrases such as “I think,” or “in my opinion,” unless you’re evaluating a claim. However, there is no apparent reason for not saying “I will first define the key terms.” Using the first person in this way will make a text more approachable. Moreover, using phrases starting with I, you avoid using the passive voice which many find more difficult to read.

Having said this, some markers still consider it preferable not to use the first person. Should your tutor or marker be one of them, you may want to play it safe. Don’t use we when you mean I . If you are the sole author, the use of a plural is technically not correct. However, even a tutor who hates such phrases will not mark you down: It’s the argument and general structure of your essay that count for much more.

One area where there is no room for argument is the use of colloquialisms, slang, or street language. Academic writing is formal writing, and you might be penalized for using the wrong register. A little bit of informality here or there will not normally matter much. Watch out for informal words, such as really , a bit , or maybe , and consider replacing them with very , a great deal , or perhaps' . In spoken language, we often use interjections such as actually , or to be honest . These, too, don’t belong into an academic essay.

Consider the following example: “To be honest, I don’t think much of this theory” is something we might say to a colleague of ours. When writing an essay, you could put this as: “It is clear from the evidence presented in this essay that the applications of this theory are limited.” The following list further illustrates what is meant by formal and informal English. The formal words are included in brackets in each case: Ask for (request), carry out (conduct), chance (opportunity), find out (discover), get better (improve), get worse (deteriorate), guess (estimate), look into (investigate), OK (satisfactory), tell (inform), worried (concerned).

Euphemisms, such as passed away for die , are another aspect of language you should not use in your essays: if you write about and mean die , then say so. Clarity and accuracy are paramount. For these reasons academic writing can be rather tentative and cautious. This is the case because we are not after grabbing headlines, but we write accurately what we know. If our data suggest that X possibly leads to Y, we say just that. In this case we should never say that X leads to Y. In academia we are often unsure what really goes on, and we should be upfront about this.

Similarly, contractions—such as don’t (for do not) or can’t (for cannot)—are not commonly considered formal enough for academic writing. Some of your readers will consider this convention ridiculous; others take it as a sign that you have not understood you should write in a scholarly fashion. To play it safe, use the full forms at any time. This particular academic convention seems to ease more and more.

Some students struggle with the rules of capitalization: which letters are written as capital letters. The easiest one is that every sentence starts with a capital letter. Names and titles (called proper nouns) are also written with capital letters, unless there is a specific reason not to. So, we write the name of Mark Granovetter with capital letters, but the special case of the iPod is written with a small one. Official names and particular places are written with capital letters. It’s thus the Department of Health , and Oxford University . However, when we write about general places, we don’t use capital letters. We study at university in general. Official titles are often capitalized, such as Value Added Tax . Furthermore, many abbreviations come with capital letters. It’s an MBA your friend may be studying for. The days of the week are capitalized, such as in Monday and Wednesday , as are the names of the months. The names of countries, nationalities, languages, and people from places are written with capital letters: the Swiss live in Switzerland , and Norway is a country. Apart from this, about every other word is written with small letters.

Weasel Terms [ edit | edit source ]

Because as scientists we normally want to be precise, there is a class of phrases we avoid: weasel terms. Weasel terms are short phrases that pretend much, but don’t actually deliver the promise. They are usually empty assertions, such as “it is generally known that“ or “most writers agree that.”

This box contains a list of weasel terms. In an essay, you should never use these phrases without a reference to substantiate what is said.

• as opposed to most
• considered by many
• contrary to many
• critics say that
• experts say that
• it could be argued that
• it has been noticed
• it has been said
• it has been stated
• it has been suggested
• it is generally claimed
• it is widely believed that
• mainstream scholars say that
• mainstream scientists say that
• many people say
• many scientists argue that
• research has shown
• researchers argue that
• serious scholars say that
• social science says
• sociologists believe that
• some feel that
• some historians argue
• the scientific community
• this is widely considered to be
• this is widely regarded as
• widely considered as

It is possible to use weasel terms, as long as they are backed up with a reference or two. So, saying that something is “widely considered the foremost example of” something is possible, if you either provide a reference to someone who demonstrates this, or provide a group of references to back up your claim. However, in most cases we want to be more precise. Rather than saying that “many social scientists argue that class is important”—which is probably true—and giving a couple of references to back this up, it’s better to put it as follows: “Goldthorpe (2000) argues that class remains important.” Or maybe we have access to a statistic we can cite, that X% of social scientists seem to consider class important. In either case, the solution is more precise and thus more satisfactory.

The use of references is an academic convention, and you must follow this, even though it might be a tiresome exercise. Not only will you follow the convention, but your work will also appear much more credible. You can find more on the use of references in a separate section.

Footnotes are often associated with academic writing. Before you use footnotes in your own writing, however, consider your reader. Footnotes interrupt the flow of reading: you force your audience to stop for a while, moving down to the bottom of the page, before they can read on. From the reader’s point of view you should avoid footnotes if you can. The only general exception is if you use footnotes for referencing. Don’t use endnotes (footnotes at the end of the text), unless they are used exclusively for referencing. Asking your reader to flick forth and back through your essay is even more of an interruption. Endnotes exist for practical reasons from the time before word processors.

Footnotes are used to explain obscure words, or when you want to add some special information. In the case of obscure words, if it’s a key term, define it in the main text. There are cases, where you’ll want to use an obscure word, but it is not central to the argument. Consider the following example: “The Deputy must, with every word he speaks in the Diet 1 , […] anticipate himself under the scrutiny of his constituents” (Rousseau, 1762, cited in Putterman, 2003, p.465). Here I talk about the name of an assembly. The word is probably obscure to most readers, but not central to my argument: I write about parliaments in general, not the Diet in particular. Adding this footnote will help the readers to understand the quote. In terms of special information, if you make an important point, then make in the main text. If it’s an unimportant remark, then very often you don’t want to make it at all. The guiding principle is whether the note is relevant to your answer.

Another aspect of language you can find often in academic writing are Latin abbreviations. Never use these unless you’re sure what they mean. Normally, you should not use abbreviations in the main text. Instead, use plain English. Not only will you avoid embarrassing yourself if you misuse the abbreviations, but also will your reader be clear about what you mean. It’s much clearer to write for example, rather than mistakenly putting i.e. instead of e.g. (a common mistake). Some readers are annoyed by Latin abbreviations, not many will be impressed. Others will simply struggle to understand without a look in the dictionary. The same is true for a number of English abbreviations.

Another area of academic writing where there are many bad examples out there is the use of jargon and specialist terms. Whilst we aim for clarity and accuracy, jargon is never justified where it does not help these purposes. Specialist terms can be very useful to summarize complex issues into a few letters. Nonetheless, all technical terms need to be defined in simpler language somewhere in your essay. Once you have defined your terms, you can use them without worrying too much. This is where the define section comes in. Bear in mind what your audience is likely to know.

Other aspects of writing that may make your essay easier to read, and thus more approachable are: the use of shorter words where possible, cutting out words where they are redundant, using the active voice ( I do , she says , rather than it is understood , it is achieved ), and using English words where they are not different from the Latin or Greek ones. We want to write as clearly as we can, because when the writing is not clear, very often this is an indication that the argument is not very clear, either.

Next: Discussion

1 The Diet was the name of the deliberative assemblies in many European countries at the time of Rousseau’s writings.

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What Is Another Way to Say “In This Essay, I Will”?

April 6, 2023

Kahlan House

It’s time to write that dreaded essay that makes up 50% of your grade. Knowing how to start is the most difficult part, but is in this essay, I will a suitable way to introduce your topic?

In this article, we’ll show you what to say instead of in this essay, I will . In particular, we’ll provide 10 suitable ways to start an academic paper, so read on!

10 Alternative Ways to Say “In This Essay, I Will”

Below, you’ll find 10 other ways to say in this essay, I will in an academic paper:

• The aim of this essay
• The following essay will
• The purpose of this paper is
• In this paper, I intend to
• This essay will
• The following paper shall
• This study will
• The following dissertation will
• This thesis will
• This paper aims

1. The Aim of This Essay

You can use the aim of this essay to introduce your topic without including the personal pronoun “I.”

This phrase is perfect for a research paper in which you are trying to prove some hypothesis with your data. This would be the “aim” mentioned in this phrase.

Check out the examples below to see what we mean:

The aim of this paper is to prove the existence of the majestic yeti using thorough data collected from the Himalayan mountains.

With the above in mind, the aim of this paper is to reformulate human conceptions of justice with a particular focus on Western legal systems.

2. This Paper Aims

This paper aims is simply a more concise version of the phrase above. You can use either version interchangeably.

However, if you’re close to reaching your maximum word count , you should probably go for this variation instead.

Let’s see it in an example or two:

This paper aims to disprove Shrier’s claims and offer a less detrimental alternative to the issues she addresses.

In addition to providing an alternative viewpoint on the matter of “gentle parenting,” this paper aims to direct parents to more modern resources on the topic of parenting in general.

3. The Following Essay Will

Like in this essay, I will , another phrase that removes the need for personal pronouns is the following essay will .

You can use this phrase in any kind of essay, but you will see it most frequently in the introduction of a discursive essay . By that, we mean it suits an essay that argues a particular point using facts and logical reasoning.

Consider the examples below:

The following essay will be discussing the impacts of deforestation on the African Tree Toad.

Although it is commonly argued that modern news outlets are “no longer trustworthy,” the following essay will demonstrate how political agendas have influenced the content of newspapers throughout history.

4. The Purpose of This Paper Is

It is also possible to set out not what your paper intends to do, but what its overall purpose is. You can state this using the phrase the purpose of this paper is.

This is a great phrase to use in a research paper where you are trying to exhibit a particular point using data.

For instance:

The purpose of this paper is to exhibit the link between childhood exposure to lead paint and the inability to regulate emotions in adulthood.

Having set out the parameters of this experiment, I will now discuss the purpose of this paper , which is to disprove Peterson’s brash statements about the nature of masculinity.

5. This Essay Will

Instead of stating that you will address something in a paper, you can remove the personal pronouns and simply state that this essay will address something.

This is a very quick and easy way to remove the personal pronouns in in this essay, I will if you already had a draft done that included the original phrase.

Check out the examples below:

This essay will consider the similarities between Brontë’s Heathcliff and the classic Byronic hero.

In addition to arguing for the inclusion of critical thinking classes at primary school level, this essay will demonstrate the benefit of these classes on the overall cognitive abilities of children aged 8 and upwards.

6. The Following Paper Shall

The following paper shall is just a more formal version of the phrase above.

Therefore, you can use it if you believe a very formal register would be preferred by your professor. Or, if you want to sound especially sophisticated for no particular reason.

Have a look at these examples:

The following paper shall discuss the importance of exposure to music in a child’s formative years.

I shall address the key concerns raised by congress members in the following paper .

7. This Study Will

A “study” is essentially a compilation of research and a report that relates to said research. Therefore, if the paper you are working on is very research-based, you could call it a “study” and make use of the phrase this study will .

This phrase has the same effect as the others on our list, in that it removes any personal pronouns and focuses on what the paper itself will demonstrate.

Let’s see an example making use of this phrase:

This study will probe into the question of whether the Earth could survive without mosquitoes.

  This study will address how historical atrocities create a lasting legacy for previously disempowered groups.

8. In This Paper, I Intend to

If your professor is happy for you to use personal pronouns in your essay, you can switch up your wording with the phrase in this paper, I intend to .

This is an especially good phrase if you feel that in this essay, I will is starting to feel a bit worn out.

See how we’ve used it in an example:

In this paper, I intend to address the psychological impacts of social media on pre-pubescent youths.

In the first half of this paper, I intend to define my terms and my parameters before moving on to the crux of my topic in the second half.

9. The Following Dissertation Will

A “dissertation” is a lengthy paper that you write in order to obtain a Ph.D. Therefore, you could use the following dissertation will if your paper fits the parameters of a dissertation.

This may simply be a more accurate way to describe the nature of your paper, although it is normal to call a dissertation an “essay” as well.

See this phrase in a few examples:

The following dissertation will address the key issues facing the American court system and discuss both views regarding whether the Constitution should be capable of alteration.

Although research in this area has pointed to aggressive behavior being linked to neurology, the following dissertation will argue that most manifestations of aggression are socialized.

10. This Thesis Will

A “thesis” is a long paper that students frequently write to complete a degree program. Therefore, you can use the phrase this thesis will instead of this essay will to be more specific.

Have a look at the examples below:

This thesis will discuss public reactions to Milton’s representation of Lucifer at the time of the epic poem’s publishing.

After a brief unpacking of the terms used herein, this thesis will argue for an increased focus on sustainable fashion in North America.

Is It Correct to Say “In This Essay, I Will”?

The phrase in this essay, I will is perfectly correct , and it is not a bad way to start off an academic paper, particularly at a high-school level.

You can use this phrase in college essays as well. However, some academics prefer that an essay doesn’t contain any personal pronouns like “ I .” Therefore, you should check with the person marking your paper before using this phrase.

Let’s look at a couple of examples illustrating how you can use this phrase:

In this essay, I will discuss the impacts of Artificial Intelligence on the publishing industry.

In this essay, I will argue that using more sustainable modes of energy will have no negative impacts on a country’s economy.

Although in this essay, I will is a correct phrase that students use commonly in academic papers, it may be rather standardized . Furthermore, many academics disagree with the use of personal pronouns in essays.

If your professor is one of these academics, you may need to find an alternative phrase to use. Luckily, you can use our list of great alternative ways to introduce the topic of your paper, both with personal pronouns and without.

Related posts:

• How to Write a Follow-up Email for a Letter of Recommendation
• Another Way to Say “Please Don’t Hesitate to Contact Me”
• What Is Another Way to Say “Correct Me if I’m Wrong”?
• What Is Another Way to Say “Sorry to Hear That”?
• What Is Another Way to Say “Next Steps”?
• What Is Another Way to Say “Family Emergency”?
• What Is Another Way to Say “Have a Great Rest of Your Day”?
• What Is Another Way to Say “Thank You for Taking the Time”?
• What Is Another Way to Say “Thank You for the Update”?
• What Is Another Way to Say “Talk to You Then”?

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12 Essay Alternatives That Will Make Your Students Think Outside The Box

We all know wrapping up a novel or unit doesn’t mean your students have to write formal essays every single time. So how can I asses student learning in meaningful ways that push them to think deeply? It’s easy to get stuck figuring out how to break the monotony of a traditional essay format, and engage students in fun and creative opportunities to write, speak, or innovate. That’s why I’m excited that I got to collaborate with some of my absolute favorite ELA teachers to share these twelve essay alternatives your students will love as much as you, even during distance learning! 

1. Creating a Storybook based on Themes

Ashley Bible of Building Book Love ’s favorite essay alternative is to replace a traditional theme analysis essay with the creative writing project of authoring a storybook. For example, after finishing Transcendentalism texts , she reads the children’s book Henry Hikes to Fitchburg to her high school students. Then, students take their favorite theme or life lesson from our unit and create a storybook that reveals this theme in a simple way so that even a child could understand it. She has used this same strategy with Shakepeare’s sonnets too, so is convinced this assignment can serve as an essay alternative for any text! Rather than write an essay about the themes they discover in a text (the analyze tier of Bloom’s taxonomy), students move all the way to the top creation tier by transforming their understanding into an original work. To make a storybook, students can use Story Jumper (free!), StoryBird (paid), PPT or Google Slides, or good o’ paper and crayons. You can find directions, rubric, and editable assignment here: Create a Storybook: A fun project for any text or any narrative goal!

2. A Choose Your Own Adventure Story

If you have the flexibility to allow for some narrative writing, Amanda from Mud and Ink Teaching suggests trying a Choose Your Own Adventure Story with your students.  The concept is exciting for kids: they remember reading these kinds of stories when they were younger, so from the start, engagement is high, not to mention, this easy to implement during distance learning OR in your traditional classroom, as both settings work brilliantly!

First, the class should agree on a spot in the novel where everyone should start.  When we did this with Romeo and Juliet , we all started our new narrative endings at Act 3 Scene 3.  Then, students outline two possible outcomes from that scene.  And then, two more outcomes from those outcomes.  With a clear outline, students are writing pages on pages of narrative and rolling in hysterics as they invent new ways for the story to fall apart.  The beauty to all this?  Students are writing on Google Slides and simply linking them together!  Here’s the sample that I made for Of Mice and Men .  

This is certainly a non-traditional way to assess a student’s understanding of their reading, but as they get deeper and deeper into the process, teachers will be able to ask, how did this thread develop?  Does this seem like a reasonable outcome based on what you know about the characters?  These types of questions are what truly demonstrate what learning has occurred.  Sometimes, the unconventional approach reveals the most about what students have learned.  

Tanesha Forman over at Love Tanesha uses Public Service Announcements as an alternative to argumentative writing. The focus of the activity is on using credible evidence and strong reasoning to support a claim about an issue. There is also an added layer of using information to get viewers to feel a specific emotion. 

Tanesha presents different examples of PSAs before introducing the topic, and asks them to note what the different posters and files have in common. The key components that students pull out include that each PSA has a message, facts, and opinions. Tanesha engages students in the writing process as they brainstorm ideas, research their topics, and use their information to create a PSA using PowerPoint, Canva, or some other form of technology. 

Some of the topics students have researched include, reparations, the impacts of bullying, access to clean water, and child labor. You can check out Tanesha’s materials here .

4. Giving a Speech

Lauralee of Language Arts Classroom uses a variety of public speaking activities as an alternative to the standard essay. You can meet many of the same writing standards with a speech. For instance when students write and produce a radio commercial , they will not only practice writing with a new format, but they will also practice writing in a succinct way. 

The best part? Ask students to write a radio commercial for a nonprofit and bring in an authentic audience. With any speech activity, however, you can use goal sheets for students to set individual goals for improvement, a natural differentiation option. 

You can find goal setting sheets, sample speeches, rubrics and other speech activities in the Public Speaking Unit.

5. Mock Trials

A mock trial is an engaging, authentic way to practice close reading, citing evidence, interpreting evidence, writing, speaking and listening, and persuasion/debate/argument skills. Abby from Write on With Miss G loves mock trials because they “trick students into learning.” A mock trial is structured similarly to a group essay assignment, but students won’t realize that because they’ll be so busy preparing their arguments and selecting evidence to deliver at the trial. Through the different roles (prosecution, defense, and jury, EVERY learner will be engaged. The best part is that this activity works for so many texts! If you teach any novel or short story with a potentially insane narrator, a death, a crime, or an ethical dilemma (aka almost all literature, then you can find a way to make this activity work in your classroom!

To learn more about why you should facilitate a mock trial in your ELA class, check out this blog post. If you’re interested in a video tutorial, access to Abby’s mock trial resources , and 29+ other instructional videos, check out the virtual Keeping the Wonder Workshop.

6. Creative Thinking Projects

Jenna Copper from Doc Cop Teaching loves assigning Creative Thinking Projects as an alternative to an essay or traditional book report. The goal of this project based assessment (PBA) is to get students to use their extended thinking skills (connect, critique, analyze, create, prove, design, etc.) to provide the class with a meaningful new perspective on their reading with a unique takeaway. Providing students with a list of higher-order thinking actions and sample project ideas, Jenna’s students have been doing this project paired with her choice reading unit for a few years now, and she is always impressed by the creativity and variety of the projects. As a bonus, these projects can be completed digitally as well. She even assigned these projects during distance learning! You can find out more and see student examples here .

7. Novel Engineering

Do you remember how sponsors sent tributes of The Hunger Games a little gift to help them through the games? Katniss received ointment to help her burns and broth to make her feel better. Novel engineering is kind of like that. Have your students imagine different products they can create specifically for a character in a novel! It’s a great way to incorporate problem-solving skills and creativity to wrap up a novel study. It requires students to think deeply about the conflicts characters face while also working through the design process to create a product that will benefit the character.

This project works well with any novel or even short story that has a tangible conflict that characters face. This unique ELA and STEAM integration will surely make your students think outside the box and can be paired with prompts that require them to advertise, explain, or justify their products! If you’re looking for a quick set of templates to get your students thinking, you can download the FREE Novel Engineering Digital Handouts here.

8. Digital Choice Boards

If you’re tired of grading the same thing over and over again, Shana Ramin from Hello, Teacher Lady suggests utilizing digital choice boards and interactive learning menus. She notes that giving students the opportunity to demonstrate their learning in different ways can be extremely fun and rewarding. It’s also a great way to introduce new tools & technology in a non-threatening way. You can learn more about a few of Shana’s favorite tech tools for publishing here: Creative student publishing: 3 engaging tech tools to try this year.  

If you’re wondering how to create your own interactive choice board, click here to learn how Shana uses the internal linking feature in Google Slides to set up her menu. You can also accomplish something similar with the internal linking in Google Docs — click here to learn more about that. And lastly, if you’re short on time and want to grab a couple pre-made templates for the road, you can download Shana’s FREE interactive templates here.

9. Writing Makerspace

Emily Aierstok, from Read it. Write it. Learn it. empowers her middle school writers by using a writing makerspace as a traditional essay alternative. 

A writing makerspace is a workshop space with all of the tools writers need to work through the writing process independently. Writing process checklists and writing tools are provided upfront. Students are encouraged to take risks and try alternatives when they get stuck. The key to makerspace work is to experiment with writing and approach writing as more of a hands on building process. 

Writing makerspaces can be created in the classroom by providing students with mentor texts, brainstorming, drafting, editing, and revising tools. Emily decided to create her makerspace in digital form. The upfront prep work requires teachers to gather everything students might need ahead of time, but the goal is that once the work is started, teachers slip into more of a facilitator/coaching role providing guidance and feedback. 

To create a digital writing makerspace, Emily created one makerspace in Google Slides for each of the major genres her 7th grade students were required to write: informative, argument, narrative, and research. She created a slide deck for each genre with links to mentor texts and brainstorming, drafting, editing, and revising tools. Students simply work their way through the slides at their own pace. Emily does set benchmark deadlines for each step and provides students with a checklist for each genre, but students are welcome to work ahead of the class. 

You can download Emily’s FREE narrative writing makerspace here.  

10. One Pagers

Melissa from Reading and Writing Haven suggests that one pagers are a perfect way to assess reading and writing skills for a nontraditional and engaging assessment. 

In a one pager, students analyze a text from a variety of viewpoints – usually around a theme, essential question, or main idea. Students incorporate quotes, connections, associations, analysis, personal responses, and more — all on one page!

One pagers allow teachers to gather valuable information about students as readers because we can directly align one pager content to standards and skills we want to assess. Text structure? Figurative language? Character analysis? 

When students complete one pagers, they can be done both digitally or with paper and art supplies , which allows for flexibility. Students can select the text they would like to creatively and concisely analyze.  

An important tip when assigning one pager is to provide specific structure for students who aren’t quite sure where to start with a blank paper. Structure can come in the form of a menu, choice board, or template. 

Structure can also come from chunking the expectations so that the task is manageable for students. This also provides teachers with time to give valuable feedback students can apply to the next stage of their one pager. 

You can find all of Melissa’s scaffolded one pagers for literature and informational texts in this time-saving bundle . This resource includes PDF, Google Slides, and editable versions so that you can alter the assignments to fit your students’ unique learning needs.

11. Graphic Essay with Tech

Christina, The Daring English Teacher , loves incorporating technology and essential essay writing skills together. That is why the graphic essay is such a robust and exciting project for students. A graphic essay is a visual essay that combines traditional essay writing elements with pictures, graphics, and stand-out text. 

One of the best things about assigning a graphic essay is that the project still highlights students’ writing skills while also incorporating career and college readiness skills. 

To assign your students a graphic essay, first plan out what writing skills you want to assess. Perhaps you want your students to write a strong thesis statement and a couple of supporting reasons. If so, make those essay elements required in the graphic essay. From there, determine how many pictures and graphics you want your students to include. Have your students brainstorm and write all of their content first, and then let the fun part begin. Students will practice their computer and design skills as they assemble the final product. Don’t worry, though. There are lots of useful websites students can use to make graphic design a breeze.

The Daring English Teacher offers her graphic essay assignment as a traditional PDF and Google Docs option, so you can adjust the assignment to fit your students’ unique needs.

12. Crime/Mystery Activities

When we write essays, a lot of times our focus is on citing evidence and structure, two elements many of our students struggle with. Staci, The Engaging Station , is a huge fan of all things mystery, so much so that she incorporates that novelty into her classroom every year.

How does it work? Simply provide your students with some vague clues about a mystery that happened. In the traditional setting, you might “transform” your room to make it look like a crime scene. In the digital classroom, you might provide them with pictures (or a portfolio) of clues. Then, turn it over to them to act as the leading detectives and determine the who, what, when, where, why, and how. They will literally cite the evidence from the crime scene to produce their writing piece, and before you know it, they’ll have an essay-length writing assignment completed, and it won’t even feel like an essay! Meanwhile, they have cited evidence and worked on structure.

You can see some in-action examples here and a classroom video tour here .

You can grab Staci’s crime/mystery writing activities and start having your students create their own stories! There are digital versions included to make it easy for digital and distance learning implementation

We can't wait to see what your students create! Make sure to tag us so we can see the amazing work happening in your classrooms. If you found something helpful in this post, please share it!

Related articles.

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• 20 Words and Phrases Your Examiners Are Tired of Reading and What to Say Instead

You should also read…

• 13 Ways to Make Your Writing More Interesting to Read
• How to Crack Down on Wordiness

You’re in with a better chance of impressing them if you avoid using the words and phrases they’ve inevitably read umpteen times before. Today, we take you through some of the commonly used words and phrases that examiners are sick of reading, and give you some suggestions for what you could write instead to make your writing stronger and more distinctive.

1. Many ways…

Starting an essay is difficult; just as a novelist has to use a compelling opening line to make people want to keep reading, so the first line of an essay needs to be attention-grabbing. Unfortunately, many students struggle with writing a strong opening line, and end up with something rather less engaging. A common one is to state the obvious, or summarise too broadly, and the expression “in many ways” crops up frequently. For example, in answer to an essay title of “How does Shakespeare show that Beatrice and Benedick are attracted to each other?”, a student might be tempted to begin their essay with the words, “Shakespeare shows the attraction between Beatrice and Benedick in many ways…” This “in many ways” construction is a weak and vague opening, and the essay would be better off without it. It would be better to be more specific, perhaps by making some opening observations about the role of this attraction in the play. This introduces the subject of how Shakespeare shows it without stating the obvious.

2. In this essay…

On the subject of weak opening lines, many essays begin by the student saying, “In this essay, we will look at such and such.” This is stating the obvious, so the words “in this essay” are unnecessary. Incidentally, the use of the ‘royal we’ as seen in this example is also a cliché, and best avoided in an academic essay if you can.

3. The next point I want to make is that…

This phrase is an obvious attempt at padding an essay out to increase the word count. You don’t need to signpost an essay in this way, and what’s more, this is a weak way of moving from one argument to another. Ideally, you should make thematic links between paragraphs or points, moving logically through your arguments, rather than simply listing them one by one in the manner implied by a phrase like “The next point I want to make”. If you can introduce the subject of the next paragraph in the previous one, as a follow-up to what you’ve just been saying, then you will avoid the need to make a jarring leap with a phrase like this.

4. In order to

Simply writing “to” without the “in order” almost always results in a more elegantly worded sentence, and reduces the impression that you’re trying to pad out the essay to achieve the desired word count.

5. It is interesting to note that…

Another reason for students using overly long-winded or clichéd phrases in their essays is that they are often labouring under the misapprehension that certain phrases make their essays sound more intellectual. Introducing a point with the phrase “It is interesting to note that…” is an example of this. Students perhaps imagine that it gives of an air of intellectual curiosity, but it’s really a waste of words. The sentence will almost certainly work – and be stronger – without it. For example: “It is interesting to note that Larkin neglects to mention…” It’s a stronger, more decisive statement if you remove the first few words: “Larkin neglects to mention…” An alternative, and more elegant, construction might be: “such and such is notable by its absence in Larkin’s work”.

6. The author uses…

Another cliché in student essays – specifically English essays this time – is to make points by saying “the author uses…”, as in “The author uses such and such a literary device to draw the reader in” or “The author does such and such to catch the reader’s attention” or “The author uses such and such to show…”. Simply stating what the technique is and what effect it has will be sufficient; it’s obvious that it’s the author who’s using it, so you don’t need to say as much.

7. The main way

The irritating thing about this phrase (for example, “The main way in which Brontë creates a feeling of gloom is by…”) is that it suggests that you don’t have a full grasp of the facts. It’s implying that there are other ways too, but that the writer thinks they can get away with not discussing them properly. Leaving aside this, it’s still an annoyingly over-used phrased, so if you can’t avoid it, replace it with “primarily”. Otherwise, try to be more specific.

8. As mentioned earlier in this essay

You should try not to repeat yourself, as implied by mentioning something you’ve said already; and ideally you shouldn’t refer to “this essay” at all. If you do need to refer to something you’ve mentioned previously, you could use the word “aforementioned” instead.

9. Situation

A staple of History or Politics essays, referring to something happening as “the situation” weakens your essay because it’s too vague. An example would be, “The situation in London was no better” or “Octavian took stock of the Mark Anthony situation”. It’s always better to be specific in essays, as being vague makes it look as though you don’t quite know what you want to say, even if you do.

10. Aspects

If you find yourself using the expression “various aspects” in an essay, remind yourself that this is too vague and try to qualify what these “aspects” actually are.

There’s no place for the second person (for example, “you would think that the experiment would show that…”) in an essay; academic prose should be written in the third person.

It’s an oft-quoted piece of essay advice, but to a large extent avoiding the first person pronoun “I” is also advisable. However, it’s a balancing act because, for humanities essays at least, it’s good to include your own opinion. The trick is not to allow the essay to become dominated by your opinion, or continually to make comments such as “I feel this is because…” or “I think such and such is being disingenuous.” The focus should be on an objective and balanced assessment of the arguments, with your own opinion included perhaps at the end, as you weigh up what you’ve been discussing. It’s still possible to include your authorial voice without using the first person pronoun, and even without saying “it seems to me that…”; simply state it in the third person: “The evidence appears to point more towards such and such…”

13. Considered to be

You’ll almost certainly find that changing “considered to be” to just “considered” makes your sentence flow better.

14. First names

The formal conventions of essay-writing dictate that people (such as other authors, historical protagonists and so on) are always referred to people by their surnames, so first names are a no-no.

Just like “aspects”, the word “things” is too vague. If you’re tempted to write something like “Things in London had improved”, make it more specific: “Social housing had improved quality of life in London”, for example.

16. Lots/lots of

On the subject of vagueness, another phrase to look out for is “lots” or “lots of”. It’s not only vague – it’s too colloquial. It’s better to say “much” or “many” if you have to (so “there were many reasons” rather than “there were lots of reasons”, for example). Even better, be specific and include actual figures; “5,000 more immigrants arrived in the town this year than last” is far better than “There were lots more immigrants arriving in the town this year than last”.

17. On account of

Using three words when one would suffice is a symptom of not knowing what you want to say, and thus trying to bolster the word count. It’s much better simply to say “because” rather than “on account of”.

18. Additionally

Some students use this word as an alternative to “also” and “as well as”. However, used in this context it’s weak – and it can be a tell-tale sign that you’re writing a boring essay that simply lists facts. Better phrases to use instead include “what’s more”, “furthermore” or “moreover”; all these help build an argument, while “additionally” makes it look as if you’ve tagged on an extra fact as an afterthought.

19. Words that imply absolutes

Words such as “always”, “never” and “everywhere” should be avoided because they’re difficult to defend and imprecise, coming under the category of sweeping generalisations. There are usually plenty of exceptions when you make a statement such as “People everywhere were feeling the effects of such and such” or “Never before had such generosity been witnessed”. Exact figures are preferable, and if these aren’t possible, then at least soften your statement to allow for the possibility of exceptions.

20. In conclusion

There can be few more hackneyed phrases than “in conclusion”. It’s infantile and puts one in mind of the essays one wrote years ago when in primary school. We know that the essay is coming to an end – we can see that – so we don’t need to signpost it by saying “in conclusion”. Instead, simply launch straight into your closing arguments.

Other ways to make your essay more original

We end by looking at some more general tips to help you write a more original essay. It’s not just individual words and phrases that examiners are tired of reading; what you write about, and the way in which you write about it, can also become tedious when everyone writes the same things. The following tips should help you increase the originality of your essay; you’ll find more detail on each of these tips in our article on how to write a more original essay .

Use more advanced language and syntax

We’ve already seen how the language you use can make your essay boring, so a more general piece of advice is to try to use more advanced language and syntax (sentence structures). You could try using techniques such as analogy to explain complex concepts, as most students will not think to do this. Providing you can demonstrate a firm understanding of what you’re writing about, explaining it clearly and confidently, it doesn’t really matter how you do it, so a well-chosen analogy could work well.

Write about less well-known aspects of the subject

Though the essay question will give a pretty good indication of what your examiner wants you to write about, you can still add more interest to your essay, and make it stand out from the others, by including some less well-known facts and angles that you might not already have looked at in class. You can get inspiration by reading more widely around the subject, for example more obscure scholarship, or, for literature, other works by the same author. You can then make comparisons with other texts, bringing in opinions that the examiner probably won’t be expecting, and your essay will be a lot less predictable as a result.

Choose a different structure or angle

Finally, a formulaic structure is a sure-fire way to guarantee that you’ll be writing the same essay as everyone else. Some of the language we looked at earlier is partly the result of a formulaic structure (“In this essay”, “the next point I want to make”, “in conclusion”, and so on), and writing an essay that doesn’t send your examiner to sleep might be easier if you try experimenting with a different structure or approaching the topic from a slightly different angle to the one you think they’ll be expecting. You’ll still need some sort of introduction and conclusion, but with a little imagination, you should be able to produce an essay that’s a bit different from the rest.

How To Write a Discussion Essay

The term “discussion” literally means to converse or debate about a particular topic. So, when you are asked to write a discussion essay the requirement is to examine both sides of a problem, theoretical stance or phenomenon and indicate which side you favour.

One of the key rules to follow for a strong discussion is to be balanced at all times. It is this balance which separates discussion essays from persuasion or critical essays, which usually commence from one standpoint which the author wishes to confirm.

In a discussion essay, the aim is to present facts and opinions, clearly separated. This means that whilst you will be including previous viewpoints with paraphrasing, summarising it is important to be clear about whether you are presenting an opinion or a certifiable fact as part of discussion.

Commonly discussion essays will either be phrased by giving a statement, followed by the word “Discuss”. For example, “Capital punishment is essential for law and order. Discuss”. Alternative approaches to a discussion essay title include “Examine the arguments for and against online learning”, or “Identify and examine the advantages and disadvantages of a free trade agreement”.

All of these titles require a discussion essay. So, once you have identified the key themes and viewpoints in the area, you are ready to start producing your perfect discussion essay, provided you follow our guidelines and example structure.

• Remember that your discussion essay should demonstrate competent and coherent deliberations, founded on knowledge and evidence. A valid discussion will consider all viewpoints to achieve the necessary balance.
• Discussion essays should present the key issues that currently exist in a topic area, identifying those which are open to debate and presenting both sides.
• There should be demonstration of understanding of all aspects of the topic, and the issues that exist based on quality research and well-presented evidence.

So now you understand what needs to be included, and what the question is asking, you need to ensure your structure is strong and well-presented.

Introduction

What makes a good introduction? Your introduction should give the reader an overview of what will be covered, but in such a way that they are motivated to read more. In other words, you need to draw or “hook” the reader in with your opening statement.

So, what should you include in a discussion essay introduction? The introduction should be the place to introduce any generic terms that need explaining or acronyms that may be used in the essay to further understand on the part of the reader.

How do I end my introduction? Your introduction should conclude with a thesis statement. This term refers to a short (one or two sentences) statement that summarises the main points or perspectives that the essay is making. For example, “cardio-vascular exercise is effective in depression as it releases necessary hormones for well-being”. This is a strong statement which can be backed up in the body of the work with evidence and viewpoints.

Main Body of the work

The main body of the work should be separated into paragraphs, with each paragraph making a separate point. Often the approach in a discussion essay is to present all the evidence, as multiple paragraphs for why the thesis statement is correct. In each paragraph, one point should be made, and then backed up with evidence.

Important point: The evidence given should be from valid, credible sources, preferably peer reviewed articles, and fully referenced. It is vital to ensure that the views expressed are not opinions, but verifiable evidence so as to give your work additional credibility.

Subsequent paragraphs should focus on individual points, whether they are arguing for or against the thesis statement. To ensure a logical flow, you should raise the main or key points and arguments first, and then move onto sub-arguments, ensuring that all the paragraphs are well linked to deliver a cohesive, easy to read essay.

In a discussion essay there are two parts to the conclusion. The first is a summary of the main ideas, to remind the reader of the evidence you have presented, and the key points made. It is often advisable here to indicate which viewpoints you, as the writer, consider have delivered the strongest evidence in support of your thesis statement.

How do I conclude my discussion essay?  The final part requires you to state your own opinion, based on the evidence presented, showing that you are able to draw a final conclusion in relation to your thesis statement based on your assessment  and debate (internally) of the issues surrounding the topic. In this way you are able to demonstrate how you have made a considered deliberation of the arguments in your discussion.

To help you in the construction of your discussion essay, we have put together a list of key words and phrases that can be used to ensure you deliver a first class piece of work.

Key Discussion Essay Vocabulary

When presenting evidence:

• It is suggested that…
• Evidence available indicates that….
• It has been indicated that…
• Aspects of the work suggest that…
• The evidence presented supports the view that…
• The evidence presented however overlooks…
• Closer examination suggests….

For summarising, the following phrases are useful:

• The most important
• First of all

When introducing an opinion

• There is no doubt that…
• A key argument in favour is that…
• I believe that…

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Cambridge IELTS 17: Sample Band 9 Answers

Posted by David S. Wills | Sep 17, 2022 | Model Essays | 1

Cambridge recently released the 17 th instalment in their IELTS series and I wanted to give you my sample answers for four of the essays in this book. I’ll also make some comments on the questions where I think it’s important to discuss the meaning, potential problems, or anything else that might arise. These are all task 2 essays because I don’t want to break any copyright laws by posting images from those books.

Below, you can find my sample band 9 answers to the task 2 questions from Cambridge IELTS 17 .

Test 1: Taking Risks

Here’s the first task 2 question in the book:

It is important for people to take risks, both in their professional lives and their personal lives. Do you think the advantages of taking risks outweigh the disadvantages?

First of all, I’ll say that this really reminds me of several older questions, which is not a surprise because the IELTS test makers like to recycle topics and ideas. It is most similar to this question:

Some people prefer to spend their lives doing the same things and avoiding change. Others, however, think that change is always a good thing. Discuss both views and give your opinion.

Although the words and even format of the question are totally different, it is almost the same in terms of its general meaning. Still, you always need to read very carefully and respond directly to the question rather than previous, similar questions.

Sample Band 9 Answer: Tasking Risks

People differ in their attitude towards taking risks, with some people seemingly born to be risky and others rather risk averse. This essay will look into the advantages and disadvantages of an adventurous attitude and conclude that taking some risks is a positive thing.

First of all, it should be noted that taking risks is necessary for success. History is full of such examples in all fields, from science to war and from sport to literature. Those who simply continue tradition and never try anything new are doomed to repeat the past and typically content themselves with mediocrity. However, when people try new things, they may risk failure, but they also bring about the possibility of tremendous success. Looking at literature, for example, we can see great writers like James Joyce and William Burroughs, who completely redefined what a novel could be by breaking all the rules. They could easily have wasted their time and become mired in failure, but their risks paid off and they are today considered giants in their field.

Of course, that is not to suggest that taking a risk always results in success. Naturally, for every great success there are countless failures. To continue the idea of literature, one can only begin to imagine the number of writers who attempted to do something entirely new but failed because they were misunderstood. Taking risks in everyday life can be an even bigger problem because the consequences can be more severe. Young men often hurt themselves in foolish stunts because they took a risk to impress their peers. In such cases, it would clearly have been better not to take that risk at all.

In conclusion, whether it is better to take risks or not depends entirely upon the risk. In some scenarios, it is best to take a chance and see what happens because the potential outcome could be immensely rewarding, but in many cases it is rather pointless. Still, overall it is better to take some risks than avoid them altogether.  

Notes and Language

I started this essay with a nice general statement but without being too random. I’ve tried to avoid clichéd IELTS language like “There is a hot controversy about…” This is neither true nor is it appropriate.

Although I mostly wanted to show that taking risks is a good thing, I split the essay into two body paragraphs and tried to show both sides of the issue. You don’t need to provide a balanced answer in IELTS writing task 2, but in this case I thought it was for the best. The main thing was to make sure that my position was clear throughout. This began with a clear and precise outline sentence . I also gave some interesting and appropriate examples and I stretched one theme (literature) over two paragraphs for continuity.

In terms of language, I used words like “risky and “risk averse,” which are obviously very topic specific. I did, however, have to use more vague terminology like “adventurous attitude” because I didn’t want to repeat “risk” too much. I also used phrases like “break the rules” and “attempt to do something new.” This also helps to avoid repetition.

Test 2: Smartphones

The next question is also similar to some previous ones, but because it’s 2022 it has been specifically written to include smartphones rather than computers or other types of technology :

Some children spend hours every day on their smartphones. Why is this the case? Do you think this is a positive or a negative trend?

This is a two-part question that includes a positive or negative question ! This might seem weird, but actually it’s become fairly common in recent years to include positive/negative questions inside a two-part question, so you should be ready to answer something like this. The key is not to go at length about the positive/negative aspect and instead squeeze it into just one paragraph.

Sample Band 9 Answer: Smartphones

It can be seen nowadays that young people, including small children, spend a lot of time on their phones. This essay will explain why and then argue that it is an overwhelmingly negative development.

To begin with, children use their phones a lot because they are enjoyable to the point of being addictive. Indeed, numerous studies have shown that phones are as addictive for children as sugar or drugs, and this makes it hard for them to moderate their behaviour. The apps on most phones are designed to appeal to people by rewarding them with dopamine and children are particularly susceptible to this. In addition, the bright images, simple games, and immersive experience make phones thoroughly appealing for young users.

This constant usage brings various problems, with perhaps the most alarming being the impact on people’s health. Using a phone is something that the human body has not yet adapted to and there are various risks. The most obvious one is neck damage. Doctors often warn that the postures people use when using their phones lead to neck strain, which can also trigger problems in the back and head. Some people worry about eyestrain, too, though this is unproven. Then, of course, there is the fact that for children almost the entirety of their entertainment comes in the form of these phones and so they no longer go outside to play games in the fresh air, getting necessary exercise and socialising. They are stuck indoors, staring at their phone and becoming overweight, fragile, and unsociable.

In conclusion, the current situation with children using their phones a lot is utterly negative. Even if there were any possible benefits, they would be grossly outweighed by the damage that these devices cause.

Again, my introduction is clear and precise. It starts by explaining the topic and then gives an explicit outline. There is nothing clichéd or confusing here. A reader would be well prepared for the next parts.

The structure is simple. One body paragraph deals with the first sentence and the next deals with the second sentence. It was a challenge to keep this simple because the questions certainly raise a lot of ideas. I could have written a thousand words on why children like smartphones so much! However, keep it short and to the point. Don’t waste time.

Important vocabulary here included “addictive” and “dopamine.” I also needed to talk about health (you can learn about health vocabulary here ), so I mentioned various issues, including “neck strain.”

Test 3: Professionals

Here’s the third writing question from Cambridge IELTS 17 :

Some people believe that professionals, such as doctors and engineers, should be required to work in the country where they did their training. Others believe they should be free to work in another country if they wish. Discuss both these views and give your own opinion.

Interestingly, this question has also been asked in different ways over the years! I have seen it written as a problem and solution question but now it is a “ discuss both views ” one. It is also frequently shared on websites and social media with various mistakes because people saw it in a test and misremembered it. (Read about the dangers of fake questions .)

Anyway, it’s a fascinating topic that hopefully everyone has something thoughts on. I know I did. 😉

Sample Band 9 Answer: Professionals

A small number of people think that highly trained professionals should be required to work in the same country where they did their training, but most people disagree with this. This essay will also disagree, suggesting that they should be free to work where they want.

To begin with, it is understandable that people might argue in favour of professionals working in the country where they trained because in some cases that country has paid for their training. Take, for example, a doctor who received medical training at the government’s expense in a relatively poor country. If they moved to another country, perhaps in order to earn a higher salary, then the government’s investment would have been wasted.

However, there are a few problems with that viewpoint. First of all, professionals of this nature usually pay for their own education, and so if they were required to stay in that country then it would be unfair. A lot of people invest in their education purely to gain the chance of moving to another country for a better life. Then, of course, there is the argument that all people should have some freedom of movement. Particularly in the case of highly trained professionals, who can bring value to different societies, it is beneficial to have them move around the world, sharing their skills and increasing diversity. Perhaps they ought to give something back to the society in which they were trained, but they should not be restricted by any law because that would be a violation of their fundamental rights.

In conclusion, people who have important skills should be free to move to other countries if they wish. They should not have a legal obligation to stay in the nation where they earned their skills, but perhaps for the sake of decency they might consider staying a short while and giving back to that society.

You might be curious about my first line: “A small number of people think…” Why did I say that? Well, the question says “Some people” and honestly I don’t think that many people share this view, so I used my words carefully to reflect that. Remember: Don’t just paraphrase blindly ! Use your own language and ideas to express a clear and intelligent point.

I began my concession paragraph by saying “it is understandable that people might argue…” I want to show the opposing view so that I can do a better job of arguing against it. I went on to argue convincingly in favour of the opposing view.

Note: You don’t need to talk about doctors and engineers! IELTS candidates often read the question, see these examples, and think that they are the main idea. However, they are not. These are purely examples. You don’t need to mention them at all.

My language here is related to the topic of work and migration. I also tried to avoid repetition . I used some great phrases like “at the government’s expense” and “a violation of their fundamental rights.” These are descriptive and specific.

Test 4: Alternative Medicine

Finally, we come to a question about a controversial issue:

Nowadays, a growing number of people with health problems are trying alternative medicines and treatments instead of visiting their usual doctor. Do you think this is a positive or negative development?

Here, we have a question about alternative medicines vs conventional ones. This is a difficult subject to talk about and people will have different opinions on the matter, but don’t worry too much. Whether you support or oppose the use of alternative medicines, the examiner should not be prejudiced against you. Just make sure to explain your position clearly and convincingly.

Sample Band 9 Answer: Alternative Medicine

It has been claimed that more people are now using alternative medical practices rather than using proper doctors. This essay will argue that it is a dangerous development.

To begin with, there is simply no good argument for using alternative medicines. Any alternative treatment that works will be incorporated into conventional medicine, so to go outside of the mainstream is to take a pointless risk. The vast majority of alternative medical practices, no matter how they are marketed, are at best useless and at worst highly dangerous.

Using any alternative treatment has two potential outcomes. The first is that nothing will happen because most of them are in fact fake. Take acupuncture, homeopathy, or folk medicine, for example. These are simply archaic or idealistic ideas that mostly rely upon the placebo effect. In most cases, they do nothing and any genuine use that they could pose has or will be incorporated into conventional medicine through the scientific method and peer review. In such cases, a patient with an illness will not recover and will waste time in seeking real treatment. In severe cases, these fraudulent practitioners will actually harm their patients because their treatments are dangerous. These alternative medicines are unregulated and used by people who have no proper training, which means that they will not only fail to help but may even introduce new health problems.

In conclusion, the trend of people seeking alternative forms of medicine is massively problematic and puts people at serious risk of illness and death.

You will notice that there is not much balance to this essay. I have taken a very firm position here and that’s just fine. It actually makes it easier to write an essay when you have a firm belief. That’s why I started paragraph two with a strong statement: “there is simply no good argument for using alternative medicines.”

Of course, if you make a statement like this, you need to be able to back it up with explanation or evidence. I explained my position in the second paragraph and then gave more detail in the third.

Questions relating to medicine can be hard because they might require you to draw upon difficult vocabulary. Here, you can see I have done that, although not all of it is medical in nature: archaic, idealistic, placebo, fraudulent, practitioner , etc. In terms of Lexical Resource , you shouldn’t strive for difficult words, but rather aim for accuracy.

Final Thoughts

I hope that you have found these sample band 9 answers to Cambridge IELTS 17 questions useful. You should not try to copy my words or ideas, but rather view them as inspiration for your own essays. There is no perfect formula for an IELTS task 2 essay, and so you should figure out your own ways of directly addressing the question and developing your answers thoroughly.

If you found this useful, maybe you will enjoy my sample answers for Cambridge IELTS 16 and Cambridge IELTS 18 .

About The Author

David S. Wills

David S. Wills is the author of Scientologist! William S. Burroughs and the 'Weird Cult' and the founder/editor of Beatdom literary journal. He lives and works in rural Cambodia and loves to travel. He has worked as an IELTS tutor since 2010, has completed both TEFL and CELTA courses, and has a certificate from Cambridge for Teaching Writing. David has worked in many different countries, and for several years designed a writing course for the University of Worcester. In 2018, he wrote the popular IELTS handbook, Grammar for IELTS Writing and he has since written two other books about IELTS. His other IELTS website is called IELTS Teaching.

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Creative Alternatives to the Traditional Essay

Tired of assigning (and grading) the same old essay unit after unit? This post will introduce you to 13 creative alternatives to the traditional essay that are sure to challenge and engage your students in a new way. Additionally, learn why it might be beneficial to stray from the five-paragraph essay every now and then.

Are your students stuck in the essay rut? Are they getting caught in a monotonous routine of read, discuss, write, repeat? Are you tired of reading crappy essays? (Yup. I said it.) It might be time to consider creative alternatives to the traditional essay.

I know, I know. Essays are a cornerstone of the secondary ELA classroom. But they aren’t the only way to assess student learning at the end of a novel or unit. Better yet, students who struggle to write traditional essays might thrive with an alternative assessment. Either way, it’s worth switching it up and allowing students to express their knowledge in different ways.

By this point, students have the foundation of analytical writing thanks to the five-paragraph essay. Now, it’s time to switch it up and expose them to new challenges. I’m excited to share 13 creative alternatives to the traditional essay you can try in your classroom.

1. Writing a Children’s Book

I love incorporating children’s literature in the secondary classroom whenever I can. So, why not challenge students to transform a novel into a children’s book, emphasizing a prominent theme from the text? Alternatively, you can ask students to rewrite the story, revising the characters and plot to be more kid-friendly. Both approaches require students to closely analyze the text, determine the most essential information, and transform it into an original piece. Imagine rewriting Jay Gatsby as a kid caught up in his desire for a particular toy? Or recreating the themes of Animal Farm at a petting zoo? I mean, the ideas are endless.

2. Story Rewrite (Satire, Parody, or Modernization)

Before students can offer any criticism or rewrites, they must first clearly identify and understand the various elements of the original text. After all, those elements will become the foundation of their updated piece. For example, adapting Lord of the Flies to be post-zombie-apocalypse is a great idea… as long as it reflects the tension between order and chaos! Therefore, creating an adaptation requires more than a deep understanding of the storyline. It also requires a strong sense of style, structure, and underlying message. While it can lead to fantastic results, this alternative is quite challenging for many students. Therefore, I recommend leaving this for more advanced students.

3. Student Curated Anthology

If you’re looking to have your students analyze a character or theme, consider having them create an anthology of poems, songs, artwork, or articles, to help them unpack their analysis. Not only does this alternative require students to dig deep into the assigned text, but it also encourages connections with other pieces. Choose between having your students annotate their selections or providing a small paragraph for each piece. Either way, these notes should help argue each piece’s meaning, connection, and significance. Therefore, students must be intentional about the pieces they include in their anthology as they consider how it all comes together to reflect their overall message and analysis.

4. Thematic Newspaper

A thematic newspaper is a two-birds-one-stone alternative perfect for analyzing themes and symbols. Not only is it an opportunity for students to express their textual analysis in a new way, but you get to teach them about the unique characteristics of journalism too. News stories might recap events from the plot, interview characters, or reflect the historical period, all coming together to analyze the chosen topic. Therefore, students must carefully plan each piece and how they will all work together to paint a picture. If you’re looking to make this a quicker assignment, simply have each student write one article for a collaborative newspaper.

5. Graphic Essay

Are your students super tech savvy? A graphic essay might just be the perfect creative alternative assignment. A graphic essay is a visual essay that incorporates traditional writing and pictures, graphics, videos, and emphasized text. Just like a more traditional essay, a graphic essay can be used to analyze and explore everything from characters to themes. However, this alternative allows for students to get more creative with technology and design. If tech isn’tyour thing, no worries. Your students can easily use the internet to help bring this assignment to life.

Creative Alternatives to the Traditional Essay: Shorter Writing Assignments

6. Quote-Round Up

I love this unique approach to a written assessment. Provide your students with a list of quotes. They must write a detailed paragraph connecting each quote to the novel, theme, or character. Alternatively, have students round up their own list of quotes to explain. Either way, students must exercise critical thinking, make meaningful connections, and display writing skills.

7. Annotations

If you’re looking for a quick way to assess student analysis of a text, an essay isn’t your only option. You can opt for annotations instead. This is a great way to evaluate students’ understanding of literary devices, diction, character development, etc. Consider requiring a mix of organic annotations, identifying literary elements, and analyzing themes, symbols, characters, and quotes. Of course, there’s not as much writing involved, but this assessment will provide tangible insight into students’ thought processes and comprehension as they read. Just be sure students understand how to annotate and be very clear about your expectations.

8. Essay Preview

If time is of the essence, skip the entire essay and have your students focus on writing a top-notch body paragraph. You can provide students with an introduction paragraph and have them apply their knowledge and skills in a body paragraph. Looking to add more autonomy? Give students a few thesis statements to choose from or have them create their own. Again, the main idea here is to have students focus on one body paragraph instead of the whole thing. Grading these will be a breeze yet allow you to provide constructive feedback for future growth.

9. Blog Posts

When assigning your students to write a blog post analysis, you can make it as similar or different to a traditional essay as you please. However, when it comes to essay writing, how many of your students get caught up in the “academic voice” and the rules of essay writing? They’re too busy trying to remember if they can use personal pronouns or not rather than focusing on their ideas. Having your students write a blog post gives them the freedom to express their thoughts about a novel or topic in a way that feels a little more natural and conversational. By giving students more freedom around how they write, they might just be able to focus more on what they write. Additionally, you can have students read each other’s posts and continue to dialogue in the comments. Assign a blog post after reading the novel or require them to write one every few chapters as they read!

More Creative Alternatives to the Traditional Essay

10. Board Games

After reading a novel, for example, have students recreate a traditional board game to reflect the text’s themes, symbols, plot, and characters. If they want to create their very own game, that works too! Regardless, this assignment is a creative way to get students to apply their understanding in a new way. The game might reflect a character’s development or address essential quotes and significant themes. There’s a lot of room for creativity here.

11. One-Pagers

As the name implies, this alternative assignment is limited to one page. Therefore, students must think deeply about the text before carefully choosing what they will include on their page. Talk about critical thinking! A one-pager might focus on a theme, essential question, or character. Students might include meaningful quotes, symbolic art or images, analysis, connections, and more. I like to think of these one-page-wonders as a highlight reel of a student’s analysis.

Psst… I have a whole post dedicated to using one-pagers in the ELA classroom .

12. Student Teaching

Teaching is hard work! It requires a deep understanding of the content and the ability to relay that understanding to others. For this alternative, let students be the teacher as they design and present an engaging mini-lesson to their peers. For example, let students take the reins instead of you pointing out all of the symbols of a novel! Additionally, they can teach lessons about a particular theme, historical context, or a character’s development. Unlike writing an essay, this alternative is highly interactive.

13. Sparknote-Inspired Infographic

I’m sure your students are familiar with Sparknotes or similar resources. They can be a great teaching tool or supplemental material, as long as they aren’t used as a reading replacement. One of the reasons why these resources are so great is because they do a great job at summarizing and synthesizing essential information. Infographics are an excellent way for students to do the same. Infographics require students to carefully select information to include while allowing them more creativity in presenting that information. Challenge your students to create an infographic that analyzes character development or theme and important symbols, for example. There are so many formats for infographics, and tools like Canva and Piktochart are great resources.

The Benefits of Creative Alternatives

Before you worry about standards and competencies, know that plenty of creative alternatives to the traditional essay require the same skill sets. Essays aren’t the only way to push your students to engage in critical thought and deep analysis. There are plenty of meaningful alternatives to consider and benefits to doing so.

• Avoid essay burnout: Trust me, I love a good traditional essay now and then. However, if it’s all we ask students to do, year after year, literary piece after literary piece, it will get stale. Students might start to resent the traditional essay. (Maybe some of yours already have?) These creative writing alternatives are a great way to switch things up and increase student engagement.
• Real-world application: There are many forms of writing and relaying information in the modern world. On the other hand, essays are very academic, meaning students will rarely need to write essays outside of a school requirement. Therefore, sprinkling in some creative alternatives to the traditional essay leaves room for a wider range of real-world writing.
• Targeting different learning styles: Not everyone writes good essays, and that’s okay – or, at least, it should be. Written essays aren’t the only way to measure a student’s comprehension or critical analysis. There are various reasons why students might struggle to write an essay. By providing different opportunities for students to express their learning and analysis of an idea or text, you allow all different types of students an opportunity to thrive.

Even More Benefits of Creative Alternatives

• New insights into student learning: Some students are strong essay writers, but that doesn’t mean they have strong analytical skills. A quick Google search can provide all sorts of support to help them write a decent essay, but that doesn’t mean they’re fully exercising their critical thinking skills. The truth is, they might just be good at the formula of, say, the five-paragraph essay. However, many of the alternatives mentioned in this post require students to express their learning in new ways, challenging them to think outside the box.
• A different challenge: I can hear it now, “what about rigor?” Worry not. Rigor isn’t lost in these creative essay alternatives. In fact, some might argue these alternatives require more work and deeper thought than more traditional writing. The last thing we want to do is churn out robotic-like students. Rather than training students to follow a “formula” for writing, challenge them to stretch their brains to express information in a new way.

Let’s face it, my teacher friends. The game has changed when it comes to writing in the ELA classroom. That doesn’t mean there isn’t any room for more traditional writing, like essays. However, I urge you to add in a little variety. Spice it up! Give your students a little more room to exercise their creativity and thinking without the contractions of the classic essay structure. You might be surprised by what your students create.

It’s worth noting that literary essays aren’t the only writing assignments that might need a revamp. If you felt inspired by this post, check out my post about alternatives for research papers too! Here’s to changing the game of secondary ELA.

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Teaching From The Ridge

18 alternatives to essays.

• Express & demonstrate their content knowledge.
• Demonstrate and build supporting skills around writing (vocabulary fluency, argumentation, research, etc). 
• Boil down the complex content and skills that I wanted to assess into student-friendly learning objectives. Rubrics, introduction documents, and lots of models were really helpful for showing students what needed to happen and what was possible. 
• Brainstorm   methods/projects with students that they could use to express their learning. In fact, I have students brainstorm ideas before I show them any models so that I don't affect their self-generation of ideas.
• Assess projects using a student-friendly rubric that is directly based off of the learning objectives. One of my favorite ideas to show students how a specific project rubric works is to "live grade" older student-submitted models in front of them so they can hear my thinking/assessment of student work.

Nice essay tips shared. Australian Essay

Hi, i'm a school teacher, i just want to say information you provide in this blog is very useful for everyone either he/she is student or teacher. Thank you for your valuable information.

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Essays are so outdated. Once you learn the mechanics, it should only be used if the other aforementioned ways cannot work. But what a creative way to show that information was understood. Education and the way we teach has not been as effective as it used to be. We need to evolve. Great alternatives to the humdrum essay format.

The usual writing activity looks sometimes as a never-ending story: writing, rewriting, editing, editing again. This is the sweet monotony of all those for whom playing with words is the main job or passion. At the end of the process, it might happen to lose the pleasure to read again - or ever - your words. But, years after, it might be a very pleasant surprise.   Authors Unite

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I have never missed any new post of the” Teaching from the Ridge”. I like your blog, because, it is improving my writing and speaking skills through informative posts. I would like to suggest all the students that they should follow new tips to write their essay error-free. The entire alternative to the essay are good but I like to suggest to the students to write a Personal, Purposeful, professional development essay. Dissertation Writing Services

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