A lot of students arrive at university with very little idea of what a “good essay” actually means. School essays and university essays are genuinely different — but once you understand what your lecturers are looking for, it becomes much less of a mystery.
What Are Markers Actually Looking For?
Before you write a single word, it’s worth understanding this: university lecturers are not looking for you to repeat what they’ve taught you. They want to see that you can engage with ideas critically — that you can take information, question it, compare different perspectives, and form a reasoned position of your own.
An essay that summarises three textbooks will get a pass. An essay that uses those textbooks to build an argument will get a much better grade.
Start With the Question, Not the Introduction
This is the most common mistake. Students open a blank document and start writing an introduction before they’ve really understood what the question is asking. Spend ten minutes just with the question. Underline the key words. Ask yourself: what is this actually asking me to do? Analyse? Evaluate? Compare? Each of those words means something specific.
Once you understand the question, write a one-sentence answer to it. That sentence is your thesis — the argument your essay will make.
A clear plan before you write saves more time than it costs
Structure: Keep It Simple
The classic essay structure works because it’s logical, not because it’s formulaic:
- Introduction — state what you’re going to argue and why it matters
- Body paragraphs — each paragraph makes one point, supports it with evidence, and explains how it connects to your argument
- Conclusion — summarise what you’ve argued; don’t introduce anything new
Each body paragraph should follow the PEEL pattern: Point, Evidence, Explanation, Link. Make a claim. Back it up with a source or example. Explain what it means. Connect it back to your thesis. That’s it.
✏️ Practical tip: Before you write, create a bullet-point plan with one sentence per paragraph. If your argument doesn’t flow logically from point to point, fix the plan — not the prose.
Referencing: Do It As You Go
The biggest time-waster in essay writing is trying to add references at the end. Note your source the moment you use it. Most UK universities use either Harvard or APA referencing — check which one your module requires and stick to it consistently.
There are free tools like Cite This For Me or Zotero that generate references automatically. Use them. They’re not cheating — they’re just sensible.
On Using Simple Language
Academic writing doesn’t mean using long, complicated words. It means being precise. “This suggests that” is better than “this would appear to potentially indicate.” Write clearly. If you wouldn’t say something out loud, you probably shouldn’t write it either.
Read your essay out loud before submitting it. You’ll catch awkward sentences, missing words, and repetition that your eyes skipped over when reading silently.
💡 One more thing: Check your word count against the brief. Most universities accept 10% either side. Going significantly over doesn’t mean you’ve done more work — it usually means your argument isn’t tight enough.
When You're Stuck, Just Write
Writer’s block at university is almost always a planning problem. If you’re staring at a blank page, it usually means you don’t yet know what you’re trying to say. Go back to the question. Write a rough, messy version of your argument in bullet points. You can’t edit a blank page, but you can always fix a rough draft.
If you’re struggling with a specific assignment, our team at Education Aid Ltd offers one-to-one support — from planning to final draft.
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