How to Write a 500 Word Essay: Tips & Tricks from Writing Gurus
Have you just stepped in writing another 500-word essay for one of your college classes? From “very simple and enjoyable” to “the disastrous Armageddon,” different students perceive this assignment differently, but all of them realize it is essential to earn a good grade by the end of the term. It will impact the overall grade-point average (GPA).
In this post, we will discuss a recommended outline for the 500 word essays, their purposes, possible topics to cover, and some useful writing hints that can help you write your paper.
What is 500 Word Essay? Brief Definition
A 500-word essay is a common format academic task that college students should handle. The main idea is to cover a specific topic or reply to the particular question addressed in the prompt. Sometimes, students have to pick a topic on their own. Students who mastered a subject and developed a personal opinion on it will not find it very challenging, but, sill, it is important to keep in mind the basics.
A 500-word essay can be one of the following:
- Definition (identify and interpret a term)
- Narrative (tell a story)
- Reflection (describe an episode form your life)
- Expository (explain a topic in details)
- Compare & contrast (find differences and similarities between subjects)
- Cause & effect (list the reasons and consequences of something)
- Argumentative (present your position regarding some topic)
- Persuasive (convince someone in something)
Select the type of essay carefully as each has different goals.
Tips on How to Write a Good 500 Word Essay
What is beautiful in writing is that every writer has a personal style. You should decide on the voice before writing a paper. Would it sound formal or funny? How do you plan to persuade people? It all depends on the goals of your writing that are predetermined by the type of essay you choose. If you have to inform, make it just an informative essay, but insist on your idea and try to prove it if you deal with persuasive writing.
A 500-essay should be double-spaced so that it will take something around 2 pages long. It should not exceed 50 words as the main idea is to check how you can cover topics concisely and clearly. Pick Times New Roman and Calibri in a 12th font size.
One more success factor is a topic that you choose. In most cases, tutors do not assign a specific one, so do your best to select the best ideas for your writing. Brainstorm with your group mates using the internet or your college library. If you find enough sources related to the specific topic, feel passionate for observing it in-depth, and get the approval of your tutor, start writing a paper on this subject.
How to Start a 500 Word Essay: 10 Great Topics to Choose from
So, it all starts from the topic selection. Students often make mistakes by picking the topics that lack related information. You should make sure you can collect enough materials to use in your work before approving the topic. Also, you should be competent in the field and passionate about the specific subject.
Here are some examples of excellent 500-word essay topics from various categories:
- How to depict true love in a fairy tale?
- Does marriage destroy feelings?
- Living with mental disabilities.
- How to earn good profits with the help of the world wide web?
- The effectiveness of knowledge assessment tests in high schools.
- The meaning of “all-round ”
- Issues that unemployed people may face.
- How can young start-ups overcome obstacles during the first operating year?
- Is space exploration worth huge expenses?
- Zoos have to be banned around the world.
You may pick one of the offered ideas or come up with an original title for your work. The next significant thing to take care about while composing a 500-word essay is its outline.
Guide on How to Structure a 500 Word Essay
Now, we should talk about the proper 500 word essay structure. Put down a general skeleton of what you believe is worth including in your essay. Keep your outline open so that you can add new points and ideas at any time. Do not start writing until you’re ready with your structure plan. You’ll see how your thoughts will become more coherent and clear.
On the whole, an outline serves as an action plan, preventing you from getting lost in the woods of academic writing. That is why you should develop one even if your teacher does not require it. A paper should have an intro with a hook and thesis statement, body paragraphs with claims and supporting evidence, and conclusion with restated thesis statement, summary, and solutions (final answer).
Below, we will discuss every section in more details.
500 Word Essay Introduction Paragraph to Catch an Eye
In the opening paragraph of your essay, you should describe the topic of your paper. State what you plan to discuss and why it might be useful. Provide background information (for example, the origins of the problem). Discuss which points you will talk about in the body of your project. The first paragraph is your narrative door, so try to make it eye-catching and appealing.
Move to the body part once ready with your intro.
500 Word Essay Body to Prove Your Point
The primary and largest part of an academic project is its body. Fully describe and develop so-called claims, which are the topic sentences of each body paragraph. Base the text of your body on a solid ground enriching it with citations, facts, examples, and other evidence obtained from the external sources such as books, magazines, journals, scholarly articles, etc. Involve transitions at the beginning of every paragraph and at the end to show how the paragraphs of your body are related to each other. Make sure to have a clear concluding sentence for each section.
After that, work on your conclusion.
500 Word Essay Conclusion to Leave a Long-Long-Lasting Impression
It is the final section of your essay. A writer should sound the most critically in some respects. Your claims must bloom into a thesis statement, a position that turns into public material. The conclusion should motivate your audience to keep on studying the question.
First, restate the thesis statement. Then, share a summary of the topic sentences from your body. Offer meaningful solutions and some forecasts for future studies (optional). You may end with a rhetorical question to leave the readers intrigued.
So, is there something else to add?
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