what is a 3x3 essay

How to Use the 3×3 Writing Process to Make Writing Easier

• Post author By Bronwynne Powell
• Post date March 31, 2021
• No Comments on How to Use the 3×3 Writing Process to Make Writing Easier

Ever sat down to write and stalled because you weren’t sure what to do next? 

Writing is a challenging activity. It’s no wonder that most of us have experienced that frustrating, distinct feeling of being stuck.

Imagine you had a reliable strategy for conquering those creative blocks.

Here’s where a 3×3 writing process might make all the difference.

What is the 3×3 Writing Process?

The idea of the 3×3 writing process is that the writing process is split into three distinct phases, each with its own set of tasks.

 Coursehero divvies the 3×3 writing process up like this:

• Prewriting: planning, research, outlining
• Writing: putting ideas into words, composing first drafts
• Revising : proofreading, checking for clarity, adding new ideas

For me, the power of a writing process is that removes a lot of the resistance that can come along with writing.  Instead of feeling intimidated and confused, I understand what is expected of me at each stage. Because each step is broken down into specific tasks, I spend less time figuring what to do next.

Let’s look at how you can apply the 3×3 writing process. 

1. Prewriting 

Prewriting is the first stage in the process.

During this phase, you’ll define your writing goal, plan your arguments, and do the necessary research to back up your ideas.

There are a few prewriting strategies you can use to start off strong. 

Questions to focus your article

The Purdue Online Writing Lab suggests asking two questions when you begin a writing project:

• What is the purpose of my article  – why am I writing this?
• How am I planning to achieve this purpose?

Deciding on your focus and goal this early will direct your research efforts. It also forces you to clarify what you want to accomplish.

Writer Henneke Duistermaat recommends asking these questions as part of the content development process :

• Who are you writing for? What are their concerns and goals?
• What action do you expect your reader to take? What is the purpose of your content?
• Why should they believe you? What makes your content credible? A track record? Research?

The level of research you need to depends on your existing knowledge of the topic. For example, if you already have a deep understanding of the subject, you may only need evidence to back up the arguments you intend to make.

It’s easy to get stuck in this stage. That’s why I cap my research time. When I know I have enough to start writing, I stop researching. Remember that you can always return to this stage if you need more information later in the process.

Potential research sources include:

• Conversations with customers or colleagues
• Industry papers
• Social media comments sections
• Product reviews
• News articles
• Google Scholar

Freewriting

Once you’ve determined the purpose of your post, get some ideas down onto the page (or screen).

Freewriting is a prewriting strategy pioneered by Peter Elbow. It’s the act of writing non-stop for 10 minutes. I’ve used this at different points in my writing process, including prewriting and drafting. If the topic is new to me, I’ll do research before freewriting.

Many people benefit from using outlines. I have written about outlines in this piece. By using an outline, you can organize your thoughts before your start writing.

Note-taking

Since reading How to Take Smart Notes , I believe note taking is an effective prewriting method. In that book, Sonke Ahrens said everything we do should be done with goal of writing.

I like to think of this approach as having a journalist mindset. A journalist reads a report or attends a meeting with a single goal: to write an article on the key observations. You’ll begin to hear quotes in conversations and hooks as people tell their stories. I’ve started using the Zettelkasten method recommended in the book. Here’s a summary of this knowledge management approach .

2. Drafting

Now comes the time to put your ideas into words.  Some people call this stage writing, but, for clarity, we’ll refer to it as drafting.

If you used an outline, your points may already be organized. Freewriting may have helped you to come up with rough ideas. You’ll now build out those thoughts into full sentences.

Drafting is a great word because it  “contains the awareness that you will have other drafts in the future” – this means we know we’ll be able to revise and edit our draft, according to MIT’s resource on writing process :

“Do write complete sentences and paragraphs, and try moderately to use proper grammar, accurate wording, and transition words to link your ideas as necessary.”

If I’m applying the 80/20 rule to writing , I don’t invest too much effort into a first draft. While I am more careful with my words than I am while freewriting, I avoid too much self-editing because I know I can return to my work to make revisions. I view it as an opportunity to get my ideas onto the page to see whether they hold up to scrutiny.

Here are useful drafting tips from the University of Kansas :

• Put your research into your own words
• Write full sentences even though they’re not perfect
• Read your work to evaluate whether it captures your meaning

3. Revising 

The final stage in the 3×3 writing process is revising.

This is my favourite part of the writing process. In the past, I called this stage refine because I refined my ideas and sentences. Sometimes, the point of my post changed completely during this stage.

Your goal here is clarity. What are you trying to say? Does your evidence back it up?

The Writing Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill makes the case for revising like this:

“Revision literally means to “see again,” to look at something from a fresh, critical perspective. It is an ongoing process of rethinking the paper: reconsidering your arguments, reviewing your evidence, refining your purpose, reorganizing your presentation, reviving stale prose.”

The Writing Center provides the following tips for revising:

• Wait before you review your draft. Even just one day can make a difference
• Assess the focus  of the article. Evaluate whether you need to change your angle or headers based on the edits you have made.
• Determine whether you still agree with your thesis.
• Make sure your article introduction states what readers will gain from the piece.

Use a 3×3 Writing Process to Remove Resistance

Once you find a system, a set of steps you can easily repeat, you’ll find writing far less overwhelming. Naming each of the stages in the process gives you a clear guide for how to write original, useful articles. Working through each of these stages has a powerful benefit: you have a playbook for writing, well-researched, original articles.

Of course, what works for me, might not work for you. Depending on your preferences, you may want to tweak the process. The key is to find a way of writing that makes the process easier– and more enjoyable.

Featured image by Pablo Lancaster Jones on Unsplash

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By Bronwynne Powell

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3×3 Writing Process: 9 Key Steps for Writing More Amazing Blog Posts

Does it take you forever to write a single blog post?

If you desire a proven article or blog writing process that will help you become a more organized and productive writer, then you’re reading the right article. This article strictly focuses on the general writing process and not the specific nuts and bolts of blogging. Now get ready to unlock your inner blogging beast and write more amazing blog posts like the pros with the 3×3 writing process.

The 3×3 Writing Process Steps

The 3×3 writing process steps are made up of three major groups of three tasks. The major groups for the process and its supporting steps are:

WARNING: Fight the urge to jump headfirst into writing a blog post without doing all the necessary brain work and planning.

What is your big WHY or purpose for the particular blog article that you’re planning to write? Starting with why is an excellent to gain perspective and direction for your blog article. In fact, you should have a list of common questions that you plan to answer from various angles on your blog. With this in mind, your first step must be to ANALYZE your purpose for writing your blog article.

Knowing who you’re writing to and for gives you even more direction for writing amazing blog posts. The next step is to ANTICIPATE your audience and their specific profile. You can do a deep reader profile exercise with specific information like age, occupation and gender or you can keep it simple. For example, I anticipate that I’m writing to/for other bloggers, online marketers and internet entrepreneurs.

Now it’s time to think about the language that you’ll use to elicit the emotional response that you want. Prepare to ADAPT your language to accomplish this goal. I’m a big fan of brainstorming and brain dumping. Make a list of words that you will consider using within your blog article that will produce the reader response that you desire.

Writing is the second group of tasks for the 3×3 writing process. Writing includes three sub tasks which are Research, Organize and Compose. This is when you’ll get all the ingredients you need to execute your blog writing strategy for the article at hand.

IMPORTANT NOTE #2: Research does not mean finding articles to copy from or scrape. This is unethical and it’ll get you in some big trouble with Google and possibly the offended party’s lawyers.

Your research should also include your own content. Go through your older blog posts to find articles to link to inside your new blog post. Google loves internal linking.

Please don’t skip this step. It’s vital to writing with confidence and achieving flow.

Oh joy! It’s time to start writing.

COMPOSE your blog post’s zero draft at this step of the 3×3 writing process. Open a separate browser window with Google Docs and only a few other necessary tabs. This will help reduce distraction. The other tabs that you should have open are your blog post planner, outline and maybe one or two of the articles that you found during your research.

POWER TIP: Just let the words flow in your zero draft. It’s your zero draft (for your eyes only), not the final draft of The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe , so don’t stress yourself by trying to write perfect copy. And don’t worry about perfect spelling or grammar. You’ll clean it all up at the revision step, which is up next.

POWER TIP #2: If you’re finding that you don’t have enough time to write quality content, consider outsourcing your content writing to a content writing agency .

Revising is the third and final group of 3×3 writing process steps. Executing this group of tasks will take your blog articles from good to great. Revising includes three sub-tasks which are Revise, Proofread, and Evaluate.

Concise language is easier to read than fluff. Also, readers are more prone to share blog posts that they can understand.

Lastly, use numbered lists and bulleted lists to communicate information in a form that’s easy to digest.

Don’t fully depend on your word processor’s spelling and grammar check function. Software tools are useful, but they can’t replace a keen human proofreader’s eye. But if I were to recommend any grammar-checking service, it would be Grammarly Premium . Grammarly is affordable, fast, and easy to use.

Sign up for Grammarly for free

Get a fresh set of eyes on your blog post if possible. Other people can see errors and offer feedback because of their outside perspective.

Keyword Research Is Necessary

I touched on this earlier, but it must be reinforced. You must conduct thorough keyword research BEFORE you sit down and spend hours planning and writing a blog post with the 3×3 writing process. Writing for the optimum keywords based on your topic and website’s domain authority will help your blog content get found through organic search. If you haven’t done proper keyword research, get started by reading our SEMrush keyword research tutorial and Quora keyword research article after you finish this article.

Inspiration in your inbox!

In conclusion, download our go long ebook for great tips on how to do long-form content writing..

“Whatever you do, do your work heartily, as for the Lord rather than for men” – Colossians 3:23 NASB

This post was proofread by  Grammarly Premium .

Follower of Jesus. Husband. Father. Founder of InspireFirst and Nao Media.

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The essential guide to write an effective blog post in 5 steps, 10 steps to start a blog and make money online, the 10 best toni morrison quotes for your inspiration, how to write a haiku poem.

How to Write a Perfect 3-Point Thesis Statement

• Icon Calendar 5 June 2024
• Icon Page 2864 words
• Icon Clock 13 min read

A 3-point thesis statement is a coherent sentence that integrates the three essential components of a standard thesis statement, which include a topic, an assertion, and reasons justifying a specific claim. Basically, any topic should narrowly define its subject. In this case, defending the main claim requires writers to highlight a number of reasons. It is possible through the application of conjunctions. While formulating a working 3-pronged thesis statement, it is crucial to ensure that this sentence is question-focused, debatable, precise, and concise. Using non-technical language, concrete, and transpicuous words can help to improve its clarity. To make it stand out, a perfect 3-point thesis statement should be an original, specific, justifiable, and socially relevant idea derived from facts.

What Is a 3-Point Thesis Statement and Its Purpose

According to its definition, a 3-point thesis statement is a specific type of thesis statement that outlines the main argument or claim of an essay and provides three distinct parts to support it. The purpose of a 3-point thesis statement, which cannot be a question, is to provide a clear and organized roadmap for readers so that they can be familiar with the entire content, and it is usually located at the end of the introduction paragraph as a single sentence (or two), according to academic writing rules (Graff & Birkenstein, 2016). Besides, this sentence acts as a guide to readers on what essays entail, including the arrangement of ideas adopted. In this case, a strong thesis statement should precisely define an essay topic by considering a definition of the main claim, having an applicable case, and covering motivations to back up the case (Jackson, 2014). Therefore, in order to answer what is a 3-point thesis statement, this sentence consolidates the three key segments, which include a subject, an assertion, and pertinent reasons to support the main claim.

Formulating a 3-Part Thesis Statement

Topic selection.

Generally, the question prompt in schools, colleges, and universities states a specific essay topic, and, at times, the writer is required to present a single sentence. It is prudent for students to brainstorm on a few topics before selecting a particular theme (Graff & Birkenstein, 2016). Basically, each argument made in an academic paper requires feasible proof. Rather than writing “democracy,” it would be wise to write “the American democracy.” Thus, the topic selected ought to be a narrow description of an essay subject.

Making an Assertion

The process of developing a strong claim begins by identifying the relationship between your idea and available information. For instance, integrating ideas, the subject, and known facts will help in formulating a viable argument (Jackson, 2014). Rather than developing a personal claim, writers should make an argument that is socially relevant and easily contestable. In this case, each piece of evidence stated will aid in developing a topic sentence in the body of an academic essay. Moreover, the basis highlighted in a working paper and the order of ideas adopted in segments determine the number and arrangement of the body paragraphs.

Support Inclusion

The last part of a 3-point thesis statement involves providing reasons to back up your opinion. In particular, the application of conjunctions, such as “because,” “as,” “due,” “although,” and “since,” helps in integrating the main claim and justification (Graff & Birkenstein, 2016). Then, highlighting shreds of evidence can be helpful, especially in determining the extent to which writers will expound their claims. In this case, this attitude determines the length of a final paper. However, the process of developing a 3-part thesis statement ought to remain adaptable until authors complete writing papers (Jackson, 2014). Basically, writers may discover vital information, such as new evidence that is relevant to a good essay topic. Hence, after completing a paper, it is necessary to go through an essay and identify the information that needs to be included or eliminated from a 3-point thesis statement.  

Receive personalized assistance from our writers, ensuring your paper is both original and tailored to your needs.

What Questions to Ask

Usually, the question prompt guides writers during the formulation of a good claim by presenting the topic. For instance, a relevant 3-point thesis statement must be present at the beginning of any paper, usually in the first paragraph, as the last sentence (Sharp, 2011). In this case, formulating a debatable and question-focused argument, followed by supporting statements or phrases, is the first step toward having a good tentative thesis, which should be precise and concise. In turn, specificity can be achieved by revising an argument several times. In turn, students can select the most specific idea from a few formulated arguments to answer the same question (Sharp, 2011). When developing a 3-point thesis statement, it is important to ask corresponding questions that help them to clarify and refine their main arguments and ensure their claims are strong and effective. Hence, before presenting their essays, writers should answer the following questions:

• What is my main argument or claim? – Clearly define the central idea you want to convey in your essay.
• Does my thesis statement have the three key elements? – Identify at least three supporting points that will help you make your case.
• Is it question-focused? – Make sure your claim directly responds to a particular essay prompt or research question.
• Is my thesis statement arguable? – Check that your thesis presents a valid claim that others might dispute, providing room for debate.
• Is it precise and concise? – Ensure your sentence is straightforward and not too wordy.
• Does my thesis statement provide a roadmap for my essay? – Your statement should outline the main points that will be discussed in the body paragraphs.
• Is it specific enough? – Avoid vague language and be as precise as possible in stating your argument and supporting points.
• Does my statement take a clear position on the topic? – Make sure your sentence clearly states your stance and does not present a neutral or ambiguous position.
• Can I support my thesis statement with evidence? – Consider whether you have access to enough reliable information to back up your claims.
• Does it reflect the scope of my essay? – Ensure your claim is neither too broad nor too narrow for the length and depth of your essay.

Starting a 3-Point Thesis Statement

A vague thesis statement is incomprehensible to readers rendering an essay unclear. Being part of a final paper, writers must follow all the instructions regarding academic writing (Miller & Pessoa, 2016). In this case, writing a strong 3-point thesis statement requires writers to adopt non-technical language and eliminate vague and abstract words. The only secret to ensuring the clarity of a thesis is by revising it as many times as possible. Accordingly, writers should not assume that readers understand technical language unless the question prompt instructs otherwise (Zhang et al., 2022). In turn, some examples of 3-point thesis statement starters can help students provide a solid foundation for their essays. They look like:

• Research shows that [Main Argument] because [Reason 1], [Reason 2], and [Reason 3].

Example: “Research shows that early childhood education is crucial because it enhances cognitive development, fosters social skills, and prepares children for academic success.”

• To improve [Situation], [Main Argument] must address [Reason 1], [Reason 2], and [Reason 3].

Example: “To improve public transportation, cities must invest in infrastructure, increase service frequency, and ensure affordability.”

• The implementation of [Main Argument] can address [Reason 1], [Reason 2], and [Reason 3].

Example: “The implementation of renewable energy policies can solve the problem of climate change, reduce air pollution, and create green jobs.”

• [Main Argument] is necessary to tackle [Issue] because [Reason 1], [Reason 2], and [Reason 3].

Example: “Stricter data privacy laws are necessary to tackle cybersecurity threats because they protect personal information, prevent data breaches, and build public trust.”

• Studies indicate that [Main Argument] is due to [Reason 1], [Reason 2], and [Reason 3].

Example: “Studies indicate that a plant-based diet is beneficial due to its positive impact on health, environmental sustainability, and animal welfare.”

• [Main Argument] is supported by [Reason 1], [Reason 2], and [Reason 3].

Example: “The legalization of marijuana is supported by its medical benefits, potential for reducing criminal justice costs, and positive economic impact.”

• To achieve [Objective], [Main Argument] should include [Reason 1], [Reason 2], and [Reason 3].

Example: “To achieve energy independence, the government should invest more funds in renewable energy sources, increase energy efficiency, and develop smart grid technologies.”

• [Main Argument] is vital for [Reason 1], [Reason 2], and [Reason 3].

Example: “Addressing climate change is vital for preserving biodiversity, ensuring public health, and maintaining economic stability.”

• Considering [Reason 1], [Reason 2], and [Reason 3], [Main Argument] is essential.

Example: “Considering the rise in mental health issues, the importance of mental health education in schools is essential.”

• Effective [Main Argument] requires [Reason 1], [Reason 2], and [Reason 3].

Example: “Effective climate policy requires international cooperation, investment in green technology, and stringent regulatory measures.”

Examples of 3-Pronged Thesis Statements

Sample Thesis: People cannot achieve the American Dream due to the continual racial discrimination, corrupt justice system, and ineffective education policies across many states.

Step 1 – Topic: “The American Dream.”

Comment: It is a socially relevant topic.

Step 2 – Assertion : “People cannot achieve.”

Comment: The writer’s position is that the American Dream is unrealizable, a specific claim that will act as an essay’s basis.

Step 3 – Support With Three Points :

• Continual racial discrimination.
• Corrupt justice system.
• Ineffective education policies across many states.

Comment: There are three reasons justifying the writer’s main claim.

This is a perfect example of a thesis statement incorporating the three key elements. Basically, every American citizen yearns for an ideal America where equality of opportunity is available for all people. Hence, the “American dream” is a feasible topic. While some individuals may oppose this claim by highlighting the reasons why it is possible to have a perfect America, this essay will focus on the impossibility by having three body paragraphs based on the three reasons. In turn, other examples of a strong 3-point thesis statement are:

• To combat environmental pollution, reducing plastic use should focus on promoting reusable materials, implementing stricter regulations, and increasing public awareness.
• Online learning offers many advantages for students, including flexibility, reduced educational costs, and better access to updated courses and resources.
• Regular exercise classes positively impact children’s mental health by reducing anxiety, improving mood, and enhancing cognitive function.
• Effective public health policies should include accessible healthcare services, comprehensive vaccination programs, and robust health education.
• Workplace diversity enhances creativity, improves employee satisfaction, and increases company performance.
• Addressing the issue of childhood obesity involves promoting physical activity in schools, regulating junk food advertising to children, and encouraging healthy eating habits at home.
• Teaching financial literacy in schools is critical for preparing students’ financial independence, helping them to make informed decisions, and reducing debt likelihood.
• Integrating arts and culture subjects into education fosters creativity, improves academic performance, and enhances students’ emotional and social well-being.
• The strict regulation of social media platforms is crucial to protect user privacy, prevent the spread of misinformation, and reduce the cases of online harassment.
• E-books are advantageous over printed books due to their portability, lower cost, and environmental benefits.

Making Your 3-Point Thesis Statement Outstanding

A well-formulated 3-point thesis statement shows the writer’s ability to comprehend and analyze the topic successfully. Rather than simply stating a general fact and providing common reasons, writers ought to show their position by coming up with an informed argument justifiable upon reviewing the available information (Stadler & Conyers, 2020). In this case, if you want to know how do you write a 3-point thesis statement, the clarity of a central claim is one way of making it non-biased. By taking a specific approach, writers eliminate the need to announce the subject, which needs to weaken it. Secondly, writers should make a reasonable premise that neither simplifies nor overcomplicates the argument (Stadler & Conyers, 2020). Furthermore, it is advisable to make ideas rather than adopt formula statements or general ideas. Therefore, a good 3-part thesis statement is an original, specific, justifiable, and socially relevant idea derived from facts. Here are some examples separated by academic levels to consider:

High School

• Encouraging reading in high school students enhances vocabulary, improves critical-thinking skills, and fosters a lifelong love of learning.
• Implementing school uniforms in high schools promotes equality, reduces distractions, and enhances school safety.”
• Extracurricular activities help high school students to develop time management skills, build social connections, and improve academic performance.
• Effective bullying prevention programs in high schools should include education on empathy, strict enforcement of anti-bullying policies, and support systems for victims.
• High schools should incorporate environmental awareness into their curriculum to educate students about climate change, promote sustainable practices, and encourage community involvement.
• Study abroad programs benefit college students by exposing them to new cultures, enhancing their language skills, and improving their academic perspectives.
• Developing time management skills in college students leads to improved academic performance, reduced stress levels, and better preparation for future careers.
• College education enhances learning experiences, provides access to vast resources, and prepares students for their future lives.
• Providing comprehensive mental health services on college campuses can reduce student stress, improve academic outcomes, and promote overall well-being.
• College students need to participate in volunteer work to foster community engagement, enhance personal growth, and improve employability.
• University research opportunities allow students to develop critical-thinking skills, gain professional experiences, and contribute to their field of study.
• Promoting diversity and inclusion on university campuses enriches the learning environment, broadens perspectives, and fosters social harmony.
• Internships during university studies provide practical experience, enhance job prospects, and help students to apply theoretical knowledge.
• Financial literacy courses allow university students to prepare themselves to be independent individuals, manage their debts, and promote responsible spending habits.
• University sustainability initiatives can reduce campus carbon footprints, educate students on environmental issues, and encourage eco-friendly practices.
• Master’s programs should focus on leadership development to prepare students for managerial roles, foster innovation, and enhance organizational effectiveness.
• Master’s courses enhance advanced research skills by offering specialized coursework, providing access to research facilities, and encouraging academic publishing.
• Networking opportunities help master’s students to build professional relationships, gain professional insights, and increase career opportunities.
• Promoting interdisciplinary studies in master’s programs broadens knowledge, fosters innovative solutions, and enhances students’ adaptability in various fields.
• Master’s courses should emphasize professional development to improve job readiness, enhance communication skills, and foster lifelong learning.
• Ph.D. programs should aim to contribute original research by encouraging independent studies, providing mentorship, and facilitating academic publishing.
• Incorporating teaching experience prepares Ph.D. students for academic careers, improves communication skills, and enhances subject mastery.
• Teaching research ethics in Ph.D. courses ensures the integrity of scientific work, promotes responsible conduct, and protects research subjects.
• Effective dissertation writing requires developing a clear research question, conducting thorough literature reviews, and presenting findings coherently.
• Ph.D. students benefit from collaboration and networking opportunities by gaining diverse perspectives, accessing resources, and advancing their careers.

In conclusion, a 3-point thesis statement is one of the fundamental components in academic writing, ensuring clarity and direction for readers. By incorporating a precise topic, a clear assertion, and three supporting reasons, writers can effectively communicate their arguments. This approach not only aids in organizing a valid essay’s structure but also enhances the reader’s understanding. In turn, crafting a thesis statement that is question-focused, debatable, and concise can significantly improve the overall quality of any essay. Through careful revision and consideration of these elements, writers can create compelling and robust claims that form the backbone of successful essays.

Graff, G., & Birkenstein, C. (2016). They say: The moves that matter in academic writing . W.W. Norton.

Jackson, J. (2014). How to teach students to critically think about text: 15 easy to follow techniques for the K-12 teacher . Jackson Consulting, Inc.

Miller, R. T., & Pessoa, S. (2016). Where’s your thesis statement and what happened to your topic sentences? Identifying organizational challenges in undergraduate student argumentative writing. TESOL Journal , 7 (4), 847–873. https://doi.org/10.1002/tesj.248

Sharp, S. (2011). Mastering the thesis statement . Untreed Reads.

Stadler, D., & Conyers, D. G. (2020). Advancing college students’ thesis writing ability: A case study of an online library instruction course. Scholarship of Teaching and Learning, Innovative Pedagogy , 2 (4), 39–53. https://doi.org/https://digitalcommons.humboldt.edu/sotl_ip/vol2/iss1/4

Zhang, H., Shulgina, G., Fanguy, M., & Costley, J. (2022). Online peer editing: Effects of comments and edits on academic writing skills. Heliyon , 8 (7), 1–7. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.heliyon.2022.e09822

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Encyclopedia

Writing with artificial intelligence, the ultimate blueprint: a research-driven deep dive into the 13 steps of the writing process.

• © 2023 by Joseph M. Moxley - Professor of English - USF

This article provides a comprehensive, research-based introduction to the major steps , or strategies , that writers work through as they endeavor to communicate with audiences . Since the 1960s, the writing process has been defined to be a series of steps , stages, or strategies. Most simply, the writing process is conceptualized as four major steps: prewriting , drafting , revising , editing . That model works really well for many occasions. Yet sometimes you'll face really challenging writing tasks that will force you to engage in additional steps, including, prewriting , inventing , drafting , collaborating , researching , planning , organizing , designing , rereading , revising , editing , proofreading , sharing or publishing . Expand your composing repertoire -- your ability to respond with authority , clarity , and persuasiveness -- by learning about the dispositions and strategies of successful, professional writers.

Table of Contents

Like water cascading to the sea, flow feels inevitable, natural, purposeful. Yet achieving flow is a state of mind that can be difficult to achieve. It requires full commitment to the believing gam e (as opposed to the doubting game ).

What are the Steps of the Writing Process?

Since the 1960s, it has been popular to describe the writing process as a series of steps or stages . For simple projects, the writing process is typically defined as four major steps:

• drafting  

This simplified approach to writing is quite appropriate for many exigencies–many calls to write . Often, e.g., we might read an email quickly, write a response, and then send it: write, revise, send.

However, in the real world, for more demanding projects — especially in high-stakes workplace writing or academic writing at the high school and college level — the writing process involve additional  steps,  or  strategies , such as 

• collaboration
• researching
• proofreading
• sharing or publishing.  

Related Concepts: Mindset ; Self Regulation

Summary – Writing Process Steps

The summary below outlines the major steps writers work through as they endeavor to develop an idea for an audience .

1. Prewriting

Prewriting refers to all the work a writer does on a writing project before they actually begin writing .

Acts of prewriting include

• Prior to writing a first draft, analyze the context for the work. For instance, in school settings students may analyze how much of their grade will be determined by a particular assignment. They may question how many and what sources are required and what the grading criteria will be used for critiquing the work.
• To further their understanding of the assignment, writers will question who the audience is for their work, what their purpose is for writing, what style of writing their audience expects them to employ, and what rhetorical stance is appropriate for them to develop given the rhetorical situation they are addressing. (See the document planner heuristic for more on this)
• consider employing rhetorical appeals ( ethos , pathos , and logos ), rhetorical devices , and rhetorical modes they want to develop once they begin writing
• reflect on the voice , tone , and persona they want to develop
• Following rhetorical analysis and rhetorical reasoning , writers decide on the persona ; point of view ; tone , voice and style of writing they hope to develop, such as an academic writing prose style or a professional writing prose style
• making a plan, an outline, for what to do next.

2. Invention

Invention is traditionally defined as an initial stage of the writing process when writers are more focused on discovery and creative play. During the early stages of a project, writers brainstorm; they explore various topics and perspectives before committing to a specific direction for their discourse .

In practice, invention can be an ongoing concern throughout the writing process. People who are focused on solving problems and developing original ideas, arguments , artifacts, products, services, applications, and  texts are open to acts of invention at any time during the writing process.

Writers have many different ways to engage in acts of invention, including

• What is the exigency, the call to write ?
• What are the ongoing scholarly debates in the peer-review literature?
• What is the problem ?
• What do they read? watch? say? What do they know about the topic? Why do they believe what they do? What are their beliefs, values, and expectations ?
• What rhetorical appeals — ethos (credibility) , pathos (emotion) , and logos (logic) — should I explore to develop the best response to this exigency , this call to write?
• What does peer-reviewed research say about the subject?
• What are the current debates about the subject?
• Embrace multiple viewpoints and consider various approaches to encourage the generation of original ideas.
• How can I experiment with different media , genres , writing styles , personas , voices , tone
• Experiment with new research methods
• Write whatever ideas occur to you. Focus on generating ideas as opposed to writing grammatically correct sentences. Get your thoughts down as fully and quickly as you can without critiquing them.
• Use heuristics to inspire discovery and creative thinking: Burke’s Pentad ; Document Planner , Journalistic Questions , The Business Model Canvas
• Embrace the uncertainty that comes with creative exploration.
• Listen to your intuition — your felt sense — when composing
• Experiment with different writing styles , genres , writing tools, and rhetorical stances
• Play the believing game early in the writing process

3. Researching

Research refers to systematic investigations that investigators carry out to discover new  knowledge , test knowledge claims , solve  problems , or develop new texts , products, apps, and services.

During the research stage of the writing process, writers may engage in

• Engage in customer discovery interviews and  survey research  in order to better understand the  problem space . Use  surveys , interviews, focus groups, etc., to understand the stakeholder’s s (e.g., clients, suppliers, partners) problems and needs
• What can you recall from your memory about the subject?
• What can you learn from informal observation?
• What can you learn from strategic searching of the archive on the topic that interests you?
• Who are the thought leaders?
• What were the major turns to the conversation ?
• What are the current debates on the topic ?
• Mixed research methods , qualitative research methods , quantitative research methods , usability and user experience research ?
• What citation style is required by the audience and discourse community you’re addressing? APA | MLA .

4. Collaboration

Collaboration  refers to the act of working with others to exchange ideas, solve problems, investigate subjects ,  coauthor   texts , and develop products and services.

Collaboration can play a major role in the writing process, especially when authors coauthor documents with peers and teams , or critique the works of others .

Acts of collaboration include

• Paying close attention to what others are saying, acknowledging their input, and asking clarifying questions to ensure understanding.
• Expressing ideas, thoughts, and opinions in a concise and understandable manner, both verbally and in writing.
• Being receptive to new ideas and perspectives, and considering alternative approaches to problem-solving.
• Adapting to changes in project goals, timelines, or team dynamics, and being willing to modify plans when needed.
• Distributing tasks and responsibilities fairly among team members, and holding oneself accountable for assigned work.
• valuing and appreciating the unique backgrounds, skills, and perspectives of all team members, and leveraging this diversity to enhance collaboration.
• Addressing disagreements or conflicts constructively and diplomatically, working towards mutually beneficial solutions.
• Providing constructive feedback to help others improve their work, and being open to receiving feedback to refine one’s own ideas and contributions.
• Understanding and responding to the emotions, needs, and concerns of team members, and fostering a supportive and inclusive environment .
• Acknowledging and appreciating the achievements of the team and individual members, and using successes as a foundation for continued collaboration and growth.

5. Planning

Planning refers to

• the process of planning how to organize a document
• the process of managing your writing processes

6. Organizing

Following rhetorical analysis , following prewriting , writers question how they should organize their texts. For instance, should they adopt the organizational strategies of academic discourse or workplace-writing discourse ?

Writing-Process Plans

• What is your Purpose? – Aims of Discourse
• What steps, or strategies, need to be completed next?
• set a schedule to complete goals

Planning Exercises

• Document Planner
• Team Charter

7. Designing

Designing refers to efforts on the part of the writer

• to leverage the power of visual language to convey meaning
• to create a visually appealing text

During the designing stage of the writing process, writers explore how they can use the  elements of design  and  visual language to signify , clarify , and simplify the message.

Examples of the designing step of the writing process:

• Establishing a clear hierarchy of visual elements, such as headings, subheadings, and bullet points, to guide the reader’s attention and facilitate understanding.
• Selecting appropriate fonts, sizes, and styles to ensure readability and convey the intended tone and emphasis.
• Organizing text and visual elements on the page or screen in a manner that is visually appealing, easy to navigate, and supports the intended message.
• Using color schemes and contrasts effectively to create a visually engaging experience, while also ensuring readability and accessibility for all readers.
• Incorporating images, illustrations, charts, graphs, and videos to support and enrich the written content, and to convey complex ideas in a more accessible format.
• Designing content that is easily accessible to a wide range of readers, including those with visual impairments, by adhering to accessibility guidelines and best practices.
• Maintaining a consistent style and design throughout the text, which includes the use of visuals, formatting, and typography, to create a cohesive and professional appearance.
• Integrating interactive elements, such as hyperlinks, buttons, and multimedia, to encourage reader engagement and foster deeper understanding of the content.

8. Drafting

Drafting refers to the act of writing a preliminary version of a document — a sloppy first draft. Writers engage in exploratory writing early in the writing process. During drafting, writers focus on freewriting: they write in short bursts of writing without stopping and without concern for grammatical correctness or stylistic matters.

When composing, writers move back and forth between drafting new material, revising drafts, and other steps in the writing process.

9. Rereading

Rereading refers to the process of carefully reviewing a written text. When writers reread texts, they look in between each word, phrase, sentence, paragraph. They look for gaps in content, reasoning, organization, design, diction, style–and more.

When engaged in the physical act of writing — during moments of composing — writers will often pause from drafting to reread what they wrote or to reread some other text they are referencing.

10. Revising

Revision  — the process of revisiting, rethinking, and refining written work to improve its  content ,  clarity  and overall effectiveness — is such an important part of  the writing process  that experienced writers often say  “writing is revision” or “all writing is revision.”  

For many writers, revision processes are deeply intertwined with writing, invention, and reasoning strategies:

• “Writing and rewriting are a constant search for what one is saying.” — John Updike
• “How do I know what I think until I see what I say.” — E.M. Forster

Acts of revision include

• Pivoting: trashing earlier work and moving in a new direction
• Identifying Rhetorical Problems
• Identifying Structural Problems
• Identifying Language Problems
• Identifying Critical & Analytical Thinking Problems

11. Editing

Editing  refers to the act of  critically reviewing  a  text  with the goal of identifying and rectifying sentence and word-level problems.

When  editing , writers tend to focus on  local concerns  as opposed to  global concerns . For instance, they may look for

• problems weaving sources into your argument or analysis
• problems establishing  the authority of sources
• problems using the required  citation style
• mechanical errors  ( capitalization ,  punctuation ,  spelling )
• sentence errors ,  sentence structure errors
• problems with  diction ,  brevity ,  clarity ,  flow ,  inclusivity , register, and  simplicity

12. Proofreading

Proofreading refers to last time you’ll look at a document before sharing or publishing the work with its intended audience(s). At this point in the writing process, it’s too late to add in some new evidence you’ve found to support your position. Now you don’t want to add any new content. Instead, your goal during proofreading is to do a final check on word-level errors, problems with diction , punctuation , or syntax.

13. Sharing or Publishing

Sharing refers to the last step in the writing process: the moment when the writer delivers the message — the text — to the target audience .

Writers may think it makes sense to wait to share their work later in the process, after the project is fairly complete. However, that’s not always the case. Sometimes you can save yourself a lot of trouble by bringing in collaborators and critics earlier in the writing process.

Doherty, M. (2016, September 4). 10 things you need to know about banyan trees. Under the Banyan. https://underthebanyan.blog/2016/09/04/10-things-you-need-to-know-about-banyan-trees/

Emig, J. (1967). On teaching composition: Some hypotheses as definitions. Research in The Teaching of English, 1(2), 127-135. Retrieved from http://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/ED022783.pdf

Emig, J. (1971). The composing processes of twelfth graders (Research Report No. 13). Urbana, IL: National Council of Teachers of English.

Emig, J. (1983). The web of meaning: Essays on writing, teaching, learning and thinking. Upper Montclair, NJ: Boynton/Cook Publishers, Inc.

Ghiselin, B. (Ed.). (1985). The Creative Process: Reflections on the Invention in the Arts and Sciences . University of California Press.

Hayes, J. R., & Flower, L. (1980). Identifying the Organization of Writing Processes. In L. W. Gregg, & E. R. Steinberg (Eds.), Cognitive Processes in Writing: An Interdisciplinary Approach (pp. 3-30). Hillsdale, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum.  

Hayes, J. R. (2012). Modeling and remodeling writing. Written Communication, 29(3), 369-388. https://doi: 10.1177/0741088312451260

Hayes, J. R., & Flower, L. S. (1986). Writing research and the writer. American Psychologist, 41(10), 1106-1113. https://doi.org/10.1037/0003-066X.41.10.1106

Leijten, Van Waes, L., Schriver, K., & Hayes, J. R. (2014). Writing in the workplace: Constructing documents using multiple digital sources. Journal of Writing Research, 5(3), 285–337. https://doi.org/10.17239/jowr-2014.05.03.3

Lundstrom, K., Babcock, R. D., & McAlister, K. (2023). Collaboration in writing: Examining the role of experience in successful team writing projects. Journal of Writing Research, 15(1), 89-115. https://doi.org/10.17239/jowr-2023.15.01.05

National Research Council. (2012). Education for Life and Work: Developing Transferable Knowledge and Skills in the 21st Century . Washington, DC: The National Academies Press.https://doi.org/10.17226/13398.

North, S. M. (1987). The making of knowledge in composition: Portrait of an emerging field. Boynton/Cook Publishers.

Murray, Donald M. (1980). Writing as process: How writing finds its own meaning. In Timothy R. Donovan & Ben McClelland (Eds.), Eight approaches to teaching composition (pp. 3–20). National Council of Teachers of English.

Murray, Donald M. (1972). “Teach Writing as a Process Not Product.” The Leaflet, 11-14

Perry, S. K. (1996).  When time stops: How creative writers experience entry into the flow state  (Order No. 9805789). Available from ProQuest Dissertations & Theses A&I; ProQuest Dissertations & Theses Global. (304288035). https://www.proquest.com/dissertations-theses/when-time-stops-how-creative-writers-experience/docview/304288035/se-2

Rohman, D.G., & Wlecke, A. O. (1964). Pre-writing: The construction and application of models for concept formation in writing (Cooperative Research Project No. 2174). East Lansing, MI: Michigan State University.

Rohman, D. G., & Wlecke, A. O. (1975). Pre-writing: The construction and application of models for concept formation in writing (Cooperative Research Project No. 2174). U.S. Office of Education, Department of Health, Education, and Welfare.

Sommers, N. (1980). Revision Strategies of Student Writers and Experienced Adult Writers. College Composition and Communication, 31(4), 378-388. doi: 10.2307/356600

Brevity - Say More with Less

Clarity (in Speech and Writing)

Coherence - How to Achieve Coherence in Writing

Flow - How to Create Flow in Writing

Inclusivity - Inclusive Language

The Elements of Style - The DNA of Powerful Writing

Recommended

Academic Writing – How to Write for the Academic Community

Structured Revision – How to Revise Your Work

Professional Writing – How to Write for the Professional World

Credibility & Authority – How to Be Credible & Authoritative in Research, Speech & Writing

Citation Guide – Learn How to Cite Sources in Academic and Professional Writing

Page Design – How to Design Messages for Maximum Impact

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Featured Articles

The Simple 3x3 Framework You Can Use To Explain Anything To Anyone

Dickie bush & nicolas cole, ultimate guide table of contents.

Ahoy and happy Monday!

Welcome to another week of Start Writing Online—where every week we dive into the biggest problems all writers face stopping them from writing on the internet, building an audience, and monetizing their writing.

(And, of course, if you want to defeat these problems and master the fundamentals of Digital Writing in just 30 days, we'd love to have you in the next cohort of Ship 30 for 30 !)

This week, we want to help you share your valuable expertise—expertise your readers want to know about.

Everyone is an expert in something.

No matter who you are, inside your brain there are valuable:

And so much more.

You might not realize it, but there are so many people who are just a few steps behind you who would love to read about what you know and learn from you.

Which is why every week we share templates and frameworks to help you start writing on the internet. We believe when you start writing online, you’ll see just how easy it is to publish your expertise, validate your ideas, build an audience, and ultimately create new career opportunities for yourself.

We’ve learned there’s a big problem when it comes to sharing your expertise.

You Don’t Know How To Share Your Expertise

If you don’t know how to share your expertise, then you will never attract all the benefits of writing online.

And even when you do write about your expertise, if you don’t use a framework which is a good way of explaining something, then even the most valuable knowledge runs the risk of getting lost in translation:

• Your stories
• Your hard-earned lessons
• Your method for achieving a specific outcome

All out the window, wasted—and the probability of building an audience around your expertise and monetizing your knowledge dwindles.

We want you to win. And over the last few years, we’ve learned that the easiest way to teach any framework, explain any system, or to give any kind of advice when communicating, whether you are writing or talking, is to use this dead-simple 3x3 Method. It helps you articulate your expertise clearly so that people will listen, remember what you say, and ultimately buy and use what you have to offer.

Let’s dive in.

How To Use The 3X3 Method To Teach A Framework With Absolute Clarity

Let’s walk through how this works in 3 simple steps.

Step 1: Define the “What”

Start by identifying the core of your framework.

Write down the main idea in one sentence: “A Morning Deep Work Framework.” This step is crucial as it sets the foundation for everything that follows. It helps to clarify the purpose of your message and ensures that every part of your communication is aligned with this central idea.

A proven method for telling your reader “what” it is you are going to talk about is to use a hook.

You can use any of the 6 proven single-sentence openers to capture you reader’s attention.

• The “common question, simple answer” opener
• The “strong declaration, simple solution” opener
• The “how to do X without Y” opener
• The “credibility + simple mechanism” opener
• The “moment in time heroes journey” opener
• The “weird insight + uncommon solution” opener

Each of these openers will help you get to the core of what it is you want to talk about fast—and in a way that piques your audience’s attention.

After you tell your audience the “What,” then you can move on to the “How.”

Step 2: Outline the “How” In 3 Quick Steps

Break down the process or explanation into three simple steps.

Don't overcomplicate this part. Each step should be straightforward and actionable. By distilling your message into three parts, you make it digestible and easy to follow for your audience.

• First you do this
• And then you do this
• Finally you do this

And then you’re done.

(Note: These don’t have to be steps. They could be tips, lessons, or questions. The only requirement is that you just use 3.)

Step 3: Explain the “Why” With 3 Reasons

Finally, detail why your idea or process works.

For each part of the “why,” give a reason that supports your main idea. This not only reinforces your initial point but also provides depth and context, making your message more persuasive. You want your audience to walk away an “aha” moment or an understanding of why similar frameworks don’t work and the benefits of following yours.

When you follow this framework teaching your ideas becomes much simpler.

For example, here is an Atomic Essay Dickie wrote using the 3X3 Method:

Notice how the framework fades into the background.

This is the power of a good framework. When you use it, the attention shifts to your idea and not how it’s being presented. Which is what you want.

Here’s another example of a post Dickie wrote on X:

You will have to click through to see the full post , but from the screenshot you can see how Dickie’s headed down the path of the 3X3 Method.

Of all the frameworks we use to write, we always come back to this 3X3 Writing Method. It has consistently proven to be an invaluable tool for clear and effective communication for any framework

Want to know why?

This Framework Creates Clarity, Structure, and Engagement

The 3X3 Writing Method works because it creates clarity and structure for your audience.

• Reason #1: The 3X3 Method Simplifies Complex Ideas. By forcing you to distill your message into three main points, it ensures that you're only including the most crucial information. By focusing on the essence of your message, this eliminates confusion and keeps your audience engaged. ‍
• Reason #2: The 3X3 Method Enhances Memorability. 3 is a magic number in communication. And it’s really important in this framework. Not only is it easy for your audience to follow, but it’s also easier for you to remember too! Structure your message so it fits within this framework. Use it to outline YouTube videos, short or long-form articles, or even and “Outline As Content.” Your audience is more likely to recall what you've told them. ‍
• Reason #3: The 3X3 Method Encourages Engagement. When your message is clear, it’s more inviting for your audience to engage with your idea. Translation? More people are likely to ask you questions, like, comment, and ask you where they can learn more about your work.

Now, when someone says, can you explain your system for writing every day? Or can you explain your process for launching a product in 7 days?

You immediately know how to answer.

And your answer should should something like this, “Yes I can show you my framework. Let me tell you about it. There are 3 main steps and there are 3 reasons I do it. Let me break it down for you.”

So, whether you're writing an article, delivering a presentation, or simply sharing an idea with friends, this framework ensures your message is received loud and clear. It shows that the key to effective communication isn't always what you say, but how you structure it.

And, by the way, have you noticed how this blog post is structured?

That's it for today!

Chat next week!

–Dickie Bush & Nicolas Cole

Enjoyed this edition? Click here to share it on Twitter!

You might also like...

The 5 pillars of digital writing, the relative pricing pyramid: how to charge more for your products & services as a writer, 10 different ways you can knock out 7 days of writing in 60 minutes (or less), how to write a great linkedin post, 6 resources to help you with copywriting fundamentals, how to write a press release: 6 tips to start writing breaking news that captivates readers.

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The Writing Process

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In this section

Subsections.

How does skipping steps in the writing process affect your writing?

Why spend all that time brainstorming, outlining, and pre-writing.

• Many student writers think they are speeding up the writing process by not brainstorming and or not outlining.
• Many student writers attempt to quickly write a paragraph in one “easy” step and fail.
• Many student writers become discouraged because they do not understand how to easily write better papers .

The “just-get-it-done” method of writing: There is no quick easy one-step writing process. Thinking they are saving time by implementing a one-step process, many student writers jot down a few ideas and then attempt to analyze, rewrite, and organize as they go. The problem is this causes creative ideas, inspirations, and reflections to stop or slow down to a crawl. Ultimately, their brain gets very tired because they are struggling to switch back and forth between analyzing what they have written while trying to also creatively and productively throw down random probably unsystematic information before they forget it. As a result many become irritated and frustrated and shut down saying they don’t know what to write.

When you control which side of the brain you are using for each step, the step-by-step writing process is much easier:

• Creative: Write information down as fast as you can which is called brainstorming .
• Analytical: After brainstorming then organize your brainstorming into an outline only using what applies best to the topic from the brainstorming.
• Creative: To complete the outline embellish it by throwing in some additional ideas and some figures of speech where they make sense in the outline.
• Analytical: Write a rough draft from the outline and then edit .
• Well-written Final Copy

Final paragraphs and essays should be in a logical sequence where thoughts flow and make sense making it easy for the reader to follow and understand. When writers get their thoughts down, then organize those into an outline, and then write out their organized thoughts into a rough draft, the final paper is a well written essay that is easy to follow and understand.

Correctly using the analytical and creative sides of our brains is necessary to write well. Learning how to write using both sides of the brain appropriately creates skilled writers that can tackle any assignment.

Questions or Comments?

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The 3 Popular Essay Formats: Which Should You Use?

General Education

Not sure which path your essay should follow? Formatting an essay may not be as interesting as choosing a topic to write about or carefully crafting elegant sentences, but it’s an extremely important part of creating a high-quality paper. In this article, we’ll explain essay formatting rules for three of the most popular essay styles: MLA, APA, and Chicago.

For each, we’ll do a high-level overview of what your essay’s structure and references should look like, then we include a comparison chart with nitty-gritty details for each style, such as which font you should use for each and whether they’re a proponent of the Oxford comma. We also include information on why essay formatting is important and what you should do if you’re not sure which style to use.

Why Is Your Essay Format Important?

Does it really matter which font size you use or exactly how you cite a source in your paper? It can! Style formats were developed as a way to standardize how pieces of writing and their works cited lists should look. 

Why is this necessary? Imagine you’re a teacher, researcher, or publisher who reviews dozens of papers a week. If the papers didn’t follow the same formatting rules, you could waste a lot of time trying to figure out which sources were used, if certain information is a direct quote or paraphrased, even who the paper’s author is. Having essay formatting rules to follow makes things easier for everyone involved. Writers can follow a set of guidelines without trying to decide for themselves which formatting choices are best, and readers don’t need to go hunting for the information they’re trying to find.

Next, we’ll discuss the three most common style formats for essays.

MLA Essay Format

MLA style was designed by the Modern Language Association, and it has become the most popular college essay format for students writing papers for class. It was originally developed for students and researchers in the literature and language fields to have a standardized way of formatting their papers, but it is now used by people in all disciplines, particularly humanities. MLA is often the style teachers prefer their students to use because it has simple, clear rules to follow without extraneous inclusions often not needed for school papers. For example, unlike APA or Chicago styles, MLA doesn’t require a title page for a paper, only a header in the upper left-hand corner of the page.

MLA style doesn’t have any specific requirements for how to write your essay, but an MLA format essay will typically follow the standard essay format of an introduction (ending with a thesis statement), several body paragraphs, and a conclusion.

One of the nice things about creating your works cited for MLA is that all references are structured the same way, regardless of whether they’re a book, newspaper, etc. It’s the only essay format style that makes citing references this easy! Here is a guide on how to cite any source in MLA format. When typing up your works cited, here are a few MLA format essay rules to keep in mind:

• The works cited page should be the last paper of your paper.
• This page should still be double-spaced and include the running header of your last name and page number.
• It should begin with “Works Cited” at the top of the page, centered.
• Your works cited should be organized in alphabetical order, based on the first word of the citation.

APA Essay Format

APA stands for the American Psychological Association. This format type is most often used for research papers, specifically those in behavioral sciences (such as psychology and neuroscience) and social sciences (ranging from archeology to economics). Because APA is often used for more research-focused papers, they have a more specific format to follow compared to, say, MLA style.

All APA style papers begin with a title page, which contains the title of the paper (in capital letters), your name, and your institutional affiliation (if you’re a student, then this is simply the name of the school you attend). The APA recommends the title of your paper not be longer than 12 words.

After your title page, your paper begins with an abstract. The abstract is a single paragraph, typically between 150 to 250 words, that sums up your research. It should include the topic you’re researching, research questions, methods, results, analysis, and a conclusion that touches on the significance of the research. Many people find it easier to write the abstract last, after completing the paper.

After the abstract comes the paper itself. APA essay format recommends papers be short, direct, and make their point clearly and concisely. This isn’t the time to use flowery language or extraneous descriptions. Your paper should include all the sections mentioned in the abstract, each expanded upon.

Following the paper is the list of references used. Unlike MLA style, in APA essay format, every source type is referenced differently. So the rules for referencing a book are different from those for referencing a journal article are different from those referencing an interview. Here’s a guide for how to reference different source types in APA format . Your references should begin on a new page that says “REFERENCES” at the top, centered. The references should be listed in alphabetical order.

Chicago Essay Format

Chicago style (sometimes referred to as “Turabian style”) was developed by the University of Chicago Press and is typically the least-used by students of the three major essay style formats. The Chicago Manual of Style (currently on its 17th edition) contains within its 1000+ pages every rule you need to know for this style. This is a very comprehensive style, with a rule for everything. It’s most often used in history-related fields, although many people refer to The Chicago Manual of Style for help with a tricky citation or essay format question. Many book authors use this style as well.

Like APA, Chicago style begins with a title page, and it has very specific format rules for doing this which are laid out in the chart below. After the title page may come an abstract, depending on whether you’re writing a research paper or not. Then comes the essay itself. The essay can either follow the introduction → body → conclusion format of MLA or the different sections included in the APA section. Again, this depends on whether you’re writing a paper on research you conducted or not.

Unlike MLA or APA, Chicago style typically uses footnotes or endnotes instead of in-text or parenthetical citations. You’ll place the superscript number at the end of the sentence (for a footnote) or end of the page (for an endnote), then have an abbreviated source reference at the bottom of the page. The sources will then be fully referenced at the end of the paper, in the order of their footnote/endnote numbers. The reference page should be titled “Bibliography” if you used footnotes/endnotes or “References” if you used parenthetical author/date in-text citations.

Comparison Chart

Below is a chart comparing different formatting rules for APA, Chicago, and MLA styles.

How Should You Format Your Essay If Your Teacher Hasn’t Specified a Format?

What if your teacher hasn’t specified which essay format they want you to use? The easiest way to solve this problem is simply to ask your teacher which essay format they prefer. However, if you can’t get ahold of them or they don’t have a preference, we recommend following MLA format. It’s the most commonly-used essay style for students writing papers that aren’t based on their own research, and its formatting rules are general enough that a teacher of any subject shouldn’t have a problem with an MLA format essay. The fact that this style has one of the simplest sets of rules for citing sources is an added bonus!

What's Next?

Thinking about taking an AP English class? Read our guide on AP English classes to learn whether you should take AP English Language or AP English Literature (or both!)

Compound sentences are an importance sentence type to know. Read our guide on compound sentences for everything you need to know about compound, complex, and compound-complex sentences.

Need ideas for a research paper topic? Our guide to research paper topics has over 100 topics in ten categories so you can be sure to find the perfect topic for you.

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Tag archives: literary 3×3, distillation.

In my classes this week I tried out two ways of distilling the text. The first is what’s known as a Literary 3X3, which is a technique I hadn’t heard of until a few weeks ago. The Literary 3X3 asks students to write three sentences of three words each that capture the essence of a text. There are rules. Students should try to use abstract nouns, no proper nouns, no “to be” verbs, no articles, no repeated words, no pronouns, no cliches.

We wrote one about Septimus Warren Smith’s story in Mrs. Dalloway .

Isn’t it great? They wrote the second line first, then the last line. I suggested they back up and write about what came before the other two lines and write a first line. They were so happy with their first line they clapped after they were finished.

One student said, “It’s like a poem!” Another added, “Yeah, like a haiku, but… not.” Man, my students make me laugh.

Another way we distilled a text this week was an adaptation of a Text Rendering Protocol .  We had read Margaret Atwood’s poem “ Half-Hanged Mary ” after finishing The Crucible . Students shared the line that they felt captured something essential about the poem. Then I asked each student to give me one word from the poem that captured something essential. As they shared, I typed their responses into Wordle . Here is what my D period American Lit came up with:

Here is what my F period American Lit class (smaller group) came up with:

What I love about these activities is that it’s actually quite hard to reduce a text down to three sentences or down to a single word, and yet, the results were great.

As my D period students were filing out the door, one of them asked me about the Wordle: “Did you PLAN that?”

I loved that question. I had to admit truthfully that they could have said different words, but that yes, the idea is that these sorts of activities will yield results like this. Still, I love it that he has an idea I’m totally messing with their minds.

Spring break starts. Exhausted teacher relaxes. June watches nearby.

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Slice of life #24: idea slam.

February is a rough month for teaching. It’s cold and bleak outside (in many places, anyway). Everyone seems to be a bit lethargic and tired. Many schools have started having breaks in February. My children’s school system, for instance, has a week-long winter break in February. Dylan was so excited to go back to school Monday that he woke up at 3:00 A. M. I realize he’s different that way, though.

I decided it was time to have a really fun department meeting that (I hoped) everyone would look forward to, so we are having an idea slam. The goal is for each of us to bring one (or more) ideas/tips/tricks/etc. we use in the classroom to share with the others. I think we will not only learn a lot from each other but also have fun.

I’m still trying to decide which ideas I will bring to the group. I have several in mind. There is absolutely no reason we can’t have another idea slam, though, and we have a dedicated shared folder in Google Drive that we will use to share electronic copies of anything we have. I can also scan anything that is only available in hard copy and put it in the folder later.

Some ideas I’m considering sharing*:

• Literary 3×3 . This is an idea I learned about when I was looking online for ideas to teach Mrs. Dalloway .
• The Cartoon “Did You Read?” Quiz from the Making Curriculum Pop Ning .
• Literary analysis bookmarks (an idea stolen from my Dean of Faculty, Cindy). ( Page 1 , Page 2 —example is from Song of Solomon , but could be adapted for any book)
• Thesis statement Mad Libs (another idea from AP Literature training).

If you have a really stellar idea, I invite you to share in the comments. We can make this post our very own idea slam if you all want to play.

*If I know where the idea came from, I attempted to give credit. In many cases, I don’t know where the idea came from, so I have shared where I learned about it at least.

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Most academic papers take a standard form:

• They begin with an introduction that frames the paper’s project and significance and encapsulates its findings in a thesis statement .
• The body of the paper comes next, providing background and context before delivering analysis and evidence for the main claim.
• Papers end with a conclusion , which echoes the introduction, emphasizes the implications of the work, and may make recommendations based on the findings.

Sometimes, essays include a counterargument. This may take the form of a section near the end of the paper in which the writer acknowledges and responds to alternative positions from the literature or anticipated critique from a critical or skeptical reader. The counterargument is often signaled by a phrase like “Some scholars have claimed” or “Critics of this position might argue.” Describe the counterargument charitably and accurately, then answer it with a rebuttal using clear evidence.

Longer, more complex research documents are often broken into subsections, which may be demarcated by section headings. In theses , the document will be divided into chapters. However, the general flow of even a lengthy research document still follows the sequence of first framing the project in the introduction, then providing relevant background or context, delivering analysis and evidence, and finally identifying conclusions and recommendations.

Some research write-ups will need to also include discussions of the methodology used to shape the research or conduct experiments. A literature review should be included in most theses, sometimes as a part of the introduction and in other cases as an early chapter.

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What is an Essay?

10 May, 2020

11 minutes read

Author:  Tomas White

Well, beyond a jumble of words usually around 2,000 words or so - what is an essay, exactly? Whether you’re taking English, sociology, history, biology, art, or a speech class, it’s likely you’ll have to write an essay or two. So how is an essay different than a research paper or a review? Let’s find out!

Defining the Term – What is an Essay?

The essay is a written piece that is designed to present an idea, propose an argument, express the emotion or initiate debate. It is a tool that is used to present writer’s ideas in a non-fictional way. Multiple applications of this type of writing go way beyond, providing political manifestos and art criticism as well as personal observations and reflections of the author.

An essay can be as short as 500 words, it can also be 5000 words or more.  However, most essays fall somewhere around 1000 to 3000 words ; this word range provides the writer enough space to thoroughly develop an argument and work to convince the reader of the author’s perspective regarding a particular issue.  The topics of essays are boundless: they can range from the best form of government to the benefits of eating peppermint leaves daily. As a professional provider of custom writing, our service has helped thousands of customers to turn in essays in various forms and disciplines.

Origins of the Essay

Over the course of more than six centuries essays were used to question assumptions, argue trivial opinions and to initiate global discussions. Let’s have a closer look into historical progress and various applications of this literary phenomenon to find out exactly what it is.

Today’s modern word “essay” can trace its roots back to the French “essayer” which translates closely to mean “to attempt” .  This is an apt name for this writing form because the essay’s ultimate purpose is to attempt to convince the audience of something.  An essay’s topic can range broadly and include everything from the best of Shakespeare’s plays to the joys of April.

The essay comes in many shapes and sizes; it can focus on a personal experience or a purely academic exploration of a topic.  Essays are classified as a subjective writing form because while they include expository elements, they can rely on personal narratives to support the writer’s viewpoint.  The essay genre includes a diverse array of academic writings ranging from literary criticism to meditations on the natural world.  Most typically, the essay exists as a shorter writing form; essays are rarely the length of a novel.  However, several historic examples, such as John Locke’s seminal work “An Essay Concerning Human Understanding” just shows that a well-organized essay can be as long as a novel.

The Essay in Literature

The essay enjoys a long and renowned history in literature.  They first began gaining in popularity in the early 16 th century, and their popularity has continued today both with original writers and ghost writers.  Many readers prefer this short form in which the writer seems to speak directly to the reader, presenting a particular claim and working to defend it through a variety of means.  Not sure if you’ve ever read a great essay? You wouldn’t believe how many pieces of literature are actually nothing less than essays, or evolved into more complex structures from the essay. Check out this list of literary favorites:

• The Book of My Lives by Aleksandar Hemon
• Notes of a Native Son by James Baldwin
• Against Interpretation by Susan Sontag
• High-Tide in Tucson: Essays from Now and Never by Barbara Kingsolver
• Slouching Toward Bethlehem by Joan Didion
• Naked by David Sedaris
• Walden; or, Life in the Woods by Henry David Thoreau

Pretty much as long as writers have had something to say, they’ve created essays to communicate their viewpoint on pretty much any topic you can think of!

The Essay in Academics

Not only are students required to read a variety of essays during their academic education, but they will likely be required to write several different kinds of essays throughout their scholastic career.  Don’t love to write?  Then consider working with a ghost essay writer !  While all essays require an introduction, body paragraphs in support of the argumentative thesis statement, and a conclusion, academic essays can take several different formats in the way they approach a topic.  Common essays required in high school, college, and post-graduate classes include:

Five paragraph essay

This is the most common type of a formal essay. The type of paper that students are usually exposed to when they first hear about the concept of the essay itself. It follows easy outline structure – an opening introduction paragraph; three body paragraphs to expand the thesis; and conclusion to sum it up.

Argumentative essay

These essays are commonly assigned to explore a controversial issue.  The goal is to identify the major positions on either side and work to support the side the writer agrees with while refuting the opposing side’s potential arguments.

Compare and Contrast essay

This essay compares two items, such as two poems, and works to identify similarities and differences, discussing the strength and weaknesses of each.  This essay can focus on more than just two items, however.  The point of this essay is to reveal new connections the reader may not have considered previously.

Definition essay

This essay has a sole purpose – defining a term or a concept in as much detail as possible. Sounds pretty simple, right? Well, not quite. The most important part of the process is picking up the word. Before zooming it up under the microscope, make sure to choose something roomy so you can define it under multiple angles. The definition essay outline will reflect those angles and scopes.

Descriptive essay

Perhaps the most fun to write, this essay focuses on describing its subject using all five of the senses.  The writer aims to fully describe the topic; for example, a descriptive essay could aim to describe the ocean to someone who’s never seen it or the job of a teacher.  Descriptive essays rely heavily on detail and the paragraphs can be organized by sense.

Illustration essay

The purpose of this essay is to describe an idea, occasion or a concept with the help of clear and vocal examples. “Illustration” itself is handled in the body paragraphs section. Each of the statements, presented in the essay needs to be supported with several examples. Illustration essay helps the author to connect with his audience by breaking the barriers with real-life examples – clear and indisputable.

Informative Essay

Being one the basic essay types, the informative essay is as easy as it sounds from a technical standpoint. High school is where students usually encounter with informative essay first time. The purpose of this paper is to describe an idea, concept or any other abstract subject with the help of proper research and a generous amount of storytelling.

Narrative essay

This type of essay focuses on describing a certain event or experience, most often chronologically.  It could be a historic event or an ordinary day or month in a regular person’s life. Narrative essay proclaims a free approach to writing it, therefore it does not always require conventional attributes, like the outline. The narrative itself typically unfolds through a personal lens, and is thus considered to be a subjective form of writing.

Persuasive essay

The purpose of the persuasive essay is to provide the audience with a 360-view on the concept idea or certain topic – to persuade the reader to adopt a certain viewpoint. The viewpoints can range widely from why visiting the dentist is important to why dogs make the best pets to why blue is the best color.  Strong, persuasive language is a defining characteristic of this essay type.

The Essay in Art

Several other artistic mediums have adopted the essay as a means of communicating with their audience.  In the visual arts, such as painting or sculpting, the rough sketches of the final product are sometimes deemed essays.  Likewise, directors may opt to create a film essay which is similar to a documentary in that it offers a personal reflection on a relevant issue.  Finally, photographers often create photographic essays in which they use a series of photographs to tell a story, similar to a narrative or a descriptive essay.

Drawing the line – question answered

“What is an Essay?” is quite a polarizing question. On one hand, it can easily be answered in a couple of words. On the other, it is surely the most profound and self-established type of content there ever was. Going back through the history of the last five-six centuries helps us understand where did it come from and how it is being applied ever since.

If you must write an essay, follow these five important steps to works towards earning the “A” you want:

• Understand and review the kind of essay you must write
• Brainstorm your argument
• Find research from reliable sources to support your perspective
• Cite all sources parenthetically within the paper and on the Works Cited page
• Follow all grammatical rules

Generally speaking, when you must write any type of essay, start sooner rather than later!  Don’t procrastinate – give yourself time to develop your perspective and work on crafting a unique and original approach to the topic.  Remember: it’s always a good idea to have another set of eyes (or three) look over your essay before handing in the final draft to your teacher or professor.  Don’t trust your fellow classmates?  Consider hiring an editor or a ghostwriter to help out!

If you are still unsure on whether you can cope with your task – you are in the right place to get help. HandMadeWriting is the perfect answer to the question “Who can write my essay?”

A life lesson in Romeo and Juliet taught by death

Due to human nature, we draw conclusions only when life gives us a lesson since the experience of others is not so effective and powerful. Therefore, when analyzing and sorting out common problems we face, we may trace a parallel with well-known book characters or real historical figures. Moreover, we often compare our situations with […]

Ethical Research Paper Topics

Writing a research paper on ethics is not an easy task, especially if you do not possess excellent writing skills and do not like to contemplate controversial questions. But an ethics course is obligatory in all higher education institutions, and students have to look for a way out and be creative. When you find an […]

Art Research Paper Topics

Students obtaining degrees in fine art and art & design programs most commonly need to write a paper on art topics. However, this subject is becoming more popular in educational institutions for expanding students’ horizons. Thus, both groups of receivers of education: those who are into arts and those who only get acquainted with art […]

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• How to Write a Thesis Statement | 4 Steps & Examples

How to Write a Thesis Statement | 4 Steps & Examples

Published on January 11, 2019 by Shona McCombes . Revised on August 15, 2023 by Eoghan Ryan.

A thesis statement is a sentence that sums up the central point of your paper or essay . It usually comes near the end of your introduction .

Your thesis will look a bit different depending on the type of essay you’re writing. But the thesis statement should always clearly state the main idea you want to get across. Everything else in your essay should relate back to this idea.

You can write your thesis statement by following four simple steps:

• Start with a question
• Write your initial answer
• Develop your answer
• Refine your thesis statement

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Table of contents

What is a thesis statement, placement of the thesis statement, step 1: start with a question, step 2: write your initial answer, step 3: develop your answer, step 4: refine your thesis statement, types of thesis statements, other interesting articles, frequently asked questions about thesis statements.

A thesis statement summarizes the central points of your essay. It is a signpost telling the reader what the essay will argue and why.

The best thesis statements are:

• Concise: A good thesis statement is short and sweet—don’t use more words than necessary. State your point clearly and directly in one or two sentences.
• Contentious: Your thesis shouldn’t be a simple statement of fact that everyone already knows. A good thesis statement is a claim that requires further evidence or analysis to back it up.
• Coherent: Everything mentioned in your thesis statement must be supported and explained in the rest of your paper.

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The thesis statement generally appears at the end of your essay introduction or research paper introduction .

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 and among young people more generally is hotly debated. For many 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 many benefits for education: the internet facilitates easier access to information, exposure to different perspectives, and a flexible learning environment for both students and teachers.

You should come up with an initial thesis, sometimes called a working thesis , early in the writing process . As soon as you’ve decided on your essay topic , you need to work out what you want to say about it—a clear thesis will give your essay direction and structure.

You might already have a question in your assignment, but if not, try to come up with your own. What would you like to find out or decide about your topic?

For example, you might ask:

After some initial research, you can formulate a tentative answer to this question. At this stage it can be simple, and it should guide the research process and writing process .

Now you need to consider why this is your answer and how you will convince your reader to agree with you. As you read more about your topic and begin writing, your answer should get more detailed.

In your essay about the internet and education, the thesis states your position and sketches out the key arguments you’ll use to support it.

The negatives of internet use are outweighed by its many benefits for education because it facilitates easier access to information.

In your essay about braille, the thesis statement summarizes the key historical development that you’ll explain.

The invention of braille in the 19th century transformed the lives of blind people, allowing them to participate more actively in public life.

A strong thesis statement should tell the reader:

• Why you hold this position
• What they’ll learn from your essay
• The key points of your argument or narrative

The final thesis statement doesn’t just state your position, but summarizes your overall argument or the entire topic you’re going to explain. To strengthen a weak thesis statement, it can help to consider the broader context of your topic.

These examples are more specific and show that you’ll explore your topic in depth.

Your thesis statement should match the goals of your essay, which vary depending on the type of essay you’re writing:

• In an argumentative essay , your thesis statement should take a strong position. Your aim in the essay is to convince your reader of this thesis based on evidence and logical reasoning.
• In an expository essay , you’ll aim to explain the facts of a topic or process. Your thesis statement doesn’t have to include a strong opinion in this case, but it should clearly state the central point you want to make, and mention the key elements you’ll explain.

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!

• Ad hominem fallacy
• Post hoc fallacy
• Appeal to authority fallacy
• False cause fallacy
• Sunk cost fallacy

College essays

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• Write a Diversity Essay
• College Essay Format & Structure
• Comparing and Contrasting in an Essay

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A thesis statement is a sentence that sums up the central point of your paper or essay . Everything else you write should relate to this key idea.

The thesis statement is essential in any academic essay or research paper for two main reasons:

• It gives your writing direction and focus.
• It gives the reader a concise summary of your main point.

Without a clear thesis statement, an essay can end up rambling and unfocused, leaving your reader unsure of exactly what you want to say.

Follow these four steps to come up with a thesis statement :

• Ask a question about your topic .
• Write your initial answer.
• Develop your answer by including reasons.
• Refine your answer, adding more detail and nuance.

The thesis statement should be placed at the end of your essay introduction .

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Otra gesta del 3x3: ¡Reinas de Europa!

La selección femenina se corona derrotando a Francia en la final (11-19) y cierra un verano mágico en el que también fue subcampeona olímpica

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• Europeo Femenino 3x3.  Vuelven las reinas del 3x3: "Nos sorprende que nos reconozcan por la calle"
• Europeo Femenino 3x3.  Las chicas de plata del 3x3 quieren ser de oro: ¡a la final del Europeo!

Lo que han conseguido este verano Sandra Ygueravide, Vega Gimeno, Juana Camilion y Gracia Alonso de Armiño va más allá de las medallas. Ganaron la plata en los Juegos Olímpicos y acaban de conseguir el oro en el Europeo de baloncesto 3x3 . En sólo 20 días, dos de esos éxitos que 'descubren' un deporte a un país entero . Porque hay un porcentaje -aún pequeño, sí- que se ha enganchado a la disciplina gracias a estas cuatro potras salvajes a las que nada se les pone por delante. Increíble capacidad competitiva.

E spaña consiguió derrotar a Francia en la final continental por un apabullante 11-19 . La defensa, el dominio en el rebote y, sobre todo, el acierto exterior fueron determinantes . Con 5-5 en el marcador, las españolas comenzaron a meter tiros de valor doble para romper el partido. Dos de Camilión , el segundo de ellos una mandarina sobre la bocina, uno de Gimeno y otros dos de Ygueravide dentro de un parcial de 3-13 que dejó la final encarrilada (8-18) .

No hizo falta llegar a los 21 puntos. El tiempo se agotó con España jugando sus bazas a la perfección , impidiendo lanzar a las galas, que llegaban al Europeo como primeras cabezas de serie y grandes favoritas. Las españolas se coronaban como reinas de Europa. Otra gesta en un verano inolvidable que debería servir para poner el 3x3 en otra dimensión . Con estas pioneras, si se aprovecha la coyuntura, el impulso debería ser extraordinario.

Ygueravide, un partido más, fue la máxima anotadora de la selección (seis puntos) , aunque esta vez las labores ofensivas estuvieron muy repartidas. La base , que en diciembre cumplirá 40 años, ha acabado como líder en anotación del Europeo y como MVP . El 3x3 le dio una segunda vida baloncestística y la está explotando al máximo. 

Dos oros y dos platas en los últimos cinco Europeos

Más bien poco interés concitaba en España el baloncesto 3x3 hasta que Alonso de Armiño anotó una canasta que se hizo viral . Cómo no iba a hacerse si la metió de espaldas, en el último segundo y valía un billete para los Juegos. Fue un capítulo del cuento que han vivido a lo largo de los últimos meses. Después llegó la histórica plata en París y ahora un oro . Un nuevo éxito continental que confirma el potencial español en la categoría femenina: cinco semifinales seguidas en Europeos, platas en 2019 y 2023 y oros en 2021 y el actual .

Ygueravide y Gimeno son las dos únicas jugadoras que han participado en los dos oros europeos y la plata olímpica , los hitos de la especialidad, pero es momento también de recordar a Marta Canella y Aitana Cuevas , otras dos pioneras, y a Alba Prieto y Cecilia Muhate , que recientemente ayudaron a conquistar también el  FIBA 3x3 Women’s Series de Bakú .

La selección femenina en silla de ruedas, también oro

Además, Viena presenció el triunfo de la selección femenina en silla de ruedas de baloncesto 3x3 . España, representada por  Sara Revuelta, Sonia Ruiz, Vicky Alonso y María Heras , aplastó en la final a Suiza por 12-4 y se hizo con el título.

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