So whatever the scope of the academic or professional exercise you are doing, it is important to do everything possible to convince the reader, while ensuring that you maintain a logical organization of thought.
Here you will find a guide, or rather a method to follow to understand the key steps of a structured essay.
I. The introduction
Every essay begins with an introduction, it is an imponderable and no one really escapes it. So you have to make sure that your corrector is if not impressed at least satisfied by the quality of the first words he will read from you.
An introduction must be sequenced precisely, with a hook, a presentation of the subject, a problem and an announcement of the plan:
As for the hook, it goes without saying that it can be a quote, but don't panic, if you don't have any more in mind you can turn to your general knowledge, and then ask a statement or a question that is striking!
The next step is that of presenting the subject, it is actually about appropriating a definition that relates to your subject, then opening with a critical analysis of the latter.
Your problem of course must take up the subject, but the only rule that is worth it is to never take up word for word the subject that is imposed on you.
Finally, an often neglected step, you will have to announce your plan, that is to say the way in which you will then unfold your reasoning. As such, avoid saying: at first, then in a second time... It is rather necessary to directly affirm the central idea of your different parts.
II. Development
The central part of your essay is of course its content, because all of your arguments appear there and they are what support your point. The wisest thing is to divide your point into at least two parts, and why not two sub-parts of all equivalent sizes. You can of course adapt this rule depending on the subject and make it shorter at the beginning and symmetrically at the end.
The key point for a successful well-structured argument is to have a system and logical connectors. It is out of the question to simply string together ideas!
Instead, use connectors like: moreover, however, however, but still, furthermore, in spite of…
As for the system that allows you to always have a logical writing, we particularly recommend the IAE method, for idea, argument and finally example. This method allows you to develop a short paragraph for each idea you have and thus never forget to justify what you say.
For example:
"Idea: the French economy is by nature more resistant to economic crises
Argument: indeed, its very administrative structure and including many levies and redistributions makes it possible to slow down the effects of an often distant crisis
Example: during the subprime crisis in 2008, France had a certain respite, and for good reason, our system which does not allow the great variability of stock market prices protected us"
III. The conclusion
A conclusion is not a simple summary, which is why some professors for fear that their students will not know how to write them forbid them. But if this is not the case, it is better to know how to structure it correctly.
First of all, it is necessary to make a reminder of the subject, that is to say of the thesis that you will have used and that you will have defended as well as justified throughout your essay; this allows the reader to refocus around the idea of which he must now be convinced.
Example:
"We have explored further all the distinctions that exist between the interbank financial system and the insurance system, which has allowed us to demonstrate the ineffectiveness of key rates in curbing the action of the latter".
However, be careful, it is essential not to announce new ideas in your conclusion, if you do this a wise corrector will understand that you have not managed to grasp the entirety of your subject in the central writing and will penalize you.
IV. Practical advice
Before you start writing an essay, it is important or at least advisable to do some preparatory work that aims to help you write faster, but also more complete and organized.
The first step is, in our opinion, to make a detailed plan, this is essential because it allows you to take all your knowledge on the subject you are dealing with, then to order them, by placing each of them under one of the titles - and subtitles - that you have determined.
This method allows you to take the time to think about what you want to write in support of your problem, without risking placing one idea before another by mistake.
As for the writing itself, although it is advisable to use professional or academic language, it is better to write in the style in which you are most comfortable, and above all to keep your simplicity. Because what is stated most clearly is always what is best understood.
In the same way, we recommend short sentences, no more than 2 or 3 lines, otherwise you risk presenting several ideas in the same paragraph, which often leads to confusion and misunderstanding among the reader.
Conclusion
Above all, do not neglect proofreading, because a corrector who comes across mistakes in the first sentences of your essay would have a devastating a priori for the rest of the reading.
Quite differently, we remind you that it is most often appropriate to structure these ideas well, because their intrinsic value is less important than the way you will demonstrate them.
Finally, and this often goes without saying, but it is always more favorable to the student to have a copy that is airy, and in which there is no proofreading problem resulting from a lack of readability.
