High School vs. College Academic Writing
You’d think that after spending 12 years perfecting the art of essay writing in high school that we’d be masters of it by the time we reach college. We’re taught to curate the right arguments, draft perfectly eloquent sentences, and wisely choose our words and tone of voice. We even know how to write essays for standardized exams that will get us into college, like the SAT, IELTs, TOEFL and AP courses. We should be have been prepared for college essay writing... right?
Well, yes and no.
College will demand a higher standard of writing from you. Whether you’re writing essays, articles, or scientific papers, the 5-paragraph essay you know and love in high school, might just not cut it for college-level classes. Moving away from a template we’re used to can be scary and challenging, but it’s also liberating. When you’re not bound by the limits of having 3 body paragraphs, you have so much more room for your thoughts and self-expression
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The 5-Paragraph Essay
There’s nothing wrong with the 5-paragraph essay. It’s the one we’ve been taught since we were in elementary. It’s how we began putting our thoughts and arguments on paper. It’s great in helping us gather our reasons and write clear statements. In fact, it’s perfect for the essays we need to write during timed exams (like the SATs, APs, TOEFL, IELTs, etc.) because it’s essentially an easy-to-follow template. But writing academic papers in college requires so much more from us than that.
Here’s why:
It’s all about contributing something new to the dialogue
In the 5-paragraph essay, the concluding paragraph is often the place for summarizing our key points, and if we’re feeling daring, it’s where we include our so what? statement. In college academic writing, your whole essay should be one big so what?
What are you trying to say and why are you saying it? Are you adding something new to the larger conversation? You’re not just re-stating something another book or article has already said and why you agree or disagree (I agree with Author X when they say A..B..C.. because X..Y..Z..), instead, you’re bringing in a new claim and perspective that could include your opinions, other scholarly sources, and even interviews.
You’ll find that some college essay prompts are quite vague and general. It won’t ask if you “agree or disagree” with a point, instead, it will simply ask you to respond, whether to an article, a movie, a speech, etc. And the beauty of that is you get the freedom to just write down your thoughts, and the 5-paragraph format can’t achieve that.
Here’s an example of a prompt from a college writing professor:
“There is no one question I'm asking you to answer, nor a single best approach. Instead, think about what captured your interest in our discussion or in the reading, and why it did so — perhaps as agreement, disagreement, confusion, frustration, recognition, possibility, etc. Use that reaction to lead you to a focus for your essay.”
Confusing, isn’t it? But that’s why it’s about...
Presenting a proposition, not a thesis statement
In addition to adding something new, your paper should establish an argument that can be debated and challenged by others. We’re often told that our essays need a thesis statement and that each individual paragraphs also need a thesis statement. But, at its simplest, thesis statements simply tell the reader what you’re going to say... which establishes nothing.
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Although “thesis” and “proposition” is quite synonymous, thinking of it as a proposition makes you think deeper about what it really is you’re trying to say and accomplish through your essay. A proposition is not just a statement of your opinion, it’s a strong statement of claim, judgement, opinion, or conclusion. And it has to be a debatable assertion; you’re not just stating a fact which cannot be questioned and challenged by others.
A place for your opinions
We’re so used to hearing that we can’t use “I” in our essays. And often, that is true, and still true in many situations in college. But just because you can’t use the word “I”, it doesn’t mean that you should disregard your opinions and thoughts.
Here’s an exercise to try: include “I” in the next essay you writing. It will help you form your opinions and and realize what you really think about the topic you’re writing about. Once you’re happy with you draft, go back and delete all the I-statements. Don’t be afraid to put your opinions on paper. That’s exactly why you have to include reason and evidence back up your thoughts.
Remember, it is your thoughts and input that will allow your essay contribute something new to the larger dialogue. It is you who makes your writing and arguments unique.
The revision process
When we think of editing and revising our first draft, we often think of correcting spelling and grammar mistakes. That’s actually just editing. Revision, on the other hand, is something else. Maybe you’ve heard the phrase that writing is rewriting? That’s what revision is about.
I can’t tell you how many times I re-wrote my second drafts almost completely, keeping only a few sentences and points from my first draft. In high school, my first and second drafts look like siblings, maybe cousins. In college, my first and second drafts don’t even look like they’re related.
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First drafts are often called your throw-up drafts. You’re just getting your thoughts down into coherent sentences and paragraphs. And only after that is done, the real writing begins. You cut things out that don’t fit in, you move whole paragraphs around, and you add things you missed. And it’s hard. Your written pieces can feel so precious—it’s something you’ve worked so hard on. It’s not easy to change things, and maybe even throw out 90% of what you wrote. But that’s what revision is really about. It’s what will get you the best version of your essay.
Peer review
Don’t be afraid of peer reviews. Asking someone to look over your writing and the ideas you’re presenting can be daunting. But a new set of eyes is always helpful. They will be able to see things you missed, even if it’s simple mistakes, or big-picture ideas. And always ask your professor when you’re in doubt. They’re here to help you—it’s quite literally their job.
Your conclusion is often your introduction
Remember, your essays should be one big so what? So often times, this means that you’re concluding paragraph and sentence should actually be your introduction and proposition. But you can’t get there until you write and finish a first draft, revise it, and start writing a second draft.
Sometimes, it takes us the whole essay to get to what we’re actually trying to say. And by that point, you’re at the end of your essay when you’re finally only just starting to get your thoughts together. That is why your second drafts can look so drastically different from your first because your concluding paragraph has become your introduction. Where you end has become your starting point.
And that is okay. Writing is process. And if you want to write impactful essays, it’s going to take time.
Questions to ask when you’re writing an essay
What is the objective of your writing?
What are you trying to say?
Is your claim adding something new to the larger dialogue?
Is your claim debatable and can it be challenged?
Who is your audience?
What tone of voice is most appropriate?
How will you back up your proposition / claim?
Think not just of evidence within the medium you’re examining, but outside of it (other scholarly articles, speeches, interviews, etc.)
