literature essay website

• Craft and Criticism
• Fiction and Poetry
• News and Culture
• Lit Hub Radio
• Reading Lists

• Literary Criticism
• Craft and Advice
• In Conversation
• On Translation
• Short Story
• From the Novel
• Bookstores and Libraries
• Film and TV
• Art and Photography
• Freeman’s
• The Virtual Book Channel
• Behind the Mic
• Beyond the Page
• The Cosmic Library
• The Critic and Her Publics
• Emergence Magazine
• Fiction/Non/Fiction
• First Draft: A Dialogue on Writing
• The History of Literature
• I’m a Writer But
• Lit Century
• Tor Presents: Voyage Into Genre
• Windham-Campbell Prizes Podcast
• Write-minded
• The Best of the Decade
• Best Reviewed Books
• BookMarks Daily Giveaway
• The Daily Thrill
• CrimeReads Daily Giveaway

Helen Phillips on Writing Speculative Fiction in the Age of Artificial Intelligence

Jane ciabattari talks to the author of “hum”, boccaccio’s modern life: what the decameron reveals about contemporary anxiety, ed simon considers the act of storytelling as a means of preserving our humor and humanity in tumultuous times, a century of james baldwin, celebrating 100 years of a great american mind, the literary film & tv you need to stream in august, netflix and air conditioning, pocket universes, and a villainess to root for: august’s best sci-fi and fantasy books, stack your summer with new reads from nalo hopkinson, madeline ashby, beth revis, and more, the 17 best book covers of july, it’s hot book summer, did you know that poetry used to be an actual olympic sport, and the first openly gay olympic medalist was a poet, the new york times’ “best books of the century” list was an unforgivable erasure of african literature, ainehi edoro-glines on the inherent racism of reproducing the euro-american view of literature, on the simple prophecy of octavia butler’s parable of the sower, roz dineen on the book everyone should read now, jd vance is the toxic byproduct of america’s obsession with bootstrap narratives, alissa quart on the art of the deal of the hillbilly, what the new york times missed: 71 more of the best books of the 21st century, a non-boring list, crooked parallels: on alice munro, andrea skinner, and my mother’s failure to protect me, for jonny diamond the separation of the art from the artist isn’t the question, lit hub’s most anticipated books of 2024, part two, 193 books to read in the second half of the year, a deal with the devil: what the age-old faustian bargain reveals about the modern world, ed simon on "the most important story ever told," that of humanity's transactional relationship with evil, our 21 most-anticipated sci-fi, fantasy, and horror books for the rest of 2024, books for the witches, spacefarers, and ghouls among us, “it’s harder for me to talk about them.” percival everett on the paintings he makes, j.c. gabel talks to the acclaimed novelist and poet about his latest art exhibition, the ultimate summer 2024 reading list, or, beach book bingo, 18 new novels you need to read this summer, more light, more books, remembering paul auster, here’s your 2024 literary film & tv preview, 53 shows and movies to stream and see this year, lit hub’s most anticipated books of 2024, 230 books we’re looking forward to reading this year, 24 sci-fi and fantasy books to look forward to in 2024, exciting new series’ and standalones from kelly link, lev grossman, sofia samatar, james s.a. corey, and more, we need your help: support lit hub, become a member, you get editors’ personalized book recs, an ad-free reading experience, and the joan didion tote bag, the lights don’t just go out: a lifelong fainter on how fiction gets fainting all wrong.

Sophie Brickman on “Charlotte's Web,” JD Salinger, and Capturing Fainting from the Fainter’s Perspective

A Monstrous Spiral: How Narrative Form Can Bring a Story to Life

Jane Alison on Fictionalizing the Tumultuous and Toxic Relationship Between Architects Eileen Gray and Le Corbusier

The Princess of 72nd Street ">Sanity Is Relative: Melissa Broder on Elaine Kraf’s The Princess of 72nd Street

Considering the Blurred Boundaries Between States of Mania and States of Spiritual Grace

Alisa Alering on Being the Mountain

In Conversation with Lindsay Hunter on I'm a Writer But  

Slippery, Slimy and Sublime: On Our Fascination with Eels

Ellen Ruppel Shell Goes Deep on the Cultural Life of the Anguillidae

Why Methane Removal Might Be Our Best Bet to Stop Rising Global Temperatures

Rob Jackson Suggests Ways Businesses, Scientists and Governments Can Work Together to Clean the Atmosphere

August 6, 2024

• Sam Kashner talks to some of the people behind reductive bestseller Hillbilly Elegy
• A.O. Scott on Harold and the Purple Crayon writer Crockett Johnson
• The reluctant radicalism of Seamus Heaney .

to the Lithub Daily

Support lit hub..

Lit hub Radio

News, Notes, Talk

Daily Fiction

Unspeakable Home

From unspeakable home.

The Rich People Have Gone Away

From the rich people have gone away.

The Modern Fairies

From the modern fairies.

How Catalyst and Iskanchi Press Are Bringing African Writers’ Work to a Wider Audience

Should Humanity Pay the Ultimate Price For Its Crimes Against Nature?

Jill ciment on struggling with certainty.

In Conversation with Mitzi Rapkin on the First Draft Podcast

Lisa Leshne and Kathleen Schmidt Offer Publishing Advice From the Trenches

James Baldwin and the Roots of Black-Palestinian Solidarity

5 Reviews You Need to Read This Week

The Best Reviewed Books of the Month

8 Classic Retellings for Crime Fiction Fans

A Murder in Laredo

• RSS - Posts

Literary Hub

Created by Grove Atlantic and Electric Literature

Sign Up For Our Newsletters

How to Pitch Lit Hub

Advertisers: Contact Us

Privacy Policy

Support Lit Hub - Become A Member

TRY OUR FREE APP

Write your book in Reedsy Studio. Try the beloved writing app for free today.

Craft your masterpiece in Reedsy Studio

Plan, write, edit, and format your book in our free app made for authors.

Blog • Perfecting your Craft

Last updated on Feb 07, 2023

The 50+ Best Writing Websites of 2024

About the author.

Reedsy's editorial team is a diverse group of industry experts devoted to helping authors write and publish beautiful books.

About Martin Cavannagh

Head of Content at Reedsy, Martin has spent over eight years helping writers turn their ambitions into reality. As a voice in the indie publishing space, he has written for a number of outlets and spoken at conferences, including the 2024 Writers Summit at the London Book Fair.

The Internet is full of writing websites and blogs to help people reach their creative goals. If you’ve always dreamt of writing your own book  but don’t know how to get there — or if you’re in the process of writing, but feel unsure about what to do next — then it’s your lucky day! Here we have all the best writing websites of 2024 in one single place for your convenience. They’re also organized by category, and alphabetically within each of those categories, to make each one easier to find. Enjoy!

Best writing websites for writing craft and inspiration

1. Almost an Author

Offering up new content every day, Almost an Author covers a grand scope of writing topics. From genre-specific advice to emotional support on your writing journey, there's tons of useful info here for beginner and veteran writers alike.

2. Association of Writer & Writing Programs

Having just marked their 50th anniversary, AWP is one of the premier authorities on writing. The AWP website provides resources and ample opportunities for authors, teachers, and students at every point in their career. Here you’ll be able to find information about writing programs, career options, and conferences all over the world. Keep in mind, though, that access to some of these features is restricted to members only.

3. Creativity Portal

This is a wonderful hub for helpful resources that has been around for a whopping nineteen years! Here you can find writing prompts, creative coaching, printable writing templates, and interviews with authors that will help nourish the right side of your brain.

4. Daily Writing Tips

As the name suggests, this site offers daily writing tips ranging from open-ended prompts and exercises to grammar, spelling, punctuation, and vocabulary. It also covers all writing levels and professions , so it doesn't matter how far along you are in your writing career — DWT is sure to help you out.

Instead of spending thousands of dollars on a master’s degree, you can get your own "DIY MFA" right here! This site (founded by Gabriela Pereira ) aims to cover everything you would learn in a graduate program, while giving you the freedom to choose your own areas of concentration and allocate your time as you please. 

6. Electric Literature

While not exactly a craft-focused website — so no straight-up writing advice or prompts — this nonprofit digital publisher showcases literature-related essays, criticism, and recommended readings. If you're looking to brush up on both literary theory and recent literary trends, Electric Lit is the place for you.

7. Fiction University

This virtual university, run by award-winning author Janice Hardy, contains tons of advice and concrete examples to help authors build a strong writing foundation. It's full of blog posts by professionals who share their own processes and techniques, providing tips not just on what you should do as a writer, but on how  to make it happen.

8. Helping Writers Become Authors

Longtime author K.M. Weiland offers writing advice that ranges from outlining and structuring to characterization and dialogue — plus all the little details in between. She updates her blog faithfully with topical posts that would pique any writer's (or non-writer's) interest.

9. Insecure Writer's Support Group

Writing is intimidating for everyone , whether you're a multi-published author or you're just starting out. That's why getting support, guidance, and motivation throughout the process is vital! On IWSG, you'll discover a wealth of information on writing, publishing, marketing, and anything else you might need to ultimately overcome your insecurities.

10. Literary Hub

LitHub boasts a superb selection of content for all things literary. Here you can get all the latest book-related news, posts on design and the craft, your daily dose of fiction, and sparkling reviews of new works. One of this site's best features is its section on literature in translation — a great resource for those who want to read books and authors from around the world.

11. LitReactor

The LitReactor blog consists of writing classes, workshops, and a myriad of posts on writing and books ( some of which are even written by us! ). There’s also an online magazine that includes interviews, criticism and analysis, and seasonally appropriate reads and recommendations.

12. Chill Subs

If you're active in writerly circles on social media, you've probably already heard of fan favorite Chill Subs. This all-in-one submissions tracker and directory gives you everything you need to find the right literary magazines and contests to submit to — and get published by. The slick interface and handy-dandy filters help you cut through the noise, increasing your chances of meeting your literary match.

13. LitRejections

An unfortunate occupational hazard of with writing is rejection. This is where a site like LitRejections comes into play! It offers personal stories to help discouraged writers persevere through rejection, and maintain hope and motivation as they move forward in their careers.

14. Live Write Thrive

In this website by professional writer and editor C.S. Lakin, you’ll find plenty of nuanced writing anecdotes and tips. Lakin also supplies annotated critiques that can help you prep your book for publication.

15. NaNoWriMo

Besides serving as the official information hub for NaNoWriMo, this site also lends constant support for those struggling to "win" National Novel Writing Month . Make sure to check out the NaNoWriMo forums, which are chock-full of other people's personal writing tips and strategies to get you through November — and every other month of the year — as a writer.

16. Now Novel

This comprehensive website, founded by author Bridget McNulty , is a go-to for just about every writing-related question you might have. Here you'll also find advice, courses, and even an author dashboard where you can keep track of your own writing progress.

17. Positive Writer

If you often feel uncertain about your creative abilities, this is the site for you. Bryan Hutchinson created Positive Writer to encourage and inspire all those who want to write, no matter how much experience or confidence they have.

18. ProWritingAid

ProWritingAid offers a fantastic manuscript editing software that analyzes your writing and creates reports for you to learn from! This tool also includes a thesaurus, grammar checks, style suggestions, and more — you can learn all about it on the ProWritingAid blog, or in our review of the app !

19. She Writes

A well-established writing website with a feminist bent, She Writes is "the largest online community and content site for women writers... all around the world." The site features thoughtful posts and resources to help writers on their journeys, as well as a personal She Writes blog page for every user who signs up.

20. Well-Storied

Here you can find recent articles, workbooks, tutorials, and fascinating discussions on writing. Kristine Kieffer has an extensive archive of posts as well, where you can procure information on just about any topic related to books and writing.

21. The Write Practice

Fulfilling the promise of their name, every single post on this site emphasizes putting theory into practice! There's simply no better way to become a writer than by creating a routine, and that’s exactly what The Write Practice helps facilitate.

22. Writer’s Digest

Writer's Digest is one of the most encyclopedic writing websites out there — after all, the print magazine has been around for almost a century now! Here you’ll find genre and vocation-organized articles, events and competitions, webinars, templates, tutorials, and so much more.

23. Writer Unboxed

Writer Unboxed features articles by authors and industry professionals, focused specifically on the craft and business of fiction writing.

24. The Writing Cooperative

Plain and simple, this is a group of people who want to help each other become better writers. On Writing Cooperative, you will find articles that cover just about every aspect of the writing life. They also have monthly writing challenges to keep you incentivized, and there’s even a space where you can submit your own article to the blog!

25. Writing.com

This is an absolutely all-inclusive community for writers. It’s open to all levels and provides a supportive environment for all members , as well as portfolios to store and display their writing. Like most writing websites, it also includes a plethora of writing tools, contests, and rewards.

26. Catapult: Don’t Write Alone

Don’t Write Alone is a blog written by the Catapult team dedicated to helping writers grow their skills. As a publisher and magazine founded in 2005, Catapult has seen a lot of works and now they’re spilling all the details. From interviews, to craft essays, to writer lifestyle essays, Catapult covers it all.

27. Kirkus Review’s Writers’ Center

Kirkus Review is known for its prestigious $50,000 dollar annual prize and its bi-monthly issues where they critique hundreds of recently published books. But, did you know they also have a section of their website devoted to helping emerging writers grow their skills and navigate the publishing industry? They’re always up to date on the latest trends — if they aren’t creating new trends themselves.

28. Writers Write

An invaluable resource for creative writers, business writers, or bloggers, Writers Write offers over 1400 articles, courses, and workbooks to help you take your writing practice to the next level. Alongside their educational content, they offer book reviews, trivia on famous authors, and prompts. Sign up for their inspirational newsletters for regular hits of motivation that will keep you writing.

29. The Narrative Arc

Beginning as a home to Andie R. Cranford’s writing journey, The Narrative Arc is now a treasure trove of practical tips and prompts to inspire your creativity. Breakdowns of popular books are particularly handy for the budding author — but whether exploring writing for the first time or tightening the bolts on your Franken-novel, the site's ideas on craft are elegant and inspiring.

Best writing websites in the publishing industry

30. Agent Query

This database allows authors to perform in-depth searches for literary agents. You can narrow your search by genre and keywords, view full profiles , and see if any agents are currently accepting queries — all for free!

31. The Creative Penn

Besides being a bestselling author on various topics, Joanna Penn is also a leading voice in self-publishing. On her punnily named site, you’ll find abundant information related to writing , self-publishing, marketing, and everything else you might need to make a living as a writer.

32. Digital Pubbing

Digital Pubbing provides industry news, interviews with indie authors, and resources for learning all about ebooks and the publishing industry. In accordance with the name, this is the perfect site for any author hoping to absorb some serious digital knowledge.

33. The Independent Publishing Magazine

We know it might seem like we're repeating ourselves, but this website really is all about publishing (both independent and traditional, despite what the name indicates). Whatever info you need about self-publishing, traditional publishing, or hybrid publishing, you’ll definitely be able to find it here.

34. Publishers Weekly

And if you have a specific question about the publishing world, you’ll most likely find the answer here. This weekly magazine is packed full of news, reviews, announcements, and many other resources on the industry. It has been dubbed as "the Bible of the book business" and with its extensive archive, it’s easy to see why.

35. Publishing Perspectives

Publishing Perspectives is another leading source of publishing info, specializing in industry news and topical articles. Aimed at publishers, agents, and authors alike, it features a variety of posts that cover book fairs, distribution, education, and much more.

36. Query Shark

Not sure where your query letter is up to snuff ? Query Shark offers the opportunity to have your query critiqued, and to read detailed query critiques of other authors' letters, so you can get the best possible results for your book. Be warned, though, that this sharp-toothed feedback isn't for the weak of heart.

37. Writer Beware

This amazingly thorough site compiles information on schemes that affect authors , especially those run through email and the Internet. It’s sponsored by the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America, but obviously applies to authors everywhere. If you're a fresh-faced author trying to get published, definitely check it out — it could save you from losing thousands of dollars in an elaborate scam.

38. The Darling Axe

When the industry professionals at The Darling Axe aren’t working on manuscripts, they flock to the internet to share their hot takes on the publishing industry. They also host writing contests throughout the year to build a writing community and give unpublished authors the chance to get feedback from professionals.

Best writing websites for marketing and design

39. David Gaughran

An experienced author of historical adventures, short stories, and popular books for writers, David Gaughran is one of the definitive writing experts out there. His eponymous blog contains plenty of info on marketing and self-publishing, plus workshops to help aspiring authors. And similar to Writer Beware, he's the noble opposition of online publishing scams and scammers — so if you're frustrated by these issues, you'll discover a blissfully sympathetic voice on his blog.

40. Kikolani

Focused specifically on marketing, Kikolani offers tips and strategies for bloggers who want to grow their presence and attract more readers. Here you’ll find information on brand development, social media, customer retention, and other useful tips that you can put to good use as a blogger. (If you're just getting started, though, we'd recommend this course .)

41. Kindlepreneur

Dave Chesson is — in his own words — a “digital marketing nut.” His blog has all the information you could ever need about Kindle book publishing , how to write to market, increasing your rankings on Amazon, and lots more practical tips and advice.

42. Storiad

Storiad is a marketing platform that helps authors and publishers sell books. Go here for essential information on writing apps, databases, tools, and budgeting to help you run your own publishing campaign from start to finish.

43. Writers & Artists

Part of the distinguished Bloomsbury, Writers & Artists has quite a few articles on writing and the self-publishing process. They also offer editorial services and events on many different topics, like genre-specific writing courses and how to get connected with agents.

44. Your Writer Platform

Naturally, this site is dedicated to building your very own writer platform. There are tons of tips, resources, tools, how-tos, and even individual consulting services to help you build the platform that works best for you and your marketing needs.

Best writing blogs by industry professionals

45. Goins, Writer

Bestselling author Jeff Goins created this blog to share his thoughts on writing and to inspire others to chase their creative dreams. He's especially good at breaking complex topics down into digestible bits — new writers, go here for your primers.

46. Jane Friedman

With copious experience in the publishing industry, Jane Friedman offers online classes and articles on the entire process of book publishing. She's a real goldmine of business knowledge, so keep her in mind for when you're ready to publish your book.

47. Nail Your Novel

As a bestselling former ghostwriter who now publishes under her own name, Roz Morris provides advice about writing, self-publishing, and of course, ghostwriting. If you're interested in becoming a ghostwriter, be sure to check out her courses!

48. Nathan Bransford

Nathan Bransford is a former literary agent who posts all about the inner workings of publishing, as well and information on agents and self-publishing. He also does consultations, edits, and critiques. 

49. Rachelle Gardner

Skillful agent Rachelle Gardner has negotiated over 200 contracts with over twenty publishers and helped more than 100 authors fulfill their dreams of publishing. On her blog, she offers writing, publishing, and social media coaching, along with general writing and publishing tips.

50. Kris Writes

For regular insights from a New York Times bestselling author, look no further than Kristine Kathryn Rusch's blog. On Mondays, she posts free short stories for authors to find inspiration in, and Wednesdays she posts in her “Business Musings” collection where she breaks down news from the publishing industry and offers her inside opinions. 

51. The Marginalian  

Maria Popova describes her site as “a record of my own becoming as a person — intellectually, creatively, spiritually, poetically — drawn from my extended marginalia on the search for meaning across literature, science, art, philosophy, and the various other tendrils of human thought and feeling.” She sends out a Sunday newsletter with thoughtful deconstruction of the week’s best liberal arts goings-on to help broaden her readers’ appreciation of the creative world.

52. John August

For all the screenwriters out there, John August co-hosts a weekly podcast with fellow screenwriter Craig Mazin discussing both the craft and business of screenwriting while breaking down popular movies. To help screenwriters really get a feel for the process of working with a studio, John has posted multiple versions of scripts from different stages in the production process on films and series he’s written, including Charlie and the Chocolate Factory , Big Fish , and Chernobyl .

What are some of your favorite writing websites? Let us know in the comments below!

Continue reading

Recommended posts from the Reedsy Blog

450+ Powerful Adjectives to Describe a Person (With Examples)

Want a handy list to help you bring your characters to life? Discover words that describe physical attributes, dispositions, and emotions.

How to Plot a Novel Like a NYT Bestselling Author

Need to plot your novel? Follow these 7 steps from New York Times bestselling author Caroline Leavitt.

How to Write an Autobiography: The Story of Your Life

Want to write your autobiography but aren’t sure where to start? This step-by-step guide will take you from opening lines to publishing it for everyone to read.

What is the Climax of a Story? Examples & Tips

The climax is perhaps a story's most crucial moment, but many writers struggle to stick the landing. Let's see what makes for a great story climax.

What is Tone in Literature? Definition & Examples

We show you, with supporting examples, how tone in literature influences readers' emotions and perceptions of a text.

Writing Cozy Mysteries: 7 Essential Tips & Tropes

We show you how to write a compelling cozy mystery with advice from published authors and supporting examples from literature.

Join a community of over 1 million authors

Reedsy is more than just a blog. Become a member today to discover how we can help you publish a beautiful book.

Bring your stories to life

Our free writing app lets you set writing goals and track your progress, so you can finally write that book!

1 million authors trust the professionals on Reedsy. Come meet them.

Enter your email or get started with a social account:

How to Write an Essay

Use the links below to jump directly to any section of this guide:

Essay Writing Fundamentals

How to prepare to write an essay, how to edit an essay, how to share and publish your essays, how to get essay writing help, how to find essay writing inspiration, resources for teaching essay writing.

Essays, short prose compositions on a particular theme or topic, are the bread and butter of academic life. You write them in class, for homework, and on standardized tests to show what you know. Unlike other kinds of academic writing (like the research paper) and creative writing (like short stories and poems), essays allow you to develop your original thoughts on a prompt or question. Essays come in many varieties: they can be expository (fleshing out an idea or claim), descriptive, (explaining a person, place, or thing), narrative (relating a personal experience), or persuasive (attempting to win over a reader). This guide is a collection of dozens of links about academic essay writing that we have researched, categorized, and annotated in order to help you improve your essay writing. 

Essays are different from other forms of writing; in turn, there are different kinds of essays. This section contains general resources for getting to know the essay and its variants. These resources introduce and define the essay as a genre, and will teach you what to expect from essay-based assessments.

Purdue OWL Online Writing Lab

One of the most trusted academic writing sites, Purdue OWL provides a concise introduction to the four most common types of academic essays.

"The Essay: History and Definition" (ThoughtCo)

This snappy article from ThoughtCo talks about the origins of the essay and different kinds of essays you might be asked to write. 

"What Is An Essay?" Video Lecture (Coursera)

The University of California at Irvine's free video lecture, available on Coursera, tells  you everything you need to know about the essay.

Wikipedia Article on the "Essay"

Wikipedia's article on the essay is comprehensive, providing both English-language and global perspectives on the essay form. Learn about the essay's history, forms, and styles.

"Understanding College and Academic Writing" (Aims Online Writing Lab)

This list of common academic writing assignments (including types of essay prompts) will help you know what to expect from essay-based assessments.

Before you start writing your essay, you need to figure out who you're writing for (audience), what you're writing about (topic/theme), and what you're going to say (argument and thesis). This section contains links to handouts, chapters, videos and more to help you prepare to write an essay.

How to Identify Your Audience

"Audience" (Univ. of North Carolina Writing Center)

This handout provides questions you can ask yourself to determine the audience for an academic writing assignment. It also suggests strategies for fitting your paper to your intended audience.

"Purpose, Audience, Tone, and Content" (Univ. of Minnesota Libraries)

This extensive book chapter from Writing for Success , available online through Minnesota Libraries Publishing, is followed by exercises to try out your new pre-writing skills.

"Determining Audience" (Aims Online Writing Lab)

This guide from a community college's writing center shows you how to know your audience, and how to incorporate that knowledge in your thesis statement.

"Know Your Audience" ( Paper Rater Blog)

This short blog post uses examples to show how implied audiences for essays differ. It reminds you to think of your instructor as an observer, who will know only the information you pass along.

How to Choose a Theme or Topic

"Research Tutorial: Developing Your Topic" (YouTube)

Take a look at this short video tutorial from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill to understand the basics of developing a writing topic.

"How to Choose a Paper Topic" (WikiHow)

This simple, step-by-step guide (with pictures!) walks you through choosing a paper topic. It starts with a detailed description of brainstorming and ends with strategies to refine your broad topic.

"How to Read an Assignment: Moving From Assignment to Topic" (Harvard College Writing Center)

Did your teacher give you a prompt or other instructions? This guide helps you understand the relationship between an essay assignment and your essay's topic.

"Guidelines for Choosing a Topic" (CliffsNotes)

This study guide from CliffsNotes both discusses how to choose a topic and makes a useful distinction between "topic" and "thesis."

How to Come Up with an Argument

"Argument" (Univ. of North Carolina Writing Center)

Not sure what "argument" means in the context of academic writing? This page from the University of North Carolina is a good place to start.

"The Essay Guide: Finding an Argument" (Study Hub)

This handout explains why it's important to have an argument when beginning your essay, and provides tools to help you choose a viable argument.

"Writing a Thesis and Making an Argument" (University of Iowa)

This page from the University of Iowa's Writing Center contains exercises through which you can develop and refine your argument and thesis statement.

"Developing a Thesis" (Harvard College Writing Center)

This page from Harvard's Writing Center collates some helpful dos and don'ts of argumentative writing, from steps in constructing a thesis to avoiding vague and confrontational thesis statements.

"Suggestions for Developing Argumentative Essays" (Berkeley Student Learning Center)

This page offers concrete suggestions for each stage of the essay writing process, from topic selection to drafting and editing. 

How to Outline your Essay

"Outlines" (Univ. of North Carolina at Chapel Hill via YouTube)

This short video tutorial from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill shows how to group your ideas into paragraphs or sections to begin the outlining process.

"Essay Outline" (Univ. of Washington Tacoma)

This two-page handout by a university professor simply defines the parts of an essay and then organizes them into an example outline.

"Types of Outlines and Samples" (Purdue OWL Online Writing Lab)

Purdue OWL gives examples of diverse outline strategies on this page, including the alphanumeric, full sentence, and decimal styles. 

"Outlining" (Harvard College Writing Center)

Once you have an argument, according to this handout, there are only three steps in the outline process: generalizing, ordering, and putting it all together. Then you're ready to write!

"Writing Essays" (Plymouth Univ.)

This packet, part of Plymouth University's Learning Development series, contains descriptions and diagrams relating to the outlining process.

"How to Write A Good Argumentative Essay: Logical Structure" (Criticalthinkingtutorials.com via YouTube)

This longer video tutorial gives an overview of how to structure your essay in order to support your argument or thesis. It is part of a longer course on academic writing hosted on Udemy.

Now that you've chosen and refined your topic and created an outline, use these resources to complete the writing process. Most essays contain introductions (which articulate your thesis statement), body paragraphs, and conclusions. Transitions facilitate the flow from one paragraph to the next so that support for your thesis builds throughout the essay. Sources and citations show where you got the evidence to support your thesis, which ensures that you avoid plagiarism. 

How to Write an Introduction

"Introductions" (Univ. of North Carolina Writing Center)

This page identifies the role of the introduction in any successful paper, suggests strategies for writing introductions, and warns against less effective introductions.

"How to Write A Good Introduction" (Michigan State Writing Center)

Beginning with the most common missteps in writing introductions, this guide condenses the essentials of introduction composition into seven points.

"The Introductory Paragraph" (ThoughtCo)

This blog post from academic advisor and college enrollment counselor Grace Fleming focuses on ways to grab your reader's attention at the beginning of your essay.

"Introductions and Conclusions" (Univ. of Toronto)

This guide from the University of Toronto gives advice that applies to writing both introductions and conclusions, including dos and don'ts.

"How to Write Better Essays: No One Does Introductions Properly" ( The Guardian )

This news article interviews UK professors on student essay writing; they point to introductions as the area that needs the most improvement.

How to Write a Thesis Statement

"Writing an Effective Thesis Statement" (YouTube)

This short, simple video tutorial from a college composition instructor at Tulsa Community College explains what a thesis statement is and what it does. 

"Thesis Statement: Four Steps to a Great Essay" (YouTube)

This fantastic tutorial walks you through drafting a thesis, using an essay prompt on Nathaniel Hawthorne's The Scarlet Letter as an example.

"How to Write a Thesis Statement" (WikiHow)

This step-by-step guide (with pictures!) walks you through coming up with, writing, and editing a thesis statement. It invites you think of your statement as a "working thesis" that can change.

"How to Write a Thesis Statement" (Univ. of Indiana Bloomington)

Ask yourself the questions on this page, part of Indiana Bloomington's Writing Tutorial Services, when you're writing and refining your thesis statement.

"Writing Tips: Thesis Statements" (Univ. of Illinois Center for Writing Studies)

This page gives plentiful examples of good to great thesis statements, and offers questions to ask yourself when formulating a thesis statement.

How to Write Body Paragraphs

"Body Paragraph" (Brightstorm)

This module of a free online course introduces you to the components of a body paragraph. These include the topic sentence, information, evidence, and analysis.

"Strong Body Paragraphs" (Washington Univ.)

This handout from Washington's Writing and Research Center offers in-depth descriptions of the parts of a successful body paragraph.

"Guide to Paragraph Structure" (Deakin Univ.)

This handout is notable for color-coding example body paragraphs to help you identify the functions various sentences perform.

"Writing Body Paragraphs" (Univ. of Minnesota Libraries)

The exercises in this section of Writing for Success  will help you practice writing good body paragraphs. It includes guidance on selecting primary support for your thesis.

"The Writing Process—Body Paragraphs" (Aims Online Writing Lab)

The information and exercises on this page will familiarize you with outlining and writing body paragraphs, and includes links to more information on topic sentences and transitions.

"The Five-Paragraph Essay" (ThoughtCo)

This blog post discusses body paragraphs in the context of one of the most common academic essay types in secondary schools.

How to Use Transitions

"Transitions" (Univ. of North Carolina Writing Center)

This page from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill explains what a transition is, and how to know if you need to improve your transitions.

"Using Transitions Effectively" (Washington Univ.)

This handout defines transitions, offers tips for using them, and contains a useful list of common transitional words and phrases grouped by function.

"Transitions" (Aims Online Writing Lab)

This page compares paragraphs without transitions to paragraphs with transitions, and in doing so shows how important these connective words and phrases are.

"Transitions in Academic Essays" (Scribbr)

This page lists four techniques that will help you make sure your reader follows your train of thought, including grouping similar information and using transition words.

"Transitions" (El Paso Community College)

This handout shows example transitions within paragraphs for context, and explains how transitions improve your essay's flow and voice.

"Make Your Paragraphs Flow to Improve Writing" (ThoughtCo)

This blog post, another from academic advisor and college enrollment counselor Grace Fleming, talks about transitions and other strategies to improve your essay's overall flow.

"Transition Words" (smartwords.org)

This handy word bank will help you find transition words when you're feeling stuck. It's grouped by the transition's function, whether that is to show agreement, opposition, condition, or consequence.

How to Write a Conclusion

"Parts of An Essay: Conclusions" (Brightstorm)

This module of a free online course explains how to conclude an academic essay. It suggests thinking about the "3Rs": return to hook, restate your thesis, and relate to the reader.

"Essay Conclusions" (Univ. of Maryland University College)

This overview of the academic essay conclusion contains helpful examples and links to further resources for writing good conclusions.

"How to End An Essay" (WikiHow)

This step-by-step guide (with pictures!) by an English Ph.D. walks you through writing a conclusion, from brainstorming to ending with a flourish.

"Ending the Essay: Conclusions" (Harvard College Writing Center)

This page collates useful strategies for writing an effective conclusion, and reminds you to "close the discussion without closing it off" to further conversation.

How to Include Sources and Citations

"Research and Citation Resources" (Purdue OWL Online Writing Lab)

Purdue OWL streamlines information about the three most common referencing styles (MLA, Chicago, and APA) and provides examples of how to cite different resources in each system.

EasyBib: Free Bibliography Generator

This online tool allows you to input information about your source and automatically generate citations in any style. Be sure to select your resource type before clicking the "cite it" button.

CitationMachine

Like EasyBib, this online tool allows you to input information about your source and automatically generate citations in any style. 

Modern Language Association Handbook (MLA)

Here, you'll find the definitive and up-to-date record of MLA referencing rules. Order through the link above, or check to see if your library has a copy.

Chicago Manual of Style

Here, you'll find the definitive and up-to-date record of Chicago referencing rules. You can take a look at the table of contents, then choose to subscribe or start a free trial.

How to Avoid Plagiarism

"What is Plagiarism?" (plagiarism.org)

This nonprofit website contains numerous resources for identifying and avoiding plagiarism, and reminds you that even common activities like copying images from another website to your own site may constitute plagiarism.

"Plagiarism" (University of Oxford)

This interactive page from the University of Oxford helps you check for plagiarism in your work, making it clear how to avoid citing another person's work without full acknowledgement.

"Avoiding Plagiarism" (MIT Comparative Media Studies)

This quick guide explains what plagiarism is, what its consequences are, and how to avoid it. It starts by defining three words—quotation, paraphrase, and summary—that all constitute citation.

"Harvard Guide to Using Sources" (Harvard Extension School)

This comprehensive website from Harvard brings together articles, videos, and handouts about referencing, citation, and plagiarism. 

Grammarly contains tons of helpful grammar and writing resources, including a free tool to automatically scan your essay to check for close affinities to published work. 

Noplag is another popular online tool that automatically scans your essay to check for signs of plagiarism. Simply copy and paste your essay into the box and click "start checking."

Once you've written your essay, you'll want to edit (improve content), proofread (check for spelling and grammar mistakes), and finalize your work until you're ready to hand it in. This section brings together tips and resources for navigating the editing process. 

"Writing a First Draft" (Academic Help)

This is an introduction to the drafting process from the site Academic Help, with tips for getting your ideas on paper before editing begins.

"Editing and Proofreading" (Univ. of North Carolina Writing Center)

This page provides general strategies for revising your writing. They've intentionally left seven errors in the handout, to give you practice in spotting them.

"How to Proofread Effectively" (ThoughtCo)

This article from ThoughtCo, along with those linked at the bottom, help describe common mistakes to check for when proofreading.

"7 Simple Edits That Make Your Writing 100% More Powerful" (SmartBlogger)

This blog post emphasizes the importance of powerful, concise language, and reminds you that even your personal writing heroes create clunky first drafts.

"Editing Tips for Effective Writing" (Univ. of Pennsylvania)

On this page from Penn's International Relations department, you'll find tips for effective prose, errors to watch out for, and reminders about formatting.

"Editing the Essay" (Harvard College Writing Center)

This article, the first of two parts, gives you applicable strategies for the editing process. It suggests reading your essay aloud, removing any jargon, and being unafraid to remove even "dazzling" sentences that don't belong.

"Guide to Editing and Proofreading" (Oxford Learning Institute)

This handout from Oxford covers the basics of editing and proofreading, and reminds you that neither task should be rushed. 

In addition to plagiarism-checkers, Grammarly has a plug-in for your web browser that checks your writing for common mistakes.

After you've prepared, written, and edited your essay, you might want to share it outside the classroom. This section alerts you to print and web opportunities to share your essays with the wider world, from online writing communities and blogs to published journals geared toward young writers.

Sharing Your Essays Online

Go Teen Writers

Go Teen Writers is an online community for writers aged 13 - 19. It was founded by Stephanie Morrill, an author of contemporary young adult novels. 

Tumblr is a blogging website where you can share your writing and interact with other writers online. It's easy to add photos, links, audio, and video components.

Writersky provides an online platform for publishing and reading other youth writers' work. Its current content is mostly devoted to fiction.

Publishing Your Essays Online

This teen literary journal publishes in print, on the web, and (more frequently), on a blog. It is committed to ensuring that "teens see their authentic experience reflected on its pages."

The Matador Review

This youth writing platform celebrates "alternative," unconventional writing. The link above will take you directly to the site's "submissions" page.

Teen Ink has a website, monthly newsprint magazine, and quarterly poetry magazine promoting the work of young writers.

The largest online reading platform, Wattpad enables you to publish your work and read others' work. Its inline commenting feature allows you to share thoughts as you read along.

Publishing Your Essays in Print

Canvas Teen Literary Journal

This quarterly literary magazine is published for young writers by young writers. They accept many kinds of writing, including essays.

The Claremont Review

This biannual international magazine, first published in 1992, publishes poetry, essays, and short stories from writers aged 13 - 19.

Skipping Stones

This young writers magazine, founded in 1988, celebrates themes relating to ecological and cultural diversity. It publishes poems, photos, articles, and stories.

The Telling Room

This nonprofit writing center based in Maine publishes children's work on their website and in book form. The link above directs you to the site's submissions page.

Essay Contests

Scholastic Arts and Writing Awards

This prestigious international writing contest for students in grades 7 - 12 has been committed to "supporting the future of creativity since 1923."

Society of Professional Journalists High School Essay Contest

An annual essay contest on the theme of journalism and media, the Society of Professional Journalists High School Essay Contest awards scholarships up to $1,000.

National YoungArts Foundation

Here, you'll find information on a government-sponsored writing competition for writers aged 15 - 18. The foundation welcomes submissions of creative nonfiction, novels, scripts, poetry, short story and spoken word.

Signet Classics Student Scholarship Essay Contest

With prompts on a different literary work each year, this competition from Signet Classics awards college scholarships up to $1,000.

"The Ultimate Guide to High School Essay Contests" (CollegeVine)

See this handy guide from CollegeVine for a list of more competitions you can enter with your academic essay, from the National Council of Teachers of English Achievement Awards to the National High School Essay Contest by the U.S. Institute of Peace.

Whether you're struggling to write academic essays or you think you're a pro, there are workshops and online tools that can help you become an even better writer. Even the most seasoned writers encounter writer's block, so be proactive and look through our curated list of resources to combat this common frustration.

Online Essay-writing Classes and Workshops

"Getting Started with Essay Writing" (Coursera)

Coursera offers lots of free, high-quality online classes taught by college professors. Here's one example, taught by instructors from the University of California Irvine.

"Writing and English" (Brightstorm)

Brightstorm's free video lectures are easy to navigate by topic. This unit on the parts of an essay features content on the essay hook, thesis, supporting evidence, and more.

"How to Write an Essay" (EdX)

EdX is another open online university course website with several two- to five-week courses on the essay. This one is geared toward English language learners.

Writer's Digest University

This renowned writers' website offers online workshops and interactive tutorials. The courses offered cover everything from how to get started through how to get published.

Writing.com

Signing up for this online writer's community gives you access to helpful resources as well as an international community of writers.

How to Overcome Writer's Block

"Symptoms and Cures for Writer's Block" (Purdue OWL)

Purdue OWL offers a list of signs you might have writer's block, along with ways to overcome it. Consider trying out some "invention strategies" or ways to curb writing anxiety.

"Overcoming Writer's Block: Three Tips" ( The Guardian )

These tips, geared toward academic writing specifically, are practical and effective. The authors advocate setting realistic goals, creating dedicated writing time, and participating in social writing.

"Writing Tips: Strategies for Overcoming Writer's Block" (Univ. of Illinois)

This page from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign's Center for Writing Studies acquaints you with strategies that do and do not work to overcome writer's block.

"Writer's Block" (Univ. of Toronto)

Ask yourself the questions on this page; if the answer is "yes," try out some of the article's strategies. Each question is accompanied by at least two possible solutions.

If you have essays to write but are short on ideas, this section's links to prompts, example student essays, and celebrated essays by professional writers might help. You'll find writing prompts from a variety of sources, student essays to inspire you, and a number of essay writing collections.

Essay Writing Prompts

"50 Argumentative Essay Topics" (ThoughtCo)

Take a look at this list and the others ThoughtCo has curated for different kinds of essays. As the author notes, "a number of these topics are controversial and that's the point."

"401 Prompts for Argumentative Writing" ( New York Times )

This list (and the linked lists to persuasive and narrative writing prompts), besides being impressive in length, is put together by actual high school English teachers.

"SAT Sample Essay Prompts" (College Board)

If you're a student in the U.S., your classroom essay prompts are likely modeled on the prompts in U.S. college entrance exams. Take a look at these official examples from the SAT.

"Popular College Application Essay Topics" (Princeton Review)

This page from the Princeton Review dissects recent Common Application essay topics and discusses strategies for answering them.

Example Student Essays

"501 Writing Prompts" (DePaul Univ.)

This nearly 200-page packet, compiled by the LearningExpress Skill Builder in Focus Writing Team, is stuffed with writing prompts, example essays, and commentary.

"Topics in English" (Kibin)

Kibin is a for-pay essay help website, but its example essays (organized by topic) are available for free. You'll find essays on everything from  A Christmas Carol  to perseverance.

"Student Writing Models" (Thoughtful Learning)

Thoughtful Learning, a website that offers a variety of teaching materials, provides sample student essays on various topics and organizes them by grade level.

"Five-Paragraph Essay" (ThoughtCo)

In this blog post by a former professor of English and rhetoric, ThoughtCo brings together examples of five-paragraph essays and commentary on the form.

The Best Essay Writing Collections

The Best American Essays of the Century by Joyce Carol Oates (Amazon)

This collection of American essays spanning the twentieth century was compiled by award winning author and Princeton professor Joyce Carol Oates.

The Best American Essays 2017 by Leslie Jamison (Amazon)

Leslie Jamison, the celebrated author of essay collection  The Empathy Exams , collects recent, high-profile essays into a single volume.

The Art of the Personal Essay by Phillip Lopate (Amazon)

Documentary writer Phillip Lopate curates this historical overview of the personal essay's development, from the classical era to the present.

The White Album by Joan Didion (Amazon)

This seminal essay collection was authored by one of the most acclaimed personal essayists of all time, American journalist Joan Didion.

Consider the Lobster by David Foster Wallace (Amazon)

Read this famous essay collection by David Foster Wallace, who is known for his experimentation with the essay form. He pushed the boundaries of personal essay, reportage, and political polemic.

"50 Successful Harvard Application Essays" (Staff of the The Harvard Crimson )

If you're looking for examples of exceptional college application essays, this volume from Harvard's daily student newspaper is one of the best collections on the market.

Are you an instructor looking for the best resources for teaching essay writing? This section contains resources for developing in-class activities and student homework assignments. You'll find content from both well-known university writing centers and online writing labs.

Essay Writing Classroom Activities for Students

"In-class Writing Exercises" (Univ. of North Carolina Writing Center)

This page lists exercises related to brainstorming, organizing, drafting, and revising. It also contains suggestions for how to implement the suggested exercises.

"Teaching with Writing" (Univ. of Minnesota Center for Writing)

Instructions and encouragement for using "freewriting," one-minute papers, logbooks, and other write-to-learn activities in the classroom can be found here.

"Writing Worksheets" (Berkeley Student Learning Center)

Berkeley offers this bank of writing worksheets to use in class. They are nested under headings for "Prewriting," "Revision," "Research Papers" and more.

"Using Sources and Avoiding Plagiarism" (DePaul University)

Use these activities and worksheets from DePaul's Teaching Commons when instructing students on proper academic citation practices.

Essay Writing Homework Activities for Students

"Grammar and Punctuation Exercises" (Aims Online Writing Lab)

These five interactive online activities allow students to practice editing and proofreading. They'll hone their skills in correcting comma splices and run-ons, identifying fragments, using correct pronoun agreement, and comma usage.

"Student Interactives" (Read Write Think)

Read Write Think hosts interactive tools, games, and videos for developing writing skills. They can practice organizing and summarizing, writing poetry, and developing lines of inquiry and analysis.

This free website offers writing and grammar activities for all grade levels. The lessons are designed to be used both for large classes and smaller groups.

"Writing Activities and Lessons for Every Grade" (Education World)

Education World's page on writing activities and lessons links you to more free, online resources for learning how to "W.R.I.T.E.": write, revise, inform, think, and edit.

• PDFs for all 136 Lit Terms we cover
• Downloads of 1974 LitCharts Lit Guides
• Teacher Editions for every Lit Guide
• Explanations and citation info for 41,643 quotes across 1974 books
• Downloadable (PDF) line-by-line translations of every Shakespeare play

Need something? Request a new guide .

How can we improve? Share feedback .

LitCharts is hiring!

Anthony Cockerill

| Writing | The written word | Teaching English |

How to write great English literature essays at university

Essential advice on how to craft a great english literature essay at university – and how to avoid rookie mistakes..

If you’ve just begun to study English literature at university, the prospect of writing that first essay can be daunting. Tutors will likely offer little in the way of assistance in the process of planning and writing, as it’s assumed that students know how to do this already. At A-level, teachers are usually very clear with students about the Assessment Objectives for examination components and centre-assessed work, but it can feel like there’s far less clarity around how essays are marked at university. Furthermore, the process of learning how to properly reference an essay can be a steep learning curve.

But essentially, there are five things you’re being asked to do: show your understanding of the text and its key themes, explore the writer’s methods, consider the influence of contextual factors that might influence the writing and reading of the text, read published critical work about the text and incorporate this discourse into your essay, and finally, write a coherent argument in response to the task.

With advice from English teachers, HE tutors and other people who’ve been there and done it, here are the most crucial things to remember when planning and writing an essay.

Read around the subject and let your argument evolve.

‘One of the big step-ups from A-level, where students might only have had to deal with critical material as part of their coursework, is the move toward engaging with the critical debate around a text.’

Reading around the task and making notes is all important. Get familiar with the reading list. Become adept at searching for critical material in books and articles that’s not on the reading list. Talk with the librarian. Make sure you can find your way around the stacks. Get log-ins for the various databases of online criticism, such as the MLA International Bibliography .

‘Tutors are looking for flair… for students to be nuanced and creative with their ideas as opposed to reproducing the same criticism that others already have.’

When reading, keep notes, make summaries and write down useful quotations. Make sure you keep track of what you’ve read as you go. Note the publication details (author, publisher, year and place of publication). If you write down a quotation, note the page number. This will make dealing with citations and writing your bibliography much easier later on, as there’s nothing more annoying than getting to the end of the first draft of your essay and realising you’ve no idea which book or article a quote came from or which page it was on.

‘The more I read, the sharper my own writing style became because I developed an opinion of the writing style I liked and I had a clear sense of the subject matter that I was discussing.’

‘Don’t wing the reading. Or the thinking. Crap writing emerges from style over substance.’

Get to grips with the question and plan a response.

‘Brain dump at the start in the form of a mind map. This will help you focus and relax. You can add to it as go along and can shape it into a brief plan.’

Before writing a single word, brainstorm. Do some free-thinking. Get your ideas down on paper or sticky notes. Cross things out; refine. Allow your planning to be led by ideas that support your argument.

Use different colour-coded sticky notes for your planning. In the example below, the student has used yellow sticky notes for ideas, blue for language, structure and methods, purple for context and green for literary criticism, which makes planning the sequence of the essay much easier.

Structure and sequence your ideas

‘Make your argument clear in your opening paragraph, and then ensure that every subsequent paragraph is clearly addressing your thesis.’

Plan the essay by working out a sequence of your ideas that you believe to be the most compelling. Allow your ideas to serve as structural signposts. Augment these with relevant criticism, context and focus on language and style.

‘Read wide and look at different pieces of criticism of a particular work and weave that in with your own interpretation of said work.’

Write a great introduction.

‘By the end of the first paragraph, make sure you have established a very clear thesis statement that outlines the main thrust of the essay.’

Your introduction should make your argument very clear. It’s also a chance to establish working definitions of any problematic terms and to engage with key aspects of the wider critical debate.

Get to grips with academic style and draft the essay

‘[Write with] an ‘exploratory’ tone rather than ‘dogmatic’ one.’

Academic writing is characterised by argument, analysis and evaluation. In an earlier post , I explored how students in high school might improve their analytical writing by adopting three maxims. These maxims are just as helpful for undergraduates. Firstly, aim for precise, cogent expression. Secondly, deliver an individual response supported by your reading – and citing – of published literary criticism. Thirdly, work on your personal voice. In formal analytical writing such as the university essay, your personal voice might be constrained rather more than it would be in a blog or a review, but it must nonetheless be exploratory in tone. Tentativity can be an asset as it suggests appreciation of nuances and alternative ways of thinking.

‘I got to grips with what was being asked of me by reading lots of literary criticism and becoming more familiar with academic writing conventions.’

Avoid unnecessary or clunky sign-post phrases such as ‘in this essay, I am going to…’ or ‘a further thing…’ A transition devices that can work really well is the explicit paragraph link, in which a motif or phrase in the last sentence of a paragraph is repeated in the first sentence of the next paragraph.

Write a killer conclusion

‘There is more emphasis on finding your own voice at university, something which in many ways is inhibited by Assessment Objectives at A-Level. I don’t think ‘good’ academic writing is necessarily taught very well in schools — at least from my experience.’

The conclusion is a really important part of your essay. It’s a chance to restate your thesis and to draw conclusions. You might achieve closure or instead, allude to interesting questions or ideas the essay has perhaps raised but not answered. You might synthesise your argument by exploring the key issue. You could zoom-out and explore the issue as part of a bigger picture.

Be meticulous in your referencing.

Having supported your argument with quotations from published critics, it’s important to be meticulous about how you reference these, otherwise you could be accused of plagiarism – passing someone else’s work off as your own. There are three broad ways of referencing: author-date, footnote and endnote. However, within each of these three approaches, there are specific named protocols. Most English literature faculties use either the MLA (Modern Languages Association of America) style or the Harvard style (variants of the author-date approach). It’s important to check what your faculty or department uses, learn how to use it (faculties invariably publish guidance, but ask if you’re unsure) and apply the rules meticulously.

‘Read your work aloud, slowly, sentence by sentence. It’s the best way to spot typos, and it allows you to hear what is awkward and/or ungrammatical. Then read the essay aloud again.’

Write with precision. Use a thesaurus to help you find the right word, but make sure you use it properly and in the right context. Read sentences back and prune unnecessary phrases or redundant words. Similarly, avoid words or phrases which might sound self-important or pompous.

Like those structural signposts that don’t really add anything, some phrases need to be omited, such as ‘many people have argued that…’ or ‘futher to the previous paragraph…’.

Finally, make sure the essay is formatted correctly. University departments are usually clear about their expectations, but font, size, and line spacing are usually stipulated along with any other information you’re expected to include in the essay’s header or footer. And don’t expect the proofing tool to pick up every mistake.

Featured image by Glenn Carstens-Peters on Unsplash

• Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
• Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
• Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window)
• Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window)
• analytical writing

• Already have a WordPress.com account? Log in now.
• Subscribe Subscribed
• Copy shortlink
• Report this content
• View post in Reader
• Manage subscriptions
• Collapse this bar

Purdue Online Writing Lab Purdue OWL® College of Liberal Arts

Writing in Literature

Welcome to the Purdue OWL

This page is brought to you by the OWL at Purdue University. When printing this page, you must include the entire legal notice.

Copyright ©1995-2018 by The Writing Lab & The OWL at Purdue and Purdue University. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, reproduced, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed without permission. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our terms and conditions of fair use.

In this section

Subsections.

Free online proofreading and essay editor

A reliable proofreading tool and essay editor for any writer or student, a complete environment.

Typely is more than just a proofreading tool. It's a complete writing environment.

Thousands of checks

More than a thousand checks are being performed and we've only scratched the surface.

Inspired by the greatest writers

Gain access to humanity’s collective understanding about the craft of writing.

A proofreading tool that does not bark at every tree

Typely is precise. Existing tools for proofreading raise so many false alarms that their advice cannot be trusted. Instead, the writer must carefully consider whether to accept or reject each change.

We aim for a tool so precise that it becomes possible to unquestioningly adopt its recommendations and still come out ahead — with stronger, tighter prose. Better to be quiet and authoritative than loud and unreliable.

Relax, focus, write your next masterpiece...

Writing presumes more than simply laying out words on a paper. Typely helps you get in the mood and keeps you focused, immersed and ready to write your story.

Whether you need a distraction-free environment, some chill relaxing sounds or a pomodoro timer to manage your time we got you covered.

Got questions? We have answers.

No. Typely is completely free and we plan on keeping it that way. We are considering some advanced features however that might be available under a premium plan.

The only limit we have applied thus far is on the number of characters you can submit and that is being set at a maximum of 50,000.

In theory yes but that will require a lot of work and professionals dedicated for this job. We are considering a way of letting the community participate somehow.

Typely does not do grammar checking because it's hard and almost impossible to get right. The aim for Typely is to be precise and reliable.

Literary Research: Find Websites

• Getting Started
• Find Articles
• Find Websites
• Additional Help

Need Help Searching?

• The Research Process Research Guide
• Evaluating Information

Some Words on Online Literary Guides

Online guides, such as Sparknotes or CliffsNotes , have a nice amount of summary and background, but take the time to evaluate their quality. 

Use these sites as a reference and not as cited sources in your essay.  They are no substitute for your own critical reading of the text or literary criticism found in scholarly journals or books.

Literary Websites

Explore the following website for primary and secondary works along with useful information about literary criticism.

• The Academy of American Poets Find biographies on and poems by your favorite poets. The site also includes video, audio, and author interviews.
• Purdue Online Writing Lab Resources on writing literary essays. Topics include writing about fiction or poetry, literary theory, and literary terms.
• The Literature Network Allows you to search for primary texts, such as short stories, poems, and novels. Also includes author biographies.
• Project Gutenberg Over 36,000 eBooks available to download. Search for literary works and primary texts.
• Poetry Foundation Browse poems by title, author, or time period. Site also contains interviews, articles, and podcasts.
• The Paris Review Search the archive by author name or decade for author interviews.

Google Scholar

Use Google Scholar for a preliminary search.  Don't forget to check the library and library databases for titles you may find through Google Scholar! Many scholarly works still remain unavailable on the web.

• << Previous: Find Articles
• Next: Additional Help >>
• Columbus State Community College
• Research Guides
• Literary Research
• Last Updated: Jul 22, 2024 5:12 PM
• URL: https://library.cscc.edu/literature
• Staff Login

Privacy & Confidentiality Statement Library Code of Conduct

Free Online Writing Tools

Best writing tools, creative writing tools, gpt essay generator, online ai humanizer, automatic notes generator, hook examples generator, research title generator, key points maker, online alphabetizer, poem analyzer, quote explanation generator, random word generator, rhetorical analysis generator, word counter, words to minutes calculator, words to pages converter, personal statement maker, discussion response maker, article critique maker, literary analysis maker, topic sentence generator, research paper maker, reflection paper maker, reaction paper maker, position paper maker, concept paper maker, research tools, abstract generator for research papers, analytical thesis statement generator, compare and contrast thesis statement generator, hypothesis maker, informative essay thesis generator, thesis statement generator, introduction to research generator, research paper keyword generator, research paper outline generator, research question generator, problem statement generator, statement of purpose generator, essay writing tools, gpt essay checker, grammar and punctuation checker, case converter, conclusion maker for essays, conclusion sentence maker, essay extender, essay reader, essay rewriter, question generator from text, summarizing tool, title page generator, paraphrasing tool, plagiarism checker, speech makers, entertainment speech maker, informative speech maker, persuasive speech generator, debate speech maker, extemporaneous speech maker, citation generator, grade and gpa calculators, final grade calculator, gpa calculator, weighted and unweighted gpa calculator, ielts band score calculator, semester grade calculator, test score calculator, business tools, business analysis tools, swot analysis generator, free pestle analysis template, soar template, vrio analysis template, marketing analysis, 4ps marketing mix analysis template, 7ps of marketing mix template, stp chart maker, vision statement generator, organization management, mckinsey 7s template for students, smart goals generator, most business analysis template, business mission statement generator, environmental analysis, 5 forces analysis template, destep analysis template, steep analysis template, why using writing tools is good for you.

The whole purpose of writing tools is to make monotonous, tedious, and routine tasks obsolete.

Why do the same thing over and over again when you can easily automate the whole process, giving you tons of free time, less stress, and notably better results? After all, it’s not like you’re learning anything new by doing the same time-consuming tasks!

Writing tools allow students to spend their time focusing on things that really matter.

Hours Upon Hours of Saved Time

Have you ever thought to yourself that you could’ve done so much more if it weren’t for a certain writing assignment and all the many subtasks required to complete it?

With the help of writing tools, these thoughts will be gone forever. You’ll be able to:

• Spend more time on your hobby or other things you love
• Learn something new and broaden your knowledge base
• Be more involved in your family’s life
• Stay longer with friends
• Find a part-time job

And that’s just to name a few things! The actual possibilities are endless.

Significantly Less Stress

Writing assignments tend to pile up, along with many other tasks. And unfortunately there’s no way to add more hours to the day to complete everything on time.

An approaching deadline brings nothing but stress, resulting in even lower productivity, which can make your mental state even worse. Not to mention the feeling of failure after receiving a bad grade.

With the help of writing tools, this nightmare is easy to avoid. You’ll be able to deal with all your routines more effectively and even meet multiple deadlines at once.

Improved Academic Performance

Needless to say, no matter how much time you’ve devoted to completing your writing assignment, if it contains mistakes — you won’t receive the grade you were hoping for.

With writing tools, mistakes are simply impossible. You’re completely covered: you can check your grammar, see if there’s any plagiarism in your text, create a summary, generate a topic and thesis statement, and so much more.

Long story short—these writing tools are here to make your academic life easier and your studying smarter. It’s worthwhile to try them at least once. After seeing the results, you’ll surely come back for more!

• Free Essays
• Writing Tools
• Lit. Guides
• Donate a Paper
• Q&A by Experts
• Referencing Guides
• Free Textbooks
• Tongue Twisters
• Editorial Policy
• Job Openings
• Video Contest
• Writing Scholarship
• Discount Codes
• Brand Guidelines
• IvyPanda Shop
• Online Courses
• Terms and Conditions
• Privacy Policy
• Cookies Policy
• Copyright Principles
• DMCA Request
• Service Notice

IvyPanda's online writing tools will make your writing process easier. Whether you need help brainstorming ideas, formulating a thesis statement, referencing, summarizing, checking grammar and punctuation, or researching a topic, our free tools will come in handy.

From stress to success – hire a pro essay writer!

Trust your assignments to an essay writing service with the fastest delivery time and human-written content.

Top-notch essay writers in one place

Welcome to a platform where students get matched with quality essay help. Compare our essay writers’ ratings and choose your perfect writing assistance partner. You're just steps away from top-notch support!

Work with your chosen essay writer online

Curious about a specific paper writer? Check their profile for ratings and reviews. Once you've made your choice, they'll start to write paper for you.

1. Give us your essay writing instructions

To complete your write my essay request, our team needs a few details concerning your order. Fill out a short form to specify what kind of essay writing help you need and place your order

2. Hire your ideal essay writer online

Browse paper writer accounts to see their ratings, customer reviews, and other information. Compare different experts and pick one to write paper for you.

3. Get your paper writing done

Once your order is ready, download the paper to check if it meets your needs. Then, pay for essay using your personal account at EssayPro.

Customers are talking about our writing service

Check out the latest feedback from learners who use our essay writing services.

The perks of using our essay writing service

Original writing.

When you turn to our essay writing service for assistance, you're guaranteed to receive an outstanding piece, free from copied content. Our genuine pros craft all papers from scratch, referencing your instructions at all times. Ask us to write a paper and enjoy unparalleled originality, reaching beyond 96%.

24/7 support by your side

Our stellar customer service team is on standby 24/7 to address your "write my essays for me" requests. With our top-notch essay service, you'll never be left hanging.

Personal data safety

Pay for essay and never worry about the security of your personal data. EssayPro fiercely protects your details and uses secure gateways to process payments when you hire a paper writer. We safeguard your information in accordance with our Privacy Policy's detailed guidelines.

Unlimited edits free of charge

When you pay for essay writing at EssayPro, you get straightforward guidance every step of the way. Our highly skilled essay writers will edit your work for free within 14 or 30 days depending on your order's details.

Your #1 paper writing service

Our expert essay writers can tackle any academic task you entrust them with. Here are some of the services we offer.

• Research paper
• Presentation or speech
• Annotated bibliography
• Article review
• Literature review
• Business plan
• Research proposal
• Book / movie review
• Editing and proofreading
• Reflective writing
• Thesis / dissertation
• Admission essay
• Creative writing
• Critical thinking / review
• Book reviews
• Engineering
• Multiple choice questions
• Short answer questions
• Word problems

Essay writing service FAQs

Will my essay writer follow the guidelines i specify in the order, can my paper writer make changes to the final version, how can i be sure that your essay service delivers original papers, how do i pick an essay writer who’s the best match for me, in what formatting style can you write an essay for me, does your paper writing service allow for adding extra assignment details after an order is already placed, what free features do i get at your essay writing service, how do i get my paper from your essay writing service, can you give me a report on uniqueness after you write my essay, can you write my essay asap, how do i pay for your paper writing service, when do i have to pay for paper, are there any free features available at your paper writing service, can your experts write my essay online, how do i hire professional essay writers, does your paper writing service have a refund policy, can i add more money for a specific order after hiring a paper writer and making a deposit, is my information kept secure with your essay service, follow our paper writing service on social media for the latest news, tips, and more.

Join the big family of our writing service on Instagram to get lots of handy tips and tricks and be the first to learn about our discounts!

Follow our paper writer service on Facebook to check out the freshest memes and killer essay hacks.

Watch us on YouTube to take your essay writing skills to the next level with advice from experts.

Make your studies effortless with our essay service

Your essay writing service with tons of experience.

EssayPro has been providing top-quality essay writing services for over a decade. This means managing our customers’ assignments and helping them succeed. So, why do clients keep choosing our services?

We carefully handpick all our paper writers to ensure that each of them demonstrates the highest level of professionalism, expertise, and dedication. This approach allows us to deliver top-notch papers for everyone who turns to us with a "write my essays" request.

Our experienced essay help team specializes in crafting all types of papers at any complexity level. From a simple one-page essay to a thorough and complex dissertation - EssayPro has you covered.

Thanks to our vast experience, we create papers tailored to every customer’s unique needs. And we’re ready to handle any learning challenges you are facing. When you turn to us for help, you will receive the best quality of service within your specified timeframe!

How can hiring an expert essay writer help me?

You're probably going through a wide range of challenges, such as combining studies with sports and other extracurriculars. On top of that, you probably have a side hustle or even a full-time job to cover your expenses. So, if your life is intense and fast-paced, it will never hurt to have a trusted assistant by your side. And that’s why EssayPro is here!

By hiring professional essay writers, you get an opportunity to take some load off your shoulders. When you are busy with a job, sports, family commitments, or anything else, all it takes is to say, “please write my essays for me,” and we will help you get your papers done right and without effort.

We have everything to satisfy your "write my paper" request. Whether you need an essay or any other paper - we’ll take up the challenge. When your papers are due in a week or in just 3 hours - we’ll deliver them on time, or you will receive a refund in accordance with our Refund Policy. And, if you have other things to do or simply want to rest from your struggles - try our essay writer help to regain control of your life!

The fastest way to write my essay for me

Our paper writing service team knows that a learner’s life often involves juggling lots of responsibilities and pursuing several important goals at once. But what if you’re constantly drained? You might feel like it’s impossible to keep up with your seemingly successful peers despite your best efforts.

We’ve been there - it’s not your fault. The thing is, there’s almost always too little time to handle all your assignments properly. This can put too much pressure on you, causing you to be too hard on yourself just to tick all the boxes on your list. Pushing yourself to achieve unrealistic goals brings even more problems, including burnout and even depression.

Our "write my paper for me" service was created to help you avoid this. With our essay writing help, every learner can delegate their tasks to professionals who will complete them right on time and at the highest level possible. Starting from just $11 per page, we give you an opportunity to save your energy for things that matter without harming your performance. And even that’s not all!

We realize that you can be in a tight spot when there is no time to complete a paper due in just a few days. The good news is that you can hire an essay writer to overcome this challenge. Even if you’re in a rush, we can deliver your paper ASAP without compromising the quality!

Say “write my paper” and get help from top-rated writers

Whether you have a last-minute essay or some extensive research work that you are dealing with, you shouldn’t worry about it when there’s EssayPro by your side. Our essay writing service is always here to give you a helping hand, with top-level professionalism guaranteed.

Our service collaborates with the best paper writers. Our experts hold Bachelor’s, Master’s, and even Ph.D. degrees, and each of them has vast experience crafting papers in their respective fields.

Before we let a new partner work on your "write essay for me" orders, we make them undergo several rounds of verification and tests to check if their qualifications are high enough to deliver high-level help. And we require them to study and follow our thorough quality control procedures for the best results.

What else allows us to reach almost 100% satisfaction? Apart from selecting the best authors, we also work with seasoned managers who will supervise their work. We believe that effective supervision is the key to ensuring consistently high quality for all papers that we deliver. So, when you pay for essay with us, you always have a quality guarantee.

To reap these benefits, just start an order with our service and pick your perfect expert. Our service operates 24/7, so you can reach us whenever you need.

Once your order is placed and assigned to an expert, they will complete it per your instructions. Our experienced authors will tailor every paper to your unique requirements. And, once the order is ready, you can always download and check it before releasing payment.

Lastly, we give every client 14 or 30 days after an order's completion to request amendments for free.

All these factors make us one of the best writing service providers for you. So, don’t waste any time and get your professional assistance now!

A professional paper writing service you can afford

Whether requesting an essay, or any other type of assistance, with EssayPro, you can afford it! When you place your "write my essay online" order with us, you get:

• user-friendly interface and seamless ordering process
• the best paper writers for hire
• professional assistance with all kinds of papers
• customer-centered approach
• round-the-clock support
• on-time delivery
• amendments until you consider your paper flawless

And we make all of it affordable for every learner!

The price for our "write paper for me" services starts from as low as $11 per page. What’s more, we always provide generous discounts to help you save even more money while also saving your precious time. For instance, the further your completion date - the lower the price.

Also, the more pages you order, the more cost-effective our service will be.

EssayPro is the perfect balance of accessibility and professionalism. With us, everyone can afford to hire an expert essay writer. It's an investment in the future that results in better performance with less stress. So, don’t miss this chance!

Pick the paper writer you like most

At our essay writing help service, you will find a large pool of qualified essay writers ready to lend you a helping hand. What’s more, when you pay for essays with us, we give you an opportunity to select the author who suits your needs best.

Choosing your perfect expert is simple. You can browse specialists by their field of expertise and experience. You will also be able to see their bios, rate of success, customer reviews, and overall ratings, so it’ll be much easier to make the right choice. In addition, you’ll be able to chat with professionals bidding on your order. This way, you can find out even more information about the person who’ll work on your paper.

Need extra help? Don’t worry! Our friendly support team is there for you 24/7. Just drop them a line saying, “I want to pay someone to write my paper,” and they will tell you how to order and pick the most suitable author.

Exceptional write my essay experience

We want every customer to have the best experience when they hire an online paper writer. Our paper writing service team does everything possible to deliver a positive client experience. To make this real, we made the interface of our service extremely user-friendly. It is easy to navigate, so even new clients can quickly get used to it and place their "do my essay" orders without wasting too much of their precious time.

Apart from this, we keep our support team operating 24/7. This lets our customers ask their questions, receive prompt assistance with their issues, and place their “write a paper for me” orders at any time.

We provide high-quality guarantees, collaborate with the best authors, and offer a wide range of other benefits. So, if you are looking to pay someone to write your essay, there is no better place than EssayPro!

What if I’m not 100% satisfied with my write my essay for me order?

Although dissatisfaction is nearly impossible with our professional essay writers, as we always strive for excellence, there may be additional adjustments that you want to make in your paper. And that’s okay!

Sometimes, especially when your "write my paper" order is complex and comes with a broad set of requirements, you may have the need for extra edits. Our team is always open to this. After your order's delivery, you can request unlimited amendments free of charge. So, if it turns out that the final draft of your paper doesn’t match your expectations completely, don’t hesitate to ask for corrections.

To request edits, you only need to contact the author who completed your paper and explain your concerns. Then, together with our expert QA team, the author will make all the necessary edits to ensure you’re 100% happy with the paper you ordered from our essay writing service online.

If it turns out that you are completely dissatisfied with the work, which is rare, refunds are possible according to our Refund Policy. If you pay for an essay and are not happy with its quality, you can request a refund within 14 or 30 days upon completion of your order, depending on its details.

Do my essay perfectly!

Ready to get top-quality "write a paper for me" assistance? With EssayPro, you are in good hands! All you need to do is say, “please, write my paper for me,” and we will do everything possible to help you succeed!

To ensure that learners can delegate any type of assignment to us, we partner with qualified paper writers from all fields of study. We can easily handle any order regarding business, literature, chemistry, marketing, etc.

Choosing your ideal essay writer online is also easy. We keep our experts’ profiles and ratings publicly visible. So, it never takes too long to find the right professional for your order.

Regardless of the type of help you need and the author you select, with our essay service, you can always expect the best results. All our experts are native English speakers and each of them is capable of:

• Performing in-depth research and finding credible sources
• Completing even the most complex assignments on time
• Meeting the client halfway
• Keeping customer requirements and comments in mind
• Coping with any paper's topic within their area of proficiency

Get help from an online essay writer now

Want to request professional essay writer help and get it right this moment? We have you covered! Just reach out to us and say, “write my paper,” and we will do it for you, regardless of whether it’s due in a week or a day.

Here is how you can make the most of our essay writing service.

Create a Personal Account

To join EssayPro as a customer, simply provide us with your name and email address or phone number. Then, come up with a password for your account and verify your email.

Give Us Your Requirements

When your personal account is ready, place your "do my essay" order right from your dashboard. It takes a few moments to fill out a form and tell us more about your assignment.

Assign a Suitable Author

Check out a database of our professionals and choose one based on their field of expertise, rating, success rate, and customer feedback. Or just drop a line, “I want to pay someone to write my essay” to our customer support and let us find the right expert for you.

Communicate Your Last-Minute Requirements

Forgot to mention something important in your "write an essay for me" order? No problem! Use the direct chat feature to contact your author and pass on any last-minute requirements that you have for your paper. Our experts keep your comments in mind when working on your assignment.

Stay in Touch

Keep in contact with your assigned expert through every stage of the order process. Use the direct chat feature to monitor the process, provide additional requirements, or ask your questions.

Get Your Flawless Paper

When your order is done, you will find a notification in your mailbox. You will be able to download the final draft and ensure that the author has abided by all your instructions. If you are happy with the result, pay for your order. And if there is anything that needs to be fixed or changed, feel free to ask for amendments.

That’s how easily you can get help from us!

Get more done with an expert essay writer by your side

Are you completely overwhelmed with work? Struggling to handle completing daily work and other responsibilities? You've come to the right place as we're set up to alleviate your worries. Make a "write my paper" request and we will make hundreds of qualified and experienced writers available to you. Pick a writer, send them your requirements, and use the opportunity to catch up with your work or other duties, safe in the knowledge that you are getting a guaranteed high-quality paper before your due date.

When you leave us your "do my essay" request, you are assured of highly original work based on the requirements you provided to our essay writing service. We put all our papers through the most commonly used originality software. You can request this report upon order completion to confirm authentic work.

The choice is simple. Get an expert to do your paper writing and give yourself room to breathe. Rest assured, your comfort and confidence in our services remain our top priority. So if you want to "pay someone to write my essay," you've come to the best place. The final result is a great piece of writing that is affordable and will help you reach your career and life goals!

Essay writing service that keeps your data safe

Getting paper writing help is not a shameful practice, yet we understand the wishes of our clients to keep their details confidential. Therefore, we have respectfully implemented encryption of the highest levels and only employ world renowned payment gateways so that both your personal information and card information are in safe hands. Say "help write my essay" knowing that you won't be exposed and that your data is managed with the highest standards of security. Hire essay writers and work with real pros, improve your academic performance, and get access to a unique set of bonuses.

Human Resources

Staff essay contest winners celebrated.

Four Princeton staff members have been honored for their writing in the 10th annual Princeton Writes essay contest.

By Adrianne Da Ponte, Advancement   The 2023-2024 contest invited participants to describe a space they would like to create “within our University community or elsewhere.” Thirty-one staff members representing 27 academic and administrative units took up the challenge. An essay by Alison Cummins, office and events coordinator at the Sharmin and Bijan Mossavar-Rahmani Center for Iran and Persian Gulf Studies, won the Princeton Writes prize. Essays by Joseph Gessner, Julie Meyers, and Alice Señeres received honorable mentions.

Chancellor Green’s rotunda served as the setting for a celebration of honorees and their fellow contest participants on June 6. Princeton Writes  Program Director John Weeren thanked all entrants for constructing spaces “designed to nourish ourselves and engage with others,” whether “magical” or “grounded in the here and now.”

Cummins’ prizewinning essay is less about creating a space from scratch than coming to terms with a space that once existed and is now both a source of longing and a catalyst for re-imagination. In passages of vivid color and intimate detail,  The Blue Room(Link is external) (Link opens in new window) evokes a beloved childhood bedroom and draws readers into a reflection on growing up and the ways in which the past shapes the present.

As a writer with primary interests in plays and fiction, Cummins enjoyed the chance to explore non-fiction writing through her essay. Her educational background includes a master’s degree in writing for the stage and screen from University College Dublin, along with a BA in sociology and minors in English and creative writing from Muhlenberg College. She has had several plays produced and is currently working on a novel.

Throughout her life, Cummins has enjoyed opportunities to travel and to live and study abroad, including a brief stint in Nepal cut short by the pandemic. She brings this international perspective to her work at the Mossavar-Rahmani Center, where frequent event-planning responsibilities enable her to engage with scholars and artists from around the world. 

For Gessner, a mail carrier with Print and Mail Services who also happens to be a playwright, this year’s contest provided a welcome opportunity to connect his writing to his lifelong interest in the natural environment. In his essay,  A Thousand Trees from Now(Link is external) (Link opens in new window) , he proposes the creation of a “mini-forest” on Princeton’s campus. Modeled on a method developed by botanist Akira Miyawaki, this concept relies on native plants and intensive cultivation to rapidly replicate mature forest communities on small plots in locations around the world.

As Gessner envisions it, this Princeton forest would build community—not only among plants but also among the generations of people involved in its cultivation and stewardship. The theme of community, of finding and building “the connections between things,” is a through-line in Gessner’s life and work. His undergraduate studies in sociology shaped an abiding interest in cultural encounters, both between and within communities. A move to Princeton some 25 years ago from rural south Jersey represented a personal cultural shift, one that he relishes on daily rounds and in conversations within what he calls the University “ecosystem.” His latest project is a play about a billionaire trying to sell her plan to revive a struggling mining town.

Meyers’ essay,  Hidden Daggers(Link is external) (Link opens in new window) , envisions the creation of a “Well, Come!” center on campus that offers warmth, comfort, and solace to all who enter. She recounts her own experience as a college student facing the death of her mother while her roommates eagerly discussed plans for winter break, a reminder that even seemingly innocuous conversations can unwittingly inflame hidden suffering. Meyers’ center is meant to be a place of sanctuary where this pain need not remain concealed.

In the loss of her mother, Meyers found inspiration for her life’s work—fundraising for causes that matter. “Although I chose not to go into medicine, I knew I could make a difference speaking about health and other vital issues,” says Meyers, whose first job involved fundraising for breast cancer. Through subsequent fundraising and communications teaching roles, she has continued to work for causes she believes in, and sees her life as an experience of gratitude. Now an associate director for donor relations in University Advancement, Meyers relishes the opportunity to express gratitude to those whose generosity helps sustain Princeton’s mission.

Señeres, an associate dean for academic affairs in the Graduate School, never thought of herself as a writer until she started taking classes through Princeton Writes . The easy camaraderie of these sessions gave her the confidence to enter this year’s contest. Her essay, Tell Me About It(Link is external) , which imagines a campus coffee shop built around “deep but brief interactions,” was inspired by a transformative encounter in her own life.

In her role at the Graduate School, Señeres works with students in the sciences and engineering, guiding them through every touchpoint of their careers at Princeton, from admissions to program completion. Formerly a professor of mathematics and director of the Learning Centers at Rutgers University, she brings to her work at Princeton a deep understanding of the challenges and rewards of graduate education.

The central theme of her essay—finding opportunities to listen to others and to trust in even fleeting connections—has also informed many of her life decisions, whether choosing to embark on a new doctoral program, pulling up stakes and spending a year in Germany on a Fulbright, or taking up horseback riding as an adult.

Princeton Writes , established in 2013, provides a welcoming space for employees and students to strengthen their practical communication skills through workshops, tutorials, practice-based learning groups, and other forms of support. 

Among these offerings is Writing Space, a congenial and creative community of writers and would-be writers who meet monthly between September and June in the classroom in B03 New South. Writing Space gives participants the opportunity, inspiration, and motivation they need to set aside time to write and is sometimes the starting point for winning essays. 

To join the Writing Space mailing list, email [email protected] .

Appropriate Level of Citation

The number of sources you cite in your paper depends on the purpose of your work. For most papers, cite one or two of the most representative sources for each key point. Literature review papers, however, typically include a more exhaustive list of references.

Provide appropriate credit to the source (e.g., by using an in-text citation) whenever you do the following:

• paraphrase (i.e., state in your own words) the ideas of others
• directly quote the words of others
• refer to data or data sets
• reprint or adapt a table or figure, even images from the internet that are free or licensed in the Creative Commons
• reprint a long text passage or commercially copyrighted test item

Avoid both undercitation and overcitation. Undercitation can lead to plagiarism and/or self-plagiarism . Overcitation can be distracting and is unnecessary.

For example, it is considered overcitation to repeat the same citation in every sentence when the source and topic have not changed. Instead, when paraphrasing a key point in more than one sentence within a paragraph, cite the source in the first sentence in which it is relevant and do not repeat the citation in subsequent sentences as long as the source remains clear and unchanged.

Figure 8.1 in Chapter 8 of the Publication Manual provides an example of an appropriate level of citation.

Determining the appropriate level of citation is covered in the seventh edition APA Style manuals in the Publication Manual Section 8.1 and the Concise Guide Section 8.1

Related handouts

• In-Text Citation Checklist (PDF, 227KB)
• Six Steps to Proper Citation (PDF, 112KB)

From the APA Style blog

How to cite your own translations

If you translate a passage from one language into another on your own in your paper, your translation is considered a paraphrase, not a direct quotation.

Key takeaways from the Psi Chi webinar So You Need to Write a Literature Review

This blog post describes key tasks in writing an effective literature review and provides strategies for approaching those tasks.

How to cite a work with a nonrecoverable source

In most cases, nonrecoverable sources such as personal emails, nonarchived social media livestreams (or deleted and unarchived social media posts), classroom lectures, unrecorded webinars or presentations, and intranet sources should be cited only in the text as personal communications.

The “outdated sources” myth

The “outdated sources” myth is that sources must have been published recently, such as the last 5 to 10 years. There is no timeliness requirement in APA Style.

From COVID-19 to demands for social justice: Citing contemporary sources for current events

The guidance in the seventh edition of the Publication Manual makes the process of citing contemporary sources found online easier than ever before.

Citing classical and religious works

A classical or religious work is cited as either a book or a webpage, depending on what version of the source you are using. This post includes details and examples.

Academic Writer—APA’s essential teaching resource for higher education instructors

Academic Writer’s advanced authoring technology and digital learning tools allow students to take a hands-on approach to learning the scholarly research and writing process.

APA Style webinar on citing works in text

Attend the webinar, “Citing Works in Text Using Seventh Edition APA Style,” on July 14, 2020, to learn the keys to accurately and consistently citing sources in APA Style.

Frequently Asked Questions about LSAT Argumentative Writing

LSAC strives to ensure LSAT ®  takers have the information and resources they need to succeed on test day, including up-to-date information about LSAT Argumentative Writing SM . The FAQs below have been compiled based on common questions we receive about LSAT Argumentative Writing and have been divided into subjects to help you find the information you’re looking for.

Additional FAQ collections address specific aspects of the test, such as  The LSAT ,  Testing Accommodations , and  LSAT Score Preview .

If you can’t find an answer to your question, please contact our Candidate Services team:

Chat:  You can start a conversation with an LSAC customer service representative via chat by using the icon at the bottom-right corner of your screen. Our chat feature is available during business hours.

Email:   [email protected]

Phone:   1.800.336.3982

Hours:  Monday-Friday: 8:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. ET Saturday and Sunday: 12 p.m. to 4 p.m. ET Please note that  holiday hours  may differ.

Quick Links:

Registering for lsat argumentative writing, preparing for lsat argumentative writing, disability-related test accommodations, test and test-taker security, taking lsat argumentative writing, lsat scores and law school admission, how do i register for lsat argumentative writing.

One administration of LSAT Argumentative Writing is included in your LSAT registration. By registering for the LSAT, you will be automatically eligible to complete the writing section as early as eight (8) days prior to taking the multiple-choice portion of the LSAT. You can access LSAT Argumentative Writing from your LSAC JD Account.

What does LSAT Argumentative Writing cost?

The LSAT registration fee includes both the multiple-choice portion of the LSAT and LSAT Argumentative Writing. There are no additional fees associated with LSAT Argumentative Writing.

Do I have to take LSAT Argumentative Writing if I have already completed a writing sample during a previous LSAT administration?

No. Test takers are only required to have one writing sample on file for their LSAT to be considered complete. Writing samples may be from either a previous LSAT administration, an administration of LSAT Writing, or an administration of LSAT Argumentative Writing.

Can I register to take LSAT Argumentative Writing as a standalone?

No, we are not offering standalone LSAT Argumentative Writing. For questions, please contact LSAC’s Customer Relationships team via chat or at [email protected] or 1.800.336.3982 .

Is LSAT Argumentative Writing available outside of North America?

Yes. LSAT Argumentative Writing is available in all locations with access to the internet.

Back to Top

What kind of computer do I need in order to take LSAT Argumentative Writing?

LSAT Argumentative Writing requires a desktop or laptop computer running Windows or Mac OS that has a webcam, a microphone, only one connected monitor, and an internet connection.

Important Notes

• LSAT Argumentative Writing is not compatible with mobile devices, Chrome OS, or Linux. 
• Be sure that you have administrative rights to the computer on which you’ll take the test. (This is so you can download the required proctoring software.)
• Before you launch LSAT Argumentative Writing, be sure to shut down all non-essential applications. This includes disabling any grammar-checking extensions (e.g., Grammarly, Microsoft Editor, etc.).

How will I log in to take LSAT Argumentative Writing?

Test takers will launch LSAT Argumentative Writing using the link provided on the LSAT Argumentative Writing page of their LSAC JD Account. The link will be made available at 12 a.m. (ET) eight (8) days prior to the start of the test taker’s LSAT administration. LSAT Argumentative Writing can only be launched from the individualized link provided in the test taker’s account.

Do I need any identification to take LSAT Argumentative Writing?

Every test taker is required to present a physical, valid international passport or a physical, valid government-issued photo ID issued by the United States of America, U.S. Territories, or Canada. The ID must be current (or have expired within 3 months of your test date) and must contain:

• A recent and recognizable photo of you
• Your first name
• Your last name
• Your date of birth

The first and last name listed on your ID  must exactly match  the legal first and last name associated with your LSAC JD Account. You can make changes to your legal name on the “Profile” page in your account. For more information, please visit  Biographical Information Changes . 

This is important. By law, U.S. military IDs cannot be photographed and thus cannot be used for this purpose.

Learn more about ID accepted for LSAT admission

What features are included in the LSAT Argumentative Writing interface?

LSAT Argumentative Writing’s interface offers:

• Built-in, user-adjustable tools such as a feature to increase text size incrementally and a line-spacing function.
• Highlighting and underlining tools , which can be used to mark key points in the prompt.
• Digital “Scratch Paper,” which enables test takers to type notes, instead of writing them on a physical piece of scratch paper. Physical scratch paper is not permitted for LSAT Argumentative Writing.

Additionally, misspellings in the LSAT Argumentative Writing essay are underlined in accordance with the web browser’s spell-check feature. However, alternate spelling suggestions are not available within the test environment. 

To get familiar with the LSAT Argumentative  Writing interface and experience, we encourage test takers to explore the LSAT Argumentative Writing Prep #1 practice prompt available for free through LawHub™.

Does LSAT Argumentative Writing impose a word or space limit for the writing sample?

There is no word or space limit for LSAT Argumentative  Writing. You are advised not to worry about the length of your writing sample, but instead to concentrate on crafting a response to the prompt that is well-written, cogent, and well-argued.

Will I be able to request accommodations for LSAT Argumentative Writing?

Yes. Test takers can submit requests for accommodations for LSAT Argumentative  Writing at the same time they request accommodations for the multiple-choice portion of the LSAT, using the same online form.

What accommodations are available on LSAT Argumentative Writing?

For information regarding available testing accommodations, visit  Accommodations that May Be Available on the LSAT .

Some accommodations that are available on the LSAT will not be needed for LSAT Argumentative  Writing (e.g., extra breaks between sections, a non-Scantron answer sheet).

How is test security managed for LSAT Argumentative Writing?

The secure proctoring platform uses input from the webcam, microphone, and screen of the test taker’s computer to ensure that the writing sample is the test taker’s own work, and that the test taker is not receiving any inappropriate assistance.

Prior to the test, test takers will complete a video check-in process. As part of the check-in process, test takers will be required to clearly display a physical, valid government-issued photo ID issued by the United States of America, U.S. Territories, or Canada, or a physical, valid international passport for the camera to capture. This image must not be blurry or out of focus. Test takers will also be required to show their workspace using their webcam, to ensure that only permissible items are in that space. The room will be scanned to make sure no other people or prohibited items are present. Test takers who require additional items in their workspace due to a disability may seek appropriate accommodations through the standard procedures for   requesting testing accommodations .  

Audio and video from every testing session will be reviewed by trained proctors.

What steps is LSAC taking to protect my privacy?

Initial reviews of LSAT Argumentative  Writing videos will be conducted by trained proctors in a secure, supervised environment. If a video is flagged for suspicious behavior or test conduct violations, LSAC trained staff will review it for the limited purpose of investigating and handling any such misconduct or violations .  Please see the LSAC Privacy Policy for how LSAC collects, uses, discloses, and otherwise processes information.

What will be recorded during the test, and what will you do with the videos after the test?

Input from the test taker’s webcam and microphone will be recorded, as well as everything happening on the test taker’s screen during the test. No videos or images from LSAT Argumentative  Writing will be shared with any law schools. However, audio and video data will be retained in a secure location for later review in the event of a test security investigation and/or misconduct and irregularities investigation.  See Misconduct & Irregularities and the  LSAC Candidate Agreement for more information.

What electronic devices are prohibited?

Devices that cannot be in the room during LSAT Argumentative  Writing include timers of any kind, watches of any kind, electronic cigarettes, fitness-tracking devices, mobile phones, beepers, pagers, personal digital assistants (PDAs), calculators, cameras, recording devices, listening devices (including, but not limited to headphones, ear buds, Air Pods, and other electronic listening devices and/or noise-canceling devices other than generic foam ear plugs), headsets, and iPods and other media players. Please note that tablets, laptops, and personal computers not being used to take LSAT Argumentative  Writing are prohibited.

Prohibited electronic devices may not be in the room during the test because they cannot be monitored via your webcam feed. Please be aware that your testing session will be flagged, and your writing sample canceled, if any prohibited electronics are noted during the room scan portion of your check-in. This includes any monitors or desktop computers that happen to be on the desk you may be resting your laptop on during the writing session. If your session is flagged, your audio and video data may be referred for an investigation by the Misconduct and Irregularities Subcommittee. More information can be found at   Misconduct & Irregularities and in the  LSAC Candidate Agreement .

What other items are prohibited?

Test takers may not use briefcases, handbags, or backpacks of any kind. Head coverings of any kind (e.g., hats, hoods, bonnets, durags, scarves, etc.) may not be worn, unless the head covering is a religious requirement. Sunglasses or other eyewear with tinted lenses may not be worn. Books, printed materials, scratch paper, writing implements (regular or mechanical pencils, and/or ink pens), erasers, highlighters, and any reference materials (including, but not limited to, sticky notes, whiteboards, calendars, notebooks, guides, flyers, or other outside materials) prepared prior to the start of your session may not be used.

Non-electronic prohibited items can remain in the room, but they must be put away and not used, accessed, or referenced during the test.

What can I use to write notes since scratch paper is prohibited?

Unlike the multiple-choice portion of the LSAT, physical scratch paper and writing utensils are not permitted during the standard administration of LSAT Argumentative  Writing. Instead, the LSAT Argumentative  Writing interface includes a built-in, digital “Scratch Paper” section where you’ll be able to type notes, instead of writing them on a physical piece of scratch paper.

What if I need headphones, ear plugs, or earbuds to take the test?

Test takers may use soft, non-electronic, non-corded/banded, generic foam ear plugs. They must be individually shown to the camera during the security check-in procedure.  

Please note: Unless a specified accommodation has been granted, test takers cannot wear headphones, earbuds, or anything similar that is not a soft, non-electronic, non-corded/banded, generic foam ear plug. Additionally, e lectronic noise-canceling devices and/or other noise-canceling devices other than generic foam ear plugs approved by LSAC and/or LSAT Argumentative  Writing personnel are expressly prohibited.  These types of items are unable to be monitored and inhibit LSAC’s ability to ensure a fair and equal testing environment. LSAC’s goal is to safeguard your test and score by putting this policy in place to mitigate testing irregularities that could result in the cancellation of your LSAT Argumentative  Writing sample.

What if someone else enters the room while I am taking the test?

If someone else enters the room, you must ask them to leave immediately. You may continue testing once the person leaves the room. It is not necessary to restart LSAT Argumentative  Writing if a brief interruption occurs.

What if my pet enters the room while I’m taking the test?

If a pet wanders into the room while you are testing, you may continue testing. Your face must be clearly visible throughout the test, and once you begin, you cannot move out of view of the webcam until the test is over.

When can I take LSAT Argumentative Writing?

Test takers are eligible to take LSAT Argumentative  Writing starting eight (8) days prior to their LSAT administration. For your LSAT to be considered complete, you will need to take the LSAT Argumentative  Writing section of the test if you do not already have a writing sample on file from a previous LSAT administration. Most law schools require a writing sample as an integral part of their admission decision, and therefore, you should take the writing sample immediately to meet schools’ application deadlines. Once completed, reviewed, and approved, your writing sample will be shared with the law schools to which you have applied. Test takers will be required to have an approved writing sample in their file in order to see their test score or have their score released to law schools.

How long do I have to complete LSAT Argumentative Writing?

Most test takers will have a total of 50 minutes — 15 minutes for prewriting analysis and 35 minutes for essay writing.

If you do not have a writing sample on file, we encourage you to complete LSAT Argumentative Writing as soon as you can. LSAT Argumentative Writing opens eight (8) days prior to every test administration. Test takers must have a complete writing sample in their file in order to see their score or have their score released to schools. Most law schools require a writing sample as an integral part of their admission decision, and therefore, you should complete your writing sample to meet schools’ application deadlines.

In case you are not applying in the current cycle, please note you have a maximum of one year to complete your LSAT Argumentative Writing sample. For questions, please contact LSAC’s Candidate Services team at [email protected] or 1.800.336.3982 .

Does it matter which web browser I use to launch LSAT Argumentative Writing?

Yes. LSAT Argumentative Writing can only be launched from Chrome or Firefox. The three most recent versions of these browsers are supported. Safari and Edge are not supported at this time.

What items can I use during LSAT Argumentative Writing?

You are allowed to use the following items while taking LSAT Argumentative Writing:

• Soft foam earplugs (non-electronic, non-corded/banded, and generic foam earplugs)
• Water in a clear or transparent container with a lid or cap. All labels must be removed from the container.
• Medication/medical supplies (including eyeglasses)
• Diabetic testing or treatment supplies (Bluetooth-enabled medical devices must be pre-approved)

Each of these items must be shown to the camera during the security check-in procedure.

This is important.  Use of scratch paper is not permitted during LSAT Argumentative Writing, unless requested and approved as a testing accommodation. (The LSAT Argumentative Writing interface includes a digital “Scratch Paper” section where test takers can type notes, instead of writing them on a physical piece of scratch paper.)

What behaviors are prohibited?

Adhering to the highest moral and ethical standards is essential for those in the legal profession. Every test taker is required to sign a  Candidate Agreement  each time they take the LSAT. Please make sure you read the entire Agreement; rushing through it or ignoring any of it could have serious adverse consequences.

Generally, during the test you may not:

• Communicate with anyone other than your proctor
• Read aloud (unless the test taker has an approved accommodation)
• Allow your face to leave the webcam’s view
• Leave your seat
• Run any prohibited software applications
• Access any prohibited materials
• Connect or disconnect any external storage devices
• Behave in a noncompliant or abusive manner 
• Disable your camera or audio capabilities

After the test you may not:

• Share details of the writing sample in an oral or written form, which includes sharing content on the internet or through any means or media
• Copy, save, duplicate, or distribute any of the writing sample material on your computer or any written notes you may have used during the writing sample

How is LSAT Argumentative Writing proctored?

LSAT Argumentative Writing sessions are recorded and reviewed by a proctor after submission. The proctor will audit the recording for any testing irregularities or violations that may have occurred during the session, such as an illegible ID or possession of a prohibited item. If such an irregularity is discovered, the session will be flagged for LSAC to conduct an additional review and/or investigation.

Will a proctor be available to assist me?

Generally, a live proctor will not be available to guide you through the onscreen instructions. We strongly encourage you to carefully read all of the onscreen prompts and to familiarize yourself with the FAQs on this page. Skipping any steps may result in additional reviews and could cause your LSAT Argumentative Writing sample to be canceled and reset.

If you experience technical difficulties while taking LSAT Argumentative Writing, please contact the 24/7 technical support line at 1.855.772.8678 .  Technical support is available through your entire LSAT Argumentative Writing session.

How do I identify myself before the test?

When prompted, you must clearly display a physical, valid international passport or a physical, valid government-issued photo ID issued by the United States of America, U.S. Territories, or Canada to be photographed by the system. The first and last name on your ID must exactly match the legal first and last name associated with your LSAC JD Account.

Please ensure that the photo of your ID is clear and recognizable before capturing it. If the image of your ID is blurry, out of focus, or unrecognizable, a proctor will flag your ID as invalid when they review your session, your writing sample will be canceled, and you will need to submit a new writing sample. This may delay the release of your LSAT score to you and to law schools.

What if I don’t have my physical ID? Can I use a picture of it?

No. LSAC will only accept physical identification. Digital images, photocopies, etc., are  not  acceptable under any circumstances.

Can I use Grammarly or other browser extensions while taking LSAT Argumentative Writing?

No. Before launching LSAT Argumentative Writing, be sure to shut down all non-essential applications and disable any grammar-checking extensions, including Grammarly, Microsoft Editor, etc.  LSAT Argumentative Writing is designed to showcase an individual’s persuasive writing skills, and any program that adjust s  the essay wording or structure can modify the response into something that is no longer the test taker’s own work.

A spellcheck feature is built into the LawHub interface, but external  AI-assistive extensions and aids, such as Grammarly, MS Editor, Writefull, Wordtune, Reverso, etc., are not permitted.

Can I use assistive technology programs while I take LSAT Argumentative Writing?

Upon request, all LSAT Argumentative Writing test takers (with or without test accommodations) are permitted to use external computer programs to make web content accessible, such as screen magnification or keyboard-controlled screen reader software. To protect the security of test content, selectable text functionality (i.e., the ability to select text or place the cursor on the screen) is not available on any of LSAC’s products. Therefore, the computer-based LSAT Argumentative Writing is accessible with screen reader software programs that can be controlled and navigated using keystrokes and keyboard commands rather than text-to-speech software controlled and navigated using the mouse and cursor.

If you plan to use assistive technology programs while taking LSAT Argumentative Writing, you must inform LSAC by completing the Assistive Technology Form during registration. Test takers who require the use of special equipment to access the test are encouraged to use your programs and equipment to explore the LSAT Argumentative Writing Prep #1 practice prompt available through LawHub. This practice prompt is designed to enable test takers to become familiar with the LSAT Argumentative Writing interface and experience.

Contact LSAC for Questions and Support

If you have any questions about the accessibility of LSAC’s products, please contact  [email protected] .

If you require additional accommodation to access LSAT Argumentative Writing due to a disability, we encourage you to contact an LSAC Disability Customer Service Representative at  [email protected]  or  855.384.2253 for assistance. Any request for testing accommodations must be submitted by the applicable registration deadline. LSAC is committed to working with test takers to facilitate accessibility to LSAT Argumentative Writing.

Where should I take LSAT Argumentative Writing?

Choose a quiet, well-lit, fully enclosed, and private work area, where you can complete the test without interruption. You may not take the test in a location with transparent/glass walls, in a cubicle, or in a hotel lobby. Please ensure that your workspace is clean and clear of any prohibited items. You must be clearly visible from chin to forehead and from shoulder to shoulder throughout the test; once you begin, you cannot move out of view of the webcam until the test is over.

Will every test taker receive the same writing prompt?

No. Test takers will be presented with a randomly selected prompt that they have not seen during a previous administration of the LSAT or LSAT Argumentative  Writing.

I’m ready to take LSAT Argumentative Writing, but the link to launch the test isn’t on the LSAT Argumentative Writing page in my account. What do I do?

The link to launch LSAT Argumentative  Writing will not be available in your account until eight (8) days prior to the start of your LSAT administration. You can find the date that LSAT Argumentative  Writing will open for each administration at Upcoming LSAT Dates .

If you’re checking after your available date and you still don’t see the link, please call LSAC at 1.800.336.3982  and press 0 or send an email to [email protected] for assistance.

I accidentally closed my browser before submitting my writing sample. What should I do?

If you accidentally close out of LSAT Argumentative Writing during testing, you should immediately attempt to relaunch the test. To do this, return to your LSAC JD Account and select the “Launch LSAT Argumentative Writing” link.

If you are unable to relaunch LSAT Argumentative Writing, you will need to contact LSAC to reset your eligibility. This will allow you to restart LSAT Argumentative Writing with a new writing prompt. Please call LSAC at 1.800.336.3982 and press 0  or send an email to [email protected] for assistance.

What if I have technical difficulties during LSAT Argumentative Writing?

If you experience technical difficulties, please contact the 24/7 technical support line at 1.855.772.8678 . Please note that test takers who experience technical problems that prevent them from completing their writing sample will be given the opportunity to test again with a different writing prompt.

Is LSAT Argumentative Writing required for applying to law schools?

For your LSAT to be considered complete, you must have at least one writing sample on file — either from an earlier administration of the LSAT or from LSAT Argumentative  Writing.

If you do not have a writing sample on file, we encourage you to complete LSAT Argumentative  Writing as soon as you can. Test takers are required to have a completed writing sample in their file in order to see their test score or have their score released to law schools. Most law schools require a writing sample as an integral part of their admission decision, and therefore, you should take the writing sample immediately to meet schools’ application deadlines. Once completed, reviewed, and approved, your writing sample will be shared with the law schools to which you have applied.

To help test takers complete their writing sample, LSAT Argumentative  Writing opens eight (8) days prior to each test administration and can be completed at any time.   

If you already have a reportable writing sample on file, you do not need to complete LSAT Argumentative  Writing.

When will my LSAT Argumentative Writing sample be available for inclusion in my CAS Report?

Once completed, reviewed, and approved, your writing sample will be shared with the law schools to which you have applied. In many cases, LSAT Argumentative Writing samples will be processed within a week of completion. However, test takers are advised to allow up to three weeks for processing before their writing sample can be included in a CAS Report. 

Are the writing samples from LSAT Argumentative Writing scored?

No. LSAT Argumentative Writing samples are not scored . However, you must complete LSAT Argumentative Writing to receive your LSAT score .

Do schools read my writing sample?

Most law schools require an LSAT Argumentative Writing sample as an integral part of their admission decision, and many admission professionals have reported that LSAT Argumentative Writing is useful in their candidate evaluation processes. However, each school follows its own policies on the use of writing samples for admission decisions.

Do all writing samples get reported to the law schools?

No. LSAC will include up to the three most recent reportable writing samples with your law school report. Writing samples are only reportable for five testing years. Writing samples that are more than five years old will not get reported to law schools.

Note that candidates only need to have one reportable writing sample on file for their LSAT to be considered complete.

Once completed, reviewed, and approved, your LSAT Argumentative Writing sample will be shared with you and the law schools to which you have applied.

Can I review my writing sample after I have completed LSAT Argumentative Writing?

Yes. Each test taker will have an opportunity to read their writing sample immediately after completing the test. It is strictly prohibited to take any pictures or screenshots of your completed writing sample, including the “Test Completion” screen. Violation of this policy may result in an LSAT Argumentative Writing cancellation and a referral to the Subcommittee on Misconduct and Irregularities in the Admission Process, as it is strictly prohibited, and you are still in the testing session.

My LSAT Argumentative Writing sample was canceled for a security violation. Does that cancellation get reported to law schools, and what happens next?

In most cases, a canceled writing sample is not reported to law schools. When your LSAT Argumentative Writing is canceled for certain rules violations (such as an unacceptable ID or an incomplete room scan), your eligibility will be reset, and you will have the opportunity to retake LSAT Argumentative Writing.  However, if the cancellation is due to a violation of test security policies (e.g., use of a prohibited electronic device), you may be referred to the Misconduct and Irregularities Subcommittee for further investigation. If the subcommittee representative determines that a preponderance of the evidence shows misconduct or irregularity, then a report of the determination is sent to all law schools to which the individual has applied, subsequently applies, or has matriculated. See Misconduct & Irregularities for further information.

Free Essay and Paper Checker

Try our other writing services

Correct your entire essay within 5 minutes

• Proofread on 100+ language issues
• Specialized in academic texts
• Corrections directly in your essay

Correct your entire essay in 5 minutes

Why this is the best free essay checker.

Tested most accurate

In the test for the best grammar checker , Scribbr found 19 out of 20 errors.

No signup needed

You don’t have to register or sign up. Insert your text and get started right away.

Long texts, short texts it doesn’t matter – there’s no character or word limit.

Don’t wait for ads or distractions. The essay checker is ad-free!

Nobody's perfect all the time—and now, you don’t have to be!

There are times when you just want to write without worrying about every grammar or spelling convention. The online proofreader immediately finds all of your errors. This allows you to concentrate on the bigger picture. You’ll be 100% confident that your writing won’t affect your grade.

Correcting your grammar

The Scribbr essay checker fixes grammar mistakes like:

• Sentence fragments & run-on sentences
• Subject-verb agreement errors
• Issues with parallelism

Spelling & Typos

Basic spell-checks often miss academic terms in writing and mark them as errors. Scribbr has a large dictionary of recognized (academic) words, so you can feel confident every word is 100% correct.

Punctuation errors

The essay checker takes away all your punctuation worries. Avoid common mistakes with:

• Dashes and hyphens
• Apostrophes
• Parentheses
• Question marks
• Colons and semicolons
• Quotation marks

Avoid word choice errors

Should you use   “affect” or “effect” ? Is it   “then” or “than” ? Did you mean   “there,” “their,” or “they’re” ?

Never worry about embarrassing word choice errors again. Our grammar checker will spot and correct any errors with   commonly confused words .

Improve your text with one click

The Scribbr Grammar Checker allows you to accept all suggestions in your document with a single click.

Give it a try!

Correct your entire document in 5 minutes

Would you like to upload your entire essay and check it for 100+ academic language issues? Then Scribbr’s AI-powered proofreading is perfect for you.

With the AI Proofreader, you can correct your text in no time:

• Upload document
• Wait briefly while all errors are corrected directly in your document
• Correct errors with one click

Proofread my document

A Grammar Checker for all English variants

There are important differences between the versions of English used in different parts of the world, including UK and US English . Our essay checker supports a variety of major English dialects:

• Canadian English
• Australian English

Why users love our Essay Checker

Save time and upload your entire essay to fix it in minutes

Scribbr & academic integrity.

Scribbr is committed to protecting academic integrity. Our plagiarism checker , AI Detector , Citation Generator , proofreading services , paraphrasing tool , grammar checker , summarizer , and free Knowledge Base content are designed to help students produce quality academic papers.

We make every effort to prevent our software from being used for fraudulent or manipulative purposes.

Ask our team

Want to contact us directly? No problem.  We  are always here for you.

• Email [email protected]
• Start live chat
• Call +1 (510) 822-8066
• WhatsApp +31 20 261 6040

Frequently asked questions

Our Essay Checker can detect most grammar, spelling, and punctuation mistakes. That said, we can’t guarantee 100% accuracy. 

Absolutely! The Essay Checker is particularly useful for non-native English speakers, as it can detect mistakes that may have gone unnoticed.

The exact time depends on the length of your document, but, in most cases it doesn’t take more than a minute.

• Skip to main content
• Keyboard shortcuts for audio player

• LISTEN & FOLLOW
• Apple Podcasts
• Amazon Music

Your support helps make our show possible and unlocks access to our sponsor-free feed.

On the centennial of his birth, James Baldwin remains relevant today

Andrew Limbong

Recalling the words of writer James Baldwin, who was born 100 years ago

The author James Baldwin would have turned 100 on Aug, 2. Evening Standard/Getty Images/Hulton Archive hide caption

James Baldwin would have celebrated his 100th birthday Friday — on Aug. 2. On NPR and elsewhere, you can find deep examinations of his legacy – as everything from an orator, a fashion icon, to civil rights activist. But he was, of course, a writer first and foremost.

So, we thought: Why not spend a moment breaking down a few of his sentences to figure out what made his writing so affecting, so indelible, so good that it’s still worth reading today?

We’ve chosen a few lines from two of his most well-known books — his essay collection The Fire Next Time and his novel Go Tell It on the Mountain . In many ways, these books are in conversation with each other. The opening essay to The Fire Next Time is Baldwin’s letter to his 14-year-old nephew describing the faulty institutions that make up his life — his family, his faith, and his country. And the second essay opens like this: “I underwent, during the summer that I became fourteen, a prolonged religious crisis.” In Go Tell it on the Mountain , Baldwin writes a bit of fiction drawn from his own life, about a 14-year-old boy who is finding out those very same faults, as well as figuring out his own sexuality. And it opens on a very similar day of crisis.

For each book, we’ve enlisted the help of an expert to talk about what they find interesting about Baldwin’s writing style, and what legacy each work leaves. The interviews, which follow below, have been edited for length and clarity.

The Fire Next Time

The two essays in The Fire Next Time were published in the 1960s. But they still sounded new in the early 2000s when Jesmyn Ward first read them. Ward is the author of a number of books including Sing, Unburied Sing and her memoir The Men We Reaped . We called her up for this book in particular because she edited a 2016 collection of political essays and poetry titled The Fire This Time , as a nod to Baldwin. “I wanted to let him know, wherever he may be, that there are those of us who look up to him and who are attempting to do the same work that he did with the same honesty and same fearlessness” said Ward. The first essay, titled “My Dungeon Shook: Letter to my Nephew on the One Hundredth Anniversary of the Emancipation,” starts like this:

Dear James:  I have begun this letter five times and torn it up five times. I keep seeing your face, which is also the face of your father and my brother. Like him, you are tough, dark, vulnerable, moody – with a very definite tendency to sound truculent because you want no one to think you are soft.

What tone is he setting here?

JW: That first sentence in the first sentence – “I've begun this letter five times and turn it up five times.” Right there, he's signaling to his nephew, we're about to talk about something that's very difficult. But softens that with the next line, “I keep seeing your face.” Following up with such a careful, close sort of observation about his nephew's characteristics in the way that they sort of echo his father and his grandfather. That's love, right? Because I love you enough to see you clearly.

You were born where you were born and face the future that you faced because you were black and for no other reason. The limits of your ambition were, thus, expected to be set forever. You were born into a society which spelled out with brutal clarity, and in as many ways as possible, that you were a worthless human being.

This is another example of his straightforward honesty with his nephew. But what did you make of it?

JW: It's all still true. That’s one of the things that is so genius about specifically this letter. There are these moments in the texts where he doesn't use his nephew's name and he just uses you. And in those moments, especially in moments like this, when he is so straightforward about what he sees in America. And where he is so straightforward about how the world has been constructed to jail, or to confine in some ways. And it feels like he's speaking to me. It feels like this wise, older wise person is sitting with me and they're telling me something about my life and about the circumstances of my life that I dimly understood, but was not able to articulate.

This entire country has been constructed in a way that it is very easy to be terrified and bewildered and to sink into despair and hatred. And so I think that often when we return to Baldwin, what we want is we want someone to acknowledge our emotions. But then also just to say at the same time, you feel this way because this place has been constructed in this way and it is all predicated on this false understanding of your not being human. And in this section, he just makes room for your emotions. For you to feel what you feel. But then also gives you something of a gift that you can take out into the outside world and use it to help you navigate this really difficult reality.

In the next essay, titled “Down at the Cross: Letter from a Region in My Mind,” he goes to interview Elijah Muhammad, the head of the Nation of Islam, and has this dinner. And it’s rare to read something where Baldwin is not the big dog in the room. What do you make of James Baldwin the reporter being packaged inside Baldwin the essayist? 

JW: I felt for Baldwin at that moment. There are so many levels of awareness that he's sort of struggling with. He's not the most important person in the room and in the minds of the people around him. He's not the most erudite person in the room. And he's also aware of the fact that the Honorable Elijah Muhammad is courting him. [Muhammad] wants [Baldwin] to buy into his philosophy. And Baldwin is aware of the fact that he can't.

A couple of times throughout the essay he talks about the fact that, after this dinner, he's going to meet up with some white friends and he's going to have drinks. And these are people who he cares about and who he loves and who are part of his social circle. And who he can't just relegate to the category of white devil. It's very interesting to me how Baldwin is juggling all these different awarenesses and how, at the same time, there are things about the Black Muslims philosophy that he understands.

And I looked around the table. I certainly had no evidence to give them that would outweigh Elijah’s authority or the evidence o f their own lives or the reality of the streets outside.

He's a writer. So he sees the human. He observes the human. He understands. He's able to look at each of these people that he's interacting with and he's able to understand something of what they are struggling with and something of what they brought to this moment. All of that is what makes him the great writer who he is.

Go Tell It on the Mountain

When it comes to Baldwin’s fiction work, there are plenty of books worthy of examination. But there’s something special about Go Tell It on the Mountain . “He describes this as the book he had to write if he was ever going to write anything else,” says McKinley Melton, associate professor and chair of Africana studies at Rhodes College. “I often think of it as a revisitation of his childhood with a narrative perspective that knows and understands all of the things a young Baldwin wishes he had known and understood when he was 14.”

The novel follows a boy named John undergoing that same crisis of faith Baldwin described in The Fire Next Time . But he opens it a little differently in fiction.

Everyone had always said that John would be a preacher when he grew up, just like his father. It had been said so often that John, without ever thinking about it, had come to believe it himself. Not until the morning of his fourteenth birthday did he really begin to think about it, and by then it was already too late. 

That last clause kind of reads like a horror story.

MM: There’s something deeply ominous about the way that that opening paragraph closes. You open with this idea of, oh, this is just an introduction to a young man who's stepping into a role that the father has laid out. You come into it feeling kind of hopeful and optimistic and, oh, what a beautiful thing that everybody's envisioning this future for this young man. And we think about everything that it means when people say, oh, that kid's going to be a preacher . We see him as an orator, we see him as an intellectual, we'll see him as charming, we see him as engaging. We see a leader when we look at this kid. And so there's something very optimistic about that opening that then turns by the end of the novel into. But that was actually the source of his doom.

I want to jump ahead a few pages. There’s this guy named Elijah. He’s a couple years older, and he teaches Sunday school. 

John stared at Elisha all during the lesson, admiring the timbre of Elisha’s voice, much deeper and manlier than his own, admiring the leanness, and grace, and strength, and darkness of Elisha in his Sunday suit, wondering if he would ever be holy as Elisha was holy.

MM: This is another sentence that I often will pause with students to kind of think about and say, what's going on here? And then they just say, “Oh, my God, he has a crush.” Yeah, he has a crush. Absolutely. But then we look at it and, I look at this passage and, because of all of the ways that the different clauses bounce off of one another throughout the sentence, you're kind of leaving this saying, well, does John have the hots for Elisha? Because John is learning that he's probably gay. Or is John admiring Elisha because he is all of the things that John has been told he's supposed to be in terms of this kind of striving toward being a preacher when he grows up and the kind of idea of being saved in the idea of being holy, in the idea of looking good in a Sunday suit.  

The middle chunk of the book goes into the lives of his aunt, his mother, and his step father. And I want to focus on his step father, Gabriel. And if you grew up in the church you know that the people who are sinners and then find God are often the most vociferously faithful. And Gabriel definitely fits that mold. There’s a bit where he has an affair with a woman named Esther, and he gets Esther pregnant.

Near the end of that summer he went out again into the field. He could not stand his home, his job, the town itself – he could not endure, day in, day out, facing the scenes and the people he had known all his life. They seemed suddenly to mock him, to stand in judgement on him; he saw guilt in everybody’s eyes. 

John is scared of hell and eternal damnation. Gabriel seems more scared of other people, and very earthly judgements, right? 

MM: I often think about the unfolding of this novel. We start with John in this moment of chaos and a lack of understanding. And then the novel takes us back through each of these characters who we come to understand better. We come to understand John better. He's struggling with sin in a space that feels deeply private, deeply unspoken. Gabriel is differently positioned because he's already in that position of prominence. He's standing at the pulpit. He's you know, they're both afraid of judgment. Right. But John is afraid of revelation. And Gabriel fears that everybody already knows. Gabriel is afraid of the judgment that comes based on the fact that, like, oh, they already know who I've always been .

But ultimately, both of them are struggling with this sense of judgment and condemnation and the fear of being, quote unquote, discovered for being less than the holy men that they have aspired to be. But I think what Baldwin is saying is: I'm not just critiquing the church, or the Black church, or the fundamentalist church. I'm asking us to think about what damage does it do to us when we are so deeply, deeply wedded to certain beliefs that don't allow us the fullness of our humanity? And if you're going to be sympathetic for John, you have to figure out a way to be sympathetic for Gabriel, even if his actions don't invite sympathy in the same way.