An example essay can always come in handy

The reason that students like using essay examples is because it’s a blueprint for their own writing. Just as a builder wouldn’t start building a house without a plan, you shouldn’t start writing an essay without an outline. That outline doesn’t have to be something you wrote. Using another person’s essay (an example) is one way that students can save time and get a good blueprint to follow for their own work. The biggest issue with using examples is that online essay examples can be poorly written and some students struggle with finding good ones. If you know what to look for, having one can be very handy.

How to Find a Good Essay Sample

If you’re wondering how to do it, then keep reading. These tips will help you find a sample you can actually use for your own essay. Once you know what to look for, it really doesn’t take too long to find a good one.

• The best way to test if a sample is good or not is to have someone else read it. Send a sample you might want to use to a few of your friends and see what they think.
• Pick a sample that’s free of spelling and grammar errors.
• Ideally, the sample should be of a similar topic to your own essay topic.
• What specific instructions has your teacher given? You should search for an essay sample that’s similar in format.

Using an Essay Sample

After you have one you like, using the sample is easy. First, read it and make notes. How many paragraphs do they take up for the introduction? How many for the conclusion? Do they stay to one main topic, or branch out? If the topic of the sample is very similar to yours, what sources or quotes, might you want to borrow from their essay (giving credit in your bibliography of course)?

Essay writing doesn’t have to be hard. Most students who struggle with their writing don’t have a good sample to follow, so you’re already ahead of them. Just make sure you never plagiarize or copy words from the sample into your own writing. You can use some of the same outside sources that they do, but don’t quote from their original work. The best essays should mimic and follow the structure of the sample used, but be their own, original essay.