A Quick Guide to Writing an Economics Essay

A proper economics essay must have a clear central argument backed by evidence. You need to research your topic and to plan the writing process in advance. You should also keep in mind that your essay must have the right structure. Answer the essay question and stick with a formal tone. We hope that this guide from college-writers.com will help you write an outstanding essay!

Preparation

1. First, read your question

You need to analyze it and understand exactly what you’re expected to write. Determine the most important point and focus on it. If you have a complex question, you may break it down into several parts.

• For example, if your essay question is about the macroeconomic consequences of the growth of house prices and the decline in interest rates, you can divide your essay into two parts, addressing each aspect separately. After this, you can consider the way these two issues affect each other.

2. Research your topic

Search for relevant information in your textbooks and look for other resources. You may also ask your teacher to recommend good books or articles devoted to your topic. Make sure that you understand all the important terms and don’t forget to check your lecture notes.

3. Develop your thesis statement

This will be the main argument of your essay. Make it 1-2 sentences long and make sure that it answers your essay question. The whole essay must focus on your thesis statement, and all of your claims must be related to it.

4. Think about the content itself

Once you’ve got the thesis statement ready, plan the rest of the essay. A proper plan will help you create the right structure. First, outline the key points and list them in a logical order. Every paragraph will focus on a particular point and provide some examples that support it.

5. Now it’s time to plan the structure

Take your time and plan your structure that should consist of the three major parts: an introduction, main body, and conclusion. The body of your essay should contain evidence and explain your points. Every paragraph must focus on a single point, and your points should follow each other in a logical order. While planning, keep in mind the word limit. Make your introduction and conclusion one paragraph long.

Writing the Essay

1. Write your introduction

Here you should provide your key argument and briefly outline the overall content of the essay. Make sure that your introduction explains what your essay is about and what information you’re going to provide.

2. Summarize your argument

Outline it in two or three sentences and make sure to address the essay question directly. State your argument clearly. We recommend that you write your argument on a sheet of paper and look at it while writing the essay.

3. Write the body

In this section, you will develop the argument and provide evidence. You should support your claims with facts and authoritative opinions. Make sure to address all the aspects of the topic in the body of your essay. For example, the first part of the main body may focus on the rising house prices, while the second part addresses interest rates. In the third part, you may explain how these two issues affect each other.

4. Back your argument with evidence

Provide evidence in each paragraph. Use the information that you’ve gathered during the research stage and make sure that all your sources are properly cited.

• Don’t ignore arguments that contradict your opinion and address questions that your readers might have when reading your essay.
• Acknowledging opposite opinions can improve your credibility.

5. Write your conclusion

Summarizing the whole essay and mentioning the main pieces of evidence. Your goal is to leave your readers with something to think about. Restate your thesis statement but don’t repeat it word-for-word from the introduction. The conclusion shouldn’t provide any new information. Instead, you may consider your topic in a broader context.

Proofreading

1. First, make sure that you’ve addressed all the aspects of your essay question. Even if you think that your first draft is perfect, we recommend that you proofread it and look for mistakes. Not only should you fix grammar and spelling errors, but you should also make sure that your writing is logically correct.

• Get rid of the irrelevant sentences and avoid repeating the same things. Given that you have a limited word count, make sure that your essay remains focused on the essay question.

2. Evaluate the depth of your argument and the overall consistency of your writing. Make sure that your claims are clear and easy to understand. Determine any segments that may require further explanation. Approach your evidence critically. Even if it supports your claims, make sure that it’s actually trustworthy. Don’t make assumptions and don’t write about things that are not directly related to your topic.

3. Check grammar, style, and spelling. All of your paragraphs should be properly structured. Avoid long sentences with too many clauses. Your writing should be clear and concise so that your readers can understand you easily.

• Avoid colloquialisms and stick with a formal tone.
• Avoid contractions (e.g. “don’t,” “won’t,” etc.).
• Don’t make your paragraphs longer than 10-15 lines.

4. Check your references and make sure to use the right citation style. If you don’t cite your sources properly, your work can suffer from plagiarism issues. Include a bibliography. Make sure every item from your bibliography has been actually used in the main body.