Writing an essay can be both an interesting and a difficult task. If a specific topic is provided on which the essay has to be written, then it is comparatively easy. All the writer has to do is to research appropriately and write well. Of course what is written and how it is written is also important. A good essay depends not only on the topic but also on the play of words. There are many things to be considered before choosing a topic. The words used depend entirely on the literary abilities of the writer.
Choosing The Right Topic
The topic that is chosen should be based on some key factors.
- The nature of the assignment is something that should be foremost in the selection criteria. For this, a proper understanding of the assignment is essential.
- The topic should not be too vast. If the topic chosen is too broad then there is always the danger of not being able to contain it within the word limit provided. The topic should be specific as far as possible.
- The selected topic should definitely be something that is familiar to the writer. This will go a long way in making the writing assignment easier along with ensuring the quality of the essay.
- The topic should be relatively easy to research. The research should be done from good and reliable sources.
Even if the essay is not for any particular assignment, the above criteria can be applied minus the first one. The essay topics should be interesting not only to the writer but also to the target audience.
The above applies to the assignee when the essay is assigned by another person. What about the person who is doing the assigning? Suppose the topic of the essay is also given by the assignor. This is more common in the field of education where all students are given the same topic to see who would come up with the most well written essay. The question is - how will the assignor chose a topic? It is quite simple.
- Ensure that the topic meets the requirements of the assignment - say dissertation or just a simple class essay.
- Chose topics that are suitable to the age group in question - both the writers and the readers.
- The topic should also be one that is suitable for the volume of essay required. If the essay is a short one - say 500 words or so then the topic should be very specific. If the essay is to be a detailed one - say 2000 to 5000 words, then a wider topic may be chosen.
Be it of a personal nature or something purely academic, essay topics are something that need to be carefully considered and pondered upon before finalizing. It is not just the quality of writing but the topic too plays a major role in the success of the essay.
