The challenge for writing essays for any major is that your paper instructor or the professor may have different expectations. There may also be different requirements, so be sure that you have all the requirements in place before you start working on your essay.

Even though the requirements may differ, a few basic components stand true for all humanities-related essays. You will need to understand these components thoroughly and once you do, you would be inspired by the requirements, not stressed or confused by them!

• Narrow your focus: It is important that you have a focused approach in the beginning; you can always expand on the subject, but narrowing it at the beginning would make the essay writing an easier task.


• Keep Prose Simple: Keep your sentences short, simple and easy. Each sentence needs to have limited ideas. You do not have to use difficult words or long sentences to make a point. Let your language flow organically.


• Present the Thesis: This needs to be done in the beginning itself. Either your thesis can be presented logically and directly, or you can also keep it indirect. Either way, the direction of your essay needs to be clear to the audience.


• Present Textual Evidence: Your thesis is the actual argument, but it needs to be supported by evidence, and also counter-evidence. State your evidence in a simple manner a keep it short as well. You do not have to dwell on counter-evidence too much either.


• Close your Argument: You can close your argument by providing a quick summary of what you discussed earlier, or your findings. You can also end your essay with some insightful questions that may come up and make the reader think about what you have presented.


• State all Sources: It is very important to be accountable and state all your references. Defining the sources will not only help protect intellectual property, but also help the readers distinguish between the ideas you have and those of other's.


• Be grammatically correct: Writing is the game and grammar is the rules. You can also break grammar rules, but do so skillfully.


• Style it Right: Your style is your self-expression and it will certainly evolve as you keep writing. Your style will give the reader an impression of your creative and imaginative skills.


• READ MORE: You will need to read more about the topic and thinking about your focus area as you read more, more and more.