Essay Writing Tips for International Students
Essay Writing Tips for International Students
If you’ve recently started university, it can be extremely daunting when you get your first essay assignment. Often, university essays will be quite different to the style you experience at school.
This can be even more intimidating if you are an international student who is new to the UK’s education system. However, don’t fear - we’ve put together some essay writing tips specifically for international students so you can get writing with confidence.
Get advice from people with English as a first language
Even if you are extremely good at speaking English, you might still find the essay process harder than native speakers. That’s why we would recommend getting as much advice as you can from your friends.
Most of your friends and housemates will be more than happy to proofread your work and offer some constructive feedback to help you with your work.
Speak to your lecturers as much as possible
Even better than getting advice from your housemates is getting advice from your lecturers - they know exactly what they’re looking for so their insights are valuable.
Most UK lecturers will have ‘office hours’, where you can book an appointment and talk to them about any ideas you have or challenges you are facing.
Attend writing workshops
Writing workshops are another valuable resource that you need to take advantage of, especially when you first start writing essays. Most universities will put this one in some form or another, and you should be able to research them online or ask your department for more information.
They’ll cover things such as how to structure your essay, tips for introductions and conclusions, and even how to structure each individual paragraph.
Read the essays of other students
Just as it can be helpful to get feedback from your friends and housemates about your work, it is equally helpful to read the essays of other students. This is particularly useful if you know older students as you can get a feel for how academic writing sounds.
Use your feedback to improve
It’s important to have a positive attitude towards constructive feedback. It’s impossible to get everything right, especially the first time round, so make sure that you don’t let criticism upset you. Your lecturers only have your best interests at heart!
Instead, pay close attention to what they have said about specific sections of your essay and use it to improve in the future. You might even consider putting pointers on post-it notes so that you can refer to them when you’re next writing.
Keep an eye on our student advice blog for more tips on surviving university life!