Writing essays can be a long, tedious process, but technology, like a computer, can make the entire process simpler and less frustrating. Before modern technology, essays were either handwritten or typed using a typewriter, which meant that if you wanted to add a paragraph into a paper, you had to re-do the entire document to make space. Now, with the help of word processing programs, you can easily perform any edits required to result in a great finished product.
Instructions
1. Open up a word processing program. If you don't already have one downloaded onto your computer, purchase and install one. The most popular of these types of programs is undoubtedly Microsoft Word.
2. Open a new file and begin typing your essay. Although typing may seem awkward at first, you'll discover that it can be much faster than handwriting once you've practiced enough.
3. Insert images and graphs where and if appropriate. You can use spreadsheet programs to prepare graphs and charts, and image programs to select pictures and other images to complement your text. The "Help" feature is available if you need a little direction.
4. Perform research on the Internet. Use reputable sites. Generally, those websites with addresses ending in .edu or .gov are reputable and contain valuable information. If your school has purchased rights to newspaper or article databases like JSTOR, use them frequently.
5. Use your word processor's spell checker for a preliminary check of your document. You don't want to rely entirely on this feature, as it won't alter homonyms and words with similar meanings, i.e., it won't change "insure" to "ensure" or "there" to "they're."
6. Edit your document on the computer. This will allow you to cut-and-paste text to alter your essay's organization and add or delete text as necessary. This is easily done with a couple mouse clicks, but be sure you have the correct copy highlighted before cutting and pasting; it's easy to make a mistake if you're working quickly.
7. Finalize the formatting of your document. You can select everything from point size (12 is standard) to the font you use (Times, Times New Roman and Arial are good choices) as well as include bold and italics as necessary. In general, the copy in an essay should be black, but you do have numerous color options if that's appropriate. You may also want to add page numbers and make sure the flow from page to page is smooth. Because editing on a computer is so effortless, there's no reason for awkward formatting to creep into your essay.
Tags: your document, your essay, word processing