Develop your ideas as much as possible. Make sure
that you include as many details as possible throughout your essay.
Remember that padding (filling in with meaningless text or using extra
wordy sentences) is not an effective strategy for writing essays because
instructors can see right through it. Your instructor has probably read
hundreds of student essays over their career, so they'll know when an
essay has been padded. Fill your essays with details that make your
essay useful and insightful instead. If you get stuck, some good
strategies for developing your ideas include:
- Returning to the invention stage. To develop your ideas as much as possible, try returning to an invention exercise such as freewriting, listing, or clustering. You can also revisit your notes and books to see if there is anything that you missed or forgot.
- Visiting your school’s writing lab. If your school has a writing lab, consider taking your essay there. You can find a writing lab on most college campuses. Writing labs are free to students and they can help you to improve your writing at any stage in the writing process.
- Talking to your instructor. Some instructors are happy to meet with their students and help them with their essays. If your instructor holds regular office hours or allows students to make one-on-one appointments, then take advantage of this resource. Meet with your instructor and discuss ways that you can improve your essay before you hand it in.
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