1.1 仔细审题，找出Keywords
essay要求后，不要急于开始查找资料，更不能急于开始写，而是仔细阅读题目要求。 比如这种critically discuss the topic and give your own opinion，需要从正反两个方向讨论一个主题并给出自己的想法。 实际上包含了三个要求：
✔ 这样文章既要从正面阐述分析，
✔ 文章还必须要从反面阐述分析，
✔ 正反两面都不能少，最后一定要给出你自己的观点。你可以支持正面观点，也可以支持反面观点，或者你可以综合二者给一个折中的观点。
➡首先看下“Disucss”，在学术写作中的意思是“论述”，此时 应该对你的论点进行广泛的论证。
比如这个题目：Discuss the role of gender in bringing about the French Revolution 讨论性别在法国大革命中所起的作用
Discuss的做法是这样的：
✔ pointing to consistencies and inconsistencies in the evidence of gendered causes of the Revolution;
✔ raising the implications of these consistencies and/or inconsistencies (perhaps they suggest a limited role for gender as catalyst);
✔ evaluating different claims about the role of gender;
✔ asking what is gained and what is lost by focusing on gendered symbols, icons and events.
千万不要仅仅列举一些法国大革命的时间，这样就失去了自己的主题，只是在单纯的重复和扩写题目。
➡其次，看下另外一个经常出现的“Analyze”，这个词在学术写作中的意思是“分解，分析和研究”。
例如下面的题目：Analyze two of Chaucer's Canterbury Tales, including one not discussed in class, as literary works and in terms of sources/analogues. 分析Chaucer's Canterbury 故事集中的两个，包括在这本（文学作品中找）一个在课堂上没有讨论的故事。
比如题目：Critically evaluate the point that diet is the most significant lifestyle factor influencing life expectancy
这里内容关键词是life expectancy和lifestyle factors，因此你的essay应该从生活方式的角度评估寿命的长度，而不是从基因或者其他角度来分析。
生活方式又是一个很大的主题范围，包括了饮食，锻炼，睡眠，情绪等等很多角度。而这时候需要有范围关键词来进一步限定评估的角度，这里就是要求从diet饮食的角度来写。
如果大家能够按照这三个步骤来分析题目中的关键词的话，基本上这篇essay是不会再跑题了。
1.4 整理一下自己的观点。
上面审题和找资料可能已经用了你一半的时间，接下来你需要走动一下，略作休息，整理下自己的思路。输入那么多，那么你输出的东西是什么呢？这些就是你的观点。 此时简单罗列就好，中英文混杂也好，只要有理有据。
有同学说，实在想不出来有什么观点怎么办？或者发现自己的观点和参考文献里的观点一样。
这种情况可以适当借鉴参考文献的观点，但是不能完全照抄雷同，你完全可以换一种说法把参考文献的观点变成自己的。 举个例子， 文献观点：Healthy diet has a positive influence on digest system. 自己转述：It was proved by research that digest system benefits from healthy diet. 最后，如果你想到了若干个观点，那就选择你最了解的三个写到essay里面去。
当然观点不是越多越好，如果想法太多自己无法整理，可以让 @口袋学霸POCKETGPA 来帮助你理理思路，总结出最关键的论点 。
2.3 开始列Main body的提纲。 （这部分是重点，根据题目，至少需要耗时4-6个小时）
Main body不管分成3段还是4段，这几段的结构基本是一样的。
主要包括四个部分，主题句+例子+分析+结尾句。
写这部分的时候可以先不追求细节，免得影响思路。
先把outline列出来就好。一个清晰的思路有了，这篇essay最起码及格了。
好，下面开始，每一段坚持“5句原则” 第1句 主题句，Topic sentence：为了和前面衔接的更好，可以用despite开头，比如：Despite the focus on xxx, it appears that balabalaba, while balabalabala. 第2和第3句 举例说明，Supporting evidence：Somebody suggests/argues balabalaba （author，year） 第3和第4句提出你的观点或者对比之前的引用， Analysis：可以是之前研究的不足，或者之前不同观点的矛盾之处等等。如果第一段提出观点，比如So what kind of balabalaba，那么第二段的这个地方就用In addition 开头来和前面呼应。第三段用Therefore 来和前面两段呼应。 第5句 结尾句，Concluding sentence：一句话总结观点并且和上下呼应，这个很难有template，大家根据内容自己总结就好。
第一句总结前面所讨论的内容Summary of the main themes：From the review of the current literature, it can be seen that..... 第二句指出前面研究的不足 gap：While much of the previous literature has focussed on...., there have been few studies which examine..... 第三句过渡句 连接上下面，引出你自己的观点Link gap to writer’s own research: Thus there is scope for further research which... 第四句简要总结你自己的观点summary of writer’s own research：Therefore, this study aims to...
第1句背景介绍，Background：Studies over the past two decades have provided important information on … 第2句关键词定义，Definition of key term(s)While a variety of definitions of the term X have been suggested, this paper will use the definition first suggested by Smith (1968) who saw it as … 第3句课题的重要性Importance of topic：In the history of development economics, X has been thought of as a key factor in … 或者为什么选择这个题目，Reasons for researching topic：Despite its long clinical success, X has a number of problems in use. However, these rapid changes are having a serious effect on … 第4句之前研究的不足，Highlighting inadequacies of previous studies：Although extensive research has been carried out on X, no single study exists which … 第5句研究方法，Brief mention of your methodology：A combination of quantitative and qualitative approaches was used in the data analysis. 第6句我研究方法的优势和不足，Indicating significance：The present research explores, for the first time, the effects of …However, due to practical constraints, this paper cannot provide a comprehensive review of… 第7句观点陈述，Statement：The main issues addressed in this paper are: a), b) and c). 第8-10句全文结构，Outlining the structure：This paper first gives a brief overview of the recent history of X. The third chapter is concerned with the methodology used for this study. The fourth section presents the findings of the research, focusing on the three key themes that …
好了，画重点， 下面必须要看，这是一篇essay的模板 Introduction
Studies over the past two decades have provided important information on …While a variety of definitions of the term X have been suggested, this paper will use the definition first suggested by Smith (1968) who saw it as …In the history of development economics, X has been thought of as a key factor in …Reasons for researching topic：Despite its long clinical success, X has a number of problems in use. However, these rapid changes are having a serious effect on …Highlighting inadequacies of previous studies：Although extensive research has been carried out on X, no single study exists which … A combination of quantitative and qualitative approaches was used in the data analysis.The present research explores, for the first time, the effects of …However, due to practical constraints, this paper cannot provide a comprehensive review of…The main issues addressed in this paper are: a), b) and c). This paper first gives a brief overview of the recent history of X. The third chapter is concerned with the methodology used for this study. The fourth section presents the findings of the research, focusing on the three key themes that …
Main Body
Despite the focus on xxx, it appears that …, while ….Somebody suggests/argues … （author，year）So what kind of ….
….is one of the fundamental principles of…（author，year）In addition… In other words,…
Furthermore, … becomes a critical tool … As a result, through such experiences and in challenging and supported environments,…Therefore,…
Conclusion
From the review of the current literature, it can be seen that.....While much of the previous literature has focussed on...., there have been few studies which examine.....Thus there is scope for further research which...Therefore, this study aims to...