What are the Dos and Don'ts of an outstanding essay?

When it comes to writing your best essay you often don't realise how good it is until you've finished it. A whole load of factors contribute to your pride and joy such as interest levels, time spent preparing, even mood when writing it! Nevertheless, from my time at University, I've noticed some patterns in what makes a tutor like an essay or not. So here are my Dos and Don'ts for all essays (but particularly University level ones).

• DO read the book and know the plot. It may sound obvious, but it is very easy to want to dive into the critical literature without fully understanding the original text. Having made that mistake myself, the essay is about the text(s) and nothing else. Everything else is back-up.

• DON'T disagree with the question for the sake of it. Having to discuss opinions (i.e. 16th Century German literature was not sexist. Discuss) might well present themselves to be disagreed with. I would advise never to know what side you're on unless you've read the whole text (or works) and some critical literature too. Don't be blinded by a thirst for controversy, sometimes adding to the opinion in front of you or exploring one facet of it is much better than arguing against it.

• DO make sure every quote you supply is directly relevant to your point. General quotes (such as saying "Goetz von Berlichingen shouting 'Freiheit' when he dies is an example of freedom in the text") are not only very obviously fillers, but also slow the essay down to a standstill. Instead try seeing how that aspect of the text develops thoughout the narrative, or the significance of where it sits in the text.

• DON'T overuse historical context. Again the essay is about the text. Of course historical context is important (and indeed sometimes vital), but I always make an effort not to let it stand alone without purpose (i.e. having a paragaph describing the sociopolitical landscape after the intro simply for the sake of putting it in). Add it to a point you're making and make sure that it's relevant (e.g. "It is not surprising Goethe explored freedom, when he himself was under the patronage of Grand Duchess Anna Amalia").

• DO go somewhere. The point in an essay should follow on from one another. The point made in the conclusion should be an evolution of the argument before it. Of course this is not always possible, such as when you're discussing both sides to an argument - but even then, the comparison between both sides should allow for one side being more favourable than the other.

• DON'T worry about the length of an essay. Different tutors will say different things, but whether you're writing 1800 words, or 4000 it often has little difference on the mark or the quality of the essay. Shorter essays will tend to be more consice and have a more convincing argument but run the risk of not convering enough ground. Longer essays ensure that you can explore a very broad range of aspects to the question but run the risk of being viscous and difficult to wade through. 

• DO spend some time writing the essay. Of course don't go crazy and spend weeks honing and sharpening one essay (there are more fun things to do!), but try to have at least read the text, 2 critical pieces and one text for historical context. Try not to start the essay the night before (from personal experience!) and try to get into the question. If you don't it could be stale to read and dull to write.

Essays are a vital part to a literature course, but everyone will have their own styles and techniques to make sure it's a good essay. As tough as the work is to write an outstanding essay, it'll really help you have fun at uni.