a mini essay

• PRO Courses Guides New Tech Help Pro Expert Videos About wikiHow Pro Upgrade Sign In
• EDIT Edit this Article
• EXPLORE Tech Help Pro About Us Random Article Quizzes Request a New Article Community Dashboard This Or That Game Popular Categories Arts and Entertainment Artwork Books Movies Computers and Electronics Computers Phone Skills Technology Hacks Health Men's Health Mental Health Women's Health Relationships Dating Love Relationship Issues Hobbies and Crafts Crafts Drawing Games Education & Communication Communication Skills Personal Development Studying Personal Care and Style Fashion Hair Care Personal Hygiene Youth Personal Care School Stuff Dating All Categories Arts and Entertainment Finance and Business Home and Garden Relationship Quizzes Cars & Other Vehicles Food and Entertaining Personal Care and Style Sports and Fitness Computers and Electronics Health Pets and Animals Travel Education & Communication Hobbies and Crafts Philosophy and Religion Work World Family Life Holidays and Traditions Relationships Youth
• Browse Articles
• Learn Something New
• Quizzes Hot
• This Or That Game New
• Train Your Brain
• Explore More
• Support wikiHow
• About wikiHow
• Log in / Sign up
• Education and Communications
• College University and Postgraduate
• Academic Writing

How to Write a Short Essay

Last Updated: January 17, 2024 Fact Checked

This article was co-authored by Christopher Taylor, PhD . Christopher Taylor is an Adjunct Assistant Professor of English at Austin Community College in Texas. He received his PhD in English Literature and Medieval Studies from the University of Texas at Austin in 2014. There are 12 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page. This article has been fact-checked, ensuring the accuracy of any cited facts and confirming the authority of its sources. This article has been viewed 112,451 times.

Essay writing is a common assignment in high school or college courses, especially within the humanities. You’ll also be asked to write essays for college admissions and scholarships. In a short essay (250-500 words), you will need to provide an introduction with a thesis, a body, and a conclusion, as you would with a longer essay. Depending on the essay requirements, you may also need to do academic or online research to find sources to back up your claims.

Picking a Topic and Gathering Research

• If you have any questions about the topic, ask your instructor. If your essay doesn't respond to the prompt, you likely won't receive full credit.

• If you're writing an essay for an in-class test or for an application, tailor the essay to the given prompt and topic. Quickly brainstorm a few ideas; for example, think of positive things you can say about yourself for a college-entrance essay.
• For example, the topic “depression in American literature” is far too broad. Narrow down your topic to something like “Willie Loman’s depression in Death of a Salesman .”
• Or, you could write about a narrow topic like “the increase in the USA’s national debt in the 1950s” rather than a broad topic like “the American economy in the 20th century.”

• Depending on the field in which you’re writing the essay—e.g., hard sciences, sociology, humanities, etc.—your instructor will direct you towards appropriate databases. For example, if you’re writing a high-school or college-level essay for your English class, visit online literary databases like JSTOR, LION, and the MLA Bibliography.
• If you're writing the essay for a college or graduate-school application, it's unlikely that you'll need to include any secondary sources.
• If you're writing a timed or in-class essay, you may not be able to find research articles. But, still do draw information from texts and sources you've studied both in and out of class, and build from points made in any provided reading passages.

• If you’re writing about current events or journalism topics, read articles from well-known news sites like CNN or the BBC.
• Avoid citing unreliable websites like blogs or any sites that have a clear bias about the topic they’re reporting on.

Composing the Essay

• If you write the essay without outlining, the essay will be poorly organized.

• This thesis statement is far too weak: “ Death of a Salesman shows the difficulty of living in America after WWII.”
• Instead, hone your thesis to something like: “Arthur Miller uses Death of a Salesman to show that the American Dream is materialist and impractical.”

• So, avoid beginning the paragraph by writing something like, “Since the beginning of time, all people have been consumed with the desire for their father’s approval.”
• Instead, write something like, “In the play Death of a Salesman , Willie Loman’s sons compete for their father’s approval through various masculine displays."
• Then, you can say, "To examine this topic, I will perform a close reading of several key passages of the play and present analyses by noted Arthur Miller scholars."

• In a short essay, the conclusion should do nothing more than briefly restate your main claim and remind readers of the evidence you provided.

• So, take the example about Death of a Salesman . The first body paragraph could discuss the ways in which Willie’s sons try to impress him.
• The second body paragraph could dive into Willie’s hopelessness and despair, and the third paragraph could discuss how Miller uses his characters to show the flaws in their understanding of the American Dream.

• Always cite your sources so you avoid charges of plagiarism. Check with your instructor (or the essay prompt) and find out what citation style you should use.
• For example, if you’re summarizing the inflation of the American dollar during the 1930s, provide 2 or 3 years and inflation-rate percentages. Don’t provide a full-paragraph summary of the economic decline.
• If you're writing an in-class essay and don't have time to perform any research, you don't need to incorporate outside sources. But, it will impress your teacher if you quote from a reading passage or bring up pertinent knowledge you may have gained during the class.

• If no one agrees to read the essay, read over your own first draft and look for errors or spots where you could clarify your meaning. Reading the essay out loud often helps, as you’ll be able to hear sentences that aren’t quite coherent.
• This step does not apply to essays written during a timed or in-class exam, as you won't be able to ask peers to read your work.

• It’s always a mistake to submit an unrevised first draft, whether for a grade, for admissions, or for a scholarship essay.
• However, if you're writing an essay for a timed exam, it's okay if you don't have enough time to combine multiple drafts before the time runs out.

Condensing Your Essay

• So, if you’re writing about Death of a Salesman , an article about symbolism in Arthur Miller’s plays would be useful. But, an article about the average cost of Midwestern hotels in the 1940s would be irrelevant.
• If you’re writing a scholarship essay, double-check the instructions to clarify what types of sources you’re allowed to use.

• A common cliche you might find in an essay is a statement like, "I'm the hardest working student at my school."
• For example, this sentence is too verbose: “I have been a relentlessly stellar student throughout my entire high school career since I am a seriously dedicated reader and thoroughly apply myself to every assignment I receive in class.”
• Shortened, it could read: “I was a stellar student throughout my high school career since I was a dedicated reader and applied myself to every assignment I received.”

• Avoid writing something like, “Willie Loman can be seen as having achieved little through his life because he is not respected by his sons and is not valued by his co-workers.”
• Instead, write, “Arthur Miller shows readers that Willie’s life accomplishments have amounted to little. Willie’s sons do not look up to him, and his co-workers treat him without respect.”

• For example, if you’re trying to prove that WWII pulled the USA out of the Great Depression, focus strictly on an economic argument.
• Avoid bringing in other, less convincing topics. For example, don’t dedicate a paragraph to discussing how much it cost the USA to build fighter jets in 1944.

Short Essay Template and Example

Expert Q&A

• When composing the text of your essay, resist the temptation to pull words from a thesaurus in an attempt to sound academic or intelligent. Thanks Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0
• If your high school or college has an online or in-person writing center, schedule an appointment. Taking advantage of this type of service can improve your essay and help you recognize structural or grammatical problems you would not have noticed otherwise. Thanks Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0

You Might Also Like

• ↑ https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/general_writing/common_writing_assignments/research_papers/choosing_a_topic.html
• ↑ https://monroecollege.libguides.com/c.php?g=589208&p=4072926
• ↑ https://www.utep.edu/extendeduniversity/utepconnect/blog/march-2017/4-ways-to-differentiate-a-good-source-from-a-bad-source.html
• ↑ https://www.grammarly.com/blog/essay-outline/
• ↑ https://writingcenter.unc.edu/tips-and-tools/thesis-statements/
• ↑ https://libguides.newcastle.edu.au/how-to-write-an-essay/essay-introduction
• ↑ https://lsa.umich.edu/sweetland/undergraduates/writing-guides/how-do-i-write-an-intro--conclusion----body-paragraph.html
• ↑ https://mlpp.pressbooks.pub/writingsuccess/chapter/8-3-drafting/
• ↑ https://www.trentu.ca/academicskills/how-guides/how-write-university/how-approach-any-assignment/writing-english-essay/using-secondary
• ↑ https://patch.com/michigan/berkley/bp--how-to-shorten-your-college-essay-without-ruining-it
• ↑ https://writing.wisc.edu/handbook/style/ccs_activevoice/
• ↑ https://wordcounter.net/blog/2016/01/26/101025_how-to-reduce-essay-word-count.html

About This Article

• Send fan mail to authors

Reader Success Stories

D. L. Smith

Sep 9, 2019

Did this article help you?

Aug 15, 2023

Featured Articles

Trending Articles

Watch Articles

• Terms of Use
• Privacy Policy
• Do Not Sell or Share My Info
• Not Selling Info

wikiHow Tech Help Pro:

Level up your tech skills and stay ahead of the curve

How to Write Short Essays

Receiving an assignment to draft a short essay might sound easier, at least initially. However, writing a short 5 paragraph essay isn’t all as easier as it looks. You still need to follow all the instructions and abide by every principle to produce a high-quality short paper. Fortunately, mastering how to write this assignment is easy and possible.

This post discusses all the details of composing this essay type. Keep reading to perfect your writing skills.

Table of Contents

What Is a Short Essay ?

Let’s define a short essay before examining its related details. A short paper is a brief writing assignment that focuses on one idea or subject and requires brief coverage. You must focus on a single idea and provide further information supporting your arguments. A short essay can focus on any topic. For instance, you can describe an object, process, event, or person.

This essay usually ranges between 400 and 500 words. Your paper can be a minimum of half a page and a maximum of one page using single spacing.

A Short Essay Format

This paper’s format doesn’t significantly differ from its longer counterpart. An average brief essay can have between two and five paragraphs, depending on your teacher’s instructions. Also, the essay’s word count determines its exact number of paragraphs. While it’s short, you still must write it to convey your topic’s essence and meaning clearly.

Succeeding in this essay type requires you to sharpen your summarizing skills. You should be able to be brief without denying your readers clarity. Thus, hone your ability to explain issues clearly and briefly. Learning how to select data and facts to include into, or exclude from, your short assignment would be best.

Writing A Short Essay : How to Go About It

We stated that composing a short paper doesn’t overlook any general academic writing rules. You should follow the same process you do when drafting other long papers. Below are the steps to follow when writing a brief paper that fetches excellent grades.

• Read the prompt

Start by reading the paper’s question to understand what you should do. This stage ensures you don’t miss any instructions that define and confine your assignment. Don’t fear consulting your tutor for clarification if you don’t capture anything.

After being sure of what you must do, start brainstorming for a relevant topic unless your instructor provided one. This stage allows you to determine appropriate and exciting topics you can write about. Once you find the best topic to write on, move to the next stage and start researching.

Researching is necessary for drafting a successful short assignment. Find out all the relevant sources and take notes. This essay type doesn’t require many sources, and two or three are enough to help you advance in the writing task. You can research it using articles from reputable journals or books.

While researching, please pay attention to the sources’ dates to ensure they’re as current as possible. The most recent academic references are always the best support for any topic. If you use academic journals, ensure that the articles are peer-reviewed.

Outlining is the next step you need in your writing process because you have all the details to include in your brief essay. You must outline your ideas to give them a logical flow and structure while writing. This step helps you focus your thoughts and know where to place the right ideas. Otherwise, you could lose some of your most powerful arguments and misplace others.

After completing these steps, write your short essay. You can begin from anywhere you want. For instance, if you aren’t sure what to include in your intro, you may write it last. This approach is excellent because you will know what to include in the body sections and conclusion by then. Thus, telling the reader what to expect in the paper’s subsequent sections becomes easier.

Editing is just as important as writing. The first draft should be your thoughts’ space holder. That means your editing process can chop whole sentences or introduce new ones. You may also rewrite chapters or sentences to make them flow well. In short, you can remove or add whatever is necessary.

Your editing process must also remove all grammar imperfections. All awkward renderings, repetitions, poor styling, and sloppy punctuations should be ousted. Besides, edit your paper with correct referencing and formatting in mind to ensure it abides by your instructor’s styling requirements.

Don’t forget to double-check whether you wrote the paper according to your professor’s full list of instructions. Lastly, check out for spelling errors your word processor didn’t detect. The spell check should come last because you can make other spelling mistakes while editing the paper.

Parts of a Mini Essay

A standard short essay has three main components: the introductory paragraph, three main body paragraphs, and one concluding paragraph. Let’s get the details below.

The Introduction

This section helps you make your first lasting impression. It should attract and retain your reader’s attention by capturing your audience’s interest. So, spice it up with something that will achieve this initial goal. Your hook can be relevant humor, stats, a quote, or anything that welcomes your readers on board.

Your introduction should also provide your audience with your paper’s context and what to expect from it as the story unfolds. However, keep it informative and brief to avoid telling your readers everything at once. Instead, let it only tell them what you want to say to them. We can summarize this section as follows:

• Go straight to your points.
• Introduce your thesis statement to give readers a strategic direction.
• Include a sentence that summarizes the ideas you intend to discuss.
• Shorten everything.
• Be specific.
• Provide minimal contextual details.

The Thesis Statement

This statement comes at your intro’s end. It should focus on the main thought you want to drive home. Your thesis should also be debatable because your entire essay will focus on proving it. It should also allow your opponents to debate your stand on a matter. So, make it as clear as possible so that anyone reading your short paper can easily detect it.

The Main Body

An average short paper has between two and five paragraphs. Using the five-paragraph format requires three paragraphs to prove your thesis. These sections must include the necessary evidence and facts to defend your thesis. Your first paragraph must contain your strongest argument, and your last one should have the weakest idea. This way, you are better placed to neutralize all opposition from the start.

The Conclusion

Your paper will also need a closing paragraph. This final section shows how your main body paragraphs defended your thesis statement. It should synthesize your work and answer the question you raised in the introduction. This closing part seeks to give your readers a fresh perspective on your discussion. It must make readers satisfied with what they read.

Tips for Writing a Great Short Essay

Here are tips to help you write an A+ short assignment.

• Analyze the question

Take enough time to analyze your assignment’s question because your essay should be a response to a specific question. Thus, ensure you fully understand what your tutor expects of you.

• Define your argument

You also have to define your argument before writing. Consider what this argument will be. Thus, take an informed position on the question you received. This way, you will be better positioned to define and present a specific argument.

Planning is critical to your essay’s success. Take time to brainstorm and organize your ideas for easy writing. You should research your paper to get sufficient materials to write about. Also, outline your paper to enjoy smooth writing.

• Make a strong thesis statement

All your essay’s arguments will be as weak or strong as your thesis statement. Thus, make it as strong as possible.

• Utilize evidence and reasoning

It would help if you bolstered your assignment with reasoning and evidence. These two are necessary for convincing your readers to buy into your main argument.

• Cite sources 

Sources make your essay look more resourceful. So, cite the most authoritative references to prove to your readers that you did your homework well. Your sources must be the most recent and authoritative. You should also pay attention to the referencing requirements your instructor gave.

If the instructions require using a specific citation style like APA, you should follow it to the dot. But irrespective of your style, follow the guidelines and stick to them.

The final step is polishing your short essay through thorough and ruthless editing. The process must ensure your paper abides by all its styling requirements and guidelines, and you address all grammar issues to correct spelling or punctuation errors. If you fail here, you can rest assured that you will fetch low grades.

We hope you are up to date with all the details you need about writing a short essay. The ball is in your court to use them to advance your writing skills in this niche.

15% OFF Your first order!

Aviable for the first 1000 subscribers, hurry up!

You might also like:

150 Qualitative and Quantitative Nursing Research Topics for Students

Why You Should Read a Data Gathering Procedure Example

What Is Culture and What Are Some Popular Culture Essay Topics?

Money-back guarantee

24/7 support hotline

Safe & secure online payment

How to Write a Short Essay in English

Please share my lesson using your social media platforms. Use the links above.

Student FREE Bookstore    (CLICK HERE)

CLICK HERE TO GO TO AMAZON.COM.BR

Writing clearly and concisely is one of the best skills you can take from school into professional settings. A great way to practice this kind of writing is with short essays. A short essay is any essay that has a word count of fewer than 1,000 words. While getting assigned a short essay might seem preferable to a ten-page paper, writing short poses its own special challenges. Here, we’ll show you how to write a convincing short essay in five simple steps.

What is a short essay?

A short essay is any type of essay condensed to its most important elements. There is no universal answer to what a short essay length is, but teachers generally assign short essays in the 250- to 750-word range, and occasionally up to 1,000 words.

Just because the essays are short doesn’t mean the subjects must be simple. One of the greatest challenges of short essays is distilling complex topics into a few telling words. Some examples of short essay topics are:

• The advantages and disadvantages of social media
• The pros and cons of online learning
• The influence of music on human emotions
• The role of artificial intelligence in modern life
• The ways that climate change affects daily life

Why write short essays?

Short essays have a number of advantages, including effective communication, critical thinking, and professional communication.

Effective communication: In the short essay, you don’t have the space to wander. Practicing short essays will help you learn how to articulate your message clearly and quickly.

Critical thinking: Writing a short essay demands the ability to think critically and identify key points that support the central thesis. Short essays will help you hone your ability to find the most relevant points and shed irrelevant information.

Professional communication: Whether it’s writing a persuasive email, a project proposal, or a succinct report, the ability to convey information effectively in a brief format is a valuable skill in the professional world.

Developing writing skills: As with all writing practice, short essays provide an excellent platform for you to refine your writing skills, such as grammar, sentence structure , vocabulary, and coherence. The more you practice crafting short essays, the more your overall writing proficiency improves.

How to write a short essay

The tactics you use for longer essays apply to short essays as well. For more in-depth guides on specific types of essays, you can read our posts on persuasive , personal , expository , compare-and-contrast , and argumentative essays. Regardless of the essay type, following these five steps will make writing your short essay much easier.

Don’t be afraid of learning too much about a subject when you have a small word count. The better you understand your subject, the easier it will be to write clearly about it.

2 Generate ideas

Jot down key points, arguments, or examples that you want to include in your essay. Don’t get too wrapped up in the details during this step. Just try to get down all of the big ideas that you want to get across. Your major argument or theme will likely emerge as you contemplate.

Outlines are especially helpful for short essays because you don’t have any room for excess information. Creating an outline will help you stay on topic when it comes time to write.

You have to actually write the essay. Once you’ve done your research, developed your big ideas, and outlined your essay, the writing will come more easily.

Naturally, our favorite part of the process is the editing . The hard part (writing) is done. Now you can go back through and make sure all of your word choices make sense, your grammar is checked, and you have cleaned up any unessential or irrelevant information.

Short essay examples

Why small dogs are better than big dogs (209 words).

Small dogs are beloved companions to many, and their unique qualities make them a perfect fit for some pet owners. In this essay, we explore why a small dog might be the right choice for you.

Firstly, the compact size of small dogs makes them ideal for people living in apartments or homes with limited space. As long as you can get your furry friend to fresh air (and grass) a couple of times per day, you don’t have to worry about having a big yard.

Secondly, small dogs require less food, which can be advantageous for those on a budget.

Small dogs are also easier to handle and control. Walks and outdoor activities become less physically demanding, making them a preferable choice for children, the elderly, or those with limited strength.

If you travel a lot for work or family, small dogs are much easier to bring along than their larger counterparts. Some travel companies make dog carriers that tuck neatly under a bus or plane seat.

In conclusion, small dogs offer a multitude of benefits, from their limited space requirements and economic advantages to their ease of handling and portability. These charming qualities undoubtedly make small dogs a cherished choice for pet owners seeking a new companion.

Why big dogs are better than small dogs (191 words)

Big dogs, with their impressive presence and gentle souls, have captured the hearts of countless pet owners. In this essay, we explore why big dogs are better pets than their smaller counterparts.

Firstly, big dogs exude an aura of protectiveness and security. Their size alone can act as a deterrent to potential intruders, making them excellent guard dogs for families and properties. Their mere presence provides reassurance and safety.

Secondly, big dogs tend to have more energy and strength, making them suitable partners for various outdoor activities and adventures. Hiking, jogging, or simply playing fetch becomes an enjoyable experience, fostering an active and healthy lifestyle for both pet and owner.

Lastly, big dogs often have a gentle and patient demeanor, especially when interacting with children and other pets. Their calm nature can bring a peaceful or grounding presence to otherwise chaotic homes.

In conclusion, big dogs possess a captivating blend of commanding protectiveness, physical capacity, and gentle disposition. These qualities make them exceptional companions, providing both security and emotional fulfillment. Big dogs are a great choice for potential pet owners looking for an animal with majestic appeal and a loving heart.

Short essay FAQs

A short essay is any essay that is shorter than 1,000 words. Teachers often assign short essays to teach students how to write clearly, coherently, and concisely.

When do you write a short essay?

Short essays help students practice effective communication, critical thinking, and persuasive writing. While short essays are often assigned in school, they are also useful in professional settings for things like project proposals or reports.

How do you format a short essay?

Short essays should be formatted according to your teacher’s guidelines or the requirements of your workplace. Check your assignment for the word count and stick to it. Make sure your essay flows logically from one idea to the next by presenting a clear thesis, using strong topic sentences, and providing a concise conclusion.

Copyrights © 2022 oxford-institute-education. All rights reserved

We noticed you're visiting from United Kingdom (UK). We've updated our prices to Pound sterling for your shopping convenience. Use United States (US) dollar instead. Dismiss

• More Networks

Would you like to explore a topic?

• LEARNING OUTSIDE OF SCHOOL

Or read some of our popular articles?

Free downloadable english gcse past papers with mark scheme.

• 19 May 2022

How Will GCSE Grade Boundaries Affect My Child’s Results?

• Akshat Biyani
• 13 December 2021

The Best Free Homeschooling Resources UK Parents Need to Start Using Today

• Joseph McCrossan
• 18 February 2022

How to Write the Perfect Essay: A Step-By-Step Guide for Students

• June 2, 2022

• What is an essay? 

What makes a good essay?

Typical essay structure, 7 steps to writing a good essay, a step-by-step guide to writing a good essay.

Whether you are gearing up for your GCSE coursework submissions or looking to brush up on your A-level writing skills, we have the perfect essay-writing guide for you. 💯

Staring at a blank page before writing an essay can feel a little daunting . Where do you start? What should your introduction say? And how should you structure your arguments? They are all fair questions and we have the answers! Take the stress out of essay writing with this step-by-step guide – you’ll be typing away in no time. 👩‍💻

What is an essay?

Generally speaking, an essay designates a literary work in which the author defends a point of view or a personal conviction, using logical arguments and literary devices in order to inform and convince the reader.

So – although essays can be broadly split into four categories: argumentative, expository, narrative, and descriptive – an essay can simply be described as a focused piece of writing designed to inform or persuade. 🤔

The purpose of an essay is to present a coherent argument in response to a stimulus or question and to persuade the reader that your position is credible, believable and reasonable. 👌

So, a ‘good’ essay relies on a confident writing style – it’s clear, well-substantiated, focussed, explanatory and descriptive . The structure follows a logical progression and above all, the body of the essay clearly correlates to the tile – answering the question where one has been posed. 

But, how do you go about making sure that you tick all these boxes and keep within a specified word count? Read on for the answer as well as an example essay structure to follow and a handy step-by-step guide to writing the perfect essay – hooray. 🙌

Sometimes, it is helpful to think about your essay like it is a well-balanced argument or a speech – it needs to have a logical structure, with all your points coming together to answer the question in a coherent manner. ⚖️

Of course, essays can vary significantly in length but besides that, they all follow a fairly strict pattern or structure made up of three sections. Lean into this predictability because it will keep you on track and help you make your point clearly. Let’s take a look at the typical essay structure:  

#1 Introduction

Start your introduction with the central claim of your essay. Let the reader know exactly what you intend to say with this essay. Communicate what you’re going to argue, and in what order. The final part of your introduction should also say what conclusions you’re going to draw – it sounds counter-intuitive but it’s not – more on that below. 1️⃣

Make your point, evidence it and explain it. This part of the essay – generally made up of three or more paragraphs depending on the length of your essay – is where you present your argument. The first sentence of each paragraph – much like an introduction to an essay – should summarise what your paragraph intends to explain in more detail. 2️⃣

#3 Conclusion

This is where you affirm your argument – remind the reader what you just proved in your essay and how you did it. This section will sound quite similar to your introduction but – having written the essay – you’ll be summarising rather than setting out your stall. 3️⃣

No essay is the same but your approach to writing them can be. As well as some best practice tips, we have gathered our favourite advice from expert essay-writers and compiled the following 7-step guide to writing a good essay every time. 👍

#1 Make sure you understand the question

#2 complete background reading.

#3 Make a detailed plan 

#4 Write your opening sentences 

#5 flesh out your essay in a rough draft, #6 evidence your opinion, #7 final proofread and edit.

Now that you have familiarised yourself with the 7 steps standing between you and the perfect essay, let’s take a closer look at each of those stages so that you can get on with crafting your written arguments with confidence . 

This is the most crucial stage in essay writing – r ead the essay prompt carefully and understand the question. Highlight the keywords – like ‘compare,’ ‘contrast’ ‘discuss,’ ‘explain’ or ‘evaluate’ – and let it sink in before your mind starts racing . There is nothing worse than writing 500 words before realising you have entirely missed the brief . 🧐

Unless you are writing under exam conditions , you will most likely have been working towards this essay for some time, by doing thorough background reading. Re-read relevant chapters and sections, highlight pertinent material and maybe even stray outside the designated reading list, this shows genuine interest and extended knowledge. 📚

#3 Make a detailed plan

Following the handy structure we shared with you above, now is the time to create the ‘skeleton structure’ or essay plan. Working from your essay title, plot out what you want your paragraphs to cover and how that information is going to flow. You don’t need to start writing any full sentences yet but it might be useful to think about the various quotes you plan to use to substantiate each section. 📝

Having mapped out the overall trajectory of your essay, you can start to drill down into the detail. First, write the opening sentence for each of the paragraphs in the body section of your essay. Remember – each paragraph is like a mini-essay – the opening sentence should summarise what the paragraph will then go on to explain in more detail. 🖊️

Next, it's time to write the bulk of your words and flesh out your arguments. Follow the ‘point, evidence, explain’ method. The opening sentences – already written – should introduce your ‘points’, so now you need to ‘evidence’ them with corroborating research and ‘explain’ how the evidence you’ve presented proves the point you’re trying to make. ✍️

With a rough draft in front of you, you can take a moment to read what you have written so far. Are there any sections that require further substantiation? Have you managed to include the most relevant material you originally highlighted in your background reading? Now is the time to make sure you have evidenced all your opinions and claims with the strongest quotes, citations and material. 📗

This is your final chance to re-read your essay and go over it with a fine-toothed comb before pressing ‘submit’. We highly recommend leaving a day or two between finishing your essay and the final proofread if possible – you’ll be amazed at the difference this makes, allowing you to return with a fresh pair of eyes and a more discerning judgment. 🤓

If you are looking for advice and support with your own essay-writing adventures, why not t ry a free trial lesson with GoStudent? Our tutors are experts at boosting academic success and having fun along the way. Get in touch and see how it can work for you today. 🎒

Popular posts

• By Guy Doza

• By Akshat Biyani

• By Joseph McCrossan
• In LEARNING TRENDS

4 Surprising Disadvantages of Homeschooling

• By Andrea Butler

The 12 Best GCSE Revision Apps to Supercharge Your Revision

More great reads:.

Benefits of Reading: Positive Impacts for All Ages Everyday

• May 26, 2023

15 of the Best Children's Books That Every Young Person Should Read

• By Sharlene Matharu
• March 2, 2023

Ultimate School Library Tips and Hacks

• By Natalie Lever
• March 1, 2023

Book a free trial session

Sign up for your free tutoring lesson..

Writing 303: A Personal Essay

Identity in a Place

Mini Essay 5

As a child, I was too shy and hesitant to reach out to others, and consequently, I had difficulty making friends. As a way to cope, I enjoyed many hobbies, such as reading and sketching, to keep myself occupied, even if I was deemed an introvert. Unfortunately, I could not escape to my books during recess, as we were all forced to play in the playground outside. I remember spending my early days in elementary school leaning against the brick wall of the school building, not stepping too far out into the area, craving company while observing other children assemble into their own exclusive groups. Different groups of children took their places at specific parts of the wire fence that enclosed the playground. The same boys who played dodgeball claimed most of the middle concrete area. Uncertain as to how to approach these other children, I stuck to the wall and feigned invisibility.

When I was about ten years old, I found friends in the Islamic saturday school my parents had placed me. Finally, a group that acknowledged me, and I often followed their every move. I had been given a place somewhere, and I thought it was necessary to do everything I could to keep it. I would offer my room for sleepovers, ask my parents for food to provide them, almost anything I could do to prove I deserved a place in their group. These particular friends were not always so keen on following the rules, even though all our parents placed strict expectations to follow the lifestyle of Islam. One day during Ramadan, one of the most significant holidays celebrated in Islam, where Muslims are expected to fast every day, my friends planned to go to the movies. Although children were not required to fast, it was not uncommon for children our age to fast for half a day, to become accustomed to the tradition.

I had uneasy thoughts about their decision not to fast at all, but pulled by the inclination to please my new friends, I decided to follow suit. When we first told my parents, my father said nothing, but from the way his facial expression changed, I recognized disapproval. Regret filled my chest the entire day, and eating popcorn at the movies did not outweigh this guilt in the slightest. My father spoke to me the next day, and instead of scolding me, he seemed to see through my quiet demeanor and pick up on the guilt I had been feeling. The words I remember from that day were, “It doesn’t matter what other people decide to do. You don’t have to follow them.” This was the first moment I remember an overwhelming respect towards my father. His words from that time would come to mind every time I confronted a situation of peer pressure, and ss if those words were a magic spell cast over me, they filled me with the strength to follow my own instincts, even at the fear of losing my friends. My father, and the consequent experiences of overcoming peer pressure, taught me there is little we can do when people decide to leave our lives, so more importantly we should do what we can to avoid losing ourselves.

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

Ultimate Guide On How To Write A Short Essay

Dec 21, 2023 | Essay Help | 0 comments

Table of Contents

What is a short essay?

A short essay is an abbreviated version of a longer written work.

We can define a short essay as any short piece of writing that focuses on one subject or idea—a formal position (thesis statement) and its supporting arguments, for example—and develops it utilizing description, analysis, reflection, or commentary.

The writer typically focuses on one main idea in a short essay and provides details supporting this thought or opinion.

You can even write a short essay definition essay as a piece of writing that briefly describes an object, person, or thing and provides some details to explain the writer’s point of view towards it. In other words, it is a small essay having only 500 words or as per the instructions.

Essay Writing Structure

A short essay writing format is not so complicated. A short essay has a single argument or point written in paragraph form, generally containing at least two sentences. You can use this style of writing for most college essay writing process you’re assigned to write throughout your academic career.

Introduction Paragraph: Include the topic of the essay and the argument or point you plan to prove to your reader in one paragraph.

Body Paragraphs: Use evidence from your research in not only first body paragraph but all paragraphs to offer one element of your argument. You should try to include at least two body paragraphs, but three is preferred if there’s enough information out there for it!

Final Paragraph: Restate your argument and add any final thoughts you have about the topic.

Few academic short essay examples for a better understanding -Banning plastic, free education, pollution, advanced technologies, space study, etc.

What Are Short Essay Components?

Few high school writers find a short story essay more challenging than a long article. It is because when you write a short essay, you do not have enough scope to establish your argument. Hence it becomes essential to highlight your ideas in the crucial components, which are the following:

• Introduction Added with a Thesis Statement
• Body Paragraphs That Include
• A Topic Sentences
• Introspection
• Supporting Evidence

Thesis 

A clear thesis needs to be shorter and more compact. A strong thesis statement has to be at the end of the introductory paragraph. Remember, when you are writing an essay short, it has no room for playing with the short essay word count it should give a clear idea. Check out an example of a short essay.

Consider the intensity of the topic and determine the length wisely. Keep the citation to the point and limited. Remember, you need to keep some words for introspection.

While finding out evaluation essay topics that span centuries of developments, determining an appropriate essay length is key to thoroughly tracing key societal, technological, or biological shifts while still leaving room for thoughtful analysis.

Topic sentences 

To organize the points in your essay, introduce a new point in a topic sentence before you present it. Present these Process Analysis Essay Topics as stand-alone ideas.

Supporting evidence

Limit the number of your words in the sentences where you provide supporting evidence. Use statistics, examples, anecdotes, and famous quotes to support your main point.

If you need to use a lot of examples to explain your topic thoroughly, choose another one.

Topics that require many supporting facts don’t fit well into the short essay length.

Introspection 

During the short English essay, show your instructors how you can think critically and present strong arguments by reflecting on the topic. Before you begin, read your assignment prompt carefully and follow through with the directions.

For an essay with a word count of 250, you shouldn’t stray from the main point. Every sentence irrelevant to your thesis weakens your argument and takes up space that could otherwise bolster your points. Do not forget what exactly your key idea is.

Conclusion 

In order for your paragraph to have a strong ending, include a summary of the essay’s main argument and its implications in the future. This simple strategy will allow you to depict yourself as a forward-thinking student without losing focus on the essay’s main idea. Keep this paragraph to only a few sentences. It is not a great idea to exploit the number of words. 

Tips to Write a Short Essay

1. Get a topic to explore

 If your professor didn’t assign a topic, select one on your own. Make sure to do primary and secondary sources research well so that you can craft your paper well. To write an effective essay under 500 words, decide what type of essay is necessary to complete the assignment. For instance is it a academic essay, descriptive essays or any other. After you know your key points, identify what you want to address. This critical thinking and reserach help if you then outlined the primary goal of writing.

2. Plan your ideas 

It’s important to know how you’re going to paragraph structure your main ideas. For example, will you use a compare and contrast method or an analysis of two different points? To get more ideas on this, check out Writing a compare and contrast essay .

3. Select a single argument for the readers to understand 

• To write a short essay, the writer must focus on one central topic with little room to introduce tangentially related secondary topics. To avoid running out of space, choose a very specific topic.
• If you’ve been asked to write an essay, try to tailor it to suit the given prompt. For example, if you’re writing a college application essay about yourself, think of ways to talk about your positive qualities.

These approaches helps in attracting and maintaining not only reader’s attention but also reader’s interest.

4. Establish the thesis statement 

Your essay should be argumentative and clear enough for your audience to get the main point. In other words, they should be able to tell what your thesis statement is after reading your first sentence. A thesis needs to include a one-sentence summative statement about the main point of discussion and two paragraphs that support your argument.

5. Start working on the essay writing 

Start by writing an outline of your main ideas and then developing each idea in separate sentences. To write a good short essay, you should set your topic at the beginning of each paragraph, provide detailed examples and illustrations to support your argument and use the page length appropriately.

6. Begin with the introductory paragraph. 

While your introduction should contain a hook, the main body of your essay is where you draw attention to the whole discussion in detail. The quickest way to get from a blank page to a completed essay will be to write your introduction after writing the body of the paper. 100+ conclusion starters to impress your readers.

7. The conclusion

The conclusion should be brief, focusing on reiterating the main points covered over the whole paper. It is age-old advice to a student to avoid introducing new arguments in conclusion.

To make your essay concise, use sentences in an active voice. Using an active voice will convey a crisp and clear meaning. Write sentences that can explain a point directly without using too many words.

8. Add a finishing touch to your writing 

 Paragraphs in short essays should introduce one idea at a time. For a 500-word essay paper, focus on the most important answer first and the least essential last. The paper should contain relevant ideas, and you should also review the instructions.

Go for peer review if required and learn how to write a peer review !

Also, see how to write an argumentative essay .

Writing a Short Essay Format

The word count for a short essay assignment is usually between 200 and 500 words. However, this form will depend on individual teacher preferences. Taking into consideration that short essays are limited to 250 words, select an appealing broad topic and find relevant sources. Though there are no hard rules in terms of paragraphs, a good essay usually includes 2-5 paragraphs. A mini-essay with 250 words has to convey the essence of the essay prompt clearly. For guidance on structuring your essay effectively, you might find it helpful to learn “how to write an essay outline,” which can provide a roadmap for organizing your thoughts and ensuring that your essay is coherent and impactful.

Why Write Short Essays?

Short essays are beneficial for several reasons, including their ability to foster effective communication, enhance critical thinking, and improve professional communication skills.

Effective Communication : Writing short essays teaches the art of conveying messages in a clear, concise manner. This skill is crucial for effective communication, as it demands that you express your ideas without unnecessary elaboration or deviation.

Critical Thinking : The brevity required in short essays necessitates critical thinking. You must identify and focus on key points that support your central thesis, effectively separating crucial information from the irrelevant. This process sharpens your analytical skills, a vital aspect of critical thinking.

Professional Communication : In the professional world, the ability to articulate information succinctly is highly valued. Whether it’s crafting a persuasive email, drafting a project proposal, or summarizing a report, the skills developed through writing short essays are directly applicable to professional communication scenarios.

Writing Skills Development : Practicing short essays is an excellent way to improve various aspects of writing, such as grammar, sentence structure, vocabulary, and coherence. This practice contributes to overall writing proficiency, an essential component of both academic and professional success.

The Final verdict

So we can conclude that the short essay is one of the most usual academic writing assignments for the college students, which the student should compose after good research work. The student has to pick up well, and hence he must have a clear knowledge and understanding. 

Also, the students have to be quick with completing the research paper. It is important to cultivate the subject well to make the article more appealing and more acceptable to the readers. This way, the knowledge of the writer gets demonstrated too.

Although writing the article may seem easy now, remember it is even easier for a proficient writer to keep your task at bay.

So, just do not worry if you need help with your essay writing. Professional writers can help you with just any answer. They write content with unique qualities and write according to the desired length, following the technical details and guidelines of your professor. You can search for a good online essay helper or ask for a free sample short essay if available.

So use the tips mentioned and start writing an excellent and compact short essay paper.

Frequently Asked Questions

When do you write a short essay.

Students can practice persuasive writing, critical thinking, and effective communication by writing short essays. Even though they are frequently given in school, short essays can be helpful in professional contexts for things like reports and project proposals.

How do you format a short essay?

The format for short essays should follow the instructions provided by your teacher or the specifications of your place of employment. Make sure you adhere to the word count specified in your assignment. Make sure the ideas in your essay flow logically from one to the next by utilizing powerful subject sentences, a clear thesis statement, and a succinct conclusion.

How useful was this post?

Click on a star to rate it!

Average rating / 5. Vote count:

No votes so far! Be the first to rate this post.

We are sorry that this post was not useful for you!

Let us improve this post!

Tell us how we can improve this post?

Our Latest Blogs

How to Write an Essay Outline | 5 Free Examples & Checklists

by Jane Roberta Jones

Before writing an essay, creating an outline of it helps a lot. It serves as a roadmap helping in the effective structuring of ideas and thoughts. Whether tackling a school or college assignment, invest time in creating an outline to navigate the complexities of...

Unique Narrative Essay Topic Ideas To Guide You

The adage "A picture is worth a thousand words" is frequently used. But words paint a picture brighter and more vivid than an image can. Writing a narrative essay is a great way to use words to paint pictures. Furthermore, the narrative essay form is the only one that...

How to write an argumentative essay-A step by step guide

This article explores "How to Write an Argumentative Essay," a common assignment in college academic programs. It delves into various essay types, each with unique significance and characteristics, providing a step-by-step approach and techniques for crafting an...

Recent Posts

• How to Write an Essay Outline | 5 Free Examples & Checklists - March 12, 2024
• 135+ Best Rhetorical Analysis Essay Topics To Help Students - March 7, 2024
• 200+ Captivating Descriptive Essay Topics For Students - February 10, 2024

Search here

Canvas Quiz Answers Hack: Tips And Strategies To Get Canvas Answers

Initially designed to help students learn and understand difficult concepts, these platforms have become a challenge. Canvas platform is one of the learning management systems by Instructure that was created in 2010 to help students learn diverse subjects; however,...

Can Canvas Detect Cheating?

Yes, Canvas can detect cheating if the exam is proctored! Confused? Read on to know more and clear your doubts.  Do you have Canvas quizzes and tests coming up? Are you unprepared and afraid that you might fail the test and thus plan to cheat? I'm sorry to inform you...

Looking For WeBWorK Answers? Get Help From Experts Now!

In today’s digital era, online educational platforms like WeBWorK Answers, developed by the Mathematical Association of America, have become essential tools, offering students precise solutions to their academic challenges. In this blog, we will investigate how to...

How To Access Chegg For Free In 2024?

A student's life often involves tackling assignments and projects, demanding a combination of knowledge, time, and dedication. However, when faced with a particularly challenging and time-consuming assignment, the struggle can be overwhelming. This is where Chegg...

Browse By Category

Accounting Assignment (2)

Assignment Expert (6)

Assignment Writing (8) Citation Guides (1)

Essay Help (9)

Examination (1)

Homework Help (4)

Law Assignment (2)

Marketing Assignment (2)

McGraw Hill (1)

MyMathLab (1)

Nursing Assignment (1)

Online Class (3)

Physics Assignment (1)

Programming Assignment (1)

Research Paper (5)

Statistics Assignment (1)

Student Guide (74)

Get A Free Quote

What are the top key aspects of the global marketing mindset?

Global Marketing entirely depends on some distinctive key strategies. Thanks to technology, global advertisement has been made possible from the comfort of the ergonomic chair of your office. When companies start thinking globally, they start thinking of expanding the...

How to Develop Effective Marketing Strategies? Know Marketing Mix theory of 7Ps!

Marketing is an evolving discipline. The companies that have not evaluated according to the current times stay behind the competition. One of the examples of this evolution lies in the fundamental changes of the Marketing mix. It refers to the set of tactics used by...

It's Lit Teaching

High School English and TPT Seller Resources

• Creative Writing
• Teachers Pay Teachers Tips
• Shop My Teaching Resources!
• Sell on TPT

Teaching Writing with Mini Lessons: A How-to

Every year, teachers are asked to do more–close the gap, make learning fun, use technology, encourage independence, provide quality feedback, collaborate, and so on. It’s not easy finding a class structure that perfectly meets the needs of students, administrators, and classroom evaluators. When it comes to teaching writing with mini lessons, however, you can get pretty close.

How I Discovered Mini Lessons

During my first year of teaching, I tried really hard to create long, dynamic lectures. My favorite teacher in high school had been able to lecture for hours at a time without losing my interest; I wanted to be able to do the same.

But no matter how interesting or well-planned I thought my lessons were, my students always eventually lost interest. Plus, they didn’t have any time in class to put their new knowledge to use. And I was spending a ton of time outside of class grading and providing comments.

When I discovered mini lessons, many of these issues disappeared!

Mini lessons are now one of my favorite structures for lesson planning (especially for creative writing ). When done well, I believe they lead to more independence and confidence in students and they get this introverted teacher out of the spotlight–wins all around. 

In this post, I’ll cover the benefits of using mini lessons, especially for writing, and how to structure your own.

Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links that earn me a small commission, at no additional cost to you. I only recommend products that I personally use and love, or think my readers will find useful.

What are Mini Lessons?

If you pick up any number of professional development books on mini lessons, you’ll find many definitions.

Some say that mini lessons have to cover a certain topic or content areas.

Others give strict requirements for time limits.

Here, I’ll give you my own definition of mini lessons.

Mini lessons are exactly what they sound like–short (mini) lessons or lectures. Those little lectures are followed by activities that let students immediately implement what they’ve learned. 

A mini lesson includes a short period of direct instruction followed by independent practice for students. Within this framework, the direct instruction and practice components can vary greatly, but this will be our general working definition for now. 

How “Mini” is Mini?

The term “mini” will vary depending on your class structure and time . I teach in ninety-minute blocks, so my mini lessons can go on for up to forty-five minutes sometimes. 

A teacher with a forty-five minute class time, however, will probably find that fifteen to twenty minutes for direct instruction is the sweet spot. 

The independent practice portion can be anything from a worksheet to working on a project. Typically, mini lessons involve more creative thinking activities–writing, 

Grab a FREE Copy of Must-Have Classroom Library Title!

Sign-up for a FREE copy of my must-have titles for your classroom library and regular updates to It’s Lit Teaching! Insiders get the scoop on new blog posts, teaching resources, and the occasional pep talk! 

Marketing Permissions

I just want to make sure you’re cool with the things I may send you!

By clicking below to submit this form, you acknowledge that the information you provide will be processed in accordance with our Privacy Policy.

You have successfully joined our subscriber list.

Why Use Mini Lessons When Teaching Writing?

There are many reasons that mini lessons are effective. Mini lessons provide:

• Direct instruction
• Gradual release of responsibility

Scaffolding

• Guided practice

There are benefits for the instructor, as well. 

Direct Instruction

Direct instruction is an essential part of teaching. I think it gets a bad rap–there’s always a new activity, a new fad, or new technology that tries to replace it.

But sometimes in order to teach, you just have to get up there and, well, teach .

Mini lessons allow for direct instruction, but limit the instruction time to prevent lectures from becoming stale, boring, or losing students.

Gradual Release of Responsibility

My students tend to be very dependent. They wait for me to go over the answer, approve of a response before they write it down, or ask questions they already know the answer too.

For some, it’s laziness. For others, it’s the fear of getting it wrong or disappointing their teacher. With mini lessons, students are eased into working on their own.

This might not be true with every mini lesson from every teacher, but it’s how I run my mini lessons usually. For example, in my “Show. Don’t Tell” mini lesson , I give examples on how to turn a telling sentence into a showing paragraph.

Then, we work as a whole class to turn a telling sentence into a showing paragraph.

Students randomly draw a telling sentence. They brainstorm details that could show rather than tell than sentence.

And then, finally, they write a showing paragraph.

Each step is built to build the student’s confidence. By the time we get to the activity, the know the expectations and what success will look like. They don’t need my approval.

Scaffolding ties in with the gradual release of responsibility. It is the scaffolding that allows for the release.

Again, this isn’t true of every mini lesson from every teacher, but I think it’s easy to build scaffolding into a lesson. Usually, you show an example and you do some modeling.

You may also provide a graphic organizer, a handout, or some other support for students to use as they work.

I do this in my tone mini lesson .

In this lesson, students randomly pick a strip of paper with a neutral situation on it like “eating in the cafeteria” and then they pick a random strip with a tone word like “humorous”. They would have to combine the two to write a paragraph about eating in the cafeteria in a humorous tone.

But before that, they write shorter practice situations that aren’t random. I also give them a tone handout, should they forget what tone is in the process.

Here’s more about scaffolding techniques in another post . I also talk about scaffolding specifically for creative writing classes here .

Guided Practice

This, to me, is the biggest instructional benefit to using mini lessons.

If I only teach for, say, twenty minutes, that gives students more time to actually do the work, practice, critique one another, get feedback, and make revisions.

When students are working on a writing activity, I always walk around the room. Sometimes, I’m aimless and wander, giving unsolicited feedback.

Other times, I let students work for a bit before purposely sitting and chatting with each student about their writing so far.

What is important, however, is that students get immediate, in-the-moment feedback. They can quickly course correct or revise. That’s where the learning happens.

Additional Benefits

Personally, as an introverted teacher, I love mini lessons because they take the focus away from me. I do my thing for just a short amount of time, and then the focus is on the students. Walking around, checking in, and giving one-on-one feedback is way better than trying to entertain twenty teenagers at a time. 

I believe my students prefer shorter lectures, too. I see so much learning happening while students grapple during independent practice. 

When students are able to engage in guided practice, they’re forced to try new skills. Instead of bailing out when concepts become challenging–like they might be tempted to do with homework–I’m there to help them get unstuck. 

How Do You Structure Writing Mini Lessons? 

Again, every instructor will have his or her own style for mini lessons. This is how I do mine.

Structuring Writing Mini Lessons Step 1: Identify the Goal

First, you need to know what you’re teaching of course. I love mini lessons for teaching or reinforcing skills. I love mini lessons for grammar and writing especially. 

It’s important to narrow down your focus. One of the hardest parts about creating a mini lesson is keeping it, well, mini .

Writing an essay is way too much content for a mini lesson. How to write a thesis statement, however, is perfect. 

When planning your class, it’s nice to know what your end goals are. Are students writing a speech? A short story? A poem? Use that end goal and work backwards, breaking apart the skills students will need to be successful. 

Structuring Writing Mini Lessons Step 2: Choose the Student Task

Wait, wait! Why plan the student task before I map out the lesson? Isn’t that backwards?

Well, yes it is! I love backwards design!

Knowing what we want students to be able to do by the end of class or by the end of the lesson will force us to really concentrate our short lesson on only what students absolutely need to know. 

You don’t have to do it this way–you could certainly plan your lesson first and then create an assignment to go with it. I’d be lying if I said I haven’t done that, too. But I do think working backwards almost always yields better results. 

So, what kind of task would you like students to perform? 

Notice that I used the work “task”. We want students to do or create something here. That rules out quizzes and worksheets as the end goal. 

(You can totally use quizzes and worksheets! I use these as an intermediary step sometimes, like in my dialogue mini lesson . But ultimately, students should have a small performance task.)

Earlier, I used the example of a mini lessons on writing thesis statements. If that was your topic, you’d obviously want to students to write a thesis statement by the end of class. 

If you want to teach students how to properly punctuate and construct a dialogue between characters, you’ll probably want them to actually write a conversation between two characters. 

Keep these tasks short . They’re practice, after all, not a major assessment. 

Structuring Writing Mini Lessons Step 3: Create Your Lesson

You know the end goal. You know what students are going to have to complete by the end of class.

Now, what will the need to know in order to do task?

My mini lessons are usually pretty straightforward presentations. When the lesson is short, you don’t have to do as much to keep students engaged. 

Generally, my lessons follow the same structure:

• Introduce the topic, along with any need-to-know definitions or terms
• Provide or model an example
• Do an example with the class
• Go over the assignment

For our thesis creation example, you can see how this would work. You’d first tell students what a thesis statement is and why we’d use it. You would show students an example of one and talk about it. 

Then, you might work with the class to create a thesis for an example question. 

Lastly, you’d have students write a thesis statement for their own papers. As they work, you’d walk around, checking on their work, and offering feedback. 

In my “Show. Don’t Tell” mini lesson , I have students select a random “telling” sentence and then turn it into a “showing” paragraph. (It’s a really fun activity!)

Teaching the Mini Lesson

Once you have your goal, your lesson, and the student task all worked out, you’re good to go! I do have some tips for you, though. 

First, there is an art to the mini lesson. The first time I teach any mini lesson, I usually end up running long. It’s way, way too easy to create a lesson that is just too long. 

If you find that your mini lesson is not-so-mini, that’s ok! Take note and adjust for next time. 

I recommend having students do at least some practice in class immediately after the mini lesson. That way you can help them course correct if they don’t understand the skill or concept at first. 

But in a pinch, if your lesson runs long you can always assign the task as homework or leave it for the next day. 

Giving Feedback

I also recommend touching base with each student as they work, if possible. While students work, walk around and look over their shoulders. Give lots of praise for work well done or concepts mastered. Give gentle suggestions to students who haven’t quite mastered the skill yet. 

I love my walking feedback. Not only does it help students learn and make corrections in the moment, but it gives me time to make connections with them, too. I’ll often note some cool new shoes or ask about their weekends while passing by. 

You’ll have to be careful, of course, to make sure conversation doesn’t dominate the whole class, but getting some casual conversation going sometimes encourages my students to talk to another about the assignment. 

I might remark on a student’s creative approach to a poem, which will then lead another student to ask to read the poem. They end up trading work and giving one another feedback–all without much from me. 

For this alone, I love mini lessons. It takes instruction out of my hands and puts it back into the students. I prefer being a facilitator and a coach than a boss.

Learn More About Mini Lessons

I use mini lessons routinely in my classroom, but I’m no expert! 

I mention several times in this post that every teacher’s style of mini lesson is going to vary. If you’re truly interested in diving deep into mini lessons, there are some fantastic professional development books on this topic.

Mini lessons are a must-have in your teaching arsenal! They include a little bit of everything–direct instruction, guided practice, and opportunities for meaningful feedback. 

Plus, they keep you from talking nonstop for eight hours, which my voice box totally appreciates. 

I have some great mini lessons right here if you’d like to save time by using someone else’s!

I also encourage you to grab this FREE Mood and Tone Student Handout to help you with any future mini lessons on those topics.