A Well-written Academic Essay

From the W&M Writing Committee

A well-written academic essay:

Shows an awareness of the audience's needs and expectations within the context of a specific assignment and/or discipline.
Presents a convincing argument that is analytic, interpretive, or explanatory in nature and exhibits independent thought and engagement with the subject matter.
Articulates a focused thesis.
Supports the thesis with persuasive evidence.
Uses logical transitions to guide the reader through the stages of a compelling argument.
Has an effective introduction and conclusion.
Contains well-structured paragraphs.
Uses concrete and precise language.
Uses an engaging, concise style characterized by strong verbs and active voice.
Shows the writer's conscious command of the elements of a sentence by avoiding disruptive grammatical errors, such as dangling modifiers, subject/verb disagreement, vague or ambiguous pronoun antecedents, and mistakes in punctuation.
Synthesizes outside sources, when used, into the larger argument.
Uses appropriate documentation form.