Writing great academic essays is a skill that anyone can learn and practice once they understand the fundamental principles. Academic essays are written to improve a student’s researching and communicating skills. In most educational institutions, research papers follow a specified set of guidelines. As a student, knowing these guidelines will put you on the side of the angels. So how can you improve your academic writing skills? Here are five of the best tips on how to write a good essay. 1. Start EarlyMost students postpone working on their academic papers until the eleventh hour. When the deadlines are around the corner, they write their papers in a rush and submit without revising or proofreading. This is a recipe for disaster. Effective students start working on their academic essays as early as possible. There is a reason why you are given all that time to work on your research paper. And that is to deliver a well-researched high quality essay. When you start working on it early enough, you’ll have enough time to correct and improve your work. You’ll also have the chance to improve your writing skills. Students who work on their essays in a hurry never get the chance to improve their writing skills. 2. Create An OutlineBefore you start researching and writing, you need to create an outline. An outline enables you to come up with a good argument before you actually write the essay. It helps you to know and cover the most important points in your argument. Having a clear idea of how to write a good essay before you start writing is one the keys to success in academic writing. And all this is made possible by creating an outline. 3. Understand Grammar And PunctuationIf you don’t understand grammar and punctuation, then your readers will not take your work seriously. Have you ever read an article or material that was full of spelling and grammatical errors? How did you feel about it? It’s highly likely you didn’t read it to the end. Likewise, teachers get tired and irritated reading such essays. To improve your academic writing skills, it’s crucial for you to get help for students at Edubirdie and understand how to write good sentences and punctuate them properly. If you’re not good at it, start practicing on a regular basis. As the saying goes, practice makes perfect. 4. Do Your ResearchIt is important for you to understand your argument from different angles. And this is made possible by conducting a comprehensive research. Today, you don’t have to carry tons of books around to conduct a thorough research. With the internet, everything is possible. You can access books and articles that are not in your library. Also, use reliable resources. You don’t your essay to rejected because you used unreliable sources. Most reliable resources can be found in the library. Before using a source on the internet, ensure it provides accurate information. 5. Have A Study PartnerThere is nothing more fulfilling in school than having a study partner. With a study partner, a lot of things are made possible. You can research and brainstorm ideas together. You can share resources and materials that will improve your academic writing skills. After writing the essays, you can exchange and read each other’s works. Good study partners will provide an honest feedback that will help you improve the quality of your work.