Writing a strong university essay comes down to four things: a clear thesis, a logical structure, evidence from credible sources, and clean referencing. This Essay Guide hub collects our most useful walkthroughs — from planning an introduction and building body paragraphs to refining your argument and proofreading before submission. Every guide is written for the standards Australian markers actually apply.
If you are short on time or want a model to work from, our essay writing help service pairs you with a Masters- or PhD-qualified writer in your discipline. You can also sharpen a draft yourself with our free paraphrasing tool and grammar checker. Browse the latest essay guides below.
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Frequently asked questions
The basic structure of a university essay is an introduction that states your thesis, body paragraphs that each develop one point with evidence, and a conclusion that synthesises your argument. Most undergraduate essays follow this three-part shape, scaled to the word count.
An essay introduction should be roughly 10% of the total word count — about 100 words for a 1,000-word essay. It needs to set the context, narrow to your specific question, and end with a clear thesis statement.
To improve an essay before submitting it, check that every paragraph supports your thesis, that each claim has a cited source, and that your referencing is consistent. Reading it aloud catches awkward phrasing, and a fresh proofread the next day catches errors you missed.