The Art of Writing a Standout Essay

By Erica Helmka

The Atlantic | February 2024

Imagine you're trying to convince a friend that your favorite movie is the best ever made. You don't just blurt out, "It's great!" Instead, you craft your argument—describing the thrilling plot twists, praising the nuanced performances, and marveling at the groundbreaking cinematography. You deploy examples, appeal to emotions, and construct logical reasoning to build your case. Writing an essay operates much the same way. Whether advocating for reduced school hours or analyzing historical rhetoric, your essay serves as the vehicle for your voice and ideas. But how do you elevate your writing from merely acceptable to genuinely exceptional? Let's deconstruct the process into manageable steps that challenge writers across the spectrum—from hesitant beginners to confident veterans.

Step 1: Decode the Rhetorical Situation—Your Compass

Before committing a single word to the page, you must understand the complete rhetorical situation—the writer (you), the audience (who will read it), the purpose (what you want to accomplish), and the context (the circumstances surrounding the writing). Think of this rhetorical analysis as your compass, orienting you before the journey begins.

For example, if the prompt reads, "Argue whether schools should adopt shorter days," the rhetorical situation demands that you:

  • Position yourself as an informed student advocate

  • Address an audience of educators and policy makers

  • Establish a purpose of persuasion toward a specific position

  • Recognize the context of current educational debates

How to master this step:

  • Read the prompt twice, deliberately slowing down on the second reading.

  • Underline directive verbs like "analyze," "evaluate," or "synthesize"—these dictate your rhetorical approach.

  • Identify your audience's values, knowledge level, and potential resistance points.

In AP Lang, your reader typically embodies a well-educated evaluator seeking sophisticated reasoning—formal without being pedantic, persuasive without overreaching.

Step 2: Craft Your Thesis—Plant Your Flag

With the rhetorical situation mapped, stake your claim. Your thesis isn't merely an opinion; it's the architectural blueprint for your entire argument. Like planting a flag on contested ground, it declares both your position and your reasoning.

Underdeveloped thesis: "Shorter school days would be beneficial." (This lacks specificity and reasoning.)

Sophisticated thesis: "By restructuring the academic day to prioritize quality of instruction over quantity of hours, schools can simultaneously enhance student engagement, improve information retention, and promote healthier learning environments." (This provides clear reasoning and structure.)

How to execute this step:

  • Draft multiple thesis statements, experimenting with different approaches.

  • Ensure your thesis answers the prompt directly while suggesting your organizational structure.

  • Craft a statement complex enough to sustain analysis without becoming unwieldy.

Step 3: Deploy Rhetorical Appeals—Ethos, Pathos, Logos

Compelling essays don't merely state positions—they persuade through strategic rhetorical appeals. Consider ethos (ethical appeal/credibility), pathos (emotional appeal), and logos (logical appeal) as distinct instruments in your rhetorical orchestra.

Ethos (credibility): Establish your authority or draw on respected voices. "According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, adolescent sleep patterns strongly suggest later school start times would improve performance."

Pathos (emotion): Evoke specific emotional responses through vivid imagery or relatable scenarios. "Consider the fourteen-year-old who struggles to keep his eyes open during first period, his potential and curiosity buried beneath layers of exhaustion."

Logos (logic): Deploy evidence, statistics, and reasoned analysis. "Research from the Education Policy Institute demonstrates that four concentrated hours of instruction yield higher retention rates than seven diluted ones, with test scores improving by an average of 12%."

How to integrate these appeals:

  • Analyze your audience to determine which appeals might resonate most strongly.

  • Vary your approaches throughout—begin with pathos to engage, transition to logos to convince, and reinforce with ethos to validate.

  • For a technology essay, you might write: "Neuroscientists at Stanford University (ethos) have documented a 37% reduction in sustained attention span when smartphones remain visible during instruction (logos), leaving students disconnected from the very educational experiences designed to prepare them for their futures (pathos)."

Step 4: Construct with Evidence—Your Foundation

Evidence transforms assertion into argument. Like a skilled mason selecting stones for a wall, choose varied, relevant support:

  • Statistical evidence: "During a three-year pilot program, schools with shortened instructional days reported 31% higher homework completion rates."

  • Expert testimony: "Educational psychologist Dr. Ramirez explains, 'The adolescent brain processes information most efficiently in focused intervals rather than extended periods.'"

  • Historical precedents: "Finland, consistently ranking among top educational systems globally, structures school days to end by early afternoon."

  • Anecdotal evidence: "When Westlake High implemented a compressed schedule, attendance rose by 14% while disciplinary incidents dropped dramatically."

How to implement this step:

  • Signal evidence with attribution phrases: "According to recent findings..." or "As demonstrated by multiple studies..."

  • Contextualize evidence before presenting it, explaining its relevance to your specific argument.

  • Consider opposing evidence honestly—this strengthens rather than weakens your position.

Step 5: Develop Commentary—Answer "So What?"

Evidence alone remains inert without insightful commentary. This analytical component transforms raw information into persuasive reasoning by explaining implications and connections. It answers the critical "so what?" question.

Superficial commentary: "This research shows shorter days help students. They get more sleep."

Nuanced commentary: "This research illuminates the paradoxical relationship between instructional time and learning outcomes—when students operate at peak cognitive capacity for fewer hours, they process information more deeply, retain concepts more thoroughly, and approach learning with renewed enthusiasm. The implications extend beyond academic metrics into psychological well-being and long-term educational engagement."

How to elevate your commentary:

  • After presenting evidence, systematically address:

  • What patterns or principles does this evidence reveal?

  • How does this connect to my broader argument?

  • What assumptions does this challenge or confirm?

  • What are the wider implications of this finding?

  • Develop each analysis through multiple sentences, layering your insights.

Step 6: Develop Counterarguments—Anticipate Opposition

Acknowledging opposing perspectives doesn't weaken your position—it fortifies it. Sophisticated essays embrace complexity through thoughtful counterargument.

Identify the strongest counterarguments: What would the most informed opponent say? "Proponents of traditional schedules argue that longer school days better prepare students for workplace demands and provide crucial childcare for working families."

Acknowledge validity where appropriate: "This concern about childcare accessibility represents a legitimate societal challenge that any schedule modification must address."

Refute with precision: "However, this argument falsely equates hours in the building with educational value. A restructured school day could maintain before and after-school programming while optimizing the instructional core for maximum cognitive benefit."

Pivot back to your position: "Rather than reproducing workplace exhaustion in educational settings, schools should model sustainable productivity through focused engagement—a skill increasingly valued in innovative workplaces."

How to master counterargument:

  • Dedicate a full paragraph to the strongest opposing viewpoint.

  • Present the counterargument fairly, avoiding oversimplification.

  • Respond with specific rebuttals, not generalizations.

  • Use transitional phrases like "While critics contend..." or "Although some argue..." to maintain flow.

Step 7: Craft Syntactic Variety—Build Rhythm and Emphasis

Standout essays employ varied sentence structures to establish rhythm, emphasize key points, and maintain reader engagement. Consider syntax as another rhetorical tool in your arsenal.

Simple sentences create emphasis: "Students need rest. Learning requires focus. Education demands balance."

Complex sentences develop relationships: "While educational systems have historically equated time with value, research increasingly suggests that cognitive engagement, rather than hours logged, determines learning outcomes."

Periodic sentences build anticipation: "Despite concerns about reduced instructional time, potential impacts on extracurricular activities, and challenges for working parents, shortened school days ultimately benefit student learning."

Balanced structures create rhythm: "Less time in classrooms, more depth in learning; fewer hours of instruction, greater minutes of engagement."

Strategic questions engage readers: "What if our focus on extending school days actually undermines the very outcomes we seek to improve?"

How to enhance syntactic variety:

  • Vary sentence beginnings—avoid starting consecutive sentences with the same structure.

  • Combine short, punchy sentences with longer, more complex ones.

  • Read your writing aloud to hear its rhythm and cadence.

  • Study writers you admire, noting how they vary structures for effect.

Step 8: Manage Your Time—Strategic Execution

The 40-minute AP Lang essay tests not just your writing skills but your ability to perform under pressure. Approach it like an athletic event—with strategy, pacing, and mental preparation.

0-5 minutes: Strategic Planning

  • Analyze the prompt completely (30 seconds)

  • Brainstorm evidence and organizational structure (1.5 minutes)

  • Draft a working thesis (1 minute)

  • Outline key points for each paragraph (2 minutes)

5-32 minutes: Focused Writing

  • Introduction with context and thesis (3-4 minutes)

  • Body paragraphs with evidence and analysis (18-20 minutes)

  • First 6-7 minutes: Strongest point

  • Next 6-7 minutes: Supporting point

  • Final 6-7 minutes: Counterargument and refutation

  • Conclusion with implications (3-4 minutes)

32-40 minutes: Strategic Revision

  • Structural review: thesis alignment and paragraph flow (2 minutes)

  • Sentence-level review: clarity and variety (3 minutes)

  • Mechanical review: grammar and spelling (3 minutes)

How to optimize your timing:

  • Practice with a timer regularly—develop an internal clock.

  • If you get stuck, skip to your next point and return later.

  • Reserve time for revision—it can elevate a B essay to an A.

  • If running short on time, focus on developing your strongest points rather than including underdeveloped ones.

Step 9: Craft a Compelling Conclusion—Create Resonance

Your conclusion should not merely restate but resonate. It provides closure while expanding perspective, leaving readers with lingering implications to consider.

Basic conclusion: "Therefore, shorter school days would help students learn better."

Resonant conclusion: "As we reconsider the relationship between time and learning, shortened school days emerge not as a compromise but as an evolution—acknowledging that education at its best doesn't fill time but transforms minds. In prioritizing engagement over endurance, we don't diminish education's importance; we distill it to its essential purpose. The future of learning lies not in more hours but in more meaningful ones."

How to craft resonant conclusions:

  • Echo your introduction with a more nuanced perspective.

  • Articulate the broader significance of your argument.

  • End with a thoughtful statement that lingers in readers' minds.

Your Rhetorical Toolkit

As you prepare to write your next standout essay, remember these fundamental principles:

  • Decode the rhetorical situation—understand your purpose, audience, and context.

  • Craft a complex thesis that establishes both position and reasoning.

  • Deploy strategic rhetorical appeals—ethos, pathos, and logos.

  • Construct with varied, relevant evidence.

  • Develop insightful commentary that reveals significance.

  • Address counterarguments thoroughly and fairly.

  • Vary your syntax to create rhythm and emphasis.

  • Manage your time with strategic precision.

  • Craft a conclusion that resonates beyond your final sentence.

Writing a standout essay isn't about following formulas but about making conscious rhetorical choices. It might initially feel like assembling a complex instrument, but with practice, the process becomes more intuitive. Soon you'll move from conscious competence to unconscious mastery, your words flowing with purpose and power. So embrace the challenge—your unique voice and perspective matter. The world awaits your arguments, analyses, and ideas. Start writing.