How to Write a Composition Essay in Women and Gender Studies: Helpful Tips

Understanding the purpose of composition has nothing to do with complexity. Yes, the format and requirements coincide with the essay but in fact, it is just creative work. Compared to the essay that involves narrative, argumentive, descriptive, and expository types, a composition can be in the form of a short story, poem, or novel. However, students, most of the time are assigned a paper that will show their knowledge and opinion regarding one topic. And, it is a work that allows one to change a reader’s mind about the selected matter.

Taking into consideration the time needed for writing, it won’t take more than a few days. Some smart students can even limit to a few hours but the key requirement is to not look biased with the opinions, otherwise, work will not pass the evaluation. Why composition is a good paper?

First off, students prefer writing it rather than other types of the essay such as compare and contrast or research papers. Most of the time, it involves only 500-800 words, and one can dedicate them to creativity. Secondly, there is no need for large bibliography or methodology. However, if one attaches quotes or certain data from credible materials, it is necessary to cite it.

Then, a composition essay is an exercise before writing more hard papers where a student should possess enough tricks to persuade a reader. And, most importantly, professors make advances to students who want to choose a topic on their own. Thus, it is highly recommended to spend at least a few hours to choose a stellar one to be unique, interesting, and innovator.

How to Write a Composition Essay in Women and Gender Studies? Topic Selection

In fact, this subject is interesting in terms of the field it can focus the studying and research on. Now, those students who think they need to write about the role of women only may be puzzled but you guys should know that its purpose is much wider. As of now, these studies’ main concern is based on history, anthropology, psychology, and popular culture of genders, and in particular, women. But, students can also access such topics as race, social class, sexuality, ability, and inequality.

To feel like a duck to water, one should start by checking the latest news regarding this subject. It can be achieved with the help of online platforms or events ongoing in your community. Refer to the next sources:

TED. This platform hosts dozens of women who fight for their rights and prove that inequality is the virus in modern societies. You can get inspiration, or even pick up some topics from any video if it directly concerns the studied field;
Environment. The best example of this field concern is one’s environment. Every day there are conflicts in the streets, at work, and even unfortunately in one’s family. A professor will evaluate decently a work that is based on one’s personal attitude and experience with the selected topic;
YouTube. This source is not only considered for entertainment but students rarely use it for studying. So, now you know that there are many videos and bloggers who demonstrate how women are treated in today’s life.

Keep in mind, even though the actual topics involve negative outcomes and problems regarding this discipline, there are positive themes as well. For instance, a student can write about the most famous women in the world, or speak of mothers that served a true inspiration for their children. Otherwise, one can emphasize the importance of psychological barriers ladies have to achieve one or another target. All in all, please with a variety of choices, you should not go for a banal topic.

Check the next list of good-to-pick-up topics for your Women and Gender Studies composition essay:

Transexuals Rights;
Women of the Century;
Gender Imbalance in Post-Soviet Countries;
LGBTQ as a Modern Trend or a Real Manifestation of Feelings;
Transgender Identification;
Gender Roles in Politics;
Feminism;
Same-Sex Families;
Women and Men Domestic Violence;
Adoptions in Same-Sex Families;
Mannish Women;
The Importance of Sexual Education at Schools;
Female Leaders;
Muslim Women’s Problem;
Religion Toward Sexual Orientation;
Women in the ARMY;
Stereotypes Regarding Female Drivers;
Women Presidents;
Lady-Boss: Are Women Better Executives?
Women Issues in Job Search.

As you may see the availability of topics scare. They all correspond to today’s world. Otherwise, one can always address the issues in selecting a topic to the professor. And, the latter will at least hint about the directions.

Prewriting Tips for Writing a Composition Essay in Women and Gender Studies

Most of the students yearly make the same mistakes, some manage to attach pictures to a small composition, some do not even reach the minimum limit of word count. For your acknowledgment, read the next recommendations:

The composition is 500-800 words. Failing to write a limit, your work won’t be even evaluated. Once there are more than 800 words, it will affect the grade;
Avoid cliches and slang. Some topics in Women and Gender Studies allow their usage but it does not mean a professor will understand what you mean. Try to minimize their number or at least, explain terms;
Prepare a plan or outline. Even though, a composition is a relatively short paper you do not need to forget about the qualitative outline that will only structure your ideas;
Decide on the timeline. One should not rush the same as one should not write one sentence per day. A perfect choice is to dedicate one day for the actual writing, and the second day only for proofreading;
Understand the choice of other students. It can be very frustrating if some students from your group have the same or similar topic, yes you can take it as a competition. But, reality shows that most of the works in such cases resemble each other too much;
Prepare material. If your topic requires much facts or evidence, make sure you prepared some credible sources to access information from. It can be books, online materials, articles, and even your survey details.

Finally, understand what you need from a composition essay. It can be either your desire to persuade a professor about one point or a chance to address concerns regarding one matter. After that, you will know what to pay attention to the most, a theory background or your personal attitude toward the matter.

Writing a Composition Essay in Women and Gender Studies

It is action time. Historically, any type of essay predetermines three obligatory parts such as introduction, main body, and conclusion. In your case, this structure won’t differ. But first, acknowledge the next requirements:

Times New Roman, 12;
Double-spaced;
No spacing between paragraphs.

There is hope that students understand no photos are required for a paper. The same concerns colored text, even if you want to address the LGBT community, and pay tribute to their rainbow. Such manifestations are good and they are encouraged in today’s modern and CIVILIZED world but an essay is still an academic paper, so students should remain professionals.

Introduction. It consists of only a few sentences but they should be so precise and logical that the professor understands the point and purpose of your writing. Of course, to achieve this goal, a thesis is a highly recommended instrument. Note, the first sentence of your thesis (if it is longer than one sentence) should introduce a reader to the topic, and underline the issue. The second one should provoke food for thought so that a professor is eager to find out your results and conclusion of the whole paper.

Do not reveal the key points you will speak in the main body;
Do not mention your name and your story of choosing the topic. One can only shortly explain what was the impulse to selecting it;
Use an anecdote or rhetorical question if possible;
Try to be friendly with a topic, no need to be negative.

Main Body. Or, else called the heart of the essay. Regularly, if a composition consists of 800 words, 400 are for sure dedicated to this part. Students tend to write irrelevant information that leads to understanding they are biased, negative, and do not have any facts to prove one or another idea. Yes, a composition essay does not make students attach any references or bibliography but it does not mean you can provide a professor with a statistics or survey without explaining from where you took it.

The main body is divided into three subparagraphs that each is dedicated to one idea;
Do not add dates or quotes if you cannot confirm their authenticity;
Do not write only about your attitude, try to involve the experts’ opinion;
Attach a small piece of your observations if you have previously made an experiment to prove the reverse of any fact.

Conclusion. 100 words will be more than enough to crown all the information. One should feel confident with his research, and one should demonstrate the results. Especially, students forget that the conclusion is the place to respond to the thesis and introduction. So, once you cannot formulate the answer to the question in the introduction, you did not achieve the target, and you have either rewrite the whole essay or redo your beginning.

Do not add new information or facts you haven’t spoken previously;
Make a joke or again attach a rhetorical question;
Finish your work positively.

Finally, when you are done with writing, you can spend time thinking about whether enough information or facts are provided or whether you met the targeted task. In most of the cases, this critical thinking allows students to change their topic once still there is some time, or rewrite the points that do not look much persuasive.

If you are satisfied with the results, final proofreading can help you feel relaxed and calm about the evaluation.

Proofreading of a Composition Essay in Women and Gender Studies

Now, you must have been proud of yourself like never before but a few obstacles can still spoil your mood. It concerns events when one skips the proofreading stage. Keep in mind, even the smartest students who know there are no mistakes, spend at least one hour to make sure their confidence is relevant. Thus, for you to save nerves and patience, here is a list of final recommendations regarding your composition essay.

Check either thesis sounds persuasive or mild. A professor is obliged to read all the essays that meet criteria but make sure one at least receives a small satisfaction to eyes reading your work;
Online editors. One can turn to the help of online editors that highlight the mistakes and help understand whether the sentences are easy to read. Note, a perfect length of a sentence is 10 or fewer words. If you fail to meet this limit, a reader can get puzzled with reading and may lose interest in acknowledging your work;
Remove slang. Sometimes students by mistake write informal words, try to remember what is your commonly used slang and seek it in the text;
Count the words. Yes, even after proofreading, it is a must to double-check the word count;
Leave your work for a few days. Remember, that writing, correcting and submitting a paper the same day is useless and leads to the negative consequences. For this purpose, after finishing writing, leave it at least for one day. Let your eyes relax, and brain to restart;
Read a text from the end. Those who are sure there are some mistakes left but they cannot spot them, can try to read text backward. Slowly and loud read word by word, and highlight the sentences that look suspicious.

Last but not least, never submit your work as a finished burden. It is a good exercise before writing a dissertation or coursework in Women and Gender Studies, and you will be so grateful knowing those basics of writing, requirements, format instructions you mastered a long time before. And, no paper will scare you in the future, and no professor will evaluate you poorly. Good Luck with the results.

References:

Arquilevich, G. (1998). Fairview’s guide to composition and essay writing. Ventura County, Calif.: Fairview Pub.
Cooley, T. (2003). The Norton sampler: Short Essay for Composition. New York: W.W. Norton & Co.
Launius, C. and Hassel, H. (2018). Threshold concepts in women’s and gender studies. 2nd ed. Routledge.