Anyone considering writing a music essay should first become familiar with the common essay format to ensure all the crucial elements of a well-constructed essay are included. An essay outline is a great way to get organized before beginning the writing of the music essay, and will prevent the writer from forgetting important points to be made in the essay. Once the writer has determined the topic of the essay, he or she should focus on writing an effective thesis statement that clearly states the his or her point of view on the matter.
This part of the writing may require a fair amount of research, depending on the specific topic. The writer should gather as much information about the topic as possible and take notes from these sources; it is exceptionally important to include a works cited page that clearly states what sources the writer used when writing his or her music essay; if this step is skipped, the writer is essentially plagiarizing, which is illegal in many circumstances. The works cited page will be placed as the last page of the essay.
The three major parts of a music essay are the introductory paragraph, which includes the thesis statement; the supporting paragraphs; and the conclusion. It is important to ensure all of these elements are present in the essay and the transitions between each section are clear and understandable. The writer will need to write a first draft, then make revisions to ensure no mistakes are present in the second draft. The topics should be clearly presented and all information presented as fact in the music essay will need to be cited properly. If the essay is about a specific music topic, this topic should be clear and evident by the end of the first paragraph.
Often, such essays are written as school assignments. If this is the case, be sure to have someone proofread the paper before turning it in. A different set of eyes may be able to catch mistakes the writer missed, or present viewpoints on the music topic the writer may not have considered. If possible, have someone with experience in the subject area of music read the essay so he or she can discuss potential changes to the essay before it is handed in. Many colleges and universities also have writing centers at which a student can work with an experienced staff member or fellow student who can help with the overall quality of writing.
