A student working on a diagnostic essay assignment. Photo: picjumbo.com

Unlike other essays that are graded based on your research skills, a diagnostic essay will not influence your overall academic grade. But that doesn’t make writing diagnostic essay any easier. Such academic tasks have a strict time limit, which means a student has to write one fast.

This eliminates the need to carry out extensive research on the topic. However, you have to write a flawless, coherent diagnostic paper within the given time, include all required sections, and do a thorough edit and proofreading.

What Is a Diagnostic Essay?

This is an academic paper that tests the writing skills of a student. If the topic is not given, the essay will serve two purposes: to test creativity and writing skills. The essay is assigned at the beginning of a semester, academic term, or course.

Based on the diagnostic paper you submit, a teacher or instructor will determine your writing strengths and weaknesses. After that, the instructor will offer the correct recommendations to help you meet the course objectives.

How to Write a Diagnostic Essay

To write quality and flawless diagnostic essay, students must divide their time effectively, use the topic to develop a clear thesis statement, and create paragraphs that transition properly and give the essay flow. So what are the 3 parts of an essay? Pre-writing stage, body, and conclusion.

Since a diagnostic paper doesn’t include any research, the reference section is never included. Thus the diagnostic essay structure should be made up of these three main sections:

     1. Introduction

Use this essay section to introduce the prompt or topic. Give three main points that will be covered in the body paragraphs and end with a one-sentence thesis statement that provides the argument the paper will cover.

     2. Add Two to Three Body Paragraph

Writing a winning diagnostic essay paragraph entails proven tips. Here are steps that successful students adhere to:

• State one idea in every paragraph and discuss how it relates to the thesis statement.
• Use personal experience or clear examples to support any claims made.
• Use transitions to connect the paragraphs, create flow, and a logical ordering of ideas.
• Ensure the information presented is relevant to the provided topic and the stated thesis.
• Keep the sentences short, specific, and logically correct to make the editing process easier.

      3. Conclusion

Use this section to wrap up the essay by emphasizing the major points. But rephrase the information in a clear and simplified manner without adding any new content.

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What Are the 5 Steps to Writing an Essay?

A lightbulb moment. Photo: qimono

Knowing the steps to write a diagnostic essay and the structure will help create quality content. There are five main steps to writing a diagnostic essay as discussed below:

1. Create a Thesis Statement

Read the topic and condense the argument or analysis into a single sentence. You will know you have a good thesis if it will help you answer the essay question, justifies the discussion, and asserts your conclusion on the subject. The thesis should also express a single main idea and showcase exactly what the diagnostic essay is about.

You might be tempted not to include a thesis statement. However, every academic paper needs a thesis to give the writing focus, direction, and a concise summary of the main points covered in the body section. If you need an expert at writing a great thesis, don’t hesitate to reach out to our professionals, as they have a ton of experience and will help improve your academic writing.

2. Write an Outline

As aforementioned, a diagnostic essay format will have an introduction, body, and conclusion. Writing an outline ensures you cover all the crucial points in a speedy manner without including any unnecessary information that might take a lot of time to edit.

3. Add a Hook to the First Paragraph

Use a hook to motivate the teacher to keep reading past the introduction. Without a catchy phrase, the instructor might struggle to read your diagnostic paper. Use descriptive words to create a vivid picture or start with an intriguing question that directs the instructor’s thoughts in a different direction.

While a hook should spark curiosity, it should not divulge a lot of information but keeps the teacher wanting to know more about what happens next. At the end of the first paragraph, insert the thesis statement.

4. Write Topic Sentences

The supporting paragraphs should start with a topic sentence that gives a general idea of what that section of the essay will cover. It should also support the thesis statement.

After stating the topic sentence, use the rest of the paragraph to expand on the main issue by providing relevant examples. The topic sentences can act as transitions that allow the whole essay to come together and for information in the paragraphs to flow smoothly.

5. Do Thorough Proofreading and Editing

While a diagnostic essay is time-constrained, it’s important to set a few minutes to remove any errors which can weaken your writing skills. Always edit and then proofread to help catch and weed out any small mistakes and ensure your content is not misinterpreted. Edit the topic sentence if it doesn’t match the content of the paragraph.

Carefully check for errors in the text, which include punctuation, inconsistencies, and formatting. Ensure the language is simple to understand and the text communicates your ideas effectively. Don’t hesitate to change the structure of sentences if it will help to improve flow. Make sure correct grammar is applied throughout the essay.

As long as you know the steps to follow and the structure to use, writing a diagnostic essay from scratch will be easy. Reading samples can help you know what to include and prepare you to write such an academic paper. So use this comprehensive guide to improve your writing skills or seek further assistance from our tutors.

Writing a diagnostic essay from scratch is not easy, especially for someone encountering it for the first time. Luckily, students in such a predicament can get writing help from our reputable subject expert writers. Our prices are affordable, and we meet all expectations regardless of subject or academic level.