Being an international student can be stressful. Sometimes, it affects your academics because you are in a new environment, and you are probably clueless about the academic requirements in your place of study. Fortunately, you can get mentally prepared for what to expect.
As an international student in Portugal, it is essential to know what the academic writing process consists of. Of course, you can employ an essay writing service to handle all your essay writing needs. However, it is essential to know the basic rules of writing essays to challenge yourself painlessly.
In this guide, we’ll discuss some writing tips for students faced with academic essays as international students in Portugal.
1. Your essay introduction will determine if your professors will pick interest in your work
Writing an essay without a proper introduction is wrong. Even though you can pay someone to do your assignment, the beginning part of your essay prepares your readers for what to expect, so it’s better to understand what your readers want to see in your introduction. Give them a bite of the entire article to whet their appetite. Don’t disclose too much in your introductory section or your readers will have nothing to look forward to in the main essay.
2. The body of your essay should carry all the necessary information
In Portugal universities, lecturers often have an idea of what to expect from students’ essays on any topic. So when given a topic to discuss, don't stray from the main point; going off track shows that you do not understand the assignment. It is normal to get new ideas as you work on your essay. Still, filter all new ideas to ensure that they correspond with the topic your professor has given.
3. Interact with the locals to gain insights for your essay
For every essay topic you get, you should research and find out how it relates to Portuguese culture. While moving overseas can give you the jitters, that shouldn’t stop you from going to Portugal major cities and asking questions. Putting effort into your research will improve the quality of your article and could also make your professor impressed by your work as an international student. You can even get undocumented information about the society that will add value to your essay, so feel free to interact with locals to get ideas for it.
4. Learn Portuguese
Many foreign students ask this question: ‘Is Portuguese hard to learn?’ With the invention of language apps, you can rest assured that learning the Portuguese language will not be too challenging. Portuguese people love foreigners when they speak their language, and it is evident in their classrooms. Besides, having basic knowledge of the country’s official language will give you an edge when writing essays as you will be able to spice up your essay with Portuguese colloquialisms.
5. Format your essay properly
You will often be asked to submit a printed essay, so learn how to format essays, or use an expert such as domyessay. Properly formatted essays are aesthetically pleasing and can give you extra marks before your professor goes through your work. All your headers apart from the title should be written in H2, sub topics - in H3, while the essay's title should be written as H1. Avoid using italics except in specific cases, like when highlighting a quote.
6. Cite important information
A citation is a reference to a quotation from a book or other source of information. When you include a quote word for word from another place, you must credit the author. This will help you reduce plagiarism. Moreover, referencing the original author helps them gain better recognition for their work.
7. Edit your essay
After writing your essay, proofread and edit it carefully. During the process of writing your essay, there might be many grammatical errors and missing punctuation points. Those errors don't show up all the time, but it is crucial to proofread your work anyway. You can use the Grammarly or Hemingway app to edit your essays and ensure that your professor will enjoy reading.
Grammarly helps you identify grammar errors, use of passive voice, and punctuation mistakes. Meanwhile, the Hemingway app lets you know if people can read your essay by identifying hard-to-read sentences and showing you the readability grade. Using these tools will help you write appealing essays and adjust to the tone your Portuguese professors expect from your work.
Conclusion
Essay writing in Portugal is not rocket science. Once you understand and follow the basic rules of writing, you will have the ability to create better essays. Additionally, learning the country's language gives you an edge since you may have to submit your essay in the official language, which is Portuguese.
You can also get a college essay writing service to help with all your writing needs. If you want to do your essay by yourself and do exceedingly well at it, don't hesitate to follow the rules in this article. Stay focused and enjoy your academic journey in Portugal.
