The best tips for writing an essay on technology include writing what the student knows, using words the average person will understand, and paying attention to spelling and grammar. Students should write what they know rather than choosing an obscure topic they know little about. It is best to concentrate on forming the essay rather than unnecessarily researching an unfamiliar topic. Next, care should be taken to avoid technical terms some people, fellow students and teachers included, do not understand, especially when writing on a familiar subject. Lastly, spelling and grammar are still important, and it may be necessary to double-check potential spellings and grammar rules the writer is even slightly unsure about.
An essay on technology should have a theme, but technology is such a broad topic. It is generally best for the writer to write what he or she knows well. For example, a student familiar and passionate about medicine might write about nanotechnology. If the writer is unfamiliar with most technology, he or she can instead write about technology as a whole, its history, and recent discoveries. Some teachers do not appreciate broad topic essays, however, so it may be necessary to inquire about this and explain the situation before proceeding.
Under most circumstances, using everyday words in an essay on technology is a good thing. It may be tempting to use long, obscure words or terms that only an expert in a specific subject would know, but most teachers advise against it. Essays are not the platform to showcase a hidden talent for incorporating rarely used words or to boast about a deep understanding of an aspect of technology. They are meant to inform, persuade, or any number of other goals. While the purpose of an essay on technology varies, it is always meant to communicate with the reader.
Every student should proof his or her essay at least once before turning it in. Even the best writers cannot write a perfect piece on the first or second try, and sometimes it is argued that no one can perfect a piece of literature without an editor. If the student is unsure of anything, a quick Internet search or flip through a dictionary or grammar textbook can turn up the correct usage of the word or punctuation mark. In addition, there are programs that examine text for spelling and grammar errors, but these are generally not fool proof and sometimes not considered acceptable by a teacher.