Simplified guide to writing a mind-blowing diagnostic essay

By Evans AUG 24, 2020

The diagnostic essay sounds awfully difficult. It’s something that we only hear in the hospital. What does diagnosis have to do with me as a college student? Don’t let your blood pressure rise for no reason. It’s not as bad as it sounds

What is a diagnostic essay?

This is a type of essay usually given at the beginning of a semester. It is an essay that professors use to gauge your skills. This means that a diagnostic essay doesn’t require or give you time to research on a given topic. 

Why is a diagnostic essay important?

A diagnostic essay is used by the professors in a bid to understand the strengths and weaknesses of a student. The professors check the writing skills of a student, their general knowledge, and creativity levels. This helps the professors to structure a curriculum that will mostly benefit the students. 

Diagnostic essay helps show how students can think logically and creatively on the spot. Unlike a research paper, the goal of a diagnostic essay is not to show how much you know about a certain topic, but how well you can present what you know. 

Now that you have understood what a diagnostic essay is, let us move on and answer your second question: how do you start a diagnostic essay?

Diagnostic essay outline

The outline of a diagnostic essay is very similar to that of any other essay. A good essay has three main parts: the introduction, the body, and the conclusion. 

Introduction

Let’s say, for example, you have been tasked with writing a diagnostic task on ‘the most painful moment in a woman’s life.’ You need to, first of all, ensure that you understand the topic and what is expected of you. 

Once you set up to start writing your diagnostic essay introduction, it is advisable to paraphrase the topic given. This makes the topic come alive in your mind. You also need to let your readers know what you will be dealing with within the body. What are your key points? The last part of your introduction should be the thesis statement. The thesis statement shows what your take on the topic is.

The body

This is the main part of your diagnostic essay. This part includes your key points concerning your topic. This part should mainly have three paragraphs, with each paragraph talking about one major key. The first paragraph should contain the strongest point. For example, if you’re writing about a woman’s painful moment, you can make the first point to be about childbearing. Expand on it and explain why you believe this is the most painful moment.

 

The second paragraph should include the second most painful moment and so on. For the important points that don’t make it in the top three, you can just briefly list them before the conclusion

How to write the conclusion of a diagnostic essay

The conclusion should never be a hurried affair. You need to make it as interesting as possible. Don’t leave your readers with a bitter taste due to a terrible conclusion. Since when writing a diagnostic essay you are often pressed for time, it is important to make your conclusion as brief as possible.

 

Do not give new information in the conclusion, rather, just restate your thesis statement, and then briefly summarize your key points. 

Mistakes that students make while writing a diagnostic paper

*wasting precious time on unnecessary things

Unlike other essay types, you are given a very tight deadline for submitting a diagnostic essay. This means that your time is precious and you need to use it as such. To ensure that time doesn’t run out on you, ensure that you practice writing a diagnostic essay before the actual essay. This will help you understand how much time you need for a specific area. It also gives you confidence that you can finish on time. When the actual writing starts, don’t waste time thinking or doing unnecessary things. Ensure you understand the topic first and once you do, start writing. 

*Rushing through your paper

Just because we have said that a diagnostic paper has time constraints doesn’t mean that you should rush through your paper. No matter the limited time you have, never make your essay seem so hurried. It is advisable to write just half of your paper and write it well, rather than complete it in a rush and write absolute nonsense. When used well, the time allocated is enough for you to not only write your full paper but also go through it and correct any mistakes. 

*Not proofreading your work

The worst mistake that students make while writing a diagnostic essay is failing to go through their paper before submitting it. Remember that what your professor is looking for is not how much knowledge you possess, but how well you can apply what you know. This means editing and proofreading your paper is a very important part of your essay. Correct any punctuation and grammatical errors. Ensure that your paper flows flawlessly. 

*Panicking

Panicking is another mistake that you shouldn’t make. Once students hear that they are writing a diagnostic paper, the first thing they do is panic. Panicking won’t help you write. In any case, it will only make you feel like you know absolutely nothing! Avoid panicking. Be calm as you start writing, remind yourself that this is just like any other essay. 

*Failure to seek help

No man is self-sufficient. Every once in a while, you will need some help. Choose for yourself which is better: to submit a half-baked paper just because you were afraid of the diagnostic essay, or to submit a professional paper after realizing that you need some help?

Final thoughts

A diagnostic essay is about the application of the available skills. It gives you no time to learn new skills or gain more knowledge. Due to time constraints, it is possible to find yourself panicking as a result of not having enough time. If you have questions, or you urgently need someone to help you write your paper, contact our paper writing service today and you will not regret it.