As soon as you are given the essay prompt, read and reread it thoroughly. Underline any key words or phrases within the prompt and ask your professor to clarify any unclear information. In the days following, think about how the prompt relates to other coursework and lecture material. Also consider possible avenues of thought you might wish to pursue, the direction in which you hope to steer this essay. This will help you get a firm grasp on the assignment before having to commit any ideas to paper.
The information you use to support your essay, whether research-based or argumentative, must come from credible and reliable sources. These include books by accredited authors (doctors, researchers or experts in a particular field), government or educational websites (online addresses ending in ".gov" or ".edu") or scholarly publications (medical journals or critical essays). If your city is home to a university or community college campus, browse the library to find a wealth of published and online resources. Finding sources early on allows you to thoroughly acquaint yourself with the information you'll be using in your essay.
Addressing an unfamiliar topic can be intimidating and cause much delay in the writing process. To get an idea of the different approaches you can take to your topic, search the web for essays written by experts in the field. Reading work from a number of perspectives will help situate your thoughts about the topic and give your essay a clearer sense of direction. For example, if you're writing about the advantages of preschool enrollment, you may want to read opinions from those in favor and those who are critical of it.
The first draft of your essay should serve as the blueprint for subsequent rewrites -- focus on satisfying the core objectives of the prompt and laying out the most important ideas. After editing and minor reconstruction is discussed with a peer, create a second draft. At this stage the body of the paper should be cohesive and strong. Correct any grammatical or formatting errors before typing up your third (and often final) draft. Completing your essay in draft form allows you to carefully monitor its progression and reduces the chance of a simple error -- a run-on sentence or incorrect word usage -- slipping past unnoticed.