Craft a strong thesis statement that is not too narrow or too broad. This is the main idea of your formal essay, and you must find data and facts to support it. Make the thesis statement the last sentence of your introduction. Develop an outline to coordinate your thoughts and keep the body of the essay organized and coherent.
Decide what type of research is needed for your essay. You may need to use several types of sources, such as journal articles, newspapers, books, surveys, experiments or interviews. Cite sources for ideas, information and quotes taken from research materials so the reader can identify where the information came from when the ideas are not your own.
Write a first draft. Topic sentences of the essay's sections should support each major point of your thesis statement. Give facts and examples, and provide data and other evidence to support your ideas.
Read and revise your essay. Edit and proofread it, making sure you have used proper grammar, punctuation and sentence structure. Use spell check. Print out a copy so you can review it more easily.