5 Techniques for Effective Essay Writing: A Simplified Handbook for Beginners facilitates the acquisition of academic writing skills for English as a Second Language (L2) learners. It enables them to write effective thesis statement according to purpose; structure logical and coherent supporting sentences using cause-effect and comparison-contrast paragraph rhetoric methods. In addition, it also empowers them to critically paraphrase and synthesize information and to organize them fluently in a cause-evidence-reason-action (CERA) framework.The first part discusses the technique of streamlining the parameters of a controlling idea in a thesis statement. It proceeds with illustrating the 2 most common structural genres by which the body paragraphs of academic essays are logically and coherently laid out.The second part elucidates the techniques of processing information by paraphrasing and synthesizing for the purpose building up substantial and relevant corpus of evidence in the body paragraphs. The final part introduces L2 learners to the claim-evidence-reasoning-action (CERA) framework to facilitate them to write effective conclusion and at the same time to enable them with abilities to self-evaluate their writing.5 Techniques for Effective Essay Writing: A Simplified Handbook for Beginners tackles recurring contentious questions in academic writing. These are: (1.) Is a thesis statement similar to a topic sentence?(2.) Can a thesis statement be delimited or set to focus?(3.) Are there patterns of organization in cause-effect paragraph writing method?(4.) Are there patterns of organization in a comparison and contrast paragraph writing method?(5.) Are there steps to follow in paraphrasing?(6.) Is a synthesis similar to a summary? (7.) How to write a conclusion using the CERA framework?