Through a lot of trial and error, students eventually learn how to avoid the most common mistakes they make while writing essays… or do they? In fact, most students keep annoying their teachers by sticking to clichés and repeating the same mistakes in one paper after another. Instead of trying to prove a point and sticking to your usual routine, you should learn what your professors would like to see.
The best way to deliver exactly what the teacher wants to read is to first understand what they don’t want to see in your essay. These are the most common mistakes in essay writing that students should finally learn to avoid:
Going around the topic without elaborating it clearly
So you should write an essay about the Battle of Ctesiphon and start the essay by explaining the reasons that led to World War I and listing all major battles before the one that you should focus on. That’s a great way to get a bad grade for a lot of effort. Before you start writing the paper, you should make sure to understand its topic and focus on it! Write an outline that will keep you away from unnecessary digressions.
Not enough sources to support the thesis
When writing an argumentative essay, it’s extremely important to do your best to convince the reader that you’re making a valuable point. Your arguments are not enough; you have to support them with facts, statistics, and authoritative opinions.
Too many sources, not enough of your own voice
This is another extreme. Students focus on the research stage so much that they decide to use too many sources, which are often contradictory to one another. Detachment is really important at this step; you don’t have to use every single resource you locate. Your own opinions should also be present in the essay, so make sure to define your stand and use the resources to prove that you’re right. The evidence you use should be smoothly integrated within your arguments.
Not taking a clear stand
I get it: you’re not always interested in the assignments you get and still haven’t formed a clear view on most topics your professors consider interesting. Do your best to find your own voice before you start working on the paper! Read forums, do an online research and understand the issue before you approach it from your own point of view.
Improper referencing
How many times have your teachers told you about the importance of implementing the requested citation style? Still, this is the most boring part of the task and we all love skipping it. If you cannot get the references right no matter how hard you try, then it would be smart to hire a professional editor to make your essay perfect.
Overwriting
So your teacher asks for a short essay of 500-700 words, but you like the topic and decide to submit a lengthy paper of over 2000 words. That won’t impress anyone! Be smart and plan each argument with an outline. Keep the discussion focused and don’t go over the limit.
Submitting the first draft
When a teacher sees improperly-constructed paper with imperfect language, they won’t even bother to read it. That won’t work into your advantage. Always read and re-read the essays, and make sure they are perfect before submitting them.