Bad college essays: 10 mistakes you must avoid

It is challenging to write an excellent essay. We all hear that the best paper is error-free. But what does that mean? Errors can be in everything. An essay might have punctuation mistakes, grammar errors, and wrong word choices. Finally, it can contain dubious sources that won’t allow you to get the highest grade. With the bulk of rubrics every academic institution follows, it is hard to determine the best essay. But what if you go in the other direction and see what are the most common mistakes students commit? Omitting them will help you get the highest score!

Writing at the last moment

Writing at the last moment is the worst mistake you can make. Indeed, students often lack time to complete their assignments. Being bombarded with tasks is an issue learners face. And procrastination is their main enemy.

Many students get a dozen assignments that aren’t related to their major. As a result, they delegate such tasks to others, such as this essay writing service. With the ability to see a detailed review, they choose competent writers and get their homework done quickly and effectively. In turn, if you want to craft a paper yourself, make sure to plan your writing session and dedicate sufficient time for it.

Ignoring critical data

Students tend to remain quite superficial when writing papers. That is, they often ignore critical data that would reveal the subject thoroughly. Being general will do you no good. “Then how to quickly write a research paper?” one might ask. Make sure you research your topic and look for sources from different repositories and library catalogs. You want to get as much data as possible at the very beginning. When you gather materials from several places, you proceed to analyse every piece of evidence. Doing this is the best way to find critical data.

Stick to the right format

Many people find format unnecessary or overblown, at least. Inexperienced students do not entirely follow the formatting style or they make mistakes when adjusting their texts to the relevant format. Adapting the essay to the formatting style is undoubtedly time-consuming and complex. But it plays a pivotal role in your final grade, and the format is there for a reason. Following it, you meet academic requirements and increase your work’s value.

Using informal writing

We use slang daily, even professors. But the most significant difference between students and teachers is that the latter can effortlessly keep their writing style academic. Contrarily, students don’t change their writing style and keep including informal language in their works. In no way should they do that. Do not use such words and personal pronouns.

Failing to structure

Every essay must be structured. Writing the entire paper in one paragraph will get you the lowest grade. Remember that standard essays have an introduction, a body part, and a conclusion. They all have subdivisions with unique purposes. If your paper doesn’t exceed a two-page word count, the structure will be as follows:

• The Introduction (one paragraph)
• The Body Part (three paragraphs)
• The Conclusion (one paragraph)

If you have to write a more extensive work, like a thesis, it will have a different structure. Either way, make sure to consult your teacher if you are unaware of the structure you have to follow.

Concentrating on one section

Many students declare an introduction to be the most complicated part to write. However, they don’t seek another approach to accelerate their writing process. They simply get stuck in the opening and wait for a flash of inspiration to keep going. If you can relate to the problem, change your attitude. There is no established writing strategy you must follow. Write a thesis statement and proceed to the body section. You can even start with a conclusion! It is completely legit.

Following the same pattern

Writing essays is independent work. It evaluates your writing, critical thinking and decision-making skills. However, students often look for outside inspiration and consult their colleagues when working on assignments. It is not forbidden, but it can harm your writing. The thing is, classmates may reveal some details about their papers, and you can take them as the correct answer to the topic, although having a different stance initially. Follow your pattern, paying no attention to others.

Rushing the writing process

Many students don’t have enough time to study. Some have too much on their plate. Others work part-time and thus can’t deal with everything by themselves. There is a simple solution to the time-management problem. You either dedicate more time to the task, or you don’t do it. There is no golden mean.

Neglecting others’ thoughts

Ignoring others is one of the most serious pitfalls. If you think your paper is refined and your position is unarguable, you jeopardise your paper’s quality and objectivity. Ask others to check your work and provide you with feedback. You don’t have to take everything on board yet someone knowledgeable will be of assistance.

Being distracted

If you want to complete your paper on time, you have to get rid of distractions. Every notification, message, or call will break your concentration and diminish your productivity. When we get distracted, it takes us over 20 minutes to work up to the previous efficiency level. So, mute your phone, close redundant apps, open the doc and start writing an essay.

Conclusion

The moment you get rid of the abovementioned dangerous mistakes, your papers will gain a new lease of life. Remember these widely faced errors and try to eradicate them every time they appear in your essay.