Common Mistakes of Essay Writing

Not planning your essay is the most common mistake that students make. They complain that they cannot think of anything to write when they are faced with a blank word processor sheet, but that is because they are going about it all wrong. If they were to write a plan first, then they would be full of ideas and un-intimidated by the blank word processor sheet.

Make your plan up in bullet points

You do not need to make massive paragraphs full of notes for your plan. It can be as simple as a bullet point list. You do not have to worry about the bullet points being descriptive or making sense because you are the only one that is going to use them (and you know what they mean).

Just note research references in your plan

If there is a good point in a textbook or journal, then make a bullet point for it and then add the reference details so you can find it again when you need it. Even if you have not read the research correctly yet and only “suspect” it will be helpful, then just note the reference information and go back to it later.

Re-Read your question numerous times

Many students go off track when they write their essays and one of the main reasons is that they do not remember the essay questions correctly. It is not just about the writing process, it is also about the research process. You need the questions firm in your mind as you research, or the research will start to take you in directions that lead away from the point of your essay.

Proofreading too early is a common mistake

When a professional writer creates something, the first draft is often awful. It is full of needless things, full of errors, inconsistencies and grammatical mistakes. You need to write your first draft in full before you even consider checking it. Once you have check it over for things such as balancing, weight and accuracy error--then and only then should you start thinking about the spelling and grammar.

Some students fluff up their work

This is a very common mistake because some students run out of ideas and try to pad their work with meaningless word count. This is the worst thing you can do. If anything, you should over-write and then trim your work down. Why not add 1000 words to the word count and write that. For example, if your word count is supposed to be 3000 words, then make it 4000 words, then when you are done you can trim down the work so that only the good stuff remains.