Many students fail to get their papers published in journals or have their class assignments accepted by their instructors. Not because their works are plagiarised or AI-written, but because they are poorly written, which makes the professors or reviewers reject the manuscript. Upon digging deep, we have found 10 common mistakes that students make in academic writing.
You can benefit from the listed elements below and ensure that not a single flaw is present in your prose. To avoid getting rejections upon submissions or poor grades from your instructor or reviewer.
Starting Without Developing an Outline
Driving a car without a map or destination to follow will land you nowhere, and you may end up on the wrong route. Students who start to write essays without developing an outline may find that the thesis presented in the introduction has changed by the time they conclude.
To avoid getting stuck in a situation where your thesis statement does not match the conclusion you have reached. Take your time and think critically to plan and write an outline that will actually lead you forward from the introduction to the conclusion. So that you can stay relevant throughout the arguments to your thesis statement.
Writing a Generic or Lengthy Introduction
Most students, out of habit, start their paper's introduction by adding phrases like this topic was previously discussed by scientists, historians, literary critics, etc. Just to solidify their topic idea and show its importance to the audience. In actuality, it doesn’t move your reader and makes a bad first impression on them and the grader.
Instead of adding filler sentences, come straight to the point and precisely explain what your topic is and add your thesis statement. Remember, don’t stretch it unnecessarily because there’s a difference between the introduction of essays, research papers, and newspaper articles or blogs.
Picking a Too-Wide or Too-Narrow Thesis Statement
Authors usually choose too broad or too narrow thesis statements that can’t actually be covered in the available word limit. This makes them sometimes exceed the limit or fall short of the required number of words. That’s why you should always pick a balanced thesis statement that can be easily covered without requiring fillers.
For example, “I will argue that humans have been living in pairs since the start of the world”, “I will argue that ethics are the key fundamentals of human lives”. One is too broad and the other is too narrow; instead, pick a balanced idea to stay focused.
If you are failing to formulate an optimal thesis statement for your essay. Then, consider working with experts of EssaysUK to get the ideas trimmed to perfection.
Not Taking a Concrete Position
Teachers or instructors who usually review students' assignments complain about the weak positioning of students in essays. Ensure to use a thesis statement that will be a conclusion of an argument instead of only describing, comparing, or explaining something. However, it is suitable for some essays requiring comparison or explanation, but it is not valid for all essay types.
For example, instead of writing “Exploring the effects of social media on the lives of students,” write “10 Positive effects of social media on the lives of students” to take a strong position in your prose.
Using Too Many References and Quotations
Stuffing your dissertation or assignment with too many references and quotations does not make your prose sound. Because if you have added 7 references in your 2000-word essay, surely you will not be able to justify each one comprehensively without crossing the maximum word limit.
Try to use as few supporting statements as possible and maintain the clarity for the reader to keep track of the main idea. The same is the case with quotations: don't overuse them because the reviewers want to know about your understanding of the idea.
You can use them where it is not possible to maintain the context of the primary text's ideas in your wording. Take charge of the explanation by yourself and let the references or quotations only complement your statements.
Using Informal Language
Remember, academic writing requires the use of formal language only to comply with publication standards. Students usually make the mistake of using slang and contractions like don’t, can’t, won’t, i’ve, and phrases like slaying, pretty decent, above the clouds, in academic pieces like essays, papers, dissertations, articles, reports, and so on.
Avoid using such colloquial vocabulary and stick with formal standards of language to come up with a perfect essay. Stay formal in tone and precise in your wording as much as possible to end up writing a standards meeting essay.
Introducing New Ideas in Conclusion
The concluding sections of prose are meant to restate the thesis statement and summarise the whole discussion. Not to introduce or even hint at new ideas that have not once been discussed throughout the discussion in the manuscript. Simply present the precise picture of your whole study to your reader and sign off.
Using Weak Arguments
When mentioning the arguments of others that are not in alignment with your viewpoint, using weak presentation is not a good idea. Try to reexamine your arguments and point out the weakened position that you have attributed to the mentioned counterarguments. Rewrite them and use the strongest words possible to present the opposing arguments of others with clarity.
Crossing the Word Limit
Respect the word limit that you have been asked to follow and don’t write more than that. However, some institutions or instructors give a freedom of 5-10% increase in words to students. But you should not cross the mentioned requirement as it presents a negative picture of you, and in some cases, causes a rejection as well.
For example, a UCAS application exceeding the maximum word count leads to straight rejection.
Not Proofreading and Editing the Manuscript
Authors usually forget to give a final review to their written manuscripts and unconsciously let go of typos, grammatical errors, and even semantically incorrect sentences along with it. This shatters your impression in front of the readers when someone points out those errors.
Simply review the manuscript by yourself or even use an editing and proofreading service to get the errors rectified by experts. Try to stay away from the manuscript for a day or two, and then work on it with a fresh mind, not to spare a single mistake that goes untreated.