Essay writing is a discipline of course but it’s also more than that. It requires practice and intentionality of good time management, deep research and careful analysis. These are five common mistakes that make essay writing hard, and what you can do to avoid them in your own work.
What makes essay writing hard?
No one knows what makes essay writing hard like you do, and that’s why we’re here to help. When you’re stuck on a difficult part of your paper, or just don’t know where to start, here are five common mistakes to watch out for and some simple techniques to try.
1: Not Planning Ahead: If you don’t outline your essay before you start writing, odds are you’ll wind up with a document that is confusing and full of holes. So when you find yourself lost in the weeds, pull out your plan and remind yourself where you want to go.
2: Skipping Basic Research: Unless you have an absolutely pressing deadline, make sure to do your homework first. Your professor might not be as impressed if they can see that you consulted reliable sources before getting started on your work.
3: Fitting Your Essay To The Following Format prematurely: Unless your professor specifically asks for a specific type of essay, in which case feel free to adapt, keep in mind that most papers fall into one of three common structures: thesis/topic sentence, body paragraph(s), and conclusion. Make sure each section matches these guidelines accordingly!
4: Relying On Manual Workarounds Instead Of Finding Creative Solutions: There’s no question that some things are simply more complicated than others; however, unless there’s a real reason why something can’t be done mechanically, push yourself
How to become an expert at essay writing?
Many people think that writing an essay is easy, but it’s actually one of the most difficult things to do. If you people want to become essay experts, here are a few things that you can do to become essay experts and leave a good impression on your instructor.
- Begin by preparing a thesis statement. A thesis statement is the central idea of your essay, and it should be based on information from the reading materials that you have studied. It should also be relevant to the topic of your essay. Once you have a strong thesis statement, you can start to develop your argument.
- Use clear and concise language when writing your essay. This will help your reader understand what you are saying immediately. Also, avoid using words that are unfamiliar to them. If they don’t understand what you are saying, they will likely give up before even beginning to read your essay.
- Make use of specific examples when discussing your arguments in order to convince the reader of the validity of your points. These examples should be drawn from the reading materials that you have studied or from personal experience if applicable.
- Be prepared to revise and edit your work numerous times before submitting it for review. Essays can easily become inaccurate or awkward once they are finished, so keep this in mind throughout the writing process!
The five most common mistakes made before starting a composition
Not Enough Preparation
It’s tempting to think that because you’re writing about a personal topic, or because you think your essay will be easy, that you don’t need to do any really serious research. But the truth is that if you want your essay to sound intelligent and well-researched, you have to do some preliminary research.
The first step is assessing what kind of information your essay will need. Your research should determine the scope of your argument, the sources from which you’ll be drawing information, and what type of format (i.e., traditional prose vs. persuasive essay) will be most effective for conveying your ideas. Once you have a good idea of what needs to be researched, start looking for primary and secondary sources that will support your claims.
Thinking You Can Write an Essay in Ten Minutes
Believe it or not, even experienced writers sometimes tend to underestimate how much time it takes to produce an entire essay. Even if all you have to do is glance through a few MLA citation guidelines, reviewing some common English sentence structures, and reading five or six quotations on a given topic, expect upwards of two hours of actual writing time, at the very least! Unless you have a truly sensational topic or an electrifying way of telling your story, don’t expect your audience to read something less than competent in its presentation.
Faulty Research Methods
If there’s one thing novice writers often find difficult it’s finding accurate and unbiased information. A common problem is jumping to conclusions before doing sufficient research into a topic. In other words, you might start thinking your thesis is obvious and go ahead and write it without really verifying your claims. Skipping the necessary steps of research can easily lead to inaccurate or biased writing.
Flawed Argumentation
An effective argument is not only persuasive, it’s logically sound as well. If your essay includes any big leaps of logic or if you rely heavily on anecdotal evidence to back up your points, your essay will quickly lose credibility with readers. In order to present a cogent and convincing argument, you need to be able to support each of your assertions with reliable evidence.
Trying To Be Too clever
While good writing often involves employing clever phraseology, trying to come up with too many won’t make your argument more convincing, it’ll simply dilute it. Instead, make sure every sentence supports your main point, and that the vocabulary you choose is appropriate for the audience you’re trying to reach.
Not Enough Prose
Although it’s true that some essays lend themselves better to a more informal style, there are times when using a more formal tone will help convey your ideas more effectively . Too often, novice writers choose to write in a slovenly, choppy manner simply because they don’t feel the need to use proper grammar and syntax. By taking the time to get your prose right, you can create a more professional and convincing essay.
Tips to avoid the five mistakes and improve your chances of success
There are five common mistakes people make when writing essays, and by following these simple tips you can greatly increase your chances of success.
- Not planning enough:
Before beginning to write, make alistofanypointsyouwantto COVER in your essay. This will help you organize your thoughts and enable you to focus on the message you want to send.
- Trying to do too much at once:
When starting to write, break your essay downintosmall chunks that you can complete one at a time. This way, you won’t feel overwhelmed and will be more likely to produce quality work.
- Skipping important steps:
Ifyoufindyourselfgettingdistractedwhilewritinganexcellentessay,remember that the most important part is laying the groundwork, getting organized and planning what you want to do some extra research would be a great way to provide that foundation!
- Focusing on grammar and style over content:
A well-written essay doesn’t just contain great content, it also Excels in terms of grammar and style. Make sure to pay attention to these aspects as well so that your readers will have no problem understanding what you’re saying.
- Not being able to take criticism constructively:
As with anything else in life, no matter how well you may think your writing specifications are,there is no restretch or expectations of another party that are not yours. So if you’re ever criticized for the content or grammar of your work, be accepting and understanding of those critiques. This will help you improve as a writer overall.
Conclusion
Essay writing can be a daunting task, but with the right attitude and some perseverance, the process can be made much easier. Here are five common mistakes that make essay writing difficult, and jot down tips on how to avoid them so you don’t wind up struggling with your essays for hours on end. Take these advice to heart and you should find essay writing much less taxing in the future!