Writing an essay is one of the most complicated academic tasks. It requires huge concentration, hard work, and great knowledge in many areas. You have to master knowledge in your subject and consult many other disciplines to present the full picture.
Moreover, you have to show that you can write convincingly and with a degree of style. Therefore, improving your essay skills takes time. Also, people make common mistakes when writing an essay, which you can avoid. Here are some common mistakes when writing an essay.
Not Having a Solid Plan
First and foremost, all essays need a basic plan. This is before beginning the writing process. Lack of a basic plan makes it easier to lose sight of what your essay will accomplish. Thus, you end up missing essential scores.
Furthermore, the main idea and overall plot get lost. The result? A lot of wasted time. You could use this time tweaking key paragraphs, sentences, and phrases to be more effective.
A solid plan entails showing critical thinking skills. In addition, an essay writer must understand what an instructor expects from the essay. Also, it must contain a proper structure that includes an introduction, body, and conclusion.
Not Thinking About Your Audience
After developing a solid plan, you need to know your targeted audience. Most writers often focus on getting their ideas down in writing and forget they are communicating with someone.
Knowing your audience means altering your tone, your use of vocabulary, and the syntax of your sentences. This helps put across your message as clearly and effectively as possible.
For example, you are writing an essay on “How to Prepare a Healthy Salad for Your Family.” Then, your audience would be family members looking for tips on preparing a healthy salad.
Not Proofreading
Let’s say you have written an essay with a solid plan that targets your intended audience; what is next? Should you submit your essay? There is still a long way to go. Start proofreading your draft essay.
Most students fail proofreading their essays because they are busy. Others think they have the magic touch on the first draft. However, this is a common mistake. Writing a good essay means thinking about the information gathered. Also, it involves finding means to present it in the best way.
You should read through your essay several times before submitting it for review by your teacher or professor.
Failing to Address Your Arguments Effectively
Your arguments need to come out powerfully and memorably. The only way to do this is by spending time planning your essay and organizing it into a clear structure before writing.
Also, start supporting your arguments with evidence from your research. The support means developing each argument with enough depth. Therefore, the reader understands how it fits your main idea (thesis).
You do not need to demonstrate all sides of an argument. However, present yours in the strongest possible way.
Not Checking for Spelling or Grammatical Errors
A few simple spelling mistakes can completely change the meaning of a sentence. So it is essential to check that you are using correct spellings of words and terms in your essay before handing it in.
Most students tend to rely entirely on spellcheckers. However, computer spellcheckers will not pick up on every mistake in your essay. Only use it as a guide and check your work thoroughly afterward.
Grammar mistakes may not seem like a big deal, but they can significantly impact the professionalism of your essay. It can also affect your overall grades. Set your essay aside after writing the first draft and come back to it later. This way, you will have a fresh pair of eyes when looking over your essay. Therefore, you will be able to spot any mistakes you missed the first time around.
Essay writing is a skill that we will use throughout our lives. So why not practice it as best we can now? Using the tips and strategies above makes it possible to write a great essay. All you have to do is search for one of these common mistakes you think you make, learn what causes it, and then take steps to course-correct.
We hope this article was helpful and did an excellent job explaining these common mistakes while highlighting their importance. Now that you are armed with the insight you need, it’s up to you to apply this knowledge the next time you set out to write an essay.