Common Mistakes Students Make when Writing a Term Paper
Term paper writing involves completing a number steps throughout the research and writing process. In some cases your term paper may not hit the mark your instructor expects and it can lead to a lower grade. Students may not be aware of common mistakes made while writing term papers. Getting familiar with common mistakes before getting started can lead to a better grade and reduce stress along the way. The following points go into a few problem areas students should work to avoid while writing their term paper.
- Failing to research topic thoroughly. Some students want to get done with their work so quickly they may not realize they need to put in more effort for a quality paper. In other words, they did not realize their topic selection would need more work. They may have researched their topic but did not spend enough time doing so.
- Selecting a topic with limited details. Other students may have it backwards or the opposite from the first point mentioned. They may have a topic selected but had trouble finding enough information to use to write a paper. Some students may not realize this until it is too late.
- Overlooking important details in term paper guidelines. Your guidelines tell you a good amount of instruction on what to do with your assignment and how to get it written. It is okay to have questions on how to complete your work, but simply overlooking your content is asking for trouble. When you fail to read guidelines you may miss an important detail that could result in a lower grade.
- Lacking evidence related to supporting points. Your supporting points should be cohesive and compelling details related to your main idea or thesis. Some students may not find enough supporting information to back up their claim. Other students may have issues writing other parts of their term paper due to lack of sufficient evidence.
- Making sentences and paragraphs too long. Sentences should be short enough in which they convey meaning and understanding. Paragraphs may have between 3 and 5 sentences. Keep in mind of words that repeat too many times within the text and omit run-on sentences. Your paragraphs should be easy to read and transition well from one to the next.
- Not bothering to revise, proofread or edit their work before submission. You can have errors and mistakes that can lead to lower grades and misunderstanding of your content.