*The Single Biggest Mistake Students Make When Writing Essays *

There are of course many mistakes that students make when writing essays. The
single biggest mistake of all, however, is probably failing to articulate a clear thesis
statement or argument (which usually belongs in the introduction).
A paper without a clear thesis statement is probably a paper that lacks focus and
direction, written by someone who has not taken enough time to think through the assignment.
If you want to produce a quality essay, force yourself to formulate a clear thesis
statement that you incorporate into your introduction. Let it sit for a while and then
review it, putting yourself in the place of the reader. From the perspective of a
reader-not your own perspective- ask yourself:
Does the thesis statement seem clear to you?
Does it give you a sense as to where the essay will be leading you?
Does the thesis argument interest you enough to make you want to read
further?
Try reading the thesis statement out loud to someone you know who is willing to
listen: your boyfriend, your girlfriend, your roommate, your mother. The simple
act of reading the statement out loud will probably make you more aware of how it might be improved.
Only when your thesis statement has met the tests just described are you really ready to proceed with the final drafting of the paper.

The above tip has been provided courtesy of the

ACIWriting Assistance Center