*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