How to Avoid Common Writing Errors in Essays

Next time you go to write an essay, try to put yourself in your professor’s shoes. Don’t be that person who shows laziness through their writing. There are plenty of common mistakes that are easily avoidable, especially if you are aware of them next time you sit down to power out that essay.

Write to impress! Here are some tips for setting yourself apart from the usual common error crowd when writing an essay:

• AVIOD CONTRACTIONS: [Can’t, Won’t, Didn’t, etc.] This is scholarly writing, not conversational dialogue. You are not writing a blog or a letter to your friend, so peel those words apart and make them two for a more professional tone! Note: sometimes it’s ok to use contractions as long as they don’t overwhelm the reader.
• AVIOD SLANG: [Cool story bro..] This mistake hurts your voice as a writer. If you are trying to convince your professor that you don’t care about the essay or your grade, this is the best way to do it! Words and phrases of this nature should be 100% avoided in essay writing. Instead look up scholarly words that give the same meaning in a more academic and professional manner.
• AVIOD USING “I”: [I agree with the author that…] If your professor wants your opinion in an essay, they will ask for it in the prompt. Otherwise, the general rule here is to avoid using “I” statements because it affects the overall appearance and stance of your essay.
• STAY ON TOPIC: [This reminds me of how one time my friend Susie had a similar experience to this…] We have all been guilty of going off on a tangent before, but keep your prompt and task in mind until the essay is finished. Save your ramble or vent session for your journal.
• STICK TO THE FACTS: [ Virginia Woolf was the greatest English writer of all time..] Sometimes, it can be easy to start being overdramatic in your writing to make it sound better or sound the way you want it to. The best tip to remember is don’t dramatize and don’t make assumptions. Your audience may not feel the same way that you do.

Commonly Overused Words in Writing

When editing, challenge yourself to eliminate words that are used too often.

Words matter in writing. They can make your writing strong or make it weak. Many times, it can be easy to fall on to crutch words [very, really, went, just, seem, there, etc.] instead of taking the time to be more descriptive and creative to make your writing more captivating. Focus on wanting to intrigue readers. Here are some commonly overused words by writers and how to fix them:

• “stuff” 

Use this word sparingly. Hands-down, it’s a lazy word. Try a more descriptive noun depending on the context it is being used in. Ex: Her suitcase was packed with stuff that she could not bare to leave behind. -> Her suitcase was packed with memories and books that she could not bare to leave behind. 

• “things” 

This is a non-desciptive word that can easily be replaced. Ex: After taking one last look around, she grabbed her things and left. -> After taking one last look around, she grabbed her last usable suitcase and left. 

• “got”

This word has ‘got’ to stop being used so often! Especially because there are so many other ways to use it. Ex: She got up the next morning, got her coffee ready, and got her mind in the right place to tackle the day.-> She woke up the next morning, sipped on her coffee, and gathered her thoughts in order to tackle the day ahead. 

• “went”

Try to exchange it for another word more often than not. Ex: She went to the train station and bought the first ticket out of the town she had called home for so long.-> She hurried to the train station…

• “was”, “were”, “is”, “are”, “am”

These words have easy fixes. It can be helpful to look up synonyms in place of these especially because they can go unnoticed in writing. A strongly written story will give words like these much more meaning. Ex: We were at the scene when we heard her say why she was there in the first place. -> We had just arrived at the scene when we heard her say why she had been lurking there in the first place. 

What’s the Difference: Point of View in Writing

Point of View (POV)

Storytelling. If you’re going to do it, do it right. Using POV incorrectly can affect the way that a story is told by the author and received by the reader. Being aware that this is a common mistake can keep you from damaging your own writing. So, what are the rules about 1st, 2nd, and 3rd person POV?

1st person: (I, Me, My, or We) The main character is telling the story, is in the story, and relating his or her experiences directly. This is an advantage so that the reader can be inside the main characters head and be able to tell what they’re thinking and feeling (but be careful not to spend too much time here). Be aware that on the flip side, the reader may not be able to tell what other characters are thinking or feeling. The final rule here is to try to make sure the narrator is likable and not boring so readers will stick around until the end of the story.

2nd person: (You, Your, or Yours) The author is talking directly to the reader. The story is being told to you. For example: when your teacher is talking to the class, he/she is using 2nd person POV. 2nd person is typically more common in nonfiction than in fiction, but simply put, YOU become the protagonist, YOU carry the plot, and YOUR fate determines the story.

3rd person: (He/She, His/Hers, They) It’s often an unbiased view of the characters and events. The narrator is outside the story and relating the experiences of the main character(s), and has access to the thoughts and feelings of all the characters. The author in 3rd person POV is telling the story in a way that enables them to dive into the heads of multiple characters, being careful not to switch characters too quickly.

Most importantly, once you pick a point of view to use in your writing, you are stuck with it! Be consistent or you’ll risk ruining what could have been a best selling story. 

Journaling

What better way to improve your writing skills than to write? Getting your thoughts out on paper can have a range of benefits. Stereotypes have tried to diminish the idea of a “diary”, but it doesn’t have to be a book with your deepest secrets and feelings hidden in it waiting for someone to find it and expose you (i.e. ‘burn book’ in Mean Girls). Journaling can be anything from brainstorming, recording things to remember, letting thoughts flow out, to having an outlet for clearing your mind. If you are on the fence about adding journaling into your daily routine, consider these reasons to start writing everyday:

• Journaling improves your IQ and intelligence. It improves your vocabulary by acting as an exploration of language. It also improves emotional intelligence by allowing you a deeper connection to process and manage your feelings.
• Evokes mindfulness and improves mental health overall. It gets you actively engaging with your thoughts, bringing you into the present moment, reducing anxiety, and making you more alert and aware. The ‘cleansing’ aspect of writing is a huge stress reliever!
• Helps you to reach your goals. Writing down your goals can help it act as a psychological blueprint, which in turn, can increase the likelihood that goals are achieved.
• Boosts memory and comprehension. Composing thoughts, creating ideas, and turning these into words gives your brain a workout and strengthens your cognitive recall.
• Improves communication skills. Written thoughts translate into spoken conversation and actual vocalization.
• Sparks creativity. Write without thinking and see how this tool can put you into a creative mindset. Let your imagination wander and record the journey.
• Improves self-confidence. Writing about positive experiences can improve your self-esteem and mood as you practice reflecting on experiences that made you happy.

These are just some of the many benefits that can come with taking just 5 minutes a day to write, write, write! You might be surprised how other areas of your writing become improved over time. Get rid of the old ‘diary’ and start a new journey with the adult version: journaling.

What’s the Difference: Formal vs. Informal Writing Styles

Have you ever wondered if you are using the right tone of voice in your writing? When is it appropriate to just write like you would talk to a friend? The most important concept to note when deciding between formal vs. informal writing is that before beginning any writing assignment, think about who will be reading it (what are they expecting it to be?)  and then decide what style to use.

INFORMAL:

This style is more like having a spoken conversation with someone. Includes: personal tone, slang, figures of speech, simple sentences, contractions, abbreviations, 1st/2nd/3rd person, expressions, and emotion.

• Use the ampersand: &
• Contractions: can’t, won’t, don’t
• Personal pronouns: I and You
• Sentence starters: And, But, So…

FORMAL:

This style is more complex and proper. You would introduce your main points, elaborate, and conclude using thorough, full explanations and correct grammar. Avoid: emotive punctuation (i.e.”!”, “…”, etc.), contractions, abbreviations, 1st person, and 2nd person point of view.

• Use full words: And instead of &, Can not instead of can’t
• Impersonal pronouns: The student instead of you
• Sentence starters: Additionally, nevertheless, alternatively, therefore, etc.

 

 

Both forms are correct, but formal writing is used more in academic settings and business communications. Informal writing is more casual and personal. So, before diving into what style you are going to use for your writing, make sure you know your audience! 

Overcoming Writing Anxiety

 

Everyone experiences writer’s block and mental overload at some point in their writing career. If you have recently experienced any of the following symptoms while writing, you may be suffering from writing anxiety: sleepless nights with constant thoughts about your unfinished essay, crying due to the page requirement of your paper, anti-social behavior until your essay is finished, lack of writing inspiration, headache, fatigue, hunger, hallucinations about your cat being an alien, etc. Remember, if you fall  into this category, you are not alone! Many are currently suffering from writing anxiety nationwide.

Here are some things to remember about this common struggle that may help to ease your mind:

•  Writing is  challenge. Anyone who says it comes easily to them is probably lying.
• Conflicted feeling are natural and normal.
• Trial and error is a key to great writing.
• Perfectionism is the most common road to writer’s block. Let your first draft be imperfect, that’s the whole point.
• Don’t expect inspiration to just fall into your lap. Use free writing, brainstorming, pictures, graphs, charts, and observation as a few ways to get back into writing after a mental block.

After you put your name, date, and title on your paper and the anxiety kicks in…

Now, let’s talk about overcoming anxiety. Not surprisingly, physical health and mental health go hand in hand. So, if you want to be more alert and attentive to your writing task, you may want to consider the following:

• Go to bed at the same time every night and try to get a full 8 hrs of sleep
• Look at calming pictures and listen to soft music

• Use self-care strategies
  • Deep breathing, stretching, mindfulness/meditation, journaling
  • Get at least 20 min of exercise a day (maybe walk to a destination to write)
  • Drink LOTS of water and don’t forget to eat! (Would you drive your car without gas in it? Don’t try to write without brain fuel!)
    • Foods that keep you energized and focused include (but are not limited to): Walnuts, salmon, leafy greens, citrus, eggs, blueberries, broccoli, avocado, and fresh leaves picked from the enchanted forest
• Use a grounding tool to help when you are feeling anxious
  • Example exercise: Look around you. Find 5 things you can see, 4 things you can touch, 3 things you can hear, 2 things you can smell, and 1 thing you can taste. Now breathe!

Using an Academic Database

Conducting a database search:

What is the difference between a horse and a unicorn? Let’s generate a search in an academic database to find out the research on this topic!

 

• Identify key concepts (nouns) and synonyms
  • For example: You can pick out horses, unicorn, and difference as key terms. Also generate related terms or alternate words for your search: Hoofed mammal, magical horse, horse-like, horned horse, mythical beast, relation, similarities, differences
• Group together concepts using quotations for an exact phrase
  • For example: “tail of a lion”, “single spiral horn”, “body of a horse”, “legs of a buck”
• Use AND, OR, NOT to narrow or broaden your search
  • AND (restricts the database to finding all the terms) Horse AND Unicorn
  • OR (Broadens the search) Horse OR Hoofed mammal
  • NOT (excludes items) Horse NOT Mule
• Find a direct link to the pdf or html
  • If the full text is not there, try requesting it from the school library
• Too many results? Try adding limiters
  • Narrow the publication date, language, etc..
  • Refine to scholarly (peer-reviewed) articles, etc..
• Too few results?
  • Choose multiple databases at once (i.e. Academic Search Complete + CINAHL Complete + SAGE Journals)
  • Use an asterisk* to search all possible ways the word can end
    • For example: Hors*  would show results for horse and horses
  • Use broader terms
• Use what you have found in articles so far to find even more!
  • Follow citations
  • Look at the subject terms and headings
  • Use related articles and other articles written by the same author

 

Conclusion: go buy a giant stuffed unicorn. It brings happiness.

Writing Prompt: Knowing the Audience

Take a minute to read through your writing prompt if you have one, or think about whatever writing task you’re trying to accomplish. Then, for 5 minutes, write about what you know of your audience: who are they, what would they like to read, what do they know, what do they need to know, what is their credibility; say everything you know about them.
Then use that list, and write for 10 minutes about how you can appeal to each of those qualities. For example, I know my audience finds statistics and logical information credible, so I can use charts and graphs and logical argument to appeal to them.

After all this is done, refer back to what you wrote here while you’re writing your actual assignment or task.

Wikipedia: The Do’s and Don’ts

Is it possible to effectively use Wikipedia as a tool when conducting your research? Yes! Surely, you have been told by instructors at some point in your writing that Wikipedia is not an acceptable resource to be cited in your research assignment because ANYONE can add or edit the information there.

Would you let just anyone watch your cat?! Of course not because anyone who is trustworthy of watching my cat has already gone through an extensive background check and had at least 5 years of pet-sitting experience. So, naturally we can’t trust just anyone to guide us with the information we need for our research, but think of Wikipedia as the background check. Here are the rules:

Do:

• Use the embedded links to gather background information and generate ideas for further research
• Observe the bolded words, links, titles, and table of contents to learn new terminology associated with your topic so you can generate search terms in a credible academic library database or encyclopedia
• Look at the bibliography entries used in the Wiki article. This could lead you to some further sources that might work for your topic
• Read for a good understanding of your concept or topic

Don’t:

• Cite Wikipedia as a credible source used in your research
• Assume the article has no bias, opinion, or has been fact checked…because it hasn’t!
• Use Wikipedia as a reliable information database

It might be convenient and easy to gather quick information on a topic, but don’t forget to treat Wikipedia like the process of hiring your next cat-sitter. If they are unreliable, opinionated, or sound too good to be true, then you might have to do some more digging.