Common Problems in Academic Writing

Common Problems in Academic Writing

Common Problems In Academic Writing

query_builder June 21, 2018

The study is a complex process

Many learners face various difficulties every day.

Here is a list of the most common problems students have with writing assignments.

• Rush

The typical mistake of many students is not to keep track of when and how many tasks will have to be performed. It makes possible to enjoy free days, but then you have to work in an accelerated mode. To avoid the need to do everything at once, it is worthwhile to prepare a list of tasks.

• The aspiration to the Ideal

Endless work on errors and rewriting texts at school has taught students that it is necessary to achieve an ideal result, without a single misprint and inaccuracy. In some cases, such scrupulousness is justified, but in most situations, there is no need to spend so much effort on checking out minor details. By paying too much attention to small things, you can get stuck in one assignment and spend all the time and strength. It is better to concentrate on the essence of the tasks and do more in less time.

• Do not Postpone Studying

It is difficult to force yourself to work right after classes. However, after lunch and rest, the brain relaxes, and you do not want to do something. As a result, many students begin to learn at night or even in the morning before the lessons. In the first case, this is bad because the person is already tired, and often the work has to be remade. In the second case, there is a sense of anxiety. Stress and haste also lead to inaccuracies.

It is much better to determine the most productive time for preparation and allocate it directly to study. For different people, it is convenient to do assignments at different times of the day. For someone, it is easier to deal with writing papers in the evening, and someone prefers to cope with assignments in the morning. When drafting a home study plan, it is worth considering your own characteristics, but do not use them as a reason to postpone work.

• Communication in Social Networks

Social networks and TV shows often distract students. It seems that it is more fun to write a text and relax at the same time. In fact, in such situation, your attention is greatly dissipated. It is better to concentrate only on assignments and do them quickly, and then, as a reward, you can do more pleasant things.

• Procrastination

Surely, you are familiar with such a situation, when you seem to be about to do some tasks, but you decide to prepare a table, sharpen pencils, and check whether handles are written. Then you want to call your grandmother or clean up the room. It would seem that you are busy with work, but on the contrary, you still do not begin doing the task.

To avoid such situations, it is worthwhile to determine the specific moment of the start and in the future to ensure that extraneous occupations do not distract you until the necessary amount of work is done.

• No Timeframe

There is a principle according to which the assignment takes exactly as much time as you allocate for doing it. However, most likely, you will not do all the work in five minutes, even if you try very hard. Nevertheless, if the constraints are reasonable, this rule works fine. You will be distracted by other things without timeframes, and it will create the impression that there is still plenty of time, and there is no need to strain. Despite the feeling of relaxation, you will exhaust yourself, and there will be no time for rest and entertainment that will allow you to restore your strength. If you set yourself a time limit, you will start to work more efficiently and perform tasks many times faster and better.

• Continuous Work

Another mistake is to try to do everything in one day. It may seem that it is better to do tasks quickly. This approach allows you to be in a tone, but the mind is able to concentrate only during a limited amount of time, followed by an inevitable decline, and you may do not notice how speed and the quality of work falls. It is much better to alternate periods of activity with short-term rest. For example, use the Pomodoro method.

• Disorder in the Workplace

Young people often underestimate the importance of comfortable and clean working space. However, the cluttered table prevents you from working. It is difficult to do the task if there is no place to put a textbook. In addition, when there are many superfluous items nearby, the probability that you will be distracted increases. Instruct yourself before the beginning of the working process to remove all unnecessary items from the table.

• Lack of Rest

When you have just returned from college, the motivation to work can be quite high. On the one hand, such a state can be used with benefit, but on the other hand, you may feel fatigue. Even if you are one of those, who is full of energy even after a full day in college, take a short break for lunch and a short rest. It will allow you to restore your strength.

• Formal Performance of Tasks

Frankly speaking, many students know that some tasks do not require deep immersion in the topic. However, if you seriously decided to devote yourself to some assignment, you should look for additional sources of information, such as open lectures, educational videos on YouTube, books, etc. Studying in college is not an easy task, but you can make it easier.

• Writing Style

It is necessary to choose the appropriate style of your paper (a formal style that does not allow shortened forms, everyday phrases, exclamations, etc.) and recall the formal limitations of time. You also need to remember the speech models with which you can express your consent, disagreement, and doubt.

• Division into Paragraphs

Dividing the text into paragraphs is necessary. Each paragraph should introduce a new idea or aspect in accordance with the plan. It should begin with a key sentence that reflects its essence and cannot consist of one sentence. As usual, introduction and conclusions have the same volume.

• Irrelevant Topic

The topic should be understandable and interesting for you. In substantiating the relevance, focus on its practical significance, and the emergence of modern research methods or new information. Formulate the arguments clearly and concisely. Student papers are aimed at solving a certain problem. They should be analytical and show your logical thinking skills. The absence of a goal and the incoherence of parts are unacceptable here. Read the recommendations and consult with the instructor. Think about the structure of the work and choose suitable research methods. Remember that the analytical approach requires a deep understanding of the subject matter and is an integral part of the paper. Combine it with other theoretical and logical-theoretical techniques.

• Deviation from the Topic

If a student does not understand the topic of the paper and its purpose, he or she does not follow a logical strategy and writes everything that seems appropriate. It leads to unnecessary details, blind copying of unverified facts, and deviation from the chosen theme. Ask the teacher about the meaning of your work in advance. Have enough patience to understand the topic of the paper and build its structure logically.

• Illiteracy

When a student writes a paper in a short time, there is no possibility to check grammatical, syntactic, logical, and other errors.

• Plagiarism

Plagiarism indicates your inability to work with materials. The student paper is an author’s work, and it must be unique. Reread the data and draw your own conclusions.

• Misunderstanding of the Subject

Many students are embarrassed to ask their professor about anything. This is a huge mistake. It is necessary to contact your teacher and clarify all the details you do not understand. If you feel insecure in the presence of other students, arrange a personal meeting or write an email with the question that interests you and send it to the professor.

• Lack of Motivation

Understand that studying is really interesting. Do not force yourself to do what you do not like. Love your specialty. Convince yourself that your profession is very useful and popular. Try to become the best student, prove to yourself that you can do much more.