Some Deadly Mistakes that Can Ruin Your Academic Essays

The stress and pressure of examinations have more influence on your life and this might cost your precious grades. Do you want that? The answer would be no! So, to eliminate this fear all you need to do is to keep calm and plan carefully, ticking all the loose ends. This way not only you will save the marks but also secure the opportunity to achieve the best grades. A good technique of exam preparation can make a big difference in how you will perform in your academic essays.  This article will shed light on some deadly mistakes students make because of exam pressure. Once you learn about the mistakes, it will be easier for you to eliminate them.

Carelessly Reading of Question

This is among the major mistakes students make in the examination. Let’s see it from a bit of a science perspective. The human brain is habitual of seeing things they appreciate and this becomes highly realistic when it comes to pressured situations like what happens in the examination hall. If you lose your attention while reading a question, your brain is likely to signal that the question is demanding something different. Allowing you to write something that is completely wrong and does not include the answer to the question. And you know that this means: losing grades. Remember once you get the question paper, read the question as many times as possible to make a clear concept of the question. You can also underline the main idea of the question to ensure you have given the right answer.    

Not Creating an Academic Essay Plan                          

To be all set for answering the academic essay exam question effectively, you must have a proper format and structure for the essay to begin with. Now you may ask what could happen if you start writing without any plan. Well, not having any beforehand plan for an essay may get your thoughts off the track, making you forget what to write next. Another thing you could end up writing things in a different manner which does not make any sense to the teacher. In most exams, students are required to write up to 4 explanatory essays, and with lack of a plan may result in shifting the thoughts from one to another. To shift quickly between the academic essays means you are required a high amount of mental suppleness. Writing a proper plan for each explanatory essay plays the role of a barrier between all the essays, allowing your thinking organ to breathe and think in a better and more organized way. You do not need a detailed plan; all you need is to make some points that keep you on track on the writing journey. Below you will find an example of what an explanatory essay plan could look like if it is an ideal situation: 

  • Reading questions and planning what to write.                              
  • Timing Management.
  • Begin with writing an Introduction.
  • Write on relevant sub-topics.
  • Develop the Body of the Essay.
  • Proofreading, checking of grammar and spelling.
  • Conclusion
  • Final Review
  •  

This will provide you with a rough idea of the sections of an essay and what things you are about to cover without writing too many details. This plan is enough to remind you what you have learned and what things are necessary to be included in the answer. It will not take more than time and can provide a wonderful outcome.     

Not Answering a Multiple-Choice Question

Multiple choice questions are among the easiest form of examining because they include the possible answer which means you can come up with the right answer after canceling the ones which are possibly wrong. Still, some students leave ticking any answer if they are not aware of the right one – and this costs them grades. Try not to do this, make sure you tick the option which seems more possibly right to you. Most of the time students mark two different options without overlooking the fact that how the examiner will understand which one you mean is right. If you have mistakenly ticked the wrong answer, make sure to put a big cross over it before ticking another one. 

Leaving Exam Room Before Time

If you are an extraordinary student and have managed to get done with the exam before the time, you need to stay in. Many students make the mistake of leaving the exam room early. Remember, once you leave the exam room, there is no possibility of corrections left. So, even if you end up before time, utilize the extra time you are left with and read each and everything you have written over and over again. This will help you be confident about the answers you have given. As you through your work, you will come up with newer points to add which are likely to improve your overall performance. Once done, again proofread everything until there is time left. Poor Grammar and Spelling – we don’t pay much attention to grammar and attention as they are the heart and soul of your exam. Many students have been seen complaining that they got fewer marks when they have perfectly done the exam – but why is that so? Well, because the examiner has deducted the marks of grammar and spelling. Although for essays you can hire Academic Essay Writers UK, there is an unseen tension with making unexpected mistakes. For instance, you may write “right” when it should be “write”. Thus, you need to do a strict quality check before handing your paper to the examiner.

Staying Focused: Avoiding the Pitfalls of Overloading Academic Essays       

Even if you have understood what the question has to ask, it is very likely that you lose track and start writing something you want rather than what you have been asked for. This specific problem arises when you end up over-revising some explanatory essay. Knowing an essay topic inside out becomes an undeniable urge to show off all the expertise you have over a certain topic and you include what you have learned in the essay you have been asked for. Although it is surely very frustrating not getting the explanatory essay you have learned the best in the examination but still you have to stay focused on the question you have been asked and try to include everything relevant and related. Another thing is that “do not try to enforce something you have learned previously in the explanatory essay” as it might make sense at some point but also has the chance of looking something extra.                                                      

Final Thoughts                        

Avoiding these common but deadly mistakes can significantly improve your academic essays and exam performance. Careful reading, staying focused, proper planning, managing time wisely, and attention to detail in grammar and spelling are crucial elements for success. Remember, each mistake you make brings you closer to achieving the grades you deserve. Take the time to understand the question, plan your approach, and review your work thoroughly. By doing so, you’ll not only enhance the quality of your essays but also boost your confidence in tackling academic challenges effectively.