{"id":20349,"date":"2017-06-06T16:55:59","date_gmt":"2017-06-06T20:55:59","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.tun.com\/blog\/?p=20349"},"modified":"2024-12-13T13:33:31","modified_gmt":"2024-12-13T18:33:31","slug":"what-not-to-do-when-writing-essays","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.tun.com\/blog\/what-not-to-do-when-writing-essays\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Write an Essay and What NOT to Do When Writing One"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

How to Write an Essay<\/strong><\/h1>\n\n\n\n

Writing essays isn\u2019t always easy. Professors generally have different preferences when it comes to the essay writing process and they have to read and grade hundreds of papers, so the last thing they want to read is a bad college essay. Instead of telling you what to do, I\u2019m going to tell you what to avoid during the writing process. Whether you apply these tips to a narrative essay or any kind of formal writing, it’s smart to follow these tips so you don\u2019t end up submitting an essay that\u2019s unique for all the wrong reasons.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Here are 7 tips on what you shouldn\u2019t do when writing an essay.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

1. Don\u2019t use clich\u00e9s<\/strong><\/b><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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The first thing I can remember a writing teacher telling me when I was younger is \u201cavoid clich\u00e9s,\u201d and this still rings true today. Clich\u00e9s in writing are overused expressions that have lost their luster over time. Some examples are phrases like \u201cplenty of fish in the sea\u201d or \u201cadd insult to injury.\u201d We\u2019ve all heard these expressions millions of times, and they just feel outdated and unoriginal. Even phrases used by many essay writers should be avoided, such as \u201cat the end of the day\u201d or \u201cin this day and age.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

2. Don\u2019t use meaningless sentences<\/strong><\/b><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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When I write an essay, I start with a mindset that each sentence should have a purpose. Of course, no writing is ever perfect and may require more versions after the first draft, but you only get a limited number of words to write what you actually want to write. Don\u2019t use up your space with thoughts or sentences that should be in the trash bin. When essay writing, think of each sentence as a bridge to your next one. This is why outlines exist. Even though I\u2019m not always a fan of outlines, half of writing an essay comes before you even type a word.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

3. Don\u2019t use filler words<\/strong><\/b><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Yes, completing your word count is important, but it shouldn\u2019t be prioritized over the quality of your essay. Words like \u201cbasically,\u201d \u201cvery,\u201d \u201creally,\u201d \u201cthat,\u201d and \u201cadditionally\u201d are words that are often used unnecessarily. It\u2019s the equivalent of saying \u201cum,\u201d and you don\u2019t want that.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

4. Don\u2019t be redundant<\/strong><\/b><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Redundant writing is a pet peeve of mine. This topic ties into the idea of having meaningful sentences. Always vary your vocabulary, so you don\u2019t end up using the same words throughout an entire essay. Don\u2019t make every sentence long and don\u2019t make very sentence short. You have to spice it up. You don\u2019t want to each chicken everyday for the rest of your life; sometimes you want steak. The best way to avoid redundancy is to read your essay out loud. Once you hear the flow of your essay, you\u2019ll notice the changes you have to make.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

5. Don\u2019t waste your quotes<\/strong><\/b><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Of course, it\u2019s important to know the fundamentals of writing quotes in essays, but it\u2019s also important to know how to use quotes. Quotes should not be used haphazardly; they should only be used if the person you\u2019re quoting said something that you couldn\u2019t say better yourself. A common mistake writers make is to forget to introduce the quote. Quotes aren\u2019t meant to just be plopped into a paragraph. The other important thing to remember is that quotes should only be used to expand your thoughts on the essay. Follow your quotes with substance that shows the reader why you picked the quote.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

6. Don\u2019t stray from topic<\/strong><\/b><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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When you start writing, don’t write without having an idea on how you want the entire essay to go. Make sure you clearly state this in your topic sentence and main points. This may sound simple, but it\u2019s actually an easy mistake to make if you aren\u2019t focused enough. Professors don\u2019t like to read essays that start off strong but taper off by the end. Even the best writers in the world had to learn discipline. This can be avoided by constant revision and a strong foundation or outline.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

7. Don\u2019t throw away your conclusion<\/strong><\/b><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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It’s good to have a strong intro when you begin writing, but don\u2019t use your conclusion as a throwaway. The conclusion is a vital piece of your essay, which will round up your thoughts and leave a good or bad impression on your professor. While your conclusion should not introduce new thoughts, be sure not to repeat exactly what you\u2019ve said in your essay already. A good way to start a conclusion is by reminding the reader of your thesis statement. Make sure your last sentence is interesting and makes a lasting impression on the reader.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n

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There is always something you can do to improve an essay. Follow these steps, and you\u2019ll write a cohesive and thought-provoking essay!<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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RELATED: 7 Best Essay Writing Resources for A-Students<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

How to Write an Essay Writing essays isn\u2019t always easy. Professors generally have different preferences when it comes to the essay writing process and they have to read and grade hundreds of papers, so the last thing they want to read is a bad college essay. Instead of telling you what to do, I\u2019m going […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":14,"featured_media":20353,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"_uag_custom_page_level_css":"","_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[12,586,228],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-20349","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-favorites","category-school-hacks","category-student-guide"],"aioseo_notices":[],"uagb_featured_image_src":{"full":["https:\/\/www.tun.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/06\/writing.jpg",830,553,false],"thumbnail":["https:\/\/www.tun.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/06\/writing-216x144.jpg",216,144,true],"medium":["https:\/\/www.tun.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/06\/writing-300x200.jpg",300,200,true],"medium_large":["https:\/\/www.tun.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/06\/writing.jpg",830,553,false],"large":["https:\/\/www.tun.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/06\/writing.jpg",830,553,false],"1536x1536":["https:\/\/www.tun.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/06\/writing.jpg",830,553,false],"2048x2048":["https:\/\/www.tun.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/06\/writing.jpg",830,553,false]},"uagb_author_info":{"display_name":"Brian Bonilla","author_link":"https:\/\/www.tun.com\/blog\/author\/brian\/"},"uagb_comment_info":0,"uagb_excerpt":"How to Write an Essay Writing essays isn\u2019t always easy. Professors generally have different preferences when it comes to the essay writing process and they have to read and grade hundreds of papers, so the last thing they want to read is a bad college essay. Instead of telling you what to do, I\u2019m going…","featured_media_src_url":"https:\/\/www.tun.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/06\/writing.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.tun.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/20349","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.tun.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.tun.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.tun.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/14"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.tun.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=20349"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/www.tun.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/20349\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":80565,"href":"https:\/\/www.tun.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/20349\/revisions\/80565"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.tun.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/20353"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.tun.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=20349"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.tun.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=20349"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.tun.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=20349"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}