How to write an assignment
Common writing mistakes at university
when you've finished this page you will be able to...
- be aware of common writing mistakes made at university
The ten most common mistakes made by students when writing at university are...
- failing to follow assignment instructions (not answering the question, not meeting the word limit etc.).
- not writing in paragraphs
- bad grammar
- not making it clear when other people's ideas are used
- lack of planning leading to a lack of structure
- waffling on and on and on and on...
- over-using technical words - especially if the words are not used correctly
- writing off topic - irrelevant information gets no marks
- writing illegibly - especially problematic in exams
- trying to be funny - university lecturers are not famed for their sense of humour
Activity: Common writing mistakes made at university - 10 minutes
1. Review the list of common writing mistakes made at university.
2. Number these from 1-10, according to which mistakes you are most likely to make (1 being, "that's me!", and 10 being, "I would never make this school-boy error!").
3. Keep a copy of this list to use when you write university assignments: it will help remind you to avoid these common pitfalls.
Recommended Further Reading
You can easily avoid all of the common pitfalls by honing your academic writing style. On the next page, you will discover how to write like an academic...
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