A List of Essay Writing Don’ts

Topic / Research

• Don’t try to solve the mysteries of the world in an essay. Stick to topics that you can handle in the space and time provided to you.
• Don’t write about a topic you don’t understand. Pick a topic you can write intelligently about and take the time to research your topic before writing your essay.
• Don’t use web sites as your only sources. Go to the library and read some actual books or academic papers.
• Don’t make things up.
• Don’t include irrelevant information.
• Don’t be afraid to start over. Sometimes your initial approach won’t work. Recognize that and move on.
• Don’t feel like you have to agree with the experts.
• Don’t plagiarize.
• Don’t forget to answer the question.

Style

• Don’t provide lengthy plot summaries or paraphrases.
• Don’t provide a collection of generic declarations and cliches.
• Don’t use overly long quotations.
• Don’t pad your writing. Take the space to say everything that is necessary, but don’t use a paragraph to provide a sentence worth of material.
• Don’t misuse the thesaurus or convince yourself that big fancy words will make your essay sound more academic or intelligent.
• Don’t be afraid to write in the first person, but remember that your voice must fit the material and the audience.
• Don’t use slang or unnecessary technical jargon. If you must use an obscure term, take the time to define and explain it.
• Don’t try too hard to be funny. Some humor may work in an essay, but going overboard can make your topic and you look foolish.
• Don’t try to imitate others. Just write cleanly and correctly in your own voice.
• Don’t just spout a list of facts or statistics. Take the time to analyze the information you are presenting.
• Don’t forget to let your personality and ideas about the topic guide the way you write.
• Don’t brag or put down other people.

Editing

• Don’t turn in your first draft.
• Don’t forget to proofread.
• Don’t rely exclusively on your computer to check your spelling. Read through what you have written. Read it out loud and listen to the way your paper sounds.
• Don’t be afraid of revision. Sometimes it takes a while to find the true focus of your essay. Once you find it, you may need to make major changes to create your best essay.

Formatting

• Don’t handwrite your essay.
• Don’t use subheadings before every paragraph.
• Don’t use a font that is too large or too small
• Don’t use colored or oddly-sized paper.
• Don’t turn in an essay that is messy or poorly formatted.

Related links

• Fifteen Writing Exercises (0.500)
• How to Create Fictional Characters Using Adversity (0.500)
• 12 Exercises for Improving Dialog (0.500)
• How to Create Fictional Characters (0.500)
• Writing Productivity -- Using an Idea Log (0.500)

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