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Read and take note of the most common mistakes
in student research papers. Avoid them. Get better grades!
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Common Mistakes in Student Research Papers
Read and take note of the most common mistakes in student
research papers. Avoid them. Get better grades!
Mixed
verb tense. This makes your readers ears (or eyes) bleed! Pick present
tense or past tense and stick with it through the whole research paper.
This type of writing is not everyday conversation or even the nightly
news, both of which are notorious for switching verb tenses.
Quote
usage. Make sure that your academic discipline expects or frowns upon the
use of direct quotes. In the humanities, quotes are an integral part of
research paper. This is not true for scientific research papers. Read a
couple of research papers on the topic at hand before constructing your
own.
Too
much information. Consider who will be reading your research paper and
keep them in mind as you write. Also, resist the temptation to write
everything you know on a subject. Do not tell include a biography on John
Steinbeck in a research paper about how his works reflect social commentary.
Superlatives
and subjectivity. These have no place in a research paper. Your topic may
be wonderful and exciting, but do not use these types of words in the
document. This type of writing is not about opinions, beliefs, or
feelings. Save these for op ed pieces.
Bad
grammar, spelling or word choice. Again, don’t do it! Proofread and edit
your research paper until you have it memorized. Then hire a professional
writer to proof it again. Nothing spells amateur like easily correctible
error.
Lack
of originality. The aim of any research paper for any college or
university discipline is to add original thought and work to a body of
existing knowledge. You cannot simply restate what others have said. This
will not get you published. You must use your brain to creative and
regurgitate.
Anthropomorphism.
Resist the urge to give human qualities to inanimate objects. This is
great for poetry and creative writing; not so great for research papers!
Plan ahead; find out what is expected of your research
paper; seek the assistance of other writers more qualified than yourself; and
enjoy the process. A published research paper is a resume boost and career
builder.
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