MONDAY, JULY 7, 2008   12:36 PM

 Prescription for a Great Essay - Why Aren't all Students Getting A's?

If essay writing were as easy as professors sometimes pretend it is then every student should be getting an A on every assignment. But we all know that isn’t going to happen. However, there are a number of reasons that students do poorly on essays, and understanding these can help you to avoid common mistakes and turn in essays that will get you noticed and get you the grade you deserve.

There are three major mistakes students make in essays:

1. They don’t read the course material, so they aren’t making connections to course content and material. This is a major problem because it tells your instructor that you don’t care about the work.
2. They don’t follow the assignment. You’d be surprised how many students never read the assignment and don’t pay any attention to what the instructor is looking for.
3. They don’t know how to write. If the instructor can’t understand what you’re saying, you will get a bad grade no matter how good you think your ideas are.

So, if these are the three major things to avoid, what should you be doing? What’s the prescription for a great essay? Easy—do the opposite of the “don’t” list!

Here’s what you need to do:

1. Read the material. Know the course content, understand the textbooks, and be able to draw from the readings to give examples and refer to theories. Show the instructor that you pay attention and are actively involved in learning.
2. Know the assignment. Focus on addressing the question. Be sure that what you write reflects the question the instructor wants you to write about. Don’t go off in other directions. Stick with the topic and answer the question.
3. Get help expressing your ideas clearly. If you have trouble writing clearly or organizing your essays, seek help to make your essays understandable. When your instructor can read your essay and understand what it’s saying, you’ll be that much closer to the grade you deserve.

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