6 Mistakes to Avoid While Writing Coursework

Coursework is an integral part of every academic curriculum as it is a mode for students to showcase their performance. It is a way by which examiners can gauge the extent to which students have learned the contents of their coursework. Coursework can be either in the form of prepared speech writing or written work such as a dissertation, project, paper or master’s thesis. This is a critical requirement for analyzing the performance of students and awarding a degree towards successful completion of the course. The objectives of coursework vary depending on the subject matter under discussion and individual emphasis is given by the students conducting research work on a particular subject. For example, in English college coursework, the student can follow a cause-effect method or a comparison approach, whereas for a coursework on subjects like geography or history requires investigating the contents of the subject.
There are specific guidelines and good practices that need to be followed while writing coursework. There is no shortcut to success and the harder you work, the higher are the chances of your success. Most students tend to avoid some basic checks which ultimately lead them to submit poor quality coursework, even if they are competent to perform better. Some of the common mistakes that students are most likely to commit are as follows –

1) Poor analysis of academic coursework topics

This is the most common problem that comes up with coursework writing. Most students lack that in-depth knowledge that is essential for the successful completion of coursework. So, before you leap into writing your coursework assignment makes sure that you have gathered sufficient knowledge about the subject. Always opt for a theme that you are familiar with and can address any question asked to you.

2) Narrowing down the research phase –

Having proper knowledge about the subject matter won’t help you craft a good coursework. You also need to conduct adequate research about the topic so that you can gather the necessary information before you start writing. Depending on the topic you have chosen the research method may vary which may include observations, polls, experiments, analysis, and comparisons and so on. Most students opt to skip or narrow down the research process which eventually leads to disastrous performance in their academic curriculum.

3) Postponing the writing to the last moment –

Most students have the habit of postponing their coursework writing to the last day of submission. This should be avoided at any cost unless any emergency situation crops up. Try to finish your coursework well before the deadline so that you have adequate time in hand to make necessary changes and corrections if need be. It will help you to deliver your best shot in developing quality coursework.

4) Omitting the MLA rules –

Attracting the attention of the reader is the key sign of a well-drafted content. The same applies to coursework writings as well. Try to make the content reader-friendly and follow an academic tone of the narration. Avid using conversational tones such as “gotta”, “gonna”, “aint” and the like. Cite references according to proper referencing styles such as MLA Style, APA Style or Chicago Style of essay formatting. For any in-text citation use parentheses. Provide proper references and footnotes for the authors and sources referred to in the text.

5) Procrastinating about the topic –

Most students start procrastinating about the subject matter and rush through the writing phase at the last moment. This is, in fact, one of the major reasons for several typing and grammatical errors in the content. So, devote equal time to thinking and writing to avoid any mistakes in the coursework. Also, do not over-emphasize on the standard of the writing. Instead, try to keep it simple and straightforward and concentrate more on the content quality and relevancy. This will help to attract the attention of the reader easily.

6) Skipping the proofreading and editing part –

This phase is generally considered as time-wasting by most college and university students. But this is the most significant step of the entire coursework as it will help to identify and correct any possible errors that might arise during the writing process. Not only does proofreading helps in the grammar and spelling corrections but also allows you to go through the entire a plagiarism checker for the coursework as a whole. This will help you to face any questions or remember key points relating to the topic under discussion. Now, it is up to you to decide whether you want your coursework to be a moderate one or one that is excellent and deserves appreciation from the professors. Apart from the considerations mentioned above, there are certain do’s and don’ts which you need to keep in mind while proceeding with your coursework assignment. The things which you should do are –

• Plan ahead of the deadline so that you get sufficient time working on a specific topic.
• Organize the contents and present your ideas and views in a logical and sequential manner.
• Select a topic that is unique and uncommon instead of choosing a common one.
• Use text-processing software like Google Docs, and MS-Word which can help to detect mistakes in the content easily.
• Be ambitious and deliver your full potential so that you get good grades for your coursework.
• Follow a proper writing format and style and use good vocabulary for your content.
• Proceed with caution and proofread before you submit.

The things you should avoid doing are –

• Deviate from the main topic of discussion.
• Make any statements without providing proper quotations or references.
• Use generalized discussion to support your views.
• Leave your work to complete right at last.
• Exceed the given word limit.
• Hire someone else to complete the coursework.

Though the above suggestions might seem to be simple and recommendatory, it can contribute to a large extent to the success or failure of your coursework. So, it is always a good idea to pay attention to the above recommendations and proceed accordingly to get higher grades in your course assignments.