It’s just sad to know that there are many students who fail their college papers because of reasons that could have been avoided. Even with an absorbing topic and enough credible data to support the argument, some college papers still do not quite get the attention and support of professors. Students who worked hard on their college paper but still failed in the end may have committed one of these common mistakes.
Grammatical errors. College papers should level with collegiate standards. Meaning, these written assignments should have impact and must be free from any grammatical errors. A student cannot expect to leave college without having the ability to write grammatically correct sentences. It would be shameful to do so. Students who have a serious problem in grammar construction should seek help. They could either approach their professors or an English tutor; if time and budget permits, they can even enroll in a course that teaches basic grammar and sentence structure.
A student must remember that job seekers put a premium on applicants who speak the English language well. Students better learn how to write and speak using correct grammar while writing their college papers or face rejection and humiliation in the end.
Wrong choice of words. There are students who cannot help use complex words in the hopes of bagging a high mark in their college papers. Professors are put off with this kind of exhibition. Using big words once in a while is not wrong; however, if a student embellishes his work with such words, he will only appear superficial and arrogant, especially if he does not know their meaning. The best way to get a message across is by using simple words. More than sending one’s point clear and fast, terse and formal language also prevents readers from getting annoyed.
Lengthy, awkward sentences.> The problem with students who know how to write is that they sometimes inescapably get carried away. With overflowing ideas and a rich vocabulary, these students have the propensity to write long unnecessary sentences in their college papers. When a simple, straightforward sentence will do, students with a flair for writing would instead go for a convoluted or unclear sentence; consequently, causing the dismay of professors and readers.
Failure to use footnotes. Some students do not give much attention to footnotes because they do not know what footnotes are for. Footnotes comments on or cites a reference or quotation that was used in the paper. Students who fail to provide a footnote in their college papers are in danger of committing plagiarism. Plagiarism is cheating that can flunk a student in class, or even get him kicked out of the university. There is really no single system for footnotes. One can choose from different style manuals - APA, MLA or Turabia. The important thing is for him to pick a system and to stick with it.