Typical mistakes of students when writing an argumentative essay
An argumentative essay is written by a student to demonstrate the ability to lag behind his opinions and beliefs, as well as the ability to convince the reader of his rightness. The student actually writes a text in which he describes his opinion on the given question.
This task causes the majority of students difficulties, entailing a number of errors. That’s why many people buy an argumentative essay.
Students’ difficulties in writing an argumentative essay
The argumentative essay can rightly be called one of the most difficult tasks for students. It is assumed that they will demonstrate writing skills in solving certain communication problems:
– articulating his point of view on a given issue;
– statement of arguments and counter-arguments;
– demonstrate the ability to build utterances coherently and logically;
– the ability to divide the text into paragraphs;
– writing emotional and well-structured text which can effect on the reader;
– the ability to speak correctly and not to hurt the feelings of others.
The finished argumentative essay has a small volume, about 250-300 words, and consists of the following structural elements:
– introduction, in which the students must demonstrate their vocabulary and ability to correctly select synonyms to express the main idea specified in the task of writing an argumentative essay, in other words;
– the main part, consisting of several paragraphs. Here the student expresses the main idea of the essay and proves his opinion about it with the help of detailed arguments and evidence. This is usually the hardest part for students;
– conclusion, it is written briefly on the basis of the main part, summarizing it. However, without repeating its content, here again, you need to apply the skills of using synonyms.
Students’ mistakes when writing an argumentative essay
Not having a proper degree of knowledge about how to write an argumentative essay, many students make a number of common mistakes:
– overconfidence. With the knowledge that it is necessary to defend the point of view in the argumentative essay, students begin to do it with excessive pressure on the reader, without convincing him of the correctness but imposing it to him. You can’t do that, you need to speak in the framework of ethics by bringing vivid arguments, but do not push on the reader;
– choosing the wrong topic. Sometimes happens that students choose a complex topic, mistakenly believing that it is for this teacher will raise the mark, but can not cope with its disclosure. Or choose as a topic that has already been discussed more than once and do not show individual originality in its disclosure : http://www.butte.edu/departments/cas/tipsheets/style_purpose_strategy/weaknesses.html
– lack of weighty arguments. The main task of the student through an argumentative essay to influence the reader so that he understood, and most importantly accepted his point of view. This should be done through convincing facts and evidence that not every student can bring;
– the lack of a plan. Many students consider making a plan a waste of time and do not make it. This leads to the fact that thoughts are expressed in a thoughtless manner and do not have a clear sequence;
– mistakes. Often in a hurry or because of confidence in their literacy, students do not check the essay for errors, and this leads to the fact that they are found by the teacher and naturally reduces the score for it;
– does not cause interest of the reader. A characteristic feature of an argumentative essay is its brevity, so it is necessary to attract the reader’s attention from the first phrases, but many students begin their essay with boring statements and the reader loses interest in it.