Getting into colleges and universities is an achievement for any student. But the horror of writing. A lot of students struggle when it comes to writing high-quality papers. The student might be struggling with grammatical or spelling errors year after year. But now it is time to change this cycle. Here are some tips to help you overcome this roadblock.

Citing wrongly

All academic papers require citations and citing wrongly only leads to loss of marks. Hence for your paper to be perfect, use the appropriate citing styles and formats to cite your work. Citing lets your reader know where you got the contents to write your paper. It is a process that takes time to complete, but in the end, good citing is vital to get high grades.

If you find trouble when it comes to citing formats and styles, try using online tools. Online tools are efficient as they use algorithms to cite your work. It saves time that you would have used to write the citation down in the required style and format.

Make sure your paper structure is right

A good paper calls for good planning and structuring. Many students fail to do this and end up writing papers that are confusing to the reader. Hence create a thesis first. It will help you focus on the topic at hand as you research it. Then create a guideline to guide you throughout the writing process. The guidelines make sure everything falls in line, from the thesis to the conclusion.

A paper that is not well-structured leads to a poor grade which could end up making you fail. With these two tricks, your paper will always have flow. And you will never move off track in terms of your thesis.

Several online tools help a writer come up with a thesis. Sites like Write Me a Thesis help a writer save time when it comes to thesis creation. It uses an algorithm that matches keywords the writer inputs to real-life topics. It then provides a list of thesis statements that the writer can choose from.

Not proofreading your work efficiently

Proofreading is a step that is vital to writing a paper, but a lot of students skip it and end up submitting shoddy work. Rereading your work helps you catch the grammatical and spelling error before you hand you paper over for marking. It makes sure you get rid of all the small mistakes that might destruct the reader. The reader hence stays focused throughout the whole reading process. It is, therefore, a step that you should not afford to skip as a writer.

Once satisfied with your paper, you can then use a friend’s help to go through the paper again, looking for errors. Since the other person has not encountered the paper before, they can spot mistakes that you might have skipped.

Conclusion

All the mistakes that we have discussed harm your paper. So to improve your grade, shift on the points that you have been going wrong. Practice until you get over these mistakes.

Significance of methodology

• Your methodology should have enough detail that any other person can replicate or adapt your methodology.
• The methodology needs to state the anticipated problems during the research and what measures to mitigate them.
• Your methodology should have enough data from a large pool of samples to satisfy the threshold needed to answer the research question.
• The methodology should demonstrate how you collected the data and show that the collection procedure is consistent with the industry standards.
• From the many research methods, identify your choice and justify your choice. 
• Use the methodology section to show how you collected and how you analyzed and interpreted the data.

The Structure and a writing style to adopt

1. Research methods

Social science has two main research groups. They include the interpretative groups and the empirical-analytical groups. 

The interpretative group of methods focuses on getting to demystify a phenomenon holistically and comprehensively. The analytical disclosing of the by what, how, and why people do what they do. It allows you to understand the link between the phenomenon under investigation and human beings.

The empirical-analytical groups direct their focus on variables operational definitions, research questions, and objective knowledge. It uses deductive reasoning to formulate a hypothesis for testing using existing theory.

2. The Content

On introducing the methodology, ensure you state the underlying assumptions and the problem statement underpinning your research. Then you state the method you used when collecting your data, your analysis procedure, and how you generally processed the information. Also, give the reasons you settled for whichever method of data collection and how it will help you solve your problem. Then proceed the outline the following:

• The research strategies and tools you used to research the problem statement and the underlying hypothesis. 
• Outline the data processing procedures used to do data analysis.
• State the methods and tools you used to identify the relevant variables.
• Discuss the decision that led to the selection of analyzed data.

An effective methodology ought to:

• Describe potential limitations
• Justify selection
• Justify the sampling procedure and subject selection
• Provide the rationale and background of the methodologies used
• Explain how you will be analyzing your results
• Outline the data collection methods
• Justify why the approach you chose speaks to the overall research design

3. Problems to resist

Avoid irrelevant information. Your methodology should be detailed, but each point must be addressing a specific concept of idea within the research topic. Stay away from information that does not directly offer any solution or insight to the reader. We assume that the reader is competent enough to understand some of the procedures. To avoid explaining some procedures that are basic and self-explanatory.

Furthermore, the indices and bibliography are available t give further explanations to new and unfamiliar terms. So, save time and space for essential points and information that directly contribute to solving the research problem. Ensure that you state all the problems that you encounter during your data collection. Documenting the problems faced and how you solved them is an excellent way to make your methodology exciting. It will also help justify why you settled for specific procedures and actions while collecting and analyzing your data. On top of stating and describing your research methods, you also need to provide a list of your sources.

How to Use the Tenses?

Each of these tenses is used differently in an academic environment. Below are some examples of how to use each tense in academic writing. It will help you to better understand the differences between each one.

The Present Simple Tense

The tense is used for the present. It is often used when talking about verbs that indicate things happening now. For example, if you wanted to say, “I am writing“, you would use the present simple.

The main exception to the present simple tense concerns verbs that indicate things happening now. These are called dynamic verbs, and they always use the present simple tense. It includes verbs like play, work, run, swim, and talk. Other examples of these types of sentences include “I am working“, “We are running” and “She is talking“.

The tense describes general truths that have been proven in the past. It is also used to describe habitual actions that are regularly done. In addition to these, it can also indicate how something is in the present.

The Past Simple Tense

The Past Simple Tense describes things that have happened in the past but not in the present. For example, “I went to school” is something that occurred in the past, but it doesn’t occur now. The same would be true for “I played my guitar.”

This tense can be used for specific events, as well as regular actions. The specific event could occur once or multiple times a week or month. We cannot use the tense to indicate actions happening now or today.

The Present Perfect Tense

The Present Perfect Tense explains actions that began in the past and have continued up to the present. This tense is also used to describe something that happened once, but has lasting effects. It can also describe things that happened some time before another event took place. It cannot, however, be used to specifically indicate something that is happening in the now/present. Lastly, this tense can also be used for a general truth or an assumption about a past event.

The Present Simple Tense

The tense is used for things that are happening now or that have been happening up to this point in time. For example, “I am earning a bachelor’s degree in English and journalism.” In this sentence, the verb ‘earn’ is in the present simple tense. You would also use it to describe things that are happening at this moment. It could be used for a general statement or an assumption about something taking place. For example, “She is driving to work.”

The Past Simple Tense

The past simple tense is used for single actions and events that occurred in the past. For example, “I went to school today.” It should be used for a specific event that happened once in the past. It can also be used to describe the past before something else occurred. For example, “I ate dinner after I arrived home.” If you went to school that day and then ate dinner, this would be correct.

The Present Perfect Tense

The present perfect tense is used for things that happened or began in the past but continue to have an effect on the present. For example, “I have lived in Texas for two years.” In this statement, the present perfect tense is used because the person has been living in Texas for the past two years.

It can also be used for a general fact or assumption about something that happened in the past. For example, “Physics has always been my favorite subject.” It could be a personal preference from high school and an assumption based on past grades of a student’s performance in this class.

The main reason you must get a topic that captures the readers’ minds is to ensure that the readers want to read more. Students usually find a hard time creating research topics. But if you still find problems with creating one, you can seek advice from experts. Make sure the place where you are seeking advice is very credible.

Good research topics

Definition: good research topics assist the writer in showing the audience how relevant his work is. It must cover social, practical, or scientific significance to various parties.

Good topics must be compelling, enticing to the reader, and very exciting. 

Good research topics must have these qualities below.

• Clarity

Your research must be detailed. When your research is detailed, the audience will understand the points you are trying to pass, unlike when your research is detailed and precise. Research topics that are not clear, brief and precise are tough to understand. The writer of the essay must have a deep understanding of the topic that he will talk about in his essay. If the writer does not understand the topic, the audience is most likely not to understand anything in that essay. The topic you are discussing must be correlating with the audience. Because if it doesn’t correlate or connect with the audience, then what’s the point of the essay.

• Define your topic

When you define your topic, you will have focus, and you will find out the vital areas. It also helps you to note the main concepts of your research. When one structures his topic well, he gives the audience a significant work. It is the point where the audience must have the satisfaction that the writer addresses their point of concern. When you define your topic, it will briefly elucidate the whole topic. It can also help you to select the format that will suit the essay. To define your topic:

• Appropriate Language

Writers must use languages that readers easily understand and can read. It will entice your audience to read your work with morale. When you write your topic with inappropriate language, your readers will undermine, discredit, and also, the essay will not be relevant to the readers. The major tip to successful essay topics is writing something that is appealing to you and satisfies the audience.

• Titling

These are the first things that the readers go through first before they can read your text. It is like the introduction to your essay. So with that in mind, you will select a topic that captures the readers’ minds and is relevant to your essay. The topic mist gives your audience the appetite to read your article.

Compelling titles must convey the main points. And also, they must show why the essay is significant.

• Relevance

It is essential to look for a topic that relates to your readers. Good topics must show why the essay is essential. And must make the topic consistent to prevent clashing of ideas.

Conclusion

All writers must carry research and come up with a topic that captures the reader’s mind and entices them to read more of your essay.