Things not to do when writing an essay - please stop doing these 3 things 🙏

Hey everyone. As a third-year History major who has graded papers as a TA and written approximately one million essays myself, I've seen some... choices. I'm making this post because I genuinely want to help y'all avoid the common pitfalls that send your grades straight into the dumpster. So here are my top 3 things not to do when writing an essay, based on painful observation:

1. DO NOT ignore the prompt. I cannot stress this enough. If the professor asks for a comparative analysis of two revolutions and you write a detailed summary of just the French Revolution, you have already lost. Answer the actual question! Underline keywords in the prompt. Refer back to it constantly.

2. DO NOT use Wikipedia as your only source. Look, I love Wikipedia for quick context. It's great for a starting point. But if your bibliography is just "en.wikipedia.org/wiki/French_Revolution," your professor will cry. Use the sources at the bottom of the Wikipedia page. That's the gold mine.

3. DO NOT write the introduction first. This one sounds crazy, I know. But how can you introduce an argument you haven't fully formed yet? Write your body paragraphs first, figure out what you're actually saying, then go back and write an introduction that perfectly sets it up. Game changer.

Anyone else have hard-learned lessons to add? Let's build a survival guide!

Respect. I've been on the other side of the desk too, and let me tell you, the things I've seen would make your hair curl. Someone once cited "Buzzfeed" in a political theory paper. Buzzfeed. I still have nightmares.

I want to add a #4 to your list: DO NOT use big words you don't understand just to sound smart. I can always tell. Your professor can always tell. We're not impressed by "utilize" instead of "use" or "endeavor" instead of "try." It just makes your sentences clunky and confusing. Write clearly first. If you want to sound fancy, save it for one or two moments where it actually fits.

Also, the Wikipedia tip is solid. I'd extend that to any general source—look at their footnotes! That's where the real academic treasure is buried. Good post, man.