Common Mistakes to Avoid in Philosophy Writing Sometimes, knowing what you shouldn't do in a philosophical essay is also helpful. Here are seven common mistakes that often bring down students' grades – but are easily avoidable: Appealing to authority – in philosophy, strive to develop your own stance instead; Using convoluted sentences to appear more intelligent – instead, use simpler ways to deliver the same meaning; Including interesting or important material without tying it to your point – every piece of evidence and every idea should explicitly support your arguments or counterarguments; Inflating your word count without delivering value – in the writing process, it's crucial to 'kill your darlings'; Making poorly explained claims – explicitly present reasons for or against every claim you include; Leaving core concepts undefined – explain what you mean by the words like 'free will' or 'existentialism' in the introduction; Worrying about being wrong – no one can be proven wrong in philosophy! Source: https: