Students make errors because they’re hurrying.

Rushing causes errors—and not just in writing. While you probably can’t teach students time management, you can at least help them see that if writing takes time, good writing takes more time. Force them to slow down by breaking your major assignments into smaller sections with interim deadlines. Another technique: Collect papers and do nothing with them until the next class session. Then return them to students and let them see what errors they can find in their own work. They may be surprised by the mistakes they can see after time away from the project.

Students make errors because they’re struggling with new or difficult topics.

What would be easier: writing about a simple topic in your own discipline or writing about a similar topic in a field that’s completely foreign to you? Research has shown that when students are busy attending to difficult subject matter, they make more surface-level errors. In this case, the more practice the student has in grappling with the concepts through additional reading, writing, and discussions, the better the writing will likely become. Multiple drafts will also help; let students know that in the early drafts they can focus on refining their ideas, but in the final draft, they’ll also be expected to attend to the niceties of writing.

Students can’t see their errors.

Sometimes we’re so absorbed in what we’re writing that we literally can’t see what we have written on the page. While that suggests we’re highly engaged with our subject matter, it also means we’ll look right past obvious problems. That’s why most publications rely on copy editors and proofreaders rather than letting authors check their own work. Students can, however, learn some fundamentals of proofreading. Teach them, for instance, to print a hard copy and proofread for only one kind of error at a time. If they know they have trouble with unclear pronouns, they should stop at every pronoun and review the rules. Or teach them to look for homophones (“your” and “you’re,” for instance) that won’t be caught by spell checkers.

Students don’t see error as significant.

“So I forgot a few commas, big deal!” Help students to recognize that errors truly bother readers. Find real-world examples of errors, so students can see that using the wrong word or phrase can drastically impact meaning. Show them examples of error-laden or confusing prose from their discipline and ask them to suggest revisions.

Students make errors because they’re anxious about writing.

For many students, writing is synonymous with failure. From the earliest grades, students learn that a teacher’s job is to highlight their mistakes. You can help by leveling the playing field: show students your own drafts—complete with typos, false starts, crossed-out phrases, and notes in the margins. To build their confidence, give students low-stakes assignments, such as reading journals or in-class assignments, where content alone matters. When you do mark for errors on final drafts, consider counting off only once for each type of error. For instance, if a student misuses a semicolon three different times, mark it as one error, not three separate ones. That way students are made aware of their errors, but not overwhelmed by them.

Students make errors because they don’t know any better.

While we expect students at Texas A&M to have learned the basics, the truth is we all have gaps in our knowledge. International students in particular may need additional instruction in grammar, mechanics, or usage. If many of your students need further instruction on a particular topic, spend a few minutes of class time reviewing the issue. Or refer students to a grammar handbook, a language Web site, or to the UWC. We offer grammar workshops for W courses and have handouts on key writing topics available on our Web site.

Students don’t care.

This is perhaps the most frustrating reason for error. To combat student apathy, consider giving your writers an audience beyond the classroom. You might find (or create) publication opportunities for students or have them correspond with someone in the discipline. Assignments with real-world applications can also help motivate students. Finally, remember that students are more likely to care about their writing if they know that you care not only about their errors, but also about what they have to say.