Your aim with academic writing is to effectively communicate your thoughts and ideas to the intended reader.

Why is essay planning an important skill for students to master? 

Students often struggle unnecessarily while writing papers. Before you write anything, you should have a clear idea of the structure, argument, and an outline of what you'll write in your paper - plan in advance! 

What's the most common mistake students make in this area? 

Merely repeating the claims of others, thereby summarizing the work of others. You should be able to articulate a point of critique that leads to the warrant behind a claim you're putting forth in your papers.

What top tip would you give to students wanting to improve their essay planning?

I'd say you should learn how to read social science texts and emulate the argumentative structure of the readings you have found most persuasive and compelling. You should rehearse your writing by reading through sound arguments and plausible claims.

Sources

The Study Space
Essay planning

University of Reading Library Guides
Essay writing

Sage Publishing
Mastering academic writing

Sage Plublications
Plan Your Essay