Completing a final year project is one of the most important milestones for students in Nigerian universities and polytechnics. Whether you’re studying Engineering, Education, Accounting, or any other course, your project plays a big role in your final CGPA and determines how seriously you’re taken academically.
Unfortunately, many students make avoidable mistakes that cost them marks and, in some cases, delay graduation. In this blog post, we highlight the 10 most common final year project mistakes Nigerian students make and how you can avoid them.
Let’s dive in!
1. Starting Late
One of the most common and damaging mistakes is starting the project late. Many students wait until it’s too close to the deadline before selecting a topic or even meeting their supervisor.
Why it’s a problem: Rushed projects lead to poor research, shallow content, and panic. It also reduces the chances of getting proper feedback from your supervisor.
Solution: Start immediately after your project topic is approved or even earlier. Set a personal timeline to complete each chapter.
2. Choosing a Topic You Don’t Understand
Students often pick trending or complex topics they don’t fully understand, just to impress. Some even borrow topics from previous students without understanding the content.
Why it’s a problem: If you don’t understand the topic, you’ll struggle during the defence and may copy blindly (hello, plagiarism).
Solution: Choose a topic you’re genuinely interested in and can explain confidently. If unsure, ask for help from your supervisor or a professional writer.
3. Copying Projects Word-for-Word (Plagiarism)
With so many past projects available online or in the department, it’s tempting to copy and paste. But plagiarism is academic theft, and it can cost you everything.
Why it’s a problem: Most Nigerian universities now use plagiarism detection tools like Turnitin or Grammarly Premium. Copying someone’s work will get flagged.
Solution: Always paraphrase, cite sources correctly, and use plagiarism checkers. Need help? Use ProPapers’ plagiarism removal service to clean up your content.
4. Weak Literature Review
Many students treat Chapter Two (literature review) like an essay dump, just gathering quotes without analysis. Worse, they reference outdated or irrelevant sources.
Why it’s a problem: Your literature review shows whether you understand the research context and existing works. A poor one will weaken your credibility.
Solution: Use up-to-date journals, group ideas by themes, and critically analyze what others have said, not just list them. Use Google Scholar, JSTOR, or your school library.
5. Poorly Defined Research Questions/Objectives
If your research questions or objectives are too broad, vague, or unrelated to the topic, your project will lack direction.
Why it’s a problem: Everything in your project methodology, data collection, and analysis should align with your research objectives.
Solution: Make sure your objectives are SMART: Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound.
6. Wrong Research Methodology
Some students just Google a methodology and insert it without checking if it fits their topic. This leads to poor data collection and unreliable results.
Why it’s a problem: Inappropriate methods will confuse readers and reduce the validity of your findings.
Solution: Choose the right methodology for your topic. For instance:
- Use survey methods for social studies
- Use experimental design for science and engineering
- Justify your choices with academic sources
Need help choosing the right one? ProPapers.com.ng can guide you.
7. Poor Data Analysis
Many students either skip data analysis or use tools they don’t understand (like SPSS or Excel), leading to confusing or incorrect results.
Why it’s a problem: Your entire research may collapse if the data isn’t analyzed and interpreted properly.
Solution: Understand the basic principles of data analysis. If you’re not confident, hire someone to help or take a short course on Excel or SPSS.
8. Ignoring Supervisor Feedback
Some students see their supervisor as an obstacle and ignore their feedback, either out of fear or arrogance.
Why it’s a problem: Supervisors are your first examiners. If you ignore them, you risk failing or getting low scores during the project defence.
Solution: Maintain regular communication. Even if your supervisor is difficult, be polite, proactive, and open to corrections.
9. Poor Formatting and Referencing
APA? MLA? Harvard? Many students don’t follow any referencing style or mix them all. Some even submit without page numbers or a proper table of contents.
Why it’s a problem: Presentation matters. Your research paper must meet academic formatting standards, or it may be rejected outright.
Solution: Know your department’s required format. Use reference tools like Zotero, Mendeley, or get help from professionals like ProPapers Nigeria for formatting support.
10. Lack of Preparation for Defence
After submitting, some students forget that the project defence is part of the grading. They don’t practice their presentation or anticipate questions.
Why it’s a problem: Even with a great project, poor presentation can affect your grade or make you look like you didn’t do the work.
Solution: Practice your defence with friends. Create slides. Prepare answers to possible questions. Or book a mock defence session with us.
Final Tips for Final Year Students in Nigeria
- Starting early is your greatest asset
- Always backup your project file (use Google Drive or a flash drive)
- Ask questions if you’re stuck
- Use original data where possible
- Focus on learning, not just passing
Let ProPapers Nigeria Help You Succeed
At ProPapers.com.ng, we help students avoid these mistakes by offering:
- Research topic selection
- Chapter-by-chapter writing
- Plagiarism removal & originality checks
- Data analysis (SPSS, Excel, Python)
- Final formatting and defence prep
Ready to start your project the right way? Message us now on WhatsApp ➡ Click here to start chatting Or email: [email protected]
