Are Your Essays a Hot Mess?
Tips for Writing a Better Paper
We've all been there, its 11 PM and
you have a paper due for your class at 8AM... and you haven't even started. I
think it is just basic college law that everyone has to go through this
situation at least once. Procrastination is just a fact of life when you're in
college, especially for writing papers. Most college students aren't striving
to be journalists or English majors, so most college students aren't stoked to
sit down and write a ten page paper.
So what’s a student to do when writing
papers is unavoidable? Here are a few tips to get you through your papers and
hey, who knows they might even turn out to be good.
1. Make and Outline
Outlining your paper will keep your
paper organized and on track. Start with your thesis statement and back ground
history in the introduction. Next, outline the paragraphs in the body of your
paper. Each paragraph should be a description of a main idea with evidence to
back up your ideas. When you have that much outlined decide how you will
summarize your thesis in the concluding paragraph. Your outline should be a
plan of your ideas and how you are going to present them to your audience. Keep
in mind the instructions that your professor gave you, making sure that your
paper meets the requirements that are set.
2. Write it out
Using the outline, elaborate on your
ideas and points, with all of your ideas planned out for you this should be
relatively easy. Provide examples and evidence to prove your point and you will
have a bulk of the work done in no time!
3. Spell Check is your Friend
In other words, revise your paper.
Read through it and make sure it is organized, has a nice flow and feel and
makes sense. If you can follow the ideas that you present you’re on the
right track. Check your paper for errors in spelling and grammar and TA DA you
have your first draft!
4. Make a Friend
Most professors will have you do a
peer review in class but if they don't it is in your best interest to share
your paper with a friend or, better yet, someone in your class. A class mate
will have an understanding of the assignment and its requirements and can offer
insight to better help you complete the assignment. Having a fresh set of eyes
view your paper can spot errors that you may have missed providing you with a
quality paper.
5. Go to the Writing Lab
Most schools have writing labs where
you can go and get help on your paper. Have a tutor or professor review your
paper before you turn it in. Remember, these people know what they are talking
about so take their suggestions to heart. If they tell you that you need more
paragraphs or fewer paragraphs, do the work and you'll have a better paper.
Most importantly, the key to writing
a paper is to actually sit down and do the work. Try not to procrastinate (I
know it's hard), and just get the work done. Things are much easier when you
just buckle down and get it over with.
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