Doing any kind of assignment is hard. At least for me, I am a procrastinator. I also don't like doing essays because I never know when or how to start the introduction.
Once, I get started it is easy to finish. I have already written two papers out of 4 for my drama class. I would assume for my second English class I will be doing more. Here are my tips and advice when writing a college paper.
If you’re an incoming freshmen who has yet to experience writing a college paper yet, just you wait, you’ll become familiar with them very quickly.
In either case, nobody really wants to write them and everyone is looking for ways to make it as easy as possible. How I write my college papers from start to finish (my advice to you).
If given a list of questions, don’t just choose the one that seems easiest. Often, questions can be deceiving; the ones that seem easy can turn out to be much trickier or more nuanced than you expected. Choose the essay question that legitimately seems the most interesting to you, regardless of how difficult it is. It’s better to be energized by a challenge than to trudge through a question you find boring. Even if it is difficult, the professor will know that you took a risk and challenged yourself.
Coming up with your own question can be difficult. Take a look at the required reading for the course and the subjects raised in class lectures, and come up with a question for yourself that you find interesting, to which you don’t already know the answer.
Unfortunately, a schedule like this is often a luxury, and for some classes (or universities!) it’s just not possible. I have 5 classes this semester, I have essays to write every week and every 2 books in my other class. I usually only get to spend three to five days per essay. In that case, I still recommend one day for just research and then to divide the length of the essay over the days you have left.
Make sure that if your professor lists an author or book, you get your hands on that source, whether it’s at your library or via inter-library loan. It could make a big difference in your final thoughts on the topic, and your professor may be surprised if you leave the source out of your essay.
If I am writing my notes on a computer, I use a Notebook Word document that allows me to put a different author in every tab. An alternative to this would be Google Drive or Evernote, depending on what you have access to. After this step, I write out a list of quotes and summaries as I read.
Yes, I know most people hate being told to make an outline but it really is a great way to keep track of everything that you want to cover in your paper and to make it organized. You can use your own outline format.
a. Reflecting on previous feedback
If you’ve previously written an essay for this professor, take a look at the feedback on your old assignments to see how to improve. Did you use too many quotes? Were you too wordy? Do your best to take that advice to heart in this essay. If this is your first time writing for the professor, just do your best and see some of my general advice below.
b. Which citation style to use
Always make sure to cite correctly – plagiarism, whether intentional or not, is a very serious offense, and could get you expelled.
Different disciplines require different citation styles. As a religion major, I most often use Chicago and MLA style. For a list of which disciplines require which citation styles, look here. If you’re still unsure, ask your professor!
c. General tips
There are plenty of things I could say here, but I’m going to stick to three pieces of advice. The first is to really engage with the subject of your essay. Really ask yourself the question that you’re trying to answer in your writing, and then do your best to make your essay’s answer as thorough and clear a possible.
Second, try to stay clear in your writing. Don’t get too creative with a thesaurus; clean, elegant writing is always the best way to go. Some great books on this are the Chicago Manual of Style and The Elements of Style by Strunk and White.
Third, try not to over-quote (my biggest writing sin!). Using too many quotes is the sign of an insecure writer. A tip for this is not to have any books or articles open next to you as you write; just go off of your notes and your memory. When you do use a quote, try to go for primary sources, and use a sentence before and after the quote to set it up and explain its relevance.
When editing, I find it most helpful to print it out and go through with a pen, crossing things out and marking them as I go. Look for any errors in grammar or citation, and try to make your writing as clear as possible. If necessary, ask a friend or tutor to look over it for you to see if they catch anything you didn’t.
If you struggle with grammar and citation, I really recommend you get a citation guide. Personally, I love the Pocket Style Manual, which was a required purchase at my college and which has saved my butt on more assignments than I can count. It includes sections on each of the major required styles in which to format your papers. There are school-specific versions and a general version, but the differences are pretty small. I recommend the general version of your school doesn’t have its own.
Finally, know when to put it down. If you’ve been editing your essay for hours and you’re about to throw it out and start over, stop. Have some confidence in yourself and your abilities. You didn’t come to college to be the perfect student – you came to learn. Your essay is probably much better than you think it is.
Once, I get started it is easy to finish. I have already written two papers out of 4 for my drama class. I would assume for my second English class I will be doing more. Here are my tips and advice when writing a college paper.
If you’re an incoming freshmen who has yet to experience writing a college paper yet, just you wait, you’ll become familiar with them very quickly.
In either case, nobody really wants to write them and everyone is looking for ways to make it as easy as possible. How I write my college papers from start to finish (my advice to you).
1. Pick your question.
Some of you may have a mandatory question assigned, and in that case, you can skip to the next section. If, however, you have a list of questions, or need to think of a question yourself, this is the place to start.If given a list of questions, don’t just choose the one that seems easiest. Often, questions can be deceiving; the ones that seem easy can turn out to be much trickier or more nuanced than you expected. Choose the essay question that legitimately seems the most interesting to you, regardless of how difficult it is. It’s better to be energized by a challenge than to trudge through a question you find boring. Even if it is difficult, the professor will know that you took a risk and challenged yourself.
Coming up with your own question can be difficult. Take a look at the required reading for the course and the subjects raised in class lectures, and come up with a question for yourself that you find interesting, to which you don’t already know the answer.
2. Make a timeline.
This is like a schedule. Whether you have four days, two weeks or a month to write a paper, make a timeline for every step of the way. Plan how long you plan to brainstorm on what you’ll write about, then how long you’ll research information and how many pages you’ll work on each week, day, hour etc.Unfortunately, a schedule like this is often a luxury, and for some classes (or universities!) it’s just not possible. I have 5 classes this semester, I have essays to write every week and every 2 books in my other class. I usually only get to spend three to five days per essay. In that case, I still recommend one day for just research and then to divide the length of the essay over the days you have left.
3. Find all of your resources.
Nobody likes doing research. Since you have to so some research one way or another in order to write your paper, do lots of research all at once. It’s better to have more information than you have room for in your paper rather than to have to continuously go searching for more information.Make sure that if your professor lists an author or book, you get your hands on that source, whether it’s at your library or via inter-library loan. It could make a big difference in your final thoughts on the topic, and your professor may be surprised if you leave the source out of your essay.
4. Note taking and writing your outline.
I prefer to take typed notes when I have the time, because they are cleaner and more organized than my handwritten ones. However, if you prefer to take notes by hand, that is fine and totally up to you.If I am writing my notes on a computer, I use a Notebook Word document that allows me to put a different author in every tab. An alternative to this would be Google Drive or Evernote, depending on what you have access to. After this step, I write out a list of quotes and summaries as I read.
Yes, I know most people hate being told to make an outline but it really is a great way to keep track of everything that you want to cover in your paper and to make it organized. You can use your own outline format.
5. KEEP TRACK OF EVERYTHING.
As you work on your paper, find a system to help you see what you’ve already done and what resources you’ve already used. Not only does it help you keep track of everything, but it also helps to give you a visual of your progress. I personally like to highlight things as they are completed or used. That way I can still read them and have a very clear visual of what’s been done.6. Writing the essay.
Now comes the hard part: writing the essay. If you made a good outline, this part will be a lot easier.a. Reflecting on previous feedback
If you’ve previously written an essay for this professor, take a look at the feedback on your old assignments to see how to improve. Did you use too many quotes? Were you too wordy? Do your best to take that advice to heart in this essay. If this is your first time writing for the professor, just do your best and see some of my general advice below.
b. Which citation style to use
Always make sure to cite correctly – plagiarism, whether intentional or not, is a very serious offense, and could get you expelled.
Different disciplines require different citation styles. As a religion major, I most often use Chicago and MLA style. For a list of which disciplines require which citation styles, look here. If you’re still unsure, ask your professor!
c. General tips
There are plenty of things I could say here, but I’m going to stick to three pieces of advice. The first is to really engage with the subject of your essay. Really ask yourself the question that you’re trying to answer in your writing, and then do your best to make your essay’s answer as thorough and clear a possible.
Second, try to stay clear in your writing. Don’t get too creative with a thesaurus; clean, elegant writing is always the best way to go. Some great books on this are the Chicago Manual of Style and The Elements of Style by Strunk and White.
Third, try not to over-quote (my biggest writing sin!). Using too many quotes is the sign of an insecure writer. A tip for this is not to have any books or articles open next to you as you write; just go off of your notes and your memory. When you do use a quote, try to go for primary sources, and use a sentence before and after the quote to set it up and explain its relevance.
7. Editing the essay.
You finished your essay! Put it aside for a night if you can before taking a look. This will let you return to it with a fresh eye and a clear mind.When editing, I find it most helpful to print it out and go through with a pen, crossing things out and marking them as I go. Look for any errors in grammar or citation, and try to make your writing as clear as possible. If necessary, ask a friend or tutor to look over it for you to see if they catch anything you didn’t.
If you struggle with grammar and citation, I really recommend you get a citation guide. Personally, I love the Pocket Style Manual, which was a required purchase at my college and which has saved my butt on more assignments than I can count. It includes sections on each of the major required styles in which to format your papers. There are school-specific versions and a general version, but the differences are pretty small. I recommend the general version of your school doesn’t have its own.
Finally, know when to put it down. If you’ve been editing your essay for hours and you’re about to throw it out and start over, stop. Have some confidence in yourself and your abilities. You didn’t come to college to be the perfect student – you came to learn. Your essay is probably much better than you think it is.
