It may be midterm season, but that doesn’t mean that writing papers has ended. Some students have papers over the course of the semester or as midterm and final evaluations. If you are one of these students, this is the article for you!
Writing an 8, 10, or 12 page paper can totally get overwhelming but breaking it down into smaller sections can make getting started a little easier.
So the bad news is that you have a paper due in so little time, but the good news is that you don’t have to do it all in one night. That’s right, you can do it little by little in a span of 10 days; which leaves you time to go to work, complete other assignments, and get a good night’s sleep.
Usually a basic essay format includes an introductory paragraph, three body paragraphs, and a concluding paragraph. References or a Works Cited Page usually follows at the end depending on your formatting.
Here is a guide you can follow:
Day 1 –Brainstorm and Research
The first day is a good time to figure out what topic you want to write about. In cases where a topic is given to you, you can jump to the part where you collect resources. It would be a good idea to look for the minimum amount of resources needed. For example, some professors may indicate that you need at least 10 references.
Day 2 – Develop a Thesis Statement
Write out a thesis statement so that coming up with three or more points for your paper would be easier. Once you have done this, review the scholarly articles you have found and map out three points to support your thesis. Remember that your thesis statement is usually in the introduction of your essay and has your main claim that your three sub-points support. Once you have done these things, you are almost done your introduction paragraph.
Day 3 – Finish the Introduction Paragraph
The introductory paragraph has an opening statement, background information about the topic, and thesis statement with the three points.
Day 4 – First Body Paragraph: Point 1
Start the body paragraph for your first point. The order of your arguments can be in the order of midstrongest argument, weakest argument, and strongest argument.
Day 5 – Second Body Paragraph: Point 2
The “weakest” argument is discussed next. The weakest argument isn’t meant as the “worst” argument. If you were to rank the points in numerical order, the weakest point would be the argument based on your opinion.
Day 6 – Complete the Third Body Paragraph: Point 3
This day is when you get to write about the third point or your strongest argument. It is best to end with the strongest argument so that you can finish off your essay with a bang.
Day 7 – Concluding Paragraph
The concluding paragraph ties all your arguments together. Remember to add some final statements and restate your thesis and three arguments in a different way.
Day 8 – Edit
This is when you can spend some time editing the paper. Did you go through spell check? Is your paper written in size 12 Times New Roman font? Did you complete a title page? If at this point you made all the edits you want to, you can ask a friend to edit it for you.
Day 9 – Formatting and References
Formatting and referencing can be tricky! Start with looking up the type of format you need whether it’s Chicago Style, APA, MLA etc and then follow the necessary directions. Sometimes writing out each reference can feel as though it is more time consuming than writing out the essay itself. Then, look over and add some subtitles to your paper for better organizational flow.
Day 10 – Submit & Celebrate
Alas, you are done your paper! Now you are free to submit your paper, and even wear matching t-shirts to a Celine Dion concert with your partner. Just make sure to submit your essay, no matter what you do to celebrate. Feels good not to procrastinate, doesn’t it?