The end of the semester can be the moment where you finally see the light at the end of tunnel, but it’s also the most difficult few weeks to get through academically. Between papers, finals, and last minute homework assignments, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed. Here are a few tips to get throught those papers.
- Gather your materials
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This might seem obvious, but if you have to write a paper on a book, read the book. And if you need to do research, do your research! It’s a good idea to use a note taking system while reading the materials so that you can see all the important information in one place!
- Come up with a thesis
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Regardless of what kind of paper you are writing, you need to have a reason for it beyond “my professor is making me”. Your paper should make a point and hit the reader over the head with how right your point is. It’s a good idea to look over your notes before you form a thesis because you need to be able to back up your arguement.
- Make an outline
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Once you have your thesis and your notes, you can make an outline. The outline can be as simple or as complex as you want, but it should include your thesis and any major points you want to make. Also, adding quotes from sources into your outline can make it easier to begin forming paragraphs.
- Write your paper!
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This part is definitely the most work, but it has to get done. If you have an outline and all your notes in front of you, writing the paper shouldn’t be too difficult and should be more time consuming than anything else. Make sure you stay focused throughout the paper and if you really need more pages, consider discussing why other thesis’ are wrong or discuss how the topic applies in other situations!
- Edit!
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Editing is awful. You think you’re done, but unless you’ve done your proofreading, you aren’t. If you can’t stand editing your own work, ask a friend for help or take your paper to a writing center on campus if your school has one!
Papers are a part of the college experience. They aren’t fun, but usually you find out how much you are capable of after you have finished! Just remember to keep your cool and stay organized, and you’ll be getting an A in no time!