For you last minute writers (sometimes I’m as guilty as anybody) here are some last minute tips for all of your final papers in these last few weeks of the semester, which will hopefully make your processes much less painful.
1. Get Started with Outlines
These are great tools to transfer your ideas from brain to page. Even if your outline is simply a list of the points you need to cover, or short descriptions of paragraphs, it’s helpful for organizing your thoughts, and most importantly, getting started. If you’re overflowing with ideas, an outline can help shave the quantity down to what’s essential. Overall, this process helps erode the anxiety of approaching a blank page and defeats the fear of beginning a first draft.
2. Continue by Drafting
Unless you have 30 minutes to start and complete a term paper before the e-mail submission deadline, drafting is recommended to get a good grade. For this step, remember these things.
First Drafts are always bad. There’s no way to get around it, and they’re just part of the process, but after getting it down, the material can always be shaped.
Second Drafts are a product of time. After you finish your first draft, put it away. Give it a few hours, days, or a week, then look at it with fresh eyes. Maybe even draft two before letting others look at it. You have to solidify your intentions (and eliminate distracting spelling and grammatical errors) before opening your work to other thoughts.
Subsequent Drafts make you stronger, so conquer them!
3. Sorry, You’re Never Really Done
Final Drafts are fictional. There is never a final draft, so leave your work open for suggestions and adjustments. As many have paraphrased, the only time creation is finished is when it’s abandoned (or turned in).
BONUS: Writers write; but most importantly, they re-write; and good writers write (not procrastinate!) until the last minute
The process is painful, but it’s even worse to repeat a class! So use this advice to finish up your pesky projects and move on with life.