Writing Your Paper

The great part about doing lots of research is that when you really know your topic, writing about it becomes easier. Still, sitting with a blank computer screen in front of you and a deadline looming can be pretty intimidating. Even if you've read countless books, websites, and journals, and have all your notes prepared, it's normal to struggle with exactly how to get started on the actual writing.

The best way to begin? Just start putting ideas down on paper! The first few words don't have to be perfect (and there's a good chance they won't be) but you'll find it gets easier after you've started. And you can always revise the actual writing later — the important thing is getting your ideas down on paper. (You may have learned this approach in elementary school as writing a "web.") After your ideas are on paper, you can start outlining them.

Some people like to think of their first writing attempt as a "first draft," taking the pressure off of themselves to write every sentence and line perfectly. Another good tip for getting started is to write down your ideas like you're telling your parent, brother, or sister about them.

Don't feel that you have to write a paper in order. If you know how you want to prove your thesis, for instance, but don't know how to introduce it, you could write some or all of the supporting paragraphs before doing the introduction.

Most people make revisions while they're working. For example, you may be halfway through writing paragraph four when you realize there's a better way to argue the point you made back in paragraph two. This is all part of the thinking process. (And it's a good reason to leave plenty of time to do your paper rather than putting it off until the last minute!)

It's also a good idea to leave enough time after finishing a paper to put it aside for a few days and then go back to make revisions. Revising a paper is a step that even the best writers think is essential. When you haven't worked on your paper for a few days, any flaws or problems will stand out more: Look for things like unnecessary words, sentences that don't make sense, and points that don't follow on from or support each other.