Tips for Writing Flawless School Papers

Poster promoting reading by Charles Dickens in...

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These are two words students fear hearing most: writing assignment. The dreaded school paper. Unlike a multiple-choice test, a school paper doesn’t have one right answer. Instead, a student must clearly, and sometimes eloquently, present an argument with supportive details over the span of two to five pages, and sometimes more. And if that’s not hard enough, the paper must have proper punctuation and grammar, and no misspellings. However, the tips below will help make the next writing assignment — be it a one-pager for middles school or a 20-pager for online Bachelors programs — flawless.

Build an outline first

Before writing the first sentence map out the paper by outlining the introduction and conclusion as well as each main point that will be discussed in the body. Once the major topics are figured out, the rest of the details become easier to fill in. In contrast, writing blindly increases the chances of going off topic and writing run-on sentences.

Rewrite, rewrite, rewrite

Even the best writers in history — from Dickens to Hemingway — constantly revised their work. Going through several drafts of a school paper weeds out the weak areas, making the overall paper much stronger.

Find a writing spot

Writing takes a lot of concentration, as well as creativity. That’s why it’s important to find somewhere that is secluded but can get the creative juices flowing, either indoors or outdoors.

Undergo peer criticism

No one should proofread their own work. Instead, every writing assignment should be proofed by a classmate who can point out the flaws and make suggestions

Overcoming Procrastination When Writing Papers

Whether you are pursuing an online college degree or trying to make good grades in a high school English composition class, procrastination can be a problem. Writer’s block can strike even the best writers in the world, so the key is to learn how to deal with the problem when it arises.

Identify the Pressures Involved in Writing Papers

People procrastinate for a variety of reasons. Fear of a bad grade or the unpleasantness of the task may be possible reasons for putting off writing a paper. The fact remains, however, that an online college degree, a high school diploma and other academic accomplishments require that papers be written. To deal with this pressure, identify the core issue. It may be that your ideas for the paper haven’t crystallized or that you don’t feel secure about your writing skills.

Face the Challenge

Once you’ve identified the reasons behind the procrastination, focus on solutions for each problem. People sometimes procrastinate becomes a task seems too overwhelming and large. Break down the task into smaller pieces. If the topic of your paper is complicated, make an outline and tackle one subtopic at a time. If you are struggling with how to organize the paper, speak to your professor for guidance or look up an essay writing resource.

Reward Yourself

After you’ve tackled each small challenge, reward yourself. Your reward may be a fresh cup of coffee before you sit down to work again. You might watch 20 minutes of your favorite television show after writing a few pages. Be sure to return to work after each small break or reward. Before you know it, your paper will be finished.

Writing a Narrative Essay

A narrative essay tells a story. Successful narrative essays always have a point. When you are writing a narrative essay you should try to display the author’s values while expressing them in story format. The author may be remembering a significant event or time in his life or may even be observing events in the present. If you do not feel that you have adequate experience to build from, use an experience from someone you know or even write about your favorite sport or hobby. Once you have the general idea, you are ready to begin.

The story should begin with an introduction to the main idea of the story. At the conclusion of the story the author should make a point. Include anecdotes throughout the story. The author should describe the person, scene, or events that are happening in detail. You may add dialogue so long as it is punctuated correctly and not overdone.

The events and people in your story should be described in such a way that readers can identify with them. If your story includes a moral struggle, include the feelings of the internal struggle your character may be facing. What did your character learn from this struggle? Remember to have a point to the story and find a way to get this message across to your readers.

The point of view in a narrative essay is usually first person. You should use “I” which invites your readers to be included in an intimate discussion between the character and the reader.