Let's organize the information

I know for many that the prospect of writing a research paper seems like a daunting task. I saw the same look I get every year when we first discussed it. However, I'm here to tell you the good news- you've already done over half the work on the paper. It may not feel that way but the steps we've taken so far were to make it easier for you going forward. If you don't believe me, let's recap:

Step 1- You developed your idea for this paper and wrote a short two page piece that is going to be your argument going forward.

Step 2- You did some prewriting exercises and organized for yourself how you want the paper to be laid out. You decided on what are your main points and what are the supporting points to them.

Step 3- You went out and found sources that back up your point of view. Those sources will be used to strengthen the argument in your paper.

So the natural question is- where do we go from here? The answer to that is contained in the title of this blog. It's time to start putting all those separate pieces together and turning them into something. Think of it like one of those big 1000 piece jigsaw puzzles. We've got the entire outer edge of the puzzle put together and we have large pieces of the middle assembled. Now it's just time to start figuring out how those pieces fit together. With all your information ready to go it will be easier to start seeing the big picture.

TIPS TO GET THE CREATIVE JUICES FLOWING

- Create a timeline for yourself as far as the writing goes. By the end of the first week how much of the paper do you want to have done? Set a goal and work towards that goal.

- Just start writing. Sometimes the hardest part of a paper is trying to find a place to begin the thought process. It's not a perfect science. Whatever you think is the best introduction to the paper is how you should start. Put that first thought down on paper, and go from there. After you write let it sit there and percolate a little bit. The next time you sit down to write read what you have so far and see how you like the introduction. Do you think you have a better way to introduce the piece? Try that out and see how it flows.

- Don't be afraid to put your personality and voice into the paper. Some writers use humor in their writing, others just use their experiences. You need to find some way to connect with the readers and the sooner you find your voice the easier that will be. (You have a good start on this with the two page piece you wrote in step 1.)

- Don't try to be too perfect. This is essentially your first draft. The transitions don't have to be perfect, but make sure that similar paragraphs are grouped together. Some of the ideas may not tie together properly. You may feel like you're writing yourself into a corner. Focus primarily on getting the ideas down on paper. In the next step we will work on sanding some of the rough edges of your paper

Those are just a few tips to go with. Check out the links on the right-hand side of the blog for more tips and ask for assistance if you need it.

YOUR MISSION:

You have 4 weeks from today to put together a draft. That sounds short but it is approximately a page every two days. You will see how quickly that goes by when you actually start writing.