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At school, we have to come up with papers on a regular basis. Teachers assign them constantly, as this is a perfect way to see how well-versed the learners are in a specific subject. Luckily, you don’t have to be a writer to come up with a brilliant paper.
Writing is both a logical and creative process. By dividing it into a series of simple steps, you will make completing any task super inspiring. You have many things ahead, from brainstorming to identify the main ideas, to working on drafts, polishing the text and voila – your teacher will be delighted! Therefore, get yourself some coffee, turn on Lo-Fi beats for concentration and follow our step-by-step guide.
1. Study The Task In Detail
Read the assignment carefully. You need to be clear about what your teacher expects from your paper. Plus, analyze the following things:
- What is the purpose of the paper?
- What resources must be used?
- What are the requirements for citations?
- What should the tone of voice be?
If you’re not sure what to write about, don’t be afraid to ask. The teacher will always provide you with tips or even give examples of great works.
However, there are times when you simply lack the energy to finish the paper on time. And that’s exactly when a custom essay writing service comes to the rescue. Authors are super experienced and qualified when it comes to finishing homework assignments, so you can fully rely on them. With such assistants on your side, displeased teachers and low grades will no longer be a problem for you.
2. Divide The Process Into Stages
Writing the process step-by-step can help you manage your time effectively. Try to stick to this structure:
- Preparation: collecting your thoughts, brainstorming and doing the necessary research;
- Writing the paper itself;
- Editing: then, you will remove unnecessary parts, correct mistakes and polish the text until it’s perfect.
3. Find Reliable Sources Of Information
First of all, go to the library or search the internet for relevant books and journals. You can find useful publications using Google Scholar. But remember to evaluate all sources critically. Even articles by recognized scientists may contain outdated information or errors. When doing your research, take notes right in the document to copy, paste, and rearrange passages of text much easier.
Also, you can group notes by topic or character.
4. Move On To Brainstorm
Preparation is always the key, whether you are writing papers, choosing a gadget you need to buy, or completing a presentation for a college club. When you first begin to think about a topic, write down everything that comes to mind. Feel free to express your thoughts and opinions and see what happens.
Try the technique of intuitive writing, moving from general to specific. For example, write “Gone With The Wind” in the center. Next, there may be issues like “Civil War”, “Idealization of Ashley”, “Scarlett’s Strong Character Traits” and “Relationship with Rhett Butler”.
5. Formulate Your Thesis
A thesis statement is a controversial point of view that the author is trying to prove (or deny) in a paper. Imagine that your topic is “Does Scarlett O’Hara represent the Old or New South?” Then, your thesis may sound like this: “The transformation of Scarlett O’Hara is a living example of how the mentality of the American South has been shaped.” Further, you will give arguments to support this opinion (3-4 arguments) and examples, of course.
6. Work On A Draft
The paper usually includes 5 main parts: an introduction, three main paragraphs and a conclusion. But we advise you to go beyond and add another paragraph with a counterargument. This will show the teacher that you are able to think critically, accept the opposite point of view and refute it.
The plan might look like this:
- Introduction to the topic + thesis statement;
- Argument 1 with supporting examples;
- Argument 2 with supporting examples;
- Argument 3 with supporting examples;
- Counterargument and your refutation;
In a good essay, the thesis is like the surface of a table. It is supported by four legs, just like the thesis is supported by evidence. Each thought must be supported by two types of evidence: arguments and facts.
Arguments are based on your logic and reasoning. Why did Scarlett get so tough? How did her attitude towards Melanie change? Why did they fight with Rhett? Examples would be quotes or specific passages from a book.
7. Organize The Sources Correctly
If you intend to use information from other sources, you must provide a link to them. Otherwise, those parts of the text will be considered plagiarism, and this can lead to serious academic problems, including expulsion. The rule applies both to direct quotations and simple generalizations of other people’s ideas or words.
Of course, the way of organizing links depends on the requirements for the work. Usually, you need to specify the name of the author, the title and date of publication, as well as the page on which the information can be found.
When using references in a paper, it is necessary to compile a list of sources at the end of the work.
8. Edit And Proofread The Paper
Once you have completed the work, put it aside for a while. You will come back to it later and look at it with a fresh perspective. Plus, why not let your friends read it to hear an honest opinion?
Further, you can use tools like Hemingway (an AI-based platform that helps you improve the readability level) and Grammarly (this service finds mistakes in the text and highlights them in red).
The editing doesn’t end there. We advise you to:
- Move paragraphs to achieve the best essay structure;
- Delete sentences that don’t carry a semantic load;
- Get rid of weak arguments and think of something better.
Try reading the text aloud to catch points that your eyes might miss. Pay attention to the following issues:
- Redundant words;
- Unclear parts;
- Weird transitions or irrational organization of the text;
- Spelling, grammar, stylistic and formatting errors;
- The inappropriate tone of voice (slang or colloquialisms).
To Wrap It Up
Assess the edited paper once again. Read the text carefully – perhaps you missed some weak places at the first stage of editing, and new typos and errors appeared in the text afterwards. Read each line slowly and aloud.
In fact, the secret of a brilliant essay is attentiveness to each detail: the thesis and arguments, examples and sources, as well as the general style of the text. So if you want your teacher to always be happy with your papers, make sure you’re happy with them first!
