Your Term Paper is Due in Just Two Days!
You know you should have started on it weeks ago, but the due date seemed so far away. So you bagged it. Now the gig is up: a ten-page paper is due in just two days - with references and everything. And you haven’t even started! Here’s what to do.
Step 1: If possible, choose a topic you care about. If the assigned topic - for example, the aftermath of the War of 1812 - bores you to tears, ask the teacher if she’d let you write on a topic you care more about: for example, the aftermath of the terrorist attacks on America. Surprisingly often, the teacher will say yes.
Step 2: Gather information on your topic. Try to think of it as a treasure hunt - you’re looking for nuggets on your topic. Before heading to the library, see what you can find online. Two awesome sources: Google (try using the scholar section instead of just searching) and a huge online library of reference materials at www.refdesk.com. Add your own ideas as they come to you. TIP: Write all notes on a computer so it's easy to move things around.
Step 3: In light of the information you obtained, write your thesis statement. That’s the one main point you want to make in your paper. TIP: Teachers love provocative yet plausible thesis statements.
Step 4: Place each piece of information into one of a few categories. Each category will be one of your paper’s major headings.
Step 5: Within each category, put each piece of information in a logical order. Ask yourself, “Which should go first? Which should go second?” and so on. You’re going to start seeing your paper appear before your very eyes.
Step 6: Turn these ordered pieces of information into smooth paragraphs. Add, subtract and revise material as you see fit. Rule of thumb: When in doubt, start each paragraph with a topic sentence - saying what the paragraph will be about. Then be sure that the rest of the paragraph fulfills the topic sentence’s promise.
Tip: Don't spend much time just staring at the screen. Keep adding, subtracting, and revising stuff even if you're not sure the changes are good. The constant changing keeps you feeling like you're making progress, and probably sooner than later, your paper will get better and better.
Step 7: Write your conclusion. Again, don’t stare at a blank screen. Write whatever comes to mind and revise. It’s much easier to revise than to generate brilliance out of thin air.
Good conclusions start with a summary of the paper’s main point(s) and move on to discuss the implications of those points.
Step 8: Write the title and introduction. Remember, your teacher is going to be reading dozens of term papers. Trust me, her eyes will glaze over quickly. So, if she comes upon your paper and sees an intriguing title and introductory paragraph, your paper will be greeted with a sigh of relief. She’ll read the rest of your paper with a positive predisposition - that usually means a good grade.
Here’s an example:
Step 9: Put your paper away, for at least an hour, ideally a day. Then reread it and revise. Viewing it with fresh eyes can be invaluable.
Step 10: Show a draft to someone you trust. Revise. Print!
Bonus Tips
• If you have a few days before the due date, show a draft to your teacher. Often, she’ll be willing to give you feedback on it. That almost ensures a good grade when you submit your revised final version. If she refuses, try a friend or even your parent.
• If you get a bad grade on the final draft, you might ask the teacher if you can rewrite based on her feedback and resubmit. If she says yes, it’s an almost guaranteed way to up your grade.
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