Most students seem to believe that essays always take too long to write. However, it doesn’t have to be true in all cases. There are many ways to approach writing assignments efficiently. Students who value their time know how to cope with papers in as little time as possible without compromising the quality. In fact, after a few completed essays, each student probably has at least one or two aces up their sleeves. However, there are some common tricks that every student should know. They are easy to perform and can save a lot of time. So, here are the top tips to cope with your college papers faster. See how many you already know!
Make a plan
First of all, all students should start by making a plan. A writing plan should include the time frame you have to complete the paper, work stages, and tasks to do. Thus, overall, you get to break down your essay into several different stages and set a deadline for each of those stages. Moreover, don’t forget to include how much free time you are most likely to have within the given period.
Having two weeks before the deadline may seem enough, but what if you have another essay deadline that same week or a busy schedule at work? Overall, make sure to include how much time you have and can dedicate to each task.
Read instructions carefully
Try to minimize any time wasters. To do so, start by reading the essay instructions very carefully. You will save yourself a lot of time by avoiding silly mistakes. Thus, set a list of things that you should and shouldn’t do in your work and stick to it. For example, if you can’t use online news articles as sources, don’t waste much time on them. Instead, go straight to academic libraries and do your research there.
Also, be careful with structuring your text and citing sources. Stick to the citing style you should present in the paper. Better learn about different styles in advance, so you don’t make mistakes while writing. In addition, read instructions to capture exactly what your teachers want to see in the paper (for example, a certain message, comparison, general tone, etc.), so you don’t have to write it twice.
Always outline
An outline is something most students ignore, believing they save time on it. Well, it’s a mistake. On average, outlines should save you time in the long run. These pieces of writing help students place all their thoughts, arguments, and evidence in order. Thus, you get to plan out and see your entire paper without really writing it yet. It helps to see where you can improve, like changing the order of arguments or downsizing certain parts of the paper.
Overall, the outline won’t take you too long to write. Though, once you have it, consider the hardest part of the job done. Next, you just follow the map and extend each paragraph from the outline. Move on step by step. You won’t notice how most of your paper is finished. All because you didn’t second-guess yourself and knew exactly where everything went.
Don’t procrastinate
This one is obvious, but procrastination is probably the number one factor in why essays take so much time to write. Students start their work, read an article, pause, go for a coffee, open their Instagram, make a snack, and feel like they are done for the day. You still have time, right? You can do it tomorrow. That and many similar lies students tell themselves every day.
In most cases, you procrastinate because the scope of work seems too overwhelming to you. So it feels too much to deal with at the moment. Planning your work will help with this feeling, as now instead of looking at a huge work in front of you, there are smaller stages to complete. Such an approach is less intimidating and won’t give you much room for procrastination because of the time limits you’ve set for yourself.
Ask for help
Remember, you can always ask for help when you need it. For example, email your instructors whenever you feel stuck with the process or don’t understand the instructions. Explain your situation and ask for a hand. Chances are, they will gladly help you out. Also, don’t be shy to discuss your papers with other students and friends. A conversation can help you better formulate the issues you are struggling with and find solutions.
Besides, students can also seek help online. Usually, you can find professional assistance for quite modest prices. Take https://writepaperfor.me, for example. They don’t take much per page and can guarantee you a well-written paper in almost no time at all. We all deserve to have a break, right? So, contacting professional writing services is the best way to find some me-time without compromising your grades.
Write first. Edit later
Last but not least, don’t try to re-read your pages while still working on the essay. Wait till you are done. Editing while writing can be a very tricky thing. First, it will certainly distract you from the main task. Perfecting each sentence will steal a lot of that precious writing time from you. Secondly, it may steal your motivation and confidence in what you are doing. Even the most experienced writers cringe when reading their own texts. It’s okay. Just don’t edit anything till you are fully done with the text.