Ethos: The Practical Ethics Blog

Question: Are there ways to plan and write a research paper so that I’m not so stressed all the time?

Planning, writing and researching an academic project can be overwhelming. But there are ways to prepare for a large paper without succumbing to down-to-the-wire anxiety that is common among students. Below are some suggestions that are designed to help students feel in control of their project.

1) Outline
The best way to start any major project is with an outline. Having a very basic structure will be immensely helpful in executing the project from beginning to end. Your outline will change as you write and research, but having a place to begin will help you think about your project as a whole, and as individual pieces of a whole. Once you know what your project topic is (and you’ve done some very preliminary research) you should be able to create a basic outline in as little as 20 minutes. Remember, this initial outline doesn’t have to be perfect. It is simply meant to help you plan and envision your project.

2) Scheduling
Once you have an outline prepared, it’s time to pull out the calendar. Mark the start and end date of your project so you have a clearly delineated length of time in which to work. Then, using the outline you created in step 1, plug in deadlines for yourself. (My own preference is to create due dates every Friday on which a rough draft of each section from my outline is “due.”) This forces you to create bite-sized chunks of work that you can complete in a single week. Give careful thought to your own particular process. For instance, do you prefer to complete research before writing? Do you prefer to combine the process of research and writing? Do you feel the need to go in order, or would it be best to start in the middle? Don’t forget to allow time for your mentor to look at a rough draft, give yourself time for revisions, and plan ahead for unforeseen circumstances (an illness, an unexpected vacation, and the inevitable days of procrastination.) Most importantly, make the calendar extremely realistic. Give yourself more time than you’ll need for each part of the project. Be realistic about when you’ll need breaks.

3) Obstacles

Your biggest challenge as a writer/researcher is not your deadline; nor is it finding sources, compiling information, or writing. Your biggest obstacle is yourself. You will face many of your own insecurities as you work your way through this process. I call these insecurities “the demons.” Demons are the thoughts in your head that tell you you’ll fail. They tell you you’re dumb, you’re a bad writer and no one will want to read your work. The best way to combat the demons is threefold: 1) begin to think of them as entities that are separate from yourself so you can easily dismiss the destructive thoughts. 2) identify, as specifically as possible, what these demons are telling you so that you can recognize your personal demons in the future. 3) gather a toolbox of skills to fight against the demons (the calendar is a start that process. I’ll get to a few more in a moment.)

Here are some examples of demons: I have no expertise; I can’t explain things well; I’m dumb; This is going to be really bad; Who do I think I am?

Sometimes demons disguise themselves as angels. They do this by appearing to be encouraging, when in actuality, they create an environment where you feel paralyzed. Here are some examples of demons disguised as angels: Each word/sentence has to be right; This is going to be the best thing I’ve ever written; This has to be good enough to publish; I have to do something no one has ever done before.

You’ll notice that while these things may at first appear empowering, they actually put so much pressure and expectation on you that you’ll be terrified of making mistakes. That means you will have trouble finding the confidence to write.

4) The Writing Process

Here are a few skills to help combat the demons, writer’s block, and general writing anxiety.

“Keep your hand moving”

Blank pages are daunting, so force yourself to fill up the page with your words, even if your word choice, sentence structure and grammar are atrocious. You’ll fix that stuff later. For now, just get the ideas down on paper. Your demons will probably tell you that what you are writing is bad, but don’t forget that your first draft is SUPPOSED to be bad. That’s why they call it a first draft. A bad first draft is the only way you get to a good second draft and a great third draft. Keep your hand moving without judging your writing. You’ll be surprised to find that, once you clean it up in the second draft, a good portion of it will be useable.

“Follow inspiration”

Don’t feel obligated to start the beginning. Start where you feel inspired, even if that means writing the conclusion before you’ve written anything else. I often choose to write my introduction at the end. Take breaks from sections that are driving you crazy, and procrastinate by using other parts of your paper. If you don’t feel like writing, go to the library and do more research. If your brain is fried, work on the bibliography. Don’t let your calendar constrict you. Use it as a guide, but make changes when needed.

“Free write”

Pick a particular topic from your paper — one that you are stuck on, inspired by, fearful of, or curious about — and just write. Without doing any additional research, write for at least 10-15 minutes and see what comes out. You may be surprised by how much you already know, or you may go in an unexpected direction. It will also help you clarify where you need to do a bit more research. Most importantly, don’t judge your writing. Just write and see what you come up with.

“Communicate with your mentor”

Tell your mentor what you need from him or her. Don’t wait for them to tell you how to complete your project. Be clear and upfront from the beginning about how they can help you, what you expect from them and where you think you need the most guidance. If you think it will be helpful, share your calendar with them (make sure they understand it is a loose structure that is only meant to guide you.) By utilizing your mentor in this way, you will actually be teaching yourself how to be your own mentor, a skill that will be useful during future projects in school and throughout your career.

Many students feel helpless when they take on a large project. They carry free-floating anxiety when they are writing, a feeling they can’t even shake when they take breaks. They become paralyzed when they face a blank page or computer screen. But by developing a structure via your calendar, you will feel more in control, and will be able to relax when you have scheduled time to procrastinate. Further, by allowing yourself to make mistakes, to be less than perfect, and to have realistic expectations, the tasks ahead will be that much easier.

Lisa Brown :: May.26.2008 :: Student Space :: 4 Comments »

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