What is one of the most common writing mistakes that State Street coaches see students make? Thinking that they can sit down and knock out a good essay in one sitting. What do coaches say to dissuade students of this belief? For one, we tell them that the best writing takes time – revisiting an idea over a period of time will always yield a better essay. And second, that writing an essay all in one go sounds like an awful experience and is probably really bad for your back.
So, what can students do to avoid a last minute essay writing marathon?
Before starting any writing assignment (ideally as soon as it is assigned), students need to…
Establish understanding of the assignment:
- Understand the question they are being asked to answer.
- Are they creating their own research question? Responding to a prompt?
- Understand what they are being asked to produce.
- Research paper? Narrative writing? Journal entry? Short response? Lab report?
- Understand the process steps involved.
- Annotated bibliography? Notes? Outline? A first draft? Peer feedback?
Students should seek clarity from professors or TAs if they feel that they don’t have a strong grasp on any of the above.
Calendar their work:
Students should get out their planners or open their Google Calendars and add time to write. They should ask themselves:
- When will I accomplish each process step?
- How can I spread their work out over time so that it feels manageable?
- Where can I make sure to leave time to get writing support if I need it?