Moving to weekly updates

From now on, I am going to post SOMETHING every Thursday. So you, my loyal viewer or viewers can come back on Thursday and count on at least one update. Maybe more if I get something done during the week.

Last week, I finished the first article for my Ezinearticles set, then I encountered vicious Internet Access-sucking bats who attacked in force. This not only hindered my posting, but also my research for my articles. Look for more in the future. For now, here is my first sample work: "How to Get an Essay Done"

How to Get an Essay Done

This isn't an uncommon scenario if you're a college student: You have thirty pages of textbook questions for your other classes, your friends are inviting you to this week's big party and one of the cute girls you've had your eye on has finally agreed to go out with you. You're a smart guy, you could handle this situation, but you have a six page essay due tomorrow and you haven't even started. You're in trouble.

There is an answer to this problem, commonly faced by both high school and college students. This works for essays of all types, speeches and with a little tweaking it can be applied to any major project. Here are the steps explaining how to get an essay done and getting top marks in the process.

Step 1: Start Early

The above scenario is unfortunately not winnable. You can get the essay done, but you will have to sacrifice your sleep, your homework for the other classes, your friends and even the girl. Hey, college is all about learning, right?

Of course, the fact is these conflicting workloads are a reality everyday in college. How can you start on this essay, that isn't due for two weeks, while you have an even bigger project due for another class, two parties and a beer drinking contest? You have to break it up.

Step 2: Research

Do your research as soon as you get your topic. Run to the nearest computer the second class ends, push the poor schmuck who is on it out of way. Google your topic and print off the first three results, print of the Wikipedia page, check out some big heavy books about the subject, get it to your room and then you're free for the rest of the day, but you have to come back tomorrow for the next step.

Step 3: The Outline

Bring your printouts with you to school and by the time your classes are over, you need to read at least the Wikipedia page, hopefully the Google pages as well. Once again, you'll have a ten page list of assignments for your other classes and maybe even unrelated assignments from the same one. Sadly, you have to add “The Outline” to that list.

Decide what your main points are and write them down. Find some information to support those points and write that down. Organize appropriately. The outline should take about 10-30 minutes depending on how well you know your topic.

Bonus Step 3.5: Time Management

The next step is going to be writing. That is a hard one. Obviously you don't want to spend enough time on the writing step to be confused for a responsible and driven college student, so here is what you do. Estimate the time required for the homework of each of your other classes. Take a mean average(add the times together, divide by the number of classes) and then assign yourself that amount of time to work on your paper. Alternatively, split the paper up into daily milestones based on your outline.

Step 4: Writing

There are many factors that come into this step, but your outline should give you a clear, easy direction. Your introduction should include the strongest or most unexpected point about your topic. After your introduction, pick off your main points one by one. Do a little quote mining from your hardback sources and throw them in, properly cited, with quotation marks and carry on supporting your points.

Remember proper paragraph organization. Start each paragraph with a point. The paragraph starting with a main point should serve as a list of supporting points and then give each of those points a paragraph of their own. The first sentence should include the point; the next section of the paragraph, one sentence or two, should be an argument or implication of that point and the last section of the paragraph should be cold, hard facts about that point. For example, this paragraph organization method is included in the curriculum of 100% of high schools and has been suggested to increase standardized test scores by an average of 52% scores in the essay section.

There are a couple important things to remember in the writing step to get your essay done and get an A in the process. Use proper grammar and sentence structure. Sentences start with a subject. The subject is followed by a verb and the sentence ends with an object. Do not allow your sentences to run or go too long. Keep your thoughts clear and organized, never stray too far from the outline.

Step 5: Turn it in

If you follow these steps, you should get your essay done without spending any more time per day than you do on any other class. Your high grade and your time are a great reward.