Writing a college paper can seem daunting and time-consuming, but if you do it right, the experience of writing one can be rewarding and educational in many ways. The following are 8 tips that will help you write your college paper perfectly and ensure that your grades don’t suffer as a result of poor writing skills.
1. Choose an Interesting Topic
The most crucial part of writing any college paper is choosing a good topic. Writing an essay about a topic that has no connection to your life or interests is one of the hardest things you’ll have to do in high school. Make sure you choose an interesting topic from which you can draw relevant information and opinions to include in your essay. If you can’t find anything that fits, ask teachers, family members, and friends if they have any ideas!
2. Brainstorm All Your Thoughts and Memories About This Topic
During your brainstorming session as a paper writer, allow your thoughts to flow freely. Try not to censor yourself—that is, write down everything you remember about a particular topic, and don’t worry about whether what you’re writing is relevant or important. You can sort through all of those details later. For now, focus on getting as much information down on paper (or computer screen) as possible.
3. Start Your Draft
So you’ve been tasked with writing a paper by college and have no idea where to begin. Don’t worry! You aren’t alone. Most college students dread writing assignments because they don’t know how to start. The key is simply to get started—but in order to do that, there are some things you need to keep in mind. It doesn’t matter if it’s your first time or your twentieth time; it can be hard to figure out what to write about.
4. Research This Topic as Much as Possible
Once you choose a topic, dive into it and make sure you know it as well as possible. Even if you don’t consider yourself an expert in a certain field, try to familiarize yourself with all of its intricacies. What is its history? How did it come about? If your chosen subject has multiple perspectives, how do they differ? Write down every piece of information you learn—this will be helpful when writing a college paper on your chosen topic.
5. Ask Someone to Read Over It and Provide Feedback
Have a parent, teacher or coach go over your essay. Ask them to read over your essay and provide feedback—they’ll be able to help you make sure it’s well-written and answer questions if you have any. They can also give you suggestions on how to improve your writing style and content. If you don’t feel comfortable asking an adult, ask a friend!
6. Edit Without Changing the Message in Any Way
It may seem obvious, but it’s really important to edit your college paper after writing without changing its message in any way. As a writer, you want to make sure that your paper is clear and concise; as an editor, you must ensure that no grammatical mistakes or errors slip through. It is important to edit while taking care not to change any content within your work. The best way to do so is by reading over your work multiple times and asking someone else what they think of it after each pass.
7. Proofread Twice (or More!)
After you’ve completed a rough draft of your essay, reread it and make corrections to any grammatical or spelling errors. Once that’s complete, ask someone else to look over it too—preferably an English teacher! Nothing’s worse than submitting a paper riddled with silly mistakes. Additionally, make sure your grammar is correct; again, nothing screams amateur writer more than poorly-worded sentences.
8. Ask a Friend to Take a Look at Your Final Draft
When you’re ready to show your work, it’s helpful to have someone with a fresh set of eyes take a look before you submit it. After asking an expert for feedback, ask a friend or family member you trust to read over your paper and make sure it sounds like something you would say in conversation. This tip for writing a college paper is especially important if English is not your first language—we all have a natural tendency to use more formal language than what’s typically used when speaking face-to-face.
