Anyone want to give me some advice about term papers?

[Spenny]

Like little tips that will help my essay stand out. I was top of my English class for three years in a row in high school, but it's so much harder trying to write term papers.

Thanks ;-)

[bNz719]

Just finished my first term paper for college, philosophy. My advice, although obvious, is to pace yourself. I did it all yesterday and found that it got progressively worse. Do a page, or longer if you're feeling it, a day and keep rereading every time you come back and revising your paper until you can't make it sound any better than it is.

[Car Crash Dream]

GOD DAMNIT. I had like half a page written and my fucking computer went back a page. Fucking sack of balls.



Easy and quick things to make your essay better:

Read the essay backwards, by sentence, to check for awkward wording and overly verbose (i.e. bullshit) sentences. Your essay needs to be to the point, but not skin and bones. If it is a term paper then the topic will have more than enough to write about it.

Have roommate/classmate/friend read it for things that they don't understand.

Don't use words relating to yourself: I, me, myself, etc.

Don't use a fucking thesaurus to make words sound bigger, treat your reader as if they are the same intellect as you. Use professional, effective speech, with no slang, but don't overdo it.

I can't think of anymore right now.

[crimsonandclovr]

my weakness, seriously, is procrastination. i know it sounds so obvious, but i've found that if i start my papers early, i do so much better. and i mean like planning ahead of time. let's say paper's due on dec 1. around nov 1 i'll start thinking of a thesis. and maybe a few days later, do research. and maybe a week and half before it's due, i'll give it to my TA to look over.

of course, this is the ideal way of how i do my papers... which has happened maybe twice...haha. often, i start it a couple of days before it's due.