Here are 3 key takeaways from the article:
- Create a roadmap with headings and subheadings first to overcome the blank page challenge. This gives you structure and eliminates the intimidation of starting from scratch.
- Develop a full-sentence outline by writing topic sentences for each paragraph under your headings. This makes editing easier and helps ensure logical flow before writing the full content.
- Write the introduction last, after completing the body of your paper. The introduction needs to grab interest, provide context, show scholarly connection, and outline the paper's roadmap - which is easier to do once you've written the main content.
"You don't start out writing good stuff. You start out writing crap and thinking it's good stuff, and then gradually you get better at it".Octavia E. Butler
Everyone who writes struggles with grammar, style, function, and readability. There is not an aspect of writing that comes easily to most. Even the most prolific writers talk about discipline, perseverance, and editing.
You shouldn't be surprised that writing is a struggle. The challenge as a student in online graduate courses is the amount of writing that you need to produce every week. The writing needs to be consistent, high-quality, and meet academic scholarly standards.
You can do that, right? No problem.
Well, maybe a little tiny smidge of a problem. So, what are the little things that get in the way?
The Mighty Blank Page 📄😱
I cannot overstate how discouraging a blank white page is when you need to produce a 10, 15, 20 page paper in a 1-2 week timeframe. You've been there, you know what I'm talking about! 🥺
If you are talking about the Dissertation, then you may need to write a total of anywhere between 50 and 300 pages. OUCH!
You stare at that page and start to sweat 😥 when you realize that time is ticking away and nothing is on the page. You may type a few words on the page and then immediately erase them because, you know, they WEREN'T ANY GOOD!
The reality is:
"You can always edit a bad page. You can't edit a blank page." - Jodi Picoult
We need something on the page, and it doesn't have to be good to start. In fact, let's put content on the page, without worrying about the reader or dissertation chair.
Creating a Roadmap 🗺️
- Pull out the assignment instructions. Some professors will write your headings and subheadings as part of the instructions and make clear what you are supposed to use. Others, won't. But, the clues for the headings and subheadings are in the content instructions.
- Create the headings and subheadings of the paper. Now, you aren't staring at a blank page. 🎉
- Don't forget the Introduction and Conclusion. These are important components of any academic paper. Yes, you need to add them even when they are not explicitly in the instructions.
- The headings are your roadmap and are now ready to go.
The Power of a Full-Sentence Outline 📝
Next, the full-sentence outline. This advanced outline gives you the opportunity to explore your content and write in small snippets. So, how does this work?
- Create a full sentence for each paragraph of the paper. This is the topic sentence for that paragraph.
- These topic sentences are under the headings and subheadings.
The advantage of a full-sentence outline is that you now have the structure of your paper with clear understanding of the content.
- Edit your paper before you start writing the paragraphs.
- Do the sentences flow from one topic to the next?
- Does this make sense when reading?
- Do you need to move topics or subheadings around?
HINT: If you have a rubric, use this tool to evaluate the structure of your work. Keep in mind, that professors use the rubric and appreciate when the structure of your work matches the structure of the rubric. Streamlines the grading. DO NOT underestimate the value this has on the final grade.
The nice thing is that editing is much easier at this stage. You just need to move a sentence instead of a paragraph. This way you do not have to worry about editing the transition sentences between paragraphs. You haven't written them yet.
Now you are ready to write the full paper. Take each topic sentence and write a paragraph. The paragraph needs to be filled with the supporting evidence for the topic sentence.
Once you have completed writing the paragraphs for each topic sentence, you are ready to read to evaluate the transitions from paragraph to paragraph, sub section to sub section, and heading to heading.
Crafting an Effective Introduction 🎯
Second, write the introduction. An introduction seems simple. Many struggle with this 1-3 paragraphs at the beginning of the paper. There are components that need to be present in an introduction:
- Grab the reader's interest
- Provide background on the topic and context for the paper
- Clearly show a connection to scholarly thought or the gap in knowledge you are working to fill
- Provide a roadmap for the body of the paper
This is not just about introducing a topic but also introducing the points or components of the paper. Tell me what you are going to tell me.
This is why the introduction should be written after the body of the paper. Here are some links to read more about writing an introduction:
At this point, you should have a clearer understanding of what you are writing about and the structure of your thoughts. The next phase is writing the body. But don't panic, people. You have done the hard work. The topic sentences are on the paper.
NO MORE blank white sheets of paper!
Bringing it All Together 🧩
Now you are ready to start writing each paragraph. The paragraph consists of the topic sentence, ~ the point of it all. The rest of the paragraph should consist of supporting evidence. Remember, your opinion is not important at the doctoral level. You need to use the evidence to guide the reader and support your analysis of the situation. Now your literature organization becomes a key to producing quality work in a quick timeframe. We'll go down that road in another article.
I hope these tips help you write faster and freeze less when working on your scholarly work.
