Steps to Success: How to Write an A+ Paper

What’s your typical reaction when a teacher assigns you a paper? Perhaps it’s with a groan or roll of the eyes? These are common reactions but, for many students, the feelings go even deeper and can cause anxiety. However, with a little planning and organization, papers don’t have to feel so overwhelming. Here are some steps to keep you on track toward a great grade.

The first step after being assigned a paper is to make sure you understand exactly what is expected of the assignment. What will the teacher be looking for when grading your paper? Are there certain kinds of sources that are required and/or prohibited?

Does it have to be presented in a certain form? Now that you know what is expected of you, create a plan of action for completing the assignment by breaking the project down into mini sections. You may even want to devise a timeline for each section. This can help you stay on track and avoid the pitfall of waiting until the last minute.

If you haven’t already been assigned the topic for your paper, it’s time to choose your topic or focus of the paper. Pick something that interests you!

It will make the assignment much easier and more fun.
Your next step is to begin researching. Information searching is the most time consuming, and important, part of the process. Here you’ll be looking for information in a variety of forms: textbooks, periodicals, newspapers, journals, video and the Internet. As you take notes, be careful to cite any sources using the bibliographic format required by your teacher. Your information search should be focused and specific, but keep your mind open to finding valuable things you weren’t necessarily looking for. At this stage, you might even decide to refine your original topic, and that is just fine!

Now it’s time to organize your notes and prepare an outline for your paper.
You should use this as a guide to keep your paper concise and on topic.
You’re now ready to begin the writing process. Generally, a good starting
point is writing the introduction. It should summarize for your readers what
the paper is all about. However, it isn’t necessary to write in order. It might
be easier to start with the body copy of the paper and then go back to write
the introduction.

Once you’ve written one or two rough drafts and cited your sources appropriately, you’re almost to the finish line. Ask others to read and critique the paper and listen to their feedback carefully. You’ll then need a couple of days to proofread and revise before turning in the final paper.

It’s true that papers can take a lot of time and work, but there’s a reason teachers assign them. The better you get at the process now, the easier it will come in the future. And who knows? You may surprise yourself by learning something new!