We’ve all been there. The due time is around the corner, and all we have written is two sentences. It often happens to students, but it can happen to the best of us at any point in our lives.
The truth is that it’s possible to write an essay in 3 hours. Sure, you need to plan thoroughly and have good organization skills, but it’s possible. Note that you may want to avoid doing this if you suffer from work-induced anxiety or don’t function properly under pressure.
Okay, but how am I supposed to plan in extense if I only have a few hours left? Essays require structure and proper grammar, so you may want to reserve a few minutes for proofreading and editing as well. Are you feeling anxious yet? No? Read on then.
Creating an outline
Are you familiar with the topic? Do you need to incur on some previous research? Whatever the case is, you need to figure it out quickly. Creating a good outline and essay structure is the first step, the key to writing.
If you happen to need time for research, don’t waste time on information and articles that don’t provide much. You need to grasp the main takeaways to implement in your essay.
If you are familiar with the topic, that’s great – you’ll be spending less time seeking information and more time in the actual writing.
After conducting research or gathering all the relevant data, create a rough draft of what you will be writing about. Trust me when I tell you bullet points are saviors. I wouldn’t nor shouldn’t be composing this article without a list of relevant topics to cover.
You need to actually write
We all want to create the perfect craft for our classes, something to unclench the jaws of our professors. But guess what. You’re either the most rapid writer, the most talented one, a genius, or you are just a regular writer.
Don’t worry, though. There’s no need to be the next Shakespeare to write an essay. You already know the basics of it – hopefully, it’s not the first time you draft one.
Proofreading and editing exist for a reason. Don’t lose time trying to create the perfect sentence. Write as naturally as possible and complete the paper – that’s your only goal. After you have drafted the essay, it’s time to go over it.
Proofread
You probably have some time left. Spend it on editing your work and citations. Academic writing, like any valuable writing, requires quotes and citations. Where did you find the information? Did you make it up? Did you find it on real-information-dot-com?
The formatting style is also something you want to review. First impressions count even when people say they don’t. A well-presented paper will set the teacher with better expectations than a messy one. Maybe you don’t deserve an A anyway, but a poorly presented essay won’t get one for sure.
Breathe in and turn the work in
Anything is better than an F. What you have written is more than what you had a few hours ago. It won’t hurt to send your work, even if you think it’s not good enough. You’ve worked on it, so breathe in and send it in!