Writing a Longer Paper

Writing a Longer Paper

Here are some tips on writing that assume you’ve been asked to write a paper longer than five pages, that you have more than a week to work, and that you are not writing a formal technical report.

Step One: Choose a Topic

Sometimes you won’t have any choice; your topic will simply be part of the assignment (if that’s the case go on to Step Two). If you do have a choice, begin by identifying at least three directions your writing could take. Jot down on a piece of paper, I could write on _________ or, I could write on ________, or I could write on ________. Then use a phrase or sentence to fill in the blanks. If it seems easier, try identifying three questions you have as you think of the subject area. Once you have three possibilities, consider these sorts of questions in order to make a decision:

1. Which topic interests you the most?

2. Which will require the most research (and will sources be available?)

3. Which topic are you willing to devote your time to?

Taking time with these questions will reduce the chances that you’ll have to switch to a new topic later. If you’re really stuck, don’t procrastinate—talk to your instructor. Remember that Writing Center consultants are adept at helping you with this kind of brainstorming.

Step Two: Determine What You Know and What You Need to Know

Some writers will actually try to outline (or forecast) a paper at this stage, and that may work if you already know a lot about your topic. It’s more likely that you’ll have some large or small gaps in your knowledge. Use a sheet of paper folded down the middle. Open it flat, and on one side sketch what you already know. Use the other side to list questions you still need to answer.

Step Three: Do The Research

Use your list of questions from Step Two as a way of focusing your library work. Remember to record the necessary information for your bibliography (title, author, publication, publisher, place of publication, date, and page number). And don’t forget the possibility of an interview or two as a way to obtain more recent information. Talk to your instructor; talk to a campus or community authority on your topic. There’s nothing like a face-to-face discussion with someone to make a topic literally come alive.

Step Four: Writing the Rough Draft

You can begin by outlining. You can begin by writing an introduction. You can begin by starting in the middle (i.e. writing up some portion of the paper you’re fairly confident about). But you do need to begin writing. Don’t worry about sentence structure or spelling or even paragraphing unless such concerns propel your thoughts forward. Use the writing to help you think your paper through. Save all your notes and versions. Don’t expect to produce perfect sentences. If you get stuck at this point, and you’re unable to crank out even a couple of pages, talk with someone about it. Speak with your instructor or talk to a writing consultant. Bring in your notes and scribbles, and for thirty minutes or an hour they’ll try to help you make order out of the chaos.

Step Five: Take a Break

Work on the rough draft as long as you’re thinking clearly, and then stop. Do something else: take a walk, or lift weights, or watch TV. The idea is to set the draft aside so that you can return to it fresh. When you do return to it, you’ll likely find that the problems don’t seem as daunting as they appeared earlier.

Step Six: Revise/Add/Delete

Your rough draft is more or less complete. Now what? Now you need to switch roles and view your draft as your reader might. What explanations need fine-tuning? Are there holes in your paper—things you’ve thought of but have not yet written down? Remember, readers can skip some of what’s there, but if something is missing, they’ll be forced to guess (and will probably not guess correctly). This is also the time to make sure that your introduction in fact introduces the paper you’ve written. Many folks will actually wait until this point to write an intro. Remember that this part of the writing process is probably the most variable. Sometimes you’ll find yourself with a very nearly complete and sensible rough draft. Other times, you may have to go back to the research stage, and then work forward again. This is also a good time to seek an independent reading of your paper from a Writing Center consultant. For thirty minutes or an hour, you and a writing assistant will discuss your draft, identifying its weaknesses and strengths. Once your draft is pretty much as you want it to be, take another break (if time permits).

Step Seven: Edit

This is actually a two-step process. Look first at your paper at the paragraph level. Do the paragraphs group information in ways that are helpful to readers? Are the transitions between paragraphs smooth and clear? Once you’re satisfied on those counts, concentrate on individual sentences. One useful thing to do at this point is to read your paper out loud. Every time a sentence sounds somehow “off” to you, mark that sentence in the margin, and continue reading. Your ear will often tell you when a sentence should be reworded. Don’t forget your bibliography. Are your citations complete? Properly formatted? Once you’ve read the entire paper through, go back and rework the sentences you’ve marked. Though writing consultants won’t proofread for you, they will be happy to help you find answers to your questions about grammar or punctuation.

Step Eight: Finish

Retype (or print out) the final copy. Make sure your name and the page number are on each page you turn in. Reward yourself; feel good about what you’ve written!

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This page last updated on 07/19/2004