in wanting you all to give me a right kick up the butt to get my esssy done?

[sweetkitty]

I have an essay due the middle of January for uni course, haven't started it and most people on my course have finished it. I had a week off before Christmas sans DC and did nothing.

It's years since I wrote an essay I don't know where to begin, the course goes on about academic and critical writing and referencing and I feel all lost.

It's stressing me out so much I could cry I need a great big kick up the bum please

[WhenTheDragonsCame]

Me too please!

I am 2500 words into a 4000 word essay that is due in on 4th January! I have spent many an hour sat in front of the laptop doing absolutely nothing uni related!

What is yours about?

[greenfolder]

Just start writing is my advice. If its the first one you have done its the very start of you learning how to do it. I always kind of constructed my outline argument and then went and found the references to fit. Once you know where you are going and have an outline and structure you can bung your references into each section as you go.
But the most important thing is to sit down and start typing.

[Elllicam]

Me too. I have 11,000 words to do by August and due to give birth at any time.

[WhenTheDragonsCame]

Oh and my tip for referencing is start writing your reference list as you going putting it into alphabetical order. Doing it at the end takes far far too long and that is when I end up missing some or making mistakes.

[NoDramaForTheLlama]

I've got three due in in the next three weeks.. I can't find the enthusiasm to do them though!

[sweetkitty]

it's 4000 words on health and wellbeing.

I have a chronic pain condition that makes me very tired as well, not using that as an excuse though. just so unmotivated

[TheTantrumCometh]

Google the Oxford referencing system for a breakdown on what you need to do. Perhaps double check your universities website just to double check that this is the standard one they use. It's basically a universal way of writing down your sources.

Then take it bit by bit. Don't sit down expecting to do it all in one go. Set aside an hour to jot down your ideas/main points. Then break it down into rough sections and factor in small breaks for yourself. It seems daunting but doing it in sections really helps

[sweetkitty]

and another thing I bought this laptop at the start of my course but it is rubbish it keeps disconnecting from wifi so annoying.

[WhenTheDragonsCame]

Are you doing Occupational Therapy sweetkitty?

[GrapesAreMyJam]

I have an OU assignment due towards the end of January. I'm going to Mexico in 4 days. What can go wrong?

[sweetkitty]

no teaching

[TruJay]

Use refme for your bibliography. It's an online site and explains how to use it etc. Lifesaver for referencing.

I agree with pps just start writing or at the very least do some research. Best of luck.

[TruJay]

www.refme.com/uk/

[toomuchicecream]

1. If you are using Word to write your assignment, use the reference tool (5th tab from left on the top row). It's genius and saved me sooo much time.
   

1. Decide on a rough structure. So a 4000 word assignment could be 500 for the intro, 500 for the conclusion and then 1000 words for each of 3 main sections. Once you've broken it down like that it will seem far less daunting.
   

1. Just start writing! Any section, not necessarily the intro. Just get some words down so that you've made a start. In my experience, it's always easier to go back and edit something I wrote earlier than it is to start from a blank page.
   

1. Good luck. The sooner you start, the sooner you finish!!

[TooStressyForMyOwnGood]

Here's a virtual kick up the butt from me! It's miserable isn't it? I have 5000 words to give in at the beginning of Feb but it all has to be ready to give in earlier than that as it has to be verified and other things. I find it so hard to study with DCs..

Totally agree that the key is to just start, or at least start doing the reading. PPs have given brilliant advice, particularly about doing references as you go along as greenfolder says. I used to leave them till last and it was horrific!


It's really important as TheTantrum said to check which referencing system you're meant to be using. Is there any guidance for the course or do you have a tutor you can email or speak to?

[TooStressyForMyOwnGood]

Cross post. Really good advice toomuchicecream. I will investigate that reference tool in Word myself!

[Hannahfftl]

I'm the same, 3500 due first week in Jan, finally started today and did 1500. Feel so much better knowing I've got going, so consider this your kick up the butt!

[Kerberos]

Good luck all. I'm on an OU break so I'm free for a little while. I just wanted to echo a PPs recommendation of Word and it's built in referencing tool :)

[ChazsBrilliantAttitude]

Write a plan working out your structure. Don't get bogged down in the introduction. Write something brief then flesh it out when you've written the main body of the essay. That way the intro will logically lead into and reflect the content of the essay.

[LostSight]

I always used to start with a series of bullet points of everything I thought might be relevant. Then I would sort them into some kind of order, e.g. most to least important, or if they relate to one another, then do it that way.

Once that's done, the essay no longer looks daunting. Reference as you go along, as others have said.

Just make a start. Commit to doing ten minutes. You may be surprised how much you can get done in that time. Good luck.

[WhenTheDragonsCame]

It sounds like a similar essay to the first one I had to do last year.

If you use a reference tool make sure that you double check them at the end. The university I go to has it's own version of Harvard which is slightly different to the standard one.

[chocolateworshipper]

Right.
You are going to do 30 minutes of planning. Mind mapping / spider diagram or whatever you find most useful. At the end of 30 minutes (it's not long) you may reward yourself with one of the following:

1. A hot bubble bath
   
2. A large glass of wine / other alcohol
   
3. A disgustingly massive piece of cake or chocolate
   

GO

[sweetkitty]

I'll do 30 mins in a bit

I just can't seem to do it

[CaoNiMerrilyOnHigh]

I'm here for some kicks up the bum too.

I've finished one of three assignments due mid-Jan. Stupidly, I did the shortest and easiest one first, so I'm feeling smug when I have absolutely no reason to!

I second the tip about doing references as you go along. It's murder otherwise.

[DimsieMaitland]

Do something. Anything. A crap first draft is better than no draft at all.

I have done 3000 words in last 48 hours, having procrastinated for over 2 weeks, and with a vile cough/cold virus. Actually being ill forced me to start as I was terrified it would develop into a chest infection and stop me from working altogether!

My technique is to break everything down into a list of the smallest units of work possible. e.g.

1. highlight command terms and key concepts in title.
   
2. identify key references.
   
3. re-read key references and make notes / highlight important concepts and passages I'll probably quote
   

etc.

Once I've done all the reading I break the actual writing down as well into stages: mind map, list of paragraphs with references for each, etc.

I compile the end references when I'm feeling very unmotivated - it's fiddly but requires little actual brain work.

I write body paragraphs before the introduction and conclusion.

This works for me, chunking the work into manageable tasks. I also set time limits, e.g. 3 hours for marking up references, 1 hour for mindmapping etc, and what isn't achieved in that time doesn't get done.

Even so, as my tale of procrastination above demonstrates, I find it horribly hard to get started. But once there is something concrete, it's amazing how much you can do.

To minimise distraction, I listen to ambient music over noise cancelling headphones while working, turn off my phone, and use a pomodoro timer (25 minutes hard work, 5 minute break.)

If I can offer a bit of practical support please pm me - I teach in an HE setting (I am studying yet another post-grad qualification through work.) I can point you in the direction of some very clear and accessible (free) resources on academic writing and critical thinking skills for university students.

Keep going - it is worth it!