MA essay - panicking

[PumpkinPie2016]

Hi,

I'm hoping for some wise words/a kick up the backside from people as I am struggling with my MA essay.

I am doing the course distance learning, alongside a demanding full time job plus a family. It's my first module and I am enjoying it. I had to do a presentation recently worth 40% of the module and got 68% which I was really pleased with as I didn't think I would do that well. Feedback from the tutor was good and they gave me some good pointers.

All that's left is a 2500 word essay on a similar theme to the presentation but in more depth.

Fairly straightforward you would think -except I'm not finding it straightforward I've clarified a couple of things with the tutor and they were really helpful. Overall, I know what I want to talk about.

But I just feel like I am getting nowhere 😕 I have started writing small subsections linked to the things I need to include but I am convinced it's not good enough and I am going to fail

I need to write more at the moment but I'm now just not getting anywhere.

All advice greatly received.

[flatvimto]

What do you think the problem is? You say you're getting nowhere but what do you mean eg you don't understand the topic? Can't find reading? Can't work out how to say enough? Can't organise the ideas? Bored and can't motivate yourself? Something else?

[TheHalloweenLlama]

Do it systematically. Bullet point the sections, then add bullet points for each point you want to make. Go through and turn each point into a sentence. Then a paragraph. Add / check references. By that point it's basically written. It doesn't need to be good, no first draft is good. It just needs to exist.

Once that's done go through the marking criteria and make sure you've hit every point you can. Then touch it up. Try to put the anxiety aside and just work through the steps. You're doing well and underestimating yourself.

[PumpkinPie2016]

Thank you for the responses so far-much appreciated!

@flatvimto I understand the topic and the feedback from other work (both assessed and not) for this module has been good so that suggests my understanding is good. I can access readings and have been making notes.

I think the issue is partly organising it and partly wording it in an academic way. I currently have various small sections so I think it's sorting it out into some sort of logical order and threading the parts together if you see what I mean?

@TheHalloweenLlama bullet points is a good idea - I will do that for the next (quite large) subsection as I think part of the problem is that there are a number of things to discuss but I am struggling to get them down on paper so bullet pointing may help as I can just type in any order.

Maybe I will aim to just do another hour before I need to pop out and then have a break from it.

[LanisHouseLot]

Introduction - roughly 10% of word count. Closing paragraph roughly 10% of word count. Leaves you with approx 2000 words for the bulk of the essay. How would you break that down into sections/main themes? Perhaps plan headings and bullet points for everything you want to cover. You can even print that and cut each bullet and heading out as a strip of paper so that you can physically try out different orders and get a feel for the how you want the whole thing to flow. Then pad it out by expanding on each bullet. Make sure the whole thing links together well and doesn't read as just a list of bullets. You probably want to keep concise at 2500 words so don't get drawn into over-explaining anything. Done!

[LanisHouseLot]

Oh and good luck! You sound like you are doing well generally so this will probably go better than you think it will (although I totally get the panicky rabbit-in-the-headlights feeling of staring and at assignment that doesn't come easily!).

[PumpkinPie2016]

Thank you @LanisHouseLot

I think a lot of my issue is self doubt I did an NPQML that I finished last year - I was completely convinced I had failed miserably when I submitted but passed with flying colours. Same with the presentation I did for this module.

[flatvimto]

There are ways of organising essays, eg cause - effect; situation - problem - response - evaluation; advantages - disadvantages etc. One topic per paragraph so ideas are grouped logically.

faculty.washington.edu/ezent/impo.htm might help with patterns of organisation
www.uefap.com/writing/writfram.htm website looks ancient but is great - look in the Paragraphs section (menu on left)for help on organising ideas and if you look in Functions you'll see lots of useful language. There are examples of paragraphs all the way through so you get an idea for academic style.

Bullet pointing is a good idea. I like to put key ideas on post-its, stick them on the back of a door and move them around until they make sense. Old-fashioned but gets you off a screen and it's less boring!

[PumpkinPie2016]

Thank you @flatvimto I will look at those links!

[PumpkinPie2016]

Just thought I would pop back to say thanks again for the advice and support.

Pretty much done a first draft by starting with bullet points and subtitles and then expanding and 'sticking' the sections together. Written my introduction too. Got one last subsection and conclusion to go and then just final tweaking and checking.

[LanisHouseLot]

Brilliant, well done for just ploughing into it.