I've lost my mojo and have a 4,000 word essay to do by Tuesday and an exam in June

[niceglasses]

I was enjoying this course but have just had so much on. I now have this essay to do by Tuesday 4-5,000 words and haven't started (have done good bit of reading tho) and then an exam in June.

Am torn btwn jacking it in and ploughing on.
Motivation tips anyone???

start in the middle
start throwing down words, even random paragraphs

have a day of not planning but writing

once you've got something down, anything, you'll feel like you have achieved something and will feel reinvigoured

then tomorrow get back to re-organising and planning it and you will be well on your way

What course are you doing niceglasses? What year are you in?

I'm a first year and I've currently trying to work through a 4000 word essay but have barely started.

I have done well throughout the year (mainly firsts and 2:1) so just aiming to get 40% in each of my final 4 assignments in order to pass. My first year marks don't count and if I aim to do my best work I won't get them completed in time. I only have 2 weeks to complete all 4 assignments.

Really need to get at least one essay done today.

Are you planning to work on your essay today?

Forget to say - that's a good tip stuffitall. Getting started is the hardest bit, once you get going it's never as bad as you imgained.

thanks girls. I think you are right - I need to get SOMETHING down, anything will be better than the fear of nothing which is what i have just now.

Have until 2pm more or less to work solid and asking my mum to take one of the kids tomorrow so can get bit more done.

Only an OU level 3 course, but hoping it adds up to a literature degree some time..................

I think you just need to remember the big picture.

The reason why you started the course in the first place and what you hope it will lead to.

It also helps me to imagine how I will feel if I get a low mark knowing I could have done better.

I think you just need to remember the big picture.

The reason why you started the course in the first place and what you hope it will lead to.

It also helps me to imagine how I will feel if I get a low mark knowing I could have done better.

I could come over at the weekend and help NG?

Can you get an extension??

Derren Brown advises to imagine the thing you are stressed about on a film screen and that it's getting further and further away from you. Then you imagine yourself doing what you need to be doing, happy and confident. His tricks are really good. It's in his book but I think I might have lent it to someone so can't give any more detials sorry.

Have you tried doing a brain dump?

If you don't know what this is (apologies if you do), take a piece of A4 paper and turn it so that it's landscape rather than portrait. Write the essay topic in a bubble in the middle of the page, then surrounding this bubble just jot down key themes that your essay might include. The point of this is to do it quickly, without thinking too hard, so that you can access everything that's in your head.

So, for example, if your essay was about Mumsnet (how easy that would be!), then write Mumsnet in the middle, then you might have, say, 6 different themes going round this main bubble - e.g. Chat, AIBU, Recipes, etc.

Then starting with the first bubble, just down a word/key thought that you associate with that theme, draw a small line away from it and then jot down the next word/key thought on that bubble - keep going until you can't think of anything else and then move on to the next bubble.

You may suddenly think of another theme, which is fine, and you may realise there are links between themes/thoughts - which is also fine, as it will give you the beginning of a structure for your essay.

You should do this as quickly as you can and should try to fill the page. Once you've done it, step back and look at what you've written, and it will help you to find your arguments, counter arguments and a way in which you can structure the essay.

Good luck and hope this helps a bit!

Here's a link to a site about mind mapping (which is very similar) which might help:

mind mapping

Thanks again and thanks MT - must email you - have lost mobile completely!!!

Am going to give it a go and work hard next few days see what comes of it.....good idea thinking about bigger picture.

all in favour of writing and not planning esp and planning often tends to be of the introduction. lit review, evidence, conclusion type which is useless as too general

Essays are testing four things

1. knowledge of a particular area
2. ability to use that knowledge to answer a particular question
3. ability to set the topic in wider context
4. ability to write an argument and NOT simply to list arguments for and against the subject

Take each of these in turn and write some notes paragraphs on each one
good luck
x

Have you? Did you get my text about getting a train to Manc instead of driving?? Thought it might be more of a break for you!

Another good tip is just to try and stop beating yoruself up about it - I always get in that cycle of guilt about being stressed neglecting kids/partner then just sitting at pc stressing that I'm too thick, which leads to more stress and self loathing about not being able to cope with pressure which leads to total shut down of ctitical faculites.

Afraid the only way I ever got my assignments done for uni was waiting till the last minute, I could sit there for 2 days solid, night and day, drinking coffee and smoking like a trooper, I work best under pressure

The brain dump is a good idea, also just bang stuff on the internet, some interesting stuff can come up and once you start reading sometimes gets your juices flowing, sorry not as organised as some, oh and working at night was good for me to, seemed to be more intense.

I know no help at all, but good luck, and I wouldnt give it up, if you enjoy it, its worth doing.

I'm useless at motivation. I have an exam this afternoon and I'm on here! Erm....maybe turing the computer off is a good motivator, then you have daytime tv (dire), housework (your dp will be able to tell you've not been working) or essay. Essay wins!

Have you got much done niceglasses?

I've been working for 3 hours and have only managed to write 500 words. Really struggling with this essay.

Hmmm. Not started writing essay yet, but have got some ideas and thoughts down on paper in mad sort of a way. Starting to see some links.

Am one fag and one glass of wine down. Oh dear.

You can do it by next Tuesday if you have done the reading.

I had 5,000 words to write which is now thankfully, handed in last month so am now free - yippee. Also an OU course. I reckon by the time I actually settled down to write that it took about 4 days and I still managed to procrastinate and waste time even then. I only had limited time to do it during the day with the children around (did over the tail end of Easter holiday and then a few days of the new term).

Get as much help as you can so that you can focus on it and you will feel wonderful when it is done. My essay was instead of an exam and it said on the blurb that even if you don't finish it, just hand it in which is good advice. It is better to get some marks than none at all. If your other TMA's are OK you can probably substitute a bad one anyway, can't you?

Plenty of time to worry about revision later. Presumably, if this last essay is on time and the OU do what they usually do and allow 6 weeks for revision, you have plenty of time to get down to it.

Good luck

At least it's a start niceglasses.

Have you set yourself a goal for the day?

I'm aiming to hit 2500 words by tomorrow (I had already written a 1000 before I started this morning)

How is it going niceglasses? I have just finished my final 4,000 word essay for AA316, just have to proof read tomorrow and get it sent off for Tuesday then exam on 18th. Are you doing same course? I have really struggled with this one and have no idea where to begin revising, have another essay for ad317 to complete before exam. Be worth it in the end. Hope it has gone well for you. Good Luck.