Sat here looking at a blank sheet of paper - I hate introductions

[KatyMac]

& I can't even dive into the middle & work back

Mental block grrr

Ok, so, is this to do with the article or another essay?

the article - I think because I haven't chosen yet I am scared to write anything in case I have to start again

I would wait until I had chosen the article (like you, too scared to write anything), but when is it due?

17th March - but I an only work weekends & I don't have a particularly high speed of working

what sort of article?

sadly there is a whole thread dedicated to the articles I need & my inability to use the library system

oh dear....no idea...I can never really get my head round otehr people's assignments...

Oh, by the way, I used to be 3andnomore....and we used to muddle through at times a while back...when I did that Study skills course...

Ok, without the specifics of the assignment, here's what I'd advise my students to do. Complete your note-making but keep the question with you as you make notes so that you're not noting down stuff that is never going to be relevant. Use the question to sift and prioritise all the stuff you are reading. Sit down at your desk with your notes (or notes and key text) only. Do not be tempted to have any library books or 'unsifted' material there or your essay will not work as well as it could.

Read the question several times and use your intro to address it and explain to your reader what your conclusion will be and how you plan to reach it (so you're telling your reader: 'This is where we are going and this is how we are going to get there, via ... and ....) . You will need to rewrite the intro at various stages, but don't start to write it until your preparation is finished.
Got to do bedtime stories now so sorry if this sounds a bit curt ...
Good luck.

poor katymac...
was turning up here with trite suggestions to start in the middle and write first paragraph last or whenever convenient. Bit of a bugger that, I read the other thread when it hit the 'active' board (repeatedly) the other night.

Can you outline your intentions, use it as a foreword/preamble to help get your random thoughts in order or sum up what the thing is supposed to be about?

woohoo - x post sibh

It is a bit of a bugger isn't it

Thanks for your help - I have great hopes for the tutor getting back to me

would an overview of your own setting be appropriate? - briefly I mean?

I suppose it's a bit like the 'tell us a bit about yourself' type icebreaker in an interview if you get where my line of thought is. Most of us find it easier to start with 'self' and move 'outwards' - which is not a bad plan of attack for an essay / assignment either.

Yes - I just need to start it

Silly isn't it I just can't start - & it's my business

I have doe some spider charts but they look more like webs with criss-crosses everywhere

I used to bypass the terrible blank piece of paper stage by making my detailed notes, jumping in and linking them into an essay and writing the introduction afterwards. Oddly the conclusion was often written before once I twigged that you don't have to argue every possible way a debate can go. Of course, this format is useless in exams unless you can estimate how much blank space to leave on the paper.

You really need to pin down your article you're going to discuss though before you can make any sort of essay plan. Have you got a local uni you can go to for 'study skills'? Writing an essay needs practice like anything else so don't beat yourself over it.