Two-Day Research and Writing Guide for Your Paper: A Structured Chronology
At Dartmouth College, student Vidushi Sharma is gearing up for a busy week, with a philosophy paper due next Thursday on the works of Nietzsche. But she's not letting the pressure get to her. Instead, she's following a well-thought-out plan to tackle the task.
Sharma starts by immersing herself in the reading, suggesting that reading all assigned materials can help find unexpected connections. She recommends summarizing the readings four days before the due date, giving her ample time to digest the information.
Planning is crucial for Sharma, and she advises choosing a topic after doing outside research. Three days before the due date, she plans to finalize her essay topic and write an outline. This step, she believes, sets the foundation for the actual writing process.
The schedule for writing the paper, according to Sharma, begins with finishing the core readings five days before the due date. She then suggests revisiting books and taking notes in small bursts. This method, she says, helps her to absorb the information more effectively.
Sharma also emphasizes the importance of spending time in the planning stage. She notes that some main points in the paper may be faulty two days before the due date, but she remains adaptable, starting to write two days before the due date.
Despite the tight deadline, Sharma believes that writing an eight-page paper in two days is surprisingly easy with a well-developed outline. She recommends having a friend or two help with editing the paper, making the process rewarding.
With just two days left before the paper's due date, Sharma discovers crucial questions for her professor. She advises others to be proactive and discuss ideas with classmates and professors during the planning stage.
The actual writing process, according to Sharma, can be a few hours spent at the computer, transferring thoughts from outline to paper. Although she has a busy week with problem sets and assignments, she remains focused and determined to complete her senior thesis, which has distant deadlines, alongside her upcoming philosophy paper.
