Writing coursework can be an incredibly difficult task for many students. Not only are you being judged on your writing skills, but also on your ability to speak with authority on the complex issues that will be covered in the paper. As if this wasn’t enough to stress about, there’s also a strict word count which you have to adhere to!
With all of these obstacles, though, it is possible to meet each one head-on so that you can produce a first-class piece of coursework writing. Here are some ideas on how to do just that:
Read through any guidelines given by your tutor carefully – don’t assume anything. If they ask for X number of sources and you only provide Y, it will look like you haven’t read the instructions through.
Make plans before you begin to write. Not only will this help your tutor to get a better idea of what you are trying to say, but it should also make the entire process much easier for you. You don’t want to be sitting there writing away and then suddenly realize that you have no clue how to end the paper!
Try starting with an outline – these can be especially helpful if you’re concerned about word count. Take a look at several different outlines online for inspiration, but remember that each one is unique and has its own benefits and drawbacks depending on your topic and thesis statement.
Once your outline is finished, set out a time scale for how long you will need to complete each section. You may find that this makes the task less daunting and increases your chances of meeting deadlines.
Remember that quality is much more important than quantity when writing coursework (and, really, in all other aspects of life). One excellent paragraph filled with original ideas will be better received than five average paragraphs that seem to lack substance or originality.
Proofread! No matter if you’ve only written one sentence, take the opportunity to check through your work carefully – spelling and grammar mistakes can seriously damage your grade and its unlikely that anyone will read your essay any further if it doesn’t make sense from the. Better still, get somebody else to proofread it as well – a fresh pair of eyes can often pick up on things you might have missed!
Read through your work and see how the ideas flow. If you find any unnecessary paragraphs, get rid of them and move some information around so that everything is relevant and relates back to your thesis statement.
Finally, before you submit your essay – don’t forget the title! This is often an afterthought for many students but it can be just as important to get this right as everything else. A good title should sum up what you are writing about and give some insight into the content of your piece of coursework.
Don’t use these exact words in your paper, but use them as a guide on how to write paragraph structure: article background information, heading (introduction), thesis statement, main body paragraphs (2-3), conclusion.
Good luck with writing coursework! You can do it 🙂
