10 Tips For Tackling Those Term Papers

Ironically enough, as I am writing this I am actually procrastinating my 12-page research paper (among others), but then again, you probably are doing the same by reading this.

It is the end of the semester, and you are realizing that all those term papers, which you’ve known about since the beginning of the semester, are now due in weeks, and you haven’t even started it, let alone the research.

If you did, I congratulate you for having your life together and not procrastinating until the last minute like I did. I have a 4-page, 5-page, 10-page, and 12-page paper all with scattered due dates before December 22. On top of that, I still have to study for two finals.

There is no magic formula that will help you with all the end of semester work you have to do, but what I can provide are 10 tips that can prevent you from being a ticking stress bomb.

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1. Prioritize.

If you have more than one paper to do, work on the paper that is due first, instead of the one that’s due in two weeks. Get out of the way the shorter and easier papers (like a 3-page paper) so you don’t need to worry about them while you are writing your longer papers.

Manage your time well and even plan it out if you have to so everything gets done in time.

2. Don’t overdose on caffeine.
The sales of coffee and energy drinks go up during finals week as students try to cram a lot of work in a short period of time. Drinking a cup of coffee or red bull may wake you up a bit but it isn’t good for your body if you’re drinking it every hour.

Caffeine can have bad side effects, such as anxiety, restlessness, and nausea that can cause you to write a poor paper. Instead, limit your consumption and boost your productivity levels by taking a power nap.

3. Take breaks.

Sitting in front of a computer screen for hours at a time can be draining and your eyes can only focus for so long. Give your eyes and body a break every 50 minutes or so. You’ll boost your concentration levels if you take a walk or do some stretches. Just make sure your breaks are short so you don’t waste valuable time.

4. Reward yourself for finishing something.

You’ll be more likely to want to finish something if you get rewarded afterwards; it gives you something to look forward to.

For every page or two you finish, eat your favorite candy, watch 20 minutes of your favorite TV channel, scroll through Instagram, etc. Do something enjoyable and then go back to work until your next break.

5. Organize your notes.

Especially if you are writing a research paper, you will want to make sure you have all your notes and outlines in one place. Your paper will be much easier to write if you have all your notes in front of you and you won’t have to waste time fishing through your room trying to find them.

Cross out what you already wrote about and check things off of your outline as you finish each section.

6. Eliminate distractions.

If you are constantly being interrupted by your roommates, your buzzing phone, and loud background noises, you will not get much work done. Turn the TV off, silence your phone, and move to a location (library, study lounges) where you won’t get distracted. You will finish your paper faster if your brain can focus.

7. Sleep, eat, drink.

You won’t be able to focus and write a good paper if you are sleep deprived, and eating whatever food is in reach. Pulling an all-nighter may accomplish getting work done, but being a sleep-deprived zombie the next day won’t do you any good so prioritize your time so you include sleeping for at least eight hours.

What you eat and drink can also lower your productivity levels and make you more tired so try to eat healthier foods! Drink lots of water to keep your body hydrated and avoid sugary drinks like soda.

8. Proofread!

After you are finished writing that long paper, you will be tempted just to print it out or email it to your professor because you are finally “done.” You may have finally got your word count or required number of pages, but after all that hard work, you don’t want points taken off for careless mistakes (i.e. spelling and grammar).

After you are finished, take a small, well-deserved break, and then go back and proofread your paper for errors. Don’t get points off because your tired brain wrote the wrong there/their/they’re, or forgot a verb in a sentence.

9. Don’t forget the works cited/bibliography.

So you’ve finished your paper and you are about to turn it in when you realize, “Oh crap, I forgot about the works cited!”

Instead of waiting until after you finish your paper to cite all your sources, it will be much easier to, as you are writing your paper, keep a separate works cited document open and add your sources as you use them. Make sure you are using the format (i.e. Chicago, MLA, APA) your teacher wants!

10. Don’t multi-task.

When you feel like you have a million things to do and not enough time to complete them all, you tend to try to do more than one task at a time. Do NOT do this because you may think you are being productive, but, in reality, you’re giving half your attention to each and thus, one or both can be sloppy.

Give your full and undivided attention to one assignment at a time.