There's no shortcut to putting words on the page, but there are some things you can do to make actually writing the paper easier.
- Give yourself time. There are plenty of different techniques for managing time and improving concentration, and they all require you to set aside a distraction-free block of time to get your work done. Once you've managed that, check out the links below for some of the most popular methods for productivity. One thing that all of these methods have in common? Taking breaks!
- Write the easiest part first. Just because the introduction is the first thing that your reader will read does not mean it is the first thing you should write (this holds true for the abstract as well). Instead of starting at the beginning, start with the part of your project that feels the most exciting or approachable. Not only will this give you a sense of accomplishment to motivate you through the rest of the paper, it also means that you will be shaping the paper around the ideas/themes that interest you the most – generally resulting in a much more engaging piece of work!
- Set realistic goals. You’re not going to write the perfect paper in one sitting. It’s entirely possible that you’re not even going to write an imperfect paper in one sitting. College is a time when you set the standard for your productivity habits, so pay attention to what you can accomplish in a given time frame and use this information to manage your goals and your schedule.
