In this session, the tutor and tutee were female undergraduate students. The tutor’s name for blog purposes is Michelle, and the tutee’s name will be Andrea. It was Andrea’s first WRA class, and she had questions regarding paragraph organization and transitions in her first paper. Andrea was hesitant to read the paper out loud at first, but after the tutor explained how beneficial it was to the writing and editing process, she began to read aloud.
Andrea read her paper without stopping to correct any errors. She changed what she was saying out loud, but never stopped to make comments or notes on the page.
Michelle definitely focused on HOCs the entire session, which was good because that is specifically what Andrea asked for. She was an authoritative tutor, and I feel like this session could have had a better outcome with a minimalist approach. Michelle did a lot of brainstorming and suggesting new ideas for Andrea. Sometimes Andrea just sat there while Michelle talked, and looked extremely bored. She would fidget or look at the clock, and Michelle just kept spewing out seemingly unnecessary ideas.
The tutor used a really good strategy for clarifying and separating paragraphs. She classified three different ideas in the same paragraph using the numbers one, two, and three as indications of the main idea of each sentence. At the end of the paragraph, Michelle and Andrea decided how to separate the paragraph together, with mostly Andrea’s input on the matter. I thought it was a great idea because it showed Andrea a new way to organize her great ideas and separate her own paragraphs.
There was one more thing I took away from the session: models work really well for explaining things. Michelle illustrated and explained the keyhole format, right on the paper. Andrea picked up the main ideas quickly, and formatted her conclusion accordingly.
Saturday, September 20, 2008
Exercise 2E – My Style of Writing
Writing is anything but a simple, sit down process for me. When I have to write a paper, I mark the due date in my calendar and then set out specific days that I should have my outline, first draft, second draft, and writing center appointment or peer review completed by. I feel more stressed about writing in college than I did in high school, so physically setting a tentative schedule for the paper reduces my stress levels significantly.
I don’t dress any specific way to begin writing my papers. Almost always, however, I end up wearing light, comfy cotton clothes while doing any kind of schoolwork. My work environment has to be very quiet. It’s the only way I can concentrate.
To begin an assignment, I start with Microsoft Word. The blank page is never a welcome sight, so I usually just start brainstorming random thoughts. These thoughts eventually turn into a rough outline. I put a very condensed version of the outline at the top of the page, and the different sections turn into paragraph topics, which I bold. Without these constant reminders about what the paragraph should be about, I usually get off topic and subject after awhile. The thesis is my basic starting point as well. I’ll write a thesis header and then a tentative thesis. It usually changes after I’m done writing the paper.
After I write a rough draft of the paper, I go over it and make sure everything flows and makes sense. This draft usually ends up being my rough, first, and second drafts combined because I edit as I write. While looking over a paper and fixing paragraphs, I often cut and paste phrases into new places, or set them at the bottom of the paper for later use. The next step in my writing process occurs after I am confident enough to share my work. I send it to my boyfriend via e-mail for a virtual peer review. We write comments on each other’s papers in a different color within the paper itself. Then we e-mail it back to each other. Whenever we both have a spare moment, we’ll open the reviewed document and go over the comments, discussing possible changes.
While I’m editing the content of my paper, I begin thinking about my T.A. or teacher. I wonder if my paper will be entertaining or unique out of the hundreds they grade that day.
Because my editing tendencies are so exhausting, I am usually very happy after turning in a paper. It’s one less thing to worry about. I feel like after it’s done, it’s done. And I never want to go back and re-do the paper or even revisit the topic again. I remember one time, I was even hesitant to re-do it even though I could improve my grade because I immersed myself in that topic for two or three weeks without coming up for air. For example, after I turned in my paper on foot fungi, I never wanted to talk about athlete’s foot again. In this case, wanting to forget the subject is understandable, but in general, writing is never finished. Since I am a person who enjoys checking items off of checklists, I like to think of graded papers as things of the past.
I don’t dress any specific way to begin writing my papers. Almost always, however, I end up wearing light, comfy cotton clothes while doing any kind of schoolwork. My work environment has to be very quiet. It’s the only way I can concentrate.
To begin an assignment, I start with Microsoft Word. The blank page is never a welcome sight, so I usually just start brainstorming random thoughts. These thoughts eventually turn into a rough outline. I put a very condensed version of the outline at the top of the page, and the different sections turn into paragraph topics, which I bold. Without these constant reminders about what the paragraph should be about, I usually get off topic and subject after awhile. The thesis is my basic starting point as well. I’ll write a thesis header and then a tentative thesis. It usually changes after I’m done writing the paper.
After I write a rough draft of the paper, I go over it and make sure everything flows and makes sense. This draft usually ends up being my rough, first, and second drafts combined because I edit as I write. While looking over a paper and fixing paragraphs, I often cut and paste phrases into new places, or set them at the bottom of the paper for later use. The next step in my writing process occurs after I am confident enough to share my work. I send it to my boyfriend via e-mail for a virtual peer review. We write comments on each other’s papers in a different color within the paper itself. Then we e-mail it back to each other. Whenever we both have a spare moment, we’ll open the reviewed document and go over the comments, discussing possible changes.
While I’m editing the content of my paper, I begin thinking about my T.A. or teacher. I wonder if my paper will be entertaining or unique out of the hundreds they grade that day.
Because my editing tendencies are so exhausting, I am usually very happy after turning in a paper. It’s one less thing to worry about. I feel like after it’s done, it’s done. And I never want to go back and re-do the paper or even revisit the topic again. I remember one time, I was even hesitant to re-do it even though I could improve my grade because I immersed myself in that topic for two or three weeks without coming up for air. For example, after I turned in my paper on foot fungi, I never wanted to talk about athlete’s foot again. In this case, wanting to forget the subject is understandable, but in general, writing is never finished. Since I am a person who enjoys checking items off of checklists, I like to think of graded papers as things of the past.
My Writing Process
When I first get a writing assignment, it sits in the back of my mind for a few days, especially if I'm still reading the book I need to write about (one of my majors is English, so that's the kind of paper I'm usually writing). I start formulating topics, and once I'm done with the book I pick the topic I can find the most evidence for, even if I don't like it as much.
When I'm doing academic writing I need my workspace to be quiet, but I'm too lazy to go to the library or something if the people next door are being loud. I don't necessarily need to be physically comfortable, just alone and in a quiet space. I also need to have water nearby, but that's because I drink a lot of water all day. My writing is almost exclusively typed, unless I jot down a few notes beforehand. I don't really do much prewriting. Sometimes I'll write down a few topics I want to discuss and list some scenes in the book I'd like to reference or quote. Other times I type them at the bottom of the document once I've started writing the paper, so I don't forget.
To me, the thesis is one of the most important pieces of the paper, and I can't write anything until I have finished the introduction and crafted my thesis, which I usually try and stay very close to. After I have that down I'll start writing the rest of the paper, but sometimes I'll jump around from topic to topic, leaving room if I plan on filling in more later. I just write whatever I feel most confident about first, then come back to the more difficult sections later, after I've thought about them more. I usually start writing papers at least a few days before they're due, so I'm not very pressed for time and rarely write an entire first draft in one sitting. Usually I'll write until I get sick of it or I'm not sure what to do next, then I'll take a break. When I next return to the paper I read over what I last wrote for revising and editing, then move on. I always write my conclusions last, and end with some kind of restatement or summing-up of my thesis.
Even once I have a "finished" product, I will not print it or turn it in until the last minute. I reread everything I've written more than once, and I won't turn in the assignment until I've gone over it one last time on the day it's due. I guess I'm kind of a paranoid writer and I want to make sure my work is as good as possible, but I very rarely seek others' help with it. Part of that is probably arrogance--I'm a professional writing and English major, so who else outside those departments could really help me? But at the same time, I think I just don't want to bother other people with my writing when it's just that--MY writing, and therefore MY problem. However, I did find my consultant's advice to be very helpful when I went to the writing center as a client, and since it's her JOB to help people with their writing, hopefully I will continue to take advantage of that resource after this class ends.
When I'm doing academic writing I need my workspace to be quiet, but I'm too lazy to go to the library or something if the people next door are being loud. I don't necessarily need to be physically comfortable, just alone and in a quiet space. I also need to have water nearby, but that's because I drink a lot of water all day. My writing is almost exclusively typed, unless I jot down a few notes beforehand. I don't really do much prewriting. Sometimes I'll write down a few topics I want to discuss and list some scenes in the book I'd like to reference or quote. Other times I type them at the bottom of the document once I've started writing the paper, so I don't forget.
To me, the thesis is one of the most important pieces of the paper, and I can't write anything until I have finished the introduction and crafted my thesis, which I usually try and stay very close to. After I have that down I'll start writing the rest of the paper, but sometimes I'll jump around from topic to topic, leaving room if I plan on filling in more later. I just write whatever I feel most confident about first, then come back to the more difficult sections later, after I've thought about them more. I usually start writing papers at least a few days before they're due, so I'm not very pressed for time and rarely write an entire first draft in one sitting. Usually I'll write until I get sick of it or I'm not sure what to do next, then I'll take a break. When I next return to the paper I read over what I last wrote for revising and editing, then move on. I always write my conclusions last, and end with some kind of restatement or summing-up of my thesis.
Even once I have a "finished" product, I will not print it or turn it in until the last minute. I reread everything I've written more than once, and I won't turn in the assignment until I've gone over it one last time on the day it's due. I guess I'm kind of a paranoid writer and I want to make sure my work is as good as possible, but I very rarely seek others' help with it. Part of that is probably arrogance--I'm a professional writing and English major, so who else outside those departments could really help me? But at the same time, I think I just don't want to bother other people with my writing when it's just that--MY writing, and therefore MY problem. However, I did find my consultant's advice to be very helpful when I went to the writing center as a client, and since it's her JOB to help people with their writing, hopefully I will continue to take advantage of that resource after this class ends.
Friday, September 19, 2008
Exercise 2E- My Writing Process
When I need to sit down a write, comfy clothes are a must. I have to wear pj pants so I can shift around easily. I’ll cross my legs, fold them under my body, or prop them up on the shelf under my desk. It’s difficult for me to sit still for extended periods of time, so when I have to sit down to write, moving around in my seat helps dispel pent-up energy. When that fails, I sometimes get up and pace the room a few times. Part of my problem is that sitting at a desk is uncomfortable and unnatural for me. As much as I like writing, I hate having to sit down to do it. Consequently, I tend to put it off as long as I possibly can.
I confess, I’m an inveterate procrastinator. If an assignment has a research component, I’ll wait until a week before the due date to begin that part of the project. The earliest I ever start writing is three days before the due date, but most of the time I start and finish the night before (or morning of….). I don’t have multiple drafts. Sometimes, I barely glance over the finished paper before submitting it. There’s just something about the intense pressure of an imminent deadline that jump-starts my creativity.
Here’s an example of my “process.” One afternoon, I started writing my final paper for an AMS class. It was an eight page assignment, and I had only vaguely decided on a topic. It was due at midnight. Most of the afternoon was spent fooling around online, trying to decide on what to write about. Even after I made up my mind, I kept wasting time “researching,” when I was really just randomly surfing. The majority of the paper was written between 9 p.m. and midnight, because until then the pressure wasn’t enough to overcome my problems with concentrating. It was complete free-writing, without any kind of outline. I finished writing it with a few minutes to spare, which I used to check for typos. Maybe it would have been better if I had time to do any kind of revision, but I didn’t have that luxury.
It was only then that I started working on my ten page history paper that was due at noon. I had at least decided on a topic, but it was a much more research intensive paper and I had only read half the texts I was using as source material. By this point I had been up since the early morning and was running out of steam. Over the course of the evening, I tried just about every caffeine product imaginable: coffee, Red bull, Monster, Hydrive, Jolt, Vault, chocolate covered espresso beans…. You name it, I had some. Caffeine is crucial to my process. This time I sketched out a rough outline to get a sense of the order my ideas would progress in, but Mapquest provides more detailed steps. My hastily scrawled “outline” basically consisted of “Intro=>First point=> Support=>Second Point… etc.” Like the first paper, I finished this with minutes to spare. Any revision was done on the sentence level as I was writing. I tend to fixate on the details and have difficulty moving on until I feel satisfied with every word in a sentence. Unfortunately, no matter how beautifully crafted an individual sentence is, there needs to be some degree of global revision to make sure the ideas make sense together. All too often, this part of the writing process gets cut due to time constraints, much to the detriment of the overall quality of the paper. In this case, I ended up being awake for at least 36 hours straight, and near the end I kind of stopped caring. Still, I got 4.0s on both papers, and in both classes, so the papers can’t have been too bad.
These rather extreme examples aren’t completely representative of my process. If, by some chance, I start the paper a few days early, I follow the “antiquated” note card/outline system. I write detailed note cards as I read my sources and then sort them into piles based on subject. This gives me a visible indication of what areas I have a lot of information in, which helps when planning an outline. The outline itself is more like a first draft, since my bullet-points tend to be rather involved sentences. As helpful as this method is, it is also incredibly time-consuming, and I have a tendency to deviate from the outline. Once I start to wander off, the paper develops in a completely different direction, rendering half of the outline irrelevant. For that reason, I tend to favor the last-minute mad-dash, since it seems like the most efficient method. It gets the job done and doesn’t involve any wasted effort. Every last scrap of mental energy I possess gets poured into the paper, and the final product is not much different than if I spent a few more days on it. It’s physically and mentally exhausting, but it’s exhilarating in its own way.
I confess, I’m an inveterate procrastinator. If an assignment has a research component, I’ll wait until a week before the due date to begin that part of the project. The earliest I ever start writing is three days before the due date, but most of the time I start and finish the night before (or morning of….). I don’t have multiple drafts. Sometimes, I barely glance over the finished paper before submitting it. There’s just something about the intense pressure of an imminent deadline that jump-starts my creativity.
Here’s an example of my “process.” One afternoon, I started writing my final paper for an AMS class. It was an eight page assignment, and I had only vaguely decided on a topic. It was due at midnight. Most of the afternoon was spent fooling around online, trying to decide on what to write about. Even after I made up my mind, I kept wasting time “researching,” when I was really just randomly surfing. The majority of the paper was written between 9 p.m. and midnight, because until then the pressure wasn’t enough to overcome my problems with concentrating. It was complete free-writing, without any kind of outline. I finished writing it with a few minutes to spare, which I used to check for typos. Maybe it would have been better if I had time to do any kind of revision, but I didn’t have that luxury.
It was only then that I started working on my ten page history paper that was due at noon. I had at least decided on a topic, but it was a much more research intensive paper and I had only read half the texts I was using as source material. By this point I had been up since the early morning and was running out of steam. Over the course of the evening, I tried just about every caffeine product imaginable: coffee, Red bull, Monster, Hydrive, Jolt, Vault, chocolate covered espresso beans…. You name it, I had some. Caffeine is crucial to my process. This time I sketched out a rough outline to get a sense of the order my ideas would progress in, but Mapquest provides more detailed steps. My hastily scrawled “outline” basically consisted of “Intro=>First point=> Support=>Second Point… etc.” Like the first paper, I finished this with minutes to spare. Any revision was done on the sentence level as I was writing. I tend to fixate on the details and have difficulty moving on until I feel satisfied with every word in a sentence. Unfortunately, no matter how beautifully crafted an individual sentence is, there needs to be some degree of global revision to make sure the ideas make sense together. All too often, this part of the writing process gets cut due to time constraints, much to the detriment of the overall quality of the paper. In this case, I ended up being awake for at least 36 hours straight, and near the end I kind of stopped caring. Still, I got 4.0s on both papers, and in both classes, so the papers can’t have been too bad.
These rather extreme examples aren’t completely representative of my process. If, by some chance, I start the paper a few days early, I follow the “antiquated” note card/outline system. I write detailed note cards as I read my sources and then sort them into piles based on subject. This gives me a visible indication of what areas I have a lot of information in, which helps when planning an outline. The outline itself is more like a first draft, since my bullet-points tend to be rather involved sentences. As helpful as this method is, it is also incredibly time-consuming, and I have a tendency to deviate from the outline. Once I start to wander off, the paper develops in a completely different direction, rendering half of the outline irrelevant. For that reason, I tend to favor the last-minute mad-dash, since it seems like the most efficient method. It gets the job done and doesn’t involve any wasted effort. Every last scrap of mental energy I possess gets poured into the paper, and the final product is not much different than if I spent a few more days on it. It’s physically and mentally exhausting, but it’s exhilarating in its own way.
WRA Observation #2
I observed my second session this afternoon in the writing center and once again I was shocked. The client was a young international student named Tim. Tim did not tell me what year he was here at the university, but I do know that he is a packaging major and that he had brought in 1.5 page “memo” in “office” format that he needed to write for class. He told us that it needed to be professional and business sounding, so he wanted help with his organization and flow of arguments. Grammar was not something that he said he really wanted to focus on, but he did mention that he was having some trouble with certain aspects of his grammatical writing.
The consultant explained the usual steps that we take while working through a session and had Tim begin to read through his paper. Immediately the consultant begin jotting down notes in the margins, crossing out words, changing sentence structures, and correcting subject and verb tenses so that they agreed. After Tim finished the first paragraph it was necessary to stop so that the consultant could go back over and explain what it is that he changed. This continued for all five to six paragraphs within the paper.
After reading the entire paper Tim and the consultant discussed the overall structure. Tim was concerned that it was not formatted professionally enough. The consultant assured him that to the best of his knowledge he though it was, but he was careful to put in the disclaimer that he has never studied business and thought that perhaps someone of a business background and focus may approach the writing in a different way and with a more critical eye. This idea seemed to confuse the client. After learning about the writing center satellite that is located in the BCC the client decided that he would re-write his paper and bring it in their before it was due.
I once again found myself surprised at how much grammar correcting and editing the consultant did. In this case it was not that Tim was pressuring the consultant to focus on grammar, but rather that the consultant seemed to focus on grammar himself. I felt that the consultant was a little too authoritative with his editing. I feel that correcting grammar to the extent that he did is expectable only under the assumption that the consultant will explain and discuss all that he is doing so that the writing understands his or her mistakes and is empowered to be a better writer in the future. At many times it seemed that Tim was very confused and a little overwhelmed with all of the blatant corrections his tutor was making on his paper. This session re-enforced in me the idea that a tutor must not only find the appropriate amount of grammar to discuss, but the appropriate attitude to discuss that grammar with. I understand that this is only something that I can fully relate to and begin to understand once I have sessions of my own, but I felt that this client could have learned a little bit more about the technicalities of writing in the English language if the consultant had been willing to be a bit more of a teacher rather than an editor.
The consultant explained the usual steps that we take while working through a session and had Tim begin to read through his paper. Immediately the consultant begin jotting down notes in the margins, crossing out words, changing sentence structures, and correcting subject and verb tenses so that they agreed. After Tim finished the first paragraph it was necessary to stop so that the consultant could go back over and explain what it is that he changed. This continued for all five to six paragraphs within the paper.
After reading the entire paper Tim and the consultant discussed the overall structure. Tim was concerned that it was not formatted professionally enough. The consultant assured him that to the best of his knowledge he though it was, but he was careful to put in the disclaimer that he has never studied business and thought that perhaps someone of a business background and focus may approach the writing in a different way and with a more critical eye. This idea seemed to confuse the client. After learning about the writing center satellite that is located in the BCC the client decided that he would re-write his paper and bring it in their before it was due.
I once again found myself surprised at how much grammar correcting and editing the consultant did. In this case it was not that Tim was pressuring the consultant to focus on grammar, but rather that the consultant seemed to focus on grammar himself. I felt that the consultant was a little too authoritative with his editing. I feel that correcting grammar to the extent that he did is expectable only under the assumption that the consultant will explain and discuss all that he is doing so that the writing understands his or her mistakes and is empowered to be a better writer in the future. At many times it seemed that Tim was very confused and a little overwhelmed with all of the blatant corrections his tutor was making on his paper. This session re-enforced in me the idea that a tutor must not only find the appropriate amount of grammar to discuss, but the appropriate attitude to discuss that grammar with. I understand that this is only something that I can fully relate to and begin to understand once I have sessions of my own, but I felt that this client could have learned a little bit more about the technicalities of writing in the English language if the consultant had been willing to be a bit more of a teacher rather than an editor.
WRA Observation #1
I observed my first session in the writing center this afternoon. The client was a first year PhD student and a non-native English speaker. The paper that she brought in was the final copy of description and explanation on a certain theory of communication. She began the session by saying that she needed help with grammar and had lost many points on her first draft because of her punctuation. The consultant looked through her first draft just to get an idea of the type of feedback that she received. He stressed to her that the first draft hadn’t been as bad as she seemed to think it had been and that her professor had given her a lot of positive feedback as far as her content and ideas were concerned. The consultant described the general process of the writing center, because this was the first visit for the client, “Joslyn”.
Joslyn decided that she would be more comfortable if the consultant read her paper allowed, instead of reading it herself (probably because of her language barrier). Right from the beginning of the first read through I was surprised how often the consultant would stop to discuss an issue of grammar with her. In fact it seemed a little bit authoritative to me. He was making changes on her paper and explaining to her what he was doing and why it made sense. After completely reading through her paper and fixing many and all of her grammar issues the consultant took a step back and asked her if there were any issues about her paper that she particularly wanted him to focus on. Her main concern was her grammar.
After the session I spoke for several minutes with the consultant and we both shared our feelings about the session. He agreed that the session was very focused on grammar and that this was very unlike most of his sessions. He explained that the only time he allows himself to focus on grammar is if the rest of the paper seems focused, concise, and appropriate. Jsolyn’s paper was very focused, very clear (once the grammar was repaired), and very well structured. She really did not seem to need or want help with issues of argument, structure, layout, or approach. Joslyn wrote like she was a PhD student and if it were not for the focus on grammar it seems like there would not have been too much to discuss for the entire session. Joslyn only came to the center because she wanted her grammar checked and corrected. The consultant told me after the session that you need to find the balance for yourself of how much or how little grammar you will focus on during a session. After discussing these issues in class and reading many articles about the importance of not fixing grammar I was shocked at how much he fixed. He told me that fixing her grammar was the reason she came in and grammar was the only real thing that she needed help with. In a situation like this I agree; why not help the student with what they need help with? I am not advocating that we check the grammar of every native English-speaking freshman that has just never taken the time to learn grammar or really edit their own paper. But if grammar truly is something that a client is struggling with and needs help understanding I feel that the center would be doing a poor job if we did not do our best to fix and explain the grammar so that it may be understood and properly used in future papers.
Joslyn decided that she would be more comfortable if the consultant read her paper allowed, instead of reading it herself (probably because of her language barrier). Right from the beginning of the first read through I was surprised how often the consultant would stop to discuss an issue of grammar with her. In fact it seemed a little bit authoritative to me. He was making changes on her paper and explaining to her what he was doing and why it made sense. After completely reading through her paper and fixing many and all of her grammar issues the consultant took a step back and asked her if there were any issues about her paper that she particularly wanted him to focus on. Her main concern was her grammar.
After the session I spoke for several minutes with the consultant and we both shared our feelings about the session. He agreed that the session was very focused on grammar and that this was very unlike most of his sessions. He explained that the only time he allows himself to focus on grammar is if the rest of the paper seems focused, concise, and appropriate. Jsolyn’s paper was very focused, very clear (once the grammar was repaired), and very well structured. She really did not seem to need or want help with issues of argument, structure, layout, or approach. Joslyn wrote like she was a PhD student and if it were not for the focus on grammar it seems like there would not have been too much to discuss for the entire session. Joslyn only came to the center because she wanted her grammar checked and corrected. The consultant told me after the session that you need to find the balance for yourself of how much or how little grammar you will focus on during a session. After discussing these issues in class and reading many articles about the importance of not fixing grammar I was shocked at how much he fixed. He told me that fixing her grammar was the reason she came in and grammar was the only real thing that she needed help with. In a situation like this I agree; why not help the student with what they need help with? I am not advocating that we check the grammar of every native English-speaking freshman that has just never taken the time to learn grammar or really edit their own paper. But if grammar truly is something that a client is struggling with and needs help understanding I feel that the center would be doing a poor job if we did not do our best to fix and explain the grammar so that it may be understood and properly used in future papers.
2E - How I Write
While reading about, learning about, and observing many different ways to approach writing centers and the tutoring of writing it has become obvious to me that it is important to understand my individual writing process. I am sure that there will be times when I will find it necessary to discuss the writing process with a client in the center, and when that day comes I want to be able to have a thorough understanding of my own process.
Assignments for papers are generally given at least three weeks ahead of the due date. That being said I ponder of the question with a vague idea of what it is that I would like to write about in the back of my mind. When I first read the assignment some idea pops into my mind and it is that idea that remains for several days. Throughout these days the paper is always a nagging source of anxiety where I know I should be focusing more of my time and energy, but am not able, or willing, to sacrifice the time. After several days of passive anxiety I eventually re-read the assignment enough times and re-focus my thoughts thoroughly enough so that I have an idea of a thesis that I think is appropriate. By the time I am confident enough with my thesis and ready to approach my professor with it for discussion and advice it has been about two weeks since I got the assignment and a week before the assignment is do.
Generally speaking I leave the conversation with my professor feeling like my idea is “sufficient” although it could use a little more focus and refining. The last week I have to work on my paper I consistently have my paper at the bottom of my list of things to accomplish for every night because I am focusing on other assignments that are due sooner. Therefore, I typically start my paper the night before it is due. I do not enjoy this about my writing habits and would like to change it, but as of late, that is how my process unfolds. I always have a cup of coffee, a good pen, and my notebook with class notes and a rough outline sketched in it. I finish my paper while on a caffeine buzz and get a few hours of sleep.
I always wish that I could have more time to spend polishing and revising my paper. I would consult the help of other writers, but seldom have the time to. I do not know if I have ever turned in a paper in college where I have been completely satisfied with what I have written. While turning my paper in to my professor I usually say something like this to myself: It is what it is and that is good enough for now. Throughout this year I would like to follow a more lengthy process where I am able to consult the opinions of other writers and able to give myself the amount of time I need in order to construct a satisfying paper.
Assignments for papers are generally given at least three weeks ahead of the due date. That being said I ponder of the question with a vague idea of what it is that I would like to write about in the back of my mind. When I first read the assignment some idea pops into my mind and it is that idea that remains for several days. Throughout these days the paper is always a nagging source of anxiety where I know I should be focusing more of my time and energy, but am not able, or willing, to sacrifice the time. After several days of passive anxiety I eventually re-read the assignment enough times and re-focus my thoughts thoroughly enough so that I have an idea of a thesis that I think is appropriate. By the time I am confident enough with my thesis and ready to approach my professor with it for discussion and advice it has been about two weeks since I got the assignment and a week before the assignment is do.
Generally speaking I leave the conversation with my professor feeling like my idea is “sufficient” although it could use a little more focus and refining. The last week I have to work on my paper I consistently have my paper at the bottom of my list of things to accomplish for every night because I am focusing on other assignments that are due sooner. Therefore, I typically start my paper the night before it is due. I do not enjoy this about my writing habits and would like to change it, but as of late, that is how my process unfolds. I always have a cup of coffee, a good pen, and my notebook with class notes and a rough outline sketched in it. I finish my paper while on a caffeine buzz and get a few hours of sleep.
I always wish that I could have more time to spend polishing and revising my paper. I would consult the help of other writers, but seldom have the time to. I do not know if I have ever turned in a paper in college where I have been completely satisfied with what I have written. While turning my paper in to my professor I usually say something like this to myself: It is what it is and that is good enough for now. Throughout this year I would like to follow a more lengthy process where I am able to consult the opinions of other writers and able to give myself the amount of time I need in order to construct a satisfying paper.
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