Student Survival Guide To...

by Heba Keshk on 21st of January 2008

ESSAYS AND DEADLINES

Okay, so we all have them and the majority of us at the beginning set out to get work done well in time for the deadline. However, realistically 90% of us who thought this, soon find themselves lost in day dreams.


We somehow delude ourselves that everything will fall into place but in the end you will be pulling an all-nighter to meet the deadline.

Yes, there is a sense of achievement but it is likely to affect the quality of your work.

Tips:

Some people don't know where to start. Plan out the essay and give yourself a rough word count for each topic/argument you are looking to cover.

Find a relevant key text. Don't spend hours on end reading a book you are struggling to get a quote out of. It's not the quantity but the quality.

DON'T forget to reference!!

Know your word limit and stick to it. Cutting out words may be a struggle, yet once you re-read your work you tend to see information that is repeated and therefore not needed.

Stick to the essentials. Don't spend too much time on descriptions and avoid repetition.


If you feel you have little time in your day to dedicate to your essay, use the public transport as a way to start.

When you're sitting on your train or bus the least you can do is jotting down a few sentences or even brainstorm about what you can potentially include in your work.

This is very useful, too, when you are actually starting your work. There is always information we forget under pressure.