Tips for writing an essay: stick to a proper format 


When you are writing an essay, you need to stick to a proper format. The proper format for your essay is that which was assigned to you. Look over your instructions, or your course syllabus and search for anything indicating whether you are to format your paper in:

  • APA format
  • MLA format
  • Harvard format
  • Or Chicago format

If nothing tells you which format to use, ask your teacher. Then refer to the format style guides on the corresponding websites.

As you adhere to the right essay format, remember that in order for you to be successful with any paper writing, or academic achievement, you have to do your best. But if you are not motivated to do your best, it can be challenging to move forward. If you are struggling with motivation, consider these tips:

Divert your focus to your high impact activities only. You want to stay focused on your course work at all times, but you also need to ensure you understand the role that every small assignment plays in the bigger picture. You also need to make a plan for how you will tackle all of your assignments. While you may want to get the easier things out of the way first, chances are your brain will be better focused when you first set out to do your work. In this case, it is recommended that you begin on the more difficult and time consuming tasks first. These are the tasks from which you will learn the most. Getting them done will make the rest of your work seem much easier.

In order to figure out the priorities for your work, try to rank every assignment you have in order of their importance. Rearrange the list as necessary, and figure out which assignments you need to dedicate more time to. The assignments that are considered more important are those that have the biggest impact on your final grade. So, while every homework assignment is important, you may need to devote more time to studying for your midterm, worth 40% of your final grade, than to a bibliography you need to edit for your English class, worth just 1% of your grade. As you finish each assignment, try and think of how that assignment is getting you one step closer to your overall academic success.

If you have a big task, remember to break it down into smaller chunks. Any task, no matter how big, can be handled if broken down into more manageable clusters.

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