Some students have a preternatural ability to write great essays in a matter of a few hours. Some can even complete a paper in less than an hour. Most of us, however, need as much time as we can get to compose an essay that meets the academic standards of most institutions. Here is some advice, from experienced students, on how to write your essay quickly:
Write a separate topic sentence at the top of each note card. Take the first card and write out a sentence for each bit of supporting evidence you have, leaving an empty space between lines to make corrections and to fill in with supplementary statements. Do this with each card until you have the basic structure for your paper.
As you type the material from the note cards onto your computer you should start the process of revising. Keep your revisions simple but effective. If you find that you have repeated a thought in one of your note cards then immediately determine where that piece of writing is accomplishes more in proving your point.
Do the best you can to write a thesis statement and an introduction based on the material you have written for your body paragraphs. Keep your thesis statement clear, simple and to the point. Precede this statement with a brief introduction of the topics you discussed in your first typed draft. An easy way to accomplish this is to take the topic sentence of each body paragraph and provide one a statement on why it’s important to discuss.
Again, take out your note cards and summarize the content from each notecard. Don’t just retype the material but try to rephrase it and synthesize it so that you direct your reader to the same conclusion you have made. Don’t get fancy at this point. Keep things simple and make your final paragraph functional.
This last step is crucial, especially since you’ve rushed through all the previous steps. Print out your essay and start editing and proofreading. It might help to have someone else read a copy of your paper as well, since you’re likely to allow more mistakes slip by. Make corrections on paper before making them on the computer. The break away from the screen might make you notice mistakes you wouldn’t have otherwise.