Drafting your assignment
You will probably produce several drafts of your assignment before you start to edit it. In early drafts, it can be helpful to focus more on what you are saying than how you are saying it. You will find some strategies below for helping you to get going with your writing, and for keeping going too. There is no one right or best way. It is, however, important that you start writing early enough to allow you to move on to the later stages of the writing process. This means at some point you need to stop reading and start writing.
Here are some ideas to try to help you start writing...
Writing in layers
Try this technique to get started with your writing. It also helps you to think about all of the different parts of your assignment.
Getting Started: Writing in layers
Outline the structure: write a list of section headings for your assignment
Write a sentence or two on the contents of each section
Write a list of points you will cover in each section
Make notes next to each point about how you will develop it
Write an introductory paragraph for each section
Adapted from Murray, R(2006) How to write a thesis, 2nd edn. maidenhead:UOP, P. 125
Freewriting
Try this technique to warm up and move beyond a blank page. It can also be a useful way of discovering what you think about the topic you are writing about.
Often uses "prompts" (beginning of sentences or questions) to help you start writing...
Writing for thinking...
Writing to "warm up", or get ready for slightly more polished writing...
Focuses on generating ideas, not on grammar or spelling...
Write for a short amount of time...
Try to keep writing...
Try to write in full sentences...
Freewriting: writing to prompts
My research question is... (50 words)
Researchers who have looked at this subject are... (50 words)
They argue that... (75 words)
Debate centres on the issue of... (25 words)
There is still work to be done on... (25 words)
My contribution will be... (50 words)
Murray, R. (2006: p. 104) How to write a thesis. 2nd edn. Milton Keynes: Open University Press.
Writing in short bursts
It can be helpful to set a timer and work for short amounts of time, perhaps 20 or 30 minutes on a certain part of your writing. Choose something that you think you can do in that that amount of time.
Take regular breaks between the periods of writing. Get up and move yourself, go for a short walk.
See the information about how to use feedback on your work
Sharing your draft writing
It's good to share...
It can be helpful to share some of your early draft writing with your lecturers, seminar leaders or a Learning Enhancement Tutor. This allows you to get feedback on your ideas as they are developing. Formative assignments are very useful in helping you to develop ideas about your assignment that you will be able to use in your summative work.
Questions to ask yourself while you are drafting
What is the main poin that I am making here?
How does this idea link to the topic/argument/man idea I am writing about?
What have other people/writers/experts said about this idea?
Do I need to do some more reading about this?
What if this idea is wrong? Could there be another explanation?
Can I make a recommendation/connection with another idea?