Tips and Tricks for Starting a Paper

These tips and tricks are intended to be questions and directions to help you start writing or keep writing. If you find yourself getting stuck, staring at a blank page, take a step back and consult this resource. Also, remember that you can come to the Writing Center and brainstorm with a Specialist at any point in your process (even if you haven't started yet). We're here to help!

Pick the right article(s) for you:

• Does the title of the article stand out to you?

• Do you have feelings from reading the title of the article?

• Is the article something that interests you? Why?

  • Perhaps the phenomenon interests you?

  • How is it significant to the class/discipline?

• If you need help finding an article, schedule a meeting with a librarian.

  • Meetings are usually 30 minutes or less and you leave with articles in hand.

  • During the meeting, you'll talk about what kinds of article(s) you're looking for, and those conversations can help you write, too!

Note: With longer papers, these questions can help you build your annotated bibliography.

While reading:

• Identify their thesis, purpose, and method.

• Highlight specific words or statements that give you details about the article.

  • Terms relevant to your writing; discipline-specific jargon.

  • The names and specific features of the method they used for their research

    • i.e. phenomenology, grounded theory, or ethnography

  • Select a paragraph or two you like and close read it.

    • Look for reasons the article makes sense in your paper.

    • Look for points the article brings up. What quotes would you like to use?

Starting to write:

• Most importantly, try to give youself time!

  • Have the mindset for a marathon, not a sprint.

• Write daily additions and revisions, especially with longer papers.

  • Try to break writing into smaller, more manageable steps.

    • Spend more time pre-writing in a way that works for you.

      • Does outlining work for you?

      • Do you have notes from the article you can include in your paper?

    • What's your thesis? (You can always revise it later!)

    • Break down what points you want to make in each paragraph. Spend some time developing them individually.

  • Revise, revise, revise.

    • Double-check your work and read over what you have written. 

    • Your words will sound different if read aloud.

      • Utilize Read and Write technology.

      • Have someone read your paper to you. 

  • Visit the Writing Center and share your drafts with a specialist.

    • Talking about your writing can help you keep going when you're stuck

    • A new set of eyes can help you see how readers look at your work.