Different individuals have different ways of writing an essay, but I would suggest that you try out the suggestions below to see how well they work for you.

1) Read over the question and write down as precisely as you can just what the question is asking you to do.

2) Decide in general how you will probably respond to the question and write a sentence in which you define the position you would probably take in answering it. From time to time come back to this sentence to be sure that you are still defending the same position. If not, decide whether to rewrite the sentence or the parts of the essay that no longer match it.

3) Go over the readings, your lecture notes, your earlier assignments, and your memories of the class discussions and presentations, writing down any topics that might be relevant to this essay. At this stage it is generally a good idea to brainstorm freely, writing down the names of any theme in the course that might possibly be relevant. Then, when the list seems complete, prune out anything that does not directly address the question.

4) Begin drawing lines lines between the different themes, uniting those that have something in common. Notice how the themes clump together and then find the most logical order in which to present them. Make a rough outline of the order in which you will deal with the issues.

5) Go back over the course material and opposite each line on the outline indicate what kinds of evidence you would use to make that point credible.

6) Explain to someone who is not taking the course how you are going to answer the question and see if you have convinced him or her that you know what you are talking about.

7) Write the paper, integrating the conceptual framework from the outline with the evidence you have identified as relevant.

8) One of the most difficult things about writing a paper is being sure that what is on the paper clearly mirrors what is in your head. Since you already know what you are trying to write, it is difficult to know whether you have made it obvious to someone else. Therefore, when you finished a draft, distance yourself from it by:

a) letting it sit for a day before you rewrite it

b) reading it aloud to someone who is not in the class, asking him or her to tell you when something is not clear and to summarize what you have just said at the end of each section.

9) Once you have gone through several drafts, outline the paper again, paragraph by paragraph, briefly indicating what each contributes to the larger argument of the essay. Then, go over the outline making sure that:

a) all parts of the essay still support your basic thesis

b) each paragraph is unified around a single theme

c) the themes follow one another in the most logical order possible

d) the introductory paragraph gives readers an over view of the arguments that will be made in the paper

e) the conclusion draws together what has been said previously

10) Prepare to turn the paper in by:

a) carefully rechecking to be sure that your paper matches the format proscribed for the essay

b) running computer spell and grammar checks to look for errors

c) manually proof reading the paper, checking for grammatical errors and awkward sentences

d) being certain that you have both a paper and an electronic copy of the essay in addition to the one that you are handing in

11) Take a rest and reward yourself for your hard work with something that you have really been looking forward to.