colette

01/23/2021 ✨ happy weekend!

I was talking to my friend about my essay planning process and surprised them with my method - I thought this was the most common way to plan essays and it’s something I find really useful so I decided to share it in case it’s helpful, even though it’s probably not new knowledge! 

What kind of essays can I use this for? 

I use this for all my essays, though they tend to range from 1000-3000 words

I have yet to use it for a dissertation length essay but I’ll probably use the same structure, just much more detailed 

This method is one that really helps me for essays I’m dreading writing or don’t know where to begin, because it breaks it down and makes it more manageable 

May be different for different subjects - I use this predominantly for philosophy essays, which it works really well for

Where to start? (At the beginning and the end!) 

Start with your word count. For example, let’s say your word count was 2000 words

Your introduction and conclusion should be no more than 10% of your essay 

In our example, 10% of 2000 is 200 words, so:  100 words introduction 100 words conclusion

Onto the main body!

We’ve started to break it down! Subtract that from your desired word count and that’s your writing room for the main points of your essay

In our example that leaves you with 1800 words 

Now you need to work out roughly how many words you make a point in - which really isn’t an exact science

For me I make a point in about 150-350 words, it really depends on how much detail you have to include 

If you’re unsure write a rough draft of a point or analyse some of your previous essays - this word count usually includes referencing and quotations

For the sake of our example let’s say each point is about 250 words

250 goes into 1800 7 times, with 50 words for some leeway. 

That means roughly you will need 7 points to make up your essay. 

You can play around with what works for you - if 7 is too many, or perhaps you want an even number of points you can tailor it for that particular essay

Maybe one point will be 500 words instead because you have the most to say about them - whatever works for you is fine.

The emphasis here is on approximation, don’t get too hung up on meeting exact word counts, write what you have first and if you need more, find some detail to add to your points

Here’s the part about this way of planning essays that soothes me - looking at a blank pages and knowing you have to write 2000 words is very daunting. Instead, once I’ve broken it down like this I know I’ll need 5-7 points on a subject I’ve been studying, which is something I know I’m capable of - 

“But Ceri?” I hear you ask. “What if I can’t think of enough points?” 

This is part two of my essay plan - done with the statistics, you need the content

Analyse your question or title, this is the most important bit. 

What is the question asking of you? Does it want an argument? An explanation? What things do you need to include? 

Once you have a clear idea of what they want, whether you have an idea or not of what to write, look over your notes

Every essay needs evidence, something to support what you’re saying, be it data or critics or theorists - my advice is to find the evidence that is there and build your points around it 

When you need to argue to your conclusion look for evidence that opposes each other, and that’s two points already done

Start by writing your essay in bullet points, then in longer sentences while you shift things around and then finally go full essay format

As you write other points or things to include might come to you - be sure you make a note of them! 

One final tip - reference as you go along. It’s such a pain but getting to the end of an essay is a marathon, and then having to go through and sort out your referencing is like a sprint for the end 

Anyway that’s most of my help for now! You might read this and think that none of it will work for you, and that’s fine too, there isn’t one set way to write an essay and this is by no means the best way - just my way. 

Hi all, this is werelivingarts, a new post about time management method: TIME BLOCKING! Time blocking allows you to divide your day into big blocks and helps you to complete similar tasks in one-go without any interruptions! 

You can do your time blocking on:

Google Calendar (simple and easy to use)

Plan (drag your to-do list and organize them in blocks)

TickTick Premium (offer pomodoro timer)

16.09.2018.

i rly srsly have a problem with this especially after school ))): like im always on tumblr or something so i never get anything done rip

so im gonna try to practice what i preach from now on!!! lets get into it!

preparing for productivity

when you get home from school or work, give yourself a 20-50 minute break. lets be honest we all have those days when we try to jump right into doing whatever the heck you need to do right when you get home but after like 20 minutes you’re distracted and a mess and not getting any work done. the easy way to prevent this is to give yourself time to do all of that before you start your work so you’re not distracted later (give urself an hour if its been an especially long day). eat a snack, wash ur face tbh, whip your hair, idk what you crazy kids do but do it. srsly. just get it out of the way.

get everything ya need in one place. this is kinda a no-brainer especially since it’s all over tumblr. but srsly why get up every 5 minutes to get a pencil or something? just have it all in the first place. ez.

turn off your phone or put it in airplane mode. personally i like to pretend like im so determined and focused but every time i see the little t at the top of my phone im just gone. don’t let it distract you. if you need the internet, use your laptop/computer for less distractions.

set the mood. idk what you do, whether thats playing the moana soundtrack hanging up fairy lights, putting on your diffuser or playing rap music; idk man! do it.

actually doing the thing

alright so now u got ur fairy lights, ur mildliners, ur face washed, and ur apple juice (??? apple juice is lit???). now throw yourself into it. literally just force yourself to do it. don’t know how??? welll!!! not sure how to help you! (no im kidding don’t leave yet pls)

use the touch it once rule. this is a favorite of the studyblr community. it means that everything on your to-do list, everything you know you need to accomplish– start it. just tell yourself “i’ll only do 3 math problems” or “i’ll only work on this resume for 5 minutes”. they say the hardest part is always starting. chances are, that unfinished worksheet is going to really bother you and you’ll end up finishing it. if not, then just come back to later and touch it again and again until you finish it. tedious, but it works.

use the “two minute rule”. i got this one from @emmastudies! this rule means that if anything on your list takes 2 minutes or less to do (checking your emails, checking your tumblr inbox or something), do it. just get it done.

keep it balanced. do like one easy task and then one hard task so you’re getting everything done but not overwhelming yourself either.

break down your tasks. don’t just look at a giant task like “write a 3-page paper”. break it down into smaller subtasks like “plan paper. draft paper. edit paper. type and print paper.” its much less scary to look at.

visualize procrastination as a monster. i do NOT take credit for this one; i saw it in a masterpost somewhere so this isnt mine!!! but basically i read that you should look at procrastination as a scary opponent ready to eat you alive (and honestly it is). tackle it. don’t let it attack. be so scared of it that you don’t let it get anywhere near you.

Find things to be excited about because your attitude will dictate your experience.

Plan a nice outfit for the first day of school. It doesn’t have to be very fancy, just something you will feel good wearing. The way you dress can improve your confidence. 

Get a planner. It’s helpful to have a book dedicated to school work and extracurriculars so that you stay on top of your game.

Write down your instructors/professors/teachers names, e-mails and office hours ASAP. You never know when you will need to contact them.  

Please be nice to your instructors/professors/teachers. Reach out and connect with them so that you have a professional relationship with them, as you never know when you will need extra credit or a recommendation letter.

Once you receive all of your syllabi, write all of your assignments/deadlines down in your planner/bullet journal/calendar. 

Start studying and put effort into doing work on day one. You will thank yourself during finals week.

Don’t listen to your peers about what was on the test/exam if they get to take them before you. Do your own thing.

Don’t focus on how many hours your peers spend studying. Everyone completes work and studies at their own pace, there is no hour limit that you need to achieve to receive that A+. 

Don’t procrastinate a study session by planning what you’re going to study. A simple to-do list will work fine. 

Attend talks, conferences, events on campus to fully immerse yourself in university life. Sometimes professors are willing to give extra credit for attending talks/conferences (as long as it is related to their class).

Have a song that gives you hype. Whether you’re waiting for a big presentation or you’re nervous on the first day of school. I always listen to “Sorry” by Beyonce. 

Please do your own work and don’t plagiarise as it can ruin academic careers.

Please don’t share your work with other students in case they might plagiarise from you. Even if you think they’re your friend, it’s better to not share your work. 

Reflect and remember how lucky you are to be getting an education. School isn’t a punishment, its an opportunity for you to create a kick-ass foundation for the rest of your life.

Save your coin and make your morning coffee/tea at home. Invest in a travel to-go cup, I always use my Starbucks one. 

People will leave you alone when you have your earphones in. 

Have a couple of spots for studying on campus, where you can sit down and focus to do work in between lectures. I would have a couple of favourite spots in my uni’s library were I could study free from distractions. 

Don’t compare yourself to other students. We’re all on our own paths; therefore, the most important person you need to focus on is you! 

Visit my blog or follow me on Instagram from time to time for some study inspiration. You can contact me via my inbox on Tumblr or Instagram DM’s.