writing

My first step whenever writing a paper is to try to get a firm grasp on the topic. For timed writing assignments I am usually able to get a clear idea of the topic quite quickly. However, more extensive papers such as our Protest paper can take much more work before I can even begin preparing an outline. While doing research, I often try to consider viewpoints and frames that can support potential arguments. This not only allows me a chance to critically examine my own thoughts on the subject, but also allows me to begin organizing a potential outline in my mind. While I can usually see potential arguments while I research, some projects are more difficult. In these cases, I may be forced to take notes and try to organize points and potential arguments on paper.
Once my thesis is clear, I usually try to make some form of outline. While I can usually organize outlines for simple papers in my mind, more complicated ones may need to be put to paper. I usually try to make this part of the writing process take a short as possible it can sometimes take several hours. This was true for our protest paper, which took me quite a while to organize. However, the argument was no longer so complex that I had to write out an outline. Once I had a strong thesis statement the basic paper outline and supporting arguments were clear. I was able to write steadily for a few hours and write my paper without too much effort, since I new exactly what points I wanted to make and how I wanted the paper to flow. Afterwards I read through the paper once to make sure I hadn’t made any mistakes.