Extra Writing Help for your WWW paper

Writing papers in a multi-paragraph format is the sort of task that can get pretty difficult as you wade through all of the information out there. Most students tell me that they get all of their information and then read it all at once and try to write from memory. Very few students will write well using that method. Therefore, if you crave structure and a "to do" list, you are welcome to try this.

7 days until due: Print out a copy of the directions and rubric. Read both carefully. You will decide on your topic today. Make certain that the topic you choose is relevant to our current chapters (as written in the instructions). In addition, make certain to choose a "Plan B" topic (in case you can't find any information on your first choice). "Plan C" is not a bad idea either. **Sitting down at the computer to find a topic is like walking into a library to find a good book. You will be overwhelmed unless you have an idea of what you want before you start.**

6 days until due: You will use your resources to find information about your topic. Avoid sites that are not informational (such as advertisements for products such as books). Find and print at least six of these sites. List all those references in APA format (use the link on the directions). Don't complain about doing this early. It is good to get it out of the way. **You will get a good idea of the information available on your topic. Decide today whether or not to stick with it or choose Plan B.**

5 days until due: Skim the content of your websites and look for content areas for you to explore. (For example, if I were writing about Parkinson's disease, the different websites might include information on the origin of the disease, symptoms, diagnostic techniques, prevention, and treatment.) Try creating a chart like the one at the end of this page to help you get organized. You will use this chart later for the development of your paper. **Your other main responsibility today is to make an appoinment with the Writing Center so that you can get help with proofreading.**

4 days until due: Write your introductory paragraph. Look at the top row of your chart. Your introductory paragraph should provide an overview to your reader regarding what to expect in your paper. For the example above, my introductory paragraph would let you know that I was going to explore those topics. Each column will become a single paragraph in your paper. Therefore, I would have a whole paragraph devoted to origins, and another whole paragraph devoted to symptoms, and so on. Write as much as you can stand to write today.

3 days until due: Finish writing your draft. Don't worry about perfection yet, because you are still generating your ideas and translating them into your paper.

2 days until due: Take your draft to the Writing Center for additional help. You may have developed difficulty at being an objective reviewer of your own work, so please take that advice. Make the suggested revisions.

1 day until due: Sit down and read your paper. This is the day when you shouldn't have too much work to do anymore. You can make adjustments so that your paper has the content you want it to have, and is written in the way you want it to be written. Hopefully, you are feeling relief that you didn't procrastinate. If everything is the way you want it, then print the paper today. Do not wait until tomorrow before coming to school. If there is a problem with your printer, you still have time to print somewhere else, or correct any simple problem (like toner or paper).

I would suggest that you create this chart as a Word table for simplicity. As you are reading your individual sites, take notes using the chart. After you finish reading the site, you won't need to go back to that information in your printed web sites. You might find that some sites go into different detail. You might have areas of the chart that are blank. For example, you might find information that focuses on treatment only.

Don't forget to save your work on your hard drive and a back-up disk.