How do I unmuddle my essay?

Question

I have tried to work on the same essay for so long that it just look like a muddle, I start to read it & never get past the first few paragraphs without needing to change something, so I can't seem to get it all to fit together properly. There's always something that just doesn't sound right & I've spent days trying to get it over & done with. Yet I can't seem to work the whole way through at all. I was stuck on the bottom paragraph at first so I let a teacher look at it. They have now left me lost where they gave me negative comments about the first part........... Help, please!!!

Answer 1

This has happened to me in the past.



I think you are getting stressed over this work now and you need to relax, take a deep breath and begin to re-read and re-organise.



I found a CD that helped me over my dissertation. It helped me relax and it helped me concentrate and focus.



If you want to e-mail it to me I'll take a look at it for you and give some constructive advice.



Link : http://www.relax-uk.com/product.asp?id=238

Answer 2

I had this problem the other day with one of mine. I'd asked for an extension cos I'd been ill but I'd already started it before that. Had a couple of days off and it was hopeless. Told my husband it was a load of pap, didn't make sense, no flow to it, jumped from one subject to the other and back again.... you know the score.



In the end I sat down and started again. If your introduction is right just start with the first issue you raise and continue like that. Cut and paste chunks from your original and keep going. That's what I did. It had taken me two weeks to write 500 words of absolute sh*te and an hour and a half to write 750 words of something like. It was due in yesterday at 4 o'clock and I posted it at 3:59 and I was still messing about with it till the last minute.



I wish you luck, but my advice is don't panic and start again. It doesn't mean tearing up what you've already done - you'll probably need most of what you've done anyway. It does help to have a clean slate though if you know what I mean.

Answer 3

You are probably having trouble organizing your thoughts. You will need to just sit down and brainstorm. Work on your thesis statement and write only the things u mentioned in your thesis. Thesis should mention that 2-4 key points u will be making in your body paragraphs. DOn't put useless information (info that doesn't relate to thesis) in the paper cause it will only bring confusion. Each of those key points should be its own paragraph. Do not mix different points together as it will be hard to understand. Then expand your own ideas and understandings to each of these main points.



Seems like you got most of the work done. Just brainstorm to get an idea what should go where and go back to your paper and reorganize it. Hope this helps and good luck with your paper.

Answer 4

Take a break! Walk away from the paper and do something you enjoy. That way when you go back to work on it it will seem a little clearer. Try having a friend peer edit it or take it section by section and improvise. Ask your teacher exactly what they meant with the negative comments and what you can do to fix them.

Answer 5

start all over again, this time begin with a clear outline of what it is you intend to do throughout the essay and then copy and paste from your original essay, editing whatever needs to be. Good Luck.x

Answer 6

I am doing Theology and always take my essays to the vicar or priest to look at or I tell him about it.It works.

Answer 7

You have writers block, scrap the whole thing and start again after taking a break.

Answer 8

1) distill it to bullet points

2) check to see if there is a logical flow to it, and whether the points are made sequentially or at random

3) adjust as needed

4) reapply purple prose

Answer 9

Do you want to send it to me and I can review it?

[e-mail]

I'm taking the day off from studying so I'm free for now.

Answer 10

if you want drop it over my way and I will take a look at it. chanlin0582!@!yahoo.com

(note you need to remove the ! before and after the @)