The looming deadline of research papers lies around the corner for juniors and compiled in this article are a few tips and tricks to ensure that those papers get turned in a timely and well-executed fashion.

1) Manage your time wisely.

Both students and teachers agree that the biggest problem that students face when writing research papers is time management.

“The biggest problem that students usually have is that they usually overlook the amount of time necessary to put them together,” Dr. Thomas Easterling said.

MSMS Senior Reagan Poston agreed with Dr. Easterling’s statement.

“Start early! It may seem like a lot, but it’s not something to stress yourself about if you’ve got your time rationed.”

One of the biggest sources for this time crunch lies in how much of a different beast the research paper is compared to a normal analytical essay.

“If you want to do the research paper the right way you have to not only spend time accessing the files you think will be pertinent but also digesting them so that you have the ability to synthesize what the analytical critics have to say with what you think about the primary text, and although some people can do it quickly, it is primarily an acquired skill,” Easterling said.

2) Use your secondary sources wisely.

All seniors at MSMS have had a run-in when writing a research paper where they have had to shoehorn in an irrelevant quote from a secondary source that has nothing to do with their paper, and the only way to avoid this is by reading your secondary sources before selecting them.

“One of the common mistakes that [students] make is including portions of outside sources that don’t really fit the point that is being made,” Easterling said.

Another important thing to remember when finding secondary sources is using a credible database to find them.

“The MUW database is your best friend, even though it can be kind of tricky sometimes. Don’t use Google. Just don’t,” Poston said.

3) Give yourself time to revise.

As many students know, it is very easy to miss a glaring mistake when the only revision is executed in the Hooper computer lab half an hour before the paper is due. So do yourself a favor and get the paper finished at least a day in advance so you can have a day go at the paper with a red pen of your own.

4) Ask for help.

It is important to remember that the seniors of MSMS have at least two research papers under their belts already and are willing to help with any problems that you come across in the paper writing process. However, it is also important to remember that, in a school full of procrastinators, your teacher’s word may be more valuable than a senior’s.

“The hardest part for me was remembering all the steps and nit-picky things requested by my teacher. Definitely write the instructions down, don’t rely on your friends to remember, and don’t be scared to ask your teacher. They don’t want to see you fail, I promise,” Poston said.

5) Make a thesis outline page.

By making a thesis outline page, you are able to write out specific points that you want to cover in your paper, and by doing so you are able to pace yourself so you can be sure to not run out of topics on your fifth page.

6) Just bite the bullet and write the paper.

Note taking, outlining and highlighting are all very important parts of the research paper writing process, but at the end of the day, the only way to complete the paper is to sit down and write it.

“There is nothing worse than talking about writing; at a certain point, you just have to do it,” Easterling said.