Essay Prompt

Should I be writing or revising right now? 5 common procrastination excuses and what you should do instead

It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a student with an impending deadline or upcoming exam, must find any excuse they can think of to avoid writing or revising. Here, we try to give you some simple strategies to minimise the effects of procrastination in the run up to deadline days and the exam period.

Procrastination 1: “I can’t revise or work unless my desk/room/the entire house is straight and I can concentrate”

OK, fair enough there is some mileage in tidying your stuff so that you can find the books and files you need to actually revise. However, a sudden need to irrationally clean things that you have ignored all year must be kept in check! Try to limit tidying to half an hour in your study space only before your first stint of revising – and then no more than 5 minutes each day before you start to keep on top of things.

If you really need a major tidy up then do it at your least productive part of the day – it really does not need much mental input. If you are naturally a morning person, do it in the late evening when your brain is going fuzzy. If you are a night-owl, do it first thing in the morning when you are a bit bleary and mindless tasks are all you can manage. Don’t waste your best times vacuuming!

Procrastination---Cleaning



Procrastination 2: “I just need to check in on [insert preferred social media app here] or I may miss out on important stuff” ….an hour later…

Nobody is saying you need to go cold turkey on using social media during revision and exam periods – but there is a limit to how much is sensible. Use social media as a treat to look forward to after you have reached a certain point in your revision – but set yourself a limited time [use the timer app on your phone to alert you when time is up]: “After I have revised topic A, I can have a cup of tea and catch up on SnapChat for 20 minutes”

Alternatively, use fragments of time when it would be difficult to revise or study – walking to uni (though take care not to walk in front of a bus!), sitting on said bus, waiting for the kettle to boil etc for quick catch ups.

Procrastination---Social-Media



Procrastination 3: “I can’t revise all the time – watching TV helps me relax which is important isn’t it?”

Yes…but…it’s all about amount isn’t it. You know yourself if you are watching too much – if you are feeling even slightly guilty about watching something then you probably shouldn’t be. There is a lovely righteous feeling when you know you have revised effectively and you are simply relaxing at the end of the day to wind down a bit – if you don’t have that feeling then turn off the TV!

There is a reason for catch-up TV and recording devices…you can catch-up with your fave programmes when you have finished your assignemtns are handed in and your revising and exams are in the bag. You wouldn’t enjoy them as much knowing you should be studying anyway.

Procrastination---TV



Procrastination 4: “I only went onto to BuzzFeed/YouTube to get some study hacks – I just got a bit sucked into the trending stuff”

Sure, because BuzzFeed or YouTube are the best sources for any study advice. Don’t kid yourself, you just wanted some instant gratification and an excuse not to buckle down! Tim Urban has written a set of brilliant and very funny blog posts about the battle between instant gratification and procrastination which we thoroughly recommend reading – though they are quite long so please do not just use them as another source of procrastination!!

If you genuinely want revision advice then please see our own Exam and Revision Techniques web pages. If you’re still working on essays, check out our Essays and Other Academic Writing web pages for further help. Not only are these pages full of useful information and tips, they also have links to other great resources produced by our colleagues at other universities.

Procrastination---Buzzfeed

“I can’t just sit around and revise, I need to be more active so I go for a run/to the gym/play sport”

If you are naturally an active person then the forced inactivity of revising can be a real issue and can cause stress in itself. Again, it is all about balance. Create a timetable that not only includes writing, revision and study, but that includes time for the activities you need to do to feel human. Ration your fun activities during the weeks you need to revise to take into account the higher priority that study needs to take before and during the exam period.

Procrastination---Running

For revision, you can always try to combine it with exercise – download appropriate podcasts or even record yourself reading key information and listen to it whilst power walking or jogging. It is amazing how much imagining yourself doing such activities during the exam helps you recall the information you were listening to.

Short walks to get some fresh air and clear your mind can also be an excellent precursor to setting down for some serious study. As you walk, try to recall what you already remember about the topic you intend to revise next – this is a great way of connecting any new stuff you read to what you already know – which makes it easier to remember during the exam.

Steps for Writing a Summary Essay
Thoroughly read and study the original text. When you read it, get a feeling for the author’s style, tone and mood, and try to identify the main ideas expressed.
Divide the text into several sections, and sketch a rough outline. Breaking the text into several parts will make the material easier to grasp. Then read each part once more, but this time highlight some of the key points. Mark areas you want to refer to in your summary, as well as those that shouldn’t be included in your essay.
When you have a clear understanding of the information in each part of the source, write down the main idea in each section in the form of a short overview.
Write an introduction. It should briefly present the main ideas in the original text. The introduction should include the name of the author, the title of their work, and some background information about the author, if needed.
In the main body paragraphs, state the ideas you’ve chosen while reading the text. Expand on them by including one or more examples from the original text. Include important information only and avoid describing minor, insignificant points.
After you have summarized the main ideas in the original text, your essay is finished. A conclusion paragraph should be added if your teacher specifically tells you to include one.

Selecting your essay topic
For many students this is the most difficult part. Choosing an overly-broad topic will make it challenging to provide enough specific evidence in your body paragraphs. You also don’t want to make the topic too specific, because then you may have trouble finding enough resources.

Something else to consider is the type of essay you’ll be writing:

Persuasive – arguing one opinion or point of view
Explanatory – showing/describing an event, usually with a neutral point of view
Compare/Contrast – finding similarities and differences between two people, books, works of art, scenes, or concepts
Narrative/Descriptive – telling a story (often personal)
For persuasive essays, you’ll need to pick a topic that is arguable on two (or more sides). For an explanatory essay, you’ll want to pick a topic which you can either research extensively, or about which you’re already very knowledgeable. When picking a topic for a compare and contrast essay, pick two things that have clear similarities and differences, and make sure you’re identifying two separate people, events, or works. A narrative essay provides more leeway in choosing a topic–essentially, you’ll want to choose a topic that resonates with you.

In general, many people find that when they’re interested in the topic it’s much easier to write the essay. It’s also far more enjoyable. And you may even determine that this subject is your passion!

If you’re struggling, don’t be too rash to pick a topic–do your research and make a list of potential topics so you can weigh your options.

Thesis statement
The thesis statement is usually the most important part of your essay—and basically what the whole paper revolves around. For some, writing the thesis after doing research and gathering substantial information works best. Other times–especially if you’re very familiar already with your topic–writing a thesis statement immediately after selecting your topic works fine.

If you aren’t sure where you stand, I recommend not stressing about the thesis and waiting until after you’ve gathered all the information.

What does a thesis statement accomplish?
A major component to essay writing is getting comfortable crafting thesis statements. A thesis statement organizes and summarizes your ideas and information into a solid argument and subsequently provides your readers (and yourself) with organization throughout your essay.

If you don’t have an assigned topic

What do you do when you have trouble writing an essay? Surf the Internet, ask your friends for assistance, hire a writing service? Yet has it ever occurred to you to ask the one who has given you this task in the first place?

You may feel embarrassed or intimidated (like most students), but it is easier than it may sound; besides, you may get much more than just essay help out of it. Here is how you can do it.

1. Ask for Examples of Bad Writing
awful writing

While asking your professor for an example of good writing may sound like a dead giveaway and can make him suspect you of copying someone else’s style, specifically asking how you are not supposed to write may provide the opposite effect.

2. Ask a Very Specific Question
how much cheese

Sometimes a good question is better than an answer. If you ask about something very specific it shows that you’ve been thinking about the subject and done some research of your own. Believe me, after dealing with hundreds upon hundreds of dull-eyed students writing generic essays year after year your professor will cry tears of joy at somebody finally showing any interest in the subject.

3. Write a Polite Email
tom hanks you've got mail

Students often feel that addressing their professors via email is intrusive. However, if your professor announced his email to his class, it means that this address exists for this sole purpose – to provide students with additional guidance. Which means that if you write a polite and carefully organized letter your professor is not only unlikely to be annoyed, but will probably be flattered.

Also, using emojis and writing “heeeeelp!!!!!” in the subject line probably isn’t a very bright idea.

4. Start with a Compliment
you smart

Flattery will get you anywhere! At least if it is subtle enough.

When you ask your professor for help, it is always worth mentioning how much you like his course and believe you’ve never been interested in the subject so much before taking it. You will be amazed how many professors are ready to go out of their way to help students who seem to actually value their work.

5. Plan ahead and Be Reasonable
stiles and derek

Teaching and helping students is your professor’s job, not a hobby. Which means that calling him on weekends or late in the evening is likely to make you very unpopular very soon.

Check the syllabus for your professor’s office hours and, if possible, policies concerning dealing with students. Chances are, conditions on which you can get help or ask for a meeting are described there; if not, ask politely for a time when it is convenient for him to meet you. Remember – it is you who needs it, not your professor, so don’t expect him to inconvenience himself on your account.

Getting assistance from your professor is not only useful in short term – building rapport will help you out later, so don’t be shy!

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