1. Decode the prompt
Underline the task words — analyze, compare, evaluate — and the scope. If anything is ambiguous, ask your tutor before you write a word.
2. Build a one-page outline
Thesis first, then three supporting arguments with one source each. A tight outline turns writing day into fill-in-the-blanks.
3. Research with a timer
Give yourself 90 minutes per source batch. Capture the citation the moment you open a source — never after.
4. Draft fast, edit slow
Write the full draft in one sitting without self-editing. Then revise in three passes: structure, paragraphs, then sentences.
5. Proofread backwards
Read the paper from the last sentence to the first. Errors you glossed over suddenly pop out. And yes — run it through Turnitin before submitting.
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