Oh, paper writing - something most college (and some high school) students cannot avoid. For some students, writing papers or essays comes naturally. For others - well, not so much. But if you do have to write a paper, here are tips on making the process as smooth as possible: 

• Know What Your Professor Is Looking For - This includes subject, page or word count, the style and deadline. Make sure you clearly understand the assignment before you start.
• Gather Your Materials Early - Gather any materials you need for the paper, such as books and articles, before you start the paper. You don’t want to write the paper last minute, only to find out that another classmate has the book you need or that the article’s website is down. Also check that you have adequate printing supplies, both paper and ink.
• Make Yourself A Timeline - Write down a timeline for your paper, including: when to gather materials by, when to make the outline, when to finish the first draft, when to read over the final copy and when the paper is due. It will keep you paced in your hectic schedule and help you avoid scrambling around at the last minute. Stick to it.
• Back Up Your Paper As You Write It - If you’re typing your paper in a word processor, make sure to save the paper every few minutes. At the end of each day, e-mail yourself the paper - Gmail and Yahoo have good storage capacity for this - and put another copy on a flash drive. This will help guard you against unexpected blue screens of death, viruses, hard drive meltdowns and more.
• Use Proper Formatting Style And Citations - Know what formatting style your paper needs to be written in; most college professors either use MLA (Modern Language Association) or APA (American Psychological Association) styles. And remember to cite sources as you go along - you don’t want to write the entire paper, then have to go searching through five different books for all of your citations afterwards. If you accidently miss a citation, you may be accused of plagiarization.
• Don’t Use Shortcuts - Professors aren’t stupid. They know when you’re trying to beat the system by using 14 pt. Courier fonts and two-inch margins, and this will be reflected in your grade. If you’re having trouble meeting word counts, get help early. You may just need some more sources.
• Get Help Early - If you have questions regarding your paper, it’s best to ask the professor earlier rather than later. And if you’re not a good writer, many colleges and universities offer writing centers that will help you with your weak spots.
• Write Multiple Drafts - You may find that you need to add transitional sentences or paragraphs, reorganize, cut text, add text and more. Don’t just write one draft and hand it in. The final product - and your best - should take a few drafts to achieve. Make sure to check out Tip Diva’s Top Ten Tips - Punch Up Your Writing.
• Read Over Your Final Copy - Do not just depend on your word processor’s spelling and grammar check - check it with your own eyes. There are some words these checks may miss - pubic for public, for example (can you imagine if that slips by on your paper?). If you can, have someone else read it over, such as a friend or someone at your college’s writing center. Many professors will even let you submit a first draft for their review.
• Understand Submission Guidelines And Have A Back-Up Plan - Understand how your professor wants you to hand in the paper. Some request hard copies; others only want electronic submissions. Some are very strict with deadlines; others are lenient. Make sure you get your paper in on and time and have a back-up plan if something goes wrong. For instance, if you have to hand it in on hard copy, print two copies in case one gets damaged. If you have to file an electronic copy, have an alternate e-mail or computer ready just in case you can’t send it from yours. The earlier you are able to submit something, the less chance you’ll have a problem submitting the paper.

What are your best essay writing tips?

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