How to Study

4. Prepare general outline. 
5. Do detailed research. 
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6. Prepare detailed outline (from note cards). 
7. Write first draft. 
8. Do additional research (if necessary). 
9. Write second draft. 
10. Prepare final bibliography. 
11. Spellcheck and proofread entire paper. 
12. Have someone else proofread. 
13. Produce final draft. 
14. Proofread one last time. 
15. Turn it in and collect your A+. 
Create a Work Schedule
Doing all these tasks efficiently and effectively requires careful 
timing and planning. This may not be the only assignment—or even
the only paper—you have to finish in a short amount of time.
So get out your calendar and mark the date your paper is due. How
many weeks till then? Four? Six? Ten? Plan to spend from one-half 
to three-quarters of your time on research, the rest on writing.
Block out set periods of time during each week to work on your paper.
Try to schedule large chunks of time—at least two or three hours, if
possible—rather than many short periods. Otherwise, you’ll spend
too much time trying to remember where you left off and repeat steps
unnecessarily.
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As you plan your work schedule, set deadlines for completing the 
general steps of your paper-writing process. For example:
Week 1: Decide on the topic and “angle” of your paper;
make a list of reference materials.
Weeks 2–4: Read reference materials; take notes.
Week 5: Do detailed outline; write first draft.
Weeks 6–7: Edit paper; prepare bibliography.
Week 8: Proofread paper; print final copy.
Of course, I can’t tell you exactly how much time to set aside for each
step, because I don’t know any of the specifics about your paper—
how long it’s supposed to be, how complex the topic—or how fast
you work. I can tell you that you should plan on consulting and/or
taking notes from at least six different sources. (Your teacher or 
subject may demand more; I doubt you’ll need fewer.) And plan on
writing two or three drafts of your paper before you consider it 
final.
Refer to your work schedule often, and adjust your pace if you find
yourself lagging.
The more time you have to complete a project, the easier it is to 
procrastinate about dealing with it, even to putting off identifying 
the steps and working them into your regular schedule. If you find
yourself leaving such long-term projects to the last week, schedule
the projects furthest away—the term paper due in three months, the
oral exam 10 weeks from now—first. Then, trick yourself—schedule
the completion date at least seven days prior to the actual due date,
giving yourself a one-week cushion for life’s inevitable surprises. 
(Just try to forget you’ve used this trick. Otherwise, you’ll be like the
perennial latecomer who sets his watch 15 minutes fast in an effort 
to finally get somewhere on time. Except that he always reminds 
himself to add 15 minutes to the time on his wrist, defeating the 
whole purpose.)
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