How to Study

Step 7: Write the First Draft
You may not have realized it, but you’ve already done a lot of the hard
work that goes into the writing stage. You have thought about 
how your paper will flow, you have organized your notes, and 
you have prepared a detailed outline. All that’s left is to transfer your
information and ideas from note cards to paper.
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Good writing takes concentration and thought. And concentration
and thought require quiet—and lots of it! You also need to have 
plenty of desk space, so you can spread out your note cards in front
of you, your work area should be well-lit, and you should have a 
dictionary and thesaurus close at hand. If possible, “write” directly 
on to a computer, so you can add, delete, and rearrange your words
at the touch of a button.
Remember: At this point, your goal is to produce a rough draft—with
emphasis on the word “rough.” Your first draft isn’t supposed to be
perfect. It’s supposed to need revision. If you go into this thinking
you’re going to turn out a teacher-ready paper on your first try, you’re
doomed. That kind of performance pressure leads only to anxiety and
frustration.
The essence of good writing has little to do with grammar, spelling,
punctuation, and the like. The essence of good writing is good 
thinking.
Your thoughts, ideas, and logic are the foundation of your paper. 
And you need to build a house’s foundation before you worry about
hanging the front door. So, for now, just concentrate on getting 
your thoughts on paper. Don’t worry about using exactly the “right”
word. Don’t worry about getting commas in all the right places. We’ll
take care of all that polishing later.
Your note cards helped you come up with a detailed outline. Now,
they’re going to help you plot out the actual paragraphs and sentences
of your paper:
1. Your note cards should be arranged in the same order as your
detailed outline. Take out all of the note cards labeled with the
number or letter of the first topic on your outline. 
2. Out of that stack, take out all the cards marked with the same 
“headline” as the first subheading in your outline. 
Chapter 7 
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