[lookout123]

My method worked for me very well, but I've heard that it isn't effective for others. I started using it freshman year of high school and kept on through military courses and on through college and in professional studies. It works for me.

Regardless of the time frame allowed, once the assignment is known I form a preliminary plan of what point I want to present and then I gather information. When I was in school it was all hard copy, but it should work the same for web sources. Anyway, I would read any and everything I thought would have some baring on the subject and then just let it stew. For a 10 page paper I would start writing about 3 days before it was due. I would sit down and blast out a rough copy of what I wanted to say. Then I would go back and start adding source material, quotes, and point refinement. The next day I'd pick it up and reread it to make sure it made sense and then I'd really make sure that all the phrasing sounded like "me" to make sure I wasn't inadvertantly plagerizing a source. Further refinement, balancing of the sourcing and footnotes, delete the redundant. The morning it was due I'd get up, reread it focussing on grammar and punctuation. Quick final changes and turn the puppy in.