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Contrating/Working

Teh_GerbilTeh_Gerbil Posts: 13,332 Born on Earth, Raised by The Mix
edited March 27 in Work & Study
Ok, i seem to be unable to concentrate and work at my work latley. I need to do a 3000 word essay, and I just can't keep my mind on it. Other homeworks before this have been bad, I could barley do them. Now, I need to do this one, so - HELP! How can I do it, what to do to help myself get down to work. I think now, doing this second year of college was fucking stupid - should just have done AS, I really can't cope with this. I just want it all to go away, or something. The world to fuck off and leave me alone for a while.

So, help. Need to do it now. What things can help me get to work, etc.
Post edited by JustV on

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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    When i find in really can't concentrate on something i lay down for five minutes and play some music really loud - blast all the thoughts out and clear my head and then try and get on with it.. usually works.. Either that or you could stop relying on caffine .. :p

    If your really having trouble getting anything at all down just put down some really, really basic main points and like add to them, sentence by sentence if you have to, until you get into it and stuff begins to flow..
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    Teh_GerbilTeh_Gerbil Posts: 13,332 Born on Earth, Raised by The Mix
    Why did I put contrating? Oh dear. Thanks.. i'll start putting basic points down... eep.
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    If I have to write an essay thatI really don't want to write, I do it kinda mathematically. First I find the total word count and take off 10% :D Then I write down the title and write down the biggest things I can think of without looking in any reference texts to go with it- about five. Then I get out the most simplified text on the subject that I have to hand and customise my first thoughts around the chapters/key points- should leave me with a title and section guides. Fag break, coffee break- deserve it!

    Write each section header on the top of a seperate sheet of A4, the same for 'introduction' and 'conclusion' and also, spaced out under the title on a fresh page. Divide revised word count by section pages and write this number on page of least painful section guide. For each hundred word, write a mini bullet point, I do the most interesting sections first in the hopes that I'll go over their bullet point count and make the painful sections shorter! Do this for all sections then REWARD! Watch Eastenders, fag, coffee- well deserved!

    Get together all the texts you have on subject and look for quotes references to back up the important and/or vague bullet points. Write then out under the bullet point and put the full references on a fresh page with your Bibliography. Write all the rest of the gathered material in the Bibliography. Another break.

    Then it's like dot-dot essay writing because the structure is already there!

    I set myself little rewards like- once I've done so-and-so section I'll be allowed to... music/tv/walk/phone a friend etc Can you tell I've written a fair few essay that I didn't want to?

    Good luck
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    Teh_GerbilTeh_Gerbil Posts: 13,332 Born on Earth, Raised by The Mix
    Thanks, that seems like a very good idea indeed. Makes it sound far easier.

    Now, to actually find the motherfucking essay sheet that tells me what to do. :mad: I need organisation - oh well - only gotta keep myself sane until june! then its make or break time - will I pass A2? Maybe. It's doubtful as I got bad grades for AS. :o I got a B, D, and E.
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    You got three passes then- well done, even an e means you stuck it out til the end, handed in your work and took your exams. Don't worry too much about the grades- do you need any in paricular for next plan of action?

    What's the subject of your essay and what's the title- and the hand in date?
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    Teh_GerbilTeh_Gerbil Posts: 13,332 Born on Earth, Raised by The Mix
    Eh, nah, I just need to pass really. Not going to uni. But this year is being so much harder - I should have taken a gap year between them or something. Too late now. :(

    The essay is "The Making of Modern Russia, 1856-1964"
    - In what ways was the rule of the Tsars similar and different to the Communists?
    - How did the economic changes of the period affect the peasants?

    Sigh... its going to be hard. GOT to be in by May. MEANT to be in by end of Jan i think.
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    littlemissylittlemissy Posts: 9,972 Supreme Poster
    If you are serious about doing your essay you need to shut down the internet, ie thesite and any other places you look at for fun, turn the tv/music/whatever off, stock your desk up with munchies and the books and the likes and just sit down and do it.

    You won't get anywhere if you have hundreds of distractions. And like katralla said, reward yourself at specific points. For example, when you get to 500/end of the second section words have a half hour break where you can look at thesite, have a walk, go to the shop or whatever you choose.

    This is what I am having to do at the moment as I have 3 essays to write this week (one being 1500 words and the other two being 2500 and they ain't fun)
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    hiya
    thought you might find these helpful:
    How to write essays
    How to research
    How to study
    Motivation

    I'm gonna move this to the student forum as you might get more response... good luck! :)
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Turn off your internets!
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    I agree - see i'm putting of doing something really long by typing here.

    I used to do all my essays really early in the morning when there were not destractions.

    I also used to do somethign really similar to the mathmatical methord and wrote all my subject headings down and then filled in the gaps.

    Also do a bibilography - you should read at least 7 books for a good essay and once you've typed them up with all thier names and things it takes a big whack out of the word count.

    Right I really really really am going to go do some work
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    do you include the bibliography in the word count? i never have... should i? or does it depend on the uni etc?
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Kat_B wrote:
    do you include the bibliography in the word count? i never have... should i? or does it depend on the uni etc?

    I don't, because I was told footnotes and bibliography don't count towards the word count unless specified. That might just be here though.
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    MoonArcanum wrote:
    I don't, because I was told footnotes and bibliography don't count towards the word count unless specified. That might just be here though.

    I don't either.

    Thanks for sharing your method Katralla! I've got two 2,500 word essays to be in next week and I'm having serious motivational problems! :banghead: Going to take my wireless card out methinks so I don't have any distractions as it is just so tempting to go on the internet. Good luck with your essays everyone!
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