How to BS Your Way Through a College Paper
Develop a plan., Hook your reader with the introduction., String together the paper’s body., Conclude your essay., Use online research tools., Incorporate block quotes., Cite everything., Use graphics and images., thesaurus., Do not panic., Shut out...
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Develop a plan.
Before beginning, write a sensible plan to guide yourself through the paper.
Break the essay into manageable parts that you can stick to during your allotted time.
Allot specific times based on your strengths and weaknesses in writing.
Consider using a plan such as the following:9:00 – 9:30 – Consider paper topic and your argument 9:30 – 10:30 – Conduct research. 10:30 – 10:40 – Short break. 10:40 – 11:00 – Write introductory paragraph. 11:00 – 12:15 – Write main body text. 12:15 – 13:00 – Write your essay. 13:00 – 14:00 – Weave in research and expert opinions. 14:00 – 14:15 – Short break. 14:15 – 15:00 – Revise and beef up your essay with extra text 15:00 –
15.15 – Check your essay for errors and print -
Step 2: Hook your reader with the introduction.
Use the introduction to let your readers know what you’re going to say in the paper.
Start with a hook, which catches or grabs your reader’s attention and can draws them into the paper.Make sure to clearly state your argument in simple prose, which is the entire point of the paper.
Writing a strong introduction may distract your professor from an otherwise terribly written body.An example of a hook could be “A letter from South Africa arrived at an British military government building Hamburg, Germany in November of
1945.
The message was from Adam Landauer, a German Jew interned in a camp for enemy aliens near Johannesburg.
Max’s letter does not survive, but an index card, nestled among 50 million other such cards, describes its contents and the action taken in response.
But the letter, is nevertheless important.
It was meant trace his brother, with whom he lost contact during the war.
This single letter showed the importance of agencies that could trace missing persons in order to reconstruct Europe after the hostilities.” , Allow yourself to free-write the “meat,” or body, of your paper.
Build on 2-3 relevant points that you’ve learned in class.
Then analyzing these points with your thoughts and opinions based on lectures and assigned readings.
This can quickly add text and volume to the paper that you can shape with some expert research in the revision process.Write simple sentences, which can simply the paper-writing process.
For example, you can easily build off of these four statements: “Roman rulers possessed considerable wealth;” “wealthy Romans used aqueducts built with lead before poorer citizens;” “the lead made the Roman leadership crazy;” “the Roman empire declined before aqueducts were widespread.” , Revisit what you’ve said in the introduction and body of your paper in the conclusion.
Provide a strong impression that you did what you set to do in the paper for your professor by saying things such as, “But Max’s case highlights the binary of humanitarian assistance: it was simultaneously benevolent and political.
This challenges earlier scholarship on the apolitical nature of humanitarian aid.” These types of statements may make your professor forget about the haphazard nature of your research and writing., Once you have your base paper, use Internet resources to your benefit.
Find quotes and research papers from experts on sites such as Google Scholar or Digital Dissertations.
Weaving in bits of information and block quotes can bolster your argument and fill out your paper even more., As you scour the Internet for research on your topic, look out for beautiful quotes or bits of information.
You can paraphrasing or weave them into your paper as a separate block quote.
Paraphrasing and block quotes can easily and quickly beef up the amount of writing in your paper, getting you closer to the word limit—and end of your panic!, Citations are an important part of any paper that legitimate your work.
Cite every fact, quote or block quote you use in the paper.
Cite several different works from the same person, which can further beef up your paper.
Citations tactics not only can quickly enlarge your paper, but also minimizes the risk of plagiarism., Find pictures and statistical graphics that support or are marginally relevant to your paper topic.
Write a couple of separate paragraphs about each graphic or image you use in the paper.
The image and your explanation of it can take up a considerable amount of space in the paper, making it easy to BS your way through the writing assignment., Make the thesaurus your best friend while you write.
Search for longer synonyms for words and phrases that fluff out your paper even more.
Using different words and phrases can be the difference in space of “the ways in which” for “how” and “reinforcing patriarchcal seigneurial norms” instead of “men rule.” In addition, creative use of vocabulary may distract your professor from other issues with the paper., Getting wildly emotional at this point will hinder your ability to write.
Instead, focus on what you can do 'now,' which is to do some triage research and write.
Staying positive, keeping up your work flow, and having a little determination can help you go far., Remove anything that may cause your mind to wander.
Put away your electronic devices and lists of things to do.
Sit away from your TV, phone, or other things you can watch.
If you are using the Internet for research, place a block on social media sites for a specific time to prevent the temptation of what your friends are doing.
Clearing away potential distractions can ensure you stay focused on getting your paper done., Eat a snack and drink a glass of water every hour.
This can refresh your body and mind, helping you to compose a better text in a faster time.
Avoid filling up on junk food and caffeine because it may cause you to crash and feel worse than you did before you ate.
Select the following types of healthy snacks to ensure you have fuel to keep working:
Piece of cheese Fresh fruit or cut veggies Hummus Yogurt A granola bar Pretzels Mixed nuts Peanut butter and jelly sandwich , After 60-90 minutes of writing, give yourself a 10-15 minute break.
Go for a short walk, pace the room, or do some light stretching.
Breaks help to refresh and refocus your body and mind.Avoiding breaks can make you more tired, affect your mood, and even less efficient at composing your paper. , Keep in mind that BSing for a paper will probably be evident to your professor.
They were students once and know most tricks in the book.
Recognizing that you probably won’t receive a great grade, which is better than a zero, on a BS paper may make it easier to complete the assignment.
It can also make it easier to deal with potentially negative comments from your professor. -
Step 3: String together the paper’s body.
-
Step 4: Conclude your essay.
-
Step 5: Use online research tools.
-
Step 6: Incorporate block quotes.
-
Step 7: Cite everything.
-
Step 8: Use graphics and images.
-
Step 9: thesaurus.
-
Step 10: Do not panic.
-
Step 11: Shut out distractions.
-
Step 12: Feed your brain with a snack.
-
Step 13: Take short breaks.
-
Step 14: Be realistic on your grade.
Detailed Guide
Before beginning, write a sensible plan to guide yourself through the paper.
Break the essay into manageable parts that you can stick to during your allotted time.
Allot specific times based on your strengths and weaknesses in writing.
Consider using a plan such as the following:9:00 – 9:30 – Consider paper topic and your argument 9:30 – 10:30 – Conduct research. 10:30 – 10:40 – Short break. 10:40 – 11:00 – Write introductory paragraph. 11:00 – 12:15 – Write main body text. 12:15 – 13:00 – Write your essay. 13:00 – 14:00 – Weave in research and expert opinions. 14:00 – 14:15 – Short break. 14:15 – 15:00 – Revise and beef up your essay with extra text 15:00 –
15.15 – Check your essay for errors and print
Use the introduction to let your readers know what you’re going to say in the paper.
Start with a hook, which catches or grabs your reader’s attention and can draws them into the paper.Make sure to clearly state your argument in simple prose, which is the entire point of the paper.
Writing a strong introduction may distract your professor from an otherwise terribly written body.An example of a hook could be “A letter from South Africa arrived at an British military government building Hamburg, Germany in November of
1945.
The message was from Adam Landauer, a German Jew interned in a camp for enemy aliens near Johannesburg.
Max’s letter does not survive, but an index card, nestled among 50 million other such cards, describes its contents and the action taken in response.
But the letter, is nevertheless important.
It was meant trace his brother, with whom he lost contact during the war.
This single letter showed the importance of agencies that could trace missing persons in order to reconstruct Europe after the hostilities.” , Allow yourself to free-write the “meat,” or body, of your paper.
Build on 2-3 relevant points that you’ve learned in class.
Then analyzing these points with your thoughts and opinions based on lectures and assigned readings.
This can quickly add text and volume to the paper that you can shape with some expert research in the revision process.Write simple sentences, which can simply the paper-writing process.
For example, you can easily build off of these four statements: “Roman rulers possessed considerable wealth;” “wealthy Romans used aqueducts built with lead before poorer citizens;” “the lead made the Roman leadership crazy;” “the Roman empire declined before aqueducts were widespread.” , Revisit what you’ve said in the introduction and body of your paper in the conclusion.
Provide a strong impression that you did what you set to do in the paper for your professor by saying things such as, “But Max’s case highlights the binary of humanitarian assistance: it was simultaneously benevolent and political.
This challenges earlier scholarship on the apolitical nature of humanitarian aid.” These types of statements may make your professor forget about the haphazard nature of your research and writing., Once you have your base paper, use Internet resources to your benefit.
Find quotes and research papers from experts on sites such as Google Scholar or Digital Dissertations.
Weaving in bits of information and block quotes can bolster your argument and fill out your paper even more., As you scour the Internet for research on your topic, look out for beautiful quotes or bits of information.
You can paraphrasing or weave them into your paper as a separate block quote.
Paraphrasing and block quotes can easily and quickly beef up the amount of writing in your paper, getting you closer to the word limit—and end of your panic!, Citations are an important part of any paper that legitimate your work.
Cite every fact, quote or block quote you use in the paper.
Cite several different works from the same person, which can further beef up your paper.
Citations tactics not only can quickly enlarge your paper, but also minimizes the risk of plagiarism., Find pictures and statistical graphics that support or are marginally relevant to your paper topic.
Write a couple of separate paragraphs about each graphic or image you use in the paper.
The image and your explanation of it can take up a considerable amount of space in the paper, making it easy to BS your way through the writing assignment., Make the thesaurus your best friend while you write.
Search for longer synonyms for words and phrases that fluff out your paper even more.
Using different words and phrases can be the difference in space of “the ways in which” for “how” and “reinforcing patriarchcal seigneurial norms” instead of “men rule.” In addition, creative use of vocabulary may distract your professor from other issues with the paper., Getting wildly emotional at this point will hinder your ability to write.
Instead, focus on what you can do 'now,' which is to do some triage research and write.
Staying positive, keeping up your work flow, and having a little determination can help you go far., Remove anything that may cause your mind to wander.
Put away your electronic devices and lists of things to do.
Sit away from your TV, phone, or other things you can watch.
If you are using the Internet for research, place a block on social media sites for a specific time to prevent the temptation of what your friends are doing.
Clearing away potential distractions can ensure you stay focused on getting your paper done., Eat a snack and drink a glass of water every hour.
This can refresh your body and mind, helping you to compose a better text in a faster time.
Avoid filling up on junk food and caffeine because it may cause you to crash and feel worse than you did before you ate.
Select the following types of healthy snacks to ensure you have fuel to keep working:
Piece of cheese Fresh fruit or cut veggies Hummus Yogurt A granola bar Pretzels Mixed nuts Peanut butter and jelly sandwich , After 60-90 minutes of writing, give yourself a 10-15 minute break.
Go for a short walk, pace the room, or do some light stretching.
Breaks help to refresh and refocus your body and mind.Avoiding breaks can make you more tired, affect your mood, and even less efficient at composing your paper. , Keep in mind that BSing for a paper will probably be evident to your professor.
They were students once and know most tricks in the book.
Recognizing that you probably won’t receive a great grade, which is better than a zero, on a BS paper may make it easier to complete the assignment.
It can also make it easier to deal with potentially negative comments from your professor.
About the Author
Alexis Evans
Professional writer focused on creating easy-to-follow lifestyle tutorials.
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