Writing an Essay Backward

Backward Design: Writing an Essay at The Last Minute


Most people will find this advice obvious, but for those of you who have never thought of this...here is the backward approach to writing an essay


Sometimes the best way to write an essay at the last minute is to write it first and do the research afterward. How does this work?


The idea is to write an essay completely off the top of your head. Only after you have finished the essay do you find the research and citations to see who has said what you have said. Why does this method work well?

1. Bits and Pieces: Many essays read like the student just glued bits of research together. The reason is that people often write an essay around the research. Instead research should be written around the essay. Research is your support, not your content. Your essay is more likely to flow when you simply write what you think about a topic
2. Voice When marking, it is refreshing when a paper has a "voice." For years I could tell when a paper had my "voice" and when it did not. It took me a few more years to see why. The papers that I wrote around the research, read just like the research. In the papers that I used research as the materials of the essay, not the essay itself, they carried my signature voice. I assure you that when marking, papers that read with voice are much more interesting to read. 
3. Unique Perspective Your essay will likely be creative and original. When you read a perspective or opinion on a topic it is often acts as a mental block against producing your own perspective. I suspect that your subconscious says, "o.k. I guess we are done thinking about that issue. Now what's for dinner?" When you write without having done all the research you will often be surprised by what comes out on the page. 

Caution: if all you do is add the citations, it is not going to be a very well thought out essay. What should happen is that, while finding the citations for your essay, your essay's content should evolve. In the end you should have an essay that is academic and but stylistically pleasing.


Why is this a last minute paper?

• This type of essay takes very little time to write. Why? You know exactly what research you are looking for.

Don't forget your tool kit...


I am still working on a complete essay guide, check back soon :)
The Insider