I like these strategies. The other day, I read a tip from a script writer who suggested doing a 'draft 0'. Just get everything on the page that needs to be said. Not just structure, but nice quotes you have, concise takeaway messages, etc. Just so nothing gets lost, and you broke the blank page in. Is there anything that you would suggest students do who are really anxious to get started?
That's a great tip! It reminds me of what Anne Lamott calls "sh**ty first drafts." When I was teaching writing we sometimes had students work on research mad libs, where they would fill in the blanks: I'm writing about _____ to understand ______ because _________. It was helpful to have students work through different iterations of each open question and think about what they wanted to know and why it was important. Low stakes writing is so key for all of us, and yet it's hard to do because we know it won't (yet) be something great.
Oh, I like this! It's easier with my MSc Forensic Psychology students, but next year I'm teaching undergraduates and I might borrow this mad libs idea! Thank you!
I like these strategies. The other day, I read a tip from a script writer who suggested doing a 'draft 0'. Just get everything on the page that needs to be said. Not just structure, but nice quotes you have, concise takeaway messages, etc. Just so nothing gets lost, and you broke the blank page in. Is there anything that you would suggest students do who are really anxious to get started?
That's a great tip! It reminds me of what Anne Lamott calls "sh**ty first drafts." When I was teaching writing we sometimes had students work on research mad libs, where they would fill in the blanks: I'm writing about _____ to understand ______ because _________. It was helpful to have students work through different iterations of each open question and think about what they wanted to know and why it was important. Low stakes writing is so key for all of us, and yet it's hard to do because we know it won't (yet) be something great.
Oh, I like this! It's easier with my MSc Forensic Psychology students, but next year I'm teaching undergraduates and I might borrow this mad libs idea! Thank you!