In addition to the regularly scheduled reading and tests that are a part of college are MAJOR PROJECTS. These are term papers, research projects, or other projects where the instructor gives students an extended amount of time to complete them.
The problem with MAJOR PROJECTS is that many students, too many students, do not allow themselves enough time to complete the projects, especially if the instructors do not provide students with class time to work on the projects..
Help is available for the students who wish to do well on these MAJOR PROJECTS.
The University of Minnesota provides an “Assignment Calculator” (http://www.lib.umn.edu/help/calculator/) that develops for students a timeline for completing the necessary activities that are a part of a MAJOR PROJECT. The site also provides links to resources for each of the project steps.
In summary, the steps that students need to take in order to be successful with MAJOR PROJECTS are
Step 1: Understand your assignment
Step 2: Select and focus topic
Step 3: Write working thesis
Step 4: Design research strategy
Step 5: Find, review, and evaluate books
Step 6: Find, review, and evaluate journal/magazine/newspaper articles
Step 7: Find, review, and evaluate web sites
Step 8: Outline or describe overall structure
Step 9: Write 1st draft
Step 10: Conduct additional research as necessary
Step 11: Revise & rewrite
Step 12: Put paper in final form
Do not try to complete MAJOR PROJECTS in a few days; utilize the entire time that the instructors give in order to organize, research, write and revise drafts, and complete a quality final product.