<p>I'm really having a hard time working on my research paper for my writing class. It's worth 40% of my grade, it's due on Friday, this is my first semester of college and a college-level research paper, and I'm freaking out. </p>
<p>I am definitely a perfectionist, and I know that I'm putting the paper off because I'm afraid to fail. I'm writing about how French high schools better prepare students for college than American high schools, so I have to do a lot of explaining and dead-on arguing to get my point across. I'm worried that I'm going to mess them up somehow. Plus, it's been really hard to find sources, and half of the ones I have don't have authors or are educational documents that I don't know how to cite. </p>
<p>I've received 3 grades in the class so far, (a 3.4, 4.0, and a 4.0) and I know that I have to do awesome on this paper to boost my grade to a higher A. I truly feel that I can do it, but I've been so afraid and doubtful the past week!! I've written 3 paragraphs and I hate them!! </p>
<p>Yeah, I’m trying to work on my law paper and I’m having similar problems. All I can say is just write trying very hard to write well, revise it as best you can, and be at peace knowing you tried hard to do well. That’s all you can really do</p>
<p>I’m a perfectionist, too, and I work with words for a living.</p>
<p>I’m very fond of the Swiss cheese method. Pretend the paper is a hunk of cheese. Start somewhere, anywhere, and poke a hole in the job by writing a small section. Don’t choose the introduction, though, and don’t worry about quality now. You’re only drafting a small part. </p>
<p>Then put it away and do another section. Repeat. At some point it will start to come together. Write the introduction LAST, when you know where you’re going. Finally, you’ll see ways to put it all together, and you’ll be able to revise to make it clearer and more coherent.</p>
<p>If you need help with citations, your library has specialists who can help. Go as soon as possible to get relevant information.</p>
<p>Your topic sounds interesting, and I suspect you’ll have fun along the way.</p>