Don't Avoid It, Just Do It

          As a student, I have struggled to start on an assignment because I fear I will not do it correctly.  I tend to experience this sense of uncertainty when I am writing a long paper for a class that is outside my major. For example, last semester I took an anthropology class which was very difficult for two particular reasons. First of all, I was unfamiliar with the subject and secondly, it involved a lot of biology which is a subject I tend to find challenging. To add to the stress, I was expected to write a 12 page research paper on the topic of eye color variation. I felt so intimidated that I even considered postponing the assignment and leaving it until the last minute. However, from this experience, I learned that I need to do the opposite, and start on the assignment sooner rather than later.  By doing this, I came to value the importance of conducting research on my topic prior to developing an outline. Now as a tutor, I suggest and encourage my students to employ this technique because it helps us enhance our understanding of the topic. Students for example, can annotate articles as well as watch videos.  The goal is not become an expert on the topic, but rather to gain a sense of knowledge that makes us comfortable enough to proceed into the first stage of writing. Moreover, I’ve found that once I have gathered sufficient information, I can develop an outline that is both organized and structured. 

By Juliebeth Lopez, CSU Fresno Student, WRC Tutor