Writing is a process. This is a bad thing, because we like closure. We like to think that once we write a paper and turn it in, we will never have to deal with it again, and thus we become upset when our instructor returns it to us with suggestions for revisions. We think to ourselves, "But I wrote the paper once, and now I have to do it again?" We may also find ourselves reluctant to edit our own work or accept feedback from someone else, mistakenly believing that we did it perfectly the first time. Similarly, we may have difficulty actually writing anything, because we feel that any thought that's transferred into written words is a permanent part of the universe, and because we also feel that whatever we write or type must be absolutely perfect.
All of these reactions are wrong.
Anyone who does a lot of writing, whether it be creative or scholarly, will tell you that writing is something that requires writing multiple drafts, soliciting reader feedback, and making revisions based on that feedback. The books and journal articles you use when researching a topic have undergone numerous revisions even before they were accepted for publication. The first revisions are usually made by the writer after putting the paper aside for a few days. Later revisions are made by readers, often people who are familiar with the general subject area. After a manuscript is submitted for publication, it's read by several other people, all of whom give suggestions for improvement. Sometimes, a manuscript needs so much work, even at this stage, that it has to be revised yet again by the author and his or her friends before re-submitting it to the publisher for another round of consideration.
Good writing takes time.
This is why term papers are usually assigned early in the semester: your instructors, having written lots of papers themselves, know that it takes time to write a quality paper. This time includes not just the time spent conducting research and actually writing the paper, but also the time required to start the revision process. The paper you start working on the day before it's due, the paper you stay up all night writing and don't edit before turning in, is not going to be a good paper. We've all written that type of paper - yes, your professors too, which is why they can recognize a last-minute effort when they see one.
Sometimes you will be in a situation in which you are required to turn in multiple drafts of a paper, and you receive feedback on all of the drafts. This is a great situation, because it allows you to see improvement in your writing and thought processes and also get feedback from an "expert" in that area of study. Learn from this! You can also use the "multiple draft" approach in classes that don't require multiple drafts: ask your instructor to look over a draft and make suggestions! Not only are you likely to get a better grade on your paper, but your instructor will know that you are interested in doing well.
Suggestions for improving the writing process (and your grades):
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