Writing Essays | ADHD Information
I think I'm always going to have troubles with that one because I do everything ass backwards......even wen you watch me handwrite something, most people do it in a particular direction....lie lowercase e, I do it backwards from EVERYONE.....start with and answer and figure out how I got there....Unfortunately essays ass backwards don't work...
arb-xero:
a beginning statement is nearly just the same as the closing statement.
For a beginning statement, you basically use "introductary" (is that a word?) terminology. You are really just using words and sentences to introduce the topic to the reader.
For the closing statement, you are basically stating the same facts as the beginning topic, you are just doing it in more of a "signing off" manner. You are drawing the whole "conversation" to a close.
It's all in the terminology.
What do you have tow write about?
Let me see if I can give an example:
Opening: Gestational diabetes is a common problem among pregnant women.
Closing: By following these guidelines, gestational diabetes in women can be kept at bay.
It's almost the same, one is starting off the conversation, and the other is ending it.
It also depends on what you are talking about.
yeah I do better typing but that's mainly because my handwriting is terrible, I can type and near speaking speeds.....I'm pretty good at it but I tend to type as if I were talking....
Do you type?
I also have trouble (lots of trouble) with handwriting but I do better typing.
I was always taught from my school days to after you get a topic to list everything you can on the topic then after all the ideas are listed then you can organize it how you want it. I have been out of college now over 10 years.Do any of you know how? seriously. I'm smart... I think...Anyways I've had 100 people try and explain it and I've had people help me while writing it but I NEVER can write a passing essay....
help? I'm hoping that SOMEONE here knows how and can explain it in a ritalin-kid friendly way because it just doesn't make sense to me...
anybody wanna tutor me? hell if you are willing to help enough I'll pay you to remote-tutor me...
you start with a main idea. perferrably, a sentence that will catch the reader's attention and hold it, and that is all about the subject being written about....
then you state all these facts and interesting things about that main idea. try to have the facts as organized into little groups as much as possible, and try to make them flow from one point to the next.... Use sentences that blend one thought group to the next.... Be sure to seperate each thought group into a paragraph. if you start talking about a different thought, put it into a different paragraph.
Then you end it by stating one "sum it up" fact about that main idea. Or basically, state the main idea again, just in different, conclusive terminology.
the end.
this is how I excelled so well in my college writing class.
it also helps if you have a choice as to what you are writing about. Try to get a subject, if you have a choice, that you really enjoy, and that you know a lot about anyway. (this saves the whole "RESEARCH" step behind the essay, which for ad/hders, is another whole ballgame altogether...I have not yet mastered "researching" yet...)
hey, can you choose to do an essay on ad/hd? I'LL BET YOU WOULD ROCK, IF YOU COULD DO AN ESSAY ABOUT THAT!!
sonya_h38478.4134143519 [QUOTE=sonya_h]it also helps if you have a choice as to what you
are writing about. Try to get a subject, if you have a choice,
that you really enjoy, and that you know a lot about anyway.
(this saves the whole "RESEARCH" step behind the essay, which for
ad/hders, is another whole ballgame altogether...I have not yet
mastered "researching" yet...)[/QUOTE]
That's
generally not possible in university classes. If the prof wants you to
write about the effects of sediment flow rate, you write about the
effects of sediment flow rate.
Even
something that you know about should be researched, since new
developments could have come up since you last saw any information.
Plus, most essays, especially social science ones, require quotes and a
full bibliography at the end.
I was a
social sciences major - I had to write about 4-8 essays per semester.
It sucked!!! I generally did pretty mediocre on them because I always
left them to the last minute.
The most
important thing for an ADDer to do is to break everything into
manageable chunks. Here are some pointers to try and help:
Grab anything that looks like it might be useful. Better to have too much info than not enough. If some of the books don't get used, so be it. Take a break. A few days later, look through half your books. Make notes on what looks interesting or helpful. Label each of your pages with the name of the book and relevant page numbers. Take a break. The next day, do the same with your other half of the books. If you have a lot of books, or if you find this too overwhelming, break this section of the project into several days, 1 hour intervals at a time. Another good reason to start as early as possible before the due date!
Take a break. By now a lot of the info should be bouncing around in your head. Sit down and try to come up with a workable outline. It helps to estimate a number of pages for each section - 1. Introduction - 3/4 - 1 page; 2. 1st argument (state argument) - 2 pages; etc. REMEMBER THAT THIS OUTLINE WILL NOT BE WRITTEN IN STONE. You can change things later. Don't stress about making it perfect. Take a break.Start adding sub-sections to your outline, for example, evidence supporting your argument in note form. By all means, you may even do this while orginally drawing up your outline - that way you won't forget things later. Take a break.
Using your outline as a guide, begin to write your chunks. Do one chunk per day, or more if you feel you are on a roll. When you are finished, sit on it for a day and then re-read it with fresh eyes. Then have a friend read it, and ask him/her to point out any choppy or inconsistent sections. Even the most brilliant writers out there have editors who make suggestions for improvement - don't take any critisism personally! Had I applied these things when I was in university, I know I would have done much better. I know a lot of this sounds easier said than done, but it CAN be done. Breaking things up is the best way for an ADDer to do such a project. If necessary, don't look at it for days at a time. Carry a little notepad with you in case you get ideas in between sessions, and write them down so you don't forget them.
That covers the mechanics of getting the essay DONE, but if you want pointers for the language and flow aspect of the writing itself, I suggest you look through some journals on the topic you will be writing about, to see how the terminology/style generally flows.
I hope this helps.
bcgirl197838478.4794907407Oh, I definitely agree the first couple of sentences need to be catchy. I'm having a flashback to high school, to something called the 'thesis statement". This should be within the first couple of sentences of your intro - a statement which summarizes the objective of your paper. People won't read for very long if they don't know what they're reading about.
See I think I usually have 2 problems.....
I do everything backwards, I have troubles starting out with anything other than a conclusion, could you give me an example in the difference between opening statements and conclusion?
As for rambling, I have ALOT of problems with that, how do I know what's important and what isn't? I mean the problem is I have troubles mentioning one thing without adding in what I feel to be key information so they entirely understand my point but I end up 16Km off topic....
suggestions?
Some great suggestions! I use outlines now, but I remember I used to never be able to come up with the outline. This was my somewhat unorthodox method:
-search for your topic at the library, and photocopy everything you can find.
-take it home, and quickly scan each item. As you go through them just put them in stacks, each stack is a group of items on the same general topic.
-pick up the first stack, look through it, then try to summarize the information there and pick out the main message. You may want to summarize each item, then make a general statement at the end. Do this for each stack.
-when you have gotten through all of the stacks, look over what you have written. Rearrange these sections into a more logical order, if needed.
-add one introductory paragraph that basically says "X is important because....and within this subject, A,B,C and D will be discussed further".
-add one conclusion paragraph at the end (content totally depends on your field)
Good luck!
Well said Sonya!
I agree that you want/need to "catch" the reader's attention in the first sentence as most readers lose interest in the first few seconds that they spend reading.
Also use smaller paragraphs (since I being an ADD'er tend to ramble on in long paragraphs....which you don't want to do in an essay). But stay on the track of your subject.
I like to use bullets when possible (this is a way I break the main idea in to separate thoughts). I'm assuming you're using a word processor..............
As far as using the AD/HD subject matter, I'm not so sure I'd feel comfortable enough to use my AD/HD as subejct matter that I would be sharing with others.
For me after writing something, it's helpful to put it aside for awhile and then return to it to proof/make changes. This helps me to see that what I wrote is what I think I wrote.
I proofed/updated buget materials, financial statements, and accounts payable manuals for department heads and managers for 19 years..............
If you're comfortable talking to your professor about the AD/HD, would it be possible for him/her to provide any "help" to you as far as helping an AD/HD'er in essay writing? I just saw my psychologist this morning who is dyslexic. Since he couldn't pass a written test, he said that while he was in college his professor recognized his dyslexia and the college professor would only give my psychologist verbal essays (I didn't ask but assume this psychologist went to college in the 60's).
Good luck to you!
When I was doing essays for my BTEC (a UK qualification), my method was as follows:
Watch the cursor on the screen for about an hour, waiting for inspiration to leap out from the screen.
Give up, and then go and drink lots of beer
Return to the essay once good and drunk, and discover I can write with no trouble. Complete essay then go to bed.
The following morning, tidy up what was written the night before, and then submit as coursework.
It worked every time (don't laugh - it really did).
Mark -
Could someone help you with lots of typing? Normally when my husband needs something typed he dictates and I key away for him. There is a headphone thing available hands free for typing on the computer where you speak and it types it for you. The kinks I heard were if it hears you say a word it may type in another how it hears what you are saying. Something to look into. [QUOTE=DNKB]
Do you type?
I also have trouble (lots of trouble) with handwriting but I do better typing.
[/QUOTE]MY handwriting can be pretty sloppy unless I turn the paper almost half way around, practically upside down and use a particular fine point pen. Then it comes out really frilly and pretty but for the most part, I think I have developed my own set of hyrogliphics.
You should have seen my college notes in lecture classes...eee gads.Goldie....are you a south paw? Sounds like it by the way you hold your page when writing, but I may be wrong. BTW, Lefties are no longer a minority!
I definitely can communicate better by typing...my fingers can keep up with the words from my mind. Heck of a lot better than trying to verbally communicate. GypsyWomyn38479.525 [QUOTE=arbiterxero] Do any of you know how? seriously. I'm smart... I think...
Anyways I've had 100 people try and explain it and I've had people help
me while writing it but I NEVER can write a passing essay....
help? I'm hoping that SOMEONE here knows how and can explain it in a
ritalin-kid friendly way because it just doesn't make sense to me...
anybody wanna tutor me? hell if you are willing to help enough I'll pay you to remote-tutor me...
[/QUOTE]
Hi Arbit,
Believe it or not English/Comp/CompII in college were classes I excelled at.
What level of school are you in? College? What format do you have to use? MLM? Usually it's MLM format for college level.
What's the subject?
What are all the details. I'll help you out. You can PM me for further info if you are interested.
I kicked arse in this field, thanks to my handy dandy word processor as well. It takes me going over it about 10 times sometimes, dependeing on the length and subject, etc..
Anyway, let me know the deal if you still need help. I can be pretty patient at explaining because I know the feeling.I was one of thiose students that just wrote the paper the night before. I never got less than a B. The teachers got upset that I never had a rough draft so I had to write it 2 times. The only reason I could write is because it helped keep my thoughts organized in my head. What was in my mind I pictured like a movie in my head then wrote it all on paper in one flowing thought. Well, I prefer typing to writing unless it is something personal. But who writes these days unless it is a letter to someone. My handwriting is much better than when I was say 12 years old. I also do something unusual. I write with my right hand as a left-handed person would do. I have only met two people in my life who did the same . It was one of my sisters and a student of mine. Somehow my writing is better than what it used to be except if I am in a hurry, then I write like a doctor:)
Heh well I'm glad one of us has decent writing, I write as IF I were 12
[QUOTE=GypsyWomyn] Goldie....are you a south paw? Sounds like it by the way you hold your page when writing, but I may be wrong. BTW, Lefties are no longer a minority!
I definitely can communicate better by typing...my fingers can keep up with the words from my mind. Heck of a lot better than trying to verbally communicate. [/QUOTE]
Not a south paw
. Can you believe it but I've been asked that before when they see me turning my paper nearly upside down to write on it or they'll say, "You do that and write with your right hand????" It just feels comfortable and more easy for me to flow when I write.
I only write with my left hand if my 7 yr old daughter forgot to complete the last part of a homework assignment and there's not much time for her to complete it the next morning before school and so I try to write like her when doing it really quick. I rarely do that but every great once in a while....
goldenmoment38479.819525463