Outline

 I worked on inspiration: I just wrote and thought. I used to write academic papers without a general look for the whole essay. Thinking and writing at the same time distract me from the main point of my essay so I used to spend much time rereading the whole thing that I wrote to make sure I had a supporting idea. The process of rereading, thinking and writing wasted my time a lot (it took me 5 hours to finish a logically reasonable essay); it made me exhausted and bored with the essay, therefore, I procrastinated on my work. 

IELTS exemplifies the disadvantage of not making outlines before writing. In the writing part of the exam, candidates spend 20 minutes on part 1 and 40 minutes on part 2. I always wrote in about 40 minutes total for both parts. Right! because I did not make outlines for what should be written. The result of all my writing is a lack of coherence and cohesion.

In this semester, I am required to follow step by step to write every assigned paper. My writing professors give me due date for each of step:

I have time to embrace the problem depicted in my paper, map out detailed ideas. When I start working earlier than 10 days, I carefully search for related vocabulary; sometimes, they are not used, but my English vocabulary is increasing by linking those words to familiar topics. By writing drafts where my ideas for my essay are headlined first by making outlines, I have an intense understanding of the prompt and necessary arguments I should make in my essay.

Only after 2 papers, I gradually see the importance of outlines. I have a period to focus on creating contents, making arguments and finding supporting resources for my essay; from well-prepared drafts, I quickly complete my essay with a few additional details and editions.