Anyone else here struggle with structuring/planning essays? I find it does not matter how hard I try, I just can't get it right unless there's a clear outline of how we're supposed to do it!
It's very frustrating because I'm generally an intelligent person, and I've found that in learning things nothing has stumped me like this, and most especially CONTINUED to stump me despite my best efforts to learn it.
I end up in loops in my head, or starting to try writing dot points and end up with 1600 words of dot points longer than the essay itself and hopelessly detailed. When I try to think of it as an overall structure, and how I'm going to place the paragraphs in relation to each other, and what I'm going to put in each paragraph, all relating in an ordered efficient way back to the introduction, I just blank.
After a few years, I am able to structure a relatively simple, one topic, 3 paragraph argumentative essay, but once you add more topics or complications into it, or the assignment sheet has a generalized non-specific description of what you're supposed to do, I'm completely stumped. I know the whole intro, para 1 &2 &3, conclusion structure like the back of my hand (and i've lost count of how many times I've looked at example plans and diagrams).
I was wondering if anyone else has these issues, and if this is linked to Aspergers, because of the whole "details and unable to see the overall picture" thing? Has anyone figured out an effective way to combat this? (No more "lolly shaped" (intro, 3 paragraphs, conclusion) argumentative essay plans like they give at high school please as I already know this)
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Into the dark...
09 Oct 2008, 3:35 am
