Do writing projects fill you with dread? Don’t know where to start? Make any task less daunting by first identifying each small, manageable step. Then, use a calendar to map out a plan for meeting the project deadline.
The University of Minnesota Library has made determining deadlines for each step of a research paper truly easy with the Assignment Calculator. Once you select the research paper option, type your start date and due date. Then, the website will calculate a target date for each step of the research writing process and outline specific tasks.
If you are not writing a research paper, there are many other ways to break a writing project into small steps. For example, to write a five paragraph essay, you could break down the task by paragraphs: introductory paragraph, topic 1 paragraph, topic 2 paragraph, topic 3 paragraph, and conclusion. Plan to set a date for drafting each paragraph. In addition, allow time for revising and editing before publishing.
With your specific steps in mind, create a timeline for completing your writing by working backwards from the final product deadline. Use a digital calendar to schedule a completion date for each step and add reminders to help keep you on task.
Ready to plan your timeline and begin your first step? Open your digital calendar by logging into your free Microsoft account or free Google account.
The benefits of using a calendar to add due dates and reminders to complete each small step:
- Makes the task seem less overwhelming and more achievable
- Helps you stay on track and monitor progress to completion
- Allows you celebrate the small wins and the end result
Microsoft Outlook Calendar
Add an event and a reminder to an Outlook calendar
- Login into Microsoft 365 at www.microsoft365.com. Select Outlook from the icons on the left side.
- Once in Outlook, click the Calendar icon on left side.
- Viewing the calendar, either double-click on a date in your calendar or press the New Event button in the upper left.
- Type a title for your step. Add a description, if desired.
- Click on the date to change it, if needed.
- Select the begin time and end time from the drop downs. Or toggle All Day.
- Use the Clock icon drop down to set up a reminder at a predetermined time before the event. For example, you may choose to be reminded 1 day before. Then, when you are logged into Microsoft 365, a pop-up message will remind you of the event on the specified day.
- Press Save.
Microsoft Support articles: Outlook Calendar training
Tip: Add tasks and events to the calendar and then look the month view. It will give you a visual of today’s date in relation to the upcoming due dates to help you plan and prioritize tasks. Also, use the weekly view or daily view to make plans to focus on each small step.
Note: You can also use Microsoft To Do for tasks and reminders. Microsoft To Do has advantages because you can view tasks as a to-do list and prioritize the tasks in the “planned” view.
Google Calendar
Add a task to the calendar
- Log into your Google account. On the Google home page, click the waffle icon next to your profile picture and select Calendar. It can also be accessed through your Gmail application by clicking the calendar icon on the right side and pressing Open in New Tab.
- Viewing the calendar, either click on white space in your calendar or press the +Create button in the upper left and select Event. Note: The Task feature does not offer the option of adding a reminder.
- Type a title for your step. Add a description, if desired.
- Click on the date to change it, if needed.
- To add a time, uncheck the All Day box. Click on the time. Then, select a time from the drop down.
- To add a reminder, use the drop downs next to the bell icon. You can choose the reminder type (email or notification) and the number of minutes, hours, days, or weeks. And you can add multiple reminders.
- Press Save.
Google Help articles: Create an event and Create, find & edit reminders in Google Calendar
Tip: Add tasks and events to the calendar and then look the month view. It will give you a visual of today’s date in relation to the upcoming due dates to help you plan and prioritize tasks. Also, use the weekly view or daily view to make plans to focus on each small step.
Note: You could also use Google Task to list each small step and add a date and time. However, the tasks do not show up on your calendar and, currently, you cannot add a reminder. For these reasons, I recommend adding each task and reminder directly into Google Calendar.
More tools for getting started on a writing project
Explore all the tech tools to help you get started on a writing project. First, break the assignment into small manageable pieces. Then, just let your thoughts free flow. Capture those thoughts using a graphic organizer or a dictation tool. Next, organize your ideas and find a template to provide structure to your writing. And use collaboration tools if working with a group and/or for peer review and editing.
- Brainstorm and organize ideas using a graphic organizer
- Structure writing with a document template
- Record ideas or write a draft using a dictation tool
- Use collaboration tools for collaborative projects or or peer review
Resources
These resources are provided simply to create awareness about additional options to help get started on a writing assignment. The following project management mobile apps and web applications can be used to break a projects into tasks, assign dates, assign team members to tasks, shows the status and progress.
- Microsoft Planner – requires a Microsoft 365 subscription
- Trello – free for 10 plans
- Slack – free version has limitations
- Asana – free for 15 collaborators
Note: Some educational institutions and workplaces have a subscription to these applications. Check to see if you have already have access to these tools through your school or employer, if applicable.
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Related posts
- Research Phase of Writing: Learn about digital support tools for reading comprehension from the Reading Toolkit page.
- Editing Phase of Writing: Learn about digital support tools for writing conventions (spelling, capitalization, punctuation, and grammar) from the Writing Toolkit page.