Using Psychology

Using Psychology

Do you have an essay-writing phobia.

by jmalouff | Sep 30, 2011 | Uncategorized | 87 comments

essay writing phobia in undergraduates

A few years ago another academic and I were walking with a student (“Kiki”) who said that she always handed in essay assignments two weeks after they are due — the last day before she would receive a 0. Each time she lost 20% of the total possible points due to an automatic penalty of 2% per work day late. Over the long run she was ruining her chances of going on to postgraduate study. The other academic walking with us started to tell Kiki that the university had now extended the penalty period to three weeks with a maximum penalty of 30%, but I elbowed him right away and shook my head. I knew that if Kiki heard this news she would change to submitting three weeks late and suffer an extra 10% penalty. I knew that because I understand phobias, and Kiki had one — essay-writing phobia.

This phobia involves fear and avoidance of writing an assigned essay and/or submitting the essay. In addition to lateness penalties, the avoidance can lead to last-minute writing with its attendant stress, poor quality, and low marks. This phobia is more common than you might think.

What causes essay-writing phobia? The causes are similar for all types of phobias. The main factors likely to contribute here are genetic, biological predispositions to feel anxious, perfectionism in general, setting an unrealistically high goal for the essay, low self-efficacy for writing in general or for the specific essay, and low levels of self-control. Two other possible factors: Avoidance helps the person feel much better in the short run by reducing anxiety, and avoidance with frantic last-minute writing gives the person an ego-protecting excuse for earning a low mark.

So what is the way out of essay-writing phobia? I’ll suggest 10 strategies in order of value for most individuals:

1. Change your goal to something realistic and valuable, like doing your best under the circumstances or submitting on time or ending your avoidance. Put aside goals of being perfect and impressing the heck out of someone.

2. Gradually expose yourself to what you fear. Write the easiest part of the essay first — start with your name or the title. A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step. Then write the next easiest part and so on, all the way to submitting. Praise yourself for courage at each step. Use my favorite definition of courage: Doing the right thing even tho scared. There is a great deal of research evidence that gradual exposure helps eliminate phobias.

3. Discuss your fears with someone who cares about your welfare or write in a journal about your fears. Bringing them out in the open will help you deal with them.

4. Calm yourself thru deep breathing, meditation, or some other means.

5. Focus on the task at hand — tell yourself what to do next on the assignment. Think that you are writing a draft that you will improve later, if necessary. Positive thoughts often lead to positive behavior.

6. Challenge self-defeating thoughts such as “Ï can’t do this” by thinking clearly about what “this” is and by looking for evidence from the past about whether you can do it.

7. Think of times you have written good essays and submitted on time.

8. Think of how you overcame some fear before in your life.

9. Think of individuals you admire who acted bravely.

10. Write in a new location or using a different method, e.g., paper rather than laptop. The change of procedure might give you a new perspective or expectation.

Those are my thoughts. For a case study describing treatment of essay-writing phobia, see http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/0005796786900422.

What helps you reduce essay writing fear and avoidance?

John Malouff, PhD, Associate Professor of Psychology

[Photo by Tyler Nix on Unsplash]

87 Comments

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I never liked writing papers, stories were easy, essays were always hard. It didn’t help that we were never really taught how to write a paper and I never had encouraging peers to help me. My best friend through part of high school helped me on my first essay of the year for a teacher and I got a B, but when I asked for her help again she refused and I got a D. Plus this teacher didn’t like me or my family, our grades were lower by default. No matter what we did. My cousin once switched the names on two papers, his and another student who always got A’s in her class, and the paper the other kid wrote with my cousin’s name on it received a D and the one my cousin wrote with the other student’s name on it received an A. But still, I am always scared about my papers, maybe that teacher was right and I am terrible at writing papers. My college career has suffered terribly because some part of me in convinced that I’ll never get better and that no one can help me. I haven’t told my school’s counselor yet, due to fear of judgement and I endlessly skip classes after a paper is due because of fear of judgement too. I really want to end the fear but it just feels like it’s eaten me alive and biting down on me.

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Hi Kim. A counselor or psychologist might help you change your thinking and reduce your suffering. Those of us who work in mental health (and who are competent) do not judge clients. Our goal is to understand them and help them.

Writing is a skill, like riding a bike. With good training, practice, and helpful feedback, almost anyone can improve. It helps to set improvement, rather than perfection, as a goal.

Best wishes, John

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So, if writing anxiety is having a debilitating effect on your life, how do you find skilled professionals who can focus on this issue specifically, as opposed to just general anxiety counseling?

Hi Doug. When you go to a psychologist or counselor, state your goal of reducing writing anxiety (and related avoidance, probably). Say you want to focus on that problem alone for now.

You won’t find a mental health professional who specializes in writing phobia, but in a big urban area you could find someone who specializes in anxiety treatment or phobia treatment.

John, thank you for this post. I feel less worthless just being able to formulate my problem to myself. Is it possible to develop an essay writing phobia over time? I am a first year postgrad and I consistently receive good grades, I have even won prizes for my writing and for being top in some of my classes in undergrad. I never had to try very hard in school. Over the years I have procrastinated on essays, but it got worse over time. I started off just doing all-nighters, starting essays the night before they were due but but still handing them in on time, and getting top marks, justifying to myself that I might procrastinate but at least I never miss a deadline. This probably started in mid high school. Then, in my 2nd and 3rd years of university I would start to hand things in after the deadline, counting on the fact that my lecturers knew me and didn’t really care that much about deadlines, as long as I produced top quality work. I would usually get away with it, even though I know I shouldn’t have, but there were a couple times when I’m sure I could have gotten a better grade if I started earlier. And I know I have never produced my personal best work, but only what I deemed the minimum to get the grade I wanted. The thing is I love university, I go to lectures, generally have no difficulty studying for exams, or making presentations, doing readings, other kinds of homework and assignments etc… I remember one friend of mine was puzzled by my behaviour when I missed a deadline for an essay, I told him “I’m just lazy”, but he said he knew that wasn’t the case, because he had seen me do my readings weeks before class had started. However, recently, I had to submit a 4000 word article. It is not particularly difficult at all, and I know it is well within my abilities to do it, I have all the research I need at hand and just need to write, but for some reason I haven’t been able to do it. I am almost a month overdue without a good excuse, and dread even opening the document. When I do, I can barely work for 5 minutes without panicking over how much I have to do and giving up, even when I compartmentalise it. I am constantly filled with guilt and self-loathing. In the morning I over-sleep because I dread getting up, knowing I haven’t finished this article. I feel so bad about it, and I keep telling myself that I will get it done today, but inevitably I never do, and just stay up all night procrastinating.

Hi Jan. You are suffering and not functioning completely as a student. It is time for you to consult a psychologist or counselor at your university. That counseling service is a great free benefit at most universities. Use the benefit now.

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Jane’s scenario is similar to mine. I started college in 2006 and now 2018 I’m still struggling. I’ve taken multiple breaks, dismissed twice, failed the course 4 or 5 times thinking it would be different but it’s always the same result…. nothing to submitted after staying up all night trying to write it. I have so many papers incomplete because of not being able to finish them. I really would love to get over this phobia, it’s ruining my life.

Hi Tammi. You have had it tough. Is it time for you to consult a psychologist? If you are enrolled at a university, free counselling is likely available.

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Dear John, First of all thank you, as have others I encountered the writer’s block. I have taken into account your advice and it really helped to find my own way of overcoming this problem. The trick I came up with is to change who I had in mind when writing my essay. I initially have to write a 20 page-long essay that sums up my year of research. So I wanted to write the way I thought my teacher would expect me to write. But nothing came to mind, and I was left feeling deprived of the ideas that had crossed my mind during my research. And then I thought about the perfectionism, it came with the idea that my teacher would read my essay and I kept thinking about what was expected instead of what I wanted to say. So I decided to write as if my sister was the one I explained my work to. She doesn’t speak english and would in actuality not understand a word of my essay, but she would hypotheticaly not know anything of the subject (this helps to develop the arguments, as if I were teaching her about the subject) and it easied my mind to picture her as the reader of my piece, someone that I don’t associate with grades and judgment. After that, it was simply a matter of time and patience and I have already writen 8 pages that I would be proud of.

I leave that here so that someone might use it as a clue to find their own trick, or simply replicate it. (Forgive me if someone already mentioned this trick in the previous commentaries, I haven’t read them all :))

Excellent, Alix!

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As is so very common, “essay writing phobia” is presented as an individual pathology whereas it is actually largely a response to structural and cultural problems in the Academy. One problem is that universities (and psychology departments are esp. guilty of this) do not allow students enough leeway to develop their own voice (as you have done). I am shocked by how often students in social science degrees are told not to write in the first person. That prescription is about 20 years out of date!

Cheers, tjarlz

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Thank you so much forthis article and all sharing. I am in tears with a ‘serious’ meeting due with the principle…having missed yet another deadline & extension for a research report that would see me complete my course. I have procrastinated ‘trying to fix everything else in my life’ befire getting down to starting and now I feel paralysed with anxiety, and still avoidance in getting a 2000 word research report done for much of what has been mentioned in the comments before. I am going to do my best to get it done for myself though, even though I think it may be the ‘end’ of my time trying to finish my course at my establishment. The thought of going to this meeting has me so upset to the point I don’t even want to show up at all. The article and your sharing has helped the hurting and worry. Thank you and all the best everyone. I’ll try to give it my best shot and get some help and support from here.

Yes, do the best you can. Then consider what you have learned from the experience.

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I’m a 30-year-old software engineer who has had writing anxiety for…well since I was 7 and first had to write a 5-sentence summary of a book that I read. I’ve tried very hard to find a solution to it because it has caused me a great deal of suffering over the years and definitely caused me to be fired at least once. However, while I’ve found academic work on the subject, I’ve not yet succeeded in finding anyone who treats Writing Anxiety or who does Writing Process Training. Do you know of a way to find a professional who has experience in helping people overcome Writing Anxiety? I live in London but would probably want to work with someone over videochat so that I can do so outside of work hours.

Hi Alex. I don’t know any experts on treating writing phobia. I am an expert on treating phobias, but not specifically writing phobias. I could try to help you over Skype, but the times might not be inconvenient.

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Hi John. Thanks for writing about this. I was about to send this on to one of my students who’s not handed in an essay but then stopped as I can’t send students something asking them to get naked. An edited version of this would happily go up as a link on my essay-advice page on our intranet. Cheers.

At your request, I changed strategy 10. Also, I added an image to suit the altered strategy, and I added meta-tags to help individuals find the suggestions.

Writing on a mountain, I like it. Looks like it might be Aotearoa New Zealand too, which is even better. Thank you.

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I feel exactly like Jtxz! My goodness, I just don’t understand where this resistance comes from! I can do exams, class presentations, case studies etc etc… really well and without any stress… – but not essays! As the end of every semester looms nearer and due dates approach, I seriously think that I spiral into depression as a result of the essays. I can write really good essays, so for me it’s not even about the planning or structure, but I am overcome by the massive internal resistance, anxiety and stress as it comes time to doing them! I have finished my undergraduate degree and am now studying masters and so far it has been almost 10 years of tertiary study. But for the whole time I’ve been constantly docked marks over and over again – some times I’ve even had to repeat subjects because I’ve lost so many marks on papers that would have otherwise been distinctions. I feel like a failure the fact that although I’ve obviously learned the subject content well enough to get distinction level quality papers, I can’t seem to hand them in timely enough to prevent failing the subject. No idea what to do. What I find even crazier is that the course I am doing has nothing to do with writing essays, so why use this method of assessment at all?!?!? I feel like the field i’m studying is where my future purpose lies, but the journey to get there requires strengths that are outside of the skillset required for the field I wish to get into.

Totally feel like giving up – the only reason I haven’t is because I am stubborn. But it’s at the point now, where it’s not just affecting me, its affecting my wife,my son, my friendships etc.

They seriously are the bane of my life!

You and many others are in the same boat. Try all the methods I suggest in the blog entry. Best wishes.

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This is what i’m exactly experiencing and i am happy to find articke like this and made me realize that there is really a condition like this. I thought this was a weird to have a problem like this… I have this phobia in essays when i read my essays and essay of my smart cousin, ive realized how lacking i am in putting ideas, the grammars , etc. My esteem on making essays became really low.. I feel like at suck at doing it and my ideas are too shallow etc, i think of things like that. when my prof gives us essay tasks, i dont have the motivation to do it and i ended up cramming and becoming stress.

Elle, I hope you keep writing. Strive not for perfection or for superiority but for competence and timely completion.

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I have struggled unsuccessfully with this problem for years. I have consulted an educational psychologist and counsellors and explained the irrational feelings of fear and terror that spring up and pounce at random periods in the writing process. I have either been told that there is no problem or that it is too complex to solve. I weep in shame and I am distraught at not being able to identify the cause. I have always had good grades and years ago I had a couple of articles published in peer-reviewed journals. I have lost confidence in all aspects of writing and I no longer am able to judge what is good or bad in anything I compose. Thus I am plagued with doubt and my writing is stymied. I would like to hope that someone has further suggestions about how to tackle this problem when it strikes. I do want to write and to enjoy writing again.

Hi. I am sorry that you have suffered so much for so long. Try the methods in the blog. If none helps, consult a beahvioral psychologist. You may benefit from gradual-exposure treatment.

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I can definitely relate to the essay writing anxiety when I first started university it took a me a while to understand how to write a university essay with the whole citing and referencing system I of course fail my way through essay. I did get some good grades and passed a few of my essay however now I get so much built up anxiety before writing an essay that it does take me two weeks after the due date to hand it in (if I even do that) then of course I get a low grade because of that and so the cycle continues. I have the same thoughts running through my head when I begin to write such as your gunna fail anyway why bother, your not good enough to be at uni, your a failure so why even try, your just wasting everyone time etc I’ve tried to start my assignments early but I just get anxious and end avoiding it then I freak out near the due try to start but end up not finishing it and then I fail which makes me feel worst

Hi there. You are struggling and suffering. Your self-doubt and procrastination are self-defeating. Time to make changes! I suggest facing your fear and taking one or more writing courses. Aim to improve your writing every day. Learn writing rules and apply them Then go on with your usual education — always facing fear like a soldier. If you do not make good progress, consult a psychologist.

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One of the things that always helped me personally when it came to research papers/thesis papers was to go through one book at a time, take a TON of notes for what might be relevant (noting page numbers in case I had to go back and quote or clarify context), and then sort my notes by where they might belong: introduction, supporting arguments for idea 1, idea 2, etc., or closing. Then I’d repeat the process with the next book, and keep going until I’d used all of the possible sources. From there, I could then sort the ideas and place them in a more sensible order, and then link the ideas with a narrative. Sometimes I’d toss out certain ideas or notes completely, because they didn’t belong anymore. Another helpful tool for me was to write down an outline of the different ideas I wanted to discuss, and that helped to keep me on track and focus on which parts needed more support or where I didn’t have to keep looking. There were also at least two re-writes – 3 if I could get someone else to look at it for feedback!

Thank you so much for this article! I used to be scared of essays and long answers; the longer the assignment to be written, the greater my fear. Fortunately, we have essays only in languages ( I mean like narrative essays, descriptive, picture composition etc.)

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I realise this is horribly behind the last person who submitted a comment, but I thought it might help me to respond, even though no one may read it. I have been out of fulltime study for many years now and so am very out of practice. But 9 months ago I enrolled on a Masters course and am so far floundering badly. My first essay, I confidently approached it, the same way I remember constructing essays when I was at Uni the first time, and I submitted well before the due date and I was confident I had done well. But! (And this is the crux really) the feedback I received was awful. I had just finished a very bad job where I was under ridiculous amounts of stress and used as a scapegoat and my confidence was already shaky. The comments I received from my tutor destroyed me and each essay I have handed in since have been received just as badly that now the anxiety is so great that I can’t even bring myself to begin. How can I get over the crippling anxiety I feel whenever I think about submitting another essay with the knowledge that I will get back, not just a disappointing grade, but a lot of nasty feedback which I am scared to read. I didn’t open my last email to see what my grade was for over a week because I was far too scared to do so, and when I did, it was not at all a pleasant experience.

Hi. You are having an unpleasant return to education! You may need to take a writing course before you take any other courses. For the time being, aim to get as many points as you can. Read the comments and try to improve your writing. Keep in mind that writing is a complicated skill but one that a person can improve with training, practice and feedback. Do the best you can under the circumstances.

As for nasty comments, they have no place in education. You might want to rethink where you are studying.

Best wishes!

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I’ve this problem in my whole life. It’s not only caused my bad assignment, but also caused my inability. So whenever my Turkish language teacher gave an assignment, I felt like I was drowning while writing in middle school. More interesting that I wrote more realistic than figurative but this time it caused fault of grade, so I hate literature and writing, but I was a strict reader that times interestingly.

As a result: In my situation, couldn’t write perfect article with great imagination drive me avoiding writing. I want to write again. Thank you

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I am reading this page and I know the last comment was 2017, but I still feel the urge to comment! I am a fourth-year university student, I have six months left of my course and I am in the middle of writing my last essay before my dissertation! I made a detailed plan weeks ago, and I have the resources I need for it, but yet I cannot start. I can relate to a lot of these comments and some of them made me cry because I can relate! I have cried for days because I have felt such an intense fear about this essay. I feel it like a burning sensation in my chest, and one day I felt paralyzed with fear over it and fought to even get out of my bed, I felt so low that these feelings were back again. This is something I have dealt with for as long as I can remember. As a child, I grew up in an abusive home and my father would yell at me if I got the answer to a homework question wrong, and would often call me stupid. One time he shouted at me so much, I blacked out, he was in my face shouting at me and calling me names for not knowing the answer, and when the rest of my family came home, he made me lie about it and tell them I passed out because I sniffed tipex (which was untrue but saved him from telling the truth). I believe this is why I have such a phobia of writing! I often am afraid for others to read my work for fear of them laughing at me or not being smart as others. I have this fear even though I have been to university twice and even have written reports to the sheriff, without any complaints about my writing, yet the fear remains. I have a psychologist and do not see her until 1st Dec, so I am currently trying techniques I hope will help me finish this essay. This post has helped me feel like I am not alone, thank you to the writer and everyone who commented. Much love to everyone, we are not alone in this!

Hello. You had a damaging childhood. Your’s father’s abuse may have damaged your self-confidence so much that you doubt yourself. Freud would say that you have introjected your father’s view of you. See: https://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/psychpedia/introjection

Now would be a good time to break free of his negative influence and to write. You have nothing practical to lose and much to gain. Write one word. Then perhaps you will write a sentence. Freedom could be your reward.

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Thank you so much for this article, John. Your tips and reading all of the comments have really helped me feel less alone in this post-graduate essay writing phobia hellscape I’ve found myself in. I’m having trouble thinking about something (emotionally) worse than not being able to execute something that is supposed to be your bread and butter- for me, writing has always come naturally, but deadlines have made me want to, well, die. They are called DEADlines after all. Anyway, thank you for this article and this space to engage with others who have this experience. I learned that my procrastination doesn’t come from perfectionism but from avoiding the fear/anxiety that comes with a task.

Thanks again, M.

Feeling alone when completing a challenging task is something to avoid. You could talk with your supervisor/teacher or with someone who provides counselling to students — a free service too few students use.

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Thank you for this article. I am on the verge of academic probation due to my intense fear of writing essays. When I receive an essay assignment, I’m always thinking of what I’m going to write, but I physically can’t just sit down and write. I often don’t turn anything in at all and it causes intense panic attacks.

Hi Laila. I can sense your fear. I suggest consulting a mental health professional so you can find the cause of your problems and find a way to solve them.

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The Writing Center • University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Writing Anxiety

What this handout is about.

This handout discusses the situational nature of writer’s block and other writing anxiety and suggests things you can try to feel more confident and optimistic about yourself as a writer.

What are writing anxiety and writer’s block?

“Writing anxiety” and “writer’s block” are informal terms for a wide variety of apprehensive and pessimistic feelings about writing. These feelings may not be pervasive in a person’s writing life. For example, you might feel perfectly fine writing a biology lab report but apprehensive about writing a paper on a novel. You may confidently tackle a paper about the sociology of gender but delete and start over twenty times when composing an email to a cute classmate to suggest a coffee date. In other words, writing anxiety and writers’ block are situational (Hjortshoj 7). These terms do NOT describe psychological attributes. People aren’t born anxious writers; rather, they become anxious or blocked through negative or difficult experiences with writing.

When do these negative feelings arise?

Although there is a great deal of variation among individuals, there are also some common experiences that writers in general find stressful.

For example, you may struggle when you are:

  • adjusting to a new form of writing—for example, first year college writing, papers in a new field of study, or longer forms than you are used to (a long research paper, a senior thesis, a master’s thesis, a dissertation) (Hjortshoj 56-76).
  • writing for a reader or readers who have been overly critical or demanding in the past.
  • remembering negative criticism received in the past—even if the reader who criticized your work won’t be reading your writing this time.
  • working with limited time or with a lot of unstructured time.
  • responding to an assignment that seems unrelated to academic or life goals.
  • dealing with troubling events outside of school.

What are some strategies for handling these feelings?

Get support.

Choose a writing buddy, someone you trust to encourage you in your writing life. Your writing buddy might be a friend or family member, a classmate, a teacher, a colleague, or a Writing Center tutor. Talk to your writing buddy about your ideas, your writing process, your worries, and your successes. Share pieces of your writing. Make checking in with your writing buddy a regular part of your schedule. When you share pieces of writing with your buddy, use our handout on asking for feedback .

In his book Understanding Writing Blocks, Keith Hjortshoj describes how isolation can harm writers, particularly students who are working on long projects not connected with coursework (134-135). He suggests that in addition to connecting with supportive individuals, such students can benefit from forming or joining a writing group, which functions in much the same way as a writing buddy. A group can provide readers, deadlines, support, praise, and constructive criticism. For help starting one, see our handout about writing groups .

Identify your strengths

Often, writers who are experiencing block or anxiety have a worse opinion of their own writing than anyone else! Make a list of the things you do well. You might ask a friend or colleague to help you generate such a list. Here are some possibilities to get you started:

  • I explain things well to people.
  • I get people’s interest.
  • I have strong opinions.
  • I listen well.
  • I am critical of what I read.
  • I see connections.

Choose at least one strength as your starting point. Instead of saying “I can’t write,” say “I am a writer who can …”

Recognize that writing is a complex process

Writing is an attempt to fix meaning on the page, but you know, and your readers know, that there is always more to be said on a topic. The best writers can do is to contribute what they know and feel about a topic at a particular point in time.

Writers often seek “flow,” which usually entails some sort of breakthrough followed by a beautifully coherent outpouring of knowledge. Flow is both a possibility—most people experience it at some point in their writing lives—and a myth. Inevitably, if you write over a long period of time and for many different situations, you will encounter obstacles. As Hjortshoj explains, obstacles are particularly common during times of transition—transitions to new writing roles or to new kinds of writing.

Think of yourself as an apprentice.

If block or apprehension is new for you, take time to understand the situations you are writing in. In particular, try to figure out what has changed in your writing life. Here are some possibilities:

  • You are writing in a new format.
  • You are writing longer papers than before.
  • You are writing for new audiences.
  • You are writing about new subject matter.
  • You are turning in writing from different stages of the writing process—for example, planning stages or early drafts.

It makes sense to have trouble when dealing with a situation for the first time. It’s also likely that when you confront these new situations, you will learn and grow. Writing in new situations can be rewarding. Not every format or audience will be right for you, but you won’t know which ones might be right until you try them. Think of new writing situations as apprenticeships. When you’re doing a new kind of writing, learn as much as you can about it, gain as many skills in that area as you can, and when you finish the apprenticeship, decide which of the skills you learned will serve you well later on. You might be surprised.

Below are some suggestions for how to learn about new kinds of writing:

  • Ask a lot of questions of people who are more experienced with this kind of writing. Here are some of the questions you might ask: What’s the purpose of this kind of writing? Who’s the audience? What are the most important elements to include? What’s not as important? How do you get started? How do you know when what you’ve written is good enough? How did you learn to write this way?
  • Ask a lot of questions of the person who assigned you a piece of writing. If you have a paper, the best place to start is with the written assignment itself. For help with this, see our handout on understanding assignments .
  • Look for examples of this kind of writing. (You can ask your instructor for a recommended example). Look, especially, for variation. There are often many different ways to write within a particular form. Look for ways that feel familiar to you, approaches that you like. You might want to look for published models or, if this seems too intimidating, look at your classmates’ writing. In either case, ask yourself questions about what these writers are doing, and take notes. How does the writer begin and end? In what order does the writer tell things? How and when does the writer convey their main point? How does the writer bring in other people’s ideas? What is the writer’s purpose? How is that purpose achieved?
  • Read our handouts about how to write in specific fields or how to handle specific writing assignments.
  • Listen critically to your readers. Before you dismiss or wholeheartedly accept what they say, try to understand them. If a reader has given you written comments, ask yourself questions to figure out the reader’s experience of your paper: What is this reader looking for? What am I doing that satisfies this reader? In what ways is this reader still unsatisfied? If you can’t answer these questions from the reader’s comments, then talk to the reader, or ask someone else to help you interpret the comments.
  • Most importantly, don’t try to do everything at once. Start with reasonable expectations. You can’t write like an expert your first time out. Nobody does! Use the criticism you get.

Once you understand what readers want, you are in a better position to decide what to do with their criticisms. There are two extreme possibilities—dismissing the criticisms and accepting them all—but there is also a lot of middle ground. Figure out which criticisms are consistent with your own purposes, and do the hard work of engaging with them. Again, don’t expect an overnight turn-around; recognize that changing writing habits is a process and that papers are steps in the process.

Chances are that at some point in your writing life you will encounter readers who seem to dislike, disagree with, or miss the point of your work. Figuring out what to do with criticism from such readers is an important part of a writer’s growth.

Try new tactics when you get stuck

Often, writing blocks occur at particular stages of the writing process. The writing process is cyclical and variable. For different writers, the process may include reading, brainstorming, drafting, getting feedback, revising, and editing. These stages do not always happen in this order, and once a writer has been through a particular stage, chances are they haven’t seen the last of that stage. For example, brainstorming may occur all along the way.

Figure out what your writing process looks like and whether there’s a particular stage where you tend to get stuck. Perhaps you love researching and taking notes on what you read, and you have a hard time moving from that work to getting started on your own first draft. Or once you have a draft, it seems set in stone and even though readers are asking you questions and making suggestions, you don’t know how to go back in and change it. Or just the opposite may be true; you revise and revise and don’t want to let the paper go.

Wherever you have trouble, take a longer look at what you do and what you might try. Sometimes what you do is working for you; it’s just a slow and difficult process. Other times, what you do may not be working; these are the times when you can look around for other approaches to try:

  • Talk to your writing buddy and to other colleagues about what they do at the particular stage that gets you stuck.
  • Read about possible new approaches in our handouts on brainstorming and revising .
  • Try thinking of yourself as an apprentice to a stage of the writing process and give different strategies a shot.
  • Cut your paper into pieces and tape them to the wall, use eight different colors of highlighters, draw a picture of your paper, read your paper out loud in the voice of your favorite movie star….

Okay, we’re kind of kidding with some of those last few suggestions, but there is no limit to what you can try (for some fun writing strategies, check out our online animated demos ). When it comes to conquering a block, give yourself permission to fall flat on your face. Trying and failing will you help you arrive at the thing that works for you.

Celebrate your successes

Start storing up positive experiences with writing. Whatever obstacles you’ve faced, celebrate the occasions when you overcome them. This could be something as simple as getting started, sharing your work with someone besides a teacher, revising a paper for the first time, trying out a new brainstorming strategy, or turning in a paper that has been particularly challenging for you. You define what a success is for you. Keep a log or journal of your writing successes and breakthroughs, how you did it, how you felt. This log can serve as a boost later in your writing life when you face new challenges.

Wait a minute, didn’t we already say that? Yes. It’s worth repeating. Most people find relief for various kinds of anxieties by getting support from others. Sometimes the best person to help you through a spell of worry is someone who’s done that for you before—a family member, a friend, a mentor. Maybe you don’t even need to talk with this person about writing; maybe you just need to be reminded to believe in yourself, that you can do it.

If you don’t know anyone on campus yet whom you have this kind of relationship with, reach out to someone who seems like they could be a good listener and supportive. There are a number of professional resources for you on campus, people you can talk through your ideas or your worries with. A great place to start is the UNC Writing Center. If you know you have a problem with writing anxiety, make an appointment well before the paper is due. You can come to the Writing Center with a draft or even before you’ve started writing. You can also approach your instructor with questions about your writing assignment. If you’re an undergraduate, your academic advisor and your residence hall advisor are other possible resources. Counselors at Counseling and Wellness Services are also available to talk with you about anxieties and concerns that extend beyond writing.

Apprehension about writing is a common condition on college campuses. Because writing is the most common means of sharing our knowledge, we put a lot of pressure on ourselves when we write. This handout has given some suggestions for how to relieve that pressure. Talk with others; realize we’re all learning; take an occasional risk; turn to the people who believe in you. Counter negative experiences by actively creating positive ones.

Even after you have tried all of these strategies and read every Writing Center handout, invariably you will still have negative experiences in your writing life. When you get a paper back with a bad grade on it or when you get a rejection letter from a journal, fend off the negative aspects of that experience. Try not to let them sink in; try not to let your disappointment fester. Instead, jump right back in to some area of the writing process: choose one suggestion the evaluator has made and work on it, or read and discuss the paper with a friend or colleague, or do some writing or revising—on this or any paper—as quickly as possible.

Failures of various kinds are an inevitable part of the writing process. Without them, it would be difficult if not impossible to grow as a writer. Learning often occurs in the wake of a startling event, something that stirs you up, something that makes you wonder. Use your failures to keep moving.

Works consulted

We consulted these works while writing this handout. This is not a comprehensive list of resources on the handout’s topic, and we encourage you to do your own research to find additional publications. Please do not use this list as a model for the format of your own reference list, as it may not match the citation style you are using. For guidance on formatting citations, please see the UNC Libraries citation tutorial . We revise these tips periodically and welcome feedback.

Hjortshoj, Keith. 2001. Understanding Writing Blocks . New York: Oxford University Press.

This is a particularly excellent resource for advanced undergraduates and graduate students. Hjortshoj writes about his experiences working with university students experiencing block. He explains the transitional nature of most writing blocks and the importance of finding support from others when working on long projects.

Rose, Mike. 1985. When a Writer Can’t Write: Studies in Writer’s Block and Other Composing-Process Problems . New York: Guilford.

This collection of empirical studies is written primarily for writing teachers, researchers, and tutors. Studies focus on writers of various ages, including young children, high school students, and college students.

You may reproduce it for non-commercial use if you use the entire handout and attribute the source: The Writing Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

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Amy Green PhD

Writer's Anxiety

Where all this worry is coming from and what to do about it..

Posted July 13, 2017

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Writing is practically synonymous with graduate school. As grad students, not only are we encouraged to publish, publish, publish, but we’re also required to write excellent dissertations, compose flawless ethics applications, and hash out insightful term papers.

Not writing is rarely an option.

Yet, writing can be a major source of stress and anxiety for students. In fact, some research has suggested that around 50 percent of doctoral students in the U.S. and Canada drop out during the research proposal or dissertation-writing phases of their degrees before finishing their programs [1][2] .

(This, by the way, is not an encouraging statistic for a person who’s currently in the middle of drafting her proposal. But I digress.)

So what’s getting in the way of all this writing? In a study published this month in the Higher Education Research & Development journal, authors Huerta, Goodson, Beigi, and Chlup explored writing anxiety, self-efficacy , and emotional intelligence (EI) amongst graduate students (N = 174) at a large, research-intensive university in the US [3] . Before I dive into their findings, I’ll briefly describe what they mean by each of these three factors:

  • Writer’s anxiety : Feelings of tension, worried thoughts, and physical changes like increased blood pressure when faced with a writing task.
  • Self-efficacy [4] : A belief in one’s capability (or confidence ) to write in a given situation.
  • Emotional intelligence (EI) [5] : The ability to monitor one’s own and others’ feelings and emotions, to discriminate among them, and use them to guide thinking and action (in the case of writing, using them to guide writing tasks). [6]

I imagine all grad students have faced hiccups in at least one of these areas at one time or another. However, these authors wanted to know more about these constructs, how they were related, and if there were any differences amongst students in how they experienced them.

Results revealed that, perhaps unsurprisingly, self-efficacy exhibited a significant negative association with writing anxiety (that is, higher self-efficacy was related to lower writing anxiety). In contrast, the authors found that EI accounted for very little of the students’ writing anxiety, and that this contribution was not statistically significant. However, the sample included highly emotionally intelligent individuals to begin with; thus, as the authors noted, the lack of variability in EI scores amongst participants may have skewed results.

Additionally, demographic differences contributed to the ways in which different groups of students experienced writing anxiety. For example, higher writing anxiety was reported amongst women, master’s students (as opposed to doctoral students), and students for whom English was not their first language.

So what do we do with this information? The authors of the study concluded by outlining ways in which universities can help reduce writing anxiety and increase self-efficacy amongst graduate student writers. They cited literature that has found tactics such as self-regulating one’s writing, writing regularly, and participation in a writing group as helping academic writers increase self-efficacy and decrease anxiety.

While these suggestions are likely helpful, they left me feeling a bit underwhelmed. It’s also important, I think, to uncover where writing anxiety is coming from. Is it unpleasant experiences with writing during grade school? Or systemic pressures for academics to be “natural writers” who do not need support?

Additionally, I can’t help but think about how so much of academic writing is devoid of creativity and personality . In an article written by Antoniou and Moriarty in the Teaching in Higher Education journal [7] , the authors stated that:

Where guidance and support on academic writing has existed, the focus has been on technical issues, e.g. structuring journal articles, and procedures and protocols for publishing. Little attention has been paid to the more holistic aspects, such as the lecturer-writer’s sense of self and identity , their emotional orientation to their writing and their creative process.

This quote highlights what I believe are imperative aspects of the writing process; that is, that it is often deeply personal, emotional, and creative. However, academic demands and the belief that academic writing is purely an intellectual task can lead to disenchantment with the writing process, creating resentment amongst many academics. However, Antoniou and Moriarty argue that writing in any genre requires all aspects of the self, and they encourage academic writers to take a step back from the mechanics of writing and ask themselves questions such as: Who am I? What are my values? What does writing mean for me? Only after that should they ask themselves what they want to say through their writing and how they want to say it.

essay writing phobia in undergraduates

Furthermore, the authors suggest several beliefs about writing that can be used by faculties and graduate students to support writing anxiety:

  • Writing is a skill that can be taught : Given practice, guidance, and support, the authors assert that anyone can write academically. However, faculties need to commit to offering this support to their students, as students should not be solely responsible for developing their writing skills.
  • Writing well involves building confidence and establishing safety: Because writing involves “emotional risk-taking ,” writing groups should prioritize creating a safe space where vulnerabilities and worries can be voiced. Academic writers often struggle in silence about their writing concerns; however, seeking help with one’s writing should be supported and encouraged amongst academic communities.
  • Successful writing requires community: While creative writers often share early drafts of their work with other writers, there is a stigma amongst academic writers that their work should almost always appear polished. However, writing groups can help academic writers share the more raw versions of their work with others, eliciting precious feedback, helping them let go of perfectionism , and allowing them to get into the flow and joy of writing.

Antoniou and Moriarty also note that, “the most important lesson in developing one’s writing is to WRITE.” With this quote, I’m reminded of an undergraduate journalism course I took many years ago. My instructor reminded us that we wouldn’t expect to learn how to play an instrument without practice; similarly, we cannot expect to develop self-efficacy for writing without putting pen to paper (or hands to keyboard).

Council of Graduate Schools (2008), PhD Completion and Attrition: Analysis of Baseline Program Data from the PhD Completion Project. Washington, DC: Council of Graduate Schools.

​Huerta, M., Goodson, P., Beigi, M., & Chlup, D. (2017). Graduate students as academic writers: Writing anxiety, self-efficacy and emotional intelligence. Higher Education Research & Development, 36(4), 716-729.

See Bandura, A. (1997). Self-efficacy: The exercise of control. New York, NY: Freeman.

See Salovey, P., & Mayer, J. D. (1990). Emotional intelligence. Imagination, Cognition and Personality, 9, 185-211.

Bastug, M., Ertem, I. S., & Keskin, H. K. (2017). A phenomenological research study on writer’s block: Causes, processes, and results. Education & training, 59(6), 605-618.

Antoniou, M., & Moriarty, J. (2008). What can academic writers learn from creative writers? Developing guidance and support for lecturers in higher education. Teaching in Higher Education, 13(2), 157-167.

Amy Green PhD

Amy Green, M.A., is a doctoral student in Counselling Psychology at the University of Calgary.

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Anxiety about academic writing: I'm afraid

  • Am I the only person who feels like this?
  • I never have enough time
  • I'm a bad writer
  • I don't know enough
  • Writing is too hard

You might be feeling:

essay writing phobia in undergraduates

  • I'm afraid that I'm not as smart or capable as other students.
  • I'm feeling overwhelmed and I don't even know where to start.
  • I'm already struggling in my class, and I'm afraid I'm going to fail this essay. If I don't pass the essay, I'll fail the course. If that happens, I may have to quit my program, and then I'll have failed myself and the people who support me.

What can you do right now?

Emotional strategies

essay writing phobia in undergraduates

  • Consider your fear from a rational perspective and ask yourself these questions:  What are you actually afraid of? How realistic is the outcome you're afraid of? What can you do to protect yourself from that outcome?
  • Pay attention to where you're feeling the fear in your body. Now try a few long, slow, deep breaths. How does that part of your body feel now?
  • Try facing your fear straight on by setting yourself a small writing goal and then do it.
  • Ask for help from the Counselling Centre, the Writing Centre, and your instructor to give yourself the best opportunity to feel supported. 

Writing strategies

  • Listen to a pep talk about the anxieties typically experienced by new graduate students: Gradschoolitis.
  • If you're feeling overwhelmed, start at step one ("Understand the Assignment") in " How to write an undergraduate-level essay " or " How to write a graduate-level essay ". Use the 12-step process provided in each guide to help you move step-by-step through the process. of completing your document.
  • Make an appointment to speak with your instructor to learn more about what you need to do to ensure you pass the essay. Once you have that information, book an appointment to speak with us in the Writing Centre so we can provide suggestions and information to help you succeed.

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  • URL: https://libguides.royalroads.ca/anxiety
  • DOI: 10.1016/0005-7967(86)90042-2
  • Corpus ID: 42547893

Essay-writing phobia in undergraduates.

  • J.P.N. Phillips
  • Published in Behaviour Research and… 1986
  • Education, Psychology

7 Citations

When a high distinction isn't good enough: a review of perfectionism and self-handicapping, perfectionism and evaluative threat, the significance of the academic word list among esl tertiary students in a malaysian public university, the dreaded essay exam, factors contributing to the delay of mba research reports at the university of stellenbosch business school: an exploratory study, undergraduate students’ preferences for constructed versus multiple-choice assessment of learning, a cognitive behavioural coaching intervention for the treatment of perfectionism and self-handicapping in a nonclinical population, 10 references, increasing the writing productivity of "blocked" academicians., behavioral techniques in the treatment of a writing phobia., contingency management in writing and the appearance of creative ideas: implications for the treatment of writing blocks., applied analysis of human behavior: an alternative to conventional motivational inferences and unconscious determination in therapeutic programming, in vivo exposure vs cognitive restructuring in the treatment of scriptophobia., a procedure for eliminating writer's block in a college student☆, accelerating dissertation writing: case study, role-reversed systematic desensitization in the treatment of a writing phobia, experimental and clinical treatments of writing blocks., contingency contracting as a therapeutic tool in the deceleration of amphetamine use, related papers.

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Michigan Quarterly Review

The Freshmen Writing Phobia

All eighteen students in my College Writing course this fall showed up prepared and on-time for their 15-minute, one-on-one meetings with me during week three of the semester.  I had a short list of questions for them — what’s your intended major? do you like to write? and what are your goals for this course?  Now, many would say there’s no point in asking a Freshman about their major, as it’s likely to change at least once before the end of this….sentence.  (…and several times throughout their college careers.) But it’s the way in which they answered — their delivery and the words they used, that helped me see past the student to get glimpses of the writer.

Their answers varied, but many of them had a common tone:  “I’m going to work on Capitol Hill so I’m majoring in Political Science and Minoring in International Studies”… “I’m getting into Ross [UM’s very prestigious and competitive pre-business program] and then I’ll be an I-Banker” … “Pre-Med. I’ll probably be a doctor but I’d like to try out surgery to see which one I like better.”

I loved their confidence.  Many of them spoke in firm declaratives about their futures and felt their paths were hammered in stone. Bold, brave, and ready to take college by the horns — my Freshmen were gunning for success.  But with the very next question, these first-year lions turned into lambs.

So, do you enjoy writing? You can be honest. It’s okay if you don’t. 

“Writing? Oh, um, no. Well, N-not really. I’m just not very good.  And it’s not fun to do something you suck at.”

“Are you kidding? I’d rather fall head first off my bike than write a paper.”

“No. I’ve written a lot for school but I never get better. It’s just too hard. It’s not like I want to avoid all hard things in life, but I tried it and I’m pretty much sure writing is not my thing.”

Their modes of delivery were unique, but the messages were the same.  About 14 of the 18 students who filtered through my office hours admitted to a fear of writing — a fear that for most of them began early in high school and had four years to incubate and become an all-out avoidance (and even a hatred!) for the craft.  Several of them indicated that they’d basically checked it off their list of academic interests and (politely) laughed at the possibility of choosing it as a major or minor.

But what I’ve forgotten to mention in this blog is that by the time one-on-one meetings rolled around, these students had already turned in their first paper for the semester, an assignment I called, “The Personal Impact of a Public Event.”  Each student was asked to select an event that held some significance to them: changed the way they viewed themselves, the world, their families, etc.  And although these first essays were certainly not ready for publication…(and of course were not expected to be)… one thing became apparent: the very same students who sat in my office and said they “sucked” at writing, feared it, hated it…. many of them wrote with glints of pathos, rhythm, voice, style, humor, narrative momentum, creativity.  They were swollen with the potential to be talented writers… and they had no friggin’ idea.

So I started to wonder… when and where did this fear of writing begin?  How did this insidious seed of doubt and insecurity get planted in these students?  Is the phobia merely innate to most people? Or is there something about “the system” that leads bright young students to so easily believe they are terrible, inept writers?

Throughout the semester, the students worked their butts off — filtering in and out of office hours, sending emails timestamped at 2AM so they could run a newly problematized thesis by me… making delightfully out-of-control outlines and “thought-webs” that required two pieces of paper to be taped together… And after a few serious grammatical facelifts and a couple truly re-visioned revisions, these students started turning out some pretty impressive work; stuff that made me think, challenged some of my own beliefs, and helped me see important social issues through a modified lens.  One student addressed the issue of removing potatoes from public school lunches by writing a thoughtful, well-researched, and kind of romantic love letter to the “wrongfully targeted and victimized spud.” Another student wrote a very convincing piece about the history of high fashion and its dismal evolution from a mode of self-expression into just another way to alienate “outsiders.” One student even made me feel pangs of sincere sympathy for…. God forgive me…. Michael Vick.

Now, I don’t want to be too plucky here… there were, of course, some students who said writing just wasn’t their “thing” and by the end of the semester… their feelings (and their writing) changed minimally. But I was surprised by how difficult it was to convince these otherwise confident students of their strengths. Many accused me of “just being nice” when I said their paper impressed me, showed improvement, or taught me something new.  (Trust me, some of the stuff you guys turned in was not pretty… and I think my comments reflected that.) So although I can’t offer any practical answers to the questions I’ve posed about the writing phobia and its origins, I’ll say…. it seems largely unfounded… and I fear it’s becoming a silent, uncontrolled epidemic.

I have no solutions right now, but for what it’s worth, all you college freshmen (and anybody else who’s still reading this post): you may very well be a heinous writer, but I have a sneaking suspicion you’re not giving yourself enough credit. And I know a group of really bright students who *I think* have conquered this phobia and  could write you a damn good paper convincing you to give writing a chance.

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How to overcome anxiety over writing papers?

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Alice! Health Promotion. "How to overcome anxiety over writing papers?." Go Ask Alice!, Columbia University, 24 Jun. 2022, https://goaskalice.columbia.edu/answered-questions/how-overcome-anxiety-over-writing-papers. Accessed 14, Aug. 2024.

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Alice! Health Promotion. (2022, June 24). How to overcome anxiety over writing papers?. Go Ask Alice!, https://goaskalice.columbia.edu/answered-questions/how-overcome-anxiety-over-writing-papers.

Dear Alice,

I have terrible anxiety about writing papers. Because of this, I put them off, need to ask for extensions, and then have more anxiety about completing the assignment. In addition, when I start writing, I find it difficult to keep going, especially because I hit what may seem to others as small roadblocks, like uncertainty about citation format. I don’t experience nearly as much stress about other types of work (e.g., studying for and taking exams). What can I do to get over or at least cope reasonably with this fear?

Dear Reader,

Just thinking about writing anxiety made this answer more difficult to compose. You see, writing anxiety and writer’s block are concerns for both students and professionals of all ages and academic levels. In fact, even the most seasoned writers experience anxiety or writer’s block now and then. Fortunately, writing is a complex process that, with practice and patience, may be improved. Read on for some strategies for overcoming the roadblock you’re experiencing.

Writing anxiety comes in multiple forms such as an inability to form an idea, a physical struggle to manifest words on the paper, or a fear of not meeting expectations that hinders your progress. The four main causes of writer’s block include psychological, motivational, cognitive, and behavioral reasons. Psychological causes often include mood or stressors that affect cognitive processing. Motivation-related blocks often arise from a fear of failure. Similarly, those categorized as cognitive causes stem from perfectionism and obsession with details, much like you described in your uncertainty when formatting citations. Lastly, the most common cause of writing anxiety is behavioral changes such as procrastination. Procrastination may lead to a domino effect in which more work doesn’t get done and the pile-up becomes overwhelming. Writer’s block is different for everyone not only in its cause but also in its manifestation and how long it lasts. For some, it may occur for a few minutes and for others it may take decades to overcome, but it’s good to know that it’s possible.

It’s worth noting that more and more research has been dedicated to understanding the psychology behind writer’s block in order to help conquer it. Multiple studies have concluded that writer’s block is most effectively combated by giving the brain a break. This period of time is called the incubation period and could include activities such as going on a walk, playing a word game, or getting a full night’s sleep. When done for an appropriate amount of time, these mental breaks could help writers to think more creatively and find inspiration. Fortunately, writing anxiety is typically a product of a writer’s habits, and habits are changeable! You’ve already made a great first step by identifying a few things that don’t work for you — procrastination and obtaining deadline extensions provide you little or no relief. Now, the next step is to try out or adopt some new habits. To help relieve the anxiety and fear you feel about writing papers, implementing any of the following strategies may be useful:

  • Stay on top of your reading assignments and do your best to attend classes — that way you won’t have to cram or teach yourself course material before writing your papers.
  • Prior to writing, brainstorm ideas. Create a chart or write down topics of interest to refer back to while writing.
  • Follow the guidelines your professor talked about in class or included in a syllabus or grading rubric. If you’re not sure about the guidelines, ask for clarification early.
  • Start writing even before you envision your entire argument. Getting words down on paper may help you come up with the rest of your writing assignment. Try free writing or diagramming to inspire ideas.
  • Compose different parts of your paper in whatever order feels easy. You’re not required to write in sequential order, as long as the final product is well-organized. Some find it helpful to start with the sections that come naturally and move toward the more challenging parts.
  • Avoid stopping and editing each sentence as you write. This will slow you down. Instead, consider writing your paper in several whole drafts, and take breaks between editing. Remind yourself that the first draft is low-pressure and exploratory.
  • Write your paper in several sittings rather than trying to crank it out in one marathon session. Attempting to write a paper in one sitting may overwhelm you, thereby distracting you from your task.
  • Avoid distractions by turning off your internet and cellphone or writing a draft by hand.
  • Get feedback from others. Many schools offer writing support services such as helping you develop and structure ideas, find research, connect thoughts, strengthen your understanding of grammar, and much more.
  • Seek out additional support. If you’re wondering if your writing block is related to a learning disability, you can check to see if your school as an office of disability services that provides support to students. 

You can also reach out to instructors or a tutor to help implement these strategies for combating writing anxiety. Remember that writing anxiety is common — and you’re certainly not alone. However, if you continue to experience these feelings and need additional support, you might find it helpful to reach out to a mental health professional.

Additional Relevant Topics:

How do i implement time management strategies and avoid procrastination, what are some tools for managing stress, what should i do if my classmates seem to breeze through coursework while i struggle, how can i find a therapist.

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Unblocking writer’s block – how perfectionism gets in the way of good essay writing

 Other research points to the issue of self-handicapping behaviours, like leaving the essay to the last minute .

 have been calling for more research into how to support students with perfectionist tendencies. But what does this perfectionism look like? How are these able students so paralysed by a psychological block?  Let me call on the case of Suzie here to shed some light.

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 which showed that perfectionism can be counteracted by strong self efficacy; confidence in the ability to exert control over one’s own behaviour and academic performance.

for a CPD accredited webinar:

 

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I will be sharing my insights into this conundrum and how and executive function skills approach can be invaluable, together with practical tools and worksheets professionals and students can use to scaffold  the development of skills they need to excel at academic writing.

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Volume 24, Issue 5, 1986, Pages 603-604, ISSN 0005-7967, https://doi.org/10.1016/0005-7967(86)90042-2.

 

Marshall, K., Forbes, A., Kearns, H., & Gardiner, M. (2008). When a high distinction isn’t good enough: a review of perfectionism and self-handicapping. Australian Educational Researcher, 35(3), 21–36. 

 

 Dawn Starley (2019)  : a challenging but worthwhile research area for educational psychology, Educational Psychology in Practice, 35:2, 121-146, DOI: 

 Besser, A., Flett, G.L., Hewitt, P.L.   Perfectionism, and Cognitions, Affect, Self-esteem, and Physiological Reactions in a Performance Situation.   26, 206–228 (2008). 

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What are some tricks for managing debilitating writing anxiety/phobia?

For the past 4 years, I've developed a severe problem with writing anxiety. It's become so bad, that I had to drop out of my first university because I wasn't able to keep up with the course work. I've tried to manage the problem on my own, but with very limited success. Part of my problem is that the reaction is very visceral. I quite literally feel like throwing up when I approach a writing assignment. I haven't been able to unlearn that reaction.

I suspect a great deal of my anxiety is coming from perfectionism. I know I shouldn't strive to make my first draft perfect, but it's like I can't help it. I have a lot of difficulty bypassing my inner critic when writing first drafts, so it makes the whole process very stress-inducing and unpleasant, which makes me put off the writing entirely, which then leads to binge-writing sessions which are just terrible.

I was wondering if anyone had some tricks for bypassing the inner critic and mitigating the nausea.

  • academic-writing
  • writers-block

Beatriz Fernandez's user avatar

  • 10 Go see a therapist. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy is perfect for treating this kind of problem. Your symptoms are too severe for self-help. It's already destroying your career, so don't hesitate but get help. All the best! –  user5645 Commented Oct 12, 2014 at 7:29
  • I agree with @what. This isn't something you can work around with a listicle of helpful tips. If your anxiety is that severe, you need professional therapy. I also agree that CBT is the right place to start. –  Lauren-Clear-Monica-Ipsum Commented Oct 12, 2014 at 11:57
  • If you're struggling to get out to a therapist, in the meantime you may want to check out Mood Gym: moodgym.anu.edu.au/welcome , it's an excellent onlione CBT course (though a bit patronising) –  CLockeWork Commented Oct 13, 2014 at 11:27

4 Answers 4

The comments on your post suggest therapy, and I think it is good advice. This is more than just writer's block or procrastination. It sounds like you have serious anxiety that's triggered by writing. Here are some things you might try if you can't afford a therapist.

First, pick a book and copy the text out of it. This will help you get used to the physical activity of typing or writing by hand without being concerned with what you are writing. When you can copy text without feeling anxious, then you are ready to move to the next step.

Second, move around the text you copied. Try rearranging the sentences in paragraph, or taking one sentence out of each paragraph to make a new story with the same words. Don't worry about how legible it is. You're getting used to the feeling of editing. When you feel comfortable moving text around like this, move on to the next part.

Third, play with the text you copied. Take a passage and substitute a few verbs and nouns with a synonym chosen from a thesaurus at random. Rewrite it using different pronouns (instead of third-person "he/she/it/them", write it in second-person "you", for instance). Rearrange the words in the sentences. Remove all the conjunctions. Do some small things like this to help yourself see that the same thing can be expressed in many different ways, and none of these is right or wrong.

Fourth, write something short that's not important. Something that has no deadline or grade or degree attached to it. A fake advertisement for an imaginary product might suffice. Write as much as you can in ten minutes, and then walk away from it. Come back to it in a day or a week, and revise it until you like it, or throw it away if you hate it. Then do it all again next week. From here, work your way into writing some things that carry more baggage.

These steps will hopefully lead you to feel that you are in control of your work. Hopefully, a few exercises like this, and you'll be over the worst parts of your anxiety. You can do this. You wrote this question here, so that's encouraging!

Kit Z. Fox's user avatar

I have struggled with my inner critic for a long time and here are some things that have worked for me:

  • Talking to someone you trust about your writing: Everyone writes differently but I don't think anyone gets it how they want it first time. Find someone who is either an avid reader or studying English that you know and trust and show them some of your writing. Seeing someone enjoy your writing can really help reduce anxiety. Someone who is a good critic is always helpful.
  • Set short goals: If you are writing for an assignment/dissertation/etc it can be hard to see the light at the end of the tunnel. When I had to write my PhD thesis my supervisor gave me the advice to set short goals and use bullet points to layout the structure (a bullet point per paragraph with the basic idea).
  • Break the monotony: Along with short goals give yourself rewards for achieving them. They don't need to be big. Ones I use include: a nice cup of tea, chocolate, reading a short story, a short walk.

I still struggle with my inner critic but these techniques helped me churn out a nearly 200 page thesis in about half a year. It does get easier once you get going I assure you :)

  • If you have tried all these things with limited success then seeking professional help via therapy (as suggested by several commenters) is probably the way forwards.

Tom Wilkinson's user avatar

Gee, I agree with what . You need a specialist. Something that helped me, though (I was a perfectionist, too) is this quote:

"Art is never finished, only abandoned." - Leonardo da Vinci

Give up perfection . Look at your writing as something that improves incrementally rather than something that is fixed. You can always come back and edit later; something that's even easier with all the technology we have today.

wyc's user avatar

Giving up perfectionism is great advice. It's also like blithely telling someone to give up heroin. I tried to overcome my perfectionistic approach to writing fiction by doing some simple writing exercises, only to find that I was just as phobic about doing the exercises. I even spellcheck my own diary! I think the best way to approach this is not to think of it as a writing problem. Begin by being less perfectionistic in other areas of your life. Live with a bit of mess. Don't pay the bills immediately they come in. Go out with greasy hair and notice how little these things really matter. Aim lower in your goals too. Settle for a ten percent improvement rather than 100 percent. Aiming too high can make you feel overwhelmed and paralysed. Aiming lower gives you a can-do feeling and you end up accomplishing more than you expected.

Liz T's user avatar

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Writing With Anxiety

Productivity tips, support, and encouragement for writers with anxiety.

Symptoms of writing anxiety and how to overcome it

Mental Health / June 20, 2022 by Allaya Cooks-Campbell

Is there anything scarier than a blank page?

No matter how inspired you feel when you decide to start writing, a blank page seems to suck all the ideas out of you. Or you want to write, but that inner critic kicks in. Every word seems wrong somehow, and you just can’t seem to put the words on the page.

This is one of the classic, tell-tale symptoms of writing anxiety, and I don’t think there’s a single person who hasn’t experienced it. Keep reading to learn what writing anxiety is, how to recognize it, and ways to beat it.

What is writing anxiety?

Writing anxiety is the feeling of apprehension, tension, and fear that occurs when a person is about to write — or is currently writing. The feelings can be physical, emotional, and mental. It’s usually not a fear of writing itself, but fear related to the outcome of the work. Writers might be worried that their work isn’t good enough, they don’t know enough, or that they don’t have enough time to finish the project.

With severe writing anxiety, you might feel intense dread when you’re about to write, or even about writing. This might be because of perfectionism, fear of failure, or lack of confidence in one’s writing skills. The symptoms of writing anxiety overlap with generalized anxiety disorder . If you already experience anxiety or panic attacks, the symptoms might feel very similar.

Symptoms of writing anxiety

The symptoms are different for everyone, but they can be mental, emotional, physical, or behavioral. Here are some of the different ways to spot writing anxiety:

Physical symptoms:

  • Stomach problems, like issues with digestion, cramps, or queasiness
  • Heart palpitations or rapid heartbeat
  • Tension in the body, particularly the jaw, face, shoulders, and back
  • Panic attacks
  • Sweating or clammy palms
  • Dizziness or light-headedness
  • Headaches 
  • Shakiness, like shaking hands

Mental & emotional:

  • Negative self-talk or harsh inner voice
  • Feeling frozen when it’s time to write
  • Trouble concentrating or remembering; brain fog
  • Negative feelings or thoughts, especially when trying to write
  • Feeling on-guard or irritable
  • Lack of confidence
  • Feeling worthless or hopeless
  • Excessive fear of judgment or negative feedback from others

Behavioral:

  • Snapping at others
  • Avoiding feedback or communication
  • Sitting down to write, but not writing anything
  • Getting distracted easily
  • Difficulty finishing writing projects
  • Comparing oneself to other writers
  • Extremely critical of one’s own work

Writing anxiety doesn’t just affect new writers. It can make it difficult for even professional writers finish their work. When writing anxiety gets out of control, it can seep into every area of your life and tank your career.

Some people think that even feeling symptoms of writing anxiety means that they’re not cut out to be a writer. In fact, the exact opposite is true. You can get good at recognizing your triggers and developing positive coping skills to deal with them. This helps to build mental and emotional resilience — a key skill for any writer.

essay writing phobia in undergraduates

What causes writing anxiety?

Writing anxiety is a common problem among writers. Usually, the fear of writing is connected to some future fear. Writers are often afraid of rejection, not being good enough, or being judged for one’s work. 

At its heart, fear of judgment is usually one of two things: low self-esteem or lack of experience. Both of these translate to a lack of confidence in one’s own abilities as a writer. 

This is part of the reason many people think that writing anxiety only affects new writers. The truth is, everyone can be subject to feeling insecure or stressed about their writing. New writers might worry about whether they can really make money as a writer, land a job with no experience, or be good enough to be published. Experienced writers might worry about meeting deadlines, submitting work for publication, or hung up on past negative experiences.

A number of writers are very comfortable working within their niche, but get nervous when trying something new. For example, a skilled technical writer might worry about writing white papers. On the other hand, a competent marketing writer might be anxious about publishing their first book. Students are often worried about being judged by other students or teachers.

Procrastination and writing anxiety

The uncomfortable feelings of anxiety and stress can lead to procrastination, which is the act of putting off an unpleasant or difficult task. This might look like not starting on a project or avoiding turning it in. 

Procrastination and anxiety create a vicious cycle. Anxiety leads to avoidance and putting off the task at hand. Procrastination steals the time you have to work on the task, making you more and more anxious about doing a good job with it. After a while, you get down to the wire and the extreme pressure forces you to get the project done. Tim Urban calls this the Panic Monster in his TED talk on procrastination .

What’s the problem with relying on the Panic Monster? Inevitably, you’re stressed out, you don’t have time to do your best work, and you start a habit that’s hard to break. The next time a project comes around, you won’t feel good about it, because you know that there’s months of anxiety — followed by a panic-fueled all-nighter — in your near future.

The best way to overcome writing anxiety is through practice and exposure to different types of writing situations. The more you learn to recognize emotional sticking points in your writing process, the more comfortable you’ll get with moving past them.

Writer’s anxiety vs. writer’s block

Writer’s anxiety and writer’s block are a little different from each other. However, both conditions can have a negative impact on one’s writing life and professional writing career.

Writer’s anxiety is the feeling of stress, panic, and fear that a writer experiences before they start a writing task. It can be caused by any number of factors, such as perfectionism, self-doubt, and lack of confidence.  People with writing anxiety often feel self-doubt and fear before writing. While writer’s anxiety can stop you from coming up with ideas or feeling inspired, it can happen even when you know what to write.

Writer’s block is the inability to produce words for a piece of writing or produce any content at all. It might be due to a lack of inspiration, frustration, exhaustion, or burnout. Even when you want to write, nothing comes to mind. It feels like something is stopping you from ‘going’ or generating ideas.

How to deal with writing anxiety

Dealing with writing anxiety requires two parts. The first is managing the symptoms of writing anxiety. That means, elimninating the queasiness, tension, and brain fog that often accompanies anxiety attacks. The second part is to find strategies that keep you moving forward, even when you’re stressed.

Here are a few tried-and-tested ways of overcoming writing anxiety:

1. Take a break

It might feel counterintuitive, but one of the best ways to combat writing anxiety is to take a break. Try taking a walk, eating a snack, or going for a coffee (decaf if you have the jitters!). 

When you’re up against a deadline, stepping away from the computer can sometimes trigger a bit of separation anxiety. You might feel like any time spent away from your project is time wasted. But the exact opposite is true. Many writers swear by the power of a short break to clear their minds and get the creative juices flowing again.

2. Structure before you start

Sometimes, putting full sentences together seems overwhelming. Instead of trying to craft a perfect paragraph, a cohesive piece, and a compelling narrative simultaneously, break it into parts. Start by outlining your piece, then doing some free writing around a section. This can help break up the overwhelming task of the entire writing project. Small sections can help focus your attention on what’s happening in the moment.

3. Set a timer

You know that miraculous state of flow you get into at the eleventh hour? Harness that creative power by giving yourself a little time pressure. Set a timer (you can decide for how long you want) and focus on word count, not great ideas. Don’t edit, and try not to stop. Everything’s good as long as you keep writing.

If you’re feeling particularly anxious, start with just five or ten minutes, then take a break. Doing this will help you build momentum and get past that blank page.

4. Change your format

If there’s a particular writing style you feel very comfortable with, try imagining your work from that perspective. For example, you could think of a blog post as a social media post (with a couple hundred extra words).

There’s no wrong way to do this exercise. The trick is to approach your writing from your strengths, no matter what they are. If you have to write an essay but you deal exclusively with fanfiction, put your creativity to the test. Try writing your essay as your main character, and see how many subtle references to your plot you can work in.

5. Make writer friends

I might be a little biased, but writer friends are the best friends. Not only do they love what you love and laugh at all your jokes, but they understand writing anxiety better than anyone else.

Whether you’re dealing with publishing jitters, writer’s block, or wondering if you can really make money writing full-time, you’ll benefit from a supportive community. Join a writing group in your area or connect with other writers through social media. You’ll find that you are not alone in your struggle. Having a writing buddy to chat with about the ups and downs of being a writer can make the stress feel much easier.

The symptoms of writing anxiety can feel overwhelming, but they don’t have to stand in your way. Learning to recognize them — and having strategies in place to overcome them — is a key skill for any writer.

essay writing phobia in undergraduates

About Allaya Cooks-Campbell

Allaya Cooks-Campbell is a blogger, web developer, professional copywriter, and content strategist who began publishing content online over fifteen years ago. Since then, her writing has been featured in publications such as Huffington Post, Today, Readers’ Digest, Motherly, Romper, Well+Good, Scary Mommy, and The Kitchn. She was a news editor for Health Digest and a guest editor at over a dozen brands for the parent company, Static Media. Eventually, Allaya grew to run and train a team of over 40 freelancers and staff at Explore as Senior Lead Editor. She also worked as a communications strategist for Cloudberry Creative, a New York-based experience design agency.

Today, Allaya is a full-time content strategist and editor. She is the founder of both Writing With Anxiety and her boutique content agency, Alaya Media.

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116 Phobia Essay Topic Ideas & Examples

Inside This Article

Phobias are an intense and irrational fear of something that poses little or no actual danger. They can range from common fears like spiders and heights to more unusual fears like peanut butter sticking to the roof of your mouth or fear of the color yellow. Phobias can have a significant impact on a person's daily life, causing anxiety, panic attacks, and avoidance of certain situations or objects.

If you're struggling to come up with a topic for an essay on phobias, fear not! We've compiled a list of 116 phobia essay topic ideas and examples to help inspire you. Whether you're writing a research paper, a personal essay, or a creative piece, there's sure to be a topic on this list that sparks your interest.

  • The psychology behind phobias: causes, symptoms, and treatment options
  • Common phobias: spiders, snakes, heights, and more
  • Unusual phobias: fear of clowns, mirrors, or even the number 13
  • Social phobias: fear of public speaking, social situations, or crowds
  • Phobias in children: how they develop and how to help kids overcome their fears
  • Phobias in adults: how they impact daily life and relationships
  • Specific phobias vs. social phobias: differences and similarities
  • Phobias and anxiety disorders: how they are related and how they differ
  • The role of genetics in phobias: are they inherited or learned?
  • Phobias and trauma: how past experiences can shape our fears
  • Cognitive-behavioral therapy for phobias: how it works and its effectiveness
  • Exposure therapy for phobias: facing your fears head-on
  • Medication options for phobias: when therapy alone isn't enough
  • Virtual reality therapy for phobias: a new approach to treatment
  • The impact of phobias on mental health: anxiety, depression, and more
  • Phobias and physical health: how fear can affect the body
  • Phobias and relationships: how they can strain partnerships and friendships
  • Overcoming phobias: success stories and strategies for recovery
  • Living with a phobia: coping mechanisms and self-care tips
  • The stigma of phobias: why they are often misunderstood or dismissed
  • The history of phobias: how they have been perceived and treated over time
  • The cultural aspects of phobias: how fears vary across different societies
  • Phobias in literature and film: how they are portrayed and used for storytelling
  • Phobias in art and music: how artists express their fears through their work
  • Phobias and creativity: can fear inspire innovation and artistry?
  • Phobias and gender: are women more likely to have phobias than men?
  • Phobias and age: do fears change as we get older?
  • Phobias and technology: the impact of social media, virtual reality, and more
  • Phobias and the pandemic: how COVID-19 has influenced our fears
  • Phobias and climate change: eco-anxiety and fear of the future
  • Phobias and politics: how fear can be used as a tool for manipulation
  • Phobias and religion: how faith can help or exacerbate our fears
  • Phobias and philosophy: the existential dread of facing our fears
  • The ethics of treating phobias: when is it appropriate to intervene?
  • Phobias and personal growth: how overcoming fear can lead to self-discovery
  • Phobias and resilience: how some people are able to thrive despite their fears
  • Phobias and identity: how our fears shape who we are and how we see ourselves
  • Phobias and spirituality: how faith can help us confront our fears
  • Phobias and mindfulness: using meditation and mindfulness practices to cope with fear
  • Phobias and self-compassion: how being kind to ourselves can help us overcome fear
  • Phobias and perfectionism: the pressure to be fearless and its impact on mental health
  • Phobias and imposter syndrome: feeling like a fraud in the face of fear
  • Phobias and self-esteem: how fear can erode our confidence and sense of self-worth
  • Phobias and body image: how fear of judgment and rejection can affect how we see ourselves
  • Phobias and social media: the pressure to appear fearless and perfect online
  • Phobias and vulnerability: how opening up about our fears can lead to connection and healing
  • Phobias and shame: the belief that our fears make us weak or inadequate
  • Phobias and courage: the bravery it takes to face our fears head-on
  • Phobias and empowerment: reclaiming our power in the face of fear
  • Phobias and control: the illusion of safety in avoiding our fears
  • Phobias and acceptance: finding peace in the midst of fear
  • Phobias and growth: the opportunity for personal development and transformation
  • Phobias and change: how facing our fears can lead to positive transformation
  • Phobias and connection: how sharing our fears can lead to deeper relationships
  • Phobias and compassion: how empathy and understanding can help us overcome fear
  • Phobias and forgiveness: letting go of past traumas and fears
  • Phobias and gratitude: finding joy and beauty in the face of fear
  • Phobias and resilience: the strength and courage it takes to face our fears
  • Phobias and self-compassion: being kind to ourselves in the midst of fear
  • Phobias and therapy: the benefits of seeking professional help for phobias
  • Phobias and medication: when is it appropriate to use medication for fear?
  • Phobias and exposure therapy: facing our fears head-on to overcome them
  • Phobias and cognitive-behavioral therapy: changing our thoughts and behaviors to conquer fear
  • Phobias and virtual reality therapy: a new approach to treating phobias
  • Phobias and relaxation techniques: using relaxation and stress-reduction techniques to cope with fear
  • Phobias and self-help: strategies and tips for overcoming fear on your own
  • Phobias and support groups: finding community and connection in the face of fear
  • Phobias and holistic healing: using alternative therapies like acupuncture and yoga to treat fear
  • Phobias and nutrition: how diet and nutrition can impact mental health and fear
  • Phobias and exercise: the benefits of physical activity for reducing fear and anxiety
  • Phobias and sleep: how sleep and rest can help us manage fear and stress
  • Phobias and creativity: how fear can inspire creativity and innovation
  • Phobias and art therapy: using art and creative expression to heal from fear
  • Phobias and music therapy: the healing power of music in facing our fears
  • Phobias and dance therapy: using movement and dance to overcome fear
  • Phobias and writing therapy: the therapeutic benefits of journaling and storytelling for fear
  • Phobias and nature therapy: the calming and grounding effects of spending time in nature
  • Phobias and animal therapy: the comfort and support that animals can provide in facing fear
  • Phobias and aromatherapy: using scents and essential oils to calm anxiety and fear
  • Phobias and crystal therapy: the healing properties of crystals in overcoming fear
  • Phobias and energy healing: using Reiki and other energy healing modalities to treat fear
  • Phobias and acupuncture: the benefits of acupuncture for reducing fear and anxiety
  • Phobias and massage therapy: the relaxation and stress relief that massage can provide in facing fear
  • Phobias and hypnotherapy: using hypnosis to uncover and heal deep-seated fears
  • Phobias and neurofeedback: the benefits of biofeedback for managing fear and stress
  • Phobias and breathwork: the calming and grounding effects of deep breathing in facing fear
  • Phobias and visualization: using guided imagery to confront and overcome fear
  • Phobias and EMDR therapy: the benefits of eye movement desensitization and reprocessing for treating fear
  • Phobias and somatic therapy: using body-based therapies to heal from fear and trauma
  • Phobias and trauma-informed care: the importance of recognizing and addressing past traumas in treating fear
  • Phobias and attachment theory: how early attachment experiences can shape our fears
  • Phobias and self-esteem: the impact of fear on our sense of self-worth and confidence
  • Phobias and stigma: the negative stereotypes and

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Want to write a college essay that sets you apart? Three tips to give you a head start

How to write a college essay

1. Keep it real. It’s normal to want to make a good impression on the school of your choice, but it’s also important to show who you really are. So just be yourself! Compelling stories might not be perfectly linear or have a happy ending, and that’s OK. It’s best to be authentic instead of telling schools what you think they want to hear.

2. Be reflective . Think about how you’ve changed during high school. How have you grown and improved? What makes you feel ready for college, and how do you hope to contribute to the campus community and society at large?

3. Look to the future. Consider your reasons for attending college. What do you hope to gain from your education? What about college excites you the most, and what would you like to do after you graduate? Answering these questions will not only give colleges insight into the kind of student you’ll be, but it will also give you the personal insight you’ll need to choose the school that’s right for you.

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writing about phobias in essays

I’m wondering if this is too out-there for an essay topic.

I have emetophobia, a phobia of vomitting coupled with mild to moderate claustrophobia. I mean it–this is a full blown PHOBIA, a disease, the kind of thing that sets me crying and shaking and my heart racing if I feel the slightest bit ill or am around someone who’s sick. I work as a camp couselor with 3 to 5 year olds, and one day it was my job to take care of one who had the flu, which was a HUGE challenege for me–especially when she ended up vomitting on me! But I dealt with it and I want my essay to reflect how I found the courage to overcome my fear to help someone who needed me.

The problem is that I’m worried nobody will be able to relate. I mean, it’s unusual to be that scared of vomit and I don’t know if it will accurately convey how I really did overcome something that terrified me. Do you think adcoms won’t understand what a big deal this was for me? Do you think they’ll think I’m weird because of my phobia?

:slight_smile:

<p>Ummm, what are you hoping it says about you? I have to say though, you will be remembered…</p>

<p>I’m hoping that I can talk about overcoming my fears and finding a strength inside me that I was unaware I possessed to face something that terrifies me. It is akin to an essay about a kid who’s scared of heights learning to rapel down a 100 foot sheer rock cliff face. I’m hoping I’ll be able to convey that.</p>

<p>Haha, that’s a good point–being remembered is good.</p>

:slight_smile:

<p>I say go for it. I think being able to handle this situation is just like any other obstacle. You could have freaked out, but handling the situation responsibly really shows something</p>

<p>I take nothing personally on the net. It’s all about exchange of ideas.</p>

<p>“I want my essay to reflect how I found the courage to overcome my fear to help someone who needed me.”</p>

<p>semiserious, as long as this is the focus of your personal essay, you should be in good shape. Can you also tie this into why you want to go to college, your career goals, etc.? Don’t dwell on the emetophobia itself, but how your experience of overcoming your phobia will make you a better person and how it will help you make a contribution to society.</p>

<p>BTW, what are your college and career goals? Would you want to help others in hs or college deal with their phobias? Could you make this sound like something you would want to do as a research or community service project while in college?</p>

<p>The idea is to make your experience (and end result) with emetophobia work for you and not against you in your personal essay.</p>

<p>I’m not quite sure what my career goals are. My interests include film and moviemaking, writing, working with children, and medicine. I’d like to (in order of current preference, but I’m considering them all): make documentary films, become a pediatrician or obstetrian, become a kindergarten/pre-school teacher, or become a social worker.</p>

<p>Oh man, this is so funny, yet I feel so bad laughing about it.</p>

<p>Let me guess - you developed this phobia from watching The Exorcist?</p>

<p>If your funny, I’d definitely go for humor in this essay. It just sets you up so perfectly.</p>

<p>Haha, I was planning for a humorous take.</p>

<p>There are a few things that worry me here. First I agree this will be memorable, I would just worry they’ll call you vomit girl which may not be the way you want to be remembered.</p>

<p>Today there is much that can be done about phobias medically. To treat a phobia as you might a disability there is no help for does not make much sense. This is nothing that should cause a major struggle unless you can tell us you’ve tried the many medical approaches and just gave up to white knuckle it. Even so, how often do we encounter vomit if we’re not young mothers? It’s not excactly a major phobia.</p>

<p>I’m just not sure you can take this anywhere special.</p>

<p>Will people be able to relate: yes, if your essay is good, they will be able to relate. That is one of the points of your essay, conveying how you feel.</p>

<p>But: what are the alternatives? What else might you write about, and how do those possibilities compare with this? </p>

<p>Let’s set aside the vomit for a second and just look at a more common phobia: if you were afraid of heights, would you write an essay about how you were able to take a child to the observation deck of a tall building? My reaction to that is: well, that is a good thing, a significant thing, but is that the first or second most important and informative thing about you, the one thing you want colleges to know? </p>

<p>I am a strong believer in writing about what you want to write about. But I would ask you to consider whether this topic really gets to what is central about you, the first or second most important thing you have to say about yourself.</p>

<p>I think ADad put it well. It’s interesting, and if you’re careful will work well. you’ll certainly stand out, but consider if you have better alternatives. Basically, admissions are competitive everywhere these days, and only you know if you can spin this topic to show something that the admissions officers really, really want.</p>

<p>An aside - I noticed that you said you were considering medicine. With a phobia of vomit? To each their own and I wish you good luck : ) but according to what my mom told me from her experiences in medical school, a note of caution: hoardes of people veer away from medical school when they’re finally face-to-face with the rather gruesome and sticky realities of the profession…and these are people without phobias mind you…;)</p>

<p>Haha, I know. I’ve thought about that quite a bit, and is in fact the biggest reason I wouldn’t go into a career in medicine (that and the fact that I want to be a full-time mother eventually). But I am naturally fascinated with all things medical. I watch Discovery Health Channel nonstop. I excelled in Biology and I love dissections. I am just so organically interested in learning about medicine and the human body. I just feel like I’m wasting myself if I don’t go into medicine in SOME way.</p>

<p>Have you ever considered majoring in biochemistry with a goal of earning a PhD and doing research? You wouldn’t have to deal with all the icky stuff that you would encounter in medicine.</p>

<p>If it is original, go for it.</p>

<p>semiserious - ah, sorry, I misunderstood you. I assumed you meant a doctor, so I thought it sort of weird that you would consider it with your phobia. But yes, medicine is a very broad field, so I would keep looking if you feel a passion for it. : )</p>

<p>i don’t know…i think one about an ec you were really passionate about will better show your character. this is certainly going to make you stand out, but maybe not that favorably. </p>

<p>it could be great, especially if you put a humorous twist to it.</p>

<p>You love dissections? Wow. </p>

Home — Essay Samples — Nursing & Health — Mental Health — Fears And Phobias

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essay writing phobia in undergraduates

82 Phobia Essay Topic Ideas & Examples

🏆 best phobia topic ideas & essay examples, 🔍 good research topics about phobia, 👍 interesting topics to write about phobia, ❓ research questions about phobias.

  • Anxiety and Phobia in Dental Settings: Theories and Their Relations While external factors may lead to the creation of the anxiety pattern in a patient, the subsequent dental treatment and procedures and their experiences may either exacerbate or altogether nullify the condition.
  • Social Phobia: The Case Analysis Although the symptoms of acute stress disorder and paranoid personality disorder can be partly observed in Mr. So, the proof of acute stress disorder, paranoid personality disorder, and social phobia in Mr.
  • Social Phobia and Stigma Treatment in Saudi Arabia In addition to the social factors, the causes of anxiety and phobic disorders include heredity, the individual characteristics of the nervous system, and the presence of congenital abnormalities.
  • Old Age Phobia: Problems and Solutions Most of the countries of the world share the same view regarding the issue of the fear of aging. Thus, the perception of age is never well-received by the community and there is such a […]
  • The Development of Phobias and Addictions On the other hand, addictions are the behavioral pattern that is characterized by either psychological or physical reliance on substances abuse which is known to have negative impacts on the health and the life of […]
  • Social Phobia Issue Analysis From surveys of many individuals from across the United States and elsewhere, Ruscio and his colleagues found that 40% of individuals considered themselves to be chronically shy, to the point of it being a problem. […]
  • Behavioral Treatment of Phobias One of the key concepts of CBT is that the source of a patient’s problems most likely lies inside the person, not outside. Therefore, further research should be initiated to improve the understanding of CBT […]
  • Anxious Phobia Disorder Patients’ Brain & Behavior The improvement of the methods of spectral and multifractal analyses of the electroencephalogram has enabled scientists and psychologists to sort the chaotic and fractal dynamics of the brain associated with anxious phobia disorders.
  • Specific Phobia: Major Psychiatric Disorder Moreover, the client loved going to school when she was a child because she did well in all of her classes.
  • Learning Theories Explaining Elevator Phobia I have tried to fight the phobia, but whenever I am faced with the scenario where I am supposed to use the elevator, the memory of the fall becomes so clear, and my fear comes […]
  • Conditioning in Phobias and Addictions In classical conditioning, Extinction of a behavior is induced by use of a positive reinforcement to the organism which escalates a response.
  • Phobia in Operant and Classical Conditioning The process of classical conditioning encompasses an association between a behavior that is involuntary and a stimulus. This process sharply differs with that of operant conditioning where the association is between voluntary behavior and a […]
  • Social Phobia: Causes, Symptoms and Signs It is generally associated with the way a person conducts him or herself in any social setting; in this case, an individual may be in a position of feeling very shy and / or lacking […]
  • Psychological Problems: The Social Phobia For the achievement of the positive outcomes in restoring of social phobia, the specialists suggest to include the assessments of the life quality and life events in the psychological treatment procedures.
  • Cognitive Behavioural Therapy in Solving Social Phobia The third element “The situation is perceived as socially dangerous” is the cumulative effect of the trigger situation and the negative thoughts that the individual has accumulated about a particular situation and the perception by […]
  • Aerophobia or Fear of Flying The main aim of the careful explanation of the positive reasons of recovering from the condition is to enable the victim to have a feeling of absolute calmness as the session winds up and to […]
  • Blushing and Physiological Arousability in Social Phobia
  • Phobia: Analysis of How It Affects Society
  • Claustrophobia: Phobia and Frightening Airplane Experience
  • Connecting Paranoia With Social Phobia, Eating Disorders, and Schizophrenia
  • Phobia’s and Addiction Relating to Classical and Operant Conditioning
  • Educational Phobia: How It Affects Education
  • Erythrophobia: The Analysis of the Blushing Phobia
  • The Differences Between Phobia and Panic Disorder
  • The Problem of Exam Phobia Among High School Students
  • Explaining Reasons People Might Develop a Specific Phobia
  • The Relationships Between Faith, Self-Esteem, and Social Phobia
  • Fear and Phobia: Social Anxiety Analysis
  • Identifying Social Phobia: Symptoms, Treatment, and Prognosis
  • The Relationships Between Phobia and College Student Fears
  • The Problem of Islam-Phobia Under the Trump Administration
  • Overcoming Social Phobia and Social Anxiety
  • Overview of Three Most Common Phobias: Agoraphobia, Claustrophobia, and More
  • Phobia: Phobias and Specific Activating Events
  • Psychoanalytic and Behaviorism Explanations of Phobia of Darkness
  • Social Phobia and Perfectionism: Theories, Types, and Models
  • Psychological Reasons and Effects of Phobia Amongst Children
  • Phobias: Effects and Treatments of Phobias
  • Social Phobia Among Teenagers and Adults in America
  • The Relationship Between Social Phobia and Fear of Public Speaking
  • Social Phobia: How It Affects Children
  • Phobias: The Cause, the Effect, and the Solution
  • Analysis of the Effects of Phobias on People
  • Subliminal Cues Bias Perception of Facial Effect in Patients With Social Phobia
  • The Causes and Cure of Situational Phobia
  • Social Phobia and Low Self-Esteem as Factors Behind Unhealthy Eating Behavior
  • The Conscious and Subconscious Facets of a Phobia
  • The Factors That Contribute to the Social Phobia
  • The Millennial Generation Must End Islam Phobia
  • Analysis of Causes and Disadvantages of Phobias
  • Treatment Plan for Child’s School Phobia
  • Understanding Social Phobia and Its Effect on People in the US
  • What Shapes Europeans’ Attitudes Toward Xeno-Philia or Phobia
  • Overview of Certain Strategies for Phobia Treatment
  • The Netherlands on Combating Xenophobia and Racism
  • Islamophobia in American Media: Cause or Result
  • What Is a Phobia and How Does It Manifest Itself?
  • What Shapes Europeans’ Attitudes Toward Phobia?
  • How Do Phobias Differ From Ordinary Fears?
  • What Kinds of Phobias Do People Commonly Develop?
  • How to Portray Socioeconomic Factors as They Might Play a Role in Someone Having a Phobia?
  • Are Phobias Genetic or Learned?
  • What Symptoms and Behaviors Might Indicate a Phobia?
  • How Can Therapy Treat Phobias?
  • When Does Medication Make Sense for Phobia Management?
  • What Age Has the Most Phobias?
  • What Happens if Phobias Are Left Untreated?
  • Who Is Most Likely to Get Phobias?
  • How Can Utilizing Combinative Therapy Be Even More Helpful Than Just Administering One Method of Treating a Phobia?
  • How Can a Blood or Injury Phobia Actually Cause a Dangerous Situation for That Person?
  • Which Is the Most Common Type of Phobia?
  • What Are the Complications Arising Due to Phobias?
  • How Does Genetic Predisposition Play a Role in Whether or Not Someone Develops a Phobia?
  • What Part of the Brain Develops Phobias?
  • What Is Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, and How Do Mental Health Professionals Utilize It in Eliminating Phobias?
  • What Are the Symptoms of Phobias?
  • How Might Biofeedback, Deep Breathing Techniques, and Meditation Be Used in Conjunction to Help Treat Phobias?
  • How Are Phobias Diagnosed?
  • What Are the Causes and Risk Factors for Developing Phobia?
  • Why Do Phobias Get Worse With Age?
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More From Forbes

College admissions trends: ai, college essays and going international.

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Arush Chandna is the co-founder of Quad Education .

Last year was a landmark year for college admissions. The Supreme Court’s end on affirmative action took center stage and conjured up the most confusion and uncertainty among colleges and students alike. But the year was also marked by other key developments—the first-ever rise in undergraduate enrollment since the pandemic, a dramatic bump in early admissions, finally ending the year with a thud—a series of events leading to the ousting of Harvard University President Claudine Gay on January 2, 2024.

With these developments at the altar, 2024 is looking no less than a beast of a year for college admissions. After all, it will be the first year where applications go through the admissions process without affirmative action. And other trends too will either make an entry or continue to have a significant impact this year. Let’s find out what’s in store in 2024.

Colleges And Universities Warming Up To AI

With the onset of AI, one of the biggest concerns was students using it to whip up their college application essays. But at the other end of the spectrum, we are seeing an increasing number of colleges and universities using AI in their admissions review process. In 2023, 50% of admissions offices in higher education reported using AI for reviewing applications, according to a survey from Intelligent . For 2024, 80% of officials in higher education said they would integrate AI into their review process this year. What’s AI being used for? Researchers at the University of Colorado Boulder and the University of Pennsylvania developed a “ series of artificial intelligence tools that can scan through essays in college applications, picking out evidence of key personal traits.” These may include leadership and perseverance. According to the co-author of the study, these tools are not currently deployed at any institution but when done under the right conditions, have the potential to recognize applications that might have all the required traits but can still go unnoticed when evaluated by humans.

Those currently using AI, according to the Intelligent survey, report using it for reviewing transcripts and recommendation letters. Other popular reasons for using AI are reviewing personal statements, weeding out student essays written by AI, and conducting preliminary interviews with applicants. This confidence in using AI in admissions grew even in the short time between early and late 2023. So, it might be safe to say that admissions officials will continue to get comfortable with using AI while still having some reasonable ethical concerns.

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Today’s nyt mini crossword clues and answers for thursday, august 15, it’s ‘over’—leak sparks serious u.s. crypto crackdown fears as the bitcoin price bounces back.

Universities can include an ethical component in the AI courses/curriculum, using an interdisciplinary method to ensure some semblance of rigor and an organized approach to this relatively new technology. Universities can partner with the government and industry to incorporate federal/industrial guidelines that should be implemented across all AI developments in the education space.

Students Striving To Write More Authentic Essays

The Supreme Court’s ruling to end affirmative action has caused a great deal of consternation among people of color in the nation. While there is no box to tick on applications anymore, students are left wondering if they should talk about race at all in their essays. As for university leaders, it means that they have to work harder to ensure a diverse campus—one that is reflective of real-time America. One way to do this for universities is to focus on varied aspects of the application to get a holistic picture—leadership, extracurricular activities, academics, community service and so on. At my company, even before the Supreme Court’s decision, we have encouraged students to represent their most authentic selves in their essays. What that means is if a student’s race, religion or culture has influenced who they are today, they should write about it but never lean on it as a sole indicator of any trait or quality. For example, if a student did not learn English in school and took the onus of teaching themselves to the level where they are an award-winning debater today, they must talk about it without worrying whether it provides an insight into their race because it highlights magnificent qualities valued by admissions officials.

Colleges and universities should consider including supplemental questions that spur this thinking among students and allow them to evaluate students holistically.

American Students Looking Outward

Many of our admissions consultants have recently observed an increased interest among students to explore destinations like Europe for their higher education—the reasons being a parallel academic experience at a fraction of the cost, reach and the added element of adventure. For example, while an undergraduate degree at Harvard costs a whopping $54,269 annually, Cambridge University’s tuition ranges from £25,734 to £39,162 annually . Students also save one year’s worth of tuition, as programs are typically three years long compared to four years in the U.S. Cambridge’s acceptance rate is also higher than Harvard’s 3% at 10%.

U.S. higher education must address the numbers of students who are defecting to colleges and graduate programs outside of the U.S. by determining if it is due to the higher costs of education or due to the perceived quality of higher education in the U.S. This research should/must include an assessment of relative cost to value: What is a degree worth when compared with the cost of paying off loans, etc. And how are global institutions keeping their costs competitive. Second, if the deflection is due to high costs, our U.S. campuses must work with the government to subsidize the cost of public colleges and universities while also ensuring that the degrees granted at each institution will provide a career path that will make students self-sufficient upon graduation.

Final Thoughts

In my experience as the founder of an ed tech business, I can say that college admissions never fails to excite. Tasked with the job of shaping students’ futures, this industry is constantly developing and presenting exhilarating challenges. Since the pandemic, many developments in this space have been monumental and will most likely continue to be so in the coming years. This year is promising to be another mega year with trends like a deeper integration of AI, thought-provoking college essays, the many implications of the end of affirmative action, students’ ever-intriguing aspirations around what they seek from the college experience and many more. It’s a year to watch out for.

Forbes Business Council is the foremost growth and networking organization for business owners and leaders. Do I qualify?

Arush Chandna

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The Crisis of Disclosure on Our Campuses

As students reveal upsetting personal information to us, we must help them transform it in ways that become meaningful, writes Deborah J. Cohan.

By  Deborah J. Cohan

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Young woman sits surrounded by books looking sad with a thought bubble above her that is full of scrambled lines

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When I started teaching in the mid-90s, student disclosure of terrifying and heartbreaking memories felt sacred. It was even before I heard the phrase “hold space,” but I realized that I was indeed being tasked with holding something carefully and gently. Simultaneously, I was attending to other students’ reactions so that the classroom could be an open and comfortable space for discussion of highly charged and complicated issues.

I even recall in 2002 having a student who shared that the reason she had enrolled in my family violence class was because she was insistent on breaking the cycle of it in her own family. Her grandfather killed her grandmother, her great grandfather killed her great grandmother, and her stepfather threatened her mother constantly. And my student, too, was abused by her stepfather, sexually, when her mother was working the night shift as a nurse. Not only did she share the horror of that, but she also shared another secret that felt equally brave: she had once considered folding rat poison into a casserole, hoping to kill him.

I read so many papers detailing family dynamics similar to this. And I remember trying to catch my breath as I was reading, letting my heart and my head catch up with each other.

The terror of it all gripped me, but perhaps what was the most compelling—and which had the strongest hold on me and still does—is the resistance that such students conveyed. It was also because of that resistance that I was able to help students make meaning of their experiences, most often by sharing with them sociological concepts and theories that would give language and voice to what they had endured.

Resistance can take many forms, and in my students, I’ve witnessed it in terms of writing and other art they’ve created and shared with me that wasn’t done for class but for the purpose of their own healing. I’ve also watched with profound admiration as students have organized events, rallies and concerts on the campus to assert their voices. Over the years, I’ve also invited some students back to speak at my classes about their experiences of survivorship, resistance and healing, and in so doing, newer students have seen them as real mentors.

A Different Context

Fast-forward to the present moment, and I’m struck by something else. I realize that I’ve come to think about student disclosure in a different way: It doesn’t look quite as brave anymore. Not because of anything that the students really did wrong, but because the social context for their sharing differs so significantly.

When I started to teach, students weren’t posting every hiccup of their private lives on social media, performing for the crowd. Nor were images of others doing that swirling around them. And they were talking about their struggles years before this country announced that young people were having a mental health crisis.

Nowadays, when students share, there’s a flattening to it that’s in keeping with their more overall flat emotional affect. Whereas students used to display great angst when disclosing things, they now share such information in a routinized, mundane way. I still hear about brutal transgressions that students have witnessed and endured in their lives, experiences that are every bit as horrific as years back. Yet, today they share it in a tone and cadence similar to how they tell me or their classmates what they ate for lunch. That steely cold reporting reveals the way that students are actively relying on and using what they know to be true in the culture. They are drawing on the messages that they know are concerning to adults.

While I don’t mean the word manipulating in a malicious way, students are indeed manipulating the language and the telling. For example, when students express themselves, they are not simply sad, they are depressed. They are not nervous, they are anxious. They are not having performance anxiety about an upcoming presentation or test, they are having full-blown panic attacks. Words like trauma even lack meaning now when people use it to describe anything and everything distressing, and we begin to lose sight of what those words truly mean.

Students announce in classes that they’ve attempted suicide. So hungry for a diagnosis, they’ll refer to themselves as having depression, anxiety or bipolar disorder, even if they’ve never sought counseling. In large classes, they very publicly report their diagnoses—self-proclaimed or offered by professionals—unlike students from years past, who spoke of such things in hushed tones in my office upon realizing they could trust me after a long conversation.

The Allure of the Reveal

These current students have quickly bought into a paradigm of disease—fully medicalizing any sort of feeling ill at ease. And in all our talk about the mental health of college students, nowhere are we really seeing an important discussion about what all this disclosure means and will mean going forward.

Judith Herman , whose groundbreaking work on incest changed the field of family violence and gave it new direction, refers to what she calls a crisis of disclosure. It describes what happens both when a survivor of sexual abuse goes through the process of disclosing a series of traumatic events and the fallout of that for not only the person but the constellation of the family in light of the secrets and silence. As a sociologist, I want to extend the idea of a crisis of disclosure beyond the family unit to see that we are now in the midst of a public crisis of disclosure on our college and university campuses.

But the concern isn’t just in the telling; it’s also in the way that meaning is lost. Catharsis is not enough. My former students from years back know this well. Disclosure was contextualized, and classroom concepts became a container for holding the sharing. Together with their peers, I’d push them to see the connections to what we were learning, as well as encourage them to take positive action in the form of volunteering, advocacy and social change.

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When I think about catharsis, I think back to when I was writing a book about caregiving for my adoring and abusive father, and people often asked if it felt cathartic to me. I found myself perpetually confused by the question as it seemed to reduce the writing of such a book into a series of tawdry diary entries or the like. So much more was at stake, and so much more was involved.

Of course, I trusted that the question was well-intended and that people asked because they wanted to know that I was OK—they wanted the reassurance of healing. And in some cases, they wanted to know if they themselves set out to write whether they, too, might be able to expect catharsis.

But the problem is that disclosure on its own may not be enough. Neither disclosure nor catharsis are enough. And that’s because the heart of the telling and the heart and art of the healing are firmly rooted in the meaning of the disclosure—or you might say the meaning-making of the catharsis.

As a culture, we are caught up in the allure of the reveal. We see this in happy events like a pregnancy announcement complete with a dramatic gender reveal. We also see it in the titillation that some people have revealing family secrets. But if the real purpose of revealing secrets is to break the silence and initiate a healing process, then what is most transformative goes far beyond the telling. It goes to the kind of acts of resistance and meaning-making that I’ve previously described.

And that’s where we as educators are responsible for not just holding space, but holding students accountable for what and how they share so that it is not gratuitous, but instead meaningful. By doing this, we help students move beyond the paralysis of despair and empower them to change the course of their lives; we walk our students to the farthest edge of courage, all the while helping to ensure that they don’t fall.

Deborah J. Cohan is professor of sociology at the University of South Carolina Beaufort and the author of Welcome to Wherever We Are: A Memoir of Family, Caregiving, and Redemption (Rutgers, 2020).

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American Psychological Association

How to cite ChatGPT

Timothy McAdoo

Use discount code STYLEBLOG15 for 15% off APA Style print products with free shipping in the United States.

We, the APA Style team, are not robots. We can all pass a CAPTCHA test , and we know our roles in a Turing test . And, like so many nonrobot human beings this year, we’ve spent a fair amount of time reading, learning, and thinking about issues related to large language models, artificial intelligence (AI), AI-generated text, and specifically ChatGPT . We’ve also been gathering opinions and feedback about the use and citation of ChatGPT. Thank you to everyone who has contributed and shared ideas, opinions, research, and feedback.

In this post, I discuss situations where students and researchers use ChatGPT to create text and to facilitate their research, not to write the full text of their paper or manuscript. We know instructors have differing opinions about how or even whether students should use ChatGPT, and we’ll be continuing to collect feedback about instructor and student questions. As always, defer to instructor guidelines when writing student papers. For more about guidelines and policies about student and author use of ChatGPT, see the last section of this post.

Quoting or reproducing the text created by ChatGPT in your paper

If you’ve used ChatGPT or other AI tools in your research, describe how you used the tool in your Method section or in a comparable section of your paper. For literature reviews or other types of essays or response or reaction papers, you might describe how you used the tool in your introduction. In your text, provide the prompt you used and then any portion of the relevant text that was generated in response.

Unfortunately, the results of a ChatGPT “chat” are not retrievable by other readers, and although nonretrievable data or quotations in APA Style papers are usually cited as personal communications , with ChatGPT-generated text there is no person communicating. Quoting ChatGPT’s text from a chat session is therefore more like sharing an algorithm’s output; thus, credit the author of the algorithm with a reference list entry and the corresponding in-text citation.

When prompted with “Is the left brain right brain divide real or a metaphor?” the ChatGPT-generated text indicated that although the two brain hemispheres are somewhat specialized, “the notation that people can be characterized as ‘left-brained’ or ‘right-brained’ is considered to be an oversimplification and a popular myth” (OpenAI, 2023).

OpenAI. (2023). ChatGPT (Mar 14 version) [Large language model]. https://chat.openai.com/chat

You may also put the full text of long responses from ChatGPT in an appendix of your paper or in online supplemental materials, so readers have access to the exact text that was generated. It is particularly important to document the exact text created because ChatGPT will generate a unique response in each chat session, even if given the same prompt. If you create appendices or supplemental materials, remember that each should be called out at least once in the body of your APA Style paper.

When given a follow-up prompt of “What is a more accurate representation?” the ChatGPT-generated text indicated that “different brain regions work together to support various cognitive processes” and “the functional specialization of different regions can change in response to experience and environmental factors” (OpenAI, 2023; see Appendix A for the full transcript).

Creating a reference to ChatGPT or other AI models and software

The in-text citations and references above are adapted from the reference template for software in Section 10.10 of the Publication Manual (American Psychological Association, 2020, Chapter 10). Although here we focus on ChatGPT, because these guidelines are based on the software template, they can be adapted to note the use of other large language models (e.g., Bard), algorithms, and similar software.

The reference and in-text citations for ChatGPT are formatted as follows:

  • Parenthetical citation: (OpenAI, 2023)
  • Narrative citation: OpenAI (2023)

Let’s break that reference down and look at the four elements (author, date, title, and source):

Author: The author of the model is OpenAI.

Date: The date is the year of the version you used. Following the template in Section 10.10, you need to include only the year, not the exact date. The version number provides the specific date information a reader might need.

Title: The name of the model is “ChatGPT,” so that serves as the title and is italicized in your reference, as shown in the template. Although OpenAI labels unique iterations (i.e., ChatGPT-3, ChatGPT-4), they are using “ChatGPT” as the general name of the model, with updates identified with version numbers.

The version number is included after the title in parentheses. The format for the version number in ChatGPT references includes the date because that is how OpenAI is labeling the versions. Different large language models or software might use different version numbering; use the version number in the format the author or publisher provides, which may be a numbering system (e.g., Version 2.0) or other methods.

Bracketed text is used in references for additional descriptions when they are needed to help a reader understand what’s being cited. References for a number of common sources, such as journal articles and books, do not include bracketed descriptions, but things outside of the typical peer-reviewed system often do. In the case of a reference for ChatGPT, provide the descriptor “Large language model” in square brackets. OpenAI describes ChatGPT-4 as a “large multimodal model,” so that description may be provided instead if you are using ChatGPT-4. Later versions and software or models from other companies may need different descriptions, based on how the publishers describe the model. The goal of the bracketed text is to briefly describe the kind of model to your reader.

Source: When the publisher name and the author name are the same, do not repeat the publisher name in the source element of the reference, and move directly to the URL. This is the case for ChatGPT. The URL for ChatGPT is https://chat.openai.com/chat . For other models or products for which you may create a reference, use the URL that links as directly as possible to the source (i.e., the page where you can access the model, not the publisher’s homepage).

Other questions about citing ChatGPT

You may have noticed the confidence with which ChatGPT described the ideas of brain lateralization and how the brain operates, without citing any sources. I asked for a list of sources to support those claims and ChatGPT provided five references—four of which I was able to find online. The fifth does not seem to be a real article; the digital object identifier given for that reference belongs to a different article, and I was not able to find any article with the authors, date, title, and source details that ChatGPT provided. Authors using ChatGPT or similar AI tools for research should consider making this scrutiny of the primary sources a standard process. If the sources are real, accurate, and relevant, it may be better to read those original sources to learn from that research and paraphrase or quote from those articles, as applicable, than to use the model’s interpretation of them.

We’ve also received a number of other questions about ChatGPT. Should students be allowed to use it? What guidelines should instructors create for students using AI? Does using AI-generated text constitute plagiarism? Should authors who use ChatGPT credit ChatGPT or OpenAI in their byline? What are the copyright implications ?

On these questions, researchers, editors, instructors, and others are actively debating and creating parameters and guidelines. Many of you have sent us feedback, and we encourage you to continue to do so in the comments below. We will also study the policies and procedures being established by instructors, publishers, and academic institutions, with a goal of creating guidelines that reflect the many real-world applications of AI-generated text.

For questions about manuscript byline credit, plagiarism, and related ChatGPT and AI topics, the APA Style team is seeking the recommendations of APA Journals editors. APA Style guidelines based on those recommendations will be posted on this blog and on the APA Style site later this year.

Update: APA Journals has published policies on the use of generative AI in scholarly materials .

We, the APA Style team humans, appreciate your patience as we navigate these unique challenges and new ways of thinking about how authors, researchers, and students learn, write, and work with new technologies.

American Psychological Association. (2020). Publication manual of the American Psychological Association (7th ed.). https://doi.org/10.1037/0000165-000

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APA Style Guidelines

Browse APA Style writing guidelines by category

  • Abbreviations
  • Bias-Free Language
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Full index of topics

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    The first is 'scriptophobia' (Biran, Augusto and Wilson, 1981) or 'writing phobia' (Johnson, Shenoy and Gilmore, 1982), which is an irrational fear of writing in front of another person. Although an underlying fear of shame before someone else may be common to essay-writing phobia and scriptophobia, the presenting problem is different.

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    Albert Bandura would say that low self-efficacy about doing an assignment adequately is at the heart of essay-writing phobia. For students with a phobia, a better goal than doing the assignment adequately (which to some of them means perfectly) is to do the assignment as a good (or perfect!) student does: following a preparation/writing ...

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    As is so very common, "essay writing phobia" is presented as an individual pathology whereas it is actually largely a response to structural and cultural problems in the Academy. One problem is that universities (and psychology departments are esp. guilty of this) do not allow students enough leeway to develop their own voice (as you have ...

  4. Essay-writing phobia in undergraduates

    Essay-writing phobia in undergraduates. Essay-writing phobia in undergraduates. Essay-writing phobia in undergraduates Behav Res Ther. 1986;24(5):603-4. doi: 10.1016/0005-7967(86)90042-2. Author J P Phillips. PMID: 3753388 DOI: 10.1016/0005-7967(86)90042-2 No abstract available. MeSH terms ...

  5. Writing Anxiety

    adjusting to a new form of writing—for example, first year college writing, papers in a new field of study, or longer forms than you are used to (a long research paper, a senior thesis, a master's thesis, a dissertation) (Hjortshoj 56-76). writing for a reader or readers who have been overly critical or demanding in the past.

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    Writing strategies. Listen to a pep talk about the anxieties typically experienced by new graduate students: Gradschoolitis. If you're feeling overwhelmed, start at step one ("Understand the Assignment") in "How to write an undergraduate-level essay" or "How to write a graduate-level essay". Use the 12-step process provided in each guide to ...

  8. Essay-writing phobia in undergraduates.

    Semantic Scholar extracted view of "Essay-writing phobia in undergraduates." by J.P.N. Phillips

  9. The Freshmen Writing Phobia

    Michigan Quarterly Review, founded in 1962, is the University of Michigan's flagship literary journal, publishing each season a collection of essays, interviews, memoirs, fiction, poetry, and book reviews.. 3277 Angell Hall 435 S. State St. Ann Arbor, MI 48109-1003 Main Office: (734) 764-9265 [email protected]

  10. How to Combat Writing Anxiety as a College Student

    Ways to Combat Writing Anxiety. Talk to someone. "Talk to professors, peers, tutors [and] writing consultants," Tigges said. "You may find out that you're not alone, that students everywhere are struggling with this. They can also give you advice and show you how to get started on assignments that you might not be familiar with.".

  11. How to overcome anxiety over writing papers?

    To help relieve the anxiety and fear you feel about writing papers, implementing any of the following strategies may be useful: Stay on top of your reading assignments and do your best to attend classes — that way you won't have to cram or teach yourself course material before writing your papers. Prior to writing, brainstorm ideas.

  12. Unblocking writer's block

    The issue of perfectionism in difficulty writing essays is by know means a new one, in 1986 J Phillips wrote "Essay-writing phobia in undergraduates" and talked of "a fear of preparing written work, which is highly disabling, and can therefore endanger the academic career of able and intelligent undergraduates whose performance is otherwise satisfactory and well-regarded by staff." 1 ...

  13. What are some tricks for managing debilitating writing anxiety/phobia?

    It sounds like you have serious anxiety that's triggered by writing. Here are some things you might try if you can't afford a therapist. First, pick a book and copy the text out of it. This will help you get used to the physical activity of typing or writing by hand without being concerned with what you are writing.

  14. Symptoms of writing anxiety and how to overcome it

    Dealing with writing anxiety requires two parts. The first is managing the symptoms of writing anxiety. That means, elimninating the queasiness, tension, and brain fog that often accompanies anxiety attacks. The second part is to find strategies that keep you moving forward, even when you're stressed.

  15. Essay-writing phobia in undergraduates

    Essay-writing phobia in undergraduates (Q69609109) From Wikidata. Jump to navigation Jump to search. scientific article published on 01 January 1986. edit. Language Label Description Also known as; English: Essay-writing phobia in undergraduates. scientific article published on 01 January 1986. Statements. instance of.

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    College Admissions Essays about Anxiety. The rise of flickering cell phone screens, social media, and the insane competition of college admissions will define this era in history. Alongside the innovations and competition of the 21st Century is a rise of anxiety amongst all age groups, including, and perhaps especially, teenagers.

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    Students Striving To Write More Authentic Essays. The Supreme Court's ruling to end affirmative action has caused a great deal of consternation among people of color in the nation.

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    As students reveal upsetting personal information to us, we must help them transform it in ways that become meaningful, writes Deborah J. Cohan. When I started teaching in the mid-90s, student disclosure of terrifying and heartbreaking memories felt sacred. It was even before I heard the phrase "hold space," but I realized that I was indeed being tasked with holding something carefully and ...

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  30. How to cite ChatGPT

    For literature reviews or other types of essays or response or reaction papers, you might describe how you used the tool in your introduction. In your text, provide the prompt you used and then any portion of the relevant text that was generated in response. ... and students learn, write, and work with new technologies. Reference. American ...