Help! I'm stuck with writing my essay (writers block)

With second semester assessments fast approaching, it can sometimes feel like you have writers block when writing an essay. Try this method to overcome it...

1. Start afresh. Either by getting a new piece of paper or starting a new document. I like to start a new paragraph when using word underneath what I have previously written and start from the beginning. Then, if you get stuck you can see if you can finish it off with something you have already written, but don't forget to delete the old stuff afterwards.
2. Write a key word or phrase at the top of your piece of paper or document. This can either be a key term that is relevant to the essay or some idea that you want to put in it such as:
• The aim of my essay is to...
• In the first paragraph, I am going to explain...
• The main argument that I want to make is...
• What is it that I'm trying to say?
3. Set yourself a short period of time (1-2 minutes is plenty) and start writing. Try not to worry about the order of you thoughts, the aim of this is to get your thoughts down on paper. 
4. Make sure you use the whole of the allocated time even if you feel not much of it is relevant to your essay- you can always edit these ideas later. If you still have some ideas left at the end of the time, keep writing!
5. When you have finished review what you have written. You should have produced something that captures your ideas in ordinary language but you can easily reword this into a more appropriate style for your essay. Some ideas may need a little reorganising but this is fine. 

Hopefully this method will have kick-started your essay writing and overcome your writers block. 

Taken from: Criminology skills by Emily Finch and Stefan Fafinski.