Do not expect that the first version of your paper will be the final one. Before you write the final draft of your paper, you need to create a rough draft and will probably have to go over the writing two or three times. The purpose of writing a rough draft is to

• Experiment to see if the introduction, length, organization, and conclusion of your paper fit together in a smooth way.
• Experiment with the wording of your sentences and paragraphs.
• Tinker with your writing outline. By the time you write the final draft, you will probably rearrange some parts of your writing outline. You may drop a section or create a new one.

When putting together your initial rough draft, let specific questions you have about grammar, spelling, and formatting wait until a later draft. Your goal at this point is to

• Come up with a clear statement of your theme.
• Create an ordering of the points you want to make in support of your theme.
• Establish the connections between paragraphs that will hold your paper together without confusing the reader.