Writing Papers and Cowboy Behaviour

It is only 5 days until my first paper is due for my M.Ed (Teacher Librarian) course and I have discovered a change in my study habits. Back in the 80's I remember studying and reluctantly churning out the assignments without much care -- I needed to be spurred along by the threat of the due date the next day, and with too many cigarettes, cups of tea and chocolate.

Now I find I need to rein myself in (oh, and have given up smoking decades ago!)

I've read far too much, I've read far too widely and I have worried over the definition of each keyword and every other word in the general instructions as well as the task.
What do they mean by critical analysis? What do they mean by professional literature? What exactly is postmodernism? What do they mean in contrast then by postmodern literary theory? What are multiliteracies? In contrast then what is visual literacy? Gardner's multi-intelligences?

Well you begin to see the problem ... I started panicking weeks ahead and have slaved over this paper like Elizabeth Taylor training National Velvet. What's happened to me? Have I grown up? Is it because I care greatly about this profession? Whatever it is I hope it settles into the corral and lets me settle into the saddle.