Academic Advice
Transitional Statements
May 14th
There are a few things that bring an “ok” paper to a “good” paper and a “good” paper to a “great” paper. Transitional statements are one of them. So many students know they need transitions but get caught up on the details and, as such, don’t make them at all. This post will help guide you through the transitional statement process, how they work, etc. (more…)
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Researching a Paper
May 2nd
Usually your semester will culminate to a heavily weighted final paper–often times, that paper will involve research. Some papers require very little research, such as 1-2 sources. Other papers, like my final paper for a graduate course, end up having 16 (or more!) sources. When you’re facing the latter, the idea of piles and piles of books can be very daunting. Read on for tips and advice about research papers. (more…)
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Thesis Statements
Apr 25th
Sometimes, when I sit down with a student, I realize that I have no idea what his or her essay says. He or she has read it out loud to me as I’ve looked over it. It’s not that I wasn’t paying attention, it’s that the essay is flopping all over the place like a fish out of water. Usually this issue stems from not having a true “thesis statement.” Having a thesis statement can tie your paper together very nicely–so let’s take some time to talk about thesis statements. NOTE: Yes, the car is a Lancia Thesis. (more…)
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Why Can’t I Use Wikipedia in my Essay?!
Apr 23rd
As finals approach, so do term papers. And since most people take 4-5+ classes a semester, that means a LOT of term papers without a lot of time to work on them. Soooo sometimes you might skimp a bit on your research and use Wikipedia. At best, your professor doesn’t care. Usually though, your professor will either hand you your paper and tell you to redo it or just give you a bad grade. NOT cool. Here’s why. (more…)
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Using “I” in Essays
Apr 18th
I actually had a few people suggest I do a post about using “I” in an essay. It’s a subject I talk about frequently as a tutor. There are many little nuances about using “I” that there is no singular rule to use it or not use it, but several different guidelines to let you know if it is acceptable or not. (more…)
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Compare and Contrast Essays
Apr 8th
I know several of you are either in Spring Break, approaching it, or just finished it. I found that Spring Break either meant every professor gave me an essay to do or every professor decided to give me a break. No happy mediums here. Unfortunately, since my experience leans towards the former, I thought discussing one of the more popular essay types would be beneficial–Compare and Contrast essays. (more…)
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Outlining an Academic Paper
Apr 4th
Listen. I know you may not actually “spend time” on your papers. I know you might just procrastinate, do it the night before it’s due, and get an A. I know this because I did the same thing. However, eventually you’ll get that one professor who KNOWS you did it the night before–and that C on your paper might come as a slap in the face. If you spend the time to do a thorough outline, then I can almost guarantee that you will ALWAYS receive an “A.” (more…)
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Getting the Most Out of Literary Quotations
Apr 1st
Quotations are an invaluable tool for essay writing, particularly if you’re writing an argumentative paper, or a paper for (basically) any English class. But do you really know HOW to use quotes adequately? I would guess that most students who are not avid writers do not. They stick a quote into a paper because they HAVE to, not knowing why they have to, or how they have to. So today’s post will teach you to use quotes like a pro, or at least teach you how to quote like you’ve read the book. (more…)
Share/SaveIntroductions, Conclusions, and Shoelaces
Mar 30th
One of the questions I hear frequently as a tutor is “What is an introduction, what is a conclusion, and what do I write in my conclusion?” This reminded me of a mechanism I use frequently, and thought I would share with you. To illustrate the essay and its introduction/conclusion, I use a common image that I feel everyone can relate to and understand, regardless of background. (more…)
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