One of the most important aspects of developing a research paper is finding credible sources. Sources provide the evidence that you will use to build—and defend—your thesis. With so much information available online, it’s more important than ever to determine that you’re using only credible sources. But how can you tell if a source is […]
A scientist I worked with once said, “If a picture is worth a thousand words, then an equation is worth a thousand pictures.” Those of you laughing right now are probably STEM students. You know, Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics. You dream big dreams of curing cancer AND the flu. Perhaps you’re already testing machine learning […]
One of the most common pieces of feedback that my students get from their teachers is that they need to add more analysis to their papers. But how can you tell if your paper is analytical enough? In this post, we’ll look at how you can revise your paper to add more analysis to your […]
There has been a great deal of loss during these recent weeks, and we are all looking for silver linings. As I contemplate possible silver linings for PrepMatters students, I look for opportunities that could offer greater strength and insight regarding learning. I see, even in the midst of these difficult days, that there is […]
Originally published February 13, 2020 You’re on the verge of starting a brand-new venture. Here are a few tips on how to check in with yourself and your goals along the way. By Getting Organized Opening and organizing your physical space is a healthy way to begin. Clear the clutter of the past and create […]
Let’s not mess around: we’ve all had writer’s block and sometimes need help. It doesn’t mean that we’re special or broken or misunderstood geniuses or fools. Our muses are not at the bottom of a Netflix binge or a pot of coffee or a box of crackers. Working with our writer’s block is a learnable […]
Sometimes, learning how to write effective academic essays can feel overwhelming. You need to worry about your argument, your examples, your overall structure, and on and on. But there are a few simple steps you can take to improve the clarity and effectiveness of your writing. In today’s blog post, we’ll focus on some easy […]
The Five-Paragraph Essay is the essay structure you will use for almost every piece of writing in high school, from term papers to standardized tests. The structure is simple: there’s an introductory paragraph in which you present your argument, three body paragraphs in which you build support for that argument, and a conclusion in which […]
ACT English Overview I often tell students I’m working with that the ACT and the SAT are bad tests. Why? I’ve been working with them for over 15 years and still can’t tell you what they really measure. It’s certainly not “intelligence” or IQ, there’s little correlation between test scores and grades, and test scores […]
Originally published October 8, 2019 NOTE! ACT Changes have been postponed since this blog was posted. The ACT has just announced that beginning in September 2020, students will have more options about how they take the ACT exam. These include three fairly important changes: 1. Students will be able to retake specific […]