Tag: writing

Is My Source Credible?

Posted by: admin on May 12th, 2020

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 […]

I’m Going into STEM. Why Do I Need to Learn to Write?

Posted by: admin on May 6th, 2020

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 […]

How to Write an Introduction

Posted by: admin on May 6th, 2020

When you’re writing an introduction, think of yourself as a prosecutor making opening arguments. You want to make a compelling case — one that you’ll spend the rest of the essay defending. There are typically three parts to an introduction: a “hook,” which draws the reader into your paper, a “setup,” which gives the reader […]

10 Tools to for a Writer’s Block Emergency

Posted by: admin on February 6th, 2020

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 […]

How to Improve Your Writing: Three Easy Tips

Posted by: admin on January 27th, 2020

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 […]

How to Write a Five-Paragraph Essay

Posted by: admin on December 11th, 2019

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 […]

Why Do I Have to Outline? (And Other Tips for Starting Your Essay)

Posted by: admin on September 19th, 2019

Have you ever gotten halfway through a writing assignment, only to realize you have no idea what you’re saying or if you’re even addressing the topic? Yeah, us too. That’s why one of the first assignments you’re likely to get this year is the dreaded paper outline. Outlines might seem like busy work engineered by […]

The Value of Your Vocabulary

Posted by: admin on August 19th, 2019

Congratulations! You’ve made it past middle school. For some of you, that means those pesky secondary school admissions tests are long behind you. You may also have even heard your older siblings or friends talk about the fact that there are no vocabulary questions on the SAT or ACT. Excellent! This certainly means you can […]

Putting Your Heart into Your College Search — Without Losing Your Head

Posted by: admin on March 12th, 2019

The Sword Dance: Spikes How does one gain the spotlight in their college application? By highlighting your sharp points, your noteworthy points. A spike is an area in which you excel, and your spikes are most likely to garner attention. Spiky students do what they love, and descriptions of what you love will rise from […]