Archive for the ‘Student Timeout’ Category

Posted on March 9th, 2010

Are you one of those students who tend to skip making term paper outlines? Are you one of those guys who think that a good term paper is possible to write without planning and outlining?
 
Then, we have bad news for you. No matter how knowledgeable you are about a topic, how experienced you are in writing term papers, a good term paper outline will always be a good assistant. Term papers are not that simple to prepare as essays or other short written tasks. An A+ term paper should be perfectly organized, logical, and informative. Term paper outlines can help you with that.
 
Do you have some doubts about how to make a good term paper outline? Then, our explanations will be right in time. Let us remind you in a few words that a term paper outline can be defined as a plan that includes all major parts of a term paper and some details about each part.
 
This is what term paper outlines consist of.

  1. Title of a term paper. If you prefer making titles at the very beginning, let your term paper outline indicate the initial title. In the course of writing, you will be checking it and deciding on possible improvements.
  2. Introduction. Here, you can explain in a few words the main problem you are addressing.
  3. Thesis statement. Do not hurry with this element of your term paper outline, since it is one of the key points in your project.
  4. Body paragraphs. Your outline can indicate the titles of each paragraph and some details about info that every paragraph will cover.
  5. Conclusion. It is the last point in your term paper outline and the last chapter in your project.

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Posted on February 19th, 2010

How to write a title page for an essay – usually, it is not the primary concern for many students. Sure, you are more worried about the content of your papers and other requirements.
 
Yet, an essay title page is one of the requirements of many teachers. You can easily find yourself in such situation when you have to make one, but have no clue how to write a title page for an essay.
 
How will you solve the problem? Most probably, you will try to find essay title page examples first. Well, it is not difficult, but there is no guarantee that you will learn how to write a good title page for an essay.
 
The thing is that all title pages are different because of different formats used for writing essays. You may come across MLA or APA essay title page examples or examples that are written according to some teacher’s specific rules.
 
So, if you want to know how to write a title page for an essay, do not hesitate to ask your teacher’s advice. Here, we will introduce just some general tips on how to write a title page for an essay.
 
How to write a title page for an essay with no format
 
If you do not have to use either MLA or APA format, your essay title page will be organized as follows:

  • In the middle of the first page, you put the title of your essay;
  • In the bottom right-hand corner, you put your name, class, teacher’s name, date.

How to write a title page for an essay in MLA or APA format
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Maybe, you need to write an essay on “Why I Want to Become a Teacher” as a part of your college admission essay. Or, maybe it is just another assignment from your teacher who wants you to learn more about that hard work teachers do.
 
Actually, the reasons for writing essays on being a teacher do not really matter. In both cases, you need to investigate various aspects of this job and understand what teaching is all about.
 
Below, we present several pointers for writing essays on being a teacher. However, if you have to prepare the essay on “Why I Want to Become a Teacher”, you need to focus on your specific reasons for choosing this occupation. If it is an application essay, the admission committee should see that you have weighed all pros and cons of being a teacher and it is your independent decision.
 
Anyway, the following hints will be useful to those writing essays on being a teacher in both situations.
 
Essays on being a teacher: what teachers do
 
Show in your paper that you know what specific functions and duties teachers have. Teachers do not only give annoying assignments and bad grades. They also:

  • prepare interesting lectures and activities;
  • hold meetings with parents;
  • teach various non-academic skills like conflict management;
  • give both students and parents advice on academic and personal issues.

Essays on being a teacher: what makes a good teacher
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We are sure you are not asked to write just a “Why I Want to Go to College” essay. Every normal person can guess why somebody wants to go to college. Higher education is still one of the main factors that affect how prestigious and well paid your future job will be.
 
Thus, adcoms are not looking for “Why I Want to Go to College” essays, where students enumerate obvious reasons for getting higher education. If you want to prepare a great “Why I Want to Go to College” essay that will stand out, you should look deeper inside the question. What admission officers in any college want to know is why you want to be enrolled in this particular college.
 
Therefore, let us talk about essays on “Why I Want to Go to College X”. First, we want to ask you one question. What idea comes to your mind first when you think about this essay on “Why I Want to Go to College X”?
 
Many students think that a shower of compliments about that college X is what admission officers are looking for in essays on “Why I Want to Go to College X”. Yet, it is not exactly so, because they already know how prestigious and good their college is.
 
Actually, what you should do is not explain why a certain college is good for you, but why you are a perfect fit for it. Here are a couple of hints for writing excellent essays on “Why I Want to Go to College X”.
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Posted on February 4th, 2010

Do you need to prepare an “October Sky” essay and dream to get the highest grade on it? You know, dreams come true, and the movie “October Sky” is one more proof of that. Besides, if you have somebody to help and support you, there is nothing impossible.
 
So, October Sky is a 1999 movie starring Jake Gyllenhaal, Chris Cooper, and Laura Dern. By the way, the movie is based on a real-life story of Homer Hickam. Homer was a son of a coal miner who once saw Soviet Sputnik launched in the sky. That event impressed him so much that Homer decided to build rockets.
 
Anyway, you should watch the movie so that to get its message and write your “October Sky” essay. Below, you will find several hints for writing and points to be discussed in “October Sky” essays.
 
“October Sky” essays: the main characters
 
It seems to be quite logical to include at least some basic facts about the main characters of the movie into your “October Sky” essay. Describe Homer and his family. Does he somehow differ from his father John and brother Jim?
 
You may also provide details about Homer’s best friends Roy Lee and O’Dell in your “October Sky” essay. What role did they play in Homer’s life and achievements?
 
“October Sky” essays: the main idea
 
Personal dreams is the main idea of the movie, and certainly, it can be the central theme of your “October Sky” essay. Answering the following questions will help you disclose this topic properly:
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Somewhere deep inside you understand that education is really important. However, can you prove it to a person who does not think so? Do you think you have enough arguments to convince somebody of the importance of education?
 
You have a chance to check this when writing a “Why Is Education Important” essay. Imagine that you are talking to an ordinary worker who has quite a good job, makes enough money for a family without higher education.
 
Definitely, this person is sure that life without education is pretty normal. Write your “Why Is Education Important” essay for this person and try to prove the contrary.
 
As you can guess, “Why Is Education Important” essays should be either argumentative or persuasive. Thus, better recall the main principles of argumentative essays and persuasive essay writing.
 
Next, we offer several points that you may include into your “Why Is Education Important” essay to make it more impressive.
 
“Why Is Education Important” essays: point 1
 
Start your “Why Is Education Important” essay with the definition of education. This should help the reader get the gist of the whole process and its significance.
 
“Why Is Education Important” essays: point 2
 
Introduce your own opinion about education, tell what it means to you and why. Provide your specific reasons for gaining new knowledge and skills. Explain why you need this knowledge and what it gives you.
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Hope there is no need to explain you that social sciences is a general term for a wide range of disciplines, starting from musicology and cultural studies up to political science, history, psychology, and so on.
 
This is why it is very hard to help you with social science essay topics, because they vary greatly as well, and we have no idea what specific discipline you are studying at the moment.
 
Yet, you need assistance in the completion of social science essays. By the way, do you know the main principles that one should stick to when completing social science essays? If you do not, then this is what you should actually start with. So, check the main principles of writing social science essays.
 
Principle 1: from a topic to a thesis statement
 
Work on your social science essay, like on any other essay, will start with choosing a topic. Do not waste time and pick any issue you are interested in. At this first stage, do not worry about the scope of your topic.
 
In the process of narrowing down the focus (which is essential for a good social science essay), your general issue will be narrowed to a thesis statement. It will be a specific and clear sentence and the main idea of your social science essay.
 
Principle 2: background information and definitions
 
Many students make a mistake when they give too many background facts about the topic in their social science essays.
 
Instead, we recommend you to focus on the most important terms, concepts related to your topic. Provide their definitions and some explanations. That will be enough for the social science essay.
 
Principle 3: “translating” your assignments
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Is a multi genre essay a new task for you? Have you never prepared something like a multi genre essay before?
 
If it is really so, do not panic! Although you may feel confused at the moment, you will cope with this assignment.
 
We are sure you have a lot of questions about multi genre essays. Thus, let us answer them so that you can get down to work.
 
What is a genre all about?
 
Actually, it is one of the basic questions you should answer. What does a “genre” mean when we talk about essays?
 
To put it in simple words, a genre is a type of writing. There is a great variety of genres or types of writing: advertisements, newspaper articles, illustrations, descriptions, monologues and dialogues, and so on.
 
What is the gist of a multi genre essay?
 
When writing a multi genre essay, your mission boils down to disclosing a topic using several genres. In this way, you provide different looks at the topic or ways to view it.
 
What genres can you use in your multi genre essay?
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Mardi Gras, which literary means Fat Tuesday, is a holiday that is famous for its carnival celebrations. Mardi Gras is popular in many countries around the world. This is exactly why we suggest you make a kind of trip and describe it in your Mardi Gras essay.
 
Hope you know how to make good descriptive essays, because there are really a lot of things about the holiday you can describe: carnivals, masks, costumes, celebrations. Only thrilling and vivid descriptions will make your Mardi Gras essay captivating. If necessary, on our weblog you can learn more about descriptive essay peculiarities.
 
Anyway, let us get back to your Mardi Gras essay. Unfortunately, descriptions only cannot make Mardi Gras essays perfect, and you will have to carry out little research. Interesting facts will turn Mardi Gras essays into exciting reading for your teacher.
 
Thus, let us present you several pointers for writing Mardi Gras essays.
 
Pointer 1
It seems to be quite logical to start your Mardi Gras essay with a bit of history. Where does the holiday originate from? Actually, the history of Mardi Gras started in Ancient Rome. At those times, Romans had a kind of circus festival, which was called Lupercalia.
 
Pointer 2
In your Mardi Gras essay, you can say a few words about the way holiday came to America. Everything began in 1699 when the French explorer Iberville came to America. In the 17th century, Mardi Gras was already very popular in France and Paris particularly.
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We presume that you have a slight smile when you think about essays you used to write in primary school. These were rather easy tasks that helped you make a basis for your further academic writing.
 
Now, in secondary school, you should learn new essay types, specific techniques that will make your papers more impressive and interesting to read. This is exactly why you should take your secondary school essays seriously.
 
Let us present you some basic guidelines for writing secondary school essays.
 
Types of secondary school essays
 
You have already learned several essay types and now will have to improve your skills. Particularly, you should pay attention to descriptive essays and learn how to make vivid descriptions, provide various details, etc.
 
Another type of secondary school essays that you will face rather frequently is narrative. It will help to improve your skills of storytelling. You should also get ready for writing secondary school essays devoted to some works studied during Literature classes.
 
Yet, one of the main types of secondary school essays you will have to prepare is argumentative or persuasive.
 
Topics for secondary school essays
 
Usually, secondary school students do not have to cover too complicated issues. If it is a narrative secondary school essay, you may be asked to tell about an important event that once happened in your life, about your family, etc.
 
However, in secondary school you will face first essays on controversial issues like abortion, violence, women’s rights, etc.
 
Rules you should follow when writing secondary school essays
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