Posts by Andra:
As if writing a more standard essay were not enough, your instructor slaps you with this: a compare and contrast essay. What makes it worse is that it’s about poetry—as if you know how to compare and contrast poems already. How does she expect you to completely...
2016.4.13 / by Andra V.
Ever heard the adage “don’t compare apples to oranges?” We all know what it means: comparing the two doesn’t make practical sense because they are very different. But have you ever stopped and thought about how you might literally compare apples and oranges?...
2016.4.11 / by Andra V.
Despite what your grade-school teacher might have told you, poetry isn’t all hearts and flowers, especially not when you have to analyze a poem in an essay. When you delve into the realm of poetry, you’re much more likely to stumble into madness and decay,...
2016.1.11 / by Andra V.
Ah, the infamous James Joyce, bane of millions of high school and college students, and now it’s your turn to face the coming-of-age trial: writing a literary analysis of Araby by James Joyce. You might be thinking “I didn’t sign up for this.” You might...
2016.1.4 / by Andra V.
Though tone is slippery to nail down and might be one of the most difficult parts of a language to learn, managing the tone of an essay can make the difference between an “A” and an “F.” In fact, tone can also be the determining factor for getting...
2015.11.30 / by Andra V.
You vacantly nod your head as your teacher keeps repeating the words, “It won’t be that hard. It’s just a book report,” but inside, you’re quaking. When was the last time you wrote a book report? Do you even remember how to write a book report? You look...
2015.11.9 / by Andra V.
After years of being told that you shouldn’t use “I” or other personal pronouns in your essays, you get to break all the rules! Here come the personal pronouns! Finally, a topic that is actually interesting to you: YOU! Finally, an essay topic that is actually...
2015.8.24 / by Andra V.
You’ve heard your instructor rant, rave, and threaten about avoiding plagiarism since the beginning of the school year, but now that the first major paper is almost due, you are starting to panic. Can you plagiarize on accident? What counts as plagiarism? What...
2015.6.22 / by Andra V.
The dreaded “I” word. How can one letter be so malignant when it comes to academic writing? It’s likely that many of your teachers and professors have drilled it into your head that using first-person writing in your essays will immediately result in another...
2015.4.6 / by Andra V.