Posts by Susan M. Inez:
If you’ve ever found yourself in a new romantic relationship, you probably know that there are three tiny words that can make or break it all: “I love you.” Those three little words can wreak havoc on anyone. Should you say, “I love you”? What if the...
2019.2.11 / by Susan M. Inez
Most of us can relate to film, television, or literary characters. Many of us are like Wonder Woman–professional, successful, and heroic all at once. Others are mild-mannered reporters (or other professionals) by day and like Superman by night, saving...
2019.2.4 / by Susan M. Inez
I’m almost positive you’ve been given at least one assignment in your academic career that was nothing more than busy work. You know the type: one that requires you to fill in the blanks by finding the correct word from a course reading or one that asks you...
2019.1.28 / by Susan M. Inez
WANTED: Witty, engaging writers to share their opinions about current, relevant, and/or local topics. Must be able to create buzz-worthy writing that gets people talking. If this sounds like you, I have the perfect writing assignment: an op-ed. Op-eds (opinions...
2019.1.14 / by Susan M. Inez
The expository essay—it’s an unavoidable essay in your educational career. In fact, teachers and professors love assigning it so much that some freshmen writing courses are devoted entirely to writing the expository essay. That’s a lot of expository essay...
2019.1.1 / by Susan M. Inez
If you’re used to texting, you might not think that things like spelling, capitalization, or punctuation even matter, but … just imagine ur reading an entire news article textbook or even a blog post with no capitalization and no punctuation it would be really...
2018.12.26 / by Susan M. Inez
If you’re assigned to write a critique and your first thought is, “I have absolutely no idea how to write a critique,” that’s understandable. But in all actuality, you probably already have a sense of how to critique. Need proof? Think about...
2018.12.10 / by Susan M. Inez
Ever go to a party with your BFF, and when you get there, the only person you know is the friend who invited you? While meeting a whole bunch of new people is great, it can be a mental challenge to try to remember people’s names, what they do, or even if they’re...
2018.12.3 / by Susan M. Inez
Unless your prof has taught a grand total of no more than one course in her teaching career, chances are she’s already tired of reading papers about topics like these: The differences between high school and college Marijuana legalization Gun control School uniforms...
2018.11.19 / by Susan M. Inez
It’s late at night, and you’re desperate to find a good movie. You start scrolling through the thousands of options offered on your favorite video streaming service. What if instead of a short two-line summary of each movie, the service only offered a three-page...
2018.11.12 / by Susan M. Inez
Ask a surfer gal in SoCal about her life, and she might reply, “Livin’ the dream.” Ask the same question to a survivalist living off the grid in Alaska or to an off-Broadway actor living in a 400-square-foot studio apartment in NYC, and they’re also likely...
2018.11.5 / by Susan M. Inez
When you sit down at a Mexican restaurant, you’re often given free chips and salsa to munch on before your meal. If you’re one of those people who love to feel the burn, you’ll likely take one bite of the free salsa and ask your server for something hotter....
2018.10.29 / by Susan M. Inez
Think plagiarism isn’t serious? Think about this: How would you feel if you went to the doctor with back pain that left you unable to function? After running a few tests, the doctor breaks the news to you: back surgery is needed in order to repair a ruptured...
2018.10.22 / by Susan M. Inez
Bad celebrity interviews can be great fun to watch. Celebrities throw tantrums, walk out, or simply blank and have nothing interesting to say. Celebrity interviews can also go bad through no fault of the celebrities themselves. Sometimes it’s the interviewers...
2018.10.8 / by Susan M. Inez
What if I told you that you had to write a research paper but that you didn’t actually have to do any of the research? Pretty sweet deal, right? A document-based question (DBQ) essay is sort of like that. You have to write an essay using a variety of sources,...
2018.10.1 / by Susan M. Inez
When you’re assigned to write an essay, you usually have two options when it comes to topics. Your prof either says, “Write about one of these assigned topics,” or, “Pick something, and write about it.” There are advantages and disadvantages to both....
2018.9.17 / by Susan M. Inez
You’ve completed at least a few writing courses in your day and have written your share of essays. But just when you think you’ve written every possible type of paper, BAM! You’re hit with a new type of essay: the discursive essay. With the word “curse”...
2018.9.10 / by Susan M. Inez
The last time I baked cupcakes, I followed the directions on the box to the letter. I’m far from a celebrity chef, so following the recipe would be the only way for me to bake anything edible. My grandmother, on the other hand, never made anything from a box....
2018.8.27 / by Susan M. Inez
You’ve written at least a gazillion argumentative essays in your academic career, right? And I’m sure that in just about all of them you’ve had to include the counterargument. But have you also included a rebuttal? Right now, some of you might be thinking,...
2018.8.13 / by Susan M. Inez
CLSC LIT TV (8:00 – 10:00 p.m.) – Survivor: Salem Edition (Reality. First aired 1953) Abigail and friends are found dancing naked in the forest and are accused of witchcraft. They claim to be bewitched in an attempt to avoid a possible death sentence if...
2018.7.23 / by Susan M. Inez
If you’ve watched the movies Divergent, The Hunger Games, or Maze Runner and thought, “Whoa, these are amazingly original stories! Why hasn’t someone thought of this before?” you might be surprised to learn that this type of story is nothing new. Stories...
2018.7.16 / by Susan M. Inez