Despite what our mothers may have told us when we were testing the more “colorful” side of language as children—raise your hand if you know what soap tastes like—there’s no such thing as a “bad word.” There are, however, words that are inappropriate for a given situation. This not only means that you should avoid …
Any reader of some or all of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s 60 Sherlock Holmes detective stories knows the author follows a certain formula. First, a stranger visits Detective Holmes and his sidekick Watson, presenting them with a mysterious criminal quandary. Then Holmes and Watson visit the scene of the crime where Holmes is able to …
Have you ever logged in to your class to check your grades and sat there staring blankly in amazement because you failed a test or got a big fat “F” on an essay? After you got the anger (and maybe a few tears) out of your system, did you think about why you failed so …
POP QUIZ! How confident are you right now in your ability to write a killer definition essay? A. Super-confident. I can write a great essay with one hand tied behind my back. B. Reasonably confident. I’d probably need both hands to type my paper. C. Completely lacking in confidence. I couldn’t write a good paper …
At this point in your academic career, you’ve gone through the main three types of essays—argumentative, narrative, and descriptive. And you have to admit, you’ve gotten pretty good at them. But now your teacher wants you to write an exemplification essay, and you feel a little lost. Don’t worry. That’s what I’m here for. I’ll …
There’s an old adage that says writing is a process, not a product. And to help drive that point in, I’m going to show you how to write an awesome process essay. In fact, you can consider this whole blog post as a type of process essay. But instead of just simply telling you the …
Your class has been writing a few argumentative essays here and there, and you have to admit … you’re getting pretty good at it. But now your instructor says that you need to take it a step further and write a synthesis essay. The name might be a little intimidating, but don’t worry—I’ll be here …
Okay, so an ear-shattering bang with a fiery-aftermath-type bang isn’t what I’m talking about when I say, “This is how to start an essay with a bang.” (But I bet this adorably suspicious kitten has one heck of a story to tell.) So what do I mean when I say, “Start your essay with a bang”? …
Remember when you were a kid and each time you went to the store with your mom you asked her for a new toy? When she answered “no,” I’m sure you asked, “why not?” Her reply: “Because I said so.” This may have worked for your mom, but this obviously isn’t a good strategy for …
You’ve probably argued with people before, maybe with your parents, siblings, or friends. Heck, you may have even been in a fight or two, but get ready to put away the harsh words and heavy gloves because writing an argument essay is a totally different beast. Writing a winning argument essay may seem tough, but …
Can you imagine a world where everything was named as blandly as possible? “Come here, Pet.” “Hey, Maternal Grandmother, could I get your recipe for Casserole?” “Book about a Long Journey is pretty much the best thing I’ve ever read.” “I love shopping at Clothing Store at Mall—its Regular Jeans are to die for.” Meh. …
Our world is shrinking every day – how do you like it? From the telegraph to the internet, from rails to jumbo jets, advances in communication and travel technology have connected people across the globe. Some of these connections have promoted prosperity while others have been problematic. For better or worse, globalization is a complex …
History is usually taught in the most boring way possible. You read your textbooks, try to memorize important names and dates, and take a few tests along the way. You’ve gotten used to this routine. But now your instructor wants to shake things up by having you write a history essay. Now you’re lost. You …
Love video games? Hate them? Either way, if you want to write an essay about the effects of video games on players and support your ideas with strong evidence, then let’s get started! In this blog post, I’ll give you a head start on your research by providing links to and descriptions of useful articles …
I’m a traveler. During my journeys, I have met myriad travelers, each with different ways of traveling. One of the most interesting differences I’ve noticed has been the various ways in which travelers prepare for a trip. Interestingly, it mirrors the different prewriting strategies writers use to prepare for an essay. On one end of the …
You’ve done all the leg work—identified your topic, crafted the perfect thesis statement, researched like crazy, and prepared your outline. Now you sit staring at a blank screen ready to put it all together. Maybe you’ve already written an introduction, maybe not. In either case, diving into your body paragraphs, crafting the perfect paragraph structures, …
It’s 7:00pm, you just got out of chemistry class, and you’re starving–but you have that argumentative essay on fast food due soon! You decide to: A) trudge back to your dorm and rummage through your nearly empty cupboards for another meal of ramen noodles, B) make a quick trip to the local market to buy …
Are you feeling frustrated by another 5-paragraph essay assignment? Do you feel as though your creative freedom has been stymied once again by the powers that be? Do you want to be free to explore essay organization like the effervescent honey blossom butterfly that you are? Well, you must break free from the 5-paragraph essay …
If I asked why you love the pizza place across town but hate the pizzeria two blocks away, you’d be able to give me a list of reasons, right? If you can answer this question, then you can write an evaluation essay. Okay, it’s a little bit harder than telling someone why you love a …
Ever sit under a tree on a beautiful summer day and reflect about your life and what you’ve learned? No? That’s okay if you haven’t. A lot of students are way too busy to spend their days reflecting. But if you’ve been assigned to write a reflective essay, here’s your chance to do so. Are …
Your instructor just told you that your next writing assignment will be a reflective essay. Reflective essays are about you, so you go home and take a good long look in the mirror. Before you start writing about what you see on the surface, keep in mind that a reflective essay involves more than just …