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 …
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 …
Write an analytical essay. It’s a short sentence, but it packs some intimidation, doesn’t it? Don’t let it scare you. It’s really just a fancy way of saying, “Write a paper, and support what you say.” It’s like piecewise linear interpolation. Now that sounds scary! Someone once explained it to me as a mathematical way …
Have you ever tried to debate (or argue with) someone who just cannot see your point of view? They’re so caught up in what they think is right that they won’t even consider opposing evidence. It’s frustrating, right? That’s because, for many situations, choices aren’t easy to make. We live in a world where most …
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 …
Remember when that annoying light came on while you were driving home last night? Turns out it really did serve a purpose—to tell you one of your tires was low. Unfortunately, you ignored the warning light. Unfortunately, you missed class because of your flat tire this morning. Because you missed class, you failed a quiz. …
You’ve written a narrative essay or two by now, and they’ve been pretty good. But they haven’t given you that sense of pride that you get from, say, a well-supported argumentative essay. So when your instructor assigns another narrative essay, you’re looking to just churn something out without giving it any pizzazz. Wait a minute! …
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 decipher and explain not just one poem but …
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? Let’s make a quick list. Similarities Both are fruits. Both have seeds. …
Really? You have to write another persuasive essay? As I see it, you have two choices: 1) Try to persuade your professor that you know all there is to know about writing and there’s no need for you to write this persuasive essay. 2) Assume #1 (see above) won’t work, and write another persuasive essay. …
Aiming for the big ‘A’ on that next essay? Well guess what—winging it without an essay outline is just not an option! By now, you’ve probably made plans in one form or another. You’ve marked quizzes and paper due dates on a calendar. Maybe you’ve put together a surprise birthday party for your friend. Thinking about …
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 …
Woot! You’re finally free to choose your own research topic. This calls for celebration! “Why celebrate?” you ask? Because you’re no longer under your teacher’s thumb, that’s why. You can pick whatever topic you like, something you actually care about. How cool is that? So take a few minutes (or longer) to think about issues …
Let’s cut to the chase. You have to write an informative essay. You pretty much know how to write one, but you’ve been staring blankly out the window because you can’t think of anything to write about. Am I right? Regardless of whether you’ve been staring out the window or avoiding the task at hand …
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 …
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 …
So you’ve carefully read your professor’s instructions and picked your research topic. Awesome — but now what? The long and winding road to a great research paper starts with a strong thesis statement, but theses don’t grow on trees! You must first come up with a great research question, which will act like your paper’s …
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 …
Even though you might not think you’re a master at persuasion, chances are you’re better than you think. Did you ever try to persuade your parents to let you stay out beyond curfew? Have you ever tried to persuade a friend to watch a movie he really didn’t want to see? Maybe you’ve even tried …