Posts by Susan M. Inez:
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,...
2016.1.13 / by Susan M. Inez
You may ask yourself, how do I work this? (Yes, thanks to David Byrne and the Talking Heads for my opening line.) I don’t know about you, but I’ve asked this question more than once in my lifetime. I’m sure you’ve asked this question many times, too. For...
2016.1.6 / by Susan M. Inez
Have you ever stared at the rack of candy at your local convenience store trying to figure out which candy bar you want? Do you finally just grab one simply because a candy bar is a candy bar, and it’s all chocolate, so one is just as good as the next? This...
2015.12.21 / by Susan M. Inez
What is a literary analysis, and what is it good for? Please don’t reply, “Absolutely nothing, say it again y’all!” You might think that a literary analysis isn’t good for anything, but it actually helps sharpen your writing skills and your critical thinking...
2015.12.9 / by Susan M. Inez
What’s your problem? Really, what’s your problem? I’m talking of course about the problem you’re writing about and that you are going to use for your problem statement. Do you have a problem in mind? Good. That’s a start. I bet your problem isn’t that...
2015.12.7 / by Susan M. Inez
Panic (noun) 1. sudden uncontrollable fear or anxiety, often causing wildly unthinking behavior “A wave of panic washed over him as he realized he didn’t have a topic for his definition essay.” If this definition applies to you right now, and you’re panicking...
2015.12.2 / by Susan M. Inez
Wait. Don’t tell me. You have to write an evaluation essay, don’t you? I bet you’re stumped for ideas, right? No, I’m not psychic; it was just an educated guess. I thought you might be looking for topic ideas since you found your way to a blog post about...
2015.11.23 / by Susan M. Inez
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...
2015.11.18 / by Susan M. Inez
Describe your whereabouts on the evening of the 18th. Okay, this isn’t CSI, and you’re not under investigation, so this isn’t the type of description we’ll be learning about in this post. Describe your summer vacation. You’re not in third grade, either...
2015.10.26 / by Susan M. Inez
“I want to tell you about the time I almost died.” I really don’t have such a tale to tell, but I bet I piqued your interest, didn’t I? Why? Because it’s a great opening line that makes you want to learn more. You keep reading because you want to know...
2015.10.19 / by Susan M. Inez
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,...
2015.10.12 / by Susan M. Inez
Tired of writing about the same tired old topics like the ban on smoking in public places, the dangers of texting and driving, or gun control? Good. Your professors are tired of reading about these topics, too. When you’re writing a research paper, you want to...
2015.8.3 / by Susan M. Inez
Once upon a time there was a hard-working student who paid close attention to lectures, studied hard, and learned how to cite properly in both MLA and APA format. The sun shone brightly. Then one day a dark cloud overshadowed the world. A professor asked the student...
2015.7.20 / by Susan M. Inez
We all know that when you write a research paper, you need evidence to support your arguments. That means you throw in a few quotes to prove to your professor that you’ve actually used sources to help write your paper, right? Sure, it’s important to add some...
2015.6.29 / by Susan M. Inez
True or false? Writing a research paper is time-consuming. True: Writing a research paper is very time consuming. You can’t just grab a few random sources and try to make them work. You certainly can’t start writing a research paper a few hours before...
2015.5.18 / by Susan M. Inez
Research Paper: Two words that strike fear into the hearts of many students. Four syllables that create panic, dread, and anxiety. But they don’t have to. Writing a research paper takes time and requires effort, but if you have a good topic and credible...
2015.5.4 / by Susan M. Inez
Have you been studying Othello in class so long that you’re on a first name basis with the title character? Do you feel even though you’ve spent so much time studying the play in class you’re still unsure of the play’s major themes? Do you need to write...
2014.12.22 / by Susan M. Inez
Do you remember that analytical essay you were assigned a week or two ago? Do you realize that it’s due in a few days, and you haven’t even started it yet? Yes, really; it’s due in a few days, so it’s time you stop procrastinating and begin...
2014.12.15 / by Susan M. Inez