Posts by Susan M. Inez:
Have you ever had to meet a specific word count for an essay and found yourself coming up short? Did you “revise” by simply adding words here and there trying to stretch it out? Or have you ever written a paper and it seemed like it was full of fluff, rather...
2017.2.13 / by Susan M. Inez
SURPRISE! You have to write another essay. You were hoping for a surprise party, weren’t you? Sorry, I can’t help you there. But if you think writing a comparative essay is one heck of a good time, then this party is for you! Okay, the fact that you have to...
2017.2.8 / by Susan M. Inez
Do you remember the fable The Ant and the Grasshopper? The ants work all summer long preparing for winter and storing food. The grasshopper laughs at the ants, and he plays all summer because he has plenty of food (for now). When winter comes, the grasshopper is...
2017.2.6 / by Susan M. Inez
Compare the feeling you get when you earn an A on a paper to how you feel when you get a D on a paper. There’s really no comparison, is there? My goal in writing this post is for you learn more about compare and contrast essays, so you can skip that wretched...
2017.1.25 / by Susan M. Inez
For those of you who aren’t exactly fans of essay writing, standing in front of a firing squad might seem like a better option than having to write another essay about the death penalty. I hear ya. This is a long-debated topic and one that can be challenging...
2017.1.11 / by Susan M. Inez
Ever been nervous on a first date or freak out the moment you’re supposed to start a new job? Most people have. Why? Because you want to start on the right foot. You don’t want to call your date “Kay” when her name is actually “Kali.” And you don’t...
2017.1.9 / by Susan M. Inez
How many times have you watched a movie, bought a new phone, or bought a new anything based on an ad? If you’re anything like me, I bet you’ve done it at least a few times. After all, those ads can be pretty convincing. Ask your parents. I bet they’ve bought...
2017.1.4 / by Susan M. Inez
Classification: It sounds like one of those terms a mobster might use in a 1940s film noir. “Hey, Mac! Get that dame over here. This place could use some classification. Someone needs to class up this joint!” Okay, classification doesn’t mean “to class...
2017.1.2 / by Susan M. Inez
Are you a self-proclaimed featherweight champion essay writer? Have you met a worthy opponent in the persuasive essay? Has it left you on the ropes and ready to throw in the towel? Don’t worry. I’m in your corner. I’m here to help you learn more about...
2016.12.28 / by Susan M. Inez
RHETORICAL ANALYSIS ESSAY DUE NEXT WEEK! You cannot escape it any longer. Your essay is due a week from today. (Thank goodness for homework apps, or you would have completely forgotten about it!) Remembering that you have to write an essay is only half the battle,...
2016.12.26 / by Susan M. Inez
The Assignment: Critical essay Due Date: Tomorrow Confidence Level: Low Situation: CRITICAL You’ve sat through (and even paid attention to) your professor’s lectures about critical analysis essays. You’ve read all the assigned readings. You’ve even taken...
2016.12.14 / by Susan M. Inez
A One-Question Survey Select the answer that best reflects your knowledge of writing survey questions. When it comes to writing survey questions: A. I have absolutely no idea how to write survey questions. B. I have a basic understanding of...
2016.12.7 / by Susan M. Inez
I’m guessing the type of survey questions you’re most familiar with start with Steve Harvey (from Family Feud) saying, “Top six answers are on the board … ” If you’re working for Family Feud, you might survey college students about “something they...
2016.12.5 / by Susan M. Inez
“Hey, you’ll never guess what happened to me last night!” “Dude! You gotta hear this!” If a friend approaches you with one of these lines, chances are she has a story to tell. And judging by the sounds of it, the story is a good one! We all know those...
2016.11.30 / by Susan M. Inez
“Genius is 1% inspiration and 99% perspiration” —Thomas Edison Edison was right. It takes a lot of hard work to be a genius. I’m here to tell you that it takes a lot of hard work to be a good writer too. One of the first steps you can take to be a good...
2016.11.28 / by Susan M. Inez
It’s pretty easy to look at a poorly written piece of writing and say, “Here’s what you shouldn’t do.” After all, most of us can recognize bad writing when we see it. We can recognize good writing too. But it’s not always that easy to identify what...
2016.11.16 / by Susan M. Inez
Hypothesis: (noun) a supposition or proposed explanation made on the basis of limited evidence as a starting point for further investigation. Yikes! That sounds pretty serious (and a little intimidating too). Don’t let it scare you, though. In simpler terms,...
2016.11.14 / by Susan M. Inez
I’m sure you’ve heard the terms active voice and passive voice and have probably even heard that you should usually write in active voice (and avoid passive voice). But what does that mean? And why should you even care? Let me explain. Here are three things...
2016.11.9 / by Susan M. Inez
Tell me your life story. The older you get, the more of an impossible task this seems. Do you start with the day you were born? Do you include the story of your sixth birthday party or the story of when you were 17 and almost wrecked your mom’s car? How...
2016.11.2 / by Susan M. Inez
What’s your first reaction to these opening lines? The Egyptians lived a long time ago. Back in the day, kids worked in factories. If your reaction is a big yawn, I understand. Who wants to read lifeless writing like this? You might as well start your paper with,...
2016.10.17 / by Susan M. Inez
Remember the days of elementary school reports when you had to write about events like the first Thanksgiving or the signing of the Declaration of Independence? Those were the good ol’ days when you could look up a few facts about a historical event, summarize...
2016.10.10 / by Susan M. Inez