Most of us have heard about melting glaciers, rising sea levels, and increasing temperatures across the planet. (Did you realize July 2019 was the hottest month on record?) Because global climate change is frequently in the news, we also have a pretty good working knowledge of the topic. We can probably hold our own in …
Tell me if this sounds familiar: You’re searching online for sources for your research paper, and halfway through reading, you ask yourself, “Who writes this crap?” Good question. You, your neighbor, or just about anyone can publish online. In the world of the internet, you could become Allie S. Everson, PhD and write an article …
Ever see those pictures of two almost identical images (like the one below) where your only task is to spot the differences between them? The images are so similar that it’s nearly impossible to find even the most minute change. If you paraphrase incorrectly, you’ll end up with the written version of these images, and …
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 to do nothing more than underline vocabulary …
“Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free.” You might recognize this quote as part of the poem on the pedestal of the Statue of Liberty. It has almost become synonymous with immigrants coming to the United States in pursuit of the American Dream. But if this quote and the …
What comes to mind when you hear the words “marijuana user”? Some people may automatically think Reefer Madness and see the film as an extreme exaggeration of users. Others may see it as a film with some underlying bit of truth to the dangers of marijuana. Still others may think of a marijuana user as …
Even though discrimination is an ugly part of society, you know that professors aren’t going to discriminate when it comes to handing out essay grades. No matter how many hours you work on your discrimination essay, if it isn’t good, your prof will let you know about it (no matter who you are). How do …
Most of us think technology is pretty awesome—that is, until you go on a late-night fast food run and the drive-thru voice tells you that the credit card machine is down (and of course you have no cash to pay for your burger and fries). Or maybe technology is great because you can take an …
Here’s a quick (and simple) survey: How many social media sites do you use regularly? How many times per week do you log in to a social media site? How many hours per week do you spend on social media? I’m guessing that, for some of you, the numbers are pretty high. If you’re writing …
Ask any old person (that is, anyone over the age of 40) about what it was like researching and evaluating sources 20+ years ago. They’ll tell you about a strange process of going to the library to read books, take notes, and make copies—all without using a single computer. Another strange anomaly of researching in …
It’s been a long night of frantic researching and writing, and as you check your word count for the fifth time in the past 10 minutes, you realize your required 2,000-word research paper is still only 1,162 words. Gone are the days of trying (and likely failing) to make your paper look longer by changing …
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 …
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 sources, you’re on your way to a great paper. Wait…what? Credible …