Pens and Papers VS Computers

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The days of using traditional school supplies are gone. Writing with your hands is outdated and has been replaced by the universal penmanship of computer fonts. Computers have virtually replaced paper, pencils and typewriters.

Technology has changed the face of education in other ways, too. Students are no longer required to attend class physically. Finding online courses at elearners.com is easy. The website can assist you with finding good schools, obtaining financial aid and finding other funds for school. Online classes don’t require tons of supplies. Just having your computer is perfect for starting your classes.

Another area where technology is reducing old-fashioned school supplies is textbooks. Many schools have transferred physical books to eBooks. Students can access the information on various devices, and the digital option reduces the cost for textbooks.

Of course, you’ll still need paper. You may need to print out a report that you typed in a word-processing program. Some students like to have hard copies of their notes in case their computers crash.

Some students prefer to take notes using pen and paper. Transferring the notes to a computer file can help some students learn the material faster because they can review the information while they type it into their computers.

The world of education is changing drastically, and the school supply list you get will reflect many of those changes. While pen and paper will always have some use, computers are becoming one of the most important things to have for your education.

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Creating an Outline

Sometimes it helps to create an outline before you attempt to write as a template to your completed project. Resumes often work in that manner, and that method could very well help you with your writing needs.

One thing to consider is to look from the perspective of a finished project like what the teacher or editor would expect out of your work. Include anything defined by the assignment, and any expectations you have for yourself. You may be in the position to plan basic context (or answers to basic questions) and play around with how you intend on introducing the concepts.

The Beginning

The beginning of academic papers should have some eye catching, attention grabbing first line. It should then summarize the paper asking the research question(s) your paper intends to answer. In addition, this is a great place to include the relevance of the topic, the scope of your research, and any introductory information the reader should know before reading your paper.

For articles such as news articles and blogs, the beginning should answer all the questions of who, what, when, where, why, etc., in the first paragraph. In addition, the most important information should go first. Try to make it eye catching, awesome, fun read to engage interest, but that’s more important to do in the headline than your first paragraph.

The Middle

Information has to be organized in a way the reader can quickly, easily comprehend. Headings are a great way to organize information so that readers can find specifically what they are looking for, and it helps focus their mind on what to expect. In addition, paragraphs should be thought of as “Main Topic” followed by “Supporting Details.” You are free to decide where the main topic goes in the paragraph.

The End

Academic papers generally require a summary answering whatever research question was found in your introduction. Articles and blogs usually end with places to find more information.

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Term Paper Season

It’s that time of year again. It’s term paper season. The time when millions of high school and college students have to churn out that last hurrah: the term paper. As much as we’d like to think that all of these students are honestly doing their best to produce a quality paper, it is rarely the case. Unfortunately it has become increasingly easy to buy a term paper online.

Websites such as freelancer.com will let people bid on writing your term paper for you. The majority of these bidders are from countries outside the United States. This gives the term outsourcing a whole new meaning. It is even possible to pay someone to take a whole online course for you. One can even purchase a term paper on Ebay or Craigslist. Silly me, I thought these websites were for purchasing used books and selling old baby furniture.

When I was in school Cliff Notes were the big thing. Now if you want to blow off your project there are a plethora of options to choose from. And, with so many options, it is increasingly difficult to get caught. Many school use a variety of computer programs aimed at rooting out plagiarism, but with an ever growing menu of options for cheating students can the schools ever keep up? I doubt it.

What is a teacher to do? Some teachers have decreased the amount of research papers they assign. Others have turned to projects as assessments. Unfortunately, although some projects may be wonderful, there is a lot to be gained from actually doing research and verbalizing your findings. One hears all over the news how poor American students math and science skills are, but literacy is important too. Unfortunately, we as a nation, are becoming less and less capable writers. If we devalue writing as a skill then it will be lost to us forever.

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The Concerns of Outlining: Writing

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It seemed wise at the time: you crafted an outline, filled it to all possibilities, all intended ideas. A dissertation was carefully detailed, left without the common errors, the refusal of needed sources. You noted all research materials; you created a thesis that could be proven (easily); and you charted out the direction pages would follow and their eventual conclusion. It was to be the easiest of processes and you were fully prepared for it.

As you began to write, however, you found yourself controlled by your outline. New notions could not be placed within it; the structure was limiting; and, though your research had led you to doubt your proposed outcome, you knew you could not change it. It was too deeply embedded within the paper. You were trapped within your own misconceptions – and your sentences were suffering for it.

There can be no doubt that outlining lengthy assignments is a worthy idea. It helps to ease confusion, allows an individual to avoid wandering prose. The concepts are instead actualized before they are even began, enabling a topic to be more thoroughly understood.

The great difficulty in this, however, is that understanding a subject does not guarantee being inspired by it. An outline forces an individual to follow a highly specified path. Any deviation from notes and their rules can cause an entire conclusion to be lost. The paper was created for a singular purpose. There can then be no injection of creativity. It’s forced instead to preconceptions.

This is both a frustration and a futility.

It is strongly encouraged then that academic writing be governed instead by generalities. Understand the intention of a paper, the resources that will be used; but do not cage yourself to any outcome. Allow for possibilities to instead be given to any page. This will ensure that you are able to prove the point you wish, rather than settling for the point you can no longer deny.

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The Narrowed Thesis: Writing

Your research has spiraled into unexpected realms – there are countless books stacked along your desk, forming precarious towers; there are endless online sites saved to your browser, each offering the precious details now needed; and your notes are flung across the room, without order or reason (there’s no time left for organization. You’ve become overwhelmed). And this… was not meant to happen. A paper was to be easy: it called for a singular thesis and an unassuming page count. You’ve instead composed an epic, with a sprawling purpose and infinite evidence to support it. Your professor should be pleased, you think.

He won’t be.

Academic writing is meant to prove a specific argument. When that argument becomes too complicated, however, it loses all power. It can’t be understood. It is instead convoluted – which makes the reading experience a tedious one.

It is important then for each writer to narrow their thesis and maintain a less intimidating approach. By doing so, they gain:

One: Quicker proof. Intentions should be straightforward. This is not merely to make them simpler to shape; but it also to make them simpler to support. When details are streamlined to a solitary idea, they can then be more conclusively researched and answered.

Two: Reading ease. Your paper is not meant to be experienced by only you. It’s instead to be judged by your peers. When a thesis is too broad, it can confuse others and leave them uncertain of what they are meant to be reading. Absorption then becomes difficult.

Three: Stronger sources. When a paper wanders over new details – an excess of points and possibilities – it becomes reliant then on obscure sources. Credit is too often given to unrecognizable texts and scholars, leaving readers without a sense of familiarity. This can be a concern.

A thesis must be kept simple and direct. It cannot encompass a variety of notions. It must instead be without pretense.

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Writing and Research: The Importance of Scheduling

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It seemed to be an easy assignment: you were offered weeks to compose a paper, given precious permission to create what you wished. There were no limitations beyond the needed page count, the general restrictions. You had time. You had freedom. You could do as you pleased – and, unfortunately, you squandered this by hesitating with your research, avoiding the library halls. There was an assumption of days, the belief that tomorrow would always be available. But even it eventually failed you and there was suddenly the terrible loom of a deadline.

Those last hours were among the most frantic of your life; and what they yielded was a paper unworthy of your abilities.

There’s an understandable temptation to avoid the process of researching. It’s an often tedious search through online sources and academic journals. And, when assignments offer flexible deadlines, it’s often assumed that days can be given instead to simple pleasure.

This is a mistake.

All research must instead be carefully scheduled, allowing you to craft your paper properly. Writing isn’t to be a swift endeavor. It is instead to be deliberate:

One: Create an outline. When an assignment is given, devote yourself first to charting out what you wish to prove and what you will need to prove it. Brainstorm all theories, connecting them as needed. This will help you to choose your materials and spare you a hectic search later on.

Two: Seek books. While online libraries are forever available, public ones are forced to different schedules, with their materials subject to the whims of others. Find the physical pages you need first to ensure you can have them.

Three: Understand your inner-clock. If you tend to favor specific times for working, then create blocks that will allow you to do this. Separate yourself from distractions and allow yourself to write when you’re most focused. This is vital in achieving goals.

Prioritize all ideas. Use the weeks wisely. Never waste research.

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Avoiding Bias: Writing

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The world of academia is composed of theories and arguments, the search for truth – but such a search can be tainted with unfounded accusations, the lacking concepts. It is all too easy to name mere opinions fact. Personal bias is injected into every notion, every paper, and helps to create the new theses. But there is a fragile line between offering ideas to an audience and claiming those ideas to be accurate.

Writers must be aware of the dangers of relying purely on their preferences. Research is meant to be the definition of any paper – not guesses. All claims must be reasonable and without the inflammatory statements. Achieving this can be difficult, however, for those who are deeply invested within their topics. Their judgment becomes impaired by passion. It is vital therefore that these rules are followed:

One: Avoid sensational words. It’s an expected thing to be enthusiastic about a specific subject or philosophy; but you cannot allow that enthusiasm to slip into your writing. Don’t color words with emotions. Don’t try to scandalize readers. Keep the tone neutral and without prejudice.

Two: Acknowledge opposing facts. You seek to prove a point within your paper. That point cannot be made, however, without referencing the facts that could discredit it. Established theories – even those not approved of by you – must be included to add validity. You must address them first and then counter them with your own concepts.

Three: Don’t simply provide opinions. Unless a paper is meant to be an exercise in possibility, you must be able to support every statement you make. Don’t offer broad phrases or vague explanations. Instead be precise with the truth and what can be verified.

Bias is to be refused in all forms of research. While personal interests (or subsequent loathings) may lead you toward a thesis, they must not shade the writing itself. They must instead be tucked away and replaced to simple logic.

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Eliminate Unnecessary Words in Your Papers

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Adding “fluff” or unnecessary words is one of the worst things you can do in academic writing and research. Whether you are writing an essay or first person narrative, your paper has a purpose, so make every word count. Your main mission is to captivate your audience and keep them focused on your paper. Being unnecessarily verbose detracts from the main points in your paper, distorts your goals as an author, and reduces clarity throughout the process. There are many ways to increase the effectiveness and accuracy of your work, but the easiest solution is to remove clichés, slang expressions, prepositions, and generalized content.

Chances are if you do not know what a cliché is, you are using them throughout your paper. Clichés are overused phrases that were once popular, but have since become overused. Sometimes clichés represent a stereotype or exaggerate a situation. Rather than using clichés, stretch your creative channels by describing the situation using colorful diction and vivid imagination. Furthermore, clichés detract from the overall literary value of your work and cause the reader to lose focus.

Good writers know the difference between prose and conversation, but many students write as if they are “speaking” the words aloud. A conversational piece should read much differently than how one speaks. Some overly vague and unnecessary words include “so, because, you know, and like” in addition to thousands of other phrases. Replace these words with academic-friendly terms, including “whereas, herein, furthermore, in lieu of, and with regard to.” If the word or phrase does not help define your topic or provide required imagery, replace it with another term.

Creating concise work does not mean you cannot use imagination or creativity – succinct papers are actually more vivid and descriptive than vague works. Ensure each sentence has a purpose and supports or rejects your introduction. The same rules apply when writing emails or other correspondence, so remember to “trim the fat,” which is a cliché, on your next paper.

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APA, MLA, and AP Oh My!

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Students are accustomed to writing news and academic research, but no matter the assignment, they seem to hate creating the bibliography page. For many, finding and documenting sources takes more time than it does to write the paper itself. Depending on your discipline and institution, you may be using the American Psychological Association (APA), Modern Language Association (MLA), or Associated Press (AP).

APA Style

The APA style is most commonly used in the social sciences, and determines how you cite sources, format your paper, and organize content. The APA style values organization, making your paper easier for editors and professors to evaluate while simplifying the reader’s experience. Since the APA style is straightforward, it leaves nothing for guesswork. You always know how to format documents, and the official guide provides guidelines for every scenario known. The format is very formal, abides by academic standards, and establishes your reputation and credibility in the social sciences.

MLA Style

The Modern Language Association format is most commonly used in the Arts and Humanities fields, such as English and communications. The MLA style defines how you format your paper, cite sources, and add stylistic elements, such as block quotations. Compared to the other citation styles, MLA is the most universal – used by institutions throughout the world, and is often accepted in other disciplines, such as psychology (where you would normally use APA). It is the universal format taught in schools throughout America and abroad.

Associated Press

The Associated Press style of writing is reserved for communications and journalism programs. It is the industry standard style guide used in newsrooms across the country. AP Style defines how you document sources, format text, and write your paper. It’s main focus is on the text itself, as it defines how you write the paper or article, such as having universal principles for writing the date, spelling city names, and other textual elements.

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