The advertising piece chosen for the critical evaluation within the current paper is a Dolce and Gabbana ad published in a February 2010 issue of Vogue magazine. It is presumed to be a perfect example of how advertisements can create a sense of separation and association with the feminine identity. This advertisement captures the values that women dream about but can never truly have.

The story that the narrative is selling

The quality that this advertisement emphasises more than anything else is the versatility of a woman. She looks stunning in a Dolce and Gabbana evening dress, but what is she doing? – she is washing the dishes. The woman looks glamorous in her outfit, yet earthy, owing to the fact that she is doing everyday chores. She is a woman who has achieved a success in the corporate world and still remains attractive. Furthermore, she handles her home chores, albeit with a struggle.

The woman is in the foreground, and at the background we can see the dirty dishes and unattended kitchenware. She has probably come from an evening engagement, and before that she was too busy to do her dishes. Now, she is trying to manage everything, even though she appears overwhelmed by the tasks. At this picture, she looks away from the camera and looks at something that the audience cannot see. It appears that something is going wrong because she has a mildly astonished look on her face; her food might be burning or something might be falling down. Nonetheless, this does not seem to bother her because her eyes do not carry any dazed expression. One, therefore, realises that these household chores are not as significant to her as they would be to a housewife or housekeeper. In fact, her expression makes her look sexy. The rest of her body matches her flawless face and hair. She has a narrow waist and reveals her bust through her low-cut dress. In essence, she is a beautiful female that ‘everyday’ woman would love to be. This woman is not just physically attractive, but has another life, probably, in a corporate world where she successfully manages to balance things out. She is, therefore, smart and sexy, thus becoming a real dream of every modern woman.

Implicit and explicit messages in the advertisement

The explicit message in the advertisement is the appropriateness of Dolce and Gabbana clothes for the ordinary women. This company is famous for its luxury outfits and accessories. Its designer outfits are often preserved for the rich. However, the firm’s owners wanted to redefine that notion by showing that those women also do ordinary things like washing dishes. But at the same time, the advertisers did not want to erase the lavish image in the mind of the consumer. This was the reason why they chose a well-known celebrity, Madonna, to do the advertising. They also made her look like she was not efficient in domestic chores, hence her anguished look. These advertisers wanted to sell ‘luxury’ to the ordinary females. Elegance is what their clothes are about, so they could not compromise on that value.

A further analysis of the advertisement also reveals that the ad has several implicit messages. First, the advertisement wanted to endorse the affluent life. Most of the Vogue readers are interested in the photos rather than the stories in the magazine. Although a number of them cannot afford to wear brand clothes, that is why many of them read the magazine in order to be aware of the elite lifestyle and modern fashion trends; they need something to aspire towards, and this magazine helps them reach that goal. By selecting a well-known celebrity to endorse their brand, Dolce and Gabbana have given readers an insight into the glamorous life. This advertisement also provides implicit messages on the female perfection. Madonna is curvy and slim. She is a blonde and has a flawless complexion. These features send a powerful message about what it means to be feminine in today’s world. The company also shows that women must embrace dual roles, doing their best both at home and away from.

Cultural and national market

The advertisement focuses mainly on a western cultural market owing to the model choice. She is Caucasian, so many Britons and westerners would relate to her, because they belong to the same race. The dress that Madonna is wearing is distinct to a sophisticated western culture. However, the advertisers delineate their product from the masses owing to the lifestyle, social class and the body-type of the model. Madonna is a well-known public figure, while many readers are not of the same status. Additionally, she is not a part of the working class majority, which adds power and status to her image in a modern culture. Her body type is also not representative of the typical British woman’s weight. Studies illustrate that the average British woman’s waist is well over 30 inches. Consequently, many females may develop a sense of insecurity about their own bodies when they view such advertisements. A number of them may be willing to try out various things in order to conform to such an ideal. One way is to wear designer clothes like ‘Dolce and Gabbana’. In other words, these advertisers wanted to present their clothes as that crucial doorway into the well-to-do lifestyle. If they can buy Dolce and Gabbana, then they can be just as sophisticated as Madonna.

How the advertisement helps to build an individual’s network in the world

This advertisement links the local market to the international one because it portrays ideals of a capitalistic society. Madonna is an international musician who Vogue readers can relate to, owing to her success. She succeeded in the commercial world because of immense discipline and focus on achieving her goals. These are values that many entrepreneurs and capitalists endorse. The advertisers in the campaign wanted to capture some of these ideals by depicting a model doing an ordinary work. Readers can see that the model probably had some businesses to do as she had returned home after a busy day. She seems ambitious and motivated, which is something that makes other people associate themselves with her. The local consumer thus forms an association with the advertisement because of the global values of capitalism espoused in the advertisement.

Attitude and ambition in the Advert

The main attitude in the advertisement is that of a female industriousness. This advertisement seeks to undo some gender stereotypes that many fashion magazines have endorsed in the past. The advertisement depicts a realistic woman who looks fabulous, handling domestic chores and having a busy corporate life as well. This image, therefore, promotes the attitude of confidence and entrepreneurship.

This advertisement espouses values of a confident and independent woman. It shows that today’s woman is self-reliant, but does not shun some typical or traditional roles adhered to females. Such perceptions are yet to gain a lot of acceptance in feminist circles and other groups, which support them and share the same views.

In this regard, this advertisement reflects a distinct western culture. It does not stray too far from the norm and captures capitalist as well as feminine ideals that exist in the world today. Women want to be just like the model in the picture, even if it is not achievable.

Do you suspect that most web sites are basically evil and distracting? If yes, you may change your opinion after you check the following top 21 essay writing websites. Great essay samples, expert advice or editing help can be just a few clicks away from you.

Essay Banks

One of the easiest ways to get essay writing help is visiting essay banks. You can upload your past essays and exchange them for samples you are interested in. Some other sites offer free open access collections of essay samples:

1. Brainia offers one of the biggest collections of essay samples on the web. The only requirement is creating a free account and uploading at least one of your own past essays. And voila – you get a free access to the sea of academic papers written by other students and great for reference purposes.
2. Cyber Essays is a free repository of high quality academic papers. All the samples are divided into categories and you can easily find the information you need.
3. Share Your Essays is a free service that encourages students to share their original works. As a reward, they receive a free access to a variety of samples, uploaded by other students.
4. Essay Bank at the University of Birmingham invites students to share their works and download samples written by other students.
5. Scholar Works is an open access repository made for educational purposes. Some of these samples are worth their weight in gold. All you need to discover some treasures is to use a search window in the upper right corner.
6. Shmoop is a pre-paid essay lab for both students and educators. The fact that this service is popular with teachers clearly demonstrates its quality.

Essay Writing Tutors

Another large group of websites for essay writing is tutors platforms. The internet works miracles and can connect you to professionals from all over the world if you simply give them a chance. Here’s a collection of top rated and highly recommended services.

7. Student Writing Support (University of Minnesota) offers an exclusive feature of scheduling an online chat with a university tutor. Only imagine having your paper reviewed by a highly qualified tutor before you submit it in your institution.
8. WyzAnt is a platform that can connect you to more than 75,000 tutors. With WyzAnt you can send several emails to tutors you like best and choose your perfect tutor match.
9. Chegg Tutors is a reputable student hub. Now Chegg offers you not only buying textbooks, but also finding tutors of your dreams.
10. TutorUniverse is an easy way to find a tutor for writing an essay that rocks.
11. Tutor.com is a website providing essay writing help 24/7. The secret of success of this service is that they have tutors in different time zones, ready to help you whenever you may need them.
12. Tutor Finder in Australia is a great solution for Australian students. They will be able to meet all specific requirements of your institution and use the Australian variant of the English language.
13. First Tutors in Canada is the go-to place for Canadian students and students from other countries as well. Though this service can help you with a number of tasks specific to Canada institutions, you can consider using it even if you study in a different country. Simply let your tutor know about your specific language preferences.

Essay Editing Services

The next group of essay writing websites focuses on proofreading, editing and copy editing. Effective editing can be a valuable contribution to your project.

14. WithDraft is an editing system compatible with Google Drive, Evernote, Drobox and other cloud storages. You can use ‘ask a professional’ button to receive an expert advice on your writing.
15. Edit Revise allows you getting a detailed feedback on your work. Expert tutors from this service are ready to comment on your writing and give you professional advice on how to improve your writing.
16. 300 editors is an exclusive service for editing your papers in real time. It can be exciting and beneficial to see the changes made in your document in Google Docs.
17. Scribendi offers several subscription plans, for ESL students, US native students and business people. 9 years of experience are an important proof of quality offered by this team of professionals.
18. Last Stop Editing offers qualified proofreading services and beyond. If you think that editing is limited to eliminating typos and grammar errors, you need to try this service. Your first edited draft will open your eyes for you to appreciate the benefits of copy editing and professional proofreading.
19. Proofreading Pal offers a unique two proofreader model that allows you getting the most out of this service and boosting the quality of your papers in minimum time and at affordable prices.

Custom Writing Services

The last but not least group of essay writing websites that are worth of your time and attention is a custom writing niche. These websites can create custom essay samples especially for you. Getting a custom made sample can help you do a research a way faster and more efficiently. Of course, you can find myriads of similar services on the web. However, we’d like to recommend you using the following services as trusted and reliable resources.

20. Custom-Writing.org is in this niche longer than 95% of its competition which clearly demonstrates the level of this service. The studies have shown that a student saves four hours minimum when buying a 2 page paper form Custom-Writing.org.
21. OvernightEssay.com is great for handling emergency tasks. This essay writing website is admired by students who value their time and the latest advantages of the technical progress.

With the right combination of essay writing websites and your own effort, your academic career can get much more successful. Make Internet your friend, not a distraction and a time thief.

You get up early, planning to start that 3,000-word research paper that is due tomorrow night, yet you immediately get overwhelmed by other tasks. You need to walk your dog, and it is high time you did your laundry. You get a reminder in your email that you need to continue learning to play the guitar, so you decide to watch the first five lectures.

You know what comes next:

Then your friend calls and asks for your help to go birthday-gift shopping for her dad. When you return, you decide to make a cup of coffee and start working – but you discover you are out of coffee, so you go grocery shopping. By the time you are back, it is already 9 pm, and you think it is too late to start working, so you choose to watch some Netflix instead.

It gets worse:

The next day, you frantically type 3,000 words in less than five hours, and submit a mediocre paper just so you don’t fail on your assignment.

Sounds pretty familiar, huh?

So what’s it all about?

The good news is that you are not alone. As many as 80% to 95% of all students admit they are guilty of putting off work, and about a fifth of all people consider themselves to be chronic procrastinators.

The bad news is that procrastination not only affects your performance but can also cause a range of health problems, from insomnia and stomach illnesses to a weakened immune system.

You might be wondering:
Then why do people still procrastinate?

Contrary to what many people think, procrastination is not just an indicator of poor time management and study skills, or even of laziness. The psychology behind this behavior is much more complex and intricate.

The psychology of procrastination and postponement

• The human brain is wired to seek instant gratification. To put it simply, it is difficult for people to choose long-term benefits over immediate results. Think about it: If you won the lottery, would you choose to get the money now, accepting that the total amount will then be reduced; or would you prefer to receive it in small payments over time? Chances are, you’ll take it now.
  Here you can watch the famous marshmallow experience when little children had to choose between eating one marshmallow right away, or waiting ten minutes to get two – and the struggle is adorable.

• The second major cause of procrastination is, paradoxically, perfectionism. You may think that this is illogical, since perfectionism is all about getting the best results, right? Well, not exactly. The desire to get everything perfect can actually be paralyzing. Since you can never achieve perfection, you prepare yourself to fail from the very beginning. If you can’t win, then why try?

So what’s the bottom line?

Do not despair just yet! You can – and you should – beat procrastination. So, without further ado, here are the 11 ultimate tips that will help you stop procrastinating for good.

1. Dig deeper.

In order to solve a problem, you first need to know what that problem is. According to Dr. Ferrari, a psychology professor at the DePaul University, there are three basic types of procrastinators:

• Thrill-seekers, who are looking to get the pre-deadline rush that makes them especially productive in the last minute;
  Avoiders, who are afraid to fail or succeed, and who would prefer to be perceived as underachievers rather than failures; and
  Decisional procrastinators, who avoid making a decision in an effort to avert responsibility.
  What’s the bottom line?
  If you know what causes you to procrastinate, you can make sure to target the right problem and come up with the appropriate strategies to develop good study habits.

2. Break it down.

3,000 words sound like an awful lot to write, especially if you are not particularly excited about the topic. You may trick your brain into perceiving this task as less difficult by breaking it down into several smaller tasks – and let the simple math do the job.

Use these writing tips:

Always start by making an outline or a plan. For instance, according to the instructions your paper needs to have 10 sections, plus an introduction and a conclusion. Now, let’s say you write 150 words each to introduce the topic and to summarize the main ideas – that’s 300 words down, only 2,700 more to go. Divide that by 10 – and you only need to write 270 words, or two small paragraphs per section. Organization is everything.

That sounds much more doable, right?

3. One word, but it’s still a sentence.

You might be thinking:

“That sounds great, but I have two more projects and three papers due soon; I work two part-time jobs; and I also sing in the choir. Good luck to me trying to find the time to do everything.”

I get it – people are, perhaps, leading busier lifestyles than ever before.

What’s the bottom line?

The key to success is learning to prioritize – the projects aren’t due for another month, are they? That’s not to say that you need to procrastinate until then to start them, but they should not consume the largest portion of your time right now. There are plenty of apps that can help you put your tasks in perspective. My all-time favorite is Finish. It’s only available on iTunes, but there are other great options for Android users too.

4. Make a schedule.

• Effective study techniques are often connected with the organization of information.
  Schedules and agendas may sound pretty boring, but they don’t have to be, and they are great for you to sort and prioritize your tasks.
  Then, start by filling out those time slots when you are definitely not available – say, when you are in class or at work. This will help you see how much free time you have at your disposal each day, so you can fill it up with other tasks.
• The trick here is to mix and mingle. Remember how you have a series of smaller tasks now?
  Check your schedule to see where you can fit writing that 150-word introduction – you don’t have to finish the entire paper in one take.

5. Create visual reminders.

If you tend to forget about tasks, create visual reminders for yourself, be it on paper or in a digital format. The truth is, human brains are wired to respond to visual signals above all others; about 20% of our brain is designed specifically for vision. Choose the methods that work for you and stick to them:

• Print your schedule out.
• Post sticky notes all over your desk.
• Get a widget for your smartphone.

6. Start anywhere.

This sounds like one of those easy-to-say, hard-to-do suggestions; but when I say anywhere, I mean anywhere.

Here’s the deal:

Feel like writing the fourth section of the paper because you have gathered the materials? Have some general ideas for the introduction but have not polished the wording yet? Then just go for it – you can always revise later.

The importance of starting to work on the assignment lies in the so-called Zeigarnik effect. Basically, it is yet another way for you to trick your brain: whenever people start doing something, they are far more likely to finish it because the task is already on their mind’s radar.

Have you ever started watching a TV show and stopped liking it midway through, yet still carried on with it? That’s the Zeigarnik effect in action.

7. Condition yourself.

Psychology is truly a gold mine when it comes to dealing with procrastination. This tip had to do with the phenomenon of classical conditioning that you may have heard of via the expression “Pavlov’s dog.” What this researcher did was ring a bell every time his dog was about to get food. Soon, the dog’s mouth started producing saliva when the animal heard the bell, even if there was no food in sight.

Now, in the human world, we would usually call it “developing a habit” or something similar, but I like to think about it in simple and more basic terms. Every time you work, create a background that your brain will eventually learn to associate with being productive. I personally play one particular study playlist on 8tracks that is reserved only for those times when I need to work. The trick works magically for me.

8. Block out distractions.

This is another classic productivity tip: Disconnect yourself from distractions – especially your browser and phone app notifications and instant messages.

Now:

There isn’t really much more to say here apart from “just do it.” I mean it. Unless you are the president of the United States and need to be constantly available, the world will not go down in flames if you won’t reply to your emails for another hour or two.
If you find yourself way too attached to the Internet and your phone, I highly recommend the StayFocused Chrome extension, which is also available on Google Play.

The reason I know about it? I, too, am one of the unfortunate folks struggling to put their phone down. This app lets you control your browser and phone usage, and it even has a “nuke” option that will cut you off from the Internet for a specified amount of time.

9. Make technology your ally.

If there is one lesson you should take away from this post, it is that technology can and should become your ally in your fight against putting things off.

Here’s the deal:

There is a wide variety of apps, browser extensions, and websites that will help you enhance your productivity and studying at all stages, from the planning to the execution. Many of them are also available on all platforms, so the integration happens smoothly for you. Browse around and find the solutions that work best for you.
Equally importantly, tinker with those apps that you already have installed on your phone and computer. Many of them have the so-called night or mute settings that can help you disable them for specified periods of time.

10. Assume accountability.

Get your friends and family and other people around you to support you in your endeavor. Studies show that accountability can be a powerful trigger to prompt people to commit to their plans and to act upon them. For instance, tell your friends that you will go out with them on Friday only if you finish half of your project by then. They will probably remind you about it, and you will be more likely to do the work if you have made such a promise.

11. Treat yourself.

This is the most pleasant tip of them all – make sure to reward yourself for the hard work you do; but set significant, yet realistic, milestones for it. Writing a half of one page should not be rewarded with an opportunity to indulge in binge-watching of your favorite TV show for three hours. Make sure that the award is proportionate to the amount of work you have accomplished.

• Studies indicate that positive reinforcement – that is, a reward system – is much more effective than negative reinforcement at encouraging goal pursuit. It is the classic carrot-versus-stick scenario.
• Try to refrain from punishing yourself for not completing the work. For instance, instead of saying that if you don’t write your paper, you will not go to the movies, say that you will reward yourself by going if you finish your assignment. The difference is subtle, but it will help you not associate negative events (in this case missing the movie) with an already unpleasant task.

Hopefully, these study tips will help you overcome your habit of procrastinating. Before you leave to work on your assignments, here is one last bit of procrastination for you for today. Watch this fun animated video that will help you understand that although procrastination is a huge and ugly beast, you can still beat it.

Have your own great strategies for dealing with procrastination? Share your tips and tricks in the comment section below.

The following picture is to be used for sharing on social media platforms:

With tuition fees reaching an all-time high and continuing to steep ever higher over the past decade, college has become a luxury that many simply cannot afford.

Couple that with steadily rising unemployment rates among college graduates, and you might also begin to question whether traditional university education is actually worth the hundreds of thousands of dollars in investments and student loans.

Even if you can afford to pay for college, you might find yourself short on time due to work, family commitments, or any other number of circumstances.

Luckily, attending a university in person is no longer the only option for a quality college education.

Thanks to the internet, a massive amount of knowledge is available at no cost to anyone with an internet connection.

This article will teach you all you need to know about distance learning.

We’ll cover everything:

• Best websites to find tutorials
• Reliable online study resources
• Entertaining educational video channels
• The most affordable online college degrees
• Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs)

We’ll even share the secret to getting an Ivy League education free of charge.

In its 2009 , the U.S. Department of Education found that “classes with online learning (taught completely online, or blended), on average produce stronger student learning outcomes than do classes with solely face-to-face instruction.”

This is an extremely promising finding. However, distance learning is a very proactive undertaking.

In order to excel, you need to demonstrate a particular set of skills and exercise impressive self-discipline.

These seven tips will get you started—and help you successfully finish—your distance learning journey.

1. Manage your time efficiently.

Effective time management is one of the key components to becoming a successful distance learning student.

For most learners opting for an online degree, study will need to be scheduled around work and family commitments, which is why it’s essential you leave enough hours in the week dedicated to hitting the books.

2. Take your time to master the material.

Interestingly enough, the U.S. Department of Education report that we mentioned earlier attributes the success of online learning not to technology, but to time.

The effectiveness of online education lies in Mastery Learning, an approach developed by educational psychologist Benjamin Bloom.

Distance learning is successful precisely because it allows students to follow along with the course at their own pace.

So it’s absolutely vital that you take your time to master particular concepts before you move on to the more advanced subjects.

3. Stay organized.

As follows from the tip number one, it pays to keep on top of your distance coursework, especially if you have a hectic schedule.

Searching for course materials beneath a pile of dirty cutlery is not the way you want to kick off your distance learning course.

Rather, keep all your materials well organized and in a place where you don’t need to search high and low to find them. Trust us, it works!

4. Create a quiet study area.

A study zone where you’re free from the stress and strain of everyday life—and where you’re able to get your head in the books—can be a real godsend.

When you have so much on your plate, it’s important to stay relaxed and positive.

If you can’t find the peace and quiet you need at home, seek the sanctuary of your local library.

5. Keep your eye on the endgame.

While it’s important not to get carried away, it’s sensible to focus on explicit goals and exactly what you want to achieve.

For example, if you have a large assignment due, set yourself a series of small targets along the way until you reach the glorious day you finally hand it in.

Cutting your workload into manageable, bite-sized chunks avoids sending you through a whirlwind of hate and self-loathing as you struggle to meet deadlines.

6. Don’t procrastinate.

Procrastination is rife in all walks of life, but a tendency to leave things to the last minute increases the chances of something eventually blowing up in your face.

Any number of issues can keep you away from learning. Imagine your internet connection died—perish the thought—or your laptop gave up the ghost, or you had a family crisis.

Don’t let unexpected disasters get in the way of your education.

Evaluate your strengths and weaknesses to make realistic estimates about how long a particular task will take you to complete. Then give yourself some time to get into the working mindset, and try as much as possible to keep pace with the schedule you’ve set.

7. Back up all of your information.

With online learning, all of your schoolwork is in a digital format. Always back up your assignments and learning resources on an external drive or cloud storage to make sure that your files remain safe in case of technological complications.

Recent years have seen a huge development in college and university courses becoming available online, writes The New Yorker.

Known as Massive Open Online Courses, or MOOCs, this new type of college classes is based entirely on online video lectures.

“Massive” refers to their capacity to enroll tens of thousands of students at a time, and they’re “Open” to anyone with an internet connection.

Ultimately, most MOOCs follow the traditional college class structure, relying on assignments throughout the course and a final evaluation to determine whether the student passes or fails.

There are three giants in the MOOC business:

1. Coursera
2. Udacity
3. EdX

A Stanford University Online spinoff, Coursera is currently the largest MOOC platform, aiming to provide universal access to the world’s best education.

To do this, Coursera partners with some of the top universities and organizations around the world, offering 1,858 courses from 143 partners in 28 counties.

The way it works is easy:

• Each Coursera MOOC features pre-recorded videos, projects, peer-graded assignments, and quizzes to help you test your knowledge.
• Once enrolled, you’ll be able to connect with thousands of other students to debate ideas, discuss course materials, and even find tutors if you find yourself struggling to master a particular concept.
• Upon completion of the course, you will receive an official certificate.

Based in Palo Alto, Udacity focuses on courses in science and technology. It offers classes in web development, software engineering, data science, and iOS and Android programming, among other topics. For the most part, the curricula for Udacity’s MOOCs are developed by industry leaders like Google, Amazon, Facebook, and AT&T.

While all of the video course materials on the website are free of charge, Udacity also offers something called a “Nanodegree” for a fee.

Source: androidauthority.net

Nanodegree credentials

While you can certainly follow the free courses independently to build your portfolio, a Nanodegree provides you with a sort of “stamp of approval” from Udacity, which vouches for your successful completion of a course to your future employers.

Enrolling in a Nanodegree program will provide you with the following benefits:

• Consistent feedback: Your projects will be graded, and you’ll receive detailed in-line comments.
• Access to discussion forums and chat: You can interact with both fellow students and instructors, and ask questions, 24/7.
• One-on-one sessions: You receive biweekly, half-hour video chats with instructors and/or staff to discuss your progress more thoroughly.
• Office hours: You can participate in broadcasting Q&A sessions with instructors via Google Hangouts on Air twice a week.
• Career services: You gain access to networking opportunities and job placement assistance.

A joint effort between M.I.T. and Harvard, edX is the youngest MOOC producer of the three.

Unlike its competitors, edX is based on a confederation model, which means that each of its member institutions has full control over its own MOOC production.

EdX offers over 650 courses in math, computer science, and humanities and has over 1,700 faculty and staff members involved in the content-creation process.

Its contributors and members include Ivy League schools like Dartmouth, Cornell, Columbia, and Princeton, as well as some of the most high-profile universities in Europe, Asia, and Australia.

EdX is the only major MOOC producer that is both nonprofit and open-source.

To find out more, watch the video below, and enroll in the edX demo course to better understand how the platform works.

Nonprofit organizations and MOOCs provide you with certification upon successful completion of a program.

But if an accredited online diploma is what you’re after, here’s a list of the top 11 most affordable online colleges and universities you’ll love.

1. Daytona State College – $92 per credit for residents ($560 for non-residents)

The unbelievably low tuition for residents is one of the most attractive things about this institution.

2. University of Wyoming – $108 per credit

These web-based distance learning courses lead to degrees in education and nursing. Every course is certified by the Higher Learning Commission.

3. Fort Hays State University – $182 per credit

The tuition here is amazingly low. It’s a great place to receive affordable education of decent quality.

4. Columbia Southern University – $200 for undergraduate students and $265 for graduate students

Importantly, online students at Columbia Southern University receive a helping hand when it comes to buying textbooks. Moreover, distance learners receive a 10% discount on tuition.

5. Lamar University in Beaumont, Texas – On average $220 per credit

Financial aid options and flexible payment plans make the courses of this institution accessible to anyone, regardless of income.

6. SUNY College of Technology in Delhi – $245 per credit

Founded in 1913, this institution remains relevant with its many online courses, which attract students from all over the States and beyond.

7. University of Nebraska in Omaha– $250 per credit

Located in the heart of Nebraska, this online college is recognized as one of the most forward-thinking and affordable institutions.

8. Old Dominion University in Norfolk, Virginia – $285 per credit

Taking into account the tuition rates, this university is a really good choice for anyone who wants a better education for less money.

9. Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University – $325 per unit

Specializing in aviation and aerospace, this university offers great online courses, accessible to anyone regardless of income level.

10. Indiana University – Purdue University Fort Wayne– $328 per credit

This public university with a remarkable history offers more than 175 courses. You’ll easily find something to your taste here.

11. University of the People – FREE OF CHARGE

Founded in 2009 by Shai Reshef, University of the People is a tuition-fee, nonprofit, online academic institution that offers undergraduate degree programs in business administration and computer science. The university has recently launched an MBA program as well.

The university cooperates with NYU, Yale, the Catalyst Initiative, and Hewlett-Packard to provide its students with opportunities for research, internships, and further education.

Though the institution’s primary focus is on students in developing nations, admission is open to everyone. Students from nearly 130 countries have been accepted since the university’s establishment.

Even if a university degree or coursework isn’t something you’re looking for at the moment, the internet is full of other brilliant places to learn.

Here are a few of our personal favorite websites and channels.

Khan Academy

“A personalized learning resource for all ages,” Khan Academy began with founder Sal Khan uploading several math tutorial videos to YouTube in 2006, just so he could share them with his friends and family more conveniently.

The unexpected popularity of the videos and the overwhelmingly positive feedback prompted Khan to quit his job as a hedge fund analyst in 2009 to become a full-time educational content creator.

Since then, Khan Academy has developed into a rich and diverse nonprofit online learning platform, funded entirely by donations from philanthropic organizations like the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and companies like Google.

Today, KhanAcademy.org offers practice exercises and personalized dashboards for users to track their progress as they follow along with the instructional videos.

The Academy’s expertise has also grown exponentially, now offering courses and tutorials not only in math, but also 15 other subjects in arts and humanities, science, economics and finance, and computing.

It also often partners with organizations and institutions like NASA, The Museum of Modern Art, The California Academy of Sciences, and MIT to create specialized content.

Very importantly:

Khan Academy is multilingual.

The Spanish version of the website was launched in 2013. Since then, KhanAcademy.org has been translated into 23 languages, and their educational videos into 65.

University of Reddit

University of Reddit is an educational platform that allows Reddit community members (some of them actual university professors) to share their expertise with each other.

Combining online lectures with YouTube tutorials, the website currently offers classes in 11 categories such as art, music, philosophy, science, language, technology, math, and social sciences.

Education Meets Entertainment on YouTube

YouTube was the original home of Khan Academy, and over the years that followed, it has become the platform of choice for dozens of other incredible educators as well.

         source: openculture.com

Since it was started by Hank and John Green of the VlogBrothers in 2012, Crash Course has produced over 475 educational videos on topics in science and humanities and has gained over 4 million subscribers.

The series is professionally shot on custom-built sets and is accompanied by illustrations from the Thought Café.

Because several Crash Course series are structured similarly to College Board’s Advanced Placement (AP) courses, many students and teachers are choosing to use the videos to supplement their classes.

Right now Crash Course consists of 15 series in science and humanities: Physics (the most recent addition), Literature, Biology, Philosophy, Chemistry, Psychology, Ecology, World History, Astronomy, U.S. History, U.S. Government and Politics, Anatomy & Physiology, Big History, Economics, and Intellectual Property.

With over 3 million subscribers, SciShow is home to nearly 820 educational videos on topics in the fields of biology, physics, chemistry, zoology, entomology, botany, meteorology, astronomy, medicine, anthropology, psychology, and computer science.

Its spin-off channel, SciShow Space, was launched recently and specializes in topics related to, well, space.

As the title suggests, Minute Physics has a very unique format. It consists largely of time-lapsed drawings explaining concepts in physics in under a minute.

Minute Physics has over 3 million subscribers and is also available in Spanish.

YouTube channel-turned-brand Vsauce currently consists of five separate channels.

Averaging 2 to 8 million views per video, Vsauce produces episodes on topics in science and philosophy, as well as gaming, culture, technology, and other areas of general interest.

Last but not least, this London-based channel became popular after its first video explaining the difference between the United Kingdom, Great Britain, and England went viral.

Although CGP Grey now has several spin-off channels and podcasts, the channel’s main attraction is Grey Explains, a series of explanatory videos on topics in politics, economics, geography, and British culture.

Since the channel’s debut in 2010, it has received over 198 million views in total. And in a truly British manner, he’s developed a signature move of including hidden references to Monty Python videos in his works.

Your college career will comprise some of the best years of your life. Probably. At least that’s what they say.

Which does kind of make sense, since you don’t actually have to start paying off your student loans until you graduate.

In any case, for most people, student living takes quite a bit of getting used to. Juggling education with a budding social life and the responsibilities of independent living on a shoestring budget can be a daunting experience at best.

So today we’ve put together a comprehensive list of tips to help you transition into a fiscally responsible adult—or at the very least, to teach you a few important college hacks.

TEXTBOOKS

Textbooks are expensive.

Painfully so.

There are dozens of sites on the internet promising free downloads, but don’t be too tempted.

If you’re on your college campus, then you’re probably logged into your university’s network, which means that none of your online activity remains hidden.

Illegally downloading an eBook isn’t worth getting your internet privileges revoked or finding yourself facing worse disciplinary or legal consequences.

A majority of these websites also carry a slew of computer viruses. Replacing your PC can end up costing you more than an entire year’s worth of textbooks.

But don’t despair!

1. Check Amazon for used textbooks. You will often find great deals on books, and you can take advantage of their Student Prime service.
2. Amazon and Barnes and Noble also offer a rental service. You can rent books for one, two, or three months at a time and then mail them back—all at just a fraction of their original price.
3. Use textbookrush.com to buy, rent, or sell used textbooks. They now also have an e-book database!
4. Rent or buy textbooks from chegg.com. They also offer free shipping on orders over $50.
5. Sell, rent, or buy textbooks from bookbyte.com.
6. Use bigwords.com and slugbooks.com to compare textbook prices and find the best deals.
7. If you are an English major, check out bookdepository.com.
8. Find classics and other out-of-copyright works at Planet eBook or Project Gutenberg.
9. Use boundless.com for digital alternatives of textbooks with built-in study guides and materials, like flashcards and quizzes.
10. Check the university library. Professors often put one or several copies of the course textbook on reserve. You can check them out for up to two hours at a time and make photocopies if you need to use them for longer.
11. Ask your professor if you can use an older edition. They are always cheaper.
12. While you’re there, you can also ask if they have an extra copy of the textbook that you can borrow.
13. Buy used textbooks from upperclassmen who have already taken the class.
14. Share with a friend or classmate. Unless it’s a very reading-intensive class, you can come up with a schedule to use the book separately or study together.
15. Keep your textbooks in great condition, so you can sell them once the semester is over.

SCHOOL SUPPLIES

• Check out dollar stores for pens, pencils, notebooks, and binders.
• Bulk supply stores tend to offer better deals. Shop together with a few friends or classmates, and buy supplies in bulk to save money.
• Keep an eye out for back-to-school sales.
• Shop online to find good deals on Amazon and eBay year-round.
• Do your supply shopping during the tax-free weekend.

BUDGETING

Yes, it’s boring.

Budgeting is the first tip on everybody’s money-saving advice list, and this section probably had you rolling your eyes before you even got past the header.

But the fact remains:

Budgeting is key if you want to avoid being broke.

Besides, a budget doesn’t have to be complicated. There’s no need to break out spreadsheets or set up a full accounting system.

All you have to do is work out out your total monthly income and factor in all of your essential expenses such as rent, utilities, and tuition and fees.

Once you’ve set that money aside, whatever’s left over is yours to do with as you please. Before you splurge on a new outfit or gaming console, though, remember that you still need to eat and get around for the rest of the month.

That’s why it’s a good idea to break your budget down so you can designate a certain weekly amount for food and travel.

Here are three mobile apps that will make it easier to budget:

• mySupermarket is a great tool for planning your grocery list. It automatically calculates your basket total and lets you scan any product to find out where you’ll get the best deal in town.

• OnTrees Personal Finance securely connects to your bank account, lets you create a budget, and tells you when you overspend and need to cut back at any point during the month.

• TopCashBack lets you earn money by listing links of stores that offer cash-back options or giveaways. It also keeps you up to speed with the latest printable vouchers and deals in your area.

TAKE YOUR COOKING GAME TO THE NEXT LEVEL

This may come as a surprise, but you can’t actually afford all of that junk food. To make your fiscal woes worse, you’re probably chronically overspending on your trips to the supermarket as well.

Cooking for yourself and eating healthy foods provide multiple benefits:

• Letting you feel like somewhat of a functional human being as you pummel through the stress of being a student
• Making sure you don’t end up having to choke down instant noodles the entire week leading up to your next paycheck because you’ve spent too much on take-out
• Keeping you, well, healthy

Here are a few tips to help you up your cooking game and start shopping more responsibly.

Never, ever shop on an empty stomach.   

The hungrier you are, the less you can be trusted at the supermarket. Every time your stomach growls, your brain will have to struggle with the sheer instinct to BUY ALL THE THINGS. Having a big meal beforehand will likely only make you sluggish, so for optimal results, have a light snack before you go.

Cook in batches.

Making large batches of food once or twice a week will save you the time and effort of having to cook every day.

HOST DINNER PARTIES!

Your dinner parties may not turn out like the perfect image of sophistication straight out of Martha Stewart Living as you dish food onto paper plates and pass around a roll of paper towels.

BUT:

They will almost certainly end up being fun and, most importantly, gentle on your wallet since you’ll be splitting the costs.

If you’re confident in the kitchen, make a habit of freestyling with whatever ingredients you have available—especially if some of them are about to expire—to make sure nothing goes to waste.

And if you feel like you need guidelines, try some of these BuzzFeed recipes:

• 21 Delicious One-Pot Meals That Are Actually Affordable
• 23 Meals You Can Cook Even If You’re Broke
• 25 Dinners You Only Need 3 Ingredients For
• 27 Easy Meals That Won’t Break the Bank

Do some research of your own to find your favorite budget recipe blogs or websites, too. For more inexpensive meal recipes and tips on how to shop cheaply, visit this blog.

STUDENT DISCOUNTS AND DEALS

To make your budget stretch even further, consider cutting down on certain non-essential purchases and substituting luxury products with more affordable brands.

At the same time, remember to take advantage of discounts and deals that you’re eligible for as a student.

• myunidays.com offers tons of discounts on brand clothing.
• studentuniverse.com will help you save on flights and sometimes even hotel stays.
• studentrate.com offers a variety of flash deals and special discounts.
• studentbeans.com will let you save on clothing, travel, and even software.
• collegebudget.com provides a regularly updated collection of discounts and sales that can be a lifesaver.
• journeyed.com offers discounts on tech and software to students, teachers, and schools.
• onthehub.com is all about software deals available in your school. Pick your institution, and see what discounts are available to you.

SCHOLARSHIPS

 Chances are, at this very moment, there are thousands of dollars in scholarships that you’re eligible for.

The trick is knowing where to look for them.

Here are a few leads and pointers.

Keep checking available scholarships for current students at your university.

There are named scholarships and awards you can apply for during all four years of your studies.

Check out zinch.com  for creative ways to win scholarships.

For example, their Weekly Three Sentence Essay Scholarship requires you to write a two-tweet-long, 280-character essay to win $1,000 of cold hard cash.

Create an account to find more scholarships you may be eligible for.

Fastweb.com is another fantastic and free resource for finding scholarships.

It offers a massive scholarship database, including the “Natural Disaster” PSA Video Contest that grants $3,000 to film students and undergraduates with a flair for cinematography. Registered users can also take advantage of career-planning advice and services, as well as a variety of learning tools.

Scholarships.com will probably turn up at the very top of your Google search.  

And for a good reason:

It lets you filter scholarships according to your major, year of study, and school location to find scholarships perfectly tailored to you.

Even better, the site looks not only for scholarship listings that fit you, but also for potential programs and colleges that can offer you a scholarship if you decide to transfer.

Professional society memberships are more valuable than you may realize.

They provide networking opportunities and will help you find mentors to advise you on your career choices.

Best of all:

They offer tons of scholarships and internships to their members.

Locate the international association of your chosen profession to find out how to become a member.

For English majors, minors, and even just enthusiasts, the Sigma Tau Delta English Honor Society offers a lifetime membership for $40.

Once you become a member, you will be able to apply for junior, senior, graduate, study abroad, summer program, and other named scholarships of up to $5,000.

Sigma Tau Delta also offers a number of internships, including summer and fall opportunities at Penguin Random House, Better World Books, the Washington Internship Institute, and the Sigma Tau Delta Journal.

But there is more:

You can even win a stipend of $500 to $1,500 to help offset your internship expenses!

MAKE MONEY

Budgeting becomes easier as your budget grows.

With a full class load and a fixed lecture schedule, managing a full-time or even part-time job can be incredibly stressful.

If you’re studying internationally, work permits can make matters especially complicated, and you might assume that your only option is a work-study position on campus.

But that’s where you’re wrong:

There are at least 13 ways you can make money on your own time.

1. Publish your original academic works or creative essays using Kindle Direct Publishing, and get up to 70% in royalties.

Chances are, you have a few papers and essays that you’ve slaved over for several sleepless nights just taking up space on your hard drive. This is an especially good option for students in creative or technical writing programs.

You’ve already put in the work—now you can actually make money off of it!

2. Sell whatever skills you have by teaching through Udemy.

From yoga to coding to photography, platforms like Udemy let you create video courses that people pay to enroll in.

3. Become a tutor.

If you’re in a master’s or PhD program, offer guided study sessions for undergraduates. If you’re an undergrad, tutor high school or middle school students.

Advertise online and offer your services long distance through Skype to make the best of your opportunities

4. Use your voice to make cash with platforms like Fiverr.

If you love the sound of your voice—and even more so on playback—try your hand at recording audiobooks, or become a freelance voiceover artist.

5. If you’re an artist, start accepting commissions.

Whether you specialize in landscapes or portraits in digital or physical mediums, there are people willing to pay you to create custom pieces for them.

You’ll get to define your own guidelines, as well as set your pace and prices.

6. Use your Photoshop skills to make money editing people’s images or doing graphic design work.

Offer image manipulation services, or create custom graphic content like logos, posters, letterheads, book covers and infographics.

7. Become a professional freelancer with Upwork, or freelance independently.

Whether you’re a good writer, designer, or developer, market your skills to potential clients to find work.

8. If you’re an artist or a graphic designer, consider placing your art on marketplace websites like Redbubble or Society 6.

These sites offer a wide range of merchandise—from clothing to stationery to tech accessories—that you can sell with your custom-made designs.

You also get to set your own commission fees.

9. If you’re a pro cameraman or video editor, shoot and edit for a fee.

The demand for video is now higher than ever before. You’ll find plenty of clientele for your talents.

10. Consider putting original content on YouTube.

High-quality content with a lot of views can earn you quite a bit of cash in royalties.

11. Once you make a name for yourself as an artist, designer, or any sort of content creator, consider creating a Patreon   

It’s easy: you provide certain exclusive content for your fans and followers—your patrons—who pay a subscription fee to view it.

12. Earn money on social media.

If you have a sizeable following on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram, take advantage of organizations and businesses who might pay for your likes, follows, and comments.

13. Offer your services to run a company or organization’s social media for a price.

A strong online presence is vital to the success of any business or nonprofit. Offer your media savviness and SEO skills to increase your client’s following and improve their Google rankings.

Just like in any other industry, communication in business has a few specific peculiarities.

A good way to think about business communication is to remember that businesspeople are first and foremost salespeople.

Whether they’re communicating with a client, an investor, or each other—their main objective is always effectiveness.

Business communication includes relaying messages and sharing information, as well as pitching and promoting products and services.

In this article, we’ve put together the top tips for effective written and verbal business communication, as well as helpful guidelines for writing business reports, executive summaries, and business proposals.

Business Writing 101

Good business writing is very conversational, like talking to a friend.

When writing for business, your two main objectives are to respect your readers’ time and use appropriate vocabulary.

1. Keep it succinct. 

When revising your business documents, always ask yourself whether every single word you use is important and necessary. Here’s a great example of how you can make a sentence really succinct.

Use the Paramedic Method to write more concisely.

2. Avoid archaisms and jargon. 

For instance, “we’ve inaugurated” is unnecessary jargon, whereas “we began” is simpler and clearer.

3. Use meaningful verbs. 

The use of the verb “to be” weakens business writing. Try to use concrete action verbs instead whenever possible.

For example, the sentence “There will certainly be a transformation of the material by the sun” can be rewritten into a much stronger and clearer version: “The sun will certainly transform the material.”

You can download the Complete List of Action Verbs from Wellesley College.

4. Be specific. 

Just write exactly what you mean. Avoid confusing readers with vague terms, such as “some tool” or “many businesses.”

5. Make it natural. 

Remember that your main goal is to tell your readers something specific, not puzzle them or make them think, “Wow, what a nice metaphor.”

Delete unnecessary metaphors (like “climb the ladder of success”) and last-century clichés (like “graciously thank you”).

Structure Matters

Make sure you’re using the most appropriate sentence constructions to avoid potential misunderstandings.

1. Make sentences active and personal. 

Delete “there is” or “there are” constructions, and minimize the number of “it is” constructions.

2. Use proper word order for emphasis. 

Be sure to give proper emphasis to the right words.

For example, replace “Enclosed is a document, brief but important” with “Enclosed is a brief but important document.”

3. Maintain parallelism.

Keep an eye on the type of sentence constructions you use, ensuring that all phrases have a parallel construction.

Here’s an example:

Wrong: “Reading a book isn’t hard, but to write a report on it is another story.”
Right: “Reading a book isn’t hard, but writing a report on it is another story.”

4. Be personal and friendly.

Don’t hesitate to use personal pronouns (e.g. “I,” “we,” “you”) when necessary.

Use polite words like “hello,” “if it is possible,” and “sincerely yours” whenever it’s appropriate.

For more examples, take a look at the Successful Business Communication tips over at Forbes.com.

Writing a Business Report

A business report typically conveys all of the information required for decision-making.

To get started:

• Choose your writing goal. What is the purpose of this report?
• Make sure your goal is neither too general, nor too specific.
• Study your audience.
• Obtain statistics, survey results, or any other data that can be helpful in your research.
• Manage your information. Rearrange and sort it while you are determining your presentation plan.
• Carefully analyze the gathered information.
• Write down possible solutions to the problem.

When assembling information, be selective and skeptical. Always double-check data before putting it into your reports.

A standard business report consists of five important parts:

1. Terms of Reference

Gives background information on the reason for the report. It usually names the person requesting the report.

2. Procedure

Lists the exact steps taken and methods used for the report.

3. Findings

Point out discoveries made during the course of the report investigation.

4. Conclusions

Provide logical conclusions based on the findings.

5. Recommendations

State actions to be taken based on the findings and conclusions.

There are five types of business reports:

1. Business profile report

Provides a complete and detailed description of a company’s credit history.

2. Intelliscore report

A condensed, one-page overview that measures a company’s credit risk. This report enables you to accurately predict future business performance on a scale of 0 to 100.

3. Business owner profile

Assesses the owner’s complete financial history and creditworthiness to understand the risks associated with the business.

4. Business summary

Provides data about company background and public record information to speed up the decision-making process on marginal accounts.

5. Credit reference report

Analyzes specific information obtained from a customer’s credit application, determines recent and historical payment activity, and includes reference information about the customer’s primary banking relationships.

For more detailed guidance, check out our article on report writing tips.

Alternatively, download this helpful guide from the University of South Wales Business School.

Or this fantastic help sheet from the University of Melbourne Faculty of Business and Economics.

Writing an Executive Summary

Executive summaries are short versions of business reports written for busy executives, so messing one up can potentially be very costly for you.

An executive summary (sometimes called an executive review) is a very concise statement of your findings and recommendations.

Executives often have no time to read and understand full reports. Therefore, this brief summary is your chance to say everything you want to say to your executives and to convince them to choose certain solutions over others.

There are six main things that you should always include in your executive summary:

1. Statement of the problem
2. Research methods
3. Findings
4. Solutions
5. Recommendations
6. Limitations

Don’t forget to be brief.

Include only the most important data, being careful not to omit any significant facts.

Never assume that the data you provide is self-explanatory. Make comments and give simple explanations for anything that might be unclear.

When writing a summary report, consider the following recommendations from Griffith University:

• Make the summary no longer than 10% of your full report.
• Use simple language and consider the background knowledge of your intended readers.
• State the purpose of your report directly.
• Use short paragraphs for different parts.
• Use bullet points and numbered lists to separate different findings and recommendations.
• Present your findings and recommendations in the order they appear in your report.
• Do not hesitate to use supportive materials, such as graphs and tables.
• Make certain that your summary can be read as a separate document.
• Make it accurate so that executives can make informed decisions without reading the whole detailed report.
• Avoid unnecessary technical details and professional jargon.

Here are some good and bad examples of an executive summary from the University of Wollongong.

Writing Business Proposals

A business proposal is a pitch that introduces your idea to someone. Its goal is to gain support, funding, or an alliance.

To write a good proposal, you must first do the following:

• Summarize your concept in two to three sentences. Your idea should be clearly understandable.
• Think about the potential customer, and adjust your writing to his or her needs.
• Make sure your outline answers the five questions: Who? What? When? Where? Why?

A proposal has to be persuasive as well as communicative.

Think of the customer not as a machine, but as a human being. You want to sell, and he or she wants to buy—but to buy a good product or service.

The layout of your proposal will depend on the requirements of the person or company you’re pitching your idea to.

If they don’t provide requirements, then you are free to decide how to design and organize your proposal.

Here are some basic tips for writing a good proposal:

• Outline a two-part proposal.
  • In the first part, describe the business opportunity and your plans to take advantage of it. Limit this part to 10 pages.
  • In the second part, present financial data, such as tax returns, a balance sheet, and a summary of your operating plan.
• Cite all sources.
• Explain why your proposal is different, new, and promising.
• Name the market segment you will pursue.
• Describe your potential audience.
• Summarize your marketing plan.
• Detail your expectations regarding revenue and cash flow.

In a proposal, organization and formatting can make all the difference, and brevity and persuasiveness are your best friends.

Begin with a title page that includes images, the name of the proposal recipient, the name of the project, your company name and address, the date, and your copyright symbol.

To leave a good impression, choose a layout that is highly readable, include graphics and color, and print your document on good quality, heavy-bond paper.

Check out these 7 Steps To A Winning Business Proposal from Entrepreneur Magazine.

For many students these days, working at least part time is an inevitable part of the college experience.

The cost of tuition has risen so dramatically over the last several decades and the recent economic crisis has wiped out the savings of so many families that any financial help is vital.

But how do you successfully balance work and education?

Assuming that you have any choice in what kind of job to accept, let’s consider how to hold a job with the least negative impact on your studies.

First, professionals in the education and career development fields strongly discourage trying to combine full-time work with full-time studies.

At Oxford University, “term-time employment is not permitted except under exceptional circumstances.”

And similarly, Cambridge University “does not allow students to undertake paid work” while they are studying full time.

Allocating no more than 20 hours a week for work is a good target if you are carrying a full load of courses.

If you overload yourself, your coursework will suffer.

If you must work full time to survive, then understand and accept that your degree or certificate will likely take longer to earn because you’ll need to dial back on your credit hours each semester. To keep on track, you may have to study through summers as well.

Unless you spent your high school years acquiring a valuable trade such as plumbing, machine tooling, or foreign language translation, you are probably going to be making something close to minimum wage.

For us unqualified folks, the best jobs are those that require the least commuting, offer the greatest flexibility, allow studying on the job, and provide some sort of benefit above and beyond the modest paycheck.

Clearly, the plum jobs (except of course in terms of pay) are those with the college or university.

Jobs on campus are not only convenient, but they may provide social or academic contacts that can be useful later on.

Of course, the competition for such slots is fierce.

However, someone has to check student IDs at the dorms and the library—why not you?

If on-campus jobs are unavailable, look for options as close to campus as possible.

Commuting wastes time, even if you can study while traveling.

Plus, businesses in and around campus neighborhoods are more likely to be cognizant of the rhythm of the academic year than other employers.

They may be more empathetic to your academic needs, especially around midterms and finals.

Top 10 jobs for college students

You know where to look, but what kind of jobs should you look for as a college student? These 10 jobs rank highly in terms of those key traits we mentioned above: low commute time, flexibility, ability to study, and extra incentives. Some even pay well too!

1. Massage therapist

Massage therapists make about $20/hour. Though this job requires professional training and licensing, this basic investment is 100% worth it. The flexible schedule and decent pay are the obvious advantages you will enjoy.

2. Manicure specialist

This job provides many work opportunities. Of course, it requires training, a keen eye for detail, and a certain type of attitude. Remember that manicures can have serious health consequences for your client, so take care of the tools you use.

3. Office clerk

Working as an office clerk will show you what office work really looks like. Even better, you may be able to find something related to your studies or professional field.

4. Merchandiser 

While not very creative, this job can offer a flexible schedule and potential for career growth.

5. Customer service rep 

These positions often provide opportunities to work from home, which is ideal for a student.

6. Delivery driver

With a flexible schedule, this job is particularly great if you know the surroundings or if you’re ready to use the map a lot.

7. Stylist

This job doesn’t require many qualifications. In most cases, your good taste and personal experience are enough.

8. Graphic designer

If you’re artsy and have some Photoshop skills under your belt, you can always find gigs on platforms like Fiverr.

9. Social media marketer

This is a great option if you spend a lot of time online. The good news is that now it’s called social media marketing. You can get paid for posting funny images and adding friends from a target audience.

10. Freelance writer

If you have a knack for writing, this is the perfect way to make money with only a computer and some free time.

Traditional student jobs

Look for desk clerk positions at apartment buildings near school.

The residents will likely be students and faculty, and the work is intellectually undemanding and often flexible.

However, avoid desk clerk jobs in which you also act as security and might be required to physically confront or subdue an interloper.

If you can get a front-desk job in your own building, this is a bonus. You will meet people you would never otherwise have known.

Check with stores near campus for retail positions.

Ringing up groceries is a mindless task, but it is not incompatible with a successful college career, as long as the commute is not too time-consuming.

At some stores, retail clerks can even join unions and obtain long-term membership benefits.

Campus town retail shops often prefer employing students.

If possible, pick a business that sells something that you yourself use. After all, an employee discount on a product you will never buy is useless.

Bookstores are a particularly excellent place for students to work, as they offer comfortable study spots and books that you may need for class—at a discount.

Another possibility for students is to work in retail sales. It’s not rocket science, nor does it pay very well.

However, retail sales jobs are seldom a full 40-hour week, and some scheduling flexibility is possible.

Stop by local coffee shops, restaurants, and bars to ask about work.

Waitressing, bussing tables, and bartending at campus watering holes all offer flexible non-classroom hours.

However, they seldom allow studying on the job.

Inquire about jobs at the local public library.

Library jobs may be unionized municipal positions in some communities, posing a potential barrier to entry. But if you can manage to find one of these positions, definitely consider it. Re-shelving books in a local public library can help you with your own research during quiet moments and expose you to tips from professional librarians.

Hours could be flexible as well.

Whatever job you go for, keep the following criteria in mind:

• Short commutes
• Modest intellectual demands
• Scheduling flexibility
• Additional opportunities (e.g., discounts, contacts, knowledge)

Consider paid online surveys to make a little extra money.

We live in the era of advanced technology and Internet communication. If you want to make money in college, consider taking paid online surveys.

The first and most obvious question that may cross your mind is whether these surveys are legit.

That’s why we’ve put together the following list of 10 trusted websites for you:

1. Swagbucks offers rewards for watching videos and playing games. An average survey takes about 10 minutes to complete.

2. The OpinionPanel Community gives students $15 just for registering. You can select simple online projects like surveys, which pay $1.50 – $3 each, or online focus groups, which pay $45 – $100 each.

3. Vivatic helps you make money in college by not only taking surveys, but also writing reviews and/or typing data.

4. MySurvey offers lots of surveys daily. Importantly, this service matches your interests with the surveys they send you. Most surveys take up to 15 minutes.

5. Ipsos is one of the biggest and most trusted panels for online surveys. Your rewards primarily come as Amazon vouchers, but they’re worth it too.

6. Valued opinions is a site where you can earn up to $15 per hour. The name of this platform speaks for itself—your opinion is really valued, and your effort in taking online surveys is highly appreciated.

7. iPoll is compatible with mobile devices, so you can do the job lying on the sofa with your smartphone in hand. The only disadvantage is that the rewards are relatively low (about $2.50 per survey).

8. Hiving is one of a few sites that offer you points even if you are declined for a survey. You can also earn points by simply inviting friends.

9. Pinecone Research promises huge rewards for surveys that usually do not take too long to complete. However, this platform is not always open for registration. You may want to check it from time to time so you do not miss an opportunity to sign up and make money in college.

10. Springboard is one of the easiest way to make money in college. Unlike many other platforms offering vouchers, this one pays in cash.

The move from high school to college often entails a transition from a sheltered life at home to one with much more responsibility and independence.

Finding yourself surrounded by strangers and without the comfort of friends and family to fall back on can be a stressful experience for even the most outgoing of people. And if you’re shy or prone to anxiety, it may very well seem like one of your worst nightmares.

On top of that, add the stress of balancing a full class load with a decent social life and perhaps even a romantic relationship—and you may find yourself stretched to your very limit.

But you need not panic:

Whether you’re uneasy at the prospect of socializing with strangers or you’re worried about your academic performance suffering at the expense of extracurricular activities or a significant other, we have some good advice for you.

Navigating the roommate situation

The first significant issue you may come across as a college freshman is sharing a room with a complete stranger (or strangers).

Keep in mind:

Chances are your roommate will be a fellow first year who is just as freaked out about the novelty of life away from home as you are.

Your student life will be off to an infinitely more pleasant start if you get along with your roommate.

So for your own sake, try to give your roommate(s) the benefit of the doubt.

Even if at first glance your roommates seem like a complete disaster, consider cutting them some slack. After all, they’re just beginning this new life, too.

And they may surprise you.

For pleasant cohabitation, you’ll need to get to know your roommate’s habits, interests, and preferences so you can find some common ground.

Even students with polar-opposite personalities can live together in peace if they respect and tolerate each other’s needs and desires.

There’s no need to assert your dominance, especially since it will only lead to tension and conflict in the long run.

Making new friends

You and your high school posse probably go way back together, having stuck with each other since middle or even primary school.

If that’s the case, you may find yourself a little rusty when it comes to making new friends.

Your first year of college will typically kick off with an orientation week. This will be a great opportunity to start reaching out to people, so you can get your first student days off to a positive start.

The people you hang out with during your first weeks of college are almost never the ones who become your closest friends a couple years down the road.

But you should make an effort to meet them anyway.

Having people with similar interests to share new experiences with will help ease you into the student life.

Staying true to yourself

Going to a place where nobody knows you can be very liberating.

You’ll have the rare opportunity to completely reinvent yourself, and start almost from scratch.

Be sure to explore interests you’ve never had the chance to pursue before, and don’t be afraid to try new things.

However:

Remember to stay true to yourself and be your own person.

For example, if parties aren’t really your cup of tea, don’t force yourself to keep attending them simply because everyone else you know seems to be doing just that.

No matter how you feel, you can be sure that there are other people on your campus who share your feelings and attitudes.

All you’ve got to do is find them.

How do you find like-minded people?

Your college campus will likely be packed with an array of student groups, clubs, and associations.

Most schools host a club or activities fair during orientation week precisely to allow freshmen to become familiar with these student organizations.

At the fair, you’ll be able to meet representatives of most groups to find out about their activities and membership requirements.

This is the part of your orientation week that you really don’t want to miss.

Whether it’s the choir, the lacrosse team, the political science club, or the university newspaper, there will almost certainly be at least one group that will catch your eye.

Extracurricular activities

At its best, college is the place where you make friends and career contacts for life.

Your classes and schoolwork are important—there’s no arguing about that. It’s what you’re paying the big bucks for.

However:

You’ll be surprised to find out that your success after graduation often depends not on your GPA, but on the skill set and the network of contacts you’ve developed during your college career.

Extracurricular activities will provide you with ample opportunity to network, gain relevant experience, and polish your practical skills.

Not to mention the fact that they’ll look fantastic on your resume.

Tips for picking extracurricular activities that are right for you

1. Look into alumni celebrations.

Stop by the alumni office for details about alumni group activities.

If a group has its own alumni sub-celebration, it’s a good indication that the group is cohesive and forms lasting bonds.

For example, the marching band at the University of Pennsylvania, the , and the Glee Club all have regular reunion activities that bring alumni together long after they’ve graduated.

2. Pay attention to the enthusiasm of the club representatives.

Another sign of a healthy and effective organization is the number of people who are willing to come out and staff the club booth at the activity fair.

Seeing a number of active, enthusiastic members at the booth is a sign that the group is well organized and has good internal communication.

It is also a strong indication that the group is successful.

People who are getting their social needs met through a club are generally happy to share it with others.

3. Consider how long the club has been in existence.

A well-established group will probably have a yearly schedule of activities and events.

These will be reliable ways to both get to know the group’s members better and meet people outside of the club.

4. Join newer clubs to take advantage of more leadership opportunities.

In a newer club, you may get the chance to become an officer—or even the president!

You might start off feeling like a big fish in a small (but hopefully growing) pond. But if you have a clear vision and ambition, you can build a solid foundation.

There will be more administrative work for you to do, and your responsibilities will likely surpass those of a regular member.

It will be a great opportunity for personal growth.

Practical leadership experience will come to your aid both socially and professionally over the course of your future career.

Furthermore, leading a new student organization will likely put you on the map and make you better known around campus.

This will, in turn, exponentially increase your social circle.

Your leadership position will provide you with an excuse to talk to strangers. And similarly, they will more likely find you approachable and start conversations with you, even without a formal introduction.

5. Evaluate whether the groups or clubs are effective.

You do not want to waste your time on a group that is struggling big time or is well on its way to a torturously slow death.

Keep in mind that failing student groups often fail for similar reasons:

• They are poorly organized or outright mismanaged.
• Their volunteer members turn out to be neither well intentioned nor competent.
• The newest members’ interests do not match the group’s original purpose.

6. Find groups that fit in with your interests.

If you’re a political science major, you might decide to join the organizing teams of conferences like Model United Nations or Model European Union.

Besides being a definite boost to your resume, your experience in these organizations can directly affect your future career prospects.

Groups that relate to your academic or professional interests will provide you with opportunities to meet established professionals in your field, who could perhaps even write reference letters for you in the future.

7. Be open to groups that are entirely new or unexpected.

Perhaps your best strategy to meet new people is to seek out student groups focused on entirely unfamiliar interests and activities.

If you have never knitted, bowled, written poetry, learned Indian traditional dance, or sung madrigals—but have always secretly wanted to—college might be just the place for you to try it out.

You will certainly meet people you would not otherwise have encountered. And you might even find a new passion in life or in love.

Tips for balancing studies with extracurricular activities

To make sure that student organizations and extracurricular activities won’t reflect negatively on your studies, develop a time management plan that will allow you to live a well-rounded life as a student.

• Keep a daily planner in which you record important appointments and events.
• Schedule regular study time into your agenda so that you won’t overexert yourself.
• Consider having a study partner in each of your classes to help keep you motivated and accountable for class assignments.
• Take it slow. If you’re still worried about being stretched too thin, simply cut down on your extracurricular activities without eliminating them completely.
• Attend events on campus, such as plays and guest lectures. This will allow you to maintain a social life without cutting down your study time because you won’t be limited by regular extracurricular commitments. Campus events will only take up around two hours of your time, a couple days a week. But they’ll make you feel like a member of the student community.

Tips for balancing your studies with a romantic relationship  

Like school, relationships demand a lot of time and effort. And striking a perfect balance between school and romance can be extremely tricky.

Many students enter their first serious relationship at the same time they begin college.

And while relationships can be emotionally uplifting and help you get through difficult moments at school, even the best relationships can potentially serve as a distraction from your studies.

In trying to strike the right balance, here is some advice to consider.

1. Don’t rush into a relationship.

Many times, students meet someone very early on in their college career, feel some attraction, and jump straight into the deep end of a relationship.

As a result, they stop making any new connections at all—whether for friendship or romance—as they become completely wrapped up in that single person.

2. Learn to communicate with your partner.

Studies show that communication is key to building a successful relationship. And it plays a huge role in balancing your relationship with other aspects of your life.

Ideally, your partner should know what your educational goals are and support you in your pursuit of them.

If your partner complains that you spend too much time studying instead of being with them, this is a serious red flag.

3. Manage your time effectively.

Studying requires a great deal of time. And relationships require an immense time commitment as well.

Studying all the time and ignoring your partner is not the best idea if you wish to maintain your relationship.

On the other hand, ignoring your studies to spend all your time with your partner doesn’t make any sense either.

A good partner will understand and appreciate this dilemma.

Keeping the proper balance between school and your relationship requires you to manage your time well.

It’s a good idea to set aside specific times to study and to designate a specific night to spend time with your partner.

4. Learn to prioritize.

Think about the relative importance that you place on your education versus your relationship.

If you expect to go to graduate school or get a great job after you graduate, you will need to dedicate more effort to your schoolwork—meaning you’ll have to spend more time studying than the average student.

On the other hand, if you are in a serious relationship but have little interest in school, you may want to consider taking a break from school.

Taking classes you have no interest in is a waste of time and money.

5. Be flexible.

Flexibility is also important in keeping the right balance between school and relationships.

In school, there will inevitably be times when your plans change.

On a day-to-day level, you may have to cancel a night out with your partner because a professor assigned a last-minute paper.

On a deeper level, you may find that your career goals change as you progress through college.

Your partner should be flexible with you and support you throughout these changes.

6. Remember that it is possible to succeed in both.

Relationships do not necessarily have to have a negative effect on your studies.

College is a stressful time for many students, and a solid, supportive partner can provide important emotional support.

A good relationship can give you a sense of purpose. Sometimes, your partner can also serve as a source of motivation.

7. Know that the challenge will help you get to know your partner better.

Trying to balance school and relationships can actually help you learn more about your partner.

• Does your partner support you in your studies?
• Do they encourage you to finish studying before going out?

If they do, then this shows that your partner is looking out for your best interests.

This is a great trait in a partner.

On the other hand, if your partner distracts you or complains about being ignored, your partner probably cares more about themselves than about you.

Obviously, this can sabotage your educational career and is not promising for your future together.

Many dating experts believe that you can learn a lot about your partner from how they react to stressful situations.

Focusing on school can actually encourage you to get out of a bad relationship quickly before your grades (and your future) are negatively affected.

And if you’re one of the lucky ones in a healthy and positive relationship, your partner can encourage you to accomplish even greater things in school!

Summer is just around the corner! Trips to the beach, fruity cocktails, and months of relaxation may sound divine to some people.

But if you’re one of those people who hate wasting their time and are eager to be productive and make this summer count, this article is just the right place for you.

First things first:

There are several habits you’ll need to learn to ditch to have a productive summer.

Stop putting things off.

In June, at the very beginning of your summer vacation, you may feel like you have all the time in the world.

It may be tempting to start that project or complete that task next Monday.

But spoiler alert:

The perfect Monday never comes.

So don’t leave it for “next Monday.” Apply for a summer scholarship, learn a new language, get a new hobby, or start jogging now—today!

Stop lying to yourself.

“Just five more minutes of Tumblr,” you’ll say in the evening, and next thing you know, you’re watching the sun rise outside your window with bloodshot eyes.

Once you have yourself under some semblance of control, make up your mind about what you want to accomplish this summer.

You can travel and explore new places, apply for a scholarship, do an internship, take online classes, or even learn a new language!

We’ve put together some tips about all of these enriching possibilities below.

Top 3 travel and exploration apps you shouldn’t miss this summer

GoSkyWatch Planetarium for iPad helps you enjoy the starry skies to the fullest.

With this app, you can point your iPad at any star or constellation to find out its name and a couple of interesting facts about it.

It’s perfect for romantic dates or single summer nights.

Now you can literally reach the skies. And you can be sure that everyone will be impressed, even if the app occasionally gives you wrong information.

Pocket Ranger was made for those who love new places.

This app perfectly demonstrates how you can find secrets even in places you think you know perfectly.

Importantly, the app provides a detailed GPS map of all the most interesting sites, as well as a gallery of picturesque views.

You can even use this app to check for nearby fishing sites or golf courses.

Bitehunter offers you up-to-the-minute promotions in local restaurants and cafes.

Even if you already use Groupon, you absolutely need this app. It collects information from various sites and gives you real-time offerings.

Best summer scholarships options

When you get bored of lazing in the sun and decide you may want to do something more useful, applying for scholarships can be a great idea.

You may think most scholarships require a stellar GPA or demand that you stretch your imagination to limits unfit for summer relaxation.

But scoring a summer scholarship can actually be really easy. Check out these unique scholarships that are perfect for some summer productivity.

1. Flavor of the Month Scholarship

Crazy as it sounds, this scholarship requires you to submit an essay on which ice cream flavor best describes your personality.

The winner (who must be a legal U.S. resident) will receive $1,500. The deadline is July 31.

2. Make Me Laugh Scholarship

At last, you can write something embarrassing or funny in your scholarship essay and hope to receive a $1,500 reward.

You have the chance to make the officers laugh out loud with your story until August 31.

3. A GPA Isn’t Everything Scholarship

This is a dream scholarship for students whose GPAs don’t reach the stars.

Simply fill in the form any time before June 31, and wait for a miracle.

4. No Essay College Scholarship

Applying for a scholarship has never been easier with this lottery-style scholarship giveaway.

5. Carnegie Scholarship

All you need to do is to register on the site or fill out a response card in one of Carnegie Communications’ magazines.

That’s it.

6. $1,000 Weekly Scholarship

To enter to win this scholarship, you just have to answer a small question. And even if you don’t get it this week, you can try again next week!

7. Top Ten List Scholarship

If you hate scholarship essays, this option is for you.

Simply compile a list of the top ten reasons you deserve the money.

Just like you make a grocery list.

8. Peanut Butter & Jam Slam Scholarship

Did you know that peanut butter is one of the most frequently requested items from food banks?

As the name suggests, this scholarship is all about food bank donations.

Even if you don’t get this scholarship, at least you’ll do something good.

9. Anti-Bully Scholarship

To get a chance to win this scholarship, all you need do is to invite your friends to play an online anti-bullying game.

10. Got Chosen Monthly Scholarship

This ultimate scholarship giveaway is absolutely stress free. The only requirement is registration.

11. Zombie Apocalypse Scholarship

Share your plan of action in the event of a zombie apocalypse with the committee. And who knows? Maybe your plan is the craziest one and will earn you some cash for school.

12. Super Power Scholarship

Imagine you have a super power. What is it? How would you use it? For good or for evil?

Just write an essay about it to be considered for this scholarship.

13. Duck Tape Brand’s Stuck at Prom Scholarship

This scholarship is perfect for creative types. Produce a photo essay about how you used duct tape to make unforgettable prom attire.

13. Vegetarian Resource Group Scholarship 

If vegetarianism is your conscious choice and you’ve somehow promoted it in your local school, this option is for you.

14. BigSun Scholarship

A great option for college athletes, this scholarship only requires a short essay about how your participation in sports has influenced you during high school.

15. Scholarship for Redheads

If you’re now thinking of dying your hair, don’t bother.

Only natural redheads are eligible.

You’ll need to provide two photos as proof, but the emphasis will still be put on your GPA.

16. Do-Over Scholarship 

If there’s something you would like to change about your life, you can write an essay about it to win this scholarship.

17. Vista Health Solutions Scholarship 

This is a great option for those who make healthy life choices. Write an essay about how you’re going to maintain your health during your college years.

18. Chick and Sophie Major Memorial Duck Calling Scholarship 

This one is probably one of the weirdest options you can find. Would you ever think your ability to call ducks could help you get a scholarship?

Top websites for your scholarship search

Just in case you’d love to continue your scholarship search on your own, check the following convenient websites with their easy-to-use search engines:

Tips for finding a summer internship

A summer internship can change your life by becoming the first step on your career ladder.

The easiest way to secure your first job after graduation is to land an internship in the summer.

But where do you find summer internships?

Summer Internships on LinkedIn

The first place to try is LinkedIn, the “Facebook” for professionals.

Create a personal page, mention all of your professional accomplishments, and search for internship opportunities.

It’s especially easy with LinkedIn’s higher education portal, created especially for students and recent graduates.

Summer Internships from Online Career Fairs

The Internet is the place to go whenever you’re looking for something, and it’s no different for internships.

Career fairs happen all the time on Twitter, Facebook, and Google+.

Simply search using the hashtag #careerfairs, and don’t hesitate to join the conversation and ask questions.

Don’t be shy—ask questions about how you can become the perfect candidate for internships they offer.

Summer Internships through Personal Networks

One more resource you can’t afford to ignore is your personal network.

Ask your friends, friends of friends, parents, teachers, and people you hardly know but follow on Facebook.

They might know something or someone who can help you.

Feel free to make self-promotion posts on social networks, but know when to stop.

Don’t endlessly spam your followers, or they’ll start to ignore or even dislike you.

Knocking on Doors for Summer Internships

If all else fails, try knocking on doors and asking the companies you like if they need some interns.

Be ready to work for free, as it’s still a common practice among modern employers.

In most cases, it’s wise to accept these unfavorable conditions if you can afford it.

It may be your best chance to avoid unemployment after graduation.

Summer Internships Abroad

Among the most interesting opportunities to pursue is a summer internship abroad. There are several ways to find one:

• Contacting international companies online
• Looking through foreign newspapers and magazines
• Applying to foreign recruitment agencies

Tips for taking classes in the summer

Summer is a great opportunity to learn new things.

Relaxed and full of energy, you can learn a lot without exhausting yourself.

In the summer, you can concentrate on just one or a few classes.

The following simple steps can help you make the most out of your online summer classes.
Choose the Best Format for You

Summer classes are usually available in three main formats:

• Online
• On-campus
• Hybrid classes (which combine online and on-campus work)

Check your schedule to select the most appropriate type.

Of course, online classes will save you lots of time. On the other hand, on-campus courses will help you meet new people. Both types have their advantages and disadvantages. Consider your personal situation, and weigh all pros and cons to make a choice.

Massive Open Online Courses

Recent years have seen a huge development in college and university courses becoming available online, writes the New Yorker.

Referred to as Massive Open Online Courses, or MOOCs, this new type of college class is based entirely on online video lectures.

There are three giants in the MOOC business:

1. Coursera

A Stanford University Online spinoff, Coursera is currently the largest platform of MOOCs, aiming to provide universal access to the world’s best education.

To do this, Coursera partners with some of the top universities and organizations around the world to offer 1,858 courses from 143 partners in 28 countries.

It’s easy:

• Each Coursera MOOC features pre-recorded videos, projects, peer-graded assignments, and quizzes to help you test your knowledge.
• Once enrolled, you’ll be able to connect with thousands of other students to debate ideas, discuss course materials, and even find tutors if you find yourself struggling to master a particular concept.
• Upon completion of the course, you will receive an official certificate.

2. Udacity

Based in Palo Alto, Udacity focuses on courses in science and technology. It offers classes in web development, software engineering, data science, and iOS and Android programming. For the most part, the curricula for Udacity’s MOOCs are developed by industry leaders like Google, Amazon, Facebook, and AT&T.

While all of the video course materials on the website are free of charge, Udacity also offers something called a “Nanodegree” for a fee.

The Nanodegree offers credentials:

While you can certainly follow the free courses independently to build your portfolio, a Nanodegree provides you with a sort of stamp of approval from Udacity, which vouches for your successful completion of a course to your future employers.

Enrolling in a Nanodegree program will provide you with the following:

• Consistent feedback: your projects will be graded and you’ll receive detailed in-line comments.
• Access to discussion forums and chat: you can interact with both fellow students and instructors and ask questions 24/7.
• One-on-one sessions: you have biweekly, half-hour video chats with instructors and/or staff to discuss your progress more thoroughly.
• Office hours: you can attend broadcasting Q&A sessions with instructors twice a week via Google Hangouts on Air.
• Career services: you receive significant networking opportunities, as well as potential job placement assistance.

3. EdX

A joint effort between M.I.T. and Harvard, edX is the youngest MOOC producer of the three.

Unlike its competitors, edX is based on a confederation model, which means that each of its member institutions has full control over its own MOOC production.

EdX offers over 650 courses in math, computer science, and humanities and boasts the support of over 1,700 faculty and staff members throughout the content creation process.

Its contributors and members include Ivy League schools like Dartmouth, Cornell, Columbia, and Princeton, as well as some of the most high-profile universities in Europe, Asia, and Australia.

EdX is the only major MOOC producer that is both nonprofit and open source.

To learn more, watch the video below, and enroll in the edX demo course to better understand how the platform works.

Nonprofit organizations and MOOCs provide you with certification upon successful completion of a program.

Or you may choose to study independently online

Khan Academy

“A personalized learning resource for all ages,” Khan Academy began with founder Sal Khan uploading several math tutorial videos to YouTube in 2006, just so he could share them with his friends and family more conveniently.

The unexpected popularity of the videos and overwhelmingly positive feedback prompted Khan to quit his job as a hedge fund analyst in 2009 to become a full time educational content creator.

Since then, Khan Academy has developed into a rich and diverse nonprofit online learning platform, funded entirely by donations from philanthropic organizations like the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and corporations like Google.

Today, Khan Academy offers its users practice exercises and a personalized dashboard for tracking their progress as they follow along with instructional videos.

The Academy’s expertise has also grown exponentially, and it now offers courses and tutorials not only in math, but also 15 other subjects in arts and humanities, science, economics and finance, and computing.

It also often partners with organizations and institutions like NASA, The Museum of Modern Art, The California Academy of Sciences, and MIT to create specialized content.

Very importantly, Khan Academy is multilingual.

The Spanish version of the website launched in 2013. Since then, KhanAcademy.org has been translated into 23 languages, and their educational videos into 65.

University of Reddit

University of Reddit is an educational platform that allows Reddit community members (some of them actual university professors) to share their expertise with each other.

Combining online lectures with YouTube tutorials, the website currently offers classes in 11 categories, such as art, music, philosophy, science, language, technology, math, and social sciences—just to name a few.

Duolingo

A free platform for learning languages, Duolingo offers bite-sized lessons for a fun and efficient way to learn a foreign language.

The languages you can learn include Spanish, French, German, Portuguese, Italian, Irish, Dutch, Danish, Swedish, and English.

Duolingo is available as an app from both the Google Play store and iTunes.

You can earn points for correct answers, race against the clock, and level up.

But best of all:
You can include the Duolingo certification in your CV or resume!

Some people know which profession to choose from their earliest days of childhood, while others make their decision much later in life.

However and whenever you came to it, you have an excellent chance to tell about your decision in an essay on “why I want to become a teacher.”

Arguments to use in your “Why become a teacher” essay

You are most likely searching for arguments to use in your essay on “why I want to become a teacher” because for you, you just know.

Being a teacher is great, and it’s what you want to do.

Full stop.

However, others may want to hear why exactly you want to be a teacher.

If you’re having trouble coming up with such arguments, you have come to the right place!

Below, you will find several points that may be included in your essays on being a teacher:

• I want to become a teacher because I want to be involved in the process of raising new generations.

In order to support this argument, give statistics and real-life examples of the problems modern children and teens have.

Would you like to see a more environmentally-conscious generation? Or do you find that modern children lack concentration and the will to succeed?

Whatever you believe the problem to be, make sure to write about the main causes and solutions for this problem in your essay on “why I want to become a teacher.”

• I want to be a teacher because I enjoy spending time with children.

Do you have a younger sibling? Or maybe you have a nephew who often asks you to play with him?

Then, in your essay on “why I want to become a teacher,” you might mention that this child helped you make your choice of a future career.

What makes you think you might be a good teacher? Does the child enjoy spending time with you? Did you manage to teach the child something useful? Make sure to discuss this in your essay.

• I want to become a teacher because I’m creative and this profession requires creativity.

Do you think that you might use your creative abilities to become a good teacher?

Then tell about it in your essay on “why I want to become a teacher”.

You may also share several ideas on how to educate children using creative approaches.

Tired of looking for an argument that will perfectly suit your situation? Leave it to the writers at Custom-Writing.org—they’ve got years of experience writing all types of personal essays.

Alternatively, check out some more inspiring prompts for essays on becoming a teacher:

• Qualities of a good teacher essay

In this kind of essay, you would shift the focus from yourself to the profession of a teacher in general.

You may be wondering: how does this essay help me explain why I want to become a teacher?

The key to writing this paper is relating the qualities of a good teacher to your own character.

Do you believe that a good teacher should be kind? Mention that you volunteer at an animal shelter.

Do you argue a good teacher should be knowledgeable? Tell your readers about your good grades in college.

• An ideal teacher or best teacher essay

This type of essay is similar to the previous type in that you also describe the characteristics of a good teacher.

There is, however, one key difference.

Rather than describing some abstract teacher figure, you would describe a real-life teacher who served as a role model to you and inspired you to pursue this career.

The premise of this essay is great: not only do you show an understanding of what the job of a teacher encompasses, you also demonstrate your appreciation for someone who made a difference in your life.

• Life of a teacher essay

While this topic may sound similar to the previous ones, it’s all about how you present your arguments and how you structure your narrative.

This topic offers you an opportunity to examine the day-to-day lives of teachers.

First of all, you can describe the duties and responsibilities of a teacher, be it grading assignments, cooperating and communicating with parents, or continuously learning.

Secondly, you can focus on the aspects of teaching that you find rewarding. You can talk about the sadness that a teacher feels when her students graduate or about the joy she experiences when she sees students learning and improving their grades.

Whichever approach you choose, make sure to place yourself in the center of your narrative.

• Reasons for being a teacher essay

Unlike the previous essay topics, this one appeals to the audience’s logos rather than pathos. Here you rely on dry logic instead of emotions.

Some may say:

What’s logical about being a teacher?

It’s a fast-paced, demanding job that produces relatively small financial returns.

However, that doesn’t mean that only irrational people would choose to become teachers.

For instance, you could emphasize the fact that teachers enjoy relative job security, which is not that common in the modern economy.

Better yet?

Simply admit that you want to have a full summer off. That’s reason enough for many!

• Teachers are made, not born essay

You probably didn’t even realize that there are so many different ways to write an essay on “why I want to become a teacher.”

Well, this type of essay emphasizes yet another aspect of the teaching profession—the skills and qualifications necessary to become a teacher, as well as how to actually do it.

Naturally, you will want to discuss the many different teacher professional preparation programs out there.

Apart from that, you may also want to discuss how one can train themselves to be a teacher.

Someone cut you in line? Train yourself to refrain from unkind words and actions.

The cashier’s taking too long to bag your groceries? Patience is a virtue that’s essential in school.

• I am a teacher essay

If you are among the fortunate people who already call themselves teachers, your essay writing job just got a whole lot easier.

Or did it?

Essentially, you can choose any of these topics: you can talk about a teacher or a child who inspired you to become a teacher, or you can detail the everyday aspects of your job.

Above all, the most powerful thing you can do is simply share your personal narrative in whichever way you think best describes why you chose to become a teacher.

• I want to become a teacher essay for kids

All of the above topics are also completely appropriate for children who would like to write an essay titled “I want to become a teacher when I grow up.”

Now, a child probably won’t be able to research professional preparation programs or discuss the problems of the modern generation—although who knows?

Children are naturally effective storytellers because of their sincerity and imagination.

So if a child wants to write an essay on why they want to become a teacher in the future, just share one of these prompts with them and see what interesting ideas they come up with.

Essays on being a teacher are usually required when students apply to colleges, universities, or other educational institutions. If you’re in the application process, our tips for writing college admissions essays will be truly helpful for you as you craft your “why I want to be a teacher” personal statement.

Make sure to check out this “why I want to be a teacher” essay sample by Mark S. Tribble.

And for the ultimate inspiration, watch this fantastic performance of the poem “What teachers make” by Taylor Mali.

Good luck with your essay on being a teacher!

In the United States and the United Kingdom, essays are an essential part of a formal education.

One of the greatest skills that students gain during their college years is learning to write well. It is not easy to write concise and impressive essays and research papers, especially if you are an ESL student. Most of you will make so many mistakes before you learn the art of essay writing, and you may feel disappointed. Well…

There is good news for you:

I know how to solve your problem.

It’s simple!

Learn about common college essay mistakes and do your best not to make them.

To help you, here’s a complete list of the most common college essay mistakes to avoid: common mistakes in content, style, structure, spelling, punctuation, and grammar.

Common Content Mistakes in Essays

A perfect essay usually has an impressive introduction, well-organized content, and a powerful conclusion. Bad college essays often lack structure or content and do not impress the reader.

What should you do?

Follow these six tips when writing any type of essay:

1. Always write an essay that includes relevant facts, concrete details, and specific examples

If you just write down a few paragraphs that have something to do with your topic, you will not succeed in writing a good essay. Read the question carefully before you start writing. Single out the key words and then elaborate on your ideas with facts, details, and examples.

2. Write a good introduction

An interesting introduction gives the background for the whole essay. In the introduction, you should make your presentation of the essay topic. To write a good introduction paragraph, tell your reader what you are going to write.

3. Write a strong thesis statement

Remember:

The thesis is the hook on which any essay hangs.

The thesis statement expresses the writer’s thoughts on the topic and tells the reader how the topic is going to be developed. A good thesis statement explains two key things to the reader: what you plan to argue in your essay and how you plan to argue it. Always support your thesis with your own ideas in the main part of the essay.

4. Never write a thesis statement if you do not have enough ideas to support it

While planning your essay, you should think carefully and ask yourself whether you have enough ideas to support your thesis. And if you are not sure, formulate another one that you will be able to support.

5. Use ideas that you can prove with examples

Keep in mind:

Any idea should be clarified and proved. So always give appropriate examples.

6. Write a powerful conclusion

In the conclusion, take advantage of your last chance to say something important to your readers. You should emphasize the purpose and importance of what you wrote in your essay.

Stylistic Mistakes in Writing

Even if it’s written in an interesting way, your essay may make a poor impression if you do not use the correct style.

These are five essay mistakes that most students make:

1. Word repetition

Here is the truth:

Your essay will look boring and childish if you use the same lexical sets. So, use synonyms and word substitutes to avoid repeating the same nouns or verbs.

2. Overly formal or informal words and phrases

Many students forget that an academic essay requires a layer of vocabulary that we do not use in our everyday life. Never use slang expressions and nonstandard verb forms like gotta or wanna in your academic papers. You should use formal constructions and high-level vocabulary. Always consult a good dictionary to choose the proper word.

3. Too many passive structures

When you use the passive voice in your sentences, they sound more impersonal and objective, but they are longer and harder to read. On the contrary, active sentences are clear and direct. So, if you want to write a good essay, you should use both types. A good rule of thumb is to write less than 20 percent of your sentences in the passive voice.

4. Sentences that are too long or too short

If you use sentences that are too long, you make your essay harder to understand. On the other hand, you can destroy the logical development of your idea if the sentences in your essay are too short. Try to use a good balance of both long and short sentences.

5. Sentences beginning with coordinating conjunctions

Coordinating conjunctions are mainly used to connect words and clauses in the same sentence. Sometimes we can also use them to start a sentence. But if you begin too many sentences with coordinating conjunctions, your essay will be monotonous. It’s better to use corresponding conjunctive adverbs like nevertheless, moreover, or however, which have the same meaning. They are more appropriate in a formal context.

Structural Mistakes In Student Essays

The essay is a long-established form of academic writing, and there are strict rules for writing every type of essay. These rules make it easier to organize one’s thoughts without limiting creativity.

The most common structural mistakes are:

1. Sentence errors

The most typical sentence errors are fragments and run-on sentences.

Fragments

Fragments occur when you punctuate groups of words as complete sentences. They do not express a complete thought because they do not contain independent clauses. As a result, they make your meaning unclear.

There are two ways to correct such mistakes:

1. You can expand the fragment into a complete sentence by supplying the missing elements such as subjects, verbs, and clauses.

2. You can incorporate the fragment into an adjacent sentence.

Run-On Sentences

Run-on sentences occur when you join two or more main clauses together without appropriate punctuation. Run-on sentences confuse the reader.

What can you do to correct them?

Let me explain.

Fortunately, this is pretty simple:

Divide a run-on sentence into separate sentences to fix it, or add a coordinating or a subordinating conjunction.

2. Text structure errors in essays

The most common error in the text structure is a lack of proper paragraph division.
When you make text structure errors, you will not be able to convey your meaning effectively.
Remember that any essay must have at least four paragraphs: the introduction, two main body paragraphs, and the conclusion.
It goes without saying that the text and the sentences should have a clear structure and present a complete development of your ideas.

So, now we’ve discussed common essay mistakes in content, style, and structure.

Keep reading to learn how to avoid grammar, vocabulary, and spelling mistakes in essays.

Grammar Mistakes in Essay Writing

A successful essay must be grammatically correct. Learn the most common types of grammar errors in student essays so you won’t repeat them yourself.

1. Noun form mistakes

You should study key grammar areas to help you succeed. Review the rules concerning countable and uncountable nouns. Make sure you know how to use determiners with singular and plural nouns.

2. Verb form mistakes

Remember the main grammar rules related to the use of stative and auxiliary verbs, as well as the correct use of the infinitive and modal verbs.

3. Subject-predicate agreement

Pay attention to the cases when compound subjects are introduced by words like both, some, or neither and still take the plural predicate.

4. Pronouns

Pronouns always agree with the noun they refer to. Some indefinite pronouns can have only a plural form or only a singular form, but some can have both depending on the situation.

For more information about correcting grammar mistakes in essays, consult grammar and writing resources around the web.

To avoid grammar errors in your essay, proofread it and check whether you have used the above-mentioned grammar forms correctly.

Are you still uncertain about what not to write in a college essay? You can always get help from essay writing companies that provide editing and proofreading services.

Vocabulary Mistakes in Essays

Even if you develop your ideas logically, your grammar is correct, and your style is perfect, your essay can be a disaster if you make vocabulary mistakes.

The three most common types of vocabulary errors in essays are:

1. Misuse of homonyms

Many students typically misuse the following homonyms: hear vs. here, hole vs. whole, its vs. it’s, and many more.

2. Confused words

Spellcheck will not identify the incorrect use of such words as loose–lose, affect–effect, quite–quit–quiet, and accept–except. You should proofread your essay carefully to make sure you’ve used the correct words.

3. Wrong word form

When we write quickly, we may write a word form that differs from what we meant to write.

For example, students often write verb forms instead of adjectives. This can result in an unintended change of meaning (disable people instead of disabled people).

You can use the following strategies to eliminate such errors:

Plan your time efficiently and leave enough time for the writing process.

Always proofread your writing, paying attention to the main problem areas.

If you can, check your essay for mistakes several days after you have written the first draft.

Spelling Mistakes in Essays

A lot of students say that the English language’s spelling system is the most unpredictable in the world. That is actually not true. There are some difficult words in English, like weigh, Caribbean, or island. You can do nothing but memorize their spelling. But a great number of other words do follow special rules.

After you have written your essay, read it carefully and correct any spelling mistakes. Make a list of the words that you usually misspell and practice writing them over and over.

Punctuation Mistakes in Essays

Punctuation is very important in essay writing. Punctuation marks are used to separate ideas, to relate ideas to one another, and to clarify meaning.

If you do not use proper punctuation, your readers will get confused and frustrated rather quickly. Using correct punctuation is probably the most neglected writing skill. Of course, it is easier to notice a spelling mistake than an incorrectly placed comma. But still it makes a bad impression on the reader. Correct punctuation is essential in college essays and research papers. Learn the rules regarding the use of commas, apostrophes, and hyphens to avoid making punctuation errors.

That’s almost all for now. I hope that these essay writing prompts will help you to succeed in academic writing.

But if you still feel that you need some help with writing, consider using a professional essay writing service and ordering your essay or research paper.

And now, last but not least. Here’s a helpful video about the most common mistakes in ESL student essays. The essay writing techniques explained in this video lesson are useful for any student who wants to write good essays.

As a student, you might be wondering how to increase your IQ and boost your academic success. After all, students with a high IQ level are really lucky, right?

They can study easily, sail through exams, build a successful career, and end up with a very high salary. They can pick up foreign languages faster and excel at mathematics, physics, chemistry…anything they want! All in all, it’s easier to live, study, and work when you’re smart, isn’t it?

It’s common knowledge that people who can easily cope with complex tasks and come up with original ideas probably have a high IQ—and are highly respected by their colleagues and friends.

Think about it…

The more intelligent you are, the better you’ll perform in your studies and the better marks you will get on your exams. Doesn’t that sound great?

But by now, you’re probably wondering:

Is it even possible to increase your intelligence? Can you really improve IQ?

The answer is, “Yes, you can!” It is possible to boost your cognitive and learning abilities, improve your memory, and increase IQ.

The question is how to improve your IQ. What should you do?

Luckily for you, we’re going to walk you through some useful science-backed tips and tricks on how to increase your IQ power.

If you want to know how to boost your IQ, maximize your brain’s potential, and pass your exams with flying colors, just keep reading!

What is IQ?

First of all, let’s answer two simple questions.

What is IQ?

IQ, or intelligence quotient, is a total score derived from one of the several standardized tests designed to assess human intelligence.

Okay…so what do IQ tests actually test?

High-quality IQ tests assess all aspects of a person’s visual, spatial, and auditory processing; short-term memory; and speed of information processing. In other words, these tests measure a person’s ability to perceive (actually, to learn), retain, process, and reproduce information in a certain way.

You can find some great IQ reference charts online that show what different IQ scores mean.

Five interesting facts about IQ:

1. Children who were breastfed in infancy have IQs that are 3 to 8 points higher on average than children who were not breastfed.
2. The overall intelligence of men and women is virtually equal, but women perform better in tasks involving emotional intelligence and language development, while men tend to score higher in spatial awareness.
3. Swedish researchers have found that there is a link between having a lower IQ and experiencing suicidal thoughts and feelings. People with low IQs often struggle to find the right solutions to their problems, which can make their lives very stressful and result in suicidal thoughts.
4. Higher IQ means higher confidence! People with higher IQ scores tend to be more self-confident.
5. A person’s IQ is affected by environmental factors, such as stress, nutrition, pastime, education, and mood. And that’s an important clue for how to increase IQ level!

How can you increase your intelligence?

Now we’ve come to our main question of how to raise your IQ and make the most of your intellect. What practical steps should you take?

Let’s break it down step by step.

Keep in mind: The main reasons for raising your intelligence and developing your brainpower are to make yourself ready to face new challenges; to become more open to new ideas, pastimes, and complex tasks; and to be willing to think about and try new things.

It goes without saying that there are certain limits to every person’s intelligence level, but scientific research has shown that it is possible to improve IQ in several ways. And I’m going to tell you how.

11 useful tips on how to increase your IQ

1. Be socially active

It is highly beneficial for your intellect to interact with other people, to share your views and get feedback, and to process the ideas of others and consider whether you could share the same views and beliefs or not.

You should take part in many different discussions and try to defend your point of view, while at the same time being sensitive and amenable to the ideas of other people. Such intellectual communication will help you to increase IQ by broadening your outlook, expanding the limits of what you can accept, and making you think a lot. These conversations and interactions are really like an exercise for your brain! Isn’t this the perfect reason to join a discussion club?

If you want to become more socially active, there are several clubs and websites that can help you. For example, visit Meetup.com to see if there are any intellectual clubs in your city. Also, smart students are often interested in personal development and communication with other highly educated people. Try to find something like that at your university!

2. Observe carefully and be inquisitive

To boost your brainpower, always consider issues and problems from multiple angles.

For example, you might learn from a news program that there is a student strike in some country or a conflict between two professional groups as a consequence of government reform. You could just forget about these issues and return to your own business, or you could challenge yourself to think more deeply.

What mistakes were made by the government of this country? What are the values of these students, and what rights and liberties do they want to defend? Think about how the government could smooth things over and find a compromise even in a tense environment. What is behind these problems, and what do these people stand for?

3. Read voraciously

Books are an inexhaustible source of knowledge, new ideas, and valuable information. Reading will not only broaden your outlook but will also develop and enhance the ability of your mind to comprehend and process information.

Reading academically challenging books that you have never read before will make you think about new issues and improve your brain’s cognitive capacity. You can easily make such reading a part of your learning process, right?

4. Play logic and problem-solving games

The value of playing intellectual games like chess can hardly be overstated. Chess, along with other similar games, develops mental abilities such as pattern recognizing, problem-solving, concentration, abstract reasoning, strategic planning, and evaluation. These are all skills that you need in real life!

It’s no wonder that grandmasters have high IQ scores—chess is very challenging and demands high mental abilities and focus. What’s more, chess surprisingly improves emotional intelligence and psychosocial skills due to the close contact with a second player. The benefits of playing chess for the development of your intelligence are obvious.

5. Acquire new skills

Of course, each one of us is exceptional at some particular skill. If you are a literature student, you’re probably amazingly good at literature, because it is probably your greatest passion. If you are a marketing student, you may know everything about marketing strategies and may be planning to devote your life to the creation of awesome marketing campaigns for world-famous companies.

It’s great to hone our talents, but it has also been scientifically proven that once you are accomplished at some particular skill, your brain relaxes. It doesn’t have to work as hard as before because it’s not trying to learn something new and acquire new skills.

So, what’s the way out? Try something new. Are you good at French? Then start learning German or Italian! Are you good at web design? Start studying programming!

In this way, your brain will always be busy adapting to new challenges and handling new tasks. It will naturally develop as you gain new skills. It’s a win-win!

6. Get physical exercise

Have you heard the saying, “A sound mind is a sound body”? It’s true enough, and scientists all over the world say that physical exercise is essential for mental health.

Keeping your body fit through exercise will definitely improve the way your brain operates. There is no doubt your IQ will benefit!

7. Gain new experiences

Broaden your outlook, expand your boundaries, and try doing new things you have never done before. There are so many novelties in the world, and you don’t have to do anything huge to try something new.

For instance, you could just change your approach to your daily routine. If you usually have coffee and toast for breakfast, try to eat whole grains. If you spend your weekends playing polo with your friends, try parachuting or riding a bicycle. Enjoy skiing? Try skating!

In addition to trying new things, you can start doing old things in some new ways. That will not only develop your intelligence but your creativity as well!

8. Use your non-dominant hand for writing

Try to write more instead of typing because handwriting stimulates your brain, especially when you write or draw with your opposite hand.

If you’re left-handed, why not try to draw a picture with your right hand? Although this is just a hypothesis and hasn’t been proven yet, you’ll at least learn a new skill!

9. Use the “image streaming technique”

The image streaming technique is a new method invented by Win Wenger, a Ph.D. in politics who took inspiration from the biography of Albert Einstein, an outstanding scientist had very good visual thinking capabilities and made his discoveries using a form of this technique.The technique itself is simple:

Close your eyes, imagine some object, and try to describe it with as much descriptive language as you can.

Although this technique doesn’t yet have much scientific evidence, some experiments were carried out and had promising results, showing an improvement of IQ by 2 points per month. Try this method to see if it will boost your own learning outcomes.

10. Eat healthy

The right diet—containing enough protein, vitamins, and micronutrients—will help your brain produce more neurotransmitters and cope with complex tasks better, since your brainpower will be at its maximum.

Here’s a helpful video with step-by-step instructions on how to increase intelligence. Watch it to learn how to increase your IQ easily, just by doing some simple things every day!

11. Stick around

Relax. Science has shown that you are already much smarter than your grandparents. Developed by James Flynn, this theory is called the “Flynn effect” – each generation has better IQ test scores than the previous generation. Flynn suggests that because of advancements in technology and education, people have learned to think more laterally nowadays.

Hypothetically, if you are lucky enough to live to the year 2100, you might find that your score on an IQ test has improved. Congratulations in advance!

So what do you think? Can you improve your IQ? Of course you can—it depends only on your desire, your willingness to work at your intelligence, and your openness to new challenges. The main thing is to stay motivated. If you put in the effort, you will see the results.

What’s the bottom line?

It’s indisputable that being an intellectually developed person will contribute to your academic success. There are many different methods and activities that will help you become more intelligent and mentally agile. They will also make your studies more efficient and less time-consuming, as well as bring new color to your daily life.

Be sure to share these simple tips on how to increase your IQ with your friends!

So you’ve finished reading the short story, and now you’ve got to write up your critique essay. But you don’t have a clue where to start. The answer is simple:

Step away from the keyboard.

And keep on reading.

The beauty of the short story is that it is short. You spotted the clue in the name, right? So unlike a novel, you can read short fiction multiple times and focus on a different aspect of literary critique for each sitting. And by the time you are through you will know the story like the back of your hand, and writing your essay will be a breeze.

So stop typing, rewind, and start again at the beginning:

Step 1: Smart reading

The key to smart reading is to be critical. Criticism can be positive or negative, and you need to have confidence in your own views of the work, regardless of the author’s reputation or whatever anyone else thinks.

The bottom line with literary criticism is that there are no right or wrong answers. As long as you back everything up with evidence, you can still attain a top grade if you take the opposite view to the author, your teacher or the best student in your class.

But your reading needs to be methodical.

For the first sitting, focus on the sequence of events that takes place throughout the story.

Analyzing the plot of a short story is easy because unlike novels, which can contain multiple plotlines, short stories usually have only one.

And to make the process even easier, here are some questions that you can ask yourself as you read:

• Does the plot hold your interest from beginning to end?
• What are the most important events, and why?
• Is the plotline realistic?
• Are there any parts of the plotline that seem irrelevant the main story?
• Does the plot deal with external conflict, internal conflict or both?

Next you can look at the way the author portrays the characters in the story.

Short stories will not have many characters, and often centre around one main character, known as the protagonist.

The best way to analyze characterization is ask these questions:

• Who is the protagonist?
• How effectively does the author describe the characters’ actions, appearance and thoughts?
• What are your feelings towards the characters?
• Does the way the characters speak give you any information about their personality?
• Do the characters change over the course of the story?
• If the story contains minor characters, are they necessary and effective?

Alongside plot and characters, there is a third element that is a crucial part of any story:

Setting.

Short stories are usually set in a single location and time period, but some do have more than one.

These questions will help you master the setting:

• How does the author describe the location of the events?
• Does the story take place in the past, the present, or the future (or all three)?
• What are the wider circumstances surrounding the story’s setting?
• Does the setting play an important role in the story?
• Does the place and time period in which the author lived and worked have an effect on the place and time period in which the story is set?
• Has the author successfully given you a feeling of really being in the story’s setting?

Your next read through might require some creative thinking and detective work, as you consider the ideas, messages or lessons behind the story.

Analyzing theme is your chance to really stand out, because while some themes are obvious and intended by the author, it is also possible to find more obscure themes that the author may not have been aware of.

Answer these questions, and you’ve nailed theme:

• What is the main theme? Are there any others?
• How is the theme conveyed?
• If the author is using the story to deliver a particular message, are you convinced by it?
• What does the theme reveal about the author?

Now you’re confident you understand the author’s message. Not so fast! You need to think about who is actually telling the story.

Short stories are usually narrated in the first person by one of the characters (“I woke up early that morning”) or in the third person (“She woke up early that morning”). In the case of the third person, the narrator could be all-knowing or just have the perspective of one or more of the characters (the focalizer). Less commonly, a story will be written in the second person (“You woke up early that morning”).

Analyzing point of view will give to a deeper insight into all of the previous aspects that you have dealt with. So ask yourself:

• Who is narrating the story?
• Does the author use a consistent point of view throughout?
• Is the narrator telling the truth?
• Does the author have the same mindset as the narrator?
• Would the story be different if it were narrated from a different point of view?

Finally, you need to look at the way the author uses language to tell the story.

Ask the following questions when analyzing style:

• What is the author’s tone? Humorous? Serious? Sarcastic? Sentimental?
• Does the author use any unusual words or phrases? What effect do they have?
• Is there anything in the story – an object, for example – that has any special meaning?
• Does the author’s use of literary devices affect your enjoyment of the story in any way?
• What would the story be like if the author used a different style?

If you still need help with your short story analysis, Custom Writing offers high quality research and writing services, and can produce a report on your short story based on your specifications.

By now you should be familiar with the story and have enough great ideas to produce an A+ essay. Look again at the set question, and decide on the main direction you want your literary criticism essay to take.

Because now it’s time to wipe the dust of that keyboard:

Step 2: Putting it all together

Always keep in mind the two golden rules of essay writing:

• Your essay must be focused on the set question.
• Your opinions are only valid if you can support them with evidence.

Divide your work into three sections:

• Introduction (about 10% of the total word count)
• Main body (about 80% of the total word count)
• Conclusion (about 10% of the total word count)

Your introduction should consist of one or two paragraphs that outline your statement of intent. You do not need to provide any evidence to back up your assertions at this stage – save that for the main body.

Here are the ingredients for a perfect introduction:

• An engaging opening line that captures the reader’s interest.
• The title of the short story and the name of author.
• A brief outline of the main points and arguments that you intend to make.

The main body is used to set out your case in detail and provide evidence to support it. Each paragraph should deal with a different point, and follow a logical order that develops your overall argument.

Your main body is ready for the beach when it has:

• A persuasive and articulate argument.
• Evidence and quotes from the short story, as well external references where appropriate, to support your case.
• Acknowledgement of any competing arguments to provide balance.
• Clear and concise language, with no repetition or irrelevant material.
• Clear focus on the set question.

You’re almost home and dry now:

The conclusion ties everything together and briefly sums up your response to the set question. Like the introduction, this should be only one or two paragraphs long and should not contain any new arguments, information or evidence.

To finish your essay with a bang, you will need:

• A summary of the ideas that you have presented in the main body.
• Acknowledgement of any issues that need to be considered in the future.
• A powerful closing statement that encapsulates your overall position.

If you need help with writing your essay, Custom Writing can produce a critique essay based on your specifications.

Once you have finished writing your literary analysis essay, the best thing you can do is take a break. When you return to review what you have done it will be with fresh eyes.

You’ve had fun criticising the author. Now it’s time to look in the mirror:

Step 3: Reviewing your work

As usual, good things come in threes. Break your review down into these stages:

• Content editing
• Copy-editing
• Proofreading

For the first of these, you need to look at your essay as a whole and consider:

• Does your essay deal exclusively with the set question?
• Does your introduction accurately preview the content of the main body?
• Does each paragraph in the main body follow a logical order?
• Does your essay contain any repetition, inaccuracy or irrelevant material?
• Does your conclusion successfully sum up your argument?
• Are your references accurate and appropriate?
• Will your reader find your essay to be enjoyable, easy to understand and persuasive?

Once you are happy with the content of your essay, you can review it in more detail to deal with the accuracy and consistency of the text.

Reading carefully, line by line, ask yourself:

• Is your language as clear and concise as possible?
• Is your grammar and spelling correct?
• Have you presented acronyms, abbreviations, capitalization etc. correctly and consistently?
• Are your quotations and references in the correct format?
• Are there any other formatting issues with your document?

Take another break then review your essay one last time. Use your spellchecker then print off a copy and read slowly and carefully, line by line. Hopefully there won’t be too many errors by this stage, but think of this process as a final polish to make your work really shine. A flawless piece of work will be a pleasure for your reader to behold!

If you need any help with editing your literary criticism essay, Custom Writing can have your work edited and proofread to perfection.

Remember, the key to getting your A+ grade is in the reading – smart reading to be precise. Once you have got a grip on the short story using all of the different critique perspectives, you will find that the words will pour out of you. All you need after that is a little discipline to get those words organised.

Finally, if you want to know what makes a great short story watch this interview with master storyteller Stephen King.

If you are about to go into the world of graduate school, then one of the very first things you need to do is choose from all the possible dissertation topics that are available to you.  This is no small task.  As stated in a letter posted by Stanford University, you will spend many years researching, writing, and perfecting your dissertation, which means choosing a dissertation topic should not be taken lightly.

But when it comes down to it…

How do you choose good topics for thesis writing?  There are so many topics for a thesis, the possibilities are almost endless!  This is why finding a dissertation topic can be difficult.  Aside from considering suggestions given to you by your mentor or professor, you can always get inspiration from:

• Titles of topics that have been done in the past
• Samples of past dissertations
• Suggested topics found via a custom writing company or other source

You’ll want to see master dissertation topics or doctoral dissertation topics relevant to your field of interest.  There is simply such a massive list of good thesis topics.

But first…

You need to know what makes a good dissertation topic.

Criteria for a Good Dissertation Topic

When wondering how to choose a dissertation topic, you don’t want your focus to be too big or too small.  You will need to focus on a specific problem.  Here are some guidelines when choosing a topic:

• Make sure you are interested in your topic. Otherwise, you will have a horrible few years ahead of you.
• Make sure the problem on which you are focusing is either very new or is a new aspect of a topic that has not been fully researched. Also, be sure that it can be related to the bigger picture in terms of the research that has already been done, even if the problem is new.
• When choosing your topic, be sure to consider the resources at you can use for your research. If you are working on something totally new, you might struggle to find the needed resources.  This is fine, but it will make your research more challenging.

To choose a topic, follow these steps:

1. Generate ideas: Consider many topic ideas, rather than just one
2. Test: Run each idea you are considering through a testing phase to make sure it is possible to do the research and that you have the ability and resources to follow through with it.
3. Refining ideas: You will be able to narrow down you choices and get rid of the ones that won’t work. Once you have just two or three left, you can improve these and decide on the best one.

Now you need some inspiration…

Take a look through the following list of free topics for dissertation to see if something stands out for you.

Ideas for Dissertations in Education

Education offers a wide range of potential fields of research and study, spread across preschool, primary, secondary, and post-secondary education.  Here is a sampling of possible dissertation topics in education you can consider in the field of education:

1. Americans study abroad to have a legitimate excuse to travel.
2. How does working as a taxi driver and navigating change a person’s brain?
3. To what extent can reality television be disempowering for students?
4. The role of homework in the lives of immigrant adolescents.
5. The impact of teachers’ shocking behaviors in fostering students’ creativity.
6. The determinants of flossing behavior in college students.
7. The classification of drinking styles in college age population.
8. Integrating the computer into the curriculum: why you can’t simply plug it in.
9. The preconditions for serious music-making avocation in computer science students.
10. Adult graduate difficulties with learning technologies.
11. The effect of academic performance on academic health of adolescents.
12. The impact of mathematic coaching on students’ self-esteem.
13. The influence of internet on emotional maturity of students.
14. Academic achievements of students who decide to become teachers.
15. Students are more likely to do homework given by good-looking professors.
16. Informal learning in rural areas through social networks.
17. Edublogging for professors: the social networks of educationists.
18. Does learning existentialism cause suicides?
19. Is it possible to reduce summer learning loss without students’ consent?
20. Can we reject classical math and do it at the same time? Yes.
21. Students are less likely to think something is weird if their teachers act like it’s not weird.
22. Is a degree in Liberal Arts completely useless? What are major career prospects?
23. Using electronic games in museums can be an effective education tool.
24. Brainwashing people too fast can make them resistant to it.
25. Creativity is a fantasy and nothing more than autohypnosis.
26. Literature analysis is a fake, because we’ll never know what a long dead writer wanted to say with his/her book.
27. Surfing the web for 10 years is equal to a college degree.
28. Positive attitudes to school can improve academic performance, but students doubt it.
29. Sex education is more stressful to teachers than students.

For more ideas for education dissertation topics, check out Appalachian State University’s list of past dissertation titles.

Thesis Topics in Business Administration

Getting your MBA is a big step and choosing an MBA dissertation can be tough.  There are many areas in which you can focus for your MBA, including finance, management, and topics in organizational leadership.  Here are a few suggestions:

30. Conduct a case study, the purpose of which is to analyze one or several social phenomena
31. Create a business plan that suggests analysis of the strategy
32. Create a business plan that is focused on some specific, particular issue
33. Workplace ethics in small businesses
34. The phenomenon of remote working and how it is affecting business
35. Managing the Millennial Generation
36. Comparison of Generation X and the Millennial Generation
37. Current trends in consumer behavior in relation to advertising
38. An analysis of which countries margin financing is effective and why
39. An analysis of the macroeconomic factors affecting exchange rates
40. Empirical analysis of the impact of organizational performance and leadership

For more ideas for MBA dissertation topics, check out past topics done at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.

Dissertation Topics in Law

The legal profession is full of possible thesis topics, such as the following:

41. How criminal laws have been impacted around the world by the war on terror
42. Choose a country and analyze their policies on discrimination
43. Evaluate the protection given to minority shareholders as dictated by company law
44. Provide a critical analysis of the law of omissions liability
45. Investigating and analyzing complaints filed in the criminal justice system
46. A critical analysis of the reform of homicide laws
47. The morality and impact of euthanasia and how Canada sets a precedent
48. A detailed analysis of gender and race profiling of suspects in the criminal justice system
49. An analysis of the right to bear arms relative to the context in which the law was written into The Constitution
50. Case studies that represent a review of criminal negligence related to the Corporate Manslaughter and Corporate Homicide Act 2007

For more ideas for a law dissertation, check out this brief look at past student work from Harvard University.

Ideas for Dissertations in Computer Science

Computer science has a lot of different subject areas that provide a wide range of topics from which to choose, such as:

51. Methods for improving Open Web Architecture
52. An analysis of software solutions for the increased energy efficiency
53. A case study and analysis how the protection of systems against terror attacks
54. New methods of risk management during software development
55. An analysis of how Web space requirements are changing
56. An analysis of how e-publishing is affecting libraries
57. New methods for studying the behavior of malware, viruses, and worms with the use of secure programming and runtime environments
58. An analysis of redundancy and fault recovery in the 4G wireless network
59. An analysis of the implementation and analysis of the optimal algorithm vs the heuristic algorithm for the generation of clusters
60. An analysis of how full-text databases affect search engines

For more ideas, check out the list of past computer science dissertation titles from the University of Southern California.

Thesis Topics in Psychology

When choosing a dissertation topic in psychology, you must select a topic that will provide a credible and valuable contribution to the discipline of psychology.  The key is to form a hypothesis and use research to support or disprove that hypothesis.  To help choose a topic, here is a list of potential psychology thesis topics:

61. Understanding the function of the prefrontal cortex in terms of how it is connected to other parts of the brain
62. Understanding how the prefrontal cortex makes us human
63. How emotional and anxiety disorders are connected to social cognition that is impaired
64. An analysis of the ability of an MRI to determine brain function
65. An analysis of the relationship between emotional and episodic memory
66. A comparison of the plasticity of the child brain and the adult brain
67. An analysis of the continued relevance of Piaget’s theory of cognitive development
68. An in-depth look at the social intuitionist model and how it relates to the emotion and reason involved in moral judgement
69. How the evolution of the human brain can be understood in terms of human cognitive development
70. A demonstration of the multi-dimensional nature of schizophrenia
71. How rational thinking and impulse contribute to decision-making
72. A systematic analysis and review of the psychology of religion
73. How exposure to nature affects happiness

For more inspiration when deciding on psychology dissertation topics check out past dissertation titles from the University of Edinburgh.

Dissertation Topics for the Arts and Humanities

The arts and humanities cover such a wide range of subject areas that the possibilities for dissertation topics are extensive.  Check out the following sampling of possible topics:

74. The history of design in various periods of human existence (the ancient times, the Middle Ages, the Renaissance, etc.)
75. Design as art
76. Philosophy of design
77. Separate branches of design (interior design, car design, toy design, etc.)
78. Stylistic peculiarities of a certain designer
79. Web design as a modern quintessence of design
80. Social significance of design
81. The birth of Communism as it relates to Stendhal
82. The relationship between politics and literature in the 19^th century
83. An analysis and case study of artists and art during times or war
84. How contemporary art is related to American suffering
85. An analysis of how racism relates to the family unit

For more ideas for dissertation topics in the Arts and Humanities, check out the University of Texas at Dallas to find a dissertation sample that will help you.

Ideas for Dissertations in Science

Science is a very big subject area, with topics on chemistry, biology, physics, and earth sciences.  Chances are you have specialized in one of these areas of science, but now you are looking to choose a dissertation topic to carry on.  Here are some possible dissertation topics in the sciences:

86. Morality and ethics of stem cell research
87. Is behavior controlled or affect by genetics and to what level
88. A look at methods of improving risk factors post-stroke
89. An analysis of Chinese herbal practice and its relevance to conventional medicine
90. An analysis and case study or the affect schools have on childhood obesity
91. New methods of using existing data to gather information that is useful
92. An in-depth look at the factors affecting the decline of the immune system with age
93. An analysis of the potential effect of nanotechnology on health and the environment
94. An analysis of toxicity levels of inhaled nanoparticles
95. The usefulness of nanotechnology in curing some types of cancer
96. An analysis and case study of the treatment of patients who have experienced a loss of memory
97. An analysis of the use of DNA typing of remains to identify missing people and the victims of crime
98. The response of immune deficiency diseases to the activation of T-cell subsets
99. The influence and importance of IT in the field of biomedicine

You can find lots more ideas for science dissertation topics from the University of Cambridge and the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.

For help when it comes to writing your dissertation check out these incredible resources for free dissertation writing help, how to write a dissertation, and how to manage dissertation problems.  You can also check out this video.

So many students these days use a custom essay writing service. With the demands piled on students and the strain on many to pay for their own education, custom writing services save them both time and frustration.

Custom essay writing services are in high demand. However, it is vital to comment that not all these services are equal. If you are considering using a custom writing service, you must understand what makes a good writing service and how to choose the best one. If you don’t select a respectable writing service, you could find yourself with a poor grade; handing in your assignment late; or worse, being caught for plagiarizing someone else’s work.

Knowing this, you might be curious as to whether a custom writing service is something you need. If you agree, keep reading to know the causes for using a custom essay writing service.

Why students use a custom essay writing service           

In fact, many reasons appear when it comes to the reasons why students use custom writing services. Despite this, some people do not favor the use of custom writing services, as reported by CBC and Parent Herald.  CBC even reports that one professor from the University of Windsor tore down flyers put up by a custom writing company.

Despite this, Huffington Post makes an argument that perhaps it isn’t just about students being lazy, but about too many expectations and too much pressure on students. Huffington Post also spoke with an insider, who confirms students have too many demands on them and not enough time.

Writing a custom paper takes time and skill. Many students have trouble finding the time to write a custom essay because they have to work a paying job to pay for their very expensive education, which does not leave them a lot of time to complete their school work, and they need custom essay writing help.

Other students just don’t have much talent when it comes to writing. Let’s face it; writing is not easy. One should work on it to master it. Take computer programmers and IT people. They generally do not make good writers. Period. When asked to write an essay, they struggle with such a task.

Some people find it rather challenging to grasp the theory. They are used to real work and not studying theories. The theory is way off in left field for them.

If you don’t believe custom writing services are widespread and well-used, check out this video.

Plus, as Collective Evolution reports, one person who worked as a custom writer for three years vouched that not all students who buy such services are lazy. On the contrary, many of them are far from being lazy.

What’s the bottom line?

Some students need just need to go to a custom essay writing service to help them complete their education, either because they face a lack of time or lack necessary skills.

In fact, Carnegie Mellon University reveals that most students are not learning the proper writing skills in high school. They don’t write enough, and they don’t learn all the types of writing they will need after high school, which leaves these students struggling in college and university.

With this information, you might think the need for custom writers is a new phenomenon, but it isn’t. People have a history of turning to a custom writing service to help them produce good writing.

Custom writing has a rich history

Custom writing started in ancient times, long before the written word had been invented. Cave paintings were often done by religious professionals to bring luck to the hunt or to cure the sick and injured.

In the Middle Ages scribes did the writing. Why? Because few people were literate and specialists were needed to copy texts and preserve the important documents of the period.

The Cambridge University Press published Print Culture in Renaissance Italy, which reveals that during the Renaissance, proofreaders and editors were in great demand. Even the most popular and famous writers, such as Dante and Petrarch, made use of these professionals. These editors were allowed to alter the format and the interpretation of the writing they worked on, which gave them a huge amount of control over the work.

These days, the best college paper writing service offers everything, including writing papers from scratch, editing and proofreading, doing research, and formatting.

With that in mind, take a look at what one of the top essay writing services can do for you.

What custom writing services can do for you

A custom essay writing service is specially designed to satisfy the need of the client. Many people who choose an essay writing service still do most or all of the writing themselves. However, they need some help.

College essay writing services can:

• Provide thesis help
• Do research
• Proofread and edit your finished paper
• Help you write a particular portion of your paper when you are stuck
• Write the entire essay if you are unable to
• Ensure the formatting, citations, and references are done properly (this can be difficult, even with the help of websites such as Purdue Owl and Washington State University)

Unfortunately, not all custom essay writing services are the same. Some are fabulous, while others are terrible and unreliable. Some offer dissertation writing services and some don’t. You need to know the common problems when hiring writing services so you can choose the right service for your needs.

Typical problems with custom writing services

It is easy to find an essay writing company that is not genuine. They need nothing else than to have a fast buck, while you are left holding the bag when your essay turns out to be terrible, or worse, plagiarized.

Here are the most common problems with essay writing companies:

• Plagiarism: This is something of which every student should be terrified. Plagiarism is not only connected to moral issues; it is a legal issue. Universities and colleges conduct plagiarism checks on their own on every essay and paper. You will have real troubles if you submit a plagiarized paper. Whether a company is reselling papers they wrote for a particular client or they are careless when it comes to checking for plagiarism before sending the finished essay to their client, the fact is a lot of custom writing companies out there provide inferior writing.

• Poor customer service: There are writing companies that do not offer clients the opportunity to live chat with a service rep, which is a problem because clients often have questions about the order they placed, and it can be frustrating when they can’t reach a representative.

• No contact with essay writer: When someone hires custom essay writing service to craft a paper for them, that client should be in direct contact with the writer who is writing for them. There is a lot to consider to make sure the essay is written according to the standards set by the professor. Clients might have questions about the finished product, and the writer might have some inquiries about the order as well. If this is all done through a third party, it can be confusing and inefficient, and information can be missed.

• Uncertainty concerning the order status: When a client submits an order for custom writing, they need to know that somebody has started working on it.

• Price is too high: This isn’t necessarily a problem. Even more, high prices mean that the quality will be high too. However, there are plenty of custom writing services that charge a lot of money and deliver a poor product. If you are paying a lot, you should be sure that you pay for a good product.

That being said…

You need to know how to select a reputable and awesome custom essay writing service. If you know what criteria to watch for, you won’t be as likely to make a bad choice. Read on to find out how to choose a custom writing service.

Criteria for choosing an essay writing company

The top essay writing services will offer you more than just a quickly produced paper. They will communicate with you regularly, write something completely original, and not resell that paper. To increase your chances of finding the best custom writing services, check out the following criteria:

1. Don’t go cheap

When hiring a custom essay writing service, you don’t want the cheapest essay writing service you can find. Absolutely not! If you see a site that offers cheap essays within hours or says they are the best cheap essay writing service, you might just want to run the other way. And you definitely want to stay far away from the so-called “best free essay sites.”

Think about it…

When a custom writing service guarantees free essays or cheap essays in hours, they are most likely plagiarizing. They might have written one essay that they are sending to all their customers, which means what you submit your instructor will not be original or pass any of the plagiarism software used by professors today.

Here’s the deal…

Producing an essay is not an easy process that requires time and efforts. If it didn’t, then you could do it yourself, right? If you desire a top-notch essay, and you want the best essay writing service online, then you will need to pay decently for that service. You can’t just go to someone and say, “Write my essay for cheap,” and expect to get a good final product.

2. Ensure they can write any style of essay

You can be given so many different styles and types of essays in college and the custom essay writing service you hire needs to manage them on time. If you need a narrative essay, but if all they can produce are persuasive and critical essays, then they cannot help you. Below is a list of the types of essays the writing service should be able to handle:

• 5-Paragraph: It is hard to fit all of your ideas into five short paragraphs, but for essay custom writing staff, there is nothing to it.
• College Application: A custom essay writing service helps you understand the basic demands for application writing and can provide you with the perfect example and support or do it for you.
• Analytical: Professional writers can explain to you the analysis process required to write a custom analytical paper. They can also provide a sample of what you need or write instead of you.
• Argumentative: Watch a real argument develop. With efficient custom essay help, you’ll learn to write good arguments yourself!
• Cause-and-Effect: These custom essay papers demand insights. Buy a custom essay and you will feel you are developing insights of your own.
• Classification: When you buy custom essay papers of this kind, you will learn the fundamental principles of the elements compatibility.
• Compare-and-Contrast: With the help of a custom essay company, you will learn how to compare and contrast!
• Comparison: If you do a custom essay review, you will you understand how to analyze!
• Critical: A skilled custom essay writers will provide you with a top-notch critical review.
• Deductive: Custom essay writers will teach you impeccable logics.
• Definition: Learn from a custom-written essay how to define various phenomena.
• Descriptive: Learn to write descriptive custom essay papers the right way.
• Evaluating: Experts will teach you to assess things objectively.
• Exploratory: Explore the unknown with the help of real professionals.
• Expository: Find explanations and definitions for the most uncommon things.
• Informal: Try to change the traditions of scholarly writing.
• Informative: This is your time to shed some light on unknown issues.
• Illustrative: Find out how to illustrate things in the most explicit way.
• Interpretive: Provide your own interpretations of a certain phenomenon.
• Interview: Learn to be a journalist and how a real interview is conducted.
• Literature: Figure out how to evaluate a prosaic/poetic writing.
• Narrative: Learn to tell fascinating stories as you watch professional write custom essay papers for you.
• Observation: Experts will teach you how to notice things no one else can see!
• Personal: Get rid of shyness when talking about yourself.
• Process: Learn to describe a process.
• Reaction: Learn how to provide your own impressions about any event.
• Reflective: Watch an expert creating a perfect paper.
• Response: A real pro will show you how to express your own emotions related to a certain issue.
• Scholarship: Learn how to reach your academic top with top professional scholarship writing!

3. Make sure they can match your writing style

You write in a certain style, and you have most likely submitted written work to your professor in the past. For this reason, the writer that takes on your writing assignment has to be able to match your personal writing style, including the general mistakes you might make (particularly if English is your second language).

The writer will also need to know what the course material is and what books have been used in the class. That way, they can refer to this material when producing your essay. It is critical that the writing service you hire has access to this material.

4. Ensure they keep an open line of communication

As mentioned above, one of the problems with some custom writing services is there is a problem regarding the lack of direct communication with writer and customer. This is unacceptable.

Clients should be in constant contact with their writing experts. If the service has live chat or instant messaging that allows you to communicate, that is ideal. But you must check up-front to confirm this level of communication is possible.

5. Ensure they offer 24/7 customer service

Make sure you can access their customer service at any time of day. This is important. You don’t want to put something as important as your education into someone else’s hands without knowing what is going on with your paper and success at the same time.

6. Do they offer free revisions?

What is the custom essay writing company’s revision policy? Ideally, they should offer free revisions. After all, if they produced it and you don’t like it, you can ask them to fix it.

Remember, the company you hire is working for you. You are paying your own money for the writing service, and you deserve to receive the best, which includes revisions at no charge. They should also offer you a free title page, formatting, outline, and bibliography.

7. What are their guarantees?

You need to be sure of the guarantees offered by the custom essay service online. Do they guarantee online delivery? Do they guarantee that they use only up-to-date sources? Do they guarantee the confidentiality or that they will never resell your work?

You need to be sure you hire a company that can offer you these guarantees. Otherwise, you won’t have peace of mind, and you might not receive the order on time.

8. Check that the writers are specialists

You also need to find out who is actually responsible for your paper. If you are writing a fourth-year literary evaluation, you need to know the writer has the right education and experience writing that type of paper. The writing company should have Master- and PhD-level writers on staff to make sure there is someone with adequate knowledge and experience to work with you.

9. Get a plagiarism report

Remember plagiarism was mentioned above? This is what the cheap writing service provider generally provides—an unoriginal piece of writing. You have no way of knowing the paper you receive is an original piece of work without running it through plagiarism software. To ensure that your essay is completely original, the custom essay writing service should provide you with a plagiarism report free of charge. This should be part of their service guarantee.

10. Do they sell dissertation writing services?

This is an expert writing, and whether or not you need thesis writing services, if they offer that level of writing, you might have a better chance at finding a high-quality company. Plus, if you try to find assistance writing your dissertation, you will find it, something that eases the pressure on graduate students.

You can also check out what TopBusinessSchools has to say about choosing a custom writing service.

How to find an essay writing service

When you want to find a top rated essay writing service, you will want to do the following:

• Ask friends to recommend you some essay writing service
• Check out review sites to find the best essay writing service reviews (make sure they are unbiased and not supporting one specific company)
• Check out the websites of writing services and check out their full range of services and customer reviews

Perhaps the most important part of hiring professional writing services is that you directly participate in the process of writing by total control of it. This is your paper. You should confirm it is top-quality, something you will get from a leading college essay writing service.

Check out these articles for more information on help with dissertation writing, essay writing, and formatting.

Fortunately, custom writing services are here to stay, as business.com reveals. The demand is strong, and the supply keeps growing. This is good news for you if you need help when it comes to college essay writing.

Bearing it in mind, good luck finding the right custom essay writing service for you!

Being assigned a film analysis essay might just be the most exciting assignment you have ever had! After all, who doesn’t love watching movies? You have your favorite movies, maybe something you watched years ago, perhaps a classic, or perhaps it is something new. Or your professor might assign a movie for you to analyze. Regardless, you are totally up for watching a movie for a film analysis essay assignment.

But here’s the kicker:

You will actually have to write a movie analysis essay after you watch the movie. This video gives you a great idea of how a movie analysis essay is assigned.

Once you have watched the movie, facing the act of writing might knock the wind out of your sails because you might be wondering how to write a film analysis paper. Fortunately, writing film analysis papers it isn’t as difficult as it might seem. Let’s see how to get started.

Before you write

Obviously, there are a few things you need to do before you start actually writing your film analysis paper. First and foremost, you have to watch the movie. Even if you have seen it a hundred times, you need to watch it again and you learn how to analyze a film.

When watching the movie, keep the following tips in mind:

1. Consider your impression of the movie.
2. Enumerate memorable details.
3. Try to interpret the movie message in your own way.
4. Read/listen to experts talking about the given film.
5. Base your arguments on the various elements of movie theory.
6. Present and discuss conflicting opinions about the movie.
7. Combine theory and analysis.
8. Offer proof of your statements (quotes from the movie).
9. Comment on the plot, settings, characters, and source material.
10. Draw parallels between the movie you are reviewing and some other movies.
11. Search for details that no one has spotted yet.
12. Create an interactive analysis: involve the audience in the discussion!

At this point you might be wondering what aspects should be considered when analyzing a movie? What follows are several pointers for making good film analysis essays.

13. These days, people simply watch movies for entertainment. Such an approach will not work if you have to prepare a film analysis essay. Get ready for critical perception of the chosen/assigned film. Watch it for the first time and think about the following:

• What is shown in the movie?
• Why?
• What is the main message of the film? How is it conveyed?

14. To understand the meaning of the film and explain it in your film analysis essay, you should know the main elements of cinematic structure. Some of them are:

• Camera placement
• Scene composition
• Shot structure, etc.

By the way, you should be aware and understand all basic terms and concepts related to the film industry.

15. When analyzing the movie in your film analysis essay, it is a good idea to think about current and historical events, phenomena. Very often, themes depicted in films are linked to various events. This will help you develop a better understanding of the movie.
16. Do not forget about history. Say, you are writing about a horror movie. Investigate the history of this genre and learn more about famous horror film directors, their styles, etc. This will help you prepare an informative film analysis essay.

With these tips, your film analysis is bound to be great, yet there is a way to make it even better! And you’ll see how to do it below.

But first:

You need to understand that you aren’t writing a movie review essay. There is a difference between a movie review and a movie analysis and it is important to understand this difference.

Film analysis vs. critical review

A film analysis is not the same as a film review and a critical review of a film is not something that is generally requested in academic circles. Writing movie reviews is generally best left to the media.

Types of movie analysis

You might also be wondering what can be gained through analyzing film. According to the University of North Dakota, movies are the following:

• A form of entertainment
• Documents of the place and time in which they are made
• A form of art and self-expression
• A way to tell a story

The University of Colorado discusses the different types of movie analysis papers that can be written. The two primary types are the critical essay and the theoretical essay. The critical essay can look at the following:

• Formalism: This is a look at the style and structure of the movie and is concerned only with what has occurred on-screen, including sound, lighting, cinematography, editing, etc. What implications do these various elements have on the movie’s overall meaning?
• Genre: This is a combination of looking at structure and form and the content of the movie with a consideration of the historical changes of the genre over time.
• Historical: A common theme for a movie analysis, this is concerned with how a historical occurrence is portrayed in a movie and whether knowledge of the historical background of the movies subject matter is relevant or helpful when analyzing the film’s content or the technique used to create it.

The theoretical essay offers the following types of analyses:

• National Cinema: This is a type of essay that explores the contributions each country makes to cinema and how the world is portrayed through their cultural lens.
• Auteur: This is a way to examine analyse how directors, producers, actors, and others in the film industry make use of universal themes in their work.
• Ideology: This is simply the analysis of the underlying political message in a movie and can include studies in feminism, class, race, sexual orientation, gender, and how the world is seen through the lens of the Hollywood movie.

Remember that a single essay can cover more than one of these types of analyses. You will need to determine the type of essay you will be writing and which of the above analytical elements you will include.

But that’s not all:

It is also important to conduct an analysis of film reviews and integrate what other people think of the movie into your analysis. Once you have done this, you are ready to outline your analysis.

Film analysis essay outline

Once you have watched and possibly re-watched your assigned or chosen movie from an analytical point of view, you will need to create a movie analysis essay outline. This is pretty straightforward and follows the same type of outline as you would use for a literary analysis or an article analysis. The outline is as follows:

17. Introduction: This includes the basics of the movie, including the title, director, and the date of release. You should also present the main theme or ideas in the movie, along with your thesis statement outlining what your focus is.

18. Summary: This is where you take the time to present a summary of the primary concepts in the movie, including the five Ws (who, what, when, where, and why)—don’t forget how!—as well as anything you wish to discuss that relates to the point of view, style, and structure.

19. Analysis: This is the body of the essay and includes your critical analysis of the movie, why you did or did not like it, and any supporting material from the movie to support your views. You should also discuss whether the director and writer of the movie achieved the goal they set out to achieve.

20. Conclusion: This is where you can state your thesis again and provide a summary of the primary concepts in a new and more convincing manner, making the case for your analysis. You can also include a call-to-action that will invite the reader to watch the movie or avoid it entirely.

You can find a great critical analysis template at Thompson Rivers University. And now let’s take a look at two film analysis essay samples, starting with Do the Right Thing.

Do the right thing example analysis

The first film analysis essay example we will take a look at it for Do the Right Thing. This is a film directed by Spike Lee that was released in 1989. In 2007, it appeared on the list of the most controversial movies. Although it is a famous movie, many people have not seen it, yet Do the Right Thing essays are frequently assigned.

The U.S. Library of Congress has published a great article on Do the Right Thing. This will be helpful when writing an analysis on the subject. When writing an analytical essay on Do the Right Thing, you can follow this simple plan to organize your work.

Where to start:

Start your Do the Right Thing essay with general info about the movie, director, etc. Mention that in 2007, the film was admitted to be the 96th greatest American movie. Explain in your essay why the movie is considered to be so controversial.

Character analysis and major themes:

In your analysis of the movie, discuss the major themes raised in the film. What conflicts other than that of race do you see? Then, analyze the main characters of the movie. Create profiles for Mookie, Sal, Giuseppe (Pino), Radio Raheem, Da Mayor, and others and compare and contrast them.

The main idea of the movie:

Finally, you need to explain the main idea of the film, the reason why it was made. Who did the right thing? What exactly is meant by “the right thing”? Don’t be afraid to express your opinion and present your vision of the movie.

Now let’s take a look at the second of our film analysis paper examples by looking at what could be included in a Truman Show essay.

Truman Show essay example analysis

The Truman Show is a comedy-drama released in 1998, directed by Peter Weir and starring Jim Carrey as Truman Burbank. This is a story of a man who one day realizes that he is living a false life and that everything around him, including his wife, parents, and friends is not real.

Preparing an analytical essay about The Truman Show might include some of the following ideas:

• Reality shows and the way television manipulates people’s minds
• How movie relates to Marxism
• The religious themes in the movie
• A comparison of the movie the Thomas More’s Utopia
• A comparison of the movie with Shakespeare’s Hamlet

Here are examples of how the last three ideas on this list can be presented.

The Truman Show religious analogies:

Religious themes are clearly depicted in the film. Talk about Christof (a man who controls and manipulates Truman’s life) or Truman’s search for truth (something that millions of ordinary people try to find).

The Truman Show parallels with Thomas More’s Utopia:

Truman lives in a small community along with like-minded people who have a lot in common. As in Utopia, no one can come up with a good way to escape the small world in which they live.

The Truman Show parallels with Hamlet:

Just like Hamlet, Truman is a young man who has great potential and who is trying to answer one major question: “Who am I?” But some people, even those close to him, prevent him from finding the answer.

Both the University of Utah and UCLA provide good examples of analytical essays of The Truman Show.

If you are interested in learning more about the theory behind movie-making, you can always check out the courses and programs offered best movie schools. The top four in the U.S.:

• University of South California
• New York University
• University of California, Los Angeles
• Columbia University

Writing a film analysis essay is not as difficult as it might appear and you are sure to love watching the movie and looking deeply at its core meaning while doing so. If you still feel unsure of writing your essay, you can check out these articles: Analysis Essay and How to Write an Analytical Essay. You can also hire a custom writing service to help.

Happy movie watching…and writing!

It is standard to have to write an analysis essay in college or university. You might be asked to analyze a research paper, a movie, a company, a book, or an event or allowed to choose from a selection of analysis essay topics.

But what about actual writing a critical essay?

Regardless of what you are required to analyze, a critical analysis essay must be written in according to a series of rules that will ensure you have right the structure and content of the analysis paper.

Keep reading to learn the top 20 rules for writing an analysis paper…

1. Basic principles

Before you learn how to start a critical essay, you should understand some fundamentals of writing this paper. In other words, you must understand how to write a good analysis.

Essentially, when writing an analysis paper, you aren’t just describing the topic (the what); you write about peculiarities and essence of the topic.

When writing a critical analysis essay, you will need to do the following throughout your paper:

• Explain the meaning of the topic
• Analyze the topic without bias
• Compare the topic of the essay to something relevant. You can most easily do this by uncoveringpluses and minuses of the topic and what it is being compared to.
• Evaluate the subject by providing an argument and defending that opinion with evidence to support it

In order to do this, you will have to compose a thesis statement.

2. Getting started

The key to writing an analysis paper is to choose an argument that you will defend throughout your paper. In this case, you will do an analysis of a specific topic. Your argument will focus on a thesis, which you will present as a thesis statement.

For example:

Maybe you are writing a critical analysis paper on Captain America: Civil War.  If you are allowed to choose your topic, you might choose to analyze how the movie handled the issue of national security versus personal freedom.

The first and imperative think is to think about your thesis statement.  In the case of the Captain America example, it could be:

Captain America: Civil War adequately captures the issue of giving up personal freedom for the sake of national security, a situation that mirrors actions taken by the government in recent years.

Northwestern College and The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill both give a great explanation of the thesis statement, how to create one, and what its function is.

But that’s not all:

Once you have your thesis statement, you need to break down how you will approach your analysis essay to prove that thesis statement. To do this, follow these steps:

1. Define the main goal(s) of your analysis. Remember that it is impossible to address each and every aspect in a single paper. You probably have a limit on the word count, and let’s face it; you have more interesting things to do than write 10,000 words on how Captain America: Civil War handled the national security versus personal freedom issue. Know your goal and focus on it.
2. Conduct research, both online and offline, to clarify the issue contained within your thesis statement.
3. Identify the main parts of the issue by looking at each part separately to see how it works.
4. Try to clearly understand how each part works
5. It helps to try to identify the links between the various aspects of the topic.
6. By using the information you found, try to solve your main problem.

At this point, you should have a clear understanding of both the topic and your thesis statement.  You should also have a clear direction for your analysis paper firmly planted in your mind and recorded in writing.

This will give you what you need to produce the paper’s outline.

3. Creating an outline

When creating an outline for an analytical paper, there is an analysis essay outline format you should follow.  The standard essay generally consists of five paragraphs, as follows:

• Introduction
• Body’s first paragraph
• The second paragraph of the body
• The third paragraph
• Conclusion

You need to utilize gathered information and the arguments you have decided to use and figure out how to express them in your analysis essay.

Ideally:

You will choose the top three arguments and assign one body paragraph to each.  The University of the District of Columbia provides a great explanation and example of an analysis essay outline.

However, there is one more thing you must do before you start writing…

4. Choosing a title

Choosing a title seems like a not a significant step, but it is actually very important.  The title of your critical analysis paper should:

• Entice and engage the reader
• Be unique and capture the readers’ attention
• Provide an adequate explanation of the content of the essay in just a few carefully chosen words

In the Captain America example, your title could be:

“The Genius behind the Portrayal of Security vs. Freedom in Captain America: Civil War”

And now the time has come:

You are ready to start writing!  So, let’s begin at the beginning with…

5. Writing the introduction

This is when you get those fingers moving on the keyboard.

But first:

You must understand how to compose an introduction to an analysis paper.  The University of Wollongong describes the introduction as a “map” of any writing. This map is created to show the reader an outline of information to be discussed.  When writing the introduction, follow these steps:

1. Provide a lead-in for the reader by offering a general introduction to the topic of the paper.
2. Include your thesis statement, which shifts the reader from the generalized introduction to the specific topic and its related issues to your unique take on the essay topic.
3. Present a general outline of the analysis paper.

The key is:

You need to hook the reader right from the beginning.  Draw them in by portraying the topics and issues in a tempting way so that your readers will keep reading.

Watch this great video for further instruction on how to write an introduction to an analysis essay.

6. Writing the body

The body of the paper may be compared to its heart. This is where you show off your talent for analysis by providing convincing, well-researched, and well-thought out arguments to support your thesis statement. You have already gathered the information and now all you may start crafting your paper.

To make the body of an analytical essay, keep the following in mind:

• Discuss one argument per paragraph, although each argument can relate to multiple issues
• Strike a balance between writing in an unbiased tone, while expressing your personal opinion
• Be reasonable when making judgments regarding any of the issues you discuss
• Remember to include the opposing point of view to create a balanced perspective

The bottom line is:

You want to offer opposing views, but you must pose your arguments so they will counter those opposing views and prove your own point of view.  Follow these steps when constructing each body paragraph:

1. Choose the main sentence. The main or topic sentence will be the first line in your essay. The topic sentence is responsible for presenting the argument you will discuss in the paragraph and demonstrate how this argument relates to the thesis statement.
2. Provide the context for the topic sentence, whether it relates to a quote, a specific incident in society, or something else. Offer evidence on who, what, where, when, why, and how.
3. Give your analysis of the argument and how it adequately proves your thesis.
4. Write a closing sentence that sums up the paragraph and provides a transition to the following paragraph.

Now that you have an expertly written body for your analytical paper, it is time to finish your essay with…

7. Writing the conclusion

The conclusion is short and sweet.  It summarizes everything you just wrote in the essay and wraps it up with a nice shiny bow.  Follow these steps to write an effective conclusion:

1. Repeat the thesis statement and summarize your argument.
2. Take your argument beyond what is simply stated in your paper. You want to show how your argument is important in terms of the bigger picture.  For instance, how does proving your Captain America thesis statement—Captain  America: Civil War adequately captures the issue of giving up personal freedom for the sake of national security, a situation that mirrors actions taken by the government in recent years. Also, you may dwell on influence on citizens of the country.

Now you are ready to write an analysis essay!  See, it’s easier than you thought.

Of course, it’s always helpful to see an analysis essay example.  University of Minnesota and the University of Arkansas at Little Rock provide some great examples of an analytical paper.

But if you still don’t feel you understand how to write an analysis paper:

Help is here! Custom writing services can provide you with research and writing services that will ensure you have a great essay.

You can also learn some other great tips for writing fabulous essays from these informative articles—Define Critique, Learn the Basics, Create Unbelievable Essays! and Examples of Argumentative Essays: Source of Knowledge and Ideas.

Good luck and happy writing!

And the three stages are…(wait for it, wait for it…)

1. Think
2. Outline
3. Write!

You had to read Moby Dick in high school. Could have been worse; could have been better, too; there were a number of books you’d rather have been reading. And it got worse because after you’d read the book you had to turn in an essay about how Melville got his effects. Torture!

But now you’re expected to write essays every week. And it gets worse: for one of your modules, the essays have to be descriptive essays. (You might be wondering: What’s a descriptive essay? Well, obviously, it’s an essay that gives the description of something. Duh!) You have to take a subject – shopping malls, for example – and “capture its essence” in words.

So: how to write a descriptive essay. We’re going to talk you through the process. Before we do that, let’s listen to Virginia Woolf, who said that an essay should draw a curtain around the reader and that the curtain must be one that shuts the reader in and not out.

Now, a lot of people might say Virginia Woolf wasn’t the sanest person on the planet, and we might be among them, but sometimes a little craziness sees things clearly and what she’s saying here is:

Rule #1: If you do your job well, your essay will make the reader feel at home. Comfortable. At ease. How do you do that?

You don’t need to be a style ninja to score top marks

Good news: It’s not about style: you can write in any way that suits you and keeps to the right descriptive structure. Where does that descriptive structure come from?

1. Understand what it is you’re trying to do, which is to write an essay describing the subject of the essay, whatever that happens to be.
2. Jot down some notes on what you think about the subject.
3. Do some research on what other people think about the subject, and make notes about that, too.
4. Now summarize all the notes you’ve made. In some cases, what you think will be the same as what other people think and in some cases it will be different. When it’s different, decide:
   • Are you going to go with your opinion?
   • Are you going to go with other people’s opinion?
   • Would the best result for this particular essay come from weighing the options? (So, you’d write, “Some people think this and some people think that).

Good outlines make for A+ essays

5. Prepare an outline setting down:
   • What points will be included in the essay; and
   • What sections the essay will need to have to get those points in.

 Writing a winning outline

Step back here. We’re trying to create an outline that will help us write a descriptive essay that meets Rule #1 above. How?

More good news! Essays follow a set of rules, and that makes defining the outline easy.

If you were standing up in front of a bunch of people making a presentation, the standard advice would be:

1. Tell them what you’re going to tell them
2. Tell them
3. Tell them what you’ve told them

What does this mean for you?

Essays follow the same pattern: the intro, in which you say what the essay is going to be about and what its conclusion will be; the body, or “meat” of the essay (the “argument,” if you like); and the conclusion.

So that’s how your outline looks:

6. Introduction. You could also call this the Summary. Say what the essay is going to be about and what it will contain.
7. Argument. Set out the facts as your research says they are, highlighting those that support the conclusion you’re going to reach and saying what other ideas there are and why you don’t agree with them. (This part of the outline will be broken down into sections dealing with different aspects of the subject, just as the essay itself will be).
8. Conclusion.

 Making a descriptive essay descriptive

It’s time to make clear what we mean by “descriptive essay”. Let’s suppose we were asked to write about a sports stadium. Here are two examples of introductions we might come up with:

• A stadium is a place where sports, concerts, or other events take place. Usually there will be a field or a stage which most often will be surrounded completely or partially by a structure where spectators can sit or stand to watch.
• American sports nuts got what was probably their first sight of Twickenham rugby stadium when the Rugby World Cup Final was played there in 2015. Rugby has been played at Whitton Road in Twickenham since 1907 and the first international match took place three years later in 1910; when no game was scheduled, horses grazed the pitch. What is now the shining steel and glass double-decker West Stand was still, in the 1960s, a car park. Now one of the world’s most state-of-the-art grounds, Twickenham holds 82,000 people and it’s no longer horses when rugby is not being played but world-famous bands like U2, The Rolling Stones, and Bon Jovi who fill the place.

The first of those is analytical and is a definition of what a sports stadium is. (We talk about writing analytical essays here). The second describes a specific stadium and that – that act of describing – is what makes it descriptive. Simply stated, when you’re writing a descriptive essay, it’s the style of the second quote and not the first that you should be striving for. Try to use living, vivid language to draw a picture in words of whatever it is you’re writing about.

Simply stated, if you want to produce a good descriptive essay, you need to think about how somewhere looks, what happens there and, if at all possible, add a dash of the historical record.

Start like a winner and you’ll finish like one, too

The most valuable advice we can offer when you start the process is: don’t let it intimidate you. American novelist Cynthia Ozick said that an essay comes from the imagination; that actual information was only there as a by-product and that an essay was the product of a free mind at play – it had no sociopolitical, polemical or educational use.

“A free mind at play.” That’s you! You’re not on tramlines; there isn’t a set destination you have to reach. Research the subject, study the subject, but let your imagination run free. Unless you are writing for someone who you know will mark you down unless you agree with his or her opinions, say what you really think.

So what to do?

9. Don’t write. Talk.

When we mentioned shopping malls, we said you could probably talk endlessly about them but might find writing on the subject a little more difficult. So take the easy bit first, and start by talking. Think of someone you know well and imagine that you are talking to them, telling them about the subject of your essay. Describing to them the subject of your essay.

10. Imagine what you say. Imagine what they reply.
11. Does what they say modify what you think? Do they come up with ideas that hadn’t occurred to you? Make a note of those ideas and those changes in your outline.

Finally. Whatever you think about Paris Hilton, she got it right when she said the only rule was not to be boring. Life, she said, was short and there wasn’t time to blend in.

A good descriptive essay does not bore. Never forget that your essay needs to interest people if it’s to get the highest possible mark. What came out in your conversation that you or the person you were having it with found most interesting about the subject? Did you highlight that in the outline? Did you make it a hook on which you could hang more ideas and with which you can attract the reader’s attention?

Now:

12. Don’t forget – strong, vivid language.

13. Start writing, keeping two things in mind:
    • The outline you created; and
    • The imaginary conversation you just had.

And next:

14. Revise! When you reach the end, you haven’t finished. What you’ve done is to create the first draft. Professional writers know how important the first draft is, because it isn’t possible to edit a blank page. That’s been said by many writers and the number is large because it is so utterly, vitally true. The point of writing the first draft is so that you can have something to edit and the point of editing is to end up with a finished essay that is what you wanted to write and that will get the best mark you are capable of achieving. That’s what this whole process is about.
15. Then check the grammar and the punctuation. And the spelling. If there are errors, remove them.

You may go through this revision and rewriting process several times, or you may become so good at writing descriptive essays that you’re good to go after the first revision.

Good luck and good writing! But one last thing: If you’re really stuck, you need an A+ paper and you just can’t find your way through to completion, all is not lost. We’re here! Get online, find the subject you want, order your essay, pay for it and we’ll do the rest. One of our custom academic papers will make sure you score resounding success. It’s your future. Can you settle for less?

Plus, whether you are learning the scientific research paper format or another type of research paper format, they are all pretty much the same. This makes it easy to learn the correct format for research paper, no matter what you are writing.

But here’s the kicker:

You need to be organized and on top of things. You have to get the research done promptly, so you have time to write the best paper possible. Not only that, but you  need to understand how to write an outline for research paper, how to start a research paper, how to write a methodology, and how to write a conclusion for a research paper.

Don’t worry, though. We will go through every aspect of the research paper format, and by the end of this article, you will be able to master writing the best paper imaginable.

What is a research paper?

Before you can write a great research paper, you need to know what a research paper is. Suny Empire State College refers to a research paper as an “expanded essay.” Essentially, you are to present your interpretation of, evaluation of, or argument regarding a specific aspect of your topic of study.

What does this mean for you?

You will conduct research that will reveal the best information in your field of choice. This will require you to conduct a thorough literature review and it might require you to conduct your own study. The purpose of your paper will be to provide one of the following:

• An argument for a certain point
• An analysis from a certain perspective

Ultimately, the purpose of your research paper will depend on the type of research paper you are required to write. With this in mind, let’s take a look at the different types of papers—there are only two!

Types of research papers

When it comes to writing a research paper, you have two approaches. Your paper will either be analytical or argumentative. When it comes to an analytical paper, you will pull together all the pertinent information, study it closely, come to your conclusions regarding the information, and present the information and conclusions in a logical manner.

In contrast, when writing an argumentative paper, your goal is one of persuasion. You will present pertinent arguments on a specific topic and prove your arguments or point of view.

When presented like this, writing a research paper seems pretty simple and straightforward. Now let’s take a look at choosing a topic for your paper.

Selecting a research topic

Sometimes, you will be assigned a certain topic for your paper. In this case, your goal is already set and you can get to work researching that topic. However, there are times when you can choose your topic from a list of good research topics or you are required to narrow down a broader topic to something that is more manageable. These are the best research paper topics.

Essentially, when choosing from the various research paper topics, you don’t want your topic to be too broad or too narrow. If it is too broad, you will have a hard time sifting through all the information about the topic; if it is too narrow, you will have a hard time finding enough information.

The best thing to do is come up with a specific research question that will help you focus on your topic. Finding the answer to the question is your goal and coming up with that answer will require close investigation and study. To do this, you need to:

• Be familiar with the topic
• Understand the challenges or problems faced within the topic
• Be able to comb through the literature if you are having trouble finding a solid research question

Duke University and Indiana University Bloomington provide fabulous descriptions of how to determine your research question. But once you have that inhand, you will need to come up with your title.

Choosing a title

It is all too common for students to choose a title for their paper after they have finished writing it, but this is not the best way to do it. The title of your paper will be based on the type of paper you write and the research question you have chosen and it is wise to come up with the title before you dive into the work.

Your paper can have a working title, one that:

• Is not carved in stone and can be changed as your research progresses
• Can provide you with a general idea of what to research

When it comes to finalizing the title of your paper, you will want it to be unique so that it will stand out and be noticed. The title should:

• Make a positive impression
• Inspire the interest and curiosity of your readers
• Includethe primary keywords of your research
• Be a maximum of 20 words
• Include the subject of your research

For more information on choosing a title for your paper, the University of Minnesota offers some great pointers.

And now:

With the above in mind, let’s take a look at how to write your paper.

How to Start a Research Paper

When it comes to how to begin a research paper, you need to be organized. Start early and make sure you give yourself enough time to get it done. Plan your work time, get rid of distractions, and take breaks as needed when working. Remember, this is a long project and breaking it up into manageable chunks of time is best when writing a research paper step by step.

Aside from getting organized, you will need to have a solid understanding of the process of writing a paper. We already discussed the first step above, which was choosing your topic. Once you have that done, you will need to do the following:

1. Search for sources relevant to your topic. Check your library catalog, bibliographies, periodical indices, and your professor’s recommendations to get started. You will want to use primary sources (not secondary sources, in which they reference the original information). You can find them in professional journals, professional online sources, books, and government documents.
2. Document all information and be sure to group it or sequence it in a logical manner. Take notes as you read, organize all material in order of most to least relevant, and make use of bibliography cards to keep track of your sources.
3. Create an outline.
4. Write the paper.
5. Revise as needed. This requires giving your paper a thorough proofread to ensure it is well-organized; the information is laid out in a logical manner; and that spelling, grammar, and syntax are all good.

The University of Wisconsin provides a great look at the process of writing a research paper. Now, it’s time to discuss the actual writing, which will expand on step 4 from above.

The research paper format

The outline for a research paper is fairly straightforward. You will want the layout of a research paper such that the parts of it follow this structure:

• Title page
• Abstract
• Introduction
• Materials and methodology
• Results
• Discussion
• Conclusion
• References
• Appendices (if required)
• Acknowledgements

When creating your outline, start with each of the above sections and write in point-form the major points you will be covering in each of them. Walden University provides an excellent description of how to outline a paper. Now, let’s talk about each of these sections in detail.

Title page

We have already talked about coming up with a great title. This is where you include that unique and informative title, as well as a subtitle (if using one), the author’s full name, submission statement, and the date.

Abstract

An abstract is more than a simple summary of a paper. It should present the most important data and findings, providing the reader with a solid understanding of the information presented in the paper.Even though this is where the abstract is placed in terms of the order of the paper, it is usually written after the paper is finished. When writing an abstract, keep the following in mind:

• It should be a concise paragraph of no more than 250 words.
• It should be able to stand alone and provide information about the paper without the reader having to refer to the paper (abstracts are usually read independently of the paper), including the methods, primary results, and conclusion.
• It should correctly reflect all information reported in the paper.
• It is to be written in past-tense.
• Do not use acronyms, trade names, symbols, or abbreviations that require explanation, as there is insufficient room.

The University of Toronto provides a great explanation of what an abstract is and how to write one.

Introduction

This is where you introduce the reader to your paper. It should be a maximum of two pages in length and you should present your research question and briefly tell the reader what to expect. In the introduction, you should provide:

• The topic of the paper and your purpose for conducting the research
• Background information and contextual material for the reader
• A definition of terms and concepts if applicable
• Your research plan

Materials and methodology

Here you will provide readers with adequate information,so they understand the topic and primaryresearch objectives. Specifically, you will presentthe type of research design, research methods you have used (quantitative, qualitative, or mixed), sampling, and participants.

When it comes to materials used, you will describe in detail all supplies and special equipment you used during your research. However, it is the methodology that will require your undivided attention. When learning how to write a methodology, you need to keep in mind that this is a critical part of your paper.

When considering your methodology, you need to determine whether you will:

• Use primary research or secondary research
• Conduct qualitative or quantitative research
• Use representative or convenience sampling

When presenting your methodology, you will:

• Present methods chronologically
• Provide detailed descriptions of each method used
• Describe all procedures you used in enough detail that the reader could reproduce your work

Your methodology section should tell the reader the following:

• How you collected the information
• How you analyzed the information
• Why you chose the methods you used

When it comes to the “why” you need to go into detail to justify the methods. Here are examples of how to present these explanations:

• A qualitative research method was used to determine the relationship between…
• Statistical analysis was employed to identify a statistically significant relation between…
• Convenience sampling was utilized to gather the required data and save time…

You should also discuss any limitations you might have dealt with in terms of your study design.

Results

This is where you present all of the data you gathered, including all analyses, statistics, graphs, tables, and figures. Everything should be presented in an objective manner and will be referred to in the discussion when you present the interpretation of the data. Refer to the following when you present your results:

• Present them in a logical order
• Label figures as “Figure 1,” “Figure 2,” etc.
• Number all tables
• Present all information once
• Do not present raw data or intermediate calculations in your paper (this can be included in the appendices)
• Describe each result independently and present the most significant aspects of them, but do not offer explanations in this section
• Keep it short and sweet

Discussion

This is where you discuss the results you presented in the previous section. You will want to support your results and discuss your findings. When writing your discussion, remember the following:

• Present a summary of the work that has been done
• Use present tense when referring to facts and principles that are commonly accepted and past tense when referring to work conducted by other researchers
• Be sure to provide sufficient detail when presenting data
• Discuss whether or not each hypothesis is supported, rejected, or if you are uncertain
• Put your focus on the mechanism in order to explain your observations
• Present alternative explanations if there are any
• Discuss any potential error in your work and describe any mistakes you made and how you could have avoided them or corrected for them

Dartmouth College provides an excellent resource on how to write a discussion.

Conclusion

This is the paragraph with which you wrap things up. Here, you present a summary of what you presented throughout the paper. No new information should be included in the conclusion. In your conclusion, do the following:

• Repeat your topic/research question
• Restate the reason your research is important
• Restate your thesis statement/hypothesis
• Provide a brief summary of key findings
• Explain how your findings can be employed
• Present options for further research

When it comes to writing your conclusion, there are also some common errors you should be aware of and from which you should stay away. These include:

• This is not the time to throw in a twist. You want your conclusion to be logical and predictable. It should reiterate what you have already presented and you should avoid including new information or changing your argument with regards to your research question.
• Don’t use cliché phrases, such as ‘In conclusion’, ‘To sum it up’ or ‘In summary.’
• You aren’t merely providing a summary. You want to put some emphasis on your primary findings and how these can be used in your field of study.
• There is no need to sound apologetic. Act like the expert you are and present your conclusion with the air of a professional, someone who has done the research and has come to appropriate conclusions.

Bibliography/references

This where you present a list of sources you used for your paper. When providing your references, do the following:

• Document all sources properly.
• Use the required/requested citation style (such as APA, MLA, and Chicago).
• Ensure all sources are listed in alphabetical order.
• If you did not need to consult other works when writing your paper, then state “No references were consulted.”

Appendix

The inclusion of an appendix is optional, but it can serve as a valuable addition to a research paper. Essentially, the appendices are where you can include material that will help the reader visualize your findings and increase their knowledge of the topic. This is particularly the case when it comes to people working specifically in your field.

Appendices include:

• List of tables
• List of figures
• Raw data, such as surveys, transcripts, and interviews

You can refer to the appendices in the discussion.

Acknowledgements

There are always people who help you write your research paper. You might have a professor, tutor, librarian, grad student, or someone else who was instrumental in helping you complete your research and write your paper. Be sure to thank each person individually.

The National Institutes of Health and the University of Washington offer great information on how to write a paper.

Example of a research paper

With all of the information presented above, you might be feeling at somewhat of a loss at how to write a college research paper. That’s where a good old college research essay sample comes into the picture.

And here’s the best part!

What follows is a series of examples of different parts of the research paper so you can see exactly how to write the various sections.

But first:

Do you want to know the first secret of writing a research paper? No matter whether you need to see anAPA style research paper sample or an MLA research paper sample, the guidelines are very similar. Here, you’ll find both general tips and specific guidelines for each style! Are you ready to start out on this journey?

Abstracts

First in the line of research paper examples is the abstract!

Writing a good abstract is very similar to writing an essay—on your research. Here is a good research paper example of an abstract for linguistics.

Multilingualism is one of the most mysterious abilities of a human being. The ability of a single person to speak two or more languages with equal and excellent skill is quite baffling. During the last decade, there have been more and more cases of multilingualism, which is why this phenomenon deserves attention.

It is suggested that there is no direct limit on how many languages a person can speak with exceptional skill. This is attributed to the process of learning a language, which is a continuous and lifelong process. The results of this research suggest that the number of languages a person can master depends only on the person’s lifespan.

Format

When writing your research paper, remember there is a slight difference between MLA and APA formats—so make sure you follow the correct research paper outline format!

Introduction

Here is an example of a research paper introduction for a paper on football.

Issue:

Football has gained a great reputation around the world over the past few years.

Thesis statement:

In spite of the seeming superiority of football, there is much controversy about the game.

Goal:

Shattering the myth of a “noble” sport, it can be proven that football, with all its competitiveness, is nothing more than a mere form of entertainment.

Methods:

Both qualitative and quantitative analysis will be used in this research paper.

Hypothesis:

It is proposed that the status of football is being enhanced so that youth are encouraged to live a healthy lifestyle.

Conclusion

Here is a fabulous example of a conclusion for a research paper in agriculture:

Repeat the results of the research:

Based on the results above, it is exceptionally profitable to use corn to synthesize ethanol, which would solve the fuel problem.

Restate the thesis statement:

With the aid of corn ethanol, more fuel will be readily available, reducing the price of petrol.

Commenton the prospects for additional research:

Improving the production of corn ethanol makes it possible to solve the greatest problem of the century. However, it is questionable whether corn crop production can be increased to the amount required, indicating that future research should focus on this issue.

The examples above are examples of various aspects of a research paper. For full examples, you can check out Purdue Owl, Gallaudet University, and Kaplan University. You can also watch the following videos for more information on how to create your research paper format in APA, MLA, and Chicago style.

Ultimately, getting the research paper format down and writing your paper is not as daunting as it might appear, but if you are still having trouble and are sitting there saying “I need someone to write my research paper,” don’t go looking for free research papers or a free research paper generator. You don’t know what you will end up with.

The best plan is to get the help of a custom writing company. The best research paper writing service is one that guarantees original work. That way, you will be able to turn in the best research paper, one that is guaranteed to make a good grade.

Writing a social studies essay is one of many types of writing assignments. It might seem like a daunting task, but perhaps the most difficult part of the job is choosing from the many social studies topics out there.Sure, you might have a specific topic assigned to you.

But if you’re lucky:

You will be able to pick the topic of your choice from the many great social studies project ideas. It might be a tough decision, but you will be able to write about something in which you are interested. However, But before we get into the many social studies essay topics available, you should know some of the specifics about writing an essay in social studies.

Essay peculiarities                        

When writing a social studies essay, there are numerous writing strategies for social studies that are crucial. These include the following:

1. There are three primary stages to writing an essay in social studies. These include:
   • Select from the many social studies essay questions
   • Planning and executing an experiment that will help you investigate the question you have chosen
   • Reporting on the results of this investigation
2. You need to collect evidence in the appropriate manner, including:
   • Questionnaires and surveys
   • Observations
   • Experiments
   • Interviews
3. Keep to a clear, concise, logical writing format, ensuring you include sections that discuss your methods and results.

For more information on how to write a social studies essay, refer to the University of Southern California, Brock University, and Rockridge School. The focus here is the myriad social studies topics from which you can choose, so let’s take a look at these.

Social studies topics

There is no doubt that there is a seemingly endless selection of social studies topics from which to choose when assigned a social studies writing project. Here you will be given a plethora of topic ideas that you can use on their own merit or that will lead you to other avenues of research that you can use as a topic. They include good social issues topics, law essay topic ideas, history writing prompts, gender essay topics, and more.

So, without further ado:

Let’s take a look at the many topics we have in store for you!

Conflict studies

Iraq

Yes, there has been plenty of conflict in Iraq that would make for a great essay, but there are so many more options available, including:

1. What makes Iraq the “Cradle of Civilization”?
2. The Sumerian civilization — the earliest known civilization on the Earth
3. Architectural masterpieces, such as Minaret at the Great Mosque of Samarra or to the Great Ziggurat of Ur
4. Iraq’s culture of violence

Darfur

Darfur is a region that has been involved in conflict since 2003 and it has a rich selection of essay topics available. Choices include:

5. Causes of the war
6. International response
7. Long-term effects of the conflict

Conflict

War is just one type of conflict, and since there are so many options, there are plenty of social studies topics from which to choose when writing an essay on conflict. Some of these include:

8. Conflicts in the workplace
9. How conflict harms both the powerful and the powerless
10. How humans grow during the course of conflict

Politics and culture

Politics

Writing a political essay is challenging, but again, there are plenty of topics from which to choose. Just watching the news might give you some great ideas, but some topics include:

11. A discussion of judicial independence
12. Political culture in the U.S.
13. A comparison of the models of democracy
14. A comparison of electoral systems
15. Authoritarianism vs. totalitarianism

Terrorism

The world today seems to be a playground for terrorists. Since terrorism is a very real threat, especially since 9/11, an essay on terrorism is fitting. Examples of topics include:

16. Civil disorders
17. Political terrorism
18. Non-political terrorism
19. Limited political terrorism
20. Expand on the problem of democracy and domestic terrorism
21. A study of terrorist groups
22. State-sponsored terrorism
23. The tactics of terrorism
24. The history of terrorism
25. The causes of terrorism
26. Responses to terrorism and counter-terrorism global policy

For more topics ideas, check out Huntingdon College.

U.S. Army

There are many aspects of the U.S. Army about which you can write. This might be a particularly good subject area if you have ever considered joining the army or at least wondered what it would be like.

27. How enlistment in the U.S. Army works
28. The top five army bases
29. Customs and courtesies in the military
30. The history of Memorial Day
31. The threat of homelessness for veterans

For more topic ideas, check out Educate Interactive.

Migration

The migration of people is a broad topic, one that can be viewed from two primary perspectives: historical and modern. Potential historical essay topics include:

32. Turkic migration
33. Mongol invasions
34. Great migration of the 1630s
35. Great migration of African Americans

Cultural diversity

There are many aspects of cultural diversity about which to write and you can get ideas from watching the History Channel or the Travel Network or reading through magazines, such as National Geographic, or other publications. Here are some ideas for topics in cultural diversity:

36. The difference between European and Western customs and traditions
37. The traditions of African tribes
38. Brazilian carnivals
39. The unity of world cultures

Law and justice

Law

Writing a law essay requires you to be able to demonstrate the legal knowledge you have obtained. Again, law is a broad subject, so here are a few potential essay topics from which to choose:

40. Government regulations
41. Socially irresponsible corporations
42. Anti-trust provision
43. International business law and legal regulations for international corporations and companies
44. Business law in the Islamic world and how it differs from that of other countries

Criminology

Criminology is a common subject area in law and there are many potential topics that can be covered, such as:

45. Crime prevention
46. Juvenile delinquency
47. Penology
48. Victimology
49. Deviant behavior

Justice

When you write an essay on justice, you have a great opportunity to present your opinion on the subject. Here are some potential topics:

50. Justice: A Myth or Reality?
51. Tell about today’s idea of justice. What do people do to establish justice in the world?
52. Give your reasons why absolute justice is impossible.
53. How justice is portrayed in “Crime and Punishment” by Dostoyevsky
54. Discuss the Heaven Justice

Business and management

Management

When writing a management essay, you need to decide on a specific branch of management on which to focus. Your choices are risk management, human resource management, or project management. Some topics in these categories include:

55. Provide real-life examples of how you or someone else plans their studies, controls pocket money, or organizes their working day.
56. How organizations foster social and civic responsibility
57. Crisis management post-9/11
58. The growth of management in developing countries
59. Conflict management in virtual and global teams

Economics

When picking up a topic for an economics essay, concrete problems should be the focus. Examples include:

60. An analysis of the benefits vs. cost of attaining a post-secondary education
61. Wealth distribution and the availability of resources
62. An examination of the trickle-down effect in today’s society
63. Is the economic crisis of 2008 really over?

For more inspiration, check out this list of thesis topics from Berkeley.

Strategy

There are plenty of different strategies that you may disclose in your work. You may discuss the possible types of strategy in papers on strategy:

64. An examination of the existing programs of various politicians
65. An examination of techniques and military actions that are used in war
66. Interesting frameworks for the development of a business organization

You can even write about more common strategy problems people face in daily life, such as:

67. The best and fastest way of finding a friend
68. How to organize a birthday spending less money

Advertising

Writing an advertising essay is an exciting adventure. There are many topics from which to choose, such as:

69. How advertisements can create a sense of separation and association with the feminine identity
70. The role of censorship in advertising
71. The image of perfection in advertising
72. Gender in advertising

Gender studies

Gender

Writing an essay on gender will provide you with a lot of potential topics from which to choose, such as:

73. Women and the Taliban
74. Chinese women as seen through the Chinese culture
75. Women and Confucian cultures in Korea
76. Witch hunts in the Western world
77. The influence of feminism on men
78. The challenge of feminist biblical interpretation
79. Gender identity and the particulars of word-of-mouth communication
80. How leadership styles differ based on gender

There are a lot of social studies topics out there. There is also a lot of information on how to write an essay and how to avoid the most common mistakes, but if you need help, you can refer to this video.

You can also hire a custom writing service to ensure you have a guaranteed winner to hand in to your professor.