Writing, Research, and Editing Since 2008
You may have seen on my website that I provide academic coaching. Academic coaching is more than tutoring. It is a service I provide to help individuals succeed in academics. What Academic Coaching Isn’t An academic coach will not write your paper. I will not write your essay. I won’t do your work for you. …
Setting goals and seeing them come to fruition can be difficult. A way to make sure goals are achieved is to set goals that are measurable, meaningful, realistic, and that have a timetable. Below you will find tips on how to set effective goals. How to Set Effective Goals By taking the time to look …
You can automate any task you need to do regularly by creating a checklist for it. Creating a checklist helps to ensure that you don’t miss a step, and it also helps you to be consistent. Everybody makes mistakes. That is why it is crucial to proofread your work before you turn in a final …
Short Assignments, False Starts, Shitty First Drafts, and Index Cards – what do these three things have in common? They are all chapters in Anne Lamott’s Bird By Bird (affiliate link, if you purchase the book, I will receive a small payment). This book is a great reference whether you’re writing a report on birds (Lamott’s younger …
So, you have a project that has been assigned and you don’t know where to start. The first thing you must do to produce good research is come up with an idea, and develop a focus for that idea. Following these tips to brainstorm research ideas will ensure you’ll never have writer’s block again. You could make …
If you want to create a successful short story or a novel that has a great story, you’ll likely want to create a story arc. This is another way of saying “story structure,” but this term goes back to Aristotle’s conception of what makes an aesthetically pleasing story in Poetics. What Is a Story Arc? A …
The semester has come to an end, now what do you do with that research paper you received excellent feedback on? You may want to consider submitting it to one of many undergraduate journals for publication. If your paper is published, it will look great on graduate school applications and in personal statements. Several undergraduate …
I’m back at the computer after taking a break to spend time with a cute baby on my maternity leave. Freelancers have an interesting relationship with work and taking personal leave. Since we’re self-employed, we don’t really get paid time off. Thus, I’m back in the saddle again already and ready to make a portfolio …
It is vital, when writing, to document any material you used during the research phase. Developing a system for taking and making notes is key. Being able to report quotations and paraphrases accurately depends upon careful research note-taking methods. Here are classic paper-based note-taking methods that work well for any research project. Note: This post …
An annotated bibliography can be an enormously helpful tool when performing research for a major project. During the preliminary research phase, it can be helpful to create an annotated bibliography so you can see where you are going with your research and so others can follow as well. Endnote, Zotero, and other bibliography programs can …