Essays / Writing Pro-Con Essays about same sex marriages. [NEW]

What cons are there for same-sex marriages? What are the pros for approving same sex marriage? These are the types of issues that pro - con essays answer. Almost any issue about life has both pros and cons. These essays are actually persuasive essays giving both sides of an issue. Why would you support the presidential candidate of John Kerry? Why did President Bush start the Arabic War? Basically, the pro - con essays look at both sides of the issue but it takes one side over the other one.

Begin a pro - con essay with brainstorming all the ideas and facts you know about the issue? What do you think about the issue? What would you like to know about the issue? What is important? Why do you favor one side over the other? The next step is to research the pros and cons of the issue. Write down facts about the issue with citation of these facts. Take a sheet of paper and write down all the pros you found during the research. On the other side of the paper write down all the cons you found. Which side of the issue will you take when writing the essay?

Go over the research material again. Identify the main pros and cons of the issue. Use these to form a thesis statement. Divide these arguments into those that are for your issue and those that are not for your side of the issue. Make an outline using the main pros and cons of the issue.

Use an anecdote, statistic, fact, or quotation to grab your reader as you write the introduction of the topic. Create your thesis statement explaining why you are taking the side of the issue you are choosing. What is your thesis? What will be your supporting arguments? Have you decided which point of view to use? Do you have sources backing both pros and cons of the issue?

Write the main points of the argument in a rough draft of the body of the essay. Consider both the pros and the cons. Consider each of the body paragraphs and ask yourself if you have a main topic statement for each paragraph? Did you use transitions from one paragraph to another? Do your paragraphs presents arguments that oppose your side of the issue? Have you repudiated these? Do your paragraphs state why you have taken one side over the other? Have you used active verbs stating why you have chosen the side of the issue and why it is important to you? Rewrite the body of the essay to make any needed changes.

Now write the conclusion of the essay. Summarize the material giving a precise reason for taking the point of view you chose. Give a take away to the audience that will keep them thinking.

Put your essay away for at least 24 hours. Try not to even think about the essay. It is important to let the "writer" side of the essay go. Now let the "proofreader" look at the essay. Read the essay out loud.

Do your paragraphs present logical arguments that explain why you oppose the topic? Do your paragraphs explain why you are in favor of the topic? Have you clearly stated why you went from opposing or supporting the topic to a specific way of explaining your point of view? Have you provided strong support for your premise? Are your verbs active? Is every sentence a complete sentence or do you have fragments? Have you checked your spelling? Do you have any grammar mistakes? Reread the essay to check for further mistakes.

Ask a friend to read your essay. Have him/her check for any grammatical errors or spelling mistakes. Rewrite your essay. Read the essay out loud to check for any errors.

Have you cited every source used in the essay? Have you plagiarized? Check for proper citation of your sources. Reread the essay as you check for any more errors. Now you have a great persuasive or pros - cons essay.

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Essays / Essay about Journal Writing [NEW]

How to Write Journals?

Often the purpose of assigning journal writing is to see how the student feels about different topics and to get to know the student better. There are many different styles of journal writing that may be used in classes. Some teachers ask the student to write about any topic or to keep a detailed account of the student's life. Some teachers assign specific topics.

Journal writing allows the teacher to see how a student may feel about a topic or whether the student is paying attention in class. Some instructors assign journal writing and will read it every few weeks or some take up the journal at the end of the semester. The purpose of the journal writing is to let the student express his thoughts.

Journals are great ways to express your feelings. For instance, a psychology instructor may assign the class to write in their journals about different topics such as child abuse, domestic violence, or etc. Some instructors read these journals to see whether the student has expressed what he believes on the topic. It is important to express your feelings about a topic. Do not be afraid the instructor will laugh at what you write. Be honest about your feelings and thoughts.

Many instructors assign a specific topic for the students to write in their journals. The best way to begin a journal entry is to "jump in" and start writing. Let thoughts flow freely without thinking about grammar or spelling errors. Most instructors do not count grammar or spelling errors. They want to know what the student thinks about a topic. Simply start writing and let your thoughts flow.

Some instructors assign the students to write about what was discussed in class. This allows the instructor to see if the student was paying attention or not. While the student can write whatever he/she feels about what happened in class, the writing of the students will show whether the student was listening actively. The best way to write for this instructor is to express your feelings about what happened in class. Were you bored? Did you feel the instructor did not explain something? Did one or two students monopolize the class period?

The best way to write in the journal is to be free in expressing your thoughts. Do not let fear of what the instructor may think stop you from writing freely about different topics. The purpose of journaling is to be able to express what you think about a topic.

Journals allow instructors to see the growth of a student. Many students begin with only writing a line or two at the beginning of the semester, while students write several paragraphs, as the semester gets closer to the end. A lot depends on how often the instructor takes up the journals and whether the instructor is reading and giving feedback about the journal entries. If students do not believe instructors are reading the journals, they usually do not write very much. Surprise your instructor with several lines about the assignment. Let the instructor know that you are capable of expressing your opinions.

While journaling may sound like a waste of time, it is actually a great way to learn. They often reinforce learning about different topics. The main point of journaling is expressing your opinions about something. The instructor wants to see if you feel freedom to express what you are learning in his/her class.

Have a little fun with journaling as you discuss different topics such as childcare. Do you think day cares are safe? What do you think a child should learn in daycare? Do you have a brother or sister in daycare? Think about your paragraphs. Do they make sense? Do you form logical, coherent sentences?

Do you feel journaling is a waste of time? Why? What would you not express your feelings about? Do you think journaling helps a student? Journaling should be fun as you express yourself.

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Essays / The Last Minute: How to Write Good Essays When Time is Short? [NEW]

Almost everyone who has attended high school or university has found themselves staring down a deadline that approached them far more quickly than they had expected. Sitting in front of a blank screen at 6pm the evening before the paper is due is one of the most stressful academic experiences a student can endure, and sometimes the pressure just gets to be too much. Why is it that some students can manage to create a good paper under these conditions, while others simply buckle under the strain? It's because they know some or most of the principles to efficient essay construction.

The first step is to enter the right mental space. At this point, the time for procrastination is over, and you have to resign yourself to spending as long as it takes in front of the computer screen. Lock your door, turn off your phone, log out of messenger, ignore your email, and tell your friends and roommates to leave, or take it upon yourself to find a place away from them. At this point, every moment counts, and distractions will sabotage the best efforts before they even begin.

Next, find the specific instructions of the professor, and look to see what the minimum requirements are: how long does it have to be? How many sources does it require? Can you base it on one book, or must it be two? It is also important to figure out the specific question that is being asked. Often, students will try to reveal all they know about a given topic in the term paper or essay, but this is not necessary: the more focused you make it on answering the specific question, the more efficient your writing will be. Getting this straight in your head before you begin is the first step toward effective prioritization. Ideally, you could merely begin writing, adding sources and details as you went, drafting and re-drafting the paper as you learned more. However, that is no longer possible so close to the deadline. You need to focus on what is necessary, not on what might be nice.

At this point, it is very useful to seek out electronic copies of the texts you want to use. The 20 minutes you spend looking for them will potentially save you hours in the process. Not only does an electronic copy allow you to cut and paste quotes rather than typing them out, but it also permits you to search huge texts for relevant information. Rather than reading an entire sourcebook you have never seen before, you can search for the relevant terms, and then just focus on those sections. Remember, if you cite a secondary source a single time, that counts toward your total number of required sources; at this point, looking for much more than this will be counterproductive.

Choose the sources and extract the relevant quotes before you begin writing the actual paper. Having a list of these quotes will help you order your essay, and makes it easier to think of what you will be writing next in your paper. It is far easier to create a good paragraph based on the explication of a quote than it is to make it up from scratch and then find a quote that fits it. Also, don't be afraid of long quotes; any quote over 40 words must be indented 8 spaces according to MLA formatting, meaning you fill more pages more quickly. Also, a long quote can require two or more paragraphs to explain thoroughly, and this will focus your writing, allowing you to spend more time going in a single direction than constantly shifting from one aspect of your topic to another. Once you have all of this done, the paper will move along far more quickly than you expect, meaning you can avoid that dreaded email, phone call, or meeting with your professor to explain why your paper was late.

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Speeches / Speaking in Front of the Class - Advice for Novice Students [NEW]

Someone told me once that more people are afraid of public speaking than are afraid of dying. Makes sense. I mean, if you die, you either go to Heaven, get reincarnated...whatever you believe happens. Doesn't sound so bad. But if someone asks you to speak in front of the class, well, potential arises for public humiliation, incoherent babbling, nausea and terror. Even hellfire and brimstone sound palatable by comparison.

But fear no more. (Well, you can still fear the brimstone, if you want. Who am I to judge?) Public speaking, on the other hand, is manageable. Even speaking in front of your classmates, whom you know and will continue to see for at least the rest of the semester, can be tamed. And I'm not going to tell you to imagine them in their underpants. I think you can get sued for that, anyway. No, there are many more techniques that will give the novice student the confidence to speak in front of the class. Techniques that actually work.

Let's start with the one thing you can do that reduces the scariness of most tasks in life: preparation. Fear of the unknown is one of that emotion's most powerful manifestations. Thankfully, in this situation, we can overcome that particular fear. Write down what you are going to say. Depending on the nature of the assignment, you will use either note cards or an actual paper script. If you are in a public-speaking class and are actually expected to give a speech, then you will most likely be writing this speech word-for-word. Don't be embarrassed. Even world leaders do it. If your speaking in front of the class takes the form of a report on the mating habits of indigenous jungle peoples, then you will most likely have note cards. This being the case, what you want to do is write on the cards the cues you think you will need.

Then - and whatever you do, do not forget this step - practice using them as you speak in front of a small group of friends, roommates or bewildered supermarket shoppers. Wherever your comfort zone is. The purpose of this step is to learn if you've written too much or too little. You have written too much if the audience primarily remembers the uneven part in your hair because you have been reading off your cards without looking at said audience. You have written too little if you are stammering through your speech, wondering if the cue words "time of year" means you are supposed to talk about mating season or the best month for a cannibal feast. Strike a balance between the two. If you know you need more on the cards, fine...but practice enough so that you are not constantly staring at them. Once you know you have all you need to get through the speech without confusion, then you know what will transpire when you are in the hot spot.

Now all you have to worry about is the response of your classmates. ("What do you mean, all I have to worry about?!?!?") No, really, it's not that bad. They want you to do well. And if they don't...well, don't you want to stick it to 'em and give the best speech in your school's history? The best way to manage this worry is to put yourself in their shoes. (Not literally. You can get sued for that, too.) But it's perfectly legal to ask yourself what you would be thinking if you were sitting in the class listening to a speech. Which you probably have been. What do you want from the speaker? To not be bored, first of all. So you want a speaker who is enthusiastic, animated and interested in her subject. Good. Practice that, too. And you want a speaker who looks confident. Watching someone shuffle and bite their nails makes us horribly embarrassed for them. We feel much more at ease when the speaker looks so as well. Excellent. Practice that.

Are we seeing a pattern here? Yes, not getting sued. AND, practice. Practice until you know your material, and until you know you can communicate it confidently and with interest. Your classmates will either be proud of you or green with envy. Win-win situation.

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Poetry / Academic Poetry Writing - everybody can write a poem. Or not? [NEW]

Poetry. It's not just for depressed Goth kids anymore.

Actually, it never was. All sorts of people write poetry; they just hide it well. That pinched-looking businesswoman on the subway? She's got a composition book at home just full of verse. Your roommate, the math major? Her collection of original works is under her mattress. Everyone has the potential to be a poet. The ones who actually do it are those who have learned the key rule about poetry: It's all about you.

Poetry suddenly sounding more appealing? Good. The biggest obstacle people have to writing their own poems is the misguided belief that it has to sound or look a certain way. These days most people know that poems don't have to rhyme. But only a few have yet figured out that poetry has to fit a certain set of rules. We have a tendency to read a few poems presented to us by well-meaning teachers, friends or relatives and think, I can't write anything that sounds like that. Well guess what? You don't need to. Poetry, from Shakespeare all the way to Langston Hughes, is about words and feelings. The poet's words. The poet's feelings. You have words and feelings, don't you?

Yes, you do. You have quite a few of them. The next step is getting them onto paper. If you are new to writing poems, then forget that you're trying to write one.

No, really. Forget about trying to make it look like what you think a poem looks like, and just write what you feel. And most importantly, forget about trying to write something "good." Trying to be "good" will ruin any art, written or spoken or sculpted in pudding. Just write. And once you've gotten something down there on the page, read it. You now have the ideas that will generate a poem. The poem's DNA makeup, if you will.

The next step is to get what's there on the page into poem form. If it already is, great. But if you're new to poetry, you probably wrote your thoughts down in prose. Prose is, by the way, anything that's not poetry. Which makes poetry - you guessed it - anything that's not prose.

End of lesson.

Just kidding. Actually, getting your poem into shape will take much longer even than we can discuss here. But the biggest step for most poem virgins will be to get your work looking like a poem. No need for iambic pentameter (you know, "Shall I compare thee to a summer's day?") but a poem is, by definition, in verse form. Lines instead of paragraphs. And how do you get your work looking like this, if you've never written in this way? Start by giving each idea, or each image, its own line. "I feel depressed when I have to go to school," for example, can be broken into three distinct emotions: being depressed, being obligated, and school. (If you don't think school is an emotion, it's obviously been too long since you had to go.) Translating from prose to poetry, we end up with something like: "Trudging slowly/ Into the school/ My heart is depressed." (Reminder: those slashes mean line breaks.) It's not Shakespeare, but it is poetry. And it has potential.

So, now you have a poem. Congratulations! You're a poet, and now you know it. (Sorry, I couldn't resist.) You will probably want to do some editing, because a written work rarely sounds the way you want it to sound on the first try. That, too, is important to remember. To improve your poem is to get it as close as possible to your idea, and to help it communicate that idea as well as possible. One way to get your poem into a shape that will satisfy you: replace some adjectives with some descriptive examples. "My heart is depressed" changes to "my heart sinks like a dog that can't swim." That, by the way, is a simile. You can find definitions and examples of similes, and many more poetic devices, on many helpful Internet sites. (The best are those posted by schools and colleges.)

So now you know you can write a poem. If you wish, you can learn some more techniques - such as use of simile - that will help your work to be more effective. But the most important task has been accomplished. You have put a poem on paper. Kudos!

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Essays / About Writing Creative Essays [NEW]

Creative Essays

"The girl slowly walked into the room where she saw her dream date. She smiled and the next moment they were kissing." Creative essays use the imagination to write about a topic. They can be fun as the writer thinks about various topics and uses the imagination. The best advice in writing creative essays is to let your mind do the writing. Think about a topic that would be fun to write and one that others would enjoy reading. What are your hobbies? What are your dreams? What is your favorite show on television? Do you have a dog or a cat? Use any of these or use whatever comes to your mind.

Begin with choosing the subject and brainstorm any ideas about it. Ask yourself questions about the topic. For instance, if you plan to write about a spider what is the spider doing? What does the spider look like? Is it a poisonous spider? Will the spider hurt someone? Why is the spider important? Will someone step on the spider?

Once you choose the subject the next step is writing the thesis statement discussing what the subject will do in the essay. A thesis statement is like a map showing why or what the subject will do. Most creative essays use the five-paragraph essay form. Beginning with a hook or attention grabber that gains the interest of the audience and keeps the audience interested as the thesis statement is made.

The next three paragraphs tell what the subject is doing and more about why the subject is important in the creative essay. For instance, the first paragraph may explain how the spider watched an individual with the desire to bite a person. This paragraphs tells about why the spider is thinking the way it is. The second paragraph goes into further detail about the plans of the spider to bite the person. The third paragraph bites the person and tells about how the spider feels. The conclusion paragraph is a summary of the previous essays and may leave the audience thinking about whom the spider will bite next.

The creative essay can take the audience to anywhere the writer imagines and it allows the person to put his wildest imagination in the essay. Creative essays are similar to the narrative essay in it usually tells a story. It is important to pick the subject and make some decisions about what you will do with the subject. Who will be in the essay? What is the story you want to tell? Will the essay be funny? Will it be serious? The writer decides what will happen in the creative essay.

It is important to connect paragraphs with the use of transitions. Leading the audience from one point to another. The creative essay should use action verbs showing the action in the essay. How can you describe the subject? Think about what the subject is going to do and how the subject is going to do it. The best way to keep thought clear is to use an outline with each paragraph having a main point. Concentrate on the things you are telling and try to show the audience what is happening by using descriptive nouns and active verbs.

Did you learn anything from writing the creative essay? What can the audience take away to think about later? The conclusion is one of the most important paragraphs in an essay. It must leave the audience thinking about what they have read.

Proofread the essay. Check for spelling or grammar mistakes. Have you used effective phrases that show the story? Have you used each paragraph to build up to the conclusion of the story? Are the ideas clear and logical? Will your essay impact the audience? Read the essay out loud listening to mistakes. Rewrite the essay. Ask a friend to read the essay. Encourage him/her to be honest and show you mistakes that need to be corrected. Have you enjoyed writing your creative essay?

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Essays / How to Write a Case Study? [NEW]

Case studies can be used in any academic discipline. The purpose of a case study is to provide a more thorough analysis of a situation or "case" which might reveal interesting information about that classification of things. For the business student, a case study could be done on a particular company; for the political science student a case study might concern a particular country or government/administration. Case studies could be written about individuals, such as how kids learn to read, for example, about organizations and their management practices, or the results of applying a computer science program or process to a problem. You might be trying to figure out how to solve the problem of illiteracy or environmental degradation. The sky is the limit. The key is to take your large problem and bring it down to the level of the individual or single unit.

A case study is an analytical piece. It involves heavy research and application of theories, concepts, and knowledge commonly discussed in the field of study. It highlights common problems in the field and will illuminate those problems through the in-depth study of its application to one individual, one company, one government, or one of whatever you are studying. Most case studies are an attempt to solve one of these problems that are known in the field.

Steps to Writing the Case Study

1) Determine what your case study will be about. Think about the problems you have discussed in class or you have come across in your reading in this field. Begin by researching at the library and on the internet in order to hone in on a specific problem. Once you have identified a problem, read as much as you can about it in books, journals, magazines, newspapers, etc. Take notes and remember to keep track of your sources for later citations in your case study.

2) Choose a case site. Think of a location, an organization, company, or individuals who are dealing with that problem. Plan and set up interviews with these people. Your interviewees should all be involved at the same company or organization (your case "site"). They can be workers, volunteers, customers, or other stakeholders with an interest in solving the problem you have identified.

3) Begin your interviewing process. Talk to individuals at your case site about the issue. Ask what they have tried to do to solve the problem, their feelings about the situation, and what they might do differently. Ask open-ended questions that will provide you with information about what is working, how the situation developed, which parties are involved, and what a typical day is like. Stay away from yes or no questions, or you may not get the information you are seeking.

4) Analyze your information. You will need to take the information you gathered in your library and internet research along with your "case" information from the interview and determine which items pertain most to the problem. Organize all of your information in the same place.

(5) Write the case study. The case study should have the following sections:

- Introduction to the problem: This is from your library and internet research and describes the problem in a greater sense.

- Background on the case: Information about your case study site, where or who it is, what makes it a good sample of the larger group, what makes it special?

- The next several sections should be about the problem as it pertains to the case. Describe for the reader what you learned in your interviews about the problem at this site, how it developed, what solutions have already been proposed and/or tried, and feelings and thoughts of those working or visiting there.

- The concluding paragraph should wrap it up with possible solutions, without solving the case per se. It might make some final references to the interviewees and their thoughts about possible solutions, while leaving it open to the reader to come up with a different answer.

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Dissertations / Technical Requirements for MBA Assignments [NEW]

STANDARD TECHNICAL REQUIREMENTS FOR MBA ASSIGNMENTS

All MBA assignments should meet the following technical requirements:

- Spacing: Double (typed)

- Single sided, A-4 paper

- Font: Times New Roman, or Arial

- Font size: 12 points

- Margins of at least 2,5 on both sides (for tutor comments)

- Table of Contents with page references

- The Executive Summary:

- Must be included in every assignment
- Length: Minimum - 1 page, maximum, 1˝ pages
- Give a brief summary of the industry
- Then, give a brief summary of the company/brand/specific context
- Mention findings and recommendations that pertain directly to the questions posed.

- Begin every answer with a heading, which is based on the question posed. (Avoid merely repeating the question).

- The text must be written in an essay format with full sentences and paragraphs. (Bullets and telegram-style ideas must be reserved for appendices).

- Make use of headings and subheadings that demonstrate the various aspects of the syllabus under discussion.

- Bibliography:

- Use the Harvard referencing system
- Use at least five textbook references
- Include current information (Internet sources or academic journals)

- Do not exceed the prescribed word limit. (This applies to the main body of the text).

- Appendices must not be longer than 50% of the body of the text.

In addition to these basic requirements, individual tutors may give specific technical requirements that are relevant to a given MBA assignment.

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Research Papers / Example Structure of a Business Assignment [NEW]

Structure of a Business Assignment

- Cover Page

- Table of Contents

- Executive Summary

- Answering of Questions

- Bibliography

- Appendices

Cover Page

On the cover page, the following information needs to appear:

- Subject

- Name and surname

- Cohort (month and year of enrolment)

- Work telephone number

- Cell phone number

- E-mail address

- Postal address

- Word count

(see example below)

EXAMPLE OF COVER PAGE

--- UIC MASTER OF BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION ---

SUBJECT
INFORMATION AND MARKETING

NAME OF STUDENT
JOHN SMITH

COHORT
JUNE 2005

POSTAL ADDRESS
PO BOX 8758
NEW YORK CITY 2017

TELEPHONE NUMBER
+089 44 878 5651

E-MAIL ADDRESS
student@schoolname.edu

WORD COUNT
15,000

DATE DELIVERED
23 NOVEMBER 2006

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Research Papers / How to Write an Excellent Career Research Paper? [NEW]

Fortunately for the student who is required or requested to write a career research paper, one cardinal rule can guide a writer toward and excellent paper. This rule involves taking the perspective of the reader and asking oneself, have I covered everything that someone in this career would expect?

The methodical writer will first go to the books. Find all the hard data on this career that he or she can find. From average salary to location of positions, companies that hire those who possess the qualifications and what those qualifications may be, the reader will want to know that you have done everything you can to educate yourself on the specifics of this job. Obtain all the hard data that you can get your hands on Most people, considering themselves experts on something, will expect similar expertise from writings on that subject. Whether your target audience is third-grade teacher or a cardiologist, he or she will want to know that you understand what his or her world is like, and that you have no illusions about the job being easier or better-paid than it really is. Be sure that you understand and can effectively communicate the reality of the career on which you are writing.

This point leads us to the next guideline for writing an excellent career research paper. Reality is the key, and a sense of the reality of a career can only be obtained by actual contact with a person who holds a similar position. If you are studying journalism, find a local journalist to interview. If your career of choice is marketing, delve into your local chapter of corporate America and find someone who works in a marketing department. Most students will have little trouble finding a cooperative professional who is willing to dialogue. Email is an excellent way of requesting an interview. Be respectful and express that you know the person is busy, but you hope they will be able to grant you a few moments of their valuable time. Don't lay it on too thick, but don't be too casual, either. If you know someone personally who has the career you desire, all the better for you. If, however, you happen to be considering a career at NASA or as a foreign ambassador to Kathmandu, you may have to confine your interview to the electronic form. Still, whatever you can do for actual contact with a professional in your field will be appreciated.

Combined, factual evidence and real-life contact will lead to a well-received career research paper. But to enhance your work and turn in a truly excellent paper, the word to know is insight. Expand your research. Think about the data you have uncovered and draw some conclusions. Find some trends in salary and hiring rates. Is this career growing, or being replaced by another? And speaking of the future, your reader will be highly impressed if you are able to find, interpret and understand a few articles from trade journals. What is current in your career of choice? What developments are being watched?

These three elements, facts, reality and interpretation, will tell your reader that you are serious about your career of choice and have done all you can to gain a well-rounded sense of it. Remember to structure your paper logically, beginning with an introduction that engages the reader and shows your enthusiasm for your career. Introduce the research you've done, and by the time you reach the conclusion, tie up the paper with a strong conclusion incorporating some of the most important data and what you have learned from it. You are passionate about your career. Now, let that passion shine through your excellent career research paper.

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Essays / What is the Expository Paper? [3]

How do you ensure that your expository paper meets your Professor's Standards?

If you've received an assignment to complete an expository paper and are confused, concerned, or facing writers block, don't worry. Virtually every student will be required to write an expository paper at least once during their academic career and chances are you'll face this requirement many times.

The good news is, expository writing is relatively simple to master and this skill will help you as you learn other forms of writing. Expository writing is a fancy way of saying that you are going to explain something. An expository paper is one in which you offer information about a particular subject to your reader or audience. This checklist will help ensure that you create an expository paper that will meet or exceed your professor's standards.

1. Select a Topic

In some cases, this will be provided for you, making this the easiest step of all. When given a choice, consider a topic that interests you. When you are enthusiastic about a topic, it will translate into your writing, and if you don't care about the topic, it can certainly show! Consider topics that might relate to your career interests, personal background, or potential topics for future research. An expository paper is also a great way for you to explore a new interest or expand on your current knowledge.

2. Craft Your Thesis Statement

Your thesis explains the topic of your expository paper in a focused manner. You'll want to craft a very narrow topic for short papers, and expand into larger topics when your expository paper is expected to be longer.

3. Research!

While some expository papers do not require independent research, most do. Developing strong research skills is important to saving your time and frustration when you write. The research that you uncover may influence your decisions regarding paper style and format. Unless your professor specifically requires particular sources, consider using a variety of references to ascertain topic knowledge, including published books, journal articles, magazines/newspapers, and qualified internet sources. Also, remember to look for recently published references to ensure that you have the most up to date information for writing your expository paper.

4. Choose a Developmental style, which is just a fancy way of asking you how you will present your expository paper.

You may elect to present your expository writing as an extended definition of the topic, or you may instead wish to provide an example of your interest. You may also choose two topics and compare and contrast them in detail. For example, if your expository paper is to be a two page discussion of hybrid cars, you may choose to discuss the development and purpose of hybrid cars in your paper as an extended definition, or you may instead choose a particular hybrid car to discuss as an example. Remember that the purpose of your expository paper is to convey information and not to construct an argument.

5. Design Your Structure

The most common form of the short expository paper is the five paragraph essay, which consists of the introduction, three body paragraphs, and conclusion. Your introduction should include your thesis statement and major points in a way that grabs the reader's attention. Your body paragraphs should be comprised of major points that develop the thesis. Your conclusion should restate your thesis and major points in an effective summary that helps maintain your reader's interest. While longer expository papers will require more than five paragraphs, this format is nevertheless a good foundation for any paper. Whatever the length of your paper, you will always want to include an introduction and conclusion.

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Letters / An Example of a Written Response to a Dissatisfied Customer [NEW]

Greetings!

I am happy to respond to this customer! While we hate to have any dissatisfied clients, it is also imperative that we as a company protect our writers. The reality is that our writer followed all of this client's specifications. It was only after the paper had been written that she asked him to change it, and in so doing, gave him a set of instructions that were different from those he had been given in the first place.

There were several exchanges in which the writer tried to explain how he had met this client's original specifications, but it seemed clear, after some time, that what had happened was that the client wanted something different from what she had asked for originally. At this point I stepped in to offer a rewrite. We do charge for those when the writer does nothing wrong, but we certainly don't charge as much as we do for writing from scratch.

This writer has never, ever had a dissatisfied client. The same cannot be said for most writers, at any company -- and he is a full-time writer, working almost exclusively on business and finance assignments (which this one was). I am not saying that people aren't human, or that this writer could never make a mistake. But the fact is that in this case -- and I checked thoroughly -- he did not make a mistake.

We as a business have no investment in hurting our clients. We routinely ask our writers to correct small errors (and sometimes large ones), and will even pay for complete rewrites when the writer simply cannot address the original specifications of the client. In other words, we bend over backwards to offer good customer service. But again, it just isn't fair for us to completely rewrite papers that are written correctly the first time (correctly in this case to mean according to customer specifications). This is why, incidentally, we consistently urge our clients to be as clear and thorough as possible when they give their instructions, so as to avoid misunderstandings.

Should this client wish to continue her business relationship with us, we would be more than delighted to offer her a discount on her next assignment. We will also make every effort to assign her projects to the writer whom she likes. But again, we have to walk a line between excellent customer service and being fair to our writers -- and in this case, the decision was clear.

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Dissertations / How to Deal with a Difficult Dissertation Advisor? [NEW]

How many of us have shown up to an advisor meeting with a stack of carefully acquired research and a stunning first draft, only to be met with criticism and critique? Few things can crush our pride faster. But Professor Devil's Advocate must not be allowed to bring us down. We have worked too hard to allow that to happen..

The first thing we must remember is that which we have probably heard many a time from Professor Bringdown. "I'm only trying to make your argument stronger," he says, or something to that general effect. Well, he's right. But before you ask me whose side I'm actually on here, let me qualify that. The good Professor's heart is in the right place. He knows that someone may ask you the same questions during your defense, and he would rather you have time to think about and investigate your answer. The problem is that no one has informed him of a little thing called positive reinforcement. He believes that by telling you all the things that are wrong with your argument, that you can fix them. He may be right. But a lack of confidence in your work is not going to help you to stand behind it when that day comes to do so.

The sad truth is, he is not going to change. No matter how much you want such a thing to happen, you are not going to walk into his office tomorrow and find that it has instantly become the Land of Warm Fuzzies. So what's a student to do? Ask the Professor, your dissertation advisor, for a bit more support? Not this one. Honest emotional communication is not going to impress this particular pedagogical type. He will simply narrow his brows and tell you that he is not there to hold your hand but to challenge you academically. So basically, you have two choices. You can bend to his will and at least pretend that he's right, then go home and throw a dish or two, or stand your ground and attempt to win if not his unyielding support, then at least his respect.

The first option will make him feel better and will probably lead to a stronger dissertation, but in all honesty, it will be the hardest along the way. Only a student with a strong supply of inner self-confidence can look meekly at Professor Smartypants and say, "So what recommendations would you give for improvement of your dissertation?" when all you really want to tell him is how hard you worked and how many hours you spent and how dare he tell you it isn't acceptable. But if you are able to temporarily swallow that desire to clock him one, and instead dutifully take note of his suggestion, the next meeting will be much more palatable when he realizes that you have taken his suggestions to heart. Even if after incorporating them into your next draft, you used them to wrap your roommate's week-old tuna fish sandwich.

If, however, you have complete confidence in your opinion and know that you have something to say to him, well, more power to you. I'm sorry to say that you will still have to take note of the Professor's suggestions. But the next step is much more empowering. This is the option for the student who is not the appeasing type. Your take the good Professor's "suggestions" back to your research, and find reasons why your approach is valid or even provides new insight of which Prof. Difficult hadn't thought yet. And if it's your style that he is questioning, then go straight to the style manual and come up with a reason why you did things the way you did. Even if it was random. This professor will respect you if you show some mettle, even if he seems disgruntled at first. Either of these techniques will both strengthen your argument and, more importantly, your sanity.

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