About.com

Test Day Tips

Mon, 20 Feb 2012 08:02:24 +0000

Do you realize that a successful test day starts as soon as you wake up in the morning? That's when you should start getting ready for the test--within the first few minutes of your day.

...

Read Full Post

Writing a Film Review

Thu, 16 Feb 2012 09:07:30 +0000

Instructors like to get creative in the classroom sometimes to avoid falling into the doldrums and getting stuck into a routine. Like anybody else, students need some variety in order to stay alert. This is why you see a mix of assignments and projects.

Once in a while you might be asked to watch a feature film or a documentary in class and then write a film review. The structure of this type of assignment should be a little different from ordinary essay assignments, since you'll need to comment on artistic components as well as explaining how the material is relevant to the subject you're studying.

I've put together a list of tips for writing a film review. Now, maybe you can suggest a good film for your history class!

How to Scan a Book

Fri, 10 Feb 2012 10:37:24 +0000

Did you know that scanning a book can be a good thing?

Don't get me wrong: you should always read your school books carefully and thoroughly. As a matter of fact, you should read every book at least twice. To read effectively, you should scan first, and read a second time for deeper meaning.

I know it seems that this process would eat up a lot more of your study time, to scan a book before reading it - but that's not really true. When you scan a book first, you tend to read more quickly the second time through, because you don't get hung up on new words and concepts.

So how do you scan for best results? You should make note of any headings and subheadings, and get a clear understanding of how the information is organized. You should also write down any new words or new concepts that you encounter, especially if any words are italicized or in bold face.

It's also important to identify the thesis of a book and the nature of the evidence that is presented.

Highlighting New Words

Sat, 04 Feb 2012 13:55:28 +0000

Highlighters can be effective learning tools, or they can be ineffective tools. The trick to making the the most of highlighters is developing a color-coded strategy.

When reading a difficult book or article, you should highlight sparingly. Use one color to highlight main points or important terms.

Use a different highlighter to mark new words that you need to learn. This way, you can easily flip through your book or article and find the new vocabulary words and create flashcards for them.

Free Mind Map Tool

Wed, 01 Feb 2012 16:48:27 +0000

Are you looking for a free mind-mapping tool? Google offers a great one, but you have to have the Google Chrome browser to use it - but that's a ...

Read Full Post

Write a Letter to the Editor

Sun, 29 Jan 2012 00:25:40 +0000

Are you concerned about global climate change? Excited about the upcoming election? Angry at the paparazzi for stalking your favorite celebrity?

One way to involve yourself in a community of readers is to write a letter to the editor of a newspaper or magazine. You can voice your opinion and gain great writing experience for college at the same time!

...

Read Full Post

How to "Wow" Your Audience

Fri, 27 Jan 2012 10:12:54 +0000

It's that time of the school year when instructors turn the podium over to the students for classroom presentations. Class presentations and speeches are a little intimidating, but they are great experience for students. You'll be expected to speak in front of an audience many times in the future, as a college student or as a supervisor in the working world, so you can use this practice to prepare for a successful future.

One of the most exciting presentations tools I've seen is called Prezi. This is a cloud-based tool (online) that you can access and use for free. It's easy to put together a professional-looking slide show with this online software, and the result will be a fabulous show that will look much more impressive than the PowerPoint shows we're all so familiar with.

The shows feature a "zooming" effect along a path that is made of your own slides. If that's confusing, you can gain a better understanding by looking at a few sample presentations.

As fabulous as your presentation looks, you have to make sure you are prepared for the delivery. Make sure you have considered everything that can go wrong with the room and the technology before you get started.

Go Ahead and Ask!

Mon, 23 Jan 2012 11:13:44 +0000

I read an article recently about students who hesitate when it comes to speaking up in class. The article states that students from certain economic backgrounds may hesitate when it comes to asking questions...

Read Full Post

What Is a Research Paper?

Wed, 18 Jan 2012 09:49:46 +0000

A research paper is a formal report that contains an original idea (thesis) and evidence to back up your idea (research).

The research paper assignment is one that many find intimidating, but I think that stems from the fact that students get overwhelmed by all the tasks that are involved. I like to say that a research paper is not merely a writing assignment; it is an action assignment.

There are many "actions" involved in putting together a research paper. To start off, you have to go to the library, learn to find your way around the library, skim through books to see how relevant they may be, and read those books. And all this take place long before the writing starts!

I think students will be less intimidated by a research paper if they start off with an overview of the entire process. Big tasks always seem more manageable when we break them down into steps.

Why So Many Writing Styles?

Fri, 13 Jan 2012 21:19:53 +0000

You may know that instructors from different disciplines will prefer different writing styles for your assignments. For example, your English teacher will most likely prefer that you write according to ...

Read Full Post