(Photo credit: Ken Whytock)

For some the writing process is cathartic, while for others it’s more like torture. As a college student, having good writing skills is more critical for certain majors than others. However, once college is over, to compete in today’s job market, good writing skills aren’t an elective — they are a MUST. We could all use a lesson or two on how to brush up on our writing. Here are some useful tips on how to become a better writer.

Listen with attention

How many people do you know who are good listeners? I’d bet not all that many. Listening is a highly undervalued skill, but it can do wonders in helping your writing to get better. Like novelist Chuck Wendig says in his terribleminds.com blog post, “25 ways to become a better writer,” a good listener can tell how words sound on the page (be advised this post has some naughty language).

“We read with our ears as much as with your eyes and so it’s critical you know what sounds good as well as what reads well,” Wendig writes. “Sit down at a bar, listen to a conversation. Turn on an audio book or a radio show. Listen to a stand-up comedian deliver jokes and stories. Write it down if you must — see how it lays on the page.”

Read aloud

Hearing yourself reading your own work out loud may seem strange at first, but once you get used to it, you’ll notice right away those areas of your writing that just don’t jive. If it doesn’t read well while you’re reading it aloud, it probably needs some tweaking.

Dave Kerpen, CEO of Likeable Local and NY Times best-selling author, posted to LinkedIn February 21, 2013, in “Want to be taken seriously? Become a better writer,” how reading out loud has saved him.

“It’s great to hear my writing the way others will ‘hear’ it as they read,” Kerpen said. “Especially since tone in emails is difficult to convey, it’s valuable to say what you’re writing aloud, and then consider a quick edit, before you put it out there.”

Honor your inner weirdo

Stretching that proverbial writing muscle takes some creativity. Whether you’re writing a term paper, thesis or presentation, we can all benefit from some off-the-wall hilariousness. Have an idea for a sci-fi romantic comedy? Jot down a short story or let the ideas flow. The point is to just let the words flow and it’ll be much easier to get back to that boring assignment you’ve been circling for days.

Let the criticism fly

So you know that I know that we are our own worst critics. Sometimes those criticisms are true, but usually they are inflated insecurities floating around in our heads. To get some perspective, it’s always a good idea to tap a friend for some good advice on said work in question. Encourage honesty and keep your trap shut, and you might just get the real answers you’re looking for.

Proofread like your life depends on it

Think no one will notice a couple of typos in that email you sent with your resume? Well, maybe if if the reader is your mom. Otherwise, good luck with denial. The worst case scenario is your potential new boss will zoom in on the error and not hire you. Nothing feels worse than telling yourself, “If I’d only…” We’ve all been there. One of the best ways to avoid this scenario is to get in the habit of proofreading your work, all the time. It’s amazing how even one pass over can save you from disaster.

In a March 9, 2013, post to the Tribune-Review/Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, “Be careful what, how you write,” Anita Bruzzese Gannett interviewed Helen Cunningham, author of The Business Style Handbook, to get the skinny on the benefits of proofreading.

“Take time to proof your writing,” Cunningham said. “Read over your emails before sending to make sure they’re well written, and ask a colleague to review important messages or reports. Never put anything in writing that you would not want to see on the front page of a newspaper.”

For more information on writing, visit Questia’s topic page on Communication.

 What tips/exercises have helped you to improve your writing?

Performers at the US White House celebration of Cinco de Mayo May 4, 2007 

Cinco de Mayo is a Mexican holiday that has come to be synonymous in America with margaritas, Mexican food and an all around good time. But how much do you actually know about Cinco de Mayo history? For instance, what does Cinco de Mayo commemorate? If you’re not certain, we’ve got you covered. Check out some of these fun facts about this spring date, discover popular Cinco de Mayo celebrations and learn how to make some authentic Mexican fare. ¡salud!

Five facts about Cinco de Mayo

True, Cinco de Mayo is over, but that doesn’t mean you can’t brush up on your trivia and knowledge for next year. Here are 5 fun facts about this May holiday:

1. Cinco de Mayo is the celebration of El Día de la Batalla de Puebla or The Day of the Battle of Puebla — it does not commemorate Mexico’s Independence (this is on September 16).
2. This date is more popular in America than it is in Mexico–in fact, Cinco de Mayo is “a regional, not federal, holiday” according to a Patch.com article on May 05, 2013, “Five Things You Need to Know About Cinco de Mayo.”
3. In America, celebrations range from Chihuahua races in Chandler, Arizona, to the Festival de Fiesta Broadway in Los Angeles–in Mexico, people celebrate by reenacting the famous battle against Napoleon III in 1862. You can view “Cinco De Mayo History Brought to Life” on USA Today‘s website.
4. Margaritas weren’t around on the original Cinco de Mayo–this popular Mexican drink wasn’t invented until sometime in the early-to-mid 20^th century.
5. The exact translation of Cinco de Mayo is “five of May”–”quinto” is actually the Spanish word for “fifth.”

Need more fun facts about Cinco de Mayo? Check out HLNtv.com‘s “11 facts you need to know about Cinco de Mayo,” posted on May 05, 2013, by Makenzie Bowker.

Celebrate!

Across the United States, a number of cities and towns celebrated Mexican American heritage with food, dancing, music and more. Here is only a sampling of the festivals that took place over the May 05 weekend:

• Dallas, Texas, held a parade and festival filled with authentic food, drink, music and a number of free events — there was even a Little Miss Cinco de Mayo pageant. The Dallas Morning News offers more detailed information about this year’s events in “Your guide to Cinco de Mayo festivities in Dallas for 2013.”
• San Diego, California, offered three full days of fun and festivities in the “2013 Old Town Fiesta Cinco de Mayo,” where stages featured mariachi bands and flamenco music.
• Saint Paul, Minnesota, got into the spirit of things with “Cinco De Mayo ’13,” a festival filled with family events and live shows.

If you weren’t able to attend a celebration this year, try to put one on your to-do list for next year. Better yet, inquire at your campus to find out about events your college might sponsor and get involved.

Let’s eat!

Even if you can’t attend a Cinco de Mayo festival, you can still get into the spirit of the day by concocting your own Mexican dishes and drinks if you are 21+. There are a number of websites out there that can help you create quick, tasty, homemade salsa in just a few minutes. For instance, the food network has an entire section dedicated to Cinco de Mayo. From “Quick and Easy Mexican Recipes” to “10 Cinco de Mayo Margaritas,” you’ll be creating traditional dishes and drinks in no time. The best part? You have an entire year to perfect your cooking!

So, what did you do for Cinco de Mayo? If you didn’t do anything, let us know what you hope to do next year!

To learn more about Mexico and this country’s history, visit the Mexican History page on questia.com.

Here’s a checklist of things to do before handing in your term paper:

1) Don’t write a high school paper.

This is college now. The tricks you learned in high school to write a paper won’t cut it in the more academic world of college. “Old formulae, such as the five-paragraph theme, aren’t sophisticated or flexible enough to provide a sound structure for a college paper. And many of the old tricks — such as using elevated language or repeating yourself — will fail you now,” noted Karen Gocsik in “What is an academic paper?” on the Dartmouth Writing Program site at Dartmouth.edu.

2) Make an outline and follow it.

So it doesn’t sound like you’re rambling through 10-15 pages, do some research first, get a good idea of what you want to write about, make an outline and stick to it. This will make your paper sound professional.

3) Ask your teacher.

Pay attention to directions if your teacher or professor tells you exactly what he/she wants: How many pages, on what topic, how many sources needed.

4) Go with your research.

Research today is easier than ever with electronic resources. In addition to Google and Bing (stay away from Wikipedia), there are Worldcat.org, InfoTrac, OneFile, LexisNexis Academic, EBSCOHost and ProQuest. You can also find professional journals and international books and periodicals. Consult your school librarian or city librarian.

5) Evaluate the credibility of scientific information.

If your paper is for a science, medical, health or engineering class, make sure your science and math are correct. No one likes sloppy science. Get your information from a credible source, not from a place that has an agenda or passes off personal experiences or public relations as real science. “Unethical lobbying groups who have particular political or business interests can take advantage of this, and work to perpetuate the disconnect between scientific and public understandings,” reported Kristen St. John in “The Need to Teach about Ethics and Science, and the Credibility of Sources,” in Journal of Geoscience Education, February 2013, found in Questia.com.

6) Don’t plagiarize.

Yes, you’ve heard it before. But it’s really true. Plagiarism gets you nowhere. You need to learn to write your own ideas in a clear and persuasive manner. And, professors are on to you — they know how to scan your paper into plagiarism detection software. Matt Petronzio’s August 29, 2012, article “How to Detect Plagiarism Online” in Mashable.com highlights ten online services that check text for plagiarism, including TurnItIn, Viper and PlagiarismChecker.com, all geared toward college term papers.

7) Check spelling and grammar.

Don’t forget to spell check. But also don’t forget to proofread your paper. Your spell checker doesn’t know the difference between synonyms and homonyms. If your grammar is a bit fuzzy or English is not your first language, ask a friend to read over your paper for good measure. A second set of eyes never hurts.

8) Use term paper format.

In addition to grammar and spelling, presentation is important. For easy reading and so the teacher has room to make comments, format your paper with:

• an easy-to-read serif font, such as Times New Roman
• one-inch margins, double-spaced text
• a header or footer on each page with your name, paper title, page number and course name
• on plain standard white 8 ½ x 11 paper (no onion skin, pink paper with hearts or resume paper).

What are your tips for writing a high-quality term paper?

A Respectable Army: The Military Origins of the Republic, 1763-1789

Authors: James Kirby Martin and Mark Edward Lender

In this 2006 edition of the book originally published in 1982, Martin and Lender discuss the soldiers of the American Revolution beyond the national mythology of the farmers serving as soldiers to found a new nation. The authors focus on the history of the Continental army as an important part of the nation-making process that helped to form the United States. Rather than discussing just the battles and tactics of the martial conflicts in which the army served, the authors look at the broader historical context shaped by those martial actions. The second edition adds several new illustrations, a Note on Revolutionary War History and Historiography, and a fully revamped Bibliographical Essay.

The Civil War Soldier: A Historical Reader

The Comanche Code Talkers of World War II

Author: William C. Meadows

Among the allied troops that came ashore in Normandy on D-Day, June 6, 1944, were thirteen Comanches in the 4th Infantry Division, 4th Signal Company. Under German fire they laid communication lines and began sending messages in a form never before heard in Europe–coded Comanche. For the rest of World War II, the Comanche Code Talkers played a vital role in transmitting orders and messages in a code that was never broken by the Germans. This book, published in 2002, tells the full story of the Comanche Code Talkers for the first time. Drawing on interviews with all surviving members of the unit, their original training officer, and fellow soldiers, as well as military records and news accounts, Meadows follows the group from their recruitment and training to their active duty in World War II and on through their postwar lives up to the present. He also compares the Comanche Code Talkers with their Navajo counterparts who served in the Pacific, as well as other Native Americans who used their languages for secret communications.

A Piece of My Heart: The Stories of 26 American Women Who Served in Vietnam

This Mighty Scourge: Perspectives on the Civil War

Author: James M. McPherson

One of America’s preeminent historians on the American Civil War, Pulitzer Prize winner McPherson compiles a number of his essays, several previously unpublished and all updated and revised, in this 2007 collection. Dealing with everyday topics, such as the love soldiers had for newspapers, to larger topics, such as the creation of the Lost Cause mystique in the postwar South, McPherson provides an interpretive history of the war and its meaning for America. McPherson spotlights famous figures including Harriet Tubman, John Brown, Jesse James and William Tecumseh Sherman, and offers new insights into General Robert E. Lee’s goals in the Gettysburg Campaign, Lincoln and Grant in the Vicksburg campaign, and Lincoln as Commander-in-Chief.

Why the Civil War Came

Editor: Gabor S. Boritt

Turning Points of the Civil War

Author: James A. Rawley

Freedom, Union, and Power: Lincoln and His Party during the Civil War
Author: Michael S. Green

Causes Won, Lost, and Forgotten: How Hollywood and Popular Art Shape What We Know about the Civil War

Author: Gary W. Gallagher

Research can be rewarding

When you first learned about a research paper requirement for a class, you probably felt anxious. Maybe you haven’t had a lot of experience planning a research paper. But don’t let yourself be derailed by inexperience and anxiety. According to the post on February 21, 2013 by Jack Raymond Baker and Allen Brizee titled “Writing a Research Paper” for Purdue University’s Online Writing Lab (OWL), “the process of writing a research paper can be one of the more rewarding experiences one may encounter in academics.”

But like anything new, planning and writing a research paper takes practice. As the OWL post says, “There are few individuals for whom this process comes naturally.” They suggest starting the process by thinking about:

• Genre: Learning the difference between the two types of research papers—analytical and argumentative.
• Choosing a Topic: A guide on how to pick the best topic.

Planning makes a difference

Questia’s tutorial on Planning a Paper offers five steps to get you on the right track to creating a research paper that will not only impress your professor but earn you the best grade. The tutorial takes you through each step with help from quizzes and videos.

Step 1—Selecting a topic

You want to pick something you will enjoy writing about, which will help you put the necessary time into the work.
Step 2—Considering what your readers know about the topic

After you’ve picked your topic, it’s time to think about who your reader is going to be. Who your reader is and what they expect will influence what sources and evidence you need to use to persuade them of your argument or give them clear information on the topic.

Step 3—Developing an objective stance

Part of the purpose of a research paper is thinking critically. When planning a research paper, be sure to be aware of how you use your sources so that they strengthen your paper’s purpose.

Step 4—Composing a thesis

Now you’re ready to write your thesis statement—the representation and summation of your paper’s purpose. What do you think your research will show in the end? Your thesis statement should focus on that idea.

Step 5—Organizing your ideas

During this final stage of the planning process, determine how you want to structure your research to prove your thesis statement. This outline will provide the framework for your research paper.

Start now and stay focused

While you might be tempted to procrastinate, it’s easy to see why getting started on a research paper as soon as possible can be a big help in the end. The Writing Center at the American University advises students that beginning in advance can reduce stress, in their blog post from January 31, 2013, “Research Papers: the When and How” by Meridian Ganz-Ratzat.

The structure Ganz-Ratzat suggests starts several months out:

• 2-3 months away—Think about what your topic is going to be
• 1 month away—Start researching your chosen topic
• 3 weeks away—Begin organizing your essay
• 2 weeks away—Write a first draft
• 1 week away—Edit for big problems with your thesis or organization
• 2 days away—Read through for a final proofreading and polish

Even if you develop your own schedule for planning a research paper, the best thing you can do is plan ahead. Writing a research paper is a new thing for many college students, putting it off won’t make it any easier. In fact, procrastinating is likely to make the challenge of a paper that much more difficult.

Interested in some of Questia’s other helpful tutorial topics such as “Avoiding Plagiarism” and “Working with Documentation Styles”? Try a free trial of Questia to check them out!

What other suggestions do you have for staying on track and planning a research paper? Your tip could help motivate someone else. Tell us in the comments below!

(Photo by: yum9me)

Being an epic failure in college is easy. Getting back on your feet is another story. Truth be told, there will always be those who burn out once they get there or who can’t hack the academic pressure to perform. Of course, there are a myriad of ways for us to screw things up — just choose your poison. To get the point across, we thought we’d come up with the top 10 ways to screw up before graduation. Think of it as a “not to do” list. For everyone else, these are tried, tested and 100 percent foolproof ways to tank. 

1. Never study – This is a no-brainer. Group study sessions? Studying in a quiet library? Find what motivates you to study and stick with it.
2. Cheat your way out – This includes plagiarism, hacking, copying your friend’s answers and having someone else write your term paper. These are all great ways to get expelled. Professor Cram in “Best Ways to Cheat in College,” a post in Good Study Habits published by college-cram.com, helps guide students in the “right” direction.
3. Get in trouble with the police– this can also be another quick and tidy way to end a college career. Earn bonus points if you make the evening news. What started as an innocent frat party can easily turn ugly, so always be cautious and think your actions through.
4. Take the easiest classes – Looking for the easiest way to graduation may seem like a great game plan, but we’ve all heard of that slippery slope and laziness has a way of catching up with you. Just because a class may sound easy doesn’t necessarily mean it is, not to mention the money that is being wasted on your tuition. Take Luke McKinney’s advice in “7 Tips for not screwing up college,” a September 9, 2009, post to cracked.com. “The point of college is to get better at things, and while only one of those is your degree, it’s still important,” McKinney said. “If your only priority is screwing around, that tuition money can buy far better times than falling asleep in lecture theaters.”
5. Violate academic probation – This is a great way to look a gift horse in the mouth. Take that second chance to boost your GPA, or it’s ciao. Better yet, save yourself some trouble and avoid getting yourself onto probation all together.
6. Bother with drugs – Recreation or prescription, either way you are bound to screw up academically and worse yet, find yourself also accomplishing point #3. It’s a great twofer to take yourself down. ADHD meds are popular amongst college students to get through finals, but the consequences are long lasting, according to a February 11, 2013, post to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, “Dosing underachievers; our view; are ADHD drugs right for academic problems?” “According to the reports, college kids long have used the drugs as study aids,” the article states. “But now high school students seeking a competitive advantage as they apply to colleges are dipping into the same pharmaceutical stash.”
7. Procrastinate – Waiting until the last minute to finish a project or paper is like playing Russian roulette. Risk-takers, beware.
8. Party as much as possible – What’s school? If you find yourself missing more class than you do parties, you may want to reassess your priorities.
9. Start a long distance relationship – Nothing is a bigger distraction than spending hours on the phone or traveling across the country to see “the one” at all costs.
10. Be late for exams and finals – There are only so many excuses to get out of this. Set extra alarms if you tend to oversleep. Be sure to triple check which classroom your exams are being held in, as sometimes finals are in different rooms.

Of course, to succeed academically in college, doing the opposite of what’s on this list would be the wise course of action. For some, this may be easier said than done. For more information on college life, check out Questia’s topic page on education.

Do you have any other tips for failing college that we should know about? Please let us know your suggestions.

Before the Air Pollution Control Act of 1955, air pollution was not considered a national environmental problem. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Climate change is something the Earth has experienced since its creation. Scientists first started theorizing about the reasons for these changes in the 19th century. Over the past 200 years, studies have highlighted the negative causes and effects of changes to our planet’s weather and the resulting environmental issues. Environmental and Earth sciences have become very hot topics in the last several decades, particularly relating to energy and the environment. As people and governments debate about the future of our planet, how we will provide energy and fuel for our citizens, and the dramatic shifts in the climate and weather patterns, we have all have begun to see the need for cooperation and education.

To take part in this ongoing conversation about ways to halt further environmental damage and take advantage of some free reading, Questia is sharing the top five most researched books and articles on climate change from our library. Each has been hand-picked by our librarians, and any one of them will give you insight into your next research paper on environmental issues.

The Long Thaw: How Humans Are Changing the Next 100,000 Years of Earth’s Climate by David Archer

Think climate change means slightly hotter weather and a modest rise in sea levels? Think again. In The Long Thaw, David Archer, one of the world’s leading climatologists, predicts that if we continue to emit carbon dioxide, we may eventually cancel the next ice age and raise the oceans by 50 meters. Archer shows how just a few centuries of fossil-fuel use will cause not only a climate storm that will last a few hundred years, but also create dramatic climate changes that will last thousands of years. Archer argues that it is still not too late to avert dangerous climate change—if humans can find a way to work together.

WHO: Air Pollution a Continuing Health Threat in World’s Cities by Donya Currie

Air pollution is threatening health in many cities worldwide. According to World Health Organization data, in an article published in The Nation’s Health, more than 2 million people die yearly from breathing indoor and outdoor pollution. The WHO analyzed data from nearly 1,100 cities across 91 countries and found only a few meet the WHO air quality guideline for exposure to the most dangerous type of pollution particles. Calling for local action, national policies and international agreements to curb pollution, the agency believes the best way the information can be used is for cities to monitor their own trends in air pollution over time to identify and improve their interventions.

Fracking Fury by Janna Pallise

Hydraulic fracturing, also known as “fracking” or “hydrofracking,” has garnered a lot of attention from the media lately. Used first in the 1940s, hydraulic fracturing, or HF, has opened up new areas of gas development in natural gas reservoirs such as shale, coalbed and tight sands. Pallise’s article, published in Science Scope, focuses on HF in shale reservoirs and looks at the pros and cons of hydraulic fracturing in gas production, as well as the details behind the mechanics of the process.

Revisiting a Hazardous Waste Site 25 Years Later by Glenn Harris and Leah Nelson

In 1980, Congress enacted the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA), which established the Superfund program to address the illegal disposal of hazardous waste. Two years after that, the Journal of Environmental Health published one of the earliest articles to report on a classic instance of “midnight dumping” and corporate abandonment leaving an orphaned hazardous waste site for others to deal with. Harris and Nelson take a look at what remedial actions were taken and what we can learn from the site, located in a rural area of the St. Lawrence River Valley in northern New York, adjacent to the Canadian border.

Genetically Modified Planet: Environmental Impacts of Genetically Engineered Plants by C. Neal Stewart Jr.

Genetically modified plants are currently causing controversy worldwide; a great deal has been written about their supposed environmental effects. However, the newspaper headlines and public debates often provide a level of reasoning akin to “this is your brain on genetically modified corn,” which is to say, they exclude or exaggerate the actual scientific research on the impacts of these plants. Genetically Modified Planet goes beyond the rhetoric to investigate for concerned consumers the actual state of scientific research on genetically modified plants. Stewart argues that while there are indeed real and potential risks of growing engineered crops, there are also real and overwhelmingly positive environmental benefits.

What are some of your environmental concerns? Let us know in the comments below.

Visit Questia for even more research on environmentalism.

What environmental issues do you think are the most important in your community?

Study better next time

Maybe midterms didn’t go the way you planned. You realize you need to review test taking tips and attack the problem from a different angle. Here are few tips:

• Talk to the professor. Discuss the important points of the class material and how you can concentrate on those. If possible, bring your midterm and go over the questions you got wrong.
• Study with a buddy. Get tutored by a peer who understands the material. Ask each other sample test questions.
• Take a deep breath. It’s not the end of the world. Get a pizza, play a video game, unwind. This is a chance to learn from our mistakes and aim to improve our grade on the next test.

Study scientifically

Benedict Carey in the New York Times reported in “Forget What You Know About Good Study Habits,” September 6, 2010, that some counter-intuitive methods of studying actually work.

• Alternate your study location. Being in different environments helps improve retention of class material.
• Vary the material you’re studying. Do a little reading, then some vocabulary, then some math or problem solving. The different ways of thinking stimulate the brain. Nate Kornell, a psychologist at WilliamsCollege, explained that this strategy undermines the common assumption that intensive immersion is the best way to really master a particular genre, or type of creative work.
• Study in chunks. Don’t cram all at once. Space out your studying over a period of time to let your brain absorb the information slowly.

Take harder classes next term

Hey, maybe you aced your midterm exams. You’re really getting the hang of college, good study habits and taking tests. Why not challenge yourself to be the best you can be? See if there are one or two harder classes you can take next term. An organic chemistry class, a physics or math class, or just a more advanced version of an elective. Attempting a difficult class helps us learn to tackle challenging tasks and develop coping skills and strategies.

The age-old question arises: Should we take easy classes we know we can get better grades on, or take more challenging classes and possibly get lower grades? Which is better? “Taking too many easy classes can be construed that you can’t handle difficult subject matter,” said a blogger in the article “Are Harder College Classes Better For You Than Easier Ones?” on Tutorii.com. “[Then] there are times where you can garner more respect because you did take a challenging class that few others would take. It depends on how you present the academic record to potential interviewers.”

Improve your GPA

The general rule is two hours of study for every one hour spent in class. But to improve a grade point average (GPA), a whole lotta studying needs to happen. Professor Carl Zulaf of OhioStateUniversity found that a 40-hour increase in weekly studying was needed to achieve a one-letter increase in quarterly GPA. “A lifestyle change has to happen before an impact is made on a student’s grades,” said Zulaf in “Studying Still the Key to Academic Success,” in USA Today, April 2001 found on Questia.com. “The ability to use time is positively related to academic performance. But it takes a lot of commitment by a student to significantly increase the number of hours he studies.”

How did you do on your midterms? Do you think you’ll sign up for a harder class next term?