Cover letter components

Writing your cover letter is not a process you want to throw together in a few minutes before sending off your resume. Finding a source that can serve as your study guide can be an immense help. For this, look no farther than Questia, the world’s largest online library with thousands of full-text books, magazines, journals, and newspapers from around the world. Questia offers several resources that can help, including Resumes for First-Time Job Hunters: With Sample Cover Letters. Chapter 4 is all about writing a great cover letter, including eight must-have sections:

1. Your name and address
2. The date
3. The name and address of the person/company you are applying to
4. A greeting, preferably with the person’s last name (if you don’t have a name, use “To Whom It May Concern”)
5. A paragraph explaining your reason for writing and what job you are interested in
6. One to two paragraphs that explain your qualifications and any details about the company (this shows you have researched them)
7. A final paragraph that closes the letter and tells the person how to contact you
8. A closing with your signature

The book provides several sample cover letters in chapter 6, starting on page 149.

An opportunity to shine

So, you’ve got the basics of a cover letter under your belt, but how can you make your letter stand out from the crowd? The key is writing a cover letter that tells the company why you are perfect for the job without repeating your resume or going overboard. The website, Business Insider, featured this February 18, 2012 post by Vivian Giang titled “7 Steps To Writing a Cover Letter That Will Actually Get You An Interview.”

Key points Giang focused on that you need to remember are:

• Focus on your skills: match the requirements the company is looking for with the skills you have that meet those requirements
• Do your research: find out the name of the hiring person and use it. Also show that you know something about the company’s goals
• Keep it to one page: a great cover letter is a concise cover letter
• Take action: close by saying what you will do next (for example, follow up next week)

Social media vs. the cover letter

Maybe you think cover letters and resumes are too old school because of social media sites like Facebook and LinkedIn. Social media has certainly changed the way employers seek out and interview potential employees, but it hasn’t made writing a cover letter unnecessary.

Curt Finch wrote a post on February 11, 2012 for Mashable.com titled, “How Social Media Can Help You Snag Top Talent For Your Company,” and discussed the fact that traditional methods of hiring are still important.

“According to a study by the workplace psychologist group OPP, 39% of leaders said they still rely on gut instinct when making hiring decisions, and a quarter admitted that whether they liked someone personally was a major influence,” Finch wrote. “These findings demonstrate that traditional hiring metrics, including quality of the cover letter and interview, compete in importance with the personal preferences of the hiring manager.”

Landing that first job is a big accomplishment. Being prepared with a study guide that walks you through writing a great cover letter can help you reach that goal. Keep your letter brief, make it personal for each job, and proofread, proofread, proofread. That’s how you will impress the employer.

Questia MVP: Most Valuable Professor, Julia Barnes at Berry College

The first ever Most Valuable Professor competition by Questia resulted in dozens of nominations and over a thousand votes! The professor who ultimately took home the title of MVP was Spanish professor at Berry College, Julia Corine Barnes, and her students were ecstatic over the victory. Not only does Berry College have the world’s largest campus to tout, but now they also have America’s Most Valuable Professor teaching at their school!

Marlon Blugh, a junior at Berry College, nominated Barnes for the honor of MVP for many reasons. “Prof. Barnes is simply a fair and reasonable individual. I nominated her because she has helped me in ways other professors have not. She truly listens and works with you.” Read the nomination Blugh submitted in our MVP announcement.

When Blugh learned his professor had made the finalists, he notified all of his classmates about the competition and “they were as eager as I was to vote.”

Blugh’s classmate and also a junior at Berry, Cari Voutila, was excited to hear her professor had won. “She set a new precedent for my expectations of what a professor should be like,” said Voutila. “She is incredibly challenging yet incredibly caring at the same time and I’ve encountered few professors that are both of those things at once. I can’t think of another professor that would deserve it more.”

Senior at Berry, Lara Thomson, said she’s learned so much from Barnes in a small amount of time. “I’ve learned more Spanish in two semesters than I’ve learned in seven years of middle and high school. I am really glad she knows how much her students appreciate her and I hope she feels appreciated.”

Congratulations again to Professor Julia Corine Barnes for winning the inaugural title of Most Valuable Professor! We will create the Julia Corine Barnes Scholarship by Questia in her honor, where three students will each be awarded $2,500 scholarships. Barnes will participate in determining the scholarship criteria and selecting the scholarship recipients with a team of Questia researchers.

Check back on our blog for more news on the Julia Corine Barnes Scholarship by Questia!

Ace your interview

May is here and for college students across the country, the end of the school year is in sight. Many of your friends and classmates may be preparing to head home or temporarily relocate for a summer job or internship, leaving you lonely or left out if you’re still in the process of job hunting. Don’t get discouraged, though — it’s not too late to secure a full or part-time position. Use this checklist from Career Coach Kim Nylander Herrera to help you achieve success with your summer job search.

Summer job search to dos:

• Review and update your resume. By this time, you most likely have a resume on hand. If you’re an upperclassman or graduating senior, you have invested a great deal of time and effort into getting your resume in top shape. However, it can be amazing how many things can change in a few months: the work study program you completed last quarter, the extracurricular group you joined, the cross-functional project you participated in. Take the time to ensure that your resume is up to date and includes your most recent activities as employers value the leadership skills that these accomplishments demonstrate. At the same time, keep it tight and to the point. The article, “Writing Effective Resumes and Cover Letters” suggests treating your resume as a sales tool: everything on your resume should support your objective. If it doesn’t, leave it off.

• Create a structured job search plan. The end of the school year is an exciting and busy time when finals and year-end activities can bog you down with competing priorities. Therefore, create a schedule of certain days and times dedicated to the job search and stick to it as much as possible. In addition, set up a method for tracking jobs you’ve applied to and actions you have taken, such as an Excel spreadsheet that details the date you applied for various jobs and the method you used for each application (online, via mail or in-person). This information will prove invaluable when you need to follow up with employers regarding your application. Margaret Krantz of Hanover College’s career center offers some quick tips for students on how to connect with employers regarding submitted job applications in her article “How to Follow Up Without Being a Pest.”

• Develop a multi-prong approach to locate job openings. When searching for a summer job, the best strategy is to utilize as many resources as possible to diversify your search: leverage your school’s career services office, register with temporary agencies, talk to friends and family members and set up job alerts with job boards that specialize in posting positions for college students such as Monster.com’s niche site for college students — college.moster.com.

• Make networking a priority. The end of the school year is an ideal time for get-togethers — BBQs, beach outings, graduation parties, weddings, etc. Use these opportunities to renew old contacts and develop new ones. However, remember whenever possible to take advantage of the networking opportunities and contacts you have before school ends. It is easier to connect with people when they are just down the hall or sitting across a lecture hall than when they’re suddenly 200 or 2,000 miles away. Not sure where to start when it comes to networking? Alexis Grant offers students six techniques in her September 2011 usnews.com article “6 Ways to Network While You’re in College.”

• Check the availability of your references. For many professionals, summer is the time to schedule family vacations and time away from the office. For professors, it may also be a time to travel to international conferences and other off-campus events. For this reason, be sure to follow-up with your references to determine their availability to talk to potential employers on your behalf. Ask for and make a note of what each person’s best method of contact is for the summer months — email, cell phone or an office line.

• Brush up on your interview skills. Now is also the time to practice tough interview questions. In Chapter 4 of  How to Interview like a Top MBA: Job-Winning Strategies from Headhunters, Fortune 100 Recruiters, and Career Counselors, Dr. Shel Leanne offers tips on how to answer the toughest interview questions by helping you identify your top personal attributes as they apply to specific jobs.

• Volunteer. If the job search is taking longer than anticipated, sign up to be a volunteer for a cause you care about and, if possible, one that is related to your long-term professional goals. Linda Whitney’s article “How Volunteering Can Give You that Vital Edge” explains that volunteering is a way to demonstrate to employers that you are a dedicated, emerging professional, and it will help you develop a broader network of contacts, while developing industry-related skills — all while giving back.

• Take care of yourself. Finally, bear in mind that the job search can often be a hectic and stressful process. Eating right, exercising regularly and getting together with friends and family members are important factors in helping to keep you relaxed and motivated while you work toward reaching your summer employment goal. Experience.com’s jobs and career blog offers some low cost, quick stress management tips to help you during your search. WebMD also offers a robust list of stress management techniques you can start implementing today.

Kim Nylander Herrera is the owner and founder of Navitas Human Capital Consulting. She has a background in designing and leading human resource programs and initiatives for Fortune 500, nonprofit and emerging business. Ms. Herrera is also Certified Professional Career Coach (CPCC) who utilizes her in-depth knowledge of the human resource function to assist individuals in accelerating their career growth.

QUESTIA QUIZ

1. Go easy on the caffeine: While a few large cups of joe may seem like the ideal solution, the temporary buzz will eventually give way to crashing the following day, perhaps even during the aforementioned test. Instead, stick to something hydrating like Gatorade, which replenishes electrolytes and allows your brain to perform at its peak.
2. Lower the screen setting on your computer: Eye strain is not only painful, but it brings on physical fatigue and decreases productivity. When staring at the computer screen for hours, dull the brightness of the display and your eyes will thank you.
3. Avoid distractions: From Facebook to texting, chatting with friends or surfing the web may tempt you. Health Psychologist Lynn Rossy suggests in “Ten tips to reduce end-of-semester stress” to check email at limited times during the day and avoid other unnecessary distractions like Facebook and phones. You’ll have plenty of time to reconnect with friends or watch the latest viral video once finals are over.
4. Make a to-do list: To avoid a lagging sense of motivation, set a schedule outlining your tasks so the efforts put forth aren’t wasted. For example, for every 40 minutes of studying, take a 5-15 minute break to allow your mind to refocus. The article, “7 Quick Steps to Getting Through Finals Week Without Stressing,” says that keeping a to-do list takes one more pressure off of you to remember every little thing.
5. Pick a study-friendly setting: While studying from a bed or couch certainly sounds more appealing, your brain will automatically associate your bed with a good night’s sleep, which can hinder late-night study time. Studying at a desk, table or at the library will help keep your mind on the right track.

Questia saves students valuable time on research papers and projects. With Questia, students can accurately cite sources in seven different styles and organize their notes, research and sources all in one place. To help get you through your late night session more easily, be sure to sign up for a Questia free trial.

Over a thousand votes poured in, with junior at Berry College, Marlon Blugh, submitting the nomination that received the most votes:

Through my first two years in college, I have struggled to find my place. An unfamiliar atmosphere coupled with career uncertainties troubled me, but Sra. Barnes was always there to offer me guidance. Her kindness and compassion were incomparable and her optimism gave me life. Sra. Barnes’ willingness to go the extra mile is why she is my new academic advisor and why she deserves the MVP award.

“I’m very honored that Marlon thought so highly as to nominate me for MVP,” says Barnes. “I’m so pleased to have won.”

A native Georgian, Barnes is finishing her second year as an Assistant Professor of Spanish at Berry College. Her research interests are in the contemporary Spanish novel (particularly by women) and women studies.

In addition to receiving the title of MVP for Most Valuable Professor, Questia (www.questia.com), the premier online library and research tool for students, will create the Julia Corine Barnes Scholarship by Questia in which three students will each be awarded $2,500. As MVP, Barnes will be part of the integral team that determines the scholarship criteria and recipients.

We’ll be taking nominations and giving out scholarships every year in our annual MVP competition. Who’s going to take home the MVP title next year?

• Plan ahead – Procrastination may be your middle name, but don’t wait until a week (or day, yikes) before the final to begin your preparation! It may seem like common sense, but planning ahead is vital when it comes to saving you time and stress as well as retaining information. When you cram, you tend to immediately forget all that information that had cost a lot of money to obtain.

• Organize yourself – “Study Tips for Finals Week” suggests reviewing the reading and coursework that you completed during the semester and organize notes and prior assignments by topic. Rewrite sloppy notes; make flash cards or chapter summaries to find all the information you need easily.

• Ask for help – Whether you’re confused on a particular topic or just need someone to bounce ideas off of, create a study group or contact your TA to have a sit down session to review your notes. Remember to plan ahead and contact them in advance instead of the day before the final, especially since there tends to be a last minute rush and professor and TA office hours may be booked solid.

• Stay healthy - Sleep, eat properly and workout as you’re preparing! Don’t let the vending machine tempt you. Studies have shown that Omega-3 fatty acids boost energy and improve memory. Fish, walnuts, flaxseeds, beans and olive oil are the best brain foods.

• Give yourself a break – Though you may feel productive, staring at your textbooks for 13 hours straight can do more harm than good. The article, “5 Tips and Tricks to Make Your Finals Week a Success,” suggests that every couple hours you give yourself a break to do something other than studying. Watch a half hour of TV, take a nap or blow off some steam outside.

• Set multiple alarms – Have you ever had that nightmare that you missed your final? So that you don’t live that nightmare, set a few alarms to ensure that you won’t only wake up in time, but that you’ll arrive early enough to get a seat and settle in before the test begins.

• Don’t rush through the test – The faster you try to rush through the material, the more likely you are to make simple mistakes and lose valuable points. Take your time to thoroughly read and understand the question before rushing to an answer.

• Don’t stress once it’s over – Sometimes, you’ll leave a final feeling happy and triumphant. Other times, the impending doom of a poor grade is hard to shake. No matter how you’re feeling afterwards, it’s important to relax and let go without dwelling. If you didn’t feel as prepared as you were hoping to, learn from your experience and change your approach the next time around!

For all your last-minute research, sign up for a Questia free trial to get you through your final assignments.

Maya Angelou

In honor of National Poetry Month, Questia is helping students access free poetry criticism. We’ve released a list of our top five most researched contemporary poets, and we’re making reference works on each of them free for an entire month! For further quality research on popular poets throughout history to modern times, visit Questia’s topic page on poetry.

1. Alice Walker: Alice Walker is an American novelist, poet, activist and educator who at an early age developed a thirst for reading and learning, which sparked her love for writing. At age 15, she wrote a compilation of poems entitled “Poems of a Childhood Poetress.” Growing up in Georgia caused Walker to be surrounded by racism, violence, sexism and injustice on a daily basis. She soon became an activist and educator against racial prejudice and injustice. Much of that led to Walker’s most famous work, her novel The Color Purple, which tells the story of a black woman fighting her way through racist southern cultures. The novel won her the Pulitzer Prize. [Dieke, Ikenna. Critical Essays on Alice Walker. Westport, CT: Greenwood Press, 1999]

2. Maya Angelou: Throughout her life, Maya Angelou has held many vocations: writer, poet, activist, filmmaker, singer, dancer, actress, producer, editor and educator. Even though her childhood was filled with racial discrimination and injustice, she powered through with her family values, empowering community and unwavering faith. She is perhaps most famous for her book I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, which received critical acclaim and became an instant success. In total, Angelou has over 30 honorary degrees; several nominations, including the National Book Award; two presidential medals, three Grammy Awards, and many supportive friends, including James Baldwin and Dr. Martin Luther King. [Lupton, Mary Jane. Maya Angelou: A Critical Companion. Westport, CT: Greenwood Press, 1998.]

3. Allen Ginsberg: Not only was Allen Ginsberg a literary genius and brilliant poet, but he was also known as the father of the Beat generation. Ginsberg strongly opposed capitalism, materialism, intolerance and sexual repression. With a passion for culture, specifically Jazz music, and a drive for enlightenment and sexual liberation, Ginsberg was on a mission to break the norm and change society. He used poetry as a form of personal expression, daring to be bold and different. Ginsberg is best known for his epic poem “Howl” in which he embraces his “hipster” lifestyle and implores humanity to denounce society because it is a corrupt and intolerant monster. [Raskin , Jonah . American Scream: Allen Ginsberg's Howl and the Making of the Beat Generation. University of California Press, 2004.]

4. Derek Walcott: Derek Walcott is a celebrated writer, poet and playwright. Walcott published his first poem at the age of 14, “1944,” written in blank verse. Five years later, he self-published two more volumes of poetry, drawing from the writing styles of William Shakespeare, T.S. Elliot and Ezra Pound. However, his revolutionary work was a collection of poems titled In a Green Night. Throughout his life, Walcott has received many accreditations, including the MacArthur Foundation “genius” award, a Royal Society for Literature Award and the Queen’s Medal for Poetry. In addition, he is an honorary member of the American Academy and Institute of Arts and Letters. [Breslin, Paul. Nobody's Nation: Reading Derek Walcott. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2001.]

5. Anne Sexton: Anne Sexton was a great poet, but a troubled woman. She developed a love of poetry in her teens, but was never able to pursue a career as a poet until years later. After the birth of both of her daughters, Sexton suffered postpartum depression and was hospitalized due to her repeated suicide attempts. Sexton’s doctor suggested she pursue her interest in writing poetry, which soon became her passion and ability to endure life. Much of her writing was focused on pain, suffering and agony, making it appear as autobiographical statements. In 1967, she was awarded a Pulitzer Prize for her poem “Live or Die,” but soon after, she tragically ended her life. [Shuman, R. Baird. Great American Writers: Twentieth Century. New York: Marshall Cavendish, 2002.]

Illustration from an edition of The Canterbury Tales depicting a cook with a meathook

In honor of National Poetry Month, we’re releasing a list of our library’s top five most researched poems from the ancient epics through the Middle Ages, and making them available for free for an entire month. Check out some of the oldest epic poems ever written. In their time, they used to be more frequently performed aloud rather than read! Visit our topic page on poetry for even more poetry, critical analysis and quality research.

1. Beowulf – This epic poem, “the oldest epic narrative in any modern European tongue,” tells the story of Beowulf, a hero who defeats the monster Grendel as well as his mother, who is terrorizing Hrothgar, King of the Danes. Most likely dating back to the eighth century, the author of Beowulf is unknown, though it’s believed that portions of the story must have originally began circulating by oral transmission. The poem is celebrated for its brilliant representation of heroic tradition and is still widely studied today. [Beowulf. Trans. Charles W. Kennedy. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1978. Questia. Web.]

2. The Iliad - A famous epic poem written by Homer, the Iliad is one of the oldest works of Western literature in existence and tells of the ten-year siege of the city of Troy during the Trojan War. The two main characters, the brave warrior Achilles and King Agamemnon, are bitter rivals and at odds over honor and status. The story also recounts “the rage of Achilles,” classifying it as superhuman and aligned with cosmic forces (specifically, that of the god of Zeus). This fulfillment of Zeus’ purposes by Achilles’ rage ultimately brings destruction to both his Greek companions, and their enemies, the Trojans. [Homer. Iliad. Trans. Stanley Lombardo. Indianapolis, IN: Hackett, 1997. Questia. Web.]

3. The Odyssey – Some consider The Odyssey to be Homer’s sequel to The Iliad, chronicling Odysseus’ epic ten-year journey back home to Ithaca after the Greek victory at Troy. It is said to be a Trojan legend that the feat of returning home once again was at least as great of a challenge for the Greeks as winning the war itself. The epic is thought to have been written towards the end of the 8th century in Greece and was more than likely written to be heard, as opposed to read. [Homer. Odyssey. Trans. Stanley Lombardo. Indianapolis: Hackett Publishing, 2000. Questia. Web.]

4. The Canterbury Tales – Written by Geoffrey Chaucer in the late 1300s, The Canterbury Tales is a collection of stories being shared between a group of travelers on a fictional pilgrimage to Canterbury Cathedral. It is said that it took Chaucer over 10 years to write the piece, beginning in 1386 or 87 and working until his death in 1400. Today, there are over 80 known manuscripts of the work dating from the late medieval and early Renaissance period, though it is still debated as to whether or not The Canterbury Tales are actually finished. [Chaucer, Geoffrey. The Canterbury Tales. Trans. Nevill Coghill. Revised ed. Baltimore, MD: Penguin Books, 1969. Questia. Web.]

5. Gilgamesh – This epic poem about King Gilgamesh takes place in the city of Uruk, and details a struggle between the King and Enkidu, a rival created by the chief god of Uruk specifically to challenge Gilgamesh. Though the first tablet of the poem begins with praise for Gilgamesh, the reader soon learns that he is a terrible oppressor to the people of Uruk, who constantly cry to the chief god of the city for help. In response, the chief god has the mother goddess creates Enkidu, at one with nature, at which point the poem explores the classic confrontation of civilization against nature. [The Epic of Gilgamesh. Trans. Maureen Gallery Kovacs. Stanford, CA: Stanford University Press, 1989. Questia. Web.]

To pick up where the Middle Ages left off, take a look at our recent blog post on popular poems from the Renaissance to today.

Celebrated by more than 175 countries, Earth Day is held every April 22

1. Global Warming:  Characterized by an increase in the Earth’s average surface temperature, global warming is a worldwide phenomenon that has been reported on in everything from media outlets to scientific journals. Evidence of global warming includes an increase of 0.8° C (1.4° F) in the last 20^th century with about two thirds of this increase occurring since 1980. Scientists have speculated that increased concentrations of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere are a result of human activities such as burning fossil fuels and are responsible for rising temperatures. To lessen the effects of global warming, many countries joined together to form the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) to help prevent dangerous human interference with the climate system. [Mendelsohn, Robert. The Greening of Global Warming. AEI Press: Washington, D.C., 1999.]

2. Water Management:  An essential resource for all life on Earth, only 0.08 percent of the world’s fresh water is available to mankind for sanitation, drinking, manufacturing, leisure and agriculture. Therefore, it is important to conserve water and to carefully exercise planning, developing, distributing and managing water resources. Since agriculture is the largest user of the world’s freshwater resources (consuming nearly 70 percent), much of the efforts in water management are directed at optimizing the use of water and in minimizing the environmental impact of water use on the natural environment. [Blumenauer, Earl. 2001. “Water Vision 2001.” Forum for Applied Research and Public Policy. Vol. 16, No. 1, 82]

3. Sustainable Development:  A term first coined by the Brundtland Commission (formally known as the World Commission on Environment and Development), sustainable development is the practice of meeting the needs of the present in equilibrium with basic ecological support systems. To combat heavy deterioration of human environment and natural resources, sustainable development focuses on the carrying capacity of natural systems and is conceptually broken into three aspects: environmental sustainability, economic sustainability and sociopolitical sustainability. These environmentally-friendly methods promote eco-efficiency and sustain fundamental sources of capital. [Devuyst, Hens, et al. How Green is the City? Columbia University Press: New York, 2001]

4. Clean Energy:  Rather than have sole dependence upon the use of fossil fuels, many companies are pursuing sustainable energy resources. Energy efficient technologies such as hydroelectricity, solar energy, wind energy, wave power, geothermal energy and tidal power have been pursed as an alternative to energy sources that emit pollutants.  Clean energy has gained traction in recent years with the United States investing nearly $243 billion into wind farms, solar power and electric cars as well as other alternative technologies. [Woloski, Andrea. 2006. “Fuel of the Future: A Global Push Toward New Energy.” Harvard International Review. Vol. 27, No. 4, 40]

5. Recycling:  A key component of modern waste reduction from the popular expression “Reduce, Reuse, Recycle,” recycling utilizes used materials such as glass, plastics and paper to make new products. The process prevents the waste of potentially useful materials and reduces the consumption of fresh raw materials which reduces energy usage as well as air and water pollution. In the United States, the Environmental Protection Agency mandates the purchase of oil, paper, tires and building insulation from recycled or re-refined sources whenever possible. [Burkhardt, Oskamp, et al. 1998. “Predicting Three Dimensions of Residential Curbside Recycling: An Observational Study.” The Journal of Environmental Education.  Vol. 29, No.2, 37-42]

Take a look at the finalists and visit Questia’s Facebook page to read why students nominated them and cast your vote on Monday. Your vote could make the difference!

1. Dr. Ashley Mears, Sociology at Boston University
2. Julia Corine-Barnes, Spanish at Berry College, Georgia
3. Dr. Jamie Ward, Communications at University of Michigan-Dearborn
4. Dr. Patrick McCauley, Religious Studies at Chestnut Hill College, Pennsylvania
5. Kenneth Cherry, Marketing at Central Michigan University
6. Jeannie Harmon, Child Development at Santa Rosa Junior College, California
7. Dr. Michael Anders, Music at University of Findlay, Ohio
8. Daniel L. Lemisch, Criminal Justice at Henry Ford Community College, Michigan
9. Dave Miller, Mathematics at Queens College, City University of New York
10. Mike Eddy, Film at Century College, Minnesota
11. Dr. Ralene Mitschler, Biology at McDaniel College, Maryland

Why should you vote? The professor with the most votes will win the title of MVP, and the best part—Questia, the online research tool for students, will create three $2,500 scholarships in the MVP’s name. Three scholarship opportunities for students, it doesn’t get much cooler than that!

College study habits

As we continued to receive nominations for sensational professors across the country, we also took the time to survey 1,000 students and instructors on everything from study and research habits to relationship building with faculty. We knew that professors were substantial influencers in students’ lives, but these results may surprise you!

When students were asked who they turn to first for trustworthy academic advice, a whopping 61 percent said it was a professor. When asked who their college mentor is, 46 percent said it was also a professor. It looks like students put a lot of trust in their instructors, but do students take their advice on study and research?

When it comes to researching a term paper, the majority of instructors recommend spending 1-3 hours researching in the library and 4-6 hours of researching online. Surprisingly, students agree! However, when it comes to starting the term paper, it sounds like students and instructors aren’t quite on the same page. While 52 percent of instructors recommend starting the very day its assigned, 46 percent of students start a few weeks before the due date, 33 percent start one week before the due date and 5 percent don’t begin until the night before!

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