• classification-essayClassification essay is an essay written by organizing and sorting out different things into categories. Those things with common traits are grouped together based on a common principle of classification. Generally, classification essays are not very easy to write. It is like separating chaff from grains! This doesn’t seem to be such an easy task. Well, here is how to go about writing an essay on classification.
     
    Begin by brainstorming
     
    How do you intend to group them up? Based on what classification principle? In the event that the divisions are provided, try tabulating the different groups for more clarity and easy understanding.
     
    Categorize based on some principle
     
    You can classify or categorize them based on their common features. For instance, it is not very appropriate to categorize fruits and stones together, but the sun and the moon can easily fit in one category. Why? They are both heavenly bodies, and the two are also natural sources of light. Aren’t they?
     
    Write the Introduction of your essay
     
    The introduction of your classification essay should explain what you want to classify. Remember, classification essays are not the same as compare and contrast essays.
     
    The difference between the classification essays and the compare and contrast essays is that the former can be clustered into more than two categories, where as the latter can only have two classes, one group for similarities and the other group for differences.
     
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  • citing-sources-APAHello!
     
    Was it you asking “What is APA style format?”
     
    You’ve come to the right place! Here, you can:

    • learn the answer to questions such as “what is APA format” and “what is APA citation”;
    • see plenty of great examples;
    • learn professional tips;
    • acquire and perfect new skills!
    • Are you ready? Let the good times roll!

    Citing Sources APA: Thirteen Significant Elements to Remember.

    Now it’s time to get your Lucky Thirteen – check these tips of correct APA format style:

    1. Reference every idea you take from a certain source.
    2. When quoting, offer the page range, the author’s first name and the year of publishing.
    3. For the same author’s works of the same year, use title indications.
    4. For sources with no author, use the site or the source title.
    5. Never use the web address of a site as a parenthetical citation!
    6. Use block quotes for quotations over 40 words long.
    7. Don’t use too many block quotes.
    8. Always try paraphrasing instead of quoting.
    9. Use various verbs of speech for paraphrasing
      (e.g., “the author says, claims, states, asserts, explains, reports, announces, demonstrates, depicts, describes, stresses, emphasizes, observes, assures, doubts, argues, refutes, denies, proves right/wrong, presupposes, convinces, persuades, etc. that…”).
    10. Use various conjunctions and conjunctive words for paraphrasing the author’s ideas
      (e.g., according to the author, as the author suggests, taking into account the author’s opinion, etc.)
    11. Support every claim you make with a piece of evidence from the source.
    12. Check that every quotation has a corresponding bibliography entry.
    13. Take a deep breath and drink a cup of coffee. You’ve made it!

    Are you impressed? That’s not the end of the story yet! You’re in for plenty of more tips on the APA style format!

    Citing Sources APA: Check a Fascinating Citation-Making Machine!

    And now welcome the unforgettable, the one and only APA citation maker! With the help of this device, you can handle any source for your APA bibliography. Just pick the elements you need for a citation for APA papers, follow the tips you’ll get a perfect list of sources in APA formatting style!
     

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  • case-study-definitionIf you have a problem to solve,
    and it has nothing to do with your life,
    but it must be solved here and now…
    welcome to the world of Case Studies!
     
    Now let’s see what this weird alien thing is, and how to deal with it.
     
    First of all, you’ll need the definition – the best of all existing case study definitions!
     
    A case study is the presentation and consequent analysis of a person, group or event.
     
    With the above definition of a case study in mind, you’ll get the main idea of case writing. Now check the various types of case studies – there are a lot of them!

    Case Study Definition and Classification: What You Have to Know.

    Let’s get the whole thing rolling. These are all the types of case studies the world has ever known:
     
    Classical case – It requires data collection, factors analysis and potential solutions development;
     
    Unfinished story – It contains a problem description and suggestions of possible future actions;
     
    Ex post facto case – It discusses an already existing solution to a problem;
     
    Critical incident – It discusses an existing problem, in order to find and suggest a solution for it.
     
    Embryo case – It only outlines a problem, giving very little information.
     
    Mail basket case – It considers a problem from various points of view, and offers a decision based on theoretical foundations. For experienced learners only!
     
    Report analysis case – It uses and combines data obtained from various reports.
     
    Impromptu case – It offers a solution for a real problem based on a group decision.
     
    Baited case – It intentionally omits some parts of the problem, so that students need to search for the important factors and offer efficient solutions;
     
    Cartoon teaser – It presents the problem in a cartoon format;
     
    Informational what-do-you-see case – It presents the problem through a picture;
     
    Psychological what-do-you-see case – It presents the problem through a picture and it analyses the psychological aspects involved;
     
    Educational simulation – It requires students to act out both the problem and proposed solutions;
     
    A mock-case study, a mop – It focuses on a problem that is not real,but developed especially for students to train their skills.
     
    Now that you know the ins and outs of various case study types, check some professional tips on case study writing.

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  • study-techniquesAre you urgently looking for an easy way to improve your study skills? Or, desperately searching for a panacea which will help you prepare for an exam within one overnight study session? Sorry for disappointing you, but there is no universal cure and learning to learn effectively takes some time. However, with this quick guide to action, you will master the best study techniques for effective reading, note taking and memorizing.

    Study techniques: dispelling reading myths

    Learning frequently starts from reading, but reading doesn’t always lead to understanding. Here are good old myths that prevent you from becoming a successful reader:

    • You must read every word!
    • If you read quickly, you will not understand the text.
    • If you read the text aloud, you will better understand it from the first time.

    Forget about these myths if you want to use effective study techniques! First, study texts are full of words which link sentences grammatically, but do not convey any meaning. Your task is to find the most important words and ideas in the text. Second, reading comprehension depends upon your concentration, not the time spent on reading. Thirdly, even if you read it aloud, your own voice can sound like the accompaniment of the rain, pleasant but meaningless. Moreover, in this case you read much slower.

    Study techniques: effective reading

    To put an end to the waste of time and to learn to read quickly and effectively, you may want to use the following study tips:
    Increased speed.

    • The hand. Place your hand on the page and slowly move it down the page. Imagine that your hand has its own mind and you need to read as quickly as it passes by the lines.
    • The card. Place a sheet of paper above the line of the page you are reading. Cover the words as soon as you read them. It will prevent you from rereading the page over and over again and will focus your attention when you read for the first time, which is one of the most effective study habits to acquire.
    • The zig-zag. Scan the text diagonally, picking out only the main ideas. This study technique is great for easy texts, but you should not use it for complicated texts or chapters which require careful reading.

    Improved comprehension.

    • PQRST stands for Preview (look through subheadings before reading), Question (can be found before or after chapters- check them before reading), Read (thoughtfully to find the information best related to the chosen questions), Summary (check the next section for taking notes effectively); Test (answer the question).
    • Pivotal words. To better understand what the author of your textbook wants to tell you, use parenthetical words as the road signs. For example, if you see repetitive words, such as again, in other words, that is, it means that the author is going to repeat the information that has been discussed earlier. Emphasizing words, such as above, more important, indeed, indicate the most important information. Summarizing words, such as in conclusion, in brief, to sum up, will help you understand the main idea.


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  • how-to-avoid-plagiarismProfessors frequently warn students about the dangers of plagiarism. It is rather difficult to imagine a person who doesn’t know about the academic penalties imposed for appropriating someone else’s ideas without mentioning the author.
     
    Yet, some students don’t know how to avoid plagiarism, and as a result, their grades suffer. This article will explain how these people can overcome various pitfalls when writing their papers.
     
    How to Avoid Plagiarism: Understanding the Term
     
    If you don’t want your professor to penalize your for plagiarism, you should first ask yourself a simple question: “What is plagiarism?” Overall, this term can be understood as unauthorized appropriation of other people’s work, without giving credit to them. Plagiarism includes the following things:

    1. Representing someone else’s words as one’s own;
    2. Using the ideas of other people without mentioning their authorship;
    3. Excessive use of direct quotes in the paper;
    4. Failure to provide accurate bibliographical information about sources.

    So, you need to make sure that your essays or research papers have accurate references and in-text citations.
     
    How to Avoid Plagiarism: Seven Precautions That You Need to Take
     
    People who have only begun their academic studies often don’t know how to avoid unintentional plagiarism. Provided that you want your papers to be plagiarism-free, you should stick to the following rules:

    1. If you use someone else’s words directly, citing thus a whole passage, you need to name the author and specify the number of the page where this passage can be found. Similarly, when you refer to the theories or ideas of other people without actually quoting them, you should give credit for each idea to its original author.
    2. Avoid excessive use of block quotations of other authors. Professors want you to express ideas in your own words. Besides, you need to make sure that quotations don’t make up more than 15 percent of your paper otherwise your paper may not earn a good grade.
    3. Make sure that every in-text citation has a corresponding reference entry, otherwise your professor may suspect you of plagiarism.
    4. Provide accurate page numbers for each of your sources. Some professors may want to check books and articles that you used and they will not be very glad to see that you just made up page numbers.
    5. Distinguish between common knowledge and plagiarism. For example, when a person says that the Earth revolves around the Sun, he or she refers to common knowledge. This is something that is known to every educated member of the community. However, when you are referring to a certain astronomic law discovered fairly recently, you should give credit to the person who discovered it. If you want to know how to avoid plagiarism, you should learn more about the concept of common knowledge.
    6. Cite every visual aid that you use in your paper. Every chart, diagram or table that you use should have a corresponding reference and in-text citation mentioning the source where you took it from.
    7. Use anti-plagiarism software that detects matches between your paper and other people’s books or articles. Some of those matches can be regarded as plagiarism, even if you didn’t actually use these sources in any way.


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