Few people know how to create a successful outline, and that amazes me.

The first step is to understand the material you’re reading. If you’re simply taking chunks of the chapter, you’re not going to get anywhere. There are two different outlines: research outlines and chapter outlines. I’ll cover both here.

Research outline

Every good research paper should start with a great outline. A great outline serves as the skeleton for your entire paper.

Once you’ve figured out your topic and the general direction of your paper, creating an outline is straightforward. You must thoroughly understand your thesis before completing the outline. If you’re confused or stuck on a thesis, don’t worry about it until the end. Start with the information.

Once you’ve gathered your research, you generally know the idea of what you want to talk about first. If you’re completely lost, choose the idea that would be a great opener – something that’s controversial, interesting or your audience would agree with. To choose what’s next in line, ask yourself, “After idea A, what is an easy transition?” If you’re going from dogs to VCRs, there’s probably not going to be an easy connection. Transitions between different sections can be made very simple if you choose topics that seem to flow well together. Also remember that nothing is set in stone. If later you realize you should have put topic B where topic F is, change it.

Because this article is so long, I’m going to cut it off here and allow you to view the rest of entry if you choose to do so. (more…)

Here’s a list my favorite teacher gave me back in high school. It’s compiled of things that should never be in a formal composition.

Don’t you dare…

• Use a contraction (don’t, couldn’t, etc.)
• Use “things” or “stuff”…be specific
• Use “nice” or “some” – too vague, over used
• Use “a lot” or worse – “alot”
• Use “bunch”
• Use slang
• Use “this, that, those, these” as pronouns, only use them as adjective before a noun or pronoun
• Put a comma before “because”
• Use “different than” – correct usage is “different from”
• Use “irregardless”- it’s a not real word, use regardless
• Use “off of”
• Use “plus” instead of “and”
• Write in passive voice when your sentence works in active voice.
• End a sentence with a preposition (to in, at, etc.)

Knowing how to calculate your GPA is essential for college students. Many scholarships require a minimum GPA, as do some programs and internships. But, surprisingly, a lot of students don’t know how to calculate their own GPA.

Your grade point average is an important part of your transcript. I’ve included a tutorial to calculate it manually, but be sure to check out the link at the bottom for a super easy to use calculator.  

How to Calculate Your GPA

To calculate your GPA you’ll need to know your average and the weight/credit (number of hours) for each class. You get a certain number of grade points for each class, depending on your grade. Points are awarded according to the chart below.
A=4 points
B=3 points
C=2 points
D=1 point
W/F = 0 points

Multiply the grade points by the weight of the class. For example, if your biology class is 4 hours and you made a B, you get 12 points for that class. Find all the points for every class and add them up. Then add up the total hours of all classes. To find your GPA, you divide total grade points by total number of hours

Here’s an example transcript:

GPA = GRADE POINTS / TOTAL HOURS
3.3125 = 53 / 16 –> This student has a B.

GPA Calculators

If that’s just too complicated, time-consuming, or you’re lazy (like me); here’s a GPA calculator for you provided by Back2College. It makes everything wonderfully simple.

Another great calculator is this one, provided by the Minnesota Office of Higher Education.

How to Raise Your GPA

If your GPA is looking less-than-stellar, there is still hope! This handy calculator helps you determine how you can raise your GPA in college.

The best way to keep your GPA up is to know your GPA! If you are always aware of your grades, you don’t risk getting a particularly low one that will have the nasty effect of majorly dropping your cumulative GPA.