College Research Paper Writing

Summer session term papers can be very different from term papers that you are required to write during the year. Mainly, for term papers due during the summer session, professors do not give you as much time to write the term paper as during a regular semester due to the condensed course work of the shorter session. Therefore, there are several tips that are very helpful in completing summer session term papers. Read more…

Karen Sonnenberg

Writer, editor and term paper guru. Also a really wonderful person that is available at any time to assist with research paper questions. Connect with me on Google+

Website - More Posts

There is no question that most college students find themselves pressed for time when it comes to meeting the myriad demands of college life. Heavy course schedules, part-time employment and, of course, networking and socializing all place a significant demand on a college student’s time resources. Successful time management therefore is vital to reducing the academic stress that results when a student fails to balance academic demands with competing forces like work and play. Read more…

Karen Sonnenberg

Writer, editor and term paper guru. Also a really wonderful person that is available at any time to assist with research paper questions. Connect with me on Google+

Website - More Posts

If you’re a college student, you might be wondering what all the fuss is about when it comes to writing term papers and research papers. Isn’t it enough that you finish the required readings, pass quizzes and tests and keep absences at a minimum? Some students mistakenly think that the academic requirements associated with college are much the same as high school, only a bit more advanced. While this might be true in some cases, college almost also makes more demands on both your time and your intellect. Gone are the days of worrying only about what was discussed in class, completing some homework and studying for a quiz or two. In college, you will find that professors are more demanding. Unlike high school, where most academic obligations are relatively short-term, in college those obligations are often long and drawn-out , requiring you to spend a greater amount of your time preparing and completing them. Term papers and research papers are an ideal example. It is vital therefore that you make adequate room in your schedule for working on your term papers and research papers. Whether you’re preparing for your next one or only beginning to tackle your first, remember that quality term papers and research papers will help you make the grade.

Karen Sonnenberg

Writer, editor and term paper guru. Also a really wonderful person that is available at any time to assist with research paper questions. Connect with me on Google+

Website - More Posts

The task of writing a term paper, research paper, essay or book report can actually get easier over time, especially when you approach it from the perspective of following a simple formula:

Introduction + Body + Conclusion

Although the size of your term paper or research paper will dictate how simple or complex each of these three components of your paper will be, beginning with this simple formula in mind will make the task of writing much easier.

The Introduction

The introduction is one of the most important parts of any paper however it is often one of the most difficult to write. The primary purpose of the introduction is to get the attention of your readers. When formulating a term paper or research paper, begin with a sketch or rough draft of your introduction that tells the reader what your paper is about. You might be surprised to find out that you actually do the finalizing and polishing of your introduction after you’ve completed your paper. In “Shortcuts for the Student Writer”, Silverman, Hughes and Wienbroer suggest several approaches to creating your introduction such as:

Karen Sonnenberg

Writer, editor and term paper guru. Also a really wonderful person that is available at any time to assist with research paper questions. Connect with me on Google+

Website - More Posts

Today, students are no longer bound to the traditional library when it comes to finding sources for their term papers and research papers, thanks to the incredible growth of online or virtual libraries. Virtual libraries can be an invaluable source of research material when you are unable to get to your school or public library on a regular basis or when you do much of your research after hours. Students can find plenty of free electronic versions of classic texts in the public domain offered by these online libraries. The majority offer literature in html format, which makes for easy searching and bookmarking using a Web browser.

The following are some ideal examples of the free virtual libraries available on the web:

• The Online Medieval & Classical Library, where you can search for texts by author or title.
• The Online Books Page, which lists over 30,000 free books, essays and documents.
• The Project Gutenberg, which offers access to over 25,000 free books and a total of more than 100,000 titles through its partners and affiliates.

Virtual libraries like these are often associated with universities, literary associations or other groups interested in the distribution of texts in the public domain. When choosing to use one of these libraries, you should make every effort to establish its validity as a source of authentic, scholarly and public domain works.

Commercial virtual libraries like Questia and Ebrary offer students access to hundreds of thousands of books, journals, magazines and newspaper articles written on a wide array of subjects that can be used in research papers, term papers, essays as well as book reports. And these aren’t just texts in the public domain. On the contrary, students can find copyrighted material in a number of categories including religion, sociology, history, philosophy, economics, political science, psychology and more.

The most popular of these commercial online libraries is Questia. Although Questia offers different subscription rates, a $19.95 monthly fee gets students access to more than 1,500,000 books in all of the categories offered. Text is easily searchable and can be cut and pasted in a word processor for quoting sources in an essay or other type of research paper. Questia even generates citations and bibliographic information for users in APA, MLA and other referencing styles that are most frequently used in term papers and research papers.

Ebrary is another commercial online library, owned in part by the McGraw-Hill Companies. All of the published material provided by Ebrary can be viewed for a minimum $5 set-up fee. There is no charge to view the books, journals and magazines offered by Ebrary however there is a cost of $.25 each time text from any page is cut/copied, pasted and appropriately used and cited in a term paper. While a growing number of colleges and universities now offer their students free access to the Ebrary online library, the company presents its commercial site as an ideal alternative for students who do not have this free access.

Although they may never completely replace the traditional public or school library, free and commercial online libraries can definitely make your term paper and research paper tasks much easier as well as much faster…and who doesn’t like that?

Karen Sonnenberg

Writer, editor and term paper guru. Also a really wonderful person that is available at any time to assist with research paper questions. Connect with me on Google+

Website - More Posts

One of the most confusing and misunderstood aspects of writing a term paper is source material. What constitutes a quality Internet source and what is not a valid academic web reference for a research paper is sometimes not made clear by your professor. However, the criterion for a valid Internet reference or resource is easy to remember. There are 3 basic things to remember when you browse the Internet looking for sources for your research papers.

No Wikipedia in Research Papers

Do NOT use Wikipedia in Research PapersFirst let me clear up a few common misconceptions immediately – 1) Wikipedia should NEVER be used as a source or citation in your research paper. Between the “good”, the “bad” and the “ugly”, Wikipedia is the UGLIEST! Wikipedia has great information but none of it is verified or validated by anyone before it is posted to the web. 2) A professor’s website is NOT a valid academic source. Professor’s have opinions and bias just like anyone else. Remember, anyone can put up a website and claim anything they wish as valid.

So how do you tell a good source from a bad source from the ugliest source of all (Wikipedia)? The three questions you should ask yourself are this: 1) Is this a primary source? 2) Is this a .gov or .org website? 3) Is this a peer reviewed source from an academic journal? If you can’t answer “yes” to one of these three questions, then don’t use the source. Within the next few weeks, we will be posting definitions and examples of these three types of Internet sources that are viable for use in an academic research paper.

Karen Sonnenberg

Writer, editor and term paper guru. Also a really wonderful person that is available at any time to assist with research paper questions. Connect with me on Google+

Website - More Posts