A persuasive essay is defined by two purposes: to convince the audience to agree with the speaker’s position on a debatable issue and to inspire listeners to take action. In order to succeed, the speaker must forge a relationship with the audience, while appealing to their intellect and emotions. Let’s look at six steps to…
What Is an Introduction? As the first paragraph in your essay, a successful introduction grabs the readers' attention, gives them the background information needed to understand the essay’s topic, and ends with the essay’s thesis statement. Writing a strong introduction can be tricky for two reasons: it can be difficult to decide how much information…
What is a thesis statement? Simply put, the most important statement in an essay is your thesis. It is often the first and last sentence you work on, tinkering and revising throughout the writing process. It must be specific enough to support within the scope of the essay, but general enough to be relevant and…
Maybe it’s no longer technically “quarantine” (or maybe it is—who can keep track!) but we’ve certainly been keeping (socially) distant for a while at this point. And while perhaps you’ve maintained your stylish look and mastered cutting your own hair, perhaps you’ve instead embraced a more slovenly lifestyle—for now. If you’re seeking validation for that…
Charles Dickens was a prolific writer who transformed his own life experiences into vibrant, imaginative fiction and became one of the most beloved authors in the Western literary canon. A Few Facts at a Glance Charles Dickens was born in Portsmouth, England, on February 7, 1812. (Are you also an Aquarius?) Dickens’s father would make…
Today marks the 19th anniversary of the September 11th (commonly referred to as "9/11") terrorist attacks carried out by al-Qaeda against the United States. Our hearts continue to be with those who sacrificed so much on the day of those attacks. We hope that as we continue to observe this day, we also remember the…
Read More "Most Popular Questions about the September 11th Terrorist Attacks"
An Introductory Lesson to Annotation The first time I heard the word “annotate,” I think I was in college. Back in high school, my teachers just told us to “mark up the text.” It’s funny, because I remember all of them telling me to do that, but I don’t recall being told why I should…
It’s time to plan on how we’re going to come back in January stronger and better prepared than ever!
