Monday, December 22, 2014

Determining the right assignment style for new college students

When starting to write an assignment, the first thing that comes to mind is how to write it because there are many ways in which you can complete your assignment, but if you choose the wrong one, chances are that the teacher would not like it because the teacher might be expecting something else. Some teachers specify clearly the type of assignment they want, but others don't because they expect college students to know it already. Spoon feeding the answer that teachers want is the practice prevalent in High Schools whereas college teachers don't because the students would soon be working in companies where the boss does not specify anything. 
There are five custom assignment writing styles, informational, argumentative, analytical, reflective and expressive. You have to go through the following steps to determine which type of style is required for your assignment.
Firstly, make sure you understand the teacher's instructions and what you are required to do. If the teacher wants you to write the summary of the chapter, or an informational assignment, you are not required to search anything from the internet or other sources, because only a short form of the chapter is required. If the teacher wants you to give your opinion on a point discussed in class, you might have to develop a thesis and take a stance in order to prove your opinion correct, implying the argumentative type should be used in the assignment.
Secondly, always see if further research or citation is required or not. Writing a summary would include citation of the author of the book/article, whereas, giving your viewpoint or researching on a topic would always include references. If further research is required and you do not do it, the point of doing the assignment would be useless.

Third, remember that do not include in your stance if not asked for. Some assignments require only further description of the author's viewpoint. For example, writing on a piece of poetry would not ask for your opinion, but further explanation of what the poet is trying to say and the flip side, include your point of view if required. 
Although doing your assignment correctly and fulfilling the teacher's expectations is very difficult for freshmen, however, through time students learn to interpret the teacher's expectations. Not telling everything word by word is also important because in the corporate world, people have to make their own decisions on what they think is best. They analyze the situation and act accordingly.

Friday, December 12, 2014

3 Tips to easily succeed in an online class

Online classes are a great initiative to promote education, provide access to top degree programs for students who otherwise would have to compromise on their education and academic growth. It is also a great way for people who need flexibility due to various circumstances. The major advantage of an online education system is that it is cost-effective and with such an immense technological power around, it can be of high quality as well.
Students might think getting an online degree is easy, for it does not have the mandatory requirements to that of a traditional schooling or degree method. However, it might seem pretty smooth and easy ride, but if invite trouble or fail to understand the premise of online education, how it requires you to adapt to certain things so that you successfully clear the degree might make things complicated. We are going to mention 3 key tips that can help any student succeed in an online research paper writing  or class with ease and perfection:

1. Confirm technical aspects of the course and requirement: Online education relies completely on the use of technology, mainly computers and internet. It is absolutely imperative that you ensure you have all the right setup done, before taking an online class. From basic software requirements, to connectivity problems, its solutions and any other technical element that is involved and you should know of. As much as it is the responsibility of the lecturer or course instructor to let you know, it is also important for your end to assure things are in right order instead of blaming others towards the end and wasting time.

2. Get to know your instructors and fellow members: The biggest drawback of an online class is the inability for a physical face to face interaction, which plays a key role. So the best alternative is getting to know your instructors and fellow members through the designed connectivity, maybe a video calling or webinar software. Instead of coming right during the on-going lecture, or just attending one, go an extra mile to try and find out more about who is the instructor, how to get in touch and also your fellow course members.


3. Keep a schedule and stay organized: You might not have someone to keep you under discipline during an online class, but it is your responsibility to be mature enough. Keep your schedules and stay organized if you really have the commitment to achieve excellence in an online course.