by Nina H.

I struggled with taking the prewriting process seriously when writing essays throughout middle and high school. I would usually skip right to creating my first draft, thinking that this would be more efficient. I thought that having a few ideas in my head and then going with wherever they took me was the best route. In the long-run, however, taking the prewriting process seriously is an efficient and effective move. Prewriting helps me see the holes in my ideas so I can strengthen or change them, which ultimately saves me time, because I will not have to find later that there is an entire paragraph or page that I need to delete.

Taking a composition theory class in my first semester of college changed my whole view of the prewriting process. I learned that prewriting should take up around 85% of the writing process! The actual writing should take up 1%, because it should mostly be expanding and combining prewriting into paragraphs. If you ever find yourself slumped over your desk, fighting to think of how to start your draft, here are a few prewriting tips that I use to help me write more efficiently and effectively:

1. Write out your answer to the essay prompt. If you are not sure what your answer is, write out as many as you can think of and choose the one you see the most potential in. If you still do not know what your answer is, ask your professor which idea he/she thinks has the most potential. This will be your main idea and the beginning of your thesis.

2. Write out as many supporting ideas for your main idea as possible, and (for the typical length of an essay) choose three that you see the most potential in. Turn these into bullet points under your main idea, and briefly tack them onto your thesis.

3. Keep other ideas you have bulleted on a separate page in case you find a place for them later.

4. Add bullet points under your supporting ideas. These might be a few words at first, but you can develop them into full sentences as you get further into prewriting and start to get into writing.

5. If the essay requires sources, create a separate page for making notes about the sources and recording direct quotes that relate to your main idea. I find it helpful to always have the main idea of my essay in mind when reading sources so that I do not veer off into writing an analysis of the sources. Then, use a different color highlighter for each of your three supporting points to highlight which quotes or pieces of information from the sources can be included with which supporting point.

6. Remember, the prewriting process can be as messy as it needs to be. Try not to think of it as sitting down at your desk and cranking out what you desperately hope to be an A+ essay—think of it as scribbling down an idea while you are brushing your teeth in the morning or spending five spare minutes jotting down ideas. When it comes time to actually sitting down and cranking out that essay, it will feel a lot less intimidating, like reorganizing a room instead of building all the furniture for it. Prewriting is your friend!

By Kennedy C.

1. Make a plan

2. Choose a thesis statement

3. Find supporting evidence for your thesis

4. Begin writing!

Writing is hard but being prepared can make all the difference! Here are a few tips on how to start, stay focused, and knock your next essay out of the park!

Make a plan

This step may seem simple and easy to dismiss as negligible, however, taking the time to plan can completely transform the writing process! When planning it is best to simultaneously make a timeline and be realistic. Plan out time to brainstorm ideas, narrow your topic, pick a thesis statement, write a draft, revise, and be sure to save time in order to submit it to the writing center to get feedback before you review one last time and turn it in! Trust me when I say planning will help tremendously. Try it out and be sure to leave enough time for each task. You want to start early so you have time.

Choose a thesis statement

After making a plan and writing that plan on paper, be sure to narrow the focus of your topic by selecting a thesis statement. This will act as a road map for the rest of your essay. The thesis statement should include the main points which will become the different topics of each paragraph.

Find supporting evidence for your thesis statement

Use the resources available through the library! https://library.marietta.edu/home The library is a great resource for finding information. There are topics from biology to theatre that are made available to students. You can also search through other databases that the library has to offer by clicking “research databases” and searching for a database by subject!

Begin writing

You can do this! Make a plan, select a thesis statement find supporting research, and begin writing!

by Laura D.

1. Make Sure Your Topic is Not Too Narrow: When choosing a topic to write a lengthy paper or speech about, it is important to keep the focus broader. This way you will be able to find enough research to descriptively support every point in your thesis statement. Remember that you can go as in depth as you want through your topic, so find main points that you will be able to find a wealth of information on.

2. Do More Research: It is rare that a professor will set a limit on the number of sources that you can use, so find as many as you can. The more sources you have, the more credible information you be able to find and utilize throughout your writing process. (Just don’t forget to accurately cite every source! :) )

3. Make an Outline: As part of the writing process, making an outline can help you to structure your ideas and research in a way that helps to write the final draft. The outline should state all of your main points and every piece of supporting evidence that you have found. This way, you can see how much information you have before you start writing the draft and panic when you aren’t filling the required pages.

4. Set Goals to Manage your Time: Every college student has dealt with the pesky thoughts of procrastination. When writing a lengthy paper, it is especially important to plan your time effectively. Set reasonable goals for yourself to space out the writing process and allow extra time for revision. For example, block off an hour or two a day to spend on the research process, then on the overall writing process, and then on revisions. This will allow you to write high quality work that has not been thrown together a day or two before the due date.

5. Don’t be Afraid to Visit the Writing Center or Ask your Professor for Help: Sometimes people reach a mental block that can be broken by assistance from others. Everyone encounters these struggles, so have no fear, help is here. Visiting your professor’s office hours can help you to get a clear sense of their expectations, as well as their ideas. (Remember they were in college too, so they know the struggle). Also, scheduling an hour or so with a writing tutor can help with brainstorming and peer editing. They most likely have been in your position, and they can give helpful tips on how to get through it.

6. Choose a Topic that You Have Interest In: If possible, choose a topic that intrigues you and makes you want to learn more. The monotonous research process can be made so much more exciting if you have a personal interest in what you’re writing about. Writing a long paper doesn’t have to be a dreadful idea if you make it fun in whatever ways you can!

Finally, think about the final moment of relief and accomplishment when you submit the assignment. Go celebrate by giving yourself some free time. You deserve it! :)

By: Zane P.

During the past few months, balancing schoolwork with the challenges of a global pandemic has proved extremely difficult. Many students have experienced little to no breaks, and their motivation has reflected that. Becoming motivated at the beginning of each semester is difficult enough, but remaining motivated, especially during a global pandemic, has been extremely challenging. Therefore, it is important to identify ways to remain motivated during these final weeks of class.

For myself, the following keys have been instrumental in keeping me motivated…

Making a Daily Routine

Each morning, I like to create a daily routine that establishes the day ahead and sets the groundwork for much of my day. This allows me to gain motivation from the second I wake up and keeps me motivated till the time I fall asleep. Establishing the motivation early in the day keeps me engaged and allows me to accomplish the tasks I set for myself

Setting Goals that are Attainable

While making my daily routine, I create goals that are reasonable, and I know I will be able to attain that day. In doing so, I am able to accomplish all of the goals I set, and I remain motivated to continue creating goals. If I create goals that I am unable to reach, then I become discouraged. Therefore, it is extremely important to be reasonable with myself each morning.

Tackling Assignments with Highest Priority First

Because high priority assignments are often more extensive, I gain more motivation after completing them. Tackling low priority assignments first may allow you to check more boxes, but I feel tackling the assignment with more weight first gives me more motivation in the long run. I feel more weight is lifted off my shoulders after completing an extensive assignment, and this keeps me motivated to continue feeling this relief.

Prioritizing my Mental Health

Because mental health greatly affects motivation, it is important to find ways to prioritize your health. In order to maintain my mental health, I enjoy performing various types of exercise. In the morning, I enjoy practicing different yoga techniques. Yoga helps reduce the effects of various mental health issues, which keeps me motivated for the day ahead. In addition, I enjoy running or working out in the gym; doing so has a positive impact on the many mental health related issues college students experience.

Taking Days to Reset

Taking days to rest and reset is also instrumental in maintaining mental health as well as staying motivated. Because we are experiencing extended periods with no break, I like to take a day or two every couple weeks to allow myself to rest. This helps me to relax and reset so that I can tackle the tasks ahead. Implementing days of rest into my semester has helped me tremendously during the pandemic, and it has kept me motivated to keep working diligently.

I hope these tips are beneficial and help you to remain motivated during these enduring times!

by Natalie C.

The lab report is often the bane of existence for science majors across the world. It can be a time-consuming process, yet it stands at the crux of scientific communications. Understanding scientific texts and being able to write reports of one’s own will enable students with skills they will need in they decide to go into research, one of the most popular outcomes for science majors.

So, when you see that your lab report is coming up, where do you start? The first key of advice is to make sure you understand your template. Almost all lab reports follow this general structure:

A. Introduction

- Background

- Purpose

- Hypothesis

B. Procedures

C. Results

- Tables and Figures

- Description of Data

D. Discussion

- Conclusions

- Explanation of Results

- Future Experiment

E. Literature Cited

There are a few other MAJOR things to note:

- Always, Always, Always write in the passive voice.

o Ex: The test was run twice. The test tube was filled with MnOH.

- Always, Always, Always write in the third person POV.

How do I write an Introduction?

So, although it is tempting to start with your introduction, it is actually best to write your procedures first. Writing the procedures directly following the experiment is the best way to make sure that you are writing an accurate procedure because what you did in lab is fresh in your mind. (Skip to Writing The Results Section.)

The introduction has three major sections: background, purpose, and your hypothesis. -Background: The background gives information that makes sure your audience is familiar with the subject of your lab.

If your audience doesn’t know why this lab report is important to them, if they do not know anything about the organism/event/phenomenon you are observing, it is your duty as the writer to make that information known to your audience in a clear way.

You also want to reference sources in this section. Including cited scientific data is key to increasing your credibility as a writer. It is not uncommon in an introduction section that every sentence has a citation at the end of it.

Key Things to Include:

- Information the relates directly to your experiment

- A summary of this other research and information

- Why would someone be interested in your experiment?

- Why does this topic concern your reader?

- What was studied?

- Why did you study that thing/phenomenon? Why does that thing matter to the reader?

- Any other background information the audience should know to be able to make sense of your procedures and results.

Purpose: In a sentence or two, you next want to explain why you are evening doing the experiment. What issue does your experiment address? There are usually multiple purposes or objectives to a lab, and it is okay to include more than one – encouraged even.

o Ex: There were three purposes to this lab. This first purpose was to observe the change in the rate of oxygen absorption by pea plants. The other purposes of this lab were to learn how to use a specific piece of equipment and to learn about the scientific process.

Hypothesis: This is your Big Kahuna. Your hypothesis is what you believe is going on in some organism or phenomena and your experiment serves to prove if you are right or wrong. Plus, it is totally okay if you were wrong. Here, you just want to state what you thought was the explanation for your observations. This is different from the purpose because the purpose answers why you are performing the lab whereas the hypothesis explains what you think your lab will demonstrate.

Okay, so you’ve made it through the introduction. You’re alive!! Take a deep breath – you’ve got this!

How do I write a Procedures Section?

The main goal of the procedures section is to explain what you actually did in lab. It’s not the instructions that you were told to do – it’s what you actually did. This usually means you followed the instructions with minor changes to variables, or if you made a mistake, you write about it in here (not what happened…just what you did).

This section should included your procedures-what you did exactly in lab, it should cover how you collected your data, and you should explain how your calculations were performed (but not the results of your calculations…that comes later).

Example: “The pill bugs were counted and then placed in a terrarium with adequate food, water and light.”

Key Ideas:

- Write in properly formed and grammatically correct paragraphs.

- Make sure you talk about what you did objectively. Remember, passive voice and 3^rd person POV!

- Be exact and clear. Do not leave out details about how your data was collected.

How do I write a Results Section?

The results section shows your reader the data you collected – qualitative observations and the quantitative data. Anything that you determined to be a result of your experiment should be included here.

There are two main parts to your results section: Tables and Figures and the Description of your Data

Tables and Figures: This includes any graphs and tables that you have. You want to make sure that you label the x-axis and y-axis correctly. Also, make sure every graph and table is labeled, has a title, and make sure to mark it “Figure #,” so that you can easily reference it.

Description of Results: This section should, like all others, be written in the third person passive voice. It will describe patterns, trends, and anything noticeable from your data which you have in your graphs and tables. It is very important that you solely describe the data here. You do not want to interpret what that data might mean yet… that comes later.

An Important Note:

- Include numbers and their units! Also, be sure you always include proper sub and super scripts when typing. This can make a major difference!

o Ex: H₂O

o (Highlight what you want to be the subscript, right click, click “font”, and check the box marked “subscript”.)

How do I write a Discussion Section?

There are three parts of the discussion section: Conclusions, Explanation of your results, and the Future Experiment

Conclusion: Here is where, in 1-2 sentences, you state whether all this data from your experiment supported or did not support your hypothesis. You also want to identify any other conclusions or ideas that pertain to your hypothesis that you gathered from your experiment.

Explanation of Results: Here is where you finally, finally, get to explain why you think you got the results you got. You want to explain your results in a manner that ties all the way back to the information you gave in your background and you also want to include references to other sources here. This is key to making your lab report credible, and although this may take the most time in writing your lab report, it is seriously import for your grade. A good discussion section really shows if you understand what your experiment revealed. This section can be around 4 paragraphs long or more. For entry level science course, at least at Marietta College, we are expected to have 10-12 sources cited (at minimum).

Some Questions to Try to Answer:

- What caused the outcome?

- Why did the results support or go against your hypothesis?

- What do you suggest about the scientific relationship between the variables you studied?

- As x changed, why did y change the way it did?

- How do your results compare or contrast with other results? Make sure to cite other experiments for this one especially!

- Be specific and Cite!

Future Experiment: In 1-2 paragraphs, you just want to explain how you would conduct another experiment to address any new questions that your lab created. You want to state the purpose of this future experiment and a general outline of what you would look for. However, you do not need to make this super long or detailed.

You’ve almost made it to the end! Congrats!! The Works Cited is a crucial final step. It is vital that you get this right, and this will be the cherry on top of the sundae.

How do I write a Works Cited Section?

Every school and program may have different instructions for writing citations. However, at least for Marietta College’s standards, your works cited will go as follows:

- List sources in alphabetical order by the authors’ names.

- Make sure your citations have a hanging indent.

- For scientific literature, write titles in sentence formatting. This means you do not capitalize every word of the title.

o Ex: Andrews AA, Thomas BB, Russell S, and Newton E. 2021. Wastewater data in relation to findings on the presence of COVID-19 in college dormitories. Academic Journals Plus. 242 (1): 111-117.

o This follows the format: Authors. Year. Title. Journal. Issue# (Volume #): start page-end page.

For in text citations:

- If there is one authors, format your in-text citation as such: (Author Last Name, Year, Page).

- If there are two authors, format your in text citation as such: (Author Last Name 1 and Author Last Name 2, Year, Page).

- If there are three or more authors, format your in-text citation as such: (Author Last Name et al., Year, Page).

o Example: (Andrews et al., 2021, 113).

For your bibliography:

- Make sure your sources are in alphabetical order.

- Make sure your page says “Works Cited” if you have more than one source (which you should!).

- Make sure your citations follow the correct formatting for what type of source they are. Books, academic journals, videos, and other sources all have slightly different reference formats that can be found in your lab manual (lrg 14).

I hope this helps you while writing your next lab report. Remember, if you finish your report a couple days before the deadline, you can always ask your professor, T.A., or a writing tutor to read it over. Best of Luck!!

By: Emilee H.

As a student in college with papers due nearly every week, it can be really hard to even think about writing outside of assignments. After all, what else could there possibly be to write? The answer? So, so many things. In a society that seems to be full of controversy at any given moment, every individual is bound to have ideas and opinions on controversial topics; that is why the topics are controversial. While we may have very strong views, when emotions are involved, speaking in ways that do justice to our perspectives can be difficult. This is where writing can be helpful. When we write to convey our ideas and our feelings regarding certain topics, writing becomes more of a tool for expression than a chore. Additionally, writing can allow us to personally sort out our views and vent our frustrations so that we are not keeping these feelings contained. Here are some ways that writing can be used to express our views and ideas:

1. Keep a journal

Journaling is a great way to jot down your ideas and feelings, especially if you prefer to keep those ideas more personal. It can be really helpful when you are working to sort out your emotions or ideas before you may be ready to share them.

2. Write a social media post

This is possibly the most far-reaching way to use writing to express yourself in terms of a large audience. By crafting a well thought-out and expressive post, your ideas can reach friends, family, and others who may be following you.

3. Submit a column to your local newspaper

Newspaper editors are often very receptive to allowing for submissions from the public, as this can help to create the sense of a community conversation. If there is a topic or issue that you are passionate about or a position that you would like to advocate for, this can be a great way of sharing your views and ideas, and you may even persuade your audience.

4. Write a letter to your state representatives

If you identify an issue in your community, state, or at the national level that you believe warrants political change, writing a letter to your congressional representatives can be a great way of practicing advocacy and persuasive writing. Even if nothing specifically results from your letter, simply writing it and having others read it can help to make sure that your voice is heard.