How to Prepare for the ACT Essay

How to Prepare for the ACT Essay When approaching the ACT, it is important to consider the Essay sections structure. This portion of the ACT asks students to consider multiple points of view. Thus, it is important to enter the ACT Essay section knowing what will be asked of you, in order to save time and jump directly into the task at hand. When preparing for the ACT Essay, be sure to understand the rubric, use concrete details as evidence, and understand the strengths and weaknesses of your position. First, let's talk about the prompt itself. Here is a sample prompt on the topic ofintelligent machines. Read on to learn how to prepare for this particular ACT Essay: 1. Turn to the context for ACT Essay evidence ideas The first paragraph in an ACT Essay prompt can be extremely helpful for orienting the test-taker, but it does not contain the actual assignment. Rather, this critical context helps the reader become grounded in the debate taking place, as it contains details that students can use as evidence or springboards into new ideas. For example, a student struggling to picture automation could be reminded of car assembly lines or self-checkout aisles. The context may also help students generate new ideas related to these points. 2. Devote a paragraph of your ACT essay to each perspective, and then analyze it Students must address multiple perspectives on the ACT Essay, and it is wise to devote a paragraph to each one you choose to discuss. Note that perspectives will typically include several distinct parts. What we lose with the replacement of people by machines is some part of our own humanity, is a broad statement. Even our mundane daily encounters no longer require from us basic courtesy, respect, and tolerance for other people, is more specific. You can agree that machines cost us our humanity, but you might not feel that our daily encounters lack courtesy. You could also agree with both parts, or neither. If you are having trouble finding much to say about one part of a perspective, see if the other part might resonate more. [RELATED: The Importance of Writing Skills] 3. Understand the ACT Essay rubric, and use concrete details as evidence The actual instructions for the ACT Essay are fairly open-endedthey ask you to Write a unified, coherent essay about the increasing presence of intelligent machines. However, the bullet points below the instructions in this assignment correspond more clearly to the scoring rubric. You are graded on whether or not you do the following: state your perspective, as well as address other perspectives provide evidence and reasoning to support your examples organize and express your essay in clear English. Your essay will not be graded on whether the reader agrees or disagrees with your perspective. Rather, your ability to take a position and to back it up with evidence is the focus here. [RELATED: Top 10 Essay Editing Tips] 4. Understand the strengths and weaknesses of your position on the ACT Essay Think about how extreme your point is. If you claim that all intelligent machines are bad, this is quite extreme. It is also a hard position to defend because it is easy for most people to think of at least one machine that enhances the quality of their life. If a student claims that automation does lessen our humanity, is that universal? Are there situations where machines can add to our humanity and enhance our lives? No matter how strong your perspective, surely there are exceptions. Recognizing the limitations of your argument does not weaken said argument; instead, it makes your argument more realistic and defensible. 5. Avoid personal anecdotes in your ACT Essay Try to avoid personal anecdotes if at all possible. Instead, use personal experiences as a departure point to something more concrete. For instance, instead of talking about how sometimes store computers go down, thus serving as an inconvenience to yourself, you might reference the computer outages faced by Starbucks in mid-May. Students who would like more information on how to succeed on the ACT Essay should take the time to look over the sample essays and score explanationshere after brainstorming and writing their own essay. [RELATED: Simple Ways to Improve Your Writing Skills] Any topics you want to know more about? Let us know! The Varsity Tutors Blog editors love hearing your feedback and opinions. Feel free to email us at blog@varsitytutors.com.

The American Education Gap

The American Education Gap America was once the leader in postsecondary degrees. However, in recent years it has fallen far from the top. The Lumina Foundation for Education placed a goal in 2008 for a college completion rate of 60 percent by 2025. America will not reach that goal, according to an article in The Washington Post. The foundation claims to be the first organization to set this benchmark, which was later adopted by President Barack Obama and other education administrators. The number of Americans aged 25-64 with postsecondary degrees has risen slightly since 2007, from 37.7 percent to 37.9 percent in 2008. If this trend continues, the graduation rate could reach 46.6 percent in 2025, which would be around 23 million graduates shy of the goal. For America to reach its aggressive goal by 2025, it would have to produce about 278,781 more graduates each year until 2025, amassing to 38 million more college graduates. Politicians and administrators are throwing around many ideas. One idea is to contact Americans who attended some college but never graduated, encouraging them to go back to school. This plan could also make it easier for these people to achieve degrees. It would allow them to take only one or two classes to attain a degree, significantly cutting the amount of classes they would actually need. Another option for boosting college completion is reaching out to minority members. The college completion rate for African Americans stands at 26 percent and 19 percent for Hispanics. The Washington Post insinuated that colleges need to more effectively recruit underrepresented groups. This could boost the overall college completion rate, and it could help America inch closer to its 2025 goal. However, this is not necessarily bad news for students of all ages. America could begin to make desperate attempts to place more students in college. This could decrease tuition costs and make college more accessible for students. Scholarship funds could increase as well. Increasing the number of college graduates is likely to give America a more competitive edge in the business world. This could create more jobs and boost Americas economy.

Learning German Discover Germanys Brightest and Best Historical Heros

Learning German Discover Germanys Brightest and Best Historical Heros The German Language’s Best Ambassadors ChaptersAlbert EinsteinMartin LutherClaudia SchifferAnne FrankImmanuel KantLudwig Van BeethovenBoris BeckerKarl LagerfeldJohann Wolfgang von GoetheHorst TappertKarl MayAs Europe’s most populous country and 4th global economic power, Germany is a power destination for those wanting to live abroad.  Whether you want to live, study, or do an internship in Germany, you should definitely learn German.However, traditional German studies at school tend to be ineffective. Parents and students are now deciding to adopt a different approach and focus on German culture and learning more about German speaking countries.German personalities and celebrities, especially poets and writers, act as ambassadors for the language and the culture and are a great way for students to learn more about German and integrate themselves into German culture.Here’s our list of the most influential German personalities for anyone who wants to learn more about the History of the German language...Taking german l essons london could also be of benefit.Cosmetics: Unilever, Coty, InterparfumsPhotography: Gerhard Steidl, 3 Suisses, Le Figaro.Publishing: 7LCinema: The Valet, Totally SpiesProperty: Eddie Trump Group, Isla ModaAt just 6 years old, Karl Lagerfeld had already mastered English, German, and French. He’s an ambassador for the German language and “Karlisms” in which he mixes together several foreign languages.Johann Wolfgang von GoetheIf there’s one author you need to know to pass a German citizenship test, it’ll be Goethe!Born in 1749, Goethe is one of German literature’s most famous writers. Both a novelist and a statesman, Goethe influenced several European writers and thinkers.Some of his most famous works include:Faust, Part OneFaust, Part TwoThe Sorrows of Young WertherTheory of ColoursPrometheusElective AffinitiesWilhelm Meister's ApprenticeshipItalian Journey, etc.Goethe is as important for the German language as Shakespeare is for the English language.While both hug ely famous and popular, his works were also often controversial as they included themes that were rejected by the bourgeoisie of the 18th century. Nevertheless, Goethe’s novels like The Sorrows of Young Werther are classics of German literature.Goethe is basically the German Shakespeare. (Source: Wikimedia Commons)“Those who know nothing of foreign languages know nothing of their own.” -  Johann Wolfgang von GoetheIf you really want to understand the German language, you need to study Goethe!Horst TappertDoes the name Horst Tappert ring a bell?  His face might be more familiar. He played Derrick in the German TV series!In Germany, Horst Tappert is one of German cinema’s most famous actors. In addition to his role as a detective, Tappert appeared in around 50 different films throughout his career.The German crime series took the German language worldwide and was bought in 100 different countries. After 25 years on TV, Horst Tappert last appeared as the detective in 1998.A Ger man television institution, even Pope John Paul II was a fan of Horst Tappert and the actor was even given the title of honorary police commissioner in Munich.  Tappert is one of Germany’s most famous cultural exports!Karl MayKarl May is one of the most famous German writers in the world. In addition to poetry, autobiographies, music, he is also known for his adventure novels.Some of his most famous works include:WinnetouOld ShatterhandThe Treasure of Silver LakeThe Oil PrinceOld DeathOld SurehandIn the DesertDespite his international success, Karl May isn’t widely known in the UK. This means it’s very difficult to get into his books without speaking German.  Karl May’s works were inspired by German and English Westerns and are great for anyone wanting to learn German.

English Listening Exercise iPods, Steve Jobs and Magic

English Listening Exercise iPods, Steve Jobs and Magic When I heard today that Steve Jobs has retired as head of Apple, I wanted to make an English listening exercise that had an Apple theme.Jobs is, I think, one of the greatest businessmen in American history, and Ive always loved Apple products (Im writing this on my iMac). Ive heard people say before that Apple products give you the feeling that they are almost magical, which is why I thought this TED video would be appropriate.In the video, Marco Tempest uses iPods to perform magic tricks. Marco is from Switzerland. Like a lot of modern English speakers, he is not a native speaker, so he has a slight accent. This is good listening practice for the real world that English is spoken in these days.Why you should listen to Marco Tempest:Marco Tempest’s imaginative combination of computer-generated imagery, quick-cut video and enthusiastic stage presence has earned him a place in the pantheon of great illusionists. At 22, the Swiss magician won the New York World Cup of Magic, launching him into international prominence. Tempests award-winning television series “The Virtual Magician” airs in dozens of countries worldwide, while his lively phonecam postings on YouTube, done without post-production and video-editing tricks to astonished people on the street, get millions of views (search on virtualmagician). His Vimeo channel showcases his artistic side like his recent hypnotic series levitation, using a high-speed camera.Through his art, Tempest creates a highly entertaining way to be entranced by the reality-bending tech magic that surrounds us all every day.Here is the video, find listening questions below.What type of magic does Marco like? What does his application do? What is his favorite subject? He ___ this wonderful _____ where a rosebush would bloom _____ __ _____ of your ____. Magic is the ____ honest profession, a magician _______ to deceive you and he ____. What do you think the context is when the man in the video says Its just what Ive always wan ted. What was his joke about men and women and lying? I didnt deceive you, you ________ ________. Have you ever deceived yourself? What does it mean that art is a deception? Do you think lying is a fundamental part of life? Do you think men lie more than women?

Take 5 Minutes to Improve Your Fluency

Take 5 Minutes to Improve Your Fluency I always love watching OK Gos music videos.  In their latest one, they turn a 5 second clip into a slow motion video for their song, The One Moment.  As you enjoy the video, I invite  you to sing along with the lyrics below.  Singing is a great way to improve English fluency because of the quick and repetitive nature of songs.  It also helps us learn new vocabulary  and  common slang words.  Its even better to memorize the song so you can continue to practice in the car, shower or wherever you are!Do you have a favorite song that helps you practice  fluency?  Please share it with us in the comments section!  You might also notice some strange grammar or vocabulary as you read the lyrics.  As always, feel free to write  your comments or questions in the section provided.  Now, have some fun!Youre right There is nothing more lovely Theres nothing more profound Than the certainty Than the certaintyThat all of this will end That all of this will endSo open your arms to me Open y our arms to meAnd this will be The one moment that matters And this will be The one thing we remember And this will be The reason to have been here And this will be The one moment that matters at allSo while the mud Reclaims our footprints And while our bones keep looking back The overgrowth is swallowing the path There for the grace of god go we There for the grace of god go we There for the grace of time and chance and entropys cruel handsSo open your arms to me Open your arms to meAnd this will be The one moment that matters And this will be The one thing we remember And this will be The reason to have been here And this will be The one moment that matters at allSo wont you stay here with me And well build until weve blistered our hands So wont you stay here with me Well build us some temples Well build us some castles Well build us some monuments And burn them all right downSo open your arms to me Open your arms to meAnd this will be The one moment that matters And this will be The one thing we remember And this will be The reason to have been here And this will be The one moment that matters at allSo wont you stay here with me And well build until weve blistered our handsThis will be The one thing we rememberSo wont you stay here with me And well build us some temples Build us some castles Build us some monuments Well build us some temples Build us some castles Build us some monumentsThis will be This will be The one moment that matters And this will beThe one moment that matters at allWritten by Damian Kulash, Timothy Nordwind • Copyright © BMG Rights Management US, LLCLyrics credit

June Language Challenge Video Pledges 4

June Language Challenge Video Pledges 4 See Whos Taking June Language Challenge If you are taking June Language challenge were  giving away 50 free ITC if you make a video challenge pledge. Life Hacks research  has shown that if you put yourself up to something by doing it in public, you follow through because others are watching.  So use peer pressure to your advantage!  So help out your fellow language learners participating in the challenge!  Leave them words of encouragement on their notebook entries!  And dont forget to sign up for yourself, and get the summer of to a great start! Click the links below to see: June Language Challenge Video Pledges 1 June Language Challenge Video Pledges 2 June Language Challenge Video Pledges 3 Ian from the United States, is learning Cebuano and Tagalog Ian is participating our June Language Challenge to improve his Cebuano and Tagalog. Give him some support by leaving a quick message in his notebook. Manuel from Spain, is learning English Manuel is learning English and in order to improve his pronunciation and communication skills in English, hes participating June Language Challenge to make the best out of it. Give him some support by leaving a quick message in his notebook. Jairet from the United States, is learning Brazilian Portuguese Jairet wants to improve his Portuguese skills by taking Language Challenge and his goal is be able to have at least 5 minutes conversation without stopping in Portuguese after the Challenge. Give him some support by leaving a quick message in his notebook. Tom from the United States, is learning Russian Tom was fascinated by Russias history and the way how Russian sounds, hes taking June Language Challenge to boosting his level of Russian. Give him some support by leaving a quick message in his notebook. Scott from the United States, is learning Spanish Scott felt that he learned quit a bit of Spanish by participated our Language Challenge last time so hes going to continuing down this journey. Lets support him by leaving a quick message in his notebook. Robert from the United States, is learning Portuguese and French Robert speaks pretty fluent Portuguese and French and hes going to take June Language Challenge in order to improve more. Give him some support by leaving a quick message in his notebook. Kitti from Thailand, is learning English Kitti from Thailand is participating our June Language Challenge to improve his English. Lets support him by leaving a quick message in his notebook. Murillo from Brazil , is learning French Murillo is a big fan of italki as you can see he wears italki T-shirt in the video, he speaks decent French and still decided to participating June Language Challenge to improve his French into a new level. Give him some support by leaving a quick message in his notebook. Emily from the United States, is learning Italian Emily only started use italki a couple of weeks ago. Shes been learning Italian 2 years now and her goal by joining Language Challenge is to get more confident to speak Italian and not get nervous when communicate with native Italian speakers. Give her some support by leaving a quick message in her notebook. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6CFzauRQwAkfeature=youtu.be Bianca from the United States, is learning Spanish Bianca is taking June Language Challenge to commit her Spanish learning goals which is to improve her Spanish ability to have a better communication with her students . Give her some support by leaving a quick message in her notebook. Benjamin from the United States, is learning Chinese Ben speaks quite decent Chinese. Hes taking June Language Challenge to improve his Chinses, at the same time to help him pass his Chinese and English Medical Licence exam. Give him some support by leaving a quick message in his notebook. Diego from Chile, is learning Czech Diego is participating our June Language Challenge to improve his Czech from A1 to A2 level so he can have more interesting and comprehensive conversation with native Czech speakers. Give him some support by leaving a quick message in his notebook. Vitor from Brazil, is learning Chinese Vitor is taking June Language Challenge to improve his Chinese skills as he has a lot of Chinese friends, he would like to have a better communicate with them. Give him some support by leaving a quick message in his notebook. Alex from the United Kingdom, is learning Chinese Alex speaks quite fluent Chinese, by participating Language Challenge hes looking forward to improve his general Chinese skills as well as his pronunciation and accent so by the time his parents visit in China he will be able to show them around.   Give him some support by leaving a quick message in his notebook. Avital from Isreal, is learning Chinese Avital speaks very fluent Chinese, She would like to improve more of her pronunciation, vocabulary in Chinese by participating June Language Challenge. Give him some support by leaving a quick message in his notebook. Tiffany from the United States, is learning Japanese Tiffany would like to find out how much of her Japanese can be improve by participating June Language Challenge. Her goal after the Challenge is be able to communicate in Japanese for 10 minutes. Lets give him some support by leaving a quick message in his notebook. Brad from the United States, is learning Korean Brad speaks decent Korean. Hes goal is be able to communicate in Korean with native speaker for at least 5 minutes by participating Language Challenge. Give him some support by leaving a quick message in his notebook. June Language Challenge Video Pledges 4 See Whos Taking June Language Challenge If you are taking June Language challenge were  giving away 50 free ITC if you make a video challenge pledge. Life Hacks research  has shown that if you put yourself up to something by doing it in public, you follow through because others are watching.  So use peer pressure to your advantage!  So help out your fellow language learners participating in the challenge!  Leave them words of encouragement on their notebook entries!  And dont forget to sign up for yourself, and get the summer of to a great start! Click the links below to see: June Language Challenge Video Pledges 1 June Language Challenge Video Pledges 2 June Language Challenge Video Pledges 3 Ian from the United States, is learning Cebuano and Tagalog Ian is participating our June Language Challenge to improve his Cebuano and Tagalog. Give him some support by leaving a quick message in his notebook. Manuel from Spain, is learning English Manuel is learning English and in order to improve his pronunciation and communication skills in English, hes participating June Language Challenge to make the best out of it. Give him some support by leaving a quick message in his notebook. Jairet from the United States, is learning Brazilian Portuguese Jairet wants to improve his Portuguese skills by taking Language Challenge and his goal is be able to have at least 5 minutes conversation without stopping in Portuguese after the Challenge. Give him some support by leaving a quick message in his notebook. Tom from the United States, is learning Russian Tom was fascinated by Russias history and the way how Russian sounds, hes taking June Language Challenge to boosting his level of Russian. Give him some support by leaving a quick message in his notebook. Scott from the United States, is learning Spanish Scott felt that he learned quit a bit of Spanish by participated our Language Challenge last time so hes going to continuing down this journey. Lets support him by leaving a quick message in his notebook. Robert from the United States, is learning Portuguese and French Robert speaks pretty fluent Portuguese and French and hes going to take June Language Challenge in order to improve more. Give him some support by leaving a quick message in his notebook. Kitti from Thailand, is learning English Kitti from Thailand is participating our June Language Challenge to improve his English. Lets support him by leaving a quick message in his notebook. Murillo from Brazil , is learning French Murillo is a big fan of italki as you can see he wears italki T-shirt in the video, he speaks decent French and still decided to participating June Language Challenge to improve his French into a new level. Give him some support by leaving a quick message in his notebook. Emily from the United States, is learning Italian Emily only started use italki a couple of weeks ago. Shes been learning Italian 2 years now and her goal by joining Language Challenge is to get more confident to speak Italian and not get nervous when communicate with native Italian speakers. Give her some support by leaving a quick message in her notebook. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6CFzauRQwAkfeature=youtu.be Bianca from the United States, is learning Spanish Bianca is taking June Language Challenge to commit her Spanish learning goals which is to improve her Spanish ability to have a better communication with her students . Give her some support by leaving a quick message in her notebook. Benjamin from the United States, is learning Chinese Ben speaks quite decent Chinese. Hes taking June Language Challenge to improve his Chinses, at the same time to help him pass his Chinese and English Medical Licence exam. Give him some support by leaving a quick message in his notebook. Diego from Chile, is learning Czech Diego is participating our June Language Challenge to improve his Czech from A1 to A2 level so he can have more interesting and comprehensive conversation with native Czech speakers. Give him some support by leaving a quick message in his notebook. Vitor from Brazil, is learning Chinese Vitor is taking June Language Challenge to improve his Chinese skills as he has a lot of Chinese friends, he would like to have a better communicate with them. Give him some support by leaving a quick message in his notebook. Alex from the United Kingdom, is learning Chinese Alex speaks quite fluent Chinese, by participating Language Challenge hes looking forward to improve his general Chinese skills as well as his pronunciation and accent so by the time his parents visit in China he will be able to show them around.   Give him some support by leaving a quick message in his notebook. Avital from Isreal, is learning Chinese Avital speaks very fluent Chinese, She would like to improve more of her pronunciation, vocabulary in Chinese by participating June Language Challenge. Give him some support by leaving a quick message in his notebook. Tiffany from the United States, is learning Japanese Tiffany would like to find out how much of her Japanese can be improve by participating June Language Challenge. Her goal after the Challenge is be able to communicate in Japanese for 10 minutes. Lets give him some support by leaving a quick message in his notebook. Brad from the United States, is learning Korean Brad speaks decent Korean. Hes goal is be able to communicate in Korean with native speaker for at least 5 minutes by participating Language Challenge. Give him some support by leaving a quick message in his notebook. June Language Challenge Video Pledges 4 See Whos Taking June Language Challenge If you are taking June Language challenge were  giving away 50 free ITC if you make a video challenge pledge. Life Hacks research  has shown that if you put yourself up to something by doing it in public, you follow through because others are watching.  So use peer pressure to your advantage!  So help out your fellow language learners participating in the challenge!  Leave them words of encouragement on their notebook entries!  And dont forget to sign up for yourself, and get the summer of to a great start! Click the links below to see: June Language Challenge Video Pledges 1 June Language Challenge Video Pledges 2 June Language Challenge Video Pledges 3 Ian from the United States, is learning Cebuano and Tagalog Ian is participating our June Language Challenge to improve his Cebuano and Tagalog. Give him some support by leaving a quick message in his notebook. Manuel from Spain, is learning English Manuel is learning English and in order to improve his pronunciation and communication skills in English, hes participating June Language Challenge to make the best out of it. Give him some support by leaving a quick message in his notebook. Jairet from the United States, is learning Brazilian Portuguese Jairet wants to improve his Portuguese skills by taking Language Challenge and his goal is be able to have at least 5 minutes conversation without stopping in Portuguese after the Challenge. Give him some support by leaving a quick message in his notebook. Tom from the United States, is learning Russian Tom was fascinated by Russias history and the way how Russian sounds, hes taking June Language Challenge to boosting his level of Russian. Give him some support by leaving a quick message in his notebook. Scott from the United States, is learning Spanish Scott felt that he learned quit a bit of Spanish by participated our Language Challenge last time so hes going to continuing down this journey. Lets support him by leaving a quick message in his notebook. Robert from the United States, is learning Portuguese and French Robert speaks pretty fluent Portuguese and French and hes going to take June Language Challenge in order to improve more. Give him some support by leaving a quick message in his notebook. Kitti from Thailand, is learning English Kitti from Thailand is participating our June Language Challenge to improve his English. Lets support him by leaving a quick message in his notebook. Murillo from Brazil , is learning French Murillo is a big fan of italki as you can see he wears italki T-shirt in the video, he speaks decent French and still decided to participating June Language Challenge to improve his French into a new level. Give him some support by leaving a quick message in his notebook. Emily from the United States, is learning Italian Emily only started use italki a couple of weeks ago. Shes been learning Italian 2 years now and her goal by joining Language Challenge is to get more confident to speak Italian and not get nervous when communicate with native Italian speakers. Give her some support by leaving a quick message in her notebook. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6CFzauRQwAkfeature=youtu.be Bianca from the United States, is learning Spanish Bianca is taking June Language Challenge to commit her Spanish learning goals which is to improve her Spanish ability to have a better communication with her students . Give her some support by leaving a quick message in her notebook. Benjamin from the United States, is learning Chinese Ben speaks quite decent Chinese. Hes taking June Language Challenge to improve his Chinses, at the same time to help him pass his Chinese and English Medical Licence exam. Give him some support by leaving a quick message in his notebook. Diego from Chile, is learning Czech Diego is participating our June Language Challenge to improve his Czech from A1 to A2 level so he can have more interesting and comprehensive conversation with native Czech speakers. Give him some support by leaving a quick message in his notebook. Vitor from Brazil, is learning Chinese Vitor is taking June Language Challenge to improve his Chinese skills as he has a lot of Chinese friends, he would like to have a better communicate with them. Give him some support by leaving a quick message in his notebook. Alex from the United Kingdom, is learning Chinese Alex speaks quite fluent Chinese, by participating Language Challenge hes looking forward to improve his general Chinese skills as well as his pronunciation and accent so by the time his parents visit in China he will be able to show them around.   Give him some support by leaving a quick message in his notebook. Avital from Isreal, is learning Chinese Avital speaks very fluent Chinese, She would like to improve more of her pronunciation, vocabulary in Chinese by participating June Language Challenge. Give him some support by leaving a quick message in his notebook. Tiffany from the United States, is learning Japanese Tiffany would like to find out how much of her Japanese can be improve by participating June Language Challenge. Her goal after the Challenge is be able to communicate in Japanese for 10 minutes. Lets give him some support by leaving a quick message in his notebook. Brad from the United States, is learning Korean Brad speaks decent Korean. Hes goal is be able to communicate in Korean with native speaker for at least 5 minutes by participating Language Challenge. Give him some support by leaving a quick message in his notebook.

High School Tips Recognize a Legitimate Research Source

High School Tips Recognize a Legitimate Research Source 5 ways to help high school students recognize a legitimate research source Every high school student will write a research paper and research class assignments and projects. One of the biggest problems students face in the digital age is determining which sources are legitimate and which are not. In years past, students could visit the library and speak to a librarian who could point them towards the right types of sources for any given topic, but today students conduct most of their research online. The vast majority of legitimate academic sources are available in the digital world. However, there are also some sources with authors who are writing their opinion as fact. This means that students come across articles and books where the author has no specific credentials and doesnt cite the source of their information. Luckily, there are several ways students can recognize a legitimate research source to use in an assignment Our private Orange County high school tutors are here to help you with your next research paper. 1. Look up the author’s credentials The first thing students can do is look up the author’s credentials to see if they’re qualified to write about a particular subject. For instance, if a student is writing about biology and the author is a professor of biology with a Ph.D. in the subject, then they’re likely qualified to discuss their opinions on the subject. However, that same author may not be qualified to write about other topics such as art history or exercise science. An author can be legitimately qualified in one field but not others. 2. Gather a list of trustworthy sources As students begin to research they’re encouraged to maintain a list of legitimate sources. Established newspapers and news reporters might be able to write on some topics, and some newspapers may hire several qualified staff writers who report the news. Some news sources are more legitimate than others or have been around longer and have a better reputation. As students begin to create their list, theyre encouraged to consult an educator who can help them get started. Once students know which sources are almost always legitimate, itll make their research efforts more efficient. 3. Determine whether or not the author has a strong opinion Its OK for an author to write an argumentative piece where they insert their own opinion into the article. However, they should always be upfront that this is their opinion and not a fact. Additionally, if a student is reading an argumentative piece by one author, they’re encouraged to read text by another author who holds the opposite opinion. When neutrality isnt possible, its best for students to read about both sides of an argument. Determining which pieces are argumentative and which are factual is a skill that students will learn over time from their classes or when working with a supplemental educator. 4. What to do when its unclear if the source is legitimate Many students ask if the sources they have found are appropriate but cant quite figure out how to answer the question without guidance. They might be reading a text by a new author or publisher, or they may be unsure if they can confirm the facts in the article. The best way for students to determine legitimacy is to confirm the facts from a second trustworthy source. If students cannot confirm the fax elsewhere, its possible they’re reading somebodys opinion or a personal blog rather than a reliable news or research source (READ: 5 Tips for Success in English Class From an Orange County English Tutor). 5. What happens when a student cant find any good sources? Many students complain that they just cant find any good sources for a research paper. Some topics are more challenging than others, but there are always sources out there to be found. Students may need to work on improving their research skills, in particular, learning how to conduct internet research. Some highly academic papers require a trip to a brick-and-mortar library to find journals that aren’t found online. Many students simply Google a topic hoping to find valuable information (and in many instances they can), but some subjects will require students to know where to look so they may need to speak to their teacher or tutor for guidance before they get too far in the process. Having trouble with your research paper? Our experienced Orange County English tutors are here to help. Call us today for more information. All blog entries, with the exception of guest bloggers, are written by Tutor Nerds. Are you an education professional? If so, email us at pr@tutornerds.com for guest blogging and collaborations. We want to make this the best free education resource in SoCal, so feel free to suggest what you would like to see us write.