“Cell phone usage should be controlled in college classrooms, as long as it does not hinder students’ rights.”
For the topic Should cell phone usage be controlled in college classrooms? our thesis will be:
Write the first draft from start to finish, even if you know your thoughts are out of order. You can re-arrange them at a later time, but the initial run through will be as fluid as possible.
500-word scholarship essays offer more writing flexibility than 250-word essays. With a shorter word count, you are often forced to summarize long-winded thoughts into quick to-the-point snippets. 500 words give you more room to express your opinion. Yet, it is still short enough that it does not need footnotes and cited resources, usually.
Scholarships for High School Seniors
You should approach all essays with the same mentality, regardless of their length. Your goal is to compose a piece that clearly guides the reader through your thoughts and reasoning. You may have to adjust how you convey those thoughts based on the length. Your essay should always have a beginning, middle, and end.
Cell phones have gone from a sought-after luxury to a daily necessity. While these devices provide convenient access to the outside world, they can be problematic for educators. High school teachers can tell children in their classes to put their phones away, but should professors have the same control over grown men and women? The key is to create cell phone usage policies that limit distractions without hindering student rights. The primary argument supporting cell phone control in the classroom is the fact that phones can be distracting. Not only do cell phones distract instructors, but they may also distract students trying to pay attention to the lecture. This is the same effect as a moviegoer looking at his phone in a theater. Even if the phone makes no noise, the light from the screen is enough to catch someone’s attention. Arguments against cell phone control typically focus on safety concerns. Should a crisis occurs in the classroom, students should have their phones on hand to make a call. If a student has a child, he or she may need a phone in case of a medical emergency. If the student is on call for work, he or she will need access to a phone. The list of exception-worthy scenarios is endless. The best solution is to create cell phone usage rules that allow devices to be accessible without disturbing other students’ educational opportunities. Students should be permitted to keep their phones in their bags, pockets, or other belongings as long as the phones are on silent in class. Vibrate settings may be permitted if the instructor does not believe it will distract him or her, since the noise of the vibration may not be noticeable in a large classroom. If a student needs to answer the phone during an emergency, he or she can step out of the classroom to do so. This setup would give the students and the instructor peace of mind. Cell phone restrictions in classrooms should also include specific disciplinary actions for breaking the rules. If a student is caught using the phone in class, he or she should be excused for the rest of the day. Professors should refrain from physically taking possession of a student’s phone because of liability conflicts. If the phone is damaged while in the professor’s possession, the school or the instructor could be held responsible for the repairs. It is safer to ask the student to leave the classroom than it is to take the phone away completely. Each school, professor and student body is different. Colleges must adapt their rules and discipline efforts to reflect the current needs of their students. Eliminating cell phones in college classrooms is an overstretch, but there are ways to balance students’ rights and instructors’ rights. With the right amount of control and flexibility, colleges can create a pleasant learning environment with maximum safety and minimal interruptions.
4-6 body paragraphs that provide evidence to back up your thesis. Each paragraph should be a cohesive element with an intro and conclusion. The body paragraphs should flow well from one point to the next.
We have writers of all levels of experience and ability reading Smart Blogger and in our GuestBlogging training program and Serious Bloggers Only community. They typically describe themselves in one of three stages:
You’ve written a lot for a long time and have the mechanics mastered. But your writing experience has been centered in business, academia, medicine, law or other utilitarian venues. You’re ready to write fiction, or use the life lessons you’ve learned to help others through your blog, but you’re struggling to share your own ideas in your own voice. You recognize that your writing is solid, but it lacks warmth and sparkle.
If you’ve been writing in a certain style or format for a while — such as blog posts — cross train in another genre. (More on this later.) Study the structure of screenwriting, novel writing or poetry for six months or until it feels nearly second nature to shift into this new form. The change in your writing will be dramatic and permanent.
Naked and Drunk is about two-thirds biographical and about one-third writing lessons. It weaves together Lara’s personal stories with lessons on how to structure a memoir with lessons and language mechanics.
Books on Structure and Frame of Mind
Think of it from an editor’s point of view: A poorly written but well-structured piece of writing can be polished. A poorly structured and poorly written piece is a nightmare, and rarely worth the editing effort it demands. The writer doesn’t understand his topic, hasn’t thought it through with clarity and is clueless on how to engage the reader.
Face it: Successful blogging is persuasive writing in another suit of clothes. It doesn’t even matter if you want to make money from your blog or not. You need to connect with people (through stories) and persuade them you have a message worth reading or products worth buying (through copywriting).
Of course, most writing books will touch upon each type of writing advice. But to improve your writing skills in the fastest and most effective way, you must understand what you need to grow as a writer right now and choose the appropriate book to help.
Yes, writing is a solitary craft. And learning to improve our writing can feel like solitary confinement without guidance and reassurance. We can learn from teachers, from workshops, from books, but ultimately success is up to us, alone with our notepad or laptop.
Some require wearing your big kid pants due to language, which I have noted.
Calling on her theater training, Collins teaches bringing characters to life the way actors do on stage. She draws on the Method Acting approach to explain and adapt characterization techniques for novelists.
Anything but a dry textbook, this breezy guide is from a former trial lawyer who keeps you entertained while covering basics like how plot impacts structure, the difference between popular and literary fiction, and how to serve as your own book doctor.
Novelist, editor, publisher (Stein & Day), and writing teacher, Stein is one of the deans of the American literary scene. His career spans decades, and he shares insider stories of famous novelists and their work, as well as everything he learned along the way. I sat under his teaching years ago and still follow his advice.
2. Plot & Structure: Techniques and Exercises for Crafting a Plot that Grips Readers from Start to Finish
This book came from ten years of Ms. Arana’s Washington Post Book World column. More than fifty fiction and nonfiction authors share how they discovered they were writers and how they work. I was fascinated by what pleases and annoys them. Arana also profiles each writer.
Failing to start your reading on writing with anything other than this undisputed classic would be akin to reading the top ten Christian classics while ignoring the Bible. This short paperback is recommended by every writing teacher I know. I’ve read it at least once a year for more than 40 years. Its simple truths cover everything from style and grammar and usage. Make them second nature.
The books below (in alpha order by author) represent a fraction of those available. You could read one per day for the rest of your life and not exhaust the resources. But, in my opinion, these are the best books on writing available.
Also, if you’re planning to write a college admission essay , you may want to check my article on how to write a great essay.
It doesn’t matter if it’s a persuasive or a narrative essay – the difference is not in how you write, but rather in how you build your case.
This is the highest-rated book on the subject available on the market right now. It’s written for students at any level of education. The author uses an unorthodox approach, claiming that breaking essays down into different formats is unnecessary.
Otherwise, your grades will drop dramatically because professors abhor simple grammar mistakes. By reading this little book, you’ll make sure your writing is pristine.
You can improve your essay writing skills with practice, repetition, and by putting in the necessary work.
Every year, millions of high-schoolers scramble to achieve above-average GPAs and score well on the SAT, or in some cases, the ACT, or both. On top of that, they also have to write a 650-word essay and find their way to their dream college. If you’re one of them, then make sure you read this concise book.
That is why this book is highly recommended to anyone navigating through the sea of higher learning.
But sometimes there’s a need for more specific knowledge that will accelerate your progress. If you want to produce great pieces of writing and impress your peers and teachers, you should take a look at the following list of best books on essay writing.
Need some extra inspiration? Check out our guide to humour writing and our tips on beating writer's block! For more advice, check out our interview with The Book Thief author Markus Zusak below!
Older readers, this one’s for you! If you are looking for a book which can take you through the basics of creative writing, step by step, this is a book you need to add to your must-have list. Alice LaPlante is an award-winning writer, editor, and teacher of writing, both fiction and nonfiction, and has taught creative writing at Stanford for more than 20 years. The result is a creative writing masterclass all condensed into one book! The Making of a Story gives readers a meticulous account of the creative process, from finding inspiration and learning specific literary techniques, to the finalization of the creative piece. To help readers understand the writing process and techniques better, there are lots of examples from various literary masterpieces.
Let me share the secret to becoming a good writer. Here it is: read. Read whenever you can. Read to be inspired. Read to be entertained. Read to escape to the whimsical worlds that books offer. Read to learn more about the world and the people who inhabit it. Read books which resonate with you and also read books which present point of views you’ve never explored. In a nutshell? Read a lot. I fervently believe that it is the love for reading which manifests into a flair for writing.
Here are five books which have greatly shaped my sensibilities as an author and I am certain that within these pages you’ll find the inspiration to craft your own masterpiece:
The Making of a Story by Alice LaPlante
Stephen King has so rightly said: " If you want to be a writer, you must do two things above all others: read a lot and write a lot. "
Just like an artist must observe the works of fellow artists, and a musician must listen to peers in their field, a writer must read other writers. And if you are a young person who aspires to a published author, then you have to read the work of other writers your age. It is important to remember that writing is a craft and that just like any other craft, observing the work of those who have achieved a certain level of proficiency in it can teach you the nuances of being a good writer yourself. The more you read, the more you’ll learn about the craft, and the more you’ll have to take back to your own practice as you continue developing your own writing skills. In any creative pursuit, we need the inspiration of others to help motivate us so we can find our own creative strengths. These young voices will, without a doubt, help you find your own voice too.
This is the book that ignited my passion for writing. I have been the biggest fan of Roald Dahl ever since I can remember and have read all his books. I read Boy, Tales of Childhood which is an autobiographical account, after reading his other books. What really struck a chord with me was the fact that there he was, Roald Dahl, talking about his growing up years. He was in his own words, just a "boy," not unlike I am now. It’s amazing the way Dahl describes his memories
Can you find a greater inspiration than the writing of one of the greatest leaders that the world has ever witnessed? In this book His Highness Sheikh Mohammed has recorded the milestones in his life. It’s a book for people of all ages. While older readers will absolutely love the brilliant read that it is, younger ones will surely enjoy the personal anecdotes being read out to them. The book is written in His Highness Sheikh Mohammed's characteristic conversational style. It will teach you how to emotionally connect with your readers and how to make them feel as if you are talking to them. I’ve already read My Story thrice and have shared it with my peers during school assemblies. Every time I’ve done this, my friends have told me that they were so engrossed in the excerpts that were read out that they just could not wait to get their own copies so that they could keep reading!