We have all had instances when we came across a story, poem, script or any other creative piece of writing that made us go “Wow!”. From the choice of words and vivid imagination to the ability to strike a connect with readers and mastering clarity in writing – creative writers are fearless and know what it takes to keep readers invested in their writing. Unlike traditional academic writing assignments, creative writing is all about letting your imagination run wild. It requires you to reflect, observe thoughts, express yourself and find your unique voice while acing the art of storytelling.

You made it! Finally, the day has arrived when you are making the transition from high school to college. You are now a college freshman and your excitement has no bounds. After all, college is a whole new world and marks the first step to adulthood. Living alone, stepping out of your comfort zone, meeting new people and discovering new passions – all of it sounds brilliant but in all this excitement, let’s not forget the main reason why you are here – academics. Did you know that 30% of college freshmen dropout after their first year of college? Yes, the first year is a critical one because you are mostly trying to adjust to the new atmosphere. On one hand, there is hope and enthusiasm and on the other, there is stress and anxiety – college opens you up to a myriad of emotions.

“Resumes? I’ll come to that when I am looking for a job” – if that is what you are thinking, you are mistaken. More and more colleges are asking students to submit resumes during the admissions process. While there are a few that strictly specify that they do not want students to upload resumes, there are colleges such as University of Texas, Carnegie Mellon and others that do ask for it. An activities resume is meant to give a snapshot of your background, notable achievements and accomplishments, especially during your high school years. It is an effective tool to set you apart from competition and lets the admissions committee get to know you better.

You have been asked to write an argumentative essay and after all the work you put into doing research and writing the introductory and body paragraphs, you are left wondering about what you can write in the conclusion paragraph. “What do I say that hasn’t been said already,” you wonder. Well, you aren’t alone. The conclusion paragraph is indeed the section that gets the least attention. By the time people get to the end, they are often confused about how to approach it.

If you prick us, do we not bleed? If you tickle us, do we not laugh? 
If you poison us, do we not die? And if you wrong us, shall we not revenge? These lines are from William Shakespeare’s play, The Merchant of Venice wherein he uses consecutive rhetorical questions to evoke a sense of human empathy. Well, this literary technique certainly worked here because the speech does manage to move us and pushes us to think. Writers have been incorporating rhetorical questions for centuries together. So, why not take an inspiration or two and include them in your college essays too? A rhetorical question is a question asked more to create an impact or make a statement rather than getting an answer. It is a powerful literary device which when used effectively can add immense value to your writing.

“It was an accident. I did not mean to!” you exclaim but it is too late. You are found guilty of submitting a plagiarized paper and there is nothing you can do to save yourself. If these are what your nightmares are made of, you do have a valid reason to worry. Plagiarism is considered to be a serious offense in the world of academics. It can result in expulsion and may have legal repercussions while putting your reputation in jeopardy. While many think plagiarism only refers to a word-for-word copy of someone else’s work, truth is there are other kinds of plagiarism too such as conveniently rewording another person’s work, not citing sources or even submitting an already submitted essay to another class.

College is soon coming to an end. You thought grappling with those essays, projects and assignments was tough till suddenly one day, you are asked to justify everything you have done so far, explain your professional goals and prove that you are worth being part of an esteemed institution. The grad school applications have begun and one of the most important elements of your application is the personal statement. We agree, the thought can be daunting because it might be something you have not done before.

IB’s Biology Internal Assessment (IA) is a make or break - you get it right and your grades rise, you mess it up and it all comes down. Students are required to write the Biology IA during the second year of their HL class. They need to perform a thorough investigation on a topic of their choice. The investigation can be in the form of a traditional experiment or based on analysis of obtained data. Comprising on 6 to 12 pages, you are expected to spend 10 hours doing this investigative work which is assessed by the teacher and externally moderated by the IB, as per International Baccalaureate Organization. This assignment makes up for 20% of the overall assessment for the Biology IB score. Marked against strict common assessment criteria, it is possible to obtain a maximum score of 24 points if you perfectly meet all the criteria. Don’t stress - we have put together the perfect guide to help you write a stellar Biology IA paper that is sure to get you the scores you want.

How can you write a compelling MBA essay? We get asked this question quite often, and the reason is that your MBA essay is more of an elevator pitch – a short description of your credentials which you will share with others who will make the most important decision of your life. As a result, you want to give it your best and, explain your thoughts in an easy to understand format that will grab their attention and create a powerful impact. However, since there are thousands of other applicants submitting their applications for an MBA degree program, how can you make your essay to stand out from the rest?

Are you an IB student taking Mathematics Standard Level (SL)? Well brace yourself because it is considered to be one of the toughest subjects in the curriculum. The syllabus comprises of 6 topics and students are externally and internally assessed. The Internal Assessment (IA) in Math SL is known as Mathematical Exploration. It is a written work that requires students to investigate an area of mathematics. As per the International Baccalaureate Organization, this assignment “encourages students to take a considered approach to various mathematical activities and to explore different mathematical ideas.”

Are you looking for the best way to write engaging essays that get noticed? Do you want to write top-notch articles that your instructors and examiners will love? I’m guessing you answered yes. Hence, writing winning essays is not rocket science; you only need to apply a few elements to your writing to make it more appealing. Why? Because your instructors read thousands of essays year-in-year-out. Therefore, the best way to stand out from the crowd is to make yours incredibly captivating.

You have been asked to read an article and work on a reaction paper. “That should be easy,” you think to yourself. Well, while writing a reaction paper might sound like cakewalk, there is a lot more to this assignment than meets the eye. The purpose behind reaction papers is to make you analyze a piece of work, be it a book, film, article or TV show. You are not just expected to share your views on the material but also explore implications of the ideas stated, critique it and justify your statements. By the end of the assignment, you are judged on your critical thinking and writing skills.

Are you a PhD candidate gearing up for a research project? Hold on, before you proceed, one of the biggest challenges you need to overcome is submitting an impressive research proposal. While many students are prepared to undertake the research study, very few are well-versed with the concept of writing research proposals. You might wonder why they even matter in the first place. Well, research proposals give professors an indication of your thought process, the originality of your ideas and how passionate you are about the subject.

“Friends, Romans, countrymen, lend me your ears, I come to bury Caesar, not to praise him.” 
– Julius Caesar. It has been four centuries since William Shakespeare wrote his last play but even today, his work continues to be read by high school and college students. From relatable characters to universal themes – his poems and plays still manage to resonate with us and offer incredible value. Be it is Othello’s Iago or Macbeth’s Lady Macbeth; this literary genius has given us some of the most complex characters while using interesting literary techniques.

Unlike a traditional classroom setting where you get to have regular face-to-face interactions with your instructors and classmates, in an online classroom, interactions happen via discussion board assignments wherein students are required to write discussion posts to put forth their thoughts and ideas. In fact, did you know that one major advantage of online education is that it tends to pull shy students out of their shell by having them actively participate in discussions that take place in online courses? This is what makes discussion posts an integral component of online classes.

From projects to college essays and research papers – you thought you had mastered them all until the dissertation paper came along. Little did you know that you had this final writing assignment to tackle till you could successfully earn your degree and enjoy some peace of mind. Dissertation papers are not your regular college essays. Typically received in the final year of the undergraduate program, dissertations are an extended piece of writing on a research topic of your choice. It is expected to be around 10,000 – 30,000 words and is undoubtedly the most challenging and lengthy piece of writing expected during the course of the program.