change with the seasons

sage // 17 // a-levels // future art history student!!

[lightheartedsuggestion]

Dear self,

I know you have so many reasons to be angry, to shut down, to disappear. But I miss your smile.

Build a life that is constructed around possibilities for happiness rather than reasons for sorrow.

[spearbin]

woojin’s tiny friends ( ･ิω･ิ)

[dartmvthensis]

HOW TO WRITE A STRONG ESSAY

I recently got an ask about how to write an introductory paragraph for an essay so I thought I’d do a post about how to write a good essay.

** Important Points ** For essays in high school, use third person unless the teacher specifically tells you not too. It’s more academic and professional while first person sounds really informal. I’ve heard that in college it’s different but again, it depends on the class. Stay on the safe side and use third person unless otherwise specified. Also, try to be as sophisticated and mature as you can. This makes the essay sound smarter and makes it easier to read.

1) INTRODUCTION

Try to think of an upside down pyramid here. You start off broad and end off tapered to a point (specific). The formula for writing a good intro is this: hook, background info, introduce topic of discussion, and thesis. In the pyramid example, the hook is the broad and the thesis is the narrow. The intro is usually around 8 sentences long.

Hook: Unlike what you’ve probably been told through out high school, the hook is not necessarily a wow statement. It’s typically a broad idea that relates to the topic of discussion. I usually use historical facts or common wisdom and go from there. I then follow it up with a sentence that elaborates on my hook and a sentence that connects my hook with the background info.

Background Info: Here you give the reader some context as to what you will be discussing in your essay. It sets the scene for the topic you’re discussing. Try to be concise.

Introduce the Topic of Discussion: Here you give a brief summary of the points you’re arguing/discussing. It should be one sentence per body paragraph and again, be clear and concise and avoid merely summarizing the plot. This part should cover the gist of your ideas.

Thesis: This should be a longer complex sentence that summarizes your point of view and ideas. This is one of the most important parts of the essay so crafting a good thesis is crucial.

I did a more detailed post about the introduction with an example introduction paragraph HERE.

2) BODY PARAGRAPHS

The meat of your essay. Here is where you state your arguments and defend them with supporting evidence from literature, articles, or even your personal experience. I would generally limit one argument per body paragraph. Which reminds me, most likely you have been taught the canned five paragraph essay. Some people write all their essays in five paragraph format because they thing that is the only way to go. Really, you can do four+ body paragraphs with the common numbers being four and six. It depends on the essay. When writing your body paragraph you need this structure: topic sentence, three points, three examples of supporting evidence, conclusion. Body paragraphs typically fall between 8 -15 sentences.

Topic Sentence: This is similar to a thesis. Here you’re stating the argument that you are proving in a clear and concise sentence.

Three Points: There’s a rule of thumb that you generally want to have three points about each argument and have a piece of supporting evidence for each point. I’m going to start with the three points first. Basically, you want three ideas about your argument that show why it’s valid. For example if you’re trying to argue that cheese is dairy, your three points are it’s made of milk, it’s featured in the dairy section of the grocery store, and the FDA labels it as dairy.

Three Examples of Supporting Evidence: These are usually quotes from other sources or the piece of literature you’re analyzing that support the three points of your argument. To use the really bad cheese example from above, for the milk point you’d use an ingredients label from a package of cheese, for the grocery store point you’d get a sheet with the department labels and the produce in those departments, and for the FDA point you’d find a quote from their website.

Conclusion: This is a sentence or two that wraps up your body paragraph. It should briefly summarize the points you discussed or the topic sentence and help transition into the next paragraph.

2) a. COUNTER ARGUMENT PARAGRAPHS 

This paragraph is NOT necessary for most essays. However, some do require them so it’s important to know how to approach them. Depending on whom you ask, they’ll either tell you that the counter argument paragraph goes in the middle of your body paragraphs, or at the end. Personally I prefer the end but the middle is more correct. Placing it in the middle allows you to end on a strong note but I think it’s a matter of personal preference. The counter argument is used to present an opposing view point and say why it’s wrong. This can strengthen your argument if it’s done properly but ruin it if it’s done wrong so tread carefully. The only thing different from the body paragraph structure is the topic sentence.

Topic Sentence: Here you need a specific template to start the paragraph properly. I usually use: It may be argued that _______________ but there is sufficient evidence to show that _______________. The first blank is filled with the opposing argument and the last blank is your argument. There are different ways to structure this sentence but this is the one I use.

The rest of the paragraph is the same as the body paragraph: you get three points as to why the counter argument is wrong and three points to support it. Then you end with a typical concluding sentence.

3) CONCLUSION

This is where you wrap up your arguments and finish strong. It has three components: a restatement of your thesis, summary of your arguments, and general statement to wrap it up. Think of the right side up pyramid this time. The pointy end is the thesis and the bottom is the general statement that closes your essay. A conclusion is typically 5 sentences long.

Restatement of Thesis: This is pretty self explanatory; you restate the thesis using different language than you used in your intro.

Summary of Arguments: Here you briefly touch upon the arguments you covered in your essay. Again, clear and concise, and whatever you do, DO NOT introduce new information. It can ruin the amazing essay you worked so hard on.

General Statement: A general statement is a broad idea that you use to tie your entire essay together. It’s kind of like the hook but should be more relevant to your essay.

And that is how you write a killer essay. I use this technique whenever I write and it has never failed me. Hopefully if will help you improve your writing! If you have any questions, feel free to hit up my ask box.

[nadianed]

[innerpeaceonly]

I got my heart broken and I survived, I failed 3 courses in university and graduated, I got rejected in the very first job I applied for and got promoted yesterday, I went through hard times with my family but then two years later, we laughed our hearts out over lunch, The closest friends disappointed me several times but I made new friends and loved them with all my heart. I did it once, I can do it again.

[jawnkeets]

magdalen college in december. take me back to oxford ⭐️

[for-sixty-days-deactivated20230]

Visit Original Link

this dream isn’t feeling sweet

[hannahreveur]

October 12, 2018

Looking at my to-do list this weekend and trying not to cry, how are you doing? 😭

[physiologies]

reviewing some psychiatry articles before my exam tomorrow!

[wholeheartedsuggestions]

concept: let’s go to bed at 9pm instead of 3am. let’s drink more water for our bodily health and less coffee for the aesthetic. let’s not skip breakfast because it’s worth running a little behind even if it’s just some fruit or cereal. let’s go socialize even if we’re kinda nervous. let’s love ourselves when we feel down, because flaws are not the end of the world. let’s work hard but take breaks in between instead of procrastinating and then rushing. let’s ignore what people who don’t know us have to say about us behind our backs. let’s be kind to each other because we’re all trying here. let’s hype up being mentally healthy rather than being perfect. let’s live our lives like we want to.

just a thought.

[studylikeknope]

some lockscreens i made🌸

feel free to save and use but please like/reblog

[lightheartedsuggestion]

You have so much more time. There are so many moments ahead of you, moments that will change everything; incredible moments that will make you forget all the bad seconds, hours, days, years.

[andrusmagnus]

Button

France

[holokth]

different ways you can study

╰ exam questions/practice questions

╰ rewriting notes

╰ grab a textbook and highlighter (only important stuff!!)

╰ bullet pointing notes (use funky arrows or pretty heart bullets)

╰ reading over a page for 2 minutes then trying to recall as much as you can on paper - repeat (very effective)

╰ watching educational videos/documentaries

╰ flashcards (2 types) - you can either write a word with the definition on the back or do a full subtopic on a flashcard for portable revision

╰ plain reading - this is underrated but reading simple articles or just reading over your notes is considered studying too !!

╰ teaching - talking to a pet or a person or even a wall, trying to teach them what you’re learning helps retain the information and get your brain working

[ohghiblies]

https://www.instagram.com/ohghiblies/

[tholdones]

[37/100 days of productivity]

This is my official spooky october read! Apparently House of Leaves will fuck with your brain, and i’m so ready for that. 🕸🍃

[sydneythelibrarian]

I will always reblog House of Leaves!!!

[study-well]

Writing a CV:

The perfect resume for someone with no experience (by businessinsider​)

Guide to writing a CV

Common grammar mistakes to avoid on your CV

How to explain a gap in your CV

How to overcome common CV issues

What not to do on your CV

Should I include hobbies and interests in my CV?

CV layout: dos and don'ts

Free CV template

School leaver CV template

CV templates and tips

More free CV templates

Example CVs

How to tailor your CV to different industry sectors

Writing a Cover Letter:

How to write a cover letter

How to overcome common cover letter problems

Graduate cover letter template

Career break cover letter template

School leaver cover letter template

Free cover letter template

Referencing:

How to get a reference

References: workers’ rights

How to deal with employment references

How to include references on a resume

Interviews:

How to answer common interview questions

How to prepare for an interview

The interview itself

Advice to help you ace the interview

Answer curveball interview questions

101 Interview Questions You’ll Never Fear Again

Second interview questions and answers

Telephone interview questions and answers

Questions you should not be asked

What to wear to an interview: bloggers’ top tips

Group interview tips: do’s and don'ts

Interview questions for employers: What you should be asking

What not to do at interview

What job can I do?

How to decide what job to look for

How to find a new job

How to search for jobs online

Jobs in the retail industry

Jobs in the engineering industry

Jobs in the fashion industry

Jobs in the IT industry

Jobs in the motoring industry

Jobs in sport

Jobs in the education industry

Jobs in the energy industry

Careers with animals

Jobs in the media industry

Jobs in the leisure & tourism industry

Jobs in the catering industry

Jobs for history lovers

Jobs for geography lovers

Jobs for English lovers

Jobs for maths lovers

Volunteering:

7 Simple ways to make the best of volunteering

Benefits of volunteering

Benefits of mentoring

Volunteer Abroad

Resignation:

Resignation letters: What you need to know

Resignation letter templates  

How to resign

How To Resign & Hand In Your Resignation Letter

Redundancy /Job Loss:

Deal with redundancy

Things to do if you lose your job

Claim Jobseeker’s Allowance

Jobseekers allowance (UK) overview

15 tips to survive a job loss

How to Cope With Job Loss and Move On

At work:

How to start a new job

How to have a good first day

How to hold onto your job

How to handle bullying in the workplace

Commuting: how far is too far?

How to get a promotion

Summer workwear advice

Office Style Trends 2015

What You Can (and Can’t) Wear to Work

Dealing with stress at work

How to deal with a brutal boss