10 Surprising Summer College Preparation Tips

by Suzanne Davis | Jul 17, 2019 | Study Skills

“Curiosity is the wick in the candle of learning.” –William Arthur Ward An inquisitive mind will prepare you more for college than any academic skill.  Academic skills are important, but they cannot compare to the desire to seek answers and learn...

What is Academic Writing? What You Need to Know

by Suzanne Davis | Jul 3, 2019 | Academic Writing Skills

This month I was asked, “What is academic writing?” I kept getting message after message in my inbox asking that question. It was so common, I wrote a little 3-sentence description answering it.  The description was seared into my brain so that I could write it over...

11 Summer Writing Prompts for the Creative Soul

by Suzanne Davis | Jun 12, 2019 | Writing Prompts

“Summer’s lease hath all too short a date.” -William Shakespeare, Sonnet 18 Summer always seems too short to me (especially in New York). We have 3 months to enjoy vegetable and flower gardens. Two months to enjoy swimming in pools, and Adirondack lakes. So, I...

3 College Writing Strategies Middle School Writers Can Master

by Suzanne Davis | Jun 5, 2019 | Writing Essays and Papers

Can middle school students learn something from college writers? When Maria Johnson, a middle school and high school English tutor, asked me to write about what middle school writers can learn from college writers—I was lost.  It’s a challenging question. I wasn’t...

7 Sensational Essay Hooks That Grab Readers’ Attention

by Suzanne Davis | May 8, 2019 | Writing Essays and Papers

Do you want people to feel excited when they read your essay? Get your audience interested in reading your essay by making the first part of your introduction intriguing. The best way to do that is by using attention-grabbing essay hooks. So, what is a hook?  It’s a...

How to Write a Strong Introduction to a Research Paper

by Suzanne Davis | May 1, 2019 | Writing Essays and Papers, Writing Process

What makes an introduction powerful? It’s an important question because an introduction is the first impression readers have of your research paper.  A strong introduction tells your readers not only what you will prove or show—it makes them want to read it. You want...

10 Terrific Writer’s Notebook Ideas to Inspire Creativity

by Suzanne Davis | Apr 11, 2019 | Writing Prompts

There is one thing I recommend to everyone learning to write. Create a writer’s notebook. Why?  It’s crucial for writers to be consistent in their writing. A writer’s notebook is a fun way to get started and keep writing.   All you need is a pen, notebook and some...

The Simple Secret to Writing Direct Quotations

by Suzanne Davis | Apr 4, 2019 | Academic Writing Skills, Writing Essays and Papers

Using direct quotations in a research paper makes your writing stand out.  Direct quotations help your academic writing because they support and emphasize specific points in your essay or research paper. They can be eloquent, powerful and memorable. They are an...

Academic Writing Accountability: How to Be a Productive Writer

by Suzanne Davis | Mar 28, 2019 | Writing Essays and Papers, Writing Process

Are you a productive and persistent writer? There are scholars and writers that have the internal motivation and persistence to write essays, papers, articles, and books even when they’re nervous or doubt themselves.  Not everyone feels that way.  Some of us need to...

How to Overcome Research Paper Writing Procrastination: 7 Powerful Tips

by Suzanne Davis | Feb 28, 2019 | Academic Writing Skills, Writing Essays and Papers

When do you start working on a research paper? Professors hope it’s the day after you were assigned it or the next day.   Even if that’s not the case, they at least hope you don’t write a paper the day or 2 days before it’s due.  Yet, writing procrastination occurs a...