8 Tips for Writing Exam Essays

Written assignments on any exam usually earn the most points. However, the majority of students hate dealing with these tasks and for them, to write a college essay and develop a good science paper. If you can guess the right answer in the A/B testing, luck is unlikely to help you write an essay. Luckily, you can always upgrade your essay writing skills and learn how to pass exams with flying colors. We talked to experts from a well-known essay writing service and made up 8 tips for you to successfully write an essay on the exam. 

Think about who you write to

The key to a good essay is its integrity and style. When you start writing an essay, imagine to whom it could be addressed. Think about how to interest a fictional reader? What kind of vocabulary is suitable for “communicating” with him? What grammatical constructions will be close and understandable to him? Even a made-up target audience will help you make your essay comprehensible, clearly convey your thoughts in plain and beautiful language.

Strive to express a thought rather than impress the examiner

A good essay is not defined by the number of words or complex constructions used in it. It is about how beautifully and elegantly your idea is designed, which will reveal the topic of the essay and be clear to any reader. Bizarre words or turgidity are unlikely to surprise anyone if they do not carry any semantic load. Do not intentionally use complex and bizarre words in your essay that you think will impress the examiner. Beauty is in simplicity. In addition, you risk using a complex word in the wrong place, which will be considered a serious mistake.

Active is better than passive

Readers perceive passive voice worse. Convert your phrases to active voice, if possible. This will make your narrative easy to comprehend. 

Avoid using jargon and colloquialisms

Jargon is certain encryption, a code. Words that appear in order to limit the range of people who will have access to the meaning of statements. Young people invent and use jargon to hide their conversations from the older generation. Professional jargon provides employees in a particular industry with comfortable professional communication that will not be available to non-professionals.

Thus, colloquialisms and slang expressions may not be understood by your reader, the examiner. This can lead to a misinterpretation of the meaning of your message, which is certainly not a plus for you.

Simple sentences work better 

Try to express complicated things with simple words. The cluster of terms and complex constructions will make your essay heavy, unreadable. The examiner will read simple sentences quickly and easily, and you will have less chance of making a grammatical mistake.

State, not negate

Readers always perceive affirmative sentences easier. When you notice that you are using double negatives, you should correct the situation.

Do not check it until you finish 

If you have enough time, be sure to use a draft. Do not focus your attention on grammar or correct sentence construction, forget about spelling for a while, do not worry about synonyms. Just outline your thoughts, let the text appear, and make sense. Once you’ve written the text, make a serious correction, leaving the main idea untouched. 

Read what you wrote with an intonation

Reading the essay, even to yourself, but with the right intonation and speed will help to identify text problems that you have not noticed while writing. For example, a heap of consonants in neighboring words. Perhaps you will find unnecessary words that just fill in the gaps and do not make sense in your essay. Get rid of them.

When you read your work, imagine you’re hearing it for the first time. Try to look at the arguments you have put forward as objectively as possible. Is your essay convincing? Is your main idea clear? Do all of the above statements relate to the topic and reveal it logically?

Conclusions 

The only way to learn to write a good essay is to write one. Make it a rule to write small essays systematically and regularly. Learn to formulate your thoughts so that they lie well on paper and are clear to your potential reader. Practice will help you get rid of the fear of a blank page and turn essay writing into your favorite academic activity. 

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How to Spot a Fake Essay Writing Service Review

So, you’ve decided to order a paper. Needless to say that if it’s your first time, you’ll want to search for a well-reviewed essay writing company you can really entrust your assignment to. However, how can one be sure that a review website is telling the truth? As with the rising demand for custom assignments, the number of scams and fraudulent review sites has been rising as well.

Well, the best advice would be to trust your gut and use essay writing services that are legit and proven to be safe and reliable. Still, we have singled out 7 tips that can help you to spot fake essay writing service reviews to help you tell a fake review and a genuine one apart.

7 Tips on How to Detect an Essay Review is Fake

1. Follow the “Too good to be true” Rule

First and foremost advice would be not to trust reviews that are too great. If there are 5-star comments only, and they sound too ‘superlative’ and written with ‘CAPITALS’ it may sound suspicious. If you feel like you’re smelling a rat when reading words ‘amazing’, ‘life-saver’, ‘best service ever’, you’re not wrong. What is more, usually such reviews don’t have enough description, and are just about сomplimenting the service. Here’s how such a review might look like: ‘The best service ever! AMAZING writer! GOT an A+, guys you’re a life-saver!’

2. Is It Too Short?

Another tip that may help you detect an artificial review, is examining whether they’re too short. Certainly, some people are quite laconic and hate beating around the bush, when it can be explained with one word only. However, if all the reviews at the website are too short and not specific, they’re likely to be fake. Such reviews will again include phrases like “Good service”, “Excellent”, “Nice work”, and “Got a good paper”.

3. Does it Sound Like an Advert?

Have you ever read an advert? Do you remember how it sounded? You’ve probably been asked a question and offered a solution. Moreover, the language used was to make you buy trust and buy something. It works the same way with reviews. In case you detect a comment or a review sounds too advertised, it’s probably because it’s artificially written by an essay writing service itself. Have a look at the following review:

“I have never ordered an online paper before. I was too scared I would get bad quality. However, after I turned to you guys, I realized that custom writing can be safe and 100% unique. Thanks a ton!”

So as you can see, such a review sounds like a person advertising a company rather than explaining their sincere feelings. Plus, there’s an overuse of ‘I’ as they’re desperately trying to make it sound more personal. 

4.Analyze the Style of Several Reviews

It would also be a good idea to read several comments at the website and compare their style. Do they look the same? Do they have something in common? Usually, fake reviews are crafted by one person, so the writing style will be distinct. There will probably be similar vocabulary choice, and peculiar grammar constructions. In fact, it’s quite easy to detect. What is more, you might spot the overuse of some words like ‘I’ or ‘my friend’ relating to some ‘non-existent’ friend who ‘recommended the website’ in fake reviews written by the same person.

5. Examine the Review Website Itself

In case you’re reading feedback on the review website, make sure you study the site itself. As it often happens, the website is fake. Creating fake review sites and generating fake reviews is a common practice among business owners. By this we mean that the overall idea of such a source is to promote particular essay writing services, posting the reviews that are all artificial. 

It’s not rocket science spotting a fake review source. First, you may examine the owner of the website. If the owner of the review site is the same owner of the linked essay services, such a website is fake. Or it’s even better to say artificial, as the essay company designed a review website to drive traffic and promote its services. Secondly, you may also examine the affiliate links. If you detect a referral code in URL, it’s likely a reviewer gets money for leaving a comment about this or that service, rather than being honest about their experience.

6. Is it Specific?

One more tip you can rely on when looking for fake reviews is the content of feedback. An honest and sincere comment is often quite specific and detailed. Certainly, a client won’t go too much into details as they don’t want to compromise their activity of ordering a paper online. Still, they will definitely include some peculiar details like page quantity for instance, the type of paper, the amount of time required to complete the assignment etc. Otherwise, if a comment is too wishy-washy as if it can be used for anything whether it’s a custom paper or a new ice-cream flavour, it’s probably fake.

7. Are There Any Negative Reviews?

Last but not least, if there are no negative comments, or even slight dissatisfaction, there must be something wrong with such feedback. As it’s impossible that all the clients are completely satisfied with everything. If all the reviews on the website are positive, or even ‘too positive’, it’s likely because they’re all fake.

Final Words

Summing up, reading online reviews about an essay writing company is actually no different from reading any other type of review online. You should remain skeptical and analytical, so that you won’t fall for artificial comments with the only purpose to persuade you to order custom assignments at this or that company. We hope that our list of 7 tips will be of great help and you’ll feel more confident when examining reviews and trying to spot the fake ones. Wish you good luck!

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How to Help Your Child with Virtual Learning

 

Typically a new school year can be stressful, and there are potential risks that parents have to think about.

For example, bus safety and pedestrian safety are big issues parents think about when it comes to the logistic of their child going to school. Now, heading into the 2020-21 year, many parents have a different concern—COVID-19.

States and school districts around the country have opted to take different approaches to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.

For example, some states are having kids mostly go in-person. Other districts are doing a hybrid model to keep the number of kids in the building low at any given time. Then, some districts are for at least the first semester, going entirely virtual.

You may also be in a district where there’s a choice parents can make between in-person or virtual learning.

It’s leaving parents wondering how to make it work, not only with their job demands but also how to ensure their child gets a good education when they’re learning from home.

If you’re not an educator, the idea of facilitating your child’s learning can be scary and overwhelming, but the following are tips for parents to help their kids right now.

Get Familiar with the Content and the Technology

Your child’s teacher should be the one leading during remote learning, and you should allow them to do that freely in the way they see fit.

With that being said, it’s likely that your child is going to be doing some of their work independently throughout the day, and they aren’t going to have guided instructional time nonstop.

That’s where you might be needed.

To best help your child in these situations, before school starts, get familiar with the technology your child will be using.

You should also try and familiarize yourself at least a bit with the curriculum. You don’t have to be an expert, but it helps if you have some idea of what your child is learning or studying at any given time.

Knowing what’s happening with their education will also help you hold them accountable.

With all that being said, while you should be available if your child needs you, you shouldn’t be sitting in on their classes. You wouldn’t pop into their regular classes and sit and watch in most cases, so don’t do it with virtual learning. Instead, keep a hands-off approach during instructional time, and only step in when your child is asking for help.

If you want to communicate with the teacher or school staff, do so through email or a phone call and outside of class time.

Schedule and Encourage Intervals

If you’re working from home or you’re staying home from work during this time, you have the opportunity to help your child structure their day.

If you think about what it’s like for children at school, they aren’t engaged in instruction all day. They’re also doing other things, like socializing and going outside to play.

Breaking up learning into intervals and encouraging other activities throughout the day can help your child stay more focused when they are in learning time.

It can help reduce boredom and distractions.

Encouraging physical activity is really important for kids who are learning virtually. There are dedicated chunks of time at school for kids to be active, and they need something similar when learning at home.

Staying physically active is good for not only your child’s physical health but their mental health as well.

Enlist Help

If you’re working full-time, whether at home or not, that could be your biggest stress as far as your kids learning virtually.

Enlist help wherever you can.

Some parents are opting to create their own “pods.” The idea is basically that a group of kids come together for virtual learning, but the circle is still kept small and contained. It would be helpful for all the parents whose kids are in the pod to be likeminded as far as their thoughts on social distancing.

Then, the pod pools its resources to hire a tutor or someone to help guide the kids through their virtual learning.

Depending on the work schedules of parents, you could also have the parents swap off helping the kids throughout the week.

Another option is to turn to a family member to at least be with your child while they’re learning virtually and making sure everything is going smoothly.

Communicate with Your Child’s Teachers

While school may look different for many this year, teachers are still teachers. Your child may be interacting with them over a computer screen, but they are there for guidance and as a resource.

If you feel like your child is having difficulties, whether it’s with the virtual format or with the material itself, don’t be afraid to talk to their teacher.

They may have ideas and ways to help that you wouldn’t otherwise think about.

Create a Dedicated Learning Space

If at all possible, create a dedicated learning space for your child. If you have multiple kids at home doing virtual learning, try to keep them separate.

Choose areas out of the way of the main traffic flow in your house. While natural light can be good, don’t have your child facing a window because it can be distracting.

Make sure the learning space is only for school work, and at the end of the learning day when it’s time to sign off, have your child leave the space so they continue to see it as only for that.

If you can avoid having it where your child sleeps, that’s helpful.

You want an area that’s clean, quiet, and free of clutter.

Finally, don’t forget to take care of yourself during this time. You have a lot on your plate, too so you can help foster a better learning environment for your child by relaxing and reducing your own stress as much as you can as we navigate a new school year.

 

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How to Find the Right College

Image Credit: Pixabay

Searching for colleges is one of the scariest things a young adult has to face. The college you choose to attend will likely define the future opportunities available to you, putting an immense amount of pressure on you. Unfortunately, you have to shoulder this pressure at an extremely young age and at a time where you have little expertise. Thankfully there are some things you can do to help in your college search and allow you to find your perfect match. So how can you set yourself up to get into the best psychiatry residencies after an amazing undergraduate education? Here’s how to find the right college. 

Start Early

One of the most important parts of finding the right college is starting the search early. Looking for a college to attend can be a long process, so it’s important that you don’t start too late. Beginning your search late might result in you missing out on a few things like tours or special admissions events, and could only allow the time to research a small number of schools. The earlier you start looking into colleges, the more time you have to branch out and do your due diligence. In addition, many schools have incentives for considering them early, including early acceptances and extra scholarships. The old saying “the early bird gets the worm” applies to many scenarios, but it is especially true when it comes to finding the right college.

Make a List

Another thing that you can do to make finding the right college a little bit easier is to rank your potential schools in a list. Make a list containing all of the schools that you’re interested in, and rank them in terms of interest. What are each school’s pros and cons? What did you like about each campus? These are all important aspects that you need to consider. As time goes on and you gain more information, your list should become shorter and shorter. Eventually your list should be down to just a few schools, making your final decision that much easier. 

Put In Work

If you want to find the right college, then you’re going to need to put in the necessary work. If you slack off during your college search, then you can easily find yourself making a misinformed decision. Searching for the right college can involve lots of time, including conducting research, talking to representatives, going on college tours, applying for scholarships, and filling out applications. All of these events can take a considerable amount of time, especially if you have several schools on your list. Finding the right college is critical to your future, so it’s important that you put the necessary time and effort into the process.

Go With Your Gut

When it comes time to make a final decision on a school, you may struggle to make a choice. Multiple options may look attractive for you for different reasons, so choosing between them can be quite difficult. However, you should go with your gut and choose the option that feels best to you. Was there a school where you just felt at home the moment you walked on campus? Is there a school you have always dreamed of attending? You’re going to have to deal with your decision for four years or more, so making one that makes you happy is crucial. As a result, you should go with your gut and choose the school that makes you feel best and most comfortable.

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Choosing the Right Trade for Your Career

Picking the right career is a huge decision to make in your life. This decision could impact your happiness, finances, and possibilities open to you later down the line. Finding your calling in life is one of the pursuits that people spend their entire lives striving for. You want something more than just a job. It has to feel like you’re really doing something important. While there are several career choices you can make, you might be considering something in the trades and are interested in the hands-on side of the work world.

Trade jobs are numerous and varied in their responsibilities. Electricians, plumbers, carpenters, mechanics, metal fabricators, and HVAC technicians are some of the more popular career choices for trades workers. These careers hold a lot of value not just because of the salary potential, but also because they offer a lot of value in the work being incredibly useful for society. Trade jobs often get a bad reputation because parents want their kids to go to school and get office jobs instead, but the trades are always in demand. Finding the right career in the trades might be exactly what you need, and here are the choices you have to make.

Electrician

Electricians are one of the most important trades today because of our society’s commitment to electricity as our primary power source for just about everything. Whether it’s to power a microwave or light an entire city, without electricians, we’d be living a much different life than we are now. Working on power outages to restore power, feeding and connecting new power supplies and sources, and rewiring buildings and homes to ensure they are safe are among the many responsibilities of an electrician on a daily basis. Helping provide the primary source of power for hundreds and thousands of people, knowing you’re making a difference, and looking proudly at your work is a major draw for those who want to get into this field of work. 

Plumber

Not as glamorous as some other careers out there, plumbers are usually overlooked when it comes to their importance. How often has a leak happened in someone’s home, and they are at a loss on what to do to fix it? That’s where a plumber comes in handy. This job can get messy sometimes because you’d be dealing with water and possibly some less than desirable stuff, and considering there’s drainage and toilet waste involved. Even with these possible concerns, plumbers can make a very respectable annual salary, which can offset even the most disgusting of jobs. Plumbers come in all shapes and sizes, too. From commercial to residential, the duties change, and there are tons of room for change. Plumbing, like many trades, also comes with the added bonus of opening up the world of potentially starting and running your own business. Likewise, plumbers are always in need.

HVAC Technician

HVAC, which stands for, “heating, ventilation, and air conditioning,” is a trade that involves the installation and maintenance of a home or building’s air properties. By combining the central air conditioning, furnace heating, and ventilation of a home, you can help turn someone’s home into a much more efficient and comfortable place to live. HVAC technicians have become more important in the past 10 years because many new homes are starting to opt for better, energy-saving ways to heat, cool, and ventilate living spaces. These technicians are responsible for turning a home or building into a much more livable place due to the improvement to those areas of its ventilation, heating, and air conditioning. HVAC work is also a fairly safe trade to get into because there’s less work around dangerous compounds or tools. Residential work is considerably more relaxing than many shops, which is why it suits some people’s desire for a less stressful trade career.

Construction

When people think of trades, construction is one of the first things that pop into their minds, and for a good reason. Construction has always been a fundamental need for the world because we need new buildings more now than ever. With a growing population, advancements in architecture and engineering, and cities evolving in style, construction is key to achieving these changes in a productive manner. Constructing new buildings is no easy task, and that’s why construction workers are some of the toughest tradespeople out there. Whether it’s industrial, commercial, or residential, there’s always something that needs to get done. Construction jobs take place outdoors, which might be something that appeals to you if you enjoy being in the fresh air. They also offer a lot of flexibility in responsibilities. Concrete pouring, demolition, woodworking, metal fabrication, and many more jobs within the job are a part of this trade, so there’s always something to do.

Welding

Welding, and the craft of metalwork, is a trade that’s also adapting because of new advancements in engineering. As with most trades, there’s a lot of pride to have in looking at something and knowing you had a part in crafting it, and welding is certainly in that category. Repairing damaged materials or crafting something new entirely is just part of this trade’s appeal, and it goes beyond that as Craftsman IND shows just how far welding can go when it comes to the potential for a career or business. Most people imagine small welding shops or garages, but welding has the potential for some incredible projects. This trade goes hand in hand with construction and the industrial because metalwork is so crucial to the process of building or maintaining foundations and the like. Welding can be a grueling career in the trades, but it’s certainly worth it for those that can handle the heat day in and day out and want to feel accomplished in creating something new. 

Carpentry

Carpentry is almost as old as our human civilization because of the accessibility of the materials involved. Wood, nails, and screws are really the only pieces you need. Obviously, we’ve evolved beyond just these three simple ingredients, but they still remain the basics for carpentry work, which makes it fun for some. The simplicity of it all is deceiving as joints, hammers, saws, measuring squares and tape, levels, sanders, trimmers, and so much more has made carpentry into what it is today. The amount of equipment needed today is certainly a lot more extensive than before, but this has made the job much easier as well. Being able to craft homemade projects as a qualified carpenter allows you to renovate your own home with ease, which is a big bonus for those considering carpentry as a potential lifelong trade career. Math, especially geometry, is a skill that’s going to be key to surviving as a carpenter because it involves precise measurements for cuts, weight distribution, and volume. 

Mechanic

Although almost all trades are practical at home, mechanics can take pride knowing they will likely never, or rarely, pay for repairs on something. Most mechanics are involved in the automotive industry as there’s always a need for a handy person who can fix a vehicle. Even small engine repair is a mechanic trade that can be done at home as well. In any case, mechanics provide a service that’s incredibly important for daily life. Our world is dictated by automotive as our primary source of transportation, so it goes without saying that their expertise is needed to keep engines running for society to function properly. Being able to fix your own car at home with the right equipment is going to make your wallet happy as well, so not only would your career serve a huge benefit to others, but also to yourself. What more could you want from a fulfilling career?

There’s an astounding amount of jobs out there, but what people want is more than just a job. They want a career. Finding that calling in life that we’re passionate about that can also pay the bills is what many of us are still seeking out, and it can take some time before you find it. The last thing you want to do is limit what you think you want to do. For many, the trades aren’t something they even considered because they have been told to find something in an office.

The unfortunate reality is how many people ignore how lucrative and rewarding careers in the trades can be. These careers are hands-on and certainly tough, not without some risks as well, but they can provide something that many fields lack – purpose. Being able to work at something that gives you purpose isn’t to be taken for granted, and the trades are for people who want to get dirty and use their hands to make it happen. Whether you’ve been considering the trades as a career path for you or not, these potential lifelong pursuits are something to look into.

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Calculating the Best Value for a College Education in the United States

With the price of an average college education spiraling out of control, students are trying to find the best value for their money. Considering all of the various hidden fees that students might run into, this isn’t that easy of a task.

Certain aspects of the college experience might be overvalued as well. For instance, people might think that having a diploma from a famous university could help when it comes time to find a job. However, this recognition might not be worth anywhere near as much as it used to be.

According to financial experts, the cost of a college education has gone up by around 200 percent in a single generation. As a result, students are likely to forego well-known programs if it can help save them some money.

Fortunately, there are some high-quality opportunities that don’t cost nearly as much as you might imagine.

Best Value Colleges for the Price

Tuition costs are only one of several criteria that have to be considered when looking at a specific college program. Earnings potential is perhaps a far more important metric. Numerous students have found that certain degree programs from otherwise prestigious universities don’t translate into a good job offer because they’re not in an industry that’s currently in need of new recruits.

According to education site Authority.org, notable alumni and a high graduation rate certainly factor into any reasonable ranking system, but at the end of the day the average net price has to be weighed against all of these other considerations. They ranked Stanford as the best value in America, perhaps because it has a number of notable graduates while charging an average net price that’s less than $13,300 for degree programs.

Interestingly enough, they also ranked the US Military Academy at West Point quite highly. Those who are interested in a military career can attend the college without having to pay any tuition, and it’s certainly a recognizable name to future employers. That being said, West Point is notoriously difficult to get into.

Naturally, students who don’t shy away from a challenge will also want to consider the other service schools, since these also waive tuition costs for those who’re able to get in. While they traditionally only prepared students for technical and administrative careers, each of these schools now grant psychology and philosophy diplomas as well.

Life-long civilians might want to instead take a look at the sometimes wild world of distance education.

Evolving Education Paradigms in a Changing World

An overwhelming majority of colleges that make the top lists now offer at least some form of distance education program, and most of these started long before the COVID-19 pandemic forced remaining schools to reconsider how they provided credits to those who were enrolled in their institutions.

Top colleges like the various schools that make up the University of California system have consistently ranked highly, as have schools like the University of Washington’s Seattle campus. These organizations have worked to bolster their graduation rates. Completion percentages have dropped at all levels in recent years, which has necessitated this change.

At this point, even most Ivy League schools offer at least some classes online, and these schools have traditionally ranked highly though they might not be the best value for the money due to their comparatively high levels of tuition. Students who are looking into these kinds of programs will find that state schools, especially those in the west coast, offer some of the best values for their money.

For-profit schools, by comparison, have traditionally been viewed as less than helpful options. Some specialists have started to rethink this trend, enrollment at this schools fell by nearly 20 percent in 2018-2019. That means more students will probably want to look elsewhere for a good value.

Nevertheless, distance education programs offered at least by public universities are here to stay. Educational experts are studying trends in the field to identify patterns that could help them further refine their degree programs.

Considering the pressure on public officials to reduce costs and help provide a safe environment for students who are returning after the lockdown, it looks like these studies will be taken to heart by many in the near future.

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When is the Right Time to Update Your Education?

For some people, the right college education can last a lifetime. A degree in something like art, or literature can go a long way, particularly if you find yourself getting a career in your chosen niche. However, as the world continues to evolve and new jobs appear on the market, you may eventually find that your degree is a little outdated, or irrelevant. If you’ve been wondering whether it’s the right time to update both your skillset and your resume, then you’ve come to the right place. Here, we’re going to look at the things that you need to think about when deciding when to update your schooling. 

When You Can Afford the Extra Tuition

Education is an important part of getting to wherever you want to be in life. Unfortunately, it can also be quite expensive to earn a degree in your chosen field. Depending on how much of an update you need to invest in, you might need to apply for loans and grants all over again. If you’re concerned about the costs of going back to school, make sure you do some budgeting first. Start by seeing whether you can refinance your student loans from the last time you went to college. This will save you some much-needed cash off your monthly bills. After you’re done with that, look into other ways that you might be able to cut back in your budget. For instance, can you move to a smaller house, or drive a smaller, more efficient car?

When You’re Missing Out on Opportunities

Sometimes, you might feel as though you have the same skills as everyone else on your team, but you’re missing out on opportunities and promotions just because you don’t have the right words on your resume. If a lot of things in your industry have changed since you got your first degree, now is the perfect time to think about whether you can boost your chances of success with an update. Renewing your degree or accessing some extra training on the side could be all you need to do to grab the attention of your boss, and any future employers too. If you think that you’re getting overlooked because you just don’t have the right credentials anymore, think about how you can make your resume more impressive. 

When You’re Getting Lost

Finally, a big indicator that you may need to update your degree, is that you just don’t feel confident in your career anymore. Perhaps your team have started to use some new processes or strategies that are familiar for younger employees – but completely alien to you. In some cases, you’ll be able to catch up by signing up for a mentor program or taking some other training sessions. However, if you feel like the world is moving on without you, then you might feel more comfortable if you devote yourself to some extra education instead. Going back to school might be a time-consuming process, but it’s also a way to refine your skills and help you to regain any of the confidence that you’re missing.

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5 Ways to Increase Traffic to Your Online Portfolio

For those of us working in academia or the arts, a portfolio is vital. It lets potential recruiters see our best work from one simple website. Crafting a sleek design with optimized content will bring more traffic to your online portfolio.

Here, we list five tips to attract visitors to your portfolio, so they can see the amazing work you have done and what you offer! Whether you need a whole site overhaul or a simple tweak, these tips will improve your portfolio for the better. 

1) SEO Practices

Perhaps the most important part of increasing traffic comes from visibility. Focusing on Search Engine Optimization (SEO) practices will get you there. No point designing the best website only for it to rank lower than your competitors on Google. 

Pepper the pages with keywords related to your name, occupation, and any important identifiers. These make your website show up when someone searches for you. The ‘about’ page should be your main focus. A great ‘about’ page will help bring in traffic from generic searches.

With this said, SEO is not easy for beginners. According to this Auckland SEO company, you need plenty of experience with website design and optimization techniques. 

Otherwise, you risk using black-hat SEO tactics and penalties from Google.

2) It’s All in the Image

Your portfolio is a representation of your best work. People viewing it need enticing images that contextualize the information you are presenting. Wherever possible, use a picture where there would be text.

The same goes for the most important picture of all: your portrait. In one picture, you have to convey your entire character from professional to personal: so pick wisely. Think about your job, possible recruiters, and the message you are trying to send.

While your work remains the purpose behind a portfolio website, you need people to associate it with you.

3) First Glance Design

Create a portfolio website that has a strong first impression. The most important few seconds a visitor will experience are opening the link until they decide what to do next. Your home page must grab their attention.

Try experimenting with: 

  • Colors that contrast
  • A clean, but bold font
  • A small graphic or animation

The homepage should show the most important information at first glance. A visitor should know right away the tone and purpose of the portfolio. It may be worth asking friends to look at it for the first time and asking them their impressions.

4) Visitor Engagement

Recruiters looking through your portfolio don’t want to spend more time than necessary, so make navigating your portfolio easy for them. Navigating between pages should be fast, and your portfolio should be easy to access with simple menu labels.

If you have taken all the effort to get someone to your website, you should keep them there. Provide engaging content as they scroll down a page, and keep your content short. Don’t include long paragraphs with unnecessary information – let your work speak for itself.

5) Updated CV

While visitors are mainly interested in your portfolio, they’ll also want to see your work experience. Your professional experience needs to be listed clearly and concisely, with the most recent credits at the top of the page. 

Include awards, recommendations, and other skills that are noteworthy. 

All in All

Your website portfolio provides a chance for you to be creative. It shows more of your personality than any resume can, and gives you much more control over how a viewer interacts with it.

Being able to shape a recruiter’s experience means taking the time to develop your website portfolio will never be a waste. These few simple tips will bring more people to your site and keep them there for longer.

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7 Best Colleges Who Produce The Most Academic Journals

Once a student enters college, a necessary part of their academic pursuit is to write papers and journals. Depending on your chosen institute and field of study, it can even be a requirement for graduation to come up with these papers. Of the variety of papers that you’ll be gaining exposure to during your academic journey, a common category that you’ll surely come across is academic journals.

This refers to scholarly documents published by experts. Before they make their way to the public, they would normally have already undergone a thorough peer-review process. In general, an academic journal is not published to earn money. Rather, its purpose is to share information with the public, so that knowledge can be passed on to benefit others.

That said, some universities have truly excelled in this pursuit. Some of the universities that rank the best in terms of number and quality of academic journals are the following.

  1. Harvard University

Of course, it would come as no surprise to anyone that Harvard has made it to this list. In fact, Harvard always makes its way to all listings of excellence, such as College Rank. When it comes to academic journals, Harvard tops the list, particularly when talking about nature and science.

Harvard is considered a top-notch university, not just in the United States, but in the rest of the world as well. It boasts quite a long list of notable alumni that have made a name for themselves as experts in their respective fields. Hence, the quality of academic journals that it produces is consistently high. 

Going beyond scholarly articles, Harvard has also produced a number of inventions that have changed the world. These include oral contraception and the vaccine for smallpox.

  1. University Of Toronto

The University Of Toronto is second on this list, because of its comprehensive scope of subjects and degrees offered. The overall performance of its alumni is also excellent, publishing not just academic and scholarly journals, but also achieving prominence in their respective fields. If you happen to be an international student who’s considering attending the University Of Toronto, it’s a great choice because of its high population of international students.

The University Of Toronto also consistently receives an A or the highest rating for the following:

  • Academic research
  • Quantity and quality of research publications
  • Top-cited publications
  1. Stanford University

If you’re interested in quality academic journals in different fields of science, Stanford University also produces quite an impressive number. It ranks well in terms of chemistry, physical sciences, and life sciences.

Stanford University has also produced notable authors as their alumni, one of which is bioengineer and neuroscientist, Karl Deisseroth.

There are several good reasons why Stanford stands out, and these include:

  • It has some of the best research facilities, in terms of technical capability and laboratories.
  • It allows students the freedom to be innovative in their research.
  • Its professors and research advisors are top-notch professionals who are prominent in their respective fields.

 

 

  1. John Hopkins University

John Hopkins University is one of those institutes that consistently features well in rankings, in terms of overall academic performance. This also includes its outstanding plethora of academic journals.

This university focuses on applied science and technology, so most of its academic journals are also centered on this field of study. The Whiting School of Engineering, in particular, is the one that excels notably, due in part to its commitment for outstanding research and academic standards.

Another great advantage of John Hopkins University is that it has quite a number of academic partnerships with international peer organizations, allowing their collaborative research for better academic journals to regularly materialize.

  1. Massachusetts Institute Of Technology

MIT is often labeled as one of the world’s most prestigious higher education institutes. It has earned its spot on this list, as it has an impressive 150 years’ worth of background in research to boast of. More specifically, the emphasis of its academic journals lies in the field of entrepreneurship and applied science.

In 2018, MIT became very famous for one of its published research journals, which investigated which kind of news spread faster – true or false news. It was featured in over 360 news stories. The final verdict? Lies spread faster.

For all these reasons, MIT is a great choice for academic research and studies, including the following:

  • Its rigorous curriculum forms the basis of top-notch published journals and articles.
  • Its faculty are prominent names in the field of engineering and science.
  • It enables you to participate in the Undergraduate Research Program, which caters to all the academic journals that it has published, even before you make it to grad school.
  • It enables you to work alongside some of the best and most brilliant names in the industry for the completion of your research paper.
  1. University Of Michigan

Another college on this list from the United States is the University Of Michigan. When students make their way to the halls of this college, they are guaranteed endless opportunities, as evidenced by the scholarly and academic journals that graduates have produced.

The University Of Michigan boasts a wide breadth of educational opportunities, mainly due to its status as a public research institution. 

  1. Max Planck Society

The Max Planck Society is the most successful research institution in Germany. This puts it on equal footing with the rest of the prestigious research institutions in the world. Eighteen Nobel Laureates have passed through here, so you can rely on their academic journals to be wide-ranging and of excellent quality as well.

The Max Planck Society is so successful that it’s able to come up with over 15,000 publications each year consisting of renowned scientific and academic journals.

Not surprisingly, Max Planck is also the birthplace of many notable discoveries in the field of science. These include matters as complicated as antiretroviral treatment for HIV-Aids.

Takeaway

When you initially think of an academic journal, the first thing that comes to mind is that it is unlike any other publication. It’s not a simple commentary, nor is it written by journalists. The authors of these academic journals are experts that have excelled in their fields. Hence, this list comprises some of the best universities that have become known for publishing the most academic journals.

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Too Much Stress in College: Best Ways To Cope With It

Most students look forward to joining college because it comes with new experiences, social settings, and freedom to explore life as a young adult. As much as college life is exciting, it has its fair share of stressful situations. No doubt, the workload is higher than when you were in high school. Loads of assignments, assessments, research papers, group forums, and much more can take a toll, especially on first-year students. You may have taken a challenging course that requires long study hours to ace the units. With so much to accomplish, juggling between maintaining a social life and academics can be overwhelming. 

If you do not maintain a healthy balance, you might find yourself dealing with stress without any coping mechanism. The independent education structure in college allows students to practice self-discipline and to plan their study hours conveniently. Thus, most students end up spending too much time on books without engaging in other extra-curricular activities, which can lead to academic stress.

Today, numerous custom writing services are available online ready to help out stressed students with academic writing tasks. Feel free to order essay writing and delegate your assignments and research papers to professionals and get time to engage in other school events. 

You can also battle with social stress during your first months in college since you are in a new environment where you have to form new social circles. Getting a roommate, balancing relationships, and new friendships with academics on the side can be quite tricky. So, what do you do to cope with stress in college? Read on to find out more about the best ways to reduce stress as a student in college:

Plan Your Schedule 

With new-found freedom, it is tricky for most students to organize their study schedules. You need to practice self-discipline and ensure that you attend all the lectures and complete your assignments on time. You might be tempted to attend a weekend party while your term paper is due on Monday morning, causing late paper submissions. 

It is vital to be an organized student by prioritizing your to-do-list. Create a convenient space in your room where you can concentrate during your study hours. If you have a messy and noisy roommate, you can become a frequent visitor in your quiet college library. 

Also, create a timetable and follow it strictly so that you can train yourself to have a regular study schedule and personal time to carry out errands and participate in various social events. It helps you to maintain a balance and avoid stressful situations where you have to work all night to complete assignments. 

Exercise

Regular exercise is a coping mechanism for stress. It reduces feelings of frustration as well as prevents weight gain. A ten-minute work-out can do wonders for your well-being, especially in the morning before starting your day. It releases tension and puts your mind and body in a healthy balance. 

Even if you are not an early riser, you can incorporate simple exercises in your daily routines, such as walking around campus, to the mall, or a friend’s house. You can also take physical education or gym classes during your free time. Enroll in yoga, salsa dances, martial arts, or gymnastics. Find an option that suits your preference and have fun while keeping academic stress at bay. 

Healthy Living 

Most college students feed on junk and sodas since they find it cumbersome to prepare a healthy meal. Taking care of your mind, body, and soul is essential in living a healthy life. While fast foods are readily available and affordable, it may seem convenient to grab on the go, but it will take a toll on your health in the long run. Eat a balanced meal to get the energy to face the day with confidence. Stock up fresh-fruits and vegetables in your room and learn to cook simple and healthy meals.

With hectic schedules, most students find it hard to get adequate sleep. Tight deadlines, anxiety due to exams, and pulling all-nighters can drain your energy. So, plan your schedule and sleep early to get enough sleep. It is vital for your physical and mental health. 

Wise Budgeting

You need to budget your money wisely to avoid financial stress. Do not engage in impulse buying, or you will end up broke within no time. Have a budget in place to guide you in your daily expenses. Try to make meal plans if you love eating out by cooking a few times a week. If you leave outside the campus, set aside your commuter allowance per month to prevent missing lectures. If you have an entertainment allowance, stick by it and don’t take money from your meal budget when it is depleted. Practice self-discipline, and you will enjoy a fulfilling financial future even after college.

Finding Support

Starting a new life in college is always stressful since you leave a secure support system at home – family members and friends. On the other hand, developing a new circle of friends and learning people takes time and effort. You might end up feeling home-sick and lonely during the first few days, weeks, or even months. So, ensure that you keep in close contact with people who matter in your life – parents, guardians, or close friends at home. Call your mother, send an email, or organize a video conference with your family. It might boost your attitude and motivate you to push ahead with school.

Also, you can find social support by joining clubs and discussion groups with like-minded students. Be social and start making friends in your class. Form study groups and engage yourself in different activities in college. You will avoid stress and loneliness since college life will start making sense in the long run.  

Ultimately, stress management is different for all students. What works for you may not work for another individual. Thus, it is imperative to find a suitable coping mechanism that will help you to reduce stress. Have a positive attitude, talk to someone, and engage in relaxing activities. Take care of your mental health since it is valuable and impacts your academic success.

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