Dr. Loren A. Ryan
M.Ed. in Divergent Learning
Assistant Professor of Education

When completing a writing assignment, always try to use a word processor instead of personal handwriting.  Your work should always be double spaced!  Handwriting and single spacing not only look unprofessional in design but are also very difficult for someone else to read.  Your message becomes lost in the cloud of poor penmanship and tightly composed text which could ultimately affect your grade.

Be sure to allow yourself adequate enough time to compose your paper.  Procrastination usually does not produce excellence!  By planning an adequate timeframe in which to complete your paper, not only will you allow yourself enough time to complete a rough draft (or two), but you will also reward yourself  with enough time to complete a polished paper you will be proud of (with MUCH less stress)!

Have a roommate, friend, or peer proofread your paper.  Fresh eyes are always better than those of the author!

If you have difficulty in composing your thoughts, start with the big ideas first.  Group like ideas together and then construct those ideas into sentences.  These will be your paragraphs.  If you have difficulty with grammar and punctuation or crafting paragraphs, please do not hesitate to make an appointment with the wonderful tutors in the Academic Skills Center (Edens Library basement).  They offer you the service of reading your work and making helpful suggestions.  A small amount of time with them could make the difference in a passing grade and a failing grade!  USE THIS RESOURCE!

Always be certain to give the appropriate credit to your sources.  If there is ever any doubt about whether you need to cite, always include the source in question in the reference section of your paper as well as in the body of the paper in those places where you have used the source. It is not enough merely to mention the source in your list of references; you must also let the reader know which ideas came from that source and clearly delineate boundaries between your ideas and the ideas of others.