On a blustery Saturday many decades ago, I found my 17-year-old self in the stacks, searching for books about Keats for my nearly-late term paper. With a little help, I found the information; once I took the time to read…
Several very special requests have come through recently. A work colleague needs help with her year-end performance self-appraisal. A dear friend wants a chance at that once-in-a-lifetime job opportunity. One of my students is applying for a hotly-contested, full-ride scholarship. Each of these people is an amazing bundle of talent…
She’s back! Yes, the happy owl lives and breathes. Naturally, she refers to her little hiatus as a “sabbatical,” which, according to dictionary.com, is “any extended period of leave from one’s customary work, especially for rest, to acquire new skills…
Writers should do everything they can to connect to their readers. One great way to establish the connection is to provide an appropriate level of detail or evidence for the task at hand. Clever students should make a habit of seeking out,…
Good writing and “info smarts” go hand-in-hand at college. But if you’re aiming for writing excellence, you’ll need to advance those info smarts, too. Before diving into specialty resources or learning fancy new search skills, it might help to get…
The competitive edge… the upper hand… Whatever it is, you need it – because success at college is all about outpacing your peers while learning as much as you can. To impress instructors and outshine classmates, it helps to be…
My BTW 101 students astonish me. Their semester-long research project requires, among other things, that they formulate (and inevitably re-formulate) a topic statement, articulate (then reconsider) their information needs, and then plan (and ultimately revise) their research strategy. The “Custom…
With a title like “How Teens Do Research in the Digital World,” how could I possibly resist? Pew Internet’s just-released study looks at teachers’ views on how today’s digital technologies are impacting students’ research and writing habits. I just had…
Writing works best when the writer establishes a link with her readers – quickly drawing them in and satisfying their desire to know more. The basis of that connection is mutual respect: a good writer knows she must exercise her…
Whether by design or happy coincidence, the high performers I work with demand excellence, especially from themselves. So as an academic coach, that means I must be bold. Very bold! Bold recommendations are at the very heart of progress. They…