Be Aware Teacher! These Are the Ways Students Cheat in Exams

by magicalmathsPosted on 02/04/2020 Posted in G Post — No Comments ↓

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Thousands of students start cheating because they want to keep up with the expectations of their parents and want to get the highest grade in order not to disappoint them. It is no secret that student life is challenging and full of writing various assignments, preparing for tests and exams. Students have no time to live a normal life, not mentioning an academic one. Instead of spending hours stressing out and trying to cram every piece of notes, they find some genius ways to cheat on tests. These genius ways can be used in every test, let it be a history or physics exam. In such a way, students try to boost their grades and to improve academic performance. 

Students consider the following methods the best ways to cheat, and I’ll tell you now about them. Being a teacher, you have to know about all of them. 

1.   Using Cell Phone

 It is hard to imagine a modern learner without a phone. It can also be used as a perfect way to cheat. Learners record notes as audio files into their phones. Then they use earphones hidden by their long hair, hijab, or hands when they place them near an ear to listen to answers. Yes, to prevent this kind of cheating, better ask students to leave their phones in the basket and put it on the windowsill. 

2.   Using an Eraser

Students sometimes take their erasers and cut them into two pieces where they hide a small paper with answers or formulas written. That paper will be glued to each side of the eraser pieces, thereby, it’s between them.

So, when the learner stretches the eraser, the paper unwinds, and all the answers are there. 

Yes, although the eraser doesn’t arouse suspicion as a cheating tool, now you know that it can also be used as a way to hide some formulas and dates for the coming math or history exams. 

3.   Using Tissue

Some learners pretend to have a cold or an allergy to get good grades on that exam. All they need is tissue or a box of tissues where they have already written some notes or answers.

If they are faced with a difficult question, all they have to do is take the tissue and pretend to be blowing their nose. So, you have mentioned really ill students having a running nose? Offer them to take an exam the next time when they feel a bit better.  

4.   Using a Water Bottle

Water or drinks are allowed in most exam rooms, but did you know that they can help in how to cheat on a test. Everything students have to do is remove the label and attach notes, answers or formulas on the backside of the label. Learners reattach the label with the written answers and walk into the exam hall. They check out the notes or pieces of paper through the water bottle. It is considered to be an effective way to cheat because teachers usually don’t pay attention to water bottles. So, in order to prevent this kind of cheating, better put a bottle of water on the teacher’s table and offer your students to drink it. 

Exam cheating, just like college homework help online, helps students to pass their exams and tests. If you are a teacher, be aware of these ways to cheat and try to prevent them in your classroom. Let your students know and understand that they get grades for themselves, not for their parents or teachers. Yes, getting high grades is important, but it is less important than students’ nerves and sleepless nights. 

‘Do My Assignment’ Service and Helpful Creative Thinking

by magicalmathsPosted on 25/03/2020 Posted in G Post — No Comments ↓

Many articles have already been written about creative thinking and its influence on the paper assignment homework: it helps to achieve success in study and work. However, this is not all! Even without creative thinking skills, you can achieve a great result. First, find a cheap online ‘do my assignment’ company such as Domypapers.com. Such a service will help you with the best custom essay, a term, and even a dissertation. To find such ‘do my assignment’ services as Domypapers.com, type ‘pay someone to write me my college paper’ online.

Think Creatively with ‘Pay Someone to Do My Assignment’ Domypapers.com Website

Solve a Difficult Problem

Creative thinking helps to find a way out of a non-standard situation or solve a problem of increased complexity. Special techniques help you tune into a creative wave and start generating original ideas.

Harvard University professor S. Kosslina suggests working with existing task constraints or coming up with your own. It is necessary to find at least three ways to turn restrictions in to help, for example, pay someone to do my assignment, to modernize or eliminate interference in another way. If the constraints are given by the conditions of the problem, you should imagine that they are not there and consider how this affects the task.

Throw Out Emotions

It is necessary to express strong emotions in order to avoid nervous strain and breakdown. The excess of psychic energy can be directed into a constructive direction: to cross out a sheet, write a song, put together a birdhouse – to which the soul lies. Intuitive creativity helps to cope with emotional stress – this principle underlies art therapy.

According to medical research, even severely ill people, creative practices quickly help to cope with pain and oppressive thoughts. Especially effective are drawing and writing texts, including poetry.

No need to wait for serious unrest to start creating. In the process of leisurely creation, a person usually enters a state of “flow” – this is like meditation and is useful for the psyche. At such minutes, the level of the stress hormone decreases, and the ability to concentrate, on the contrary, increases.

Cope with the Routine

According to a study by Dr. F. Laskin from Stanford University, a person thinks up to 60 thousand thoughts every day, and most of them are repeated daily. Habitual itineraries, scheduled lessons, and monotonous household chores sometimes make you sad. In such a situation, you should hit creative on dull weekdays.

Creativity can be different, and breaking the usual patterns of thinking will help change the style of clothing or rearrangement in the room. Jeans, a sweatshirt and a backpack for a new look can be borrowed from friends. If moving furniture is not an option, you can swap clothes, school supplies and books on the shelves: at first, it will be unusual, but the gyrus will activate.

Drawing and needlework are also relevant: if you paint a wall, cook pizza according to a new recipe or learn how to crochet, your mood will rise, and new ideas will appear in your head.

Gain Confidence

One hour of creativity is enough to believe in yourself. Researchers at the College of Medical Professions in Philadelphia, USA, found a positive effect of free drawing on subjects regardless of gender and age.

Creativity for relaxation brings satisfaction and positive emotions. Positive thoughts allow you to look boldly into the future and more highly evaluate your capabilities and chances of success.

What to Remember?

Even those who do not consider themselves creative and have no hobbies can successfully apply creative techniques in their studies. In the process of creativity, a person gets rid of negative energy, calms down and is charged with optimism. Special exercises, such as the Empathy Map or the Constraint Method, help you look at the situation from a different angle and find an approach to people or solve a problem in physics. Dancing, music, and drawing give the brain a break because it involves other parts of the brain than the usual mental activity of a student.

Good Luck!

Tips for Writing an Essay at the University

by magicalmathsPosted on 28/02/2020 Posted in G Post — No Comments ↓

In every university, students are required to write an essay t gauge how well they understand a certain topic. Academic essay writing may seem easy to tackle but many students go wrong because they do not understand basic guidelines and often they omit some important aspects. Any person can produce high-quality academic essays provided there is a proper understanding of the essay writing requirements. Every essay should have a thesis with concrete supporting evidence that can be either from researched and written sources or you can carry out your own research. Below are some major and useful essay writing tips

1. Get a topic and outline the essay contents

A lecturer often assigns a certain topic that allows you to know the exact kind of paper ought to be written. In such a case, ensure that you focus on the main points that give an overview of the topic’s analysis.

Other times, you may have the freedom to get your own topic. While this calls for more work and research on the best topic, it allows you to write n a topic that you understand best and it will be easy t explain on paper. If you have not been given a topic, there are a few steps that you should follow to ensure that you get the right topic that you can write easily. Defining the essay’s ultimate purpose should be your first step on how to make a good essay. This can be either to persuade or to inform. If the goal of the essay is to inform, get a topic that you have already studied but if you are looking to persuade your readers, ensure that you are really passionate about the topic you chose to write.

• Ensure that you have an outline of the details of the essay

Failure to plan is actually planning to fail and in essay writing, you should always ensure that you have a laid-out plan. This is one of the most important tips on how to write a good essay. A plan is very important before you can commence writing the essay. You should include a created argument in your outline. Also, your essay should contain an introduction part, often covers the thesis of your essay. A body that has various paragraphs with supporting evidence for the thesis in the introduction and a great conclusion that combines everything covered in the topic together.

• Ensure that you properly use grammar, punctuations, and overall sentence structure.

Having proper grammar and sentence structure plays an important part in writing essays. It ensures that you are understood by the readers. In addition to having proper grammar, punctuations, proper use of tenses, etc, it is recommended that you ought to use an active voice. This is a great way of making your essay is stronger.  “Can I pay someone to do my homework?” This is a question in many students’ minds.

The right answer is yes. There are many reputable academic essay writing platforms that produce personalized academic essays that literary speak on behalf of a student. They come in handy especially if you do not have a strong grasp of the queen’s language

Bottom Line

As mentioned earlier, writing an academic essay is not as easy as it is perceived and it requires you to have a proper understanding of the above writing essay tips. By knowing the best practices to implement the above tips, you can rest assured that you will produce high-quality academic essays.

How to Become an eLearning Teacher for Young Children

by magicalmathsPosted on 24/02/2020 Posted in G Post — 1 Comment ↓

Teaching can be a very rewarding career, and with the advantages of modern technology, it can also be extraordinarily convenient. As technology becomes more heavily integrated into the education industry, the practice of learning through a screen will only become more common, leading to a demand for great teachers in the digital space. Here are a few things you should know before embarking on a new career path in education.

Stock up on equipment

Just like an ordinary classroom, the average home office will need a few extra supplies before it’s ready to support your teaching endeavors. The basics include things like an efficient computer with a webcam, a desk and chair, and any other educational materials you would like to refer to in your lessons. It’s also worth investing in decorative elements like useful, colorful posters to brighten up your surroundings and make your sessions visually interesting for your young students.

Get qualified

A bachelor’s degree is often a requirement for aspiring teachers, but that’s not always the case when your ambition is to work with young children. Educators of pre-school-aged children can get a leg-up into the industry with a diploma [1] that covers all the basics of creating a safe, nurturing environment for children. From there, your quest for employment in an early learning center or preschool will be that little bit smoother, but keep in mind that a role with a heavier focus on teaching may require a higher qualification and further education.

Develop your course content

You probably have a fair amount of knowledge on the subject you plan to teach, so it shouldn’t be too difficult to come up with content for your course, but optimizing it for your intended audience, especially an audience of young children, is another thing entirely. You’ll need to tailor it as much as possible to their interests, whilst also highlighting all the gold nuggets of information which will come in handy down the track. To minimize mental fatigue, especially amongst young children, try preparing shorter sessions with more condensed content, and avoid filling your lessons with an overload of text. Also, remember to alternate text-heavy slides with images or diagrams to mix it up and hold your students’ attention for longer.

Stay in touch

When you can’t be present with your students in a physical sense, the importance of communication cannot be understated. You should ensure that each of the families you work with are aware of all the possible avenues of contact available to them, so that they can always reach you when they have a concern or a burning question. Of course, it’s also acceptable to set your own boundaries in terms of contact times and methods, as long as you make those boundaries known and establish a great reputation for responding promptly and effectively to questions and concerns. 

Create a safe space

Developing an environment for your students to feel safe to express their ideas and opinions can be challenging, especially when you aren’t face to face with them, but this is where communication comes to the fore. If you’re going to truly engage with each of your young pupils, you need them to feel comfortable, so consider orchestrating an e-meeting to establish connections with both students and parents in the early stages of the course. Meeting the other students should go some way to make each student more comfortable in the classroom environment, no matter how unconventional it may seem.

Provide structure

Compared to a bricks-and-mortar classroom, the challenge of establishing a sense of control in a virtual environment can seem intense, but that only makes it all the more important. As a teacher, it will be your responsibility to set a standard for communication, participation, and conduct, so don’t let your students or their parents have to guess where they stand. It’s also important to acknowledge that this kind of communication goes two ways, and that you have certain responsibilities to the students in your classes, so be sure to let them know what they can expect from you as their teacher.

Be open to feedback

There’s no doubt about it – critical feedback on your work can be difficult to stomach. Even if you don’t enjoy the experience of receiving it, such feedback is the fastest route to improvement, so don’t let your ego get in the way of your own growth as an educator. Ask every stakeholder you can think of to offload their ideas for improvements – your employer, your fellow educators, the parents of the children in your classes, and even the pupils themselves. Before you know it, you’ll be growing and developing in ways you may not have ever thought possible through theoretical education alone.

Becoming a teacher in an electronic capacity can still be just as rewarding as teaching at the head of a physical classroom, but like any career, you’ll get out what you put into it. As long as you’re passionate about and committed to providing a great start to life for the next generation, the rest can be learned.

A Comprehensive Guide To Writing A Critical Review In College

by magicalmathsPosted on 28/01/2020 Posted in G Post — No Comments ↓

Most assignments in colleges these days ask the students to research a topic, examine the ideas and then present a critical review. Irrespective of the subjects you are going to major in, they make you produce many assignments and reviews in your entire college course. The objective of critical thinking is to maintain an unbiased stance on any given topic. Critical reviews make you weigh all sides of the argument and evaluate how effective all the sides are. Through this article, we will tell you how to write a concise critical review in college.

What is a Critical Review?

Students often tend to confuse a critical review with a simple summary. As the name itself suggests, the critical review requires you to analyze a given idea or piece of information and express your viewpoint. In the process of writing a critical review, you learn how to use old concepts to create new ideas, recognize trends and evaluate outcomes.

Structure of a critical review

No matter what the length of the review, its structure remains the same. Before beginning to write a review, check for any specific formatting or structural instructions given to you by your professor. 

1. HEADINGS: It is not mandatory to give your review a heading. However, you may optionally give your longer review headings to facilitate a better understanding of the reader.

2. INTRODUCTION: The length of the introduction of a critical review is generally one paragraph for a shorter review; and two to three paragraphs for a long and detailed review. Start with a couple of opening sentences that briefly explain the topic and include its primary objective.

3. SUMMARY: Briefly explain the intentions of the author of the piece of information given to you and talk about the organization of the text. Make sure you include all the key points along with a satisfactory number of examples. 

4. CRITIQUE: The critique is the main highlight of the review and it should be a balanced concoction of your analysis of the strengths and weaknesses, key points and noteworthy features of the information. Specify the sources and references of your arguments. In long reviews, talk about each argument in a separate paragraph. You are also free to include suggestions as to which points could have been stronger, which sources could have been referred to, etcetera.

5. CONCLUSION: Conclusion is generally a very short paragraph where you have to recapitulate your overall impression of the text provided to you. Conclude your review with a short explanation of your judgment. This will make your critical analysis sound reasonable.

The best approach for writing a review

Research: To write critically, you much research on every bit of information provided to you and ratify it. Also, make sure that the sources you use are reliable and the information provided by them is credible enough to be used in your review. A great example of such reviews could be seen on the Omnipapers blog.

Segregate: Use the tools of collation and contrast, cause and effect and preferences to break down the arguments into smaller parts that are easier to understand.

Plan and Organise: Brainstorm and organize all the smaller parts in the order of their priority for the review. Use your judgment to create a plan that does not sound vague or unorganized. Make sure your plan of action demonstrates your thinking abilities.

Strategize: Not only does critical thinking require proper planning and organization, it also requires you to make a comprehensive strategy to present your thoughts in the most effective manner possible. 

Circumscribe: Limit your arguments and thesis to the topic provided to you and don’t add information that is not vital for the review. Choose the best structure to suit the requirements of your review. 

Some extra tips:

Read: Thorough reading is crucial to achieving an unbiased stance on the text provided to you, Before you start writing your review, read and analyze all the aspects of the text such as the structure, methods, reasons, evidence and references and especially the rational connections between all these different aspects.

Summarise: After you’ve thoroughly read your text, locate the sentences that best represent the idea of the text and highlight them. Make separate notes of the main points.

Paraphrase: Paraphrasing refers to putting the quotes taken directly from the text into your own words. Review the notes of your main points and rewrite them in your own words. Make use of reporting verbs. If you choose to include any special phrases from the text, use quotation marks.

Follow all the steps given above to write a critical review. We hope this article was helpful for you to understand that with just a little effort, anyone can easily write a critical review in college.

Most Effective Graphic Design Tips for Students

by magicalmathsPosted on 20/12/2019 Posted in G Post — No Comments ↓

Graphic designers can fulfill many roles. From designing company logos and capturing the message of a brand to designing flyers, billboards, and webpages, there is no shortage of work to be done. Graphic designers are usually one part of the process. Professional writers for hire also may collaborate with them for content or SEO-friendly writing. Here are a few tips that will help graphic design students ease into the field.

1. Inspiration is Everywhere

Even though graphic design is something done using digital graphics, inspiration is everywhere. You can use real-life photos and ideas to inspire something new. Put simply, any visual image that communicates a message describes what is graphic design. Often, graphic designers use pictures (both natural and edited) and typography to achieve this. The way that designs are displayed affects the message received by the intended audience.

Get in the habit of keeping a notebook and a camera (or your phone) handy when in public. Inspiration can come from anywhere—it’s the people who find it who will be the most successful in this field.

2. Keep Your Portfolio Current

A picture is worth a thousand words. As the world of graphic design is constantly changing, its important that up-and-coming designers showcase their awareness of trends when applying for jobs. You should regularly create logos, banners, brochures, or UI designs and put them in a portfolio. Including a wide variety of subject matter is also helpful. As you show what you are capable of, it proves that you have a solid foundation in graphic design. It also shows that you have a lot of learning potential and that you’re capable of learning new trends as they become apparent.

3. Follow Design Blogs

There are many graphic designers who already have a large following. Often, leaders in the industry are aware of how things are changing and the latest trends. By following graphic design blogs and following graphic designers on social media, you can become more aware of what is trending at the time. They often share industry tricks and tips that can increase your design intellect. Often, professionals can give you a greater insight into the world of design than even your graphic design teacher can.

https://pixabay.com/illustrations/web-web-developer-1935737/

4. Meet Design Professionals

Meeting design professionals is as easy as mixing with the crowd. Attend graphic design conventions and be prepared to talk to professional designers. Prepare beforehand by becoming familiar with their work. This will give you something to talk about. Once they are talking, you can ask for feedback or talk about the latest trends in graphic design. By making their work the focus first, they’ll be more likely to reciprocate by looking over your work too.

5. Redesign Other People’s Ideas

Nobody is perfect. There are even published logos that can be improved on or where the designer made a mistake. As you become more familiar with the world of graphic design, you’ll develop an eye for mistakes and improvement. Use this to improve on existing designs and showcase them in your portfolio. Of course, you should always be careful not to criticize or humiliate the original designer. It is possible to notice errors or offer constructive criticism without coming across rude.

6. Take Advantage of Resources

There are countless online courses and videos available for graphic designers to develop new skills and build on their existing knowledge. You are only limited by the amount of work you are willing to put in. Take your time to get familiar with graphic design and be interested enough to learn new skills. Then, be sure you are putting them to practice and not just watching the content.

Graphic design has a place in logo and billboard design, webpage development, and more. It is a competitive field, so its important to stay current with knowledge. By following the tips above, graphic design students can learn the best way to stand out in their field.

5 Ways to Develop Students Academic Performance

by magicalmathsPosted on 13/12/2019 Posted in G Post — No Comments ↓

Teachers, parents, and students should take responsibility and find ways to change whenever academic performance is particularly poor. Whether certain students are failing to achieve their targets, dropping grades, or simply performing poorly on one class, it is never too early or too late to apply changes or find ways to develop their academic performance. Various Online resources, such as cheap essay writing, offer practical tips on the art of essay writing, as well as ways to develop students’ academic performance.

https://www.pexels.com/photo/accomplishment-ceremony-education-graduation-267885/

It is important to understand that certain approaches will work for one student and fail to produce a positive effect on another. However, the ideas and strategies discussed in this article can help students from different age groups and backgrounds achieve better academic performance.

According to Scott D, a prominent educational consultant, academic coach, and professional tutor with a passion for helping students develop their academic performance, certain aspects of each student’s academic performance are unique to him/her. According to Scott, two of the most important aspects that can help develop and accelerate student performance are natural aptitudes and learning styles.

Some of the most effective ways to develop students’ academic performance include:

• Improving Student Attitude and Behavior

According to academic experts, strategies to develop academic performance should start with improving the attitude and behavior of students in the learning environment. This might seem like a difficult undertaking; however, teachers play an important role in fostering an environment that improves student conduct, encourages active learning, and advances academic performance at all stages of education.

• Giving Practical Assignments

It is always a good idea to involve and encourage students in practical projects such as real-life activities, research, and other types of hand-on assignments. When teachers encourage their students to do research, for example, it leads to the development of their guiding principles, practical abilities, and knowledge.

Afterward, teachers can use the research findings to improve or change their teaching practices and competences, as well as their students’ learning process. This should lead to a significant improvement in academic performance and outcomes. Practical projects also help students develop their critical thinking skills, which is important for many fields and disciplines of higher education.

• Focusing on Achievement

Teachers should focus on strategies that will yield better results and achievements. They should follow a well-structured curriculum and focus on the specific needs of each learner. This will give their students the ability and desire to perform better in each area of academics, especially in those areas they find challenging.

• Setting Goals for Students

Academic experts believe that educators should help students set both long-term and short-term goals to help further their success outside the learning environment. These should consist of both non-academic and academic goals. Unfortunately, this is something that is missing in many education systems around the world.

In the process of motivating students and encouraging them to have self-drive, teachers should also emphasize the possibilities and opportunities ahead. They should encourage their students to set targets for all tasks, and this should begin as early as possible to allow them to set their own milestones and strive to achieve them.

• Cultivating Belief and Offering Support to Students

It is important to provide quality teaching to students because it is one of the most important influences on effective learning. Educators should also care for the welfare and future of their students. This involves showing genuine affection and concern, in addition to fostering clear, open, and honest communication between them and their students.

This is particularly important when it comes to dealing with problems and misunderstandings. Effective communication, which includes active listening, gives students the ability and freedom to express themselves openly on any problems or challenges they might be facing. Educators should also have the ability to communicate what they expect and want. This will help improve student understanding, which will subsequently lead to better performance.

Some of the ways to develop students’ performance are relatively simple; however, they are extremely effective when implemented correctly. Teachers should do everything within their power to improve their students’ academic outcomes. Their roles are not limited to the school environment; rather, they should influence their students’ learning habits and behavior outside school.

How to make lessons more interactive and remain informative

by magicalmathsPosted on 10/12/2019 Posted in G Post — No Comments ↓

In the age of information technology, everything is about interactivity.  Take, for example, user experiences we get with smartphones. You get to understand that people need things that make them feel part of vital learning processes. In this post, we answer the question, how can we make lessons more interactive and informative.

First off, we should admit that interactive lessons have become the norm these days. Teachers do not want to sound or act boring. And given that students also seek immersive learning experiences, things like interactive whiteboards wouldn’t have come a better time. Moreover, using academized to write an essay on the best interactive education practices sets the pace for implementation. Now, when it comes to actualizing interactive and informative classroom lesson practices, we did some homework and compiled the following:

Gamification of learning activities

While gamification of education is a relatively new concept, it has gained traction worldwide. Most importantly, its impacts on learning are profound. Gamification applies to all levels of academia as it seeks to make difficult concepts easy to understand. It also makes learning fun and interactive.  

From storytelling games in literature classes, card games in maths to memory games in history, gamified learning experiences offer students limitless possibilities. With governments now focusing more on STEM subjects, you should expect gamification of learning to continue taking precedence in academic institutions.

Integration of technology in learning

Impacts of technology on academia continue to evolve. Take, for example, reading applications such as Kindle Fire, and interactive classroom management systems, you realize that education technology in classrooms continues to get a facelift even today. Moreover, Blockchain and 5G technologies account for powerful ways of making lessons more interactive and informative. Students and teachers can now access learning/teaching materials in the nick of time, which is a good thing.

Outdoor learning

Teachers who want to make learning more informative and interactive should not restrict students within four walls of a classroom. Outdoor learning is an approach that works all the time and in the best interest of learners. When you move classroom lessons outdoors, you are not only creating a unique experience for students but also making them more relaxed. When students feel relaxed, you can bet on the fact that they engage more in learning activities.

Use Learning Apps

If you thought books and pens will never outlive their significance, get ready for a rude shock. Today, books are only valued based on their vintage significance. As technology takes shape in academia, modes of learning are changing. We now have e-books and digital libraries, places where students can access thousands of learning materials instantly. Study Apps that enhance productivity are replacing old techniques of measuring output.  

Game-based learning

You should understand the difference between gamification and game-based learning before employing any of the approaches. In the case of game-based learning, the bottom line is introducing games into classroom sessions. Take, for example, use of checkerboards, chess and scrabble games. The good thing about game-based learning is that they make learning fun, informative and integrative. Scrabble improves spelling prowess of students while Chess, according to several studies, boosts the cognitive abilities of learners.

Make teaching more conversational than instructional

Instructional learning is becoming obsolete. As students and teachers seek new ways of becoming involved in academic projects, the best approach is talking to each other. Conversations are more like dialogues. They make learners realize immersive learning experiences.  Conversational learning environments transcend situations where students are strictly respondents. It gives students the power to ask questions, explore new ideas, discuss problems with teachers and find solutions.

Final Thoughts

Lessons should be interesting and engaging. Thus, students and teachers who explore the above approaches to interactive and informative learning should realize improved performance. Interactive learning environments open up the minds of students so that they can explore more beyond classroom notes and lectures. It triggers an urge to learn, discover and solve problems.

APA Essay Formatting and Style Guide

by magicalmathsPosted on 02/12/2019 Posted in G Post — No Comments ↓

One of the worst things that can happen to a student is using plagiarized content. Plagiarism is considered academic dishonesty so it may lead to very serious consequences. To avoid plagiarism in your papers, you should properly cite all the sources according to the necessary citation format. In addition, various styles require you to format the entire paper in a certain way.

In this article, we are going to consider the APA (American Psychological Association) format, which is commonly used in education, psychology, and other social sciences. 

General Features

When formatting your paper according to APA style, you should use double spaces, one-inch margins on all sides, and a simple font, such as 12 pt. Times New Roman. You should also include a running head at the top of each page. The running head must contain a shortened title of your paper written in all caps and a page number.

Title Page

The title page must include the running head, the title of your work, your name, and affiliation. Use both upper- and lower-case letters, and provide this information at the top half of the title page. According to the APA guidelines, your title shouldn’t be longer than 12 words. Don’t use unnecessary words that don’t add any meaning to your title, such as “a study of…” or “an investigation on…” You should also avoid using degrees or titles (Ph.D., Dr.) before and after your name.

Reference Page

The reference page must include all the sources that you’ve cited in your paper. This is the last section of APA papers. It must begin on a new page and be titled “References,” with no quotation marks. The References title shouldn’t be italicized or underlined.

When listing authors, sort them in alphabetical order, starting with their last names. The first line of a reference must be flush left, while the following lines should be indented. When citing articles, you should only capitalize the first letter and a letter that follows a colon. However, when writing the title of a journal, you need to capitalize all the major words. Titles of journals should also be italicized, along with the volume number. If there are several sources written by the same author, sort them chronologically, starting from the oldest one.

Begin each entry in the Reference page with the author’s last name, followed by their initials and the year of publication in parentheses. After this, provide the title of the source. When citing articles, the title of an article must be followed by the title of the journal. After this, provide the volume number and page number, as well as a DOI, if it’s available. When citing books, an italicized title of a book must be followed by the city where the book was published and the publisher.

Wrapping Up

APA is one of the most common academic formats, which is used in numerous disciplines. It may seem a little bit tricky, especially if you’re writing your very first paper in APA format. But no need to worry! It’s actually easier than it might seem.

To learn more about the rules of APA format, please check out the official APA website. If it doesn’t help, you can always find a professional writer or editor to help you with it. Review websites like LegitWritingServices can help you find an essay writing service to format your essay according to the required format or write it from scratch. A professional editor will give you a sample of what you need and explain all the peculiarities of the APA format.

How Early Math Education Empowers Students for STEM Careers

by magicalmathsPosted on 22/11/2019 Posted in G Post — No Comments ↓

Many institutions of higher learning try to recruit students into challenging STEM fields. If you’re the parent of a young child, how can you ensure they have the requisite skills to succeed in the area if they choose? If you’re a teacher, how can you prepare your students? 

The earlier you begin preparing children for STEM careers, the higher their chances of future success. Early math education provides the building blocks for future knowledge in engineering and coding. When students experience success in the subject during their formative years, they develop confidence in their abilities. 

STEM Careers Remain in High Demand 

Today’s generation faces a highly competitive job market. The rise of the gig economy has gutted traditional benefit programs, and wages haven’t kept pace with inflation in many sectors. STEM careers offer a path to financial prosperity, but only if students have the requisite background to succeed in them.  

Fortunately, a natural window of opportunity exists between the ages of 5-7, when children begin forming abstract concepts and create a picture of the world in their heads. As parents and educators, you have the solemn responsibility to seize this chance to foster a love of math in young learners. The attitudes they form toward the subject now will influence their future success. 

That accomplishment extends beyond the classroom. Already, STEM careers make up some of the hottest job fields for millennial workers. As technology continues to advance, these paths will expand. Students who embrace the attitude that math is fun will have the best chances of entering these challenging but lucrative fields. 

Early Math Education Provides Critical Cognitive Building Blocks

Many educators and parents alike consider STEM classes something children enter in their teenage years, and in some ways, they are correct. However, before teenagers can decipher complicated engineering formulas, they need to know how to perform necessary computations. If the mathematics demanded aren’t appropriate for the grade level or aren’t explained conceptually, students will struggle with how everything fits together. A solid foundation in mathematics is key to success in engineering or programming. 

This need for a solid mathematical foundation doesn’t mean teachers should treat the subject as a vacuum. It does mean they need to recognize the importance of mastering concepts like addition and subtraction. The best way to prevent future frustration in students is to ensure they understand basic principles before moving on to more advanced topics. 

Early Math Achievement Inspires Confidence in Future Success

Why do some students choose to pursue a STEM education later in life while others claim they’re “too bad at math?” Early exposure — when tied to achievement in some cases — proves key. One recent study found that among white and Asian students, early exposure to math and science influenced their later decisions to enroll in higher education. However, among underrepresented minority students, math achievement at a young age had a more significant influence on their belief they could succeed in the subject. 

To encourage greater participation in STEM, especially among underrepresented groups, parents and educators can praise children for math achievement. They can promote activities such as the following:

• Math Bingo: In this activity, you begin by creating 25 math problems and writing the answers on a Bingo card. Use 5×5 cards and quiz little learners. 
• Pizza fractions: In this activity, students create a pizza out of paper or a discarded pizza box. Then, they add toppings to their pie to represent different fractions. For example, they might make one that is one-half pepperoni and one-quarter mushrooms. 
• Survey and graph: Children love learning about themselves through surveys, and you can use that motivation to inspire a love of math. Have children survey their classmates or family members on a subject,  and then create a visual representation of their responses. 

To Pique Student Interest in STEM, Start With Early Math Practice

Early math practice provides the cognitive and emotional framework for success in STEM. If you want your children and students to embrace this challenging field, start inspiring them when they’re young. 

About the Author

Alyssa Abel is an experiential education writer who focuses on developmental learning, college and career prep and unconventional education. Follow her work on her blog, Syllabusy.