When it comes to trying to find sources for an academic paper, it can be very confusing and overwhelming to try and get started. So many different websites, webpages, and information that can dictate the route that your paper will go. When I write academic papers, I try to use only peer reviewed articles because I know that the quality and credibility of the article will be up to par with the quality of paper that I am trying to write. When you do not use sources that are credible, you run the risk of ruining your paper because of the untrue information that is cited inside of it.

Using Wikipedia is a great way to get started when writing a paper. But, always remember that Wikipedia cannot be an actual cited source. Going through Wikipedia can help to get you to better understand the subject that you are about to write about and then take that newly found information and apply to other sources that will help dive deeper into the subject.

Writing academic papers can be difficult, but getting started off write with good sources will help to make the words flow much easier, helping to simplify the paper writing process. Through using the right sources and correctly using Wikipedia for an efficient jump off point, searching, researching, and paper writing will go much easier.

Note taking is a very important part of every student’s life and overall success on any level, but especially the college level. Going out of a high school setting where I did not have to  study for exams, rarely took notes, and could just grasp the concepts by coming to class, it was very difficult for me to adjust to the change of college level courses. Taking notes differently is what I would accredit to helping me become a successful college student at THE Ohio State University. I began to take notes in  a way that I understood. Organizing my notes this way helped when it came time to study.

Podcast’s are a great study tool when done in addition to your course lecture notes taken in class. What I love about Podcast learning is that you can pause, go back, etc. when listening to the lecture if you feel that you have missed something. Then, I take my course notes and my podcast notes and compare the two to make up a solid set of notes that will help me learn the information that is intended. Between bullet points, highlighting, and general organization, I make up the type of notes that I know I will understand when study time comes around. All in all, this helps to make my college career a successful one.

This video explains how to calculate compound interest using the most common formula to do so. This video takes the equation A=P(1+(r/n))^nt. A stands for the initial amount, P is the principal, r is the interest rate, n is the amount of times interest compounds per year, and t is the amount of years of your investment. In the video, he uses the scenario of $3000 initial investment, an annual interest rate of 5% that is compounded monthly (making your n=12 months), over the time period of seven years. When you solve the equation, your ending amount after the interest has been compounded.

This video helps me understand this equation because it breaks it down into steps to help make it more understandable. I am a visual learner that likes to learn by example. When I see an equation such as the one above, I often get overwhelmed by the series of numbers and letters and never know where to start first. Having someone break this equation down by using real life scenarios helps me to understand the equation as a whole to then apply it to my own situation or problem set.

Online reading can get difficult. To many students, online reading can come as a challenge because with computers comes many other distractions, such as music, Facebook, Twitter, etc. These things are obstacles that you do not find when reading out of a book or some other type of paper text. Also, the sources that you are reading from online may not always be reputable ones. When reading online, try to look at a few things. Is the site a reputable site? Is this an opinion based article or more informative based? This is going to help make a large difference in the matter of reputability when writing a professional essay.

Through personal experience, I know that being distracted while reading on the bright screen of your computer, is not hard to do. I found that downloaded study applications on my iPad, such as Notability, helped to keep me focused on what I was doing. Because you are in an application on your tablet, it is harder to get distracted by outside things. Also, with the Notability app, you can highlight important parts of the text or Power Point, make notes either with your finger or by typing it into a text box off to the side, and can organize different sections to help you better understand what you are reading. All of these things will help make students better. Online reading is tough, but by using all the great technology that we have at our fingertips in today’s world, we can all get through this together.

Many incoming freshman feel overwhelmed by the amount of new things that they are going to have to encounter now that they are out of high school and into the cruel world of college. You are on your own, no parents breathing down your neck, and it is up to you whether you sink or swim. All of these inputs going into your life, that awkward junior high girl or boy in you will make you do plenty of stupid things. Don’t let emailing your professor “LOL” or “LMFAO” be one of them. Life is going to happen while you are at Ohio State and you need to realize that the more professional you present yourself, the more that life and school are going to be able to happen with ease. There have been plenty of times in my four years at Ohio State where a family member has gotten sick, my car has not started, or I have fallen ill myself. These things are obvious set backs but all of my professors knew that I was a good student that cared about my studies. This was because of the way that I consistently stayed on top of my work, asked the extra questions that needed to be asked through email, and showed general concern for my studies. With these words of wisdom on how to present yourself professionally, always addressing your professor in an email with “Dear Professor ____”, and keeping all of your spelling, punctuation, and slang in check, you will have a fun and successful career at THE Ohio State University.

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