Proofreading special offer

Deadlines are looming.

Group members are presenting.

The distracting TV shows are winding down.

But the sofa is still calling.

As a special offer, until 20th December 2014, to support you in your word count goals, I'm reducing my proofreading rates from £7 per 1000 words to £5.50 per 1000 words.

I'll check your hard work in these 6 essential  areas:

• Spelling errors
• Grammatical errors
• Sentence and paragraph structure
• Clarity of thought
• Typing errors
• Coherency of argument

Plus! If you provide me with your assignment marking brief, I'll check you have met the criteria, and advise you on areas that need to be improved.

I will use the comments feature in MS Word to suggest changes.

Please note: I will not change your work, and I will not write your essay.

Turnaround time for me to return your document with the above six areas highlighted, is 3 days. Please allow yourself enough time to make any changes before your deadline.

Contact me for details on how to submit your work for proofreading.

Can you feel it?

Can you taste it? The summer, and freedom from study, is almost here. 

You may have one or two exams left, so try not to be distracted by the sun too soon.

Keep up your reward system momentum; study for 30-40 minutes, quick 15 minute break to listen to a few tracks, make a drink, do a few headstands or go for a quick skip in the garden.  And then back to the textbooks/internet sources.

The July/August results will be worth the hard work now.

If you have already finished your exams then I hope you're having a well-earned break, and preparing yourself for the next page in life. 

Whatever you're doing, make sure you have great stationery :-) 

How to get started on your blank page

An empty screen, or a plain sheet of paper, can look daunting, to any student, regardless of degree subject and level:

 

Your head may be full of thoughts, rumbling around like washing in a machine that has no control over its landing, or, worse,  you may have forgotten to load the clothes (it happens).

You're in need of some inspiration, and, if you're at a keyboard, a *diary dump for all of your ideas.

As the American novelist, L'Amour (and every other writer in the world) recommends, just start writing down everything in your head (and save the document as Diary Dump): 

• What's for dinner (or breakfast)?  
• Have you heard or read something that had you absolutely infuriated? 
• Are you wondering why you chose to study this course in the first place? (See my previous post for motivation reminders) 
• Do you have holiday/social plans that you have to jot down before you forget?  

Write everything down.  And open another Word document, because you'll soon start writing about your current topic.  

Trust me, I'm The Research Advisor; I've seen many blank screens.

*a Diary Dump works just as well on paper, too.

Monday Morning: How do you feel?

So, we're out of January (at last) but the rain and wind are still here, and maybe you feel a little bit like this:

But do you remember when studying used to look like this?

Time to add some colour into your study routine - although the second semester is well underway, and you probably have your end-of-term deadlines by now, there's still time to reflect and remember why you are studying:

• to graduate
• to earn more money
• to earn money
• because you were told to (by someone you obviously listen to)
• because studying is better than working, with fewer £££ 
• because you really loved your reading list in Year 1, Term 1
• because this is the only way to your dream job

Whatever your reason, take a few minutes with a hot beverage (Dr Sheldon, thank you) to dream about your life PS (post-studying): Where are you living?  What are you spending 40 hours a week doing?  What are you talking about at the weekend?

You'll reconnect with your current assignment and bring some much-needed colour back into your academic life, just like when you read for fun, and not for credits.

Happy Monday-ing 

Study workbag

Useful items in any workbag:

• Biscuits, or equivalent, to keep the thoughts flowing
• Notebook
• Tablet
• Stylus pen
• Earphones
• Library card
• Memory stick
• Laptop or Notebook to store all your marvelous thoughts.

Share your dissertation note book

I've spoken to a few students this week who have made a start on their dissertation, whether just finding a title, or making sense of the data they have collected.  Yes, it's the second semester, and only a few months left until deadlines.

How's your dissertation going?

As a source of inspiration, find a notebook (possible stationery shopping trip!) whose pages make you reach out and touch them, so that you'll want to jot down notes in it, or drawings, or quotes, or sources, or cuttings.  And that's the start of your research.

My notebooks were a series of free ones from the Ideal Home magazine; hard back, good quality, white paper, and around A6 size, so I could carry them in any bag.

What does your dissertation note book look like?  Or do you use another method of inspiration?