Problem: Write an article based on this summary: Brainstorm your thesis statement. Write your thesis statement. Put your thoughts on paper. Include specific examples. Cite your sources in your outline.

Answer: There are several methods to help you formulate your thesis. One of these techniques is called questioning. To use this approach, think about what your or your reader might like to know about your topic. This can be as simple as starting with basic questions such as who, what, why, etc.  For example, if you're supposed to write a two-page essay about something that interests you, think about who your audience is (and how much explaining you'll have to do), what is the most relevant information, and why your topic is interesting to you. Branching is another technique you can use while creating your thesis. Try to imagine your topic as a tree. Write your basic idea in the middle of your paper, and then "branch" out from there, adding ideas and thoughts to your central topic. Another approach to try is brainstorming. To do this, write down anything and everything you know or need to know about your topic. Don't edit yourself, just get some thoughts down on paper. Once you can see your ideas, they will start to take shape. It's often helpful to do this before you try to write a formal outline, as you'll have a better idea of what you want to cover. The thesis is the most important part of your essay because it tells your reader exactly what you are arguing. In other words, it clearly and concisely explains the points that you are making in your essay. If you do not have a strong thesis, your essay will be vague and overly general. A strong thesis illustrates that you are going to use specific examples to help illustrate your points. For a two-page essay, keep your thesis specific and narrow.  For example, if you were writing an essay about college sports, a poor thesis would be, "College sports are very controversial in many ways." This is too vague, and it does not clearly take a position to argue. It will leave your reader wondering what argument you are making in your essay. An example of a strong thesis for the same topic might be, "College athletes should be paid a salary for playing their sport." This is more successful because it indicates the topic you will address. It's also limited enough that you can adequately discuss it in a two-page paper. Once you have the thesis, which will be the "center of gravity" that guides the rest of your paper, you can put the rest of your ideas down. Creating a detailed and thorough outline can make the rest of the writing process much faster and easier. An outline is a great way to get your ideas down on paper without having to worry that your writing is perfect. Just make sure that you don't get too hung up on this stage -- your essay will develop and evolve as you write it, and that's okay.  You don't necessarily need to do a formal outline to start with. Brainstorming or making a list-type outline, where you list out ideas that are related to your topic without putting them in a specific order, can help you know what you want to write about. Once you have listed the ideas that support your thesis, you'll have a better sense of how to organize them. A successful essay will consist of an introduction, body paragraphs, and a conclusion. Thesis statements will often signal the specific examples you will use in your essay, such as this thesis: "College athletes should be paid because they bring in a huge amount of money for their universities, provide profit for corporate game manufacturers, and often sustain physical damage during their college career that follows them into later life."  Note that not all teachers prefer or even accept this type of thesis, which is often referred to as a "multi-prong" or "three-prong" thesis. However, this type of thesis is often appropriate for very short writing assignments such as a two-page essay. If you're not sure what your teacher's preferences are, ask before you begin writing. It's helpful to list specific examples in your outline, so that you know what evidence you have for each point. This can also be helpful to show you whether you have gaps or imbalances in your approach. For example, do you have just one example for one point, but three for another point? It would be better to use roughly the same number of examples per point, or even see if the less-supported point could be incorporated elsewhere. This will save you time during the writing process. Make sure you know which style of citations is required. Some of the most common styles are MLA, APA, and Chicago, and you should make certain to ask your teacher which you should use.  One type of citation is known as parenthetical documentation. For this method, you provide information about the source within the text of your essay. An example of this would be, "Brown argues that Einstein's theory of relativity is the most important scholarly achievement of the twentieth century (292)." The name Brown refers to the author of the book in this example, and 292 is the page number where this information is found. There are different ways to cite various sources, so make sure you know how to properly credit all of the sources you plan to use.  Sometimes you may be asked to use footnotes or endnotes. While less common in brief essays, some teachers and bosses prefer them. Footnotes and endnotes include more thorough information about the source used. Often, when they replace parenthetical documentation, a Works Cited page is not required.


Problem: Write an article based on this summary: Prepare the glasses. Prepare the bananas. Pour into glasses and top with extra whipped cream.

Answer: Chill glasses in the freezer for about 15 minutes, or until slightly frosty. This will keep your milkshake from melting too quickly. You can make one giant milkshake, or divide it among several smaller glasses. Peel 2 bananas and cut them into 1 inch chunks. Place the chunks on a rimmed baking sheet and freeze, until hard. This will probably take about an hour. You could also freeze the bananas whole. They'll just take longer to freeze, at least several hours. Serve immediately.


Problem: Write an article based on this summary: Open up Outlook like normal. Click on "Tools," then "Account Settings. Select the "Email" tab in Account Settings. Choose "More Settings" from the lower-right corner, then click "Outgoing. Ensure your outgoing settings are correct. Click "OK" to leave the settings and get back to your email. Restart Outlook and try to send a message.

Answer: If you already have it open and you see the error message, close it and reopen the program before continuing. " The Tools button should be in the top banner of the program. Account Settings will be in the resulting drop-down menu.  Note: In some versions of Outlook, this is found under "File" → "Info" → "Account Settings." Once you click Account Settings, a small box with multiple tabs should show up. Choose "Email." Your email account should appear. " More settings will launch another smaller window, with more tabs at the top. Click on Outgoing to get to the right set of settings. There are really only two pieces that matter, and they both need to be checked in order for Outlook to work correctly:  Check the box labeled: "My outgoing server (SMTP) requires authentication." Click the bubble labeled: "Use same settings as my incoming mail server." Do not, on the way, choose to "Test Account Settings." It won't work, and could undo some progress.  Click "Finish" to close the other settings box, then "Close" to get out of Account Settings. Note: Depending on your version of Outlook, these might be worded slightly differently. The important point is to not hit cancel. Look for OK, Finish, or Done when leaving settings. This error usually occurs when sending a message. Restart the program and try to send an email to see if it works. If it does not, don't fear. Move on to the other possible solutions below.


Problem: Write an article based on this summary: See a doctor. Avoid or limit naps. Make your bedroom sleep friendly. Try melatonin or valerian root at night. Learn to cope with the stress that causes insomnia. Go for acupuncture.

Answer:
If you haven’t already, discuss your insomnia with a doctor to make sure there is no treatable medical reason for your poor sleep. There is a long list of conditions that can cause symptoms that mimic insomnia, from anxiety and depression, to hyperthyroidism, Lyme disease, and heart conditions.  Your insomnia could be caused by obstructive sleep apnea, a common condition in people who snore. This condition occurs when the muscles in the back of your throat are relaxing so much that your airway narrows for 10-20 seconds, preventing you briefly from getting air. Your brain will wake you so you can get more air, over and over again throughout the night causing disrupted sleep.  Go over your medications with your doctor, as some may interfere with your sleep. This includes mentioning anything herbal, alternative, or over the counter that you might be taking.  Be sure to tell your doctor if you have any pain that is preventing you from sleeping. Your doctor may recommend cognitive behavioural therapy, completing sleep journals, or relaxation training to sort out your sleep. Though you may be tempted to take a quick nap during the day, and many people can do so effectively, napping may be counterproductive for the insomnia sufferer.  If you must nap, maximize it at 30 minutes and don’t nap after 3 pm. Stick to as regular a sleep schedule as possible, waking and going to bed at the same time each day, even on weekends. Sleep experts agree that your bed should be used only for sleep and sexual intimacy so keep the computers and TV out of your bedroom.  Have black-out curtains to keep your room dark at night. Keep your bedroom cool. Being too warm prevents you from falling soundly asleep. Studies have shown that wearing a cooling cap at night reduces time to fall asleep and increases length of sleep.  Use a white noise machine or fan to drown out inconsistent environmental noises and create a comforting atmosphere. Both supplements are touted as facilitating sleep. Just be sure to not take them too early before bed (within 30 minutes is best) or for too many weeks without consulting your doctor.  You should also consult your doctor if you are currently taking any medications. Herbal supplements are all natural, but sometimes they do interact with medications. Melatonin occurs naturally in the body to regulate your sleep wake cycle and we generally lose melatonin as we age, hence the creation of a supplement. Its safety in long term usage is not known. Take 3-5 milligrams 30 minutes before bed. Melatonin can interact with anticoagulants, immunosuppressants, diabetes medications, and birth control pills.  Valerian root is an herbal supplement with a mildly sedating effect. This root can be somewhat addictive. Try 200 milligrams 30 minutes before bed. Valerian root may increase other sleep aids' effects as well as the sedative effects of alcohol, benzodiazepines and narcotics and can interfere with other prescription medications. It is important to deal with your stress and get back to a regular sleep schedule. There are several things that you can do to counter nighttime stress, such as journaling about your stresses, developing a bedtime ritual, and practicing progressive muscle relaxation. Acupuncture helps decrease stress by regulating hormones, and decreased stress leads to a better sleep. Acupuncture may also assist the release of melatonin. Ear acupuncture in particular seems to be helpful for facilitating sleep.