Problem: Write an article based on this summary: Take note of the assignment details. Understand the goal of the assignment. Narrow down (or broaden) your topic. Read any assigned texts. Conduct background research. Approach your teacher with questions.

Answer: Carefully write down any of the assignment requirements as provided by your teacher. If you have an assignment sheet make sure to read through it carefully and note any questions that you have. At a minimum, you should know the due date, the assignment length, the formatting requirements, and the opening prompt. If you write down the details yourself make sure to keep this piece of paper in a safe location as you will need to consult it throughout the writing process. Cause and effect papers do not always cover both of these elements. Find out if your essay is supposed to focus on causes, effects, or a bit of both. You will also want to determine if you are supposed to explore an assigned topic or come up with one yourself. For example, you may be asked to write about the causes of the American Revolution, which means that you will discuss taxation protests and other contributing factors. Or, you may be asked to write about the effects of the American Revolution, which means that you will discuss nation-building and other long and short-term effects. A combined cause and effect essay would combine both of these angles. If you need to choose your own topic it is a good idea to start by brainstorming. Write down any and all topics that jump to mind. Pick the top five that interest you the most. Consider how much information you can reasonably fit into your paper’s required page length. Try breaking a potential topic into multiple parts and choosing one.  Double check that your idea is within the given subject parameters outlined by the teacher for the assignment. Consider writing about moments that are close to your own experience, such as events that have impacted your life. For example, you could discuss a war period that you lived through. Or, you could take on a controversial topic, such as the proven effects of eating fast food on a regular basis. Taking a historical angle and looking into events like the American Revolution is another possible approach. Be flexible in adjusting your topic breadth or depth as you work on your paper. At any point in the process you may need to add or delete particular discussions to fit the requirements. For example, if you are writing about the actions of George Washington during the American Revolution, you may need to narrow your focus and only discuss one particular choice that he made. If your teacher assigned articles or books to coincide with this essay assignment it is a good idea to start reading those as soon as you can. They may help you to narrow down a topic or they make help you to understand the topic that you’ve been assigned. You can also use your text notes as evidence when you actually start writing too. These texts are usually great places to research your topic further. Look at sources (books, articles, etc.) that explore your topic from a variety of perspectives. Cast a wide net initially by reading everything that you can. Narrow down your search as you find useful information. Make sure to take careful notes while you research so that you can cite properly later and avoid plagiarism.  Check that your sources fall within the guidelines given by your teacher for the assignment. If you are covering a recent topic, such as the effects of fast food production, you may be able to use first-hand accounts, also known as primary sources, in your work. At any stage in the process if you have questions you should email your teacher (if possible) or talk with them after class. It is a good idea to write down your questions beforehand too. You can also talk with students who’ve worked with this teacher before to see if they can clarify the assignment for you. A good question might be, “Is there a minimum source number for this assignment?” Just make sure that the question that you ask is not already answered in the assignment sheet.


Problem: Write an article based on this summary: Create a small loop with the lace on the left side of your boot. Wrap the lace around the base of the loop. Keep wrapping the lace around the loop until you’re near the end of the loop. Push the end of the lace through the end of the loop. Adjust the knot by scrunching or loosening the wrapped lace.

Answer: The base of the loop should be right up against the eyelet the lace is coming out of. Make the loop about 1 inch (2.5 cm) long. If it’s any longer or shorter, you may not be able to tie the knot later on. Pinch the base of the loop between your index finger and thumb so it stays in place. Grab the end of the lace and bring it over and under the loop until it’s back where it started. Part of the lace should now be wrapped around the base of the loop, holding it in place. Each wrap around should be right up against the previous one. Stop wrapping the lace around the loop when you’re about .25 inches (0.64 cm) away from the end of the loop. When you stop, there should still be a tiny bit of the loop peeking out from the wrapped lace. Wrap the end of the lace over and under one side of the loop so that the end goes through the center of the loop. Once the end is through the center, pull it tight with your fingers. Once you pull it tight, the knot is finished on that side of the boot. Tie the same knot on the other side of your boot using the other end of the lace. To tighten the knot on your boot, scrunch the lace wrapped around the loop down toward the end of the lace until it's fully compacted. To loosen your boot, pull the wrapped lace up away from the end of the lace so that it's loosely wrapped around the lace coming out of the eyelet. To easily slip your boot on and off, loosen the knots on each side of the boot. Then, once the boot is on your foot, tighten the knots again.


Problem: Write an article based on this summary: Choose a cheap destination. Go during the off-season. Gather information on your daily expenses. Create a budget.

Answer:
Some places are considered bargain travel spots all year round, such as Canada and Panama. They generally offer thrifty options for lodging, eating, entertainment, and airline tickets. You can find many of these places by choosing “everywhere” as your destination on a travel website. Another smart option is to identify a high traffic place, like Paris, and then travel to a smaller city outside of it. This is called “secondary” travelling. Most places have a tourist off-season when fewer people come and prices drop. For the Caribbean, this is usually April to August. Europe's off-season is January to March. Visitors to Africa find better prices from May to September. You can also contact your accommodations directly prior to booking and ask them when their off-season begins and ends. Off-season often coincides with less than ideal weather, so make sure that you consider this when packing your bags. If you plan to eat out, look up menus for restaurants at your destination. Or, go online and find the average cost of staple groceries, such as milk, for that area. If you are going to drive, search online for gas and toll costs for your destination. You can also buy museum or other tickets in advance, so that you'll know how much you are spending for entertainment. Start by choosing your destination and the number of days that you'd like to travel. Then, estimate how much you'll need to buy a flight. Use the information that you've gathered on food, entertainment, and other expenses to determine a daily cost of living. Add up all of your costs until you have a total estimate for the trip.  If you divide your total trip estimate by the number of days you are travelling, you'll know the cost per day. This will help you to determine if you can afford a longer trip or if you need to cut it short. Look over your trip costs and see if there are areas where you can cut costs, such as eating in more instead of dining out.