Problem: Article: Add a table of contents at the beginning of your self-published book to help readers navigate the content. List the chapters in chronological order with a hard return between each, so each one takes up one line. Then, double-space them. Include a dotted line running from the end of each chapter name (justified left) to its corresponding page number (justified right).  If your chapters are divided into sections, create a line and corresponding page number for the start of each section as well as each chapter. For example, if your book is about children, you might have a section titled “Toddlers” made up of chapters on “Year 1,” “Year 2,” and “Year 3.” In the table of contents, include a page number on which the “Toddlers” section begins. This way, people who want to read about this entire stage of life can flip to that part of your book. For the ease of reading, try to keep chapter and section names to one line. Use Arabic numerals to number the pages of your self-published book beginning on the first page of chapter one. Page 1 should be a right hand page across from a blank left page. Use Roman numerals to number the pages of any front matter, such as a dedication or a table of contents, appearing before that.  Using this method, page 1 and all right-hand pages are odd pages, while page 2 and all left-hand pages are even pages. Center the page numbers at the bottom of the page for the easiest page-numbering option. If you want to justify your page numbers left or right, ensure all even pages are justified left, and all odd pages are justified right. Skip core operating-system fonts, such as Arial, Calibri, Cambria, Candara, Comic Sans, Constantia, Courier, Georgia, Helvetica, Lucida, Palatino, Trebuchet, or Verdana for your self-published book. These fonts are optimized for computer display, so many of their graphic nuances are lost when printed.  Helvetica and Proxima Nova are good choices that print well and look professional.  Typical book font sizes are 10-12 point for the best readability. If you’re writing for a visually impaired audience or children, you can use larger sizes as desired. Include scene divisions to help break up blocks of text, if needed. Single-spacing your work can make it difficult for your reader to follow along.  Changing scenes or character points of view are good places to include a division for readability within a chapter. These breaks are often set off with three asterisks (***) and a few blank lines on either side. Set the page dimensions of your manuscript to those of your final book, also called the trim size. The appropriate trim size for your self-published book depends upon the type of book you are creating and its length.  Most novels, non-fiction works, and books of poetry have a trim size of 5.5 in x 8.5 in (13.97 cm x 21.59 cm) or 6 in x 9 in (15.24 x 22.86 cm). Authors of longer works may prefer the slightly larger size for easier readability.  For art books, yearbooks, and children’s books, a trim size of 8.5 in x 11 in (21.59 cm x 27.94 cm) in a portrait or landscape orientation is typical. A landscape orientation is usually chosen only if a work has many photos. Create margins that are the same on the right-hand side, top edge, and bottom edge with a larger margin on the left-hand side for binding. Margin sizes depend upon the trim size (book size) you select.  For books with a trim size of 5.5 in x 8.5 in (13.97 cm x 21.59 cm) or 6 in x 9 in (15.24 x 22.86 cm), typical margin sizes are 0.75 in (19 mm) for the 3 exposed edges and 1 in (25 mm) for the left-hand margin.  For books with a trim size of 8.5 in x 11 in (21.59 cm x 27.94 cm), typical margin sizes are 1 in (25 mm) for the 3 exposed edges and 1.125 in (28.5 mm) for the left-hand margin. These margins are the same whether the book is oriented in landscape or portrait mode.
Summary: Create a table of contents with page numbers. Number your pages. Choose serif-less fonts that print well. Double-space your work for readability. Select a trim size. Select appropriate margins for your trim size.

Problem: Article: “Showing your work” is usually required on written math tests. Writing out each step when solving a problem is also a way to help you understand each part of the process required. Writing out steps is a good habit to pick up and maintain. Also, when you’re doing practice problems or taking notes, write out each step. You’ll be glad you did when it comes time for applying steps on the test! Give problem sets careful attention, and do more for practice, if you need it. Even when you’ve found the solution to a math problem, you may not be finished. Take the solution and plug it back into the original problem to see if it’s the correct answer. Word problems are applied math, where you’re given a situation and have to find the right way to solve an associated problem. Since you have to both understand the situation and the necessary math concepts, this type of problem can be especially tricky.  Read through the entire problem before you begin to solve it. Make sure you understand the situation and what math techniques you’ll need to use. Some problems may have associated graphs, charts, or tables. Make sure to read those carefully, too. Select the numbers you’ll need to use to solve the problem. Keep in mind that some word problems might have unneeded details designed to make you use your understanding of what you need to solve it. After you’ve solved the problem, make sure to check your work steps and see whether your answer makes sense in its size and is in the correct units, etc. Your teacher assigns a certain number of problems for homework, but if you don’t feel like you fully understand, you might need to study more problems. Look for extra practice sets in your textbook or online, and try some of those until you feel more confident.  Often times, the answers to all the odd-numbered problems are in the back of the book.  Do the odd-numbered problem, check your answer, and, once you're confident you know how to do it, then do the even-numbered problem next to it. If you’re anxious about taking an exam, do one or more practice ones ahead of time. Try to recreate the test environment--keep your study room quiet, and avoid interruptions. Check your work after taking the practice test, and study more if you need it. Ask your teacher if there are practice versions of tests you can use for study.
Summary:
Write out complete solutions, even for practice and homework. Check your work once you’re finished. Give word problems extra attention. Do your homework, then do more for practice. Try a practice test. Take advantage of extra help from a teacher or tutor, if you can.