How to Write an Essay: 10 Easy Steps

Below are brief summaries of each of the ten steps to writing an essay. Select the links for more info on any particular step, or use the blue navigation bar on the left to proceed through the writing steps. How To Write an Essay can be viewed sequentially, as if going through ten sequential steps in an essay writing process, or can be explored by individual topic.

1. Research: Begin the essay writing process by researching your topic, making yourself an expert. Utilize the internet, the academic databases, and the library. Take notes and immerse yourself in the words of great thinkers.

2. Analysis: Now that you have a good knowledge base, start analyzing the arguments of the essays you're reading. Clearly define the claims, write out the reasons, the evidence. Look for weaknesses of logic, and also strengths. Learning how to write an essay begins by learning how to analyze essays written by others.

3. Brainstorming: Your essay will require insight of your own, genuine essay-writing brilliance. Ask yourself a dozen questions and answer them. Meditate with a pen in your hand. Take walks and think and think until you come up with original insights to write about.

4. Thesis: Pick your best idea and pin it down in a clear assertion that you can write your entire essay around. Your thesis is your main point, summed up in a concise sentence that lets the reader know where you're going, and why. It's practically impossible to write a good essay without a clear thesis.

5. Outline: Sketch out your essay before straightway writing it out. Use one-line sentences to describe paragraphs, and bullet points to describe what each paragraph will contain. Play with the essay's order. Map out the structure of your argument, and make sure each paragraph is unified.

6. Introduction: Now sit down and write the essay. The introduction should grab the reader's attention, set up the issue, and lead in to your thesis. Your intro is merely a buildup of the issue, a stage of bringing your reader into the essay's argument.

(Note: The title and first paragraph are probably the most important elements in your essay. This is an essay-writing point that doesn't always sink in within the context of the classroom. In the first paragraph you either hook the reader's interest or lose it. Of course your teacher, who's getting paid to teach you how to write an essay, will read the essay you've written regardless, but in the real world, readers make up their minds about whether or not to read your essay by glancing at the title alone.)

7. Paragraphs: Each individual paragraph should be focused on a single idea that supports your thesis. Begin paragraphs with topic sentences, support assertions with evidence, and expound your ideas in the clearest, most sensible way you can. Speak to your reader as if he or she were sitting in front of you. In other words, instead of writing the essay, try talking the essay.

8. Conclusion: Gracefully exit your essay by making a quick wrap-up sentence, and then end on some memorable thought, perhaps a quotation, or an interesting twist of logic, or some call to action. Is there something you want the reader to walk away and do? Let him or her know exactly what.

9. MLA Style: Format your essay according to the correct guidelines for citation. All borrowed ideas and quotations should be correctly cited in the body of your text, followed up with a Works Cited (references) page listing the details of your sources.

10. Language: You're not done writing your essay until you've polished your language by correcting the grammar, making sentences flow, incoporating rhythm, emphasis, adjusting the formality, giving it a level-headed tone, and making other intuitive edits. Proofread until it reads just how you want it to sound. Writing an essay can be tedious, but you don't want to bungle the hours of conceptual work you've put into writing your essay by leaving a few slippy misppallings and pourly wordedd phrazies..

- The American University in Cairo

Shopping centres in Birmingham

Bullring

Birmingham’s Bullring - it’s a day in itself. Brim full with 160 shops - two of which are floor-after-floor of Selfridges and Debenhams. (That curvaceous Selfridges exterior is worth the trip in itself.) Lose yourself in a world of the Apple store, Mamas & Papas and Karen Millen to name but a few. Then refresh shopped-out limbs in any of 25 restaurants. All before going again. How shoptastic is that?.


The Mailbox
The Mailbox is pure indulgence. Where famed fashion and lifestyle design clash head on with contemporary art and fine furnishings. Take in Harvey Nichols, Hugo Boss and Emporio Armani. Maybe Jaeger, Bang & Olufsen or Nicky Clarke Salons are high on your list. Then, for lucky ladies who lunch, indulge that other favoured pastime. Canalside restaurants or café bars await.


Markets and stalls
It’s not all Malls. Far from it. Giants of the high street nestle alongside smaller boutique and independent stores.. See how £30 million made House of Fraser’s many floors somewhere everyone feels at home. Enjoy our huge Marks and Spencer. Or the famous names and independent gems found the length and breadth of New Street and Corporation Street. But the biggest treat of all waits ‘til winter. Our authentic Frankfurt Christmas Market returns - the world’s largest (outside Germany or Austria)


Pallasades
Situated above New Street Station, The Pallasades is the place in the city if you are on the look-out for great buys and value for money. With an eclectic mix of accessories, gifts, fashion, electrical, sports and beauty stores, you can dress yourself from top to toe, check out the latest computer games and pick up the latest mobile phones. Top names include Argos, HMV, Peacocks, Poundland, The Carphone Warehouse and 99p store.


Pavilions
Right next door to Birmingham’s Bullring, Pavilions. At the heart of the shopping action, it’s jam-packed with top names. Marks & Spencer, Waterstones and La Senza are just the starter. Of course, break time offers nearly as much choice. Dine and peer down on fellow shoppers from the spacious Food Loft.

The Great Western Arcade
Amidst vibrant Birmingham’s modern hustle and bustle, one retail environment stands apart. With quiet sophistication. And genteel elegance. The Great Western Arcade whisks you back to the city’s proud Victorian heritage. Within this majestic 1876 parade, independent boutique-style retailers, genuine specialists and a sprinkling of high street names give discerning shoppers the feel that beautiful discoveries wait behind every door.

Martineau Place
The perfect hideaway to step away from the crowd. Just off the busy zones around Corporation Street, it offers great shopping without great fuss. Ideal for a quick bite or a leisurely lunch. Then it’s off to the largest GAP in the city. Or any of the other great fashion, travel or sports stores all around.

City Plaza
Still in the bustling city centre but retaining an air of calm and tranquillity, City Plaza offers a choice of stylish designer ware and specialist boutiques. For a leisurely look at some of the finest labels around, you’ve found a true home from home.

Finding a accommodation

Finding a right accommodation is the most critical and difficult matter among many other aspects any international student should deal with in the beginning, or most of their time of staying. In most cases, you don’t get a right one from the first try and likely to keep searching for a most suitable one, spending a significant amount of time and efforts. Even if you are most adaptable to any residing environment, finding a place for you and your family (your partner) deserves your upmost attention, no matter how troublesome hassle it might eventually turn out to be. At least, that holds true to me and my wife, who are still looking for a better place to live.

Each one of us would have different criteria in choosing a place to live. It should be according to what are the priorities for each one. For example, my top priority in choosing accommodation before having come to England was a place with a most convenient access to the Uni. And accordingly I choose the Uni campus, a student dormitory, presuming that it should be located inside of or, at least, adjacent to the Uni. However, to my disappointment, it was located a bit away from the Uni, a ten-minute bus ride from the campus. One lesson I got from this, it might not be wise to assume things the way you wish to be. Always double check things, after all, it is a different country a half way around the globe from your home town.

Among the greatest things about living in a uni campus are that you don’t need to be bothered with dealing all utilities bills and you can spend a most warm and cozy winter. In a private house, as I learned, you need to wear many layers of cloths inside a house if you want to avoid paying exorbitant amount of heating bills.
One thing I would advise any future Korean international students looking for a place to live is that you should consider a location where you can get an easy access to a Korean community. If you need to eat some Korean food or get some Korean groceries, the southwestern part of Birmingham -more specifically Northfield- is the place you want to be staying closely.

All Korean grocery shops and some Korean community are formed there. As you might want to experience the diversity of Birmingham, it might not be that important. But to some people, like me, it is equally or even more important to placate my Korean food craving from time to time. You can attend a church where you can meet the friendliest people who never fail to make you forget all those troubles living abroad with warm smiles.

If you like an urban style of living, you might want to consider living close to the city centre. As Birmingham train network is well connected with many great places in the UK, you can take a train trip easily from the train stations conveniently located in the city centre. A big shopping centre, called Bullring, is a great place to go on a shopping spree. Especially during the Christmas season, you can hoard up some great bargains. Some relatively good eatery places are scattered around, so if you prefer to grab some quick sandwiches and coffee in a busy day, it is the place for you.

It would still be true that you get what you pay for in getting an accommodation. But sometime it seems also true that you can find a nice place with a good price, if you doing your research harder. My friend’s family rented a whole house for a great price after they moved twice.

Most romantic top 10 places(tripadvisor)

Patong, Thailand / Bruges, Belgium

Virgin Gorda, BVI / Llandudno, Wales

Venice, Italy / Budapest, Hungary

Inverness, Scotland / Dubai, UAE

Bath, England / Santorini, Greece

Find out good place to eat out!

Food is essential part of making us feeling well. It is one of the most exciting aspects of living abroad. In the begining of my life in Birmingham, I always felt sorry that there seemed not many appealing places in terms of quality of foods, ambience, and price(!). After a few trips to London, disappointment on this matter towards birmingham became bigger.

However, after over six months of life rubbing the shoulders of locals, I have come one of those hibitants who would proudly take new comers or visiters to some of my cherishes here. In number, it is still not a match to London, but I found it quite exciting to the fact I have discovered an element of the prism in Birmingham.

One of them is a sushi restaruant inside of Mailbox, less than a ten-minute walk from New Street station. They offer 10 pounds-all- you-can-eat sushi bar per person. I tried the same menu offered in a one next to the Library, but I was quite disappointed by its poor quality of foods they provided. This one I enjoy most delightfully put fresh sushi dishes and properly fried tempuras is surely a place where you can get value for money.

In terms of great ambience, I would pick this Thai restaurant, my friend Vicky and Hollie took me and my wife. It is cleverly located alongside the brindly place canal. It should be the great place for a romantic candle-lit dinner for a couple. Staff there were quite friendly with easy-going but attentive manner of service. Pricewise, it was quite reasonable, I thought.

For those who might try out these cool places, I will get back with their title and address later soon.

Anyway, what is now important to me is that I know that there might be many more hidden great food places to explore in Birmingham. Honestly, it's really exciting to venture out in this undiscoverd city.

Twice as many foreign students at UK universities

guardian.co.uk, Thursday 24 September 2009 12.05


There are almost twice as many international students studying in the UK now as there were 10 years ago, says an annual report on university trends. The number of non-European students has virtually doubled, according to today's report, published by Universities UK.

International students provided a bigger source of income for UK universities in 2007/08 than government grants for research, the report adds.

One in 10 enrolments in 2007-08 – 229,640 students – were from outside the EU. In 1998-99, the figure was 117,290, which makes the increase 96%. Students from outside the EU pay more for courses at UK universities than their European counterparts.

In 2007-08, £1.88bn of UK universities' income came from non-EU students, while £1.76bn came from government research grants.

China provides the most students to UK universities, with 19,385 enrolments for first degrees, and 21,990 enrolments for post-graduate degrees.

The report also reveals a 3.7% drop in the number of part-time undergraduate students between 2006-07 and 2007-08.

It says: "This may be a cause for concern, as part-time study plays an increasingly important role in meeting the higher level skills agenda and in lifelong learning.

The Patterns of Higher Education Institutions in the UK report reveals that in some UK universities as many as three quarters (79%) of degrees are awarded at least an upper second, while in others as few as 48% are given a first or 2:1.

It also shows that between 1998-99 and 2007-08, there have been "above average" increases in the numbers of students signing up to study subjects allied to medicine, such as nursing, as well as a growth in biological sciences (including psychology), mathematical sciences, law, mass communication and documentation (including media studies), historical and philosophical studies, education, social studies, and creative arts and design (including drama and music).

Between 2006-07 and 2007-08, universities saw a 10% increase in income, the report says, partly due to the introduction of top-up fees and bigger grants.

Professor Geoffrey Crossick, chair of Universities UK's longer-term strategy group, said: "This year's Patterns highlights the success of UK universities in challenging their counterparts in Europe, particularly in research and development and in attracting international students.
"The report also demonstrates how the diversity of the UK higher education sector has increased over the last 10 years."

A spokeswoman for the Department for Business Innovation and Skills said: "As this report confirms, our world class universities continue to attract the highest number of foreign students after the US."

Sally Hunt, general secretary of the University and College Union (UCU), said: "There is much to celebrate about higher education in the UK, particularly the work done by staff as overall student numbers continue to increase. However, it is not good enough to gloss over the areas where much still has to be done if we are to have any chance of maintaining our proud global reputation.

"No country that sees itself as a global leader in higher education can be in the bottom half of any table that lists how much money is being spent on higher education."

Wes Streeting, president of the National Union of Students, said: "We need to continue to expand our higher education system for the long-term social and economic good of the country. It is extremely worrying that we are lagging behind the rest of Europe in terms of public spending on universities."

International Student Consulting

This blog is created to deliver useful information for International students, in particular Korean students, with their family members in the UK.

They usually need some more special information than other students. They need more bigger accommodations and cars for their family. They are also very interested in traveling around the UK or Europe. However, it is dfficult to get useful information for international students accompaying their family members.

This blog provides assistance for foreign students to get in tune with their new life settings in the UK in a coordinated fashion, effectively. It involves with providing foreign students with essential information such as searching accommodation, going for a travel, helping their study.