The step-by-step or "how-to" essay assignment can be refreshing for science-minded, left-brain students, because it is so straightforward. In the step-by-step, you don't need to rely too much on your own creativity; instead you will deal with solid objects and facts. That's a welcome change for students who are most comfortable working with science and numbers. In fact, your science fair paper will likely contain a process or step-by-step section.

To start off, you'll need to find a topic that you enjoy and know well. The next step for your process essay is a good brainstorming session. There will be many steps to think about, so you'll have to do a mind dump to list them all--then put them into sensible order.

The body of your essay will contain the steps, and the conclusion will explain to readers how your task should turn out (if it is done correctly!).

There are many tools out there that translate large sections of a certain language into another language. This is an amazing service, and a dream come true for people who travel a lot, who like to learn about the world, and those who like to do a lot of research. However, this type of tool can be misused--and that misuse can be a big mistake for students in foreign language classes.

Translation tools like Babel Fish will not work for your foreign language homework assignments. Teachers will spot a computer application-generated translation immediately. There are way too many word connotations and subtle meanings that a computer can't discern. In other words, your translation will read like gobbledy-goop, and your teacher will know why.

And that will translate into a great big "F" on your paper!

An anecdote is a short little scene or story taken from a personal experience. Anecdotes can be useful for setting the stage for a speech or personal essay. An anecdote often relays a story that can be used as a theme or lesson.

Have you ever argued with a brother or sister vehemently, only to discover that your sibling was right? Or perhaps you've ignored someone's advice and lived to regret it? You could use either of these experiences to set the stage for a speech about listening to others. Any time you've learned a lesson, you have gained life experience that can, in turn, be used in a personal essay or speech.

Why is reading so important? It's simple: books offer lessons about life and about sentence construction at the same time!

Lots of folks offer lists and summaries of classic books that students should read and study as they prepare for college. But reading for joy and sheer interest is another matter, and it is certainly just as important. You can learn a lot from any book that is well-written.

One site that I recommend is Teenreads.com, because there you will find the longest and most inspiring list of quality books written for young adults. You'll find a mix of titles, from true classics to the hottest new reads from every genre. Enjoy!