Create flash cards from your class notes:

Create Flash Cards from your class notes:

http://lifehacker.com/5800149/studyblue-creates-flash-cards-from-your-notes-and-lets-you-take-them-
anywhere

Steve

Stop Wasting Time – How to Search Like a Pro

Stop Wasting Time – How to Search Like a Pro: "

While using a search engine to find information on the web isn’t quite as much of an endeavor as it was in the late 1990′s, it can still be a time-consuming task if you don’t know how to make use of the tools available to you that can cut down the time you’ll spend searching. I worked in a public library for the better part of the last decade and in that capacity I’ve been asked every question under the sun and am expected to come up with an answer in an instant. Thank goodness for Google is all I have to say. While library workers have plenty of fancy databases and books at their disposal (which is wonderful in-depth and specialized research), it’s hard to deny that much of the information we need to find quickly can be pulled up much faster online.

Similar to the library catalog, Google allows its users to input search terms to help retrieve the documents and information that they are looking for. Except with Google you are not just searching a few thousands books; instead you are searching millions and millions of websites that are growing in number by the day. But a problem arises – how do you sort through this mess and find the information that you need? How do you find something, and how do you find it fast? And how do you sort the questionable sites from the legitimate and reliable ones? Who do you trust?

Searching the web can be a daunting task, but it doesn’t have to be that way. By learning just a few simple techniques, you can be on your way to Googling with the best. It’s a skill that in today’s day and age you need to learn.

Getting started with search, and narrowing down your results with operators and Advanced Search.

Searching Google can be as simple as typing a word (or words) into the search box and hitting “Enter” on your keyboard. You can make your search as broad as you want, or narrow it down to specifics for a smaller pool of results. Searching for “dogs” will yield you a high number of search results – way more than you or anyone has the time to search through. So at this point you would want to narrow down your search, and there are several ways of doing this. But first, the basic Google search rules you NEED TO KNOW:

• Punctuation doesn’t count. So don’t worry about it. (Punctuation referring to . , ! and the like. Does not include – or ‘)


• Keywords aren’t case sensitive. Google considers uppercase and lowercase letters to be equal.


• You are limited to ten words. Everything after ten words is truncated and ignored.


• Avoid misspellings. You won’t get the same search results. However, Google will show you the correct spelling and offer you the opportunity to do a search with the correct spelling.


• Be specific. The more targeted your keywords, the better your results.


• Singular and plural forms are different keywords to Google. So if the singular form doesn’t provide what you are looking for, try the plural form.


• Google ignores most common, short words like the, and, or, after in,, how, I, it, is was, will be, and so on. Google will notify you at the top of your search results if they have ignored some of your search terms. (Google will only recognize AND and OR when all capitalized and used as an operator.)


• Google finds results anywhere in a document, not just in its text (eg- the HTML of a page).


• Word order matters to Google. The first word is the most important word, and so on.

Now that you know the basics, let’s move on to some more advanced stuff.

Search Operators

If your search for “dogs” got you more search results than you know what to do with and you can’t find what you are looking for, you can try adding search terms, such as “English Dogs” if you are searching for a particular type, or “dog breeding” if you want to learn about dog breeding. If entering more search terms still doesn’t cut it down enough, try adding quotation marks around your search terms – this will return only results with BOTH or ALL of your keywords in it.

The asterisk or * is a wildcard operator, which can help you find something when you only know part of a phrase. The wildcard can be used to match whole words, but not partial words. For example the search “ I left my * in San Francisco” would return many matches for “I left my heart in San Francisco”, and might possibly return results for other similar phrases, like “I left my blood in San Francisco.”

AND, OR, +, and – are some other popular operators that can help narrow down your searches. You may remember AND and OR from traditional Boolean searches. The AND and OR operators work only when typed in all capitalized letters. The AND operator between two search terms tells Google that the terms on either side of the AND should be included in the search results. The OR operator between two search terms tells Google to match any of the terms connected by the OR operator. + is an inclusion operator, which forces Google to include the indicated word on each result returned. It must come before the term to be included without anyspaces. – is the exclusion operator, which tells Google to exclude the specified term from any search results. Like the inclusion operator, the exclusion operator must come before the term without any spaces.

Advanced Search

Another method of narrowing down your search is by using “advanced search” instead of just the regular simple search. You can choose this option by clicking on “advanced search” right next to the search box. The advanced search function allows you to narrow down your search to specific file types, publication dates, languages, specific sites, and more. The more options that you choose, the fewer search results you will receive, and the more likely they are to be what you are looking for. However, you want to be sure that you aren’t narrowing it down too much whereby you wouldn’t find enough stuff. If you don’t get enough results, then try removing some of your limiters. If you get too many results, try adding a limiter. Using advanced search will help you find what you are looking for faster because you don’t have to sort through as much stuff that is not what you are looking for.

Understanding Search Results:

Now that you have narrowed down your search and gotten your search results, how do you interpret them? How do you know that what was returned is what you are looking for? Understanding search results is a very importance aspect of research. If you know what you are looking for, you can save yourself a lot of time. Additionally, knowing how to read your search results can help you learn useful hints for refining a searching and finding what you are looking for.

By default, Google returns only 10 results per page. However, you can change this by clicking on “Preferences”, or through the “Advanced Search” page. The pages are displayed in the order of their PageRank. Pages with the highest PageRank are at the top of the list. PageRank is determined by a number of factors to ensure that you get the best quality information.

After you have completed a search, the number of search results found will be displayed in the upper-right corner above the search results, as well as the length of time it took for Google to conduct the search. This number of results is not the precise number, but rather an estimate. Next to the number of results and the time it took to complete the search, you will also find links to each of your search terms. These links will take you to the word’s definition on Answers.com.

Each result is represented by the page’s title and a snippet of text from the web page. The title links to the page. If a title is not available for that site, the URL will be provided. Beneath the site’s snippet of information, you will also see a Cached link and a Similar Pages link.

Cached Results

If you click the Cached link in a search result, a copy of the web page that Google has downloaded and saved in its cache server appears. It is a snapshot of the web page from a specific time- the date that Google downloaded it. It is very likely that the web page has changed since Google downloaded it. So why should you open a cached result? First, your search terms are highlighted on the cached page, so it makes it easier to find the specific block of information you are looking for. Cached pages open more quickly than the live site because Google’s servers are far superior to anyone elses, and if you can’t access the actual web page for some reason (it was moved, deleted, server is down, etc.) you will still be able to view the page.

Similar Pages

Clicking the Similar Pages link will return other results that are most similar to what you are you have found on a particular site. This will most often return competing sites will similar information, and when you are looking for information on a particular subject, but need more than one source, this is a great way to go.

Evaluating the Source

So you’ve found the information that you’ve been looking for, but how do you know if it is from a reliable source? Anyone can post anything on the web, so how can you judge the accuracy of the information you find?

Web Pages to Avoid

Spam Pages. Spam pages are pages placed by sites that are deceptive in nature. They contain keywords intended to fool Google and essentially exist for the sole purpose of displaying advertisements. Google weeds out most of these, but sometimes one gets through. Fortunately, you can report it to Google at www.google.com/contact/spamreport.html so that they can eliminate it from their search results.

Commecial Pages. These types of sites are obviously trying to sell you something, which is good if you are looking to buy something, but not good if you are trying to find reliable, unbiased information. These types of websites are typically not helpful to researchers unless you are looking to buy something or are looking for product information.

Logon Pages. These sites contain logon pages, which usually means you have to subscribe to the site in order to view the information. Subscriptions may just require you to fill out a form and provide personal information, or they may cost you money. Unless this is your last resort, don’t waste the time. You can always come back later. These pages can be identified by those asking for usernames and passwords.

Error Pages. These pages usually contain the word “Error” somewhere in the snippet and on the page and usually describe the type of error. There’s nothing useful to you here, so if you see “error” don’t go there.

Page Moved Pages. These usually contain the words “page moved”, “site moved”, “redirect” or “redirecting”. Often times this means that the web page no longer exists and you are being forwarded to the main page of the site.

How to Evaluate Resources:(AAOCC Guidelines Source: http://www.lib.berkeley.edu/ENGI/eval_criteria.html)

Many websites exist simply to get you to buy into their point of view and disseminate inaccurate information. Although Google’s PageRank system does provide you with good results, it is still up to you as the user to determine the quality of the information.

In determining the quality of the information, following the AAOCC (authority, accuracy, objectivity, currency, coverage) guidelines laid out by the University of California Berkley and ask these questions of the website:

Authority

• Who are the authors? Are they qualified? Are they credible?


• With whom are they affiliated? Do their affiliations affect their credibility?


• Who is the publisher? What is the publisher’s reputation?

Accuracy

• Is the information accurate? Is it reliable and error-free?


• Are the interpretations and implications reasonable?


• Is there evidence to support conclusions? Is the evidence verifiable?


• Do the authors properly list their sources, references or citations with dates, page numbers or web addresses, etc.?

Objectivity

• What is the purpose? What do the authors want to accomplish?


• Does this purpose affect the presentation?


• Is there an implicit or explicit bias?


• Is the information fact, opinion, spoof, or satirical?

Currency

• Is the information current? Is it still valid?


• When was the site last updated?


• Is the site well-maintained? Are there any broken links?

Coverage

• Is the information relevant to your topic and assignment?


• What is the intended audience?


• Is the material presented at an appropriate level?


• Is the information complete? Is it unique?

When to Call in the Pros

If after learning these search techniques you still can’t cut down the amount of time you spend searching for information, it might be time to enlist the help of a professional, such as a librarian. Head on over to your local library, or if you’re digitally inclined, most libraries offer live online reference help these days. Trust me when I say they’ll be more than happy to help you out.

"

Avoid Procrastination by Reminding Yourself How Draining It Is [Mind Hacks]

Avoid Procrastination by Reminding Yourself How Draining It Is [Mind Hacks]: "

We're all prone to a little procrastination sometimes, and while it may put off stressful things that you'd rather not do, chances are having it gnaw at you in the back of your mind is just as stressful.

Psychology Today explains one of the best ways to just get up and cross that item off your to-do list:

Yesterday, I finally went to the dentist. I was due for a check-up in July, and for the last eight months, I've been moving the reminder card around my office and coming up with new excuses about why I couldn't make an appointment.

Procrastination is itself draining. That reminder card cluttered up my office and cluttered up my brain. Repeatedly thinking 'I should...no, I'll wait...but I really should...but not now...I'll do it later...' etc. just weighs me down. Just do it! Or decide when I'll do it, and then do it when that time comes.

When you've got things hanging over your head, it just makes everything else seem more stressful, including supposed relaxation. And, in cases where the task we're putting off is as quick and easy as a dentist appointment (you know, root canals aside), the stress of procrastination is probably worse than just getting it done. Hit the link to read more. Photo by Christopher.

Two Important Lessons from My Much-Procrastinated Trip to the Dentist | Psychology Today

---

You can contact Whitson Gordon, the author of this post, at whitson@lifehacker.com. You can also find him on Twitter, Facebook, and lurking around our #tips page.

"

Kickstart Your Creativity By Writing 750 Words a Day

Kickstart Your Creativity By Writing 750 Words a Day: "

If you are a creative person, you may understand the idea of writer’s block in some form or fashion. You don’t have to necessarily be a writer to experience this, in fact software engineers, artists, or anyone that has to create things for a living is susceptible to the horrible affliction of writer’s block.

There are a ton of ideas out their on how to get over this creativity stumbling block, but they all come back to a standard tome.

Work.

Creativity is work no matter which way you slice it. It isn’t always fun and in paraphrasing Merlin Mann, “you don’t need a beret to be creative.” Creativity is a dirty job. It is something that requires passion, long hours, and banging your head against the wall. It requires you to make a ton of mistakes along the path of creating something awesome. Creativity isn’t about being perfect; it’s a about working hard and making things, having ideas, scrapping projects, and getting to a point where something you have made is awesome.

I am about to be a full time Programmer Analyst for an insurance company and have found that in working part time I have a lot to learn. I create crappy code and refactor it until it is something that is decent and then refactor it again until it is readable and somewhat efficient. It takes time and energy to make code that is worth a damn. To get to the spot of creating something that is worthwhile, I had to make a bunch of stuff that kind of sucked.

750 Words

This is where the idea of 750 words a day comes in. I have partaken in writing 750 words a day for the past 90 days and I have to say that it is truly liberating. What this practice does is allow me to make mistakes and write a bunch of crap every day to get ideas out of my head and on to paper without being too critical of myself for 15 minutes.

Writing 750 words a day is all about letting your “stream of consciousness” take the wheel allowing yourself to not think too much about what you are writing. It wakes up the creative “juices” and helps you get ready to work on real project that requires your full attention.

The practice

Writing 750 words a day is not at all my idea. I heard about it a while back in the form of “Morning Pages” which is the idea to write about 3 pages, long hand, every single morning. It is part of Julia Cameron’s, “The Artist’s Way” which can be combined with “The Artist’s Date” which is a weekly “date” with yourself to explore something creative that interests you.

I highly suggest writing your 750 words every morning, but you can write them anytime. There really isn’t a wrong way to do this; just as long as you write 750 words a day no matter what. Also, don’t try to critique anything you write or edit it while you go. In fact, don’t even re-read the crap that you wrote. Just let it come out, whatever it is, and then be done with it until the next day. This helps you to get in the habit of creating something without being critical.

The tools

I can’t say that there is any one tool or set of tools that make you a better “750 word writer”. You can use a junky notebook, a text file, a Word document, or even the 750words.com service. No matter what you use to write with the most important part is to write.

Being the techy that I am as well as being obsessed with stats, I chose the 750words.com service. It’s free to use and keeps track of what you write. It also has monthly challenges that you can sign up for to keep you on the right track. Over the past 90 days I have written a total of 68,567 words. Most of which are total junk I am sure, but what is nice about 750words.com is that it parses your writing and gives you charts and graphs of what emotions your content carries, the “maturity” of your writing, your concerns, and your mindset. It’s a handy way to see what you are writing about and a good way to keep you motivated.

Get to work

Now that you have a decent tool to overcome writer’s block and to spawn creativity it’s time to use it. We can think of a thousand reasons why 750 words a day won’t work for us or will be too hard or is stupid, but the fact still remains that we have to do something to induce creativity. Writing like this everyday is an awesome way to start and no matter what field you are in this practice can benefit you.

"

Improve Your Learning and Memory By Switching Font Styles [Learning]

Improve Your Learning and Memory By Switching Font Styles [Learning]: "

Contrary to what we might think, it isn't any easier (or harder) to remember a new fact if it's in BIG BOLD LETTERS. Font styles that are both hard to read and unfamiliar, however, do aid learning and memory retention.

New research studies support the idea that when learning difficult concepts, we'll learn more if forced to go through some mental hurdles, so to speak.

If a piece of information is very easy to process (e.g., in large Arial font), we may be over-confident in how well we've retained that information—and more likely to skim it—, while information that's presented in a more challenging fashion (e.g., small Comic Sans MS font) forces us to read more carefully and think more deeply about the material.

Participants studied a list of words printed in fonts of varying sizes and judged how likely they would be to remember them on a later test. Sure enough, they were most confident that they'd remember the words in large print, rating font size (ease of processing) as more likely to sustain memory even than repeated practice.

They got it exactly backward. On real tests, font size made no difference and practice paid off, the study found.

And so it goes, researchers say, with most study sessions: difficulty builds mental muscle, while ease often builds only confidence.

If you have editable documents presenting new material for you to learn, try switching the font style to one that's less familiar to see if this works for you. The researchers also, of course, suggest that applying more effort in other ways will aid learning: making outlines, avoiding study crutches like answer keys, and reworking the material.

Check out the full article for other findings about how we learn. We've also got advice here for taking study-worthy lecture notes, writing things down to learn more effectively, and improving recall by changing where you study. Got a study or learning tip? Share it with us in the comments. Photo remixed from an original by jepoirrier

Come On, I Thought I Knew That! | The New York Times

"

Week Sixteen Assignment Descriptions Now Active...Due Dates for Last Two Weeks

Here are the due dates for the last two weeks:

• Week Sixteen, Tuesday, 26 April - Monday, 2 May
  • Due: Monday, 2 May by midnight: Final Draft of Second Research Paper.  Post to your blog.  
  • 2 May, Classes End
• Exam Week
  • Tuesday, 3 May, 2:00-4:30, HIS 112, Test Two/Final Exam.  Turn in a hard copy of your second research paper at the beginning of the exam period.
  • Due Wednesday, 4 May by midnight, penultimate draft of ENG 112's Final Portofolio's reflective cover essay.  Post to your blog.
  • Due: Friday, 6 May at Midnight, Final Portfolio, ENG 112, Reflective Cover Essay posted to your blog.

A Disney Cartoon's Take on How Nazi Children Are Created...

The group working on cartoon propaganda has me looking through the Internet Archive's collection of WWII cartoons.  Check out the Private Sanfu collection and Donald Duck on Nazi Germany, but the one that really hit me was Disney's short on how Nazi's were created.  It's heavy handed propaganda to drum up support for WWII.  I didn't check the date, but I'd bet it was produced in the early half of the war, when we needed to explain why the Nazi's were evil.

Here's the link:

http://www.archive.org/details/EducationForDeathTheMakingOfTheNazi

Steve

Link to Internet Archive Cartoon Collection

For the group working on Globalization and Cartoons, here's the link to the Internet Archive's collection of animation and cartoons:

http://www.archive.org/details/animationandcartoons

Steve

PS  You'll also pull up lots of source material by doing a Google image search of "Globalization Editorial Cartoons."  The moral is that finding sources is often a matter of playing with multiple keywords in multiple indexes and databases.
PPS The group working on Hiroshima and perceptions of the bomb might want to check out the classic cartoon, "A Is for Atom" (1952).  Atomic energy and "the bomb" have often been conflated.  This cartoon's introduction shows how the bomb translates into one of the atom's "manifestations."   Here's the link:

http://www.archive.org/details/a_is_for_atom

They also might want to watch Disney's take, that is, Our Friend the Atom (1957).  Here's the link:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QRzl1wHc43I&feature=related

In my own research in Native American stereotyping, I often use materials meant for young audiences.  The working theory behind this use is that complicated messages are often boiled down and made clearer for younger audiences, and material meant to teach younger audiences is often more centered or hegemonic in terms of controversies within a culture.  Hence, you can get at what a ideology wants people to believe by looking at what it attempts to teach its kids and how these messages are framed. 

Assignment Descriptions for Week Fifteen and Revised Due Dates Posted.

Notes on due dates:

Due 26 April:  Revised draft of 2nd Research Paper AND Group Study Guide for Test Two HIS 112.  Post each to your blog.
Due Monday, 2 May by midnight final draft of Second Research Paper.  Post to your blog and hand in hard copy to Tom at HIS Final.
Due Friday, 6 May by midnight final draft of Reflective Cover Essay of Final Portfolio.  Post as the last entry to your blog.

How to Summon Self-Control in Times of Need [Mind Hacks]

One of the more common fallacies in thinking is an inability to delay gratification. Even when we know the awards are greater if we delay, we will often seek the immediate rather than delayed benefit. This is a root cause of procrastination. There is some interesting research on subject nodded to in the article below.

Steve

How to Summon Self-Control in Times of Need [Mind Hacks]: "

It's easy to believe that self control is an inherent trait because some people just seem to have it when others don't. As author Dan Ariely points out in an article in Scientific American, it may be more likely that some people have inadvertently discovered ways to distract themselves when self-control is needed.

Dan points to a study by Walter Mischel—the wonderful marshmallow test—that tempted children with marshmallows and told them that they'd receive even more marshmallows if they resisted. Here's what he found:

It's clear that all of the children had a difficult time resisting one immediate marshmallow to get more later. However, we also see that the children most successful at delaying rewards spontaneously created strategies to help them resist temptations. Some children sat on their hands, physically restraining themselves, while others tried to redirect their attention by singing, talking or looking away. Moreover, Mischel found that all children were better at delaying rewards when distracting thoughts were suggested to them.

This points to the possibility that self-control may not necessarily be an inherent trait, but rather something you can learn by finding effective distractions for yourself. Looking back on my own behavior, I'd have to agree. I'd also say that the best distractions for self-control are active ones that require you to think, move around, and actually do things. The more your mind and body is tied up in other actions, the less bandwidth you'll have available to wish you could eat that marshmallow—or whatever—right this very second.

The full post is pretty fascinating, so be sure to check it out in its entirety over at Scientific American.

Photo by Kate Ter Haar

How Self Control Works | Scientific America

---

You can follow Adam Dachis, the author of this post, on Twitter and Facebook. If you'd like to contact him, Twitter is the most effective means of doing so.

"

ENG 112 on 12 and 14 April, Your Work for the Week

Below find your work for the upcoming week.  Read the whole post, as you'll have two rough drafts due at the end of the week.


On Wednesday of last week, I got word that I had been accepted to the VCCS Developmental Institute.  It will meet on Tuesday, 12 April in Roanoke, and it will be just before the New Horizons conference at which I will be presenting on Thursday, 14 April.  Between the two, I will be out of town for the week of 4/11-4/15, and I will not be holding formal classes or office hours for the week.

The presentation at New Horizons has long been booked, but the Developmental Institute is a new developmental.  Over the next two years, the VCCS system will be making substantial changes to how our developmental programs are implemented.  We will be streamlining the number of developmental credits students take before beginning for credit certificate or degree work, and we will be making substantial changes in the curriculum.  As the Writing Program Administrator, I applied for a week long Chancellor's Developmental Institute to familiarize both me and the English program at Reynolds with the changes.  The committee met last Tuesday to decide who would attend, and I was accepted.  Unfortunately, attendance at the pre-conference developmental institute on 12 April was a mandatory part of this acceptance.  My absence from classes for the week will mean we've got to make some changes to how you will work over the week.


Writing and Work for the Week, ENG 112:

1.  Update your mid-term portfolio reflective cover essay to include sections covering the course learning outcomes in which you’ve improved over the past few weeks.  The updated rough draft is due this week.


2.  On Tuesday, 12 April and Thursday, 12 April, you should spend the English class hour in the library.  If you haven’t finished the worksheets and assessments for the library modules, then do so during this time.  If you haven’t completed your annotated bibliographic entries for your primary and secondary sources and published these to your blog, then do so during these two hours.  If you have completed both the library modules and your blog annotated bibliographic entries, then work on an early rough draft of your second paper for HIS/ENG.  


3.  On 19 April, an early rough draft of your second research paper will be due.  Post it to your blog.  Because of my attendance at the VCCS Development Institute on 12 April, I have decided to wave  the requirement that each group develop a common thesis statement.  While you remain limited to the primary and secondary sources which your group has annotated and the same research question, you can develop your own, individual thesis and base the early draft of your research paper on this individual thesis

10 Ways to Combat Writer’s Block

10 Ways to Combat Writer’s Block: "

All day long, nearly every day of the year, I write. I write and write so much that it’s almost become second nature, but sometimes I’m at a loss for words. I sit around trying to think of what to write, trying to find some inspiration, and sometimes even if I do find something that inspires me, I don’t know what to say. The words just won’t come out. As someone who writes for a living, you can bet that in the battle of beating writer’s block, I’ve tried it all. Here are some of my methods for getting around writer’s block, but feel free to share your ideas in the comments section as well.

1. Take a Break and Go Back to it Later

If you’ve been staring at a blank screen for hours, sometimes all it takes to get the words flowing again is to step back for a bit and take a break. Go run that errand that needs to get done, make yourself a cup of coffee, watch a television show, go for a run — do anything that takes your mind off writing for a short while. Sometimes it can be hard to write if there’s something else you need or want to do. In other instances, taking a break will take off some of the pressure and you’ll feel more inspired to write when you get back to it.

I like to allow myself the indulgence of stopping writing to watch an episode of a favorite TV show I may have DVRed, or if I am really struggling, a fun, light-hearted movie on Netflix or something to relax and refresh my mind.

2. Try Writing in a New Place

A simple change of scenery can work wonders. If you normally write sitting at the desk in your home office, why not try setting up your laptop on the picnic table in your backyard (if the weather is nice)? You could also try your local library, a coffee shop, a college campus, or anywhere else that is not where you usually write. This might not work for everyone, but it’s worth a try.

3. Write About Something Else

So you’ve got to write a 1000 word piece on green businesses or you’re trying to pen a new chapter for your novel, and for whatever reason it’s just not inspiring you. One tactic to try is to write about something else. Sometimes just writing about anything that inspires you will help you when it comes times to write about what you need to write about. I employ this tactic from time to time, when I have to write a political piece and it’s just not coming to me, so I’ll do a blog post on my news site about random celebrity gossip or whatever comes easily to me at that moment. It’s not what you are writing that matters, just that you are writing.

4. Figure Out When You Write Best

We all function on different biorhythms, and while some of you out there might find that you tend to write best at the crack of dawn, other people, like my husband, find that they get into a good writing groove at more “off” times, like in the middle of the night. Pay attention to yourself and find out when you write best, and when you find it more of a struggle. Then, avoid the times, such as just before lunch when your blood sugar is low, and you’ll have more good writing experiences overall.

5. Get Moving

Research has shown that exercises helps preserve memory because it gets the blood flowing, bringing more oxygen to the brain. I apply the same theory to writing. Get up out of that chair or off of the couch, and get your blood pumping. Go for a run, play a game of tennis, or even do a little Wii Fit. Just make sure you’re moving. Once you’ve cooled down, showered and are comfortable again, try writing. You might be surprised to find that it comes to you a little easier now. Thank the increased flow of oxygen to your brain.

6. Trick Yourself

There are a few different ways to trick yourself into writing. First, you can try telling yourself that you only have to write for five minutes. That can sometimes be just enough to get you going, and you’ll find that you want to continue. But like anything else, it might not always work. Another tactic is to pretending you’re emailing a friend a “guess what” type of message. Don’t worry about the format, you can change that later. Sometimes writing in a more conversational way is easier than a factual method.

7. Limit the Amount of Time You Have to Write

If you tend to procrastinate or slack off, this may work well for you. It might also work for those who work well under pressure. Instead of giving yourself an entire day to write an article or report, restrict yourself to just two or three hours. Sometimes knowing that you have a whole day to complete something will only succeed in giving you an excuse to slack off; you think to yourself “It’s okay if I go shopping because I have the whole day, it won’t take that long, and I can do it later”, or “I’ll just go on Facebook for awhile and maybe something will come to me.” That usually leads to wasted time. Tell yourself, for example, that it has to be completed by 2pm, no ifs ands or buts.

8. Read a Book, Magazine or Newspaper

If you’re reading a newspaper or magazine, sometimes just scanning the headlines or flipping through the images can inspire you. Seeing a headline that says “10 Ways to Beat the Winter Blues” might inspire you to write “10 Ways to Beat Stress”, and so on. Reading industry news can also help you think of an idea for your own writing. But reading for fun can help too, if only to distract you and give your brain a workout to get those gears moving.

9. Always Carry a Voice Recorder or Notebook

Write down or record your ideas, anywhere, anytime. This way, when it comes time to sit down and write, if you find yourself struggling to think of something to write about, you can pull out your notes or listen to your voice notes, and see what you thought of at another time. It’s so easy to forget about the things that inspire us as we go about our daily lives, so keeping a log can be a real lifesaver.

10. Use Mind Mapping

Simple mind maps can help you to get all of your ideas down on paper. Write down everything you want to say about a particular topic, or all of your topic ideas. To come up with a unique angle for a story, link together your most unusual ideas. Once you have everything written down, it’s easy to sort things into categories and find something interesting to write about.

Final Thoughts

Often times writer’s block is simply a result of the pressure we put on ourselves to perform. If you’re particularly stressed out or under-the-gun in terms of a looming deadline, writing might be more difficult. And sometimes, no matter what you try, the writing just isn’t happening, and in this case it’s a good idea to step back for awhile and try again later.

"