Skip to Main Content

Writing College Papers: Step 2

This guide helps students write effective college papers, essay exams, and paragraphs. It was produced in fulfillment of a Designs for Learning grant at Anne Arundel Community College by Professor Paul Gabriel-Tucci and Professor Janice Lathrop.

Help Is Available

Anne Arundel Community College offers free writing help to students who are enrolled in classes, through The Writing Center and through Smarthinking.com.

Need help citing your sources correctly?  Check the site at the Owl at Purdue or the AACC Citation Guide for help.

These sources will not write your papers for you or proofread your work, but they do offer invaluable assistance.

Writing a Multi-Page Paper?

Writing an Essay Exam?

Research Assistance

More ways to get help:

Know What You Are Being Asked To Do

Read or reread your Assignment.

Know exactly what it is asking you to do:

When is the work due?  How is the work to be submitted (on paper, electronically, or by some other means)?

Look especially for key words: Are you being asked to describe, to identify, to compare, to contrast, or to compare and contrast, to define, to analyze or to justify?

Where is your support for your work to come from?  From research?  From reading the textbook?  From course notes?  

Keep the assignment handy as you work on your project.  Refer to it often to remind you of what you are being asked to do. If you're still not sure, ask your Professor before you spend a lot of time working on the assignment.