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Academic

Understanding Creative Non-Fiction

A note to aspiring writers. “It is a way of looking again and again at itself from all angles in order to see itself most fully.” – Bret Lott on creative nonfiction. An area of publishing that is getting increasingly popular is the field of creative non-fiction (also known as literary non-fiction). From the onset, however, the term itself sounds like an oxymoron. How can non-fiction be literature? Welcome, to the topic of today’s post.  Creative non-fiction (CNF) refers to a piece of writing that uses typical literary styles or techniques (such as figurative language, playing with tenses and/or narrative…

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Academic

Being A Student During Covid-19

5 actionable things you can do to be more productive. It’s said so often, but every now and then it really hits me just how incredibly unprecedented this whole year has really been for our generation. On top of a global pandemic, we are seeing every day the consequences of living in a world that does not and will not change to protect all its citizens. It’s enough to drive anyone into a hole. So how are you meant to keep going when your commitments and responsibilities require you to. My experience of working and being a student during Covid-19…

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Academic

How To: Essay Types

The intent of the essay is an important factor of every essay. If one is unsure of what kind of essay they are attempting to write, it is likely that the reader will be just as uncertain, which is exactly what you do not want. There are various types of essays and knowing what they are and what the generally aim of each are is the first to building a good foundation for a successful essay. It provides direction and gives an initial idea on how the ideas in your essay should be organised. At times, the type of essay…

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Academic

How To: UK vs US Writing

Regional Spelling Differences We cannot properly talk about English literature without talking about the way something is written, a big part of which is spelling. A constant source of irritation with grammar snobs is the difference in dialects. Indeed, the way that the English language has developed can be very different depending on the region. Today’s post will provide a brief rundown of the most significant spelling differences between British English, American English and Australian English. Common practice is that Australian English tends to follow the rules of British English, though there are some exceptions. In all cases, the most…

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Academic

How To: Humanities Writing

In light of the circumstances, Z and I spent a lot of time thinking about how best to contribute in a productive and helpful way. We know that many schools and jobs are physically closed but are continuing online in some form or another. For this reason we thought it would be a good idea to start posting more technically helpful posts. We’re super excited to be introducing a brand new series on the blog today – How to: Humanities Writing!  Today’s post is inspired by my background in academia and literature. For a little context, I have a bachelor’s…

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Academic

PhD Year 1: What I Learnt

Let’s start with the basics: A PhD (Doctorate in Philosophy) is the highest level of academic certification a university offers. This requires producing original research in a specific field, which upon completion must be defended in front of a panelist of experts. The term dates back as far as Medieval Europe though, at the time, the requirements usually only called for advanced scholarship rather than original research. Even now, requirements for a PhD differ across institutions ad nations but in all cases, original research remains compulsory.  So why do a PhD? I could write a whole post on what to…

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