Tuesday, September 16, 2008


What to Expect from Online Tutoring

Many people ask us what to expect from online tutoring or if they can have an example of online tutoring. A specific example of online tutoring is hard to describe, but suffice to say, it is basically what you would expect. During an online tutoring session, a real educator, such as a substitute teacher looking to make some more money or a teacher in training, will sit on his computer at home while you are at your home. You will both have your computers on and using a workable webspace, where you can write out examples. Some web services provide voice over IP, which is basically a telephone capability over your computer. In this example of online tutoring, the student and tutor are able to communicate with speech as well as visually. This makes it much easier for the student to understand what is going on and for the teacher to understand the child's problems. Of course, you don't need to pay for long distance when talking over the internet, so that is a big advantage of this format.

To get an idea of what happens during the session, let's say "Joe" needs help with an essay for English class. In the example of online tutoring, Joe would be able to show his entire essay to the tutor, and the tutor would in turn be able to verbally tell Joe some of the problem areas of the essay, as well, as correct the errors so that Joe can understand what he is doing wrong. If Joe needed help with math, he could type the math problem to his tutor or talk to the tutor if typing doesn't make sense. Really, online tutoring is no different than a real life tutor, except that you have access to great tutors across the country, rather than who is available in your area.

So, as you can probably see, it is hard to give an example of online tutoring since so much is done verbally, even though the student and tutor are working on their computers. However, it is a great way for a child to get help in many, many subjects.

How to Find Online Tutoring

There are many agencies for online tutoring, and finding the right one can be tricky. What are the differences between the different agencies? Picking the right tutor requires a bit of research. When you perform a web search for online tutoring, you'll see thousands of results. Where should you start? Probably at the top, because the most popular site of agencies for online tutoring will be at the top of those searches. But it is not as easy as that.

Each agency is a bit different, and some will be better suited to your needs than others. The first thing to do is get referrals. That means asking the company for a list of names and number of people who have used their service. You'll need to call those people and see how they liked the tutoring service. You aren't likely to get many bad referrals, but it helps to talk with somebody to get a feel for the different companies.

After you have a few agencies for online tutoring in mind, take a look at their tutoring and payment structure. First of all, do they have reliable tutors for the subjects you are interested in? If you're interested in geometry, for example, do not be satisfied with a "math" tutor who may or may not be very good in geometry. Likewise, if you're interested in a general biology tutor, don't agree to work with someone who only knows evolutionary biology. Find the RIGHT tutor for your needs.

Next, take a look at their payment structure. Are the hours flexible, can you scale the number of hours you buy up or down? Many agencies for online tutoring offer package deals, but if you don't end up using the hours this semester or year, can you save them or do you lose them? These are the questions you need to ask them. If it is unclear, call them and find out exactly how it works. Most are pretty flexible in their tutoring setup, so you shouldn't settle for anything less.

You should also pay attention to the times that you'll be able to get tutoring help. If the company only offers hours from 9-5 Monday through Friday, that may be too constraining. On the other hand, a company in India may offer 24 hour support. Again, you should pick the company that works best for you.

So, there you have it. Sifting through the different agencies for online tutoring can take a while, but it will be worth it in the end when you find the right agency! Good luck.

Tuesday, September 9, 2008

3 Dissertation Advices To Get Your Dissertation Published

I have submitted my dissertation and now I want it to be published. Can you please advice me on how do I get it published?

• “Can you provide me a list of publishers specializing in dissertations and academic topics?”

Day in and day out I receive these type of questions from huge number of students perusing PhD in USA and Masters Degree in UK. To be very honest, I became pretty bored after repeating same answers in response to every other e-mail I receive. So, I decided to write an article on how to get your dissertation published and from now on I will be referring students to this article whoever asks me about dissertation publishing.

If you want to get your dissertation published then you have three options to choose from. To get in-depth knowledge of all the three options, just keep reading below.

1. Get It Published In a Journal:

There are publishers who focus on publishing dissertations, while various academic publishers could be interested. It all depends on the topic, quality of research, etc. If you are willing to get your dissertation or some parts of your dissertation published in a journal then the advice for you would be to first find a suitable journal.

a) Go through the details and find out its requirements. Most journal websites will have information of their publishing requirements like what kind of content they are looking for, the length of the paper, and other submission guidelines.

b) Inquire if you can publish your whole dissertation or only some parts of it? Find out their submission guidelines as well. For example, if they accept content related to your field of study, or if they only accept authors with previous publishing experience, etc.

c) After going through the details submit your work and wait for their reply. It will be reviewed by them and then you will be informed.

d) If it is not accepted then go for another journal. If your dissertation is denied by one journal, don’t lose hope. Find another one and keep trying

2. Get It Published As a Book:

You can also get your dissertation published in a book form.

a) Find an academic press interested in your field of study and specializing in publishing dissertations. It is also advisable to consult with some academic publishers as they might show interest in publishing your work, depending on the field, quality of research, the topic you have chosen, etc.

b) You will have to submit a book proposal to a publisher which should explain the material you wish to publish. Do not submit the complete manuscript unless they are interested.

c) If you find an academic press interested in publishing your dissertation, they will most likely have a few revisions for you to make. They usually have a peer review process, so you will surely receive responses from two or three senior scholars of your field.

3. Self-Publishing:

Dissertation advice for self-publishing is simple. If you prefer to just have some bound copies of your dissertation to share it with your friends, family, etc, then you may use a service like Lulu.com. Although self publishing is an option but not recommended as it will cost too much. If you wish to have few bound copies to keep them in your bookshelf, then you can check your university's library. Every university library has a bound copy of all dissertations or theses on the shelves or in the archives somewhere. You can pay them to bind a couple more copies for you.

There are few more routes you can take than explained above to get your dissertation published such as “Conference Proceedings”. This happens to be the easiest of all the routes. You just have to present a paper at a conference and then either publish an abstract or full dissertation later on.

The most important dissertation advice when it comes to getting your dissertation published would be, not to lose hope. Without previous experience of publication, it is not easy to get your dissertation published. You will have to discuss this matter with your advisor, the academic society for your field and your university’s reference librarians. They all can help you in knowing more avenues open to you.

In order to own the copyright, it is advisable to first bind your dissertation. Then fill out the copyright form. If you are in the UK, submit the form and the required number of bound copies to The British Library. If you are in the USA, submit the form and the required number of bound copies to The Library of Congress.

P:S. Try the ' Writers Year Book 2007'. It has a list of every British publisher with their specialties /generalities. It's priceless and easier to sort through than online.

For UK students who are pursuing Masters Degrees, it is fairly difficult to get it published as a mere MSc student.

Monday, September 8, 2008

The Mba Essay: How To Stand Out From The Crowd?

If you’re applying to graduate school, you’ll quickly find out that MBA applications will include a question that asks about your reasons for wanting to obtain an MBA. Some application questions will ask you to tie these reasons into your background and your professional goals. Even for schools that don't offer this specific direction, you should plan on such a discussion of past and future, as it provides essential context.

"Why MBA?" is often the first question asked and without a doubt the most important essay you will write. It includes essential information about whether you're qualified, whether you're prepared, and where you're headed. The other essays fill in details about these fundamental points, but a strong answer about, for example, how you overcame a failure will not revive a candidacy that failed based on a lack of career focus.

Every answer should contain the following elements, unless the application has separate questions addressing them individually:

1. Your long- and short-term goals.

2. Your relevant past experience.

3. An assessment of your strengths and the gaps in your experience/education.

4. How an MBA program will bridge your past and future and fill in those gaps.

5. Why this particular MBA program is a good match for your needs.

Occasionally there will be overlap with other answers, and you will have to use your judgment on the extent to which you should reiterate important ideas. For example, some schools will ask about your goals in separate questions. In that case, the bulk of your discussion should fall under the goals question, but you will have to bring over key points from that answer to establish context for your reasons for obtaining an MBA.

There are no groundbreaking reasons for pursuing an MBA. This is not a place to aim for bold originality. Rather, you should focus on articulating detailed reasons that are specific to your situation. Moreover, there is plenty of room to distinguish your self when discussing past experience and future goals; it's just the reasons themselves that come from a more limited set. That said, you should not try to drop buzzwords for their own sake. Make sure you tie your specific objectives to other aspects of your application.

A successful applicant would provide a unique background and a focused interest in becoming an entrepreneur within a particular field. He paints a clear picture of past and future before making the following transition: "In order to accomplish this goal, however, I must deepen my knowledge of the field. Despite my experience, I still lack some important knowledge and management skills, especially in finance, marketing, and entrepreneurship. Since dealing with aspects of international business will be an integral part of my job as an entrepreneur, it is essential that I fill in these gaps." Only after an applicant establishes sufficient context about his personal situation should he attempt to assert his reasons for pursuing an MBA. This approach ensures that you're not simply stating the obvious, generic reasons without personal insight.

In another example, an applicant may begin with an extensive discussion of a specific industry or business climate before going on to describe the background that makes him qualified to pursue his vision. In contrast to the previous applicant, he discusses goals prior to history. Either approach can work effectively; your best bet would be to start with and highlight what makes you unique, whether it's a vision you have or a past accomplishment. After that, the important thing is to ensure that everything is coherently focused.

Each approach mentioned here sets your MBA essay apart from other applicants and provides meaningful context to any admissions committee. When seeking prospective student, admission counsels seek those on the path to a meaningful education that can be applied to the real world