As US mid-term elections approach on the heels of mid-term exams, it occurs to me just how many similarities there are between government and college. In both cases, we've been compelled up to this point to follow along what others wanted from us, but now we're finally in a position to make our own choices (for good or ill). Thankfully, we don't get the chance to change our elected officials as frequently as some of us change our majors!

So as both mid-terms approach, do prepare yourself. Study the choices in front of you and make informed decisions based on individual merits. Above all, don't forget to show up!

Face it, at some point we are all going to have to do an oral presentation in class for a grade. Anxious? Take a deep breath, don't panic, and remember you can do it. You may not have a silver tongue, but that doesn't mean you can't communicate effectively.

OK, so you're sitting in class taking a test you aren't prepared for. What the heck are you supposed to do? Here are some tips for surviving this experience:

This latest addition to our Cramlet family is a brief tutorial on the accounting cycle, and the steps you must take to complete it. This is a must for all students looking to pass their accounting class!

This semester we transformed College-Cram.com into the free study resource that students have been clamoring for. In order to help keep it a free and growing resource, we ask that you take a minute to fill out this survey to help us keep helping you. Thanks!

Dear Professor Cram:

Find the slope of the line described by the equation: y + x = -3(14 - x/3)

KG, US Navy

KG, thank you for this algebra question. This is a pretty straight-forward question, so here's how we tackle it:

Dear Professor Cram:

How many grams of NaCl would you dissolve in water to make a 0.5 M NaCl solution with 500 mL final volume? What are the steps in finding the answer?

Anneka L.

Thank you for using College-Cram.com and for your chemistry question. This requires a multi-step process to determine the answer. First...

Dear Professor Cram:

An inclined plane rests at a 37 degree angle with a box weighing 50N on it as a vector down. I'm supposed to find components of the force parallel and perpendicular to the plane. I'm not really sure how to tackle a problem like this...

Jeff S.

The inclined plane has been the bane of many a physics student, but I'll try to help you see your way through this problem.

Face it, at some point we are all going to have to do an oral presentation in class for a grade. Anxious? Take a deep breath, don't panic, and remember you can do it. You may not have a silver tongue, but that doesn't mean you can't communicate effectively.

Classroom presentations can be frightening, but think of them as opportunities to share your thoughts about a particular subject with your peers and friends. You already do this informally in the classroom during discussions, study groups, or just with your friends in the dorm. Giving an oral presentation or speech is fundamentally no different than that, except that you get to control the setting and process for delivering your ideas.

The idea of an oral presentation is to determine how well you grasp a specific topic and can communicate it to others. This is not as hard as you might think. Most people get panicky over this because they are scared of the unknown, but the power in a speech is this: you control how you will communicate the topic to others. So stick to what you know and have researched, and remember -- if you know it and believe it then others will connect and believe it with you.

First, take some time to brainstorm about your topic. What are the different perspectives relating to it? What about arguments, both pro and con? List these out on paper, and don't rule anything out just yet.

After your brainstorming session, start organizing your thoughts into a thesis statement and three or four supporting statements, in outline form. Be sure to stick to three or four statements - one of the most common mistakes in public speaking is presenting more information than you need (overselling your ideas) or than the audience cares to hear. By going with three or four supporting statements, we have a basic speech outline ready for some supporting research.

Great, we have an outline. So... What do we do now?

If you're not already there, now is library time. Put your outline aside except for your thesis statement and do some research on the topic. Look at scholarly journals, books, and the Internet for information pertaining to your thesis statement. Jot down supporting statements, ideas, and statistics about your topic just as you would for a written paper, but don't forget to write down your sources. (Giving a speech also requires you to give credit to others for their thoughts and statements.) Include the author and source -- article/magazine, book title/author, Internet site, etc. If in doubt, ask your instructor about how to properly cite your sources.

Your research may give you a different perspective on your topic, and you may even want to change your supporting statements. This is fine! Recreate your outline with your thesis statement at the top and supporting statements listed underneath. Here is an example:

Intro

• Insert thesis statement here

Body

• Insert supporting statement #1 here
• Insert supporting statement #2 here
• Insert supporting statement #3 here

Conclusion

• Restate thesis statement here

The difference between a good speech and a great one is how you start. So how do we start this thing?

Begin your presentation with an attention grabber that supports your thesis, the more creative the better. We need to catch everyone's attention here, and some of your classmates may be preoccupied with their 'night before'. Keep it simple, relatable, and to the point. Some good openers include a short story, quote, joke, hand signals, dance, etc., anything related to your topic that evokes emotion. You want them to laugh, cry, or get angry -- either way, you want their attention! Your introduction also needs to include your thesis statement and a very brief outline of what you intend to speak about.

Next, you'll need a transition statement leading to your first point and each following point. Be clear and precise with your points, but don't get caught up in minute details. (These tend to bore your audience.) If you have visuals make sure they are clean and professional looking. Make sure they can communicate without any explanation, and don't read directly from them. A good visual should complement what you are saying, not actually say it for you.

Finally, your conclusion is very similar to your introduction but in reversed order. Tell them your quick outline and thesis statement with a concluding story or statement that again evokes emotion.

A good speech requires practice alone and in front of others. The more you can avoid relying on your notes the better. This isn't difficult, but it comes through practice.

For those of you who are still a little anxious and scared about giving your speech, contact your campuses speech or communication department. They usually have resources to help you get over stage fright. They may even be willing to help you prepare and practice your speech for them!

Above all, remember: if you don't believe in your presentation, neither will they!

This was a magical time of year when I was a kid. All year our parents made us behave and act civilized, but on Halloween they dressed us up in weird outfits and sent us out into the streets to beg for candy!

These days, I get a kick sitting on my porch giving out candy and watching all the little kids in their costumes. (I still shake my head at the high schoolers that should have given this up years ago...)

In this newsletter, we have mostly treats for you but one potential trick. Read on!

At first glance, the news that Thomson is selling their college textbook publishing business seems unlikely to be of much interest to the average college student. However, this may end up being the biggest and costliest trick you get this Halloween.

Just run a Google on how to study and you will find over 268 million entries all boasting theories or techniques for success. So what study habits are most effective?

All of our science textbooks have a Periodic Table in the front cover, but neglect to explain how to use the thing. If you take Astronomy, Biology, Chemistry, or any other science, you need to check this out.

Dear Professor Cram:

One automobile starts out from a town at 8am and travels at an average speed rate of 35mph. Three hours later a second automobile starts out to overtake the first. If the second automobile travels at an average rate of 55mph how long before it overtakes the first?

Holly F., Madison Area Technical College

Thank you for your interest in College-Cram, Holly, and thanks for your question.

Your question is a variant of the classic A train leaves Chicago going... question you see on tests like the SAT, but do not let that alarm you...

Dear Professor Cram:

An executive flew his corporate jet to a meeting in a city 1500 kilometers away. After traveling the same amount of time on return flight, the pilot mentioned that they still had 300 km to go. The air speed of the plane was 600 km/hr for both legs. Assuming that the wind direction was parallel to the flight path and constant all day, how fast was the wind blowing?

Ekta, Middlesex Community College

Ekta, thank you for this physics question involving vectors. Let us see how we can tackle it.

Dear Professor Cram:

First I must tell you, that I am so happy to have found your site, it has given me hope that I can learn what I need to advance in my college studies. Here is my question: how do you find the square root of a radicand?

D. B., University of Louisiana

Thank you for your feedback, we love to hear from people we are helping.

To answer your question, there are a couple of ways of finding a square root without a calculator.