Wizards
Make your research or writing project easy! These wizards will walk you through basic
assignments step by step, and give you a "take away" at the end of the process that you can
print, email, or export.
Instructions
Each Wizard covers a common type of assignment that you will often encounter in the
classroom. Select one of the seven Wizards below. Clicking on one will open that Wizard.
The introduction to the Wizard will play automatically, but you can use the audio controls
at the top right of the screen to pause, mute, or replay the audio that accompanies that
screen. (Listening to the audio is not required, but since it expands upon the text that
appears on screen, it is recommended.) Click "Full Transcript" near the audio controls to
view the full text of the audio portion of the Wizard.
Many of the screens will ask you to enter information into the boxes provided. When you
are finished with the screen, click the "Next" button on the bottom right of the screen and
the next screen will begin to play automatically. The tabs in the column on the left of each
Wizard will also help you navigate through the sections of the Wizard quickly. Some screens
contain "Learn More About..." sidebars on the right side of the page, which provide
supplementary information related to the subject of the Wizard.
At the end of each Wizard, you will have the option of printing, emailing, or exporting
to Microsoft Word the information you've entered in the boxes throughout the Wizard. It's
important to note that you will lose your work if you close or navigate out of the Wizard
before you get to the end and print/email/export it. (You will be warned by a pop-up box
before you do so.)
Preparing and Delivering an Oral Presentation (2 Units) - Unit 1 | Unit 2
In this wizard we'll show you how to prepare and deliver a persuasive speech. Note that
this Wizard includes two units: you need to complete Unit 1 before moving on to Unit 2.
Book reviews help you get to know a book inside out, so you will be able to describe that
book in detail, share your opinion about it, allude to it, and use it to evaluate other books
and experiences.
One of the most common assignments in high school or college, a research paper is a
communication tool for contributing knowledge to an existing conversation about an
identifiable subject being conducted primarily by experts.
The comparative analysis essay asks you to compare two (or more) things which are
somewhat alike, and ultimately, to show their important differences.
A position paper is a short argument essay, usually not more than one or two pages long,
in which you express your position on an issue, and recommend an action to your audience.
An interpretive essay asks you to closely read and write about your understanding of a
text. This Wizard will help you write an interpretation of a literary work.
The Causal Analysis asks you to find out why things happen, then explain their causes and
consequences to others.