If you're writing for school, confirm the essay's required length and any topic parameters. This helps determine how much information you'll need to gather and present. Check your syllabus and any assignment prompts or sheets first; if you still need clarification, ask your teacher. Be sure you know how your teacher wants you to cite your sources so you can keep track of what you research. Some schools provide reference software like EndNote or RefWorks, which can make collecting and keeping track of research sources easier. Be aware of any formatting requirements. The essay prompt will often tell you things such as whether the essay needs to be handwritten or typed, and what font type and size to use. If it doesn't stipulate, the safe choice is a standard, readable 12-pt font such as Times New Roman or Arial. Avoid using "cute" or "quirky" fonts in an academic paper unless given specific permission to do so. Know the due date! Get started early so that you have plenty of time to complete the essay. If the topic is not already assigned, you'll need to select your own topic. It's easy to get stuck on this step if you have a wide range of choices, so take your time and abide by a few general rules: The topic should not be too broad or too narrow. See Write an Essay for more information. There should be enough information about the topic to write about, but not so much that you can't present clear, concise information. For example, writing on "the history of animal shelters" is probably much too broad, while "the history of Sunny Days Animal Shelter in X County" is probably too narrow. A happy medium might be "the history of breed-specific animal shelters in America." The topic should be appropriate and interesting to your audience. Think in advance about who might be reading your essay. Obviously, if this is for school, your teacher is your primary audience, but you should always have a target audience in mind. What will they want to know? What do they probably not know already that your essay will provide? Ideally, the topic should be one that interests you. This will make the writing process that much easier, and you can pass your enthusiasm on to your reader. This is especially important for an informative essay, where you need to impart accurate information. Be very careful to use objective sources written by experts on your topic. A librarian can best help you find reliable sources of information, such as encyclopedias, books, journals, and relevant websites. Be careful when using the Internet, including sites like Wikipedia, as many pages are full of unreliable content. For best results, try to find online sources from reputable organizations, government agencies, and universities. Google Scholar can be a good place to start. Use a blank sheet of paper or notebook to jot down interesting facts that you read. Alternatively, you can type notes on a computer. Whatever you choose, find a way to keep all your notes for the essay in one place. For your informative essay, you will need an introduction, at least three main points, and a conclusion. You may want to make these sections and write notes down under the section where you expect it to go. You should know in advance what information you'll need when citing sources. You will usually need to include the author(s), title, publisher, copyright information, and website address (if relevant). When you feel you've gathered enough material from your research, brainstorming will help you put the information into relevant groups and see the connections between them. Make an ideas map. Put your topic in a circle at the center of a piece of paper, then write down the most important pieces of information or ideas related to it in circles surrounding the topic. Make lines connecting each idea to the topic. Next, add details around each idea, circling them and making lines to show connections. There may be lines connecting ideas to each other, as well, or between supporting details. Make a list. If you prefer the linear format of a list, write down your topic at the top and then below it any ideas you have. Under the ideas, add extra details that support them. Don't worry about putting them in specific order - that comes next. Free write. Free writing can help you generate ideas, even if it usually doesn't provide polished prose you'll use in your final draft. Set a short time limit, such as 15 minutes, and then write whatever comes to mind about your topic. Don't stop to edit or change spelling, and keep writing even if you aren't sure you have anything to say. The important thing is to write for all 15 minutes.

Summary: Understand your assignment. Choose a topic. Conduct good research. Take notes as you research. Keep track of your sources. Brainstorm your ideas.

Just relax when you're talking to a girl. Women like it when a guy is direct; they are not mind readers. Speaking to someone you don't know can produce a lot of anxiety for some. You can approach someone without opening yourself up to being evaluated. Eventually, you'll be confident enough to talk to them in a normal conversation. Try some of these cues: Ask a small favor like "can you watch my stuff while I get coffee?" This creates attraction from the person doing the favor. Ask a question. Use whatever situation/location you are in to your advantage. Ask a relevant question like "have you seen this band before?" or "you think Texas could be a country?" Be whimsical if you are feeling it. A great way to prove yourself to a woman is showing her that you not only respect her, but all women. It is too common for guys to view picking up girls as a macho competition instead of wanting to get to know a woman. You can show respect by listening to what she has to say, respecting her personal space, making sure not to interrupt her, and refraining from making statements like "you wouldn't want to do that, it's a guy thing." Never make fun of a girl when you're trying to tease them. A little bit of joking is okay, but avoid anything that could be taken as offensive by someone. Generosity also goes a long way. No one likes a guy who is too stingy to have a good time. The same can be said about someone who refuses to give a dollar from time to time. Be a fun person by acting on spontaneity. It is attractive and more interesting to be around someone willing to go on an adventure. This can also show her how interesting you can be. Being silly and having fun also shows you're confident and not afraid of taking risks. Careful not to be a know-it-all or overly pretentious. Most girls will like a guy who reads from time to time and is interested in the world around him. Put down the video game and pick up a book. Try getting into the habit of reading the news every morning. You'll have more to add to a conversation when you are on top of current events. Not every girl cares about this. Making someone laugh is a great thing and it is attractive. It is one of the most desirable traits women look for in a man. Don't modify your humor to appeal to someone in particular. Your natural humor will attract the type of person who you'll be able to relax around. Laughter affects people on a chemical level. It increases the level of serotonin in our brains which causes our brain's function to work more efficiently. This doesn't always have to do with your looks, but how you think of yourself. Have confidence that you'll achieve your goals. Change your mentality: if you think you're attractive you will be attractive. Thinking positively is the first step, but then to ''act'' positively will increase your self-esteem even more. This can be simple like talking to people in a positive manner and focus your energy into acting this way. Have ambitions for your life. When you have a serious drive for your life, women will take notice. Change one of your bad habits. Start small like waking up without hitting snooze two or three times or drinking 64 ounces of water a day. Start small and progressively work to improve yourself in larger ways. Do something you've been procrastinating. There is no time like the present. It can even be a small thing like cleaning your room.
Summary: Talk to women more often. Practice respect and kindness. Take risks to have fun. Be intellectually curious. Use your sense of humor. Be a confident person.