When mixing ingredients for your particular recipe, swap equal parts of cream of tartar for lemon juice. Most recipes call for 1/4 tsp (1.2 g) of cream of tartar. The acidity in lemon juice is similar to that in cream of tartar, so this makes for an easy swap. This is particularly a good idea if you are making lemon meringue pie. White vinegar and lemon are both very helpful substitutes that work great to mimic the effect of cream of tartar. Add equal parts of white vinegar to your eggs as you beat them to easily whisk them up and make them extra fluffy. The acidity of the vinegar helps to add volume, similar to cream of tartar. If your recipe calls for 1/2 tsp (2.4 g) of cream of tartar, use 1/2 tsp (2.4 g) of white vinegar instead. You may have to add a little bit of sugar to taste if the mixture is too bitter. If your recipe calls for baking soda and cream of tartar, swap it out for baking powder. Baking powder is another effective leavening agent that you can use in a pinch. Use 1 tsp (14.9 g) of baking powder to replace 1/3 tsp (1.65 g) of baking soda and 2/3 tsp (3.3 g) of cream of tartar. Baking powder is essentially a mix of baking soda and cream of tartar, so this won't change your recipe much at all. This is a good idea if you want to add cream of tartar to blueberry pancakes, for example. If you're making a dish with lots of milk or cream, like pies or puddings, you can use buttermilk to add acidity and replicate cream of tartar benefits. Remove 1/2 cup (118.3 mL) of liquid for every 1/4 tsp (1.2 g) of cream of tartar, and then add 1/2 cup (118.3 mL) of buttermilk instead. Buttermilk is an acidic liquid that is left over after churning butter. It is often used in baking pancakes and birthday cakes. In some cases, you can substitute yogurt for buttermilk. Add milk to your yogurt until it is the same consistency as buttermilk, then use the same buttermilk proportions to substitute your cream of tartar. If you are making sugary toppings including icing, syrups, and frostings, leave out the cream of tartar rather than trying to find a substitute. Your topping may crystallize and get hard, but you can easily reheat it in the microwave or stovetop to soften it. Do this if you are topping cookies, frosting a cake, or stuffing donuts, for instance.

Summary: Substitute lemon juice for a very effective option. Choose white vinegar if you are beating egg whites. Try baking powder if you need a leavening agent. Use buttermilk if your recipe calls for lots of dairy. Skip over the cream of tartar if you are making frostings or syrups.

Unlike the reading stage, you should start reading some more serious works. Look at books in the library. Check databases for more specific articles. Don't just Google the topic, or search for it in Wikipedia. Most major libraries have databases you can use. You will need a library card to access them; some even require that you be in the library to use them. However, databases like EBSCOhost have many smaller databases that you can search; which ones are included depends on what your library pays for. Research libraries will often include databases on every topic, from business to humanities to psychology. In the advanced search, you can choose which ones you search, so pick one relevant to your topic. You will get academic articles in return for your search. Be sure to try different sets of keywords; you never know which set will bring up the results you want. When you take notes, you can begin to see where different authors reference each other and where different ideas come together. Pick one of those intersections as your topic. Continue to research it until you can develop it into a paper. If you're in high school or an undergraduate, your topic doesn't necessarily need to be original, as your professors will mainly be wanting to see if you can develop a theme throughout the paper. However, in graduate school, your topic should be more original. It should be something that hasn't been covered a hundred times by someone else, so be careful when picking out your research topic. You should get an idea of what has already been covered as you research to help you choose something original. For instance, there's likely been a good number of articles written on B.F. Skinner's behavioral psychology, but your idea can be different in how you apply it. Maybe you want to apply it to a piece of literature or maybe you want to look at it in relation to current pop culture. The application of it can be original. Also, make sure your topic is something you enjoy, as you're going to be spending some time working on it. You don't want to be researching a topic you hate, as that dislike and disinterest will show up in your essay. For more information on writing a good research paper, see this article. Also see Start a Research Paper.

Summary: Begin researching the main ideas on your bubble map. Get an idea of the research in the field. Use keywords to find articles related to your topic. Take notes and use them to choose your topic. Try to look at your chosen topic in an original way. Choose a topic that you enjoy.

Have the best grades that you can by studying in a focused and purposeful manner. Try as hard as you can in schoolnever think "it's just a test." Instead, think "This is a test! What if it counts? Even if it doesn't count for much, I want to do the best that I can, for my own sake!" Learn to think critically, ask questions and assume nothing. The world is filled with polarized opinions that cause arguments daily, and much of this is wasteful rather than productive because it assumes there are only two sides to any argument, when in actual fact there is often a multitude of opinions, ideas and solutions. Seek them all out, so as to be well informed and fully aware. Learn to spot the difference between serious thinking and blabbermouths. Always find out the facts before reaching conclusions about people, situations and incidents. If your school doesn't cater to critical thinking, look for online courses from reputable universities and colleges that do. Take a course in your own time. Loving who you are and knowing that you're beautiful without having to change your body or yourself will help you to be more confident and self-assured. Say who you are and be what you say! Realize that over time, you may well change considerably and it's called maturingsuch personal growth is normal as you continue to learn more about yourself, other people and the world in general. You are always a work in progress, so be prepared to be a lifelong learner. If anyone suggests you are being fake or insincere for changing over time, be careful not to confuse this with the natural changes every person undergoes and someone who is actually fickle enough to constantly change their mind. These are two very different things. Don't change for a boy, or to be friends with the "popular girls." Just be yourself. Make them like you for who you are. Not for you trying to act different. Just you! Any changes you do make should be made because you want to become the best that you can be, not because someone has criticized you. Learn to understand other people's motives. Not everyone has sincere or genuine reasons for suggesting you be a certain way. People have many reasons that are about themselves, such as jealousy, fear, a sense of living through someone else, etc. Don't be afraid to probe other people's motivations and only accept criticism that is fair judgment and relevant to improving yourself.
Summary: Keep your grades up. Use your intellect. Be confident.