Myths about Reading, Writing, and Learning

	Myths to Give Up			Nearer Truth
		School essays should be five paragraphs long.		No professionally published work has paragraph requirements (though they often have length requirements).  However, they do all have introductions, paragraphs that supply reasoning and evidence, and conclusions.
		Essay writing is not creative writing.		It's true that essays are not poems or stories.  But engaging essays require creativity just as much as novels do.
		The thesis is always the last sentence in the first paragraph.		Having the thesis be the punch line of the last paragraph can be fun, but it's not required.  Besides, sometimes introductions are longer than one paragraph.
		You can never use "I" in an essay.		While it's true that some academic journals accept no writing with an "I" in it, much academic writing accepts "I," especially when some personal evidence or perspective is appropriate.  Check with your instructor in any class where you have to write a paper.
		Good writing only comes when you're inspired.		Although good writing does require creativity, simply waiting for the right moment is often disheartening and counterproductive. Learning how to freewrite, research, and talk about your ideas is a more sure-fire way to find inspiration.
		Writing is easy for professional writers and writing instructors.		Writing is rarely easy, even for the most experience writers.
		Writing is good as long as it's clear.		Clear writing that is simplistic is lousy writing.
		Reading always has to be immediately interesting to be worthwhile.		Sometimes a writer's thinking is complex but interesting, and careful active reading--and rereading--can be rewarding.
		Some readings are really boring.		Sometimes.  But often, the response "that was really boring" is a clue that you can discover something about how to read in a different or better way.
		Your professor doesn't have time for your questions and uncertainties.		The more you ask questions about things you genuinely don't understand, the easier your professor's life is:  S/he doesn't have to read your mind.
		Feeling confused and overwhelmed in the first few weeks or more makes you unique.		Coming to college is one of life's big transitions.  Psychologists have spent whole careers pondering the confusion and trepidation you may be going through.  It's a natural and normal process.