Earlier this month I posted a New Year’s resolution-themed blog in which I listed academic changes that students could make to improve their grades in college. This blog is also going to list small changes that students can make that could possibly lead to big—and favorable—changes in course grades. However, while the previous blog focused on general academic changes, this post focuses on writing-specific steps that students can take to improve their grades. Whether you adopt all or just one of these suggestions, taking any action to improve as a writer will impact your overall academic success. Happy writing!1. Purchase a dictionary and a thesaurus2. Bookmark your favorite Internet search engines and research websites3. Read academic articles from your field4. Begin writing a paper at least one day earlier than when you normally would begin5. Go to the college writing center for help6. Ask a friend or roommate to proofread your papers7. Plan ahead so that you have time to edit and revise your papers8. Perform a pre-writing activity9. Try listening to classical music while you write10. Create rewards that will provide you with the motivation to work on papers11. Set aside a sufficient amount of time for research 12. Turn off your cell phone when researching and writing13. Review/Read William Strunk’s The Elements of Style14. Take notes when researching a paper’s topic15. Check the accuracy of your papers’ in-text citations*16. Meet with your English instructor to discuss your writing17. Enroll in a course that covers grammar and writing style18. Hold on to your paper’s assignment sheet19. Write your papers in a quiet location away from friends and roommates20. Take breaks to rest your eyes and brain!*The College PaperBuddy e-book includes information on APA, Chicago, and MLA style.