Welcome to the first edition of Writing for College: the Eight Step Program to Writing Academic Argument Papers Using the Template Method. As a writer, writing tutor, and a teacher of college and university writing, I have seen many students needlessly struggle with writing for their college classes because the student failed to understand how college writing differs from other types of writings. It is critical that students understand the steps involved in preparing to write and produce academic writing because it is an unforgiving format. That is, teachers are specifically looking for key rhetorical (writing) elements in specific places, and if these elements are not there, the students’ grades will suffer. Therefore, this work has two goals. One, to provide you, the student, with a template to follow in composing your own standard academic essay and two, to explain how and why you should follow the process of producing original researched academic essays when trying to prove competency in English writing in colleges and universities. You know how to write; what you need are the rhetorical skills to help you write better. This book can help. It guides you step-by-step throught the writing process so you turn out a polished essay.