Basic Tools for Writing Good College Papers - Wheeling Jesuit University

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Basic Tools for Writing Good College Papers

It seems like there's so much to know about writing, and you may have noticed that "not only English professors" want you to know how to write well when you're writing their papers and essay-exams. Think of the links below as resources for helping you make your writing look and sound its best. Would you go to a job interview dressed in unlaundered, creased clothing without having showered? Why then would you hand in a paper that comes across that way?

Purdue University On-line Writing Lab (OWL)
Purdue provides useful discussion, in printable handout form, of more than 100 FAQs of writing, from the basics of grammar, MLA and APA, to resumes, cover letters, and job-seeking. There are also links to hundreds of other useful sites. This is the place to start any writing-related query.

The Elements of Style
If you only have one reference work for questions of grammar and usage bookmarked on your personal computer, this should be it. Concise, elegant, and timeless, it may be the only English primer you read for pleasure.

HyperGrammar
Courtesy of the University of Ottawa, here is the ultimate guide to referencing and drilling all aspects of grammar and usage, from punctuation to paragraphs.