Writing Center

• Thesis Statement Overview from ThoughtCo. 
• How to Write a Strong Thesis Statement from Purdue Owl
• Thesis Writing Workshop (9/13/23)

Use these handouts to help you outline various assignments.

• Summary vs. Analysis from University of Arizona 

Outlining your essay may seem like a waste of time, but it can actually speed up the writing process.  Your research and supporting points go in the Body Paragraph boxes.  Be sure to include your sources (citations) when listing your supporting points in the body paragraph section.

Outline from Freeology.com

Need help starting your paper, or ending it on a strong note? Here are some resources to help with that:

• Tips on introductions from UNC-Chapel Hill
• Tips on conclusions from UNC-Chapel Hill

When approaching scientific writing, it may be tempting to approach it the same way you would an essay for your English class. However, scientific writing has its own set of rules to follow.

Below are some resources that walk you through some of scientific writing's key factors:

• Do's and Don'ts of Scientific Writing from UNC-Chapel Hill
• Basic Guidelines for Scientific Reports from UNC-Chapel Hill
• Lab reports from Toronto University 
• Nursing: a writing guide for nursing students from EduMed 

Cover letters are sometimes requested when applying for a job or internship. Generally, they are utilized to express interest in the position and detail why you would be a good fit. However, do not mistake cover letters for personal statements; they have their own set of expectations and tend to be more formal. 

Below are resources that explain what cover letters are and give tips on how to write a strong one:

• Cover Letter basics from Harvard Business Review
• Formatting Guidelines from the University of North Carolina at Pembroke 

Need help formatting your resume? Below are resources that can help you nail that dream job:

• Resume Overview from ULP
• Resume Samples from the Purdue Online Writing Lab

Looking to continue your education at a four-year university? Personal statements are often a part of the application process. When creating your personal statement, you have the opportunity to advertise your qualifications to your prospective institution.

Here are some tips for personal statements that will make your application stand out:

• General Overview of Personal Statements from Purdue University 
• Examples of personal statements from Purdue University

Here are some guides to get you started on your annotated bibliography:

• Basic Annotated Bibliography guidelines from Cornell University  
• How to Write an  Annotated Bibliography from the University of Wisconsin-Madison Library 

Some basic guidelines for research papers: 

• A tip sheet for How to Start and Complete a Research Paper from Butte College
• Basic Guidelines for a Scientific Research Paper from Colorado State University 
• An Overview of a Humanities/History Research Paper from Grand Valley State University

A big part of a research paper is evaluating and building on research from other scholars. Here are some resources that will help you incorporate secondary sources into your writing:

• A How-To on Integrating Secondary Sources from University of Nevada, Reno
• Summary vs. Analysis from the University of Arizona

Writing a research paper also requires conforming to an academic writing style:

• A video from the JMU Writing Center that discusses Point of View, Active/Passive Voice, and Information Flow
• This video from the JMU Writing Center discusses Objectivity, Verb Choice, Strength of Claims, and Concision 

• This page from University of Arizona provides an overview on writing Case Studies.
• A guide on the basics of business writing from UNC-Chapel Hill

Literature reviews are a part of the research process; they typically analyze/survey relevant research about a specific topic/concern. Below are some resources that can help you with the process. 

• A Brief Overview on Literature Reviews from Purdue University. 
• A Guide on How to Construct a Literature Review from UNC-Chapel Hill

• This resource from the University of Maryland Global Campus gives tips about the Prewriting and Outlining Stages
• A step by step explanation of the Writing Process by LOSFA (Louisiana Office of Student Financial Assistance). 

• This webpage created by the University of Minnesota provides some Strategies on How to Critically Read
• Critical Reading Strategies, uploaded by Spectrum Science