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Handouts - Writing and Process - Outlines

Cause and Effect Essay Outline
"Cause and effect" is a process that describes how something happens; cause and effect analyzes why something happens. Cause-and-effect essays examine causes, describe effects, or do both.
Comparison and Contrast Essay Outline
Goal: To explore the similarities and differences between two texts [, concepts, or items]. This handout gives sample outlines and suggestions for each part.
Problem Solution Persuasive Essay Outline
The first few pages give suggestions for an outline. The rest of the document gives advice for writing your essay.
Process Essay Outline
The process pattern of organization is especially important in scientific writing. For example, it is used to describe biological processes such as T cell lymphocyte production, chemical processes such as the interaction of drugs, and technical processes such as a colonscopy.

Handouts - Writing and Process

College Writing
If you use informal, casual language with your professor, and eventually your boss, you could be perceived as uneducated or rude. Certain standards are expected in academic writing. However, do not be intimidated. Here is a breakdown of what is expected in formal academic writing
Common Words in Essay Directions
Understanding these words will help you write your essay accordingly. (An image from our Yammer page.)
Examining Generalizations
Suggestions for avoiding generalizations in writing, so that you are more precise and avoid making logical fallacies.
Fact versus Opinion
This handout is reprinted from https://writing.colostate.edu/guides/teaching/co300man/pop12d.cfm)
"When forming personal convictions, we often interpret factual evidence through the filter of our values, feelings, tastes, and past experiences. Hence, most statements we make in speaking and writing are assertions of fact, opinion, belief, or prejudice. The usefulness and acceptability of an assertion can be improved or diminished by the nature of the assertion, depending on which of the following categories it falls into."
How to Write an Effective Paragraph
To be as effective as possible, a paragraph should contain each of the following: unity, coherence, a topic sentence, and adequate development. All of those traits overlap. Using and adapting them to your individual purposes will help you construct effective paragraphs.
How to Write in Third Person
The third person includes character names and pronouns like "he" and "she." This tense is considered more academic and more formal than writing in the first or second person. It also seems less biased when arguments are presented. Follow these tips to write in the third person.
Instead of "Very," You Can Say
This handout is designed to help you come up with alternative ways to express your ideas without having to use the word “very”. By using precise diction, your readers will be able to better understand your ideas.
Most Common Writing Blunders
Here is a quick references of some of the most common mistakes in word usage, bogus words, and sentence structure. Watch out for these errors in writing essays!
Narrative Essay - What to Consider
As a mode of expository writing, the narrative approach, more than any other, offers writers a chance to think and write about themselves....When you write a narrative essay, you are telling a story.
A Note About Literary Criticism
A literary analysis requires a careful, critical reading of the work. It is not merely a summary of the contents.
Objective versus Subjective
This handout is reprinted from http://www.differencebetween.net/language/difference-between-objective-and-subjective/ This explains and gives examples of objective and subjective writing.
Primary vs Secondary Sources
Understand the differences between primary and secondary sources and how to use them in your research.
Showing versus Telling
Strong creative writing works to show rather than tell. This handout explains what that means and how to do it in your own writing.
Transitional Words that Should Be Used in an Argumentative Essay
Words for effect / consequence / result and cause / condition / purpose.
Transitional Words Used in a Compare Contrast Essay
Transition words to help you signal comparisons and contrasts.
Understanding a Topic
What you write about is your topic. Why you write about a topic is your purpose. Sometimes, the words topic and writing assignment mean the same thing. Whatever you write, the topic and purpose “drive” your composition.
Using Conjunctions to Make Your Writings Stronger
A table illustrating conjunctions and their connotations.
Writing a Narrative Essay
Through reflecting upon an event, and through recreating the experience for other readers, writing a narrative essay can enable you to develop new, subtle, and rewarding perspectives.
Writing in Academic English
This handout explains and gives examples of informal language. In general, informal language is everyday, conversational standard language, the type of language used when speaking to or writing to intimates, peers, and friends — that is, people with whom you are familiar and comfortable. Informal language is inappropriate for academic papers (including most narrative essays), business correspondence (including job applications), official documents, and technical documents.

Handouts - Grammar and Punctuation

Adjectives and Adverbs
Definitions and examples of adjectives and adverbs to help you understand their differences and how you can use them to improve your writing style.
Capitalization Rules
Some basic rules about capitalization.
Grammar Pamphlet
A quick reference guide for grammar.
Grammar Resource – examples and definitions for some key areas of English grammar
This PDF contains definitions, examples, and useful cue words for: Simple Tenses, Progressive Tenses, Perfect Tenses, Perfect Progressive Tenses, Countable and Uncountable Nouns, Comparatives & Superlatives. If Clauses & Conditionals, Passive Voice, Causative, Reported Speech, Modals of Probability and Obligation, and Subjunctive. Adapted from Understanding and Using Grammar, Fifth Edition Betty Schramper Azar. Copyright 2017, 2009, 1989, 1981. Pearson Education, 221 River St. Hoboken, NJ 07030
Pronoun and Antecedent
Defines "antecedent" and "pronoun" and gives examples.
Pronoun Usage
Defines what a pronoun is and how it can be used.
Run-on Sentences
Run-ons, comma splices, and fused sentences are all names given to compound sentences that are not punctuated correctly. The best way to avoid such errors is to punctuate compound sentences correctly by using one or the other of these rules.
Sentence Fragments
Fragments are incomplete sentences. Usually, fragments are pieces of sentences that have become disconnected from the main clause. One of the easiest ways to correct them is to remove the period between the fragment and the main clause. Other kinds of punctuation may be needed for the newly combined sentence.
Subject-Verb Agreement
The basic rule states that a singular subject takes a singular verb, while a plural subject takes a plural verb.
NOTE: The trick is in knowing whether the subject is singular or plural. The next trick is recognizing a singular or plural verb.
Verb Tense Consistency (OWL Purdue)
Explanations and examples of verb tenses and how to maintain consistency.
Who, Which, or That?
This gives rules and examples for using: who, which, that.
Who or Whom?
This helps you understand when to use "who" and "whom."

Thesis Statements & Paragraphs

Thesis Statement
The thesis statement, which is usually found at the end of the first paragraph, tells the writer (and the reader) the main idea of the essay.

Tips and Examples for Writing Thesis Statements (Purdue OWL)
"This resource provides tips for creating a thesis statement and examples of different types of thesis statements."
What is a Thesis? (Literary Terms)
"The thesis (pronounced thee-seez), also known as a thesis statement, is the sentence that introduces the main argument or point of view of a composition (formal essay, nonfiction piece, or narrative). It is the main claim that the author is making about that topic and serves to summarize and introduce that writing that will be discussed throughout the entire piece. For this reason, the thesis is typically found within the first introduction paragraph."

Websites and Videos

"Ethos, Pathos, and Logos Definition and Examples [With Illustrations]"
"Ethos, Pathos, and Logos are modes of persuasion used to convince audiences. They are also referred to as the three artistic proofs (Aristotle coined the terms), and are all represented by Greek words. "
20 Most Common Grammar Errors (Excelsior Online Writing Lab)
"Every few years, [Andrea] Lunsford and her team of researchers examine thousands of student essays and survey hundreds of writing teachers in order to give us this list....Let’s look at the list, so you can see if you have had similar errors in your writing. Once you understand the problem, you are well on your way to correcting it."
Annotated Bibliographies -- UNC Writing Center
"This handout [website] will explain why annotated bibliographies are useful for researchers, provide an explanation of what constitutes an annotation, describe various types of annotations and styles for writing them, and offer multiple examples of annotated bibliographies in the MLA, APA, and CBE/CSE styles of citation."
Annotated Bibliographies General Explanation (Purdue OWL)
"This handout [website] provides information about annotated bibliographies in MLA, APA, and CMS."
Annotated Bibliography Samples (Purdue OWL)
"Below you will find sample annotations from annotated bibliographies, each with a different research project. Remember that the annotations you include in your own bibliography should reflect your research project and/or the guidelines of your assignment."
Clichés -- UNC Writing Lab
"This handout [website] discusses clichés and why you should generally avoid them in order to achieve specificity in both your academic writing and your application essays."
Comparing and Contrasting -- UNC Writing Center (YouTube)
This is a YouTube video. "Learn strategies for comparing and contrasting ideas - strategies that can also help you generate ideas for other types of writing."
Essay Exams -- UNC Writing Center
"At some time in your undergraduate career, you’re going to have to write an essay exam. This thought can inspire a fair amount of fear: we struggle enough with essays when they aren’t timed events based on unknown questions. The goal of this handout [website] is to give you some easy and effective strategies that will help you take control of the situation and do your best."
Fragments and Run-ons -- UNC Writing Lab
"If instructors have ever returned your papers with 'frag,' 'S.F.,' 'R.O.,' or “run-on” written in the margin, you may find this handout [website] useful. It will help you locate and correct sentence fragments and run-ons."
Passive Voice Demo [YouTube] -- UNC Writing Lab
This video demonstrates what passive voice is and how you can fix it in your writing.
Titles of Works -- Punctuation Guide
How do you format the titles of books versus articles? How do you format titles of artworks? You can find out this and much more in this website!
Vocabulary Strategies (Excelsior Online Writing Lab)
"he ability to read effectively requires a strong vocabulary. This unit [section of the website] covers different strategies and tools for improving your reading vocabulary. Click on one of the areas below [on the webpage] to learn more."
What to Do After Reading (Excelsior Online Writing Lab)
"After reading, a successful reader will make time to engage and evaluate what they just read. This section [website] covers several strategies for what to do after reading, such as paraphrasing, summarizing, analyzing, and synthesizing. Click on one of the areas below [on the website] to learn more."
Writing Paraphrases (The Writing Center, UNC)
"Paraphrasing is clearly restating in your own words the ideas or thoughts of another person. A paraphrase differs from a summary, which tends to be much shorter and contains only the main ideas of a text." **There is a clear difference between paraphrasing and summarizing. Failure to correctly paraphrase could result in plagiarism.**

How to Read for College (from Affordable Colleges Online)

The links in this box come from the main page, "Reading Comprehension for College Students." These are only a few of the links from the main page, so make sure you scroll through all of "Reading Comprehension" to find more information.

Reading Comprehension for College Students
This is the main page containing the other links in this content box. The bottom of the page as a chart that lists 15 strategies for reading for college. "You know how to read, of course. But do you know how to read well enough to ace your college classes? They’re two different skills."
Dartmouth’s Reading Techniques
"The Ivy League school’s page links to videos and offers a useful advice for more thorough studying, varying reading rate and more." (Affordable Colleges Online)
Quizlet
"This online tool lets you create flash cards, quizzes and other study aids." (Affordable Colleges Online)
Interpreting texts critically
"This guide from Empire State College includes worksheets to guide students through critical analysis to help them becoming more discerning readers." (Affordable Colleges Online)
Textbook Reading Strategies
"In this guide, Baylor University’s Academic Support Programs coach students through reading and making sense of reading assignments." (Affordable Colleges Online)
Managing Distractions as an Online Student (Affordable Colleges Online)
"Online learning can be affordable and convenient...However, without the structure of a traditional classroom, online learning can also be challenging and incite distractions."

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Handouts - Writing and Process - Outlines

Handouts - Writing and Process

Handouts - Grammar and Punctuation

Thesis Statements & Paragraphs

Websites and Videos

How to Read for College (from Affordable Colleges Online)

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