University Writing Support Center External Writing Center Resources
Purdue Online Writing Lab
The Purdue Online Writing Lab (OWL) is the “flagship” of the many online writing labs available today. The Purdue OWL was one of the first online writing labs and continues to be used by students, tutors, and faculty at colleges and universities across the country. It is very well organized and that’s a good thing because there is so much there! You will find everything from useful exercises in grammar and mechanics to current style guides – APA, MLA, CSE, and others.
Bemidji State University Writing Resource Center
The Writing Resource Center at Bemidji State University provides helpful information for students at all levels, freshman to advanced graduate student. Here you will find advice for creating blockbuster documents such as resumes, CVs, and cover letters. There is also a section that discusses important aspects of specific kinds of essays. For example, in the context of a writing assignment, what exactly does “analysis” mean? Or, what is the difference between “argumentation” and “persuasion”? Visit the BSU Writing Resource Center for some useful definitions.
St. Cloud State University Literacy Education Online
The Literacy Education Online page at St. Cloud State University is not your typical online writing lab; in fact, it is not an online writing lab at all. That said, you will find a wealth of information here. It is arranged in numerous hierarchical lists that guide you to the appropriate area to find the material you need. Here is a short snippet so you can see how this site is set up:
I'm having problems getting started.
- I'm not sure how to write the kind of paper my teacher assigned.
- I'd like to see some guidelines on time management and steps for writing a paper.
- I'm overwhelmed and don't know where to begin working on my paper.
- I need some new strategies for generating ideas.
- I would like strategies for starting particular types of papers.
- How do I get started writing a book or film review?
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Writing Center
The Writing Center at UNC Chapel Hill has a very straightforward website: it consists entirely of single-word or short phrase index items that lead to handouts and short exercises and other resources. This website is not as deep as some others, but it gains in simplicity what it sacrifices in depth.
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Center for Writing Studies
Lots of material here, folks – lots! It doesn’t matter whether you are a student or a tutor or faculty member looking for helpful resources, you may very well find it here. This website is nearly as deep as the Purdue OWL and some may find the organizational strategies at the UIUC Center for Writing Studies more accessible.