External Resources
In addition to the original writing resources that we create at the Writing Center and post on our Homegrown Handouts page, there are many other excellent resources that are available on the web. Refer to the links below.
Grammar and Punctuation
- Adjective or Adverb?
- Apostrophes
- Appositives
- Articles
- Capitalization
- Commas
- Commas vs. Semicolons
- Conditionals
- Conjunctions
- Dangling Modifiers
- Demonstratives: This and That
- Fragments and Run-ons
- Gerunds
- Hyphens
- Independent and Dependent Clauses
- Modal Verbs
- Noncount Nouns
- Numbers
- Prepositions
- Pronouns
- Punctuation Overview
- Qualifiers
- Quotation Marks
- Semicolons, Colons, and Dashes
- Sentence Fragments
- Sentence Starter
- Subject-Verb Agreement
- Verb Tenses (from Purdue OWL)
- Verb Tenses (from UNC Writing Center)
The Writing Process
- Audience
- Brainstorming
- Conclusions
- Developing an Outline
- Proofreading Strategies
- Introductions
- Note-Taking [pdf]
- Paragraphs
- Paragraph Development
- Prewriting (Invention)
- Reorganizing Drafts
- Revising Drafts
- Self-Editing Checklist [pdf]
- Thesis Statements
- Transitions
Concision, Clarity, and Effectiveness
- Active and Passive Voice
- Appropriate Language
- Coherence: Transitions between Ideas
- Gender-Fair Use of Language
- Gender-Neutral Language
- Improving Sentence Clarity
- One Thousand Useful Words [pdf]
- Parallel Structure
- Passive Voice
- Sentence Variety
- Should I Use "I"?
- Stereotypes and Biased Language
- Style
- Word Choice
General Writing Resources
- College Writing
- Coping with Writing Anxiety/Writer's Block
- Getting Feedback
- Guide to Grammar and Writing
- Oxford English Dictionary
- Procrastination
- Reading To Write
- Understanding Assignments
- Writing Anxiety
Research
- Evaluating Print Sources
- Evaluating Sources of Information
- Paraphrasing
- Plagiarism
- Quotations
- Quoting, Paraphrasing, and Summarizing
- Searching Online
Library Resources
The SJSU Library offers online resources and tutorials in important topics related to research, plagiarism, and source citations.
- InfoPower Research Skills Tutorial
- Online Tutorials (e.g., using Google Scholar or finding peer-reviewed articles)
- Plagiarism Libguide
- RefWorks
Documentation Styles
Different disciplines use different formatting styles. Familiarize yourself with the citation style guide that is used in your field of study.
- APA (American Psychological Association) Style
- APA Style Basics (Tutorial)
- ASA (American Sociological Association) Style
- Chicago Manual of Style
- Chicago Style Citation Quick Guide
- IEEE (Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers) Style [pdf]
- MLA (Modern Language Association) Style
Specific Writing Tasks and Assignments
- Abstracts
- Annotated Bibliographies
- Argument
- Argumentation/Persuasion: Logic in Argumentative Writing
- Comparing/Contrasting
- Dissertations
- Essay Exams
- Honors Theses
- Literary Analysis
- Literature Reviews
- Oral History
- Poetry Explications
- Resources for Preparing Presentations
- Rhetorical Analysis
- Scientific Research Reports
- Speeches
- Systematic Review [pdf]
- Systematic Review (5 Steps) [pdf]
- Systematic Review (Planning Guidance) [pdf]
Professional Writing
The SJSU Career Center offers advising and resources in important topics related to resumes, cover letters, and other professional writing.
The following external links offer additional information about professional writing.
- Application Essays
- Business Letters
- Business Letters: Accentuating the Positives
- Cover Letters
- CVs and Resumes
- Email Communication
- Grant Proposals
- How to Communicate on LinkedIn [pdf]
- LinkedIn Profile Checklist [pdf]
- LinkedIn (Resources for Students)
- Management Resumes
- Reference Sheets
- Resumes
- Skills Inventory
- Tailoring Employment Documents to a Specific Audience
- Terms & Tips for the International Student's Job Search
- Writing the Curriculum Vitae
- Writing the Personal Statement
Resources for Multilingual Learners
- Activities for ESL Students
- Collocations
- Collocation Examples for English Learners
- Common Mistakes in Emails (Collocation Errors)
- ESL Cafe
- International Students' Library Research Guide (from SJSU King Library)
- Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English
- Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary
- Speaking Tips for Non-Native Speakers
- Visuwords: Visual Dictionary and Thesaurus
- Youglish
Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
- Avoid Gender Bias in Writing
- Avoiding Bias
- Being Antiracist (Talking About Race)
- Inclusive and Antiracist Writing Overview
- LGBT+ Writing: A Glossary
- Writing About Gender and Sexuality
- Writing About Race, Ethnicity, Social Class, and Disability
Upper-Division Writing Directed Self-Placement
Before the COVID-19 pandemic, all SJSU students preparing to enroll in upper-division courses were required to take a timed writing exam called the Writing Skills Test (WST). The score from the exam was used to place students in one of two upper-division writing courses. When the pandemic began, the WST was suspended and replaced with an online exercise called the WST Directed Self Placement (WST-DSP) that helps students place themselves in the upper-division writing course that is appropriate for them. Because this placement exercise is not a test (unlike the original WST), the name has been changed to the Upper-Division Writing Directed Self-Placement (UDW-DSP).
By completing the Upper-Division Writing Directed Self-Placement, students will fulfill their “WST” requirement. Please visit the UDW-DSP website for more information.
