Writing Resources

The Facts On File Writer’s Reference Center database offers endless expert advice on writing. It thoroughly covers the fundamentals of writing in academic settings:

• how to write different parts of the essay.
• how to begin the process of writing.
• how to learn the rules of grammar and punctuation.

Visiting the Writer’s Reference Center will help you:

• to learn expert strategies when researching an assignment in college.
• to access a number of references (i.e., dictionaries, foreign words, proverbs, allusions).
• to format your assignment (memo, letter, essay, etc.).

The Writer’s Reference Center is the best place to answer most writing questions.

Access the Writer’s Reference Center on-campus.

Access the Writer’s Reference Center on any other network off-campus using your student login for the Bellevue University library.

A formal assignment, an academic essay is what professors use to evaluate your ability to think critically, play by a discipline’s rules, and evaluate what you have learned.

Commonalities

The basic framework for academic essays includes the following key parts:

• The introduction. This is often one paragraph long but it may be longer, depending on the overall length of the essay. It identifies the topic, question, or basic ideas of the essay. The introduction may include a gripping example, a memorable quotation, a provocative question, or some other element that really grabs the reader’s attention. In essence, the introduction should make the reader think: this is what I’m going to read about…and I’d like to keep reading!
• The thesis statement. This is a sentence — sometimes simpler and sometimes more complex — that shows the main idea of the whole essay. What is the basic argument, conclusion, or point being communicated? Summarize it in one sentence. This sentence is usually included in the introduction and is most traditionally placed at the end of the first paragraph. To determine what the thesis statement should answer look to the purpose of the essay. No matter what the purpose, an effective thesis statement will answer the question "why does my topic/paper matter?"
• The body. This includes all of the middle paragraphs or sections of the essay that fall between the opening and closing sections (introduction and conclusion). The points made and supported in this section can be organized in a variety of ways, depending on the type of essay being written. In a long or complex essay, the body may be broken up by sub-headings.
• Paragraphs. Each section of the essay should be made up of well-formed paragraphs, and the overall purpose of these sections should tie back to the thesis as forms of support. Remember that a standard paragraph contains three or more sentences. Additionally, the first sentence of the paragraph should include the main idea of that paragraph and the sentences which follow must be connected to the same topic, supporting that point.
• The conclusion. Like the introduction, a conclusion is often one paragraph long, especially when the essay is short. However, in a longer essay, it may need to be a little longer. Think of the conclusion as what neatly seals the essay at the end, wrapping up the ideas mentioned and covered. After reading it, the reader can say, "I know what this essay was about and what the writer wanted me to know about, think, or agree with." Yet, this is not merely a summary of the previously presented ideas. An effective conclusion will offer readers some sort of send-off, a question to ponder which relates to the topic, a quote, or some idea which moves beyond what was discussed in the paper.

• While these are the most common parts of an essay or paper, it is always a good idea to review your professor’s guidelines for an assignment. Your instructor may have a unique way in which they want you to write—parts to skip over, add, or include in a different way. When in doubt, ask your professor for clarification.

Considerations:

• Always think of your audience. Who will be reading this paper? What do they want to see? What do they need to know? What do you want to tell them?
• Depending on your audience, topic, and other assignment specifications, consider what kind of language you will use, how formal your tone will be, and what types of outside sources you will look for (if required).
• Make sure you topic or main question is not too broad or too narrow. It needs to be something you can comfortably cover within the word limit (if you have been given one). You may even need to change your topic or stance or the scope of what you wanted to cover.
• Revise your thesis statement, if necessary, as you are writing the rest of your essay. The thesis statement should be the unifying thread throughout the whole essay. If you keep dropping that thread in the following paragraphs, you may need to rewrite that sentence according to what you are truly trying to say.
• Express yourself and relax, and don’t be afraid of the revision process. With practice—and corrections as needed—you will continue to become an even better writer!

• Recognize suitable subjects by assessing the writing assignment.
  • Read the assignment sheet from your professor.
  • Determine the audience and purpose.
• Focus your subject into a specific topic and genre.
  • Select your subject — Pick your topic.
  • Narrow your topic to a manageable issue.
• Research your issue.
  • Conduct research or locate original materials for evidence.
  • Understand other researchers’ work and arguments.
  • Read textbook sources for overviews of your issue.
  • Evaluate sources for relevance and reliability.
  • Take notes and document sources diligently.
• Convey a clearly stated thesis.
  • Draft a purposeful thesis statement that matches the assignment.
  • Draft an explicit thesis statement.
  • Draft a thesis statement that is arguable and significant or one that answers your research question with verve.
• Arrange or outline your ideas.
  • Organize your ideas by method of development.
• Select and use various methods to develop effective paragraphs and essays.
  • Develop a paragraph with details.
  • Develop a paragraph with examples.
  • Employ rhetorical methods of development.
    • Narration
    • Description
    • Process Analysis
    • Cause-and-Effect analysis
    • Comparison and contrast
    • Classification and division
    • Definition
• Write your first draft that meets the length of the assignment.
• Express your ideas in multiple drafts.
• Form the parts of your essay.
  • Introduction
    • Thesis
  • Body
    • Claims and Evidence
    • Methods and Data
  • Conclusion
    • Send off

*Information in this handout is based in part on the work of Glenn and Grey (pp. 323-349) and Turabian (p. 52-56).

References
Glenn, Cheryl and Grey, Loretta. The Hodges Harbrace Handbook. Cengage Learning, 2015.
Turabian, Kate L. Student’s Guide to Writing College Papers, 5th ed. University of Chicago Press, 2019.

LGBTQ Gender-Neutral IWCA Statement (2018)
International Writing Centers Association

In this paper, I deliberately use the generic singular "they." This usage has historical precedence for the last 400 years, and it is grammatical, as confirmed by linguists [links/citations]. Further, it includes people whose gender identity is not represented by the he/she binary, which erases many members of our community. This impulse toward inclusive linguistic representation is already seen in style guidelines by professional organizations such as the American Psychological Association (APA). The use of singular "they" is endorsed* by the International Writing Centers Association, a conference of the National Council of Teachers of English.

Bellevue University supports the use of the generic singular they in written work, and students may request this statement as support for their decisions to do the same in their coursework.

What is a literature review?

A literature review is a discussion of what a group of published documents states about a given topic. It usually includes summary and synthesis.

Why is it significant?

Many programs will require a literature review to determine how well students understand available scholarship and put that scholarship into a cohesive compilation.

Resources

Here are credible resources that thoroughly explain what a literature review is and how to write one (the first one on the list contains an example and the second contains a useful outline):

• Ashland University. (2014). EDFN 506 Qualitative Research: Literature Review Example. Ashland University Library.
• How to write a mini literature review. (n.d.).
• The Writing Center, University of North Caroline at Chapel Hill. (2014). The writing center at UNC-Chapel Hill. The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

If you have questions about how to write, format, or revise a literature review, business report, white paper, or other type of business writing, start with these resources:

Business Writing:

• Business Writing Resources - LibGuides at Bellevue University Library

Business Letters:

• Business Writing Resources - LibGuides at Bellevue University Library
  • The Bad News Letter
    WRITER’S REFERENCE CENTER (Library Database): Home > Guide to Documents > Delivering Bad News

Business Reports:

• Business Writing Resources - LibGuides at Bellevue University Library
• https://www.business.unsw.edu.au/Students-Site/Documents/Writingareport.pdf

Literature Review:

• http://writingcenter.unc.edu/handouts/literature-reviews/
• https://guides.library.vcu.edu/lit-review
• https://writing.wisc.edu/handbook/assignments/reviewofliterature/

If you need assistance with following APA formatting and documentation guidelines, use these resources:

• https://apastyle.apa.org/blog
• https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/research_and_citation/apa_style/apa_formatting_and_style_guide/general_format.html

If you have questions about how to write, format, or revise a book review, start with this resource:

• http://writingcenter.unc.edu/handouts/book-reviews/

Outlines: An Introduction

What is an outline?

It is a skeleton of ideas or data, the most basic logical organization of information. It is a helpful way to organize all types of thoughts, including: research data, term paper concepts, class or reading notes, book or literature review information, and the content of speeches.

When are outlines helpful?

• You, the writer, already know something about your topic, or you have gathered some data or research.
• You have a lot of data to incorporate and need help deciding how to organize it or where to include it.
• You have writer’s block (trouble starting or continuing a writing project).
• You need help in maintaining momentum and focus in your writing process.

What are key factors in the way we create an outline?

The anticipated length and scope/depth of the content affects the outlining process. For example, if you are writing about a research-based or data-driven topic, you will usually first do research/reading and gather data; then you can draw from the research and data to add supporting points to your outline. However, if you are asked to write about a personal, experiential, or opinion-related topic that requires few or no outside supporting sources, you can begin with a simple brainstorm of you own ideas and then move around the parts of your brainstorming list into a more logically organized outline.

A professor or supervisor may want to see an outline completed in a specific way. If this is the case, follow his/her guidelines as closely as possible before turning in your final product.

Is there a “standard” way to write an outline?

When typing an outline, processing tools such as Microsoft Word will often automatically insert the next number or letter needed as you type. (Shut off auto-correct if necessary.)

If you are manually adjusting the word processing point-markers or writing the outline down on paper, and the outline is for your personal use, feel free to use any kind of coding system that makes sense to you. The key is to get your ideas down in an organized fashion!

Sample Paper/Essay Outline

• Intro (What is your topic?)
• Body
  • Point number 1
    • Support for point 1
    • Support for point 1
    • Support for point 1
  • Point number 2
    • Support for point 2
    • Support for point 2
    • Support for point 2
  • Point number 3
    • Support for point 3
    • Support for point 3
    • Support for point 3
  • Point number 4
    • Support for point 4
    • Support for point 4
    • Support for point 4
• Conclusion

Remember:

• The number of points and the amount of support you have will vary between papers. The above is only an example; feel free to adapt it to your individual needs.
• Sometimes you may want to add even more sub-levels to your outline. In traditional outlining, sub-levels under 1, 2, 3 are a, b, c, and sub-levels under a, b, c are i, ii, iii.
• If you would like to use Roman numerals when outlining but need a guide, take a look at: http://literacy.kent.edu/Minigrants/Cinci/romanchart.htm.
• Consider how many ideas you have to support each idea. In order to have I, there must also be II, and in order to have an A, there must also be a B. In other words, at every level, it is not generally enough to make one small point; most main ideas and main points need more than one leg to stand on. If you find that you have a point with only one supporting item and it seems weak or empty, consider reorganizing your points and ideas so they are better supported. (That is better than rambling on about that singular, puny point.)