Basic Guides to Write and Cite

College writing is intimidating, but, there are a range of resources that provide excellent guidance on the various stages of the process. We’ve compiled a list of some of our favorites below!

Don’t see what you’re looking for? We have more resources linked on our General Writing Resources page. 

Getting Started 

Do you want help with organizing your thoughts and putting them into words? The University of Toronto’s General Advice on Academic Essay-Writing provides tips and strategies for crafting well-structured and clearly written essays. Click around their website for more guidance on planning, researching, revising, and more!

Do you want help avoiding common writing mistakes? Stanford’s Top 20 Errors in Undergraduate Academic Writing highlights the most common mistakes that students make when writing academic papers. From incorrect citation format to grammatical errors, this resource provides helpful advice for improving your writing and avoiding common pitfalls.

Peer-Editing 

Do you want help providing effective feedback to your peers during the writing process? These Tips for Peer Reviewing provides guidelines and strategies for offering constructive and helpful criticism during peer review sessions. From identifying strengths and weaknesses in a piece of writing to making suggestions for improvement, this resource will equip you with the skills you need to be a successful peer reviewer.

Formatting and Citing

Do you want help with APA, MLA, or Chicago citations? Purdue University’s Research and Citations page provides comprehensive guidance for citing a range of materials (journal articles, websites, videos, etc.) in your footnotes, endnotes, and bibliography. (PS: We highly recommend also checking out Purdue’s Online Writing Lab (OWL) for clear and concise explanations of general writing rules and guidelines, as well as examples of how to apply them.)