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Your Learning Commons: Writing & Speech

Reading and Writing Resources

Steps in the Writing Process

How to Organize a Compare and Contrast Essay
From NROC. Explains subject-by-subject vs. point-by-point comparison.

Classic Outline for Researched Argument
Valencia College
3 Sample Outlines from Student Papers
Austin Community College
Outlining from a Working Thesis Statement
Three parts of a thesis and creating an outline from there.
UNT Dallas Learning Center
Outlining
Purdue OWL
Outlining
Video from UNC

Argument Slideshow Version

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Logical Fallacies
Fallacies that weaken your argument.
Evidence
Accessible version--Includes when to quote, paraphrase, and summarize
Rhetorical Appeals and Techniques Graphic Organizer

How to Create an Opening Paragraph
Explains how an essay's opening paragraph narrows down from beginning to end in the shape of a funnel.

Introductions
Accessible Version with Example
Writing Introduction and Context Paragraphs
For a researched argument essay.
Writing a Great Hook
How to write a hook for various types of essays.
The College Essay: Thesis
How to write a college thesis statement.

Thesis Statements
Definition and examples of a thesis statement.
Developing a Thesis Statement
Quick Reference Guide
Thesis and Introductions
Step-by-step for writing a thesis for various types of papers with examples.
Structure of an introduction.

How to Write a Thesis Statement
Indiana University Bloomington

Thesis Statement Examples
Examples for various types of essays
Analytical Thesis Statement Pattern
For literary or film analysis essays.
Comparison Contrast Thesis Statement Template
Checklist: Intro-Body-Conclusion

Outlining from a Working Thesis
UNT Dallas Learning Commons
Three parts of a thesis and creating an outline from there

Body Paragraph Stucture

Paragraph Development
Accessible Version
Section 1: Thesis and Paragraph Development
Section 2: Qualities of a Good Paragraph
Section 3: 5-step Process for Paragraphs
Section 4: Troubleshooting Paragraphs
Creating Flow in College Writing
Clarity, Cohesion, Concision
Transitions
Transitions
Quick Reference Guide
Summarizing
Integrating Sources
How to incorporate sources by summary, paraphrase, quotation.
Integrating Sources
The Sandwich Method
Signal Phrases
Accessible Version

Signal Phrases
Purdue OWL on Signal Phrases
How to introduce sources in MLA and APA format.

Signal Phrases
Quick Reference Guide

Counterargument/Refutation
Harvard Writing Center

Counterargument/Refutation
Quick Reference Guide
Sample Counterargument/Refutation

Conclusion Paragraphs
Accessible
The Parts of a Conclusion with Examples
Conclusions
Quick Reference Guide
Conclusions
Quick Reference Guide
Accessible Version

Narrative Endings

Write without fear, edit without mercy

The Parts of an Essay

Academic Titles
This document was created by Deborah Moore and used with permission (September 2020).
The Parts of an Essay
Includes a checklist for Introduction, Body, and Conclusion.
Shows how PIE fits in with the entire essay.
Paragraphs
The parts of a paragraph. Types of paragraphs. How to organize sentences within a paragraph.
PIE Paragraph Structure (body paragraphs)
A detailed analysis of the PIE structure.
Includes examples.

PIE Video
University of Arizona Writing Center

Practice Using PIE

Understanding College Level Writing

Wonder why writing always feels so difficult? Watch this!

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College Writing eBook Version

College Writing
Accessible Version
Step-by-step for writing a collegiate introduction, thesis, body, and conclusions, with examples.
The College Essay: Beyond the Five-Paragraph Essay
Discusses the function of collegiate essay paragraphs.
Basic Essay Structure
This is a graphic showing the parts of an essay and how they function together.
Understanding Assignments
Accessible Version

Decoding Assignments
Mt. San Antonio College Writing Center

Writing Anxiety
Accessible Version
Group Writing
Accessible Version

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