Writing Resources

Grammar and Mechanics

Grammar and mechanics are vital to a writer.  Good grammar and mechanics should be part of your tool box as you write an essay or edit/proofread your work.  Here are some links to Purdue University’s OWL grammar sites:

• Subject Verb Agreement
• Verb Tense Shift
• Active/Passive Voice
• Run-ons, Comma Splices, and Fused Sentences
• Sentences Fragments
• Dangling Modifiers
• Commas
• Semi-Colons

Modern Language Association (MLA)

Most are familiar with MLA style as the preferred paging and documentation guide for English essays.  It is quite common that professors require students to apply MLA style format to essays.  As a Freshman Composition student, it is important that you become familiar with paging and documentation guidelines.  Paging guidelines refer to the visual element of your essay or how information is arranged on the page.  Meanwhile, the documentation element of MLA style refers to citing sources clearly and accurately. Documentation guidelines are especially important when writing research essays.  You can think of MLA style guidelines as your protection against plagiarism, as citation errors can easily be cause for failure. As a precaution, students should always consult with an MLA style guide. Here are some videos from the Purdue Online Writing Lab (OWL) that may provide some insight into paging and documentation guideline videos :

• Page Setup (General)
• Works Cited Page Setup
• Citation Entry (Works Cited)
• In-Text Citations