Welcome to the Purdue OWL
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Welcome to the Purdue OWL
If you are having trouble locating a specific resource, please visit the search page or the Site Map.
The Online Writing Lab (OWL) at Purdue University houses writing resources and instructional material, and we provide these as a free service of the Writing Lab at Purdue. Students, members of the community, and users worldwide will find information to assist with many writing projects. Teachers and trainers may use this material for in-class and out-of-class instruction.
For more information about services for the Purdue University community, including one-to-one consultations, ESL conversation groups and workshops, please visit the Writing Lab site.
Mission
The Purdue University Writing Lab and Purdue Online Writing Lab (OWL) assist clients in their development as writers—no matter what their skill level—with on-campus consultations, online participation, and community engagement. The Purdue Writing Lab serves the Purdue, West Lafayette, campus and coordinates with local literacy initiatives. The Purdue OWL offers global support through online reference materials and services.
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- Purdue OWL
-
General Writing
- General Writing Introduction
-
The Writing Process
- The Writing Process Introduction
- Writing Task Resource List: What Do You Need To Write?
- Invention: Starting the Writing Process
- Prewriting (Invention)
- Writer's Block
- Stasis Theory
- Creating a Thesis Statement, Thesis Statement Tips
- Developing an Outline
- Reverse Outlining
- Proofreading
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Academic Writing
- Academic Writing Introduction
- The Rhetorical Situation
- Establishing Arguments
- Logic in Argumentative Writing
- Paragraphs and Paragraphing
- Essay Writing
- Conciseness
- Paramedic Method
- Reverse Paramedic Method
- Adding Emphasis
- Sentence Variety
- Using Appropriate Language
- Active and Passive Voice
- Email Etiquette
- Email Etiquette for Students
- Using Foreign Languages in Academic Writing in English
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Common Writing Assignments
- Common Writing Assignments Introduction
- Understanding Writing Assignments
- Argument Papers
- Research Papers
- Exploratory Papers
- Annotated Bibliographies
- Book Reports
- Definitions
- Essays for Exams
- Book Reviews
- Academic Proposals
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Mechanics
- Mechanics Introduction
- Higher, Lower Order Concerns
- Sentence Clarity
- Parts of Speech Overview
- Sentence Clarity Presentation
- Sentence Fragments
- Transitions and Transitional Devices
- Dangling Modifiers and How To Correct Them
- Parallel Structure
- Two-Part (Phrasal) Verbs (Idioms)
- Capitals: Help with Capitals
- Gerunds, Participles, and Infinitives
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Grammar
- Grammar Introduction
- Spelling: Common Words that Sound Alike
- Numbers: Writing Numbers
- Adjective or Adverb
- How to Use Adjectives and Adverbs
- Appositives
- Articles: A versus An
- How to Use Articles (a/an/the)
- Prepositions
- Pronouns
- Relative Pronouns
- Count and Noncount Nouns
- Subject/Verb Agreement
- Verb Tenses
- Active Verb Tenses
- Irregular Verbs
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Punctuation
- Punctuation Introduction
- Punctuation
- Sentence Punctuation Patterns
- Independent and Dependent Clauses
- Conquering the Comma Presentation
- Commas
- Apostrophe Introduction
- Hyphen Use
- Quotation Marks
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Visual Rhetoric
- Visual Rhetoric Introduction
- Visual Rhetoric
- Analyzing Visual Documents
- Using Fonts with Purpose
- Color Theory Presentation
- Designing Effective PowerPoint Presentations
- Data Visualization
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Undergraduate Applications
- Undergraduate Applications Introduction
- Advice from Undergraduate Admissions Officers
- Undergraduate Application Timeline and Additional Resources
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Graduate School Applications
- Graduate School Applications Introduction
- Overview
- Researching Programs
- Statements of Purpose
- Requesting Recommendation Letters
- Writing a Research Statement
- Personal Correspondence
- Community Engaged Writing
- Media File Index
- General Writing FAQs
- Writing Center Directory
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Research and Citation
- Research and Citation Resources
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Conducting Research
- Conducting Research Introduction
- Research Overview
- Conducting Primary Research
- Evaluating Sources of Information
- Images
- Internet References
- Archival Research
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Using Research
- Using Research Introduction
- Writing with Statistics
- Strategies for Fair Use
- Quoting, Paraphrasing, and Summarizing
- Paraphrase Exercises
- Avoiding Plagiarism
- Writing Scientific Abstracts Presentation
- Formatting in Sociology (ASA Style)
- Resources for Documenting Sources in the Disciplines
- Citation Style Chart
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APA Style
- APA Style Introduction
- APA Overview and Workshop
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APA Formatting and Style Guide
- General Format
- In-Text Citations: The Basics
- In-Text Citations: Author/Authors
- Footnotes and Endnotes
- Reference List: Basic Rules
- Reference List: Author/Authors
- Reference List: Articles in Periodicals
- Reference List: Books
- Reference List: Other Print Sources
- Reference List: Electronic Sources
- Reference List: Other Non-Print Sources
- Additional Resources
- Types of APA Papers
- APA Stylistics: Avoiding Bias
- APA Stylistics: Basics
- APA Headings and Seriation
- APA PowerPoint Slide Presentation
- APA Sample Paper
- APA Tables and Figures 1
- APA Tables and Figures 2
- APA Abbreviations
- Statistics in APA
- APA Classroom Poster
- APA Changes 6th Edition
- General APA FAQs
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MLA Style
- MLA Style Introduction
- MLA Overview and Workshop
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MLA Formatting and Style Guide
- General Format
- MLA Formatting and Style Guide
- MLA In-Text Citations: The Basics
- MLA Formatting Quotations
- MLA Endnotes and Footnotes
- MLA Works Cited Page: Basic Format
- MLA Works Cited Page: Books
- MLA Works Cited Page: Periodicals
- MLA Works Cited: Electronic Sources
- MLA Works Cited: Other Common Sources
- MLA Additional Resources
- MLA Abbreviations
- MLA Sample Works Cited Page
- MLA Sample Paper
- MLA Tables, Figures, and Examples
- MLA PowerPoint Presentation
- MLA FAQs
- MLA Classroom Poster
- MLA 8th Edition Changes
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Chicago Style
- Chicago Manual of Style 17th Edition
- General Format
- Books
- Periodicals
- Web Sources
- Audiovisual Recordings and Other Multimedia
- Interviews, Personal Communication
- Lectures and Presentations
- Legal, Public and Unpublished Materials
- CMOS Author Date Sample Paper
- CMOS NB Sample Paper
- CMOS NB PowerPoint Presentation
- CMOS Author Date PowerPoint Presentation
- CMOS Author Date Classroom Poster
- CMOS NB Classroom Poster
- AMA Style
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Teacher and Tutor Resources
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Writing Instructors
- Writing Instructors Introduction
- Parents
- Grades 7-12 Instructors and Students
- Non-Purdue Users
- Purdue Instructors and Students
- Adult Basic Education
- Writing Across the Curriculum: An Introduction
- Creative Nonfiction in Writing Courses
- Poetry in Writing Courses
- Teaching Detailed Writing and Procedural Transitions
- Teaching OSDDP: A Guide for Professional Writing Instructors
- Email Etiquette for Professors
- Writing Letters of Recommendation for Students
-
Writing Tutors
- Writing Tutors Introduction
- Purdue Writing Lab Quick Tour
- Meeting One-on-One with Students
- Tutoring a Résumé
- Tutoring Cover Letters
- Tutoring Creative Writing Students
- Tutoring Lab Reports
- Tutoring Grammar
- Tutoring Deaf Clients
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Teaching Resources
- Teaching Resources
- Conducting an Interview Presentation
- Writing Workshops for Graduate Students
- Writing Process Presentation
- Organizing Your Argument Presentation
- Peer Review Presentation
- Visual Rhetoric Slide Presentation
- Writing a Literary Analysis Presentation
- Effective Persuasion Presentation
- Teaching and Assessing Grammar
- Analytical Research Project Presentation
- Conducting an Interview Presentation
- Job Acceptance Letter Presentation
- Invention Presentation
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Preventing Plagiarism
- Preventing Plagiarism Introduction
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Contextualizing Plagiarism
- Contextualizing Plagiarism
- Truth or Consequences
- Handout: Truth or Consequences
- The Big Picture
- Authorship and Popular Plagiarism
- Copyright and Plagiarism
- Handout: Copyright and Plagiarism
- Collaborative Authorship
- Handout: Collaborative Authorship
- Defining Our Terms
- Class Plagiarism Policy
- Comparing Policies
- Handout: Comparing Policies
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Avoiding Plagiarism
- Avoiding Plagiarism
- Summarizing, Paraphrasing, and Quoting
- Peer Summarizing
- Anonymous Paraphrasing
- Paraphrasing from Media
- Handout: Paraphrasing from Media
- Using In-text Citations
- Handout: Using In-text Citations
- Quoting Others
- Handout: Quoting Others
- Summary, Paraphrase, and Quotation in Context
- Handout: Summary, Paraphrase, and Quotation in Context
- Translingual Writing
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Writing in the Engineering Classroom
- Why Include Writing in Engineering Courses?
- Using Bloom’s Taxonomy
- Types of Writing Assignments for Engineering Courses
- Conceptual Writing Prompts
- Explain-a-Problem Writing Prompts
- How Stuff Works Writing Prompts
- Real-World Example Writing Prompts
- Design-a-Problem Writing Prompts
- Open-Ended Design Writing Prompts
- Writing Tips for Students
- Assessment and Feedback of Engineering Writing
- Research Team
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Writing Instructors
-
Subject-Specific Writing
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Professional, Technical Writing
- Professional, Technical Writing Introduction
- Workplace Writers
- Effective Workplace Writing
- Audience Analysis
- Prioritizing Your Concerns for Effective Business Writing
- Parallel Structure
- Activity and Postmortem Reports
- Tone in Business Writing
- HATS: A Design Procedure for Routine Business Documents
- Basic Business Letters
- Accentuating the Positives
- Memos
- Four Point Action Closing
- Grant Writing
- Donation Request Letters
- Technical Reports & Report Abstracts
- White Papers
- Revision in Business Writing
- Business Writing for Administrative and Clerical Staff
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Writing in Literature
- Writing in Literature Introduction
- Literary Terms
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Literary Theory and Schools of Criticism
- Introduction to Literary Theory
- Moral Criticism, Dramatic Construction
- Formalism
- Psychoanalytic Criticism
- Marxist Criticism
- Reader-Response Criticism
- Structuralism and Semiotics
- Postmodern Criticism
- New Historicism, Cultural Studies
- Post-Colonial Criticism
- Feminist Criticism
- Gender Studies and Queer Theory
- Ecocriticism
- Critical Race Theory
- Critical Disability Studies
- Writing About Fiction
- Writing About Literature
- Writing in Literature (Detailed Discussion)
- Writing About Poetry
- Image in Poetry
- Poetry: Close Reading
- Writing about World Literature
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Writing in the Social Sciences
- Writing in the Social Sciences Introduction
- Social Work Literature Review Guidelines
- Writing in Psychology: Experimental Report Writing
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Writing in Engineering
- Writing in Engineering Introduction
- Writing Engineering Reports
- Handbook on Report Formats
- Engineering Projects in Community Service (EPICS)
-
INDOT Workshop Resources for Engineers
- Introduction
- Readability Presentation
- Readability Handout
- Paramedic Method Presentation
- Paramedic Method Handout
- Adjectives Presentation
- Adjectives Handout
- Intra-Paragraph Organization Presentation
- Intra-Paragraph Organization Handout
- Verb Use Presentation
- Verb Use Handout
- Macro Level Cohesion Presentation
- Macro Level Cohesion Handout
- Micro Level Cohesion Presentation
- Micro Level Cohesion Handout
- Concise Language Presentation
- Eliminating Unnecessary Words Handout
- Parallelism Handout
- Document Design Presentation
- Poster Design Handout
- Group Work Presentation
- Group Work Handout
- Writing Proposals Handout
- Annotated Sample Documents
- Mechanical Engineering Writing Enhancement Program
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Creative Writing
- Creative Writing Introduction
- Fiction Writing Basics
- Pattern and Variation in Poetry
- Pattern and Variation: Aural
- Pattern and Variation: Visual
- Characters and Fiction Writing
- Poetry Writing
- Creative Nonfiction
- Professional Resources for Creative Writers
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Healthcare Writing
- Healthcare Writing Introduction
- Medical Journalism
- SOAP Notes
- Patient Education Materials
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Writing as a Veterinary Technician
- Writing as a Veterinary Technician
- Patient Signalment, Client Information
- History, Presenting Chief Complaint
- Current Health Status, History
- Past, Birth, and Referral History
- Patient Assessment
- Technician Evaluation
- Interventions
- Rationale for Interventions
- Continued Patient Reassessment
- Desired Resolutions
- Progress Notes
- Discharge Planning
- Legal Issues of Documentation
- Sample Care Plan Example
- Writing as a Professional Nurse
- Journalism and Journalistic Writing
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Writing in the Purdue SURF Program
- Writing in the Purdue SURF Program Introduction
- SURF Workshop Resources Introduction
- SURF Workshop Resources: Problem Statements
- SURF Workshop Resources: Designing Scientific Research Posters
- Writing in Art History
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Professional, Technical Writing
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Job Search Writing
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Preparing an Application
- Preparing an Application Introduction
- Tailoring Employment Documents For a Specific Audience
- Tips and Terms
- Writing the Personal Statement
- Job Skills Checklist
- Action Verbs to Describe Skills, Jobs, and Accomplishments in Employment Documents
- Example Employment Documents
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Job Search Letters
- Job Search Letters Introduction
- Letters Concerning Employment
- Model Letters for Various Purposes
- Cover Letters 1: Quick Tips
- Cover Letters 2: Preparing to Write a Cover Letter
- Cover Letters 3: Writing Your Cover Letter
- Cover Letters Workshop
- Academic Cover Letters
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Résumés and CVs
- Résumés and CVs Introduction
- Introduction
- Résumé Sections
- Using Two Pages or More
- Scannable Résumés
- Résumé Design
- Scannable Résumés Presentation
- Management Résumés
- Résumé Workshop
- Reference Sheets
- Writing the Curriculum Vitae
- Sample Résumés
- Résumés for Military Veterans
- Video Résumés
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Preparing an Application
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English as a Second Language
- ESL Instructors, Tutors
-
ESL Students
- ESL Students Introduction
- US Higher Education: A Local Introduction
- Tips for Writing in North American Colleges
- Plagiarism and ESL Writers
- Writing for Global Business Audiences: An Introduction
- Writing for an Indian Business Audience
- Writing for a Chinese Business Audience
- Understanding Writing Assignments
- Writing for a North American Business Audience
- Key Concepts for Writing in North American Colleges
- Audience Considerations for ESL Writers
- Combining Sentences
- Nominalizations and Subject Position
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Prepositions
- Prepositions
- Prepositions of Direction—To
- Prepositions of Direction—Onto
- Prepositions of Direction—Into
- Prepositions of Spatial Relationship—A
- Prepositions of Spatial Relationship—B
- Prepositions of Spatial Relationship—F-O
- Prepositions of Spatial Relationship—T-W
- Prepositions of Time, Place, and Introducing Objects
- Pronouns
- Punctuation
- Paraphrasing and Summary
- About the OWL
- Purdue OWL Vidcasts