Writing and Research Resources

Brainstorming Techniques. This page from the SWC Resources at University of Texas offers several different ideas for brainstorming strategies. http://www.utexas.edu/cola/progs/wac/content/assignments/PDF/brain.pdf

Choosing a Subject. This page provides helpful advice about selecting research topics. http://my.powa.org/modules.php?name=Content&pa=showpage&pid=2

How Do You Pick your Own Topic? This page from Purdue’s On-line Writing Lab (OWL) offers advice beginning researchers about selecting an appropriate topic. http://owl.english.purdue.edu/workshops/hypertext/ResearchW/pick.html

How to Find and Develop a Viable Research Topic. This Webpage from the Cornell University Library offers a very useful page for students interested in a variety of approaches to finding a productive research topic. Be sure to explore the link “Suggestions for Finding a Topic” as well. http://www.library.cornell.edu/olinuris/ref/research/topic.html

Inspiration. Download the trial version of Inspiration 7.5 to create webs, graphic brainstorms, and outlines. The trial version is free, and it is fully functional for 30 days. http://www.inspiration.com/home.cfm

Mind-mapping in Eight Easy Steps. This site offers step-by-step visual instructions on using a graphic prewriting technique called Mind-mapping. http://www.thinksmart.com/mission/workout/mindmapping_intro.html

Planning (Invention) This link from the Purdue On-line Writing Lab contains many helpful strategies that can be used to generate topics or start the writing process. http://owl.english.purdue.edu/handouts/general/gl_plan1.html

Prewriting: Clustering. This handout from University of Richmond’s Writing Center offers a very visual description of how to use clustering to generate ideas for a writing assignment. http://writing2.richmond.edu/writing/wweb/cluster.html

Scholarly Arguments: Strategies for Writing Persuasive Proposals in the Humanities. This online pamphlet by Christina Gillis primarily addresses writing proposal for an NEH grant, but also contains many useful hints for any proposal writers. http://townsendcenter.berkeley.edu/pubs/scholarly%20arguments.pdf

Scope. This page from Purdue’s On-line Writing Lab gives advice about narrowing and broadening research topic; in addition, it provides links to other helpful sites. http://owl.english.purdue.edu/workshops/hypertext/ResearchW/refine.html

The Writing Center Guide to Writing an Abstract. Hosted by the George Mason University Writing Center, this page provides a bullet list of tips for writing an effective abstract. http://www.gmu.edu/departments/writingcenter/handouts/abstract.html

Writing the Abstract. This page from the University of Mississippi Writing Center provides an overview of different types of abstracts and strategies for writing them. http://www.olemiss.edu/depts/writing_center/grabstract.html

Writing the Research Proposal. This useful page from the Writing Center at the Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota offers several links that offers explanations and examples of several types of research proposals. http://www2.smumn.edu/deptpages/~tcwritingcenter/Forms_of_Writing/ResearchProposal.htm