Writing Tips for Students

Good writing is important for success in college as well as many jobs.  Browse this page for tips and resources on writing, plagiarism, APA style, and sample papers.

What is Plagiarism?

According to Merriam-Webster online dictionary, plagiarism is defined as:

• to steal and pass off (the ideas or words of another) as one's own
• to use (another's production) without crediting the source
• to commit literary theft
• to present as new and original an idea or product derived from an existing source

In other words, plagiarism is an act of fraud. It involves both stealing someone else's work and lying about it afterward.

Plagiarism Resources

• The Sanford School's Academic Honesty Policy: https://thesanfordschool.asu.edu/resources/undergraduate-students/academ...
• ASU Academic Integrity Information: http://provost.asu.edu/academicintegrity
• How do I recognize plagiarism? Learn more about plagiarism and how to avoid it at https://www.indiana.edu/%7Eistd/overview.html
• Test your plagiarism knowledge at https://www.indiana.edu/~istd/plagiarism_test.html
• Recognize different types of plagiarism in writing at http://ww2.valdosta.edu/~cbarnbau/personal/teaching_MISC/plagiarism.html
• How do I avoid plagiarism and learn how to paraphrase? Owl Purdue’s writing lab offers several tips at https://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/619/1/
• How to avoid plagiarism - online guide at http://www.onlinecolleges.net/for-students/avoid-plagiarism/

Writing Tips Resources

• Download a template APA 6 style paper (.doc file)
• View a helpful video on how to format a paper in APA 6 format
• Samples of APA 6 papers:
  • APA 6 style paper (apastyle.org)
  • APA 6 style paper (owl.english.purdue.edu)
  • APA 6 style paper (regent.edu)
• APA Citation and Reference Help
  • Edited APA 6 References (.pdf file): This document shows the common errors in APA 6 formatting, as well as provides instructions on how to use the ruler to create a hanging indent (pg. 2).
  • The Owl at Purdue on APA: http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/560/01/ 
  • Mini APA Reference Guide (.pdf file)
  • Detailed Reference Guide from Northern Michigan University, includes flash tutorials: http://library.nmu.edu/guides/userguides/style_apa.htm
  • Detailed writing, citation, and reference guide from nova.edu: http://www.nova.edu/library/dils/teachinghandouts/apa/APA_6th_ed.pdf
• Official APA Resources:
  • What's new in the 6th edition,Tutorial by the APA: http://flash1r.apa.org/apastyle/whatsnew/index.htm 
  • APA 6 Corrections to the first printing of the manual (.pdf file)
  • Basics of APA Style, Tutorial by the APA: http://flash1r.apa.org/apastyle/basics/index.htm
  • Official APA FAQs: http://www.apastyle.org/learn/faqs/index.aspx

 What makes up a typical APA paper?

• What makes up a typical APA Paper?  http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/670/03/
• Writing an empirical paper (.pdf file)
• What is an abstract? http://www.rpi.edu/web/writingcenter/abstracts.html
• What is a Literature Review? http://writingcenter.unc.edu/handouts/literature-reviews/
• Information synthesis for a literature review (.pdf file)