Welcome to the Purdue OWL

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Remote Teaching Resource Portal

This page houses lists of links to resources that may be of use in remote/online writing courses. Compiled in response to the 2020 coronavirus pandemic, these lists are intended to help K-12 writing teachers who have been forced to rapidly adapt to online instruction. However, experienced online instructors may find these links useful as well.

Note: This page will be updated as the OWL staff becomes aware of additional resources. If you are aware of a suitable resource that isn't listed here, please notify the OWL Coordinator via our Contact page. Though we may not be able to respond to every message individually, we thank you in advance.

Note also: Per the OWL's fair use guidelines, instructors may link to, cite, or quote OWL resourses as they wish so long as they use the material in these resources for non-commercial educational purposes (as well as giving credit). There are slightly more restrictive guideline when reproducing OWL content in the form of, e.g., printed handouts. Consult the fair use page for more information.

OWL Resources

Note that the links below direct you to the home page or landing page in each section. Use the navigation menu (at left if you're using a desktop; below page content if you're using a mobile device) to view the individual pages in each section.

Page Name	Description
OWL Exercises	A wide variety of exercises covering fundamental writing topics like grammar, punctuation, sentence structure, and more.
ESL Instructor Resources ESL Student Resources	Pages designed to help English-as-Second-Language (ESL) teachers and their students tackle common English-language writing tasks.
Creative Writing Resources	Topics related to the writing of fiction, poetry, creative nonfiction, and more.
Writing in Literature Resources	Resources that explain how to analyze fiction and poetry for deep thematic content, in addition to other tasks.
Resources for Grades 7-12 Students and Instructors	Links to a variety of OWL pages pertaining specifically to writing concerns common in middle school and high school writing courses. Some pages overlap with other items this list.
APA 7th Edition Overview and Workshop	The introduction to the OWL's popular guide to the latest edition of APA Style.
MLA 8th Edition Overview and Workshop	The introduction to the OWL's popular guide to the latest edition of MLA Style.
Research Overview Resources	Resources offering a brief but comprehensive guide to the research skills that are essential to nonfiction writing.
Academic Writing Resources	A variety of resources covering issues of style, format, voice, and organization relevant to producing polished academic writing.
Writing Process Resources	A set of pages offering guidance on the practical aspects of writing. Topics include how to find a topic, how to proofread, how to deal with writer's block, and more.
Common Writing Assignment Resources	A wide variety of guides on common writing assignments like research papers, book reports, argumentative essays, and more.
Professional/Technical Writing Resources	Pages covering an assortment of topics relevant to writing in the workplace.

External Resources

Page	Description
NCTE Online Learning Resources	A variety of resources for online writing education offered by the National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE).
NAEP Writing Assessments	Public resources made available by the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP). Sample Writing Questions and may be especially useful for K-12 teachers, as well as writing handouts for grades 8/12.
AP English Language and Composition Classroom Resources	A selection of teaching materials for English/composition courses offered by the College Board.
Eli Review Describe-Evaluate-Suggest Framework for Peer Review	A video outlining an effective strategy for peer review that can be used to offer students guidance during remote peer review activities.
AP English Literature and Composition Classroom Resources	A set of teaching materials for the College Board's AP Literature and Composition class.
National Writing Project Writing Resources	A wide variety of resources for teachers from the National Writing Project, especially useful for K-12 teachers.
ReadWriteThink Writing Resources	A set of pedagogical materials for writing teachers in grades K-12 including activities and guidelines. Not specifically geared for online teaching, but useful in any setting/can be adapted.
CCCC Writing Teaching Resources	A large collection of various resources including syllabi, assignments, and guidance for teaching writing at the college level, not specifically geared toward online teaching but useful for teachers in any setting. Includes also a list of open-source textbooks that may be particularly useful for online writing teachers & students.

Navigation
Purdue OWL
General Writing
- General Writing Introduction
- Writing Style
  - Style
  - Diction
  - Writing in Plain Style
- The Writing Process
  - The Writing Process Introduction
  - Writing Task Resource List: What Do You Need To Write?
  - Invention: Starting the Writing Process
  - Prewriting (Invention)
  - Organization & the CARS Model
  - Writer's Block
    - Symptoms and Cures for Writer's Block
    - More Writer's Block Strategies
  - Stasis Theory
  - Creating a Thesis Statement, Thesis Statement Tips
  - Developing an Outline
  - Reverse Outlining
  - Proofreading
  - Time Management: Conquering Long Assignments
- Academic Writing
  - Academic Writing Introduction
  - The Rhetorical Situation
  - Establishing Arguments
  - Logic in Argumentative Writing
  - Historical Perspectives on Argumentation
  - Paragraphs and Paragraphing
    - On Paragraphs
    - 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
  - Public Speaking and Presentations
  - Learning from Lectures
- Common Writing Assignments
  - Common Writing Assignments Introduction
  - Understanding Writing Assignments
  - Argument Papers
  - Research Papers
  - Research Posters
  - Exploratory Papers
    - Exploratory Papers
    - Organizing an Exploratory Essay
  - Annotated Bibliographies
  - Book Reports
  - Definitions
  - Essays for Exams
  - Book Reviews
- Mechanics
  - Mechanics Introduction
  - Higher, Lower Order Concerns
  - Sentence Clarity
  - Parts of Speech Overview
  - Sentence Clarity Presentation
  - Sentence Fragments
  - Transitions and Transitional Devices
    - Transitions
    - Transitional Devices
  - Dangling Modifiers and How To Correct Them
  - Parallel Structure
  - Two-Part (Phrasal) Verbs (Idioms)
  - Capitals: Help with Capitals
  - Gerunds, Participles, and Infinitives
- Grammar
  - Grammar Introduction
  - Spelling: Common Words that Sound Alike
  - Numbers: Writing Numbers
  - Adjective or Adverb
    - Adjectives and Adverbs
    - Avoiding Common Errors
  - How to Use Adjectives and Adverbs
    - Adjectives with Count and Noncount Nouns
    - Adjective or Adverb?
  - 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
    - Irregular Verbs
    - Commonly Confused Verbs
  - That vs. Which
- Punctuation
  - Punctuation Introduction
  - Punctuation
    - Punctuation Overview
    - Punctuation in Sentences
  - Sentence Punctuation Patterns
  - Independent and Dependent Clauses
    - Independent and Dependent Clauses
    - Run On Sentences
  - Conquering the Comma Presentation
  - Commas
  - Apostrophe Introduction
  - Hyphen Use
  - Quotation Marks
- Visual Rhetoric
  - Visual Rhetoric Introduction
  - Visual Rhetoric
  - Analyzing Visual Documents
  - Using Fonts with Purpose
  - Color Theory Presentation
  - Designing Effective PowerPoint Presentations
  - Data Visualization
- Undergraduate Applications
  - Undergraduate Applications Introduction
  - Advice from Undergraduate Admissions Officers
  - Undergraduate Application Timeline and Additional Resources
- Graduate School Applications
- Personal Correspondence
- Community Engaged Writing
- Media File Index
  - Media File Index
  - Workshops and PowerPoints
  - Sample Papers
  - Sample Employment Documents
  - Purdue OWL Vidcasts
  - Purdue OWL Podcasts
  - Purdue OWL Flash Movies
- General Writing FAQs
Research and Citation
- Research and Citation Resources
- Conducting Research
  - Conducting Research Introduction
  - Research Overview
  - Conducting Primary Research
  - Evaluating Sources of Information
  - Searching Online
  - Internet References
  - Archival Research
  - Writing a Literature Review
- Using Research
  - Using Research Introduction
  - Quoting, Paraphrasing, and Summarizing
  - Paraphrase Exercises
  - Writing with Statistics
  - Strategies for Fair Use
  - Citation Style Chart
  - Writing Scientific Abstracts Presentation
  - Resources for Documenting Sources in the Disciplines
    - Overview
    - Complete Discipline Listing
- APA Style (7th Edition)
- MLA Style
- Chicago Style
- IEEE Style
- AMA Style
- ASA Style
- APA Style (6th Edition)
- Using Citation Generators Responsibly
- Using Paper Checkers Responsibly
- Style Manual Glossary
Avoiding Plagiarism
Teacher and Tutor Resources
- 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
  - Meeting One-on-One with Students
  - Tutoring a Résumé
  - Tutoring Cover Letters
  - Tutoring Creative Writing Students
  - Tutoring Lab Reports
  - Tutoring Grammar
  - Tutoring Deaf Clients
- Teaching Resources
- Preventing Plagiarism
- Translingual Writing
- Writing in the Engineering Classroom
- OWL Presentation Mode
Graduate Writing
- Announcement
- Introduction to Graduate Writing
  - Graduate Writing Overview
  - Writing is a Conversation
- Graduate Writing Topics
  - Editing and Proofreading
  - Organization and Structure
- Graduate Writing Genres
- Thesis & Dissertation
Subject-Specific Writing
- Professional, Technical Writing
  - Professional, Technical Writing Introduction
  - Workplace Writers
  - Effective Workplace Writing
  - Audience Analysis
  - Prioritizing Your Concerns for Effective Business Writing
    - Higher Order Concerns
    - Lower Order Concerns
  - Parallel Structure
  - Activity and Postmortem Reports
  - Tone in Business Writing
  - HATS: A Design Procedure for Routine Business Documents
  - Basic Business Letters
    - The Basic Business Letter
    - Sample Letters
  - Accentuating the Positives
  - Memos
  - Four Point Action Closing
  - Grant Writing
  - Donation Request Letters
  - Technical Reports & Report Abstracts
    - Writing Report Abstracts
    - Reports, Proposals, and Technical Papers
  - White Papers
  - Revision in Business Writing
  - Business Writing for Administrative and Clerical Staff
- Writing in Literature
  - Writing in Literature Introduction
  - Writing About Film
    - Writing About Film: Terminology and Starting Prompts
    - Film Writing: Sample Analysis
  - Literary Terms
    - Literary Terms
  - Literary Theory and Schools of Criticism
  - Writing About Fiction
  - Writing About Literature
  - Writing in Literature (Detailed Discussion)
  - Writing About Poetry