A central goal in our research seminar is to help all of us improve our writing skills. I encourage you to share your drafts with a classmate, our teaching assistant, or a writing associate at the Trinity College Writing Center (at 115 Vernon Street or satellite locations at Trinity Library or Nutt Center). You may also schedule an appointment with me to discuss your progress. In addition, these links will direct you to some of the best open-access online guides for college-level expository writing:
University of Chicago, Writing in College: A Short Guide to College Writing, for general advice
Harvard College Writing Program, Developing a Thesis, to clarify your main argument
Harvard College Writing Program, The Harvard Guide to Using Sources, with rich examples in sections on Integrating Sources, Avoiding Plagiarism, and Citing Sources
Trinity College Library, CiteSource: How to cite sources
Diana Hacker and Barbara Fister, Research and Documentation Online, including sample research papers that illustrate key concepts above
Grammar Girl, Quick and Dirty Tips for Better Writing, with a search box to distinguish between commonly misspelled words, etc.
Amherst College, The Writing Center’s Recommended Online Resources, for links to other sources