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• and want help with online sources.
• and want help with citations and documentation.
• and want help with introducing quoted and paraphrased material.
• and have questions about quotations and paraphrases.
• and want to avoid plagiarism.
• and want help with researching techniques.
• and want help organizing it.

Revision

• I want to improve the way my writing sounds. My writing doesn't flow. It's choppy.
• I'm having problems getting started.
• I have difficulty organizing my writing.
• I want to work on developing my writing.
• I have problems with particular parts of a paper -- introductions, thesis statements, conclusions.
• I need more information about particular types of writing:

• writing for school
• writing in a business or technical setting
• writing to get a job

GRAMMAR

• I'm never sure about where commas go.
• I'm having problems with sentence fragments.
• I'm confused by semicolons and colons.
• I want to know more about grammar and the parts of a sentence.
• My native language is not English.
• I'm not sure what some of the abbreviations and symbols mean that my teacher wrote on my paper.
• I'm not sure what some of the terms mean that my teacher wrote on my paper.
• I'm never sure how to revise or catch errors in my writing.
• I'd like some ideas for making my writing nonsexist.

I'm writing a research paper and want help with online resources.

• I need help evaluating the validity of Web documents.
• I'd like to know more about how to read Web addresses (URLs).
• I need help with writing citations for online sources.

Citing and using sources

I'm writing a research paper and want help with citing and using sources.

• I need to know more about the basics of citing sources.

I have questions about when I should cite my sources.

I need to know what plagiarism is and how I can avoid it.

• I need details about APA Style.

I'm specifically interested in APA in-text citations.

I'm specifically interested in an APA References page.

• I need details about MLA Style.

I'm specifically interested in MLA in-text citations.

I'm specifically interested in an MLA Works Cited page.

• I need help with writing citations for online sources.
• I need to know more about using sources.

I have questions about using quotations and punctuating quotations.

I have questions about paraphrasing sources.

I need help with introducing and integrating source material into my papers.

I need help with an annotated bibliography.

Structure and usage:

I want to improve the way my writing sounds.

• My writing doesn't flow. It's choppy.

• My writing doesn't flow. It lacks parallelism.

• All of my sentences sound the same. It would be helpful if I knew more about how phrases function so that I could vary my sentence structure.

• Somebody said I should work on my transitions.

• My writing sounds awkward.

• I don't always put my modifiers where they should go, and sometimes teachers say they're not sure what my sentences mean.

• I'm not sure my writing says what I want it to say.

• My writing is wordy.

• I want better vocabulary.

• It sounds like I'm talking, not writing.

• Certain words are confusing:

  a lot

  few and less

  who and whom

Considerations getting started:

I'm having problems getting started.

• I'm not sure how to write the kind of paper my teacher assigned.
• I'd like to see some guidelines on time management and steps for writing a paper.
• I'm overwhelmed and don't know where to begin working on my paper.
• I need some new strategies for generating ideas.
• I would like strategies for starting particular types of papers.
• How do I get started writing a book or film review?

I have difficulty organizing my writing.

• I'd like some tips about organizing my thoughts before I start writing.
• My teacher wants a five-paragraph essay.

Developing ideas

I'd like some tips for developing my ideas.

• I'd like to work on sensory details.

Parts of a paper

I have problems with particular parts of a paper -- introductions, thesis statements, conclusions.

• I'd like some help with introductions.
• I'd like some help with thesis statements.
• I'd like some help with conclusions.

Formats: academic writing

I need more information about writing for school:

• an analysis
• an abstract
• an annotated bibliography
• an argument or persuasive paper: logical appeals
• a book or a film review
• a comparison/contrast paper
• a cause-and-effect paper
• a description
• a definition
• a narrative
• a process description
• a reaction paper
• a summary

I need more information about writing in a business or technical setting.

• a business letter or memo
• a business or technical report
• an abstract

Getting a job

I need more information about writing to get a job.

• researching my own interests and talents

• researching companies
• resume
• cover letters
• follow-up, thank-you, and other kinds of letters

Commas

I'm never sure about where commas go.

• I use too many commas.
• I use too few commas.
• I use a comma wherever I would pause in speaking.
• I'd like to see an overview of comma rules.
• My teacher says I use "comma splices," "fused sentences," or "run-ons."

Grammar and the rules

I want to know more about grammar and the rules.

• I need to know about nouns, verbs, and stuff like that.
• I'm not sure when to use apostrophes.
• All of my sentences sound the same. Too short. I need to know how to make them longer.
• How can I tell when I have written a sentence, not a fragment?

• My teacher says I use "sentence fragments."
• I'd like help finding the subjects and verbs of my sentences.
• How can I check my papers for subject/verb agreement?
• My teacher says I need to work on noun/pronoun agreement.
• I'm not sure what pronouns to use with anybody, somebody, each, everybody, and so on.
• I'd like an overview of verb tenses.
• I'd like to know more about how phrases function in sentences.
• I'd like to know the difference between active and passive verbs.
• My teacher says I need to work on "parallelism."
• I'm never sure whether to use a numeral or spell out a number.

Second language English help:

My native language is not English.

• I'd like help finding the subjects and verbs of my sentences.
• I need help finding errors in subject/verb agreement.
• I'm not always sure which pronouns to use in my writing or which pronouns go with which nouns.
• I'd like an overview of verb tenses in English -- simple, progressive, perfect, and perfect progressive forms.
• I'm never sure when to use an article -- a, an, the--or what article to use.
• I need to know more about the difference between count and noncount nouns.
• All of my sentences sound the same.
• I'd like to know more about where to place modifiers in sentences so my word order is correct.
• I'm concerned about sentence structure and need to know more about where to place phrases in sentences.
• I confuse certain words in English:

a lot

few, a few, a few of, few of the

few and less

much and many

no or not

who or whom

• Negatives in English are difficult.

Revision and editing practices

I'm never sure how to revise or catch errors in my writing.

• I need some general "tricks of the trade" for catching errors in my writing.
• I'd like specific strategies for finding particular types of errors.
• I'd like specific strategies for using computers to edit.

LEO provides online handouts about a variety of writing topics. LEO is affiliated with the Write Place (the writing center at St. Cloud State University) A version has been adapted and integrated into the C3 Let's write site.

This page provides information that can help with problems or questions about your writing.

  An alphabetical list of the information is also available at the Catalogue .

Click on the phrase below that most nearly describes what's bothering you about your writing.

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