Newswise — Students returning to school after summer break may need a refresher in writing clear and well-organized papers, say Purdue University writing experts.
"Writing can be intimidating for some students, and it's important they keep working on their skills so they don't fall behind," says Linda Bergmann, an associate professor of English and director of Purdue's Writing Lab. "Language may seem like just a course in school, but students will realize how important these skills are when writing e-mails, text messaging friends, applying for their first job, and submitting college and scholarship applications. Most employers consider the ability to communicate effectively to be a necessity for today's work force."
One free resource is Purdue's Online Writing Lab, known as OWL.
"Teachers and parents can access resources for younger students and encourage older students to use the online tools," Bergmann says. "It's never too early or too late to begin mastering rules of grammar and writing."
The online resource, at http://owl.english.purdue.edu/, provides more than 200 printable handouts on editing and revising, Web research, and research papers. These resources provide punctuation and grammar rules, guides to effective organization, tips on the writing process, and how to cope with writer's block. The site also includes style guides for the popular Modern Language Association and American Psychological Association citation formats.
"Teachers will especially find this Web site helpful, whether it's directing students toward good grammar tips or using English as Second Language resources in the classroom," says Tammy Conard-Salvo, Writing Lab associate director. "Teachers also can download the PowerPoint presentations to use as a teaching tool."
The lab also offers a grammar hotline, at (765) 494-3723, staffed by Writing Lab specialists. Questions also can be submitted online from the Web site. Teachers interested in local demonstrations or who have questions about the worksheets or PowerPoint demonstrations can call (765) 494-3723.
The Writing Lab Web site received more than 30 million hits last year.
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