View a PowerPoint presentation on the purpose of scholarly writing, and links to resources that can help you with all the basics: grammar, punctuation, composition, word usage, and critical thinking. ( For use outside of the Walden community, please contact the Director of Writing Services for permission to download or print.) These are from the current Web site
(PowerPoint)
Writing Tutorial for Teachers and Students
One of the best resources on the Web that we’ve found was created by a Walden faculty member, Dr. Leslie Bowman. Her “Writing Tutorial for Teachers and Students in Middle & High School Through College & Grad School” is a lesson-by-lesson independent study tutorial that takes you through the entire writing process from start to finish. We highly recommend it no matter what level your writing.
Leslie Bowman’s Tutorial
The Writing Process
You can find some excellent advice on understanding the writing process from Colorado State University’s self-described online textbooks. Don’t be scared off: Each “chapter” is easy to navigate, broken into manageable sections, and written in an approachable manner.
CSU’s Writing Process
Reading and Writing Strategies from the University of Minnesota’s Center for Writing
Be patient with a slow download, but once you see this .pdf file, we think you’ll agree it’s a treasure for improving your ability to read texts and write about them in your paper.
Reading and Writing Strategies
Academic Reading and Critical Thinking
The links on these pages are excellent. Several take you to sites within Empire’s own writing center; other are external. We especially recommend the critical reading exercises linked from here.
Empire State College Writing Resource Center
Harvard University’s Online Handouts on Reading and Writing
Even if you’re not an Ivy Leaguer, we think these handouts will be useful to you.
Guidelines for Analyzing Research
A useful site from Nova University for learning how to analyze research articles.
Analyzing Research
Writing an Effective Personal Development Plan (PDP)
Well, almost. These handouts describe the cousin of the PDP, the personal goal statement.
UW Personal Goal Statements link to
Purdue U. Personal Goal Statement handout
Writing Guides from George Mason University
These specialized guides provide advice for composing papers within the field.
Psychology
Public and International Affairs
Nursing
Steven Wilbers' Web Pages
Attention Walden AMDS students: Steven Wilbers, PhD, writes a weekly column called “Writing for Business & Pleasure.” Visit this extensive and helpful site. Find many of his most informative columns here.
Steve Wilbers on Writing
One way to avoid writing your course paper, KAM, or dissertation is to read books about writing. Still, there are many useful reference books to help you with your writing. (And we recommend a weekly dose of fiction as a good way to get your mind off social science.)
Statistical Rules of Thumb
Several Walden students have recommended this book. The publisher advises that “for every practitioner and student without a photographic memory, here is an eminently practical, easy-to-use, concise sourcebook that puts a broad range of topics instantly at your fingertips.”
G. Van Belle. (2002). Statistical Rules of Thumb
Woe Is I: The Grammarphobe’s Guide to Better English in Plain English
Jeff Zuckerman assigns this well-organized, informative, and light-hearted grammar text to his editing students.
O’Conner, P. (2004).
Woe Is I
Writing for Social Scientists: How to Start and Finish Your Thesis, Book, or Article
This classic by Howard Becker suggests you break all the rules of academic writing. The author contends that your work should be interesting, honest, written in plain English in an active voice, and meaningful.
Becker, H. (1987). Writing for social scientists
Practical Research: Planning and Design (7th ed. or 8th ed.)
The publisher touts several new features in each edition. Check the Web for a used copy of the 7th edition, which was excellent. The full citation follows. Leedy, P. D., & Ormrod, J. E. (2005). Practical research: Planning and design (8th ed.). Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall.
Help with Your KAMs
Help with Course Papers
