21 Chapters of Links about College Writing,
Grammar, Punctuation, and Research; and Links to
Full-text Literature, Arguments, and 100s of
Sample
Papers
Home Page: Terms, Types of Papers,
the Study of Literature, and Links to Literary Classics
Chapter 1: INTRODUCTION
About This Web Site
WELCOME
Welcome to the
Online Grammar Handbook, a useful online directory for writing,
speaking, researching, and literary reading! The Online Grammar
Handbook is similar to printed grammar books typically used for college,
university, and professional writing in the United States. However,
instead of having one or two authors, the Handbook actually has hundreds:
it is a web directory--a web site that directs you to other web sites. The
Online Grammar Handbook gives you access to college, university,
textbook, and public web sites throughout the country that offer help with
grammar, spelling, punctuation, and the process of writing and research.
TheHandbook also presents links to fully online writing books,
sample papers by students, argumentative readings, and full-text literary
classics.
SELECTION OF LINKS
Four guidelines are used in selecting these sites. First, the sites must
be appropriate for college and university undergraduates and graduates and for
college-educated professionals. Second, the sites should be as
comprehensive as possible, even while offering specific advice. Third, the
sites should be easily usable. Fourth, the sites preferably should offer
help at several levels, from beginning to advanced. New sites are added
from time to time, and old sites are checked every four to six years to see if
they still exist. If you would like to report a broken link or suggest a
new site, please contact the editor.
HISTORY OF THE
HANDBOOK
The Handbook originally began as a two-year, 1999-2001 project
funded at the University of Minnesota by the College of Liberal Arts Computer
and Technology Committee. The grant was provided to create a large
Composition Program web site, part of which was this Handbook.
The Handbook was created in 2000 and first appeared on the Web in
January 2001. At that time, the Handbook then became the
University of Minnesota's primary online grammar source, hence its full name, "University
of Minnesota Online Grammar Handbook." In 2005, the Composition
Program was combined with writing programs in two other units and with two
formerly separate departments to become part of a new department, Writing
Studies. A committee in this new department then chose to develop a newer,
much smaller web site for its composition program. However, the
Handbook still remains on the University of Minnesota computer server in
the editor's personal alumnus section, and it is updated every four to six years
in order to continue serving the many thousands of users who continue to
discover and return to it each year.
THE EDITOR
The editor, Richard Jewell, is a writing
specialist with tenure in English at Inver Hills Community College in the Twin
Cities (Minneapolis-St. Paul) metropolitan area, where he also is lead
coordinator of the college's local chapter of the Phi Theta Kappa International
Honor Society. At a state level, Richard is the founder and a
co-coordinator of the Minnesota Colleges and Universities English and Writing ("MnCUEW")
Annual Conference, website (www.mncuew.org),
and listserv. Before joining the Inver Hills faculty, he was a composition
specialist for the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities and taught writing and
other courses at public and private colleges and at St. Cloud State University.
In addition, he has trained elementary, secondary, and college teachers in how
to teach writing, most recently for MnSCU (the Minnesota State Colleges and
Universities). He has taught writing for twenty-eight years and still
enjoys it immensely.
His articles and stories have been published over one hundred times in popular
magazines, and he has had a dozen juried and non-juried essays accepted for
academic publication. One of these, coauthored with Chris Anson, is the
lead essay in
Moving a Mountain, a co-winner of the 2003 NCTE (National Council of
Teachers of English) "CCCC Outstanding Book Award." Richard also is the
author of two full-text Web books,
www.WritingforCollege.org
and Experiencing the Humanities,
and of the web directories
Links to the Humanities,
Sierra Leone Resources,
CollegeLit.org, and College
Learning. In addition, Richard has offered several dozen
presentations at state, regional, and national academic conferences. His
curriculum vita/resume is at
www.RichardJewell.net.
USE OF THE
ONLINE GRAMMAR HANDBOOK
Using the Handbook is simple. You may go to the beginning of
the Handbook--tothe "Short Table
of Contents"--and click on a chapter there; or you may go to the "Long
Table of Contents," read the descriptions there of each section and chapter,
and then click on your choice. Some links lead directly to lessons or
readings; others, to lists of other quality sites. If you have any questions,
please
contact the editor.
MediaBistro: Long college-level
lectures by well-known writers Ray Bradbury, Clive Cussler, Maxine Hong
Kingston, Booker Prizewinner Penelope Lively, and Pulitzer Prizewinner
David McCullough
WatchKnowLearn: Variety of educational
videos for all ages
Web Reference books: see "18. Online
Research Resources: Encyclopedias, Dictionaries, Literary Texts, and Expository
Readings."
Chapter 12:
SAMPLES OF GENERAL
COLLEGE
PAPERS &METHODS OF WRITING THEM Dozens of Types of Papers Explained
General Sites:
Writing for College:Dozens of Samples and
Examples of a Wide Variety of Paper Types
Capital College's Directions and Samples for Simple Papers
under "Patterns of Composition":
Personal Essay, Narrative or Descriptive, Describing a Process,
Comparison/Contrast, Classification/Analysis, Definition,
Evaluation/Review, Cause and Effect, Argumentative Essay,
Writing about Literature, MLA or APA Research Paper
(4-12)
Cornell College's
Brief, Simple Guides to Writing in Courses: Art History,
Classics, Economics & Business, Elementary Education, Geology,
German, International RElations, Music Psychology, Science,
Spanish, Women's Studies
Chapter 14:
ONLINE GRAMMAR ASSISTANCE FROM A TUTOR
& GENERAL WRITING CENTERS
Locations for Online Tutors, Free or for a Fee
The following sites offer real help from real individuals, though each requires
a turn-around time, usually of a few days. Many of these sites are
primarily for students at their own schools.
Colorado State U (will take
some non-CSU students if the tutors have time)
General
lists of online writing centers (for students at specific schools): Purdue and Bedford/St.
Martin's
EduNet's
"Grammar Guru."
(Go to the bottom of the Web page.) Anyone may ask a question about grammar
and get an email reply.
Section E.--Three Chapters (Click on the chapter names or scroll down.)
ONLINE RESEARCH and BIBLIOGRAPHIES
Researching, MLA, APA, CBE, AP,
and Other Styles and Resources
Section
F.--Three Chapters (Click on the chapter names or scroll down.)
WRITING FOR
MAJOR & PROFESSION
Writing in Majors, Disciplines, & Professions; Graphic Design;
and Applying for Work
Chapter 21:
APPLYING FOR JOBS, COLLEGE, OR GRADUATE SCHOOL Resumes, Application and Cover Letters, Personal
Statements, etc.
The following sites provide written guidelines to help you develop
your resume, write a cover letter, create a personal statement for graduate school, and
the like.