LibGuides: Writing Centre Online Resource Guide: Resources for Online Reviews

Citations

Citation Style Guides from the Dalhousie Libraries

APA

APA Citation (6th edition) Quick Guide from Dal Libraries
APA Citation (7th Edition) Quick Guide from Dal Libraries
APA Style (6th Edition) Blog
The APA style blog is an excellent source of information for some of the more obscure questions you may have about incorporating sources. This blog answers questions about the 6th Edition of the APA guide.
APA Style (7th Edition) Blog
The APA style blog is an excellent source of information for some of the more obscure questions you may have about incorporating sources. This blog answers questions about the 7th Edition of the APA guide.

MLA

MLA Citation Quick Guide
from Dalhousie Libraries
Ask the MLA
Frequently Asked Questions about MLA Citation Style

Chicago

Chicago Manual of Style 16th Edition Quick Guide

Other Citation Styles

ACM Citation Style and Reference Formats
ACM Style Manual
CSE Citation Quick Guide from Dal Libraries
CSE Citation Guide (Name-Year System)
from the Writing Across the Curriculum Clearinghouse at Colorado State University
CSE Libguide from Dalhousie University
IEEE Citation Quick Guide from Dalhousie Libraries

Other Citation-Related Links

Why Are There Different Citation Styles?
An explanation from the Yale University Center for Learning and Teaching
What is a DOI and how do I use them in citations?
A guide from the University of Illinois

Grammar & Punctuation Handouts from the Dalhousie Writing Centre

Here is a list of handouts from the Dalhousie Writing Centre on topics relating to grammar, style, and punctuation. For more resources, including links and exercises, please check out our individual pages on grammar, punctuation and style.

Sentence Structure

Active vs. passive voice
Active and passive voice are different ways of constructing clauses. In active voice, the subject of the clause performs the action. In passive voice, the subject of the clause receives the action. This document contains information on when/where it is appropriate to use active and passive voice in your writing.
Sentence types
This handout defines and explains four types of sentence (simple, compound, complex, and compound-complex) and presents examples of each.
Run-on Sentences
A run-on sentence is a sentence that contains two independent clauses that are not separated by appropriate punctuation. This document contains advice on identifying, avoiding, and correcting this kind of error.
The Comma Splice
A comma splice is a kind of run-on sentence in which two independent clauses are incorrectly joined together by a comma. This document provides more information on how to spot and fix comma splices in your writing.
Avoiding Awkward Phrasing
A handout describing how to deal with wordy, confusing, or convoluted phrases in your writing

Parts of Speech

Articles
Articles are words that come before a noun and indicate whether the noun is specific/non-specific, as well as singular/plural. This document provides information about using articles in your writing along with specific examples.
Verb tense Chart
A verb's tense indicates the point in time when the action takes place. This chart provides examples of English verb tenses and describes the situations in which they are most appropriately used.
Verb Tense Table
A table of verb tenses with examples of each
Subject/Verb Agreement
Nouns can be either singular or plural. A verb must always agree with the subject noun (i.e. a plural form of a noun requires the plural form of the verb).This document contains more information on how to distinguish between singular and plural subjects.
Modal verbs
Modal verbs, including words such as “can”, “could”, “will”, and “would", express likelihood, ability, permission, and obligation. This handout features a guide to using modal verbs in your writing, as well as many examples.
The Gerund-Participle
Gerunds and participles are words derived from verbs which express action but do not function as verbs in a sentence. A gerund is a verb that functions as a noun in the context of a sentence. A participle is a verb which functions as an adjective or adverb. This handout gives an overview of how to use these kinds of words in your writing, as well as examples of common errors.
Prepositions
A preposition is a word that modifies nouns, pronouns, adjectives, or verbs to provide information about time, space, or direction. This document provides more information and specific examples.

Punctuation

Apostrophe Use
This document, by Kala Hirtle of the Dalhousie Writing Centre, provides a guide on how to use an apostrophe correctly, including many examples.
Comma Use
A short guide, with many examples, to the different ways commas are used in academic writing.
Colons and Semicolons
This document from the Dalhousie Writing Centre provides details about colon and semicolon use, along with many examples.

Style

Using Transition Words
Transition words and phrases show the connection between two similar or different ideas and help to create flow. This guide from the Dalhousie Writing Centre discusses different kinds of transition phrase and the circumstances in which they are used.
Writing About Numbers
Learn about the conventions for incorporating numbers into your writing.
Parentheticals
Parentheticals (also known as “interrupters”) are words or phrases that expand on something in a sentence or supply additional, non-essential information. This handout discusses how to use punctuation such as commas, parentheses and dashes to set off parenthetical material from the rest of a sentence.

Organization

Organizational Strategy
Writing Effective Thesis Statements
Writing Effective Paragraphs
A guide to organizing and ordering paragraphs so that they clearly express your ideas and develop your thesis
Reverse Outlining

Other Resources

8 Strategies for Writing Papers
This handout gives a general overview of strategies for writing a successful academic paper at Dalhousie.
Reverse Outlining

Other Dalhousie Services

Dalhousie Libraries: Live Help Chat
Dalhousie Libraries- Subject Liaisons
Dalhousie Student Support Links
Study Skills Workshops
Schedule and links for weekly Study Skills workshops
Study Skills- Personal Coaching

Weekly Wednesday (Synchronous) Workshops

The Writing Centre’s Weekly Wednesday Workshops are a series of synchronous sessions on a variety of important topics in academic writing. The sessions are led by experienced Writing Centre staff members and are held every Wednesday from 2-3 PM until the end of term. The sessions are free to join, and no pre-registration is required.

Schedule of Topics TBA

Drop-In Sessions at the Writing Centre

Synchronous Daily Drop-in Sessions
Have a quick question about structure, grammar, understanding your assignment details, citation or any other writing issue? Have a deadline coming up and want another set of eyes on your draft? The Writing Centre’s Synchronous Daily Drop-in sessions may be just what you need. Held every week day from 1-2PM (Atlantic Time) the Daily Drop-in offers students the opportunity to have a short, synchronous conversation with a Writing Tutor without pre-booking an appointment. Sessions are assigned on a first-come/first-served basis, no appointment necessary!

Academic Integrity Brightspace Classes from the Writing Centre

Academic Integrity Principles Seminar (Brightspace Self-Enrol Link)
This seminar gives a general overview of academic integrity and describes some common AI failures such as data falsification, improper collaboration and plagiarism. It also presents some assignment analysis and time management techniques to help students avoid such failures in the future.
Citing Materials Seminar (Brightspace Self-Enrol Link)
This seminar is focused on citation and avoiding plagiarism. Students learn how to identify and eliminate potential plagiarism in their own writing, the components of proper citation, and techniques for effective paraphrasing.
Academic Integrity Module
The Writing Centre Academic Integrity Module is a scenario-based online learning module designed to support your understanding of the expectations of academic integrity at Dalhousie. These concepts and expectations are explained using straightforward language based on actual cases here at Dalhousie. There is also a quiz that provides you with immediate feedback.

Documents for Tutoring

Tutor Feedback Form
A copy of the tutor feedback form in case it does not come attached to a file submitted for online review.