Here are some writing resources to help you.  These are specifically for writing courses – English 101 and 102 – but anyone who needs to write a paper for any class may find these links helpful.  Just click on the link.

The Five Qualities of Good Writing and the Writer’s Process:  The Five Qualities of good writing are Unity, Coherence, Development, Style, and Mechanics.  The Writer’s Process includes Prewriting, Writing (Drafting), and Rewriting (or Revising).  Click on the link for the handout describing each of these in more detail.

UNITY – The Thesis Statement:  Qualities of a good thesis statement  – the most important sentence in your essay – are here.

COHERENCE – Using Transitions:  One element in creating a  coherent and understandable essay is effective use of transitional phrases and techniques.

COHERENCE – Outline Rules:  Another element in creating a coherent , easy-to-follow essay is putting your ideas in a logical order, pictured by your outline.

COHERENCE – Sample Outline:  Here is a sample outline exhibiting the outline rules above.

DEVELOPMENT – Being Specific:  Using specific language and details is perhaps the most important technique in good writing.  Without specificity, your essays says nothing.

STYLE – Avoiding Wordiness: Being concise and avoiding vague, empty, and general language is key to good writing.

RESEARCH – MLA Formatting and Style Guide:  The OWL at Purdue’s MLA formatting and style guide is here.  See the links in the left column for formatting rules and examples.