Library English Resouces
Reading, Writing and Reasoning: A Concise Library Guide for English 112 and 135
Oftentimes, the only way a person may become familiar with someone is based on how one writes. This may not always be a fair and true indicator of who the writer is, but the content of the work may be all the reader has to rely upon when judging the writer.
A simple grammatical error may be pardoned; but a series of mistakes may give the reader an impression the author is lazy, or indifferent about his or her audience. This is one way writers, no matter how sincere their effort, lose credibility with an audience.
The library tutorial is designed to assist writers in finding ready reference material to ensure what they write is more clearly conveyed to their readers. Clarity is based upon the level of understanding between a writer's ideas and the audience in which it is intended.
The defining moment: The Dictionary and The Thesaurus.
Remember, affluent and effluent sound similar and spelled nearly identical, but they are quite different in meaning. No spell check will discover this error, yet it is a glaring blunder the reader will recognize at the expense of the unfortunate author.
The Common List of Errors presents differences between similar words most often confused by writers and defines what the word really means and how it is properly spelled.
Confusing Words is another site serving the same purpose
Oftentimes, a writer will use the same word more than once in a sentence which tends to bore the reader. The Thesaurus finds terms that are similar or interchangeable, or perhaps even more correct than the one being used in the paper.
A good writer not only uses interchangeable terms spelled correctly, but words chosen based upon their proper definition. Here is where a Dictionary is best utilized. A properly placed word brings home the point better than a long explanation.
Mean what you say and say what you mean: Writing Rules.
Do you know the difference between an Argumentative paper and a Persuasive paper? They somewhat sound alike but their intention and format are different.
The Essays and Citation Style site assists writers in making a distinction between various writing techniques; what each of them must contain to distinguish one style from another, and a check list as to how they should be approached. Resume writing and instruction on how to present a visual exhibition is also included.
It has been said appearances count in a number of areas, from how you present a meal on a dish to clothing. These can be argued, but it is not debatable when presenting a paper. Grammar Rules works to minimize the types of simple mistakes readers appreciate not having to come across in a text. If the reader is taking time to consider your ideas, make it worth your time to present your work to them in suitable form. This is another strategic point where writers gain or lose credibility with their audience.
The Online Writing Lab at Purdue University is another site quite popular with university students. It covers much on how to properly write a paper, but make sure to also view their Research and Citation page.
Giving credit where credit is due: Plagiarism
For those interested in the legal standard which prohibits and prosecutes both plagiarism and self-plagiarism, the library recommends Plagiarism in Colleges in USA. For a more direct question and answer forum on the subject, we will turn your attention to the Georgetown University Honor Council plagiarism page.
Remember, plagiarism is an academic and legal offense which does not wash away easily.
Sometimes, writers plagiarize because there are many ways to collect information both electronically and traditionally. The problem is each format used is cited differently; which can be frustrating and confusing to the writer. This may lead writers to not cite an author if they believe their grade may suffer due to the using the wrong citation style.
It would be easy for the library to warn writers not to plagiarize, but that means nothing if there is no solution. There are a number of ways to seek assistance in citing works, here is one: The Citation Machine credits the author based on the formats and writing styles you choose. It is rather simple. Select the citation style, (APA, MLA) click more under the citation style you chose and pick the format you read for the quote (Internet newspaper, blog).
Before you copy and paste the citation, read the directions carefully.
Be sure to ask your professor if you have access to Turnitin, a software program which assists you in evaluating your work for potential plagiarism.
Focus on your topic: Library Databases
Library databases are simple to use and relevant to your research project. The articles also do not bypass editorial and publishing controls; this important distinction is not always guaranteed through normal internet browsing. Further, Wikipedia articles are not considered a reputable site for college research. The founder of the Wikipedia agrees.
You may go to all library databases by clicking on http://www.hou.devry.edu/campus_library.html.
Here are the databases more aligned with research for your paper.
The online Library Catalog is available to search for books and audio-visual material owned by the Houston campus library as well as holdings of all the DeVry libraries.
Opposing Viewpoints allows the reader to gain insight on more than one side of a topical issue; allowing a deeper and broader understanding of subject matters beyond one's opinion. Ask your instructor or the library for the password.
EBSCOhost provides full text of newspaper and journal articles from many fields and disciplines. Password: Your D#
netLibrary accesses thousands of electronic books available on a wide variety of topics. Password: Your D#
Any further research questions may be directed to your instructor or the library. Or, you may chat online in real time with DeVry Librarians! Our librarians will answer your questions regarding general topic assistance, research databases and print and electronic sources. http://librarydb.devry.edu/ask.html
Questions? Link Broken? New Resources?
Contact the Library Director: Lloyd Wedes, MLS
713 973 3137
lwedes@devry.edu
Or, chat real time with a librarian: Ask An Online Librarian
