Resources to Help You Do Your Best Work
NOTE: We are working to update the resources on this page; we apologize for any inconvenience caused by missing or broken links during this process.
Citing Sources / Documentation Formats
Criss Library Citation Styles Guide
APA (American Psychological Association)
NOTE: APA has released a 7th edition; before you use resources, check with your instructor, advisor, course, program, or department about whether to follow the 6th or 7th edition.
APA 7th Edition (published 2019)- APA 7th Edition - Notable Changes- this page from Scribbr writer Raimo Streefkerk addresses changes to citation practices, paper format, and inclusive and bias-free language.
The APA website is free. In addition to the links listed below, helpful pages include Essentials of In-Text Citations, including Paraphrasing and Plagiarism and Self-Plagiarism.
APA Paper Format -- have a question about how your paper should be formatted? Go here.
Sample Title Page for Students
Sample Title Page for Professionals
References Page Quick Guide
11 Common References Examples
Sample Papers - Footnotes and Appendices
- APA Tables and Figures
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APA Formatting and Style Guide
MLA (Modern Language Association)
NOTE: MLA has released the 9th Ed. Ask your instructor what edition of MLA you should follow.
- MLA Formatting and Style Guide (Purdue OWL)
Chicago
- Chicago Formatting and Style Guide
Other Styles
- Turabian Formatting and Style Guide
- ACS (American Chemical Society) Citation Style
- Bluebook Legal Citation Style
- CSE (Council of Science Educators) Citation Style
Dictionaries and Thesauri
- Oxford English Dictionary (requires access from on campus or library log-in)
- Thesaurus.com (Roget's Thesaurus on-line)
- Word Lookup, Thesaurus, & Grammar (Merriam Webster)
- YourDictionary.com (includes thesaurus and foreign language dictionaries)
Editing and Revising
- Revising Drafts (UNC Writing Center)
ESL/ELL
- Articles: A, An, The (Purdue OWL)
- Grammar Practices and More (englishpage.com)
- Grammar Rules & Quizzes (Capital Community College)
Graduate Resources (Thesis/Dissertations)
Grammar
- Grammar Girl Quick and dirty tips for better writing
- Grammar, Punctuation, and Spelling (Purdue OWL)
- Active/Passive Voice (Purdue OWL)
Literature Reviews
Literature reviews are a common feature in academic articles, theses, dissertations, books, etc. Literature reviews identify the relevant academic conversations for a specific project, argument, etc.
- Writing a Literature Review (video) (NCSU)
- Synthesis (from Purdue Owl)
- Write a Literature Review (UCSC)
- Literature Reviews (from Criss Library, UNO)
- Synthesis (from The University of Arizona)
Outlines
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How to Create an Outline (Purdue OWL)
- "Concept Maps" - a resource from UNC describing how to organize/generate ideas for projects
Punctuation
- Apostrophes (Grammar Book)
- Commas (Towson U)
- Hyphens (Purdue OWL)
- Semicolons (The Oatmeal)
Quoting, Paraphrasing, and Avoiding Plagiarism
- Using Sources Guide - this guide helps evaluate sources and discusses the use of AI
- Quotation, Paraphrase, Summary (Adelphi U)
- Avoiding Plagiarism (Northwestern U)
- Plagiarism (Criss Library, UNO)
- Video: Quick Guide To Plagiarism (Cape Fear Community College WC)
- Plagiarism Tutorial "How to Recognize Plagiarism" ( Indiana University, Bloomington)
- Avoiding Plagiarism (Purdue OWL)
Research(Criss Library)
- Ask a Librarian
- KWL Chart - graphic organizer to help organize early thinking about a research idea
- General Research Guide - a guide to library research in all areas
- Research Guides Guides developed for specific courses and departments at UNO (UNO's Criss Library)
- Schedule a Phone or Video Research Consultation via Criss Library
- Research Map - a graphic organizer to help compile and track databases, keywords, and search results
Using Databases
Reference Manager
- Zotero -- a free reference manager that helps writers organize and cite research
Résumé, Cover Letters, and Other Career Resources
- Career Readiness Guide-- Career Services, UNO
- UNO Career Services Resume/Cover letter resources
- CV template from Indeed.com
- Resume samples from Indeed.com
- UW-Madison Writer's Handbook a useful guide for creating cover letters from the University of Wisconsin-Madison's Writing Center.
- Residency/Med School Resources a useful site for students applying for medical residency programs.
Rhetorical Analysis & Reading
- "Annotating Texts" - a resource from UNC on a common, helpful reading strategy
Style
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The Elements of Style (1918), by William Strunk, Jr. (Bartleby.com)
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Analysis of Style Sheet (Excel)
- Academic Phrasebank This website helps you find common academic wording for a wide range of writing scenarios
Summary Writing
- Steps to Writing a Summary (SMCVT)
- Writing a Summary (Columbia)
Thesis Statements
- How to Write a Thesis Statement (Purdue OWL)