Helpful Resources for Academic Writers
Having a good command of English is essential if you want to make a positive first impression with your academic writing. In my work as a professional proofreader, the most common errors I see in academic work are spelling mistakes, punctuation errors and inconsistencies in hyphenation, capitalization and style.
In this article, I have compiled a list of key resources which will help you improve your writing and rectify these issues. Many of these resources have been recommended by the CIEP (Chartered Institute of Editing and Proofreading), of which I am a member. You may also wish to use an experienced editor or proofreader to ensure your work is error-free.
Essential Dictionaries:
Every writer needs a good dictionary. Here are my favourites:
Collins English Dictionary (available in print or online).
Merriam-Webster (the standard US dictionary, available online).
Oxford English Dictionary and the Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary (in print or online).
Useful Books and Websites:
English Grammar for Dummies by Lesley J. Ward and Geraldine Woods. This is an enjoyable, fun and accessible read that covers both the basics and the more complex elements of English grammar.
New Oxford Dictionary for Writers and Editors: The Essential A–Z Guide to the Written Word by OUP. You will find this book on the desk of many professional editors as it is invaluable in ensuring accuracy and consistency.
Purdue Online Writing Lab from Purdue University, Indiana. This is a useful free resource created more than 20 years ago for writers at all levels. It is appropriate for US usage, particularly for academic writing.
British Council: Grammar Reference. This website is aimed at learners of English as a second language with clear explanations of grammar terms and usage.
Style Guides:
If you’re writing a paper, dissertation or thesis, you might be required to follow a particular style. A style guide dictates how to format your paper, how your references should appear and many other details. The most frequently used style guides are APA, Harvard, Chicago, MLA and Oxford.
The American Psychological Association (APA) created its Publication Manual, now in its seventh edition, which is the definitive guide to APA style.
Harvard is the most common referencing style used in UK universities. In Harvard style, the author and year are cited in-text, and full details of the source are given in a reference list.
Chicago Manual of Style (CMOS) is the standard US style guide. Here is a useful Chicago Style Q&A, and you can find the Chicago Manual of Style online (with a one-month free trial subscription).
MLA (Modern Language Association) style is most commonly used to cite sources within languages, arts and other humanities disciplines.
Oxford is a citation style that uses footnotes at the bottom of the page rather than in the in-text citation styles used by Harvard and APA. Most versions of Oxford referencing are variations of the footnote and bibliography system set out in the OUP’s New Oxford Style Manual.
I hope you have found these recommendations helpful. I offer affordable and reliable editing and proofreading services to businesses, academics and students. If you’d like to find out more about how A to Z Proofreading can help you, feel free to get in touch.
Helen Phillips, PhD.
Website: www.atozproofreading.co.uk
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