Writing Assistance
Whether you are working on a book, an article, or simply a frustrating email, you will never escape the need to write. Making sure your piece is coherent, concise and to the point will always be at the top of any checklist. In this tab you will find helpful guides, templates and online resources for a plethora of writing projects.
If you should need some assistance, feel free to reach out and ask the librarian for help. When the work from home period ends, one on one appointments will resume.
Purdue Writing Lab
"The Online Writing Lab (OWL) at Purdue University houses writing resources and instructional material, and we provide these as a free service of the Writing Lab at Purdue. Students, members of the community, and users worldwide will find information to assist with many writing projects."
Purdue Owl offers full sample papers, guides on all the major citation styles, job search writing, etc...It is an excellent source for any writing endeavor.
English as Second Language Resources
Multi-Language Dictionaries
Oxford Multi-Language Dictionaries- Open-Access Source of the Oxford reference work in other languages.
Science Research Writing - Online handbook from World Scientific Press for Non-Native English speakers
Open-Access Resources
Medical writing for non-native English speakers: burden and opportunity - Rossella Ferrari, Medical Writing (24), 2015.
Health Writer Hub - Diana Ribeiro, 2020.
Medical Writing for Non-Native English Speakers: Help for Usage of Articles - Ranko Škrbić & Rajko Igić, Scripta Medica, 2019;50(1):56-63.
Translations
If you come across an article important to your research, but it is in a language you do not read, a translation might be in order. There is an entire industry dedicated to medical document translation, but it is up to you to decide what service to use. Such services also come with prices, so if this option is absolutely necessary please be aware of your budget.
To note: Patient documents and other HIPPA protected documents are Never to be included for translations.
Stepes Medical Translation Services - Offers dozens of language options, various services and quotes.
Day Translations - HIPPA compliant translation service, quotes available.
Outlines & Drafts
No matter the project, starting with an outline is always a good idea. After brainstorming what the goals are for your paper, arranging those ideas in order will help in the writing process. Generally speaking, the outline will look something like this:
I. Introduction
a. Problem is stated
b. Thesis is presented
c. Closing statment blends into next paragraph
II. First Idea (Broad idea)
a. Point #1
b. Evidence
c. Point #2
d. Evidence
III. Second Idea (Narrow idea)
a. Point #3
b. Evidence
c. Point #4
d. Evidence
IV. Conclusion
a. Mirrors the Intro but closes out the paper
b. Leaves open ending, express your continuing research & future progress
While there is no official format in a particular paper style for a draft, there are a few rules of thumb to writing one.
- Drafts are more easily read and edited when double-spaced.
- Always include page numbers.
- Leaving notes in the draft is perfectly alright, especially if you have another pair of eyes helping with edits.
Articles & Videos about Writing for Publication
Dictionary & Thesaurus
Finding just the right word, for any writing project, can be a hassle. Or, perhaps you are not sure the correct definition of a word you came across in another article. The links below are always useful to have up when you're working at the keyboard.
Merriam Webster - the best known dictionary in print
Thesaurus - for when you need to describe something just right
Open-Source Bibliographic Organizers
Zotero is a free reference management software to organize bibliographic data & similar research
Mendeley is a free reference management and research network that allows annotation of citation of sources as you write.
Docear is a free management software to organizing tool that utilizes 'mind maps' as a means of illustrating connections in literature