Buley Library

All students should be familiar with the library databases pertinent to their discipline, and comfortable asking the librarians for help finding the appropriate databases and books, and accessing that content. Learn more about the librarians at Southern. 

Buley Library also has a guide for citation in APA, MLA, and other styles: Buley Library Citations and References

Useful Guides for Improving Writing

Stephen Bailey, Academic Writing: A Handbook for International Students
William Brohaugh, Write Tight: Say Exactly What You Mean with Precision and Power
Benjamin Dreyer, Dreyer’s English: An Utterly Correct Guide to Clarity and Style
Carol S. Dweck, Mindset: The New Psychology of Success
Mignon Fogarty, Grammar Girl’s Quick and Dirty Tips for Better Writing
Jeff Goins, You Are a Writer
Ann Handley, Everybody Writes: Your Go-To Guide to Creating Ridiculously Good Content
Steven King, On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft
Steven Pinker, The Sense of Style: The Thinking Person’s Guide to Writing in the 21st Century
Gary Provost, 100 Ways to Improve Your Writing
Sol Stein, Stein on Writing
John Swales and Christine Feak, English in Today’s Research World: A Writing Guide
Helen Sword, Stylish Academic Writing
Laura Vanderkam, What the Most Successful People Do

Online Resources

APA Style Central Database
The Writing Center supports the following resource that is writing-skill specific. This all-in-one database will help you develop your question, find resources, organize your materials and ideas, draft, and revise your papers. This is your go-to resource to learn how to become an effective academic writer.

Grammar Girl
Moyen Fogarty, better known as Grammar Girl, has seven books and a weekly podcast with another 700 episodes. Anything you want to know about grammar -- she has the answer.

GrammarCheck
This is a simple grammar checker (with explanations of what's not great and why).

The Purdue OWL (Online Writing Lab)
This website includes guides for citation (APA, MLA, Chicago, and AMA), as well as tips for more general writing.

The Punctuation Guide
If you’re confused about your punctuation, this is a great place to start.

Writing Clarity Calculator
This online tool helps improve your writing by suggesting clearer more concise versions of what you want to say.

Understanding Plagiarism

If you are stressed about your work -- don’t panic and don’t plagiarize! Southern has resources to help. For instance, you can talk to your adviser or department chair, or the dean of student affairs. This is a good option if your problems are academically related.

Learn more about SCSU’s policy towards plagiarism and how to spot it -- read the university's Academic Misconduct Policy.  

SCSU’s Journalism Department Policy on Plagiarism

SCSU’s History Department Policy on Plagiarism

Struggling?

You can make an appointment with the Center for Academic Success and Accessibility Services if you think your struggles may be related to a diagnosed or undiagnosed disability.

You can also make an appointment with the University Counseling Services.