Writing Resources Guide

Common Types of Assignments

Writing & Speaking Tutorial Services
Individual appointments available for undergraduates working on any type of writing. Website includes some online resources plus links to other campus resources for writing.

Dissertations (University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill)
This handout focuses on process and psychological aspects of dissertation writing rather than research or formatting. Includes a bibliography and list of helpful websites.

Writing Your Dissertation in Fifteen Minutes a Day : A Guide to Starting, Revising, and Finishing Your Doctoral Thesis (Joan Bolker) -- D.H. Hill Stacks: LB2369 .B57 1998
An often-recommended guide to dealing with the psychological aspects of dissertation writing, such as motivation and writer’s block.
Guide to Writing Empirical Papers, Theses, and Dissertations (David G. Garson) -- D.H. Hill Stacks: LB2369 .G27 2002
Written by an NCSU professor of public administration, this books deals with writing projects based on quantitative research. Major topics include topic selection, literature reviews, developing models, and working with data. Includes checklists for each step.
Theses and Dissertations: A Guide to Planning, Research, and Writing (R. Murray Thomas) -- D.H. Hill Stacks: LB2369 .T458 2008
This book is particularly geared toward candidates in the social sciences, with a focus on methods of collecting and presenting data used in those fields. Stage-by-stage advice including planning checklists.
Writing Your Thesis (Paul Oliver) -- D.H. Hill Stacks: LB2369 .O55 2008
In addition to chapters on the major sections of a thesis, this book includes a lot of advice about working in academia more broadly, with topics such as publishing, oral examinations, and “the role of the supervisor.” Also gets into the specifics of organization, grammatical conventions for theses, and formatting.

Writing Academic Proposals: Conferences, Articles, and Books (Purdue University)
Grant Proposals (or Give Me the Money!) (University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill)
Handout. Includes some UNC-specific resources but also more general advice, plus sample budget and timelines.
Academic Proposals (University of Toronto)

Proposal Writing across the Disciplines (Brian R. Holloway) -- D.H. Hill Stacks: HF5718.5 .H627 2003
This books starts with the principles of proposal writing in business, then applies those principles to writing academic proposals and grant applications. The format focuses largely on examples, with discussions of how they work.

The Craft of Research (Wayne C. Booth) -- D.H. Hill Stacks: Q180.55 .M4 B66 2008 (other versions available)
A widely recommended resource focused on developing research problems, argumentation, and the (nonlinear) process of writing a research paper. This book is intended for researchers at all levels.
Researching and Writing : Across the Curriculum (Christine A. Hult) -- DH Hill Textbook Collection: LB2369 .H84 2006 (other versions available)
An overview of research in different disciplines, including general discussions of what inquiry means in different fields, explanations of library resources, and discussions of primary research. Includes chapters modeling research assignments in science / technology, social science, the humanities, and business.
Research Methods: Planning, Conducting and Presenting Research (Ann Sloan Devlin) -- DH Hill Stacks: Q180.55 .M4 D48 2006
Aimed specifically at students with semester-long projects in the social sciences, this book covers the research process as a whole rather than just the writing aspects. Topics include practical considerations like navigating the IRB and managing data.

Literature Review/Synthesis Matrix (link) (NCSU Writing and Speaking Tutorial Services)
Literature Reviews (University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill)
The Literature Review: A Few Tips on Conducting It (University of Toronto)

LabWrite (NCSU)
Scientific Reports (University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill)
Detailed handout including a list of other resources.
Formatting Science Reports (University of Wisconsin, Madison)
Guidelines for Preparing a Research Report (american Chemical Society)

Send : The Essential Guide to Email for Office and Home (David Shipley and Will Schwalbe) -- D.H. Hill Stacks: HD30.37 .S5 2007
A recommended guide to email etiquette and best practices.

Got an assignment that isn’t covered here? Check these websites for further options.

Common Writing Assignments (Purdue University)
Specific Writing Assignments / Contexts (University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill)
Types of Assignments (University of Toronto, Scarborough)
Common Writing Assignments (University of Wisconsin, Madison)