Purdue Owl Online Writing Lab - Writing Resources  

Purdue Owl offers a curated list of writing resources to help you at any point of your writing process. This master-list includes dozens of guides under these subject categories: the process of the research paper, using rhetoric and logic, different types of essays, writing style and language, and citation styles.

Six Simple Steps for Writing a Research Paper

Research is a process, not a one-time event. Follow this six-step writing guide to set a timeline for yourself when crafting a research paper. This guide provides information on brainstorming topics, finding sources, making an outline, and drafting the final paper. This source focuses on the big picture when it comes to research, so if you need more specific advice, try returning to Purdue Owl's Writing Resources master list.

Source: SUNY Potsdam

Purdue Owl's Guide on Expository Essays

English courses commonly assign essays that require students to form an argument around a particular theme, idea, or concept from their course readings. This type of writing is called an expository essay and is an incredibly creative format which which students can make a point that is supported by textual evidence. This evidence may be presented through outlining the significance of a selected passage, comparison and contrast, analysis of cause and effect, etc. Consult Purdue Owl's Guide on Expository Essays for more instruction on writing this type of paper!