Appendix: Writing & Research Skills

This Appendix offers some additional assistance with the ethics and mechanics of integrating research, the importance of appropriate documentation styles for first-year writing courses, writing development at the sentence and paragraph level, and the nuances of cultivating writing and research skills for first-year writing.

For support on citations and different style systems, first consider Ethical Citation Practices, then decide if you’d like to cite your sources in MLA or APA. There are of course other options as well, though they’re not addressed in this appendix.

Next, check out our recommendations about the differences between reading Popular Sources and Academic Sources. Once you have selected texts, are comfortable with citation and reading practices, consider whether to paraphrase, summarize, or quote these works. Remember to use signal phrases, and be thoughtful about synthesizing ideas within your body paragraphs. Hopefully these linked chapters will support your writing development. Please reach out to faculty with additional questions.