Writing Resources
Whether you're studying at Purdue or learning remotely, there are a variety of writing resources available to support your academic success. From local on campus tutoring and workshops to online tools like Phrasebank, COCA, and video tutorials, these materials offer practical strategies for improving clarity, structure, and style in academic writing. Explore the options below to find guidance that fits your needs.
Local Resources
Probably the best way to improve as a writer is to learn how to think about your readers and to understand what they value and how to clearly communicate your message to them. And probably the best way to learn to think about your readers is by working closely with trained writing teachers and consultants in small-group and individual sessions.
Purdue OWL Purdue University's Writing Lab supports writers through in-person and online resources. Purdue students, faculty and staff can use the On-Campus Writing Lab on the West Lafayette and Indianapolis campuses for tutoring sessions and writing workshops to help students at any stage of the writing process. The Purdue OWL website provides a comprehensive collection of writing resources, including guidance on grammar, research, and citation styles, accessible anytime from anywhere.
English Boost by PLaCE supports international students with to develop academic writing skills through Short Courses, Workshops, and 1:1 Language Coaching. English Boost instruction in writing teaches principles and strategies to help students think like writers so that they can manage the work of academic writing more effectively and make choices about their text to make their writing easier for readers to understand. Writing Practicums are non-credit courses that combine weekly classes with individual consultations over several weeks, ideal for students who want to learn about academic writing and get personalized feedback from an instructor in a small community setting. Clear Writing courses and workshops teach strategies for improving the clarity of sentences and paragraphs. 1:1 Language Coaching sessions are individual meetings where a student writer works closely with a PLaCE staff member on their own writing project.
Online Resources
The Academic Phrasebank from the University of Manchester is a helpful tool for improving academic writing. It provides a collection of commonly used phrases organized by writing purpose, such as introducing topics, describing methods, and discussing results. This resource is especially useful for students looking to write more clearly and formally.
Corpus of Contemporary American English (COCA) is valuable for academic writing because it helps students understand how words and phrases are used in authentic contexts. Its KWIC (Key Word in Context) function allows users to view real examples of word usage, making it easier to choose accurate vocabulary, study collocations, and improve sentence structure. This supports clearer, more natural academic writing.
Explorations of Style: A Blog about Academic Writing by Rachel Cayley at the University of Toronto Graduate Communication Center is a collection of entries on academic writing topics organized into ten themes: Drafting; Revision; Audience; Identity; Writing Challenges; Mechanics; Productivity; Graduate Writing; Blogging and Social Media; and Resources. See also Cayley's book Thriving as a Graduate Student.
Write Smarter: 7 Academic Writing Tips Everyone Must Know! This YouTube video provides concise strategies to strengthen academic writing. The tips include: organize your paper, avoid contractions and idioms, vary sentence structure, use active voice, avoid repetition, and always proofread your work. These practical suggestions help students write more clearly, formally, and effectively.
The Vanderbilt University Writing Studio Handouts offer a wide range of concise, downloadable guides to support students in developing strong academic writing skills. Topics include thesis development, paragraph structure, transitions, and integrating sources—ideal for both native and international college students seeking clear, practical writing advice.