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Creative Writing
- 8 Tips for Getting Started With Creative Writing
Whether you’re brand-new to the craft, a nonfiction writer looking to experiment, or a casual creative writer wanting to turn into a published author, honing your creative writing skills is key to your success.
- Advice to Writers
- Each day a quotation from famous writers about the art of writing.
- Articles: Reading, Writing, Living, and Other Dangerous Endeavors
- Articles, quizzes, FAQs, and links from author Holly Lisle.
- BBC Bitesize: Creative Writing
- Guides from the BBC for students taking creative writing classes.
- Be a Better Writer
- From a university professor and fiction author,
these pages are filled with tips on the writing process, tips for writing a novel, writing prompts, writing contests, creative writing quotations, and plenty of practical advice on how to write better and increase your odds of getting published.
- Creative Writing 101
- From the Daily Writing Tips blog, this article offers tips and links for the creative writer.
- Creative Writing Now
Creative writing ideas, free online writing courses for new authors, plus hundreds of story starters, poem starters, and journal writing prompts to keep you inspired.
- John Steinbeck and Advice for Beginning Writers
- A short letter from John Steinbeck.
- Purdue OWL: Creative Writng Introduction
These OWL resources will help you with the basics of creative writing. This section includes resources on writing poetry, fiction, and creative nonfiction.
From the Online Writing Lab at Purdue University.- StoryToolz
- Ideas and tools for story writers, including a ‘cliche buster’ and readibility analyzer.
- ThinkWritten
From starting at the blank computer screen to plotting, editing, revising, publishing, and marketing your book – we’re here to support and encourage you every single step of the way!
Includes a page with 365 Creative Writing Prompts.- Thought.co: Writing
Anyone can string a few words together into a sensible sentence, but if you want to make your prose persuasive and your essays elegant, you need to take your skills to the next level. These articles can help.
- Top 10 Best Creative Writing Tips for Beginners
We asked Ruth, a talented creative writing teacher, for the best exercises, advice and tips for those who are new to this form of artistic expression. Get help with your non-fiction writing skills and learn how to create artistic prose.
- The Write Channel (video)
- Includes
videos with top tips from Famous Writers like Stephen King, as well as lessons, tips and information about Creative Writing.
- Writer’s Treasure: Creative Writing 101
The best way to increase your proficiency in creative writing is to write, write compulsively, but it doesn’t mean write whatever you want. There are certain things you should know first… it helps to start with the right foot.
Debate
- 15 Logical Fallacies You Should Know Before Getting Into a Debate
A logical fallacy is an error in reasoning common enough to warrant a fancy name. Knowing how to spot and identify fallacies is a priceless skill. … Here’s a list of the 15 informal fallacies you are most likely to encounter in discussion and debate.
- Argument Analysis
- If you make a poor or unsupported argument in a debate, you may hand your opponants an opening. Look here to learn how to construct solid arguments.
- Complete Guide to Debating: How to Improve your Debating Skills
Debating can look intimidating from the sidelines, with speakers appearing confident, passionate and unwavering, but it consists of skills that anybody can learn…. In this article we provide a guide to the basics of debating.
- Debating Matters
- Debating Matters is an annual debate competition for U.K. students. The website includes a number of items available to anyone, including debating resource packs and a number of topic guides.
- Effective High School Debating Techniques
Participating in a debate can feel a bit intimidating, or even scary. With the right preparation and strategies, you can prove your point in an efficient, meaningful way that wins your audience over.
- iDebate: Debatabase
Arguments for and against hundreds of debating Topics, written by expert debaters, judges and coaches. Note that some articles are quite old, so check the dates if you’re looking for ideas on current topics.
- A List of Fallacious Arguments
- Describes several common fallacious arguments. Here you can learn to avoid using these false arguments yourself and to recognize when your opponant is using them.
- Logical Fallacies and the Art of Debate
- While very old, this page still has useful information about logical fallacies and how they may be used and countered in formal debates.
- ProCon.org
ProCon.org has over 90 debate topics complete with pro and con arguments featuring quotes and statistics from experts, historical information, and other pertinent research.
- Speech and Debate Glossary (PDF)
- Check this list to find out what all those terms actually mean.
- WikiHow: How to Debate
- Article on how to prepare for a debate and how to present it, including the importance of examples and rebuttal.
- WikiHow: Perform Well in a Debate
People may come up with the most stunning content for their argument, but the fact is that in most cases, nearly one-third of the marking criteria goes to your delivery of the material. While speaking passionately about poorly researched work probably won’t win you a debate, marrying factual evidence with emotional conviction will.
Grammar
- Common Errors in English Usage
- This site explains common mistakes in usage, often-confused words, spelling errors, and things people think are mistakes which aren’t. Also includes nice set of links to other grammar and usage sites.
- Daily Grammar
- With hundreds of short lessons on grammar and punctuation, this is a great place to learn and review. Also offers a Daily Grammar Lessons Blog with short grammar reviews and quizzes.
- The Elements of Style
- The original version of Strunk & White’s famous book, long considered the work on English writing style.
- EnglishPage.com
- Reference, mini-tutorials, weekly lesson, vocabulary, and dictionaries.
- GrammarBook.com
- Online reference guide and workbook to English grammar and punctuation.
- Grammar Bytes
- Short reviews and exercies to practice your knowledge of English grammar, including punctuation marks.
- Grammar Girl
- Short weekly podcasts about various aspects of English grammar and usage.
- Grammarly
Grammarly automatically detects grammar, spelling, punctuation, word choice, and style mistakes in your writing.
You can use their online checker or install a browser app, an MS Office app, or a Windows or Mac apps.- Grammarphobia
- A blog with short articles every few days discussing different aspects of English grammar.
- Guide to Grammar and Style
- Short descriptions of common points of confusion.
- Guide to Grammar and Writing
- Extensive review lessons from sentence-level to essay-level writing. Includes online index for easy access to particular subjects, such as parts of speech.
- MLA Style Center: Quizzes
- Test your knowledge of grammar and punctuation.
- The Punctuation Guide
This guide shows the current style of American punctuation.
- Purdue OWL: Online Writing Lab
- Purdue OWL: Grammar
- Clear and helpful information and exercises to improve your writing and grammar.
- Road to Grammar
- Short quizzes, notes, games, and other materials for reviewing English grammar.
- WikiHow: English Grammar
- Dozens of articles about grammar and punctuation, plus links to related topics.
Journalism
- BBC Academy
Training and development designed to support the BBC and the wider industry to inform, educate and entertain.
- Columbia Journalism Review
Columbia Journalism Review’s mission is to encourage and stimulate excellence in journalism in the service of a free society. It is both a watchdog and a friend of the press in all its forms, from newspapers to magazines to radio, television, and the Web.
- EFF: Legal Guide for Bloggers
- Information for bloggers about legal issues to be aware of, from the Electronic Frontier Foundation.
- FAIR
FAIR, the national media watch group, has been offering well-documented criticism of media bias and censorship since 1986. We work to invigorate the First Amendment by advocating for greater diversity in the press and by scrutinizing media practices that marginalize public interest, minority and dissenting viewpoints.
- Handbook of Independent Journalism
- This free online book from 2006 discusses the techniques and ethics of journalism.
- Journalist’s Toolbox
- This site offers sets of annotated links for those wishing to research prominent topics in the news.
- Knight Lab
- Knight Lab, from Northwestern University, offers a suite of free tools for student journalists and others interested in sprucing up their presentations. Includes tools for making timelines, story maps, VR scenes, and more.
- Media Bias Fact Check
Media Bias/Fact Check (MBFC) is an independent website that rates the bias, factual accuracy, and credibility of media sources.
- The News Literacy Project
The News Literacy Project (NLP) is a nonpartisan national education nonprofit that works with educators and journalists to teach middle school and high school students how to sort fact from fiction in the digital age.
- Pew Research Center: News Habits & Media
Our goal is to help both the journalists who produce the news and the citizens who consume it develop a better understanding of what the press is delivering, how the media are changing, and what forces are shaping those changes.
- Poynter Online
- Prominent institute for media studies and teaching. ‘How-To’s’ include articles, documents, links, news, and discussions of journalism and journalism teaching.
- The Pulitzer Prizes
Honoring excellence in journalism and the arts since 1917.
- Reporters Without Borders
- Reporters Without Borders works to support freedom of the press and journalistic freedom around globe. They publish the annual World Press Freedom Index,
which assesses the state of journalism in 180 countries and territories, highlights the disastrous effects of news and information chaos – the effects of a globalised and unregulated online information space that encourages fake news and propaganda.
- School Journalism.org
This go-to education site for students and teachers provides hundreds of lesson plans and resources related to journalism, news literacy and civic education.
- Society of Professional Journalists
The nation’s most broad-based journalism organization, dedicated to encouraging the free practice of journalism and stimulating high standards of ethical behavior.
- Thought.co: Journalism
Use these journalism resources to learn how to write a news story, find news jobs, and keep up with news media watchdogs and critics.
Public Speaking
- 7 Essential Presentation Skills Examples, Techniques & Tips
With some very simple and basic but essential tips, you can quite quickly learn effective presentation skills and become a more effective trainer or teacher.
These are great tips for anyone giving a speech or presentation.- 10 Tips for Improving Your Public Speaking Skills
Few are immune to the fear of public speaking. Marjorie North offers 10 tips for speakers to calm the nerves and deliverable memorable orations.
From the Harvard Division of Continuing Education.- 15 Actionable Public Speaking Tips
- Tips for giving a speech and keeping your audience engaged.
- 16 Public Speaking Tips for Students
Public speaking tips for students aim to reduce anxiety that can interfere with giving presentations or speeches in class.
- The Art of Public Speaking
From business leaders to politicians, many professionals in modern times use public speaking to inform, motivate, or persuade audiences near and far….
- Effective Speech Writing
Writing speeches for graduation, class assignments, or other purposes consists of a lot more than finding a few inspirational quotes and possibly a funny story or two…
- How to Give an Impromptu Speech
At some point in your life you may be asked to speak without notice. There are a few things you can do to avoid panic and embarrassment.
- How to Make a Good Speech
- Points to keep in mind when presenting a speech.
- Speak & Conquer
- Blog and information with
public speaking tips and tricks
. Includes posts about preparation, delivery, stage fear, and gear for the presenter. - Speeches – The Writing Center • University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
This handout will help you create an effective speech by establishing the purpose of your speech and making it easily understandable. It will also help you to analyze your audience and keep the audience interested.
- Toastmasters International: Public Speaking Tips
- From the famous organization for public speakers, some tips on the basics of good speechmaking.
- WikiHow: Speaking Skills
- WikiHow: Speechwriting
- Articles on how to write speeches for a variety of purposes such as oral report, persuasive speech, high school election and how to present them well.
Vocabulary
- BBC: Learning English
- This British site covers words, grammar, and usage. With games and quizzes for review and self-testing.
- Common Errors in English
- This site explains common mistakes in usage, often-confused words, spelling errors, and things people think are mistakes which aren’t. Also includes nice set of links to other grammar and usage sites.
- Commonly Confused Words in English
Ginger’s spelling book contains a broad collection of the most frequent word-pairs that people tend to confuse. Browse it by clicking on a specific letter to see how to remember which word is witch…or…which!
- Commonly Misspelled Words in English
Our spelling book contains a broad collection of the most frequent spelling mistakes we see people make …. Check out a specific letter to see how to spell your word correctly!
- Confusing Words and Homonyms
Many words in English sound or look alike, causing confusion and not a few headaches. This section lists some of these words, and other troublemakers.
- Free Rice
- Game to build vocabulary and donate food to the hungry at the same time.
- Grammar.com: Vocabulary Builder Game
Our Vocabulary Builder game helps you learn new words, improve your vocabulary and explore languages in an easy and fun way!
- Knoword
- Free online vocabulary game. Requires correct spelling!
- High School Vocabulary Tests
- Select your level and choose a lesson to see vocabulary words and practice with a number of quizzes and games.
- Merriam-Webster: How Strong Is Your Vocabulary?
Take our 10-question quiz to find out — and maybe learn some new words along the way. You can try it as often as you’d like (we have dozens of different versions).
- Quizlet
- Test yourself on vocabulary words; create your own flash-cards and quizzes.
- Vocabulary.com
- Online game and materials for learning English vocabulary.
- World Wide Words
- Archives of
nearly 3,000 articles here on aspects of the growth and change of the English language.
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