Writing Help for All Subjects

Online Resources

• Research

  • Library Research Page: How to videos and A-Z lists of Special Databases, 
  • Library Services Page: Get access to the Cal Poly Library and others 
  • Ask A Librarian live chat (available during posted Library hours) 
  • Web Resources by Subject 
  • WolframAlpha: Not just for Math and Science - a powerful search engine that pulls answers to simple questions from multiple sources! Check out a the demo. 

• Citation: Learning these rules helps prevent plagiarism!  

  • AP (Associated Press)
  • APA (American Psychological Association) 
  • Chicago Manual of Style
  • CSE Style Rules
  • MLA (Modern Language Association)

• Time Saving Tutorials for Reports

  • How to Auto Generate a Table of Contents in Word
  • How to add an MLA header with name and page number in Word
  • How to add an MLA header with name and page number in Google Docs

• Quick Reference Study Guides: How to Be a Successful Student

  • Critical Thinking

    • Uses of Critical Thinking
    • Critically Evaluating the Logic and Validity of Information 
    • Recognizing Propaganda Techniques and Errors of Faulty Logic
    • Developing the Ability to Analyze Historical and Contemporary Information 
    • Recognize and Value Various Viewpoints
    • Appreciating the Complexities Involved in Decision- Making and Problem-Solving
    • Be a Responsible Critical Thinker & Collaborating with Others 

  • Reading Comprehension 

    • The Reading Process
    • Level of Comprehension
    • Strengthen Your Reading Comprehension 
    • Reading Rate
    • How to Read a Textbook
    • Organizational Patterns of a Paragraph
    • Topics, Main Ideas, and Support
    • Inferences and Conclusions
    • Interpreting What You Read 
    • Concentrating and Remembering
    • Converting Words to Pictures
  • Vocabulary 
    
    • The Origin of Words
    • Using a Dictionary
    • Common Roots
    • Word Relationships
    • Using Word Relationships
    • Context Clues
    • The Importance of Reading
    • Vocabulary Analogies 
  • Spelling
    • Spelling and the Dictionary
    • Eight Essential Spelling Rules
    • Exceptions to the Rules
    • Converting Words into Pictures