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In Spring 2024, the SPS Writing Center was awarded a Center Acknowledgement and Recognition of Excellence (C.A.R.E.) Certification by the Southeastern Writing Centers Association. This is the sole certification awarded by writing center experts for their peers.  (More information on SWCA C.A.R.E. Certification.)

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Writing Guides

All of the writing guides on our site are listed below.  If there is a topic you would like to know more about that is not covered here or on the Common Writing Questions Page, please feel free to contact us with suggestions or for individual assistance.

Plagiarism and Maintaining Academic Integrity 

Understanding and Avoiding Plagiarism

How to find and read a SafeAssign report

APA Handouts and Tutorials

APA Handouts and Tutorials

Reading for Writing: How to Annotate a Text and Use Quotes Effectively

Critical Reading Exercise: Annotating a Text

Finding Quotations: The Double-Entry Notebook system

The Double-Entry Notebook Worksheet (MS Word download)

Finding Quotations: the Quotation-Comment-Question system

The Quotation-Comment-Question Worksheet (MS Word download)

Choosing Appropriate Quotes

Integrating Quotes into Your Writing

Handout: Appendix for Effective Quoting

Handout: The Quote Sandwich (created by Amy Leonard at De Anza College)

 

Getting Started on an Assignment

Decoding Assignments Part I and Part II

– Understanding Assignments Worksheet

 

Paragraph and Paper Structure

Paragraph Construction and Topic Sentences

Paragraph Organization Handout (created by Angela Francis for ENG102 at SPS)

Essay Structure

– What Are Thesis and Organizational Statements?

– Generating a Thesis

Thesis Statements: Working Backwards

– Five Strategies for Writing More Clearly

 

The Writing Process

Creating an Outline

Using an Outline to Write a Paper

Proofreading and Revising

– Drafts: Respond, Redraft, Revise