Free writing help for college students and instructors
Practical guides to academic writing, citation, editing, and research, written by U.S.-based doctoral academics. When you want more than a guide, browse study references or send your draft for editing and proofreading.
One-page checklists and reference sheets.
Free College Paper Structure Checklist
A free one-page checklist for structuring a college paper: planning, introduction and thesis, body paragraphs, conclusion, citations, formatting, and a final proofread.
FREE MLA SHEETFree MLA Quick-Start Reference© Sheet
A free one-page MLA 9th edition reference sheet: paper format, first-page heading, in-text citations, the Works Cited page, and examples for books, articles, and websites.
FREE APA SHEETFree APA Quick-Start Reference© Sheet
A free one-page APA 7th edition reference sheet for student papers: title page, format, headings, in-text citations, the References page, and examples.
FREE STUDY GUIDEHow to Study This Reference
A free one-page guide to learning from a study reference: read for structure, evidence and citations, then turn what you learn into your own original work.
Academic Writing Assistance
Academic writing help for college students: study references by subject and level, editing and proofreading, APA and MLA formatting guides, and thesis and dissertation tutoring from doctoral-level professionals.
Academic writing help for college students: one-to-one writing tutoring, editing and proofreading, APA and MLA formatting guides, and thesis and dissertation tutoring from doctoral-level professionals.
EDITING & PROOFREADINGProofreading Services
Proofreading, copyediting, and developmental editing for your own college paper, capstone, thesis, or dissertation. U.S.-based doctoral editors and APA and MLA checks, from $30 per 1,000 words.
FREE GUIDE · APA STYLEAPA Format Guide (7th Edition) for College Students
A clear APA 7th edition guide for student papers: title page, margins, font, headings, in-text citations, and reference list examples for journal articles, books, and websites.
FREE GUIDE · MLA STYLEMLA Format Guide (9th Edition) for College Papers
MLA 9th edition made simple: the MLA heading for a college paper (with an example), page header, in-text citations, and Works Cited examples for books, articles, and websites, with a checklist of common mistakes.
RESEARCH PAPER GUIDEResearch Paper Guide: How to Write a College Research Paper
Step-by-step research paper guide: narrow a topic, write an arguable thesis, find scholarly sources, outline, draft, and revise, with study references by subject and level.
Step-by-step research paper guide: narrow a topic, write an arguable thesis, find scholarly sources, outline, draft, and revise your own paper.
THESIS STATEMENT GUIDEHow to Write a Thesis Statement
Turn a topic into a clear, specific, arguable thesis for your own paper, with weak and strong examples for argumentative, analytical, and expository assignments.
ANNOTATED BIBLIOGRAPHY GUIDEHow to Write an Annotated Bibliography
Choose sources, write summary, evaluation, and reflection annotations in your own words, and format entries in APA 7 or MLA 9.
RESEARCH SKILLSHow to Use Journal Articles
How to find good peer-reviewed journal articles through your college library, tell whether an article is peer reviewed, read it efficiently, and use it in your paper with paraphrase, synthesis, and correct APA or MLA citations.
THESIS & DISSERTATION COACHINGThesis & Dissertation Coaching
One-to-one thesis and dissertation tutoring from doctoral-level professionals: topic and proposal, literature review, methodology, chapter feedback, editing, and formatting for master's and doctoral projects.
DISCUSSION POSTSHow to Write a Strong Discussion Board Post (With Examples)
How to write a strong discussion board post and peer reply for online college courses, with a simple structure, examples, and reference discussion posts by subject and level.
How to write a strong discussion board post and peer reply for online college courses, with a simple structure and examples.
FOR EDUCATORSModel Syllabus Templates for College Courses (Editable Word)
Editable model syllabus templates for college instructors: 8–10 page syllabuses with learning outcomes, a 15-week schedule, assignments, grading, and policies, plus course-starter bundles.
Table of Contents Structure
How to structure the table of contents for a thesis or dissertation: front matter order, heading levels, page numbering, dot leaders, appendices, and building it automatically in Word.
PART 2 OF 9List of Tables
How to format the list of tables in a thesis or dissertation: numbering, matching table titles, page numbers, appendix tables, and generating it automatically in Word.
PART 3 OF 9List of Figures
How to format the list of figures in a thesis or dissertation: what counts as a figure, numbering, titles, page numbers, and building the list automatically in Word.
PART 4 OF 9List of Abbreviations
How and when to include a list of abbreviations in a thesis or dissertation: what to include, alphabetical order, defining terms at first use, and consistency checks.
PART 5 OF 9Chapter 1: Introduction
How to write Chapter 1 of a thesis or dissertation: background, problem statement, purpose, research questions, framework, significance, definitions, assumptions, limitations, and delimitations.
PART 6 OF 9Chapter 2: Literature Review
How to write Chapter 2, the literature review, of a thesis or dissertation: search strategy, theoretical framework, organizing by theme, synthesis, critical evaluation, and identifying the gap, with examples.
PART 7 OF 9Chapter 3: Methods
How to write Chapter 3, the methods or methodology chapter, of a thesis or dissertation: research design, population and sample, instruments, data collection, analysis plan, validity or trustworthiness, and ethics.
PART 8 OF 9Chapter 4: Findings
How to write Chapter 4, the findings or results chapter, of a thesis or dissertation: organizing by research question, reporting statistics in APA style, presenting qualitative themes, and using tables and figures.
PART 9 OF 9Chapter 5: Conclusions
How to write Chapter 5 of a thesis or dissertation: interpreting findings against the literature and framework, limitations, recommendations for practice and future research, implications, and the conclusion.