Research Guides: ESL Services: Reading and Writing

Academic Writing

Writing Website Links

MLA Format

Citations

Why Cite?
The point of citation is to give credit to the author of your sources and explain to your professor where you found the information to support the argument of your paper.

As a college student, you are required to cite all published quotations, ideas, arguments, research and obscure facts that you have used to write your paper. There are two main parts to MLA and APA citaiton, the in-text citation and the Works Cited/References list. When using MLA or APA, it is important to format your citations exactly as stated paying close attention to punctuation, capitalization and italics.

Purdue Online Writing Lab (OWL): An extensive site dedicated to assisting users with numerous aspects of writing. Online help is offered in handouts and materials; downloadable PowerPoint workshops and presentations; an excellent search engine associated with Purdue; and current and back issues of a student newsletter about writing.

Learn to Cite

Reading Comprehension

English reading help including reading comprehension quizzes and tests, reading lesson plans, reading types and strategies.

English Reading Comprehension from ESL Gold
Reading exercises, learning strategies and quizzes to improve English reading comprehension.
English Reading Comprehension Skills for ESL EFL Learners
English reading help including reading comprehension quizzes and tests, reading lesson plans, reading types and strategies.
EnglishClub.com: Reading English
Includes poetry, short stories with vocabulary and comprehension quizzes, and author biographies.
U.S.A. Learns
Practice activities in listening, writing, speaking, and life skills necessary for success at work and in the community. Click on the Practice English and Reading link for intermediate-level stories and activities.

Reading Website Links

Writing and Grammar Help

Blue Book of Grammar and Punctuation
Basic rules of grammar, punctuation, capitalization, and writing numbers.
Citation Help Research Guide
Tools to help you cite your sources correctly in APA, MLA, or Chicago style.
A Digital Workbook for Beginning ESOL (eBook)
Three levels of interactive grammar and reading activities for beginning and intermediate students of ESOL.
EnglishClub.com: English Grammar
Grammar lessons with accompanying quizzes to check your understanding. Includes a glossary of grammar terms.
EnglishClub.com: English Writing
Covers use of capital letters, spelling rules, punctuation, sentence variety, peer editing, and plagiarism.
ESL Resources from Purdue's Online Writing Lab
Resource pages and handouts for English language learners and teachers.
Madison College Writing Center
One-on-one tutoring, online conferencing, and group workshop,s providing guidance to Madison College students at all stages of the writing process.
U.S.A. Learns
Practice activities in listening, writing, speaking, and life skills necessary for success at work and in the community.

Dictionaries and Word Finders

Acronym Finder
A dictionary of acronyms, abbreviations, and initials.
Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary
Includes audio pronunciation guide, thesaurus, word games, and a Learner's Dictionary for ESL students.
Merriam-Webster Visual Dictionary Online
When you know what something looks like but not what it’s called, the Visual Dictionary will help you match the word to the image.
OneLook Dictionary Search
A search engine for words and phrases, offering both definitions and translations. Indexes more than 900 online dictionaries.

Vocabulary Builders and Spelling Activities

American Idioms
Click on an idiom for a sample paragraph providing a definition of the idiom and an illustration of how it is used.
American Slang
Definitions, sample sentences, etymology, and synonyms.
Internet Picture Dictionary
A picture dictionary for beginning English, French, German, Spanish and Italian language learners.
Language Guide
Sound-integrated resources for 13 different languages (with a choice of 21 native language interfaces). Particularly helpful for vocabulary building and word pronunciation.
Spelling Activities
Spelling games and quizzes from Interesting Things for ESL Students

ESL Services: Reading and Writing

College Writing