Useful Writing and Presentation Resources

Today's Topic: Ten Terrific Writing and Presentation Resources

Part of my job as writing specialist is to keep an eye out for great writing and presentation resources.  Over the past two years, I've developed quite a list. Here are ten of my favorites.  
Many of these are available on the Blackboard "Writing Resources" website.  The resources you'll find in the "Useful Websites" section of the Bb site, I will mark with an asterisk.  Anything you'll find in the "Course Content" section, I will mark with a plus sign. 

1. My Blackboard "Writing Resources" website.  If I do say so myself, this site has developed into an invaluable resource for nurse writers and researchers.  The site offers PowerPoint presentations on everything from semicolons to writing an article for publication.  It also features printable "cheat sheets" on troublesome topics, and a long list of links to useful online writing and presentation resources. If you haven't visited the site in a while, take a few minutes to check out what's new this semester.

2. The Purdue OWL.*  OWL stands for Online Writing Lab, and that's just what this website is.  The site, a free resource from Purdue University, offers in-depth tutorials on everything from grammar to APA style to writing a purpose statement, and MUCH more.  This is a truly fantastic resource.  Do yourself a favor and bookmark this site; you'll use it all the time.  http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/

3. The Grammar Girl.*  Written by grammar guru Mignon Fogerty, this fun, lighthearted website offers quick, easy-to-digest answers to your most frustrating grammar questions.  If you'd rather listen than read, each post is offered in both text and audio form. http://grammar.quickanddirtytips.com/

4. The APA Style Blog.*  Let's face it.  APA style is a pain.  It's complicated, it changes every few years, and there are some questions the handbook just doesn't answer clearly enough.  The APA Style Blog to the rescue!  The site is an official APA offering, so you can trust the bloggers' advice.  There is a new post every week, and a searchable archive of past posts.  The blog is a great place to find answers to obscure APA questions, and get clarification on issues that seem murky in the handbook.  The bloggers also occasionally offer useful little charts and tables that you can print out for quick and easy reference.  For example, one blogger made a chart that explains how to cite various types of websites in APA style, even when some information (like the date or the author's name) is missing.  http://blog.apastyle.org/

5. A fabulous booklet called Writing for Publication by Christine Webb.  This booklet was published by Wiley-Blackwell for attendees at a 2009 conference.  It's now available in pdf form via the Nurse Author & Editor website.  You do not have to be a member of Nurse Author & Editor to download the pdf.  Here's the URL:  http://www.nurseauthoreditor.com/WritingforPublication2009.pdf  The booklet provides a clear, step by step guide to writing for publication, from choosing a topic and journal to copyright issues and publication ethics.  This booklet will be a tremendous help to any nurse thinking of publishing an article.

6. The book Writing for Publication in Nursing, Second Edition by Marilyn Oermann.  This book covers just about everything you need to know about writing for publication.  Oermann provides examples of different types of articles, query letters and abstracts, and offers some useful advice about writing style as well.  

7. The ANA Research Toolkit.*  The American Nurses Association (ANA) offers this valuable resource, which includes detailed information and tutorials to guide you through the research process from A to Z.  The site includes tutorials on everything from developing a research question and conducting a lit search to obtaining funding for your project.  VERY useful.  http://ana.nursingworld.org/MainMenuCategories/ThePracticeofProfessionalNursing/Research-Toolkit.aspx

8. The University of North Carolina Chapel Hill's Writing Center website.  This website offers dozens of tutorials on a range of writing topics, from passive voice to paragraph development, from grant proposals to literature reviews.  Terrific resource.  Find it here:  http://writingcenter.unc.edu/handouts/

9. Toastmasters International.  Toastmasters is a global organization dedicated to helping people become better public speakers.  Their website offers tons of free resources--online videos, podcasts, and written tutorials.  They offer tips and techniques for creating a persuasive presentation, conquering nervousness, dealing with a distracted or disinterested audience, adapting a paper for an oral presentation, and more.  Find them here (click on Free Resources): http://www.toastmasters.org/

10. My PowerPoint presentation on PowerPoint presentations.+  Haha--say that five times fast!  I developed this presentation for one of my "Writing Wednesdays" workshops at Chandler Med Center. The presentation offers advice on how to maximize the effectiveness and visual appeal of your PowerPoint presentation. It covers preparation, logical organization, design and layout, conquering nervousness, connecting with your audience, and more. 

I hope you will find these resources as useful as I have.  If you'd like to share your own favorite writing or presentation resources, I'd love to hear from you.  Happy scribbling!

Whitney Kurtz-Ogilvie, MFAW