There are lies, damned lies, and statistics. —Mark Twain What this handout is about The purpose of this handout is to help you use statistics to make your argument as effectively as possible. Introduction Numbers are power. Apparently freed of … Read more

What this handout is about This handout will explain the functions of introductions, offer strategies for creating effective introductions, and provide some examples of less effective introductions to avoid. The role of introductions Introductions and conclusions can be the most difficult … Read more

What this handout is about This handout will provide a broad overview of gathering and using evidence. It will help you decide what counts as evidence, put evidence to work in your writing, and determine whether you have enough evidence. … Read more

What this handout is about This handout will help you figure out what your college instructors expect when they give you a writing assignment. It will tell you how and why to move beyond the five-paragraph essays you learned to … Read more

What this handout is about This handout discusses techniques that will help you start writing a paper and continue writing through the challenges of the revising process. Brainstorming can help you choose a topic, develop an approach to a topic, … Read more

What this handout is about This handout discusses common logical fallacies that you may encounter in your own writing or the writing of others. The handout provides definitions, examples, and tips on avoiding these fallacies. Arguments Most academic writing tasks … Read more

What this handout is about The present simple, past simple, and present perfect verb tenses account for approximately 80% of verb tense use in academic writing. This handout will help you understand how to use these three verb tenses in … Read more

What this handout is about This handout explains the most common uses of three kinds of punctuation: semicolons (;), colons (:), and dashes (—). After reading the handout, you will be better able to decide when to use these forms … Read more

What this handout is about This handout explains what plagiarism is and outlines steps students can follow to avoid plagiarizing. What is plagiarism? At UNC, plagiarism is defined as “deliberate or reckless representation of another’s words, thoughts, or ideas as … Read more

What this handout is about This handout provides some tips and strategies for revising your writing. To give you a chance to practice proofreading, we have left seven errors (three spelling errors, two punctuation errors, and two grammatical errors) in … Read more