Writing Resources

Elizabeth Miller, graduate writing specialist, offers writing support for graduate students working on academic writing through three main services: one-on-one tutoring sessions, workshops and peer writing groups for graduate students. Appointments can take place in person or on Teams, and Elizabeth can read up to 20 pages in advance of appointments. These appointments are ideal for longer documents, such as dissertations and theses, journal articles, and long research papers. You can learn more about Graduate Writing Services or make an appointment.

The Writing Center, located in the Eugene McDermott Library, MC 1.310, provides constructive feedback and writing support for undergraduate and graduate students through one-on-one tutoring sessions with peer leaders. They offer both in-person and virtual appointments, and virtual appointments can be either synchronous or asynchronous. To schedule an appointment, please click “Make an Appointment” on the Writing Center website or head directly to Accudemia.

Browse the UT Dallas library’s research guides or make an appointment with a librarian for help with research.

For assistance with applying for grants and fellowships, email email Beth Keithly, faculty grant and distinguished fellowships advisor.

• Resumes, CVs, and Cover Letters: Visit the University Career Center.
• Diversity Statements: Email Beth Keithly, faculty grant and distinguished fellowships advisor.
• Research Statements, Teaching Statements and Other Materials Related to Professional Development and Job Applications: Email Dr. Ruth Schemmer, assistant dean for graduate student success.

APA

• Purdue OWL
• APA Sample Paper 

Chicago

• Purdue OWL
• Chicago Sample Paper 

MLA

• Purdue OWL
• MLA Sample Paper 

• Harvard University: Summarizing, Paraphrasing, and Quoting
• Purdue OWL: How to Avoid Plagiarism
• Purdue OWL: Guide to Paraphrasing
• Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary/Thesaurus

• Purdue OWL: Graduate Writing Resources
• Shore, Zachary. Grad School Essentials: A Crash Course in Scholarly Skills. University of California Press, 2016.
• Cayley, Rachael. Thriving as a Graduate Writer: Principles, Strategies, and Habits for Effective Academic Writing. University of Michigan Press, 2023.

• Silvia, Paul J. How to Write a Lot: A Practical Guide to Productive Academic Writing. Washington DC: American Psychological Association, 2007.
• Sword, Helen. Air and Light and Time and Space: How Successful Academics Write. Cambridge: Harvard University Press, 2017.

• Graff, Gerald, and Cathy Birkenstein. They Say / I Say: The Moves That Matter in Academic Writing. 5th ed., W. W. Norton, 2021.
• Booth, Wayne C., et al. The Craft of Research. 4th ed., University of Chicago Press, 2016.
• Creswell, John W., and J. David Creswell. Research Design: Qualitative, Quantitative, and Mixed Methods Approaches. 6th ed., SAGE Publications, 2023.

• Sword, Helen. Stylish Academic Writing. Cambridge: Harvard University Press, 2012.
• Williams, Joseph M., and Joseph Bizup. Style: Lessons in Clarity and Grace. 12th ed. Boston: Pearson, 2017.

• Duke University: Scientific Writing Resource for Graduate Students
• Gopen, George D., and Judith A. Swan. “The Science of Scientific Writing”
• Greene, Anne E. Writing Science in Plain English. Chicago: Chicago University Press, 2013.

• Belcher, Wendy Laura. Writing Your Journal Article in 12 Weeks: A Guide to Academic Publishing Success. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications, 2009. (for graduate students in the Humanities and Social Sciences)
• Benson, Philippa. What Editors Want: An Author’s Guide to Scientific Journal Publishing. Chicago, University of Chicago Press, 2012.
• Heard, Stephen. The Scientist’s Guide to Writing: How to Write More Easily and Effectively Throughout Your Scientific Career. Princeton: Princeton University Press, 2016.
• MIT’s CommKit for Scientific Communication

• University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill: Writing a Literature Review
• Jesson, Jill K., Lydia Matheson, and Fiona M. Lacey. Doing Your Literature Review: Traditional and Systematic Techniques. Los Angeles: Sage Publications, 2011.

• Animate Your Science: How to Design an Award-Winning Conference Poster
• Harvard Business Review: How to Give a Killer Presentation
• MIT’s CommKit for Scientific Communication

• The University Of Texas at Dallas: Graduate Fellowship Services
• Penn State: Writing Conference, Thesis, and Dissertation Proposals (pdf)
• Clark, Irene L. Writing the Successful Thesis and Dissertation: Entering the Conversation. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall, 2006. (Chapter 3 focuses on writing thesis and dissertation proposals.)
• Locke, Lawrence F. Proposals That Work: A Guide for Planning Dissertations and Grant Proposals. 6th ed. SAGE Publications, 2013.

• Kornuta, Halyna M., and Ron W. Germaine. A Concise Guide to Writing a Thesis or Dissertation: Educational Research and Beyond. 2nd ed., Routledge, 2019.
• Clark, Irene L. Writing the Successful Thesis and Dissertation: Entering the Conversation. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall, 2006.
• Becker, Howard. Writing for Social Scientists: How to Start and Finish Your Thesis, Book, or Article. 2nd ed. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2007.