UT Dallas The Office of Graduate Education

The Office of Graduate Education

Research

Writing Resources

Writing Services | Writing Programs & Events

Campus Resources

Visit the Graduate Writing Services page to learn more about how we can help you with your writing, or check out other writing-related UT Dallas resources below.

Writing Center

The Writing Center, located in 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 website or head directly to utdallas.accudemia.net.

Eugene McDermott Library

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

Counseling Center

The Counseling Center’s Graduate Student Support Group is open to those preparing for qualifying exams or writing theses, journal articles, or dissertations.

International Center and Intercultural Programs

The International Center and Intercultural Programs provide various opportunities for international students to practice and improve their conversational English.

Grants and Fellowships

For assistance with applying for grants and fellowships, email Beth Keithly, Faculty Grant and Distinguished Fellowships Advisor.

Applying for Jobs

  • 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.

Handouts and Workshop Recordings

Find copies of all Graduate Writing Services handouts and recorded workshops on Box.

Formatting and Citation Styles

APA:

Chicago:

MLA:

Documenting Research Sources

Writing and Research Guides for Graduate Students

  • Purdue OWL: Graduate Writing Resources
  • 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.
  • Cayley, Rachael. Thriving as a Graduate Writer: Principles, Strategies, and Habits for Effective Academic Writing. University of Michigan Press, 2023.
  • Shore, Zachary. Grad School Essentials: A Crash Course in Scholarly Skills. University of California Press, 2016.
  • Booth, Wayne C., et al. The Craft of Research. 4th ed., University of Chicago Press, 2016.
  • Graff, Gerald, and Cathy Birkenstein. They Say / I Say: The Moves That Matter in Academic Writing. 5th ed., W. W. Norton, 2021.
  • Creswell, John W., and J. David Creswell. Research Design: Qualitative, Quantitative, and Mixed Methods Approaches. 6th ed., SAGE Publications, 2023.

Academic Genres

Journal Articles

  • 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

Literature Reviews

  • 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.

Presentations

Proposals

  • The University Of Texas at Dallas: Graduate Fellowship Services
  • Penn State: Writing Conference, Thesis, and Dissertation Proposals
  • 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.

Theses and Dissertations

  • 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.

ESL Resources

Style

  • 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.

Style in the STEM Fields