| June 2008 | Vol. 13 Issue 2 |
Are there times when the Grammar Trap archive just doesn’t answer your question?
If you have questions about writing — from learning how to write better newsletters to understanding the difference between backward and backwards — this partial list of writing resources should help you.
Acronym Finder
www.acronymfinder.com
Find out what PDQ stands for ASAP by using Acronym Finder. Just type in an acronym and the site generates a list of the most common meanings.
Common Errors in English
www.wsu.edu/~brians/errors
This site, maintained by a Washington State University English professor, helps writers point out word usage issues. For example, find out when to use “sometime” and when to use “some time.”
Grammar Traps from On Target
www.agriculture.purdue.edu/agcomm/ontarget/grammartrap
Well, you’re already here, you may as well bookmark us (if you haven’t already).
Merriam-Webster OnLine
www.merriam-webster.com
This site combines the popular dictionary and thesaurus online. Fun, word-related feature articles are also posted occasionally.
The Oxford English Dictionary
www.oed.com
This is the online version of the venerable granddaddy of lexicography. Look up words to find their current definitions as well as their definitions in 1458. Requires a subscription, but Purdue has one, so you’re all set if logging on from a Purdue domain.
Purdue Extension Communication Survival Guide
www.extension.purdue.edu/ktgmarketing/comsurvivalguide
Download Purdue Extension templates and get advice on how to work with the media, write better newsletters, and more.
Purdue Extension Style Guide
www.agriculture.purdue.edu/agcomm/publishing/styleguide.html
This document provides the official guidelines for using and applying the Purdue Extension brand on all communications.
Purdue Marketing Communications Editorial Style Guide
http://www.pmc.purdue.edu/resources/PU_StyleGuide_0508.pdf
This is the “official” style guide for Purdue University. It is structured much like The Associated Press Stylebook, and lays down such standards as how to list course and department names.
Purdue University Online Writing Lab (OWL)
http://owl.english.purdue.edu
This site offers handouts and materials on all sorts of writing topics (from grammar and punctuation rules to professional writing advice). The site also offers e-mail tutoring for brief questions and a weekly newsletter.
Research and Documentation Online
www.dianahacker.com/resdoc
This site provides the rules and shows examples of the alphabet soup of academic-style documentation: MLA, APA, Chicago and CBE.
Kevin Leigh Smith, kevlsmith@purdue.edu
Do you want On Target to cover a topic that interests you? E-mail your ideas to Kevin Leigh Smith.