Choosing your words and improving your writing

As stated on the previous page, the following resources are designed to complement the support and advice of Academic Schools and Departments. Please follow your department's guidelines and only use the materials offered here to supplement these.

Note: these resources are listed in alphabetical order.

Student writing 

 

 

 

Links to Study Resources for Choosing your words and improving your writing
Resource TitleDescription of ResourceSource

Academic Phrasebank

Phrases for introducing work, being critical, describing methods, using sources etc.

University of Manchester

Choosing your words

PDF file icon Includes homophones (words that sound alike but are spelt differently e.g. accept/except)

University of Nottingham

Connecting words

PDF file icon Alternative words/phrases to connect ideas together e.g. alternatives for 'and', 'but', 'so'

University of Nottingham

Editing checklist

PDF file icon Practical strategies to check structure, paragraphing, sentences, grammar, spelling and punctuation

University of Nottingham

Proof-reading

PDF file icon  Self-help tips for your writing

University of Nottingham

Reflective writing - a basic introduction

PDF file icon  Includes a vocabulary aid of sample sentence beginnings and structures for reflective writing 

Martin Hampton, ASK, University of Portsmouth

UEfAP (Using English for Academic Purposes)

This site covers a range of issues for using English for academic purposes, including accuracy, assessment, grammar, listening, preparing, reading, speaking, vocabulary, and writing.

If you are accessing the site on a tablet or mobile, you may find accessing the site through UEfAP.net is best.

Andy Gillett, UEfAP

Writing and editing strategies

PDF file icon Includes structuring paragraphs and linking ideas

University of Nottingham