My Favorite Resources

As a teacher, writer, and editor, it is important that I stay on top of trends and changes in language and style guides.  While I use a plethora of resources, the following are my favorites.  Between the three, I am almost always able to find what I need.

1) Grammar Girl - Mignon Fogerty, otherwise known as "Grammar Girl," is the founder of Quick and Dirty Tips.  Though Q&DT covers topics from parenting to productivity, Grammar Girl is - hands down - my favorite.  Grammar Girl can be utilized in multiple formats (podcasts, transcripts, books, and even a game), making topics accessible to anyone with a computer or smartphone.  Fogerty has a way of making complex subjects fun and easily understandable.  Her lessons are thorough, but brief, and cover not only grammar, but punctuation, usage, and the evolution of the language.

2) Purdue OWL - Purdue University's Online Writing Lab (OWL) offers users practice exercises and resources for all types of academic writing.  Whether you want to know how to cite a recorded interview or how to organize and argumentative essay, Purdue OWL has nearly everything.  It is constantly updated, so users can be sure that the information they're receiving is accurate and up-to-date.  Best of all, it is FREE!  When I teach my sophomores how to write a research paper, this is the source I send them to.

3) Dictionary.com - Far from just an online dictionary, Dictionary.com offers a thesaurus, translator, word games, and quote search.  The beauty of an online dictionary is that it is constantly updated (Note: The smartphone app is only occasionally updated) - even with nonstandard words such as twerk, gank, and LOL.  There are many other dictionaries available on the web, but Dictionary.com is more visually appealing and user friendly than others that I've tried.

Teacher, parent, or novelist, we all need writing resources occasionally.  If there are others that you can recommend, I'd love to hear about them!

Image from directcreative.com