Using academic word lists to help with assignments plus WordSift or Wordle

“I find the online websites that have subject specific word lists are helpful when looking for words that need to be used for academic writing”  Lettie

There is the WordSift site at Stanford University that works like Wordle showing a section of text with the words you use most being shown in large sized fonts.  The WordSift site also has the Visual Thesaurus to help when making choices of words.

Here is a YouTube video tutorial using WordSift

Evernote for organising courseware

“In order to organise my courseware I use an online tool called Evernote.  This helps me to ‘clip’ useful information from websites and also to save some reminders. The app can be used online as a web app and also installed as a Chrome browser bookmark or Android and iPhone mobile or tablet app.  The offline app can then sync to your profile.” Andreas (MSc Web Science)

Keith Everett has provided a useful YouTube video about how he has worked with Evernote and he shows the Chrome browser bookmark as well as talking about linking with a mobile phone.

Academic phrasebook to aid writing

This could save the day when you cannot think what to write in certain parts of an assignment or dissertation –  the University of Manchester has an Academic Phrasebank.

It is a general resource for academic writers. It aims to provide you with examples of some of the phraseological “nuts and bolts” of writing organised under the headings to the left. It was designed primarily with international students whose first language is not English in mind. However, if you are a native speaker writer, you may still find parts of the material helpful.

academic phrasebank

Thanks to Andy McMahon