Mastering the Text: Close Reading and Annotation

Reading in college is a challenging activity, but there are strategies you can use to navigate these texts smoothly. Come to the Close Reading and Annotation workshop where you will gain skills to help you:

• Read actively, not passively
• Use an effective multiple pass approach
• Work smarter, not longer, with annotation/note taking
• Think critically about the text, asking questions, and making connections to other texts, theories, and ideas.

Pre-writing & Outlining: Strategies for Organization

We have all felt it before: the panic, the paralysis, the mental block that always seems to arrive after the writing is assigned. Where to start? How to turn scattered thoughts into organized gold? What can help every writer turn away from procrastination and towards productivity?

No matter what type of assignment you are working on, pre-writing and outlining are helpful tools in the writing process. Come to the outlining and pre-writing workshop where you will learn tips and tricks to help you

• stimulate thoughts
• choose topics
• organize ideas
• get writing!

Writing Powerful Paragraphs

Paragraph like a pro!

In the powerful paragraphs workshop, our goal is to help you understand the rules of unification and coherence so that you can learn to craft well-developed, cohesive paragraphs that readers can follow with ease no matter your writing situation. We will discuss:

• Common Traits
• Controlling Ideas
• Transitions
• Ways to Arrange Paragraphs
• Development and Length

Join Us!

The Essay Refresh

The Essay Refresh

Has it been a while since you had to complete a formal writing assignment? Do you need a refresher on the basics of college-level essay crafting? Come join us at the Essay Refresh where you will learn about:

• The fundamentals of essay structure
• Strategies for development
• Organizational tips

Crafting a Standout Personal Statement

Crafting a Standout Personal Statement

Applying to graduate school but not sure how to approach the personal statement? Need some help "promoting yourself"? Wondering what is the difference between personal statement, statement of purpose, and goal statement?

Come find answers to all of these questions and more at the Personal Statement Workshop! We will discuss the form, content, and style of one of the most important documents you will ever write.

Working with Sources, Part 1: Finding and Evaluating Sources

Working with Sources, Part 1: Finding and Evaluating Sources
Conducting research for a paper or project can be overwhelming! If you need to work with outside sources for a project or paper, this workshop can help you get started. The first part of successfully using outside sources is finding ones that work well for you! In this workshop, we will cover:

• Figuring out what sources to look for
• Understanding how and where to find quality sources
• Evaluating the sources you have found
• Keeping track of where you are getting sources

Group Work That Works

You are a hard-working student, dedicated to doing the best work you can in all your courses. But what happens when you are given a group project that asks you to put your trust and your grade in the hands of your peers and asks them to trust you as well? End your group work anxieties and learn to effectively work as part of a team. Join us for this workshop, where we will cover:

• Read actively, not passively
• Best practices for “meeting” virtually
• Strategies for assigning roles and duties
• Avoiding pitfalls

Working with Sources, Part 2: Incorporating Sources

So, you’ve done your research and found some sources to use in your project or paper. Now what do you do with them? This hands-on workshop will help you to skillfully integrate those sources into your work in a meaningful way. We will cover:

• Read actively, not passively
• Understanding what it means to “engage with” sources
• Incorporating those sources into your writing
• Citing those sources responsibly

Writing the Annotated Bibliography

The Annotated Bibliography

Getting started on some research?

Need to write an annotated bibliography, but aren't sure how?

Want help with formatting and requirements for this genre?

Come learn why you've been asked to write an annotated bibliography and what information it should include.

**You will leave this workshop with templates that will help you format your work correctly every time!

Writing with "Flow"

 Writing that Works and Flows

The Literature Review

Writing the Literature Review

Assigned a literature review and not sure where to begin? Come to this workshop, which will teach you:

• What the purpose of a literature review actually is
• How to create a focus for your lit review
• How to smoothly integrate sources into your writing
• What synthesis is and how to"do" it
• Correct formatting

Avoiding Grammar Errors: Verbs, Articles and More

Are you having trouble with grammar when you write in English? Could you use some strategies for locating the grammar mistakes in your essays and assignments? Come get help with:

• Noun-Verb Agreement
• Verb Tense
• Gerunds and Infinitives
• Count/Non-Count Nouns
• Articles

Avoiding Grammar Errors: Run-Ons, Commas, and More

Are you struggling with run-ons and fragments? Confused about punctuation? In this workshop, you will learn:

• How to correct run-ons
• When to use commas and apostrophes
• How to identify incomplete sentences
• How to avoid commonly misused words
• How to find and fix errors on your own

Writing a Winning Scholarship Essay

One thing that practically every college student could use is more money to put towards their educational expenses, yet many scholarships every year go unclaimed. Stop letting procrastination and intimidation get in the way! Go for that scholarship! Come let us help you get started. We will discuss:

Presentations that Succeed

Has your professor assigned a presentation that makes your palms sweaty? You are smart and knowledgeable but does the thought of presenting your work in front of a class stress you out? Presenting or speaking in front of an audience is one of the most common fears people face. But communicating your ideas clearly and presenting them in a public forum is important for success not just in college, but in many professional settings as well. Come learn tips and strategies for presenting like a pro.

• Planning and strategizing for your presentation
• Making a great impression
• Pacing yourself
• Overcoming nerves
• Presenting in an online forum/classroom

APA Style

If you have questions about APA format--the running heads, the references, the parenthetical citations, and the general writing style--this workshop is for you. 

• Basic formatting for documents and references
• How to cite correctly within your text
• How to integrate sources into your writing

**You will leave this workshop with templates that will help you format your work correctly every time!

If you are already working on something, feel free to bring it! (This is not necessary, however.)

MLA Style

You've worked hard on your paper.  Make sure your research is carefully presented in the correct format. 

This workshop will help you follow MLA format in your parenthetical citations, your list of works cited, and the incorporation of evidence into your discussion. Hands on and interactive - if you are working on an assignment, feel free to bring it! **You will leave this workshop with templates that will help you format your work correctly every time!

Chicago Style

You are practically an expert at writing a paper in MLA format. APA papers are a breeze for you. But now you are asked to write a paper in Chicago style, and you want to get it right. We are here to help in this hands on, interactive workshop. If you are currently working on a Chicago style paper, feel free to bring it. Whether or not you have been assigned a Chicago style paper, you will leave this workshop with a template that will help you format your work correctly every time. 

In this workshop, you will learn to:

•Format your paper properly,
•Create a bibliography,
•Incorporate in text citations, both footnotes and parenthetical.

Join us! 

Proofread Like a Professional

Are you looking for strategies to polish and perfect your writing? This one-hour workshop will provide you with techniques for proofing your assignment before you hand it in.

This workshop will:

• Clarify the difference between proofreading and revision
• Explain the importance of carefully and critically re-reading your work
• Introduce you to proofreading tools and tricks that allow you to find and fix your errors

Revising with Confidence

Revising with Confidence

To revise means to "see again" and this process is exactly what we hope to teach you in our hands on, how to workshop about the art of revising your work!

We will cover how to check for/work on:

• Difference between revision and proofreading 
• Prompt address and synthesis of information
• Balance between various elements of essay
• Focus consistency
• Organization and order
• Development and detail
• Closing clearly and correctly

Join us!

Writing the Abstract

Writing Abstracts
Need to write an abstract? This short-but-important document can be challenging to create, but our workshop is here to help! Come to this interactive, hands-on Writing Abstracts workshop, where we will help you to:

• Understand the purpose of an abstract
• Identify the key features of an abstract
• Learn strategies for writing an effective abstract

Creating Great Cover Letters

Is your cover letter competitive enough to get you that highly selective internship or full-time job?

Come to our cover letter workshop and learn how to craft a cover letter that speaks for you. Learn how to:

• showcase your experiences
• highlight key language
• stand out from the crowd.

If you are already working on something, feel free to bring it! (This is not necessary, however)

Creating a Powerful Resume

Applying for a job? Competing for an internship? Working on an admissions packet for grad school and need to spruce up your work history? Come to the LRC and learn how to put your best foot forward, on the page, in our résumé /cv workshop! This workshop provides detailed explanations, as well step-by-step processes, for creating an effective and attention grabbing résumé /cv.

If you are already working on something, feel free to bring it! (This is not necessary, however)

Summarizing, Paraphrasing, and Quoting: How to Integrate Seamlessly

Everyone knows that they need to use evidence from source materials in academic writing, but knowing when and how to use them will add credibility and complexity to your writing. Come to this workshop on summarizing, paraphrasing, and quoting where you will learn:

• The key difference between these three methods of source integration
• When to use the different methods
• How to use them accurately and effectively
• Why it matters!

University Library 3rd Floor, East Wing

18111 Nordhoff Street
Northridge, CA 91330-8325

Telephone:
(818) 677-2033

Fax:
(818) 677-3632

E-mail: 
lrc@csun.edu 

(We do not make appointments via email.)

Main Office Hours