This guide will help you find resources related to professional writing. The guide is divided into the following sections:
Search Tips
- Review basic tips to help you search the library catalog and databases.
- View a list of recommended databases for writing professionals.
Books
- View a list of recommended electronic books.
Cite Your Sources
- Access guides for citing your sources using APA and MLA format.
Use boolean operators to combine multiple keywords to get more accurate search results. The venn diagram below shows your search results in orange.
Use AND between your keywords to narrow your search. This will give you a smaller number of results that are more specific to your topic.
Use OR between your keywords to broaden your search. This will give you a larger number of results and is helpful for including synonymous terms.
Use NOT between your keywords to exclude keywords from your search. This is helpful for weeding out irrelevant results.
Additional examples of boolean searches
honeybees AND migration AND "climate change"
honeybees OR "native bees" AND habitat
honeybees OR "honey bees" AND Minnesota NOT bumblebees
Use the Full Text filter to only search for article you can immediately access in full text.
Use the Peer Reviewed filter to limit your search to articles from scholarly journals.
Use the Publication Date filter to limit your search to a specific date range. For nursing resources, you are often looking for information published in the last 5 years.
Additional filters are often available through the left side bar or by using the advanced search option.
Business Source Premier (EBSCO) Scholarly journals and trade publications across all business-related subject areas.
Regional Business News Plus (EBSCO) Provides extensive coverage for full-text regional business publications from the United States and Canadian provinces. Scholars and academic researchers can access essential newspapers, radio and TV news transcripts, trade publications, magazines, newswires and videos.
Academic Search Premier (EBSCO) Provides full text articles from over 4,600 publications, covering a wide range of academic subjects.
ProQuest U.S. Newsstream U.S. news content as well as archives that stretch back into the 1980s from national and regional news sources including The New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, Washington Post, Los Angeles Times, Boston Globe, Newsday, Chicago Tribune and the Minneapolis Star Tribune.
Taylor, S. (2017). Email Essentials: How to Write Effective Emails and Build Great Relationships One Message at a Time. Marshall Cavendish International.
Booher, D. (2019). Faster, Fewer, Better Emails : Manage the Volume, Reduce the Stress, Love the Results. Berrett-Koehler Publishers.
Appleman, J. E. (2018). 10 Steps to Successful Business Writing, 2nd ed. Association for Talent Development.
Forsyth, P. (2018). Smart Skills: Business Writing. Legend Business.
Bennett, S. (2014). The Elements of Resume Style : Essential Rules for Writing Resumes and Cover Letters That Work. 2nd ed. AMACOM.
Butler, P. (2018). The Writer’s Style : A Rhetorical Field Guide. Utah State University Press.
Wheeler, A. (2019). Writing for the Media. Emerald Publishing Limited.
Thomsett, M.C. (2018). Style Guide for Business Writing, 2nd ed. De Gruyter.
Forsyth, P. (2018). Smart Skills: Persuasion. Legend Business.
See the library's guide on APA formatting for an overview of the most common citation skills you will need as a nursing student:
APA 7th Ed. Citation Guide | Ruth A. Myers Library (mnpals.net)
Purdue OWL offers a more extensive guide you can reference for more advanced citation questions:
APA Formatting and Style Guide (7th Edition) - Purdue OWL® - Purdue University
After finding an article, look for a "Cite" icon. Choose the whichever you are using (APA, MLA, etc.), then, copy and past the citation into your document. Always double check the format in case there are errors.
