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Computer Information Systems: Writing Help

Use the following guide to locate print and electronic resources in computers, computer science, and other computer information systems related topics at the College of St. Scholastica Library.

Turnitin

Turnitin Logo
At CSS, Turnitin is embedded in Brightspace, so faculty wishing to have students use Turnitin should get information from our Center for Instructional Design (CID).

Turnitin compares submitted papers to its database full of Internet sites, other papers, and online resources. It generates an originality report which can be used to check for plagiarism and to double check student's work.

Writing Process

Step 1 - Decide on a topic
Resources to help you: 
Encyclopedias
Current events

Issues and interests in your life


Step 2 - Define your topic
Narrow your topic and break apart its terms, discern what the subject headings are for your topic, combine your terms with Boolean logic (and, or, not)
Resources to help you: 

Encyclopedias

Step 3 - Research your topic
Resources to help you: 
Getting Started LibGuide
Reference Books
Books & eBooks

Articles
Websites
Your textbook


Step 4 - Organize your topic into subtopics, create an outline
Resources to help you: 

Outline Worksheet (Google doc)

Step 5 - Set up your paper in APA 7th style or MLA 8th style
Resources to help you: 
Formatting your Paper in APA 7th

Formatting your Paper in MLA 9th

Step 6 - Evaluate your resources and select which ones you will use in your paper
Resources to help you: 
How to evaluate resources 
Evaluation of Sources Worksheet (Google doc)

Step 7 - Ethically incorporate your resources into your paper - in-text or parenthetical citations
Resources to help you: 

How to avoid plagiarism 
Look at the articles and your textbook for examples for how they used resources in their writing

Step 8 - Create your References List
Resources to help you: 
CSS Library's APA 7th LibGuide
CSS Library's MLA 9th LibGuide

More Writing Resources

Writing Help

The Rose Warner Writing and Critical Thinking Center

Click here for the homepage

The Writing Center helps students become better writers and critical thinkers. Our space is available for studying, writing, printing, or collaborating. We're ready to help all students reach their writing goals for all forms of writing, including reflection essays, argumentative essays, research papers, and literature reviews.

Our writing consultants strive to help you learn to improve various aspects of your writing—from idea development and organization to grammar and mechanics to meeting the expectations and conventions of the various genres and audiences you may find yourself writing for in college and beyond. 

There are various ways to get writing support including dropping in to the Writing Center in Tower 2121, by appointment in person or on Zoom, submitting a paper online for asynchronous feedback, or using Tutor.com

EndNote

EndNote is software that can organize, store, and input citations into Word documents to help you with your research. The College of St. Scholastica has a site license which offers two options for you to access Endnote and you can either pick one or use both as the situation warrants.

EndNote has its own YouTube channel to learn more advanced features of this incredibly powerful program:
https://www.youtube.com/user/EndNoteTraining

1. EndNote Download
To download EndNote, click on the link to the Google doc below for instructions
2. EndNote Online