Additional Resources.

This guide is intended to begin your exploration in writing for public health.  Developing strong writing skills takes time and ongoing conversations with your professors, colleagues, and peers.  BUSPH has several writing programs to help you strengthen your writing skills at any stage, including the Public Health Writing Program. For more information, visit bu.edu/sph/writing.

Recommended Writing Books and Websites

In addition to BUSPH resources, these books can provide more in-depth discussions about the writing process, writing style, and grammar.

  • Academic Writing for Graduate Students, Second Edition: Essential Tasks and Skills (Michigan Series in English for Academic & Professional Purposes) by John M. Swales and Christine Feak.  A writing guide for graduate students on the writing process and tips for common writing assignments.
  • The Elements of Style, Fourth Edition by William Strunk Jr., E. B. White and Roger Angell.  A classic, quick guide to writing clearly.
  • A Pocket Style Manual 6th by Diana Hacker and Nancy Sommers.  A quick reference book on clarity, grammar, punctuation, mechanics, research and citation styles.
  • Purdue OWL.  Produced by Purdue University, this online writing lab contains grammar, referencing, and subject-specific resources.
  • Clarity Conciseness, Zing and More: 262 Ways to Take Business Writing Beyond the Basics by Syntax Training.  A brief guide on how to strengthen professional communication.
  • Words Fail Me: What Everyone Who Writes Should Know about Writing by Patricia T. O’Conner.  A humorous book that highlights strategies for writing clearly and concisely.
  • The Craft of Research, Third Edition (Chicago Guides to Writing, Editing, and Publishing) by Wayne C. Booth, Gregory G. Colomb and Joseph M. Williams.  A guide on the writing process for research papers.

Grammar Resources

  • Grammar Choices for Graduate and Professional Writers (Michigan Series in English for Academic & Professional Purposes) by Nigel A. Caplan.  A grammar workbook written for academic writing for graduate students.   
    • Grammar Handbook by University of Illinois-Urbana-Champaign.  Online handbook arranged by topic area.
      • Hypergrammar by University of Ottawa’s Writing Centre.  Another online handbook arranged by topic area.
        • Guide to Grammar and Writing by Capital Community College Foundation. A website that arranges their topics by “level” such as paragraph-level, sentence-level, etc.
          • Common Errors in English Usage.  Explains differences in commonly confused words in the English language.  For instance, it explains the difference between “affect” and “effect.”
            • UNC Writing Center. Includes references on writing papers, citation styles, and grammar.