reference

Browser Compatibility Table

A list of various CSS rules and their compatibility with common browsers and operating systems. With a quick glance, the designer or developer can note which CSS properties should be used or avoided. The table also offers an interactive feature that highlights the row your cursor is on. This makes pinpointing the compatibility of a specific CSS property much easier.

Introduction to Basic Legal Citation

This introduction to legal citation is focused on the forms of citation used in professional practice rather than those used in journal publication. It aims to identify the more important points on which there is divergence between the rules set out in two common manuals and evolving usage reflected in legal memoranda and briefs prepared by practicing lawyers.

Regular Expression

regular expressions provide a concise and flexible means for identifying strings of text of interest, such as particular characters, words, or patterns of characters. Regular expressions (abbreviated as regex or regexp, with plural forms regexes, regexps, or regexen) are written in a formal language that can be interpreted by a regular expression processor, a program that either serves as a parser generator or examines text and identifies parts that match the provided specification.

Regular Expression Tutorial - Learn How to Use Regular Expressions

Basically, a regular expression is a pattern describing a certain amount of text. Their name comes from the mathematical theory on which they are based. In this tutorial, I will teach you all you need to know to be able to craft powerful time-saving regular expressions. I will start with the most basic concepts, so that you can follow this tutorial even if you know nothing at all about regular expressions yet.

Regular Expressions for Client-Side JavaScript

Here is the syntax for a very powerful and very cryptic string pattern matching scheme in the client-side JavaScript of web browsers. You can use it to validate form entry, parse URLs, and many other things.

Technical Writing Guide

This set of guidelines was developed to help you understand the expectations for technical communication in CE 314K (Properties and Behavior of Engineering Materials). Successful technical communication requires practice. Therefore, you should allot sufficient time to write several drafts of each assignment before submitting the final version.

When Can I Use...

Compatibility tables for features in HTML5, CSS3, SVG and other upcoming web technologies in the most popular web browsers.

Punctuation Made Simple

Some people write well but allow themselves to be disabled by a fear of punctuation and grammar. They know how to prewrite, organize, and revise, but proofreading for punctuation and grammar causes them difficulties. There’s no need to fear these conventions of standard written English. In fact, these conventions can help you become a more effective communicator.

Technical Communicator's Glossary

Technical communicators employ a wide range of strategies to make scientific and technical information accessible to as wide an audience as possible. This glossary introduces some of these strategies by defining some terms commonly used to discuss them. The aim of the glossary is to help students in technical and professional communication successfully enter this rapidly expanding profession.

Dictionary.com

A comprehensive online reference resource, with a dictionary, thesaurus, encyclopedia and word/phrase translation service.

Interaction Design Encyclopedia

An open-source encyclopedia of terms from the fields surrounding interaction design.

Encyclopedia of Business Case Terms

A business case is a tool that supports planning and decision-making, including decisions about whether to buy, which vendor to choose, and when to implement.

Comunicazione Tecnica

Il processo di comunicazione tecnica consiste nel veicolare informazioni circa una tecnologia ad una platea ben definita.

Search Engine Marketing

A concise history of search engine optimisation and online marketing all the way to the present. The article covers the evolution of search and describes search engine algorithms and the use of correct semantic mark-up to gain better search engine rankings.

DocBook Element Quick Reference Card

A one-page reference card for DocBook elements.

Confusing Words

Confusing Words is a collection of words that are troublesome to readers and writers. Words are grouped according to the way they are most often confused or misused.

GrammarNOW

This site is dedicated to answering grammar, composition, or formatting questions.

Gender-Free Legal Writing: Managing the Personal Pronouns

Where a statement of any complexity is made about a person, the maker of the statement may face decisions about how further references should be framed.

Usability

A hypertext encyclopedia entry about usability, with links to many related topics.

User Interface

A hypertext encyclopedia entry about user interface design, with links to many related topics.

Technical Writer

A hypertext encyclopedia entry about technical writers, with links to many related topics.

EERE Communication Standards and Guidelines

The development and dissemination of new communication standards and guidelines are evolving processes that require cooperation, teamwork, and clear communication.

Technical Report Overview

This outline is provided to help introduce the Technical Report and to clarify the acceptable format and level of achievement that is considered essential for successful completion of the Technical Report.

The Economist Style Guide

This guide is based on the style book which is given to all journalists at The Economist.

Catching Errors in Internet Addresses

Internet addresses have been proliferating in publications, and they're not going to go away. Editors unfamiliar with the Net may see these addresses as incomprehensible blocks of characters that can't be understood or analyzed into components. But learning a little about their structure can help prevent you from publishing erroneous addresses.

GNOME Documentation Style Guide

The GNOME Documentation Style Guide provides guidelines for authors who want to contribute to the GNOME Documentation Project.

It's Not Fowler

The debate over The New Fowler's Modern English Usage has the potential to become more interesting because there are personalities involved.

Localization Guidelines for Language and Terminology

How does your writing style affect localization? The following list of suggestions provides some language and terminology guidelines that should ease localizing your application.

United Nations Multilingual Terminology Database

This database was compiled over the years in response to diverse and wide-ranging demands of United Nations language staff for terminology and nomenclature. It is being put on the Internet to facilitate the efforts of people around the world who participate in the work of the United Nations but do not have access to the Secretariat's intranet.

Concise Writing Guide

Provides alternatives to overstated, pompous words; wordy, bureaucratic phrases; and verbose, sometimes amusing redundant phrases.

Garbl's Style Manual

This manual mostly follows Associated Press style but also follows advice of other excellent books on writing and Web sites listed in Garbl's Writing Resources Online -- and my selection and interpretation of their guidelines. This guide focuses on U.S. standards for spelling, punctuation, definitions, usage, style and grammar.

Terminology Made Simple

This paper describes the types of terms that you should include in software product glossary and describes how to write definitions for these terms. It also describes a method for controlling word usage and managing terminology for software projects.

Basic Prose Style and Mechanics

This pamphlet is designed to introduce you to, or remind you of, the basic principles of prose style and mechanics. The Prose Style Section describes twelve basic principles of good prose style and illustrates most of these principles with examples. Since most writers and editors agree about the importance of these twelve basic principles, I have drawn from a wide variety of sources. However, I would especially recommend two texts: The Elements of Style by William Strunk and E.B. White and Style: Ten Lessons in Clarity & Grace by Joseph Williams.

CSS Properties Table

A quick reference table for the css properties!

Style, Grammar, and Usage

Information on style, grammar, and usage.

Engineering Communication Centre

Language Across the Curriculum in Applied Science and Engineering at the University of Toronto helps students to communicate in writing and orally.

Guidelines for Technical Writing

The rules here apply to all classes in the Chemical Engineering Department at Ohio University. Most of them will apply in 'the real world', too, although your employer may have some specific format requirements.

Council of Science Editors: Reference Links

Links to thousands of reference sites, most of which relate to science writing.

Professional Editorial Standards

The skills listed in this publication are those most commonly required for editing English-language text, whether on paper or on screen. The editor's functions start when the writer declares the manuscript more or less complete and continue through to the point at which it is ready for publication, regardless of the medium. Editors perform many tasks along the way, including structural editing, stylistic editing, copy editing, markup/coding, and proofreading. The technologies used in editing and in publishing change, but the fundamental tasks and the editorial skills required to work with words remain relatively constant.

Writing Style Guide

The following is a description of Florida Institute of Technology's in-house writing style for everything except technical papers and reports. This guide is set up alphabetically and contains listings that will allow you to standardize everything you write for the university. Reference materials include The Associated Press Stylebook And Libel Manual (Fully Revised and Updated 1998 Edition), Webster's Ninth New Collegiate Dictionary and McGraw-Hill Dictionary of Scientific and Technical Terms (Fourth Edition).

Guide to Citation Style Guides

An annotated collection of links to the best and most up-to-date citation guides that show how to properly cite resources from the Internet. Style guides for APA, MLA, Chicago, Turabian, BSE, styles and a description of how to cite references from Lexis/Nexis.

Microsoft Manual of Style 3.0

Complete styles and guidelines for publishing a variety of technical publications.

Proofreader's and Editor's Symbols

The following marks are standard proofreading and editing marks. A professional proofreader puts a mark (usually a line or caret) in the line and writes the correction in the margin. An editor makes corrections within the line rather than in the margin (in part because an editor's changes are typically more extensive), which is why editors prefer to work with double-spaced copy.

Legal Research and Citation Style in the USA

The format for citations to legal materials is different from the format for scholarly citations to books and periodicals in general. This handout is a terse guide to legal citation in the USA. The generally accepted style manual for legal citations in the USA is the Bluebook: A Uniform System of Citation, which is published by the editors of four prestigious law reviews at Columbia University, Harvard, Univ. of Pennsylvania, and Yale Law Schools. A copy of theBluebook can be purchased in any law school bookstore. A comprehensive set of rules from the Bluebook is available on the Internet from Peter W. Martin at Cornell Law School. In contrast, this handout here contains a terse set of rules that agree with the Bluebook, but does not contain all of the fine points and options in the Bluebook. Opinions of some courts use a different format from the Bluebook, but these alternative citation formats contains the same information. Be aware that citations in opinions of state or federal courts may not be the correct bibliographic style according to the Bluebook.Furthermore, the proper format according to the Bluebook changes with time, so old sources (both cases and law review articles) do not use the modern format for citation.

Style Manuals and Guides for Technical Writing

Style manuals show how to format bibliographies and footnotes; some also provide information on outlining, editing and writing. If your instructor has not specified a particular format or recommended a style manual, consult one of the following, widely-used manuals.

Extensible Markup Language (XML) Activity Statement

The Extensible Markup Language (XML) is a simple, very flexible text format derived from SGML (ISO 8879). Originally designed to meet the challenges of large-scale electronic publishing, XML is also playing an increasingly important role in the exchange of a wide variety of data on the Web.

Sample Paper Formatted Using CBE Style Guide

A sample research paper, formatted using the CBE Style Guide.

Sample Paper Formatted Using Chicago Style

A sample research paper, formatted using the Chicago Style.

Apple Publications Style Guide (2003)

The May 2003 edition of the standard reference for Apple publications.

A Guide for Writing Research Papers Based on Modern Language Association (MLA) Documentation

The formatting of citations recommended in this guide is based on Modern Language Association recommendations. This guide may suffice for most students' needs for most academic purposes, but for advanced research projects it is by no means a substitute for the Modern Language Association Handbook for Writers of Research Papers Fifth Edition (1999). That handbook can be purchased in most bookstores and copies should be available in every college and municipal library. A Guide similar to this one, but based on the APA style, is also available online (see link on the navigation bar). Your best source of advice on all these matters is, of course, your instructor and library professionals.

Writing Better Reports: A Handbook for Civil and Environmental Engineers

Based on faculty concerns, this handbook offers guidelines and exercises to help you improve your technical style.

Answers.com

Articles researched by Answers.com's in-house editorial team, community-contributed articles from Wikipedia, and user-generated questions and answers from Answers.com's WikiAnswers.

Chico State Writing Style Guide

When editors refer to style, they usually do not mean an individual's writing style; they mean editorial style—the guidelines a publisher uses to enhance the reader's understanding. Editorial style includes the consistent use of spelling, punctuation, capitalization, and abbreviations, as well as the selection of headings and the use of numbers. These guidelines are often called 'conventions' because they represent a conventional presentation used in publishing.

Writing English for a Global Readership

As first-language English users we often need to communicate effectively with people for whom English is a foreign or a second language, for instance when conducting business internationally. The Internet, particularly, is a global medium of communication, and we cannot assume that everyone reads or understands English flawlessly.

Dictionary.com

The dictionaries that appear on Dictionary.com include: The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition; Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary; The Free On-line Dictionary of Computing; Jargon File 4.2.0; CIA World Factbook (1995); Easton's 1897 Bible Dictionary; Hitchcock's Bible Names Dictionary; U.S. Gazetteer; U.S. Census Bureau. In addition, through our site you can access definitions from: Acronym Finder; On-line Medical Dictionary; CancerWEB.

Sample Paper Formatted Using APA Style Guide

A sample research paper, formatted using the APA style guide.

Sample Paper Formatted Using MLA Style Guide

A sample research paper, formatted using the MLA style guide.

Engineering Communicator's Manual

This manual is intended to be used by any engineering student (undergraduate or graduate) who has to complete writing assignments or oral presentations for any course. You will find information on general principles of grammar and style, as well as specific examples of technical writing and presenting. If your communication assignment is for an engineering class, you will want to pay particular attention to the sample documents.

Begrippenlijst

Uitleg van relevante termen over het communicatiebeleid rondom webprojecten, het ontwikkelen van een functioneel ontwerp en het inrichten van het content management.

NASA Guide to Grammar, Punctuation, and Capitalization: A Handbook for Technical Writers and Editors

This publication is directed toward professional writers, editors, and proofreaders. Those whose profession lies in other areas (for example, research or management), but who have occasion to write or review others' writing will also find this information useful. By carefully studying the examples and revisions to these examples, you can discern most of the techniques in my editing 'bag of tricks'; I hope that you editors will find these of particular interest.

Example Style Guide

This document accompanies the TECHWR-L article 'Developing a Style Guide,' and includes a sample outline of a style guide. Some of the sections include some detailed sample text; others do not. Please note that the examples shown here are not necessarily the 'correct' choices, or the 'preferred' choices, or the 'best' choices; they are simply examples of things to include. Your project may require additional items, especially if your writing will be used on a Web site.

IEEE Standards Style Manual

Preferred editorial style for the preparation of proposed IEEE standards is established. Many of the frequently asked questions about writing drafts are answered. The optional and required contents of drafts are described, and instructions on submitting drafts for IEEE-SA Standards Board approval and publication are provided. This manual is not intended to be a guide to the procedural development of standards.

Reglas Básicas de Puntuación

La puntuación de los textos escritos, con la que se pretende reproducir la entonación de la lengua oral, constituye un capítulo importante dentro de la ortografía de cualquier idioma. De ella depende en gran parte la correcta expresión y comprensión de los mensajes escritos. La puntuación organiza el discurso y sus diferentes elementos y permite evitar la ambigüedad en textos que, sin su empleo, podrían tener interpretaciones diferentes.

Tips for Technical Writing: How to Avoid the Mechanical Pitfalls of Professional Writing

The information that follows addresses common student questions when preparing research papers using the APA writing format. Students are encouraged to consult the 5th edition of the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association (APA) for more complete information and the Fischler Graduate School of Education and Human Services’ Style Guide for the Applied Dissertation (SGAD) for exceptions to APA. The summary also includes a few APA exceptions.

Writer's Handbook

We're pleased to offer some of the many instructional materials we've developed for our Writing Center teaching. As useful as we think these materials may be to you, though, we need to offer a few words of caution. There are limitations to these materials. Assignments vary. Different instructors want different things from student writers. What's appropriate and effective in one context, isn't necessarily so in others. So as you peruse what's here please understand that our suggestions may or may not apply to your writing situation. Please remember that handouts can give only a fraction of the customized guidance that an individual conference with a Writing Center instructor can provide.

Uniform Requirements for Manuscripts Submitted to Biomedical Journals

A small group of editors of general medical journals met informally in Vancouver, British Columbia, in 1978 to establish guidelines for the format of manuscripts submitted to their journals. The group became known as the Vancouver Group. Its requirements for manuscripts, including formats for bibliographic references developed by the National Library of Medicine, were first published in 1979. The Vancouver Group expanded and evolved into the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE), which meets annually; gradually it has broadened its concerns.

WAP Wireless Markup Language Specification (WML)

Wireless Application Protocol (WAP) is a result of continuous work to define an industry wide standard for developing applications over wireless communication networks. The WAP Forum, originally founded by Ericsson, Motorola, Nokia, and Unwired PlanetWML was formed to create the global wireless protocol specification that works across differing wireless network technology types, for adoption by appropriate industry standards bodies. WML (Wireless Markup Language) is a markup language based on XML, and is intended for use in specifying content and user interface for narrowband devices, including cellular phones and pagers. WML is designed with the constraints of small narrowband devices in mind.

Cambridge Dictionaries Online

A collection of dictionaries online.

IRTC Language Resources

This is a list of resources related to language, including online reference tools like dictionaries and style guides.

The University of Victoria's Hypertext Writer's Guide

Originally prepared for students in the English Department at the University of Victoria, the Guide is an introduction to the process of writing and to the study of literature. We're pleased to make its hypertext version available to writers and students of literature across the World Wide Web. We hope you find it helpful whether you're just starting the big job of writing an essay or need only to check a small point.

Writing Styleguide

Many individuals and organizations develop styleguides to provide standards for the development of publications. Styleguides give rules and examples of writing style, word use, grammar, punctuation, capitalization, and typographic conventions. These standards are used when writing all kinds of documents—manuals, newsletters, reports, proposals, letters, memos, and so on—to maintain consistency and quality. Our styleguide is organized alphabetically by keyword for quick reference.

Apple Publications Style Guide (2003)

An updated version of the style guide used by writers and editors in Apple publications groups.

The Good Grammar, Good Style™ Pages

Do you have a question about style, grammar, or mechanics? Find the answer to your questions in the Good Grammar, Good Style Archive — over 100 pages of useful articles and frequently asked questions!

Guide to Grammar and Style

These notes are a miscellany of grammatical rules and explanations, comments on style, and suggestions on usage I put together for my classes. Nothing here is carved in stone, and many comments are matters of personal preference — feel free to psychoanalyze me by examining my particular hangups and bêtes noires. Anyone who can resist turning my own preferences into dogma is welcome to use this HTML edition.

Avoiding Insensitive and Offensive Language

Suggestions for avoiding language that reinforces stereotypes or excludes certain groups of people. Includes examples of sentences and words to avoid, and replacements for them. Includes the following topics: Sexism, Race and Ethnicity, Age, Sexual Orientation, Depersonalization of Persons with Disabilities or Illnesses, Patronizing or Demeaning Expressions, and Language That Excludes or Emphasizes Differences.

Eleven Rules of Writing

This site is a concise guide to some of the most commonly violated rules of writing, grammar, and punctuation. It is intended for all writers as an aid in the learning and refining of writing skills. Explore each of the rules to see examples of its application, and use the references to find additional explanations and examples on the Web or in print. Look up grammatical terms in the glossary. For a wider variety of information, check related FAQs and other writing resources.

Grammar, Spelling, and Punctuation

A guide on punctuation, capitals, spelling, sentence construction and parts of speech.

Webopedia

A search engine and dictionary for computer and Internet technology.

Fight the Fog: How to Write Clearly

This guide is intended for all writers of English at large, bureaucratic institutions. Our example here is the European Commission! Whether your job is drafting or translating, here are some hints - not rules - that will help you to write clearly and make sure your message ends up in your readers' brains, not in their bins.

Tracking Reviewers' Comments

I had a manual under review by over 60 people. I posted a question about how to track all of their comments. Here is the summary. Thanks to everyone who responded. You all gave me a lot to think about. I realized as I got the comments that I left out a crucial piece of information...the manual went out to our managers and maintenance specialists in the field (we have offices all over the United States). Thus, we can't hold traditional meetings.

Writing User-Friendly Documents

The traditional way of writing government documents has not worked well. Too often, it has produced complicated, jargon-filled documents that have resulted in frustration, lawsuits, and a lack of trust between citizens and their government. To overcome this legacy, the documents writers have a great responsibility to communicate clearly. Studies show that clearly written regulations improve compliance and decrease litigation. Writing that considers our readers' needs and draws them into the regulatory process improves the relationship between the government and the public it serves. Clear correspondence reduces the burden on the public. It also reduces the burden on the agency because we don't have to deal with the consequences of unclear communication.

Common Proofreading Symbols

A list of symbols, their meaning, and an example of usage.

Documenting Electronic Sources

The Internet is a widely used tool for research, but unfortunately, style manuals contain little information on how to document electronic sources. This page contains links to sources which will help students, teachers, and anybody doing research on the Internet to cite such sources using different styles. Some links come from 'Cyber Citations,' an article by Michael A. Arnzen, which appeared in Internet World in September 1996. Some of the addresses were no longer current and are updated here, and many more have been added.

Using American Psychological Association (APA) Format

For the most current information about APA Format, we recommend visiting the Author's Corner of the APA website, where you can read about electronic reference formats recommended by the American Psychological Association and some frequently asked questions about the APA Publication manual, which includes the most up to date information about formatting, citation, and style. This handout is currently being revised to be in accordance with the latest guidelines, so do make sure to check our information against theirs.

Using Modern Language Association (MLA) Format

Modern Language Association (MLA) format provides writers with a system for cross-referencing their sources--from their parenthetical references to their works cited page. This cross-referencing system allows readers to locate the publication information of source material. This is of great value for researchers who may want to locate your sources for their own research projects. The proper use of MLA style also shows the credibility of writers; such writers show accountability to their source material. Most importantly, the use of MLA style can protect writers from accusations of plagiarism--the purposeful or accidental use of source material by other writers without giving appropriate credit.

Bias-Free Language

Insensitive use of language can send discriminatory or negative messages to other people and has been demonstrated to affect learning, self-esteem, and career choices. In a business environment, our interactions with co-workers and our relationship with clients also can be affected. This page provides some general guidelines for using written and spoken language that are diversity-sensitive.

Commonly Confused Words

A list of frequently used and sometimes misused words, their definitions and examples of their correct usage.

Commonly Used and Misused Punctuation Marks

Defines the functions of several punctuation marks and provides examples of their correct usage.

Deadwood Phrases

Lists common phrases that make wordy documents and makes suggestions for replacing them.

Grammar: A Handy Guide

Normal rules of English grammar are often violated in technical writing, sometimes with good reason. However, writers are often not aware of these violations. This guide identifies some of the rules that are most commonly violated.

References and Bibliography

Provides information about citing references in your text and preparing reference lists.

Standard Editing Symbols

Editing and proofreading symbols are used by editors and others for indicating text changes. The symbols are universally understood among most writers, editors, proofreaders, text processors, and printers.

HTML Help 1.x FAQ

This is a list of Frequently Asked Questions for the FAR HTML program and HTML Help users in general.

MS HELP 2.0

MS Help 2.x was announced at WinWriters on March 5, 2001. MS Help 2 is the help system used by Visual Studio .NET help and MSDN Library, and now the Borland .NET IDEs. Getting started with MS Help 2.0? This site is a start.

The Online English Grammar

Explains English parts of speech and gives several usage examples.

Acronym Finder

The Acronym Finder is a world wide web searchable database of more than 193,000 abbreviations and acronyms about computers, technology, telecommunications, and military acronyms and abbreviations.

The American Heritage Book of English Usage

This book is designed to inform you about current problems in English usage so you can make intelligent decisions when communicating. When confronted with a choice about a usage, you may ask yourself a number of questions: Has this usage been criticized for some reason in the past? If so, are these criticisms substantial? What are the linguistic and social issues involved? Have people frequently applied this usage in the past, and for how long? What do well-respected writers think of the usage today? You will find answers to these and many other questions in this book.

The Blue Book of Grammar and Punctuation

Jane Straus' easy-to-use reference guide and workbook is now available as an online resource. This popular book is an indispensable and entertaining guide for writers, proofreaders, editors, managers, clerical staff, teachers, and students. Use this site to find the answers to your questions concerning proper English grammar and punctuation.

Common Errors in English

Offers an extensive list of commonly confused words, their definitions and the correct way to use them.

Grammar

A website about English grammar for students.

Guide to Grammar and Writing

A web-based complete guide to English syntax and grammar.

Merriam-Webster Online

The Merriam-Webster language online site offers an up-to-date dictionary and thesaurus.

A Summary of the International Standard Date and Time Notation

International Standard ISO 8601 specifies numeric representations of date and time. This standard notation helps to avoid confusion in international communication caused by the many different national notations and increases the portability of computer user interfaces. In addition, these formats have several important advantages for computer usage compared to other traditional date and time notations. The time notation described here is already the de-facto standard in almost all countries and the date notation is becoming increasingly popular.

Going to Bat Against the Dictionary

The T-shirt, commonly misspelled 'tee shirt,' is so named because it resembles the letter T when spread out. Tee ball, commonly misspelled 'T-ball,' is so named because a ball is hit off a tee. Is that so difficult? Apparently it is. Unanimously, as far as I can tell, dictionaries favor the non-informative T-ball. Some of those dictionaries don't even recognize tee ball as an alternate spelling. Some very smart people think I'm out of my mind for having such strong feelings in favor of the tee- version.

Mechanics and Usage

A style guide is essential for a successful project. Many of our clients have their own style guidelines, which we follow to ensure that our work matches what they produce in-house. However, some clients do not have internal style guides. We have developed our own style guide to ensure our work on their projects is consistent. Putting the style guide on the web eliminates distribution problems and ensures that we always use the latest version.

Sharp Points

Bill Walsh, a copy editor for the Washington Post, rants on style and usage topics.

Internet Thesaurus

Thesaurus.com offers word synonyms and antonyms as well as an online dictionary and translator. The website also offers book recommendations and writing resources.

WDVL: Web Developer's Virtual Library

A comprehensive illustrated encyclopedia of web technology. Offers tutorials, examples, and links to great resources for webmasters, Internet developers and web designers. Offers information on web development using HTML, CGI, Java, JavaScript, DHTML, CSS, graphics, VRML, multimedia, animation, and scripting.

The Elements of Style

Asserting that one must first know the rules to break them, this classic reference book is a must-have for any student and conscientious writer. Intended for use in which the practice of composition is combined with the study of literature, it gives in brief space the principal requirements of plain English style and concentrates attention on the rules of usage and principles of composition most commonly violated.

Writing Revisable Manuals: A Guidebook for Business and Government

Writing Revisable Manuals–A Guidebook for Business and Government was written to help organizations prepare high quality manuals, quickly and inexpensively. There is a saying in technical writing that 'You can have it good, you can have it fast, or you can have it cheap. But you can’t have all three.' The goal of this guidebook is to show you how to have all three. Focusing on revisable manuals—the kind you can update easily—this guidebook takes you step-by-step through planning, writing, and producing manuals. If you are working on a manual for your organization, or will be in the near future, this guidebook is for you.

THOR Virtual Reference Desk

A collection of links to reference information of all types.

The Columbia Guide to Online Style

A guide to locating, translating, and using the elements of citation for both a humanities style (i.e., MLA and Chicago) and a scientific style (APA and CBE) for electronically-accessed sources. Part I is divided into two chapters. Chapter I examines, in broad and theoretical terms, the logic of citation; it answers the questions, 'Why cite?' and 'Why use a citation style?' Chapter 2 answers the question, 'How should we cite online material?' It first provides a guide to citation for authors working with humanities-oriented texts and then discusses an author-date citation system typically used in the sciences. Part 2 includes four chapters. Chapter 3 discusses the logic–the why–of document style. Chapters 4 and 5 describe standards for how to produce print and online documents. Chapter 6 discusses some more advanced considerations related to online style (3-4).

Style Guide for Online Hypertext

When writing for the Web, the documents usually become part of a larger collection. It's important that the site follows a common structure so all documents are available in a logical place. For a document, the style is also very important. By using a common style, you ensure that a reader can use the site effectively. Some important aspects are indicating the status of the document, using images and icons, and writing in a device-independent way.