OER for English: English Starting Points

Published in 2019, "This book is a free and open resource for composition instructors and students, full of essays that could supplement OER rhetoric and writing texts that lack readings. All of the essays in this reader are versatile rhetorically and thematically. It is arranged alphabetically by author name. Each essay has a series of hashtags that apply to the essay in some way. You can search for essays thematically for topics like education, the environment, politics, or health. You can also search for essays based on composition concepts like analysis, synthesis, and research. You can search for essays that are based on shared values, essays that rely heavily on ethos, logos, or pathos, essays that are very kairos-dependent, and essays that are scholarly." Google Doc format, downloadable in multiple formats, including Word or PDF. CC BY SA (Creative Commons - Attribution - ShareAlike) license.

West Virginia University, 2017. A compilation of essays from English and writing instructors that push back against established ideas and stereotypes about writing and research. "[T]he same core questions such as what is good writing, what makes a good writer, how should writing be assessed, and the like persist across contexts, technologies, and eras. The project has its genesis in frustration, but what emerges is hope: hope for leaving aside bad ideas and thinking about writing in more productive, inclusive, and useful ways." Faculty peer reviews of this text available on this site. PDF format. CC BY (Creative Commons - Attribution) format.

Anthology of 25+ essays written by students at Lehman College in the Bronx, 2020. "The writers are immigrants or the children of immigrants and/or POC. They grew up hearing gunshots and sirens at night, played fire escape basketball and still celebrate Thanksgiving by dancing. The stories reveal the writers' intense longing to belong in America and their passion to succeed in this country, while dealing with myriad challenges. They bear witness, in riveting, artful narratives that will be revelatory to Americans who fear and resent immigrants or people of color." Essays grouped by theme (e.g. Resilience). PDF format. CC BY NC ND (Creative Commons Attribution - Non-Commercial - No-Derivatives) license.

Peer-reviewed essays on writing, "an open textbook project for college-level writing studies courses. Each volume contains peer-reviewed collections of essays about writing—all composed by teachers for students.” Each essay and volume available as web or downloadable PDF versions. Click the “Downloads” tab to browse and download essays. Could be used for a textbook or as supplemental sources. CC BY NC ND (Creative Commons - Attribution - NonCommercial - No Derivatives) license.

Edited by Naomi Salmon, UW-Madison. "This collection of readings that emerged out of partnerships between OER enthusiasts, composition instructors at the University of Wisconsin–Madison, and contributors who shared ideas and resources on a Twitter thread about open composition." Readings, essay and discussion prompts, and activities. Online format. CC BY (Creative Commons Attribution) license.

Compiled by Columbus State Community Library College, 2019, "a repository of links to freely available texts that replaces a traditional reader for Composition courses." Organized into tabs for common topics, such as Society & Culture, Identity, Food & Health, and more. Online format. Most articles are not openly licensed but are freely available online.

Compiled by Sybil Priebe, North Dakota State College of Science, 2020. "This reader contains example genres and strategies, along with example arguments and other general readings. It contains full accessibility." Word format via Google Docs; make a copy to edit. CC BY NC SA (Creative Commons - Attribution - Non-Commercial - ShareAlike) license.

Online reading anthology organized into three modules/levels with openly licensed/public domain readings. Each level includes both creative and non-fiction readings. Online format, also includes a PDF for offline use or file. Course has a CC BY (Creative Commons - Attribution) license overall, but please note that each page of this open course lists specific attributions at the bottom of each page, which may have different licenses.

This anthology is a curated collection of openly licensed or public domain primary texts, organized thematically, including themes of Food, Culture, Nature & Conservation, Technology, Health Care, Politics, and Literature.

Web texts for students and faculty in college-level courses that require writing and research. Web texts are stand-alone modules with essays, activities, and supplemental materials. Ten main sections/chapters. Web texts are available to print, email, PDF and hyperlink. Most are licensed under CC BY-NC-ND (Creative Commons - Attribution - NonCommercial - No Derivatives).

Saylor Academy course, with 5 units focusing on active reading and analytic writing, as well as an intro to the expository essay. Includes active reading practice in each unit, plus study guides and review exercises available. Web version only. Licensed under a CC BY (Creative Commons - Attribution) license.

Lumen Learning online course that "introduces students to the writing process as a means of developing ideas into clear, correct, and effective writing." Organized into 9 modules, each with assignments and discussion boards. Course overall has CC BY (Creative Commons - Attribution) license, but each page may have additional or different licenses.

Online course “focuses on helping students identify and apply foundational concepts and skills in reading and writing.” 2019, Lumen Learning. CC BY 4.0 license (Creative Commons - Attribution)

Tip: Log into your Canvas account *before* clicking on this link! Online course developed by TCC instructor, Kristina Young, 2015. Includes assignments, quizzes, and discussion forums. CC BY NC SA (Creative Commons - Attribution - NonCommercial - ShareAlike) license.

Tip: Log into your Canvas account *before* clicking on this link! Online course developed by TCC instructor, Kristina Young, 2014. "This is an OER course which has been taught online and on campus, using The Arts as a theme. The focus here is on digital, multimedia and interdisciplinary sources (TED talks, etc.)." Includes assignments and discussion forums. CC BY NC SA (Creative Commons - Attribution - NonCommercial - ShareAlike) license.

Tip: Log into your Canvas faculty account *before* clicking on this link! OER Canvas course shared by TCC instructor Kristina Young, 2019. Master course with several different themed modules. Includes assignments, quizzes, and discussions. CC BY (Creative Commons - Attribution) license.

Tip: Log into your Canvas account *before* clicking on this link! Online course developed by TCC instructor, Kristina Young, 2018. "This is the initial English 103 Honors section." Includes modules, assignments, quizzes, and discussion forums. CC BY (Creative Commons - Attribution) license.

Tip: Log into your Canvas faculty account *before* clicking on this link! OER Canvas course shared by SBCTC, 2020. Includes modules, assignments, quizzes, and discussions. CC BY (Creative Commons - Attribution) license.

Tip: Log into your Canvas faculty account *before* clicking on this link! OER Canvas course shared by SBCTC, 2020. Includes modules, assignments, quizzes, and discussions. CC BY (Creative Commons - Attribution) license.

Includes a “Grammar and Mechanics” section. 2017, Wikibooks. Online, printable, and PDF versions available. CC BY SA 3.0 license (Creative Commons - Attribution - ShareAlike)

OER textbook created by Cleveland State University professors, 2017. Organized into 12 chapters plus appendices. Many chapters include a "Deeper Reading" section. Online, EPUB, and digital PDF formats. CC BY NC SA (Creative Commons - Attribution - NonCommercial - Share Alike) license.

Lumen Learning online course developed in collaboration with Univ. of Mississippi writing faculty. Organized into 9 modules, and faculty resources available upon request and verified log-in. Focus more on academic reading and arguments.

OER textbook by Sybil Priebe, North Dakota State College of Science, 2019, 4th ed. Focuses on introductory rhetoric and composition. Word format via Google Docs; make a copy to edit. CC BY NC SA (Creative Commons - Attribution - Non-Commercial - ShareAlike) license.

West Virginia University, 2017. A compilation of essays from English and writing instructors that push back against established ideas and stereotypes about writing and research. "[T]he same core questions such as what is good writing, what makes a good writer, how should writing be assessed, and the like persist across contexts, technologies, and eras. The project has its genesis in frustration, but what emerges is hope: hope for leaving aside bad ideas and thinking about writing in more productive, inclusive, and useful ways." Faculty peer reviews of this text available on this site. PDF format. CC BY (Creative Commons - Attribution) format.

Saylor Academy course, with 4 units focusing on critical thinking and academic writing skills. Includes study guides and review exercises. Web version only. Licensed under a CC BY (Creative Commons - Attribution) license.

Saylor Academy course, with 6 units focusing on basic research concepts and writing techniques. Includes study guides and review exercises. Web version only. Licensed under a CC BY (Creative Commons - Attribution) license.

2016, Open SUNY Textbook. “Designed for students who have largely mastered high-school level conventions of formal academic writing and are now moving beyond the five-paragraph essay to more advanced engagement with text. It is well suited to composition courses or first-year seminars and valuable as a supplemental or recommended text in other writing-intensive classes.” Available as PDF, e-book, and web page. Licensed under a CC BY NC SA license (Creative Commons - Attribution - NonCommercial - ShareAlike).

Sybil Priebe, North Dakota State College of Science, 2019. Booklet of 30+ reading activities, many incorporating technology and open resources. Includes examples of activities at the end.

Excellent handouts and videos around key writing concepts, including Writing the Paper; Citation, Style, and Sentence Level Concerns; Specific Writing Assignments or Contexts; and Writing for Specific Fields. Licensed under CC BY NC ND (Creative Commons - Attribution - NonCommercial - No Derivatives).

Web texts for students and faculty in college-level courses that require writing and research. Web texts are stand-alone modules with essays, activities, and supplemental materials. Ten main sections/chapters. Web texts are available to print, email, PDF and hyperlink. Most are licensed under CC BY-NC-ND (Creative Commons - Attribution - NonCommercial - No Derivatives).

From the UW-Madison Writer's Handbook. Sections on different stages of writing a paper, including getting started, drafting, and revising. Freely available online (not OER).

From the UW-Madison Writer's Handbook. Sections on different types of academic writing, including analysis and research papers. Freely available online (not OER).

OER textbook by Sybil Priebe, North Dakota State College of Science, 2019. Focuses on writing and understanding argument essays, with different examples of argument essays. Word format via Google Docs; make a copy to edit. CC BY NC SA (Creative Commons - Attribution - Non-Commercial - ShareAlike) license.

Texas A&M University instructors, 2019. "Our goal is for students to leave this course as critical thinkers, polished writers, and informed citizens who can engage in civil public discourse." Organized into 8 sections, including sections on Types of Argumentation, Joining the Academic Conversation, and Researched Writing. PDF format. CC BY-NC-SA (Creative Commons - Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike) license.

2018, Portland State Univ. Three major sections: Description Narration and Reflection; Text Wrestling; and Research and Argumentation. Designed for 1st and 2nd-year college composition courses. Strong emphasis on vocabulary, concepts, and strategies, as well as using student writing to exemplify those writing strategies. Online and PDF versions available for entire text and individual chapters. Licensed under a CC BY NC license (Creative Commons - Attribution - NonCommercial).

OER textbook created by Cleveland State University professors, 2017. Organized into 12 chapters plus appendices. Many chapters include a "Deeper Reading" section. Online, EPUB, and digital PDF formats. CC BY NC SA (Creative Commons - Attribution - NonCommercial - Share Alike) license.

2016, Open SUNY Textbook. “Designed for students who have largely mastered high-school level conventions of formal academic writing and are now moving beyond the five-paragraph essay to more advanced engagement with text. It is well suited to composition courses or first-year seminars and valuable as a supplemental or recommended text in other writing-intensive classes.” Available as PDF, e-book, and web page. Licensed under a CC BY NC SA license (Creative Commons - Attribution - NonCommercial - ShareAlike).

2016 textbook published by Western Washington Univ. Libraries, intended for undergraduate students. Chapters on “The Research Process,” “Web Literacy” and “Writing as Inquiry, Writing as Thinking” particularly useful. Chapters available as web or PDF download. Includes an instructor workbook with sample assignments. Licensed under CC BY NC (Creative Commons - Attribution - NonCommercial).

2014, Open SUNY textbook. Includes text and exercises to help students with stages of the research process and integrate information literacy concepts -- including knowing your information/research need and plagiarism -- into the classroom. Available as web version, PDF download, e-book download, or iTunes download. Licensed under CC BY NC SA (Creative Commons - Attribution - NonCommercial - ShareAlike).

Saylor Academy course, with 6 units focusing on basic research concepts and writing techniques. Includes study guides and review exercises. Web version only. Licensed under a CC BY (Creative Commons - Attribution) license.

From the UW-Madison Writer's Handbook. Sections on different types of academic writing, including analysis and research papers. Freely available online (not OER).

New grammar handbook! "Brehe’s Grammar Anatomy makes grammar accessible to general and specialist readers alike. This book provides an in-depth look at beginner grammar terms and concepts, providing clear examples with limited technical jargon." Practice exercises in each chapter. Includes glossary. CC BY SA (Creative Commons - Attribution - ShareAlike) license.

“This is a collection of cumulative units of study for conventional errors common in student writing. It’s flexible, functional, and zeroes in problems typically seen in writing of all types, from the eternal “there/they’re/their” struggle to correct colon use. Units are organized from most simple to most challenging.” A “cheat sheet” is also included at the end of the textbook. Available in multiple formats, including PDF, online, eBook, and ePub. 2016, Columbia Gorge Community College. CC BY NC 4.0 license (Creative Commons - Attribution - NonCommercial)

Includes a “Grammar and Mechanics” section. 2017, Wikibooks. Online, printable, and PDF versions available. CC BY SA 3.0 license (Creative Commons - Attribution - ShareAlike)

Includes a chapter for English Language Learners and has sections on sentence-creation and grammar. 2015, Univ. of Minnesota. Multiple file formats available to download and edit. CC BY NC SA 4.0 license (Creative Commons - Attribution - NonCommercial).

Includes a chapter on Multilingual Writers and ESL Challenges, as well as other chapters on basic grammar. 2016, Klamath Community College in Oregon. CC BY 4.0 license (Creative Commons - Attribution)

Web texts for students and faculty in college-level courses that require writing and research. Web texts are stand-alone modules with essays, activities, and supplemental materials. Ten main sections/chapters. Web texts are available to print, email, PDF and hyperlink. Most are licensed under CC BY-NC-ND (Creative Commons - Attribution - NonCommercial - No Derivatives).

Excellent handouts and videos around key writing concepts, including Writing the Paper; Citation, Style, and Sentence Level Concerns; Specific Writing Assignments or Contexts; and Writing for Specific Fields. Licensed under CC BY NC ND (Creative Commons - Attribution - NonCommercial - No Derivatives).

From the UW-Madison Writer's Handbook. The “Twelve Common Errors: An Editing Checklist” could be a particularly useful supplement for students. Freely available online (not OER).

Links to free, self-paced grammar lessons and quizzes you could incorporate into classes. Daily Grammar consists of 440 lessons and 88 quizzes. Includes answers. Freely available online (not OER).

Textbook and course, revised edition Sept. 2018. Written by a community college instructor in Oregon. Materials for ESOL learners with intermediate-high writing skills to help transition to college-level composition courses. Includes syllabus, textbook, slideshows, creative writing journal, and homework. Each unit previewable on website; files linked to Google Docs. CC BY NC SA license (Creative Commons - Attribution - NonCommercial - ShareAlike)

Georgia State University, 2018. "[D]esigned as a comprehensive grammar and writing etext for high intermediate and advanced level non-native speakers of English. We open the text with a discussion on the sentence and then break it down into its elemental components, before reconstructing them into effective sentences with paragraphs and larger academic assignments. Following that, we provide instruction in paragraph and essay writing with several opportunities to both review the fundamentals as well as to demonstrate mastery and move on to more challenging assignments." Accessible PDF and Word formats. CC BY NC SA (Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike) license.

Michele Miller and Anne Greenhoe, Portland State University Library, 2018. "This Open Access Textbook will guide students through their English language to academic degree studies [...] Key elements include culture and expectations in an American university, transferring academic skills from ESL to content-specific academic courses, and helpful exercises to be academically successful."

Includes a chapter for English Language Learners and has sections on sentence-creation and grammar. 2015, Univ. of Minnesota. Multiple file formats available to download and edit. CC BY NC SA 4.0 license (Creative Commons - Attribution - NonCommercial).

Includes a chapter on Multilingual Writers and ESL Challenges, as well as other chapters on basic grammar. 2016, Klamath Community College in Oregon. CC BY 4.0 license (Creative Commons - Attribution)

Peer-reviewed textbook, 2017. "Students learn the various writing styles appropriate for analyzing, addressing, and critiquing these genres including poetry, novels, dramas, and research writing. The text and its pairing of helpful visual aids throughout emphasizes the importance of critical reading and analysis in producing a successful composition. Writing and Literature is a refreshing textbook that links learning, literature, and life." PDF format. CC BY SA (Creative Commons - Attribution - ShareAlike) license.

Christy Wenger, Shepherd University, 2015. "[T]his project draws on case studies of first-year college writers to present contemplative pedagogy as a means of teaching students mindfulness of their writing and learning in ways that promote the academic, rhetorical work accomplished in first-year composition classes while at the same time remaining committed to a larger scope of a writer's physical and emotional well-being." PDF and EPUB formats. CC BY-NC-ND (Creative Commons - Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs) license.

Excellent handouts and videos around key writing concepts, including Writing the Paper; Citation, Style, and Sentence Level Concerns; Specific Writing Assignments or Contexts; and Writing for Specific Fields. Licensed under CC BY NC ND (Creative Commons - Attribution - NonCommercial - No Derivatives).

Web texts for students and faculty in college-level courses that require writing and research. Web texts are stand-alone modules with essays, activities, and supplemental materials. Ten main sections/chapters. Web texts are available to print, email, PDF and hyperlink. Most are licensed under CC BY-NC-ND (Creative Commons - Attribution - NonCommercial - No Derivatives).

This anthology is a curated collection of openly licensed or public domain primary texts, organized thematically, including themes of Food, Culture, Nature & Conservation, Technology, Health Care, Politics, and Literature.

Tip: Log into your Canvas faculty account *before* clicking on this link! Course created by Treasure Valley Community College, using the Technical Writing OER textbook by Central Oregon Community College, linked above. Course materials include modules, assignments, discussions, and quizzes. CC BY NC SA (Creative Commons - Attribution - NonCommercial - ShareAlike) license.

Created by Central Oregon Community College instructors, 2016. "A textbook focusing on writing in the workplace, with an emphasis on audience analysis, writing for specific situations, document design, research processes, and visual aids." Organized into 14 chapters. Online, EPUB, Digital and Print PDF, and editable OpenDocument formats. CC BY NC SA (Creative Commons - Attribution - NonCommercial - ShareAlike) license.

Created by Univ. of Victoria instructors (Canada), 2019. This open textbook "is designed to introduce readers to the basics of technical communication: audience and task analysis in workplace contexts, clear and concise communications style, effective document design, teamwork and collaboration, and fundamental research skills." Organized into 8 chapters plus appendices. Online, EPUB, Digital and Print PDFs, and editable OpenDocument formats. CC BY (Creative Commons - Attribution) license.

Kennesaw State University, 2017. ""Sexy technical writing…we’ve got to be kidding, right? But no, we aren’t. Good technical writing is powerful and clear and gets the job done. It brings people together and solves problems. Good technical writing purrs and hums like that BMW you plan to be driving someday.What’s not sexy about that?" Accessible PDF and Word formats. CC BY (Creative Commons Attribution) license.

Open course developed by Tidewater Community College instructor, via the Lumen Learning platform. This course " teaches the organization, development, and refinement of technical communications, with an emphasis on business context and practical application." Organized into 18 modules. Online format, with a PDF downloadable version. CC BY (Creative Commons - Attribution) license.

Kwantlen Polytechnic University (Canada), updated 2019. "This book covers key business communications topics that will help you in your career, including intercultural communication, team work, professional writing, audience analysis and adapting messages, document formatting, oral communication, and more.” Organized into 8 main parts, with sub-sections. Multiple formats, including web, EPUB, Digital PDF, Print PDF, and editable formats OpenDocument (compatible with Word) and Common Cartridge. CC BY NC SA 4.0 (Creative Commons - Attribution - NonCommercial - ShareAlike) license.

Created by University of Arkansas-Fayetteville instructor, 2019. "This book presents technical writing as an approach to researching and carrying out writing that centers on technical subject matter. Each and every chapter is devoted to helping students understand that good technical writing is situationally-aware and context-driven." PDF format. CC BY SA (Creative Commons - Attribution - ShareAlike) license.

Published by Open SUNY, 2018. "This document specifies the recommended format to be used when submitting a formal technical report in a variety of disciplines and purposes." PDF format. CC BY-NC-SA
(Creative Commons - Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike) license.