Spell Checkers

The majority of workprocessing packages include spell checkers which are extremely useful.  If using a spell checker remember to set it to British/UK English, as most are preset to American English.

NB: Spell checkers only check spelling! They are not a substitute for proof-reading your work. For example, spot the deliberate mistake, which wouldn't be picked up by a spell checker:

'The Spell Checker is a useful way of alerting you to spelling errors, and the Word Count is great for checking whether you have used too many worms.'

Dictionaries

A large number of electronic resources, including Dictionaries, Language Dictionaries, Subject Dictionaries and Thesauruses are available from the Library webpages.  Most of the resources are accessed via the Internet but a few CD-ROM databases can be used in the Library only. The licences for most of the services to which the Library subscribes allow use by current staff and students of the University of Manchester only.

 

Adapted with permission from The University of Manchester School of Nursing, Midwifery and Health Visiting Study Skills Workbook by Steven Pryjmachuk.

Useful reading

Fowler, H. F. (1998) (ed.). The New Fowler's Modern English Usage. (3rd edition, revised by Robert Burchfield). Oxford: Oxford University Press.

Partridge, E. (1999). Usage and Abusage: a Guide to Good English. 3rd edition, revised by J. Whitcut. Harmondsworth: Penguin.