Whether you have years of experience as a teacher or are new to the classroom, you and your students can count on The St. Martin’s Guide to Writing to provide the support you need in first-year composition, with a rhetoric, an array of engaging readings, a research manual, and a handbook, all in a single book — and available online. Thousands of instructors and their students rely on the Guide’s proven approach because it works: the Guide’s acclaimed step-by-step writing guides to 9 different genres offer sure-fire invention strategies to get students started, sentence strategies to get students writing, and thoughtful revision strategies to help students make their writing their own, no matter what their major. With its hands-on activities for reading like a writer and working with sources, there is no better text to help students bridge reading analytically to successful writing in first-year composition and beyond.
In keeping with the Guide’s tradition of innovation and based on instructor feedback about what assignments they give their students, the new edition integrates new types of writing that reflect the range of genres being assigned in first-year composition, including a reimagined Chapter 5 that provides a bridge from personal and expository to argumentative writing by following a scaffolded approach.
The eleventh edition is available with LaunchPad for The St. Martin’s Guide to Writing, an online course space of pre-built units featuring the full e-book, tutorials, and adaptive LearningCurve activities to help students hone their understanding of reading and writing. To order or purchase the print text with LaunchPad, use ISBN 9781457698484 for the Cloth-bound version, ISBN 9781319016036 for the Paper-bound version, or ISBN 9781319016067 for the Short Edition.
Rise B. Axelrod is McSweeney Professor of Rhetoric and Teaching Excellence, Emeritus, at the University of California, Riverside, where she was also director of English Composition. She has previously been professor of English at California State University, San Bernardino; director of the College Expository Program at the University of Colorado, Boulder; and assistant director of the Third College (now Thurgood Marshall College) Composition Program at the University of California, San Diego. She is the co-author, with Charles R. Cooper, of the best-selling textbook The St. Martin's Guide to Writing as well as The Concise Guide to Writing and Reading Critically, Writing Well.
Charles R. Cooper is an emeritus professor at the University of California, San Diego. He served as coordinator of the Third College (now Thurgood Marshall College) Composition Program at the University of California, San Diego, and co-director of the San Diego Writing Project, one of the National Writing Project Centers. He advised the National Assessment of Educational Progress—Writing (1973-1981) and coordinated the development of California's first statewide writing assessment (1986-1991). He taught at the University of California, Riverside; the State University of New York at Buffalo; and the University of California, San Diego. He is co-editor, with Lee Odell, of Evaluating Writing and Research on Composing: Points of Departure, and he is co-author, with Rise Axelrod, of the best-selling textbook The St. Martin's Guide to Writing as well as The Concise Guide to Writing and Reading Critically, Writing Well.
Preface
1 Composing Literacy
Understanding the Rhetorical Situation
Applying the Rhetorical Framework
Reflecting on Your Own Literacy
Reading
Annie Dillard, Handed My Own Life
Composing Your Own Literacy Narrative
PART 1 Writing Activities
2 Remembering an Event
PRACTICING THE GENRE: Telling a Story
GUIDE TO READING
Analyzing Remembered Event Essays
Determine the writer’s purpose and audience. 00
Assess the genre’s basic features.
Readings
Jean Brandt, Calling Home
Annie Dillard, An American Childhood
Jenée Desmond-Harris, Tupac and My Non-thug Life
Peter Orner, Writing about What Haunts Us
GENRE REMIX: Remixing Your Remembered Event Essay
GUIDE TO WRITING
The Writing Assignment
STARTING POINTS: Remembering an Event
Writing a Draft: Invention, Research, Planning, and Composing
Choose an event to write about.
TEST YOUR TOPIC: CONSIDERING PURPOSE AND AUDIENCE
Shape your story.
WAYS IN: Developing a Dramatic Arc
Organize your story to enhance the drama.
TEST YOUR STORY: FACING AN AUDIENCE
Clarify the sequence of actions. 00
Describe key people and places vividly, and show their significance. 00
Use dialogue to portray people and dramatize relationships.
Clarify your story’s significance.
WAYS IN: Helping Readers Understand the Significance
Write the opening sentences. 00
Draft your story.
Evaluating the Draft: Using Peer Review
A PEER REVIEW GUIDE
Improving the Draft: Revising, Editing, and Proofreading
Revise your draft.
A TROUBLESHOOTING GUIDE
Edit and proofread your draft.
A WRITER AT WORK
Jean Brandt’s Developing Significance from First to Last Drafts
THINKING CRITICALLY
Reflecting on What You Have Learned
Reflecting on the Genre
3 Writing Profiles
PRACTICING THE GENRE: Conducting an Interview
GUIDE TO READING
Analyzing Profiles
Determine the writer’s purpose and audience. 00
Assess the genre’s basic features.
Readings
Brian Cable, The Last Stop
John Ronson, The Hunger Games
Amanda Coyne, The Long Good-Bye: Mother’s Day in Federal Prison
Gabriel Thompson, A Gringo in the Lettuce Fields
GENRE REMIX: Remixing Your Profile
GUIDE TO WRITING
The Writing Assignment
STARTING POINTS: Writing a Profile
Writing a Draft: Invention, Research, Planning, and Composing
Choose a subject to profile.
TEST YOUR CHOICE
Conduct your field research.
WAYS IN: Managing Your Time
WAYS IN: Preparing for Interviews and Observations
WAYS IN: Conducting Interviews
WAYS IN: Conducting Observations
WAYS IN: Presenting Information from Interviews and Observations
Use quotations that provide information and reveal character. 00
Consider adding visual or audio elements. 00
Create an outline that will organize your profile effectively for your readers. 00
Determine your role in the profile.
WAYS IN: Determining Your Role
Develop your perspective on the subject.
WAYS IN: Developing Your Perspective
Clarify the dominant impression.
WAYS IN: Fine-Tuning Your Dominant Impression
Write the opening sentences.
Draft your profile.
Evaluating the Draft: Using Peer Review
A PEER REVIEW GUIDE
Improving the Draft: Revising, Editing, and Proofreading
Revise your draft.
A TROUBLESHOOTING GUIDE
Edit and proofread your draft.
A WRITER AT WORK
Brian Cable’s Interview Notes and Write-Up
THINKING CRITICALLY
Reflecting on What You Have Learned
Reflecting on the Genre
4 Explaining a Concept
PRACTICING THE GENRE: Explaining an Academic Concept
GUIDE TO READING
Analyzing Concept Explanations
Determine the writer’s purpose and audience.
Assess the genre’s basic features.
Readings
Jonathan Potthast, Supervolcanoes: A Catastrophe of Ice and Fire
Anastasia Toufexis, Love: The Right Chemistry
John Tierney, Do You Suffer from Decision Fatique?
Susan Cain, Shyness: Evolutionary Tactic?
REMIX: Remixing Your Concept Explanation
GUIDE TO WRITING
The Writing Assignment
STARTING POINTS: Explaining a Concept
Writing a Draft: Invention, Research, Planning, and Composing
Choose a broad concept to write about.
TEST YOUR CHOICE: CHOOSING A TOPIC
Conduct initial research on the concept.
WAYS IN: Determining What You Already Know about the Concept
Find an engaging focus and angle on the concept.
WAYS IN: Making the Concept Interesting to You and Your Readers
TEST YOUR CHOICE: EVALUATING YOUR ANGLE
Conduct further research on your focused concept.
Draft your working thesis.
Create an outline that will organize your concept explanation effectively for your readers.
Design your writing project.
Consider the explanatory strategies you should use.
WAYS IN: Choosing Writing Strategies to Explain the Focused Concept
Use summaries, paraphrases, and quotations from sources to support your points.
WAYS IN: Deciding Whether to Summarize, Paraphrase, or Quote
Use visuals or multimedia illustrations to enhance your explanation.
Use appositives to integrate sources.
Use descriptive verbs in signal phrases to introduce information from sources.
Write the opening sentences.
Draft your explanation.
Evaluating the Draft: Using Peer Review
A PEER REVIEW GUIDE
Improving the Draft: Revising, Editing, and Proofreading
Revise your draft.
A TROUBLESHOOTING GUIDE
Edit and proofread your draft.
A WRITER AT WORK
Jonathan Potthast’s Use of Sources
THINKING CRITICALLY
Reflecting on What You Have Learned
Reflecting on the Genre
5 Analyzing and Synthesizing Opposing Arguments
PRACTICING THE GENRE: Analyzing Opposing Arguments
GUIDE TO READING
Analyzing Four Genres
Determine the writer’s purpose and audience.
Assess the genres’ basic features.
Readings
*Maya Gomez, Summary: A Moral Market, Richard Posner
*Maya Gomez, Annotated Bibliography: Compensating Kidney Donors
*Maya Gomez, Report: Possible Solutions to the Kidney Shortage
*Maya Gomez, Analysis: Satel vs. the National Kidney Foundation: Should Kidney Donors
Be Compensated?
REMIX: Remixing Your Report
GUIDE TO WRITING
The Writing Assignment
STARTING POINTS: Composing a Summary, Annotated Bibliography, Report, or Analysis
Writing a Draft: Invention, Research, Planning, and Composing
Choose a controversial topic to write about.
TEST YOUR CHOICE: Choosing a Topic
Conduct research to find sources.
Summarize sources and annotate your working bibliography.
WAYS IN: Writing a Summary
Add a commentary to your annotated bibliography.
WAYS IN: Drafting a Commentary for an Annotated Bibliography
Analyze your audience.
WAYS IN: Interesting Readers in Your Report or Analysis
Choose opposing argument essays to analyze.
Brainstorm subtopics for a report.
Synthesize sources for a report or analysis.
Analyze and compare the opposing argument essays.
WAYS IN: Analyzing and Comparing Opposing Arguments
TEST YOUR CHOICE: Evaluating Your Analysis
Draft a working thesis statement for your report or analysis.
Create an outline to organize your report or analysis effectively for your readers.
Develop your report or analysis.
WAYS IN: Presenting Your Analysis of the Opposing Argument
WAYS IN: Choosing appropriate explanatory strategies
Use visuals or multimedia illustrations to enhance your explanation.
Write the opening sentences.
Draft your report or analysis.
Evaluating the Draft: Using Peer Review
A PEER REVIEW GUIDE
Improving the Draft: Revising, Editing, and Proofreading
Revise your draft.
A TROUBLESHOOTING GUIDE
Edit and proofread your draft.
A WRITER AT WORK
Analyzing Opposing Argument Text
Gomez’s Annotations on Satel’s Op-Ed
Gomez’s Comparative Analysis Chart
THINKING CRITICALLY
Reflecting on What You Have Learned
CASEBOOK
National Kidney Foundation, Financial Incentives for Organ Donation
*Gary S. Becker & Julio J. Elías, Cash for Kidneys: The Case for a Market for Organs
*Sally Satel, When Altruism Isn’t Moral
Reflecting on the Genres
6 Arguing a Position
PRACTICING THE GENRE: Debating a Position
GUIDE TO READING
Analyzing Position Arguments
Determine the writer’s purpose and audience.
Assess the genre’s basic features.
Readings
Jessica Statsky, Children Need to Play, Not Compete
*Noam Bramson, Child, Home, Neighbohood, Community, Conscience
Amitai Etzioni, Working at McDonald’s
Daniel J. Solove, Why Privacy Matters Even If You Have “Nothing to Hide”
REMIX: Remixing Your Position Argument
GUIDE TO WRITING
The Writing Assignment
STARTING POINTS: Arguing a Position
Writing a Draft: Invention, Research, Planning, and Composing
Choose a controversial issue on which to take a position.
TEST YOUR CHOICE: CHOOSING AN ISSUE
Frame the issue for your readers.
WAYS IN: Exploring and Framing the Issue and What Your Readers Think
TEST YOUR CHOICE: FRAMING YOUR ISSUE
Formulate a working thesis stating your position.
WAYS IN: Devising an Arguable Thesis
Develop the reasons supporting your position.
WAYS IN: Devise Reasons to Support Your Position
Research your position.
Use sources to reinforce your credibility.
Identify and respond to your readers’ likely reasons and objections.
WAYS IN: Identifying and Responding to Readers’ Concerns
Create an outline that will organize your argument effectively for your readers.
Consider document design.
Write the opening sentences.
Draft your position argument.
Evaluating the Draft: Using Peer Review
A PEER REVIEW GUIDE
Improving the Draft: Revising, Editing, and Proofreading
Revise your draft.
A TROUBLESHOOTING GUIDE
Think about design.
Edit and proofread your draft.
A WRITER AT WORK
Jessica Statsky’s Response to Opposing Positions
Listing Reasons for the Opposing Position
Conceding a Plausible Reason
Refuting an Implausible Reason
THINKING CRITICALLY
Reflecting on What You Have Learned
Reflecting on the Genre
7 Proposing a Solution
PRACTICING THE GENRE: Arguing That a Solution Is Feasible
GUIDE TO READING
Analyzing Proposals
Determine the writer’s purpose and audience.
Assess the genre’s basic features.
Readings
Patrick O’Malley, More Testing, More Learning
*Naomi Rose, Captivity Kills Orcas
*Eric Posner, A Moral Market
Kelly D. Brownell and Thomas R. Frieden, Ounces of Prevention—The Public Policy Case for
Taxes on Sugared Beverages
REMIX: Remixing Your Proposal
GUIDE TO WRITING
The Writing Assignment
STARTING POINTS: Proposing a Solution
Writing a Draft: Invention, Research, Planning, and Composing
Choose a problem for which you can propose a solution.
TEST YOUR CHOICE: CHOOSING A PROBLEM
Frame the problem for your readers.
WAYS IN: Identifying the Problem and Figuring Out Why Readers Will Care
TEST YOUR CHOICE: DEFINING THE PROBLEM
Use statistics to establish the problem’s existence and seriousness.
Assess how the problem has been framed, and reframe it for your readers.
WAYS IN: Framing and Reframing the Problem
Develop a possible solution.
WAYS IN: Solving the Problem
Explain your solution.
WAYS IN: Explaining the Solution and Showing Its Feasibility
Research your proposal.
Develop a response to objections and alternative solutions.
WAYS IN: Drafting a Refutation or Concession
Create an outline that will organize your proposal effectively for your readers.
Write the opening sentences.
Draft your proposal.
Evaluating the Draft: Using Peer Review
A PEER REVIEW GUIDE
Improving the Draft: Revising, Editing, and Proofreading
Revise your draft.
A TROUBLESHOOTING GUIDE
Think about design.
Edit and proofread your draft.
A WRITER AT WORK
Patrick O’Malley’s Revision Process
THINKING CRITICALLY
Reflecting on What You Have Learned
Reflecting on the Genre
8 Justifying an Evaluation
PRACTICING THE GENRE: Choosing Appropriate Criteria
GUIDE TO READING
Analyzing Evaluations
Determine the writer’s purpose and audience.
Assess the genre’s basic features.
Readings
William Akana, Scott Pilgrim vs. the World: A Hell of a Ride
*Emily Nussbaum, The Aristocrats: The Graphic Arts of Game of Thrones
Malcolm Gladwell, What College Rankings Really Tell Us
*Sherry Turkle, The Flight from Conversation
REMIX: Remixing Your Evaluation
GUIDE TO WRITING
The Writing Assignment
STARTING POINTS: Justifying an Evaluation
Writing a Draft: Invention, Research, Planning, and Composing
Choose a subject to evaluate.
TEST YOUR CHOICE: CHOOSING A SUBJECT
Assess your subject and consider how to present it to your readers.
WAYS IN: Determining What You and Your Readers Think
Formulate a working thesis stating your overall judgment.
WAYS IN: Asserting a Tentative Overall Judgment
Develop the reasons and evidence supporting your judgment.
WAYS IN: Devising Reasons and Evidence to Support Your Judgment
Research your evaluation.
Respond to a likely objection or alternative judgment.
WAYS IN: Responding Effectively to Readers
Organize your draft to appeal to your readers.
Consider document design.
Write the opening sentences.
Draft your evaluation.
Evaluating the Draft: Using Peer Review
A PEER REVIEW GUIDE
Improving the Draft: Revising, Editing, and Proofreading
Revise your draft.
A TROUBLESHOOTING GUIDE
Think about design.
Edit and proofread your draft.
A WRITER AT WORK
William Akana’s Thesis and Response to Objections
THINKING CRITICALLY
Reflecting on What You Have Learned
Reflecting on the Genre
9 Arguing for Causes or Effects
PRACTICING THE GENRE: Arguing That a Cause Is Plausible
GUIDE TO READING
Analyzing Causal Arguments
Determine the writer’s purpose and audience.
Assess the genre’s basic features.
Readings
*Clayton Pangelinan, #socialnetworking: Why It’s Really So Popular
Stephen King, Why We Crave Horror Movies
*Claudia Wallis, The Multitasking Generation
Shankar Vedantam, The Telescope Effect
REMIX: Remixing Your Causal Argument
GUIDE TO WRITING
The Writing Assignment
STARTING POINTS: Speculating about Causes
Writing a Draft: Invention, Research, Planning, and Composing
Choose a subject to analyze.
TEST YOUR CHOICE: CHOOSING A TOPIC
Present the subject to your readers.
WAYS IN: Figuring Out What You and Your Readers Think
Analyze possible causes and effects.
WAYS IN: Analyzing Possible Causes and Effects
Conduct research.
Cite a variety of sources to support your causal analysis.
Formulate a working thesis stating your preferred cause(s) or effect(s).
WAYS IN: Asserting a Thesis
Draft a response to objections readers are likely to raise.
WAYS IN: Responding Effectively to Readers’ Objections
Draft a response to the causes or effects your readers are likely to favor.
WAYS IN: Responding to Readers’ Preferred Causes
Create an outline that will organize your causal argument effectively for your readers.
Write the opening sentences.
Draft your causal argument.
Evaluating the Draft: Using Peer Review
A PEER REVIEW GUIDE
Improving the Draft: Revising, Editing, and Proofreading
Revise your draft.
A TROUBLESHOOTING GUIDE
Think about design.
Edit and proofread your draft.
A WRITER AT WORK
Clayton Pangelinan’s Analysis of Possible Causes
THINKING CRITICALLY
Reflecting on What You Have Learned
Reflecting on the Genre
10 Analyzing Stories
PRACTICING THE GENRE: Analyzing a Story Collaboratively
GUIDE TO READING
Analyzing Essays That Analyze Stories
Determine the writer’s purpose and audience.
Assess the genre’s basic features.
Readings
Iris Lee, Performing a Doctor’s Duty
Isabella Wright, “For Heaven’s Sake!”
REMIX: Remixing Your Literary Analysis
GUIDE TO WRITING
The Writing Assignment
STARTING POINTS: Analyzing Stories
Writing a Draft: Invention, Research, Planning, and Composing
Find a story to write about.
Analyze the story.
WAYS IN: Generating Ideas by Selecting an Element to Analyze and an Approach to Take
WAYS IN: Generating Ideas by Moving from Specific Details to General Ideas and Vice Versa
TEST YOUR CHOICE: CHOOSING A TOPIC
Formulate a working thesis.
WAYS IN: Formulating an Arguable Thesis
Provide support for your argument.
WAYS IN: Integrating Evidence from the Story
To build on your support, consider doing outside research.
Create an outline that will organize your argument effectively.
Write the opening sentences.
Draft your analysis.
Evaluating the Draft: Using Peer Review
A PEER REVIEW GUIDE
Improving the Draft: Revising, Editing, and Proofreading
Revise your draft.
A TROUBLESHOOTING GUIDE
Think about design.
Edit and proofread your draft.
A WRITER AT WORK
Isabella Wright’s Invention Work
THINKING CRITICALLY
Reflecting on What You Have Learned
Reflecting on the Genre
AN ANTHOLOGY OF SHORT STORIES
Kate Chopin, The Story of an Hour
James Joyce, Araby
William Carlos Williams, The Use of Force
Jamaica Kincaid, Girl
PART 2 Critical Thinking Strategies
11 A Catalog of Invention Strategies
Mapping
Create a cluster diagram.
Make a list.
Create an outline.
Writing
Use cubing.
Construct a dialogue.
Use the five elements of dramatizing.
Freewrite for a set amount of time.
Keep a journal.
Use looping.
Ask questions.
12 A Catalog of Reading Strategies
Annotating
Martin Luther King Jr., An Annotated Sample from “Letter from Birmingham Jail”
Taking Inventory
Outlining
Paraphrasing
Summarizing
Synthesizing
Contextualizing
Exploring the Significance of Figurative Language
Looking for Patterns of Opposition
Reflecting on Challenges to Your Beliefs and Values
Evaluating the Logic of an Argument
Test for appropriateness.
Test for believability.
Test for consistency and completeness.
Recognizing Emotional Manipulation
Judging the Writer’s Credibility
Test for knowledge.
Test for common ground.
Test for fairness.
PART 3 Writing Strategies
13 Cueing the Reader
Orienting Statements
Use thesis statements to announce the main idea.
Use forecasting statements to preview topics.
Paragraphing
Paragraph indents signal related ideas.
Topic sentences announce the paragraph’s focus.
Cohesive Devices
Pronouns connect phrases or sentences.
Word repetition aids cohesion.
Synonyms connect ideas.
Repetition of sentence structure emphasizes connections.
Collocation creates networks of meaning.
Transitions
Transitions emphasize logical relationships.
Transitions can indicate a sequence in time.
Transitions can indicate relationships in space.
Headings and Subheadings
Headings indicate sections and levels.
Headings are not common in all genres.
At least two headings are needed at each level.
14 Narrating
Narrating Strategies
Use calendar and clock time to create a sequence of events.
Use temporal transitions to establish an action sequence.
Use verb tense to place actions in time.
Use action sequences for vivid narration.
Use dialogue to dramatize events.
Narrating a Process
Use process narratives to explain.
Use process narratives to instruct.
Sentence Strategies for Narration
15 Describing
Naming
Detailing
Comparing
Using Sensory Description
Describe what you saw.
Describe what you heard.
Describe what you smelled.
Describe tactile sensations.
Describe flavors.
Creating a Dominant Impression
Sentence Strategies for Description
16 Defining
Sentence Definitions
Extended Definitions
Historical Definitions
Stipulative Definitions
Sentence Strategies for Definition
17 Classifying
Organizing Classification
Illustrating Classification
Maintaining Clarity and Coherence
Sentence Strategies for Classification
18 Comparing and Contrasting
Organizing Comparisons and Contrasts
Using Analogy to Compare
Sentence Strategies for Comparison and Contrast
19 Arguing
Asserting a Thesis
Make arguable assertions.
Use clear and precise wording.
Qualify the thesis appropriately.
Giving Reasons and Support
Use representative examples for support.
Use up-to-date, relevant, and accurate statistics.
Cite reputable authorities on relevant topics.
Use vivid, relevant anecdotes.
Use relevant textual evidence.
Responding to Objections and Alternatives
Acknowledge readers’ concerns.
Concede readers’ concerns.
Refute readers’ objections.
Logical Fallacies
Sentence Strategies for Argument
PART 4 Research Strategies
20 Planning a Research Project
Analyzing Your Rhetorical Situation and Setting a Schedule
Choosing a Topic and Getting an Overview
Narrowing Your Topic and Drafting Research Questions
Establishing a Research Log
Creating a Working Bibliography
Annotating Your Working Bibliography
Taking Notes on Your Sources
21 Finding Sources and Conducting Field Research
Searching Library Catalogs and Databases
Use appropriate search terms.
Narrow (or expand) your results.
Find books (and other sources).
Find articles in periodicals.
Find government documents and statistical information.
Find Web sites and interactive sources.
Conducting Field Research
Conduct observational studies.
PRACTICING THE GENRE: Collaborating on an Observational Study
Conduct interviews.
PRACTICING THE GENRE: Interviewing a Classmate
Conduct surveys.
22 Evaluating Sources
Choosing Relevant Sources
Choosing Reliable Sources
Who wrote it?
When was it published?
Is the source scholarly, popular, or for a trade group?
Who published it?
How is the source written?
What does the source say?
23 Using Sources to Support Your Ideas
Synthesizing Sources
Acknowledging Sources and Avoiding Plagiarism
What does and does not need to be acknowledged.
Avoid plagiarism by acknowledging sources and quoting, paraphrasing, and summarizing carefully.
Using Information from Sources to Support Your Claims
Decide whether to quote, paraphrase, or summarize.
Copy quotations exactly, or use italics, ellipses, and brackets to indicate changes.
Use in-text or block quotations.
Use punctuation to integrate quotations into your writing.
Paraphrase sources carefully.
Summaries should present the source’s main ideas in a balanced and readable way.
24 Citing and Documenting Sources in MLA Style
Citing Sources in the Text
DIRECTORY TO IN-TEXT CITATION MODELS
Creating a List of Works Cited
DIRECTORY TO WORKS-CITED LIST MODELS
Format your list of works cited.
Cite all sources, regardless of medium.
Student Research Project in MLA Style
25 Citing and Documenting Sources in APA Style
Citing Sources in the Text
DIRECTORY TO IN-TEXT CITATION MODELS
Creating a List of References
DIRECTORY TO REFERENCE LIST MODELS
A Sample Reference List
PART 5 Composing Strategies for College and Beyond
26 Taking Essay Examinations
Preparing for an Exam
Taking the Exam
Read the exam carefully.
Write your answer.
27 Creating a Portfolio
Purposes of a Writing Portfolio
Assembling a Portfolio for Your Composition Course
Select your work.
Reflect on your work and what you have learned.
Organize your portfolio.
28 Analyzing Visuals
Criteria for Analyzing Visuals
A Sample Analysis
29 Writing in Business and Scientific Genres
Business Letters
E-mail
Résumés
Job-Application Letters
Web Pages
Lab Reports
30 Writing for—and about—Your Community
Writing about Your Service Experience
Find a topic.
Gather sources.
Writing for Your Service Organization
31 Writing Collaboratively
Working with Others on Your Individual Writing Projects
Collaborating on Joint Writing Projects
32 Designing for Page and Screen
The Impact of Document Design
Considering Purpose, Audience, Context, and Medium
Elements of Document Design
Choose readable fonts.
Use headings to organize your writing.
Use lists to highlight steps or key points.
Use colors with care.
Use white space to make text readable.
Adding Visuals
Number, title, and label visuals.
Cite visual sources.
Integrate the visual into the text.
Use common sense when creating visuals on a computer.
33 Composing Multimodal Presentations
Preparing
Understand the kind of presentation you have been asked to give.
Assess your audience and purpose.
Determine how much information you can present in the allotted time.
Use cues to orient listeners.
Prepare effective and appropriate multimedia aides.
Verify that you will have the correct equipment and supplies.
Rehearse your presentation
Delivering Your Presentation
HANDBOOK
How to Use This Handbook
Keeping a Record of Your Own Errors
S Sentence Boundaries
S1 Comma Splices
S2 Fused Sentences
S3 Sentence Fragments
G Grammatical Sentences
G1 Pronoun Reference
G2 Pronoun Agreement
G3 Relative Pronouns
G4 Pronoun Case
G5 Verbs
G6 Subject-Verb Agreement
G7 Adjectives and Adverbs
E Effective Sentences
E1 Missing Words
E2 Shifts
E3 Noun Agreement
E4 Modifiers
E5 Mixed Constructions
E6 Integrated Quotations, Questions, and Thoughts
E7 Parallelism
E8 Coordination and Subordination
W Word Choice
W1 Concise Sentences
W2 Exact Words
W3 Appropriate Words
P Punctuation
P1 Commas
P2 Unnecessary Commas
P3 Semicolons
P4 Colons
P5 Dashes
P6 Quotation Marks
P7 Apostrophes
P8 Parentheses
P9 Brackets
P10 Ellipsis Marks
P11 Slashes
P12 Periods
P13 Question Marks
P14 Exclamation Points
M Mechanics
M1 Hyphens
M2 Capitalization
M3 Spacing
M4 Numbers
M5 Italics
M6 Abbreviations
M7 Spelling
T Troublespots for Multilingual Writers
T1 Articles
T2 Verbs
T3 Prepositions
T4 Omitted or Repeated Words
T5 Adjective Order
T6 Participles
R Review of Sentence Structure
R1 Basic Sentence Structure
R2 Basic Sentence Elements
GL Glossary of Frequently Misused Words
Index
Index for Multilingual Writers