PART 1 Getting Started: The Principles of Good Reading and Writing
Ch 1 Critical Reading
Why Read?
Reading for Best Results
Tips for Reading Critically
Critical Reading in Action
Lawrence Downes, “The Shy, Egg-Stealing Neighbor You Didn’t Know You Had” [Annotated professional essay]
Strategy Checklist: Reading Critically
George Orwell, “A Hanging”
Reading Visual Images
Tips for Understanding Visuals
Reading a Photograph, Drawing, or Advertisement
Strategy Checklist: Reading and Interpreting Visuals
Dodge, “Nitro Drivers Always Make New ‘Friends’” [Advertisement]
Nestle, “Want a Lite Baby Ruth?” [Advertisement]
Reading Charts, Graphs, Tables, and Cartoons
Reading Web Sites
Usefulness and Reliability
Tips for Reading and Evaluating Web Sites
Strategy Checklist: Reading and Evaluating Web Sites 0
Models of Writing
Christopher Caldwell, “Intimate Shopping: Should Everyone Know What You Bought Today?”
Ch 2 Active Writing
Choosing a Good Topic
Setting Limits on a Topic
Narrowing a Topic in Stages
Determining Your Purpose and Audience
Prewriting
Strategy Checklist: Prewriting
Organizing Ideas
Writing Drafts
Tips for Writing a Rough Draft
Writing at a Computer
Tips for Writing at a Computer
One Student Writing: First Draft
First Draft: John Fousek, “My Roommate” [Student Essay]
Strategy Checklist: Getting Started with Writing
Ch 3 Finding and Supporting a Thesis
Understanding the Thesis
Elements of a Good Thesis
Tips for Evaluating a Thesis
Stating Your Thesis
Tips for Developing a Thesis
Supporting Your Thesis: Details
Using Sensory Details
Using Data: Statistics, Cases, and Expert Testimony
Student Writing: Thesis and Details
Thomas Healey, “You Must Be Crazy!” [Student essay]
Clifford Wendell, “The Computer and I” [Student essay]
Models of Writing
Nicholas D. Kristof, “Love and Race”
Langston Hughes, “Salvation” [Story]
W. Michael Cox and Richard Alm, “Scientists Are Made, Not Born”
Strategy Checklist: Stating and Supporting a Thesis
Ch 4 Planning a Paper: Outlining
Creating a Rough Outline
Tips for Creating a Rough Outline
Making a Formal Outline
Establishing Main Divisions
Adding Supporting Details
Formatting a Formal Outline
Writing Topic and Sentence Outlines
One Student Writing: From Prewriting to Essay
Percy Bysshe Shelley, “Ozymandias” [Poem]
Prewriting, Rough Outline, Formal Outline, Essay: Alan Benjamin, “Enough Despair to Go Around” [Student essay]
Preparing Your Formal Outline
Tips for Writing a Formal Outline
Strategy Checklist: Preparing a Formal Outline
Ch 5 Writing Your Paper: An Overview
Writing a Strong Introduction
Stating the Thesis
Forecasting the Paper
Using Different Introductory Strategies
Tips for Writing a Strong Introduction
Writing the Body Paragraphs
Writing Topic Sentences
One Student Writing: Topic Sentences
Hugh Nicholes, “The Mechanics of Backyard Mechanics” [Student essay]
Writing Transitions
Developing Paragraphs: Unity and Coherence
Tips for Achieving Paragraph Unity
Tips for Achieving Paragraph Coherence
Writing a Strong Conclusion
Tips for Writing a Strong Conclusion
Ch 6 Revising, Editing, and Proofreading Your Paper
Peer Review: Learning from Other Students
One Student Writing: Revising and Editing
Intermediate Draft: John Fousek, “My Roommate” [Student Essay]
Learning from Your Instructor’s Comments
Intermediate Draft with Instructor Comments: John Fousek, “My Roommate” [Student Essay]
Proofreading
Tips for Careful Proofreading
Putting It All Together
Strategy Checklist: Revising and Editing Your Drafts
One Student Writing: Final Draft
Final Draft: John Fousek, “My Roommate, Jim” [Student Essay]
A Brief Note on Style
PART 2 Methods of Development
Ch 7 Description
Writing Your Descriptive Paper
Tips for Writing a Descriptive Essay
Student Writing: Description
Nick Fiscina, “Dad’s Disappointment” [Student essay]
Gwendolyn Wellington, “A Birth Room” [Student essay]
Critical Reading: Description
Esmeralda Santiago, “A Blanco Navidad for New Yorikans” [Annotated Professional Essay]
Models of Writing
Roger Angell, “On the Ball”
Joan Didion, “Marrying Absurd”
Readings for Writing
Dick Feagler, “Willie”
Maxine Hong Kingston, "My Mother Has Cooked for Us"
Reading and Writing About Poetry
Mark Strand, “Black Sea” [Poem]
Strategy Checklist: Writing and Revising Your Descriptive Paper
Writing Topics
Crosscurrents
Collaborative Learning
From Image to Words: A Reading and Writing Assignment
Ch 8 Narration
Writing Your Narrative Paper
Tips for Writing a Narrative Essay
Student Writing: Narration
Alycia Hatten, “The Death of Santa Claus” [Student essay]
Jarrett David Lee Jackson, “My Father’s House” [Student essay]
Models of Writing
Carol K. Littlebrandt, “Death Is a Personal Matter”
Rogelio R. Gomez, “Foul Shots”
Readings for Writing
Greg Sarris, “‘You Don’t Look Indian’”
Kate Chopin, “The Story of an Hour” [Story]
Reading and Writing About Poetry
Countee Cullen, “Incident” [Poem]
Strategy Checklist: Writing and Revising Your Narrative Paper
Writing Topics
Crosscurrents
Collaborative Learning
From Image to Words: A Reading and Writing Assignment
Ch 9 Example
Writing Your Example Paper
Tips for Writing an Example Essay
Student Writing: Example
Monica Branch, “Keep It Simple” [Student essay]
Laura Zager, “A True Tale of a Family” [Student essay]
Researched Student Writing: Example
Laura Merkner, “Children of Television” [MLA-style essay]
Critical Reading: Example
Verlyn Klinkenborg, “Inside the Mind’s Eye, a Network of Highways” [Annotated professional essay]
Models of Writing
John Updike, “Childhood Transgressions”
Barbara Ehrenreich, “What I’ve Learned from Men”
Readings for Writing
Caleb Crain, “Twilight of the Books”
Judy Brady, “I Want a Wife”
Reading and Writing About Poetry
Edna St. Vincent Millay, “Lament” [Poem]
Strategy Checklist: Writing and Revising Your Example Paper
Writing Topics
Crosscurrents
Collaborative Learning
From Image to Words: A Reading and Writing Assignment
Ch 10 Process
Writing Your Process Paper
Tips for Writing a Process Essay
Student Writing: Process
Michael Wollan, “Coffee Time” [Student essay]
Researched Student Writing: Process
Ayoko Folikoue, “Installation Art: Umbrellas Spread Across the Landscape” [MLA-Style essay]
Models of Writing
R. H. Kauffman, “How to Survive a Hotel Fire”
Mildred Armstrong Kalish, “Wash Day”
Readings for Writing
Nikki Giovanni, “Campus Racism 101”
Susan Douglas, “Remote Control: How to Raise a Media Skeptic”
Reading and Writing About Poetry
Robert Frost, “Fire and Ice” [Poem]
Strategy Checklist: Writing and Revising Your Process Paper
Writing Topics
Crosscurrents
Collaborative Learning
From Image to Words: A Reading and Writing Assignment
Ch 11 Comparison and Contrast
Writing Your Comparison—Contrast Paper
Tips for Writing a Comparison—Contrast Essay
Student Writing: Comparison —Contrast
Subject-by-Subject Pattern
Lea Fasolo, “Life After Death” [Student outline and essay]
Point-by-Point Pattern
Barry Barnett, “Smarter But” [Student outline and essay]
Combined Pattern of Comparison and Contrast
Stacy Kissenger, “Birds of a Feather?” [Student outline and essay]
Models of Writing
Mark Twain (Samuel L. Clemens), “The Professional”
William Zinsser, “Speaking of Writing”
Suzanne Britt, “That Lean and Hungry Look”
Bruce Catton, “Grant and Lee: A Study in Contrasts”
Readings for Writing
Youthful Imagination: Two Stories for Comparison and Contrast
Shirley Jackson, “Charles” [Story]
Saki (H.H. Munro), “The Open Window” [Story]
Legalizing Drugs: Two Web Sites for Comparison and Contrast
Office of National Drug Control Policy [Home page]
Marijuana Policy Project [Home page]
Love, Sweet Love: Two Poems for Comparison and Contrast
William Shakespeare, Sonnet 29, “When, in disgrace with Fortune and men’s eyes” [Poem]
William Shakespeare, Sonnet 130, “My mistress’ eyes are nothing like the sun” [Poem]
Julie Olivera, “Two Kinds of Love” [Student essay]
Strategy Checklist: Writing and Revising Your Comparison and Contrast Paper
Writing Topics
Crosscurrents
Collaborative Learning
From Image to Words: A Reading and Writing Assignment
Ch 12 Classification and Division
Classification and Division in Action
Using Division (or Analysis)
Using Classification
How Are Division and Classification Different?
Reviewing Division Strategies
Writing Your Classification Paper
Tips for Writing a Classification Essay
Student Writing: Classification
Yvonne C. Younger, “Tomorrow, Tomorrow” [Student essay]
Models of Writing
Jared Sandberg, “A Brief, Handy Guide to Those Odd Birds in the Upper Branches”
John Holt, “Three Kinds of Disciplines”
Readings for Writing
Amartya Sen, “A World Not Neatly Divided”
Cass R. Sunstein, “How Polarizing Is the Internet?”
Reading and Writing About Poetry
Robert Frost, “The Rose Family” [Poem]
Strategy Checklist: Writing and Revising Your Classification Paper
Writing Topics
Crosscurrents
Collaborative Learning
From Image to Words: A Reading and Writing Assignment
Ch 13 Cause and Effect
Writing Your Cause and Effect Paper
Tips for Writing a Cause and Effect Essay
Student Writing: Cause and Effect
Richard S. Smith, “Cause for Failure” [Student essay]
Researched Student Writing: Cause and Effect
Keely Cutts, “Wolves in Yellowstone” [MLA-style essay]
Models of Writing
Carll Tucker, “On Splitting”
Mohan Sivanand, “Why I Write Wrong”
Readings for Writing
Tony Sachs and Sal Nunziato, “Spinning into Oblivion”
Brent Staples, “What Adolescents Miss When We Let Them Grow Up in Cyberspace”
Mike Twohy, “Reassigned Pending an Investigation” [Cartoon]
Reading and Writing About Poetry
Edwin Arlington Robinson, “Richard Cory” [Poem]
Craig Anders, “We and He” [Student essay]
Strategy Checklist: Writing and Revising Your Cause and Effect Paper
Writing Topics
Crosscurrents
From Image to Words: A Reading and Writing Assignment
Ch 14 Definition
Writing Your Definition Paper
Beginning a Formal Definition
Tips for Writing One-Sentence Definitions
Drafting Your Formal Definition Paper
Writing an Informal Definition Paper
Student Writing: Formal Definition
Frederick Spense, “Everyone Is Equal in the Grave” [Student essay]
Student Writing: Informal Definition
Helen Fleming, “The Grinnies” [Student essay]
Models of Writing
David Owen, “The Perfect Job”
Lev Grossman, "Meet Joe Blog"
Readings for Writing
Sunil Garg, "Under My Skin"
Kurt Vonnegut, Jr., “Harrison Bergeron” [Story]
Reading and Writing About Poetry
Langston Huges, “Dreams” [Poem]
Strategy Checklist: Writing and Revising Your Definition Paper
Writing Topics
Crosscurrents
Collaborative Learning
From Image to Words: A Reading and Writing Assignment
Ch 15 Argumentation
Using Logic
Induction
Deduction
Using Induction and Deduction
Avoiding Logical Fallacies
Writing Your Argumentation Paper
Writing a Formal Argument
Tips for Writing a Formal Argument
Developing a Debatable Position
Student Writing: Argumentation
Sandra Travis-Edwards, “The Right Not to Vote” [Student essay]
Dennis Rivas, “Books Are Not More Valuable than Other Art” [Student essay]
Student Writing: Perspectives on Immigrants in America
Nick Milano, “Citizenship for Christmas” [Student essay]
Dan Cunningham, “Illegal Immigrants Don’t Deserve a License” [Student essay]
Quynh Nguyen, “Being a Recent American” [Student essay]
Models of Writing
Michael E. Levin, “The Case for Torture”
James Q. Wilson, “Just Take Away Their Guns”
Meg Greenfield, “In Defense of the Animals”
Readings for Writing
Jim Borgman, “The 1812 Overture” [Cartoon]
Perspectives on the Death Penalty
Lauren Heist, “Capital Punishment: An Example for Criminals” [Student essay]
Alex Shalom, “Abolish the Death Penalty” [Student essay]
Mark Essig, “Continuing the Search for Kinder Executions”
Robert Mankoff, “Good News” [Cartoon]
Perspectives on Same-Sex Marriages
Andrew Sullivan, “Let Gays Marry”
Lisa Schiffren, “Gay Marriage, an Oxymoron”
NoGaymarriage.com, “Please Help Preserve the Traditional Judeo-Christian Institution of Marriage” [Web site]
MillionForMarriage.org “Support Marriage Equality for All.” [Web site]
Dan Wasserman, “All We Want Is a Marriage” [Cartoon]
Researched Student Writing: Argumentation
Richard Yee, “Banning Same-Sex Marriage: An Attack on the American Institution” [MLA-style essay]
Reading and Writing About Poetry
Emily Dickinson, “Some Keep the Sabbath Going to Church” [Poem]
Strategy Checklist: Writing and Revising Your Argument Paper
Writing Topics
Crosscurrents
Collaborative Learning
From Image to Words: A Reading and Writing Assignment
Ch 16 Mixing Methods of Development
Developing Your Paper through Mixed Modes
Tips for Developing a Mixed Modes Essay
Mixing Methods: Looking at Possibilities
Student Writing: Mixing Methods in Developing Your Essay
Brian Jarvis, “Against the Great Divide” [Student essay]
Critical Reading: Mixed Methods of Development
Timothy K. Beal, “Bibles du Jour” [Annotated professional essay]
Models of Writing
Herbert J. Gans, “Fitting the Poor Into the Economy”
Reshma Memon Yaqub, “You People Did This”
Strategy Checklist: Writing and Revising Your Mixed Modes Paper
Writing Topics
Crosscurrents
Collaborative Learning
From Image to Words: A Reading and Writing Assignment
PART 3 Special Writing
Ch 17 Literary Analysis
Writing Your Analysis of Literature
Reading Literature for Analysis
Tips for Reading Literature for Analysis
Interpreting Symbols
Tips for Avoiding Traps Involving Symbols
Watching for Metaphors and Similes
Avoiding Common Pitfalls in Literary Analysis
Tips for Avoiding Common Pitfalls in Literary Analysis
Student Writing: Literary Analysis
Harriett McKay, “The Beginning of the End” [Student essay]
Readings for Writing
Jamaica Kincaid, “Girl” [Story]
Ann Petry, “Doby’s Gone” [Story]
Edgar Allan Poe, “TheTell-Tale Heart” [Story]
Strategy Checklist: Writing and Revising Your Literary Analysis Paper
Ch 18 Writing Essay Exams
Preparing for the Exam
Evaluating the Question
Planning and Writing Your Essay
Tips for Planning and Writing Your Essay
Strategy Checklist: Taking an Essay Exam
Ch 19 Business Writing: An Overview
Writing Inquiry and Complaint Letters
Letter of Inquiry
Letter of Complaint
Letter Format
Tips for Writing and Formatting a Letter
Addressing an Envelope
Writing a Letter to Apply for a Job
Writing Your Résumé
Tips for Preparing a Resume
Electronic (Digital) Résumés
Writing Memorandums and E-mail
PART 4 Research
Ch 20 Doing Research
Choosing Your Subject
Developing Your Thesis
Doing Preliminary Reading
Using General Encyclopedias
Using Specialized Reference Works
Searching the World Wide Web
“Googling” Your Subject
Preparing Your Preliminary Outline
Finding Sources and Developing a Working Bibliography
Finding Books: The Library Catalog
Finding Articles: Periodical Indexes and Databases
Keeping Records for Your Bibliography
Taking Notes
Recording Quotations
Summarizing and Paraphrasing in Your Notes
Disagreements: Distinguishing Between Facts and Opinions
Preparing Your Formal Outline
Making a Slug Outline
Writing a Formal Outline
Strategy Checklist: Doing Research
Ch 21 Writing Your Research Paper
Writing Your Research Paper: An Overview
The First Draft
Subsequent Drafts
Using Explanatory Notes
Toward the Final Copy
Quoting and Paraphrasing Your Sources
Quoting an Original Source
Paraphrasing an Original Source
Direct Quotations: How Many?
Avoiding Plagiarism
Documenting Sources in the Humanities: MLA Style
Parenthetical Citations
A List of Works Cited
Preparing the Works Cited List
Tips for Preparing the Works Cited List
Documenting Sources in the Social Sciences: APA Style
Parenthetical Citations
A List of APA References
Preparing Your References List
Tips for Preparing an APA References List
Preparing Your Manuscript
Tips for Preparing the Final Copy
Strategy Checklist: Writing Your Research Paper
Frequently Asked Questions about Writing Research Papers
Sample MLA-Style Research Paper
Elizabeth Kessler, “The Banning of the Polygraph” [MLA-style essay]
PART 5 Style
Ch 22 Proper Words in Proper Places
Denotation and Connotation
The Importance of Connotation
Word Sensitivity
Abstract Writing and Concrete Writing
Using Specific Details
Using Specific Words and Phrases
Using Comparisons
Ch 23 Effective Sentences
Wordiness and Economy
Cutting Deadwood
Avoiding Pointless Repetition of Meaning
Cutting Unnecessary Clauses
Avoiding Delay of Subject
Passive and Active Verbs
Faulty Parallelism
What Is Parallelism?
Avoiding Faulty Parallelism
Faulty Subordination and Sentence Combining
Sentence Monotony and Variety
Varying Sentence Length
Varying Sentence Structure
24 Additional Style Problems and Solutions
Triteness
Euphemisms
Repetition, Good and Bad
Repetition for Clarity
Repetition for Impact
Undesirable Repetition of Meaning
Undesirable Repetition of the Same Word
Undesirable Repetition of Sounds
Slang
Fancy Writing
Sexist Language
Tips for Avoiding Sexist Language
Miscellaneous Do’s and Don’ts
Tips for Writing in an Academic Style
PART 6 Handbook, Glossary, and ESL Pointers
Handbook
Self Test: Abbreviations
Self Test: Correct Adjectives and Adverbs
Self Test: Apostrophe Use
Self Test: Capital Letters
Self Test: Colons
Self Test: Commas in Series and Clauses
Self Test: Commas and Introductory Elements
Self Test: Commas and Interrupting Elements
Self Test: Commas and Nonrestrictive Elements
Self Test: Commas: Other Uses
Self Test: Comma Splices
Self Test: Comparatives and Superlatives
Self Test: Faulty Comparisons
Self Test: End Marks
Self Test: Fragments
Self Test: Dangling and Misplaced Modifiers
Self Test: Pronoun Agreement
Self Test: Pronoun Case
Self Test: Pronoun Reference
Self Test: Quotation Marks
Self Test: Run-on Sentences
Self Test: Shifts in Person or Tense
Self Test: Spelling
Self Test: Subject-Verb Agreement
Self Test: Verb Form
Self Test: Verb Tense
Glossary of Problem Words
Self Test: Problem Words
ESL Pointers:Tips for Non-Native Writers
Verbs and Helping Verbs, Including Modals
Summary Checklist: Principal Parts and Auxiliaries for Three Sample Verbs
Using Helping Verbs and Modals with Principal Parts of Verbs
Phrasal Verbs
Tips and Pointers for Phrasal Verbs
Nouns:Countable and Uncountable
Examples of Nouns You Cannot Count
The articles a, and, and the
Prepositions
Using in, at, and on
Self Test: ESL Problems