Strategies for College Writing

Strategies for College Writing book cover

Strategies for College Writing

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Strategies for College Writing teaches students to write effective paragraphs and college essays and how to respond in writing to academic readings. The text also provides a review of sentence, grammar, and punctuation skills.

The book starts with detailed attention to the writing process at an appropriate pace for developing writers. Emphasis is placed on the importance of the controlling idea, information gathering from both personal experience and other sources, paragraph and essay structure, arranging and connecting ideas, and revision. Part Two covers rhetorical patterns of development; each chapter teaches both paragraph and essay strategies for each rhetorical mode. The sentence/grammar material is self–contained in Part Three for flexibility; both for students and instructors who may want to focus on particular topics. Sentence construction, appropriate punctuation, and avoiding common usage errors are covered extensively. Part Four, Critical Reading Strategies, focuses on the reading process and its relationship to the writing process. Effective strategies for summarizing, outlining, annotating, and reviewing are covered in this section. The book concludes with a collection of readings on American Culture.

  • An emphasis on academic writing and reading assignments prepares students to deal successfully with college work.
  • Integration of reading and writing instruction reinforces fundamental skills and helps students deal more effectively with academic discourse.
  • Abundant exercises include group activities called “Participating in the Academic Community” at the end of each chapter to help promote active learning through collaboration.
  • A chapter on conducting interviews and observations supports students’ efforts to look outside themselves for information and writing topics.
  • A separate section of thematically grouped readings encourages class discussion and provides effective prompts for writing assignments.
  • Gripping examples of student writing are included in the writing sections of the book to provide examples that are accessible to students.
  • An extensive Instructor’s Manual and a thorough Companion Website (www.ablongman.com/harris) support a variety of course methods and emphases.
  • This text is also available as a SafariX WebBook. SafariX Textbooks Online is an exciting new choice for students looking to save money. As an alternative to purchasing the print textbook, students can subscribe to the same content online and save up to 50% off the suggested list price of the print text. Students can search the text, make notes online, print out reading assignments that incorporate lecture notes, and bookmark important passages for later review. For more information, or to subscribe to the SafariX WebBook, visit www.safarix.com.

Preface.

Part I: WRITING PARAGRAPHS AND ESSAYS.

1. Understanding the Writing Process.

Prewriting.

Writing.

Rewriting.

2. Selecting and Limiting a Topic.

Selecting Your Own Topic.

Modifying an Assigned Topic.

Limiting a Topic.

3. Setting Goals and Generating Ideas.

Using Invention Strategies.

Using Informal Planning Outlines.

4. Constructing Paragraphs: Topic Sentences.

Basic Structure of a Paragraph.

Writing Effective Topic Sentences.

Identifying Topic Sentences/Main Ideas in Paragraphs.

5. Constructing Paragraphs: Supporting Details.

Using Specific Details to Support Topic Sentences.

Patterns for Structuring Supporting Details.

Relevant and Irrelevant Details.

6. Moving From Paragraph to Essay.

Introduction: Stating the Thesis.

Body: Developing the Thesis.

Conclusion: Reemphasizing the Thesis.

From Paragraph to Essay.

7. Gathering Information.

Interviewing.

Observing.

Combining Interviews and Observations.

8. Achieving Coherence.

Arranging Ideas.

Connecting Ideas.

Unifying Ideas.

Achieving Coherence in Essays.

9. Revising Your Essay.

Revising for Focus and Unity.

Revising for Content and Development.

Revising for Organization and Coherence.

Strategies for Revising.

Editing and Proofreading.

Part II: METHODS OF DEVELOPMENT.

10. Description.

Understanding Description.

Writing Descriptive Paragraphs.

Writing Descriptive Essays.

11. Narration.

Understanding Narration.

Writing Narrative Paragraphs.

Writing Narrative Essays.

12. Process.

Understanding Process Writing.

Writing Process Paragraphs.

Writing Process Essays.

13. Example.

Understanding Examples.

Understanding Example Paragraphs.

Writing Example Essays.

14. Comparison and Contrast

Understanding Comparison and Contrast.

Writing Comparison and Contrast Paragraphs.

Writing Comparison and Contrast Essays.

15. Classification.

Understanding Classification.

Writing Classification Paragraphs.

Writing Classification Essays.

16. Cause and Effect

Understanding Cause and Effect.

Writing Cause and Effect Paragraphs.

Writing Cause and Effect Essays.

17. Definition.

Understanding Definition.

Writing Definition Paragraphs.

Writing Definition Essays.

18. Persuasion.

Understanding Persuasion.

Writing Persuasive Paragraphs.

Writing Persuasive Essays.

Part III: WRITING AND EDITING SENTENCES.

19. Simple Sentences.

Essential Elements of the Sentence.

Basic Patterns of the Simple Sentence.

20. Expanding the Simple Sentence.

Adjectives.

Adverbs.

Prepositional Phrases.

Appositives.

21. Compound Sentences.

Connecting Independent Clauses.

Punctuating Compound Sentences.

22. Complex Sentences.

Adverb Clauses.

Adjective Clauses.

Noun Clauses.

Signaling Relationships in Complex Sentences.

Punctuating Complex Sentences.

23. Sentence Fragments and Run-On Sentences.

Sentence Fragments.

Run-On Sentences.

Correcting Run-On Sentences.

24. Subject-Verb Agreement.

Agreement with Regular and Irregular Verbs.

Special Problems with Subject-Verb Agreement.

25. Pronoun Usage.

Pronoun Reference and Agreement.

Pronoun Case.

Using Pronouns with -Self and -Selves.

Using a Consistent Point of View.

Using Nonsexist Pronouns.

26. Verb Tenses and Forms.

Regular Verbs.

Irregular Verbs.

Problem Verbs: Sit/Set, Lie/Lay, Rise/Raise.

Special Uses of the Verbs To Be and To Have.

Consistency in Tense.

27. Modifiers.

Adjective or Adverb?

Comparatives and Superlatives.

Misplaced and Dangling Modifiers.

28. Sentence Style.

Avoiding Wordiness.

Achieving Sentence Variety.

Writing Effective Comparisons.

Achieving Parallelism.

29. Punctuation and Capitalization.

Punctuation.

Capitalization.

30. Spelling.

Personal Spelling Problems.

Commonly Misspelled Words.

Spelling Rules and Patterns.

Appendix A: Documenting and Citing Sources.

Appendix B: Glossary of Research Terms.

Appendix C: Sample Student Paper (MLA Style).

Part IV: CRITICAL READING AND WRITING STRATEGIES.

31. Reading Critically.

Developing Critical Reading Skills.

Guidelines for Critical Reading.

32. Outlining and Summarizing.

Outlining to Study.

Summarizing.

33. Reviewing Books and Films.

Reading/Viewing the Work to Be Reviewed.

Writing the Report/Review.

Annotated Book Review.

34. Taking Essay Exams.

Understanding Essay Exam Terminology.

Guidelines for Taking Essay Exams.

Part V:A MINI-READER ON AMERICAN CULTURE.

Identity.

Mother and Freedom, by Maya Angelou.

Living in Two Worlds, by Marcus Mabry.

Tossing Identity and a Bouquet, by Ellen Goodman.

Cumulative Assignments for Identity.

College Life.

In Praise of the F Word. by Mary Sherry.

Freshman Year 101, by Tim Madigan.

College Valued Less for Learning Than for Earning, by Ethan Bronner.

Cumulative Assignments for College Life.

Lifestyles.

Chinese Space, American Space by Yi-Fu Tuan.

What You Do Is What You Are, by Nickie McWhirter.

Made in America, by Bill Bryson.

Could You Live with Less?, by Stephanie Mills.

Cumulative Assignments for Lifestyles.

Diversity.

Child of the Americas, by Aurora Levins Morales.

The Legacy of Generation N, by Christy Haubegger.

Time to Look and Listen, by Magdoline Asfahani.

I Have a Dream, by Martin Luther King, Jr.

Cumulative Assignments for Diversity.

Strategies for College Writing teaches students to write effective paragraphs and college essays and how to respond in writing to academic readings, and provides a review of sentence, grammar, and punctuation skills.

The book starts with detailed attention to the writing process at an appropriate pace for developing writers. Emphasis is placed on the importance of the controlling idea, information gathering from both personal experience and other sources, paragraph and essay structure, arranging and connecting ideas, and revision. Part II covers rhetorical patterns of development; each chapter teaches both paragraph and essay strategies for each rhetorical mode. The sentence/grammar material is self-contained in Part III for maximum flexibility. Sentence construction, appropriate punctuation, and avoiding common usage errors are covered extensively. Part IV, Critical Reading Strategies, focuses on the reading process and its relationship to the writing process. Effective strategies for summarizing, outlining, annotating, and reviewing are covered in this section. The book concludes with a collection of readings on American Culture.

  • Chapter 7, “Gathering Information,” introduces students to interviews, observations, and other field research tools.
  • Chapter 33, “Reviewing Books and Films,” provides students a means to write about both movies and books, two genres that students find interesting.
  • Includes more visual aids that support alternative learning styles, especially in Part II (Chs. 10-18).
  • Part III (Chs. 19-30) features specifically designed instruction for ESL students on articles, prepositions, and order of adjectives.
  • Part V, “A Mini-Reader on American Culture,” is arranged thematically, with themes varying from “College Life” to “Identity.”
  • The Appendix teaches students the appropriate techniques for using and documenting sources.

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Dimensions 1.30 × 7.50 × 9.10 in
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Subjects

english, composition, higher education, Language Arts / Literacy, Rhetorics