The Bedford Handbook; With 2003 MLA Update

by Diana Hacker

• ISBN13: 9780312412807
• ISBN10: 0312412800
• Edition: 6th
• Format: Trade Book
• Copyright: 2003-07-22
• Publisher: Bedford/St. Martin's

Table of Contents

Preface for Instructors	v
How to Use This Book and Its Web Site	xxi
PART I The Writing Process	1	(100)
Generate ideas and sketch a plan	2	(28)
Assessing the writing situation	2	(14)
Exploring your subject	16	(8)
Settling on a tentative focus	24	(2)
Sketching a tentative plan	26	(4)
Rough out an initial draft	30	(11)
Drafting an introduction that includes a thesis	32	(7)
Filling out the body	39	(1)
Attempting a conclusion	39	(2)
Make global revisions; then revise sentences	41	(31)
Approaching global revision in cycles	45	(12)
Revising and editing sentences; proofreading	57	(15)
Student Essay	62	(10)
Build effective paragraphs	72	(29)
Focusing on a main point	72	(5)
Developing the main point	77	(1)
Choosing a suitable pattern of organization	78	(10)
Arranging information	88	(3)
Making paragraphs coherent	91	(8)
Adjusting paragraph length	99	(2)
PART II Document Design	101	(34)
Become familiar with the principles of document design	102	(10)
Format options	102	(2)
Headings	104	(3)
Displayed lists	107	(1)
Visuals	108	(4)
Use standard academic and business formats	112	(13)
Academic formats	112	(3)
MLA Essay Format	113	(2)
Business formats	115	(10)
Business Letter	115	(2)
Resumes	117	(6)
Memo	123	(2)
Create effective electronic documents	125	(10)
Following the conventions of e-mail	125	(3)
Sample E-Mail	126	(2)
Creating effective Web sites	128	(7)
Sample Web Page	129	(6)
PART III Clear Sentences	135	(68)
Prefer active verbs	136	(6)
Active versus passive verbs	137	(3)
Active versus be verbs	140	(1)
Subject that names the actor	140	(2)
Balance parallel ideas	142	(7)
Parallel ideas in a series	143	(1)
Parallel ideas presented as pairs	144	(2)
Repetition of function words	146	(3)
Add needed words	149	(6)
In compound structures	150	(1)
that	151	(1)
In comparisons	151	(2)
a, an, and the	153	(2)
Untangle mixed constructions	155	(6)
Mixed grammar	155	(2)
Illogical connections	157	(1)
is when, is where, and reason...is because	158	(3)
Repair misplaced and dangling modifiers	161	(11)
Limiting modifiers	161	(1)
Misplaced phrases and clauses	162	(1)
Awkwardly placed modifiers	163	(1)
Split infinitives	164	(2)
Dangling modifiers	166	(6)
Eliminate distracting shifts	172	(8)
Point of view (person, number)	172	(2)
Verb tense	174	(1)
Verb mood, voice	175	(1)
Indirect to direct questions or quotations	176	(4)
Emphasize key ideas	180	(17)
Coordination and subordination	181	(4)
Choppy sentences	185	(3)
Ineffective or excessive coordination	188	(3)
Subordination for emphasis	191	(1)
Excessive subordination	191	(2)
Other techniques	193	(4)
Provide some variety	197	(6)
Sentence openings	198	(1)
Sentence structures	199	(1)
Inverted order	200	(1)
Adding a question or quotation	200	(3)
PART IV Word Choice	203	(36)
Tighten wordy sentences	204	(7)
Redundancies	204	(1)
Unnecessary repetition	205	(1)
Empty or inflated phrases	205	(2)
Simplifying the structure	207	(1)
Reducing clauses to phrases, phrases to single words	208	(3)
Choose appropriate language	211	(16)
Jargon	211	(2)
Pretentious language, euphemisms, ``doublespeak''	213	(4)
Obsolete and invented words	217	(1)
Slang, regional expressions, nonstandard English	218	(2)
Levels of formality	220	(1)
Sexist language	221	(5)
Offensive language	226	(1)
Find the exact words	227	(12)
Connotations	228	(2)
Specific, concrete nouns	230	(1)
Misused words	231	(2)
Standard idioms	233	(2)
Cliches	235	(2)
Figures of speech	237	(2)
PART V Grammatical Sentences	239	(106)
Repair sentence fragments	240	(11)
Subordinate clauses	243	(1)
Phrases	244	(1)
Other fragmented word groups	245	(3)
Acceptable fragments	248	(3)
Revise run-on sentences	251	(12)
Correction with coordinating conjunction	255	(1)
Correction with semicolon, colon, or dash	255	(2)
Correction by separating sentences	257	(1)
Correction by restructuring	258	(5)
Make subjects and verbs agree	263	(15)
Standard subject-verb combinations	263	(3)
Words between subject and verb	266	(1)
Subjects joined with and	267	(1)
Subjects joined with or, nor, either. . .or, or neither. . .nor	268	(1)
Indefinite pronouns	269	(1)
Collective nouns	270	(1)
Subject following verb	271	(1)
Subject, not subject complement	272	(1)
who, which, and that	273	(2)
Words with plural form, singular meaning	275	(1)
Titles of works, company names, words mentioned as words, gerund phrases	275	(3)
Make pronouns and antecedents agree.	278	(8)
Singular with singular, plural with plural (indefinite pronouns, generic nouns)	279	(3)
Collective nouns	282	(1)
Antecedents joined with and	283	(1)
Antecedents joined with or, nor, either. . .or, or neither. . .nor	283	(3)
Make pronoun references clear	286	(6)
Ambiguous or remote reference	286	(1)
Broad reference of this, that, which, and it	287	(1)
Implied antecedents	288	(1)
Indefinite use of they, it, and you	289	(1)
who for persons, which or that for things	290	(2)
Distinguish between pronouns such as I and me	292	(11)
Subjective case for subjects and subject complements	293	(1)
Objective case for objects	294	(1)
Appositives	295	(1)
Pronoun following than or as	296	(1)
we or us before a noun	297	(1)
Subjects and objects of infinitives	297	(3)
Pronoun modifying a gerund	300	(3)
Distinguish between who and whom	303	(6)
In subordinate clauses	304	(2)
In questions	306	(2)
As subjects or objects of infinitives	308	(1)
Choose adjectives and adverbs with care	309	(9)
Adverbs as modifiers	310	(2)
Adjectives as complements	312	(2)
Comparatives and superlatives	314	(2)
Double negatives	316	(2)
Choose standard English verb forms	318	(17)
Irregular verbs	319	(3)
lie and lay	322	(3)
-s (or -es) endings	325	(5)
-ed endings	330	(2)
Omitted verbs	332	(3)
Use verbs in the appropriate tense and mood	335	(10)
Verb tense	335	(6)
Subjunctive mood	341	(4)
PART VI ESL Trouble Spots	345	(36)
Be alert to special problems with verbs	346	(14)
Helping verbs and main verbs	346	(6)
Verbs in conditional sentences	352	(3)
Verbs followed by gerunds or infinitives	355	(4)
Two-word verbs	359	(1)
Omitted verbs	360	(1)
Use the articles a, an, and the appropriately	360	(8)
When to use a (or an)	362	(1)
When not to use a (or an)	362	(3)
When to use the	365	(1)
When not to use the	366	(2)
Be aware of other potential trouble spots	368	(13)
Omitted subjects, omitted there, it	368	(2)
Repeated subjects	370	(1)
Repeated objects, adverbs in adjective clauses	370	(2)
Placement of adjectives and adverbs	372	(4)
Confusion of present and past participles	376	(2)
Prepositions showing time and place	378	(3)
PART VII Punctuation	381	(62)
The comma	382	(18)
Independent clauses joined by a coordinating conjunction	382	(1)
Introductory clauses or phrases	383	(2)
Items in a series	385	(1)
Coordinate adjectives	386	(2)
Nonrestrictive elements	388	(5)
Transitional and parenthetical expressions, absolute phrases, contrasted elements	393	(2)
Nouns of direct address, the words yes and no, interrogative tags, mild interjections	395	(1)
Expressions such as he said	396	(1)
Dates, addresses, titles, numbers	396	(1)
To prevent confusion	397	(3)
Unnecessary commas	400	(8)
Between compound elements that are not independent clauses	401	(1)
After a phrase beginning an inverted sentence	401	(1)
Before the first or after the last item in a series	402	(1)
Between cumulative adjectives, an adjective and a noun, or an adverb and an adjective	402	(1)
Before and after restrictive or mildly parenthetical elements	403	(1)
Before essential adverbial concluding elements	404	(1)
Between a verb and its subject or object	404	(1)
Other misuses	405	(3)
The semicolon	408	(6)
Independent clauses not joined with a coordinating conjunction	409	(1)
Independent clauses linked with a transitional expression	409	(2)
Series containing internal punctuation	411	(1)
Misuses	411	(3)
The colon	414	(4)
Before a list, an appositive, or a quotation introduced by an independent clause	415	(1)
Between independent clauses	415	(1)
Salutations, hours and minutes, proportions, titles and subtitles, bibliographic entries	416	(1)
Misuses	416	(2)
The apostrophe	418	(5)
Possessive nouns	418	(2)
Possessive indefinite pronouns	420	(1)
Contractions	420	(1)
Plural numbers, letters, abbreviations, and words mentioned as words	420	(2)
Misuses	422	(1)
Quotation marks	423	(9)
Direct quotations	424	(1)
Long quotations	424	(2)
Quotation within a quotation	426	(1)
Titles of works	426	(1)
Words as words	427	(1)
With other punctuation marks	427	(3)
Misuses	430	(2)
End punctuation	432	(4)
Period	432	(2)
Question mark	434	(1)
Exclamation point	434	(2)
Other punctuation marks: the dash, parentheses, brackets, the ellipsis mark, the slash	436	(7)
The dash	436	(1)
Parentheses	437	(1)
Brackets	438	(1)
The ellipsis mark	439	(1)
The slash	440	(3)
PART VIII Mechanics	443	(34)
Abbreviations	444	(4)
Titles with proper names	444	(1)
Familiar abbreviations	445	(1)
Conventional abbreviations	445	(1)
Latin abbreviations	446	(1)
Misuses	446	(2)
Numbers	448	(3)
Spelling out	448	(1)
Using figures	449	(2)
Italics (underlining)	451	(5)
Titles of works	452	(1)
Names of spacecraft, aircraft, ships, and trains	453	(1)
Foreign words	453	(1)
Words mentioned as words, letters mentioned as letters, and numbers mentioned as numbers	454	(1)
Misuses	454	(2)
Spelling	456	(10)
The dictionary	456	(4)
Words that sound alike	460	(1)
Spelling rules	460	(3)
Commonly misspelled words	463	(3)
The hyphen	466	(5)
Compound words	467	(1)
Hyphenated adjectives	467	(1)
Fractions and compound numbers	468	(1)
With certain prefixes and suffixes	468	(1)
To avoid ambiguity or to separate awkward double or triple letters	468	(1)
Word division	469	(2)
Capital letters	471	(6)
Proper versus common nouns	471	(2)
Titles with proper names	473	(1)
Titles and subtitles of works	473	(1)
First word of a sentence	474	(1)
First word of a quoted sentence	474	(1)
First word after a colon	475	(1)
Abbreviations	475	(2)
PART IX Critical Thinking	477	(42)
Writing about texts	478	(14)
Reading actively: annotating the text	479	(4)
Sample Annotated Reading	479	(4)
Sketching an outline of the text	483	(1)
Summarizing	484	(1)
Sample Summary	484	(1)
Analyzing	485	(7)
Sample Analysis	487	(5)
Constructing reasonable arguments	492	(14)
Examining your issue's social and intellectual contexts	492	(1)
Viewing your audience as a panel of jurors	493	(1)
Establishing credibility and stating your position	494	(1)
Backing up your thesis with persuasive lines of argument	495	(1)
Supporting your claims with specific evidence	496	(2)
Anticipating objections; countering opposing arguments	498	(1)
Building common ground	499	(7)
Sample Argument Paper	500	(6)
Evaluating arguments	506	(13)
Distinguishing between reasonable and fallacious argumentative tactics	506	(7)
Distinguishing between legitimate and unfair emotional appeals	513	(2)
Judging how fairly a writer handles opposing views	515	(4)
PART X Researched Writing	519	(117)
Conducting research	521	(25)
Posing questions worth exploring	521	(3)
Mapping out a search strategy	524	(3)
Searching a database or consulting a print index to locate articles	527	(5)
Consulting the library's catalog to locate books	532	(2)
Using the Web to find a variety of sources	534	(7)
Considering other search tools	541	(2)
Doing field research	543	(3)
Evaluating sources	546	(11)
Selecting sources worth your time and attention	546	(5)
Reading with an open mind and a critical eye	551	(3)
Assessing Web sources with special care	554	(3)
Managing information; avoiding plagiarism	557	(6)
Maintaining a working bibliography	557	(2)
Keeping track of source materials	559	(1)
Avoiding unintentional plagiarism	560	(3)
Choosing a documentation style	563	(6)
Selecting a style appropriate for your discipline	563	(3)
Consulting a style manual	566	(3)
Writing MLA Papers
Supporting a thesis	569	(6)
Forming a thesis and sketching an outline	570	(2)
Including your thesis in the introduction	572	(1)
Providing organizational cues	573	(1)
Drafting the paper in an appropriate voice	574	(1)
Citing sources; avoiding plagiarism	575	(5)
Using the MLA system for citing sources	575	(1)
Avoiding plagiarism	576	(4)
Integrating sources	580	(11)
Using signal phrases to introduce quotations; limiting your use of quotations	581	(5)
Using signal phrases to introduce most summaries and paraphrases	586	(2)
Omitting a signal phrase, if you wish, with statistics and other facts	588	(3)
Chart Reviewing an MLA paper: Global revisions	589	(1)
Chart Reviewing an MLA paper: Use of sources	590	(1)
MLA documentation style	591	(41)
MLA in-text citations	593	(11)
MLA list of works cited	604	(27)
MLA information notes	631	(1)
MLA manuscript format; sample MLA paper	632	(4)
MLA manuscript format	632	(4)
Sample research paper: MLA style	636