From Idea to Essay : A Rhetoric, Reader, and Handbook

by McCuen-Metherell, Jo Ray; Winkler, Anthony

• ISBN13: 9780618917853
• ISBN10: 0618917853
• Edition: 11th
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2006-01-01
• Publisher: Heinle

Summary

One of the most successful, all-inclusive rhetorics on the market, this classic text covers nine rhetorical modes and includes a complete unit on the research paper and a comprehensive handbook. By providing numerous sample readings--imaginative literature as well as essays--and specific guidelines for understanding and using each rhetorical mode, From Idea to Essay leads students through the complex process of essay writing. This rhetoric distinguishes itself from others of its kind with a comprehensive apparatus, including story, poem, and photo writing assignments for each mode of development introduced. The Eleventh Edition features a new chapter--"Critical Thinking, Reading, and Seeing"--that teaches students how to evaluate ideas and images they encounter in everyday life.

Table of Contents

Fundamentals

The Writing Process Prewriting

Writing Rewriting Personal versus Objective Writing

Generating Ideas with Journal Writing

Assembling a Portfolio Writing Assignments

Critical Thinking, Reading, and Seeing Critical Thinking

Critical Reading Critical Seeing

Responding to a Work of Art

Responding to a Photo

Responding to an Advertisement

Responding to a Cartoon Writing Assignments

Elements of the Essay Purpose

Audience Strategy Blending

Rhetorical Patterns

Practical Applications of the Rhetorical Strategies

Essay Examinations and the Rhetorical Strategies

The Controlling Idea Writing Assignments

The Sentence: Combining, Generating, and Judging Sentence

Combining Sentence Generating Judging the Sentence

The Paragraph Uses of the Paragraph

The Shape of the Paragraph

Characteristics of the Paragraph

Journalistic Paragraphs

Transitions between Paragraphs

Paragraphs without Transitions

Using Varied Paragraph

Transitions Beginning and Ending Paragraphs

Writing Assignments

Rewriting Assignment

Planning and Organizing the Essay

Finding a Topic Prewriting Activities

Writer's Block Finding the Thesis

The Informal Outline

The Formal Outline

Use of the Outline

Writing Assignments

Rewriting Assignment

Drafting, Revising, and Style Pointers on Drafting

The First Draft Revising

The First Draft Achieving

Style Editing the Second Draft

Writing Assignments

Rewriting Assignment

Writing the Essay

Narration Reading for Ideas

Story: "The Code,"

Reading for Ideas

Poem: "Richard Cory,"

How to Write a Narration Reading for Ideas

Professional Model: "A Gift of Laughter,"

Student Essay: "Preserving the Species,"

Reading for Ideas

Alternate Reading: Excerpt from Night

Writing Assignments Reading for Ideas

Alternate Reading: "In Another Country,"

Writing Assignments Reading for Ideas

Alternate Reading: "The Tell-Tale Heart,"

Writing Assignments

Internet Research Assignment

Additional Writing Assignments

Rewriting Assignment

Photo Writing Assignment

Description Reading for Ideas

Story: "The Lament,"

Reading for Ideas

Poem: "Coats,"

How to Write a Description Reading for Ideas

Professional Model: "Mma Ramotswe Thinks about the Land,"

Student Essay: "Parting,"

Reading for Ideas

Alternate Reading: "The Monster,"

Writing Assignments Reading for Ideas

Alternate Reading: "Sister Flowers,"

Writing Assignments Reading for Ideas

Alternate Reading: "Laundromat,"

Writing Assignments

Internet Research Assignment

Additional Writing Assignments

Rewriting Assignment

Photo Writing Assignment

Example Reading for Ideas

Story: "We're Poor,"

Reading for Ideas

Poem: "Eleanor Rigby,"

How to Write with Examples Reading for Ideas

Professional Model: "How Near Death Is a Near Death Experience?"

Student Essay: "Poverty in Atlanta,"

Reading for Ideas

Alternate Reading: "What I've Learned from Men,"

Writing Assignments Reading for Ideas

Alternate Reading: "Suing for Fun and Profit,"

Writing Assignments Reading for Ideas

Alternate Reading: "The Word as Person: Eponyms,"

Internet Research Assignment

Additional Writing Assignments

Rewriting Assignment

Photo Writing Assignment

Definition Reading for Ideas

Story: "Arrangement in Black and White,"

Reading for Ideas

Poem: "Incident,"

How to Write a Definition Reading for Ideas

Professional Model: "We Aren't Born Prejudiced,"

Student Essay: "Prejudice: Child of Ignorance,"

Reading for Ideas

Alternate Reading: "Will Someone Please Hiccup My Pat?"

Writing Assignments Reading for Ideas

Alternate Reading: "Jim Crow Days,"

Writing Assignments Reading for Ideas

Alternate Reading: "Black English Has Its Place,"

Writing Assignments

Internet Research Assignment

Additional Writing Assignments

Rewriting Assignment

Photo Writing Assignment

Comparison/Contrast Reading for Ideas

Story: "Dream House,"

Reading for Ideas

Poem: "The Twins,"

How to Write a Comparison/Contrast paper Reading for Ideas

Professional Model: "Diogenes and Alexander,"

Student Essay: "Aben and James,"

Reading for Ideas

Alternate Reading: "Grant and Lee: A study in Contrasts,"

Writing Assignments Reading for Ideas

Alternate Reading: "Priest and Pagan,"

Reading for Ideas

Alternate Reading: "Beauty Is in the Eye of the Beholder, along with Everything Else,"

Writing Assignments

Internet Research Assignment

Additional Writing Assignments

Rewriting Assignment

Photo Writing Assignment

Process Reading for Ideas

Story: "How Mr. Hogan Robbed a Bank,"

Reading for Ideas

Poem: "Tract,"

How to Write a Process Paper Reading for Ideas

Professional Model: "In the Garden of Childish Delights,"

Student Essay: "Driving to Preserve Your Car,"

Reading for Ideas

Alternate Reading: "In the Valley of the Shadow,"

Writing Assignments Reading for Ideas

Alternate Reading: "Coming into Language,"

Writing Assignments Reading for Ideas

Alternate Reading: "How to Say Nothing in 500 Words,"

Writing Assignments

Internet Research Assignment

Additional Writing Assignments

Rewriting Assignment

Photo Writing Assignment

Classification/Division Reading for Ideas

Story: "Harrison Bergeron,"

Reading for Ideas

Poem: "All the World's a Stage,"

How to Write a Classification/Division Paper Reading for Ideas

Professional Model: "The Plot against People,"

Student Essay: "Handicaps," by David Beckham Reading for Ideas

Alternate Reading: "Three Types of Resistance to Oppression,"

Writing Assignments Reading for Ideas

Alternate Reading: "College Pressures,"

Writing Assignments Reading for Ideas

Alternate Reading: "Mother Tongue,"

Writing Assignments

Internet Research Assignment

Additional Writing Assignments

Rewriting Assignment

Photo Writing Assignment

Causal Analysis Reading for Ideas

Story: "The Girls in Their Summer Dresses,"

Reading for Ideas

Poem: "Money,"

How to Write an Analysis of Cause Reading for Ideas

Professional Model: "Mary Todd Lincoln: Second Thoughts on Our Most Vilified First Lady,"

Student Essay: "Crooks, Fools, and Congressmen,"

Reading for Ideas

Alternate Reading: "Why We Crave Horror Movies,"

Writing Assignments Reading for Ideas

Alternate Reading: "Grow Up?

Not So Fast," by Lev Grossman Writing Assignments Reading for Ideas

Alternate Reading: "Black Men and Public Space,"

Writing Assignments

Internet Research Assignment

Additional Writing Assignments

Rewriting Assignment

Photo Writing Assignment

Argumentation Reading for Ideas

Story: "War," by Luigi Pirandello Reading for Ideas

Poem: "Dooley Is a Traitor,"

How to Write an Argument Reading for Ideas

Professional Model: "The Case against Man,"

Student Essay: "Against Fraternities,"

Reading for Ideas

Alternate Reading: "I Want a Wife,"

Writing Assignments Reading for Ideas

Alternate Reading: "The 'Don't Impose Your Values' Argument Is Bigotry in Disguise,"

Writing Assignments Cluster Argument: Three Positions on Same-Sex Marriage

Reading for Ideas

Pro: "What Would Happen If We Legalized Gay Marriage,"

Reading for Ideas

Con: "The Marriage Buffet,"

Reading for Ideas

Neutral: "A More Perfect Union: How the Founding Fathers Would Have Handled Gay Marriage,"

Writing Assignments

Internet Research Assignment

Additional Writing Assignments

Rewriting Assignment

Photo Writing Assignment

The Essay Examination

Preparing for the Essay Examination

How to Do Well on Essay Examinations

Using Rhetorical Strategies in Essay Examinations

Sample Essay Exams

The Research Paper

Doing the Research Choosing a Topic

Doing the Research

Using the Internet to Research a Topic

Compile a Bibliography

Take Notes

Formulating the Thesis, Outlining the Paper, and Writing the Abstract

Writing and Documenting the Paper Plagiarism

Documenting the Humanities Paper (MLA)

Documenting the Social Sciences Paper (APA)

Preparing the Final Copy (MLA)

Preparing the Final Copy (APA) v. Handbook

Grammar Fundamentals

The Sentence

The Clause and Phrase Sentence

Types Parts of Speech

Correcting Common Errors

Errors with Sentences

Errors in Agreement

Errors in Point of View

Errors in Reference

Errors with Modifiers

Errors in Parallelism

Errors in Diction Combining Sentences

Errors in Punctuation

Errors in Capitalization

Errors in Spelling

Appendix: Answers to Self-Grading Exercises

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