Joining the Conversation Writing in College and Beyond

by Palmquist, Mike

• ISBN13: 9780312412159
• ISBN10: 0312412150
• Edition: 1st
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2010-01-20
• Publisher: Bedford/St. Martin's

Summary

With the success ofThe Bedford Researcher, Mike Palmquist has earned a devoted following of teachers and students who appreciate his accessible approach to the process of inquiry-based writing. Now he brings his proven methodology and friendly tone toJoining the Conversation. While students may know how to send text messages, search for images, and read the news online all at the same time, they don't necessarily know how to juggle the skills they need to engage readers and compose a meaningful contribution to an academic conversation. Meeting students where they are working online and collaboratively Joining the Conversationembraces the new realities of writing, without sacrificing the support that students need as they write for college and beyond.

Author Biography

Mike Palmquist is an Associate Vice Provost for Learning and Teaching at Colorado State University and the Director of CSU’s Institute for Learning and Teaching. A professor of English and University Distinguished Teaching Scholar, he is recognized nationally for his work in computer-supported writing instruction and, in particular, in designing Web-based instructional materials to support writing. His most recent Web-based projects are Writing@CSU (http://writing.colostate.edu), the writing center Web site at Colorado State University, and the WAC Clearinghouse (http://wac.colostate.edu), the leading site for communication across the curriculum. He is the author of numerous articles and essays on writing and teaching with technology and writing across the curriculum. In 2004, he received the Charles Moran Award for Distinguished Contributions to the Field, which recognizes "exemplary scholarship and professional service to the field of computers and writing." He is the author of The Bedford Researcher, Third Edition (Bedford/St. Martin’s, 2009).

Table of Contents

Part One: Thinking of writing as conversation

1. making connections

Key Questions

Why think of writing as conversation?

You already know how conversations work—online and off

Practice: Inventory Your Writing Life

Conversations help you share information, ideas, and arguments

Practice: Find a Written Conversation

Conversation allows you to adopt roles

Working Together: Exploring Roles

What should I know about writing situations?

Writing has a purpose

Readers have purposes, needs, interests, and backgrounds

Writing builds on the work of others

Writing takes place in context

Working Together: Analyzing a Writing Situation

What should I know about genre and design?

Genres are general categories of documents

Design is a writing tool

Genre and design are related

Genres help writers achieve their goals

Practice: Analyze a Genre

In Summary: Making Connections

 

2. getting started

Key Questions

How can I analyze an assignment?

Assess your writing situation

Determine your purpose

Determine who your readers are and why they would read your document

Consider the role of sources

Identify the context

Note requirements and limitations

Recognize opportunities

Working Together: Analyzing an Assignment

How can I find interesting conversations?

Generate Ideas

Brainstorm

Freewrite

Loop

Cluster

Map

Ask Questions

Practice: Find a Topic that Interests You

How can I "listen in" on written conversations?

Discuss the topic with others

Observe the topic first-hand

Read what others have written

Focus your attention

Practice: Choose a Conversation

How can I prepare for a successful writing project?

Take ownership

Understand that writing is a process

Finding a conversation and listening in

Developing your ideas

Preparing a draft

Reviewing and rewriting

Create a writer’s notebook

Manage your time

Practice: Create a Project Timeline

In Summary: Getting Started

 

3. Reading to Write

Key Questions

How can I read critically?

Read with an attitude

Be aware of writing situations

What strategies can I use to read actively?

Skim for an overview

Mark and annotate

Pay attention

Recognize the type of document

Identify the main point

Find reasons and evidence that support the main point

Working Together: Identify Information in a Source

Consider illustrations

Record new information and challenging ideas

How can I evaluate sources?

Determine relevance

Consider the use of evidence

Identify the author

Learn about the publisher

Establish timeliness

Assess comprehensiveness

Recognize genre

Examine electronic sources closely

Practice: Evaluate a Source

How can I read like a writer?

Read to understand

Main-point summaries

Key-point summaries

Outline summaries

Practice: Summarize a Source

Read to respond

Agree/disagree responses

Reflective responses

Analytic responses

Practice: Respond to a Source

Read to make connections

Working Together: Make Connections among Sources

In Summary: Reading to Write

 

4. Working Together

Key Questions

Why should I work with other writers?

Work together to improve your document

Work together to enhance your writing process

Work together to succeed on a major project

Working Together: Develop guidelines for working together

How can I work with others on individual projects?

Generate and refine ideas

Group brainstorming

Role playing

Working Together: Role play

Collect and work with information

Respond to written work

General guidelines for writers

General guidelines for reviewers

How can I work with others on collaborative projects?

Understand the purposes of writing collaboratively

Understand potential problems and develop solutions

Establish ground rules

Working Together: Establish ground rules for a collaborative writing project

Create a project plan

Working Together: Create a plan for a collaborative writing project

What resources can I draw on as I work with other writers?

Technological tools

Instructors, classmates, friends, and family

In Summary: Working Together

 

Part Two: Contributing to a Conversation

 

5. Writing to Reflect

Genres in Conversation: Reflective Writing

Key Questions

What is writing to reflect?

The Writer’s Role: Observer

What kinds of documents are used to share reflections?

Memoirs

Waterloo, Firoozeh Dumas

Starting a Conversation: Respond to "Waterloo"

Photo Essays

Lost Memories, Kazuyoshi Ehara

Starting a Conversation: Respond to "Lost Memories"

Short Stories

How to Fight Monsters, Sherman Alexie

Starting a Conversation: Respond to "How to Fight Monsters"

Literacy Narratives

Among the Believers, Tayari Jones

Starting a Conversation: Respond to "Among the Believers"

Reflective Essays

This Isn’t the Last Dance, Rick Bragg

Starting a Conversation: Respond to "This Isn’t the Last Dance"

How can I write a reflective essay?

Featured Writer: Caitlin Guariglia, A Reflective Essay about a Summer Vacation

Find a conversation and listen in

Explore your experiences

Ask questions about promising subjects

Working Together: Try it out loud

Conduct an observation

Decide whether to conduct an observation

Decide what you should observe and how often to observe it

Decide what to look for

Find out whether you need permission to observe

Conduct your observation

In Process: Conducting an Observation

Reflect on your subject

Examine your subject

Explore processes

Consider implications

Examine similarities and differences

Trace causes and effects

Consider value

Identify challenges and difficulties

Reflect on your experiences

Collect details

Describe your subject

Compare your subject with something else

In Process: Making Comparisons

Discuss your ideas

Learn more about your subject

Find significance

Prepare your draft

Convey your main idea

Tell a story

Go into detail

Choose your point of view

Consider genre and design

Frame your reflections

Review and improve your draft

Ensure that your main idea is clear

Examine the presentation of your observations

Review dialogue

In Process: Adding Dialogue

Show, don’t tell

Peer Review: Improve Your Reflective Essay

Student Essay

Mi Famiglia, Caitlin Guariglia

Project Ideas

In Summary: Writing a Reflective Essay

 

6. Writing to Inform

Genres in Conversation: Informative Writing

Key Questions

What is writing to inform?

The Writer’s Role: Reporter

What kinds of documents are used to inform?

Brochures

Keep Me Wild, California Department of Fish and Game

Starting a Conversation: Respond to "Keep Me Wild"

Web Sites

Uncovering America: The Asian-American Journey, CNN

Starting a Conversation: Respond to "Uncovering America"

Newspaper Articles

Devices Enforce Silence of Cellphones, Illegally, Matt Richtel

Starting a Conversation: Respond to "Devices Enforce Silence of Cellphones, Illegally"

Profiles

Danger Is Their Middle Name, Chris Nashawaty and Art Streiber

Starting a Conversation: Respond to "Danger Is Their Middle Name"

Essays

The Legacy of Antigay Discrimination, George Chauncey

Starting a Conversation: Respond to "The Legacy of Antigay Discrimination"

How can I write an informative essay?

Featured Writer: Hannah Steiner, An Informative Essay about the Hydrogen Economy

Find a conversation and listen in

Explore your interests

Working Together: Try It Out Loud

Use your library

In Process: Using the Library Catalog

Ask questions about promising subjects

In Process: Asking Questions

Gather information

Create a search plan

Working Together: Plan to Search for Sources

Collect sources

Evaluate your sources

In Process: Evaluating sources

Take notes

Conduct an interview

Decide whether to conduct an interview

Decide whom to interview

Decide what to ask

Carry out the interview

Prepare a draft

Present your main point

Develop supporting points and evidence

Choose your supporting points

Working Together: Brainstorm Supporting Points

Identify evidence for each supporting point

In Process: Developing Support

Consider genre and design

Frame your information

Review and improve your draft

Focus your discussion

Ensure clarity

Review your use of sources

Assess your introduction and conclusion

Peer Review: Improve Your Informative Essay

Student Essay

Barriers on the Road to a Hydrogen Economy, Hannah Steiner

Project Ideas

In Summary: Writing an Informative Essay

 

7. writing to analyze

Genres in Conversation: Analytical Writing

Key Questions

What is writing to analyze?

The Writer’s Role: Interpreter

What kinds of documents are used to present analysis?

Web-based Articles

Race and the White Coat, Rahul K. Parikh, MD

Starting a Conversation: Respond to "Race and the White Coat"

News Analyses

U.S. Population Hits 300 Million, Aida Akl

Starting a Conversation: Respond to "U.S. Population Hits 300 Million"

Multimedia Presentations

Is Snowboarding Losing Its Edge?, Joanne Fisker

Starting a Conversation: Respond to "Is Snowboarding Losing Its Edge?"

Literary Criticism

J.K. Rowling’s Ministry of Magic, Stephen King

Starting a Conversation: Respond to "J.K. Rowling’s Ministry of Magic"

Analytical essays

Generation Debt, Tamara Draut

Starting a Conversation: Respond to "Generation Debt"

How can I write an analytical essay?

Featured Writer: Alison Bizzul, An Analytical Essay about Football and Health

Find a conversation and listen in

Explore your surroundings

Ask interpretive questions

Working Together: Try It Out Loud

Search databases

In Process: Searching a Database

Conduct your analysis

Refine your question

Seek a fuller understanding of your subject

Division

Classification

Apply an interpretive framework

Trend Analysis

Causal Analysis

Data Analysis

Text Analysis

In Process: Applying Interpretive Frameworks

Prepare a draft

Make an interpretive claim

Explain your interpretation

Provide relevant reasons for your interpretation

Working Together: Generate Reasons for Your Interpretation

Support your reasons with evidence

In Process: Supporting Reasons with Evidence

Establish the context

Consider genre and design

In Process: Using a Figure to Support a Point

Frame your analysis

Introduction

Conclusion

Organization

Review and improve your draft

Ensure that your claim is debatable

Challenge your conclusions

Examine the application of your interpretive framework

Assess your organization

Peer Review: Improve Your Analytical Essay

Student Essay

Living (and Dying) Large, Alison Bizzul

Project Ideas

In Summary: Writing an Analytical Essay

 

8. Writing to Evaluate

Genres in Conversation: Evaluative Writing

Key Questions

What is writing to evaluate?

The Writer’s Role: Reviewer

What kinds of documents are used to share evaluation?

Product Reviews

Booster Shot: How Well Do These Energy Drinks Work? Sam Eifling

Starting a Conversation: Respond to "Booster Shot"

Media Reviews

Mary Tyler More, Erica Lies

Starting a Conversation: Respond to "Mary Tyler More"

Place Evaluations

Bowery Dreams, Paul Goldberger

Starting a Conversation: Respond to "Bowery Dreams"

Progress Reports

Education for All Global Monitoring Report, UNESCO

Starting a Conversation: Respond to "Education for All Global Monitoring Report"

Evaluative essays

Emotional Correctness, Christina Hoff Somers and Sally Satel

Starting a Conversation: Respond to "Emotional Correctness"

How can I write an evaluative essay?

Featured Writer: Dwight Haynes, An Evaluative Essay about Programs to Reduce College Drinking

Find a conversation and listen in

Explore your needs, interests, and concerns

Working Together: Try It Out Loud

Search the Web

In Process: Searching the Web

Narrow your focus by asking questions

In Process: Focusing on a Subject

Conduct your evaluation

Define your criteria

Identify evidence

Make your judgments

In Process: Making Judgments

Prepare a draft

State your overall judgment

Present your evaluation

Explain your criteria

Support your judgments with evidence

In Process: Using Evidence to Support Judgments

Be fair

Working Together: Ask Whether Your Judgments Are Fair

Consider genre and design

Frame your evaluation

Review and improve your draft

Review your criteria

Reconsider your evidence

Ensure your judgments are fair and reasonable

Peer Review: Improve Your Evaluative Essay

Student Essay

Making Better Choices: Two Approaches to Reducing College Drinking, Dwight Haynes

Project Ideas

In Summary: Writing an Evaluative Essay

 

9. Writing to Solve Problems

Genres in Conversation: Problem-Solving Writing

Key Questions

What is writing to solve problems?

The Writer’s Role: Problem Solver

What kinds of documents are used to solve problems?

Correspondence

RE: Unauthorized Monitoring of Employee Emails by SBA Managers, John F. Kerry and Frank R. Borchert

Starting a Conversation: Respond to "Unauthorized Monitoring of Employee Emails by SBA Managers"

Professional Articles

Drug Testing Needs Improvement, Not Clearinghouse, Jami Jones

Starting a Conversation: Respond to "Drug Testing Needs Improvement, Not Clearinghouse"

Speeches

Trees for Democracy, Wangari Maathai

Starting a Conversation: Respond to "Trees for Democracy"

Proposals

Star Trek: Re-Boot the Universe, J. Michael Straczynski and Bryce Zabel

Starting a Conversation: Respond to "Star Trek: Re-Boot the Universe"

Problem-Solution Essays

Easy Does It, Richard H. Thaler and Cass R. Sunstein

Starting a Conversation: Respond to "Easy Does It"

How can I write a problem-solving essay?

Featured Writer: Jen Tillson, A Problem-Solving Essay about College Tuition

Find a conversation and listen in

Explore difficulties

Working Together: Try It Out Loud

Ask questions about promising subjects

Conduct a survey

Decide whether to conduct a survey

Decide whom to survey

Decide what to ask and how to ask it

In Process: Developing a Survey

Conduct your survey

Analyze your results

Develop a solution

Define the problem

In Process: Defining a Problem

Consider potential solutions

In Process: Developing a Solution

Assess the practicality of your solution

Prepare a draft

Explain the problem

Propose your solution

Go into detail

Provide support for your points

In Process: Providing Support for Key Points

Address promising alternative solutions

Consider genre and design

Frame your solution

Review and improve your draft

Reassess your problem definition

Review the presentation of your solution

Check the feasibility of your solution

Consider objections and alternative solutions

Peer Review: Improve Your Problem-Solving Essay

Student Essay

Death, Taxes, and College Tuition, Jennie Tillson

Project Ideas

In Summary: Writing a Problem-Solving Essay

 

10. Writing to Convince or Persuade

Genres in Conversation: Argumentative Writing

Key Questions

What is writing to convince or persuade?

The Writer’s Role: Advocate

What kinds of documents are used to convince or persuade?

Advertisements

Above the Influence, White House Office of National Drug Control Policy

Starting a Conversation: Respond to "Above the Influence"

Opinion Columns

Show Us the Money, Cyrus Habib

Starting a Conversation: Respond to "Show Us the Money"

Letters to the Editor

Response to "The Ethanol Scam," Bob Dineen

Starting a Conversation: Respond to "An Urban Chic Straw Man"

Blogs

What America Owes Its "Illegals," Barbara Ehrenreich

Starting a Conversation: Respond to "What America Owes Its ‘Illegals’"

Argumentative Essays

In Praise of Chain Stores, Virginia Postrel

Starting a Conversation: Respond to "In Praise of Chain Stores"

How Can I Write an Argumentative Essay?

Featured Writer: Donovan Mikrot, An Argumentative Essay about Digital Music

Find a conversation and listen in

Explore disagreements

In Process: Generating Ideas about Conversations

Working Together: Try It Out Loud

Track online conversations

In Process: Locating Sources

Ask questions about promising issues

Build your argument

Define your overall claim

Develop reasons to accept your overall claim

Choose evidence to support your reasons

In Process: Choosing Evidence

Identify and consider opposing claims

Working Together: Identify and Consider Opposing Claims

Ensure the integrity of your argument

Fallacies based on distraction

Fallacies based on questionable assumptions

Fallacies based on misrepresentation

Fallacies based on careless reasoning

Prepare a draft

Make an argumentative claim

Appeal to your readers

Appeals to authority

Appeals to emotion

Appeals to principles, values, and beliefs

Appeals to character

Appeals to logic

Address counterarguments

Concede valid claims

Refute widely held claims

Ignore competing claims

Consider genre and design

Frame your argument

Review and improve your draft

Consider your overall claim

Review your reasons, evidence, and appeals

Examine your treatment of counterarguments

Ensure the integrity of your argument

Peer Review: Improve Your Argumentative Essay

Student Essay

Download This: Why Digital Rights Management Is a Bad Idea for Hollywood, Donovan Mikrot

Project Ideas

In Summary: Writing an Argumentative Essay

 

Part Three: Working with Sources

 

11. Preparing to Use Sources in an Academic Essay

Key Questions

How should I focus my search for sources?

Generate potential research questions

Select and refine your question

Reflect on your writing situation

Refer to shared assumptions and existing conditions

Narrow your scope

Conduct preliminary searches

How can I develop a search plan?

Identify relevant types of sources

Identify appropriate search tools and research methods

Review your plan

How can I keep track of my sources?

Manage print sources

Manage digital sources

Create a working or annotated bibliography

Working bibliographies

Annotated bibliographies

In Summary: Preparing to Use Sources

 

12. Locating Sources

Key Questions

How can I locate sources using electronic resources?

Generate search terms and strategies

Identify keywords and phrases

Plan simple searches

Plan advanced searches

Search library catalogs

Search databases

Identify relevant databases

Search within database fields

Search the Web

Identify relevant Web search sites

Search media sites

Use image search sites and directories

Use audio search sites

Use video search sites

Keep track of your searches

Checklist for recording search terms

How can I locate sources using print resources?

Discuss your search plan with a librarian

Browse the library stacks

Browse periodicals

Check reference works

Bibliographies

Indexes

Biographies

Encyclopedias

Handbooks

Almanacs

Atlases

How can I gather information using field research?

Choose your methods

Interviews

Observations

Surveys

Correspondence

Attending public events

Viewing or listening to broadcast media

Enlist help

Assess your information

In Summary: Locating Sources

 

13. Taking Notes

Key Questions

How can I record my notes?

What methods can I use to take notes?

Quote directly

Modify a direct quotation using an ellipsis

Modify a direct quotation using brackets

Modify a direct quotation using "sic"

Checklist for quoting

Paraphrase

Checklist for paraphrasing

Summarize

Checklist for summarizing

Compare sources and start planning your document

In Summary: Taking Notes

 

14. Avoiding Plagiarism

Key Questions

What is plagiarism?

Unintentional plagiarism

Intentional plagiarism

Plagiarism in group projects

What are research ethics?

How can I avoid plagiarism?

Conduct a knowledge inventory

Take notes carefully

Attribute ideas appropriately

Identify your sources

Understand why writers plagiarize

What should I do if I’m accused of plagiarism?

In Summary: Avoiding Plagiarism

 

Part Four: Crafting and Polishing Your Contribution

 

 

15. Developing a Thesis Statement

Key Questions

How can I choose a main point?

Review Your Notes

Consider Your Writing Situation

How can I draft my thesis statement?

Consider the type of document you will write

Identify important ideas associated with your main point

Draft alternatives

Focus your thesis statement

How can I support my thesis?

Choose supporting points

Select evidence

Review and arrange your supporting points and evidence

Labeling evidence

Grouping

Clustering

Mapping

In Summary: Developing a Thesis

 

16. Organizing and Drafting

Key Questions

How can I organize my document?

Choose an appropriate organizational pattern

Create an outline

Create an informal outline

Create a formal outline

Use your outline to begin drafting

How can I draft effective paragraphs?

Focus on a central idea

Follow an organizational pattern

Use details to capture your readers’ attention

Create transitions within and between paragraphs

How can I draft my introduction?

Frame your introduction

Select an introductory strategy

How can I draft my conclusion?

Reinforce your points

Select a concluding strategy

In Summary: Organizing and Drafting

 

17. Using Sources Effectively

Key Questions

How can I use sources to accomplish my purposes as a writer?

Introduce a point

Contrast ideas

Provide evidence

Align yourself with an authority

Define a concept, illustrate a process, or clarify a statement

Set a mood

Provide an example

Amplify or qualify a point

How can I integrate sources into my draft?

Identify your sources

Use signal phrases and in-text citations

Provide a context

Quote strategically

Use partial, complete, and block quotations

Modify quotations as appropriate

Punctuate quotations correctly

Paraphrase ideas, information, and arguments

Summarize longer sources

Summarize an entire source

Summarize specific ideas and information from a source

Summarize a group of sources

Present numerical information

Use images, audio, and video

How can I ensure I’ve avoided plagiarism?

Quote, paraphrase, and summarize accurately and appropriately

Distinguish between your ideas and ideas in your sources

Check for unattributed sources in your document

In Summary: Using Sources Effectively

 

18. Designing Your Document 

Key Questions

How can I use design effectively?

Understand design principles

Design for a purpose

Design for your readers

What design elements can I use?

Fonts, line spacing, and alignment

Page layout elements

Color, shading, borders, and rules

Illustrations

What design conventions should I follow?

Academic essays

Checklist for Designing Academic Essays

Multimodal essays

Checklist for Designing Multimodal Essays

Articles

Checklist for Designing Articles

Web sites

Checklist for Designing Web sites

In Summary: Designing Your Document

 

19. Writing with Style

Key Questions

How can I begin to write with style?

Write concisely

Use active and passive voice effectively

Adopt a consistent point of view

Choose your words carefully

How can I polish my style?

Vary your sentence structure

Create effective transitions

Introduce the work of other authors effectively

Avoid sexist language

Consult a good handbook

Read widely

In Summary: Writing with Style

 

20. Revising and Editing

Key Questions

What should I focus on when I revise?

Consider your writing situation

Consider your presentation of ideas

Consider your use and integration of source information

Consider the structure and organization of your document

Consider your choice of genre and your use of design

Checklist for Revision

What strategies can I use to revise?

Save multiple drafts

Highlight your main point, supporting points, and evidence

Challenge your assumptions

Scan, outline, and map your document

Ask for feedback

What should I focus on when I edit?

Focus on accuracy

Focus on consistency

Focus on style

Focus on spelling, grammar, and punctuation

Checklist for Editing

What strategies can I use to edit?

Read carefully

Mark and search your document

Use spelling and grammar tools with caution

Ask for feedback

In Summary: Revising and Editing

 

Part Five: Documenting Sources

 

21. The MLA Documentation System

Key Questions

How do I cite sources within the text of my document?

How do I prepare the list of works cited?

 

22. The APA Documentation System

Key Questions

How do I cite sources within the text of my document?

How do I prepare the list of works cited?

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