A Writer's Workshop: Student Edition with Student Access Card

by Brannan, Bob; Rogers, Bruce

• ISBN13: 9780073209395
• ISBN10: 0073209392
• Edition: 2nd
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2005-04-12
• Publisher: McGraw-Hill Humanities/Social Sciences/Languages

Summary

This process-based paragraph-to-essay level text makes three basic assumptions about developing writers: they learn to write best by writing, they need to revise their work significantly, and they deserve comprehensive instruction on why and how to revise to express themselves more effectively. To this end, A Writer's Workshop provides many opportunities for students at all levels--from the least-to best prepared--to write often with a rhetorical context and to critically evaluate their work.

Table of Contents

*New to this Edition

Preface

Unit I: Getting Our Feet Wet

1. Practicing the Writing Process

How Do We Begin to Write?

Questions to Ask at the Start of a Writing Project

After Breaking Groundinto the Writing Process

Steps in the Writing Process

Discovering Ideas

Freewriting

Clustering

Brainstorming (Listing)

Journalists Questions

Patterns of Development

Journal Entries

Considering Your Audience

Organizing Ideas

Rough Outlines

Formal Outlines

Drafting

Preparing a Workspace and Moving Ahead

Breaking Out of Writers Block

Revising

Revision Priority List

Group Revising

How the Writer Can Help the Reader

How the Reader Can Help the Writer

Editing

How to Edit

Major Categories of Mechanical Errors

Proofreading

How to Proofread and Prepare Your Final Manuscript

Diagnostic Writing Assignments

Chapter Summary

2. Making the Most of Reading

Is There a Method to Effective Reading?

Methods for Reading

Prereading: Preparing to Understand

Signposts

Beginnings and Endings

Connections: Linking New to Previous Knowledge

Reading: Processing Ideas

Anticipating and Reacting

Visualizing

Linking New to Previous Knowledge

Reading: Focusing and Recording Main Ideas

Looking for Thesis, Topic, and Summary Sentences

Focusing on Primary (Essential) Examples

Expecting to Find Repeated Material

Noticing the Patterns of Development

Learning to Annotate, Outline, Summarize, and Paraphrase

Organizing Body Paragraphs

Postreading: Retaining Ideas

Chapter Summary

Unit II: Working with the Paragraph

3. Introducing the Paragraph

What Is a Paragraph?

Writing a Topic Sentence

How to Write a Topic Sentence

Focusing Topic Sentences

Revising Topic Sentences

Developing Body Paragraphs

Kinds of Support

Sufficient Support

Relevant SupportAchieving Unity

Clear Support

Writing a Concluding Sentence

How to Write a Concluding Sentence

Expanded Thought

Organizing Body Paragraphs

Connecting SentencesAchieving Coherence

Methods for Achieving Coherence

Transitions

Repetition

Synonyms

Pronouns

Reference to Main Ideas

Selecting a Title

How to Write Effective Titles

What to Avoid in Titles

Formatting

Chapter Summary

4. Revising Paragraphs

Revising Paragraphs

Revising First-Stage Drafts: Chapters 8-11

Revising Second-Stage Drafts

Editing

Editing Review

Editing Problems for All Patterns of Development

A Special Note on Verb Tense in Narrative

Proofreading

How to Proofread and Prepare Your Final Manuscript

5. Picturing A Place

What Are We Trying to Achieve and Why?

Developing Skills, Exploring Ideas in Descriptive

Paragraphs

Using Specific, Concrete Language

Establishing and Strengthening the Dominant Impression

Organizing Descriptions by Using a Spatial Arrangement

Locating the Reader in Space and Time

Descriptive Paragraphs: Looking Closely at Student Models

"Untitled" by Andrea Turner

"Waking Up the Right Way" by Stacey Becker

Questions for Paragraph Analysis

Writing a Descriptive Paragraph

The Assignment

Establishing Audience and Purpose

Working Through the Writing Assignment

Discovering Ideas

Prewriting Suggestions

Organizing Ideas

Drafting

Revising First-Stage Drafts

Revising Second and Final Drafts

Annotated Student Model

"Our Family Outing" by Jo Lucas

Final-Draft Checklist

Chapter Summary

Alternate Writing Assignments

6. Telling Your Own Story

What Are We Trying to Achieve and Why?

Developing Skills, Exploring Ideas in Narrative Paragraphs

Creating Conflict, Suspense, and a Climax

Finding the Significance of a Story

Building a Story That Shows as well as Tells

Using Effective Dialogue

Including Metaphors and Similes to Add Clarity and Interest

Narrative Paragraphs: Looking Closely at Student Models

"Sixteen and Mother of Twelve" by Leilani Houston

"What a Joke!" by Anna Suarez

Questions for Paragraph Analysis

Writing a Narrative Paragraph

The Assignment

Establishing Your Audience and Purpose

Working through the Writing Assignment

Discovering Ideas

Prewriting Suggestions

Organizing Ideas

Drafting

Revising First-Stage Drafts

Revising Second and Final Drafts

Annotated Student Model

"Do Unto Others" by Chris Potts

Final-Draft Checklist

Chapter Summary

Alternate Writing Assignments

7. Illustrating through Examples

What Are We Trying to Achieve and Why?

Developing Skills, Exploring Ideas in Illustration Paragraphs

Organizing Examples through Subtopic Sentences

Arranging Examples by Order of Importance

Linking Sentences

Developing Examples

Illustration Paragraphs: Looking Closely at Student Models

"Teaching with Whips" by Jeong Yi

"Dying to Have Fun" by Thomas Kellogg

"Dangers in a Deli" by Catherine Denning

Questions for Paragraph Analysis

Writing an Illustration Paragraph

The Assignment

Establishing Your Audience and Purpose

Working through the Writing Assignment

Discovering Ideas

Prewriting Suggestions

Organizing Ideas

Drafting

Revising First-Stage Drafts

Annotated Student Model

"Nothing Worthwhile Comes Easy" by William Ross

Final-Draft Checklist

Chapter Summary

Alternate Writing Assignments

8. Creating and Explaining Groups

What Are We Trying to Achieve and Why?

Developing Skills, Exploring Ideas in Classification Paragraphs

Using a Single Organizing Principle

Selecting an Organizing Principle

Dividing and Developing Topics

Completing the Groups

Classification Paragraphs: Looking Closely at Student Models

"Mall Crashers" by Chanthan Srouch

"Shopping the Easy Way" by Ann Nall

Questions for Paragraph Analysis

Writing a Classification Paragraph

The Assignment

Establishing Your Audience and Purpose

Working through the Writing Assignment

Discovering Ideas

Prewriting Suggestions

Organizing Ideas

Drafting

Revising Drafts

Annotated Student Model

"I Do" by Richard Bailey

Final-Draft Checklist

Chapter Summary

Alternate Writing Assignments

9. Recognizing Causes, Explaining Effects

What Are We Trying to Achieve and Why?

Developing Skills, Exploring Ideas in Cause or Effect Paragraphs

Discovering Causes and Effects

Developing Causes and Effects

Choosing Real Causes and Effects

Thinking Critically

Cause or Effect Paragraphs: Analyzing Student Models

"Making the Promise Last" by Gebdao Kaiwalweroj

"The Thousand-Dollar Lesson" by Lucas Eimers

Questions for Paragraph Analysis

Writing a Cause or Effect Paragraph

The Assignment

Establishing Your Audience and Purpose

Working through the Writing Assignment

Discovering Ideas

Prewriting Suggestions

Organizing Ideas

Drafting

Revising Drafts

Annotated Student Model

"Building Memories" by Brian Peraud

Final-Draft Checklist

Chapter Summary

Alternate Writing Assignments

10. Explaining Activities: Doing Them, Understanding Them

What Are We Trying to Achieve and Why?

Developing Skills, Exploring Ideas in Process-Analysis Paragraphs

Listing All Necessary Steps

Explaining Steps ThoroughlyGiving Reasons and Warnings

Defining All Terms

Avoiding Monotonous Sentence Patterns

Process Analysis Paragraphs: Analyzing Student Models

"A Boys Best Friend" by Steve Oh

"Recipe for a Red-Hot Sunday" by Jeff Coburn

Questions for Paragraph Analysis

Writing a Process Analysis Paragraph

The Assignment

Establishing Your Audience and Purpose

Working through the Writing Assignment

Discovering Ideas

Prewriting Suggestions

Organizing Ideas

Drafting

Revising Drafts

Annotated Student Model

"Staying Alive" by Carla Schumann

Chapter Summary

Alternate Writing Assignments

11. Explaining Similarities and Differences

What Are We Trying to Achieve and Why?

Developing Skills, Exploring Ideas in Comparison/Contrast Paragraphs

Making a Meaningful Comparison or Contrast

Making an Interesting Comparison or Contrast

Developing Topics Thoroughly

Using Transitions and Other Connectors

Comparison and Contrast Paragraphs: Analyzing Student Models

"Two Different Worlds" by David Harrison

"Breakin Through" by Gina Rizzo

Questions for Paragraph Analysis

Writing a Comparison or Contrast Paragraph

The Assignment

Establishing Your Audience and Purpose

Working through the Writing Assignment

Discovering Ideas

Prewriting Suggestions

Organizing Ideas

Drafting

Revising Drafts

Annotated Student Model

"The Joy of Simple Living" by Ana Maria Sauer

Final-Draft-Checklist

Chapter Summary

Alternate Writing Assignments

Unit III: Working with the Essay

12. Introducing the Essay

What Is an Essay?

Essay Form

Introductory Paragraphs

Thesis Sentence

Limiting the Thesis Sentence

Making a Clear Statement about the Topic

Polishing the Thesis Sentence

Developing Introductions

Methods for Developing Introductory Paragraphs

Hooks

Avoiding Weak Introductions

Body Paragraphs

Topic and Summary Sentences in Body Paragraphs

Developing Body Paragraphs

Arranging Body Paragraphs within Essays

Using Outlines

Concluding Paragraphs

Lead Sentences and Summaries

Developing Conclusions

Concluding Paragraphs with Expanded Thoughts

Avoiding Weak Conclusions

Creating Coherence

Selecting a Title

Chapter Summary

13. Revising Essays

Revising Essays

Revising First-Stage Drafts

Common First-Stage Draft Issues

Revising Second-Stage Drafts

Common Second-Stage Draft Issues

Editing

Common Editing Problems

Proofreading

How to Proofread and Prepare Your Final Manuscript

Final-Draft Checklist

14. Expanding Paragraphs into Essays

What Are We Trying to Achieve and Why?

Illustrating Essays through Examples (Illustration)

Illustration Essays: Looking Closely at Student Models

"The Jobs from Hell" by Eric Latham

"Teaching with Whips" by Jeong Yi

Key Elements of Illustration Essays

Creating and Explaining Groups (Classification)

Classification Essays: Looking Closely at Student Models

"A Skill beyond Price" by Ho-Chul Sung

"Shopping the Easy Way" by Ann Nall

Key Elements of Classification Essays

Explaining Causes and Effects (Cause and Effect)

Cause and Effect Essays: Looking Closely at Student Models

"My Friend Who Gave Up on Life" by Julie Hammond

"The Thousand-Dollar Lesson" by Lucas Eimers

Key Elements of Cause-and- Effect Essays

Explaining Activities, Doing Them, Understanding Them (Process Analysis)

Process Analysis Essays: Looking Closely at Student Models

"Jokers Wild" by Michael Feldman

"A Boys Best Friend" by Steve Oh

Key Elements in Process-Analysis Essays

Explaining Similarities and Differences (Comparison and Contrast)

Comparison/Contrast Essays: Looking Closely at Student Models

"Ill Park. You Get the TicketsHurry!" by Hugh Edwards

"Break on through to the Other Side" by Gina Rizzo

Key Elements in Comparison and Contrast Essays

Questions for Essay Analysis

Writing an Essay

The Assignment

Establishing Your Audience and Purpose

Working through the Writing Assignment

Discovering Ideas

Organizing Ideas

Drafting

Revising Drafts

Alternate Writing Assignments

15. Defining Terms, Clarifying Ideas

What Are We Trying to Achieve and Why?

Developing Skills, Exploring Ideas in Definition Essays

Defining with Synonyms

Defining by Negation

Defining with Comparisons

Defining Formally

Creating Extended Definitions

Definition Essays: Analyzing Student Models

"Finding Home" by April Griffin

"Deaf, Not Dumb" by Bruce Hayworth

Questions for Essay Analysis

Writing a Definition Essay

The Assignment

Establishing Your Audience and Purpose

Working through the Writing Assignment

Discovering Ideas

Prewriting Suggestions

Organizing Ideas

Drafting

Revising Drafts

Annotated Student Model

"Get Wet" by Kyle Jennings

Chapter Summary

Alternate Writing Assignments

16. Writing Persuasively

What Are We Trying to Achieve and Why?

Developing Skills, Exploring Ideas in Persuasive Essays

Defining the Issue

Presenting Reasons and Providing Support

Connecting with the Audience

Avoiding Errors in Logic

Countering Opposition

Persuasive Essays: Looking Closely at Student Models

"Just Say No" by Marisa Youmbi

"Something for Nothing?" by Matt Smith

Questions for Essay Analysis

Writing a Persuasive Essay

The Assignment

Establishing Your Audience and Purpose

Working through the Writing Assignment

Discovering Ideas

Prewriting Suggestions

Organizing Ideas

Drafting

Revising Drafts

Annotated Student Model

"Should Our Grandparents Be Driving?" by Erica Hood

Chapter Summary

Alternate Writing Assignments

17. Taking Essay Exams

What Are We Trying to Achieve and Why?

Developing Skills, Exploring Ideas in Writing for Essay Exams

Analyzing the Question

Writing Relevant, Specific Responses

Writing Essay-Exam Introductory Paragraphs

Writing Essay-Exam Concluding Paragraphs

Writing a Complete Essay-Exam Response

Essay-Exam Responses: Analyzing Student Models

"Clinging by Their Fingers" by Adam Fletcher

"Natural Selection" by Emma Perez

Questions for Essay Analysis

Writing an Essay-Exam Response

The Assignment

Establishing Your Audience and Purpose

Working through the Writing Assignment

Discovering Ideas

Prewriting out of Class

Prewriting in Class

Organizing Ideas

Drafting

Revising Drafts

Annotated Student Model

Chapter Summary

Alternate Writing Assignments

Unit IV: Polishing Style

18. Creating Sentence Variety

What Are We Trying to Achieve and Why?

Varying the Length of Sentences

Varying the Types of Sentences

Coordinating Words in Sentences

Subordinating Words in Sentences

Adjective ClausesNonessential

Adjective ClausesEssential

Adverb Clauses

Varying Sentences with Questions, Commands, and Exclamations

Questions

Commands and Exclamations

Varying the Beginnings of Sentences

Varying Sentence Beginnings with Adverbs

Varying Sentence Beginnings with Phrases

Prepositional Phrases

Participial PhrasePresent Tense

Participial PhrasePast Tense

Absolute Phrase

Infinitive Phrase

Appositive Phrase

Inverted Sentences

Chapter Summary

19. Choosing the Most Effective Word

What Are We Trying to Achieve and Why?

Specific and Concrete Language

Choosing Specific Words

Choosing Concrete Words

Writing Concisely

Revising to Eliminate Redundant Expressions

Revising to Reduce Empty and Padded Phrases

Removing Excessive Qualifiers and Emphasizers

Removing Unnecessary Examples, Details, and Explanations

Reducing Inflated Clauses and Phrases

Choosing Language for Tone

Revising Unneeded Big Words

Avoiding Slang and Colloquial Expressions

Controlling Denotation and Connotation

Eliminating Biased Language

Using Contractions Carefully

Using Figures of Speech

Metaphor, Simile, and Personification

Overstatement, Understatement, and Irony

Emphatic Repetition

Chapter Summary

Unit V: Practicing Sentence Sense

20. Working with Sentence Parts

What Are We Trying to Achieve and Why?

Parts of Speech

Identifying Parts of Speech

Verbs

Nouns

Pronouns

Adjectives

Adverbs

Prepositions

Conjunctions

Interjections

Word Shifts

Verbs, Subjects, and Simple Sentences

Recognizing Verbs

Recognizing Subjects

Phrases

Prepositional Phrases

Infinitive Phrases

Participial Phrases

Gerund Phrases

Absolute Phrases

Appositive Phrases

Clauses

Noun Clauses

Adjective Clauses

Adverb Clauses

Sentence Types

Simple Sentences

Compound Sentences

Complex Sentences

CompoundComplex Sentences

A Writers Basic Sentence Grammar

21. Coordination, Subordination, and Parallelism

What Are We Trying to Achieve and Why?

Using Coordination

Excessive Coordination

Subordination

Adverb Clauses

Adjective Clauses

Excessive Subordination

Parallelism

Series

Lists and Outlines

Pairs

22. Run-Ons, Comma Splices, and Sentence Fragments

What Are We Trying to Achieve and Why?

Run-On Sentences and Comma Splices

Fixing Run-Ons and Comma Splices with End Punctuation

Fixing Run-Ons and Comma Splices with Coordination

Fixing Run-Ons and Comma Splices with Semicolons

Fixing Run-Ons and Comma Splices with Subordination

Sentence Fragments

Phrase Fragments

Subordinate Clause Fragments

23. Verbs: Form and Agreement

What Are We Trying to Achieve and Why?

The Principal Parts of Verbs and Verb Tenses

Three Primary Verb Tenses

Helping Verbs

Perfect Tenses

Progressive Tenses

Irregular Verbs

Problem Verbs

Verb Tense Sequences and Unneeded Tense Shifts

Subject/Verb Agreement

Intervening Words

Compound Subjects

Indefinite Pronouns

Or, Either/Or, Neither/Nor

Relative Pronouns as Subjects

Linking Verbs

Changing the Order of Subjects and Verbs

Collective Nouns

Plural Nouns/Plural Verbs

"False" Plural Nouns

24. Pronouns: Reference, Agreement, and Form

What Are We Trying to Achieve and Why?

Referring Clearly to a Specific Antecedent

Agreeing in Number with the Antecedent

Indefinite Pronouns

Collective Nouns

Compound Antecedents

Choosing Proper Pronoun Case

Subjective Case

Objective Case

Possessive Case

Solving Common Problems

Compounds

Comparisons

Who/Whom

Avoiding Shifts in Person

25. Adjectives and Adverbs: Words that Describe

What Are We Trying to Achieve and Why?

Adjectives and Related Word Groups

Adverbs and Related Word Groups

Comparative and Superlative Forms

Avoiding Overuse of Modifiers

Avoiding Dangling and Misplaced Modifiers

26. Commas, Other Punctuation, and Mechanics

What Are We Trying to Achieve and Why?

Commas

The Big Three Comma Categories

Commas That Separate Introductory Words and Word Groups

Commas That Set Off Nonessential Words and Word Groups

Commas That Separate Main Clauses

Secondary Comma Categories

Items in a Series

Coordinate Adjectives

Contrasting Expressions

Misleading Expressions

Numbers, Addresses, Place Names, Dates, Direct Address

Avoiding Incorrect Commas

Other Punctuation and Mechanics

Semicolon

Colon

Dash

Parentheses

Quotation Marks

Apostrophe

Hyphen

Capitalization

Numbers

Underlining and Italicizing

27. Spelling and Sound-Alike Words

What Are We Trying to Achieve and Why?

Some Suggestions for Help with Spelling

Reviewing Vowels and Consonants

Some Useful Spelling Patterns

Doubling the Final Consonant

Dropping or Keeping the Final e

Changing or Not Changing the Final y to i

Forming Plurals: -s or -es

Using ie or ei

List of Frequently Misspelled Words

Sound-Alike Words

28. ESL Concerns

What Are We Trying to Achieve and Why?

Count and Noncount Nouns

Articles

Verbs

Word Order

Three Irregular Verbs to Do, to Have, to Be

Modals

Stative Verbs

Two-Word (Phrasal) Verbs

Prepositions

Prepositions of Place

Prepositions of Time

Idiomatic Phrases

Ordering Adjectives

Unit VI: Additional Readings

Description

The Great Tide Pool, John Steinbeck

Narration

The Dare, Roger Hoffmann

Illustration

Rambos of the Road, Martin Gottfried

Classification

The Ways of Meeting Oppression, Martin Luther King, Jr.

*Friends, Good Friends, and Such Good Friends, Judith Viorst

Cause and Effect

Two by Two, Well Fill the Planet, Benjamin Zuckerman

Black Men and Public Space, Brent Staples

Process Analysis

*The Fine Art of Complaining, Caroline Rego

Comparison and Contrast

Grant and Lee: A Study in Contrasts, Bruce Catton

A Nice Place to Visit, Russell Baker

Definition

*Theyve Gotta Keep It: People Who Save Everything, Lynda W. Warren and Jonnae C. Ostrom

What Is a Dad?, Bob Brannan

Persuasion

Abortion, Right and Wrong, Rachel Richardson Smith

What Is Biodiversity and Why Should We Care About It?, Donella Meadows

Appendix

*Writing a Research Paper