Allyn & Bacon Guide to Writing, The: Concise Edition

by Ramage, John D.; Bean, John C.; Johnson, June

• ISBN13: 9780321291523
• ISBN10: 0321291522
• Additional ISBN(s): 9780205598724, 9780321093264
• Edition: 4th
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2006-01-01
• Publisher: Longman
• More Book Details
• Purchase Benefits

Summary

A concise version of the most successful college rhetoric published in over a decade, The Allyn & Bacon Guide to Writing: Concise Edition offers the most progressive and teachable introduction now available to academic and personal writing. The four-color guide offers engaging instruction in rhetoric and composition, a flexible sequence of comprehensive writing assignments, and numerous examples of student and professional writing. Solidly grounded in current theory and research, yet eminently practical and teachable, The Allyn & Bacon Guide to Writing: Concise Edition has set the new standard for first-year composition courses in writing, reading, critical thinking, and inquiry.

Table of Contents

Writing Projects	xv
Thematic Contents	xvi
Preface	xxi
PART ONE A Rhetoric for College Writers	2	(90)
Posing Problems: The Demands of College Writing	5	(22)
Why Take a Writing Course?	6	(1)
Subject-Matter Problems: The Starting Point of Writing	7	(8)
Shared Problems Unite Writers and Readers	7	(1)
Posing a Problem: A Case Study of a Beginning College Writer	8	(1)
Posing Your Own Subject-Matter Questions	9	(2)
Characteristics of Good Subject-Matter Questions	11	(4)
Rhetorical Problems: Reaching Readers Effectively	15	(1)
An Example of a Rhetorical Problem: When to Choose Closed Versus Open Forms	16	(6)
Readings	17	(1)
David Rockwood, ``A Letter to the Editor''	17	(1)
Thomas Merton, ``A Festival of Rain''	18	(1)
Distinctions between Closed and Open Forms of Writing	19	(1)
Where to Place Your Writing along the Continuum	20	(2)
Chapter Summary	22	(5)
Brief Writing Project	22	(1)
Readings	23	(1)
Noel Gaudette (student) ``Questions about Genetically Modified Foods''	23	(1)
Brittany Tinker (student), ``Can the World Sustain an American Standard of Living?''	23	(1)
Showing Why Your Question Is Problematic and Significant (Option 2)	24	(2)
Planning Your Essay	26	(1)
Exploring Problems, Making Claims	27	(20)
What Does a Professor Want?	28	(2)
Learning to Wallow in Complexity	28	(2)
Seeing Each Academic Discipline as a Field of Inquiry and Argument	30	(1)
Posing an Engaging Question	30	(4)
How a Prototypical Introduction Poses a Question and Proposes an Answer	32	(2)
Seeking a Surprising Thesis	34	(4)
Try to Change Your Reader's View of Your Subject	35	(1)
Give Your Thesis Tension	36	(2)
Supporting Your Thesis with Points and Particulars	38	(3)
How Points Convert Information to Meaning	39	(1)
How Removing Particulars Creates a Summary	40	(1)
How to Use Points and Particulars When You Revise	41	(1)
Chapter Summary	41	(6)
Brief Writing Project	41	(1)
Playing the Believing and Doubting Game	42	(1)
Reading	42	(1)
Anonymous (student), ``Believing and Doubting Paul Theroux's Negative View of Sports''	43	(1)
Option 1: Energy Issues	44	(2)
Option 2: Other Issues	46	(1)
Thinking Rhetorically about Purpose, Audience, and Genre	47	(26)
How Writers Think about Purpose	48	(4)
Purpose as Rhetorical Aim	48	(1)
Purpose as a Response to a Motivating Occasion	48	(3)
Purpose as a Desire to Change Your Reader's View	51	(1)
How Writers Think about Audience	52	(2)
Assessing Your Audience	53	(1)
How Writers Think about Genre	54	(2)
Rhetorical Context and Your Choices about Structure	56	(1)
Rhetorical Context and Your Choices about Style	57	(3)
Factors That Affect Style	57	(1)
Recognizing Different Styles and Voices	57	(3)
Rhetorical Context and Your Choices along the Scale of Abstraction	60	(2)
Rhetorical Context and Your Choices about Document Design	62	(7)
Key Components of Document Design	63	(2)
Examples of Different Document Designs	65	(4)
A Generic Rhetorical Context for College Writing	69	(1)
What Do We Mean by a ``Default'' or ``Generic'' Rhetorical Context?	69	(1)
Assignments That Specify Different Rhetorical Contexts	70	(1)
Chapter Summary	70	(3)
Brief Writing Project	70	(3)
Thinking Rhetorically about How Messages Persuade	73	(19)
A Brief Introduction to Rhetorical Theory	74	(4)
Rhetoric and Symbolic Action	75	(1)
Inducing Cooperation: Rhetoric as Inquiry and Persuasion	76	(2)
Persuasion and Power	78	(1)
The Appeals to Logos, Ethos, and Pathos	78	(2)
Angle of Vision	80	(5)
Recognizing the Angle of Vision in a Text	80	(4)
Analyzing Angle of Vision	84	(1)
Thinking Rhetorically about Any Cultural ``Text''	85	(3)
Visual Rhetoric	85	(2)
The Rhetoric of Clothing and Other Consumer Items	87	(1)
Chapter Summary	88	(4)
Brief Writing Project	90	(1)
Background and Readings	90	(2)
PART TWO Writing Projects	92	(186)
Writing to Learn
Seeing Rhetorically: The Writer as Observer	95	(20)
About Seeing Rhetorically	95	(1)
Exploring Rhetorical Observation	95	(5)
Exhibit 1: Web Page of the Arctic Power Advocacy Group	96	(1)
Exhibit 2: Photograph from a Pro-Environment Newspaper Op Ed Piece	97	(1)
Exhibit 3: Photograph Juxtaposing Alaskan Wildlife and Industry	97	(1)
Exhibit 4: Photograph and Description on the Arctic Power Web Site	98	(1)
Exhibit 5: Excerpt from a Newspaper Feature Article	98	(1)
Analyzing the Exhibits	99	(1)
Writing Project	99	(1)
Understanding Observational Writing	100	(8)
Considering the Factors That Shape Perception	101	(2)
Conducting a Simple Rhetorical Analysis	103	(3)
Readings	106	(1)
``Clash on the Congo: Two Eyewitness Accounts''	106	(2)
Composing Your Essay	108	(5)
Exploring Rationales and Details for Your Two Descriptions	108	(1)
Generating Details	109	(1)
Shaping and Drafting Your Two Descriptions	109	(1)
Using Show Words Rather than Tell Words	110	(1)
Revising Your Two Descriptions	111	(1)
Generating and Exploring Ideas for Your Self-Reflection	112	(1)
Guidelines for Peer Reviews	113	(2)
Reading Rhetorically: The Writer as Strong Reader	115	(38)
About Reading Rhetorically	115	(1)
Exploring Rhetorical Reading	115	(5)
Reading	116	(1)
Andres Martin, M.D., ``On Teenagers and Tattoos''	116	(4)
Writing Project	120	(1)
Understanding Rhetorical Reading	120	(4)
What Makes College-Level Reading Difficult?	121	(1)
Using the Reading Strategies of Experts	122	(1)
Reading With the Grain and Against the Grain	123	(1)
Understanding Summary Writing	124	(5)
Reading for Structure and Content	124	(5)
Understanding Strong Response Writing	129	(19)
Kinds of Strong Responses	129	(1)
Student Example of a Summary/Strong Response Essay: Sean Barry, ``Why Do Teenagers Get Tattoos? A Response to Andres Martin''	130	(2)
Questions for Analyzing and Critiquing a Text	132	(3)
Questions for Analyzing and Critiquing a Visual-Verbal Text	135	(2)
Questions for Developing Your Own Views about the Text's Subject Matter	137	(2)
Rereading Strategies to Stimulate Thinking for a Strong Response	139	(3)
Readings	142	(1)
Florence King, ``I'd Rather Smoke than Kiss''	142	(6)
Adbusters.org, ``Welcome to Malboro Country''	148	(1)
Composing Your Summary/Strong Response Essay	148	(3)
Generating and Exploring Ideas for Your Summary	148	(1)
Shaping, Drafting, and Revising Your Summary	149	(1)
Generating and Exploring Ideas for Your Strong Response	150	(1)
Writing a Thesis for a Strong Response Essay	150	(1)
Revising Your Strong Response	151	(1)
Guidelines for Peer Reviews	151	(2)
Writing to Explore
Writing an Exploratory Essay	153	(20)
About Exploratory Writing	153	(1)
Exploring Exploratory Writing	154	(2)
Writing Project	156	(1)
Understanding Exploratory Writing	156	(8)
The Essence of Exploratory Prose: Considering Multiple Solutions	157	(2)
Readings	159	(1)
Christopher Leigh (student), ``An Exploration of How to Prevent Violence in Schools''	159	(5)
Composing Your Exploratory Essay	164	(7)
Generating and Exploring Ideas	164	(3)
Continuing with Research and Dialectic Thinking	167	(1)
Shaping and Drafting	168	(2)
Revising	170	(1)
Guidelines for Peer Reviews	171	(2)
Writing to Inform
Writing an Informative (and Surprising) Essay	173	(36)
About Informative (and Surprising) Writing	173	(2)
Informative Writing and the Audience's Reasons for Reading	173	(1)
The Rhetorical Power of ``Surprising Reversal''	174	(1)
Exploring Informative (and Surprising) Writing	175	(4)
Readings	175	(1)
EnchantedLearning.com, ``Tarantulas''	175	(1)
Rod Crawford, ``Myths about `Dangerous' Spiders''	176	(2)
Writing Project	178	(1)
Understanding Informative (and Surprising) Writing	179	(20)
Informative Reports	179	(1)
Informative Writing Using Surprising Reversal	180	(2)
Readings	182	(1)
Kerri Ann Matsumoto (student), ``How Much Does It Cost to Go Organic?''	183	(1)
Cheryl Carp (student), ``Behind Stone Walls''	184	(3)
Shannon King (student), ``How Clean and Green Are Hydrogen Fuel-Cell Cars?'' (APA Style Research Paper)	187	(10)
Jonathan Rauch, ``Coming to America''	197	(2)
Composing Your Essay---Option A: Informative Report	199	(3)
Generating and Exploring Ideas	199	(1)
Shaping and Drafting	200	(2)
Revising	202	(1)
Composing Your Essay---Option B: Informative Writing Using Surprising Reversal	202	(4)
Generating and Exploring Ideas	203	(2)
Shaping and Drafting	205	(1)
Revising	206	(1)
Guidelines for Peer Reviews	206	(3)
Writing to Analyze
Analyzing Images	209	(28)
About Analyzing Images	209	(2)
Exploring Image Analysis	211	(2)
Writing Project	212	(1)
Understanding Image Analysis	213	(21)
How Images Create a Rhetorical Effect	213	(6)
How to Analyze an Advertisement	219	(1)
How Advertisers Target Specific Audiences	220	(2)
Sample Analysis of an Advertisement	222	(3)
Cultural Perspectives on Advertisements	225	(5)
Readings	230	(1)
Stephen Bean (student), ``How Cigarette Advertisers Address the Stigma Against Smoking: A Tale of Two Ads''	230	(4)
Composing Your Essay	234	(1)
Generating and Exploring Ideas	234	(1)
Shaping and Drafting	234	(1)
Revising	235	(1)
Guidelines for Peer Reviews	235	(2)
Writing to Persuade
Writing a Classical Argument	237	(41)
About Classical Argument	237	(1)
Exploring Classical Argument	238	(2)
Writing Project	239	(1)
Understanding Classical Argument	240	(31)
Stages of Development: Your Growth as an Arguer	240	(1)
Creating an Argument Frame: A Claim with Reasons	241	(2)
Articulating Reasons	243	(1)
Articulating Unstated Assumptions	244	(2)
Using Evidence Effectively	246	(3)
Addressing Objections and Counterarguments	249	(3)
Responding to Objections, Counterarguments, and Alternative Views Through Refutation or Concession	252	(2)
Appealing to Ethos and Pathos	254	(2)
Some Advanced Considerations	256	(4)
Readings	260	(1)
Ross Taylor (student), ``Paintball: Promoter of Violence or Healthy Fun?''	260	(4)
Leonard Pitts, Jr., ``Spare the Rod, Spoil the Parenting''	264	(2)
A. J. Chavez (student), ``The Case for (Gay) Marriage''	266	(5)
Composing Your Essay	271	(4)
Generating and Exploring Ideas	271	(2)
Shaping and Drafting	273	(2)
Revising	275	(1)
Guidelines for Peer Reviews	275	(3)
PART THREE A Guide to Composing and Revising	278	(62)
Writing as a Problem-Solving Process	281	(20)
Understanding How Experts Compose and Revise	282	(2)
A Working Description of the Writing Process	284	(2)
Improving Your Own Writing Processes	286	(7)
Practice the Composing Strategies of Experienced Writers	286	(2)
Explore Ideas through Freewriting, Idea Mapping, and Good Talking	288	(2)
Draft Purposefully	290	(1)
After Drafting, Revise Globally	291	(1)
Recognize Kinds of Changes Typically Made in Drafts	292	(1)
Using Peer Reviews to Stimulate Revision	293	(8)
Becoming a Helpful Reader of Classmates' Drafts	293	(4)
Conducting a Peer Review Workshop	297	(2)
Responding to Peer Reviews	299	(2)
Composing and Revising Closed-Form Prose	301	(39)
Lesson 1: Understanding Reader Expectations	302	(3)
Unity and Coherence	302	(1)
Old before New	303	(1)
Forecasting and Fulfillment	304	(1)
Lesson 2: Converting Loose Structures into Thesis/Support Structures	305	(4)
And Then Writing, or Chronological Structure	306	(1)
All About Writing, or Encyclopedic Structure	307	(1)
English Writing, or Structure without Surprise	308	(1)
Lesson 3: Planning and Visualizing Your Structure	309	(7)
Use Scratch Outlines Early in the Writing Process	309	(1)
Before Making a Detailed Outline, ``Nutshell'' Your Argument	310	(1)
Articulate a Working Thesis and Main Points	311	(1)
Sketch Your Structure Using an Outline, Tree Diagram, or Flowchart	311	(3)
Let the Structure Evolve	314	(2)
Lesson 4: Writing Effective Titles and Introductions	316	(6)
What Not to Do: The ``Funnel Introduction''	316	(1)
From Old to New: The General Principle of Closed-Form Introductions	316	(2)
Typical Elements of a Closed-Form Introduction	318	(1)
Forecasting the Whole with a Thesis Statement, Purpose Statement, or Blueprint Statement	319	(1)
Writing Effective Titles	320	(2)
Lesson 5: Placing Points before Particulars	322	(4)
Place Topic Sentences at the Beginning of Paragraphs	323	(1)
Revise Paragraphs for Unity	324	(1)
Add Particulars to Support Points	325	(1)
Lesson 6: Signaling Relationships with Transitions	326	(4)
Use Common Transition Words to Signal Relationships	327	(2)
Write Major Transitions between Parts	329	(1)
Signal Transitions with Headings and Subheadings	330	(1)
Lesson 7: Binding Sentences Together by Following the Old/New Contract	330	(6)
An Explanation of the Old/New Contract	330	(2)
How to Make Links to the ``Old''	332	(2)
Avoid Ambiguous Use of ``This'' to Fulfill the Old/New Contract	334	(1)
How the Old/New Contract Modifies the Rule ``Avoid Weak Repetition''	335	(1)
How the Old/New Contract Modifies the Rule ``Prefer Active over Passive Voice''	335	(1)
Lesson 8: Writing Effective Conclusions	336	(4)
The Simple Summary Conclusion	337	(1)
The Larger Significance Conclusion	337	(1)
The Proposal Conclusion	338	(1)
The Scenic or Anecdotal Conclusion	338	(1)
The Hook and Return Conclusion	338	(1)
The Delayed-Thesis Conclusion	338	(2)
PART FOUR A Rhetorical Guide to Research	340	(37)
The Rhetoric of Web Sites	343	(13)
The Web as a Unique Rhetorical Environment	343	(8)
Analyzing the Purpose of a Site	344	(1)
Reading Web Sites Rhetorically: An Illustration	344	(7)
Evaluating a Web Source	351	(5)
An Example: Applying Evaluation Criteria	351	(5)
Citing and Documenting Sources	356	(21)
How to Avoid Plagiarism	356	(1)
How to Cite Sources	357	(2)
MLA System of In-Text Citation	357	(1)
APA System of In-Text Citation	358	(1)
Citing a Quotation or Other Data from a Secondary Source	359	(1)
Documenting Sources in a ``Works Cited'' List (MLA)	359	(1)
MLA Quick Reference Guide for the Most Common Citations	360	(2)
Formatting an Academic Paper in MLA Style	362	(1)
Student Example of an MLA-Style Research Paper	362	(13)
Christopher Leigh, ``The Case Against Metal Detectors in Public Schools''	363	(12)
Documenting Sources in a ``References'' List (APA)	375	(1)
APA Quick Reference Guide for the Most Common Citations	375	(2)
Acknowledgments	377	(4)
Index	381