The Beacon Handbook and Desk Reference (with 2009 MLA Update Card)

by Perrin, Robert

• ISBN13: 9780495899518
• ISBN10: 0495899518
• Additional ISBN(s): 9780618218493
• Edition: 6th
• Format: Spiral Bound
• Copyright: 2009-06-04
• Publisher: Cengage Learning
• More Book Details

Summary

The Beacon Handbook and Desk Reference is a compact guide to a broad range of issues related to writing. Written in an accessible, non-technical style, The Beacon discusses the writing process, critical thinking, grammar, usage, punctuation, mechanics, and the research process, illustrating principles with both student and professional samples. The text's spiral binding makes it a convenient tool for students composing on the computer. Students receive the most up-to-date information on MLA documentation with the enclosed tri-fold card providing NEW 2009 MLA Handbook formats.

Table of Contents

The Composing Process

Planning

A General Subject

Ideas and Planning

A Specific Topic

Your Role, Readers, and Purpose

A Working Thesis Statement

Drafting

Organizing Materials

An Outline

A Rough Draft

A Title and Introductory and Concluding Paragraphs

Revising

Setting Aside the Rough Draft

Content Revision

Style Revision

Technical Revision

Peer Editing

The Final Draft

A Sample Paper

Paragraphs

Unified Paragraphs

Coherent Paragraphs

Paragraph Length

Organization and Development

Critical Thinking and Argumentation

Principles of Reasoning

Purpose of Writing

Ways to Respond Critically

Argumentation

A Sample Argument ESL Writers

ESL Writers: Working beyond Mechanics

Writing in the American Culture

General Issues of Writing

Special Concerns

Technical Issues for ESL Writers: A Guide Grammatical Sentences

Parts of Speech

Nouns

Pronouns

Verbs

Adjectives

Adverbs

Conjunctions

Prepositions

Interjections

Sentences

Parts of Sentences

Kinds of Sentences

Fragments

Without Subjects or Verbs

Subordinate Clauses

Special Use of Fragments

Comma Splices and Fused Sentences

Forming Two Sentences

Using a Semicolon

Using Coordinating or Subordinating Conjunctions

Conjunctive Adverbs

Agreement

Subjects and Verbs

Pronouns and Antecedents

Parallelism

With Coordinating Conjunctions

With Correlative Conjunctions

Repetition of Sentence Elements

Pronoun Reference

Unclear Pronoun References

Reflexive Pronouns and Subjects of Sentences

Clear Pronoun References

Pronoun Case

Subjective Case

Objective Case

Possessive Case

Appositives and Elliptical Constructions

Who and Whoever and Whom and Whomever

Positioning Modifiers

Clarity and Smoothness

Dangling Modifiers

Squinting Modifiers

Verb Tenses

Verb Forms

Simple Tenses

Perfect Tenses

Progressive Tenses

Relationships Among Actions and Conditions

Mood

Adjectives and Adverbs

Modifying Nouns and Pronouns

Modifying Verbs, Adjectives, and Adverbs

Positive, Comparative, and Superlative Adjective and Adverbs

Troublesome Adjective and Adverb Pairs

Sentence Variety

Sentence Length

Sentence Types

Sentence Beginnings

Coordination and Subordination

Emphasis

Active and Passive Sentences

Concision

Diction

Levels of Diction

Denotations and Connotations

Specific Words

Biased Language

Slang and Regionalisms

Clich?s and Triteness

Forms of Idioms

Jargon

Euphemisms

Pretentious Language

Figures of Speech

Neologisms and Archaisms Punctuation and Mechanics

End Punctuation

Periods

Question Marks

Exclamation Points

Commas

Three or More Items in a Series

Compound and Compound-Complex Sentences

Introductory Words and Phrases

Nonrestrictive Information

Contrasting Sentence Elements

Expressions That Signal Direct Quotations

Numbers, Dates, Addresses, Place Names, and Titles

Unnecessary Commas

Semicolons and Colons

Independent Clauses

Sentence Elements That Contain Commas

Incorrect Use of Semicolons

To Introduce Elements

Numerals

Incorrect Use of Colons

Apostrophes

Possessive Case

Omission of Letters and Numbers

Not with Possessive Pronouns

Other Marks of Punctuation

Dashes

Hyphens

Parentheses

Brackets

Ellipsis Points

Capitals

The First Word in Every Sentence

Proper Nouns and Proper Adjectives

Titles and Subtitles

Italics

Titles of Lengthy Published Works

Specific Names of Ships, Trains, Aircraft, and Spacecraft

Unfamiliar Foreign Words and Phrases

Words Used as Words, Letters Used as Letters, and Numbers Used as Numbers

For Emphasis

Quotation Marks

Direct Quotations and Dialogue

Punctuation with Quotation Marks

Titles of Brief Works, Parts of Long Works, and Unpublished Works

Ironic or Other Special Use of a Word

Numbers and Abbreviations

Numbers

Abbreviations

Spelling

General Rules

Dictionaries

Technical Words and British Variants Research

Topic, Research, and Note Taking

Subject to Topic

A Working Thesis Statement or Research Question

The Library

Electronic Search Systems

Online Periodical Databases

Using Electronic Sources

Selecting and Evaluating Sources

Taking Notes

Plagiarism

Works-Cited Entries

Citation Format

Accuracy and Completeness

Books

Periodicals

Nonprint Sources

The Internet and Other Electronic Sources

Organizing, Writing, and Documenting

Organization

A Rough Draft

Incorporating Notes

Parenthetical Notes

Revision

A Final Manuscript

A Sample Research Paper Document Design

Document Design and Manuscript Preparation

A Document's Purpose

Basic Printing Features

Visual Elements

Web Site

Design Desk

Reference

Appendixes

APA Documentation Style

Writing Essay Exams

Business Writing

Writing About Literature

Glossary of Usage

Glossary of Grammatical Terms

General Index

Table of Contents provided by Publisher. All Rights Reserved.