The Beacon Handbook and Desk Reference

by Perrin, Robert

• ISBN13: 9780618218493
• ISBN10: 0618218491
• Additional ISBN(s): 9780395982075, 9780495899518
• Edition: 6th
• Format: Spiral Bound
• Copyright: 2002-08-21
• Publisher: Wadsworth Publishing
• More Book Details
• Purchase Benefits

Summary

The Beacon Handbook and Desk Reference is a compact, up-to-date 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. Student web site features chapter references, interactive exercises, additional Desk Reference features, sample citations in MLA and APA style, and sample student papers. The instructor portion of the site includes an overview of the book, sample syllabi, advice on grading/assessment and teaching research, and suggested assignments. Enhanced ESL coverage has been placed earlier in the text (Chapter 6) following the writing process chapter. In addition, ESL icons throughout the grammar, punctuation, and mechanics chapters of the handbook highlight topics of special interest to second-language writers. Up-to-date research coverage in Chapters 31 through 33 incorporates the latest information on electronic research and documenting electronic sources. Also featured is a new sample student research paper, "Walking Through History: The Legacy of the Lincoln Memorial," accompanied by step-by-step annotations chronicling the planning and writing processes.

Table of Contents

Preface	xiii
To the Student	xxi
The Composing Process	1	(114)
Planning	2	(20)
A General Subject	2	(2)
Ideas and Planning	4	(11)
A Specific Topic	15	(1)
Your Role, Readers, and Purpose	16	(2)
A Working Thesis Statement	18	(4)
Drafting	22	(20)
Organization	22	(2)
An Outline	24	(3)
A Rough Draft	27	(2)
A Title and Introductory and Concluding Paragraphs	29	(13)
Revising	42	(13)
Setting Aside the Rough Draft	43	(1)
Content Revision	43	(2)
Style Revision	45	(1)
Technical Revision	46	(2)
Peer Editing	48	(2)
The Final Draft	50	(1)
A Sample Paper	51	(4)
Paragraphs	55	(22)
Unified Paragraphs	55	(5)
Coherent Paragraphs	60	(4)
Paragraph Length	64	(3)
Organization and Development	67	(10)
Critical Thinking and Argumentation	77	(38)
Principles of Reasoning	78	(4)
Purpose of Writing	82	(2)
Ways to Respond Critically	84	(8)
Argumentation	92	(17)
A Sample Argument	109	(6)
ESL Writers	115	(15)
ESL Writers: Working beyond Mechanics	116	(14)
Writing in the American Culture	116	(3)
General Issues of Writing	119	(2)
Special Concerns	121	(6)
Technical Issues for ESL Writers: A Guide	127	(3)
Grammatical Sentences	130	(168)
Parts of Speech	132	(36)
Nouns	133	(2)
Pronouns	135	(7)
Verbs	142	(12)
Adjectives	154	(2)
Adverbs	156	(4)
Conjunctions	160	(4)
Prepositions	164	(2)
Interjections	166	(2)
Sentences	168	(25)
Parts of Sentences	168	(18)
Kinds of Sentences	186	(7)
Fragments	193	(4)
Without Subjects or Verbs	193	(1)
Subordinate Clauses	194	(1)
Special Use of Fragments	195	(2)
Comma Splices and Fused Sentences	197	(4)
Forming Two Sentences	197	(1)
Using a Semicolon	198	(1)
Using Coordinating and Subordinating Conjunctions	198	(1)
Conjunctive Adverbs	199	(2)
Agreement	201	(12)
Subjects and Verbs	201	(6)
Pronouns and Antecedents	207	(6)
Parallelism	213	(4)
With Coordinating Conjunctions	213	(1)
With Correlative Conjunctions	214	(1)
Repetition of Sentence Elements	214	(3)
Pronoun Reference	217	(5)
Unclear Pronoun References	217	(2)
Reflexive Pronouns and Subjects of Sentences	219	(1)
Clear Pronoun References	219	(3)
Pronoun Case	222	(9)
Subjective Case	224	(1)
Objective Case	224	(1)
Possessive Case	225	(1)
Appositives and Elliptical Constructions	226	(2)
Who and Whoever and Whom and Whomever	228	(3)
Positioning Modifiers	231	(4)
Clarity and Smoothness	231	(1)
Dangling Modifiers	232	(1)
Squinting Modifiers	233	(2)
Verb Tenses	235	(10)
Verb Forms	235	(2)
Simple Tenses	237	(1)
Perfect Tenses	238	(1)
Progressive Tenses	239	(1)
Relationships among Actions and Conditions	240	(3)
Mood	243	(2)
Adjectives and Adverbs	245	(7)
Modifying Nouns and Pronouns	245	(1)
Modifying Verbs, Adjectives, and Adverbs	246	(1)
Positive, Comparative, and Superlative Adjectives and Adverbs	246	(3)
Troublesome Adjective and Adverb Pairs	249	(3)
Sentence Variety	252	(11)
Sentence Length	252	(2)
Sentence Types	254	(1)
Sentence Beginnings	255	(2)
Coordination and Subordination	257	(6)
Emphasis	263	(8)
Active and Passive Sentences	263	(3)
Concision	266	(5)
Diction	271	(27)
Levels of Diction	272	(3)
Denotations and Connotations	275	(1)
Specific Words	276	(2)
Biased Language	278	(9)
Slang and Regionalisms	287	(1)
Cliches and Triteness	288	(1)
Forms of Idioms	289	(2)
Jargon	291	(2)
Euphemisms	293	(1)
Pretentious Language	294	(1)
Figures of Speech	295	(1)
Neologisms and Archaisms	296	(2)
Punctuation and Mechanics	298	(71)
End Punctuation	300	(3)
Periods	300	(1)
Question Marks	301	(1)
Exclamation Points	301	(2)
Commas	303	(18)
Three or More Items in a Series	304	(2)
Compound and Compound-Complex Sentences	306	(1)
Introductory Words and Phrases	307	(1)
Nonrestrictive Information	308	(3)
Contrasting Sentence Elements	311	(1)
Expressions That Signal Direct Quotations	312	(1)
Numbers, Dates, Addresses, Place Names, and Titles	312	(3)
Unnecessary Commas	315	(6)
Semicolons and Colons	321	(7)
Independent Clauses	321	(1)
Sentence Elements That Contain Commas	322	(1)
Incorrect Use of Semicolons	323	(1)
To Introduce Elements	323	(2)
Numerals	325	(1)
Incorrect Use of Colons	325	(3)
Apostrophes	328	(4)
Possessive Case	328	(2)
Omission of Letters and Numbers	330	(1)
Not with Possessive Pronouns	330	(2)
Other Marks of Punctuation	332	(12)
Dashes	332	(3)
Hyphens	335	(3)
Parentheses	338	(1)
Brackets	339	(2)
Ellipsis Points	341	(3)
Capitals	344	(5)
The First Word in Every Sentence	344	(1)
Proper Nouns and Proper Adjectives	345	(2)
Titles and Subtitles	347	(2)
Italics	349	(5)
Titles of Lengthy Published Works	349	(2)
Specific Names of Ships, Trains, Aircraft, and Spacecraft	351	(1)
Unfamiliar Foreign Words and Phrases	351	(1)
Words Used as Words, Letters Used as Letters, Numbers Used as Numbers	352	(1)
For Emphasis	352	(2)
Quotation Marks	354	(5)
Direct Quotations and Dialogue	354	(1)
Punctuation with Quotation Marks	355	(1)
Titles of Brief Works, Parts of Long Works, and Unpublished Works	356	(1)
Ironic or Other Special Use of a Word	357	(2)
Numbers and Abbreviations	359	(5)
Numbers	359	(1)
Abbreviations	360	(4)
Spelling	364	(5)
General Rules	364	(2)
Dictionaries	366	(2)
Technical Words and British Variants	368	(1)
Research	369	(150)
Topic, Research, and Note Taking	370	(66)
Subject to Topic	371	(6)
A Working Thesis Statement or Research Question	377	(4)
The Library	381	(6)
Electronic Search Systems	387	(9)
Online Periodical Databases	396	(5)
Using Electronic Sources	401	(10)
Selecting and Evaluating Sources	411	(9)
Taking Notes	420	(7)
Plagiarism	427	(9)
Works-Cited Entries	436	(36)
Citation Format	436	(1)
Accuracy and Completeness	437	(3)
Books	440	(10)
Periodicals	450	(3)
Nonprint Sources	453	(7)
The Internet and Other Electronic Sources	460	(12)
Organizing, Writing, and Documenting	472	(47)
Organization	472	(5)
A Rough Draft	477	(2)
Incorporating Notes	479	(8)
Parenthetical Notes	487	(7)
Revision	494	(2)
A Final Manuscript	496	(1)
A Sample Research Paper	497	(22)
Document Design	519	(34)
Document Design and Manuscript Preparation	521	(32)
A Document's Purpose	522	(1)
Basic Printing Features	523	(10)
Visual Elements	533	(11)
Web-Site Design	544	(9)
Desk Reference	553	(64)
Appendixes	617	(48)
A. APA Documentation Style	617	(22)
B. Writing Essay Exams	639	(6)
C. Business Writing	645	(8)
D. Writing about Literature	653	(12)
Glossary of Usage	665	(14)
Glossary of Grammatical Terms	679	(16)
Index	695