The Brief Bedford Reader

by X. J. Kennedy; Dorothy M. Kennedy; Jane E. Aaron

• ISBN13: 9780312433185
• ISBN10: 0312433182
• Edition: 9th
• Format: Trade Paper
• Copyright: 2005-06-22
• Publisher: Bedford/St. Martin's

Summary

Alive with the inimitable Kennedy wit, wisdom, and grace, this is a reader that students truly enjoy reading. Since its first edition, The Brief Bedford Reader has been distinguished by its well-chosen selections and lively instruction in reading and writing, demonstrating how methods of development help writers achieve their purposes. The eighth edition retains the trademark features -- such as writer's commentaries, an anthology of classic essays that combine the methods, and student casebooks on using the methods in practical situations -- that have made its predecessors a consistent favorite of both instructors and students. The eighth edition introduces an exciting new visual dimension by exploring the rhetoric of the visual -- how images reflect the methods, and how writers use them to respond to images.

Table of Contents

Preface for Instructors	v
Thematic Contents	xxv
Introduction	1	(1)
Why Read? Why Write? Why Not Phone?	1	(1)
Using the Brief Bedford Reader	2	(5)
The Selections
The Organization
The Journal Prompts, Questions, Writing Topics, and Glossary
Writers on Writing
PART ONE READING, WRITING, AND RESEARCH	7	(66)
Reading Critically	9	(22)
Reading an Essay	10	(3)
The Preliminaries
The First Reading
Disability	13	(13)
Nancy Mairs
Writing While Reading
Summarizing
Thinking Critically
Analyzing ``Disability''
Thinking Critically About Visual Images	26	(5)
The Big Picture
Analysis
Visual Image: Trust, advertisement for St. Paul insurance
Inference
Synthesis
Evaluation
Writing Effectively	31	(18)
The Writing Situation	31	(3)
Subject
Audience and Purpose
The Writing Process	34	(6)
Discovery
Drafting
The Thesis and the Thesis Statement
Revision
Collaboration
An Essay-In-Progress	40	(9)
Reading and Drafting
Revising
Editing
Final Draft
Disability in the Media	46	(3)
Doug Roberts
Using and Documenting Sources	49	(24)
Critical Thinking About Sources	49	(3)
Relevance and Reliability
Online Sources
Integrating Source Material	52	(3)
Summary, Paraphrase, and Quotation
Introduction of Source Material
Plagiarism	55	(1)
Plagiarism and the Internet
Common Knowledge
Source Citation Using Mla Style	56	(12)
MLA Parenthetical Citations
MLA List of Works Cited
Sample Research Paper	68	(5)
Plata o Plomo: Silver or Lead	68	(5)
Marie Javdani
PART TWO THE METHODS	73	(414)
Narration: Telling a Story	75	(42)
Visual Image: How Joe's Body Brought Him Fame Instead of Shame, advertisement for Charles Atlas
The Method	76	(1)
The Process	77	(6)
Focus on Verbs	83	(1)
Checklist for Revising a Narrative	84	(1)
Narration in Paragraphs	84	(2)
Narration in Practice: Reporting a car accident	86	(31)
Champion of the World	88	(4)
Maya Angelou
Maya Angelou on Writing	92	(2)
Fish Cheeks	94	(3)
Amy Tan
Amy Tan on Writing	97	(2)
The Chase	99	(5)
Annie Dillard
Annie Dillard on Writing	104	(1)
Indian Education	105	(7)
Sherman Alexie
Sherman Alexie on Writing	112	(2)
Additional Writing Topics	114	(3)
Description: Writing with Your Senses	117	(46)
Visual Image: Doug and Mizan's House, East River, 1993, photograph by Margaret Morton
The Method	118	(1)
The Process	119	(3)
Focus on Specific and Concrete Language	122	(1)
Checklist for Revising a Description	123	(1)
Description in Paragraphs	123	(2)
Description in Practice: Advertising an apartment for sublet	125	(38)
Arm Wrestling with My Father	126	(6)
Brad Manning
Brad Manning on Writing	132	(2)
Shooting Dad	134	(8)
Sarah Vowell
Sarah Vowell on Writing	142	(2)
Silent Dancing	144	(9)
Judith Ortiz Cofer
Judith Ortiz Cofer on Writing	153	(2)
Fly-Fishing for Doctors	155	(4)
Ethan Canin
Ethan Canin on Writing	159	(1)
Additional Writing Topics	160	(3)
Example: Pointing to Instances	163	(36)
Visual Image: Cellular Phones of the Future, cartoon by Barry Blitt
The Method	164	(1)
The Process	165	(2)
Focus on Sentence Variety	167	(1)
Checklist for Revising an Example Essay	167	(1)
Examples in Paragraphs	168	(1)
Examples in Practice: Writing a cover letter for a job application	169	(30)
On Compassion	171	(4)
Barbara Lazear Ascher
Barbara Lazear Ascher on Writing	175	(1)
Homeless	176	(3)
Anna Quindlen
Anna Quindlen on Writing	179	(2)
Black Men and Public Space	181	(4)
Brent Staples
Brent Staples on Writing	185	(3)
Signs	188	(6)
Scott Russell Sanders
Scott Russell Sanders on Writing	194	(2)
Additional Writing Topics	196	(3)
Comparison and Contrast: Setting Things Side by Side	199	(38)
Visual Images: American Gothic, painting by Grant Wood; Rural Rehabilitation Client, photograph by Ben Shahn
The Method	200	(1)
The Process	201	(3)
Focus on Paragraph Coherence	204	(1)
Checklist for Revising a Comparison and Contrast	205	(1)
Comparison and Contrast in Paragraphs	206	(1)
Comparison and Contrast in Practice: Creating a campaign poster	207	(30)
Neat People vs. Sloppy People	209	(4)
Suzanne Britt
Suzanne Britt on Writing	213	(2)
Batting Clean-Up and Striking Out	215	(4)
Dave Barry
Dave Barry on Writing	219	(1)
Grant and Lee: A Study in Contrasts	220	(5)
Bruce Catton
Bruce Catton on Writing	225	(2)
Remembering My Childhood on the Continent of Africa	227	(6)
David Sedaris
David Sedaris on Writing	233	(2)
Additional Writing Topics	235	(2)
Process Analysis: Explaining Step by Step	237	(42)
Visual Image: Workers Making Dolls, photograph by Wally McNamee
The Method	238	(1)
The Process	239	(3)
Focus on Consistency	242	(1)
Checklist for Revising a Process Analysis	243	(1)
Process Analysis in Paragraphs	243	(1)
Process Analysis in Practice: Explaining a fire-drill procedure	244	(35)
How to Poison the Earth	246	(4)
Linnea Saukko
Linnea Saukko on Writing	250	(1)
How You Became You	251	(4)
Bill Bryson
Bill Bryson on Writing	255	(2)
Behind the Formaldehyde Curtain	257	(10)
Jessica Mitford
Jessica Mitford on Writing	267	(1)
Body Ritual Among the Nacirema	268	(8)
Horace Miner
Additional Writing Topics	276	(3)
Division or Analysis: Slicing into Parts	279	(36)
Visual Image: Deconstructing Lunch, cartoon by Roz Chast
The Method	280	(2)
The Process	282	(2)
Focus on the Thesis Statement	284	(1)
Checklist for Revising a Division or Analysis	284	(1)
Division or Analysis in Paragraphs	285	(1)
Division or Analysis in Practice: Writing an application essay	286	(29)
I Want a Wife	288	(4)
Judy Brady
Not All Men Are Sly Foxes	292	(5)
Armin A. Brott
Our Barbies, Ourselves	297	(4)
Emily Prager
Emily Prager on Writing	301	(2)
The Capricious Camera	303	(9)
Laila Ayad
Visual Image: Mounted Nazi Troops on the Lookout for Likely Polish Children, photograph
Additional Writing Topics	312	(3)
Classification: Sorting into Kinds	315	(44)
Visual Image: What Everyone Should Know About the Movie Rating System, chart from the Motion Picture Association of America
The Method	316	(1)
The Process	317	(2)
Focus on Paragraph Development	319	(1)
Checklist for Revising a Classification	320	(1)
Classification in Paragraphs	320	(1)
Classification in Practice: Crafting a resume	321	(38)
The Plot Against People	324	(3)
Russell Baker
Russell Baker on Writing	327	(3)
The Crisis of National Identity	330	(7)
Samuel P. Huntington
The Ways We Lie	337	(9)
Stephanie Ericsson
Stephanie Ericsson on Writing	346	(1)
The World of Doublespeak	347	(8)
William Lutz
William Lutz on Writing	355	(2)
Additional Writing Topics	357	(2)
Cause and Effect: Asking Why	359	(40)
Visual Image: Garbage In..., cartoon by Mike Thompson
The Method	360	(1)
The Process	361	(4)
Focus on Clarity and Conciseness	365	(1)
Checklist for Revising a Cause-and-Effect Essay	366	(1)
Cause and Effect in Paragraphs	366	(2)
Cause and Effect in Practice: Setting the record straight in a letter to the editor	368	(31)
A Web of Brands	370	(7)
Naomi Klein
Naomi Klein on Writing	377	(1)
Live Free and Starve	378	(4)
Chitra Divakaruni
Chitra Divakaruni on Writing	382	(2)
Drugs	384	(4)
Gore Vidal
Gore Vidal on Writing	388	(1)
Safe-Sex Lies	389	(7)
Meghan Daum
Additional Writing Topics	396	(3)
Definition: Tracing a Boundary	399	(34)
Visual Image: Need Is a Very Subjective Word, advertisement for the HUMMER H2
The Method	400	(1)
The Process	401	(4)
Focus on Paragraph and Essay Unity	405	(1)
Checklist for Revising a Definition	405	(1)
Definition in Paragraphs	406	(1)
Definition in Practice: Explaining the mission of an organization	407	(26)
The Meanings of a Word	408	(5)
Gloria Naylor
Gloria Naylor on Writing	413	(1)
Being a Chink	414	(5)
Christine Leong
Christine Leong on Writing	419	(2)
``Needs''	421	(4)
Thomas Sowell
Pride	425	(4)
Dagoberto Gilb
Dagoberto Gilb on Writing	429	(1)
Additional Writing Topics	430	(3)
Argument and Persuasion: Stating Opinions and Proposals	433	(54)
Visual Image: Corporate America Flag, image from Adbusters Media Foundation
The Method	434	(9)
The Process	443	(2)
Focus on Tone	445	(1)
Checklist for Revising Argument or Persuasion	446	(1)
Argument and Persuasion in Paragraphs	446	(2)
Argument and Persuasion in Practice: Disputing a parking ticket	448	(2)
Too Much Pressure	450	(6)
Colleen Wenke
Why Don't We Complain?	456	(7)
William F. Buckley, Jr.
William F. Buckley, Jr., on Writing	463	(1)
Close Encounters with US Immigration	464	(5)
Adnan R. Khan
Everything Isn't Racial Profiling	469	(4)
Linda Chavez
Security Versus Liberty: The USA Patriot Act
The FBI Is Reading over Your Shoulder	473	(5)
Zara Gelsey
Zara Gelsey on Writing	478	(1)
How the USA Patriot Act Defends Democracy	479	(6)
Viet D. Dinh
Viet D. Dinh on Writing	485	(1)
Additional Writing Topics	486	(1)
PART THREE MIXING THE METHODS	487	(48)
I Have a Dream	490	(6)
Martin Luther King, Jr.
No Name Woman	496	(12)
Maxine Hong Kingston
Maxine Hong Kingston on Writing	508	(2)
Shooting an Elephant	510	(8)
George Orwell
George Orwell on Writing	518	(2)
Clashing Civilizations?	520	(5)
Edward Said
Once More to the Lake	525	(7)
E. B. White
E. B. White on Writing	532	(3)
Useful Terms	535	(20)
Index	555