The New Century Handbook (MLA Update)

by Hult, Christine A.; Huckin, Thomas N.

• ISBN13: 9780321202499
• ISBN10: 032120249X
• Edition: 2nd
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 2002-01-01
• Publisher: Longman

Summary

The most successful new handbook published in over a decade, The New Century Handbook is the only comprehensive college handbook to be developed with the assumption that students are writing using word processors and are using the Internet as a fundamental source for their research writing. It is the first college handbook to thoroughly integrate an awareness of and instruction on the benefits of computer technology to the writing and research processes. The handbook offers, first and foremost however, a thorough treatment of the writing process, the research process, and grammar, mechanics, and punctuation. The text emphasizes that effective writing, with or without computers, is based on sound rhetorical principles. The authors of the text are major scholars in all of the topic areas covered in the handbook, giving The Century Handbook an authority that is unparalleled among major college handbooks. The Second edition continues to offer up to date and accessible coverage. Chapters on writing explain the various stages of creating a paper, and also incorporate instruction on how students can use word processors to create better developed, well-written essays. Likewise, the research section acknowledges students' varying experience with computers and the Internet, so it illustrates how to find and evaluate print and electronic sources to formulate thoughtful and carefully documented research papers. The chapters on grammar and mechanics offer a complete reference guide and include tips on how to work with grammar- and spell-checkers. The second edition is the first fully integrated web/interactive text in the handbook market. Packaged inside every student textbook is a FREE Interactive Edition CD-ROMa valuable resource and learning tool for students. Throughout the text, icons in the margins indicate where multimedia assets can be found on the CD, and where additional material can be found on the companion website, that expand on the topics discussed in the book. The CD includes dozens of video and audio clips, interactive exercises, and hotlinked URLs to web resources. The website includes coverage which both supplements and complements what is in the handbook, detailed illustrations of HELP box procedures, chapter review assessments and much more. Now updated to include the latest information on APA documentation style.

Table of Contents

Writing

Writing and Computers

Why Write?

Why Write with a Computer?

Critical Thinking and Reading

Think Critically

The Reading Process

The Writing Process

Preparing

Experiment and Explore

Invent and Prewrite

Gather Preliminary Information from Sources

Plan and Organize

Composing

Review Your Prewriting, Thesis, and Outline Before You Compose

Use a Method for Composing

Collaborate

Strategies for Composing with a Computer

A Student Draft

Rewriting

Shift from Writer to Reader

Revise

Edit

Proofread

Responding to the Work of Others

A Model Student Paper

Structuring Paragraphs

Write Unified Paragraphs

Write Coherent Paragraphs with Clear Organizational Patterns

Write Coherent Paragraphs with Sentence Linking Techniques

Be Consistent with Verb Tense, Person, and Number

Use Parallelism

Decide What Makes a Fully Developed Paragraph

Link Paragraphs Together with Key Words

Formulating Arguments

Formulate an Arguable Thesis

Generate Good Supporting Evidence

Take Note of Evidence for Alternative Views as Well

Develop and Test Your Points

Build a Compelling Case

Structure the Argument

Avoid Logical and Emotional Fallacies

Research

The Research Project

Become a Researcher

Schedule a Time Frame

Create a Research Notebook

Create a Working Bibliography

Gather Background Information

Conduct Focused Research

Using the Internet for Research

Internet Sources and the Research Process

Information Found On the Internet and Web

Example of a Student Internet Search

Evaluating Electronic and Print Sources

Choosing Legitimate Sources

Evaluating a Series of Web Links

Using Sources

Use Sources Responsibly

Quoting Sources

Paraphrasing Sources

Summarizing Sources

Writing the Research Paper

Refine Your Rhetorical Stance and Thesis

Plan a Structure

Write a Draft

Review and Revise Your Draft

Follow Formatting Conventions

Sample Research Paper

Documentation Formats

Understanding Systems of Documentation

Using the MLA System of Documentation

Using the APA System of Documentation

Using the Chicago Manual of Style (CMS)

Using the CBE System of Documentation

Using the COS System of Documentation

Style Manuals for the Disciplines

Writing In The Disciplines

Writing in the Humanities and Writing about Literature

Types of Writing in the Humanities

Writing about Literature

An Example of Literary Interpretation

An Example of Literary Analysis (in MLA Format)

Technology and the Humanities

Reference Materials for the Humanities

Writing in the Natural Sciences

Writing about Science

Types of Writing in the Sciences

An Example of a Research Report (CBE Format)

Technology and the Sciences

Reference Materials for the Sciences

Writing in the Social Sciences

Writing about the Social Sciences

Types of Writing in the Social Sciences

An Example of a Research Report (APA Format)

Technology and the Social Sciences

Reference Materials for the Social Sciences

Document design

Design Principles and Graphics

Three Basic Design Principles

Formatting Tools

Graphics

Respecting Different Norms and Preferences

Desktop Publishing

Produce a Simple Brochure

Produce a Simple Newsletter

Designing for the Web

Designing for the Web

Planning Your Web Document

Writing for the Web

Constructing Your Web Pages

Using HTML

Refining Your Web Site

Special Purpose Writing

Using E-Mail & Computer Networks

Logging On to Networks

Building Community Through Electronic Mail

Business Correspondence and Reports

Business Letters

Letters of Application

Résumés

Memos

Reports

Essay Exams

Prepare for the Essay Exam

Use the Writing Process in Abbreviated Form

Sample Student Responses to an Essay Exam Question

Sentence Grammar

Sentence Structure

Identifying Parts of Speech

Identifying Basic Sentence Patterns

Expanding Sentences

Classifying Sentences

Pronoun Case

Use Subjective Case Forms

Use Objective Case for Pronouns Functioning as Objects

In Constructions Where the Pronoun Is Paired with a Noun, Test for Pronoun Case by Seeing What It Should Be without the Noun

With the Pronouns Who, Whom, Whoever, Whomever, and Whose, Choose the Appropriate Form According to How It Functions in Its Clause

Use Possessive Case to Show Ownership

If You Use a Pronoun for the Second Part of a Comparison, Choose Its Case According to How the Pronoun Would Function in Its Own Full Clause

Verbs

Regular Verb Forms

Using Irregular Verbs

Using Auxiliary Verbs

Verb Tenses

Sequence of Tenses

Transitive versus Intransitive Verbs

Voice

Mood

Agreement

Make Your Verbs Agree in Number with Their Grammatical Subjects

Make Your Pronouns Agree in Number with Their Antecedents

Adjectives and Adverbs

Adjectives Modify Nouns

Nouns Can Function as Adjectives, Modifying Other Nouns

Adverbs Modify Verbs, Adjectives, and Other Adverbs

Good versus Well; Bad versus Badly

Using Comparative and Superlative Forms of Adjectives and Adverbs

Correct Sentences

Fragments

Make Sure Your Sentences Are Grammatically Complete

Make Sure Dependent Clauses Are Not Left Alone as Sentences

Make Sure That Phrases Are Not Left Alone as Sentences

Use Fragments Only for Rare Special Effect

Commas Splices and Run-On Sentences

Turn One of the Clauses in a Comma Splice or Run-On Sentence into a Subordinate Clause

Separate a Comma Splice or Run-On Sentence with a Comma and a Coordinating Conjunction (And, Or, But, Etc.)

Separate a Comma Splice or Run-On Sentence with a Semicolon

Separate a Comma Splice or Run-On Sentence with a Period

Pronoun Reference

Make Pronouns Refer Clearly to a Specific Noun Antecedent

Be Especially Careful about This, That, Which, and It

Avoid Mixing Uses of It

That versus Which

Misplaced and Dangling Modifiers

Position Modifiers Close to the Words They Modify

Avoid Ambiguity

In Most Cases, Put Lengthy Modifiers at the Beginning or End of the Sentence

Avoid Placing a Modifier Between a Verb and Its Object or Complement

Make Sure Introductory Verbal Phrases Modify a Specific Word

Maintaining Consistency

Avoid Unnecessary Shifts in Person and Number

Avoid Unnecessary Shifts in Tense, Mood, and Subject

Avoid Unnecessary Shifts in Tone

Avoid Mixed Constructions

Create Consistency between Subjects and Predicates

Effective Sentences

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