* = new to this edition or substantially revised
*Scavenger Hunt: Learning to Use Rules for Writers
The Writing Process
1 Exploring, planning, and drafting
a Assess the writing situation.
b Explore your subject.
c Draft and revise a working thesis statement.
*How to solve five common problems with thesis statements,
d Draft a plan.
e Draft an introduction.
f Draft the body.
g Draft a conclusion.
2 Revising, editing, and reflecting
a See revising as a social process.
b Use peer review: Revise with comments.
c Use peer review: Give constructive comments.
*How to write helpful peer review comments
d Highlights of one students peer review process
SAMPLE ROUGH DRAFT WITH PEER COMMENTS
e Approach global revision in cycles.
f Revise and edit sentences.
*How to improve your writing with an editing log
g Proofread the final manuscript.
h Format the final manuscript.
i Sample student revision
SAMPLE STUDENT REVISION
j Prepare a portfolio; reflect on your writing.
3 Building effective paragraphs
a Focus on a main point.
b Develop the main point.
c Choose a suitable pattern of organization.
d Make paragraphs coherent.
e If necessary, adjust paragraph length.
Academic Reading and Writing
4 Reading and writing critically
a Read actively.
Sample annotated article
*How to read like a writer
b Outline a text to identify main ideas.
c Summarize to deepen your understanding.
d Analyze to demonstrate your critical reading.
*How to draft an analytical thesis statement,
e Sample student writing: Analysis of an article
Sample analysis paper
Writing guide: HOW TO WRITE AN Analytical essay
5 Reading and writing about multimodal texts
a Read actively.
Sample annotated advertisement
b Summarize to deepen your understanding.
*How to write a summary of a multimodal text,
c Analyze to demonstrate your critical reading.
d Sample student writing: Analysis of an advertisement
Sample analysis of an advertisement
6 Reading arguments
a Distinguish between reasonable and fallacious argumentative tactics.
b Distinguish between legitimate and unfair emotional appeals.
c Judge how fairly a writer handles opposing views.
7 Writing arguments
a When writing arguments, identify your purpose and context.
b View your audience as a panel of jurors.
c In your introduction, establish credibility and state your position.
*How to draft a thesis statement for an argument
d Back up your thesis with persuasive lines of argument.
e Support your claims with specific evidence.
f Anticipate objections; counter opposing arguments.
g Build common ground.
h Sample student writing: Argument
Sample argument paper
WRITING GUIDE: HOW TO WRITE AN ARGUMENT ESSAY
Clarity
8 Prefer active verbs.
a Active versus passive verbs
b Active versus be verbs
c Subject that names the actor
9 Balance parallel ideas.
a Parallel ideas in a series
b Parallel ideas presented as pairs
c Repetition of function words
10 Add needed words.
a In compound structures
b that
c In comparisons
d a, an, and the
11 Untangle mixed constructions.
a Mixed grammar
b Illogical connections
c is when, is where, and reason . . . is because
12 Repair misplaced and dangling modifiers.
a Limiting modifiers
b Misplaced phrases and clauses
c Awkwardly placed modifiers
d Split infinitives
e Dangling modifiers
13 Eliminate distracting shifts.
a Point of view (person, number)
b Verb tense
c Verb mood, voice
d Indirect to direct questions or quotations
14 Emphasize key ideas.
a Coordination and subordination
b Choppy sentences
c Ineffective or excessive coordination
d Ineffective subordination
e Excessive subordination
f Other techniques
15 Provide some variety.
a Sentence openings
b Sentence structures
c Inverted order
16 Tighten wordy sentences.
a Redundancies
b Unnecessary repetition
c Empty or inflated phrases
d Simplifying the structure
e Reducing clauses to phrases, phrases to single words
17 Choose appropriate language.
a Jargon
b Pretentious language, euphemisms, doublespeak
c Slang, regional expressions, nonstandard English
d Levels of formality
e Sexist language
f Offensive language
18 Find the exact words.
a Connotations
b Specific, concrete nouns
c Misused words
d Standard idioms
e Clichs
f Figures of speech
Grammar
19 Repair sentence fragments.
a Subordinate clauses
b Phrases
c Other fragmented word groups
d Acceptable fragments
20 Revise run-on sentences.
a Revision with coordinating conjunction
b Revision with semicolon, colon, or dash
c Revision by separating sentences
d Revision by restructuring
21 Make subjects and verbs agree.
a Standard subject-verb combinations
b Words between subject and verb
c Subjects joined with and
d Subjects joined with or, nor, either . . . or, or neither . . . nor
e Indefinite pronouns
f Collective nouns
g Subject following verb
h Subject, not subject complement
i who, which, and that
j Words with plural form, singular meaning
k Titles of works, company names, words mentioned as words, gerund phrases
22 Make pronouns and antecedents agree.
*a Singular with singular, plural with plural (indefinite pronouns, generic nouns)
b Collective nouns
c Antecedents joined with and
d Antecedents joined with or, nor, either . . . or, or neither . . . nor
23 Make pronoun references clear.
a Ambiguous or remote reference
b Broad reference of this, that, which, and it
c Implied antecedents
d Indefinite use of they, it, and you
e who for persons, which or that for things
24 Distinguish between pronouns such as I and me.
a Subjective case for subjects and subject complements
b Objective case for objects
c Appositives
d Pronoun following than or as
e Subjects and objects of infinitives
f Pronoun modifying a gerund
25 Distinguish between who and whom.
a In subordinate clauses
b In questions
c As subjects or objects of infinitives
26 Choose adjectives and adverbs with care.
a Adjectives to modify nouns
b Adverbs to modify verbs, adjectives, and other adverbs
c good and well, bad and badly
d Comparatives and superlatives
e Double negatives
27 Choose appropriate verb forms, tenses, and moods in Standard English.
a Irregular verbs
b lie and lay
c -s (or -es) endings
d -ed endings
e Omitted verbs
f Verb tense
g Subjunctive mood
Multilingual Writers and ESL Topics
28 Verbs
a Appropriate form and tense
b Passive voice
c Base form after a modal
d Negative verb forms
e Verbs in conditional sentences
f Verbs followed by gerunds or infinitives
29 Articles
a Articles and other noun markers
b When to use the
c When to use a or an
d When not to use a or an
e No articles with general nouns
f Articles with proper nouns
30 Sentence structure
a Linking verb between a subject and its complement
b A subject in every sentence
c Repeated nouns or pronouns with the same grammatical function
d Repeated subjects, objects, and adverbs in adjective clauses
e Mixed constructions with although or because
f Placement of adverbs
g Present participles and past participles as adjectives
h Order of cumulative adjectives
31 Prepositions and idiomatic expressions
a Prepositions showing time and place
b Noun (including -ing form) after a preposition
c Common adjective + preposition combinations
d Common verb + preposition combinations
Punctuation
32 The comma
a Independent clauses joined with and, but, etc.
b Introductory elements
c Items in a series
d Coordinate adjectives
e Nonrestrictive and restrictive elements
f Transitional expressions and other word groups
g Direct address, yes and no, interrogative tags, interjections
h he said etc.
i Dates, addresses, titles, numbers
33 Unnecessary commas
a Between two words, phrases, or subordinate clauses
b Between a verb and its subject or object
c Before the first or after the last item in a series
d Between cumulative adjectives, an adjective and a noun, or an adverb and an adjective
e Before and after restrictive or parenthetical elements
f Before essential concluding adverbial elements
g After a phrase beginning an inverted sentence
h Other misuses
34 The semicolon
a Between independent clauses not joined with a coordinating conjunction
b Between independent clauses linked with a transitional expression
c In a series containing internal punctuation
d Misuses
35 The colon
a Before a list, an appositive, or a quotation
b Conventional uses
c Misuses
36 The apostrophe
a Possessive nouns
b Possessive indefinite pronouns
c Contractions
d Not for plural numbers, letters, abbreviations, words as words
e Misuses
37 Quotation marks
a Direct quotations
b Quotation within a quotation
c Titles of short works
d Words as words
e With other punctuation marks
f Misuses
38 End punctuation
a The period
b The question mark
c The exclamation point
39 Other punctuation marks
a The dash
b Parentheses
c Brackets
d The ellipsis mark
e The slash
Mechanics
40 Abbreviations
a Titles with proper names
b Familiar abbreviations
c Conventional abbreviations
d Units of measurement
e Latin abbreviations
f Plural of abbreviations
g Misuses
41 Numbers
a Spelling out
b Using numerals
42 Italics
a Titles of works
b Names of ships, spacecraft, and aircraft
c Foreign words
d Words as words, letters as letters, numbers as numbers
43 Spelling
a Spelling rules
b Words that sound alike
c Commonly misspelled words
44 The hyphen
a Compound words
b Hyphenated adjectives
c Fractions and compound numbers
d With certain prefixes and suffixes
e To avoid ambiguity or to separate awkward double or triple letters
f Word division
45 Capitalization
a Proper vs. common nouns
b Titles with proper names
c Titles and subtitles of works
d First word of a sentence
e First word of a quoted sentence
f First word after a colon
Grammar Basics
46 Parts of speech
a Nouns
b Pronouns
c Verbs
d Adjectives
e Adverbs
f Prepositions
g Conjunctions
h Interjections
47 Sentence patterns
a Subjects
b Verbs, objects, and complements
48 Subordinate word groups
a Prepositional phrases
b Verbal phrases
c Appositive phrases
d Absolute phrases
e Subordinate clauses
49 Sentence types
a Sentence structures
b Sentence purposes
Research
50 Thinking like a researcher; gathering sources
a Manage the project.
b Pose questions worth exploring.
*How to enter a research conversation
c Map out a search strategy.
d Search efficiently; master a few shortcuts to finding good sources.
*How to go beyond a Google search
e Conduct field research, if appropriate.
f Write a research proposal.
51 Managing information; taking notes responsibly
a Maintain a working bibliography.
b Keep track of source materials.
c Take notes carefully to avoid unintentional plagiarism.
*How to take notes responsibly
*How to avoid plagiarizing from the web
52 Evaluating sources
a Think about how sources might contribute to your writing.
b Select sources worth your time and attention.
c Read with an open mind and a critical eye.
*How to detect fake news and misleading sources
d Construct an annotated bibliography.
Writing guide: Annotated bibliography
Writing Papers in MLA Style
53 Supporting a thesis
a Form a working thesis.
b Organize your ideas.
c Draft an introduction for your thesis.
d Use sources to inform and support your argument.
54 Citing sources; avoiding plagiarism
a Understand how the MLA system works.
b Understand what plagiarism is.
c Use quotation marks around borrowed language.
d Put summaries and paraphrases in your own words.
*How to be a responsible research writer
55 Integrating sources
a Summarize and paraphrase effectively.
*How to paraphrase effectively
b Use quotations effectively.
*c Use signal phrases to integrate sources.
d Synthesize sources.
56 Documenting sources in MLA style
*a MLA in-text citations
*b MLA list of works cited
c MLA information notes
57 MLA manuscript format; sample research paper
a MLA manuscript format
b Sample MLA research paper
Writing Papers in APA Style
58 Supporting a thesis
a Form a working thesis.
b Organize your ideas.
c Use sources to inform and support your argument.
59 Citing sources; avoiding plagiarism
a Understand how the APA system works.
b Understand what plagiarism is.
c Use quotation marks around borrowed language.
d Put summaries and paraphrases in your own words.
60 Integrating sources
a Summarize and paraphrase effectively.
b Use quotations effectively.
c Use signal phrases to integrate sources.
d Synthesize sources.
61 Documenting sources in APA style
*a APA in-text citations
*b APA list of works cited
62 APA manuscript format; sample paper
a APA manuscript format
b Sample APA research paper
Appendixes
*Models of professional writing
Glossary of usage
Answers to exercises