Successful College Writing Skills, Strategies, Learning Styles

by McWhorter, Kathleen T.

• ISBN13: 9781319051426
• ISBN10: 1319051421
• Edition: 6th
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2015-07-17
• Publisher: Bedford/St. Martin's

Summary

Kathleen T. McWhorter’s unique visual approach, with support for both reading and writing, helps students at any level of preparedness become successful college writers. The sixth edition of Successful College Writing builds on its beloved, proven visual tools, such as graphic organizers, flowcharts, and new graphic Guided Writing Assignments, with engaging professional, multimedia, and student readings in the most commonly assigned rhetorical modes. In response to instructor and student feedback, the new edition has been thoughtfully streamlined and redesigned.

The new edition is enhanced by LaunchPad for Successful College Writing, an online course space of pre-built units featuring adaptive LearningCurve activities that help students hone their understanding of reading and writing. To package LaunchPad free with Successful College Writing, use ISBN 978-1-319-05137-5.

Author Biography

Kathleen T. McWhorter is professor emerita of humanities and former director of the Learning Skills Center at Niagara County Community College. She has also been on the faculty of the State University College at Buffalo. She is the author of a number of books on reading and writing skills for developmental and freshmen-level  students, including Expressways: Writing Scenarios, Paragraphs  and Essays, Second Edition ( 2009); Pathways:  Writing Scenarios, Sentences to Paragraphs, Second Edition ( 2010);  The Writer’s Selections, Fifth Edition (2008); Academic Reading, Seventh Edition (2010); Efficient and Flexible Reading, Ninth  Edition (2011); Active Reading Skills, Second Edition (2008); and Reading Across the Disciplines: College Reading And Beyond, Fourth Edition (2009). She has also authored a composition reader, Seeing the Pattern: Readings for Successful Writing (Bedford/St. Martin’s, 2006) and coauthored, with Jane Aaron, The Successful Writer’s Handbook (2009).

Table of Contents

PART 1 Reading, Writing, and Learning for College Success

1 Succeeding in College
Writing Quick Start

FACTORS THAT CONTRIBUTE TO SUCCESS 
*READING: The New Marshmallow Test: Students Can’t Resist Multitasking,
Annie Murphy Paul
STRATEGIES FOR SUCCESS
Manage Your Time Effectively
Organize a Writing and Study Area
Study More Efficiently
Learn to Manage Stress
CLASSROOM SKILLS
Polish Your Academic Image
Demonstrate Academic Integrity
Communicate Effectively with Your Instructors
Use Electronic Tools Effectively
Listen Carefully and Critically
Ask and Answer Questions Appropriately
Synthesize Your Ideas and Experiences with What You Are Learning
Collaborate with Classmates
Take Good Notes in Class
Manage Online Courses Responsibly

2 Writing in College
Writing Quick Start

ACADEMIC WRITING: WHAT TO EXPECT
Expect Your Writing to Become to Less Personal
Expect to Write in Different Forms, or Genres
Expect to Use the Language of the Discipline
Expect to Use Standard American English
Expect to Read, Write, and Think Critically
Expect to Use and Document Scholarly Sources
Expect to Write Multiple Drafts
WHY IMPROVE YOUR WRITING SKILLS?
Writing Helps You Learn and Remember
Writing Helps You Think and Solve Problems
Writing Skills Help You Succeed in College and Career
DEVELOPING STRATEGIES FOR WRITING
Start with a Positive Attitude
Use Your Course Syllabus
Use the Right Writing Tools
Use the College Writing Center
Keep a Writing Journal
Get the Most out of Writing Conferences
WHAT IS YOUR LEARNING STYLE?
LEARNING STYLE INVENTORY
Interpreting Your Scores
Applying Your Learning Style to Your Writing

3 Reading and Responding to Text
Writing Quick Start

ACADEMIC READING: WHAT TO EXPECT
Expect to Be Responsible for Your Own Learning
Expect to Read Selections for Academic Audiences
Expect to Read Selections in Different Genres and with Different Purposes
Expect to Read Critically
Expect to Use Readings as Models
Expect to Respond to Readings in Writing
A GUIDE TO ACTIVE READING
Before Reading
READING: American Jerk: Be Civil, Or I’ll Beat You to a Pulp, Todd Schwartz
While Reading
After Reading
A GUIDE TO RESPONDING TO TEXT
Analyze the Assignment and Decide on an Approach
Synthesize the Writer’s Ideas with Your Own
Analyze the Reading
WORKING WITH TEXT
*READING: Superhero or Supervillain? If Science Gives People Superpowers,
Will They Use Them for Good or Evil? Will Oremus
ANALYZE STUDENT ESSAYS
STUDENTS WRITE: American Jerk”? How Rude! (But True), Karen Vaccaro

4 Thinking Critically about Text and Images
Writing Quick Start

THINKING AND READING CRITICALLY
Analyze the Author’s Ideas
Analyze the Author’s Language
Analyze the Author’s Assumptions, Generalizations, and Omissions
Use the Patterns of Development to Think and Read Critically
Use Synthesis to Think and Read Critically
READING VISUALS CRITICALLY
Reading Photographs Actively
Reading Graphics Actively
Thinking Critically about Photos and Graphics

PART 2 Strategies for Writing Essays

5 Prewriting: How to Find and Focus Ideas
Writing Quick Start

CHOOSING A TOPIC
NARROWING A TOPIC
Using a Branching Diagram
Asking Questions to Narrow a Broad Topic
THINKING ABOUT YOUR WRITING SITUATION
Determining Your Purpose
Considering Your Audience
Choosing a Point of View
Considering the Genre and Medium
DISCOVERING IDEAS TO WRITE ABOUT
Freewriting
Mapping
Brainstorming
Questioning
Using the Patterns of Development
Visualizing or Sketching
Researching Your Topic
*STUDENTS WRITE: Latrisha Wilson’s Questioning

6 Developing and Supporting a Thesis
Writing Quick Start

WHAT IS A THESIS STATEMENT?
DEVELOPING YOUR THESIS STATEMENT
Synthesizing Ideas to Generate a Working Thesis Statement
Writing an Effective Thesis Statement
Placing the Thesis Statement
Using an Implied Thesis
SUPPORTING YOUR THESIS STATEMENT WITH EVIDENCE
Tailoring the Evidence to Your Writing Situation
Collecting Evidence to Support Your Thesis
Choosing the Best Evidence
Choosing Evidence for Academic Writing
Incorporating Visuals into an Essay
Using Sources to Support Your Thesis
*STUDENTS WRITE: Latrisha Wilson’s Working Thesis
READING: Internet Addiction, Greg Beato

7 Drafting an Essay
Writing Quick Start

THE STRUCTURE OF AN ESSAY
ORGANIZING YOUR SUPPORTING DETAILS
Selecting a Method of Organization
Preparing an Outline or a Graphic Organizer
WRITING YOUR INTRODUCTION, CONCLUSION, AND TITLE
Writing a Strong Introduction
Writing an Effective Conclusion
Writing a Good Title
*STUDENTS WRITE: No Place Left for Privacy (First Draft), Latrisha Wilson
READING: Black Men and Public Space, Brent Staples

8 Writing Effective Paragraphs
Writing Quick Start

THE STRUCTURE OF A PARAGRAPH
WRITING A TOPIC SENTENCE
A Topic Sentence Should Be Focused
A Topic Sentence May Preview the Organization of the Paragraph
A Topic Sentence Should Support Your Thesis
A Topic Sentence Should Be Strategically Placed
INCLUDING SUPPORTING DETAILS
Effective Paragraphs Have Unity
Effective Paragraphs Are Well Developed
Effective Paragraphs Provide Supporting Details and Arrange Them
Logically
USING TRANSITIONS AND REPETITION
*STUDENTS WRITE: No Place Left for Privacy (Paragraph Excerpt), Latrisha Wilson
READING: The Value of Volunteering, Robin Ferguson

9 Revising Content and Organization
Writing Quick Start

WHY REVISE?
USEFUL TECHNIQUES FOR REVISION
KEY QUESTIONS FOR REVISION
Analyzing Your Purpose and Audience
Analyzing Your Thesis, Topic Sentences, and Evidence
Analyzing Your Organization
Analyzing Your Introduction, Conclusion, and Title
Analyzing Your Paragraph Development
WORKING WITH CLASSMATES TO REVISE YOUR ESSAY
How to Find a Good Reviewer
Suggestions for Writers
Questions for Peer Reviewers
Suggestions for Reviewers
USING YOUR INSTRUCTOR’S COMMENTS
Revising an Essay Using Your Instructor’s Comments
Using Your Instructor’s Comments to Improve Future Essays
CONSIDERING YOUR LEARNING STYLE WHEN YOU REVISE
*STUDENTS WRITE: No Place Left for Privacy (Reviewer Comments, Graphic Organizer, and Final
Draft), Latrisha Wilson

10 Editing Sentences and Words
Writing Quick Start

ANALYZING YOUR SENTENCES
Are Your Sentences Concise?
Are Your Sentences Varied?
Are Your Sentences Parallel in Structure?
Do Your Sentences Have Strong, Active Verbs?
ANALYZING YOUR WORD CHOICE
Are Your Tone and Level of Diction Appropriate?
Do You Use Words with Appropriate Connotations?
Do You Use Concrete Language?
Do You Use Fresh, Appropriate Figures of Speech?
Evaluating Your Word Choice
SUGGESTIONS FOR PROOFREADING
*STUDENTS WRITE: Excerpt from Latrisha Wilson’s Edited Second Draft

PART 3 Patterns of Development


11 An Introduction to Patterns of Development
Writing Quick Start

AN OVERVIEW OF THE PATTERNS OF DEVELOPMENT
Narration
Description
Illustration
Process Analysis
Comparison and Contrast
Classification and Division
Extended Definition
Cause and Effect
Argument
COMBINING THE PATTERNS
WRITING AN ESSAY THAT COMBINES THE PATTERNS OF ORGANIZATION
•A GUIDED WRITING ASSIGNMENT
*READING: Against Forgetting: Where Have All the Animals Gone? Derrick Jensen
*e-READING: The Buffett Rule (video), WhiteHouse.gov

12 Narration: Recounting Events
Writing Quick Start

Using Narration in College and the Workplace
CHARACTERISTICS OF A NARRATIVE
Narratives Make a Point
Narratives Convey Action and Detail
Narratives Present a Conflict and Create Tension
Narratives Sequence Events
Narratives Use Dialogue
Narratives Are Told from a Particular Point of View
READING: Right Place, Wrong Face, Alton Fitzgerald White
VISUALIZING A NARRATIVE: A GRAPHIC ORGANIZER
*READING: Writing about What Haunts Us, Peter Orner
INTEGRATING A NARRATION INTO AN ESSAY
READING ACTIVELY AND THINKING CRITICALLY
What to Look for, Highlight, and Annotate
Analyzing Narratives
•A GUIDED WRITING ASSIGNMENT
READINGS: NARRATION IN ACTION
*STUDENTS WRITE: Being Double, Santiago Quintana
READING: The Lady in Red, Richard LeMieux
*READING—NARRATION COMBINED WITH OTHER PATTERNS: The
Alternate History of Susan Chung: One Woman’s Quest to Find Her Birth
Parents, Nicole Soojung Callahan
*e-READING Discussing Family Trees in School Can Be Dangerous (video), Paul Nurse
APPLYING YOUR SKILLS: ADDITIONAL ESSAY ASSIGNMENTS
Synthesizing Ideas

13 Description: Portraying People, Places, and Things
Writing Quick Start

Using Description in College and the Workplace
CHARACTERISTICS OF DESCRIPTIVE WRITING
Description Uses Sensory Details
Description Uses Active Verbs and Varied Sentences
Description Creates a Dominant Impression
Description Uses Connotative Language Effectively
Description Uses Comparisons
Description Follows a Method of Organization
*READING: Bad Dog, Rachel Maizes
VISUALIZING A DESCRIPTION: A GRAPHIC ORGANIZER
*READING: You Are Your Bike, Mary Roach
INTEGRATING DESCRIPTION INTO AN ESSAY
READING ACTIVELY AND THINKING CRITICALLY
What to Look for, Highlight, and Annotate
Analyzing Descriptions
•A GUIDED WRITING ASSIGNMENT
READINGS: DESCRIPTION IN ACTION
STUDENTS WRITE:  Heatstroke with a Side of Burn
Cream, Ted Sawchuck
READING: Eating Chilli Peppers, Jeremy MacClancy
*READING—DESCRIPTION COMBINED WITH OTHER PATTERNS:
Speaking Quiché in the Heart of Dixie, Gabriel Thompson
*e-READING: Hidden Gems of Pebble Creek (video), National Park Service
APPLYING YOUR SKILLS: ADDITIONAL ESSAY ASSIGNMENTS
Synthesizing Ideas

14 Illustration: Explaining with Examples
Writing Quick Start

Using Illustration in College and the Workplace
CHARACTERISTICS OF ILLUSTRATION ESSAYS
Illustration Supports Generalizations
Illustration Explains or Clarifies
Illustration Considers Purpose and Audience
Illustration Uses Carefully Selected Examples
Illustration Uses Subexamples to Add Detail
Illustration Organizes Details Effectively
*READING: The Brains of the Animal Kingdom, Frans de Waal
VISUALIZING AN ILLUSTRATION ESSAY: A GRAPHIC ORGANIZER
*READING: Rambos of the Road, Martin Gottfried
INTEGRATING ILLUSTRATION INTO AN ESSAY
READING ACTIVELY AND THINKING CRITICALLY
What to Look for, Highlight, and Annotate
Analyzing Illustration
•A GUIDED WRITING ASSIGNMENT
READINGS: ILLUSTRATION IN ACTION
STUDENTS WRITE: Conforming to Stand Out: A Look at American Beauty, Nick Ruggia
READING: Snoopers at Work, Bill Bryson
*READING—ILLUSTRATION COMBINED WITH OTHER PATTERNS:
Alone Together: Why We Expect More from Technology and Less from
Each Other Sherry Turkle
*e-READING:A Look at Vertical Patrols in Public Housing (podcast),
WNYC/Radio Rookies, Temitayo Fagbenle
APPLYING YOUR SKILLS: ADDITIONAL ESSAY ASSIGNMENTS
Synthesizing Ideas

15 Process Analysis: Explaining How Something Works or Is Done
Writing Quick Start

Using Process Analysis in College and the Workplace
CHARACTERISTICS OF A PROCESS ANALYSIS ESSAY
Process Analyses Usually Include an Explicit Thesis Statement
Process Analysis Is Organized Chronologically
Process Analysis Provides Background Information, Helpful to Readers
Process Analysis Provides an Appropriate Level of Detail
Process Analysis Anticipates Trouble Spots and Offers Solutions
*READING—HOW-TO ESSAY: How Not to Say the Wrong Thing,
Susan Silk and Barry Goldman
VISUALIZING A PROCESS ANALYSIS ESSAY: A GRAPHIC ORGANIZER
READING—HOW IT WORKS ESSAY: Shitty First Drafts, Anne Lamott
INTEGRATING PROCESS ANALYSIS INTO AN ESSAY
READING ACTIVELY AND THINKING CRITICALLY
What to Look for, Highlight, and Annotate
Analzying Process Analysis
•A GUIDED WRITING ASSIGNMENT
READINGS: PROCESS ANALYSIS IN ACTION
*STUDENTS WRITE: Going Vegan: How to Have Your Eggless Cake and Eat It, Too! Justine
Appel
READING: Dater’s Remorse, Cindy Chupack
READING—PROCESS ANALYSIS COMBINED WITH OTHER
*PATTERNS: The Psychology of Stuff and Things, Christian Jarrett
*e-READING: How to Flirt and Get a Date (video), Alex Plank/WrongPlanet.net
APPLYING YOUR SKILLS: ADDITIONAL ESSAY ASSIGNMENTS
Synthesizing Ideas

16 Comparison and Contrast: Showing Similarities and Differences
Writing Quick Start

Using Comparison and Contrast in College and the Workplace
CHARACTERISTICS OF COMPARISON OR CONTRAST ESSAYS
Comparison or Contrast Has a Clear Purpose and Is Written for a Specific Audience
Comparison or Contrast Considers Shared Characteristics
Comparison or Contrast Is Organized Point by Point or Subject by Subject
Comparison or Contrast Fairly Examines Similarities, Differences, or Both
Comparison or Contrast Makes a Point
Comparison or Contrast Essays Considers Significant and Relevant Characteristics
READING—POINT-BY-POINT ORGANIZATION: Amusing Ourselves to
Depth: Is The Onion Our Most Intelligent Newspaper? Greg Beato
VISUALIZING A COMPARISON OR CONTRAST ESSAY: TWO GRAPHIC ORGANIZERS
Point-by-Point Organization
Subject-by-Subject Organization
READING—SUBJECT-BY-SUBJECT ORGANIZATION: Dearly Disconnected, Ian Frazier
INTEGRATING COMPARISON AND CONTRAST INTO AN ESSAY
READING ACTIVELY AND THINKING CRITICALLY
What to Look for, Highlight, and Annotate
Analyzing Comparison and Contrast
•A GUIDED WRITING ASSIGNMENT
READINGS: COMPARISON AND CONTRAST IN ACTION
STUDENTS WRITE: Border Bites, Heather Gianakos
READING: His Marriage and Hers: Childhood Roods, Daniel Goleman
READING—COMPARISON AND CONTRAST COMBINED WITH
OTHER PATTERNS: Defining a Doctor, with a Tear, a Shrug, and a
Schedule, Abigail Zuger
*e-READING: Screen Time Vs. Lean Time (interactive graphic), The Centers for Disease Control
and Prevention
APPLYING YOUR SKILLS: ADDITIONAL ESSAY ASSIGNMENTS
Synthesizing Ideas

17 Classification and Division: Explaining Categories and Parts
Writing Quick Start

Using Classification and Division in College and the Workplace
CHARACTERISTICS OF CLASSIFICATION AND DIVISION ESSAYS
Classification Groups and Division Divides Ideas According to One Principle
Purpose and Audience Drive the Writer’s Choice of a Principle
Categories and Parts Are Exclusive and Comprehensive
Classification or Division Fully Explains Each Category or Part
Classification or Division Includes a Thesis
READING—CLASSIFICATION: My Secret Life on the McJob: Fast Food Managers, Jerry Newman
VISUALIZING A CLASSIFICATION OR DIVISION ESSAY: A GRAPHIC ORGANIZER
*READING—DIVISION: The Language of Junk Food Addiction: How to “Read” a Potato Chip, Michael Moss
INTEGRATING CLASSIFICATION OR DIVISION INTO AN ESSAY
READING ACTIVELY AND THINKING CRITICALLY
What to Look for, Highlight, and Annotate
Analyzing Classification and Division
•A GUIDED WRITING ASSIGNMENT
READINGS: CLASSIFICATION AND DIVISION IN ACTION
*STUDENTS WRITE: The Use and Abuse of Facebook, Allison Cava
READING—CLASSIFICATION COMBINED WITH OTHER PATTERNS:  The Dog Ate My Flash Drive, and Other Tales of Woe, Carolyn Foster Segal
*e-READING: What’s Inside: Coffee (animation), Wired
APPLYING YOUR SKILLS: ADDITIONAL ESSAY ASSIGNMENTS
Synthesizing Ideas

18 Definition: Explaining What You Mean
Writing Quick Start

Using Definition in College and the Workplace
CHARACTERISTICS OF EXTENDED DEFINITIONS
An Extended Definition Is Focused and Detailed
An Extended Definition Often Includes a Standard Definition of the Term
An Extended Definition Makes a Point
An Extended Definition Uses Other Patterns of Development
An Extended Definition May Use Negation and Address Misconceptions
READING: Freegans: They Live Off What We Throw Away, Jan Goodwin
VISUALIZING AN EXTENDED DEFINITION ESSAY: A GRAPHIC ORGANIZER
READING: Dude, Do You Know What You Just Said? Mike Crissey
INTEGRATING DEFINITION INTO AN ESSAY
READING ACTIVELY AND THINKING CRITICALLY
What to Look for, Annotate, and Highlight
Analyzing Extended Definition
•A GUIDED WRITING ASSIGNMENT
READINGS: EXTENDED DEFINITION IN ACTION
STUDENTS WRITE: Guerrilla Street Art: A New Use of Public Space, Kate Atkinson
*READING—DEFINITION COMBINED WITH OTHER PATTERNS: Dating on the Autism Spectrum, Emily Shire
*e-READING:: Tragedy of the Commons (animation), The National Science Foundation
APPLYING YOUR SKILLS: ADDITIONAL ESSAY ASSIGNMENTS
Synthesizing Ideas

19 Cause and Effect: Using Reasons and Results to Explain
Writing Quick Start

Using Cause and Effect in College and the Workplace
CHARACTERISTICS OF CAUSE-AND-EFFECT ESSAYS
Causal Analysis May Focus on Causes, Effects, or Both
Causal Analysis Includes a Clear Thesis Statement
Causal Analysis Is Logically Organized
Causal Analysis Explains Each Cause or Effect Fully
Causal Analysis May Challenge Readers’ Assumptions or Offer Surprising Reasons
READING: Why Summer Makes Us Lazy, Maria Konnikova
VISUALIZING CAUSE-AND-EFFECT ESSAYS: THREE GRAPHIC ORGANIZERS
READING: How Labels Like Black and Working Class Shape Your Identity,
Adam Alter
INTEGRATING CAUSE AND EFFECT INTO AN ESSAY
READING ACTIVELY AND THINKING CRITICALLY
What to Look for, Annotate, and Highlight
Analyzing Cause and Effect
•A GUIDED WRITING ASSIGNMENT
READINGS: CAUSE AND EFFECT IN ACTION
*STUDENTS WRITE: Is Sharing Files Online Killing Music? Jonathan Adamczakl
READING: Can Diet Help Stop Depression? Jurriaan Kamp
*READING—CAUSE AND EFFECT COMBINED WITH OTHER PATTERNS: Dining in the Dark, Charles Spence and Betina Piqueras- Fiszman
*e-READING: The Reel Sounds of Violence (podcast), On the Media/WNYC
APPLYING YOUR SKILLS: ADDITIONAL ESSAY ASSIGNMENTS
Synthesizing Ideas

PART 4 Reading and Writing Arguments


2 Reading Arguments
Writing Quick Start

Reading Arguments in College and the Workplace
THE BASIC PARTS OF AN ARGUMENT
The Issue
The Claim
The Support
The Refutation
READING: Organ Donation: A Life-Saving Gift, Quinne Sember
*READING: Tipping Is an Abomination, Brian Palmer
READING ACTIVELY AND THINKING CRITICALLY
Before You Read
While You Read
Analyzing the Basic Components of an Argument
Identifying Emotional Appeals
Evaluating Opposing Viewpoints
Detecting Faulty Reasoning
READINGS: ARGUMENT IN ACTION
READING: How (and Why) to Stop Multitasking, Peter Bregman
READING: In Defense of Multitasking, David Silverman
*e-READING: Sandy Hook Victim’s Mother Calls for Commonsense Gun Responsibility Reforms (video), Francine Wheeler/The White House
Synthesizing Ideas

21 Writing Arguments
Writing Quick Start

Using Argument in College and the Workplace
CHARACTERISTICS OF ARGUMENT ESSAYS
Arguments Focus on Arguable, Narrowly Defined Issues
An Argumentative Thesis Makes a Specific Claim and May Call for
Action
Effective Arguments are Logical
Effective Arguments Depend on Careful Audience Analysis
Effective Arguments Present Reasons and Evidence Readers Will Find
Compelling
Effective Arguments Appeal to Readers’ Needs and Values
Effective Arguments Recognize Alternative Views
*READING: Second Chances, Social Forgiveness, and the Internet, Amitai Etzioni and Radhika Bhat
VISUALIZING AN ARGUMENT ESSAY: A GRAPHIC ORGANIZER
READING: Abolish the Penny, William Safire
•GUIDED WRITING ASSIGNMENT
STUDENTS WRITE: Pull the Plug on Explicit Lyrics, James Sturm
*e-READING: Should College Football Be Banned? (video), Intelligence Squared U.S.
APPLYING YOUR SKILLS: ADDITIONAL ESSAY ASSIGNMENTS

PART 5 Writing with Sources


22 Planning a Research Project and Evaluating Sources
Writing Quick Start

Scenes from College and the Workplace
WRITING FROM SOURCES: USING SOURCES TO MAKE YOUR OWN IDEAS CONVINCING
PLANNING YOUR RESEARCH PROJECT
Defining the Assignment
Choosing an Interesting and Workable Topic
Narrowing and Discovering Ideas about Your Topic
Writing a Working Thesis and Listing Research Questions
CONSIDERING SOURCE TYPES
Primary and Secondary Sources
Scholarly, Popular, and Reference Sources
Books, Articles, and Media Sources
EVALUATING SOURCES
Choosing Relevant Sources
Choosing Reliable Sources
Evaluating Resources in the Digital Landscape
Thinking Critically about Sources

23 Finding Sources, Taking Notes, and Synthesizing
Writing Quick Start

Scenes from College and the Workplace
AN OVERVIEW OF LIBRARY RESOURCES
Learning Your Way around a Library
Making Use of Reference Librarians
USING KEYWORDS EFFECTIVELY
USING APPROPRIATE SEARCH TOOLS
Searching for Books and Other Library’s Holdings
Searching for Books in Your Library’s Databases
Using the Internet for Research
Using Listservs and Newsgroups
CONDUCTING FIELD RESEARCH
Interviewing
Conducting a Survey
Conducting Observations
WORKING WITH SOURCES: TAKING NOTES,
SUMMARIZING, AND PARAPHRASING
Taking Notes
Taking Notes that Summarize, Paraphrase, or Quote
Summarizing
Paraphrasing
Recording Quotations
Keeping Track of Sources
WORKING WITH SOURCES: EVALUATING YOUR
NOTES AND SYNTHESIZING
Evaluating Your Research
Using Categories to Synthesize Information from Sources
Drawing a Graphic Organizer to Synthesize Sources
CREATING AN ANNOTATED BIBLIOGRAPHY

24 Drafting, Revising, and Formatting a Research Project
Writing Quick Start

Scenes from College and the Workplace
ORGANIZING YOUR RESEARCH PROJECT
Arranging Your Notes
Developing an Outline or Graphic Organizer
AVOIDING PLAGIARISM
What Is Plagiarism?
How to Avoid Plagiarism
Deciding What to Document
DRAFTING YOUR RESEARCH PROJECT
Using Research to Support Your Ideas
Using In-Text Citations to Integrate Source Information
Integrating Quotations into Your Research Project
REVISING YOUR RESEARCH PROJECT
Analyzing and Revising Your Paper as a Whole
Analyzing and Revising Paragraphs and Sentences
PREPARING YOUR FINAL DRAFT
Formatting Your Paper
Editing and Proofreading Your Paper
DOCUMENTING YOUR SOURCES: MLA STYLE
MLA Style for In-Text Citations
MLA Style for the List of Works Cited
STUDENTS WRITE: Do Animals Have Emotions? Nicholas Destino (MLA style)
DOCUMENTING YOUR SOURCES: APA STYLE
APA Style for In-Text Citations
APA Style for the List of References
STUDENTS WRITE: Schizophrenia: Definition and Treatment, Sonia Gomez (APA style)

PART 6 Academic and Business Applications


25 Reading and Writing about Literature
Writing Quick Start
Literature in College and the Workplace
READING: The Bean Eaters, Gwendolyn Brooks
A GENERAL APPROACH TO READING LITERATURE
UNDERSTANDING THE LANGUAGE OF LITERATURE
Similes, Metaphors, and Personification
Symbols
Irony
ANALYZING SHORT STORIES
READING: The Secret Lion, Alberto Ríos
Setting
Characters
Point of View
Plot
Theme
READING: The Story of an Hour, Kate Chopin
ANALYZING POETRY
READING: Two Look at Two, Robert Frost
*READING: How I Discovered Poetry, Marilyn Nelson
•A GUIDED WRITING ASSIGNMENT
STUDENTS WRITE: The Keeping of “The Secret Lion,” Andrew Decker

26 Essay Examinations and Portfolios
Writing Quick Start

ESSAY EXAMINATIONS
Preparing for Essay Exams
Taking Essay Exams
Analyzing Essay Exam Questions
Writing Essay Answers
STUDENTS WRITE: Essay Exam Response
PORTFOLIOS
Purposes of a Writing Portfolio
Deciding What to Include in Your Portfolio
Using Your Course Syllabus as a Guide
Organizing and Preparing to Present Your Portfolio
What to Avoid
STUDENTS WRITE: Portfolio Contents and Reflective letter, Bryan Scott

27 Multimedia Presentations and Business Writing
Writing Quick Start

Multimedia Presentations in College and the Workpalce
MULTIMEDIA PRESENTATIONS
Planning Your Presentation
Drafting Your Presentation
Using Presentation Software
Rehearsing Your Presentation
Overcoming Apprehension
Delivering an Effective Presentation
Preparing a Web-Based Presentation
BUSINESS WRITING
Preparing a Résumé and Job Application Letter or Email
Using Electronic Media for Business Writing

PART 7 Handbook: Writing Problems and How to Correct Them


REVIEW OF BASIC GRAMMAR
1 Parts of Speech
2 Sentence Structure
WRITING CORRECT SENTENCES
3 Sentence Fragments
4 Run-on Sentences and Comma Splices
5 Subject-Verb Agreement
6 Verb Forms
7 Pronoun Problems
8 Shifts and Mixed Constructions
9 Adjectives and Adverbs
1 Misplaced and Dangling Modifiers
USING PUNCTUATION CORRECTLY
11 End Punctuation
12 Commas
13 Semicolons
14 Colons
15 Quotation Marks
16 Ellipsis Marks
17 Apostrophes
18 Parentheses and Brackets
19 Dashes
MANAGING MECHANICS AND SPELLING
2 Capitalization
21 Abbreviations
22 Numbers
23 Italics and Underlining
24 Hyphens
25 Spelling
ESL TROUBLESPOTS
26 Nouns and Articles
27 Verbs
28 The Prepositions in, on, and at
29 Adjectives
3 Common Sentence Problems

ANSWERS TO EVEN-NUMBERED EXERCISES IN HANDBOOK

INDEX