About the Book
Becoming a writer is a journey, and "Exploring Writing: Paragraphs and Essays" will serve as your students' guidebook every step of the way. Emphasizing both process and practice, with a focus on revision, this text will help students apply and advance their writing skills. Mastering essential sentence skills, learning to write effective paragraphs and essays, and becoming a critical reader are turning points for every writer, and they will prepare the students for writing situations in college and beyond.
Table of Contents:
PREFACE PART 1: WRITING: SKILLS AND PROCESS 1. An Introduction to Writing Point and Support An Important Difference between WRiting and Talking Point and Support in a Pragraph Knowing Your Purpose and Audience Benefits of Paragraph Writing Writing as a Skill Writing as a Process of Discovery Keeping a Journal Tips on Using a Computer Ways to Use a Computer at Each Stage of the Writing Process Review Activities 2. The Writing Process Prewriting Technique 1: Freewriting Technique 2: Questioning Technique 3: Making a List Technique 4: Clustering Technique 5: Preparing a Scratch Outline Writing a First Draft Writing a First Draft: A Student Model Revising Revising Content Revising Sentences Editing An Illustration of the Revising and Editing Processes Review Activities Taking a Writing Inventory Prewriting Outlining Revising PART TWO: BASIC PRINCIPLES OF EFFECTIVE WRITING 3. The First and Second Steps in Writing Step1: Begin with a Point Identifying Common Errors in Topic Sentences Understanding the Two Parts of a Topic Sentence Selecting a Topic Sentence Writing a Topic Sentence I Writing a Topic Sentence I Writing a Topic Sentence II Step 2: Support the Point with Specific Evidence The Point as an "Umbrella" Idea Reinforcing Point and Support The Importance of Specific Details Recognizing Specific Details I Recognizing Specific Details II Providing Supporting Evidence The Importance of Adequate Details Identifying Adequate Supporting Evidence Adding Details to Complete a Paragraph Writing a Simple Paragraph 4. The Third Step and Fourth Steps in Writing Step 3: Organize and Connect the Specific Evidence Common Methods of Organization: Time Order and Emphatic Order Transitions Other Connecting Words Step 4: Write Clear, Error-Free Sentences Revising Sentences Editing Sentences 5. Four Bases for Revising Writing Base 1: Unity Understanding Unity Checking for Unity Base 2: Support Understanding Support Checking for Support Base 3: Coherence Understanding Coherence Checking for Coherence Base 4: Sentence Skills Understanding Sentence Skills Checking for Sentence Skills Evaluating Paragraphs for All Four Bases: Unity, Support, Coherence, and Sentence Skills PART THREE: PARAGRAPH DEVELOPMENT 6. Exemplification Providing Examples Paragraphs to Consider Questions Developing an Exemplification Paragraph Development through Prewriting Development through Revising Writing an Exemplification Paragraph 7. Process Paragraphs to Consider Questions Developing a Process Paragraph Development through Prewriting Development through Revising Writing a Process Paragraph 8. Cause and Effect Paragraphs to Consider Questions Developing a Cause-and-Effect Paragraph Development through Prewriting Development through Revising Writing a Cause-and-Effect Paragraph 9. Comparison or Contrast Paragraphs to Consider Methods of Development One Side at a Time Point by Point Additional Paragraph to Consider Questions Developing a Comparison or Contrast Paragraph Development through Prewriting Development through Revising Writing a Comparison or Contrast Paragraph 10. Definition Paragraphs to Consider Questions Developing a Definition Paragraph Development through Prewriting Development through Revising Writing a Definition Paragraph 11. Division-Classification Paragraphs to Consider Questions Developing a Division-Classification Paragraph Development through Prewriting Development through Revising Writing a Division-Classification Paragraph 12. Description Paragraphs to Consider Questions Developing a Descriptive Paragraph Development through Prewriting Development through Revising Writing a Descriptive Paragraph 13. Narration Paragraphs to Consider Questions Developing a Narrative Paragraph Development through Prewriting Development through Revising Writing a Narrative Paragraph 14. Argument Paragraphs to Consider Questions Developing a Argument Paragraph Development through Prewriting Development through Revising Writing a Argument Paragraph PART FOUR: ESSAY DEVELOPMENT 15. Introduction to Essay Development What Is an Essay? Differences between an Essay and Paragraph Structure of the Traditional Essay A Model Essay Parts of an Essay Introductory Paragraph Body: Supporting Paragraphs Concluding Paragraph Diagram of an Essay Identifying the Parts of an Essay Important Considerations in Essay Development Determining Your Point of View Using Peer Review Identification Scratch Outline Comments Doing a Personal Review 16. Writing the Essay Step 1: Begin with a Point, or Thesis Understanding Thesis Statements Writing a Good Thesis I Writing a Good Thesis II Step 2: Support the Thesis with Specific Evidence The Importance Specific Details The Importance of Adequate Details Adding Details to Complete an Essay Step 3: Organize and Connect the Specific Evidence Common Methods of Organization Transitions Other Connecting Words Identifying Transitions and Other Connecting Words Step 4: Write Clear, Error-Free Sentences Use Active Verbs Practice in Revising Sentences Revising Essays for All Four Bases: Unity, Support, Coherence, and Sentence Skills 17. Introductions, Conclusions, and Titles Introductory Paragraph Functions of the Introduction Common Methods of Introduction Concluding Paragraph Common Methods of Conclusion Identifying Introductions and Conclusions Titles Essay Writing Assignments 18. Patterns of Essay Development Developing an Exemplification Essay Considering Purpose and Audience Student Essay to Consider Writing an Exemplification Essay Developing a Process Essay Considering Purpose and Audience Student Essay to Consider WRiting a Process Essay Developing a Cause-and-Effect Essay Considering Purpose and Audience Student Essay to Consider Writing a Cause-and-Effect Essay Developing a Comparison-Contrast Essay Considering Purpose and Audience Student Essay to Consider Writing a Comparison-Contrast Essay Developing a Definition Essay Considering Purpose and Audience Student Essay to Consider Writing a Definition Essay Developing a Division-Classification Essay Considering Purpose and Audience Student Essay to Consider Writing a Division-Classification Essay Developing a Descriptive Essay Considering Purpose and Audience Student Essay to Consider Writing a Descriptive Essay Developing a Narrative Essay Considering Purpose and Audience Student Essay to Consider Writing a Narrative Essay Developing an Argument Essay Considering Purpose and Audience Student Essay to Consider Writing a Argument Essay 19. Special College Skills Taking Essay Exams Step 1: Anticipate Ten Probable Questions Step 2: Prepare and Memorize an Informal Outline Answer for Each Question Step 3: Look at the Exam Carefully and Do Several Things Step 4: Prepare a Brief, Informal Outline Before Writing Your Essay Answer Step 5: Write a Clear, Well-Organized Essay Writing a Summary How to Summarize an Article How to Summarize a Book Writing a Report Part 1 of a Report: A Summary of the Work Part 2 of a Report: Your Reaction to the Work Points to keep in Mind When Writing a Report A Model Report 20. Writing a Research Paper Step 1: Select a Topic That You Can Readily Research Researching at a Local Library Researching on the Internet Step 2: Limit Your TOpic and Make the Purpose of Your Paper Clear Step 3: Gather Information on Your Limited Topic Step 4: Plan Your Paper and Take Notes on Your Limited Topic Preparing a Scratch Outline Note-Taking A Caution about Plagiarism Step 5: Write the Paper Step 6: Use an Acceptable Format and Method of Documentation Format Documentation Sources Citation within a Paper Citations at the End of a Paper Model Entries for a List of Works Cited Model Paper PART FIVE: HANDBOOK OF SENTENCE SKILLS SECTION I: GRAMMAR 21. Subjects and Verbs A Simple Way to Find a Subject A Simple Way to Find a Verb More about Subjects and Verbs 22. Sentence Sense What Is Sentence Sense? Turning On Your Sentence Sense Summary: Using Sentence Sense 23. Fragments Dependent-Word Fragments How to Correct a Dependent-Word Fragment How to Correct -ing Fragments How to Correct to Fragments Added-Detail Fragments How to Correct Added-Detail Fragments Missing-Subject Fragments How to Correct Missing-Su bject Fragments 24. Run-Ons What Are Run-Ons? How to Correct Run-Ons Method 1: Period and a Capital Letter Method 2: Comma and a Joining Word Method 3: Semicolon A Note on Subordination 25. Regular and Irregular Verbs Regular Verbs A Brief Review of Regular Verbs Nonstandard Forms of Regular Verbs Irregular Verbs A List of Irregular Verbs Nonstandard Forms of Three Common Irregular Verbs 26. Subject-Verb Agreement Words between Subject and Verb Verb before Subject Compound Subjects Indefinite Pronouns 27. Additional Information about Verbs Verb Tense Helping Verbs Verbals Infinitive Participle Gerund 28. Pronoun Agreement and Reference Pronoun Agreement Indefinite Pronouns Pronoun Reference 29. Pronoun Types Subject and Object Pronouns Subject Pronouns Object Pronouns Possessive Pronouns Demonstrative Pronouns 30. Adjectives and Adverbs Adjectives What Are Adjectives Using Adjectives to Compare Points to Remember about Comparing Adverbs What are Adverbs A Common Mistake with Adverbs and Adjectives Well and Good 31. Misplaced and Dangling Modifiers Misplaced Modifiers Dangling Modifiers SECTION II:MECHANICS 32. Manuscript Form 33. Capital Letters Main Uses of Capital Letters First Word in a Sentence or Direct Quotation Names of Persons and the Word I Names of Particular Places and Institutions Names of Days of the Week, Months, and Holidays Names of Commerical Products Titles of Books, Magazines, Newspapers, Articles, Stories, Poems, Films, Television Shows, Songs, Papers That You Write, and the Like Names of Companies, Associations, Unions, Clubs, Religious and Political Groups, and Other Organizations Other Uses of Capital Letters Names That Show Family Relationships Titles of Persons When Used with Their Names Specific School Courses Languages Geographic Locations Historical Periods and Events Races, Nations, and Nationalities Opening and Closing of a Letter Unnecessary Use of Capitals 34. Numbers and Abbreviations Numbers Abbreviations SECTION III: PUNCTUATION 35. Apostrophe Apostrophe in Contractions Apostrophe to Show Ownership or Possession Points to Remember Apostrophe versus Possessive Pronouns Apostrophe versus Simple Plurals Apostrophe with Plurals Endignn in -s 36. Quotation Marks Quotation Marks to Set Off the Words of a Speaker or Writer Indirect Quotations Quotation Marks to Set Off Titles of Short Works Other Uses of Quotation Marks 37. Comma Six Main Uses of the Comma 1. Comma between Items in a Series 2. Comma after Introductory Material 3. Comma around Words That Interrupt the Flow of Thought 4. Comma between Complete Thoughts 5. Comma with Direct Quotations 6. Comma with Everyday Material 38. Other Punctuation Marks Colon (:) Semicolon (;) Dash (--) Parentheses () Hyphen (-) SECTION IV: WORD USE 39. Spelling Improvement Step 1: Use the Dictionary Step 2: Keep a Personal Spelling List Step 3: Master Commonly Confused Words Step 4: Learn Key Words in Major Subjects Step 5: Study a Basic Word List Step 6: Use Electronic Aids 40. Commonly Confused Words Homonyms Other Words Frequently Confused 41. Effective Word Choice Slange Cliches Pretentious Words 42. Editing Tests 43. ESL Pointers Articles with Count and Noncount Nouns Using a or an with Nonspecific Singular Count Nouns Using the with Specific Nouns Omitting Articles Using the Proper Nouns Subjects and Verbs Avoiding Repeated Subjects Incluing Pronoun Subjects and Linking Verbs Including There and Here at the Beginning of Clauses Not Using the Progressive Tense of Certain Verbs Using Only Transitive Verbs for the Passive Voice Using Gerunds and Infinitives after Verbs Adjectives Following the Order of Adjectives in English Using the Present and Past Participles as Adjectives Prepositions Used for Time and Place Correction Symbols PART SIX: READINGS FOR WRITINGS Introduction to the Readings Looking Inward A Love Affair with Books, Bernadete Piassa Thank You, Alex Haley Shame, Dick Gregory I Became Her Target, Roger Wilkins Smash Thy Neighbor, John McMurty A Hanging, George Orwell Observing Others A Legendary Moment, Haven Kimmel The Professor Is a Dropout, Beth Johnson The Monster, Deems Taylor What's Wrong with Schools?, Casey Banas Propoganda Techniques in Today's Advertising, Ann McClintock Confronting Problems Bombs Bursting in Air, Beth Johnson Here's to Your Health, Joan Dunayer How to Make It in College, Now That You're Here, Brian O'Keeney College Lectures: Is Anybody Listening?, David Daniels In Praise of the F Word, Mary Sherry Is Sex All That Matters?, Joyce Garity APPENDIXES: A. Writing a Resume and Cover Letter B. A Writer's Journal C. A Writer's Journal INDEX
About the Author :
John Langan has taught reading and writing at Atlantic Community College near Atlantic City, New Jersey, for over twenty years. The author of a popular series of college textbooks on both subjects, he enjoys the challenge of developing materials that teach skills in an especially clear and lively way. Before teaching, he earned advanced degrees in writing at Rutgers University and in reading at Glassboro State College. He also spent a year writing fiction.
