A Sequence for Academic Writing

A Sequence for Academic Writing, brief rhetoric, focuses on the key strategies that any academic writer needs to know -- summary, synthesis, analysis, and critique.

Table of Contents:
Preface for Instructors  Note to the Student   Part One: Structures Chapter 1—Summary, Paraphrase, and Quotation   What Is a Summary? Can a Summary Be Objective? Using the Summary             Box: Where do We Find Written Summaries? The Reading Process             Box: Critical Reading for Summary How to Write Summaries             Box: Guidelines for Writing Summaries Demonstration: Summary Will Your Job be Exported?- Alan S. Blinder Read, Reread, Underline Divide into Stages of Thought Write a Brief  Summary of Each Stage of Thought Write a Thesis: A Brief Summary of the Entire Passage Write the First Draft of the Summary     Summary 1: Combine Thesis Sentence Brief Section Summaries Summary 2: Combine Thesis Sentence, Section Summaries, and Carefully Chosen Details How Long Should a Summary Be?             Exercise 1.1: Individual and Collaborative Summary Practice Summarizing a Narrative or Personal Essay Dreams of Patagonia—Bruce Chatwin             Box: How to Summarize Personal Essays and Narratives Summarizing Figures and Tables             Exercise 1.2: Summarizing Graphs             Exercise 1.3: Summarizing Pie Charts             Exercise 1.4: Summarizing Line Graphs             Exercise 1.5: Summarizing Tables Paraphrase             Box: How to Write Paraphrases             Exercise 1.6: Summarizing and Paraphrasing             Exercise 1.7: More Paraphrasing Quotations Choosing Quotations Quoting Memorable Language             Box: When to Quote Quoting Clear and Concise Language Quoting Authoritative Language Incorporating Quotations into Your Sentences Quoting Only the Part of a Sentence or Paragraph That You Need Incorporating the Quotation into the Flow of Your Own Sentence Avoiding Freestanding Quotations             Exercise 1.8: Incorporating Quotations Using Ellipses Using Brackets to Add or Substitute Words             Box: When to Summarize, Paraphrase and Quote             Box: Incorporating Quotation in Your Sentence             Exercise 1.9: Using Brackets Avoiding Plagiarism Writing Assignment: Summary The Political Genius of Abraham Lincoln—Doris Kearns Goodwin Chapter 2—Critical Reading and Critique Critical Reading Question 1: To What Extent Does the Author Succeed in His or Her Purpose?             Box: Where Do We Find Written Critiques? Writing to Inform Evaluating Informative Writing Writing to Persuade             Exercise 2.1: Informative and Persuasive Thesis Statement Evaluating Persuasive Writing We Are Not Created Equal in Every Way—Joan Ryan             Exercise 2.2: Critical Reading Practice Persuasive Strategies Logical Argumentation: Avoiding Logical Fallacies             Box: Tone             Exercise 2.3: Understanding Logical Fallacies Writing to Entertain Question 2: To What Extent Do You Agree with the Author? Identify Points of Agreement and Disagreement             Exercise 2.4 Exploring Your Viewpoints- in Three Paragraphs Explore the Reasons for Agreement and Disagreement: Evaluate Assumptions Critique             Box: Guidelines for Writing Critiques How to Write Critiques Demonstration: Critique To What Extent Does the Author Succeed in His or Her Purpose? To What Extent Do You Agree or Disagree with the Author? Evaluate Assumptions   Model Critique: A Critique of “We Are Not Created Equal in Every Way” by Joan Ryan—Eric Ralston             Exercise 2.5: Informal Critique of Sample Essay             Box: Critical Reading and Critique The Strategy of the Critique Writing Assignment: Critique The Common App Fallacy-  Damon Beres Chapter 3—Explanatory Synthesis What Is a Synthesis? Purpose             Box: Where Do We Find Written Synthesis Using Your Sources Types of Syntheses: Explanatory and Argument Explanation: News Article from the New York Times Private Gets 3 Years for Iraq Prison Abuse- David S. Cloud Argument: Editorial from the BostonGlobe Military Abuse How to Write Syntheses             Box: Guidelines for Writing Synthesis The Explanatory Synthesis Demonstration: Explanatory Synthesis— The Car of the Future?             Exercise 3.1: Exploring the Topic The Fuel Subsidy We Need—Ricardo Bayon Putting the Hindenburg to Rest—Jim Motavalli Using Fossil Fuels in Energy Process Gets Us Nowhere –Jeremy Rifkin Lots of Hot Air about Hydrogen—Joseph J. Romm Consider Your Purpose             Exercise 3.2: Critical Reading for Synthesis Formulate a Thesis Decide How You Will Use Your Source Material Develop an Organizational Plan Summary Statements Write the Topic Sentences             Box: Organize a Synthesis by Idea, Not by Source Write Your Synthesis Discussion and Suggestions for Revision Model Paper: The Hydrogen Fuel-Cell Car—Janice Hunte Revise Your Synthesis: Global, Local, and Surface Revisions Revising the Example First Draft: Highlights             Exercise 3.3: Revising the Sample Synthesis Revised Model Paper: The Car of the Future?—Janice Hunte             Box: Critical Reading for Synthesis Writing Assignment: The Changing Landscape of Work in the 21st Century             Exercise 3.4: Exploring Online Sources Chapter 4—Argument Synthesis What Is an Argument Synthesis? The Elements of Argument: Claim, Support, and Assumption             Exercise 4.1: Practicing Claim, Support, and Assumption The Three Appeals of Argument: Logos, Ethos, Pathos Logos             Exercise 4.2: Using Deductive and Inductive Logic Ethos             Exercise 4.3: Using Ethos Pathos             Exercise 4.4: Using Pathos The Limits of Argument Demonstration: Developing an Argument Synthesis— Balancing Privacy and Safety in the Wake of Virginia Tech Mass Shootings at Virginia Tech: Report of the Review Panel Laws Limit Schools even after Alarms— Jeff Gammage and Stacey Burling Perilous Privacy at Virginia Tech, Christian Science Monitor Colleges are Watching Troubled Students— Jeffery McMurray Virginia Tech Massacre has Altered Campus Mental Health Systems— Associated Press The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA)             Exercise 4.5: Critical Reading for Synthesis Consider Your Purpose Making a Claim: Formulate a Thesis Decide How You Will Use Your Source Material Develop an Organizational Plan Formulate an Argument Strategy Draft and Revise Your Synthesis Model Synthesis: Balancing Privacy and Safety in the Wake of Virginia Tech— David Harrison Developing and Organizing the Support for Your Arguments Summarize, Paraphrase, and Quote Supporting Evidence Provide Various Types of Evidence and Motivational Appeals Use Climactic Order Use Logical or Conventional Order Present and Respond to Counterarguments Use Concession             Box: Developing and Organizing support for your Arguments Avoid Common Fallacies in Developing and Using Support       The Comparison-and-Contrast Synthesis Organizing Comparison-and-Contrast Syntheses Organizing by Source or Subject Organizing by Criteria             Exercise 4.6: Comparing and Contrasting A Case for Comparison-Contrast: World War I and World War II Comparison-Contrast (Organized by Criteria) Model Exam Response: Key Similarities and Differences between World Wars I and II Discussion Summary of Synthesis Chapters Writing Assignment: The Changing Landscape of Work in the 21st Century Chapter 5—Analysis What Is an Analysis?             Box: Where Do We Find Written Analyses? When Your Perspective Guides the Analysis Demonstration: Analysis The Plug-In Drug—Marie Winn             Exercise 5.1: Reading Critically: Winn Model Paper: The Coming Apart of a Dorm Society–Edward Peselman             Exercise 5.2: Reading Critically: Peselman How to Write Analyses Consider Your Purpose Locate an Analytical Principle Sociological Insights—Randall Collins Formulate a Thesis Part One of the Argument             Box: Guidelines for Writing Analyses Part Two of the Argument Develop an Organizational Plan Turning Key Elements of a Principle or Definition into Questions Developing the Paragraph-by-Paragraph Logic of Your Paper Draft and Revise Your Analysis Write an Analysis, Not a Summary Make Your Analysis Systematic Answer the “So What” Question Attribute Sources Appropriately             Box: Critical Reading for Analysis Writing Assignment: Analysis A Theory of Human Motivation—Abraham H. Maslow Analyzing Visual Media Writing Assignment: Analyzing Visual Media The Appeal of the Democracy of Goods—Roland Marchand Elements of an Effective Layout—Dorothy Cohen Analysis: A Tool for Understanding Part Two: Strategies Chapter 6—Writing as a Process Writing as Thinking Stages of the Writing Process             Box: The Writing Process Stage 1: Understanding the Task Papers in the Academic Disciplines             Box: Important Words in Paper Assignments             Exercise 6.1: Analyze an Example Assignment Stage 2: Gathering Data Types of Data Primary and Secondary Sources Stage 3: Invention             Box: The Myth of Inspiration Choosing and Narrowing Your Subject             Box: The Myth of Talent             Exercise 6.2: Practice Narrowing Subjects Invention Strategies Directed Freewriting Listing Outlining Clustering and Branching Drafting             Exercise 6.3: Practice Invention Strategies Stage 4: Drafting Strategies for Writing the Paper Writing a Thesis The Components of a Thesis Making an Assertion Starting with a Working Thesis Using the Thesis to Plan a Structure             Box: How Ambitious Should Your Thesis Be?             Exercise 6.4: Drafting These Statements Writing Introductions and Conclusions Introductions             Box: Types of Introductions             Exercise 6.5: Drafting Introductions Conclusions             Box: Types of Conclusions             Exercise 6.6: Drafting Conclusions Stage 5: Revision Characteristics of Good Papers Unity Coherence Development The Reverse Outline Stage 6: Editing Editing for Style Editing for Correctness The Final Draft             Box: Common Sentence-Level Errors Writing Assignment: Process Chapter 7—Locating, Mining, and Citing Sources Source-Based Papers             Box: Where Do We Find Written Research             Box: Writing the Research Paper The Research Question             Box: Narrowing the Subject via Research             Exercise 7.1: Constructing Research Questions Locating Sources             Box: Types of Research Data Preliminary Research Consulting Knowledgeable People             Box: Locating Preliminary Sources Encyclopedias              Box: Wikipedia             Exercise 7.2: Exploring Specialized Encyclopedia Overviews and Bibliographies in Recent Books Bibliographic Index Subject-Heading Guides Focused Research Electronic Databases             Box: Using Keywords and Boolean Logic to Refine Online Searches             Exercise 7.3: Exploring Electronic Sources The Benefits and Pitfalls of the World Wide Web Evaluating Web Sources             Exercise 7.4: Practice Evaluating Web Sources Periodicals: General Magazines Newspapers Periodicals: Specialized             Exercise 7.5: Exploring Specialized Periodicals Books Book Review Digest Biographical Indexes Dictionaries      Other Sources/Government Publications Interviews and Surveys             Box: Guidelines for Conducting Interviews             Box: Guidelines for Conducting Surveys and Designing Questionnaires Mining Sources             Box: Critical Reading for Research The Working Bibliography Note-Taking Evaluating Sources             Box: Guidelines for Evaluating Sources Arranging Your Notes: The Outline Citing Sources             Box: Types of Citations In-Text Citation Content Notes Full Citations MLA Style In-Text Citation In-Text Citation of Electronic Sources (MLA) Examples of MLA Citations in Works Cited List Electronic Sources (MLA) Periodicals (MLA) Books (MLA) Other Sources (MLA) APA Style In-Text Citation In-Text Citation of Electronic Sources (APA) Examples of APA Citations in References List Electronic Sources (APA) Periodicals (APA) Books (APA) Other Sources (APA) Writing Assignment: Source-Based Paper   Part Three: Applications Chapter 8—Practice Academic Writing The Changing Landscape of Work in the Twenty-first Century The Assignments Read: Prepare to Write Group Assignment #1: Make Topic Lists Group Assignment #2: Create a Topic Web Summary Summary Assignments #1 and #2: Summarizing Text Summary Assignments #3: Summarizing Tables Critique Explanation Analysis Argument The Readings Work and Workers in the 21st Century- Richard W. Judy and Carol D’Amico The Untouchables- Thomas L. Friedman Will Your Job Be Exported? - Alan S. Blinder Into the Unknown- The Economist Employment Projections: 2006-16 Summary- Bureau of Labor Statistics Looking Forward: Five Professions Engineering- Victoria Reitz Business- Tom Peters Technology/ Services Science- Steve Lohr Law- Tom McGarth Medicine- Matt Richtel Credits Index