Effective writing through critical thinking.
Above all others, this rhetorical patterns reader provides a comprehensive grounding in critical thinking as the foundation for close reading and effective writing. Just as important, by exposing the reader to interesting and insightful prose by a diversity of top writers, the reader is motivated to respond in writing and discussions. By thinking, reading, and writing on three increasingly difficult levels - literally, interpretively, and critically - readers can better learn the processes and skills necessary to be successful in all their writing experiences.
Table of Contents:
The Prose Reader
Essays for Thinking, Reading, and Writing
Ninth edition
Part I: Critical Thinking–The Key to Success
1 Why Learn How to Think Critically?
2 What Exactly is Critical Thinking?
*LINDA ELDER, Looking to the Future with a Critical Eye: A Message for High School Graduates
*BRIAN DENIS EGAN, The Role of Critical Thinking in Effective Decision Making
*HOWARD GABENNESCH, Critical Thinking: What Is It Good For? (In Fact, What Is It?)
3 What Do I Need to Know about Reading and Writing Critically?
Part II: Reading and Writing Critically
4 Description: Exploring through the Senses
RAY BRADBURY, Summer Rituals
KIMBERLY WOZENCRAFT, Notes from the Country Club
LINDA HOGAN, Dwellings
MALCOLM COWLEY, The View from 80
JOHN MCPHEE, The Pines
Chapter Writing Assignments
5 Narration:Telling a Story
LEWIS SAWAQUAT, For My Indian Daughter
MAYA ANGELOU, New Directions
*FIROOZEH DUMAS, LeffingwellElementary School
SANDRA CISNEROS, Only daughter
RUSSELL BAKER, The Saturday Evening Post
Chapter Writing Assignments
6 Example:Illustrating Ideas
BILL COSBY, The Baffling Question
RICHARD RODRIGUEZ, Public and Private Language
HAROLD KRENTS, Darkness at Noon
*JOEL STEIN, You are Not My Friend
BRENT STAPLES, A Brother’s Murder
Chapter Writing Assignments
7 Process Analysis: Explaining Step by Step
*JAY WALLJASPER, Our Schedules, Our Selves
JESSICA MITFORD, Behind the Formaldehyde Curtain
*ALICE LESCH KELLY, Toughen Up!
MALCOLM X, Learning to Read
JULIA BOURLAND, Getting Out of Debt (and Staying Out)
Chapter Writing Assignments
8 Division/Classification:Finding Categories
*TAMALA EDWARDS, Multi-Colored Families
K.C. COLE, Calculated Risks
JUDITH WALLERSTEIN AND SANDRA BLAKESLEE, Second Chances for Children of Divorce
AMY TAN, Mother Tongue
STEPHANIE ERICSSON, The Ways We Lie
Chapter Writing Assignments
9 Comparison/Contrast:Discovering Similarities and Differences
*BEN DATTNER, Is Your Workplace Personality out of (Birth) Order
SCOTT RUSSELL SANDERS, Homeplace
WILLIAM OUCHI, Japanese and American Workers: Two Casts of Mind
GLORIA STEINEM, The Politics of Muscle
SUCHENG CHAN, You’re Short, Besides!
Chapter Writing Assignments
10 Definition:Limiting the Frame of Reference
*MARC GELLMAN, Worry. Don’t Be Happy
ROBERT RAMIREZ, The Barrio
*CLAUDIA WALLIS AND SONJA STEPTOE, How to Bring Our Schools Out of the 20th Century
MARY PIPHER, Beliefs About Families
LYNN MIKEL BROWN AND MEDA CHESNEY-LIND, Bad Girls, Bad Girls, Whatcha Gonna Do?
Chapter Writing Assignments
11 Cause/Effect:Tracing Reasons and Results
STEPHEN KING, Why We Crave Horror Movies
MICHAEL DORRIS, The Broken Cord
SHERMAN ALEXIE, The Joy of Reading and Writing: Superman and Me
MARY ROACH, Meet the Bickersons
ALICE WALKER, Beauty: When the Other Dancer Is the Self
Chapter Writing Assignments
12 Argument and Persuasion:Inciting People to Thought or Action
*Photo EssayTag, You’re It!
*FRANK FUREDI, Our Unhealthy Obsession with Sickness
BARRETT SEAMAN, How Bingeing Became the New College Sport
DAVE GROSSMAN, We Are Training Our Kids to Kill
KIM SEVERSON, I’m Not Willing to Settle for Crumbs
Opposing Viewpoints: Immigration
MICHAEL SCOTT, America Must Take Stronger Measures to Halt Illegal Immigration
RICHARD RAYNOR, Illegal Immigration Does Not Threaten America
Opposing Viewpoints: Postconviction DNA Testing
TIM O'BRIEN, Postconviction DNA Testing Should Be Encouraged
JAMES DAO, In Same Case, DNA Clears Convict and Finds Suspect
PETER ROFF, Postconviction DNA Testing Should Not Be Encouraged
Chapter Writing Assignments
13 Thinking, Reading, and Writing in Different Literary Forms: Combining Rhetorical Modes
Essays
ROGER ROSENBLATT, “I Am Writing Blindly”
RITA MAE BROWN, Writing as a Moral Act
Fiction
RICHARD WRIGHT, The Library Card
*JESSICA BLAU Red-Headed
Poetry
BILLY COLLINS, Books
ROBERT FRANCIS, Catch and Glass
Drama
NEENA BEEBER, Misreadings
Chapter Writing Assignments
Part III: Readingand Writing from Sources
R-1 Introducing the Documented Essay
R-2 Reading a Documented Essay
BARBARA EHRENREICH, The Ecstasy of War
R-3 Preparing to Write Your Own Documented Essay
R-4 Finding Sources
R-5 Avoiding Plagiarism
R-6 Staying Organized
R-7 Writing the Paper
R-8 Documenting
R-9 Rewriting
Checklist
Chapter Writing Assignments
Glossary of Useful Terms
Index of Authors and Titles
*new to this edition
