Longman Writer, The, MLA Update Edition: Rhetoric, Reader, Research Guide, Handbook

Clear, step-by-step writing instruction, ample annotated student essays, and extensive practice opportunities for writing have made The Longman Writer one of the most successful methods-of-development guides for college writing.

Table of Contents:
Preface   I. THE READING PROCESS   1. Becoming a Strong Reader Stage 1: Get an Overview of the Selection Stage 2: Deepen Your Sense of the Selection Stage 3: Evaluate the Selection         Ellen Goodman, "Family Counterculture"   II. THE WRITING PROCESS   2. Getting Started Through Prewriting Observations About the Writing Process Use Prewriting to Get Started     Keep a Journal     The Pre-Reading Journal Entry     Understand the Boundaries of the Assignment     Determine Your Purpose, Audience, Tone, and Point of View     Discover Your Essay's Limited Subject     Generate Raw Material About Your Limited Subject     Organize the Raw Material Activities: Getting Started Through Prewriting   3. Identifying a Thesis What Is a Thesis? Finding a Thesis Writing an Effective Thesis     Tone and Point of View     Implied Pattern of Development     Including a Plan of Development     Don't Write a Highly Opinionated Statement     Don't Make an Announcement     Don't Make a Factual Statement     Don't Make a Broad Statement Arriving at an Effective Thesis Placing the Thesis in an Essay Activities: Identifying a Thesis   4. Supporting the Thesis with Evidence What Is Evidence? How Do You Find Evidence?     How the Patterns of Development Help Generate Evidence Characteristics of Evidence     The Evidence Is Relevant and Unified     The Evidence Is Specific     The Evidence Is Adequate     The Evidence Is Dramatic     The Evidence Is Accurate     The Evidence Is Representative     Borrowed Evidence Is Documented Activities: Supporting the Thesis with Evidence   5. Organizing the Evidence Use the Patterns of Development Select an Organizational Approach     Chronological Approach     Spatial Approach     Emphatic Approach     Simple-to-Complex Approach Prepare an Outline Activities: Organizing the Evidence   6. Writing the Paragraphs in the First Draft How to Move from Outline to First Draft General Suggestions on How to Proceed If You Get Bogged Down A Suggested Sequence for Writing the First Draft     Write the Supporting Paragraphs     Write Other Paragraphs in the Essay's Body     Write the Introduction     Write the Conclusion     Write the Title Pulling It All Together Sample First Draft         Harriet Davids, "Challenges for Today's Parents"     Commentary Activities: Writing the Paragraphs in the First Draft   7. Revising Overall Meaning, Structure, and Paragraph Development Five Strategies to Make Revision Easier     Set Your First Draft Aside for a While     Work from Printed Text     Read the Draft Aloud     View Revision as a Series of Steps     Evaluate and Respond to Instructor Feedback     Peer Review: An Additional Revision Strategy     Evaluate and Respond to Peer Review Revising Overall Meaning and Structure Revising Paragraph Development Sample Student Revision of Overall Meaning, Structure, and Paragraph Development Activities: Revising Overall Meaning, Structure, and Paragraph Development   8. Revising Sentences and Words Revising Sentences.     Make Sentences Consistent with Your Tone     Make Sentences Economical     Vary Sentence Type     Vary Sentence Length     Make Sentences Emphatic Revising Words     Make Words Consistent with Your Tone     Use an Appropriate Level of Diction     Avoid Words That Overstate or Understate     Select Words with Appropriate Connotations     Use Specific Rather Than General Words     Use Strong Verbs     Delete Unnecessary Adverbs     Use Original Figures of Speech     Avoid Sexist Language Sample Student Revision of Sentences and Words Activities: Revising Sentences and Words   9. Editing and Proofreading Edit Carefully Use the Appropriate Manuscript Format Proofread Closely Student Essay: From Prewriting Through Proofreading         Harriet Davids, "Challenges for Today's Parents"     Commentary Activities: Editing and Proofreading   III. THE PATTERNS OF DEVELOPMENT   10. Description What Is Description? How Description Fits Your Purpose and Audience Prewriting Strategies Strategies for Using Description in an Essay Revision Strategies Student Essay: From Prewriting Through Revision         Marie Martinez, "Salt Marsh"     Commentary Activities: Description     Prewriting Activities     Revising Activities Professional Selections: Description         Maya Angelou, "Sister Flowers"         *David Helvarg, "The Storm this Time"         Gordon Parks, "Flavio's Home" Additional Writing Topics: Description   11. Narration What Is Narration? How Narration Fits Your Purpose and Audience Prewriting Strategies Strategies for Using Narration in an Essay Revision Strategies Student Essay: From Prewriting Through Revision         Paul Monahan, "If Only"     Commentary Activities: Narration     Prewriting Activities     Revising Activities Professional Selections: Narration         Audre Lorde, "The Fourth of July"         George Orwell, "Shooting an Elephant"         *Charmie Gholson, "Charity Display?" Additional Writing Topics: Narration   12. Illustration What Is Illustration? How Illustration Fits Your Purpose and Audience Prewriting Strategies Strategies for Using Illustration in an Essay Revision Strategies Student Essay: From Prewriting Through Revision         Michael Pagano, "Pursuit of Possessions"     Commentary Activities: Illustration     Prewriting Activities     Revising Activities Professional Selections: Illustration          Kay S. Hymowitz, "Tweens: Ten Going on Sixteen"         Beth Johnson, "Bombs Bursting in Air"         *Leslie Savan, "Black Talk and Pop Culture" Additional Writing Topics: Illustration   13. Division-Classification What Is Division-Classification? How Division-Classification Fits Your Purpose and Audience Prewriting Strategies Strategies for Using Division-Classification in an Essay Revision Strategies Student Essay: From Prewriting Through Revision         Gail Oremland, "The Truth about College Teachers"     Commentary Activities: Division-Classification     Prewriting Activities     Revising Activities Professional Selections: Division-Classification         William Lutz, "Double Speak"         Scott Russell Sanders, "The Men We Carry in Our Minds"         *David Brooks, "Psst! 'Human Capital'" Additional Writing Topics: Division-Classification   14. Process Analysis What Is Process Analysis? How Process Analysis Fits Your Purpose and Audience Prewriting Strategies Strategies for Using Process Analysis in an Essay Revision Strategies Student Essay: From Prewriting Through Revision         Robert Barry, "Becoming a Recordoholic"     Commentary Activities: Process Analysis     Prewriting Activities     Revising Activities Professional Selections: Process Analysis         Clifford Stoll, "Cyberschool"         Diane Cole, "Don't Just Stand There"         *David Shipley, "Talk About Editing" Additional Writing Topics: Process Analysis   15. Comparison-Contrast What Is Comparison-Contrast? How Comparison-Contrast Fits Your Purpose and Audience Prewriting Strategies Strategies for Using Comparison-Contrast in an Essay Revision Strategies Student Essay: From Prewriting Through Revision         Carol Siskin, "The Virtues of Growing Older"     Commentary Activities: Comparison-Contrast     Prewriting Activities     Revising Activities Professional Selections: Comparison-Contrast         Toni Morrison, "A Slow Walk of Trees"         Patricia Cohen, "Reality TV: Surprising Throwback to the Past?"         *Eric Weiner, "Euromail and Amerimail" Additional Writing Topics: Comparison-Contrast   16. Cause-Effect What Is Cause-Effect? How Cause-Effect Fits Your Purpose and Audience Prewriting Strategies Strategies for Using Cause-Effect in an Essay Revision Strategies Student Essay: From Prewriting Through Revision         Carl Novack, "Americans and Food"     Commentary Activities: Cause-Effect     Prewriting Activities     Revising Activities Professional Selections: Cause-Effect         Stephen King, "Why We Crave Horror Movies"         *Buzz Bissinger, "Innocents Afield"         Brent Staples, "Black Men and Public Space" Additional Writing Topics: Cause-Effect   17. Definition What Is Definition? How Definition Fits Your Purpose and Audience Prewriting Strategies Strategies for Using Definition in an Essay Revision Strategies Student Essay: From Prewriting Through Revision         Laura Chen, "Physics in Everyday Life"     Commentary Activities: Definition     Prewriting Activities     Revising Activities Professional Selections: Definition         K. C. Cole, "Entropy"         James Gleick, "Life as Type A"         *Natalie Angier, "The Cute Factor" Additional Writing Topics: Definition   18. Argumentation-Persuasion What Is Argumentation-Persuasion? How Argumentation-Persuasion Fits Your Purpose and Audience Prewriting Strategies Strategies for Using Argumentation-Persuasion in an Essay Revision Strategies Student Essay: From Prewriting Through Revision         Mark Simmons, "Compulsory National Service"     Commentary Activities: Argumentation-Persuasion     Prewriting Activities     Revising Activities Professional Selections: Argumentation-Persuasion         * Stanley Fish, "Free Speech Follies"         Mary Sherry, "In Praise of the 'F' Word" Debating the Issues: Date Rape         Camille Paglia, "A Bigger Danger than Feminists Know"         Susan Jacoby, "Common Decency" *Debating the Issues: Immigration         *Roberto Rodriguez, "The Border On Our Backs"         *Star Parker, "Se Habla Entitlement" Additional Writing Topics: Argumentation-Persuasion   IV. THE RESEARCH PAPER   19. Locating, Evaluating, and Integrating Online and Print Sources Plan the Research     Understand the Paper's Boundaries     Understand Primary versus Secondary Research Choose a General Subject     Prewrite to Limit the General Subject     Conduct Preliminary Research     Identify a Working Thesis     Make a Schedule Find Sources in the Library     The Computerized Catalog     The Reference Section     Periodicals Use the Internet     The Internet and the World Wide Web     What the Web Offers     The Advantages and Limitations of the Library and the Web     Using Online Time Efficiently     Using the Net to Find Materials on Your Topic     Using Discussion Groups and Blogs     Using Wikis     Evaluating Online Materials     Using Other Online Tools     Prepare a Working Bibliography Take Notes to Support the Thesis with Evidence     Before Note-Taking: Evaluate Sources     Before Note-Taking: Refine Your Working Bibliography     Before Note-Taking: Read Your Sources     When Note-Taking: What to Select     When Note-Taking: How to Record Statistics     When Note-Taking: Recording Information     When Note-Taking: Photocopies and Printouts     Kinds of Notes     Plagiarism     Combining Notes Activities: Locating, Evaluating, and Integrating Research Sources   20. Writing the Research Paper Refine Your Working Thesis Sort Your Notes Organize the Evidence by Outlining Write the First Draft     Presenting the Results of Primary Research Document Borrowed Material to Avoid Plagiarism: MLA Format     Indicate Author and Page     Special Cases of Authorship     Special Cases of Pagination     Blending Quotations into Your Text     Presenting Statistics Revise, Edit, and Proofread the First Draft Prepare the Works Cited List: MLA Format     Citing Book Sources     Citing Periodical Sources     Citing Electronic Sources     Citing Other Nonprint Sources Document Borrowed Material to Avoid Plagiarism: APA Format     Parenthetic Citations     References List     Citing Book Sources     Citing Periodical Sources     Citing Electronic Sources     Citing Other Nonprint Sources A Note About Other Documentation Systems Student Research Paper: MLA-Style Documentation         Brian Courtney, "America's Homeless: How the Government Can Help"     Commentary Activities: Writing the Research Paper   V. THE LITERARY PAPER AND EXAM ESSAY   21. Writing About Literature Elements of Literary Works     Literary Terms How to Read a Literary Work     Read to Form a General Impression     Ask Questions About the Work     Reread and Annotate     Modify Your Annotations Write the Literary Analysis     Prewrite     Identify Your Thesis     Support the Thesis with Evidence     Organize the Evidence     Write the First Draft     Revise Overall Meaning, Structure, and Paragraph Development     Edit and Proofread Pulling It All Together     Read to Form a General Impression         Langston Hughes, "Early Autumn"     Ask Questions about the Work     Reread and Annotate Student Essay         Karen Vais, "Stopping to Talk"     Commentary Additional Selections and Writing Assignments         Robert Frost, "Out, Out-"         Kate Chopin, "The Story of an Hour"   22. Writing Exam Essays Three Forms of Written Answers     Short Answers     Paragraph-Length Answers     Essay-Length Answers How to Prepare for Exam Essays At the Examination     Survey of the Entire Test     Understand the Essay Question Write the Essay     Prewrite     Identify Your Thesis     Support the Thesis with Evidence     Organize the Evidence     Write the Draft     Revise, Edit, and Proofread Sample Essay Answer     Commentary Activity: Writing Exam Essays   VI. A CONCISE HANDBOOK Opening Comments Sentence Faults     Fragments         Phrase Fragments         Dependent Clause Fragments     Comma Splices and Run-On Sentences         Three Comma Pitfalls     Faulty Parallelism Verbs     Problems with Subject-Verb Agreement         How to Correct Faulty Subject-Verb Agreement     Problems with Verb Tense         How to Correct Inappropriate Shifts in Verb Tense         How to Correct Faulty Use of Past Tense Pronouns     Problems with Pronoun Use         Pronoun Case         How to Correct Faulty Pronoun Case         Pronoun Agreement         Pronoun Reference Modifiers     Problems with Modification         Misplaced and Ambiguous Modifiers         Dangling Modifiers Punctuation     Period     Question Mark     Exclamation Point     Comma     Semicolon     Colon     Quotation Marks     Ellipsis     Apostrophe     Parenthesis     Brackets     Hyphen     Dash Mechanics     Capitalization     Underlining and Italics     Numbers     Abbreviations Spelling   Appendix: A Guide to Avoiding Plagiarism Acknowledgements Index