Solidly grounded in current theory and research, yet eminently practical and teachable, The Allyn & Bacon Guide to Writing has set the standard for first-year composition courses in writing, reading, critical thinking, and inquiry.
Table of Contents:
Writing Projects
Thematic Contents
Preface
I: A RHETORIC FOR WRITERS
1. Thinking Rhetorically About Good Writing Concept 1: Good Writing Can Vary from Closed to Open Forms.
David Rockwood, “A Letter to the Editor”
Thomas Merton, “A Festival of Rain”
Distinctions between Closed and Open Forms of Writing
Where to Place Your Writing Along the Continuum
Concept 2: Good Writers Pose Questions about Their Subject Matter.
Shared Problems Unite Writers and Readers
Posing Your Own Subject-Matter Questions
Brittany Tinker, “Can the World Sustain an American Standard of Living?”
Concept 3: Good Writers Write for a Purpose to an Audience within a Genre.
How Writers Think about Purpose
Purpose as Rhetorical Aim
Purpose as a Response to a Motivating Occasion
Purpose as a Desire to Change Your Reader’s View
How Writers Think about Audience
How Writers Think about Genre
Chapter Summary
Brief Writing Project 1: Posing a Good Subject-Matter Problem
Brief Writing Project 2: Understanding Rhetorical Context
2. Thinking Rhetorically about Your Subject Matter Concept 4: Professors Value “Wallowing in Complexity.”
Learning to Wallow in Complexity
Seeing Each Academic Discipline as a Field of Inquiry and Argument
Concept 5: Good Writers Use Exploratory Strategies to Think Critically about Subject Matter Problems.
Freewriting
Focused Freewriting
Idea Mapping
Dialectic Talk
Playing the Believing and Doubting Game
“Believing and Doubting Paul Theroux’s Negative View of Sports”
Concept 6: A Strong Thesis Surprises Readers with Something New or Challenging.
Trying to Change Your Reader’s View of Your Subject
Giving Your Thesis Tension through “Surprising Reversal”
Concept 7: Thesis Statements in Closed-Form Prose Are Supported Hierarchically with Points and Particulars.
How Points Convert Information to Meaning
How Removing Particulars Creates a Summary
Chapter Summary
Brief Writing Project: Playing the Believing and Doubting Game
3. Thinking Rhetorically about How Messages Persuade Concept 8: Messages Persuade through Their Angle of Vision.
Recognizing the Angle of Vision in a Text
Analyzing Angle of Vision
Concept 9: Messages Persuade through Appeals to Logos, Ethos, and Pathos.
Concept 10: Nonverbal Messages Persuade Through Visual Strategies That Can Be Analyzed Rhetorically.
Visual Rhetoric
The Rhetoric of Clothing and Other Consumer Items
Chapter Summary
Brief Writing Project: Analyzing Angle of Vision in Two Passages about Nuclear Energy
4. Thinking Rhetorically about Style and Document Design Concept 11: Good Writers Make Purposeful Stylistic Choices.
Factors That Affect Style
Abstract Versus Concrete Words: Moving Up or Down the Scale of Abstraction
Wordy Versus Streamlined Sentences: Cutting Deadwood to Highlight Your Ideas
Coordination Versus Subordination: Using Sentence Structure to Control Emphasis
Inflated Voice Versus a Natural Speaking Voice: Creating a Persona
Concept 12: Good Writers Make Purposeful Document Design Choices.
Using Type
Using Space and Laying Out Documents
Using Color
Using Graphics and Images
Chapter Summary
Brief Writing Project: Converting a Passage from Scientific to Popular Style
II: WRITING PROJECTS
Writing to Learn
5. Seeing Rhetorically: The Writer as Observer
Exploring Rhetorical Observation
Understanding Observational Writing
Why “Seeing” Isn’t a Simple Matter
How to Analyze a Text Rhetorically
Writing Project: Two Descriptions of the Same Place and a Self-Reflection
Exploring Rationales and Details for Your Two Descriptions
Generating Details
Shaping and Drafting Your Two Descriptions
Using Show Words Rather than Tell Words
Revising Your Two Descriptions
Generating and Exploring Ideas for Your Self-Reflection
Questions for Peer Review
Readings
Clash on the Congo: Two Eyewitness Accounts
Tamlyn Rogers (student), “Two Descriptions of the Same Classroom and a Self-Reflection”
6. Reading Rhetorically: The Writer as Strong Reader
Exploring Rhetorical Reading
Andrés Martin, “On Teenagers and Tattoos”
Understanding Rhetorical Reading
What Makes College Level Reading Difficult?
Using the Reading Strategies of Experts
Reading with the Grain and Against the Grain
Understanding Summary Writing
Sean Barry (student), “Summary of Martin’s Article”
Understanding Strong Response Writing
Strong Response as Rhetorical Critique
Strong Response as Ideas Critique
Strong Response as Reflection
Strong Response as a Blend
Sean Barry (student), “Why Do Teenagers Get Tattoos? A Response to Andrés Martin”
Writing a Summary/Strong Response of a Visual-Verbal Text
Writing Project: A Summary
Generating Ideas: Reading for Structure and Content
Drafting and Revising
Questions for Peer Review
Writing Project: A Summary/Strong Response Essay
Exploring Ideas for Your Strong Response
Writing a Thesis for a Strong Response Essay
Shaping and Drafting
Revising
Questions for Peer Review
Readings
Thomas L. Friedman, “3 Little Turtles”
Stephanie Malinowski (student), “Questioning Thomas L. Friedman’s Optimism in ’3 Little Turtles’”
Mike Lane, “Labor Day Blues” (editorial cartoon)
Writing to Explore
7. Writing an Exploratory Essay or Annotated Bibliography
Exploring Exploratory Writing
Understanding Exploratory Writing
Writing Project: An Exploratory Essay
Generating and Exploring Ideas
Taking “Double Entry” Research Notes
Shaping and Drafting
Revising
Questions for Peer Review
Writing Project: An Annotated Bibliography
What Is an Annotated Bibliography?
Features of Annotated Bibliography Entries
Examples of Annotation Entries
Writing a Critical Preface for Your Annotated Bibliography
Shaping, Drafting, and Revising
Questions for Peer Review
Readings
James Gardiner (student), “How Do On-Line Social Networks Affect Communication?”
James Gardiner (student), “The Effect of On-Line Social Networks on Communication Skills? An Annotated Bibliography”
Writing to Inform
8. Writing an Informative Essay or Report Exploring Informative (and Surprising) Writing
EnchantedLearning.com, “Tarantulas”
Rod Crawford, “Myths about `Dangerous’ Spiders”
Understanding Informative (and Surprising) Writing
Need-to-Know Informative Prose
Informative Reports
Informative Magazine Articles
Writing Project: A Set of Instructions
Generating and Exploring Ideas
Shaping and Drafting
Revising
Questions for Peer Review
Writing Project: Informative Workplace Report
Generating and Exploring Ideas
Shaping and Drafting
Revising
Questions for Peer Review
Writing Project: Informative (and Surprising) Magazine Article
Generating and Exploring Ideas
Shaping, Drafting, and Revising
Questions for Peer Review
Readings
Kerry Norton, “Winery Yeast Preparation Instructions”
PewResearch Center, “Muslim Americans: Middle Class and Mostly Mainstream”
Kerri Ann Matsumoto (student), “How Much Does It Cost to Go Organic?”
Shannon King (student), “How Clean and Green are Hydrogen Fuel-Cell Cars?” (APA-Style Research Paper)
Writing to Analyze
9. Analyzing Images
Exploring Image Analysis
Understanding Image Analysis
How Images Create a Rhetorical Effect
How to Analyze an Advertisement
How Advertisers Target Specific Audiences
Sample Analysis of an Advertisement
Cultural Perspectives on Advertisements
Writing Project: Analysis of Two Visual Texts
Exploring and Generating Ideas for Your Analysis
Shaping and Drafting Your Analysis
Revising
Questions for Peer Review
Readings
Stephen Bean (student), How Cigarette Advertisers Address the Stigma Against Smoking
Writing to Persuade
10. Writing a Classical Argument
Exploring Classical Argument
Understanding Classical Argument
Stages of Development: Your Growth as an Arguer
Creating an Argument Frame: A Claim with Reasons
Articulating Reasons
Articulating Unstated Assumptions
Using Evidence Effectively
Evaluating Evidence: The STAR Criteria
Addressing Objections and Counterarguments
Responding to Objections, Counterarguments, and Alternative Views
Appealing to Ethos and Pathos
A Brief Primer on Informal Fallacies
Writing Project: A Classical Argument
Generating and Exploring Ideas
Shaping and Drafting
Revising
Questions for Peer Review
Readings
Ross Taylor (student), “Paintball: Promoter of Violence or Healthy Fun?”
William Sweet, “Why Uranium Is the New Green”
Los AngelesTimes, “No Nukes”
III: A GUIDE TO COMPOSING AND REVISING
11. Writing as a Problem-Solving Process Skill 1: Understand Why Expert Writers Use Multiple Drafts
Why Expert Writers Revise So Extensively
An Expert’s Writing Processes Are Recursive
Skill 2: Revise Globally as Well as Locally
Skill 3: Develop Ten Expert Habits to Improve Your Writing Processes
Skill 4: Use Peer Reviews to Help You Think Like an Expert
Become a Helpful Reader of Classmates’ Drafts
Use a Generic Peer Review Guide
Participate in Peer Review Workshops
Responsibilities of Peer Reviewers and Writers
Read Drafts Aloud
Response-Centered Workshops
Advice-Centered Workshops
Respond to Peer Reviews
12. Composing and Revising Closed-Form Prose Skill 5: Understand Reader Expectations
Unity and Coherence
Old before New
Forecasting and Fulfillment
Skill 6: Convert Loose Structures into Thesis/Support Structures
And Then Writing, or Chronological Structure
All About Writing, or Encyclopedic Structure
Engfish Writing, or Structure without Surprise
Skill 7: Plan and Visualize Your Structure
Use Scratch Outlines Early in the Writing Process
Before Making a Detailed Outline, “Nutshell” Your Argument
Articulate a Working Thesis and Main Points
Sketch Your Structure Using an Outline, Tree Diagram, or Flowchart
Outlines
Tree Diagrams
Flowcharts
Let the Structure Evolve
Skill 8: Create Effective Titles
Skill 9: Create Effective Introductions
What Not to Do: the “Funnel” Introduction
From Old to New: The General Principle of Closed-Form Introductions
Typical Elements of a Closed-Form Introduction
Forecast the Whole with a Thesis Statement, Purpose Statement, or Blueprint Statement
Skill 10: Create Effective Topic Sentences for Paragraphs
Place Topic Sentences at the Beginning of Paragraphs
Revise Paragraphs for Unity
Add Particulars to Support Points
Skill 11: Guide Your Reader with Transitions and Other Signposts
Use Common Transition Words to Signal Relationships
Write Major Transitions between Parts
Signal Transitions with Headings and Subheadings
Skill 12: Bind Sentences Together by Placing Old Information Before New Information
The Old/New Contract in Sentences
How to Make Links to the “Old”
Avoid Ambiguous Use of “This” to Fulfill the Old/New Contract
How the Old/New Contract Modifies the Rule “Avoid Weak Repetition”
How the Old/New Contract Modifies the Rule “Prefer Active over Passive Voice”
Skill 13: Use Four Expert Moves for Organizing and Developing Ideas
The For Example Move
The Summary/However Move
The Division-into-Parallel Parts Move
The Comparison/Contrast Move
Skill 14: Write Effective Conclusions
The Simple Summary Conclusion
The Larger Significance Conclusion
The Proposal Conclusion
The Scenic or Anecdotal Conclusion
The Hook and Return Conclusion
The Delayed-Thesis Conclusion
IV: A RHETORICAL GUIDE TO RESEARCH
13. Evaluating Sources Skill 15: Evaluate Sources for Reliability, Credibility, Angle of Vision, and Degree of Advocacy
Reliability
Credibility
Angle of Vision and Political Stance
Degree of Advocacy
Skill 16: Use Your Rhetorical Knowledge to Evaluate Web Sources
The Web as a Unique Rhetorical Environment
Criteria for Evaluating a Web Source
Analyzing Your Own Purposes for Using a Web Source
14. Citing and Documenting Sources Skill 17: Cite and Document Sources Using MLA Style
Cite from an Indirect Source
Cite Page Numbers for Downloaded Material
Document Sources in a “Works Cited” List
Two or More Listings for One Author
MLA Quick Reference Guide for the Most Common Citations
James Gardiner (student), “Why Facebook Might Not Be Good For You” (MLA-Style Research Paper)
Skill 18: Cite and Document Sources Using APA Style
APA Formatting for In-Text Citations
Cite from an Indirect Source
Document Sources in a “References” List
Two or More Listings for One Author
APA Quick Reference Guide for the Most Common Citations
Student Example of an APA-Style Paper
Appendix: A Guide to Avoiding Plagiarism
Acknowledgments
Index
