D.J. Henry wrote Writing for Life from the ground up for today’s college student. The ground-breaking approach of combining instruction and visual tools makes writing, reading and thinking processes visible, and shows the processes rather than just telling students about them. Highly graphic layouts and unique visual pedagogy empower students to transfer the learning strategies they already use in interpreting the visual world to the task of writing.
Table of Contents:
Brief Table of Contents
PART 1.GETTING READY TO WRITE
1. Preparing to Learn About Writing
2. Thinking through the Writing Process
PART 2. USING PATTERNS OF ORGANIZATION TO DEVELOP PARAGRAPHS
3. Understanding the Paragraph
4. The Descriptive Paragraph
5. The Narrative Paragraph
6. The Process Paragraph
7. The Example Paragraph
8. The Classification Paragraph
9. The Comparison Contrast Paragraph
10. The Definition Paragraph
11. Cause and Effect Paragraph
12. The Persuasion Paragraph
PART 3. HOW TO WRITE AN ESSAY
13. Understanding the Essay
14. Effective Titles, Introductions, and Conclusions
15. Using Patterns of Organization to Develop Essays
PART 4. THE BASIC SENTENCE
16. Subjects, Verbs, and Simple Sentences
17. Compound and Complex Sentences
PART 5. WRITING CLEAR SENTENCES
18. Sentence Variety
19. Sentence Clarity
20. Parallelism
PART 6. RECOGNIZING AND AVOIDING ERRORS
21. Comma Splices and Run-ons
22. Fragments
23. Dangling and Misplaced Modifiers
24. Subject-Verb Agreement
25. The Past Tense of Verbs
26. The Past Participle
27. Nouns and Pronouns
28. Adjectives and Adverbs
PART 7. PUNCTUATION AND MECHANICS
29. The Comma
30. The Apostrophe
31. Quotation Marks
32. End Punctuation: Period, Question Mark, Exclamation Point
33. Capitalization
34. Revising for Effective Expression
35. Improving Your Spelling
PART 8. READING SELECTIONS
Nineteen Reading Selections
Detailed Table of Contents
PART I GETTING READY TO WRITE
1. Preparing to Learn About Writing
What’s the Point of Preparing to Learn about Writing?
Making a Point about Preparing to Learn about Writing: One Student Writer’s Response
Preparing Yourself to Learn about Writing
The Attitude of Learning
Create a Study Plan
Learning Outcomes for Student Writers
Make the Connection between Writing and Reading
Use the Reading Process to Strengthen Your Writing
Create a Portfolio of Your Work
Academic Learning Log
2. Thinking through the Writing Process
What’s the Point of the Writing Process?
Making a Point about the Writing Process: One Student Writer’s Response
Understanding the Point: Assessing the Writing Situation
The Topic: What You Write
The Purpose: Why You Write
The Audience: Who Reads Your Writing
Understanding the Point: Using the Writing Process
Prewriting
Drafting
Revising
Proofreading
Academic Learning Log
PART 2. USING PATTERNS OF ORGANIZATION TO DEVELOP PARAGRAPHS
3. Understanding the Paragraph
What’s the Point of a Paragraph?
Three Levels of Information in a Paragraph
Three Parts of a Paragraph
Developing Your Point Using a Paragraph
The Point: The Main Idea
Logical Order
Relevant and Adequate Details
Effective Expression
Workshop
Analyzing the Effectiveness of a Paragraph
Scoring Guide for a Paragraph
Academic Learning Log
4. The Descriptive Paragraph
What’s the Point of Description?
Making a Point Using Description: One Student Writer’s Response
Writer’s Journal
Developing Your Point Using Description
The Point: The Main Idea
Logical Order
Relevant Details
Effective Expression: Concrete Word Choice
Using Description in Your Academic Courses
Workshop: Writing a Description
Paragraph Step by Step
Prewrite Your Paragraph
Write a Draft of Your Paragraph
Revise Your Draft
Proofread Your Draft
Review
Writing Assignments
Considering Audience and Purpose
Writing for Everyday Life
Writing for College Life
Writing for Working Life
5. The Narrative Paragraph
What’s the Point of Narration?
Making a Point Using Narration: One Student Writer’s Response
Writer’s Journal
Developing Your Point Using Narration
The Point: The Main Idea
Logical Order
Relevant Details
Effective Expression: Vivid Verbs
Using Narration in Your Academic Courses
Workshop: Writing a Narration Paragraph Step by Step
Prewriting for Your Paragraph
Write a Draft of Your Paragraph
Revise Your Draft
Proofread Your Draft
Review
Writing Assignments
Considering Audience and Purpose
Writing for Everyday Life
Writing for College Life
Writing for Working Life
6. The Process Paragraph
What’s the Point of Process?
Making a Point Using Process: One Student Writer’s Response
The Writer’s Journal
Developing Your Point Using Process
The Point: The Main Idea
Logical Order
Relevant Details
Effective Expression: Vivid Images
Using Process in Your Academic Courses
Workshop: Writing a Process Paragraph Step by Step
Prewrite Your Paragraph
Write a Draft of Your Paragraph
Revise Your Draft
Proofread Your Draft
Writer’s Journal
Review
Writing Assignments
Considering Audience and Purpose
Writing for Everyday Life
Writing for College Life
Writing for Working Life
7. The Example Paragraph
What’s the Point of Examples?
Making a Point Using Examples: One Student Writer’s Response
The Writer’s Journal
Developing Your Point Using Examples
The Point: The Main Idea
Logical Order
Relevant Details
Effective Expression: Parallel Language
Using Examples in Your Academic Courses
Workshop: Writing an Example Paragraph Step by Step
Prewrite Your Paragraph
Write a Draft of Your Paragraph
Revise Your Draft
Proofread Your Draft
Review
Writing Assignments
Considering Audience and Purpose
Writing for Everyday Life
Writing for College Life
Writing for Working Life
8. The Classification Paragraph
What’s the Point of Classification?
Making a Point Using Classification: One Student Writer’s Response
The Writer’s Journal
Developing Your Point Using Classification
The Point: The Main Idea
Logical Order
Relevant Details
Effective Expression: Controlled Sentence Structure
Using Classification in Your Academic Courses
Workshop: Writing a Classification Paragraph Step by Step
Prewrite Your Paragraph
Write a Draft of Your Paragraph
Revise Your Draft
Proofread Your Draft
Review
Writing Assignments
Considering Audience and Purpose
Writing for Everyday Life
Writing for College Life
Writing for Working Life
9. The Comparison Contrast Paragraph
What’s the Point of Comparison and Contrast?
Making a Point Using Comparison and Contrast: One Student Writer’s Response
The Writer’s Journal
Developing Your Point Using Comparison and Contrast
The Point: The Main Idea
Logical Order
Relevant Details
Effective Expression: Use of Coordination and Subordination
Using Comparison and Contrast in Your Academic Courses
Workshop: Writing a Comparison and Contrast Paragraph Step by Step
Choose Your Topic
Write a Draft of Your Paragraph
Revise Your Draft
Proofread Your Draft
Review
Writing Assignments
Considering Audience and Purpose
Writing for Everyday Life
Writing for College Life
Writing for Working Life
10. The Definition Paragraph
What’s the Point of a Definition?
Making a Point Using Definition: One Student Writer’s Response
The Writer’s Journal
Developing Your Point Using Definition
The Point: The Main Idea
Logical Order
Relevant Details
Effective Expression: Sound Structure and Vivid Images
Using Definition in Your Academic Courses
Workshop: Writing a Definition
Paragraph Step by Step
Choose Your Topic
Write a Draft of Your Paragraph
Revise Your Draft
Proofread Your Draft
Review
Writing Assignments
Considering Audience and Purpose
Writing for Everyday Life
Writing for College Life
Writing for Working Life
11. Cause and Effect Paragraph
What’s the Point of Cause and Effect?
Making a Point Using Cause and Effect: One Student Writer’s Response
The Writer’s Journal
Developing Your Point Using Cause and Effect
The Point: The Main Idea
Logical Order
Relevant Details
Effective Expression: Correct Use of Words
Using Cause and Effect in Your
Academic Courses
Workshop: Writing a Cause and Effect
Paragraph Step by Step
Write a Draft of Your Paragraph
Revise Your Draft
Proofread Your Draft
Review
Writing Assignments
Considering Audience and Purpose
Writing for Everyday Life
Writing for College Life
Writing for Working Life
12. The Persuasion Paragraph
What’s the Point of Persuasion?
Making a Point Using Persuasion: One Student Writer’s Response
The Writer’s Journal
Developing Your Point Using Persuasion
The Point: The Main Idea
Logical Order
Relevant Details
Effective Expression: Use of Subjective Words to Persuade
Using Persuasion in Your Academic Courses
Workshop: Writing a Persuasive Paragraph Step by Step
Choose Your Topic
Write a Draft of Your Paragraph
Revise Your Draft
Proofread Your Draft
Review
Writing Assignments
Considering Audience and Purpose
Writing for Everyday Life
Writing for College Life
Writing for Working Life
PART 3. HOW TO WRITE AN ESSAY
13. Understanding the Essay
What’s the Point of an Essay?
The Five Parts of an Essay
Making a Point Using an Essay: One Writer’s Response
Developing Your Point: Writing an Essay
The Four Levels of Information in an Essay
The Traits of an Effective Essay
The Point: Main Idea or Thesis Statement
Relevant Details
Logical Order
Effective Expression: Using a Thesaurus
Workshop: Writing an Essay
Step by Step
Prewriting
Write a Draft of Your Essay
Revise Your Essay Draft
Proofreading Your Essay
14. Effective Titles, Introductions, and Conclusions
What’s the Point of Effective Titles, Introductions, and Conclusions?
Making a Point Using Effective Titles, Introductions, and Conclusions: One
Student Writer’s Response
Developing Your Point Using Effective
Introductions, Conclusions, and Titles
Effective Titles
Effective Introductions
Effective Conclusions
15. Using Patterns of Organization to Develop Essays
What’s the Point of Using Patterns of Organization to Develop Essays?
Making a Point Using Patterns of Organization: One Student Writer’s Response
Developing Your Point in a Descriptive Essay
A Descriptive Essay: One Student Writer’s Response
Writing Assignments for a
Descriptive Essay
Considering Audience and Purpose
Writing for Everyday Life
Writing for College Life
Writing for Working Life
Additional Descriptive Topics
Developing Your Point in a Narrative Essay
A Narrative Essay: One Writer’s Response
Writing Assignments for a Narrative Essay
Considering Audience and Purpose
Writing for Everyday Life
Writing for College Life
Writing for Working Life
Additional Narrative Topics
Developing Your Point in a Process Essay
A Process Essay: One Writer’s Response
Writing Assignments for a Process Essay
Considering Audience and Purpose
Writing for Everyday Life
Writing for College Life
Writing for Working Life
Additional Process Topics
Developing Your Point in an Illustration Essay
An Illustration Essay: One Student Writer’s Response
Writing Assignments for an Illustration Essay
Considering Audience and Purpose
Writing for Everyday Life
Writing for College Life
Writing for Working Life
Additional Illustration Topics
Developing Your Point in a Classification Essay
A Classification Essay: One Student Writer’s Response
Writing Assignments for a Classification Essay
Considering Audience and Purpose
Writing for Everyday Life
Writing for College Life
Writing for Working Life
Additional Classification Topics
Developing Your Point in a Comparison and Contrast Essay
A Comparison and Contrast Essay: One Student Writer’s Response
Writing Assignments for a Comparison and Contrast Essay
Considering Audience and Purpose
Writing for Everyday Life
Writing for College Life
Writing for Working Life
Additional Comparison and Contrast Topics
Developing Your Point in a Definition Essay
A Definition Essay: One Writer’s Response
Writing Assignments for a Definition Essay
Considering Audience and Purpose
Writing for Everyday Life
Writing for College Life
Writing for Working Life
Additional Definition Topics
Developing Your Point in a Cause and Effect Essay
A Cause and Effect Essay: One Writer’s Response
Writing Assignments for a Cause and Effect Essay
Considering Audience and Purpose
Writing for Everyday Life
Writing for College Life
Writing for Working Life
Additional Cause and Effect Topics
Developing Your Point in a Persuasive Essay
A Persuasion Essay: One Writer’s Response
Writing Assignments for a Persuasive Essay
Considering Audience and Purpose
Writing for Everyday Life
Writing for College Life
Writing for Working Life
Additional Persuasive Topics
Developing Your Point in a Layered-Plan Essay
A Layered-Plan Essay: One Student Writer’s Response
Writing Assignments for a Layered-Plan Essay
Considering Audience and Purpose
Writing for Everyday Life
Writing for College Life
Writing for Working Life
Additional Layered-Plan Topics
PART 4. THE BASIC SENTENCE
16. Subjects, Verbs, and Simple Sentences
What’s the Point of Subjects, Verbs, and Simple Sentences?
Understanding the Point of Subjects, Verbs, and Simple Sentences: One Student Writer’s Response
Applying the Point: Subjects, Verbs, and Simple Sentences
Subjects
Verbs
The Simple Sentence
Locating Subjects and Verbs to Identify Complete Thoughts
Writing Assignments
Writing for Everyday Life
Writing for College Life
Writing for Working Life
Academic Learning Log
17. Compound and Complex Sentences
What’s the Point of Compound and Complex Sentences?
Understanding the Point of Compound and Complex Sentences: One Student Writer’s Response
Applying the Point: Compound and Complex Sentences
A Compound Sentence
A Complex Sentence
Writing Assignments
Writing for Everyday Life
Writing for College Life
Writing for Working Life
Academic Learning Log
PART 5. WRITING CLEAR SENTENCES
18. Sentence Variety
What’s the Point of Sentence Variety?
Understanding the Point of Sentence Variety: One Student Writer’s Response
Applying the Point: Sentence Variety
Vary Sentence Purpose
Vary Sentence Types
Vary Sentence Openings
Vary Sentence Length
Writing Assignments
Writing for Everyday Life
Writing for College Life
Writing for Working Life
Academic Learning Log
19. Sentence Clarity
What’s the Point of Sentence Clarity?
Understanding the Point of Sentence Clarity: One Student Writer’s Response
Applying the Point: Sentence Clarity
Use Consistent Person and Point of View
Use Consistent Number
Use Consistent Tense
Writing Assignments
Writing for Everyday Life
Writing for College Life
Writing for Working Life
Academic Learning Log
20. Parallelism
What’s the Point of Parallelism?
Understanding the Point of Parallelism: One Student Writer’s Response
Applying the Point: Parallelism
Parallel Words
Punctuation for Parallelism
Writing Assignments
Writing for Everyday Life
Writing for College Life
Writing for Working Life
Academic Learning Log
PART 6. RECOGNIZING AND AVOIDING ERRORS
21. Comma Splices and Run-ons
What’s the Point of Correcting Comma Splices and Run-ons?
Understanding the Point of Correcting Comma Splices and Run-ons: One Student
Writer’s Response
Applying the Point: Correcting Comma Splices and Run-ons
Comma Splice
Run-on
Five Ways to Correct Comma Splices and Run-ons
Writing Assignments
Writing for Everyday Life
Writing for College Life
Writing for Business Life
Academic Learning Log
22. Fragments
What’s the Point of Correcting Fragments?
Understanding the Point of Correcting Fragments: One Student
Writer’s Response
Applying the Point: Correcting Fragments
Types of Fragments
Writing Assignments
Writing for Everyday Life
Writing for College Life
Writing for Working Life
Academic Learning Log
23. Dangling and Misplaced Modifiers
What’s the Point of Correcting Misplaced and Dangling Modifiers?
Understanding the Point of Correcting Misplaced and Dangling Modifiers: One
Student Writer’s Response
Applying the Point: Correcting Misplaced and Dangling Modifiers
Misplaced Modifiers
Dangling Modifiers
Writing Assignments
Writing for Everyday Life
Writing for College Life
Writing for Working Life
Academic Learning Log
24. Subject-Verb Agreement
What’s the Point of Subject-Verb Agreement?
Understanding the Point of Subject-Verb Agreement: One Student Writer’s Response
Applying the Point: Subject-Verb Agreement
Key Verbs in the Present Tense: To Have, To Do, To Be
Subjects Separated from Verbs
Singular or Plural Subjects
Writing Assignments
Writing for Everyday Life
Writing for College Life
Writing for Working Life
Academic Learning Log
25. The Past Tense of Verbs
What’s the Point of the Past Tense of Verbs?
Understanding the Point of the Past Tense of Verbs: One Student Writer’s Response
Applying the Point: The Past Tense of Verbs
Regular Verbs in the Past Tense
Irregular Verbs in the Past Tense
Key Verbs in the Past Tense: To Have, To Do, To Be
Could and Would
Writing Assignments
Writing for Everyday Life
Writing for College Life
Writing for Working Life
Academic Learning Log
26. The Past Participle
What’s the Point of the Past Participle?
Understanding the Point of the Past Participle: One Student Writer’s Response
Applying the Point: The Past Participle
Past Participles of Regular Verbs
Past Participles of Irregular Verbs
Using the Present Perfect Tense
Using the Past Perfect Tense
Using the Passive Voice
(To Be and the Past Participle)
Using the Past Participle as an Adjective
Writing Assignments
Writing for Everyday Life
Writing for College Life
Writing for Working Life
Academic Learning Log
27. Nouns and Pronouns
What’s the Point of Learning About Nouns and Pronouns?
Understanding the Point of Learning About Nouns and Pronouns: One Student Writer’s Response
Applying the Point: Nouns
Count and Noncount Nouns
Articles and Nouns
Applying the Point: Pronouns
How to Make Clear Pronoun References
How to Correct Faulty Pronoun References
How to Make Pronouns and Antecedents Agree
How to Correct Faulty Pronoun Agreement
How to Use Correct Pronoun Case
How to correct faulty use of pronoun case
Writing Assignments
Writing for Everyday Life
Writing for College Life
Writing for Working Life
Academic Learning Log
28. Adjectives and Adverbs
What’s the Point of Learning About Adjectives and Adverbs?
Understanding the Point of Learning About Adjectives and Adverbs: One Student
Writer’s Response
Applying the Point: Adjectives and Adverbs
Participles as Adjectives
Other Adjectives Formed from Verbs and from Nouns
Placement and Order of Adjectives
Adverbs
How to Use Comparative and Superlative Forms
Writing Assignments
Writing for Everyday Life
Writing for College Life
Writing for Working Life
Academic Learning Log
PART 7. PUNCTUATION AND MECHANICS
29. The Comma
What’s the Point of Commas?
Understanding the Point of Commas: One Student Writer’s Response
Applying the Point: Commas
Commas with Items in a Series
Comma Misuses to Avoid with Items in a Series
Commas with Introductory Elements
Commas to Join Independent Clauses
Correct Use of a Comma to Join Independent Clauses
Commas with Parenthetical Ideas
Commas with Nonessential and Essential Clauses
Commas with Appositives
Commas with Dates and Addresses
Other Uses of the Comma
Writing Assignments
Writing for Everyday Life
Writing for College Life
Writing for Working Life
Academic Learning Log
30. The Apostrophe
What’s the Point of the Apostrophe?
Understanding the Point of the Apostrophe: One Student Writer’s Response
Applying the Point: The Apostrophe
The Apostrophe for Ownership
The Apostrophe for Contractions
Common Misuses of the Apostrophe
Writing Assignments
Writing for Everyday Life
Writing for College Life
Writing for Working Life
Academic Learning Log
31. Quotation Marks
What’s the Point of Quotation Marks?
Understanding the Point of Quotation Marks: One Student Writer’s Response
Applying the Point: Quotation Marks
Formatting and Punctuating Direct Quotations
Formatting and Punctuating Dialogue
Direct and Indirect Quotations
Titles
Writing Assignments
Writing for Everyday Life
Writing for College Life
Writing for Working Life
Academic Learning Log
32. End Punctuation: Period, Question Mark, Exclamation Point
What’s the Point of End Punctuation?
Understanding the Point of End Punctuation: One Student Writer’s Response
Applying the Point: End Punctuation
The Period
The Question Mark
The Exclamation Point
Writing Assignments
Writing for Everyday Life
Writing for College Life
Writing for Working Life
Academic Learning Log
33. Capitalization
What’s the Point of Capitalization?
Understanding the Point of Capitalization: One Student Writer’s Response
Applying the Point: Capitalization
Writing Assignments
Writing for Everyday Life
Writing for College Life
Writing for Working Life
Academic Learning Log
34. Revising for Effective Expression
What’s the Point of Effective Expression?
Understanding the Point of Effective Expression: One Student Writer’s Response
Applying the Point: Effective Expression
Use Concise Language
Use Active and Positive Language
Use Concrete Language
Use Creative Expressions: Similes and Metaphors
Use Fresh Language
Writing Assignments
Writing for Everyday Life
Writing for College Life
Writing for Working Life
Academic Learning Log
35. Improving Your Spelling
What’s the Point of Improving Your Spelling?
Understanding the Point of Improving Your Spelling: One Student Writer’s Response
Applying the Point: Improving Your Spelling
Five Steps to Improve Your Spelling
Rules for Improving Your Spelling
Commonly Misspelled Words
Writing Assignments
Writing for Everyday Life
Writing for College Life
Writing for Working Life
Academic Learning Log
PART 8. READING SELECTIONS
What’s the Point of Reading to Write?
Applying the Point: Effective Strategies for Responding to Reading Selections
How to Annotate a Text
How to Write a Summary
A Reading Strategy for a Writer
Nineteen Reading Selections
DESCRIPTION
Snow, John Haines
Maya Lin’s Design Submission to the Vietnam Memorial Competition, Maya Lin
NARRATION
New Directions, Maya Angelou
Confessions, Amy Tan
PROCESS
How to Write a Personal Letter, Garrison Keillor
How to Twitter, Julia Angwin
ILLUSTRATION
Don’t Call Me a Hot Tamale, Judith Ortiz Cofer
“Italy: Say It Like You Eat It; or 36 Tales about the Pursuit of Pleasure” (Excerpt from Eat, Pray, Love), Elizabeth Gilbert
CLASSIFICATION
Michelle Obama, Oprah Winfrey
The Truth about Lying, Judith Viorst
COMPARISON-CONTRAST
The Talk of the Sandbox: How Johnny and Suzy’s Playground Chatter Prepares Them for Life at the Office, Deborah Tannen
A Fable for Tomorrow, Rachel Carson
DEFINITION
What Is Poverty?, Jo Goodwin-Parker
Don’t Call Me Middle Class: I’m a Professional, Mark Penn
CAUSE-EFFECT
Through Young Eyes, Michael S. Malone
Why We Crave Horror Movies, Stephen King
PERSUASION
Let’s Tell the Story of All America’s Cultures, Yuh Ji-Yeon
“I Have a Dream,” Martin Luther King, Jr.
“Obama’s Victory Night Speech on November 4,” 2008, Barack Obama
