A Pocket Style Manual

Table of Contents:
[[Part 0]] Becoming a College Writer: Using Academic Intelligenceand Artificial Intelligence [[Part 1]] Clarity1 Tighten wordy sentences.          1a Redundancies          1b Empty or inflated phrases          1c Needlessly complex structures2 Prefer active verbs.          2a When to replace be verbs          2b When to replace passive verbs3 Balance parallel ideas.          3a Items in a series          3b Paired ideas4 Add needed words.          4a Words in compound structures          4b The word that          4c Words in comparisons5 Eliminate distracting shifts.          5a Shifts in point of view          5b Shifts in tense6 Untangle mixed constructions.          6a Mixed grammatical structure          6b Illogical connections          6c Is when, is where, and reason . . . is because constructions7 Repair misplaced and dangling modifiers.          7a Misplaced words          7b Misplaced phrases and clauses          7c Dangling modifiers          7d Split infinitives8 Provide sentence variety.          8a Combining choppy sentences          8b Varying sentence openings9 Find an appropriate voice.          9a Jargon          9b Clichés          9c Slang          9d Sexist and noninclusive language [[Part 2]] Grammar10 Make subjects and verbs agree.          10a Words between subject and verb          10b Subjects joined with and          10c Subjects joined with or or nor          10d Indefinite pronouns such as someone          10e Collective nouns such as jury          10f Subject after verb          10g Who, which, and that          10h Plural form, singular meaning          10i Titles, company names, and words mentioned as words11 Be alert to other problems with verbs.          11a Irregular verbs          11b Tense          11c Mood12 Use pronouns with care.          12a Pronoun-antecedent agreement          12b Pronoun reference          12c Case of personal pronouns (I vs. me etc.)          12d Who vs. whom13 Use adjectives and adverbs appropriately.          13a Adjectives          13b Adverbs          13c Comparatives and superlatives14 Repair sentence fragments.          14a Fragmented clauses          14b Fragmented phrases15 Revise run-on sentences.          15a Revision with a comma and a coordinating conjunction          15b Revision with a semicolon (or a colon or a dash)          15c Revision by separating sentences          15d Revision by restructuring the sentence16 Consider grammar topics for multilingual writers.          16a Verbs          16b Articles (a, an, the)          16c Sentence structure          16d Prepositions showing time and place [[Part 3]] Punctuation17 The comma          17a Before a coordinating conjunction joining independent clauses          17b After an introductory clause or phrase          17c Between items in a series          17d Between coordinate adjectives          17e To set off a nonrestrictive element, but not a restrictive element          17f To set off transitional and parenthetical expressions, absolute phrases, and word groups expressing contrast          17g To set off nouns of direct address, the words yes and no, interrogative tags, and mild interjections          17h To set off direct quotations introduced with expressions such as he said          17i With dates, addresses, and titles          17j Misuses of the comma18 The semicolon and the colon          18a The semicolon          18b The colon19 The apostrophe          19a To indicate possession          19b To mark contractions          19c Conventional uses          19d Misuses of the apostrophe20 Quotation marks          20a To enclose direct quotations          20b Around titles of short works          20c To set off words used as words          20d Other punctuation with quotation marks          20e Misuses of quotation marks21 Other punctuation marks          21a The period          21b The question mark          21c The exclamation point          21d The dash          21e Parentheses          21f Brackets          21g The ellipsis          21h The slash [[Part 4]] Mechanics22 Capitalization          22a Proper vs. common nouns          22b Titles with proper names          22c Titles of works          22d First word of a sentence or quoted sentence          22e First word following a colon23 Abbreviations, numbers, and italics          23a Abbreviations          23b Numbers          23c Italics24 Hyphenation          24a Compound words          24b Words functioning together as an adjective          24c Conventional uses [[Part 5]] Research25 Asking a research question          25a Choosing a focused question          25b Choosing a debatable question          25c Choosing a question grounded in evidence26 Finding appropriate sources          26a Using the library          26b Using the web          26c Using bibliographies and citations26d Conducting field research, if appropriate27 Evaluating sources          27a Evaluating the reliability and usefulness of a source          27b Reading with an open mind and a critical eye          27d Constructing an annotated bibliography28 Managing information; avoiding plagiarism during research          28a Maintaining a working bibliography          28b Keeping track of source materials          28c Taking notes responsibly: avoiding unintentional plagiarism29 Supporting a thesis          29a Forming a thesis statement          29b Organizing your ideas          29c Using sources to inform and support your argument30 Avoiding plagiarism          30a Citing quotations and borrowed ideas          30b Using the MLA, APA, and Chicago citation systems to lead readers to your sources          30c Using quotation marks around borrowed language          30d Putting summaries and paraphrases in your own words31 Integrating sources          31a Summarizing and paraphrasing effectively          31b Using quotations effectively          31c Using signal phrases to integrate sources          31d Synthesizing sources32 Integrating literary quotations          32a Introducing quotations from literary works          32b Avoiding shifts in tense          32c Formatting and citing literary passages [[Part 6]] MLA Style33 MLA documentation style          33a MLA in-text citations          33b MLA list of works cited34 MLA format; sample research essay          34a MLA format          34b Sample MLA research essay [[Part 7]] APA Style35 APA documentation style          35a APA in-text citations          35b APA list of references36 APA format; sample research essay          36a APA format          36b Sample APA research essay [[Part 8]] Chicago Style37 Chicago documentation style          37a First and later notes for a source          37b Chicago-style bibliography          37c Model notes and bibliography entries38 Chicago format; sample pages          38a Chicago format          38b Sample pages from a Chicago research essay [[Part 9]] GlossariesGlossary of usageGlossary of grammatical terms

About the Author :
Diana Hacker personally class-tested her handbooks with nearly four thousand students over thirty-five years at Prince George's Community College in Maryland, where she was a member of the English faculty. Hacker handbooks, built on innovation and on a keen understanding of the challenges facing student writers, are the most widely adopted in America. Hacker handbooks, all published by Bedford/St. Martin's, include A Writer's Reference, Eleventh Edition (2025); A Pocket Style Manual, Tenth Edition (2025); The Bedford Handbook, Twelfth Edition (2023); Rules for Writers, Tenth Edition (2022); and Writer's Help 2.0, Hacker Version. Nancy Sommers, who has taught composition and directed composition programs for thirty years, now teaches in Harvard's Graduate School of Education. She led Harvard's Expository Writing Program for twenty years, directing the first-year writing program and establishing Harvard's WAC program. A two-time Braddock Award winner, Sommers is well known for her research and publications on student writing. Her articles "Revision Strategies of Student and Experienced Writers" and "Responding to Student Writing" are two of the most widely read and anthologized articles in the field of composition. Recently she has been exploring different audiences through publishing in popular media. Sommers is the lead author on Hacker handbooks, all published by Bedford/St. Martin's, and editor of Tiny Teaching Stories on Macmillan Learning's Bits Blog.