Toby Fulwiler and Alan Hayakawa's goal in writing this 3rd edition of The Pocket Reference For Writers is simple yet progressive: to make it possible for students to have a highly condensed, inexpensive Writing Across the Curriculum oritented rhetoric / handbook that can be used in any college course. With this in mind, Pocket 3 is organized around the interrelated stages of writing called planning, composing, researching, revising, and editing. It explains and illustrates issues of style, grammar, punctuation usage, and mechanics as matters of choices that depend upon audience, purpose, and situation rather than static and absolute rules. Like the other Fulwiler/Hayakawa handbooks, all the writing is exceptionally clear, jargon-free, and engaging for college writers to read, which make for an ideal classroom companion.

I. Reading and Writing in College

1. Writing with a Purpose

                a. Writing to Discover

                b. Writing to Communicate

                c. Writing to Create

2. Addressing an Audience

3. Addressing the Situation

4. Finding Your Voice

5. Learning a Process

6. Reading Images Critically

                a. The Elements of Composition

                b. Color

II. WRITING TO DISCOVER.

7. Freewriting to Find Ideas

8. Journal Writing to Explore Ideas

9. Clustering to See Ideas

10. Outlining to Organize Ideas

11. Asking Questions to Test Ideas

III. WRITING COLLEGE PAPERS.

12. Finding Direction in Academic Papers

                a. Writing to Inform

                b. Writing to Persuade

                c. Writing to Express

13. Making Claims in Academic Papers

                a. Thesis Statements

                b. Claims and Counterclaims

14. Using Evidence in Academic Writing

15. Guidelines for Revision

16. Experiments with Revision

IV. RESEARCH WRITING

17. Planning Research

                a. Start with Questions

                b. Keep a Research Log

                c. Focus a Question

                d. Attempt to Answer

                e. Use the Writing Process

18. Conducting Library Research

                a. Learn the Library

                b. Find Information

                c. Take Good Notes

19. Internet Research

                a. Identify Search Tools

                b. Limit Your Search

                c. Tips

                d. Search with E-mail

                e. Document Your Search

20. Field Research

                a. Site Observation

                b. Interview Tips

21. Evaluating Research Sources

                a. Evaluating Library Sources

                b. Evaluating Electronic Sources

                c. Evaluating Field Sources

22. Using Research Sources

                a. Quotations

                b. Paraphrasing

                c. Summarizing

23. Avoiding Plagiarism

                a. What Plagiarism Is

                b. What Plagiarism Is Not

                c. Recognizing and Avoiding Plagiarism

V. WRITING IN THE DISCIPLINES: MLA

24. Writing in the Disciplines

                a. Differences Among Disciplines

                b. Similarities Among Disciplines

25. Guidelines for MLA manuscripts

26. Guidelines for In-text Citations

                a. Citing Sources in the Text

                b. Using Notes to Provide Additional Information

27. Sample First Page in MLA

28. Guidelines for MLA Works Cited Page

                a. Documenting Books

                b. Documenting Periodicals

                c. Databases

                d. Documenting Electronic Sources

                e. Documenting Other Sources

29. Samples Works Cited Page in MLA style

VI. APA DOCUMENTATION

30. Manuscript Formatting Guidelines

31. In-Text Citations Guidelines

32. Samples Pages in APA Style

33. APA Reference Page Guidelines

                a. Format

                b. Documenting Books

                c. Documenting Periodicals

                d. Documenting Online Sources

                e. Documenting Other Sources

34. Sample Reference Page in APA Style

VII. CHICAGO MANUAL OF STYLE OF DOCUMENTATION

35. Manuscript Formatting Guidelines

                a. Acknowledging Sources

                b. Bibliography

36. In-Text Citations Guidelines

37. Endnote/Footnote Citation Guidelines

                a. Documenting Books: First Reference

                b. Documenting Periodicals: First Reference

                c. Documenting Online Source

                d. Documenting Other Sources: First Reference

                e. Documenting Subsequent References of the Same Work

38. Sample Endnote/Footnote Pages in CM Style

VIII. DESIGN AND PRESENTATION

39. Designing Printed Documents

                a. Objectives of Design

                b. Layout

                c. Typography

                d. Lists and Tables

                e. Graphics

                f. Illustrations

40. Internet Writing

                a. Web Audiences

                b. Manageable Chunks

                c. Nonlinear Writing

                d. Links and Navigation Tools

                e. Resources for Website Builders

                f. E-mail

41. Resumes

42. Oral Presentations

                a. The Assignment

                b. Preparing a Speaking Text

                c. Speaking Public

                d. Creative Options

IX. EDITING FOR CLARITY

43. Effective Paragraphs

                a. Unity

                b. Organization

                c. Coherence

44. Strong Openings

45 Thoughtful Closings

46 Sentence Variety

                a. Coordination

                b. Subordination

                c. Parallel Structures

47 Concise Wording

                a. Generalities

                b. Idle Words

                c. Automatic Phrases

                d. Wordy Phrases

                e. Useless Modifiers

                f. Redundancy

                g. Elliptical Constructions

                h. Pretentious Language

                i. Euphemisms

48 Strong Verbs

                a. Action Verbs

                b. Weak Action Verbs

                c. Hidden Verbs

                d. Active Voice

49Specific Nouns and Modifiers

                a. Concrete Nouns

                b. Specific Modifiers

50The Right Word

                a. Roots, Prefixes, and Suffixes

                b. Denotation and Connotations

                c. Idiomatic Expressions

                d. Slang, Regionalisms, and Colloquialisms

                e. Jargon

                f. Figurative Language

                g. Cliches

51 Unbiased Language

                a. Recognizing Stereotypes

                b. Choosing Group Labels

                c. Using Gender-Neutral Language

                d. Eliminating Stereotypes

X. EDITING FOR GRAMMAR

52 Sentence Fragments

                a. Fragments Lacking Verbs or Subjects

                b. Dependent Clause Fragments

                c. Intentional Fragments

53 Run-On Sentences and Comma Splices

                a. Comma and Coordinating Conjunction

                b. Semicolon

                c. Separate Sentences

                d. Using Subordination

54 Using Verbs Correctly

                a. Standard Verb Forms

                b. Irregular Verb Forms

                c. Sit and Set, Lie and Lay

                d. Auxiliary Verbs

                e. Verb Tense

                f. Sequence of Tenses

                g. Mood

                h. Voice

55 Subject-Verb Agreement

                a. Interruptions Between Subject and Verb

                b. Subjects linked by And

                c. Subjects joined by Or or Nor

                d. Collective Nouns

                e. Indefinite Pronouns

                f. Who, Which and That

                g. Nouns ending in -s

                h. Titles used as Words

56. Pronouns

                a. Reference

                b. Agreement

                c. Case

                d. Who or Whom

57. Adjectives and Adverbs

                a. Common Confusions

                b. Comparisons and Superlatives

                c. Double Negatives

58. Modifiers Positions

                a. Misplaced Modifiers

                b. Dangling Modifiers

                c. Split Infinitives

59. English as a Second Language (ESL)

                a. Articles A, And, The

                b. Two-Word Verbs

                c. Prepositions

                d. Order of Adjectives

XI. EDITING FOR PUNCTUATION

60. End Punctuation

                a. Periods

                b. Question Marks

                c. Exclamation Points

61. Commas

                a. Between Independent Clauses

                b. After Introductory Elements

                c. To Set Off Nonrestricitve Information

                d. Bwetween Items in a Series

                e. Betweem Equal Modifiers

                f. With Parenthetical Elements

                g. With Contrast, Tag Sentences and Direct Address

                h. With Quotations

                i. With Numbers, Dates, Names and Places

                j. To Prevent Misreading

62. Semicolons

                a. Between Sentences

                b. Between Items in a Series

63. Colons

                a. As Marks of Introduction

                b. In Time Rederences, Biblical Citiations, Titles, and Business Communication

64. Apostrophes

                a. To Show Possession or Ownership

                b. In Plurals of Words as Words, letters, Numbers and Symbols

                c. In Contractions

65. Quotation Marks

                a. Direct Quotations

                b. In Dialogue

                c. In Certain Titles

                d. For Special Purposes

                e. With Other Puncutation

66. Other Punctuation Marks

                a. Parentheses

                b. Dashes

                c. Ellipsis Points

                d. Brackets

                e. Slashes

XII. STANDARD WRITING (PROSE) CONVENTIONS.

67. Spelling

                a. Plurals

                b. Suffixes

                c. The ie/ei rule

68. Capitalization

                a. The First Word in a Sentence

                b. Quotations

                c. Proper Nouns  

                d. With Other Punctuation

69. Hyphens         

                a. At the Ends of Lines

                b. After Some Prefixes

                c. In Compound Word

                d. Numbers, Fractions, and Units of Measure

70. Italics

                a. Titles

                b. Individual Trains, Ships and Planes

                c. Foreign Words

                d. For Emphasis

71. Numbers

                a. Figures or Spelled-Out Numbers

                b. Conventional Uses

                c. Singular and Plural Forms of Numbers

72. Abbreviations

                a. Titles and Degrees

                b. With Numbers

                c. Temperature, Numbers, and Units of Measure

                d. Symbols

                e. Geographic Names

                f. Common Latin Abbreviations

                g. Acronyms and Initials

73. Document Preparation

                a. Preparing Final Copy

                b. Proofreading

Glossary of Usage.

Glossary of Grammatical Terms.

Index.