Nexus: A Rhetorical Reader for Writers

Preface  

Chapter 1: Our Multimedia World  

Using Rhetorical Modes as Patterns of Thought  

Responding to the Readings  

Chapter 2:  Reading for Understanding  

The Reading Process  

Prereading  

Reading  

Rereading  

Reading Different Forms of Media  

Reading Prose  

Reading Visuals  

Chapter 3:  Writing for Understanding   

The Writing Process  

Prewriting

              Brainstorming  

              Freewriting  

            Clustering  

            Deciding on Subject, Purpose, and Audience  

            Writing a Tentative Thesis Statement  

Writing  

              Developing Body Paragraphs  

              Organizing Your Ideas  

              Writing the Introduction, Conclusion, and Title  

Sample Student First Draft  

Rewriting  

              Revising  

              Editing   

Writing Different Forms of Media   

Chapter 4:  Working with Sources    

Finding Sources  

              Library Sources  

Evaluating Sources  

Using Sources in Your Writing  

              Types of Sources 

              Avoiding Plagiarism  

              Using Direct Quotations, Paraphrases, and Summaries   

              Introducing Your Sources  

Citing and Documenting Sources  

              MLA Citation Examples

Sample Student Works Cited

Chapter 5: Description

Introducing Description 

Discovering How Description Works 

Reading Descriptions 

Writing Descriptions 

            Choosing a Subject 

            Generating Details 

            Drafting a Thesis Statement 

            Producing a Draft 

Revising and Editing

Sample Student Essay 

Reviewing Description 

Essay:  "Raging Bulls," Timothy Lavin 

Blog:  "Officers Describe 9/11 in Memos," Susan Chun  

Essay:  “Longing to Die of Old Age,” Alice Walker 

Cartoon:  “The Ungooglable Man” Roz Chast 

Student Essay:  “She,”Matthew Brooks Treacy 

Vignette:  "Hey, Look," Simon Rich   

Essay:  “You Say God Is Dead,” Paul Vitello 

Chapter Writing Assignments 

Chapter 6: Narration 

Introducing Narration 

Discovering How Narration Works 

Reading Narrations 

Writing Narrations 

            Choosing a Subject 

            Generating Details 

            Drafting a Thesis Statement 

            Producing a Draft 

Revising and Editing 

Sample Student Essay 

Reviewing Narration 

Essay:  "Rumspringa," Tom Shachtman 

Cartoon:  “Academia,” David Sipress 

Essay:  “I Will Never Know Why,” Susan Klebold 

Photograph:  “Gas Station on Route 66,” Joseph Sohm 

Essay:  "After a Fall," Garrison Keillor 

Song:  "Down By the Old Mill Stream," Tell Taylor 

Essay:  "Only Daughter," Sandra Cisneros 

Chapter Writing Assignments

Chapter 7: Illustration

Introducing Illustration

Discovering How Illustration Works

Reading Illustration

Writing Illustration

            Choosing a Subject and Audience

            Generating Illustrations

            Drafting a Thesis Statement 

            Producing a Draft 

Revising and Editing

Sample Student Essay 

Reviewing Illustration

Essay:  "Body Piercing:  Stick It Where the Sun Don't Shine," Raquel Kirsch

YouTube Video:  "A Vision of Students Today," Michael Wesch

Essay:  "When Foster Teens Find a Home," Anita Hamilton

Blog:  "Study: How Twitter is Hurting Students," Geneva Reid

Essay:  "America's Food Crisis and How to Fix It," Bryan Walsh

Graph:  "A Bright Shining Slogan," Foreign Policy Magazine

Essay:  "The Multitasking Generation," Claudia Wallis

Chapter Writing Assignments

Chapter 8: Process Analysis

Introducing Process Analysis

Discovering How Process Analysis Works

Reading Process Analysis

Writing Process Analysis

            Choosing a Subject 

            Generating Details 

            Drafting a Thesis Statement 

            Producing a Draft 

Sample Student Essay 

Reviewing Process Analysis

Essay:  "How To Say Nothing in 500 Words," Paul Roberts

Photo:  “Assembling Furniture,” Alex Segre

Essay:  "6 Sneaky Ways Sales Spur Spending," Kit Yarrow

Website:  "wikiHow.com"

Essay:  "How Human Cloning Will Work," Kevin Bonsor and Cristen Conger

List:  "50 Ways to Help the Planet," www.wireandtwine.com

Essay:  "What Makes a Successful Business Person," Murray Raphel

Chapter Writing Assignments

Chapter 9: Division and Classification

Introducing Division and Classification

Discovering How Division and Classification Work

Reading Division and Classification

Writing Division and Classification

            Choosing a Subject 

            Generating Details 

            Drafting a Thesis Statement 

            Producing a Draft 

Sample Student Essay 

Reviewing Division/Classification

Student Essay:  “No Wonder They Call Me a Bitch,” Ann Hodgman

Website:  "World Clock," OI Partners

Essay:  "The 10 People You'll Find in Any Gym," Chris Sparling

Graph:  "The Real Threat to Americans," St. Pete for Peace Organization

Essay:  "The Truth About Lying," Judith Viorst

List:  "13 Job Interview Mistakes to Avoid," Nathan Newberger

Essay:  "A Peek Into the Future," David Colker

Chapter Writing Assignments

Chapter 10: Comparison and Contrast

Introducing Comparison and Contrast

Discovering How Comparison and Contrast Work

Reading with Comparison and Contrast

Writing with Comparison and Contrast

            Choosing a Subject 

            Generating Details 

            Drafting a Thesis Statement 

            Producing a Draft 

Revising and Editing

Sample Student Essay

Reviewing Comparison and Contrast

Essay:  "Grandma,” Erma Bombeck

Cartoon:  “Social Networking,” Mike Keefe

Essay:  "Indecent Exposure," Carla Power

Blog:  "Motion Gaming Review,” Robert Workman

Essay:  "Sex, Lies, and Conversation,” Deborah Tannen

Ads:  "Smoking Ads," Lucky Strike and New York Department of Health

Essay:  "How E-Books Will Change the Way We Read and Write," Lynn Neary

Chapter Writing Assignments

Chapter 11: Definition

Introducing Definition

Discovering How Definition Works

Reading Definitions

Writing Definition

            Choosing a Subject 

            Generating Details 

            Drafting a Thesis Statement 

            Producing a Draft 

Revising and Editing

Sample Student Essay

Reviewing Definition

Essay: " When Is It Rape?” Nancy Gibbs

Video:  "Augmented Reality: Coming to a Device Near You," Mark Sullivan

Essay:  "The Millennials,” Pew Research Center

Interview:  "Fans as Authors," Andres Salazar and Paul Martinez

Essay:  "The Art of the Handshake,” Tom Chiarella

Photo Essay:  "What Is a Sport?” Kim Flachmann and Michael Flachmann

Essay:  "You Wanna Take This Online?” Jeff Chu

Chapter Writing Assignments

Chapter 12: Cause and Effect

Introducing Cause and Effect 

               Remote and Immediate Causes

              Causal Chains

              Immediate and Ultimate Effects           

Discovering How Cause and Effect Works

Reading Cause and Effect

Writing Cause and Effect

            Choosing a Subject 

            Generating Details 

            Drafting a Thesis Statement 

            Producing a Draft 

Revising and Editing

Sample Student Essay

Reviewing Cause and Effect Analysis

Essay:  “What Evolutionary Psychology Says About Social Networking,” Michael Rogers

Cartoon:  “Read at Your Own Risk," Roz Chast

Essay:  “Black Men and Public Space,” Brent Staples

Graph:  “How High Will It Go?” The McKinsey Global Institute

Essay: “Does Thinking Make It So?” Erin O’Donnell

Interview: “On Reality TV, Less Sleep Means More Drama,” Joel Rose

Essay: “Skin Deep: Seeking Self-Esteem Through Surgery,” Camille Sweeney

Chapter Writing Assignments

Chapter 13: Argument

Introducing Argument

              Logical Appeals

              Emotional Appeals

              Ethical Appeals

              Differing Viewpoints and Common Ground

              The Appeals at Work

Discovering How Argument Works

Reading Arguments

Writing Arguments

            Choosing a Subject 

            Generating Details 

            Drafting a Thesis Statement 

            Producing a Draft 

Revising and Editing

Sample Student Essay 

Reviewing Argument

Essay:  "Is Google Making Us Stupid?" Nicholas Carr

Photograph:  "Watering Little Sprout," Kristy-Anne Glubish

Essay:  "Now You Take 'Bambi' or 'Snow White': That's Scary," Stephen King

Essay:  "Letter From Birmingham Jail, April 16, 1963," Martin Luther King, Jr.

Web Site: Center for Immigration Studies

Song:  “After You’ve Gone,” Turner Layton and Henry Creamer

Essay: "Depression in College Students," Alissa Steiner

Multiple Viewpoints:  Global Warming

Essay: "Public Opinion Stunner: WashPost-ABC Poll Finds Strong Support for Global Warming Reductions Despite Relentless Big Oil and Anti-Science Attacks," Daniel Weiss

Cartoon: “No Plastic Bags, Please,” R. J. Matson

Video:  "An Inconvenient Truth," Davis Guggenheim

Multiple Viewpoints:  Privacy Issues in Our Culture Today

Essay: "Online Privacy Fears are Real," Bob Sullivan

Ad: “Identity Theft,” Guard Dog Identity Solutions

Essay: “Privacy, Facebook and the Future of the Internet,” Marshall Kirkpatrick

Chapter Writing Assignments

Index and Glossary of Rhetorical Terms

Index of Authors and Titles