Synopses & Reviews
Written with the kind of supportive tone found in a writing workshop, this three-in-one rhetoric/reader/handbook puts students in control of developing their own writing processes by teaching them how to become astute critics and editors of their work. Now in full-color, the seventh edition of The Student Writer offers new chapters on research, enhanced coverage of visual rhetoric including a new appendix on document design, new and enhanced coverage of plagiarism, and more.
Synopsis
This modes-based rhetoric/reader/handbook teaches students how to become astute critics and editors of their own writing, offering new material on argumentation, applying the patterns of organization, writing about literature, visual argument, and ethics in writing.
Synopsis
This modes-based rhetoric/reader/handbook teaches students how to become astute critics and editors of their own writing, offering new material on argumentation, applying the patterns of organization, writing about literature, visual argument, and ethics in writing.
About the Author
McGraw-Hill authors represent the leading experts in their fields and are dedicated to improving the lives, careers, and interests of readers worldwide
Table of Contents
Part 1 Strategies for Reading and Writing
Chapter 1 The Connection between Reading and Writing Reading Analytically Step One: Preview the Material Step Two: Read Thoughtfully Determine the Authors Thesis Consider the Intended Audience and Purpose Distinguish between Facts and Opinions Make Inferences Make Connections Assess the Quality of Material Draw Conclusions Mark the Text Step Three: Review and Write for Retention A Sample Marked Text John Holt “School Is Bad for Children” Writing in Response to Reading Writing a Summary Howard Rohan “What John Holt Finds Wrong with Schools” Sharing Personal Reactions and Associations Susan Schantz “School Was Bad for Me” Evaluating an Authors Ideas Essays for Reading and Response Amy Tan “Democracy” Bill McKibben “The Environmental Issue from Hell” Analyzing Visual Content Analyzing Advertisements Analyzing Photographs Analyzing Charts and Graphs
Chapter 2 Getting Started
The Writing Process Six Areas of the Writing Process Choosing a Writing Topic Pay Attention to the World around You Freewrite Fill in the Blanks Narrow a Broad Topic Freewrite Write a List Consider the Patterns of Development Map Your Broad Topic Anthonys Essay in Progress: Discovering a Writing Topic Establishing Your Purpose Identifying and Assessing Your Audience Anthonys Essay in Progress: Establishing Purpose and Identifying and Assessing Audience Discovering Ideas to Develop Your Topic Freewrite Write a List Answer Questions Write a Map Write a Letter Investigate Sources Keep a Journal Working Collaboratively: Discovering Ideas Prewriting at the Computer Process Guidelines: Breaking Through Writers Block Developing a Preliminary Thesis The Qualities of an Effective Thesis Process Guidelines: How to Draft Your Preliminary Thesis Process Guidelines: The Sequence of Your Writing Process Anthonys Essay in Progress: Discovering Ideas and Developing a Preliminary Thesis Writing Assignment
Chapter 3 Organizing and Drafting
Process Guidelines: Evaluating Your Ideas Ordering Your Ideas Chronological Order Spatial Order Progressive Order Outlining The Formal Outline Outline Cards The Outline Worksheet The Outline Tree The Scratch Outline Process Guidelines: Outlining Anthonys Essay in Progress: Outlining Writing Your First Draft Structuring Your Essay Aaron Palumbo “Portrait of an Achiever” The Introduction Process Guidelines: Drafting Introductions Body Paragraphs Placement of the Topic Sentence The Implied Topic Sentence Qualities of an Effective Topic Sentence Effective Supporting Details When to Begin a New Paragraph Process Guidelines: Drafting Body Paragraphs The Conclusion Drafting the Title of Your Essay Drafting at the Computer Anthonys Essay in Progress: The First Draft Writing Assignment
Chapter 4 Revising for Content and Organization
Process Guidelines: Preparing to Revise Think like a Critic; Work like an Editor: Revising Content Think like a Critic; Work like an Editor: Revising Organization Achieving Coherence Use Transitions to Achieve Coherence Use Repetition to Achieve Coherence Use Transitions and Repetition to Achieve Coherence between Paragraphs Working Collaboratively: Revising with Reader Response Process Guidelines: Revising with Reader Response Process Guidelines: Breaking through Writers Block Revising at the Computer Anthonys Essay in Progress: Revising the First Draft
Chapter 5 Revising for Effective Expression
Think like a Critic; Work like an Editor: Revising Sentences Use Active Voice Use Coordination Use Subordination Achieve Sentence Variety Use Parallel Structure Think like a Critic; Work like an Editor: Revising Diction Use an Appropriate Level of Diction Use Words with an Appropriate Connotation Avoid Colloquial Language Use Specific Diction Use Simple Diction Use Gender-Neutral, Inoffensive Language Eliminate Wordiness Avoid Clichés Process Guidelines: Revising Sentences and Words Computer Tips for Revising Sentences and Words Anthonys Essay in Progress: The Final Draft
Part 2 Patterns of Development
Chapter 6 Description
Why Is Description Important? Occasions for Writing: Description across the Disciplines and Beyond Combining Description with Other Patterns Selecting Detail Focus Your Description with a Dominant Impression Determine Your Need for Objective and Subjective Description Use Concrete Sensory Detail Use Similes, Metaphors, and Personification Consider Your Purpose and Audience Be a Responsible Writer Organizing Description Visualizing a Descriptive Essay Learning from Other Writers: Student Essays Adell Lindsey “A Day at the Fair” Jerry Silberman “My First Flight” Think like a Critic; Work like an Editor: The Student Writer at Work Learning from Other Writers: Professional Essays James Tuite “The Sounds of the City” Lynn Sherr “Anguished Cries in a Place of Silence” Combining Patterns of Development Suzanne Berne “Where Nothing Says Everything” Organization Note: Short Paragraphs Description in an Image Suggestions for Writing Process Guidelines: Writing Description
Chapter 7 Narration
Why Is Narration Important? Occasions for Writing: Narration across the Disciplines and Beyond Combining Narration with Other Patterns Selecting Detail Answer the Journalists Questions Write Dialogue Describe a Person, Place, or Scene Tell Your Story for a Reason Consider Your Purpose and Audience Be a Responsible Writer Organizing Narration Visualizing a Narrative Essay Learning from Other Writers: Student Essays Donald J. Monaco “The Ball Game” Brian DeWolf “The Great Buffalo Hunt” Think like a Critic; Work like an Editor: The Student Writer at Work Learning from Other Writers: Professional Essays Paul Hemphill “The Girl in Gift Wrap” Maya Angelou “The Boys” Combining Patterns of Development Anwar Accawi “The Telephone” Punctuation Note: Parentheses Narration in an Image Suggestions for Writing Process Guidelines: Writing Narration
Chapter 8 Exemplification
Why Is Exemplification Important? Occasions for Writing: Exemplification across the Disciplines and Beyond Combining Exemplification with Other Patterns Selecting Detail Consider Examples from a Variety of Sources Use Description and Narration as Examples Use Hypothetical Examples Use the Right Number of Examples Consider Your Purpose and Audience Be a Responsible Writer Organizing Exemplification Visualizing an Exemplification Essay Learning from Other Writers: Student Essays Delilah Rawlins “Ocean of Tears” Ken Hamner “Lets Just Ban Everything” Student Essay with Research Thomas Baird “Media Stereotyping of Muslims as Terrorists” Think like a Critic; Work like an Editor: The Student Writer at Work Learning from Other Writers: Professional Essays Harold Krents “Darkness at Noon” Dawn Turner Trice “Shoddy Service” Combining Patterns of Development Harvey A. Silverglate and Greg Lukianoff “Speech Codes: Alive and Well at Colleges” Style Note: Sarcasm Exemplification in anl Image Suggestions for Writing Process Guidelines: Writing Exemplification
Chapter 9 Process Analysis
Why Is Process Analysis Important? Occasions for Writing: Process Analysis across the Disciplines and Beyond Combining Process Analysis with Other Patterns Selecting Detail Include All the Important Steps Explain How a Step is Performed Explain the Significance of a Step or Why It Is Performed Explain Trouble Spots and What Not to Do Mention Necessary Items and Define Unfamiliar Terms Include Examples and Description Use Visuals Consider Your Purpose and Audience Be a Responsible Writer Organizing a Process Analysis Visualizing a Process Analysis Essay Learning from Other Writers: Student Essays “A Visit to Candyland” Anthony Bello “Feng Shui in the Bedroom and Workplace” Think like a Critic; Work like an Editor: The Student Writer at Work Learning from Other Writers: Professional Essays Kirby W. Stanat “How to Take a Job Interview” Ben McGrath “Wicked Wind” Combining Patterns of Development Eric L. Wee “Annie Smith Swept Here” Style Note: Point of View Process Analysis in an Image Suggestions for Writing Process Guidelines: Writing Process Analysis
Chapter 10 Comparison-Contrast
Why Is Comparison-Contrast Important? Occasions for Writing: Comparison-Contrast across the Disciplines and Beyond Combining Comparison-Contrast with Other Patterns Selecting Detail Include Enough Points of Comparison and Contrast Draw on Other Patterns to Explain Points of Comparison and Contrast Maintain Balance between the Points Discussed Consider Your Audience and Purpose Be a Responsible Writer Organizing Comparison-Contrast Visualizing a Comparison-Contrast Essay Learning from Other Writers: Student Essays Gus Spirtos “The Human and the Superhuman: Two Very Different Heroes” Maria Scarsella “Like Mother like Daughter” Think like a Critic; Work like an Editor: The Student Writer at Work Learning from Other Writers: Professional Essays Rachel Carson “A Fable for Tomorrow” Suzanne Britt “That Lean and Hungry Look” Combining Patterns of Development James Poniewozik “This Is Your Nation on Steroids” Development Note: Dialogue Comparison-Contrast in anImage Suggestions for Writing Process Guidelines: Writing Comparison-Contrast
Chapter 11 Cause-and-Effect Analysis
Why Is Cause-and-Effect Analysis Important? Occasions for Writing: Cause-and-Effect Analysis across the Disciplines and Beyond Combining Cause-and-Effect Analysis with Other Patterns Selecting Detail Report Multiple Causes and Effects Identify Underlying Causes and Effects Prove That Something Is a Cause or Effect Identify Immediate and Remote Causes Reproduce Causal Chains Explain Why Something Is or Is Not a Cause or an Effect Consider Your Audience and Purpose Be a Responsible Writer Organizing Cause-and-Effect Analysis Visualizing Cause-and-Effect Analysis Learning from Other Writers: Student Essays Cammie Bullock “Mom, Theres a Coyote in the Backyard!” John Selzer “Athletes on Drugs: Its Not So Hard to Understand” Think like a Critic; Work like an Editor: The Student Writer at Work Learning from Other Writers: Professional Essays Anne Roiphe “Why Marriages Fail” Suzanne Sievert “Its Not Just How We Play That Matters” Combining Patterns of Development Jay Walljasper “Our Schedules, Ourselves” Diction Note: Specific Diction Cause-and-Effect Analysis in an Image Suggestions for Writing Process Guidelines: Writing Cause-and-Effect Analysis
Chapter 12 Definition
Why Is Definition Important? Occasions for Writing: Definition across the Disciplines and Beyond Combining Definition with Other Patterns Selecting Detail Write a Stipulative Definition Draw on Other Patterns of Development Compare or Contrast the Term with Related Words Explain What Your Term Is Not Consider Your Audience and Purpose Be a Responsible Writer Organizing Definition Visualizing a Definition Essay Learning from Other Writers: Student Essays Maria Lopez “Parenthood: Dont Count on Sleeping until They Move Out” Melissa Greco “What Is Writers Block” Think like a Critic; Work like an Editor: The Student Writer at Work Learning from Other Writers: Professional Essays Nicholas Thompson “Hero Inflation” Margo Kaufman “My Way!” Combining Patterns of Development Dave Barry “The Pajama Game” Development Note: Questions Definition in an Image Suggestions for Writing Process Guidelines for Writing Definition
Chapter 13 Classification and Division
Why Are Classification and Division Important? Occasions for Writing: Definition across the Disciplines and Beyond Combining Classification and Division with Other Patterns Selecting Detail Have a Principle of Classification or Division Be Sure All Categories or Components Conform to Your Principle of Classification or Division Use Mutually Exclusive Categories Explain Each Category or Component Consider Your Audience and Purpose Be a Responsible Writer Organizing Classification and Division Visualizing Classification and Division Learning from Other Writers: Student Essays Anita Selfe “Grocery Shoppers” Ray Harkleroad “Horror Movies” Think like a Critic; Work like an Editor: The Student Writer at Work Learning from Other Writers: Professional Essays Russell Baker “The Plot Against People” Judith Viorst “The Truth about Lying” Kesaya E. Noda “Growing Up Asian in America” Combining Patterns of Development Martin Luther King, Jr. “The Ways of Meeting Oppression” Punctuation Note: The Dash Division in an Image Suggestions for Writing Process Guidelines: Writing Classification and Division
Chapter 14 Combining Patterns of Development
Why Is Combining Patterns Important? Occasions for Writing: Combining Patterns across the Disciplines and Beyond Combining Classification and Division with Other Patterns Selecting and Organizing Detail Learning from Another Writer: A Student Essay Cindy Apostolos “The Many Ways to Watch a Show” Learning from Other Writers: Professional Essays Julia Alvarez “Hold the Mayonnaise” Angie Cannon and Vince Beiser “Juvenile Injustice” Peg Tyre “Boy Brains, Girl Brains” Development Note: Quoting Authorities Combining Patterns in an Image Suggestions for Writing Process Guidelines: Combining Patterns
Part Three Using the Patterns of Development
Chapter 15 Argumentation
Why Is Argumentation Important? Occasions for Writing: Argumentation across the Disciplines and Beyond Finding an Issue and Establishing Your Claim Consider Your Audience and Purpose Kinds of Support Logical Appeals Sources of Reasons and Evidence Inductive and Deductive Reasoning Avoiding Logical Fallacies Emotional Appeals Ethical Appeals Raising and Countering Objections Creating Goodwill Using the Patterns of Development Be a Responsible Writer Organizing an Argument Essay Visualizing an Argument Essay Learning from Other Writers: Student Essays Michael Weiss “Its Just Too Easy” Cheryl Sateri “Whats for Lunch? Fast Food in the Public Schools" Student Essay with Research Mary E. Fischer “Should Obscene Art Be Funded by the Government?” Think like a Critic; Work like an Editor: The Student Writer at Work Learning from Other Writers: Professional Essays Wayne M. Joseph “Why I Dread Black History Month” John McCain “Tortures Terrible Toll” Alan M. Dershowitz “The Case for Torture Warrants” Style Note: Emphasis Argumentation in an Image Suggestions for Writing Process Guidelines: Writing Argumentation
Chapter 16 Conducting Research [TENTATIVE CONTENTS]
When to Research The Research Process Choose a Broad Research Paper Topic Narrow Your Topic Understand Your Purpose Understand the Terms of the Assignment Use Strategies for Narrowing a Topic Skim Source Materials Draft a Preliminary Thesis Locate Sources Consider the Kind of Information You Need Use the Catalog to Locate Books Use Reference Works Use Indexes to Locate Periodical Material Search the Internet Do Field Research Compile a Working Bibliography Evaluate Your Sources Take Notes Reconsider Your Preliminary Thesis
Chapter 17 Writing with Sources [TENTATIVE CONTENTS]
Outline Write Your First Draft Document Source Material What to Document How To Document Source Material Introducing Source Material Writing Parenthetical Text Citations Writing the Works Cited Page* Using APA Documentation How to Avoid Plagiarism Learning from Other Writers: A Student Research Paper Julie Cooper “Genetically Modified Food: Watching What We Eat”
Chapter 18 Assessment: Assembling a Writing Portfolio and Writing Essay Examination Answers
The Writing Portfolio The Purposes of a Writing Portfolio How To Assemble Your Portfolio What to Include in a Self-Reflection Essay Essay Examination Answers Process Guidelines: Writing Essay Examination Answers Strategies for Reducing Anxiety A Sample Essay Examination Answer
Chapter 19 Writing about Literature
How to Read Literature How to Write about Literature Learning from Other Writers: A Student Essay with Research Michael Hambuchen “Symbol and Theme in ‘Coca Cola and Coca Frio “ A Short Story and Poem for Response Saki (H.H. Munro) “The Open Window” John Heaviside “A Gathering of Deafs”
Part Four A Guide to Frequently Occurring Errors
Chapter 20 Word Choice
Troublesome Phrasings Phrasings That Announce Your Intent Unnecessary or Faulty Modifiers Faulty Synonyms Etc. Faulty Grammar and Usage ESL Note: Idioms Double Negatives (dn) Frequently Confused Words
Chapter 21 Sentence Fragments
Finding Sentence Fragments Correcting Sentence Fragments ESL Note: The Past Participe and Passive Voice
Chapter 22 Run-On Sentences and Comma Splices
Finding Run-on Sentences and Comma Splices Correcting Run-on Sentences and Comma Splices ESL Note: Commas and Main Clauses
Chapter 23 Verbs
Verb Forms: Regular and Irregular Verbs ESL Note: Incorrect Use of –D and –ED Endings ESL Note: Use of Am with the Present Participle Irregular Verb Forms Verb Forms: Be ESL Note: Use of Has and Have with Been -S and –ES Forms -D and ED Forms Subject-Verb Agreement Compound Subjects Subject and Verb Separated Inverted Order Indefinite Pronouns Collective Nouns Relative Pronouns ESL Note: Singular Verbs and Noncount Nouns Tense Shifts Voice Shifts
Chapter 24 Pronouns
Pronoun-Antecedent Agreement Compound Subjects Collective Nouns Indefinite Pronouns Gender-Neutral Pronouns Pronoun Reference Ambiguous Reference Unstated Reference Person Shifts Reflexive and Intensive Pronouns Pronoun Case Pronouns in Compounds Pronouns after Forms of To Be Pronouns in Comparisons Pronouns Followed by Nouns Who, Whoever, Whom, and Whomever ESL Note: Pronoun Reference and Who, Whom, Which, or That
Chapter 25 Modifiers
Adjectives and Adverbs Comparative and Superlative Forms of Adjectives and Adverbs ESL Note: A, An, and The Dangling Modifiers Misplaced Modifiers
Chapter 26 Punctuation
The Comma Commas with Items in a Series Commas with Introductory Elements Commas to Set Off Nouns of Direct Address Commas with Nonessential Elements Commas with Interrupters Commas with Main Clauses Commas between Coordinate Modifiers, Commas for Clarity, and Commas to Separate Contrasting Elements When Not to Use a Comma The Semicolon The Colon The Dash Parentheses The Apostrophe The Apostrophe to Show Possession The Apostrophe to Indicate Missing Letters or Numbers and for Some Plurals ESL Note: Its and Its Quotation Marks The Ellipsis Mark Brackets Italics and Underlining
Chapter 27 Capitalization, Spelling, Abbreviations, and Numbers
Capitalization ESL Note: Capitalization Spelling ESL Note: Spelling The Hyphen Abbreviations and Numbers
Appendix: The Parts of Speech
Revising and Editing Reference Guide Revising and Editing Symbols