New readings are marked with an asterisk.
I. STRATEGIES FOR THE WRITING PROCESS. Why Write?
How Does Writing Happen?
Stages in the Writing Process.
Writing and Reading.
Computers and Writing.
1. Invention: Finding Something to Say.
Finding Topics.
Keeping a Writer's Notebook.
Interest Inventory.
Computer Tip.
Writing about an Assigned Topic.
Exploring Topics.
Brainstorming.
Computer Tip.
Freewriting.
Computer Tip.
Clustering.
Visualizing.
Asking Questions.
Writing Strategy: Questions for Analysis.
Application: The Fuzzwort Refining Company.
Computer tip.
Finding Information.
Researching Information on the World Wide Web.
Sample Student Process–Prewriting.
From Inventing to Drafting.
2. Shaping an Essay.
Initial Shaping Strategies.
Writing for a Reader.
Focus Statements.
Sample Student Process–Discovery Draft.
Developing an Essay's Structure.
Shaping Strategies.
Elements of an Essay.
Writing a Thesis Sentence.
Writing Strategy: When Should You Write a Thesis?
Introductions.
Writing Strategy: When Should You Write an Introduction?
Paragraphs–Topic Sentences.
Paragraphs–Cohesion.
Writing Strategy: Principles of Paragraph Development.
Writing Strategy: One Page, One Paragraph.
Conclusions.
Writing Strategy: Beating the Dreaded Writer's Block.
3. Revising.
Computer Tip: Adding, Deleting, and Moving Texts Around.
Revising Strategies.
Getting Distance.
Revising for Meaning (Global).
Revising for Audience (Global).
Revising for Structure (Global).
Computer tip.
Revising for Words (Local).
Revising for Sentences (Local).
Peer Review (Global and Local).
Writer's Notebook: Responding to Readers' Comments.
Editing Strategies.
Computer Tip.
Self-Evaluation.
Sample Student Process–Revision.
Marisol Vargas, MIrror Image.
Writing Strategy: Revision Tips.
4. Responding to Readings.
Sample Reading.
Lee Abbott, The True Story of Why I Do What I Do.
Reading Strategies.
Before You Read.
Writing strategy: The Time it Takes.
While You Read.
Writing strategy: On Paraphrasing.
After You Have Read.
Writers Notebook: Dialogue Notes.
Reading Notes.
Class Notes.
Dialogue Notes.
*Writing a Summary.
Writing Strategy: Checklist for Writing a Summary.
Writing a Response.
*Sample Student Essay: Summary and Response.
*Christian Clark, Emotion and the Death Penalty: An Analysis of Jaclyn Talbert's “Justice for Those Who Have Shown Us No Mercy.”
II. WRITING OCCASIONS. Aims of Discourse.
Modes of Discourse.
Wedding Aim and Mode.
Classifying Occasions.
5. Personal Essays.
Sample Essays.
Datus Proper, Dark Hollow.
*Judith Ortiz Cofer, The Myth of the Latin Woman: I Just Met a Girl Named Maria.
Charles McNair, My Father's Cabin.
Ali Duffey, The Dance.
The Rhetorical Triangle.
Writer.
Subject.
Reader.
Distinguishing Features of Personal Essays.
Conflict.
Dialogue.
Vivid Detail.
Assignment and Guidelines for Writing.
Assignment.
Choosing a Topic.
Collecting Information.
Focus Statement.
Planning Your Essay's Structure.
Refining Your Writing.
Sample Student Process.
Chris Miller, Gringos on Safari.
Checklist: Critiquing a Personal Essay.
6. Information Essays.
Sample Essays.
Elisabeth Kubler-Ross, On the Fear of Dying.
*Suzanne Smalley, The Perfect Crime.
*Jay Chiat, Illusions are Forever.
*Arthur Rosenfelf, Should Anyone Have to Live in Pain?
Gloria Naylor, Mommy, What Does "Nigger" Mean?
Michel Marriott, Rap's Embrace of "Nigger" Fires Bitter Debate.
Kelly McGinley, Investing in Your Future.
The Rhetorical Triangle.
Subject.
Writer.
Reader.
Distinguishing Features of Information Essays.
Reader's Knowledge.
Clarity.
Assignment and Guidelines for Writing.
Assignment.
Choosing a Topic.
Collecting Information.
Focus Statement.
Planning Your Essay's Structure.
Meir Shalev, If Bosnian's Were Whales.
Thesis Statement.
Refining Your Writing.
Sample Student Process.
Michael Graham, All in a Day's Work: Generalizing, Profiling, and Stereotyping.
Checklist: Critiquing an Information Essay.
7. Essays About and From Literature.
Sample Stories, Poems, and Nonfiction Prose.
Joyce Carol Oates, Shopping.
Antonya Nelson, In the Land of Men.
Kate Chopin, The Story of an Hour.
Robert Frost, For Once, Then, Something.
*Margaret Atwood, Spelling.
Sherman Alexie, That Place Where Ghosts of Salmon Jump.
Sherman Alexie, The Powwow at the End of the World.
Paul Ruffin, Through with Putting in the Seed.
Sample Student Essays.
*Kendra Stead, The Making of Spells.
Jessica Lynn Edwards, The Price of Freedom.
Kendra Stead, No Exceptions.
The Rhetorical Triangle.
Subject.
Writer.
Reader.
Distinguishing Features of Interpretive Essays.
Interpretation.
Theme.
Thesis and Support.
Beyond Summary.
Citing Sources.
Assignment and Guidelines for Writing.
Assignment.
Writing About Literature.
Collecting Information.
Focus Statement.
Planning Your Essay's Structure.
Refining Your Writing.
Writing From Literature.
Collecting Information.
Focus Statement.
Planning Your Essay's Structure.
Refining Your Writing.
Sample Student Process.
Kristina Geray, "How Exhausting It Is" to Keep Up Appearences.
Checklist: Critiquing an Essay About Literature.
Checklist: Critiquing an Essay From Literature.
8. Evaluation Essays.
Sample Essays.
Ellen Goodman, Beauty Industry on Rampage.
*Kate Rounds, Tying the Score.
Bill Bridges, “No Thanks"–A Step Beyond "Just Say No.”
*Jennifer Pitman, Booze It? Lose It! An Evaluation of North Carolina's Drunk Driving Laws .
Michelle Lebsock, Gillian Welch: Music's "Next Big Thing.”
The Rhetorical Triangle.
Subject.
Writer.
Reader.
Distinguishing Features of Evaluation Essays.
Evaluation Criteria.
Lou Jacobs, What Qualities Does a Good Photograph Have?
Writer's Judgment.
“Because” Support.
Assignment and Guidelines for Writing.
Assignment.
Choosing a Topic.
Collecting Information.
Focus Statement.
Planning Your Essay's Structure.
Thesis Statement.
Sample Structure.
Refining Your Writing.
An Exercise in Evaluation and The Internet.
Using Search Engines.
Evaluating a Website.
Evaluating a Counterpoint.
*Portfolio Evaluation.
Putting the Reflection in Your Reflective Essay.
Sample Portfolio Assignments.
Sample Reflective Essays.
Jacqueline Cotter, Getting It Right: Fitting Message to Audience.
Steve Duran, Steve Wants an A.
Sample Student Process.
Bridget McCollam, Adult Audiences Only.
Checklist: Critiquing an Evaluation Essay
9. Position Essays.
Sample Essays.
Julie Townsend, “Legal" Adults.
Janice Rieman, Drinking Under Twenty-one: It's Time to End the Debate.
Jerry Z. Muller, The Conservative Case for Abortion.
Susan Jacoby, Common Decency.
*Jennifer Pitman, Euthenasia and the Right to Die.
The Rhetorical Triangle.
Reader.
Subject.
Writer.
Distinguishing Features of Position Essays.
Logical Arguments.
Ethical Stance.
Assignment and Guidelines for Writing.
Assignment.
Choosing a Topic.
Collecting Information.
Focus Statement.
Planning Your Essay's Structure.
Thesis Statement.
Checking for Logical Fallacies.
Refining Your Writing.
Sample Student Process.
*Heather Hall, The Next Big Winner Is...!
Checklist: Critiquing a Position Essay.
10. Persuasion Essays.
Sample Essays.
*H.L. Mencken, The Uplifters Try It Again.
*Molly Ivins, Ban the Things, Ban Them All.
Michael R. Heaphy, Dismemberment and Choice.
Camille Paglia, Rape and Modern Sex Wars.
Public Statement by Eight Alabama Clergymen.
Martin Luther King, Jr., Letter from Birmingham Jail.
Jaime Sherrill, Zero Tolerence for Abuse.
Jaclyn Talbert, Justice for Those Who Have Shown Us No Mercy.
The Rhetorical Triangle.
Reader.
Subject.
Writer.
Distinguishing Features of Persuasion Essays.
Emotional Appeal.
Ethical Persuasion.
Persuasive Language.
Assignment and Guidelines for Writing.
Assignment.
Choosing a Topic.
Collecting Information.
Focus Statement.
Planning Your Essay's Structure.
Thesis Statement.
Refining Your Writing.
Web Assignment.
Assignment.
Discussion.
Sample Student Process.
Alysia Tucker, No More.
Checklist: Critiquing a Persuasion Essay.
11. Problem/Solution Essays.
Sample Essays.
Robert Heilbroner, Don't Let Stereotypes Warp Your Judgement.
*Luke Metzger, Polluting the Brazos, Sullying Texas' Soul.
Julie Titone, Balance of Power: Can Endangered Salmon and Hydroelectric Plants Share the Same Rivers?
Andrew Overton, Change.
The Rhetorical Triangle.
Reader.
Subject.
Writer.
Distinguishing Features of Problem/Solution Essays.
Well-Defined Problem.
Thorough Exploration of the Problem.
Best Solution.
Assignment and Guidelines for Writing.
Assignment.
Choosing a Topic.
Collecting Information.
Focus Statement.
Planning Your Essay's Structure.
Thesis Statement.
Refining Your Writing.
Sample Student Process.
Kristina Geray, The Pet Overpopulation Problem.
Checklist: Critiquing a Problem/Solution Essay
III. RESEARCH. 12. Researching and Writing.
Writing Strategy: Research Notebook.
Topic Selection.
Searching a Topic.
Sources of Information.
Library Search.
Computer tip: Sample Listing of CD-ROM Databases.
Field Search.
Internet Search.
Computer tip: Research Tool.
Computer tip: More Useful Internet Sites.
Incorporating Material from Sources.
Documenting Information.
Initial Bibliography.
Final Bibliography.
Citations.
Writing Assignment.
Sample Student Process.
Gardiner Rhoderick, Yes, It's Graffiti, but Is It Art?
Checklist: Critiquing a Research Essay.
IV. SPECIAL PRESENTATIONS. Writing and Speaking.
Writing and Assessing.
Writing and Speaking beyond This Course.
13. Oral Presentations.
Using Writing to Support Public Speaking.
Prewriting.
Preparing to Address an Audience.
Focus Statement and Discovery Draft.
Subsequent and Final Drafts.
Organizing and Constructing Your Speech.
The Speech Outline.
Making Your Speech Flow.
Parts of a Speech.
Speech Delivery.
Vocal Delivery.
Physical Delivery.
Visual and Aural Aids.
Communication Apprehension.
Controlling Communication Apprehension.
Evaluation Criteria.
Introduction.
Organization.
Language.
Nonverbal Communication.
Enthusiasm and Sincerity.
Delivery.
Conclusion.
14. Essay Examinations.
Packaging the Process.
Writing Strategy: Summary of the Essay-Exam Process.
Planning Your Essay's Content.
Summary.
Synthesis.
Evaluation.
Interpretation.
Planning Your Essay's Structure.
Overlapping Terminologies.
Essays That Ask for Practical Applications.
Planning Sample Essays.
Writing Strategy: Planning Essay-Exam Answers.
Additional Sample Essays.
V. PREPARING FOR PUBLICATION. Basic Grammar.
Parts of Speech.
Semantic Categories.
Function Categories.
Phrases and Modification.
Modifiers.
Types of Phrases.
Sentence Functions.
Modifiers.
Types of Phrases.
Sentence Functions.
Subjects.
Predicate Nominatives.
Direct Objects.
Indirect Objects.
Secondary Objects.
Objects of Prepositions.
Substantives.
Sentence Types.
Simple Sentences.
Complex Sentences.
Compound Sentences.
Compound-Complex Sentences.
Local Revisions.
Writing Versus Speech.
Phatic Language.
Cliches.
Redundancy.
Writing Style.
Sentences.
Diction.
Common Grammatical Problems.
Problems with Sentences.
Problems with Verbs.
Problems with Pronouns.
Problems with Modifiers.
Common Usage Problems.
Punctuation, Spelling, and Manuscript Mechanics.
End Punctuation.
Punctuation within Sentences.
Spelling.
Manuscript Mechanics.
Capitalization.
Abbreviations.
Numbers.
Italics.
Hyphens.
Literary Credits.
Index.