Strategies for successful writing : a rhetoric, research guide, reader, and handbook

Written in a clear, engaging style, this 4-in-1 volume combines four books--a rhetoric, a research guide, a reader, and a handbook--into one convenient learning/reference tool. The "Rhetoric" section presents a full range of writing strategies, along with chapters on paragraphs, sentences, style, and three specialized types of writing, and in-depth chapters on planning and drafting, as well as revising and editing a paper. The "Research Guide" section includes three comprehensive chapters on the research process. The "Reader" section contains forty-four essays that illustrate the different writing strategies and display a wide variety of styles, tones, and themes. The "Handbook" section offers easy access to the major elements of grammar, punctuation, and mechanics, and includes a unit on spelling and a glossary of word usage. (The book is available in an alternate version--without the "Handbook" section.) For anyone wanting an all-in-one resource for learning or reviewing rhetorical writing strategies.

Amy GrossGail BartlettRebecca MutchKathy PetroskiJanice CarltonClarence DeLongClaire Mutter

Preface	p. xiii
To the Student	p. xx
Rhetoric	p. 1
1 Writing: A First Look	p. 3
The Purposes of Writing	p. 4
The Audience for Your Writing	p. 6
The Qualities of Good Writing	p. 10
Writing and Ethics	p. 10
2 Strategies for Successful Reading	p. 13
Orienting Your Reading	p. 13
A First Reading	p. 14
Additional Readings	p. 15
Mastering Reading Problems	p. 17
Reading to Critique	p. 18
Reading As a Writer	p. 18
The Appeal of the Androgynous Man	p. 20
Writing About What You Read	p. 22
3 Planning and Drafting Your Paper	p. 26
Understanding the Assignment	p. 27
Zeroing In on a Topic	p. 27
Gathering Information	p. 34
Organizing the Information	p. 36
Developing a Thesis Statement	p. 39
Writing the First Draft	p. 42
Planning and Drafting with a Word Processor	p. 45
4 Revising and Editing Your Paper	p. 47
Preparing to Revise	p. 48
Considering the Whole Essay	p. 48
Strengthening Paragraph Structure and Development	p. 54
Sharpening Sentences and Words	p. 55
Proofreading Your Draft	p. 57
Writing the Introduction and Conclusion	p. 57
Selecting a Title	p. 57
Revising with a Computer	p. 60
Peer Evaluation of Drafts	p. 61
Collaborative Writing	p. 67
Maintaining and Reviewing a Portfolio	p. 68
5 Narration: Relating Events	p. 70
Purpose	p. 71
Action	p. 71
Conflict	p. 72
Point of View	p. 73
Key Events	p. 74
Dialogue	p. 75
Ethical Issues	p. 76
Writing a Narrative	p. 77
Sample Student Essay of Narration: The Beach Bum	p. 78
CriticalEdge	p. 82
6 Description: Presenting Impressions	p. 84
Purpose	p. 85
Sensory Impressions	p. 85
Dominant Impression	p. 87
Vantage Point	p. 87
Selection of Details	p. 89
Arrangement of Details	p. 90
Ethical Issues	p. 90
Writing a Description	p. 91
Sample Student Essay of Description: The Big One	p. 93
Critical Edge	p. 95
7 Process Analysis: Explaining How	p. 97
Kinds of Process Analysis Papers	p. 98
Ethical Issues	p. 100
Writing a Process Analysis	p. 100
Sample Student Essay of Process Analysis: The ABCs of CPR	p. 104
Critical Edge	p. 107
8 Illustration: Making Yourself Clear	p. 109
Selecting Appropriate Examples	p. 110
Number of Examples	p. 110
Organizing the Examples	p. 111
Ethical Issues	p. 112
Writing an Illustration	p. 112
Sample Student Essay of Illustration: If It Is Worth Doing	p. 114
Critical Edge	p. 117
9 Classification: Grouping into Categories	p. 119
Selecting Categories	p. 120
Number of Categories	p. 122
Developing Categories	p. 122
Ethical Issues	p. 123
Writing a Classification	p. 124
Sample Student Essay of Classification: Undesirable Produce Market Customers	p. 125
Critical Edge	p. 127
10 Comparison: Showing Relationships	p. 129
Selecting Items for Comparison	p. 130
Developing a Comparison	p. 131
Organizing a Comparison	p. 132
Using Analogy	p. 133
Ethical Issues	p. 134
Writing a Comparison	p. 135
Sample Student Essay of Comparison: Different Shifts, Different Actions	p. 136
Critical Edge	p. 139
11 Cause and Effect: Explaining Why	p. 141
Patterns in Causal Analysis	p. 141
Reasoning Errors in Causal Analysis	p. 144
Ethical Issues	p. 146
Writing a Causal Analysis	p. 146
Sample Student Essay of Cause and Effect: Why Students Drop Out of CollegeDiann Fish

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