CONTENTS SECTION 1. THE WRITING PROCESS 1 A. Overview of the Writing Process 2 Thinking about Your Composing Process 2 Exercise 1.1: Thinking about Composing 2 Exercise 1.2: Reflecting on the Composing Process 3 Stages of the Writing Process 3 Understanding the Assignment 4 Thinking about Audience 4 Generating Ideas 5 Organizing and Outlining Ideas 5 Drafting 6 Revising 6 Editing 6 B. Understanding Writing Assignments 7 Key Words in Assignments 7 Exercise 1.3: Identifying Key Words in Writing 10 Assignments C. Thinking about Audience 11 Content 11 Style 12 D. Generating Ideas 12 Idea-Generating Techniques: Points to Consider 12 Exercise 1.4: Generating Ideas 18 SECTION 2. ESSAY STRUCTURE 19 A. Shaping a Paragraph 20 Topic Sentences 20 Exercise 2.1: Topic and Comment 21 Development Sentences 21 Exercise 2.2: Topic and Development Sentences 22 ix
x Contents B. Shaping an Essay 22 General Structure 23 Introductory Paragraph(s) 24 Development Paragraphs 25 Concluding Paragraph(s) 27 Order of Information 28 Exercise 2.3: Ordering Information 30 Organizational Patterns 31 Combining Patterns of Organization 32 Exercise 2.4: Key Words and Organizational 33 Patterns in Writing Assignments Paragraph Development Techniques 34 Exercise 2.5: Writing Descriptive Sentences 36 Exercise 2.6: Description: Similes and Metaphors 38 Exercise 2.7: Writing Definitions 44 Exercise 2.8: Writing Example Sentences 46 Exercise 2.9: Using Examples in a Paragraph 48 Unity and Coherence 48 Transitions 49 Exercise 2.10: Transition Words and Phrases 50 C. Re-Reading and Revising the Essay 52 D. A 10-Step Guide to the Writing Process 54 E. Sample Essay 55 SECTION 3. PATTERNS OF ESSAY ORGANIZATION 61 A. Narrative Essay 62 Exercise 3.1: Connecting Ideas in Narrative Writing 64 Ordering Events: Using When and While 65 Verb Tense Consistency in Narrative Writing 66 Example Essay: Narrative 66 B. Process Essay 68 Exercise 3.2: Connecting Ideas to Describe a Process 70 Example Essay: Explaining a Process 71
Contents xi C. Comparison/Contrast Essay 72 Exercise 3.3: Expressing Comparison or Contrast 78 Example Essay: Comparison and Contrast 79 D. Cause-and-Effect Essay 81 Exercise 3.4: Creating a Cause-and-Effect Paragraph 84 Example Essay: Cause and Effect 84 E. Argument Essay 86 How to Construct a Logical Argument 87 Exercise 3.5: Expressing Arguments 91 Example Essay: Argument 92 F. Combining Patterns of Organization 94 Example Essay with Combined Patterns 94 SECTION 4. RESEARCH PAPER 103 A. Choosing a Topic 104 Important Terms 105 B. Finding Sources 105 Where to Find Sources 105 Types of Sources 106 Evaluating Sources 107 Exercise 4.1: Evaluating Sources 109 C. Taking Notes 110 Guidelines for Taking Notes 111 D. Summarizing, Paraphrasing, and Using 112 Quotations Tips for Paraphrasing 113 Paraphrased Summary Example 115 Plagiarism 116 Exercise 4.2: Recognizing Plagiarism of Language 118 E. Outlining 120 F. Writing Thesis Statements 121 Exercise 4.3: Thesis Statements: Argument 123 or Report?
xii Contents G. Writing Complete Drafts 124 Structure 124 Abstract 124 Introduction 125 Body 125 Conclusion 126 Transitions and Headings 126 Integrating Sources 126 Reporting Verbs 127 Citing Sources 128 H. Proofreading 128 I. Citation Style Guides 129 J. APA Style: References, Format, and Sample Paper 130 Exercise 4.4: APA References: Correcting Errors 132 APA Format for Student Research Paper 134 APA Sample Student Research Paper 135 K. MLA Style: Works Cited, Format, and 146 Sample Paper Exercise 4.5: MLA Works Cited: Correcting Errors 149 What s New in MLA, 8th Edition? 151 MLA Format for Student Research Paper 152 MLA Sample Student Research Paper 153 SECTION 5. GRAMMAR AND STYLE 167 AT WORD LEVEL 168 A. Word Form 168 Exercise 5.1: Recognizing Word Form Errors 168 B. Articles 169 Count and Non-Count Nouns 170 Nouns with General Reference 170 Nouns with Definite Reference 171 Nouns Using Zero (No) Article 172 Exercise 5.2: Using Articles 173
Contents xiii C. Prepositions 174 Exercise 5.3: Using Appropriate Prepositions 175 D. Word Choice in Formal Writing Style 176 Exercise 5.4: Using More Specific Words 177 Exercise 5.5: Using More Formal Words 177 E. Reference Words: Pronouns and Synonyms 178 Using Pronouns to Avoid Repeating Nouns 178 Using Demonstrative Pronouns to Avoid Repeating 179 an Entire Phrase Using Synonyms for Reference 179 Exercise 5.6: Using Reference Words to 180 Avoid Repetition F. Reducing Wordiness 181 Exercise 5.7: Reducing Wordiness 182 AT SENTENCE LEVEL 184 G. Parts of a Sentence 184 Clauses 184 Exercise 5.8: Identifying Independent 185 and Dependent Clauses Phrases 186 H. Subject-Verb Agreement 187 Exercise 5.9: Practicing Subject-Verb Agreement 189 I. Run-On Sentences and Sentence Fragments 190 Run-On Sentences 190 Sentence Fragments 191 Exercise 5.10: Correcting Run-On Sentences 192 Exercise 5.11: Correcting Sentence Fragments 192 J. Comma Splice 193 Exercise 5.12: Recognizing Comma Splices 194
xiv Contents K. Adjective Clauses 195 Identifying Adjective Clauses 195 Non-Identifying Adjective Clauses 196 Exercise 5.13: Comma Use in Adjective Clauses 197 L. Parallel Structure 198 Exercise 5.14: Creating Parallel Structures 199 M. Sentence Combining 200 Exercise 5.15: Combining Sentences 203 with Subordinators N. Sentence Variety 205 Varying the Positions of Modifiers 205 Changing Emphasis with a Divided Sentence 206 Example Paragraph and Revision 207 SECTION 6. PUNCTUATION 209 A. Period 210 End of Sentence 210 Exercise 6.1: Period at End of Sentence 211 Decimals 211 Exercise 6.2: Period with Decimals 211 B. Question Mark 212 Exercise 6.3: Question Mark and Period 212 C. Exclamation Point 213 Exercise 6.4: Exclamation Point 213 D. Comma 214 After Introductory or Transitional Words or Phrases 214 Exercise 6.5: Comma with Introductory or 214 Transitional Words or Phrases After Introductory Clauses 215 Exercise 6.6: Comma after Introductory Clauses 215 Before Conjunctions 216 Exercise 6.7: Comma before Conjunctions 216 In Lists of Words, Phrases, or Clauses 217 Exercise 6.8: Comma with Lists of Words, Phrases, 217 or Clauses
Contents xv With Coordinate Adjectives 218 Exercise 6.9: Comma with Coordinate Adjectives 218 With Quotations 219 Exercise 6.10: Comma with Quotations 219 With Some Abbreviations 220 Exercise 6.11: Comma with Abbreviations 221 With Interrupting Expressions 221 Exercise 6.12: Comma with Contrasting or 223 Interrupting Elements or Those Needing Separation for Clarity E. Semicolon 224 With Independent Clauses 224 Exercise 6.13: Semicolon with Independent Clauses 224 When Separating Elements with Internal Commas 224 Exercise 6.14: Semicolon Separating Elements 225 with Internal Commas F. Colon 226 Before a Series 226 Before Long Quotations 226 Before Short Quotations 226 Before the Second Part of Sentence 227 With a Salutation 227 In Bibliographic References 227 In Time Expressions 227 In Ratios 227 Exercise 6.15: Colon 228 G. Hyphen 229 With Compound Nouns 229 With Compound Adjectives 229 With Prefixes 229 With Fractions 230 With Syllable Division 230 H. Dash 230 With Strong Interrupting Element 230 With Change in Flow of Ideas 231 With Introductory Series 231 Before Items Listed in a Category 231
xvi Contents I. Double Quotation Marks 231 With Direct Quotations 231 With Long Direct Quotations 232 For Reference to Language Use 233 For Special Meaning 233 J. Single Quotation Marks 234 With Direct Quotations 234 K. Parentheses 234 With Interrupting Expressions 234 With Numbers 234 With Dates 235 With Citations 235 L. Brackets 235 To Show Added Words 235 To Show Errors in Quoted Passage 235 To Show Omitted Words 236 M. Apostrophe 236 With Contractions 236 To Show Possession 236 N. Ellipsis 237 To Show Omitted Words 237 O. Capital Letters 237 At the Beginning of a Sentence 237 As Part of Spelling 238 P. Indentation of Paragraphs and Quotations 239 First Line of Paragraphs 239 Block Indentation of Long Quotations 240 Q. Abbreviation Period 241
Contents xvii SECTION 7. QUICK REFERENCE 243 A. Connections between Ideas 244 Examples of Appropriate Expressions for 244 Connecting Ideas Time 244 Space 244 Means 244 Comparison/Contrast 244 Concession 245 Cause/Reason 245 Condition 245 Elaboration/Analysis 245 Referring to a Specific Point in the Text 245 B. Words Often Confused 249 C. Active and Passive Voice 253 D. Verb Tenses 255 Simple Present 256 Simple Past 256 Present Continuous 256 Past Continuous 257 Present Perfect 257 Past Perfect 257 Present Perfect Continuous 257 Past Perfect Continuous 258 Future 258 Future Continuous 258 Future Perfect 258 Future Perfect Continuous 258 E. Irregular Verb Forms 259 F. Gerunds and Infinitives 261 Gerund Functioning as a Noun 261 Infinitive Functioning as a Noun 261 Common Verbs Followed by the Gerund 262 Common Verbs Followed by the Infinitive 262
xviii Contents Common Verbs Followed by the Gerund or 262 the Infinitive Common Adjectives (Usually Followed 262 by the Infinitive) G. Using Prepositions 263 Phrasal Verbs 263 Verb + Preposition Combinations 264 Adjective + Preposition Combinations 264 Common Preposition + Noun Phrases 264 SECTION 8: SPECIAL TYPES OF WRITING 265 A. Email Guidelines 266 Email Do s 266 Email Don ts 267 Sample Emails 269 B. Resumes 271 Length 271 General Formatting 271 Content 272 Language 273 Sample Resumes 274 C. Cover Letters 279 Sample Cover Letter 280 D. Personal Statements 281 Guidelines 281 Sample Personal Statement 282 Common Correction Symbols for Editing 285 Glossary 287 Answer Key 291 Index 321