For Freshman-level writing courses, such as Freshman Composition, English Composition, First-Year Writing, Expository Writing or any course where students need help with writing process, critical thinking, grammar, research, and documentation.   QA Compact is a new first edition, value-priced handbook from trusted authors Lynn Troyka and Doug Hesse.  Brief and spiral-bound, it features a two-color design, includes four select tabs, and exercises. QA Compact is accompanied by a PDF eBook and additional exercises on the Web.   The Troyka/Hesse family of handbooks provides the most balanced coverage of writing process, grammar, research, and topics important to today’s students.  Both respected teachers and authors, Troyka and Hesse give practical advice to students about the writing they will do in composition courses, in other classes, and in the world beyond.  Offering instructors a full range of choices in handbooks, the Troyka/Hesse family of handbooks is available in a variety of formats, also including web-based and customized, so instructors can select the handbook that best fits their course needs.   There are many roads to good writing.  Choose the most balanced handbook in the most useful format for you and your students.

Table of Contents:
WRITING, GRAMMAR, PUNCTUATION, AND MECHANICS    1. Thinking About Purposes, Audiences and Technologies  1a Writing defined  1b Purposes for writing  1c Audiences for writing  1d Sources for writing   2. Planning and Shaping  2a The writing process  2b The writing situation  2c Thinking of topics  2d Thinking of ideas  2e Idea logs and journals  2f  Freewriting  2g Brainstorming  2h Mapping  2i  Searching the Internet  2j  Shaping  2k Levels of generality  2l  Subject tree  2m Thesis statement  2n  Outlining    3. Drafting and Revising  3a Drafting  3b Writer’s block  3c Revising  3d Editing  3e Proofreading  3f  Student essay, 3 drafts     4. Writing Paragraphs  4a Paragraph defined  4b Introductory paragraphs  4c Body paragraphs  4d Paragraph unity  4e Topic sentences  4f  Developing body paragraphs  4g Coherent paragraphs  4h Arrange paragraphs  4i  Rhetoric strategies  4j  Transitional paragraphs  4k Concluding paragraphs     5. Critical Thinking, Readingand Writing  5a Critical thinking defined  5b Using critical thinking  5c The reading process  5d Using critical reading  5e Summary and synthesis    5f  Critical responses  5g Logical fallacies  6. Writing Arguments  6a Written argument defined  6b Choosing a topic  6c Assertion and thesis statement  6d Source-based writing  6e Classical argument  6f  Toulmin model  6g Audience for argument  6h Reasoning effectively  6i  Tone  6j  Opposing arguments  6k Drafting and revising  6l  Student argument essay    7. Parts of Speech and Sentence Structures  Parts of speech  7a Nouns  7b Pronouns  7c Verbs  7d Verbals  7e Adjectives  7f  Adverbs  7g Prepositions  7h Conjunctions  7i  Interjections  Sentence structures  7j  Subjects and predicates  7k Direct and indirect objects  7l  Complements, modifiers and appositives  7m Phrases  7n Clauses  7o Sentence types    8. Verbs  8a Verbs defined  Verb forms  8b Main verbs  8c -s and -es forms  8d Regular and irregular verbs  8e Auxiliary verbs  8f  Intransitive and transitive  Verb tense  8g Verb tense defined  8h Simple present  8i  Perfect tenses  8j  Progressive forms  8k Tense sequences  Mood  8l  Mood defined  8m Subjunctive forms  Voice  8n Voice defined  8o Active voice  8p Passive voice    9. Pronoun Case and Reference  Pronoun case  9a Case defined  9b Personal pronouns  9c Objective, subjective  9d  and  between subjects  9e  With appositives  9f   After linking verbs  9g  who, whoever, whom, whomever  9h  than, as  9i   With infinitives  9j   With -ing  words  9k  For -self  pronouns  Pronoun reference  9l   Pronoun reference defined.  9m Clear pronoun reference  9n  Unclear pronoun reference  9o  With it, that, this, which  9p  Using they and it  9q  Using it suitably  9r   Using you  9s  Using that, which, who   10. Agreement Subject-verb agreement 10a S-V agreement defined 10b Final -s  or -es 10c Between subject and verb 10d and  between subjects 10e With each and every 10f  or between subjects 10g Inverted word order 10h Indefinite pronouns 10i  With collective nouns 10j  Linking verbs 10k who, which, that 10l  Amounts, special nouns 10m Titles, words Pronoun-antecedent agreement 10n  P-A agreement defined 10o  and  with antecedents 10p  or  with antecedents 10q  Indefinite pronouns 10r  Nonsexist pronouns 10s  With collective nouns   11. Adjectives and Adverbs 11a Differences between 11b Adverbs as modifiers 11c Double negatives 11d Effect of linking verbs 11e Comparatives and superlatives 11f  String of modifiers   12. Sentence Fragments 12a Sentence fragment defined 12b Recognizing 12c Correcting 12d With compound predicate 12e Two special problems 12f  Intentional fragments    13. Comma Splices and Run-on Sentences 13a Defining cs and run-ons 13b Recognizing 13c Correcting 13d Using transitions    14. Misplaced and Dangling Modifiers Misplaced modifiers 14a Misplaced modifiers defined 14b Split infinitives 14c Splits in sentences Dangling modifiers 14d Dangling modifiers defined   15. Shifting and Mixed Sentences Shifting sentences 15a Shifting defined 15b Person and number 15c Subject and voice 15d Tense and mood 15e Indirect, direct discourse Mixed sentences 15f  Mixed sentence defined 15g Faulty predication 15h Elliptical constructions 15i  Comparisons   16. Conciseness 16a Conciseness defined 16b Common expressions 16c Sentence structures 16d Revising for conciseness 16e Concise verbs    17. Coordination and Subordination Coordination 17a Coordination defined 17b Coordinate structure 17c Coordinating conjunctions 17d Misusing Subordination 17e Subordination defined 17f  Subordinate structures 17g Subordinating conjunctions 17h Misusing 17i  Using both coordination and subordination   18. Parallelism, Variety, and Emphasis 18a Parallelism defined 18b Balanced sentences 18c Words, phrases, clauses 18d Impact of parallelism 18e Faulty parallelism 18f  Variety and emphasis defined 18g Varying sentence length 18h Questions, commands 18i   Adding modifiers 18j   Repetition for emphasis 18k Other techniques   19. Usage Glossary   20. The Impact of Words 20a American English 20b Levels of formality 20c Edited American English 20d Figurative language 20e Exact diction 20f  Specific words 20g Gender-neutral language 20h Language to avoid 20i  Clichés 20j  Jargon 20k Euphemisms 20l  Bureaucratic language   21. Spelling 21a  Good speller defined 21b  Proofreading for errors 21c  Plurals spelled 21d  Suffixes spelled 21e  ie, ei rule 21f   Homonyms, confused words 21g  Compound words    22. Periods, Question Marks and Exclamation Points Periods 22a End of sentence 22b Abbreviations Question marks 22c Using question marks 22d Parentheses Exclamation points 22e Using exclamation points 22f  Overuse   23. Commas 23a Role of commas 23b Coordinating conjunctions 23c Introductory elements 23d Items in a series 23e Coordinate adjectives 23f  Nonrestrictive elements 23g Parenthetical expressions, etc 23h Quoted words 23i  Dates, names, etc 23j  To clarify meaning 23k Misusing commas 23l  Avoiding comma errors   24. Semicolons 24a Uses of semicolons 24b With independent clauses 24c Semicolons and commas 24d Coordinating conjunctions 24e Items in a series 24f  Misusing   25. Colons 25a Uses of colons 25b Standard formats 25c Independent clauses 25d Standard formats 25e Misusing   26. Apostrophes 26a Role of apostrophes 26b For possession 26c Possessive pronouns 26d Contractions 26e Indefinite pronouns 26f  Miscellaneous elements 26g Misusing   27. Quotation Marks 27a Role of quotation marks 27b Short direct quotations 27c Long quotations 27d Quotations in quotations 27e Quoting poetry, dialogue 27f  Titles in quotations 27g Words as words 27h With other punctuation 27i  Misusing   28. Other Punctuation Marks 28a Using a dash 28b Using parentheses 28c Using brackets 28d Using ellipsis points 28e Using the slash Hyphen 28f  Role of the hyphen 28g End of a line 28h Prefixes, suffixes 28i  In compound words   29. Capitals, Italics, Abbreviations, and Numbers Capitals 29a First words 29b Listed items 29c Sentences in parentheses 29d Quotations 29e Nouns, adjectives Italics 29f  Role of italics 29g Versus quotation marks 29h Special emphasis Abbreviations 29i  In standard practice 29j  Months, time, eras, symbols 29k Other elements 29l  Using etc. Numbers 29m Spelled-out numbers 29n  Standard practices 29o  Hyphens with numbers   RESEARCH AND DOCUMENTATION   30. Research Writing as a Process. 30a Research writing defined 30b Research topics 30c Research questions 30d Schedule 30e Research log 30f  Documentation styles 30g Working bibliography 30h Thesis statement 30i  Outlining 30j  Draft, revise   31. Finding and Evaluating Sources 31a Source defined 31b Search strategy 31c Finding sources 31d Finding books 31e Finding periodicals 31f  Using reference works 31g Missing library sources 31h Government documents 31i  Field research 31j  Evaluating sources   32. Using Sources and Avoiding Plagiarism 32a Using sources well 32b Plagiarism defined 32c Avoiding plagiarism 32d Plagiarism and the Internet 32e Don’t document 32f  Must document 32g Integrating sources 32h Using quotations 32i  Writing paraphrases 32j  Writing summaries 32k Verbs in writing   33. MLA Documentation with Case Study 33a MLA style defined 33b MLA parentheticals 33c MLA guidelines for parentheticals 33d MLA Works Cited 33e Student MLA research paper   34. APA Documentation with Case Study 34a APA style defined 34b APA parentheticals 34c APA guidelines for parentheticals 34d APA guidelines for abstracts 34e APA content notes 34f  APA References list 34g APA formatting 34h Student APA research paper   35. Effective Print Document Design 35a Document design defined 35b Principles of design 35c Page layout 35d Formatting text 35e Using visuals   WRITING FOR COLLEGE AND BEYOND; WRITING FOR MULTILINGUAL STUDENTS   WRITING FOR COLLEGE AND BEYOND 36. Writing About Literature 36a Literature defined 36b Interpreting literature 36c Inquiring into literature 36d Special rules 36e Sample student essay   37. Writing in the Social Sciences Social sciences 37a Gathering information 37b Purposes, practices 37c Documentation styles   38. Special Writing 38a Business writing 38b Preparing for essay exams   WRITING FOR MULTILINGUAL STUDENTS 39. Singulars and Plurals 39a Count, noncount nouns 39b Determiners 39c Miscellaneous uses   40. Articles 40a Singular count nouns 40b Plural with noncount nouns 40c Proper nouns, gerunds   41. Word Order 41a Standard and inverted 41b Adjective placement 41c Adverb placement   42. Prepositions 42a Prepositions defined 42b With time, place 42c Phrasal verbs 42d Past participles 42e In common expressions   43. Gerunds, Infinitives and Participles 43a As subjects 43b Gerund objects 43c Infinitive objects 43d Meaning changes 43e Unchanged with sense verbs 43f  Adjectives ending in -ed  and -ing   44. Model Auxiliary Verbs 44a Ability, necessity, etc 44b Preferences, plans, etc 44c In the passive voice   How to Find Information In this Book Color Guide to this Handbook Elements on the Pages of this Handbook Response Symbols and Proofreading Marks List of Boxes by Content