This practical and accessible writing guide unravels the complexities of writing by presenting the writing process as a series of critical thinking decisions. In addition to coverage of the traditional modes, the text offers practice in analyzing the unique rhetorical requirements of any writing situation by showing how audience and purpose influence writing. Student and professional readings throughout the text— including fiction, poetry, advertisements, memoirs and cartoons —illustrate various writing strategies.

Table of Contents:
SECTION ONE: THE PROCESS—DECISIONS IN PLANNING, DRAFTING, AND REVISING. Introduction. Writing as Decision Making. How Writing Looks. How Writing Makes a Difference. Decisions in Collaborative Writing. Decisions About Writing With Computers. Applications. 1. Decisions in the Writing Process. Decision Making and the Writing Process. Case Study: One Writer's Decision Making Process. Applications. Readings. Life in Full Color, Shirley Haley (Student). Confessions of A Food Addict, Wend Gianacoples (Student). Options for Essay Writing. 2. Decisions in Planning. Deciding on a Topic, Purpose, Thesis, and Audience. Case Study: Analyzing Your Writing Situation. Discovering, Selecting and Organizing Your Material. Guidelines for Brainstorming. Case Study: Exploring and Arranging Assets. Finding Your Voice. The Writer's Planning Guide. Planning for Group Work. Guidelines for Writing Collaboratively. Applications. 3. Decisions in Drafting. Drafting the Title and Introduction. Drafting the Body Section. Drafting the Conclusion. Case Study: Drafting the Essay. Drafting on the Computer. Guidelines for Drafting on the Computer. Applications. Reading. Cars R Us, Maureen Malloy (Student). 4. Decisions In Revising. The Meaning Of Revision. Revision Checklist. Using The Checklist. Case Study: Revising the Draft. Revising with Peers. Guidelines For Peer Reviewing And Editing. Applications. SECTION TWO: SPECIFIC REVISION STRATEGIES. Introduction. How Good Is “Good Enough”? Revising From The Top Down. Beefing Up The Content. Harnessing Paragraph Power. Honing The Sentences. Finding The Perfect Wording. 5. Revising the Content: Writing Something Worthwhile. Make It Credible. Make It Informative. Make It Complete. Applications. Reading. Walk But Don't Run, Jeff Leonard (Student). 6. Revising the Paragraphs: Shaping For Readers' Access. Support Paragraphs As Mini-Essays. Paragraph Function. Paragraph Length. The Topic Statement. Structural Variations in Support Paragraphs. Paragraph Unity. Paragraph Coherence. Applications. 7. Revising The Sentences: Writing with Style. Aim For Clarity. Trim The Fat. Help Sentences Flow. Applications. 8. Revising the Words and Phrases: Fine-Tuning. Say Something Genuine. Aim For Precision. Sharpen Your Visual Details. Add Some Personality. Guidelines For Deciding About Tone. Guidelines For Achieving A Conversational Tone. Guidelines For Nonsexist Usage. Guidelines For Inoffensive Usage. Avoid Reliance on Automated Tools. Applications. SECTION THREE: ESSAYS FOR VARIOUS GOALS. Introduction. Three Major Goals of Writing. Major Development Strategies. Using This Section. A Word About Structural Variations. 9. Decisions About Reading For Writing. Different Levels of Reading. Different Readers, Different Meanings. Reading Strategies For Writers. Case Study: Responding To Reading. Suggestions For Reading And Writing. Guidelines For Reading To Respond. Applications. Readings. Why I Want A Wife, Judy Brady. A Long Way To Go, Jacqueline LeBlanc (Student). I Need An Assistant, David Galuski (Student). 10. Helping Others See and Share an Experience: Description and Narration. Using Objective Description To Inform. Using Subjective Description to Make a Point. Using Objective Narration To Explain. Guidelines For Description. Using Subjective Narration to Make a Point. Guidelines For Narration. Applications. Case Study: Responding To Reading. Options For Essay Writing. Readings. Off-Season, Pam Herbert (Student). Black Men And Public Space, Brent Staples. Back At The Ranch, Jay Allison. The Old Guy, Al Andrade (Student). 11. Illustrating For Readers: Examples. Using Examples to Explain. Using Examples to Make a Point. Guidelines For Illustrating With Examples. Applications. Case Study: Responding To Reading. Options For Essay Writing. Readings. Labor Day, Edward Abbey. A Case Of 'Severe Bliss', Patricia Raybon. My Time Capsule, Gina Ciolfi (Student). 12. Explaining Parts and Categories: Division And Classification. Using Division to Explain. Using Division to Make a Point. Using Classification To Explain. Guidelines for Division. Using Classification to Make a Point. Guidelines For Classification. Applications. Case Study: Responding To Reading. Options For Essay Writing. Readings. Friends, Good Friends—and Such Good Friends, Judith Viorst. We Like It Here, Patrick LaChane (Student). 13. Explaining Steps and Stages: Process Analysis. Using Process Analysis To Explain. Guidelines For Giving Instructions. Explaining How Something Happens. Using Process Analysis To Make A Point. Case Study: Responding To Reading. Applications. Readings. How To Deal With Snakebites, Frank White. A First Week Survival Guide For Computers, Cathy Nichols (Student). How Acid Rain Develops, Spreads, And Destroys, Bill Kelly (Student). Dumpster Diving, Lars Eighner. 14. Explaining Why It Happened Or What Will Happen: Cause-And-Effect Analysis. Using Causal Analysis to Explain: Definite Causes. Using Causal Analysis To Make A Point: Possible or Probable Causes. Reasoning From Effect To Cause. Guidelines For Effect-To-Cause Analysis. Reasoning from Cause to Effect. Guideline for Cause-to-Effect Analysis. Case Study: Responding To Reading. Applications. Readings. I Don't Like What You're Wearing, David Updike. In Love With Paintings, Sarah K. Lannon (Student). Should Schools Try To Boost Self-Esteem?—Beware the Dark Side, Ray F. Baumeister. 15. Explaining Similarities or Differences: Comparison and Contrast. Developing a Comparison. Developing a Contrast. Developing a Combined Comparison and Contrast. Using Comparison and Contrast to Explain. Using Comparison And Contrast To Make A Point. A Special Kind Of Comparison: Analogy. Applications. Guidelines For Comparison And Contrast. Case Study: Responding To Reading. Options For Essay Writing. Readings. Abortion Is Too Complex to Feel All One Way About, Anna Quindlen. Is Online Education Taking Us Anywhere?, John Manning(Student). 16. Explaining The Exact Meaning: Definition. Using Denotative Definitions To Explain. Using Connotative Definitions To Make A Point. Choosing The Level Of Detail In a Definition. Parenthetical Definition. Sentence Definition. Expanded Definition. Guidelines For Definition. Application. Case Study: Responding To Reading. Options For Essay Writing. Readings. Gossip, Francine Prose. 'Campus Center' Versus 'Student Union', Lois Shea(Student). 17. Using Multiple Strategies In A Persuasive Argument. Anticipating Audience Resistance. Having A Debatable Point. Supporting Your Claim. Shaping a Clear Line of Thought. Connecting With Your Audience. Considering The Ethical Dimension. Guidelines For Persuasion. Various Arguments For Various Goals. Case Studies: Responding To Reading. Applications. Options For Essay Writing. Readings. On Reading Trash, Bob Swift. Credit Cards: Leave Home Without Them, Julia Schoonover (Student). Standards You Meet And Don't Duck, William Raspberry. Save Liberal Arts, Suzanne Gilbertson (Student). A Proposal For Better Use Of The Television Set In The Campus Center, Patricia Haith (Student). Letter To The Boss, Marcia White (Student). 18. Special Issues In Persuasion. Appealing To Reason. Recognizing Invalid Or Deceptive Reasoning. Appealing To Emotion. Guidelines For Making Emotional Appeals. Applications. Reading. Bonfire, Adam Szymkowicz. SECTION FOUR: THE RESEARCH PROCESS. Introduction—Thinking Critically About The Research Process. Asking The Right Questions. Exploring a Balance of Views. Achieving Adequate Depth in Your Search. Guidelines For Evaluating Expert Information. Evaluating Your Findings. Interpreting Your Findings. 19. Asking Questions And Finding Answers. Deciding On A Research Topic. Guidelines for Choosing a Research Topic. Primary Versus Secondary Sources. Hard Copy Versus Electronic Sources. Exploring Hard Copy Sources. Exploring Online Sources. Exploring Internet Sources. Keyword Searches Using Boolean Operators. Guidelines For Researching On The Internet. Using Electronic Mail. Guidelines For Using Email. Informative Interviews. Guidelines For Informative Interviews. Surveys And Questionnaires. Inquiry Letters, Phone Calls, and Email Inquiries. Public Records and Organizational Publications. Personal Observation. Applications. Guidelines for Developing a Questionnaire. 20. Recording, Evaluating, And Interpreting Your Findings. Taking Notes. Guidelines For Recording Research Findings. Quoting The Work Of Others. Guidelines For Quoting The Words Of Others. Paraphrasing The Work Of Others. Guidelines For Paraphrasing The Words Of Others. Preparing Summaries And Abstracts. Guidelines For Summarizing Information And Preparing An Abstract. Evaluating The Sources. Guidelines for Evaluating Sources on the Web. Evaluating The Evidence. Interpreting Your Findings. Avoiding Statistical Fallacies. Guidelines for Critically Analyzing Information. Assessing Your Inquiry. 21. Documenting Your Sources. Why You Should Document. What Should You Document. How Should You Document. MLA Documentation Style. APA Documentation Style. Application. 22. Composing the Research Report. Developing A Working Thesis And Outline. Drafting Your Report. Revising Your Report. A Sample Report In APA Style. Research Report. Campus Crime: A Hidden Issue, Julia Schoonover (Student). 23. Case Study: A Sample Research Project. Discovering a Worthwhile Topic. Focussing the Inquiry. Searching the Literature. Recording and Reviewing Findings. Settling on a Thesis. Writing And Documenting The Report In MLA Style. Research Report. Students Under Stress: College Can Make You Sick, Shirley Haley (Student). Appendix A: Editing For Grammar, Punctuation, And Mechanics. Common Sentence Errors. Effective Punctuation. Effective Mechanics. Appendix B: Format Guidelines for Submitting Your Manuscript. Appendix C: Useful Web Sites and Electronic Library Resources. Useful Web Sites. Electronic Library Resources. Credits. Index.