Brief, best-selling cross-curricular classic provides instruction  of source-based writing skills combined with five popular readings chapters.   This brief version represents a carefully chosen selection from the comprehensive version of the text, with five of nine readings chapters included in thoughtfully abridged formats. The abbreviated rhetoric section covers the skills of summary, critique, analysis, and synthesis, taking students step-by-step through the process of writing papers based on source material. Students then put these skills to practice on thematically-linked essays on provocative topics in the readings chapters. A stronger focus on argumentation prepares students for college-level assignments across the disciplines.

Table of Contents:
Preface for Instructors ¿ A Note to the Student ¿ PART I¿ How to Write Summaries, Critiques, Syntheses, and Analyses ¿ Chapter 1: Summary What Is a Summary? Can a Summary Be Objective? Using the Summary¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿ BOX: Where Do We Find Written Summaries? The Reading Process BOX: Critical Reading for Summary How to Write Summaries¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿ BOX: Guidelines for Writing Summaries Demonstration: Summary Will Your Job Be Exported?–Alan S. Blinder Read, Reread, Highlight Divide into Stages of Thought Write a Brief Summary of Each Stage of Thought Write a Thesis: A Brief Summary of the Entire Passage Write the First Draft of the Summary Summary 1: Combine Thesis Sentence with Brief Section Summaries The Strategy of the Shorter Summary¿¿¿ Summary 2: Combine Thesis Sentence, Section Summaries, and Carefully Chosen Details The Strategy of the Longer Summary¿¿¿ How Long Should a Summary Be?¿¿¿ Exercise 1.1: Individual and Collaborative Summary Practice Avoiding Plagiarism BOX: Rules for Avoiding Plagiarism ¿ Chapter 2: Critical Reading and Critique Critical Reading Question 1: To What Extent Does the Author Succeed in His or Her Purpose? BOX: Where Do We Find Written Critiques? Writing to Inform Evaluating Informative Writing Writing to Persuade Exercise 2.1: Informative and Persuasive Thesis Statements Evaluating Persuasive Writing The Moon We Left Behind–Charles Krauthammer Exercise 2.2: Critical Reading Practice Persuasive Strategies¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿ Logical Argumentation: Avoiding Logical Fallacies BOX: Tone¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿ Exercise 2.3: Understanding Logical Fallacies Writing to Entertain¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿ Question 2: To What Extent Do You Agree with the Author? Identify Points of Agreement and Disagreement Exercise 2.4: Exploring Your Viewpoints–in Three Paragraphs Explore the Reasons for Agreement and Disagreement: Evaluate Assumptions Inferring and Implying Assumptions An Example of Hidden Assumptions from the World of Finance Critique How to Write Critiques BOX: Guidelines for Writing Critiques Demonstration: Critique To What Extent Does the Author Succeed in His or Her Purpose? To What Extent Do You Agree with the Author? Evaluate Assumptions Model Critique: A Critique of Charles Krauthammer’s “The Moon We Left Behind”–Andrew Harlan Exercise 2.5: Informal Critique of the Model Critique BOX: Critical Reading for Critique¿¿¿¿¿¿¿ The Strategy of the Critique Chapter 3: Synthesis What Is a Synthesis? Summary and Critique as a Basis for Synthesis Inference: Moving Beyond Summary and Critique Purpose Example: Same Sources, Different Uses BOX: Where Do We Find Written Syntheses? Using Your Sources Types of Syntheses: Explanatory and Argument Explanation: News Article from the New York Times While Warning About Fat, U.S. Pushes Cheese Sales—Michael Moss Argument: Editorial from the Boston Globe Got Too Much Cheese?—Derrick Z. Jackson What Are Genetically Modified (GM) Foods? Genetically Modified Foods and Organisms—The United States Department of Energy Why a GM Freeze?—The GM Freeze Campaign How to Write Syntheses BOX: Guidelines for Writing Syntheses Argument Synthesis The Elements of Argument: Claim, Support, and Assumption Exercise 3.1: Practicing Claim, Support, and Assumption Demonstration: Developing an Argument Synthesis—Balancing Privacy and Safety in the Wake of Virginia Tech Mass Shootings at Virginia Tech, April 16, 2007: Report of the Review Panel Colleges Are Watching Troubled Students—Jeffrey McMurray The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) Exercise 3.2: Critical Reading for Synthesis Consider Your Purpose Making a Claim: Formulate a Thesis Decide How You Will Use Your Source Material Develop an Organizational Plan Formulate an Argument Strategy¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿ Draft and Revise Your Synthesis Model Argument Synthesis: Balancing Privacy and Safety in the Wake of Virginia Tech—David Harrison The Strategy of the Argument Synthesis Developing and Organizing the Support for Your Arguments Summarize, Paraphrase, and Quote Supporting Evidence Provide Various Types of Evidence and Motivational Appeals Use Climactic Order Use Logical or Conventional Order Present and Respond to Counterarguments Use Concession BOX: Developing and Organizing Support for Your Arguments The Comparison-and-Contrast Synthesis Organizing Comparison-and-Contrast Syntheses Organizing by Source or Subject Organizing by Criteria Exercise 3.3: Comparing and Contrasting A Case for Comparison-and-Contrast: World War I and World War II Comparison-and-Contrast Organized by Criteria Model Exam Response The Strategy of the Exam Response Avoid Common Fallacies in Developing and Using Support Summary The Explanatory Synthesis Model Explanatory Synthesis: Privacy vs. Safety in the Wake of Virginia Tech The Strategy of the Explanatory Synthesis ¿ Chapter 4: Analysis What Is an Analysis? BOX: Where Do We Find Written Analyses? How to Write Analyses The Plug-In Drug—Marie Winn Exercise 4.1: Reading Critically: Winn Locate and Apply an Analytic Tool Locate an Analytic Tool Apply the Analytic Tool Analysis Across the Curriculum BOX: Guidelines for Writing Analyses Formulate a Thesis Develop an Organizational Plan Turning Key Elements of a Principle or a Definition into Questions Developing the Paragraph-by-Paragraph Logic of Your Paper Draft and Revise Your Analysis Write an Analysis, Not a Summary Make Your Analysis Systematic Answer the “So What?” Question Attribute Sources Appropriately BOX: Critical Reading for Analysis When Your Perspective Guides the Analysis Demonstration: Analysis Model Analysis: The Case of the Missing Kidney: An Analysis of Rumor—Linda Shanker Exercise 4.2: Informal Analysis of the Model Analysis The Strategy of the Analysis PART II¿ Brief Takes ¿ Chapter 5: The Roar Of The Tiger Mom BOX: Group Assignment #1: Make a Topic List BOX: Group Assignment #2: Create a Topic Web Why Chinese Mothers Are Superior–Amy Chua Mother Inferior–Hanna Rosin Amy Chua is a Wimp–David Brooks In the Eye of the Tiger–Meghan Daum Tiger Mom vs. Tiger Mailroom–Patrick Goldstein America’s Top Parent–Elizabeth Kolbert In Defense of Being a Kid–James Bernard Murphy ¿ PART III¿ An Anthology of Readings ¿ Chapter 6: The Changing Landscape of Work in the Twenty-First Century Prospects for Graduates ¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿ A Post-College Flow Chart of Misery and Pain — Jenna Brager ¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿ Many with New College Degree Find Job Market Humbling — Catherine Rampell ¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿ Job Outlook for College Graduates Slowly Improving — Lacey Johnson Data on the Job Market ¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿ College Majors, Unemployment and Earnings: Not All College Degrees are Created Equal — Anthony P. Carnevale, Ban Cheah, and Jeff Strohl ¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿ Employment Projections: 2010-2020 Summary — U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Work and Identity ¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿ No Long Term: New Work and the Corrosion of Character — Richard Sennett Trends Affecting Work ¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿ Will Your Job Be Exported? [Summary] — Alan S. Blinder ¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿ Is Your Job an Endangered Species? — Andy Kessler ¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿ Degrees and Dollars — Paul Krugman Synthesis Activities Research Activities ¿ Chapter 7: Have You Heard This?¿ The Latest on Rumor The Gossips–Norman Rockwell¿ Frankenchicken–Snopes.Com¿ Truth Is In The Ear Of The Beholder–Gregory Rodriguez Fighting That Old Devil Rumor–Sandra Salmans A Psychology Of Rumor–Robert H. Knapp “Paul Is Dead!” (Said Fred)–Alan Glenn Political Smear Rumors: Three Case Studies In Untruths About Obama, Echoes Of A Distant Time–Samuel G. Freedman The Anatomy Of A Smear Campaign: The Case Of John Mccain–Richard H. Davis How Rumors Help Us Make Sense Of An Uncertain World–Nicholas Difonzo Rumor Cascades And Group Polarization–Cass R. Sunstein Managing Rumors–John Doorley And Helio Fred Garcia The Rumor–John Updike Synthesis Activities Research Activities ¿ Chapter 8: Green Power ¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿ Going Green: A Wedge Issue ¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿ The Dangerous Delusions of Energy Independence — Robert Bryce A Debate on the Future of Nuclear Power, Post-Fukushima ¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿ The Future of Nukes, and of Japan — Holman W. Jenkins, Jr. ¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿ No Fail-Safe Option — Eugene Robinson ¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿ Why I Still Support Nuclear Power, Even After Fukushima — William Tucker ¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿ If the Japanese Can’t Build a Safe Reactor, Who Can? — Anne Applebaum Solar Power State Solar Power Plans Are As Big As All Outdoors–Marla Dickerson¿ Here Comes The Sun–Paul Krugman Solar Is Getting Cheaper, But How Far Can It Go?–Brad Plumer Wind Power The Island In The Wind–Elizabeth Kolbert¿ Wind Power Puffery–H. Sterling Burnett Synthesis Activities Research Activities ¿ Chapter 9: New and Improved: Six Decades of Advertising Advertising’s Fifteen Basic Appeals — Jib Fowles Making the Pitch in Print Advertising — Courtland Bovée, John V. Thill, George P. Dovel, and Marian Burk Wood Selling Happiness: Two Pitches from Mad Men A Portfolio of Print Advertisements A Portfolio of TV Commercials Synthesis Activities Research Activities ¿ Video Links: Online Videos Linked to Chapters 1-9 ¿ Credits Index Quick Index: APA Documentation Basics Quick Index: MLA Documentation Basics