Reasoning and Writing Well: A Rhetoric, Research Guide, Reader, and Handbook

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Rhetoric and Research Writing Guide

PART 1, The Writing Situation and Early Stages of the Writing Process

CHAPTER 1, WRITING IN CONTEXT

Why Learn to Write Well?

What Is the Rhetorical Situation?

What Is The Writing Process?

A Word of Encouragement

CHAPTER 2, DIFFERENT VOICES FOR DIFFERENT OCCASIONS AND AUDIENCES

The Writer’s Voice

How Casual Conversation Differs from Focused Writing

Standard and Nonstandard Usage

Where Can I Find Keys to Usage Labels and Abbreviations?

What If Dictionaries Disagree?

Three Vocabularies

Three Levels of Formality

Three Common Concerns that Affect Voice

Three Crucial Questions for Achieving an Appropriate Voice

CHAPTER 3, PREWRITING: DISCOVERING IDEAS

Overcoming Anxiety

Prewriting: Stage One of the Writing Process

Combining Invention Techniques

Gathering Information

CHAPTER 4, DRAFTING: EXPLORING IDEAS

Drafting: Stage 2 of the Writing Process

Focusing an Exploratory Draft

Drafting an Introduction

Seven Basic Ways to Organize a Draft

Writing an Effective Conclusion

Drafting on a Computer

A Note of Reassurance and a Brief Review

PART 2, Revision Workshop: Later Stages of the Writing Process

CHAPTER 5, REVISING, EDITING, AND PROOFREADING: AN OVERVIEW

How Do You Become Your Own Editor?

Revision: Stage 3 of the Writing Process

Five Major Steps of Revision

Refocusing a Draft

Clarifying the Draft

Editing and Proofreading: Stage 4 of the Writing Process

Major Tasks in Editing and Proofreading

Proofreading Effectively

Peer Review: Helping to Improve Each Others’ Writing

Hang in There!

CHAPTER 6, REVISION AND ACCURACY: BEGINNING TO THINK CRITICALLY

Why Is Accuracy Important?

How Can Facts Be Determined?

Inferences Are Unproven

Value Judgments and Point of View

Tone of Voice

Four Ways Misinformation Arises

Writing Responsibly

Revising for Accuracy

CHAPTER 7, REVISING PARAGRAPHS

Elements of an Effective Paragraph

Qualities of Effective Paragraphs

Prewriting and Drafting Paragraphs

Organizing and Developing Paragraphs

CHAPTER 8, STYLING SENTENCES

Effective Use of Verbs

Sentence Variety

Parallelism: A Balancing Act

Chopping out Deadwood

Sentence Style

CHAPTER 9, IMPROVING WORD CHOICE

Word Meanings: Denotation and Connotation

Negative and Positive Words

Inclusive Language

Technical Jargon

Trite Language and Clichés

Making the Message Clear and Appropriate

Scholarly or Simple Words?

PART 3, Options for Organization

CHAPTER 10, NARRATION: RECOUNTING EVENTS

Purpose of Narration

Elements of Narration

Writing a Narrative Paper

Writing a Narrative Report

Revising a Narrative

Two Narrative Student Papers

CHAPTER 11, DESCRIPTION: CONVEYING IMPRESSIONS

What Exactly Is Description?

Purpose of Description

Subjective and Objective Description

Writing a Paper of Description

Two Descriptive Student Papers

CHAPTER 12, PROCESS ANALYSIS: EXPLAINING HOW

What Is Process Analysis?

Transition in Process Analysis

Writing a Process Paper

Two Student Process Papers

CHAPTER 13, ILLUSTRATION: SHOWING WITH EXAMPLES

Purpose of Examples

Elements of Illustration

Writing a Paper of Illustration

Two Student Illustration Papers

CHAPTER 14, CLASSIFICATION: GROUPING AND DIVIDING

Purpose of Classification

What Is the Basis of Classification?

Writing a Paper of Classification

Two Student Classification Papers

CHAPTER 15, COMPARISON AND CONTRAST: EXPLAINING LIKENESS AND DIFFERENCE

The Purpose of Comparison or Contrast

Transition in Comparison or Contrast Papers

Pitfalls to Avoid in Comparison or Contrast Papers

Analogy: A Special Kind of Comparison

Writing a Paper of Comparison of Contrast

Three Student Comparison or Contrast Papers

CHAPTER 16, DEFINITION: IDENTIFYING BASIC CHARACTERISTICS

The Purpose of Definition

Formal Sentence Definition

Extended Definition

Writing a Paper of Extended Definition

Two Student Papers of Definition

CHAPTER 17, CAUSE AND EFFECT: EXPLAINING WHY

The Purpose of Causal Analysis

What Is Causal Analysis?

Writing a Cause and Effect Paper

Two Student Cause and Effect Papers

PART 4, Guide to Critical Thinking, Evaluation, and Argument

CHAPTER 18, PROBLEM SOLVING

Dewey’s Method of Problem Solving

How Can One Be Objective?

Writing a Problem-Solving Paper

Two Student Problem-Solving Papers

CHAPTER 19, SHAPING AN EFFECTIVE ARGUMENT

The Purpose of Argument

Three Classic Appeals Used in Argument

Understanding Opposing Views

Writing a Classic Argument Paper

Two Student Argument Papers

CHAPTER 20, DETECTING FALLACIES

Logical Fallacies

Emotional Fallacies

Dealing with Fallacies

PART 5, Research Writing Guide

CHAPTER 21, PRELIMINARY CONSIDERATIONS FOR RESEARCH WRITERS

Primary and Secondary Research

Scheduling Research Tasks

CHAPTER 22, PRIMARY RESEARCH: OBSERVATION, INTERVIEWS, AND SURVEYS

Observation

Interviews

Surveys

Drawing Conclusions from a Survey and Interviews

Making an Outline of a Report

Writing a Primary Research Paper or Report

CHAPTER 23, SECONDARY RESEARCH: LOCATING PRINT AND ELECTRONIC SOURCES

Determining the Aim or Purpose

Selecting an Appropriate Topic

Limiting the Topic

Selecting Suitable Sources

Finding Print and Electronic Resources at the Library

Finding and Evaluating Internet Sources

CHAPTER 24, DOCUMENTING SOURCES

What Is Documentation?

MLA Directory

MLA Style of Documentation

Preparing a List of Works Cited: MLA Style

APA Style of Documentation

Preparing a Reference List: APA Style

CHAPTER 25, USING SOURCES AND WRITING A RESEARCH PAPER

Workplace Case Study: Tracking the Truth

Research Reading

Note-Taking, Summarizing, Paraphrasing, and Quoting

Summarizing

Making a Working Outline

Drafting a Research Paper

Revising, Editing, and Formatting

Student Research Paper: MLA Style

PART 6, Reading and Writing about Essays, Fiction, Plays, and Poetry

CHAPTER 26, READING AND RESPONDING TO ESSAYS

What to Expect in Essays

ROBERT L. ROSE, Is Saving Legal?

Critical Reading

Writing a Paper of Reaction

A Sample Student Paper of Reaction

CHAPTER 27, READING AND RESPONDING TO SHORT STORIES, NOVELS, AND PLAYS

What Is the Role of the Reader?

Reading and Taking Notes

Elements of Literature

Figurative Language and Literary Devices

Preparing an Analysis of Literature

Sample Student Literary Analysis

CHAPTER 28, READING AND RESPONDING TO POETRY

How Can a Reader Get Hold of a Poem?

ARTHUR GUITERMAN, On the Vanity of Earthly Greatness

CARL SANDBURG, Grass

Reading Narrative Poems

COUNTEE CULLEN, Incident

Reading Lyric Poems

JOSO, The Barley Field

SORA, The Barley Field

EMILY DICKINSON, [I Taste a Liquor Never Brewed]

ARCHIBALD MACLEISH, Ars Poetica

Preparing an Analysis of a Poem

WILLIAM WORDSWORTH, [I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud]

PART 7, A Writer’s Reference: Essay Exams, Employment Writing, and Oral Presentations

CHAPTER 29, WRITING EFFECTIVE ESSAY EXAMS

Preparing for Exams

Writing Complete Essay Exam Answers

CHAPTER 30, EMPLOYMENT WRITING FOR THE TWENTY-FIRST CENTURY

I. Writing an Effective Resume

Internet Career Directory

II. Writing Letters and Other Correspondence for Employment

CHAPTER 31, ORAL PRESENTATIONS

Whether Speaking to Six or Sixty

How Do Writing and Speaking Differ?

Four Speaking Situations

Adapting a Written Text for an Oral Presentation

Planning an Extemporaneous Presentation

Ensuring Credibility, Organization, and Development

Options for Introductions and Conclusions

Preparing Notes and Audiovisuals

Practicing for a Presentation

Giving a Presentation

A Student’s Persuasive Presentation

PART 8, The Reader

NARRATION: RECOUNTING EVENTS

* DAVID BANK, Rosetta Disk Is Foundation’s Gift to Future Linguists

JEAN HOUSTON, The Art of Acknowledgment

PHILIP WEISS, How to Get out of a Locked Trunk

CARSON MCCULLERS, Home for Christmas

DESCRIPTION: CONVEYING IMPRESSIONS

SUE HUBBELL, Caterpillar Afternoon

EUDORA WELTY, One Writer’s Beginnings

JOHN CIARDI, Dawn Watch

LIANE NORMAN, Pedestrian Students

PROCESS ANALYSIS: EXPLAINING HOW

EUELL GIBBONS, How to Cook a Carp

NOEL PERRIN, Falling for Apples

*CAROL CARTER, Write Your Own Success Story

MARYA MANNES, How Do You Know It’s Good?

ILLUSTRATION: SHOWING WITH EXAMPLES

ETHLIE VARE AND GREG PTACEK, Mothers of Invention

VEST, COHEN, AND THARP, Road Rage

ANDREA LEE, Black and Well-to-Do

*HOLMAN W JENKINS, JR., Uptight Is Back in Style

CLASSIFICATION: GROUPING AND DIVIDING

*KATHLEEN FURY, It’s Only a Paper World

JAMES T. BAKER, How Do We Find the Student?

LISA DAVIS, Where Do We Stand?

NORMAN BROWN, Mind Over Munchies

COMPARISON AND CONTRAST: EXPLAINING LIKENESS AND DIFFERENCE

PHILLIP LOPATE, A Nonsmoker and a Smoker

*NEAL PEIRCE, Americans: Conservationists or Champion Land Hogs?

*DEBORAH TANNEN, Women and Men Talking on the Job

AMY TAN, Mother Tongue

DEFINITION: IDENTIFYING BASIC CHARACTERISTICS

DAVID RAYMOND, On Being 17

*WILLIAM RASPBERRY, The Handicap of Definition

BARBARA JORDAN, Becoming Educated

*LAURENCE SHAMES, The Sweet Smell of Success Isn’t All That Sweet

CAUSE AND EFFECT: EXPLAINING WHY

*BARBARA EHRENREICH, Spudding Out

*ANNE ROIPHE, Why Marriages Fail

NICHOLAS GAGE, The Teacher Who Changed My Life

ELISABETH KUBLER-ROSS, The Emotional Quadrant

SHAPING AN EFFECTIVE ARGUMENT

*MIKE ESKENAZI, The New Case for Latin

ANDREA SACHS, When the Lullaby Ends

*AMITAI ETZIONI, Working at McDonalds

RICHARD M. RESTAK, The Other Difference Between Boys and Girls

C.S. LEWIS, We Have No ‘Right to Happiness’

SHORT STORIES AND CREATION NARRATIVES

Short Stories

URSULA HEGI, Doves

CHARLES BAXTER, Scheherazade

*KATE CHOPIN, Story of an Hour

JOHN UPDIKE, Still of Some Use

Creation Narratives

*PIMA, The Well-Baked Man

*GENESIS 1-2. From the Torah

*GENESIS 1-2:3. From the Bible (KJV)

*Selected Verses. From the Koran

PART 9, The Handbook: A Brief Guide to Grammar, Mechanics, Punctuation, and Usage

1. Punctuation

2. Capitalization

3. Abbreviations

4. Numbers

5. Grammar and Usage

6. Spelling

7. Glossary of Usage