Exploring Writing: Paragraphs and Essays - Brossura

Langan, John

Brossura

ISBN 10: 0073533335 ISBN 13: 9780073533339

Casa editrice: McGraw-Hill Education, 2012

Riassunto

Exploring Writing emphasizes personalized learning.  Powered by Connect Writing, students gain access to an adaptive personalized learning plan which helps them become more aware of what they already know and what they need to practice.

Su questo libro

L'autore:

John Langan has taught reading and writing at Atlantic Cape Community College near Atlantic City, New Jersey, for more than twenty-five years. The author of a popular series of college textbooks on both writing and reading, John enjoys the challenge of developing materials that teach skills in an especially clear and lively way. Before teaching, he earned advanced degrees in writing at Rutgers University and in reading at Rowan University. He also spent a year writing fiction that, he says, is now at the back of a drawer waiting to be discovered and acclaimed posthumously. While in school, he supported himself by working as a truck driver, a machinist, a battery assembler, a hospital attendant, and an apple packer. John now lives with his wife, Judith Nadell, near Philadelphia. In addition to his wife and Philly sports teams, his passions include reading and turning on nonreaders to the pleasure and power of books. Through Townsend Press, his educational publishing company, he has developed the nonprofit Townsend Library, a collection of more than a hundred new and classic stories.

Contenuti:

EXPLORING WRITING: PARAGRAPHS AND ESSAYS, 3/e

By John Langan

TABLE OF CONTENTS

PREFACE xxii

PART ONE: WRITING: SKILLS AND PROCESS 2

1. An Introduction to Writing 4

Point and Support 5

An Important Difference between Writing and Talking 5

Point and Support in a Paragraph 6

Knowing Your Purpose and Audience 8

Benefits of Paragraph Writing 9

Writing as a Skill 9

Writing as a Process of Discovery 11

Keeping a Journal 12

Tips on Using a Computer 14

Ways to Use a Computer at Each Stage of the Writing Process 15

2. The Writing Process 19

Prewriting 20

Technique 1: Freewriting 20

Technique 2: Questioning 23

Technique 3: Making a List 24

Technique 4: Clustering 26

Technique 5: Preparing a Scratch Outline 27

Writing a First Draft 28

Writing a First Draft: A Student Model 29

Revising 30

Revising Content 31

Revising Sentences 31

Editing 31

An Illustration of the Revising and Editing Processes 32

Using Peer Review 34

Identification 35

Scratch Outline 35

Comments 35

Review Activities 36

Taking a Writing Inventory 36

Prewriting 38

Outlining 40

Revising 46

PART TWO: BASIC PRINCIPLES OF EFFECTIVE WRITING 52

3. The First and Second Steps in Writing 54

Step 1: Begin with a Point 55

Identifying Common Errors in Topic Sentences 57

Understanding the Two Parts of a Topic Sentence 59

Selecting a Topic Sentence 61

Writing a Topic Sentence I 62

Writing a Topic Sentence II 64

Step 2: Support the Point with Specific Evidence 65

The Point as an “Umbrella” Idea 66

Reinforcing Point and Support 68

The Importance of Specific Details 71

Recognizing Specific Details 71

Providing Supporting Evidence 74

The Importance of Adequate Details 75

Identifying Adequate Supporting Evidence 77

Adding Details to Complete a Paragraph 80

Writing a Paragraph 81

4. The Third and Fourth Steps in Writing 84

Step 3: Organize and Connect the Specific Evidence 85

Common Methods of Organization: Time Order and Emphatic Order 85

Transitions 90

Other Connecting Words 96

Step 4: Write Clear, Error-Free Sentences 99

Revising Sentences 99

Editing Sentences 117

5. Four Bases for Revising Writing 120

Base 1: Unity 121

Understanding Unity 121

Checking for Unity 123

Base 2: Support 127

Understanding Support 127

Checking for Support 128

Base 3: Coherence 130

Understanding Coherence 130

Checking for Coherence 132

Base 4: Sentence Skills 136

Understanding Sentence Skills 136

Checking for Sentence Skills 139

Evaluating Paragraphs for All Four Bases: Unity, Support, Coherence, and Sentence Skills 140

PART THREE: PARAGRAPH DEVELOPMENT 146

6. Exemplification 148

Paragraphs to Consider 149

Developing an Exemplification Paragraph 151

Development through Prewriting 151

Development through Revising 153

Writing an Exemplification Paragraph 153

7. Narration 159

Paragraphs to Consider 160

Developing a Narrative Paragraph 162

Development through Prewriting 162

Development through Revising 163

Writing a Narrative Paragraph 164

8. Description 168

Paragraphs to Consider 169

Developing a Descriptive Paragraph 171

Development through Prewriting 171

Development through Revising 173

Writing a Descriptive Paragraph 173

9. Process 179

Paragraphs to Consider 180

Developing a Process Paragraph 182

Development through Prewriting 182

Development through Revising 184

Writing a Process Paragraph 184

10. Cause and Effect 189

Paragraphs to Consider 190

Developing a Cause-and-Effect Paragraph 191

Development through Prewriting 191

Development through Revising 193

Writing a Cause-and-Effect Paragraph 193

11. Comparison or Contrast 198

Paragraphs to Consider 199

Methods of Development 200

One Side at a Time 200

Point by Point 201

Additional Paragraph to Consider 204

Developing a Comparison or Contrast Paragraph 205

Development through Prewriting 205

Development through Revising 207

Writing a Comparison or Contrast Paragraph 208

12. Definition 212

Paragraphs to Consider 213

Developing a Definition Paragraph 215

Development through Prewriting 215

Development through Revising 217

Writing a Definition Paragraph 217

13. Division-Classification 222

Paragraphs to Consider 223

Developing a Division-Classification Paragraph 226

Development through Prewriting 226

Development through Revising 228

Writing a Division-Classification Paragraph 229

Argument 233

Strategies for Arguments 234

Use Tactful, Courteous Language 234

Point Out Common Ground 235

Acknowledge Differing Viewpoints 235

When Appropriate, Grant the Merits of Differing Viewpoints 235

Rebut Differing Viewpoints 235

Paragraphs to Consider 238

Developing an Argument Paragraph 240

Development through Prewriting 240

Development through Revising 243

Writing an Argument Paragraph 244

PART FOUR: ESSAY DEVELOPMENT 252

15. Introduction to Essay Development 254

What Is an Essay? 255

Differences Between an Essay and Paragraph 255

Structure of the Traditional Essay 255

A Model Essay 255

Parts of an Essay 256

Introductory Paragraph 256

Body: Supporting Paragraphs 257

Concluding Paragraph 258

Diagram of an Essay 259

Identifying the Parts of an Essay 260

Important Considerations in Essay Development 262

Determining Your Point of View 262

Doing a Personal Review 264

16.Writing the Essay 265

Step 1: Begin with a Point, or Thesis 266

Understanding Thesis Statements 266

Writing a Good Thesis I 266

Writing a Good Thesis II 268

Step 2: Support the Thesis with Specific Evidence 273

The Importance of Specific Details 275

The Importance of Adequate Details 276

Adding Details to Complete an Essay 276

Step 3: Organize and Connect the Specific Evidence 278

Common Methods of Organization 278

Transitions 280

Other Connecting Words 283

Identifying Transitions and Other Connecting Words 283

Step 4: Write Clear, Error-Free Sentences 284

Use Active Verbs 285

Practice in Revising Sentences 286

Revising Essays for All Four Bases: Unity, Support, Coherence, and Sentence Skills 291

17. Introductions, Conclusions, and Titles 295

Introductory Paragraph 296

Functions of the Introduction 296

Common Methods of Introduction 296

Concluding Paragraph 299

Common Methods of Conclusion 299

Identifying Introductions and Conclusions 301

Titles 302

Essay Writing Assignments 304

18. Patterns of Essay Development 309

Developing an Essay with Emphasis on Exemplification 310

Considering Purpose and Audience 310

Student Essay to Consider 310

Writing an Essay with Emphasis on Exemplification 313

Developing an Essay with Emphasis on Narration 314

Considering Purpose and Audience 315

Student Essay to Consider 315

Writing an Essay with Emphasis on Narration 318

Developing an Essay with Emphasis on Description 319

Considering Purpose and Audience 319

Student Essay to Consider 319

Writing an Essay with Emphasis on Description 322

Developing an Essay with Emphasis on Process 323

Considering Purpose and Audience 323

Student Essay to Consider 323

Writing an Essay with Emphasis on Process 326

Developing an Essay with Emphasis on Cause and/or Effect 327

Considering Purpose and Audience 327

Student Essay to Consider 327

Writing an Essay with Emphasis on Cause and/or Effect 329

Developing an Essay with Emphasis on Comparison and/or Contrast 330

Considering Purpose and Audience 330

Student Essay to Consider 331

Writing an Essay with Emphasis on Comparison and/or Contrast 333

Developing an Essay with Emphasis on Definition 334

Considering Purpose and Audience 334

Student Essay to Consider 334

Writing an Essay with Emphasis on Definition 337

Developing an Essay with Emphasis on Division and Classification 341

Considering Purpose and Audience 338

Student Essay to Consider 338

Writing an Essay with Emphasis on Division and Classification 341

Developing an Essay with Emphasis on Argument 342

Considering Purpose and Audience 342

Student Essay to Consider 342

Writing an Essay with Emphasis on Argument 345

19. Special College Skills 346

Taking Essay Exams 347

Step 1: Anticipate Ten Probable Questions 347

Step 2: Prepare and Memoriz...

Su questa edizione

• Editore: McGraw-Hill Education
• Data di pubblicazione: 2012
• ISBN 10: 0073533335
• ISBN 13: 9780073533339
• Rilegatura: Copertina flessibile
• Numero edizione: 3
• Numero di pagine: 706