Writing Matters: A Handbook for Writing and Research (Comprehensive Edition with Exercises)

This Comprehensive version of Writing Matters unites research, reasoning, documentation, grammar, and style into a cohesive whole, helping students see the conventions of writing as a network of responsibilities writers have…

… to other writers. Writing Matters emphasizes the responsibility writers share, whether collaborating online in peer review or conducting research with digital and print sources, to treat information fairly and accurately and to craft writing that is unique and original―their own!
… to the audience. Writing Matters emphasizes the need to use conventions appropriate to the readership, to write clearly, and to provide readers with the information and interpretation they need to make sense of a topic.
… to the topic. Writing Matters encourages writers to explore a topic thoroughly and creatively, to assess sources carefully, and to provide reliable information at a depth that does the topic justice.
… to themselves. Writing Matters encourages writers to take their writing seriously and to approach writing tasks as an opportunity to learn about a topic and to expand their scope as writers. Students are more likely to write well when they think of themselves as writers rather than as error-makers.

WRITING MATTERS eBook

The CONNECT COMPOSITION PLUS 2.0 eBook provides Writing Matters content in a digital format that is accessible from within Connect and Blackboard. In support of the engaged learning experience, students can link directly to activities and assignments within Connect from the eBook. Students can have all the resources from Writing Matters right on their desktops!

Personal Learning Plan (PLP) Through an intuitive, adaptive diagnostic that assesses proficiencies in five core areas of grammar and mechanics, students generate a personalized learning plan tailored to address their needs within the timeframe when students determine what they want to study. The personalized program includes contextualized grammar and writing lessons, videos, animations, and interactive exercises and provides immediate feedback on students’ work and progress. Based on metacognitive learning theories, the Personal Learning Plan continually adapts with each interaction, while built-in time management tools keep students on track to ensure they achieve their course goals. The Personal Learning Plan is designed to improve student writing, allow classroom instruction to focus on critical writing processes, and support the goals of writing programs and individual instructors with reports that present data related to progress, achievement, and students who may be at risk.

Part One: Writing Matters 1

Foldout Writing Responsibly Checklist
1 Writing Responsibly in the Information Age 2
a. Writing Today 2

b. The Writer’s Responsibilities 3

2 Planning 9
a. Analyzing Your Writing Situation 9
b. Analyzing an Assignment 17
c. Generating Ideas 20
d. Narrowing or Broadening a Topic 25
e. Planning a Collaborative Project 26
Student Models Freewrite 21
Brainstorm 22
Journalists’ Questions 24

3 Organizing and Drafting 29
a. Thesis 29
b. Organization 33
c. Preparing to Draft 38
d. Drafting 40
e. Collaborating 45
Student Models Informal (or Scratch) Outline 36
Topic Outline and Sentence Outline 36
First Draft 42

4 Crafting and Connecting Paragraphs 46
a. Relevance 47
b. Unity 47
c. Coherence 52
d. Development with Patterns 59
e. Introductions 63
f. Conclusions 65
g. Connecting Paragraphs 69
Professional Model Editorial 69

5 Drafting and Revising Visuals 73
a. Illustrating College Projects 73
b. Visuals as Evidence 74
c. Copying vs. Creating Visuals 78
d. Revising Visuals 78

6 Revising, Editing, Proofreading, and Formatting 82
Revising Globablly
a. Gaining Perspective 82
b. Revising 83
c. Reconsidering Your Title 86
Revising Locally
d. Choosing Words 87
e. Editing Sentences 88
Revising with Others
f. Peer Revising 90
g. Working with a Tutor, Instructor 92
Proofreading and Formatting
h. Proofreading 93
i. Formatting an Academic Text 95
j. Portfolio 99
k. Writing Responsibly Explaining Your Choice of Sources 104
Student Models Final Draft 95
Personal Statement 101

Part Two: Reasoning Matters 107

7 Thinking and Reading Critically 108
a. Comprehending 108
b. Reflecting 114
c. Preparing to Write 119
d. Writing Responsibly Understanding and Representing the Entire Source 132
Student Models Summary 111
Double-Entry Reading Journal 118
Claims and Evidence Analysis 121
Advertisement Critique 121
Prewrite 123
Critical Response Essay 127
Professional Models Essay 112
Editorial 115

8 Analyzing and Crafting Arguments 134
a. Persuading and Exploring 134
b. Claims 138
c. Rhetorical Evidence 142
d. Alternative Viewpoints 145
e. Assumptions, Common Ground 147
f. Classical, Rogerian, Toulmin Models 154
g. Logical Fallacies 156
Student Model Exploratory Argument 147

Part Three: Media Matters 161

9 Designing Documents 162
a. Design Principles 162
b. Planning 163
c. Applying the Principles 164

10 Writing for Multiple Media 171
a. Writing, Answering E-mail 172
b. Creating Websites, Web Pages 176
c. Writing in Interactive Media 181

11 Presenting with Multiple Media 183
a. Purpose, Audience, Context, Genre 183
b. Topic and Thesis 184
c. Organization 185
d. Preparing and Rehearsing 186
e. Delivering the Presentation 189
f. Speaking Responsibly 189

Part Four: Research Matters 191

12 Planning a Research Project 192
a. Analyzing the Assignment 192
b. Setting a Schedule 194
c. Choosing, Narrowing a Topic 195
d. Research Questions, Hypotheses 195
e. Choosing Sources Strategically 197
f. Research Log 198
g. Working Bibliography 200

13 Finding Information 206
a. Reference Works 206
b. Information on the Web 210
c. Interactive Media 214
d. Articles in Journals, Periodicals 215
e. Books 220
f. Government Information 224
g. Multimedia Sources 225
h. Field Research 226

14 Evaluating Information 230
a. Relevance and Reliability 230
b. Online Texts 236
c. Visual Sources 239
d. Writing Responsibly Choosing and Unpacking Complex Sources 244

15 Using Information Responsibly: Taking Notes and Avoiding Plagiarism 246
a. Valuing Research 248
b. Acknowledging 248
c. Notes to Avoid Plagiarizing 250
d. Notes That Help You Research 251
e. Paraphrasing, Not Patchwriting 252
f. Summarizing 256
g. Quoting 259
h. Analyzing, Interpreting, Synthesizing, and Critiquing 262
Student Models Summary 257
Reading Note 261
Summary Note with Writer’s Assessment 263

16 Writing the Research Project 264
a. Thesis Statement 264
b. Organization 266
c. Drafting 270
d. Revising, Proofreading, Formatting, and Publishing 273
Student Models Thesis Statement 265 Outline 268

17 Citing Expertly 274
a. Source Material 275
b. Source Boundaries 276
c. Your Voice 278
d. Context 280
e. Altered Quotations 284

Part Five: Documentation Matters 287

Foldout Documenting Sources: MLA Style

18 Documenting Sources: MLA Style 288
a. MLA In-Text Citations 288
b. MLA Works-Cited List 305
c. MLA Style Notes 331
d. MLA Format 332
Student Model Research Project: MLA Style 336

Foldout Documenting Sources: APA Style

19 Documenting Sources: APA Style 347
a. APA In-Text Citations 347
b. APA Reference List 358
c. APA Style Notes 376
d. APA Format 377
Student Model Research Project: APA Style 381

20 Documenting Sources: Chicago Style 389
a. Chicago-Style Notes and Bibliography 390
b. Chicago Style Tables and Figures 407
c. Chicago-Style Research Project 407
Student Model Research Project: Chicago Style 408

21 Documenting Sources: CSE Style 416
a. CSE In-Text Citations 416
b. CSE Reference List 418
c. CSE Format 428
Student Model Research Project: CSE-Style Reference List 429

Part Six: Genre Matters 431

22 Writing in Literature and the Other Humanities 432
a. Approach 432
b. Resources 435
c. Citing, Documenting Sources 437
d. Language 437
e. Writing about Fiction 440
f. Writing about Poetry 446
g. Writing about Drama 451
Student Models Textual Analysis 434
Writing about Fiction: Interpretive Analysis 442
Writing about Poetry: Explication 446
Professional Model Writing about Drama: Review of a Play 451

23 Writing in the Sciences and Social Sciences 455
a. Approach 455
b. Research Methods 456
c. Citing, Documenting Sources 457
d. Language 457
e. Writing Assignments 459
Student Model Research Report 461

24 Preparing for and Taking an Essay Exam 469
a. Preparing for an Exam 469
b. Previewing the Exam 471
c. Writing an Effective Answer 472
Student Model Effective Essay Exam: Response 474

25 Writing in Business and as a Citizen 476
a. Business Letter Formats 476
b. Business Letters 479
c. Business Memos 481
d. Job Application Letters 482
e. Résumés 486
f. Reports and Proposals 490
g. Press Releases 492
Student Models Job Application 485
Traditional Résumé 487
Scannable Résumé 489
Professional Models Business Letter: Apology 480
Business Memo 482
Press Release 493

Part Seven Style Matters 495

26 Writing Concisely 496
a. Wordy Expressions 497
b. Unnecessary Repetition 499
c. Indirect Constructions 500
d. Consolidation 502
27 Using Coordination and Subordination 505
a. Coordinating Terms, Phrases, Clauses 506
b. Effective Coordination 507
c. Main Ideas, Supporting Information 510
d. Coordination and Subordination 515

28 Using Parallelism 518
a. Pairs and Series 520
b. Comparisons 522
c. Function 522
d. Lists and Outlines 523
e. Emphasis 525

29 Variety and Emphasis 527
a. Varying Sentence Length 528
b. Varying Sentence Openings 529
c. Emphasis with Rhythm 531
d. Emphasis with Punctuation 533
e. Questions, Commands, Exclamations 534
f. Strategic Repetition 534
g. Emphatic Verbs 535
h. Active or Passive Voice 535
i. Writing Responsibly Blending Voices in Your Text 538

30 Appropriate Language 540
a. Language in Context 540
b. Biased or Hurtful Language 544
31 Effective Word Choice 548
a. Diction 548
b. Compelling Words and Figures 550
c. Idioms 554
d. Clichés 555
32 Dictionary and Spelling 558
a. Choosing a Dictionary 558
b. Using a Dictionary 560
c. Common Spelling Problems 562
d. Spelling Rules 564
e. Plurals 569
f. Improving Your Spelling 571

Part Eight: Grammar Matters 573

Foldout Common Sentence Problems

33 Grammar 574

THE PARTS OF SPEECH
a. Nouns 575
b. Pronouns 577
c. Verbs 577
d. Adjectives 580
e. Adverbs 581
f. Prepositions 582
g. Conjunctions 583
h. Interjections 584

SENTENCE STRUCTURE
i. Subjects 585
j. Predicates 587
k. Verb Types, Sentence Patterns 588
l. Phrases 591
m. Clauses 594
n. Sentence Types 597

34 Sentence Fragments 600
a. Recognizing Fragments 600
b. Correcting Fragments 604
c. Intentional Fragments 609

35 Comma Splices and Fused Sentences 611
a. Joining Independent Clauses 611
b. Identifying Comma Splices, Fused Sentences 612
c. Avoiding Spliced, Fused Sentences 613
d. Correcting Spliced, Fused Sentences 615

36 Agreement 620

SUBJECT -VERB AGREEMENT
a. Subjects and Verbs Agree 620
b. Intervening Words 622
c. Compound Subjects 623
d. Indefinite Pronouns 625
e. Collective Noun 625
f. Measurements, Numbers 626
g. Singular Nouns with –s 627
h. Titles, Words a s Words, Gerund 627
i. Who, Which, or That 628
j. Subject after Verb 629
k. Linking Verbs 629

PRONO UN ANTECEDENT AGREEMENT
l. Indefinite and Generic Words 631
m. Collective Nouns 634
n. Compound Antecedents 634

37 Verbs 636

VERB FORMS
a. Basic Forms 636
b. Regular and Irregular Verbs 638
c. Complete Verbs 639
d. -s or -es, -d or -ed Endings 642
e. Rise/Raise, Sit/Set, Lie/Lay 643

TENSE
f. Verb Tenses 644
g. Uses of the Present Tense 647
h. Tense Sequence 648

MOOD
i. Verb Mood 650
j. Subjunctive Mood 650

VOICE
k. Verb Voice 652
l. Active vs. Passive 653

38 Pronoun Case, Reference 656

PRONOUN CASE
a. Subject Complements 658
b. Case in Compounds: She and I vs. Her and Me 658
c. Appositives 660
d. We and Us before Nouns 660
e. Infinitives 661
f. Case with -ing Words 661
g. Comparisons with Than or As 662
h. Who/Whom, Whoever/Whomever 663

PRONOUN REFERENCE
i. Ambiguous Reference 665
j. Broad Reference 665
k. Implied Reference 666
l. You for Direct Address 666
m. Indefinite They, It 666
n. Who, Whom vs. That, Which 667

39 Adjectives and Adverbs 669
a. Adjectives vs. Adverbs 669
b. Subject Complements 670
c. Bad vs. Badly, Good vs. Well 671
d. Double Negatives 673
e. Nouns as Adjectives 673
f. Comparatives and Superlatives 674

40 Confusing Shifts 678
a. Tense 678
b. Mood and Voice 679
c. Person and Number 681
d. Direct and Indirect Quotations 683
41 Misplaced and Dangling Modifiers 686

MISPLACED MODIFIERS
a. Confusing Placement 687
b. Disruptive Placement 689

DANGLING MODIFIERS
c. Identifying 692
d. Correcting 693
42 Mixed and Incomplete Constructions 695

MIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
a. Mixed Constructions 695
b. Subjects and Predicates 697

INCOMPLETE CONSTRUCTIONS
c. Essential Words 700
d. Comparisons 701

Part Nine: Language Matters 703

43 English Sentence Structure 704
a. Normal Word Order 704
b. Stated Subject 704
c. There and It Sentences 705
d. Redundant Pronouns 706
e. Objects 707
f. Questions 709
g. Inversions 710

44 Nouns 713
a. Noun Types 713
b. Articles, Other Determiners 714

45 Verb Issues 722
a. Phrasal Verbs 722
b. Gerunds and Infinitives 725
c. Participles as Adjectives 727
d. Helping Verbs 728

46 Adjectives and Adverbs 732
a. Adjective Order 732
b. Prepositions with Adjectives 733
c. Adverb Placement 734
d. Confusing Adverbs 736

47 Prepositions 739
a. Recognizing Prepositions 739
b. Functions of Prepositions 740
c. Using Prepositions 744
d. Necessary, Unnecessary Prepositions 745

Part Ten: Detail Matters 747

48 Commas 748
a. Compound Sentences 750
b. Introductory Elements 751
c. Conjunctive Adverbs, Transitional Phrases 753
d. Interjections, Contrasting Information, 753
e. Items in a Series 754
f. Coordinate Adjectives 755
g. Nonessential Elements 757
h. Quotations 759
i. Numbers, Names, Titles, Dates, etc. 760
j. Avoiding Ambiguity 762
k. Avoiding use Between Subjects/Verbs, Verbs/Objects 763

49 Semicolons 766
a. Linking Independent Clauses 767
b. Conjunctive Adverbs, Transitional Phrases 768
c. Series with Commas 769
d. Comma Splices, Fused Sentences 769
e. Misuse 770

50 Apostrophes 773
a. Possession 773
b. Contractions, Abbreviated Years 777
c. Avoiding Use with Plurals of Dates, Abbreviations, Numbers, etc. 777

51 Quotation Marks 780
a. Direct Quotations 780
b. Titles of Short Works 783
c. Words Used in a Special Sense 784
d. Misuse 784
e. Punctuating Quotations 785
f. Altering Quotations: Ellipses, Square Brackets 786
g. Introducing, Identifying Quotations 787
h. Writing Responsibly Acknowledging Indirect Sources 790

52 End Punctuation 792
a. Periods 792
b. Question Marks 793
c. Exclamation Points 794

53 Dashes, Parentheses, Colons, Ellipses, and Other Marks 796
a. Dashes 796
b. Parentheses 798