First Steps in Academic Writing Book

Chapter 1 Introducing People

What Is Academic Writing?

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Prewriting Activity: Asking Questions and Taking Notes

Part 1: Organization

What Is a Paragraph?

Model: What Is a Paragraph? Mrs. Robinson

Paragraph Form

Model: Handwritten Assignment My Classmate

Model: Computer-Written Assignment My Classmate

Part 2: Grammar and Capitalization

What Is a Sentence?

Command Sentences

Subjects, Verbs, and Objects

Capitalization: Six Rules

Journal Writing

Model: Journal Entry

Part 3: Sentence Structure

Simple Sentences

Connecting Words: and, or

Sentence Combining

Part 4: Writing

Review Questions

The Writing Process

Step 1: Prewrite to get ideas–freewriting

Step 2: Write the first draft

Step 3: Edit the first draft

Step 4: Write the final copy

Writing Assignment

Chapter 2 Listing-Order Paragraphs

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Prewriting Activity: Clustering

Clustering

Model: Clustering 1

Model: Clustering 2

Part 1: Organization

Listing-Order Paragraphs

Model: Listing-Order Paragraph Flight Attendants

The Three Parts of a Paragraph

The Topic Sentence

Listing-Order Transition Signals

Paragraph Unity

The Concluding Sentence

Outlining

Model: Simple Outline Flight Attendants

Part 2: Sentence Structure

Compound Sentences

Coordinating Conjunctions: and, but, or, so

Two Sentence Errors: Run-ons and Comma Splices

Part 3: Writing

Review Questions

Writing Assignment

Chapter 3 Giving Instructions

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Prewriting Activity: Listing

Part 1: Organization

"How To" Paragraphs

Model: "How To" Paragraph How to Have a Successful Garage Sale

Topic and Concluding Sentence for "How To" Paragraphs

Time-Order Signals

Listing and Outlining

Model: Listing

Model: Edited List

Model: Simple Outline

Part 2: Sentence Structure

Independent and Dependent Clauses

Adverb Subordinators

Complex Sentences

Sentence Errors: Fragments

Summary: Three Types of Sentences

Part 3: Capitalization and Punctuation

Capitalization: Four More Rules

Commas: Four Rules

Part 4: Writing

Review Questions

Writing Assignment

Chapter 4 Describing a Place

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Prewriting Activity: Listing Descriptive Detail

Part 1: Organization

Description

Space Order

Model: Space Order The Shared Refrigerator

Topic and Concluding Sentences for Descriptive Paragraphs

Specific Details

Planning a Space-Order Paragraph

Part 2: Grammar

Adjectives

Order of Adjectives

Part 3: Sentence Structure

Prepositions

Prepositional Phrases

Model: Prepositional Phrases of Place in a Description My Desk

Using Prepositional Phrases to Vary Sentence Openings

Part 4: Writing

Review Questions

Writing Assignment

Chapter 5 Stating Reasons and Using Examples

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Prewriting Activity: Reasons and Examples

Part 1: Organization

Model: Reasons and Examples Costa Rica

Outlines with Details

Model: Detailed Outline Costa Rica

Reasons and Examples

Transition Signals with Reasons

Conclusion Signals with Reasons

Transition Signals with Examples

Part 2: Sentence Structure

More About Complex Sentences

Reason and Condition Subordinators

Part 3: Capitalization and Punctuation

Capitalization: Two More Rules

Commas: Four More Rules

Part 4: Writing

Review Questions

Writing Assignment

Chapter 6: Expressing Your Opinion

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Prewriting Activity: Getting Ideas from Reading

Part 1: Organization

Opinion Paragraphs

Facts and Opinions

Model: Opinion Paragraph Video Games and Violence

Transition Signals for Opinions

Part 2: Sentence Structure

Model: Adjective Clauses School Uniforms

Adjective Clauses with who, which, and that

Punctuating Adjective Clauses

Complex Sentence with Adjective Clauses

More About Fragments

Part 3: Punctuation

Quotation Marks

Part 4: Writing

Review Questions

Writing Assignment

Appendix A Journal Writing

Appendix B Correction Symbols

Appendix C Grammar Words and Kinds of Sentences

Appendix D Conjunctions

Appendix E Transition Signals

Appendix F Business Letters

Appendix G Reader’s Response and Writer’s Self-Check Worksheets