The Blair Handbook [With Student Access Code] Book

PART  1

Reading and Writing in College

  

1 Why Writing Matters  

a What is difficult about writing? 

b What do you enjoy about writing?  

c What surprises are in store?  

d Why is writing important?  

e What can you learn from the experience of others?  

f   What else do you want to know about writing?  

 

2  Reading Texts Critically  

a Reading to understand

b Reading critically  

 

3  Reading Images Critically  

a The elements of composition  

b Words  

c Color  

d Images of persuasion

 

4  The Writing Process  

a   Describing writing as a process  

b   Planning

c   Composing

d   Revising  

e   Researching  

f Editing  

g   English as a second language  

 

PART 2Planning a Writing Project

 

5  Analyzing the Rhetorical Situation  

a   Knowing the purpose  

b   Addressing audiences  

c   Understanding the situation  

d   Adopting a voice  

 

6  Keeping Journals  

a   Understanding journals  

b   Keeping journals in college  

c   Suggestions for using journals  

 

7  Strategies for Invention and Discovery  

a  Brainstorming  

b   Freewriting  

c   Looping  

d   Asking reporters’ questions  

e   Outlining  

f  Clustering  

g   Talking  

  

PART  3

Composing

 

8 Writing from Experience  

a   Character  

b   Subject  

c Perspective  

d   Setting  

e   Sequence of events  

f Theme  

g   Sample student essay  

 

9 Writing to Explain  

a   Topic  

b   Thesis  

c   Strategies  

d   Organization  

e   Neutral perspective  

f Sample student essay  

 

10 Arguing and Persuading  

a   Elements of argument  

b   Issue  

c   Analysis  

d   Position  

e   Argument  

f Organization  

g   Sample student essay  

 

11 Writing About Literature  

a   Interpretive essays  

b   Exploring texts  

c Interpretive communities  

d   Interpretations  

e   Different literary genres  

f Sample student essay  

 

12 Writing Creative Nonfiction 

a   Lists  

b   Snapshots  

c   Playful sentences  

d   Repetition/refrain  

e   Double voice  

 

13 Writing Essay Examinations  

a   Understanding questions  

b   Writing good answers  

  

 PART  4

Revising

 

14 The Revising Process  

a Understanding revising  

b Planning  

c Revising strategies  

 

15 Focused Revising  

a Limiting  

b Adding  

c Switching  

d Transforming  

e Experimenting  

 

16  Responding to Writing and Peer Review  

a Asking for help  

b   Giving responses  

c Writing responses  

d Responding through conferences  

e Responding in writing groups  

 

PART  5

Presenting and Publishing  

 

17 Designing Documents  

a   Objectives of design  

b   Layout  

c Typography  

d Graphics  

e Illustrations  

 

18 Writing for the Internet 

a Writing for the Web  

b   E-mail, newsgroups, and instant messages  

c Weblogs  

 

19 Writing for the World  

a Reports

b Pamphlets and brochures

c Newsletters  

d Press releases  

e Advocacy   

 

20 Portfolios and Publishing Class Books 

a Writing portfolios  

b Course portfolios  

c Story portfolios  

d Publishing class books  

 

21 Making Oral Presentations 

a   The assignment  

b   Speaking texts  

c   Speaking in public  

d   Creative options  

 

 PART 6 

Writing with Research  

  

22 Writing Research Papers  

a Understanding research  

b    Working with a thesis  

c Keeping a research log  

d Finding your way  

 

23 Conducting Library Research  

a Planning library research  

b Finding sources of information  

c Taking notes  

 

24 Conducting Internet Research 

a Search engines  

b Limiting your search  

c Search strategies  

d E-mail, lists, and newsgroups  

 

25 Conducting Field Research 

a   Planning  

b   Interviewing  

c Surveying  

d   Observing  

 

26 Evaluating Research Sources  

a Evaluating library sources  

b Evaluating Internet sources  

c Evaluating field sources  

 

27 Using Research Sources  

a Controlling sources

b Organizing sources  

c Integrating information  

d Paraphrasing and summarizing  

e Incorporating visual images  

 

28  Avoiding Plagiarism  

a What plagiarism is 

b What plagiarism is not

c Recognizing and avoiding plagiarism  

 

PART  7

Writing in the Disciplines  

  29 Understanding the College Curriculum  

a   Differences among disciplines  

b   Similarities among disciplines  

 

30 MLA: Writing in Languages and Literature  

a   Aims  

b   Style  

c   Writing about texts  

d   MLA style: Documenting sources  

e   Conventions for list of Works Cited  

f   Sample MLA research paper  

 

31 APA: Writing in the Social Sciences  

a   Aims  

b   Style  

c   Writing about texts  

d   APA style: Documenting sources  

e   Sample APA research paper  

 

32 CMS: Writing in the Humanities 

a   Aims  

b   Style  

c   Writing about texts  

d   CMS style: Documenting sources  

e   Sample page with endnotes   

f Sample page with footnotes  

 

33 Writing in the Physical Sciences  

a   Aims  

b   Style  

c   Writing about texts  

d   Number systems: Documenting sources  

 

34 Writing in Business  

a    Aims  

b   Style  

c   Common forms of writing in business  

d   Documentation and format conventions  

 

PART  8

Editing  

 EDITING FOR EFFECTIVENESS  

 

35 The Editing Process  

a   Editing techniques  

b   The meaning of “error”  

c   Working with others  

d   Editing on a computer

e   Proofreading  

f    Editing when English is your second language 

g   Using Part Eight  

 

36 Shaping Paragraphs 

a   Unity  

b   Organization  

c   Coherence  

 

37 Improving Openings and Conclusions  

a   Engaging openings  

b   Strong openings  

c   Satisfying conclusions  

d   Strong conclusions  

 

38 Strengthening Sentences  

a   Coordinating ideas  

b   Using subordination  

c   Using parallelism  

 

39 Creating Emphasis and Variety  

a   First and final positions  

b   Sentence length  

c   Sentence types  

d   Sentence openings  

e   Deliberate repetition  

f    Elliptical constructions  

 

40 Building Vital Sentences  

a   Concrete, specific nouns  

b   Strong verbs  

c   Active or passive voice  

d   Vital modifiers  

 

41 Being Concise 

a   Vague generalities  

b   Idle words  

c   Simplifying grammatical constructions  

d   Redundancy  

e   Pretentious language  

f Euphemism  

 

42 Adjusting tone  

a   Appropriate tone  

b   Point of view  

c   Level of formality  

d   Consistent tone  

 

43 Choosing the Right Word  

a   The history of English 

b   Using the dictionary and thesaurus  

c   Expanding your vocabulary  

d   Connotations  

e   Confusing words  

f   Prepositions and particles  

g   Slang, regionalisms, and jargon  

h   Figurative language  

i Cliches  

  

44 Eliminating Biased Language  

a   Stereotypes  

b   Labels  

c   Nonsexist language  

 

GRAMMAR 

 

45  Eliminating Sentence Fragments  

a  Fragments lacking subjects or verbs  

b  Dependent clause fragments  

c  Fragments for special effects  

46  Fixing Fused Sentences and Comma Splices   

a  Comma and a coordinating conjunction  

b  Adding a semicolon  

c  Colon  

d  Separate sentences  

e  Subordinating one clause  

f   Creating independent clauses  

 

47  Using Verbs Correctly  

a  Understanding forms  

b  Standard verb forms  

c  Auxiliary verbs  

d  Understanding tense  

e  Appropriate sequence  

f   Understanding mood  

g  Subjunctive mood  

h  Agreement  

i   Intervening words  

j   Subject following verb  

k  Linking verbs  

l   Making verbs agree with subjects joined by and  

m  Or, nor

n  Collective nouns  

o  Indefinite pronouns  

p Who, which, that  

q  Amounts  

r   Noun phrases and clauses

s  Titles, words used as words  

t   Subjects ending in -s  

u  Troublesome plurals  

48 Using Modifiers Correctly 

a   Adjectives or adverbs  

b   After linking verbs  

c   Confusing modifiers  

d   Double negatives  

e   Comparatives and superlatives  

f Placing modifiers  

g   Dangling modifiers  

h   Disruptive modifiers  

49 Using Pronouns Correctly  

a   Clear antecedents  

b   Explicit antecedents  

c It, they, you  

d   Who, which, that  

e   Unneeded pronouns  

f Agreement  

g   Joined by and

h   Joined by or, nor  

i Collective nouns  

j Indefinite antecedents  

k   Choosing case  

l    And, or, nor  

m  Appositive pronouns  

n   Us, we

o  Verbals  

p  Than, as  

q  Who, whom  

r   Reflexive pronouns  

50 Consistent and Complete Sentences 

a   Unnecessary shifts  

b   Mixed constructions  

c   Missing words  

 

PUNCTUATION

 

51 End Punctuation

a   Periods  

b   Question marks  

c   Exclamation points  

52 Commas 

a   Coordinating conjunctions  

b   Introductory elements  

c   Nonrestrictive elements  

d   Parenthetical expressions and elements of contrast  

e   Tag sentences, direct address, and interjections  

f Items in a series  

g   Coordinate adjectives  

h   Quotations  

i Numbers, dates, names, and places  

j To prevent misreading  

k   Misuse  

53 Semicolons  

a   Between independent clauses  

b   In a series  

54 Colons

a   Marks of introduction  

b   Marks of separation  

55 Apostrophes 

a   Possessive nouns and indefinite pronouns  

b   Plurals of words used as words, letters, numbers, and symbols  

c   Omission of letters  

56 Quotation Marks  

a   Direct quotations  

b   Dialogue  

c   Titles  

d   Translations, special terms, irony, and nicknames  

e   With other punctuation  

57 Other Punctuation 

a   Parentheses  

b   Dashes  

c   Ellipsis points  

d   Brackets  

e   Slashes  

 

MECHANICS 

58 Spelling  

a   Confusing words  

b   Spelling rules  

59 Capitalization

a   First word of a sentence  

b   Quotations and lines of poetry  

c   Proper nouns  

d   Titles

60 Hyphenation 

a   Ends of lines  

b   Prefixes  

c   Compound words  

d   Numbers, fractions, and units of measure  

61 Italics 

a   Titles  

b   Individual trains, ships, airplanes, and spacecraft  

c   For emphasis

d    Words, numerals, and letters used as words  

e Foreign words  

62 Numbers and Abbreviations 

a   Figures and words  

b   Conventional uses  

c   In nontechnical terms  

d   Titles and degrees  

e   Time, dates, amounts, and symbols  

f Geographic names  

g   Latin terms  

h   Initials and acronyms  

 

 

PART  9

Glossaries  

63 Glossary of Terms

 

64 Glossary of Usage  

 

CREDITS

ESL INDEX

INDEX