The Academic Writer: A Brief Guide Book

PART I Writing Matters: Writing and Rhetoric in the Twenty-First Century

1. Rethinking Writing: A Rhetorical Process for Composing Texts

Understanding the Impact of Communication Technologies on Writing Writing and Rhetoric Composing - and Designing - Texts Developing Rhetorical Sensitivity
     Note for Multilingual Writers
     Note for Multilingual Writers For Thought, Discussion, and Writing

2. Academic Writing: Committing to the Process

Managing the Writing Process
     Identifying Composing Styles
     Note for Multilingual Writers
     Analyzing Your Composing Process
     Questions for Analyzing Your Composing Process Writing Communities
     Finding a Community
     Working Collaboratively
     Guidelines for Group Work For Thought, Discussion, and Writing

3. Analyzing Rhetorical Situations

Learning to Analyze Your Rhetorical Situation
     Note for Multilingual Writers
     Using Your Rhetorical Analysis to Guide Your Writing
     Questions for Analyzing Your Rhetorical Situation
     Setting Preliminary Goals
     *Student Essay: Alia Sands, “A Separate Education”
Using Aristotle's Three Appeals
     Student Essay: Brandon Barrett, “The All-Purpose Answer”
Analyzing Textual Conventions
     Characteristics of an Effective Academic Essay
     Observing a Professional Writer at Work: Comparing and Contrasting Textual Conventions
     Note for Multilingual Writers
     Using Textual Conventions For Thought, Discussion, and Writing

PART II Writing in College

4. Analyzing Texts and Contexts

Understanding Your Audience
     Student Essay: Hope Leman, “The Role of Journalists in American Society: A Comparison of the 'Mirror' and 'Flashlight' Models”
Understanding How Analysis Works
     Establishing a Purpose for Your Analysis
     Developing an Appropriate Method for Your Analysis
     Questions for Developing an Appropriate Method for Analysis Understanding the Relationship between Analysis and Argument
     Analyzing Academic Arguments
     Determining the Question at Issue
     Stasis Questions
     Essay: Amitai Etzioni, “Less Privacy Is Good for Us (and You)”
     Identifying an Author's Position on a Question
     Questions for Critical Reading
     Using Aristotle's Three Appeals
     Using Toulmin's Framework
     Recognizing Fallacies
     Guidelines for Identifying Fallacies Putting Theory into Practice: Academic Analysis in Action
     Student Essay: Stevon Roberts, “The Price of Public Safety”
     Reading Visual Texts
     Guidelines for Analyzing Visual Texts For Thought, Discussion, and Writing

5. Making and Supporting Claims

Understanding - and Designing - Academic Arguments Exploring Aristotle's Three Appeals Understanding the Role of Values and Beliefs in Argument
     Guidelines for Analyzing Your Own Values and Beliefs
     Note for Multilingual Writers
     For Exploration
*Mastering the Essential Moves in Academic Writing
     Determining Whether a Claim Can Be Argued
     Developing a Working Thesis
     Guidelines for Developing and Arguable Claim Providing Good Reasons and Supporting Them with Evidence
     For Exploration
     Questions for Evaluating Evidence
     Acknowledging Possible Counterarguments
     *Framing Your Argument as Part of the Conversation
     Using Visuals to Strengthen Your Argument
     Guidelines for Using Visuals in Academic Writing
*Composing an Academic Argument: A Case Study
     Daniel Stieplman, “Literacy in America: Reading between the Lines”
For Thought, Discussion, and Writing

*6. Doing Research: Joining the Scholarly Conversation

Questions for Analyzing Your Rhetorical Situation As A Researcher
*Exploring
*Considering Multiple Perspectives
*Looking at a Variety of Sources
     Using Reference Works
           Encyclopedias
           Wikipedia
     Browsing the Scholarly Literature
     Using Review Articles and Scholarly Anthologies
     Exploring the Social Web
*Coping with Uncertainty
*Keeping an Open Mind
*Finding a Focus
*Gathering Information
*Planning Your Research Process
     Questions to Help You Start Your Research
*Managing Your Time 
*Staying Organized
     Saving What You Find Online
     Citation Managers
     Guidelines for Managing a Research Project
     Note for Multilingual Writers
*Finding and Participating in the Conversations about Your Topic
     The Basics of Online Searches
          Databases.
          Keyword Searches.
          Searching the Internet and Searching Specialized Databases
          Alternatives to Keyword Searching
          Controlled Vocabulary and Thesauri Research Tools
     Article (or Periodical) Databases
     Questions To Consider When Choosing An Article Database
     Library Catalogs
     Questions To Consider When Using Library Catalogs
     Searching the Internet.
     Using the Social Web
*Conducting Field Research
     Interviews
     Guidelines for Conducting Interviews
     Questionnaires
     Guidelines for Designing and Using Questionnaires
     Observation
*Evaluating
*Understanding and Evaluating Sources
     Choosing Different Types of Source
     Peer-Reviewed (Scholarly) Articles
     Online Sources
     Tools for Evaluating Peer-Reviewed Articles
          Scholarly Blogs
          Ratings and Reviews on the Social Web
          Citation Tracking Guidelines for Evaluating Sources
*Writing
*Using Sources Ethically and Appropriately
     Guidelines for Determining When to Quote, Paraphrase or Summarize
     Avoiding Plagiarism
     Guidelines for Avoiding Plagiarism
     Note for Multilingual Writers
     Using Appropriate Citation Styles
*Understanding and Asserting Your Rights as a Content Creator
     Copyright
     Copyleft, Creative Commons, and Privacy
*Using Visuals Effectively Sample Research Essay Using MLA Documentation Style
          Student Essay: Alletta Brenner, “Sweatshop U.S.A.: Human Trafficking in the American Garment-Manufacturing Industry”
For Thought, Discussion, and Writing

7. Writing in the Disciplines: Making Choices as You Write

Thinking Rhetorically about Writing in the Disciplines
     Questions for Analyzing Writing in the Disciplines Writing in the Humanities Sample Student Essays in the Humanities
     Julie Baird and Stevon Roberts, “I Think I Am, I Think I Am”
     Elizabeth Ridlington, “Lincoln's Presidency and Public Opinion”
Writing in the Natural and Applied Sciences Sample Student Essay in the Natural and Applied Sciences
     Tara Gupta, “Field Measurements of Photosynthesis and Transpiration Rates in Dwarf Snapdragon (Chaenorrhinum minus Lange): An Investigation of Water Stress Adaptations”
Writing in the Social Sciences
*Sample Student Essay in the Social Sciences
     *Tawnya Redding, “Mood Music: Music Preference and the Risk for Depression and Suicide in Adolescents”
Writing in Business Sample Student Memo for Business Writing
     Michelle Rosowsky and Carina Abernathy, “Taylor Nursery Bid”
For Thought, Discussion, and Writing

PART III Practical Strategies for Reading and Writing

8. Strategies for Reading

Applying Rhetorical Sensitivity to Your Reading Recognizing the Importance of Genre
     Questions to ask about Academic Genres
     Note for Multilingual Writers Becoming a Strong Reader
     Guidelines for Effective Reading Developing Critical Reading Skills
     Previewing
          Note for Multilingual Writers
          Questions for Previewing a Text
     Analyzing Visual Elements
          Questions for Analyzing the Use of Visuals in a Text
     Annotating
          Questions for Annotating a Text
     Summarizing
          Guidelines for Summarizing a Text
     Analyzing Lines of Argument
          Questions for Analyzing a Text's Argument
          Note for Multilingual Writers For Thought, Discussion, and Writing

9. Strategies for Invention

     Discovering Ideas
     Note for Multilingual Writers
     Freewriting
     Looping
     Brainstorming
     Guidelines for Group Brainstorming
     Clustering
     Asking the Journalist's Questions Exploring Ideas
     Asking the Topical Questions
     Questions for Exploring a Topic
     Researching
     Note for Multilingual Writers
     Writing a Discovery Draft
     Troubleshooting
     Guidelines for Troubleshooting For Thought, Discussion, and Writing

10. Strategies for Planning and Drafting

Understanding the Process of Planning
     Establishing a Working Thesis
     QUESTIONS FOR ESTABLISHING A WORKING THESIS
     Formulating a Workable Plan
     Note for Multilingual Writers Developing Effective Strategies for Drafting
     Managing the Drafting Process
     GUIDELINES FOR OVERCOMING WRITER'S BLOCK
     GUIDELINES FOR DRAFTING ON A COMPUTER Developing and Organizing Your Ideas
     Using a Thesis Statement
     Developing Ideas
     Note for Multilingual Writers
     Following Textual Conventions For Thought, Discussion, and Writing

11. Strategies for Designing Pages and Screens

Looking at Design and the Rhetorical Situation
     Note for Multilingual Writers Understanding the Basic Principles of Design
     Guidelines for Thinking Rhetorically About Document Design
     Alignment
     Proximity
     Repetition
     Contrast 

Formatting and Layout
     Color
     Guidelines for Using Color Effectively
     Fonts and Typefaces
     Spacing
     Pagination Choosing Effective Headings
     Wording
     Type Size and Style
     Positioning Using Visuals Effectively
     Guidelines for Using Visuals Effectively Making Effective Decisions about Design: Sample Documents For Thought, Discussion, and Writing

12. Strategies for Revision

Revising through Re-Vision
     Guidelines for Revising Objectively Asking the Big Questions: Revising for Focus, Content, and Organization
     Examining Your Own Writing
     Questions for Evaluating Focus, Content, and Organization
*One Student Writer's Revision for Focus, Content, and Organization
     *Stevon Roberts: “My Identity Crisis-And Yours”
Benefiting from Responses to Work in Progress
     Note for Multilingual Writers
     Responses from Friends and Family Members
     Responses from Classmates
     Guidelines for Peer Response
     Responses from Writing Center Tutors
     Guidelines for Meeting with a Writing Tutor
     Responses from Your Instructor
     Guidelines for Using Your Instructor's Responses Keeping Your Readers on Track: Revising for Style
     Achieving Coherence

     Guidelines for Revising for Coherence
     Finding an Appropriate Voice
     Revising for Effective Prose Style
     Guidelines for Effective Prose Style For Thought, Discussion, and Writing

Writers' References
     MLA Documentation Guidelines
     APA Documentation Guidelines