Cengage Learning The Writer's Way

This dynamic, process-centered paperback combines a rhetoric with readings. Based on a "whole language approach," The Writer's Way recognizes that people learn best by reflecting on what they do--and that writers learn best when inspired by compelling reasons to write, motivated by strong examples, and reinforced by immediate personal rewards. Offering frank advice in a supportive, encouraging tone, this text leads students step by step through the writing process, from pre-writing to polishing the final draft. Part I, "Introduction to Writing," provides a broad introduction to the natural-language attitude toward learning to write, establishing the "hands-on" approach of the book. Parts II and III offer step-by-step walkthroughs of the writing process, beginning with generating ideas, drafting, and organizing (Part II: "Planning and Drafting"), followed by "Revising and Editing," in Part III, which includes coverage of peer critiquing. Part IV, "Modes of Writing," highlights the decisions about audience, purpose, structure, and language that writers face when writing in personal, informative, and persuasive modes. Part V, "Academic Writing," discusses writing for college courses and includes chapters on writing about literature, writing in the sciences, collaborative writing, and research. Part VI, "A Treasury of Essays," is a collection of 24 model student essays collected by the author from his classrooms over the years. Review Note: Each chapter concludes with Exercises. Prologue: How to Go to School How to Get a Good Grade How to (Re)Learn in School: A Guide to Studying I. Introduction to Writing 1. Learning to Write Learn Like a Baby The Four Basics What Good Is a Composition Class? How Can I Write Well Right Now? Writer's Workshop: What Helps, What Doesn't 2. What Makes Writing Good? What Good Writing Isn't What Good Writing Is: The Sense of Audience It Really Works: Two Proofs Writer's Workshop: The Reader's Dialogue II. Planning and Drafting 3. Finding Something to Write About Where Do Good Essays Come From? Five Principles for Getting Good Ideas Writing from Rage Writer's Workshop: Finding Essays in Your Life 4. From First Thoughts to Drafts Defeating Writer's Block III. Revising and Editing 5. Thesis, Purpose, Audience, and Tone The Spirit of Revising How to Feel About Rules Revision Tools Revision in Five Giant Steps Thesis, Purpose, Audience, and Tone Purpose and Audience Tell You How to Write Writer's Workshop: Revising for Thesis, Audience, and Purpose 6. Organization, Part 1: Mapping and Outlining The Organizing Attitude Mapping Outlining 7. Organization, Part 2: Abstracting Transition and Readers Transition and Connectors Abstracting Diagnosing Transition by the Numbers Structural Templates Paragraphing 8. Beginning, Ending, and Titling Beginnings Conclusions Titles 9. Making the Draft Longer or Shorter Making It Shorter Making It Longer Writer's Workshop: Expanding Essays 10. Peer Feedback Rules for Readers Rules for Writers Peer Editing in Groups Peer Editing for Mechanics and Grammar Writer's Workshop: Peer Editing a Peer-Editing Session 11. Rewriting for Style Style as Clothing How to Master a Style: Three Steps Sentence Length Latinate Diction Concretion 12. Editing Getting the Editing Attitude "Grammar" Punctuation Spelling The Worst That Can Happen to You Following Format Proofreading 13. Publishing What, Me Publish? Ways to Go Public Preparing a Manuscript for Submission IV. Modes of Writing 14. Personal Writing Show, Don't Tell Choosing an Effect Does Personal Writing Have a Thesis? Writer's Workshop: Concretizing Abstract Generalizations 15. Writing to Inform What's Informative Writing? The Three Challenges Eight Teaching Tips Writer's Workshop: The Eight in Action 16. Writing an Argument, Part 1: Thinking It Through What's an Argument? Finding an Argumentative Prompt Thinking It Through vs. Selling the Case Why Thinking Is Hard How to Think: A Template Writer's Workshop: Us