Blair Handbook, The (casebound)

PART 1 - READINGAND WRITING IN COLLEGE



1. Why Write?



2. Reading Texts Critically



3. Reading Images Critically



4. The Writing Process



Describing writing as a process
Planning
Composing
Revising
Researching
Editing
English as a second language





PART 2 - PLANNING A WRITING PROJECT

5. Analyzing the Rhetorical Situation

a. Knowing the purpose

b. Reading the audience

c. Understanding the situation

d. Adopting a voice



6. The Role of Journals



Understanding journals
Keeping a college journal
Suggestions for using journals



7. Inventing and Discovering



Brainstorming
Free writing
Looping
Asking questions
Outlining
Clustering
Talking





PART 3 - COMPOSING WRITING ASSIGNMENTS

8. Writing from Experience



Character
Subject
Perspective
Setting
Sequence of events
Theme
Sample student essay



9. Writing to Explain



Topic
Thesis
Strategies
Organization
Neutral perspective
Sample student essay



10. Arguing and Persuading



Elements of argument
Issue
Analysis
Position
Argument (Argument strategies?)
Organization
Sample student essay



11. Writing about Literature



Interpretive essays
Exploring texts
Interpretive communities
Interpretations
Different literary genres
Sample student essay



12. Writing Creative Nonfiction



Lists
Snapshots
Playful sentences
Repetition/refrain
Double voice









13. Writing Essay Examinations



Understanding questions
Writing good answers

PART 4 - REVISING [RENUMBER]

14. The Revising Process



Understanding revising
Planning
Asking questions
Revising strategies



15. Focused Revising



Limiting
Adding
Switching
Transforming
Experimenting



16. Responding to Writing & Peer Review



Asking for help
Giving responses
Writing responses
Through conferences
In writing groups



PART 5 - PRESENTING & PUBLISHING



17. Designing Documents



Objectives of design
Layout
Typography
Graphics
Illustrations



18. Writing for the Internet

a. Writing for the Web

b. E-mail, newsgroups, instant messages

c. Weblogs



19. Writing for the World

a. Reports

b. Pamphlets & brochures

c. Newsletters

d. Press releases

e. Advocacy







20. Portfolios and Publishing Class Books



Writing portfolio
Course portfolio
Story portfolio
Class books



21. Making Oral Presentations



The assignment
Speaking texts
Speaking in public
Creative options



PART 6 -- WRITING WITH Research



22. Writing Research Projects



Understanding research
Managing the process
Working thesis
Research log
Using the writing process



23. Conducting Library Research



Planning library research
Finding sources of information
Using electronic resources
Reading sources critically
Taking notes



24. Conducting Internet Research



Search engines
Limiting your search
Search strategies
E-mail, lists, and newsgroups



25. Conducting Field Research



Planning
Interviewing
Surveying
Observing



26. Evaluating Research Sources



Reading sources critically
Evaluating online sources



27. Working with Sources

a. Taking notes

b. Controlling sources

c. Organizing sources

d. Synthesizing information

e. Integrating information



28. Avoiding Plagiarism

a. What plagiarism is

b. What plagiarism is not

c. Recognizing and avoiding plagiarism







PART 7 - DOCUMENTATION ACROSS THE CURRICULUM



29 Understanding the College Curriculum



Differences among disciplines
Similarities among disciplines



30. MLA: Writing in the Literature and Languages



Aims
Style
Writing about texts
Research papers
MLA Style: Documenting sources
MLA directory for in-text citations
MLA directory of works cited
MLA conventions for in-text citations
MLA conventions for endnotes and footnotes
MLA conventions for works cited
Sample MLA research paper



31 APA: Writing in the Social Sciences

a. Aims

b. Style

c. Research reports

d. Reviews

e. APA style: Documenting sources

f. APA directory for in-text citations

g. APA directory for the reference list

h. APA conventions for in-text citations

i. APA conventions for footnotes

j. APA conventions for the reference list

k. Sample APA research paper



32. CMS: Writing in the Humanities



Aims
Style
CM Style: Documenting sources
CMS conventions for in-text citations
CMS conventions for positioning notes and bibliography
CMS conventions for endnote and footnote format
CMS directory for documentation guidelines
Sample CMS page with endnotes
Sample CMS page with footnotes





33. CSE: Writing in the Physical Sciences



Aims
Style
Lab Reports
CSE Style: Documenting sources
CSE name-year style
Conventions for in-text citations
Conventions for reference lists
CSE number style
Conventions for in-text citations ??
Conventions for reference lists



34. Writing in Business

a. Aims

b. Style

c. Memos

d. Letters

e. Resumes



PART 8 - THE EDITING PROCESS

35. The Editing Process



Editing techniques
The meaning of "error"
Working with others
Editing on a computer
When English is your second language
Using Part 8



36. Shaping Paragraphs



Unity
Organization
Coherence



37. Improving Openings and Conclusions



Engaging openings
Strong openings
Satisfying conclusions
Strong conclusions



38. Strengthening Sentence Structure



Coordination
Subordination
Effective coordination, subordination
Eliminating choppiness
Using parallelism
Effective parallelism



39. Creating Emphasis and Variety



First and final positions
Sentence length
Sentence types
Sentence openings
Deliberate repetition
Elliptical constructions



40. Building vital sentences

a. Concrete, specific nouns

b. Strong verbs

c. Active or passive voice

d. Vital modifiers



41. Being Concise



Vague generalities
Idle words
Grammatical constructions
Redundancy
Pretentious language
Euphemism



42. Adjusting Tone



Appropriate tone
Point of view
Level of formality
Consistent tone



43. Choosing the Right Word



The history of English
Dictionary, thesaurus
Your vocabulary
Connotations
Confusing words
Prepositions, particles
Slang, regionalisms, jargon
Figurative language
Cliches



44. Eliminating Biased Language



Stereotypes
Labels
Nonsexist language







PART 9 -- EDITING FOR GRAMMAR



45. Eliminating Sentence Fragments



Lacking subjects, verbs
Dependent clause fragments
For special effects





46. Fixing Fused Sentences and Comma Splices



Comma and coordinating conjunction
Semicolon
Colon
Separate sentences
Subordinating one clause
Creating independent clauses



47. Using Verbs Correctly

VERB FORMS:

a. Understanding forms

b. Standard verb forms

c. Auxiliary verbs

VERB TENSE:

d. Understanding tense

e. Appropriate sequence

VERB MOOD:

f. Understanding mood

g. Subjunctive mood

SUBJECT-VERB AGREEMENT:

h. Agreement

i. Intervening words

j. Subject following verb

k. Linking verbs

l. 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



Adjectives or adverbs
After linking verbs
Confusing modifiers
Double negatives
With comparatives, superlatives
Placing modifiers
Dangling modifiers
Disruptive modifiers

49. Using Pronouns Correctly

PRONOUN REFERENCE

a. Clear antecedents

b. Explicit antecedents

c. It, they, you

d. Who, which, that

e. Unneeded pronouns

PRONOUN-ANTECEDENT AGREEMENT

f. Agreement

g. Joined by and

h. Joined by or, nor

i. Collective nouns

j. Indefinite antecedents

PRONOUN CASE

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



Unnecessary shifts
Mixed constructions
Missing words





PART 10 -- EDITING PUNCTUATION



51. End Punctuation

a. Periods

b. Question marks

c. Exclamation points



52. Commas



Coordinating conjunctions
Introductory elements
Nonrestrictive elements
Parenthetical expressions, elements of contrast
Tag sentences, direct address, interjections
Items in a series, coordinate adjectives
Quotations
Numbers, dates, names, places, addresses
To prevent misreading
Misuse

53. Semicolons

a. Independent clauses

b. In a series



54. Colons



Marks of introduction
Marks of separation



55. Apostrophes



Possessive nouns, indefinite pronouns
Plurals of words as words, letters, numbers, symbols
Omission of letters



56. Quotation Marks



Direct quotations
Dialogue
Titles
Translations, special terms, irony, nicknames
With other punctuation



57. Other Punctuation



Parentheses
Dashes
Ellipsis points
Brackets
Slashes



PART 11 -- EDITING MECHANICS



58. Spelling



Confusing words
Spelling rules



59. Capitalization



First word of sentence
Quotations, lines of poetry
Proper nouns
Titles



60. Hyphenation



Ends of lines
Prefixes
Compound words
Numbers, fractions, units of measure











61. Italics



Titles
Individual trains, ships, airplanes, spacecraft
For emphasis
Words, numerals, letters used as words
Foreign words



62. Numbers and Abbreviations



Figures, words
Conventional uses
In nontechnical texts
Titles, degrees
Time, dates, amounts, symbols
Geographic names
Latin terms
Initials, acronyms





PART 12 - GLOSSARIES



63. Glossary of Terms



64. Glossary of Usage





ESL INDEX

INDEX