The Blair Handbook

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 2

Planning 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