Patterns for College Writing: A Rhetorical Reader and Guide

by Laurie Kirszner, Stephen Mandell

Overview

Patterns for College Writing provides instruction, visual texts, diverse essays, and student writing examples to help you develop your writing skills using rhetorical patterns like narration, description, argumentation, and more.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781319243791
Publisher:	Bedford/St. Martin's
Publication date:	10/07/2020
Edition description:	Fifteenth Edition
Pages:	848
Product dimensions:	6.55(w) x 9.10(h) x 1.10(d)

About the Author

During their long collaboration, Laurie Kirszner and Stephen Mandell have written a number of best-selling college texts for Bedford/St. Martin's, including Patterns for College Writing, Foundations First, Writing First, Focus on Writing, and, most recently, Practical Argument. Laurie Kirszner is a Professor of English, Emeritus at the University of the Sciences, where she has taught composition, literature, creative writing, and scientific writing, and served as coordinator of the first-year writing program.  Stephen Mandell is a Professor of English at Drexel University, where he founded and directed the basic writing program and has taught composition, literature, speech, and technical and business writing.

Table of Contents

New readings are marked with an asterisk *

Introduction: How to Use This Book
Henry Louis Gates Jr., “What’s in a Name?”
Responding to an Essay
Responding to Other Kinds of Texts

PART ONE: The Writing Process
Chapter 1: Reading to Write: Becoming a Critical Reader
Understanding Critical Reading
Determining Your Purpose
CHECKLIST: Questions about Your Purpose
Previewing
Highlighting
Brent Staples, Cutting and Pasting: A Senior Thesis by (Insert Name)
Moisés Naím, The YouTube Effect
Annotating
CHECKLIST: Questions for Critical Reading
Brent Staples, Cutting and Pasting: A Senior Thesis by (Insert Name) (with sample
annotations)
Reading Visual Texts
CHECKLIST: Reading Visual Texts

Chapter 2: Invention
Understanding Your Assignment
Setting Limits
Length
Purpose
Audience
Occasion
Knowledge
CHECKLIST: Setting Limits
Moving from Subject to Topic
Questions for Probing
CHECKLIST: Questions for Probing
Freewriting
A Student Writer: Freewriting
Finding Something to Say
Brainstorming
A Student Writer: Brainstorming
Journal Writing
A Student Writer: Journal Writing
Grouping Ideas
Clustering
A Student Writer: Clustering
Making an Informal Outline
A Student Writer: Making an Informal Outline
Understanding Thesis and Support
Developing a Thesis
Defining the Thesis Statement
Deciding on a Thesis
Stating Your Thesis
Implying a Thesis
A Student Writer: Developing a Thesis
CHECKLIST: Stating Your Thesis

Chapter 3: Arrangement
Recognizing a Pattern
CHECKLIST: Recognizing a Pattern
Understanding the Parts of the Essay
The Introduction
CHECKLIST: What Not to Do in an Introduction
The Body Paragraphs
CHECKLIST: Effective Support
The Conclusion
CHECKLIST: What Not to Do in a Conclusion
Constructing a Formal Outline
CHECKLIST: Constructing a Formal Outline
A Student Writer: Constructing a Formal Outline

Chapter 4: Drafting and Revising
Writing Your First Draft
CHECKLIST: Drafting
A Student Writer: Writing a First Draft
Revising Your Essay
Revising with an Outline
Revising with a Checklist
CHECKLIST: Revising
Revising with Your Instructor’s Written Comments
Revising in a Conference
Revising in a Peer-Editing Group
CHECKLIST: Guidelines for Peer Editing
Strategies for Revising
A Student Writer: Revising a First Draft
Peer Editing Worksheet
Points for Special Attention: First Draft
The Introduction
The Body Paragraphs
The Conclusion
A Student Writer: Revising a Second Draft
Points for Special Attention: Second Draft
The Introduction
The Body Paragraphs
The Conclusion
Working with Sources
The Title
A Student Writer: Preparing a Final Draft
SAMPLE STUDENT ESSAY: Laura Bobnak, The Price of Silence (Student Essay)

Chapter 5: Editing and Proofreading
Editing for Grammar
Be Sure Subjects and Verbs Agree
Be Sure Verb Tenses Are Accurate and Consistent
Be Sure Pronoun References Are Clear
Be Sure Sentences Are Complete
Be Careful Not to Run Sentences Together without Proper Punctuation
Be Careful to Avoid Misplaced and Dangling Modifiers
Be Sure Sentence Elements Are Parallel
CHECKLIST: Editing for Grammar
Editing for Punctuation
Learn When to Use Commas — and When Not to Use Them
Learn When to Use Semicolons
Learn When to Use Apostrophes
Learn When to Use Quotation Marks
Learn When to Use Dashes and Colons
CHECKLIST: Editing for Punctuation
Editing for Sentence Style and Word Choice
Eliminate Awkward Phrasing
Be Sure Your Sentences Are Concise
Be Sure Your Sentences Are Varied
Choose Your Words Carefully
CHECKLIST: Editing for Sentence Style and Word Choice
Proofreading Your Essay
Check for Commonly Confused Words
Check for Misspellings and Faulty Capitalization
Check for Typos
CHECKLIST: Proofreading
Checking Your Paper’s Format
CHECKLIST: Checking Your Paper’s Format

PART TWO: Readings for Writers

Chapter 6: Narration
What Is Narration?
Using Narration
Planning a Narrative Essay
Developing a Thesis Statement
Including Enough Detail
Varying Sentence Structure
Maintaining Clear Narrative Order
Structuring a Narrative Essay
Revising a Narrative Essay
REVISION CHECKLIST: Narration
Editing a Narrative Essay
GRAMMAR IN CONTEXT: Avoiding Run-Ons
EDITING CHECKLIST: Narration
A Student Writer: Literacy Narrative
Erica Sarno, Becoming a Writer (Student Essay)
Points for Special Attention
Focus on Revision
A Student Writer: Narration
Tiffany Forte, My Field of Dreams (Student Essay)
Points for Special Attention
Focus on Revision
PEER EDITING WORKSHEET: Narration
Visual Text: Marjane Satrapi, from Persepolis II (Graphic Fiction)
Junot Díaz, The Money
*Hanif Abdurraqib, My First Police Stop
Bonnie Smith-Yackel, My Mother Never Worked
Martin Gansberg, Thirty-Eight Who Saw Murder Didn’t Call the Police
George Orwell, Shooting an Elephant
*Alberto Alvaro Rios, The Secret Lion (Fiction)
*Joy Harjo, An American Sunrise (Poetry)
Writing Assignments for Narration
Collaborative Activity for Narration

Chapter 7: Description
What Is Description?
Using Description
Understanding Objective Description
CHECKLIST: Using Visuals Effectively
Understanding Subjective Description
Using Objective and Subjective Language
Selecting Details
Planning a Descriptive Essay
Developing a Thesis Statement
Organizing Details
Using Transitions
Structuring a Descriptive Essay
Revising a Descriptive Essay
REVISION CHECKLIST: Description
Editing a Descriptive Essay
GRAMMAR IN CONTEXT: Avoiding Misplaced and Dangling Modifiers
EDITING CHECKLIST: Description
A Student Writer: Objective Description
Mallory Cogan, My Grandfather’s Globe (Student Essay)
Points for Special Attention
Focus on Revision
A Student Writer: Subjective Description
Mary Lim, The Valley of Windmills (Student Essay)
Points for Special Attention
Focus on Revision
Peer-Editing Worksheet: Description
Visual Text: Ansel Adams, Jackson Lake (Photo)
Bich Minh Nguyen, Goodbye to My Twinkie Days
*Trevor Noah, Soweto
Marina Keegan, Stability in Motion
Heather Rogers, The Hidden Life of Garbage
*Jonathan Ababiy, How the Other Half Lived
Kate Chopin, The Storm (Fiction)

Chapter 8: Exemplification
What Is Exemplification?
Using Exemplification
Using Examples to Explain and Clarify
Using Examples to Add Interest
Using Examples to Persuade
Planning an Exemplification Essay
Developing a Thesis Statement
Providing Enough Examples
Choosing a Fair Range of Examples
Using Transitions
Structuring an Exemplification Essay
Revising an Exemplification Essay
REVISION CHECKLIST: Exemplification
Editing an Exemplification Essay
GRAMMAR IN CONTEXT: Using Commas in a Series
EDITING CHECKLIST: Exemplification
A Student Writer: Exemplification
Kristy Bredin, Job Application Letter (Student Essay)
Points for Special Attention
Focus on Revision
A Student Writer: Exemplification
*Zoe Goldfarb, Food Insecurity on Campus (Student Essay)
Points for Special Attention
Focus on Revision
Peer-Editing Worksheet: Exemplification
*Visual Texts: Four Inventions
*Olivia Goldhill, Should Driverless Cars Kill Their Own Passengers to Save a Pedestrian?
Judith Ortiz Cofer, The Myth of the Latin Woman: I Just Met a Girl Named Maria
Brent Staples, Just Walk On By: A Black Man Ponders His Power to Alter Public Space
*Farhad Manjoo, Call Me “They”
Maia Szalavitz, Ten Ways We Get the Odds Wrong
Jamaica Kincaid, “Girl” (Fiction)
Writing Assignments for Exemplification
Collaborative Activity for Exemplification

Chapter 9: Process
What Is Process?
Understanding Instructions
Understanding Process Explanations
Using Process
Planning a Process Essay
Accommodating Your Audience
Developing a Thesis Statement
Using Transitions
Structuring a Process Essay
Revising a Process Essay
REVISION CHECKLIST: Process
Editing a Process Essay
GRAMMAR IN CONTEXT: Avoiding Unnecessary Shifts
EDITING CHECKLIST: Process
A Student Writer: Instructions
*Mya Nunnally, Steps to the Dream (Student Essay)
Points for Special Attention
Focus on Revision
A Student Writer: Process Explanation
Melany Hunt, Medium Ash Brown (Student Essay)
Points for Special Attention
Focus on Revision
Peer Editing Worksheet: Process
Visual Text: National Geographic, Yellowstone Fires, Past and Future (Illustrations)
Naomi Rosenberg, How to Tell a Mother Her Child Is Dead
*Roger Spranz, How to Make a Waste Pie Chart
*Brad Plumer and Ruairi Arrieta-Kenna, How Do Hurricanes Form? A Step-by-Step Guide
*Eugene Kiely and Lori Robertson, How to Spot Fake News
Jessica Mitford, The Embalming of Mr. Jones
Shirley Jackson, The Lottery (Fiction)

Chapter 10: Cause and Effect
What Is Cause and Effect?
Using Cause and Effect
Understanding Main and Contributory Causes
Understanding Immediate and Remote Causes
Understanding Causal Chains
Avoiding Post Hoc Reasoning
Planning a Cause-and-Effect Essay
Developing a Thesis Statement
Arranging Causes and Effects
Using Transitions
Structuring a Cause-and-Effect Essay
Finding Causes
Describing or Predicting Effects
Revising a Cause-and-Effect Essay
REVISION CHECKLIST: Cause and Effect
Editing a Cause-and-Effect Essay
GRAMMAR IN CONTEXT: Avoiding “The reason is because”; Using Affect and Effect
Correctly
EDITING CHECKLIST: Cause and Effect
A Student Writer: Cause and Effect
Evelyn Pellicane, The Irish Famine (Student Essay)
Points for Special Attention
Focus on Revision
Peer-Editing Worksheet: Cause and Effect
Visual Text: Jeffrey Coolidge, Rube Goldberg Machine (Photo)
*Ray Fisman and Michael Luca, Did Free Pens Cause the Opioid Crisis?
Maggie Koerth-Baker, Why Rational People Buy into Conspiracy Theories
*Arthur W. Lambert, What Causes Cancer? It’s Complicated
Linda M. Hasselstrom, A Peaceful Woman Explains Why She Carries a Gun
Karen Miller Pensiero, Photos That Change History
*Martin Espada, Why I Went to College (Poetry)

Chapter 11: Comparison and Contrast
What Is Comparison and Contrast?
Using Comparison and Contrast
Planning a Comparison-and-Contrast Essay
Recognizing Comparison-and-Contrast Assignments
Establishing a Basis for Comparison
Selecting Points for Discussion
Developing a Thesis Statement
Structuring a Comparison-and-Contrast Essay
Using Subject-by-Subject Comparison
Using Point-by-Point Comparison
Using Transitions
Revising a Comparison-and-Contrast Essay
REVISION CHECKLIST: Comparison and Contrast
Editing a Comparison-and-Contrast Essay
GRAMMAR IN CONTEXT: Using Parallelism
EDITING CHECKLIST: Comparison and Contrast
A Student Writer: Subject-by-Subject Comparison
Mark Cotharn, Brains versus Brawn (Student Essay)
Points for Special Attention
Focus on Revision
A Student Writer: Point-by-Point Comparison
Maria Tecson, A Comparison of Two Websites on Attention Deficit Disorder (Student Essay)
Points for Special Attention
Focus on Revision
Peer-Editing Worksheet: Comparison and Contrast
Visual Texts: Auguste Rodin, The Kiss, and Robert Indiana, LOVE (Sculptures)
*Robert Weiss, Closer Together or Further Apart: Digital Devices and the New Generation Gap
Amy Chua, Why Chinese Mothers Are Superior
Ellen Laird, I’m Your Teacher, Not Your Internet-Service Provider
Deborah Tannen, Sex, Lies, and Conversation
Isabel Wilkerson, Emmett Till and Tamir Rice, Sons of the Great Migration
*Steven Conn, The Twin Revolutions of Lincoln and Darwin
William Shakespeare, Shall I compare thee to a summer’s day? (Poetry)
Writing Assignments for Comparison-Contrast
Collaborative Activity for Comparison-Contrast

Chapter 12: Classification and Division
What Is Classification and Division?
Understanding Classification
Understanding Division
Using Classification and Division
Planning a Classification-and-Division Essay
Selecting and Arranging Categories
Developing a Thesis Statement
CHECKLIST: Establishing Categories
Using Transitions
Structuring a Classification-and-Division Essay
Revising a Classification-and-Division Essay
REVISION CHECKLIST: Classification and Division
Editing a Classification-and-Division Essay
GRAMMAR IN CONTEXT: Using a Colon to Introduce Your Categories
Editing Checklist: Classification and Division
A Student Writer: Classification and Division
Josie Martinez, What I Learned (and Didn’t Learn) in College (Student Essay)
Points for Special Attention
Focus on Revision
Peer-Editing Worksheet: Classification and Division
*Visual Text: Matt Groening, The 9 Types of College Teachers (Cartoon)
*Mindy Kaling, Flick Chicks
Carolyn Foster Segal, The Dog Ate My Tablet, and Other Tales of Woe
Amy Tan, Mother Tongue
Stephanie Ericsson, The Ways We Lie
Amy Lowell, Patterns (Poetry)
Writing Assignments for Classification and Division
Collaborative Activity for Classification and Division

Chapter 13: Definition
What Is Definition?
Understanding Formal Definitions
Understanding Extended Definitions
Using Definition
Planning a Definition Essay
Developing a Thesis Statement
Deciding on a Pattern of Development
Structuring a Definition Essay
Revising a Definition Essay
REVISION CHECKLIST: Definition
Editing a Definition Essay
GRAMMAR IN CONTEXT: Avoiding is when and is where
EDITING CHECKLIST: Definition
A Student Writer: Definition
Ajoy Mahtab, The Untouchable (Student Essay)
Points for Special Attention
Focus on Revision
Peer-Editing Worksheet: Definition
*Visual Text: Allson Bechdel, The Rule (Cartoon)
Judy Brady, I Want a Wife
José Antonio Burciaga, Tortillas
*Virginia Foxx, What Education Really Means
Emily Dickinson, “Hope” is the thing with feathers (Poetry)
Writing Assignments for Definition
Collaborative Activity for Definition

Chapter 14: Argumentation
What Is Argumentation?
Understanding Argumentation and Persuasion
Planning an Argumentative Essay
Choosing a Topic
Developing a Thesis
Analyzing Your Audience
Gathering and Documenting Evidence
Dealing with the Opposition
Understanding Rogerian Argument
CHECKLIST: Guidelines for Using Rogerian Argument
Using Deductive and Inductive Arguments
Using Deductive Arguments
Using Inductive Arguments
Using Toulmin Logic
Recognizing Fallacies
Using Transitions
Structuring an Argumentative Essay
Revising an Argumentative Essay
REVISION CHECKLIST: Argumentation
Editing an Argumentative Essay
GRAMMAR IN CONTEXT: Using Coordinating and Subordinating Conjunctions
EDITING CHECKLIST: Argumentation
A Student Writer: Argumentation
Marta Ramos, Just Say No (Student Essay)
Points for Special Attention
Focus on Revision
Peer-Editing Worksheet: Argumentation
Visual Text: StopTextsStopWrecks.org, You Don’t Want Them Responding to Your Text (Ad)
Thomas Jefferson, The Declaration of Independence
Rachel Carson, The Obligation to Endure
Martin Luther King Jr., Letter from Birmingham Jail
*∙ DEBATE: Should Federal Student Loans Be Forgiven?
*Mary Clare Anselem, No, Your Student Loans Should Not Be Forgiven
*Eric Levitz, We Must Cancel Everyone’s Student Debt, for the Economy’s Sake
*∙ DEBATE: Can Individuals Actually Do Anything to Prevent Climate Change?
*Leor Hackel and Gregg Sparkman, Reducing Your Carbon Footprint Still Matters
*Natasha Geiling, The Only Individual Action that Matters is Voting for People Who Care About Climate Change
*∙ CASEBOOK: Is Free Speech on Campus in Peril?
Geoffrey R. Stone, Free Expression in Peril?
*Laura Beth Neilson, The Case for Restricting Hate Speech
Sophie Downes, Trigger Warnings, Safe Spaces, and Free Speech, Too
*Shannon Paulus, The Latest Study on Trigger Warnings Finally Convinced Me That They’re Not Worth It
*VISUAL: Freedom of Speech
*∙ CASEBOOK: How Can We Stem the Tide of Gun Violence?
*German Lopez, Guns Are the Problem
*Gregory/Wilson, Six Real Ways We Can Reduce Gun Violence in America
*William V. Glastris Jr, A Real Long-Term Solution to Gun Violence
*Clifton Leaf, How Australia All But Ended Gun Violence
*VISUAL: The Ghastlygun Tinies from MAD Magazine

Chapter 15: Combining the Patterns
Structuring an Essay by Combining the Patterns
Combining the Patterns: Revising and Editing
GRAMMAR IN CONTEXT: Agreement with Indefinite Pronouns
A Student Writer: Combining the Patterns
Michael Huu Truong, The Park (Student Essay)
Points for Special Attention
Focus on Revision
Peer-Editing Worksheet: Combining the Patterns
Lars Eighner, On Dumpster Diving
*Olivia Judson, Long Live the Albatross
David Kirby, Inked Well
Jonathan Swift, A Modest Proposal
Writing Assignments for Combining the Patterns
Collaborative Activity for Combining the Patterns

PART THREE: Working with Sources
Chapter 16: Finding and Evaluating Sources
Finding Information in the Library
Finding Information on the Internet
Finding Useful Information
Evaluating Sources

Chapter 17: Integrating Sources and Avoiding Plagiarism
Paraphrasing
Summarizing
Quoting
Integrating Source Material into Your Writing
Synthesizing
Avoiding Plagiarism
Avoiding Common Errors That Lead to Plagiarism
Avoiding Plagiarism with Online Sources

Chapter 18: Documenting Sources: MLA
Parenthetical References in the Text
The Works-Cited List
Articles
Books
Internet Sources
Other Internet Sources
Other Nonprint Sources
Model Student Research Paper in MLA Style
Philip Lau, The Limitations of Wikipedia (Student Essay in MLA Style)

Appendix: Documenting Sources: APA
Using Parenthetical References
Examples of APA Citations
Periodicals
Books
Internet Sources
Model Student Paper in APA Style
Philip Lau, The Limitations of Wikipedia (Student Essay in APA Style)
Glossary
Index