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Cover of Writing Guide with Handbook

Writing Guide with Handbook

by Michelle Bachelor Robinson, Maria Jerskey and Toby Fulwiler

Published by OpenStax

English & WritingCollege

Writing Guide with Handbook aligns to the goals, topics, and objectives of many first-year writing and composition courses. It is organized according to relevant genres, and focuses on the writing process, effective writing practices or strategies—including graphic organizers, writing frames, and word banks to support visual learning—and conventions of usage and style. The text includes an editing and documentation handbook, which provides information on grammar and mechanics, common usage errors, and citation styles. Writing Guide with Handbook breaks down barriers in the field of composition by offering an inviting and inclusive approach to students of all intersectional identities. To meet this goal, the text creates a reciprocal relationship between everyday rhetoric and the evolving world of academia. Writing Guide with Handbook builds on students’ life experiences and their participation in rhetorical communities within the familiar contexts of personal interaction and social media. The text seeks to extend these existing skills by showing students how to construct a variety of compelling compositions in a variety of formats, situations, and contexts. The authors conceived and developed Writing Guide with Handbook in 2020; its content and learning experiences reflect the instructional, societal, and individual challenges students have faced. The authors invite students and instructors to practice invitational discussions even as they engage in verbal and written argument. Instructors will be empowered to emphasize meaning and voice and to teach empathy as a rhetorical strategy. Students will be empowered to negotiate their identities and their cultures through language as they join us in writing, discovering, learning, and creating. If you have encountered a white screen while accessing your OpenStax textbook, our developers suggest closing all of your OpenStax.org tabs and then loading the book again.

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Attribution

Adapted from Writing Guide with Handbook by Michelle Bachelor Robinson, Maria Jerskey, and Toby Fulwiler, published by OpenStax (Rice University) under CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0/). Access the original for free at https://openstax.org/details/books/writing-guide. Changes: converted to CuraCourse lessons, with interactive practice added.

Table of contents

208 pages in 22 modules. Sign up to read and adopt them.

  1. Front Matter2 pages
    1. Preface
    2. Unit Introduction
  2. 1The Digital World: Building on What You Already Know to Respond Critically10 pages
    1. Introduction
    2. 1.1"Reading" to Understand and Respond
    3. 1.2Social Media Trailblazer: Selena Gomez
    4. 1.3Glance at Critical Response: Rhetoric and Critical Thinking
    5. 1.4Annotated Student Sample: Social Media Post and Responses on Voter Suppression
    6. 1.5Writing Process: Thinking Critically About a “Text”
    7. 1.6Evaluation: Intention vs. Execution
    8. 1.7Spotlight on … Academia
    9. 1.8Portfolio: Tracing Writing Development
    10. Practice
  3. 2Language, Identity, and Culture: Exploring, Employing, Embracing10 pages
    1. Introduction
    2. 2.1Seeds of Self
    3. 2.2Identity Trailblazer: Cathy Park Hong
    4. 2.3Glance at the Issues: Oppression and Reclamation
    5. 2.4Annotated Sample Reading from The Souls of Black Folk by W. E. B. Du Bois
    6. 2.5Writing Process: Thinking Critically about How Identity Is Constructed Through Writing
    7. 2.6Evaluation: Antiracism and Inclusivity
    8. 2.7Spotlight on … Variations of English
    9. 2.8Portfolio: Decolonizing Self
    10. Practice
  4. 3Literacy Narrative: Building Bridges, Bridging Gaps11 pages
    1. Introduction
    2. 3.1Identity and Expression
    3. 3.2Literacy Narrative Trailblazer: Tara Westover
    4. 3.3Glance at Genre: The Literacy Narrative
    5. 3.4Annotated Sample Reading: from Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass by Frederick Douglass
    6. 3.5Writing Process: Tracing the Beginnings of Literacy
    7. 3.6Editing Focus: Sentence Structure
    8. 3.7Evaluation: Self-Evaluating
    9. 3.8Spotlight on … The Digital Archive of Literacy Narratives (DALN)
    10. 3.9Portfolio: A Literacy Artifact
    11. Practice
  5. 4Memoir or Personal Narrative: Learning Lessons from the Personal11 pages
    1. Introduction
    2. 4.1Exploring the Past to Understand the Present
    3. 4.2Memoir Trailblazer: Ta-Nehisi Coates
    4. 4.3Glance at Genre: Conflict, Detail, and Revelation
    5. 4.4Annotated Sample Reading: from Life on the Mississippi by Mark Twain
    6. 4.5Writing Process: Making the Personal Public
    7. 4.6Editing Focus: More on Characterization and Point of View
    8. 4.7Evaluation: Structure and Organization
    9. 4.8Spotlight on … Multilingual Writers
    10. 4.9Portfolio: Filtered Memories
    11. Practice
  6. 5Profile: Telling a Rich and Compelling Story11 pages
    1. Introduction
    2. 5.1Profiles as Inspiration
    3. 5.2Profile Trailblazer: Veronica Chambers
    4. 5.3Glance at Genre: Subject, Angle, Background, and Description
    5. 5.4Annotated Sample Reading: “Remembering John Lewis” by Carla D. Hayden
    6. 5.5Writing Process: Focusing on the Angle of Your Subject
    7. 5.6Editing Focus: Verb Tense Consistency
    8. 5.7Evaluation: Text as Personal Introduction
    9. 5.8Spotlight on … Profiling a Cultural Artifact
    10. 5.9Portfolio: Subject as a Reflection of Self
    11. Practice
  7. 6Proposal: Writing About Problems and Solutions11 pages
    1. Introduction
    2. 6.1Proposing Change: Thinking Critically About Problems and Solutions
    3. 6.2Proposal Trailblazer: Atul Gawande
    4. 6.3Glance at Genre: Features of Proposals
    5. 6.4Annotated Student Sample: “Slowing Climate Change” by Shawn Krukowski
    6. 6.5Writing Process: Creating a Proposal
    7. 6.6Editing Focus: Subject-Verb Agreement
    8. 6.7Evaluation: Conventions, Clarity, and Coherence
    9. 6.8Spotlight on … Technical Writing as a Career
    10. 6.9Portfolio: Reflecting on Problems and Solutions
    11. Practice
  8. 7Evaluation or Review: Would You Recommend It?11 pages
    1. Introduction
    2. 7.1Thumbs Up or Down?
    3. 7.2Review Trailblazer: Michiko Kakutani
    4. 7.3Glance at Genre: Criteria, Evidence, Evaluation
    5. 7.4Annotated Student Sample: "Black Representation in Film" by Caelia Marshall
    6. 7.5Writing Process: Thinking Critically About Entertainment
    7. 7.6Editing Focus: Quotations
    8. 7.7Evaluation: Effect on Audience
    9. 7.8Spotlight on … Language and Culture
    10. 7.9Portfolio: What the Arts Say About You
    11. Practice
  9. 8Analytical Report: Writing from Facts11 pages
    1. Introduction
    2. 8.1Information and Critical Thinking
    3. 8.2Analytical Report Trailblazer: Barbara Ehrenreich
    4. 8.3Glance at Genre: Informal and Formal Analytical Reports
    5. 8.4Annotated Student Sample: "U.S. Response to COVID-19" by Trevor Garcia
    6. 8.5Writing Process: Creating an Analytical Report
    7. 8.6Editing Focus: Commas with Nonessential and Essential Information
    8. 8.7Evaluation: Reviewing the Final Draft
    9. 8.8Spotlight on … Discipline-Specific and Technical Language
    10. 8.9Portfolio: Evidence and Objectivity
    11. Practice
  10. 9Rhetorical Analysis: Interpreting the Art of Rhetoric11 pages
    1. Introduction
    2. 9.1Breaking the Whole into Its Parts
    3. 9.2Rhetorical Analysis Trailblazer: Jamil Smith
    4. 9.3Glance at Genre: Rhetorical Strategies
    5. 9.4Annotated Student Sample: “Rhetorical Analysis: Evicted by Matthew Desmond” by Eliana Evans
    6. 9.5Writing Process: Thinking Critically about Rhetoric
    7. 9.6Editing Focus: Mixed Sentence Constructions
    8. 9.7Evaluation: Rhetorical Analysis
    9. 9.8Spotlight on … Business and Law
    10. 9.9Portfolio: How Thinking Critically about Rhetoric Affects Intellectual Growth
    11. Practice
  11. 10Position Argument: Practicing the Art of Rhetoric11 pages
    1. Introduction
    2. 10.1Making a Case: Defining a Position Argument
    3. 10.2Position Argument Trailblazer: Charles Blow
    4. 10.3Glance at Genre: Thesis, Reasoning, and Evidence
    5. 10.4Annotated Sample Reading: "Remarks at the University of Michigan" by Lyndon B. Johnson
    6. 10.5Writing Process: Creating a Position Argument
    7. 10.6Editing Focus: Paragraphs and Transitions
    8. 10.7Evaluation: Varied Appeals
    9. 10.8Spotlight on … Citation
    10. 10.9Portfolio: Growth in the Development of Argument
    11. Practice
  12. 11Reasoning Strategies: Improving Critical Thinking7 pages
    1. Introduction
    2. 11.1Developing Your Sense of Logic
    3. 11.2Reasoning Trailblazer: Paul D. N. Hebert
    4. 11.3Glance at Genre: Reasoning Strategies and Signal Words
    5. 11.4Annotated Sample Reading: from Book VII of The Republic by Plato
    6. 11.5Writing Process: Reasoning Supported by Evidence
    7. Practice
  13. 12Argumentative Research: Enhancing the Art of Rhetoric with Evidence11 pages
    1. Introduction
    2. 12.1Introducing Research and Research Evidence
    3. 12.2Argumentative Research Trailblazer: Samin Nosrat
    4. 12.3Glance at Genre: Introducing Research as Evidence
    5. 12.4Annotated Student Sample: "Healthy Diets from Sustainable Sources Can Save the Earth" by Lily Tran
    6. 12.5Writing Process: Integrating Research
    7. 12.6Editing Focus: Integrating Sources and Quotations
    8. 12.7Evaluation: Effectiveness of Research Paper
    9. 12.8Spotlight on … Bias in Language and Research
    10. 12.9Portfolio: Why Facts Matter in Research Argumentation
    11. Practice
  14. 13Research Process: Accessing and Recording Information8 pages
    1. Introduction
    2. 13.1The Research Process: Where to Look for Existing Sources
    3. 13.2The Research Process: How to Create Sources
    4. 13.3Glance at the Research Process: Key Skills
    5. 13.4Annotated Student Sample: Research Log
    6. 13.5Research Process: Making Notes, Synthesizing Information, and Keeping a Research Log
    7. 13.6Spotlight on … Ethical Research
    8. Practice
  15. 14Annotated Bibliography: Gathering, Evaluating, and Documenting Sources6 pages
    1. Introduction
    2. 14.1Compiling Sources for an Annotated Bibliography
    3. 14.2Glance at Form: Citation Style, Purpose, and Formatting
    4. 14.3Annotated Student Sample: “Healthy Diets from Sustainable Sources Can Save the Earth” by Lily Tran
    5. 14.4Writing Process: Informing and Analyzing
    6. Practice
  16. 15Case Study Profile: What One Person Says About All11 pages
    1. Introduction
    2. 15.1Tracing a Broad Issue in the Individual
    3. 15.2Case Study Trailblazer: Vilayanur S. Ramachandran
    4. 15.3Glance at Genre: Observation, Description, and Analysis
    5. 15.4Annotated Sample Reading: Case Study on Louis Victor "Tan" Leborgne
    6. 15.5Writing Process: Thinking Critically About How People and Language Interact
    7. 15.6Editing Focus: Words Often Confused
    8. 15.7Evaluation: Presentation and Analysis of Case Study
    9. 15.8Spotlight on … Applied Linguistics
    10. 15.9Portfolio: Your Own Uses of Language
    11. Practice
  17. 16Print or Textual Analysis: What You Read11 pages
    1. Introduction
    2. 16.1An Author’s Choices: What Text Says and How It Says It
    3. 16.2Textual Analysis Trailblazer: bell hooks
    4. 16.3Glance at Genre: Print or Textual Analysis
    5. 16.4Annotated Student Sample: "Artists at Work" by Gwyn Garrison
    6. 16.5Writing Process: Thinking Critically About Text
    7. 16.6Editing Focus: Literary Works Live in the Present
    8. 16.7Evaluation: Self-Directed Assessment
    9. 16.8Spotlight on … Humanities
    10. 16.9Portfolio: The Academic and the Personal
    11. Practice
  18. 17Image Analysis: What You See11 pages
    1. Introduction
    2. 17.1“Reading” Images
    3. 17.2Image Trailblazer: Sara Ludy
    4. 17.3Glance at Genre: Relationship Between Image and Rhetoric
    5. 17.4Annotated Student Sample: “Hints of the Homoerotic” by Leo Davis
    6. 17.5Writing Process: Thinking Critically and Writing Persuasively About Images
    7. 17.6Editing Focus: Descriptive Diction
    8. 17.7Evaluation: Relationship Between Analysis and Image
    9. 17.8Spotlight on … Video and Film
    10. 17.9Portfolio: Interplay Between Text and Image
    11. Practice
  19. 18Multimodal and Online Writing: Creative Interaction between Text and Image10 pages
    1. Introduction
    2. 18.1Mixing Genres and Modes
    3. 18.2Multimodal Trailblazer: Torika Bolatagici
    4. 18.3Glance at Genre: Genre, Audience, Purpose, Organization
    5. 18.4Annotated Sample Reading: “Celebrating a Win-Win” by Alexandra Dapolito Dunn
    6. 18.5Writing Process: Create a Multimodal Advocacy Project
    7. 18.6Evaluation: Transitions
    8. 18.7Spotlight on . . . Technology
    9. 18.8Portfolio: Multimodalism
    10. Practice
  20. 19Scripting for the Public Forum: Writing to Speak10 pages
    1. Introduction
    2. 19.1Writing, Speaking, and Activism
    3. 19.2Podcast Trailblazer: Alice Wong
    4. 19.3Glance at Genre: Language Performance and Visuals
    5. 19.4Annotated Student Sample: “Are New DOT Regulations Discriminatory?” by Zain A. Kumar
    6. 19.5Writing Process: Writing to Speak
    7. 19.6Evaluation: Bridging Writing and Speaking
    8. 19.7Spotlight on … Delivery/Public Speaking
    9. 19.8Portfolio: Everyday Rhetoric, Rhetoric Every Day
    10. Practice
  21. 20Portfolio Reflection: Your Growth as a Writer10 pages
    1. Introduction
    2. 20.1Thinking Critically about Your Semester
    3. 20.2Reflection Trailblazer: Sandra Cisneros
    4. 20.3Glance at Genre: Purpose and Structure
    5. 20.4Annotated Sample Reading: “Don’t Expect Congrats” by Dale Trumbore
    6. 20.5Writing Process: Looking Back, Looking Forward
    7. 20.6Editing Focus: Pronouns
    8. 20.7Evaluation: Evaluating Self-Reflection
    9. 20.8Spotlight on … Pronouns in Context
    10. Practice
  22. Appendices3 pages
    1. AUnit Introduction
    2. BUnit Introduction
    3. CHandbook