Keys for Writers, 8th Edition

"Offering a wealth of examples, tips, and tools, KEYS FOR WRITERS, 8e, is an easy-to-use resource for improving your writing for all of your coursework -- as well as your career. Color-coded tabs allow you to quickly find answers to your grammar and writing questions. The visual Critical Thinking Framework enables you to read, write, and research with better results, and Key Examples help you compare strong versus weak ways of applying critical thinking. Sample student papers provide excellent models of writing in different disciplines, while the new Assignment Guide provides steps for writing in 15 common genres you might encounter in your academic and professional career. Completely up to date with the latest MLA guidelines, the eighth edition also highlights the importance of writing in such careers as nursing, accounting, law, IT, and more" [Amazon] 1 Critical Thinking, Reading, and Writing a Getting started b Understanding context: Purpose, audience, voice, and medium c Reading and writing in context: A framework for critical thinking d Reading and writing in college KEY EXAMPLE: Critical Reading 2 Drafting in Stages a Using critical thinking to find a topic b Getting started c Finding focus and a main idea (thesis statement) d Using outlines and other drafting aids e Paragraph and topic sentences f Using transitions and links for coherence g Nine examples of paragraph development h Writing introductions and conclusions i Writing with others 3 Revising, Editing, and Proofreading a Revising content b Giving and getting feedback c Editing surface features d A student’s annotated drafts e Proofreading 4 Writing and Analyzing Arguments a Using critical thinking to read and write arguments b Developing an effective argument c Choosing a topic and developing a claim (thesis) d Supporting a claim with reasons and evidence e Four questions for constructing an argument (Toulmin) f Appeals, common ground, and opposing views g Structuring an argument h Logical reasoning, logical fallacies i Using and analyzing visual arguments j Sample paper 1: A student’s argument essay 5 Writing in Academic Disciplines a Writing in all your courses b Writing to join academic conversations c Sample paper 2: A student’s analysis of academic essays across disciplines d Writing and researching in the humanities and arts e Writing about literature f Sample paper 3: A student’s literature paper g Writing and researching in the natural and applied sciences h Writing and researching in the social sciences i Writing for community service projects j Writing under pressure: Essay exams and short-answer tests EXERCISES 6 Research: A Conversation with Sources a Knowing what is involved in researched writing b Setting a schedule c Considering primary and secondary sources d Consulting reference works to get started e Moving from research question to preliminary thesis f Writing a purpose statement or a proposal g Tips for writing, revising, and editing researched writing 7 How to Search for Sources a Starting the search for sources on a topic b Using library catalogs to find books c Using online databases to find articles d Finding Web sources e Finding visual sources f Using search engines and keywords g Getting the most out of Google 8 How to Evaluate Sources a Reading sources critically b Recognizing a scholarly article c Evaluating potential sources KEY EXAMPLE: Source Evaluation 9 How to Avoid Plagiarizing a The seven sins of plagiarism b How to avoid even the suspicion of plagiarism c Know why, how, and what to cite d Keeping track of sources e Recording information and setting up a working bibliography f Using bibliographical software and databases to help you keep records 10 How to Use, Integrate, and Document Sources a Interacting with your sources: Annotating and making notes b Summarizing and paraphrasing c Quoting accurately d Indicating the boundaries of a source citation in your text e Synthesizing sources f Organizing your essay by ideas, not sources g Introducing and integrating source material h Documenting to fit the discipline i One source, four systems of documentation KEY EXAMPLE: Source Synthesis EXERCISES 11 Citing Sources in Your Paper, MLA Style a Basic features of MLA style b How to cite sources in your paper, MLA author/page style c MLA explanatory footnotes and endnotes 12 The MLA List of Works Cited a How to set up and organize the MLA list b What to include in an MLA works-cited entry c Representative MLA examples (Source Shots) d Additional sample MLA listings: Works in print periodicals e Additional sample MLA listings: Works in nonperiodical print publications f Additional sample MLA listings: Periodical works in online databases or on the Web g Additional sample MLA listings: Other Web sources h Additional sample MLA listings: Visual, audio, and multimedia sources i Additional sample MLA listings: Other common sources j Bibliographical software 13 Sample Paper 4: A Student’s Research Paper, MLA Style 14 Citing Sources in Your Paper, APA Style a Basic features of APA style b How to cite sources (author/date) in your paper c Notes, tables, and figures (APA) d Sections and their headings (APA) 15 APA List of References a How to set up an APA reference list b How to list authors in the APA reference list c Sample APA listings: Articles in print and online periodicals with or without a DOI d Sample APA listings: Print and online books, parts of books, and reference books e Sample APA listings: Reports and presentations—print, online, and live f Sample APA listings: Other online sources g Sample APA listings: Visual and multimedia sources (live, print, and online) h Sample APA listings: Miscellaneous sources 16 Sample Paper 5: A Student’s Research Paper, APA Style 17 CSE Style of Documentation a Basic features of CSE style b How to cite CSE sources in your paper (citation-sequence and citation-name styles) c How to list CSE references (citation-sequence and citation-name systems) d Sample CSE listings: Print and online books and parts of books (citation-sequence or citation-name system) e Sample CSE listings: Articles in print and online periodicals f Sample CSE listings: Other online and audiovisual sources 18 Sample Paper 6: Excerpt from a Student’s Research Paper, CSE Style 19 Chicago Manual of Style: Endnotes, Footnotes, and Bibliography a Basic features of the Chicago note style b How to cite sources and prepare notes (Chicago) c How to format Chicago endnotes and footnotes d The Chicago bibliography e Sample Chicago notes: Print and online books, parts of books, and reports f Sample Chicago notes: Articles in print and online periodicals g Sample Chicago notes: Other online sources h Sample Chicago notes: Visual, multimedia, and miscellaneous sources 20 Sample Paper 7: A Student’s Research Paper, Chicago Style 21 Document Design a Formatting academic writing in print b Formatting academic writing online c Typefaces d Color e Headings f Lists g Academic design features in MS Word 22 Visuals a Tables b Graphs and charts c Flyers, brochures, and newsletters d Images and copyright issues e Honesty in visuals 23 Online Communication Forums a E-mail in academic and business settings b Other forums: Blogs, wikis, and virtual classrooms c Social media: Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook 24 Oral and Multimedia Presentations a Preparing an oral presentation b Speaking from notes or manuscript c Practicing and presenting d Preparing a multimedia presentation e Using PowerPoint, Prezi, and Google Drive 26 Résumés and Letters of Application a How to write a résumé b Sample print or Web page résumé c Cover letter and sample 27 Business Letters and Memos a Features of a business letter b Sample business letter c Technical requirements of a business letter d Basic features of a memo EXERCISES 28 The First C: Cut a Cut repetition and wordiness b Cut formulaic phrases c Cut references to your intentions d Cut redundant words and phrases 29 The Second C: Check for Action a Show “Who’s doing what” as subject and verb b Scrutinize sentences beginning with there or it c Avoid unnecessary passive voice 30 The Third C: Connect a Connect with consistent subjects and topic chains b Use logical connections with coordination, subordination, and transitions c Perhaps begin a sentence with and or but d Connect paragraphs 31 The Fourth C: Commit a Commit to a personal presence b Commit to an appropriate and consistent tone c Commit to a confident stance d Commit to sentence variety 32 The Fifth C: Choose the Best Words a Word choice checklist b Use a dictionary and a thesaurus c Use exact words and connotations d Monitor the language of speech, region, and workplace e Use figurative language for effect, but don’t overuse it f Avoid sexist, biased, and exclusionary language g Avoid clichés and pretentious language 33 Revising for Style: A Student’s Drafts KEY EXAMPLE: Revising for Style 34 Style Tips EXERCISES 35 Trouble Spots and Terms a Students’ FAQs—and where to find answers b Grammar-check programs c Standard English/Edited American English d Terms for the parts of a sentence 36 Fixing a Sentence Fragment a What a sentence needs b How to fix a phrase fragment with no subject and/or verb c How to fix a dependent clause fragment d How to fix a fragment with a missing subject after and, but, or or e Intentional fragments 37 Run-ons and Comma Splices a How to identify run-on (or fused?) sentences and comma splices b Five ways to correct run-on sentences and comma splices c How to avoid a run-on or a comma splice when using a transition 38 Sentence Snarls a Tangles: Mixed constructions, confusing comparisons, and convoluted syntax b Misplaced modifiers: Phrases, not, only, split infinitives c Dangling modifiers d Shifts: From statements to commands, from indirect to direct quotation, and in point of view e Mismatch of subject and predicate f Definitions and reasons g Because and when clauses as subject h Omitted words i Unnecessary restated subject j Structures not parallel 39 Verbs a Regular and irregular verb forms in Edited American English b Verbs commonly confused c Auxiliary verbs d Verb tenses: Overview e Present tenses f Past tenses g -ed endings: Past tense and past participle forms h Tense shifts i Tenses in indirect quotations j Verbs in conditional sentences, wishes, requests, demands, and recommendations 40 Passive Voice a How to form the passive voice b When to use the passive voice c The passive voice as connector d Overuse of the passive voice 41 Subject-Verb Agreement a Basic principles for an -s ending b When words come between the subject and verb c Agreement with linking verbs (be, seem, appear, etc.) d When the subject follows the verb e Eight tricky subjects with singular verbs f Collective noun as subject g Subjects containing and, or, or nor h Indefinite pronouns (anyone, everybody, nobody, etc.) i Quantity words j Agreement with this, that, these, those, mine, ours, etc. k Agreement with subject clauses beginning with what or other question words 42 Pronouns a Forms of personal pronouns (I or me, he or him?) b Possessive forms of pronouns (my or mine, her or hers?) c Pronoun reference to a clear antecedent d Making a pronoun agree with its antecedent e Gender bias f Consistent point of view g The use of the pronoun you h Intensive and reflexive pronouns i Who/whom, whoever/whomever 43 Adjectives and Adverbs a Forms of adjectives and adverbs b When to use adjectives and adverbs c Adjectives after linking verbs d Compound adjectives e Position of adverbs f Conjunctive adverbs (however, therefore, etc.) g No double negatives h Comparative and superlative forms i Faulty or incomplete comparisons 44 Relative Clauses and Relative Pronouns (who, whom, whose, which, that, etc.) a Relative pronouns b Restrictive and nonrestrictive relative clauses c Agreement of verb with relative pronoun d Relative clauses with prepositions e Position of relative clause f Where and when as relative pronouns EXERCISES 45 Commas a Checklists: Comma yes and comma no b Before a coordinating conjunction (and, but, and so on) that connects independent clauses c After most introductory phrases and clauses d To set off an extra (nonrestrictive) phrase or clause e To set off transitional expressions and explanatory insertions f To separate three or more items in a series g To separate certain (coordinate) adjectives h Between a direct quotation and the preceding or following clause i Special uses of commas 46 Apostrophes 47 Quotation Marks 48 Semicolons and Colons 49 Other Punctuation Marks 50 Italics/Underlining 51 Capitalization 52 Abbreviations 53 Numbers 54 Hyphens 55 Online Guidelines 56 Spelling EXERCISES 57 Language Diversity and Edited American English: Challenges for Multilingual Writers 58 Nouns and Articles 59 Verbs and Verb Forms 60 Sentence Structure and Word Order 61 Prepositions and Idioms 62 Language Learners’ FAQs a No and not b Too and very c Few and a few d Most, most of, and the most e Easy, hard, and difficult f It and there g His and her h Get used to and used to EXERCISES 63 Words to Watch For: Glossary of Usage 64 Glossary of Grammatical Terms Index