An Insider's Guide to Academic Writing: A Brief Rhetoric

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PART ONE. A Guide to College and College Writing
Chapter 1. An Introduction to Academic Writing
Your Goals and Your School’s Mission
Writing within Academic Disciplines
Entering Academic Conversations
Learning to Write in New Contexts
Writing Project: Profile of a Writer
Insider Example: Student Profile of a Business Professional
Chapter 1 Tip Sheet

Chapter 2. Writing: Process and Reflection
Developing Your Writing Process

          Flexible Strategies
          Multiple Drafts

Giving and Acting on Feedback

          Giving Productive Peer Review Feedback: A Sample Draft with Comments
          Responding to Peer Review Feedback

Reflection and Writing

          Reflecting throughout the Writing Process
          Reflecting on Your Story as a Writer
          Characteristics of a Literacy Narrative

Writing Project: Literacy Narrative
Insider Example: Student Literacy Narrative
Chapter 2 Tip Sheet

Chapter 3. Reading and Writing Rhetorically
Understanding Rhetorical Context
Understanding Genres
Writing Rhetorically
Reading Rhetorically

          Questions for Rhetorical Reading
          Reading Visuals

Analyzing the Rhetorical Context: A Sample Annotated Text
Writing Project: Rhetorical Analysis
*Insider Example: Student Rhetorical Analysis
Chapter 3 Tip Sheet

Chapter 4. Developing Arguments
Understanding Proofs and Appeals
Making Claims

          Thesis Statements
          Thesis versus Hypothesis
          Developing Reasons

Supporting Reasons with Evidence
Understanding Assumptions
Anticipating Counterarguments
Analyzing an Argument: A Sample Annotated Text 
Writing Project: Rhetorical Analysis of an Argument
Insider Example: Student Analysis of an Argument
Chapter 4 Tip Sheet

Chapter 5. Academic Research
Developing a Research Question
Choosing Your Sources

          Primary Sources
          Secondary Sources

Searching for Sources

          Search Terms and Search Engines
          Journal Databases

Evaluating Sources: Scholarly versus Popular Works
Summarizing, Paraphrasing, and Quoting from Sources

          Summarizing
          Paraphrasing
          Quoting

Avoiding Plagiarism
Understanding Documentation Systems

          Modern Language Association (MLA)
          American Psychological Association (APA)
          Council of Science Editors (CSE)
          Annotated Bibliographies

Writing Project: Annotated Bibliography
*Insider Example: Student Annotated Bibliography
Writing Project: A Supported Argument on a Controversial Issue
Insider Example: Student Argument on a Controversial Issue
Chapter 5 Tip Sheet

PART TWO. Inside Academic Writing
Chapter 6. Reading and Writing in Academic Disciplines
Using Rhetorical Context to Analyze Academic Writing

          Analyzing Academic Writing: A Sample Annotated Text

Recognizing Academic Genres
Using Structure, Language, and Reference (SLR) to Analyze Genre Conventions

          Defining SLR 
          Analyzing Genre Conventions: A Sample Annotated Text 

Writing Project: Genre Analysis
*Insider Example: Student Comparative Genre Analysis
Writing Project: Translating a Scholarly Article for a Public Audience
Insider Example: Student Translation of a Scholarly Article
Chapter 6 Tip Sheet

Chapter 7. Reading and Writing in the Humanities
Research in the Humanities

          Observation and Interpretation
          The Role of Theory in the Humanities
          Engaging with Theory: A Sample Annotated Text

Strategies for Close Reading

          Notetaking Steps 
          Close Reading: Sample Annotations and Content/Form-Response Grids 
          Close Reading Practice: Analyzing a Short Story

Structural Conventions in the Humanities

          Using Research Questions to Develop a Thesis
          Developing Effective Thesis Statements
          Thesis-Driven Structural Templates

Language Conventions in the Humanities

          Descriptive and Rhetorical Language 
          Active Voice
          Hedging

Reference Conventions in the Humanities

          Values Reflected in Citations
          Documentation Styles: MLA and CMS

Genres: Textual Interpretation

          What Is the Rhetorical Context for This Genre?
          Strategies for Writing a Textual Interpretation 
          Writing Project: Textual Interpretation/Analysis 
          Insider Example, Student Interpretation of a Literary Text

Chapter 7 Tip Sheet

Chapter 8. Reading and Writing in the Social Sciences
Research in the Social Sciences

          The Role of Theory in the Social Sciences
          Research Questions and Hypotheses
          Methods
          The IRB Process and Use of Human Subjects

Structural Conventions in the Social Sciences

          IMRaD Format 
          Abstracts and Other Structural Conventions

Language Conventions in the Social Sciences

          Active and Passive Voice
          Hedging

Reference Conventions in the Social Sciences
Genres: Literature Review

          What Is the Rhetorical Context for This Genre?
          Strategies for Writing a Literature Review 
          Writing Project: Literature Review 
          Insider Example: Student Literature Review

Genres: Theory Response Essay

          What Is the Rhetorical Context for This Genre?
          Strategies for Writing a Theory Response Essay 
          Writing Project: Theory Response Essay 
          Insider Example: Student Theory Response Paper

Genres: Poster Presentation

          What Is the Rhetorical Context for This Genre?
          Strategies for Composing a Poster Presentation 
          Writing Project: Poster Presentation 
          *Insider Example: Professional Poster Presentation

Chapter 8 Tip Sheet

Chapter 9. Reading and Writing in the Natural Sciences
Research in the Natural Sciences

          Observation and Description  
          From Description to Speculation
          From Speculation to Research Questions and Hypothesis
          Research Study Design
          The IRB Process and Use of Human Subjects

Values Underlying Writing in the Natural Sciences

          Objectivity
          Replicability
          Recency
          Cooperation and Collaboration

Structural Conventions in the Natural Sciences

          IMRaD Format
          Other Structural Conventions

Language Conventions in the Natural Sciences

          Jargon
          Numbers and Other Details
          Active and Passive Voice

Reference Conventions in the Natural Sciences
Genres: Observation Logbook

          What Is the Rhetorical Context for This Genre?
          Strategies for Working with an Observation Logbook 
          Writing Project: Observation Logbook 
          Insider Example: Student Observation Logbook

Genres: Research Proposal

          What Is the Rhetorical Context for This Genre?
          Strategies for Writing a Research Proposal 
          Writing Project: Research Proposal
          Insider Example: Professional Research Proposal

Genres: Lab Report

          What Is the Rhetorical Context for This Genre?
          Strategies for Composing a Lab Report 
          Writing Project: Lab Report 
          Insider Example: Student Lab Report

Chapter 9 Tip Sheet

Chapter 10. Reading and Writing in the Applied Fields
Rhetoric and the Applied Fields
Health Fields

          Insider Example: Discharge Instructions

Education

          Insider Example: Student Lesson Plan

Business

          Insider Example: Student Memorandum

Criminal Justice and Law

          Insider Example: E-Mail Correspondence from Attorney

Engineering

          *Insider Example: PowerPoint Slides

Information Technology

          Insider Example: Student Summary of Shift Operations

Writing Project: Genre Analysis of Writing in an Applied Field
*Insider Example: Student Genre Analysis of Electrical and Computer Engineering Standards
Chapter 10 Tip Sheet

Appendix: Introduction to Documentation Styles
Glossary
Index