Common Threads by Ellen Kuhl Repetto; Jane E. Aaron - First Edition, 2014 from Macmillan Student Store

Common Threads

First  Edition©2014  Ellen Kuhl Repetto; Jane E. Aaron

About

Through brief high-interest readings, probing questions, extensive writing suggestions, and practical reading and writing instruction, Common Threads uses nonfiction selections to teach you to engage with complex texts.

Table of Contents

Preface
 
PART ONE. GUIDE TO READING AND WRITING
 
1  READING
Reading Attentively
Reading Critically
     Preparing
     Reading Actively
     Using a Reading Checklist
     CHECKLIST FOR CRITICAL READING
Analyzing a Sample Essay
     BARBARA LAZEAR ASCHER, The Box Man
     Seeing a homeless man arrange a living room of boxes in a city doorway, the author notes a difference between loneliness and solitude.
     Vocabulary
     Key Ideas and Details
     Craft and Structure
     Integration of Knowledge and Ideas
Reading Visuals
     Photographs and Artwork
     COLIN GREGORY PALMER, Homeless — American Flag (Photograph)
     Infographics
     US DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT, Summary of Homeless Persons by Subpopulations Reported (Table)
     NATIONAL ALLIANCE TO END HOMELESSNESS, Homeless Populations and Subpopulations, 2011 (Bar Graph)
 
2   DEVELOPING AN ESSAY
Getting Started
     Considering Your Subject and Purpose
     Considering Your Audience
     Generating Ideas
          Speaking and Listening
          Journal Writing
          Freewriting
          Brainstorming
          Using the Methods of Development 
Forming a Thesis
     Identifying Your Main Point
     Drafting and Revising a Thesis Statement
Organizing
     Creating a Plan
     Thinking in Paragraphs
     Considering the Introduction and Conclusion
Drafting
     Writing, Not Revising
     Grace Patterson’s First Draft
 
3   REVISING
Reading Your Own Work Critically
Looking at the Whole Draft
     Purpose and Thesis
     Unity 
          Unity in Paragraphs 
          Unity in Essays
     Coherence 
          Coherence in Paragraphs
          Coherence in Essays
     Development
     Tone
Using a Revision Checklist
     CHECKLIST FOR REVISION
     Grace Patterson’s Revised Draft
 
4   EDITING
Making Sentences Clear and Effective
     Clarity
     Conciseness
     Emphasis
     Parallelism
     Variety
Choosing Clear and Effective Words
     Denotations and Connotations
     Concrete and Specific Words
     Figures of Speech
Using an Editing Checklist
     CHECKLIST FOR EDITING
     Grace Patterson’s Editing and Final Draft
     GRACE PATTERSON, A Rock and a Hard Place (Student Essay)
     In response to Barbara Lazear Ascher’s essay (Chapter 1), the author questions the Box Man’s “choice” of homelessness.
 
5  WORKING WITH SOURCES
Writing about Readings
Researching a Topic
     Asking Questions
     Finding Sources
     Evaluating Sources
Synthesizing Source Material
     Summarizing
     Paraphrasing
     Quoting
     Integrating
Avoiding Plagiarism
Documenting Sources in MLA Style
     In-Text Citations
     List of Works Cited
Sample Research Paper
JARROD BALLO, Women and Children First (Student Essay)
Looking into the options available to homeless people, a student discovers a shocking truth and argues for change.
 
PART TWO. SHORT ESSAYS BY METHOD AND THEME
 
6   NARRATION: Growing Up
Visual: Marjane Satrapi, from Persepolis (Graphic Memoir)
Seeing Narration
Reading Narration
Analyzing Narration in Paragraphs
     Michael Ondaatje, from Running in the Family
     Donald Hall, from Unpacking the Boxes
Developing a Narrative Essay
     Getting Started
     Forming a Thesis
     Organizing
     Drafting
     Revising and Editing
     FOCUS ON VERBS
A Note on Thematic Connections
FREDERICK DOUGLASS, Learning to Read and Write
MAYA ANGELOU, Champion of the World
AMY TAN, Pretty Beyond Belief
Writing with the Method
Writing about the Theme
 
7   DESCRIPTION: Sensing Our Natural Surroundings
Visual: Ansel Adams, “Aspens, Northern New Mexico” (Photograph)
Seeing Description
Reading Description 
Analyzing Description in Paragraphs
     David Mura, from Turning Japanese 
     Diane Ackerman, from A Natural History of the Senses
Developing a Descriptive Essay
     Getting Started
     Forming a Thesis
     Organizing
     Drafting
     Revising and Editing
     FOCUS ON CONCRETE AND SPECIFIC LANGUAGE
A Note on Thematic Connections
JOAN DIDION, The Santa Ana
DAGOBERTO GILB, My Landlady’s Yard
ANNIE DILLARD, Living Like Weasels
Writing with the Method
Writing about the Theme
 
8   EXAMPLE: Using Language
Visual: Bethany Keeley, from The “Blog” of “Unnecessary” Quotation Marks (Signs) 
Seeing Examples
Reading Examples
Analyzing Examples in Paragraphs
     Richard Rodriguez, from “Aria: A Memoir of a Bilingual Childhood”
     William Lutz, from Doublespeak
Developing an Essay by Example
     Getting Started
     Forming a Thesis
     Organizing
     Drafting
     Revising and Editing
     FOCUS ON SENTENCE VARIETY
A Note on Thematic Connections
DAVID SEDARIS, Me Talk Pretty One Day
KIRK JOHNSON, Today’s Kids Are, Like, Killing the English Language
ANITA JAIN, A Nameless Respect
Writing with the Method
Writing about the Theme
 
9  DIVISION OR ANALYSIS: Looking at Popular Culture 
Visual: Wired Magazine, “Balance Your Media Diet” (Pyramid Chart)
Seeing Division or Analysis
Reading Division or Analysis
Analyzing Division or Analysis in Paragraphs
     Jon Pareles, from “Gather No Moss, Take No Prisoners, but Be Cool”
     Luci Tapahanso, from Sign Language
Developing an Essay by Division or Analysis
     Getting Started
 Forming a Thesis
     Organizing
     Drafting
     Revising and Editing
     FOCUS ON SOURCES
A Note on Thematic Connections
MARGARET VISSER, The Ritual of Fast Food
THOMAS DE ZENGOTITA, American Idol Worship 
PAT MORA, Great Expectations
Writing with the Method
Writing about the Theme
 
10  CLASSIFICATION: Sorting Friends and Neighbors
Visual: US Census Bureau, “National Population by Race and by Hispanic or Latino Origin” (Bar Graph)
Seeing Classification
Reading Classification
Analyzing Classification in Paragraphs
     Nelson George, from “Strangers on His Street”
     Luis Alberto Urrea, from “Night Shift”
Developing an Essay by Classification
     Getting Started
     Forming a Thesis
     Organizing
     Drafting
     Revising and Editing
     FOCUS ON PUNCTUATION
A Note on Thematic Connections
BRANDON GRIGGS, The Most Annoying Facebookers
MARION WINIK, What Are Friends For?
DAVID BROOKS, People Like Us
Writing with the Method
Writing about the Theme
 
11 PROCESS ANALYSIS: Eating Well
Visual: Jearl Walker, “The Microwave Oven: How It Works” (Illustration)
Seeing Process Analysis
Reading Process Analysis
Analyzing Processes in Paragraphs
     L. Rust Hills, from “How to Eat an Ice Cream Cone” 
     Jane E. Brody, from Jane Brody’s Nutrition Book
Developing an Essay by Process Analysis
     Getting Started
     Forming a Thesis
     Organizing
     Drafting
     Revising and Editing
     FOCUS ON CONSISTENCY
A Note on Thematic Connections
FIROOZEH DUMAS, Sweet, Sour, and Resentful
LARS EIGHNER, Dumpster Diving
BARBARA KINGSOLVER, Stalking the Vegetannual
Writing with the Method
Writing about the Theme
 
12 COMPARISON AND CONTRAST: Examining Stereotypes
Visual: Norman Rockwell, Freedom from Want (Painting)
Visual: Art Spiegelman, Freedom from Want (Drawing)
Seeing Comparison and Contrast
Reading Comparison and Contrast
Analyzing Comparison and Contrast in Paragraphs
     Michael Dorris, from “Noble Savages? We’ll Drink to That” 
     Julia Álvarez, from “A White Woman of Color”
Developing an Essay by Comparison and Contrast
     Getting Started
     Forming a Thesis
     Organizing
     Drafting
     Revising and Editing
     FOCUS ON PARALLELISM
A Note on Thematic Connections
SUZANNE BRITT, Neat People vs. Sloppy People
LEANITA McCLAIN, The Middle-Class Black’s Burden
CHERYL PECK, Fatso
Writing with the Method
Writing about the Theme
 
13 DEFINITION: Pursuing Happiness
Visual: Peter Steiner, “I Hope You Realize…” (Cartoon)
Seeing Definition
Reading Definition
Analyzing Definition in Paragraphs
     Carlin Flora, from “The Pursuit of Happiness”
     Sarah Vowell, from “Pop-A-Shot”
Developing an Essay by Definition
     Getting Started
     Forming a Thesis
     Organizing
     Drafting
     Revising and Editing
     FOCUS ON RESTRICTIVE AND NONRESTRICTIVE ELEMENTS
A Note on Thematic Connections
JUDY BRADY, I Want a Wife
PICO IYER, The Joy of Less
WALTER MOSLEY, Get Happy
Writing with the Method
Writing about the Theme
 
14 CAUSE-AND-EFFECT ANALYSIS: Investigating the Working World
Visual: J. Howard Miller, We Can Do It! (Poster)
Seeing Cause-and-Effect Analysis
Reading Cause-and-Effect Analysis
Analyzing Causes and Effects in Paragraphs
     Barbara Ehrenreich, from Nickel and Dimed 
     Malcolm Gladwell, from Outliers
Developing an Essay by Cause-and-Effect Analysis
     Getting Started
     Forming a Thesis
     Organizing
     Drafting
     Revising and Editing
     FOCUS ON CONCISENESS
A Note on Thematic Connections
DANA THOMAS, The Fake Trade
ELLEN GOODMAN, The Company Man
CHARLIE LE DUFF, End of the Line
Writing with the Method
Writing about the Theme
 
15 ARGUMENT AND PERSUASION: Debating Law and Order
Visual: American Civil Liberties Union, “The Man on the Left” (Advertisement)
Seeing Argument and Persuasion
Reading Argument and Persuasion
     The Elements of Argument
     Appeals to Readers
          Ethical Appeal
          Emotional Appeal
          Rational Appeal
     Fallacies
Analyzing Argument and Persuasion in Paragraphs
     Jenny Price, from “Gun Violence at UC Irvine”
     John Stossel, from “Guns Save Lives”
Developing an Argumentative and Persuasive Essay
     Getting Started
     Forming a Thesis
     Organizing
     Drafting
     Revising and Editing
     FOCUS ON TONE
A Note on Thematic Connections
ANNA QUINDLEN, The C Word In the Hallways
WILBERT RIDEAU, Why Prisons Don’t Work
MARIE MYUNG-OK LEE, I Was an Anchor Baby
CASEBOOK: REGULATING TECHNOLOGY
DISTRACTED DRIVING
     CAROLYN McCARTHY, Should Text Messaging While Driving Be Banned? Yes.
     RADLEY BALKO, Should Text Messaging While Driving Be Banned? No.
INTERNET PRIVACY
     NICHOLAS CARR, Tracking Is an Assault on Liberty
     JIM HARPER, Web Users Get as Much as They Give
Writing with the Method
Writing about the Theme
 
APPENDIX   HISTORIC SPEECHES
Reading and Listening to Speeches
Keys to Effective Speaking
     Planning
     Structuring 
          Introduction 
          Body
          Conclusion
     Integrating Multimedia
     Rehearsing
A Note on Thematic Connections
PATRICK HENRY, Speech to the Second Virginia Convention
ELIZABETH CADY STANTON, Seneca Falls Keynote Address
SOJOURNER TRUTH, Ain’t I a Woman?
ABRAHAM LINCOLN, The Gettysburg Address
MARTIN LUTHER KING JR., I Have a Dream
 

Ellen Kuhl Repetto

Ellen Kuhl Repetto is an editor and writer who has contributed to more than twenty composition readers, handbooks, and rhetorics. She is the author of The Bedford Reader and The Compact Reader.

Jane E. Aaron

Jane E. Aaron is a professional writer and editor as well as an experienced teacher. She is the author of the best-selling Little, Brown Handbook and The Compact Reader. She has served as consultant, editor, or writer on more than a dozen other textbooks for the first-year composition.