The Bedford Guide for College Writers with Reader, Research Manual, and Handbook, with 2020 APA and 2021 MLA Update
Twelfth EditionX.J. Kennedy; Dorothy Kennedy; Marcia Muth
©2021Your all-in-one resource for college writing.
This ebook has been updated to provide you with the latest guidance on documenting sources in MLA style and follows the guidelines set forth in the MLA Handbook, 9th edition (April 2021).
A WRITER’S GUIDE helps you with every step of the writing and research process, so you can complete assignments confidently.
A WRITER’S READER offers 25 current and thought-provoking essays on themes such as Inequality, America, Gender, and Popular Culture.
A WRITER’S RESEARCH MANUAL leads the way through finding, evaluating, integrating, and documenting sources in your research project.
A WRITER’S HANDBOOK clearly explains the dos and don’ts of grammar, usage, sentence structure, and style.
Table of Contents
A WRITER’S GUIDE
Part One: A College Writer’s Processes
1. Writing Processes
Writing, Reading, and Critical Thinking
A Process of Writing
Generating Ideas
Learning by Doing: Reflecting on Ideas
Planning, Drafting, and Developing
Learning by Doing: Reflecting on Drafts
Revising and Editing
Understand Your Writing Situation
Writing with Purpose
Learning by Doing: Writing with Purpose
Writing for Your Audience
Learning by Doing: Writing for Multiple Audiences
Writing in Different Genres
Learning by Doing: Experimenting with Genres
Learning by Doing: Analyzing a Piece of Writing
Additional Writing Activities
2. Reading Processes
A Process of Critical Reading
Preparing to Read
Responding as You Read
Learning by Doing: Annotating a Passage
Learning by Doing: Keeping a Reading Journal
Learning from Other Writers: Summarizing and Responding
Robert Jensen, From The High Cost of Manliness
Student Summary and Response: Olof Eriksson, The Problems with Masculinity
Reading on Literal and Analytical Levels
Learning by Doing: Reading Analytically
Generating Ideas from Reading
Learning from Other Writers: Responding Critically
Neil DeGrasse Tyson, From The Cosmic Perspective
Student Critical Reading Response: Ayesha James, Responding to Neil DeGrasse Tyson’s “The Cosmic Perspective”
Learning by Doing: Reading Critically
Reading Online and Multimodal Texts
Learning by Doing: Reading a Website
Additional Writing Assignments
3. Critical Thinking Processes
A Process of Critical Thinking
Applying Critical Thinking in Daily Life
Learning by Doing: Thinking Critically When Facing a Problem
Applying Critical Thinking to Academic Problems
Thinking Critically about Your Own Writing: Self-Reflection
How to Reflect on Your Own Writing
Learning by Doing: Reflecting on Your College Career
Contexts for Self-Reflection
Learning by Doing: Reflecting on Your Course Syllabus
Learning from Other Writers: Self-Reflection
Student Self-Reflection: Khalia Nadam, What I Learned from My Research Project
Additional Writing Activities
Part Two: A Writer’s Situations
4. Recalling and Observing
Why Recalling and Observing Matter
Learning from Other Writers
Margaret Rhee, Returning to My Fathers Koreatown
Student Essay: Robert G. Schreiner, What Is a Hunter?
Learning by Writing
The Assignment: Recalling a Personal Experience or Observing a Scene
Generating Ideas
Planning, Drafting, and Developing
Revising and Editing
Learning by Doing: Strengthen Your Main Idea, Impression, or Thesis
Reviewing and Reflecting
Additional Writing Assignments
5. Interviewing for Information
Why Interviewing for Information Matters
Learning from Other Writers
Jon Ronson, How One Stupid Tweet Blew Up Justine Sacco’s Life
Student Essay: Lorena A. Ryan-Hines, Looking Backwards, Moving Forward
Learning by Writing
The Assignment: Writing an Essay Based on an Interview
Generating Ideas
Learning by Doing: Analyzing Interview Questions
Learning by Doing: Practicing by Interviewing a Classmate
Planning, Drafting, and Developing
Revising and Editing
Learning by Doing: Supporting a Thesis
Reviewing and Reflecting
Additional Writing Assignments
6. Comparing and Contrasting
Why Comparing and Contrasting Matter
Learning from Other Writers
Richard Fry, Ruth Igielnik, Eileen Patten, How Millennials Today Compare with Their Grandparents 50 Years Ago
Student Essay: Isaac Sinclair, E-Cigarettes Pose a Hidden Danger
Learning by Writing
The Assignment: Comparing and Contrasting
Generating Ideas
Learning by Doing: Making a Comparison-and-Contrast Table
Planning, Drafting, and Developing
Learning by Doing: Building Cohesion with Transitions
Revising and Editing
Reviewing and Reflecting
Additional Writing Assignments
7. Explaining Causes and Effects
Why Explaining Causes and Effects Matters
Learning from Other Writers
Simon Gottschalk, In Praise of Doing Nothing: Why Leisure Time is Good for Productivity
Student Essay: Yun Yung Choi, Invisible Women
Learning by Writing
The Assignment: Explaining Causes and Effects
Generating Ideas
Learning by Doing: Determining Causes and Effects
Planning, Drafting, and Developing
Learning by Doing: Focusing Your Introduction
Revising and Editing
Reviewing and Reflecting
Additional Writing Assignments
8. Taking a Stand
Why Taking a Stand Matters
Learning from Other Writers
Suzan Shown Harjo, Last Rites for Indian Dead
Student Essay: Marjorie Lee Garretson, More Pros Than Cons in a Meat-Free Life
Learning by Writing
The Assignment: Taking a Stand
Generating Ideas
Learning by Doing: Testing Potential Topics
Learning by Doing: Supporting a Claim
Learning by Doing: Addressing Counterarguments
Planning, Drafting, and Developing
Learning by Doing: Identifying Types of Appeals
Revising and Editing
Learning by Doing: Reflecting on Your Draft
Reviewing and Reflecting
Additional Writing Assignments
9. Proposing a Solution
Why Proposing a Solution Matters
Learning from Other Writers
Wilbert Rideau, Why Prisons Don’t Work
Student Essay: Lacey Taylor, It’s Not Just a Bike
Learning by Writing
The Assignment: Proposing a Solution
Generating Ideas
Learning by Doing: Describing Your Audience
Planning, Drafting, and Developing
Learning by Doing: Proposing a Solution
Revising and Editing
Learning by Doing: Revising for Clear Organization
Reviewing and Reflecting
Additional Writing Assignments
10. Evaluating and Reviewing
Why Evaluating and Reviewing Matter
Learning from Other Writers
James Bennett, If You’re Mad about “DAMN.,” You Probably Need to Listen to More Hip Hop
Student Essay: Elizabeth Erion, Internship Program Falls Short
Learning by Writing
The Assignment: Writing an Evaluation
Generating Ideas
Learning by Doing: Developing Criteria
Planning, Drafting, and Developing
Learning by Doing: Stating Your Overall Judgment
Learning by Doing: Reflecting on Product Reviews
Revising and Editing
Reviewing and Reflecting
Additional Writing Assignments
11. Supporting a Position with Sources
Why Supporting with Sources Matters
Learning from Other Writers
Charles M. Blow, Black Dads Are Doing Best of All
Student Essay: Abigail Marchand, The Family Dynamic
Learning by Writing
The Assignment: Supporting a Position with Sources
Generating Ideas
Planning, Drafting, and Developing
Learning by Doing: Strengthening Your Position as you Gather Evidence
Learning by Doing: Avoiding Accidental Plagiarism
The Academic Exchange
Revising and Editing
Reviewing and Reflecting
Additional Writing Assignments
12. Responding to Literature
Why Responding to Literature Matters
Learning from Other Writers
Chitra Banerjee, Clothes
Preparing to Write a Literary Analysis
Student Literary Analysis: Amina Khan, “Saris, Jeans, and Independence: The Symbolism of Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni’s ‘Clothes’”
Learning by Writing
The Assignment: Analyzing a Literary Work
Generating Ideas
Learning by Doing: Writing a Paraphrase of a Poem
Planning, Drafting, and Developing
Learning by Doing: Examining Fiction Genres
Learning by Doing: Developing Your Thesis
Revising and Editing
Reviewing and Reflecting
Additional Writing Assignments
13. Responding to Visual Representations
Why Responding to Visual Representation Matters
Learning from Other Writers
Student Analysis of an Advertisement: Logan Sikora, “The Attention Test”
Learning by Writing
The Assignment: Writing a Visual Analysis
Generating Ideas
Learning by Doing: Seeing the Big Picture
Learning by Doing: Observing Characteristics
Learning by Doing: Interpreting Meaning
Planning, Drafting, and Developing
Revising and Editing
Reviewing and Reflecting
Additional Writing Assignments
Part Three: A Writer’s Strategies
14. Strategies: A Case Study
Generating Ideas
Planning, Drafting, and Developing
Rough Draft with Peer and Instructor Responses
Learning by Doing Responding as a Peer
Revising and Editing
Revised and Edited Draft
Final Draft for Submission: Nick Catizone, “Smartphone Addiction: Which Generations is to Blame?”
Reflecting as a Writer
Learning by Doing Writing a Reflective Letter
Reflective Portfolio Letter
15. Strategies for Generating Ideas
Finding Ideas
Building from Your Assignment
Brainstorming
Learning by Doing Brainstorming or Freewriting
Doodling or Sketching
Mapping
Imagining
Asking a Reporter’s Questions
Learning by Doing Asking a Reporter’s Questions
Keeping a Journal
Learning by Doing Keeping a Journal
Getting Ready to Write
Setting up Circumstances
16. Strategies for Stating a Thesis and Planning
Shaping Your Topic for Your Purpose and Your Audience
Considering Purpose and Audience
Stating and Using a Thesis
Learning by Doing Identifying Theses
How to Discover a Working Thesis
Learning by Doing Discovering a Thesis
How to State a Thesis
Learning by Doing Examining Thesis Statements
How to Use a Thesis to Organize
Learning by Doing Using a Thesis to Preview
Organizing Your Ideas
Grouping Your Ideas
Outlining
Learning by Doing Moving from Outline to Thesis
Learning by Doing Outlining
17. Strategies for Drafting
Making a Start Enjoyable
Restarting
Paragraphing
Using Topic Sentences
Learning by Doing Shaping Topic Sentences
Writing an Opening
Learning by Doing Trying Different Methods of Writing an Opening
Writing a Conclusion
Learning by Doing Evaluating Openings and Conclusions
Adding Cues and Connections
18. Strategies for Developing
Learning by Doing Editing Sentences
Giving Examples
Learning by Doing Giving Examples
Providing Details
Learning by Doing Providing Details
Defining
Learning by Doing Developing an Extended Definition
Reasoning Inductively and Deductively
Analyzing a Process
Learning by Doing Analyzing a Process
Dividing and Classifying
Comparing and Contrasting
Learning by Doing Comparing and Contrasting
Identifying Causes and Effects
Learning by Doing Identifying Causes and Effects
19. Strategies for Revising and Editing
Re-viewing and Revising
Revising for Purpose and Thesis
Revising for Audience
Revising for Structure and Support
Learning by Doing Tackling Macro Revision
Working with a Peer Editor
Questions for a Peer Editor
Meeting with Your Instructor
Revising for Emphasis, Conciseness, and Clarity
Stressing What Counts
Cutting and Whittling
Keeping It Clear
Editing and Proofreading
Editing
Proofreading
Learning by Doing Reflecting on Past Grades and Comments
20. Strategies for Creating Presentations and Portfolios
Presentations
Preparing Presentations
Using Visuals
Learning from Other Writers: Visuals for Oral Presentations
Student Presentation: Andrew Dillon Bustin, Traditional Urban Design
Portfolios
Keeping a Portfolio
Understanding Portfolio Assessment
Tips for Keeping a Portfolio
Book 2: A WRITER’S READER
21. America
Shankar Vedantam et al, The Huddled Masses and the Myth of America
Judith Ortiz Cofer, More Room
Sophie Egan, The American Food Psyche
Stephen Kinzer, Joining the Military Doesnt Make You a Hero (paired reading)
Sidra Montgomery, The Emotion Work of “Thank You for Your Service” (paired reading)
22. Language
Jenny Jarvie, Trigger Happy
James Baldwin, If Black English is not a Language, Then Tell Me, What Is?
Yesenia Padilla, What Does ‘Latinx’ Mean? A Look at the Term Thats Challenging Gender Norms
Richard Rodriguez, Public and Private Language (paired reading)
Amy Tan, Mother Tongue (paired reading)
23. Popular Culture
Stephen King, Why We Crave Horror Movies
Kurt Dean Squire and Matthew Gaydos, No, Fortnite Isn’t Rotting Kids’ Brains. It May Even Be Good for Them.
Kate O’Neill, Facebook’s “10 Year Challenge” Is Just a Harmless Meme—Right?
Jason Johnson, How Stan Lee Taught a Generation of Black Nerds about Race, Art, and Activism (paired reading)
Jeffrey A. Brown, “I’m the Goshdarn Batman”—The Rise of Cute Superheroes (paired reading)
24. Inequality
Vanessa De Luca, Serena Williams Was Blamed for Defending Herself
Shanna Kattari, Transgender and Non-Binary People Face Health Care Discrimination
Victoria Rosenboom and Kristin Blagg, from Disconnected from Higher Education
Elizabeth Kolbert, The Psychology of Inequality (paired reading)
Keith Payne, from The Broken Ladder (paired reading)
25. Gender
Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, Happy Feminist
Brent Staples, Black Men and Public Space
Peggy Orenstein, Dress to Respect Yourself: Enforcing Female Modesty in Schools
Alina Bradford, What Is Transgender?
Sally Hines, The False Opposition Between Trans and Feminist Rights
Book 3: A WRITER’S RESEARCH MANUAL
26. Defining Your Research Project
Learning by Doing: Reflecting on Research
Research Assignments: Working from Sources
The Research Proposal
The Source Evaluation
The Annotated Bibliography
The Outline
The Research Paper
Creating a Schedule
Choosing a Topic
Narrowing Your Topic
Turning a Topic into a Question
Moving from Research Question to Working Thesis
Plan Your Research
Sample Assignment: Creating a Research Proposal
27. Finding Sources
Searching the Internet
Finding Recommended Internet Sources
Selecting Search Engines
Conducting Advanced Electronic Searches
Finding Specialized Online Materials
Searching the Library
Using the Library Catalog
Searching Library Databases
Using Specialized Library Resources
Finding Sources in the Field
Interviewing
Observing
Using Questionnaires
Corresponding
Attending Public and Online Events
Reconsidering Your Field Sources
28. Evaluating Sources
Assessing Reliability
Who Is Responsible for the Source?
What Type of Source Is It?
Is the Source Scholarly or Popular?
What Is the Source’s Purpose?
When Was the Source Published?
Assessing Bias
Recognizing Biases across the Political Spectrum
Assessing Relevance
Considering Your Purpose
Evaluating Online Sources with Healthy Skepticism
Understanding a Site’s Purpose
Recognizing Bias across the Political Spectrum
Fighting “Fake News”
Recognizing “Clickbait”
Distinguishing between News and Advertisements
Being Wary of Social Media
Authenticating Information
Diversifying Your News Sources
Reviewing Your Sources
Sample Assignment: Preparing a Source Evaluation
29. Working with Sources
Managing Your Sources
Taking Advantage of Digital Tools
Organizing on Paper
Keeping a Working Bibliography
Sample Assignment: Developing an Annotated Bibliography
Taking Notes
Reading Actively
Information
Quoting
Paraphrasing
Summarizing
Citing Sources
Identify the Source
Cite the Location of the Source Material
Integrating Material from Sources
Integrating Quotations and Paraphrases
Integrating Summaries
Synthesizing Ideas and Sources
Using Sources Ethically
Avoiding Plagiarism
30. Writing a Research Paper
Planning with a Thesis Statement
Drafting
Using Your Sources to Support Your Ideas
Citing and Integrating Your Sources as You Draft
Beginning and Ending
Revising and Editing
Documenting Sources
31. MLA Style for Documenting Sources
Citing Sources in MLA Style
Listing Sources in MLA Style
Source Navigators: MLA
A Sample MLA Research Paper
32. APA Style for Documenting Sources
Citing Sources in APA Style
Listing Sources in APA Style
Source Navigators: APA
A Sample APA Research Paper
Book 4: A WRITER’S HANDBOOK
Introduction: Grammar, or The Way Words Work
Learning by Doing Creating an Error Log
33. Basic Grammar
1. Parts of Speech
2. Subjects
3. Verbs, Objects, and Complements
4. Clauses and Phrases
5. Sentence Structures
34. Grammatical Sentences
6. Sentence Fragments
7. Comma Splices and Fused Sentences
8. Verb Tense
9. Irregular Verbs
10. Verb Voice and Mood
11. Subject-Verb Agreement
12. Pronoun Case
13. Pronoun Reference
14. Pronoun-Antecedent Agreement
15. Adjectives and Adverbs
16. Shifts
35. Effective Sentences
Learning by Doing Focusing on Sentences
17. Misplaced and Dangling Modifiers
18. Missing Words
19. Mixed Constructions
20. Parallel Structure
21. Coordination and Subordination
22. Sentence Variety
36. Word Choice
23. Appropriateness
24. Exact Words
25. Bias-Free Language
26. Wordiness
27. A Glossary of Troublemakers
Learning by Doing Refining Your Wording
37. Punctuation
Learning by Doing Tackling Punctuation Patterns
28. End Punctuation
29. Commas
30. Misuses of the Comma
31. Semicolons
32. Colons
33. Apostrophes
34. Quotation Marks
35. Dashes
36. Parentheses, Brackets, and Ellipses
38. Mechanics
37. Abbreviations
38. Capital Letters
39. Numbers
40. Italics
41. Hyphens
42. Spelling
Answers for Lettered Exercises
APPENDICES AND OTHER RESOURCES
Quick Format Guide
Quick Research Guide
Quick Editing Guide