The St. Martin's Guide to Writing

1       Foundations for Becoming a Successful College Writer
Understanding the Rhetorical Situation
Understanding Multimodality
Composing Multimodal Texts
Academic Habits of Mind
Reflect on your habits of mind.
The Writing Process
A WRITER AT WORK
Selena Jiménez’s Writing Process
Generating Ideas ■ Planning a Draft ■ Writing a Draft ■ Getting Feedback from Others ■ Preparing to Revise ■ Revising Deeply
 
Part 1 Writing Activities
2       Autobiography and Literacy Narratives
PRACTICING THE GENRE: Telling a Story
GUIDE TO READING
Analyzing Autobiographies and Literacy Narratives
Determine the writer’s purpose and audience. ■ Assess the genre’s basic features.
Readings
Rhea Jameson, Mrs. Maxon
Molly Montgomery, Literacy Narrative: In Search of Dumplings and Dead Poets
Ta-Nehisi Coates, Losing My Innocence
Elissa Washuta, Wednesday Addams Is Just Another Settler
GUIDE TO WRITING
The Writing Assignment
STARTING POINTS: Remembering an Experience
Writing a Draft: Invention, Research, Planning, and Composing
Choose an experience to write about.
TEST YOUR CHOICE: Considering Your Purpose and Audience
Give your story a dramatic arc.
TEST YOUR CHOICE: Facing an Audience
Use tenses to clarify the sequence of actions. ■ Describe key people and places vividly, and show their significance. ■ Use dialogue to portray people and dramatize relationships. ■ Clarify your story’s significance. ■ Write the opening sentences. ■ Draft your story.
Evaluating the Draft: Using Peer Review
A PEER REVIEW GUIDE
Improving the Draft: Revising, Editing, and Proofreading
Revise your draft.
A TROUBLESHOOTING GUIDE
Edit and proofread your final draft.
A WRITER AT WORK
Dramatizing Conflict and Developing Significance in Rhea Jameson’s Literacy Narrative
REFLECTION
Reflecting on Reading and Writing Autobiographical and Literacy Narratives

3       Writing Profiles 
PRACTICING THE GENRE: Conducting an Interview 
GUIDE TO READING 
Analyzing Profiles 
Determine the writer’s purpose and audience.   ■ Assess the genre’s basic features. 
Readings 
Brian Cable, The Last Stop 
Victoria C. Moré, Dumpster Dinners: An Ethnography of Freeganism 
Amanda Coyne, The Long Good-Bye: Mother’s Day in Federal Prison 
Gabriel Thompson, A Gringo in the Lettuce Fields 
GUIDE TO WRITING 
The Writing Assignment 
STARTING POINTS: Writing a Profile 
Writing a Draft: Invention, Research, Planning, and Composing 
Choose a subject to profile. 
TEST YOUR CHOICE: Considering Your Purpose and Audience 
Conduct your field research or investigation.   ■ Use quotations that provide information and reveal character.   ■ Consider adding visual or audio elements.   ■ Create an outline that will organize your profile effectively for your readers.   ■ Determine your role in the profile.   ■ Develop your perspective on the subject.   ■ Clarify the dominant impression.   ■ Write the opening sentences.   ■ Draft your profile. 
Evaluating the Draft: Using Peer Review 
A PEER REVIEW GUIDE 
Improving the Draft: Revising, Editing, and Proofreading 
Revise your draft. 
A TROUBLESHOOTING GUIDE 
Edit and proofread your final draft. 
A WRITER AT WORK  
Brian Cable’s Interview Notes and Write-Up  
The Interview Notes    ■ The Interview Write-Up  
REFLECTION  
Reflecting on Reading and Writing a Profile 
 
4       Explaining a Concept  
PRACTICING THE GENRE: Explaining an Academic Concept  
GUIDE TO READING  
Analyzing Concept Explanations  
Determine the writer’s purpose and audience.    ■ Assess the genre’s basic features.  
Readings  
Rosa Alexander, The Meme-ing of Trigger Warnings  
Anastasia Toufexis, Love: The Right Chemistry  
Lindsay Grace, Persuasive Play: Designing Games That Change Players  
Wesley Morris, Who Gets to Decide What Belongs in the “Canon”?  
GUIDE TO WRITING  
The Writing Assignment  
STARTING POINTS: Explaining a Concept  
Writing a Draft: Invention, Research, Planning, and Composing  
Choose a concept to write about.  
TEST YOUR CHOICE: Considering Your Purpose and Audience  
Conduct initial research on the concept.    ■ Focus your explanation of the concept.  
TEST YOUR CHOICE: Evaluating Your Focus  
Conduct further research on your focused concept.    ■ Draft your working thesis.    ■ Create an outline that will organize your concept explanation effectively for your readers.    ■ Design your writing project.    ■ Consider the explanatory strategies you should use.    ■ Use summaries, paraphrases, and quotations from sources to support your points.    ■ Use visuals or multimedia illustrations.    ■ Use appositives to integrate sources.    ■ Use descriptive verbs in signal phrases to introduce information from sources.    ■ Write the opening sentences.    ■ Draft your explanation.  
Evaluating the Draft: Using Peer Review  
A PEER REVIEW GUIDE  
Improving the Draft: Revising, Editing, and Proofreading  
Revise your draft.  
A TROUBLESHOOTING GUIDE  
Edit and proofread your final draft.  
A WRITER AT WORK  
Rosa Alexander Focuses Her Concept Explanation  
REFLECTION  
Reflecting on Reading and Writing a Concept Analysis  
 
5       Analyzing and Synthesizing Opposing Arguments  
PRACTICING THE GENRE: Analyzing Opposing Arguments  
GUIDE TO READING  
Analyzing Opposing Arguments  
Determine the writer’s purpose and audience.    ■ Assess the genre’s basic features.  
Readings  
Max King, Freedom of or from Speech  
Tyler Stiem, Statue Wars: What Should We Do With Troublesome Monuments?  
Emily Stewart, The Debate over Joe Biden Canceling Student Debt, Explained  
David Wallace-Wells, People Don’t Trust Public-Health Experts Because Public-Health Experts Don’t Trust People  
GUIDE TO WRITING  
The Writing Assignment  
STARTING POINTS: Analyzing and Synthesizing Opposing Arguments  
Writing a Draft: Invention, Research, Planning, and Composing  
Choose a controversial issue to write about.  
TEST YOUR CHOICE: Selecting a Topic  
Conduct research.    ■ Create an annotated working bibliography.    ■ Analyze your audience.    ■ Choose opposing arguments to analyze.    ■ Analyze and synthesize the opposing arguments.  
TEST YOUR CHOICE: Evaluating Your Analysis  
Draft a working thesis.    ■ Create an outline to plan or assess your organization.    ■ Develop your analysis.    ■ Draft the opening sentences.    ■ Draft your analysis.  
Evaluating the Draft: Using Peer Review  
A PEER REVIEW GUIDE  
Improving the Draft: Revising, Editing, and Proofreading  
Revise your draft.  
A TROUBLESHOOTING GUIDE  
Edit and proofread your final draft.  
A WRITER AT WORK  
Max King’s Analysis  
REFLECTION  
Reflecting on Reading and Writing an Analysis of Opposing Arguments  

6       Arguing a Position  
PRACTICING THE GENRE: Debating a Position  
GUIDE TO READING  
Analyzing Position Arguments  
Determine the writer’s purpose and audience.    ■ Assess the genre’s basic features.  
Readings  
Soham Patil, Stay in Class, Not Online  
Laura Beth Nielsen, The Case for Restricting Hate Speech  
Scott Nolen, The “Seatbelt” Approach to the Opioid Crisis  
Daniel J. Solove, Why Privacy Matters Even If You Have “Nothing to Hide”  
GUIDE TO WRITING  
The Writing Assignment  
STARTING POINTS: Arguing a Position  
Writing a Draft: Invention, Research, Planning, and Composing  
Choose a controversial issue on which to take a position.  
TEST YOUR CHOICE: Choosing an Issue  
Frame the issue for your readers.  
TEST YOUR CHOICE: Frame Your Issue  
Formulate a working thesis stating your position.    ■ Develop the reasons supporting your position.    ■ Research your position.    ■ Use sources to reinforce your credibility.    ■ Identify and respond to your readers’ likely reasons and objections.    ■ Create an outline that will organize your argument effectively for your readers.    ■ Consider document design.    ■ Write the opening sentences.    ■ Draft your position argument.  
Evaluating the Draft: Using Peer Review  
A PEER REVIEW GUIDE  
Improving the Draft: Revising, Editing, and Proofreading  
Revise your draft.  
A TROUBLESHOOTING GUIDE  
Edit and proofread your final draft.  
A WRITER AT WORK  
Soham Patil’s Response to Instructor and Peer Feedback  
REFLECTION  
Reflecting on Reading and Writing a Position Argument  

7       Proposing a Solution  
PRACTICING THE GENRE: Arguing That a Solution Is Feasible  
GUIDE TO READING  
Analyzing Proposals  
Determine the writer’s purpose and audience.    ■ Assess the genre’s basic features.  
Readings  
Patrick O’Malley, More Testing, More Learning  
David Figlio, Starting High School Later  
Maryanne Wolf, Skim Reading Is the New Normal  
Alice Wong, The Last Straw  
GUIDE TO WRITING  
The Writing Assignment  
STARTING POINTS: Proposing a Solution  
Writing a Draft: Invention, Research, Planning, and Composing  
Choose a problem for which you can propose a solution.    ■ Frame the problem for your readers.  
TEST YOUR CHOICE: Defining the Problem  
Assess how the problem has been framed, and reframe it for your readers.    ■ Develop a possible solution.    ■ Explain your solution.    ■ Research your proposal.    ■ Develop a response to objections or alternative solutions.    ■ Create an outline that will organize your proposal effectively for your readers.    ■ Write the opening sentences.    ■ Draft your proposal.  
Evaluating the Draft: Using Peer Review  
A PEER REVIEW GUIDE  
Improving the Draft: Revising, Editing, and Proofreading  
Revise your draft.  
A TROUBLESHOOTING GUIDE  
Edit and proofread your final draft.  
A WRITER AT WORK  
Patrick O’Malley’s Revision Process  
REFLECTION  
Reflecting on Reading and Writing Proposals  

8       Justifying an Evaluation  
PRACTICING THE GENRE: Choosing Appropriate Criteria  
GUIDE TO READING  
Analyzing Evaluations  
Determine the writer’s purpose and audience.    ■ Assess the genre’s basic features.  
Readings  
William Akana, Scott Pilgrim vs. the World: A Hell of a Ride  
Tasha Robinson, Moana: The Perfect Disney Movie  
Katherine Isbister, Why Pokémon Go Became an Instant Phenomenon  
Malcolm Gladwell, What College Rankings Really Tell Us  
GUIDE TO WRITING  
The Writing Assignment  
STARTING POINTS: Justifying an Evaluation  
Writing a Draft: Invention, Research, Planning, and Composing  
Choose a subject to evaluate.  
TEST YOUR CHOICE: Choosing a Subject  
Assess your subject, and consider how to present it to your readers.    ■ Formulate a working thesis stating your overall judgment.    ■ Develop the reasons and evidence supporting your judgment.    ■ Research your evaluation.    ■ Respond to a likely objection or alternative judgment.    ■ Organize your evaluation to appeal to your readers.    ■ Consider document design.    ■ Write the opening sentences.    ■ Draft your evaluation.  
Evaluating the Draft: Using Peer Review  
A PEER REVIEW GUIDE  
Improving the Draft: Revising, Editing, and Proofreading  
Revise your draft.  
A TROUBLESHOOTING GUIDE  
Edit and proofread your final draft.  
A WRITER AT WORK  
William Akana’s Thesis and Response to Objections  
REFLECTION  
Reflecting on Reading and Writing an Evaluation  

9       Arguing for Causes or Effects  
PRACTICING THE GENRE: Arguing That a Cause Is Plausible  
GUIDE TO READING  
Analyzing Cause-Effect Arguments  
Determine the writer’s purpose and audience.    ■ Assess the genre’s basic features.  
Readings  
Clayton Pangelinan, #socialnetworking: Why It’s Really So Popular  
Stephen King, Why We Crave Horror Movies  
Jean M. Twenge, Have Smartphones Destroyed a Generation?  
Shankar Vedantam, The Telescope Effect  
GUIDE TO WRITING  
The Writing Assignment  
STARTING POINTS: Arguing for Causes or Effects  
Writing a Draft: Invention, Research, Planning, and Composing  
Choose a subject to analyze.  
TEST YOUR CHOICE: Choosing a Topic  
Present the subject to your readers.    ■ Analyze possible causes or effects.    ■ Conduct research.    ■ Cite a variety of sources to support your cause-effect analysis.    ■ Formulate a working thesis stating your preferred cause(s) or effect(s).    ■ Draft a response to objections readers are likely to raise.    ■ Draft a response to the causes or effects your readers are likely to favor.    ■ Create an outline that will organize your cause-effect argument effectively for your readers.    ■ Write the opening sentences.    ■ Draft your cause-effect argument.  
Evaluating the Draft: Using Peer Review  
A PEER REVIEW GUIDE  
Improving the Draft: Revising, Editing, and Proofreading  
Revise your draft.  
A TROUBLESHOOTING GUIDE  
Edit and proofread your final draft.  
A WRITER AT WORK  
Clayton Pangelinan’s Analysis of Possible Causes  
REFLECTION  
Reflecting on Reading and Writing a Cause-Effect Analysis  

10     Analyzing Stories  
PRACTICING THE GENRE: Analyzing a Story Collaboratively  
GUIDE TO READING  
Analyzing Essays That Analyze Stories  
Determine the writer’s purpose and audience.    ■ Assess the genre’s basic features.  
Readings  
William Carlos Williams, The Use of Force  
Iris Lee, Performing a Doctor’s Duty  
Isabella Wright, “For Heaven’s Sake!”  
GUIDE TO WRITING  
The Writing Assignment  
STARTING POINTS: Analyzing Stories  
Writing a Draft: Invention, Research, Planning, and Composing  
Find a story to write about.    ■ Analyze the story.    ■ Generate ideas by moving from specific to general or the reverse.  
TEST YOUR CHOICE: Choosing a Topic  
Formulate a working thesis.    ■ Provide support for your argument.    ■ To build on your support, consider doing outside research.    ■ Create an outline that will organize your argument effectively.    ■ Write the opening sentences.    ■ Draft your analysis.  
Evaluating the Draft: Using Peer Review  
A PEER REVIEW GUIDE  
Improving the Draft: Revising, Editing, and Proofreading  
Revise your draft.  
A TROUBLESHOOTING GUIDE  
Edit and proofread your final draft.  
A WRITER AT WORK  
Isabella Wright’s Invention Work  
Annotating    ■ Examining Patterns in the Story    ■ Listing Ideas  
REFLECTION  
Reflecting on Reading and Writing a Literary Analysis  
AN ANTHOLOGY OF SHORT STORIES  
Kate Chopin, The Story of an Hour  
Jamaica Kincaid, Girl  
Ted Chiang, The Great Silence  
REFLECTION  
Reflecting on Analyzing Stories  
 
Part 2 Critical Thinking Strategies
11     A Catalog of Invention and Inquiry Strategies  
Mapping  
Create a cluster diagram to reveal relationships among ideas.    ■ Make a list to generate a plan quickly.    ■ Create an outline to invent and organize.  
Writing  
Use cubing to explore a topic from six perspectives.    ■ Construct a dialogue to explore an experience or an alternative view.    ■ Use dramatizing to analyze behavior.    ■ Freewrite to generate ideas freely and creatively.    ■ Use looping to explore aspects of a topic.    ■ Take notes in a journal.    ■ Ask questions to explore a subject systematically.  

12     A Catalog of Reading Strategies  
Annotating  
Martin Luther King Jr., An Annotated Sample from “Letter from Birmingham Jail”  
Taking Inventory  
Outlining  
Paraphrasing  
Summarizing  
Synthesizing  
Contextualizing  
Exploring the Significance of Figurative Language  
Looking for Patterns of Opposition  
Reflecting on Challenges to Your Beliefs and Values  
Evaluating the Logic of an Argument  
Test for appropriateness.    ■ Test for believability.    ■ Test for consistency and completeness.  
Recognizing Emotional Manipulation  
Judging the Writer’s Credibility  
Test for knowledge.    ■ Test for common ground.    ■ Test for fairness.  
 
Part 3 Writing Strategies
13  Cueing the Reader  
Orienting Statements  
Use thesis statements to announce the main idea.    ■ Use forecasting statements to preview topics.  
Paragraphing  
Paragraph indents signal related ideas.    ■ Topic sentences announce the paragraph’s focus.  
Cohesive Devices  
Pronouns connect phrases or sentences.    ■ Word repetition aids cohesion.    ■ Synonyms connect ideas.    ■ Repetition of sentence structure emphasizes connections.  
Transitions  
Transitions emphasize logical relationships.    ■ Transitions can indicate a sequence in time.    ■ Transitions can indicate relationships in space.  
Headings and Subheadings  
Headings indicate sections and levels.    ■ Headings are not common in all genres.    ■ At least two headings are needed at each level.  

14     Narrating and Describing  
Narrating  
Use narrating strategies to sequence and dramatize events.    ■ Use narrating strategies to explain and instruct.  
Describing  
Use naming to give an overall impression.    ■ Use detailing to add specifics and convey thoughts, feelings, and judgments.    ■ Use comparisons to make a description vivid and convey emotion.    ■ Use sensory description to convey what you saw, heard, smelled, felt, and tasted.    ■ Use description to create a dominant impression.  

15     Defining, Classifying, and Comparing  
Defining  
Use sentence definitions to explain terms and concepts briefly.    ■ Use extended definitions to convey the meaning of complex concepts.    ■ Use historical definitions to explain how a meaning has changed over time or across cultures.    ■ Use stipulative definitions to reach an agreement on the meaning of a term or concept.  
Classifying  
Use topics and subtopics to organize classifications.    ■ Use graphics to depict a classification scheme.    ■ Use cues to maintain clarity and coherence in a classification.  
Comparing and Contrasting  
Use chunking or sequencing to organize comparisons and contrasts.    ■ Use analogies to make comparisons clear and vivid.  

16     Arguing  
Asserting a Thesis  
Make arguable assertions.    ■ Use clear and precise wording.    ■ Qualify the thesis appropriately.  
Giving Reasons and Support  
Use representative examples for support.    ■ Use up-to-date, relevant, and accurate statistics.    ■ Cite reputable authorities on relevant topics.    ■ Use vivid, relevant anecdotes.    ■ Use relevant textual evidence.  
Responding to Objections and Alternatives  
Acknowledge readers’ concerns.    ■ Concede readers’ concerns.    ■ Refute readers’ objections.  
Identifying Logical Fallacies  
 
Part 4 Research Strategies
17     Planning and Conducting Research  
Analyzing Your Rhetorical Situation and Setting a Schedule  
Choosing a Topic and Getting an Overview  
Focusing Your Topic and Drafting Research Questions  
Establishing a Research Log  
Develop a list of search terms.    ■ Create a working bibliography.  
Annotating Your Working Bibliography  
Taking Notes on Your Sources  
Finding Sources  
Search library catalogs and databases.    ■ Find books (and other sources).    ■ Find articles in periodicals.    ■ Find government documents and statistical information.    ■ Find websites and interactive sources.  
Conducting Field Research or Investigations  
Conduct observational studies.    ■ Conduct interviews.    ■ Conduct surveys. 
 
18     Selecting and Evaluating Sources  
Selecting Relevant Sources  
Evaluating Sources  
Who wrote it?    ■ How recently was it published?    ■ Is the source scholarly, popular, or for a trade group?    ■ Who published it?    ■ How is the source written?    ■ What does the source say?  

19     Using Sources to Support Your Ideas  
Synthesizing Sources  
Acknowledging Sources and Avoiding Plagiarism  
What does and does not need to be acknowledged?    ■ Avoid plagiarism by acknowledging sources and quoting, paraphrasing, and summarizing carefully.  
Using Information from Sources to Support Your Claims  
Decide whether to quote, paraphrase, or summarize.    ■ Copy quotations exactly, or use italics, ellipses, and brackets to indicate changes.    ■ Use in-text or block quotations.    ■ Use punctuation to integrate quotations into your writing.    ■ Paraphrase sources carefully.    ■ Write summaries that present the source’s main ideas in a balanced and readable way.  
 
20     Citing and Documenting Sources in MLA Style  
Citing Sources in the Text  
DIRECTORY TO IN-TEXT-CITATION MODELS  
Creating a List of Works Cited  
To cite a source without a model, use a similar model, or devise your own using the general principles.    ■ Format your list of works cited.  
DIRECTORY TO WORKS-CITED-LIST MODELS  
Student Research Project in MLA Style 
 
21     Citing and Documenting Sources in APA Style  
Citing Sources in the Text  
DIRECTORY TO IN- TEXT-CITATION MODELS  
Creating a List of References  
DIRECTORY TO REFERENCE-LIST MODELS  
A Sample Reference List in APA Style  
 
Part 5 Composing Strategies for College and Beyond
22     Analyzing and Composing Multimodal Texts  
Analyzing Multimodal Texts  
Composing Multimodal Texts  
Design a multimodal text.    ■ Embed visuals and media in texts.  
Creating a Multimodal Presentation  
Assess your rhetorical situation.    ■ Determine how much information you can present in the allotted time.    ■ Use cues to orient audience members.    ■ Design your presentation effectively.  

23     Taking Essay Examinations  
Preparing for an Exam  
Taking the Exam  
Read the exam carefully.    ■ Review typical essay exam questions.    ■ Write your answer.  

24     Writing in Business  
Business Letters  
E-mail  
Résumés and Online Professional Profiles  
Job-Application Letters  

25     Writing for and about Your Community  
Writing about Your Service Experience  
Find a topic.    ■ Gather sources.  
Writing for Your Service Organization  

26     Writing Collaboratively  
Working with Others on Your Individual Writing Projects  
Collaborating on Joint Writing Projects  
 
Handbook
How to Use This Handbook  
Keeping a Record of Your Errors  
S
Sentence Boundaries  
S1 Comma Splices    S2 Fused
Sentences    S3 Sentence Fragments  
G
Grammatical Sentences  
G1 Pronoun Reference    G2 Pronoun
Agreement    G3 Relative
Pronouns    G4 Pronoun Case  
G5 Verbs    G6 Subject-Verb
Agreement    G7 Adjectives and
Adverbs  
E
Effective Sentences  
E1 Missing Words    E2 Shifts  
E3 Noun Agreement    E4 Modifiers  
E5 Mixed Constructions  
E6 Integrated Quotations, Questions, and
Thoughts    E7 Parallelism  
E8 Coordination and Subordination  
W
Word Choice  
W1 Concise Sentences  
W2 Exact Words  
W3 Appropriate Words  
P
Punctuation  
P1 Commas    P2 Unnecessary
Commas    P3 Semicolons  
P4 Colons    P5 Dashes  
P6 Quotation Marks  
P7 Apostrophes    P8 Parentheses  
P9 Brackets    P1  Ellipsis Marks  
P11 Slashes    P12 Periods  
P13 Question Marks  
P14 Exclamation Points  
M
Mechanics  
M1 Hyphens    M2 Capitalization  
M3 Spacing    M4 Numbers  
M5 Italics    M6 Abbreviations  
M7 Spelling  
T
Troublespots for Multilingual Writers  
T1 Articles    T2 Verbs  
T3 Prepositions    T4 Omitted or
Repeated Words    T5 Adjective
Order    T6 Participles  
R
Review of Sentence Structure  
R1 Basic Sentence Structure    R2 Basic
Sentence Elements  
GL
Glossary of Frequently Misused Words