Skip to content
Textbook Guides

IDEAS & Aims For College Writing, MLA Update Solution Manual

  • English
  • 311 pages
  • Shared February 2025
  • 56 downloads

IDEAS & Aims For College Writing, MLA Update Solution Manual helps you tackle difficult exercises with expert guidance.

Preview 31 of 311 pages

See the first 31 pages exactly as they appear in the document.

  1. Page 1
    Read page 1 as text

    i . Instructor’s Resource Manual to accompany I DEAS AND A IMS Tim Taylor Eastern Illinois University Linda Copeland St. Louis Community College

  2. Page 2
  3. Page 3
    Read page 3 as text

    iii . TABLE OF CONTENTS How to Use Ideas & Aims 1 Teaching Strategies, Tactics, and Tips 5 Tips and Guidelines for Professional Writing 1 4 Punctuation Pattern Sheet 39 Designing Your Syllabus & Six Sample Syllabi 4 3 Chapter Guides 6 8 Chapter 1 – What It Means to Be a College Student: Following the Codes 6 8 Chapter 2 – The Reading Process 72 Chapter 3 – Writing and the Process of Writing 84 Chapter 4 – Writing Paragraphs 102 Chapter 5 – Paragraphs Working Together: The Essay 1 1 3 Chapter 6 – Descriptive Writing 11 9 Chapter 7 – Reflective Writing 1 2 9 Chapter 8 – Informative Writing 13 9 Chapter 9 – Analytical Writing 15 3 Chapter 10 – Evaluative Writing 15 8 Chapter 11 – Persuasive Writing 16 9 Chapter 12 – Working with Sources 181 Chapter 13 – Documenting Sources 184 Chapter 14 – Style Matters 20 4 Chapter 15 – Handbook for Correcting Sentence Errors 21 3 Works Cited and Recommended Resources 22 7

  4. Page 4
    Read page 4 as text

    iv . De velopmental Writing Student Supplements Q: Would your students benefit from additional exercises that offer both practice and application of basic writing skills, with direct links to additional online practice at MyWritingLab.com? The Pearson Lab Manual for Developing Writers (Sentences 0 - 205 - 63409 - 5/ Paragraphs 0 - 205 - 69341 - 5/ Essays: 0 - 205 - 69340 - 7) This three - volume workbook is an ideal supplement for any developmental writing sequence. References direct students to Pearson’s MyWritingLab, the marketing - leading online practice system, for even more practice. • Volume A: Sentences ( 0 - 205 - 63409 - 5) At this level, exercises and applications of grammar, punctuation and mechanics stress rules rather than simply skill and drill. There are many composing exercises that apply sentence skills explained in the students’ primary textbook. • Volume B: Paragraphs ( 0 - 205 - 69341 - 5) & Volume C: Essays ( 0 - 205 - 69340 - 7) The exercises encourage students to apply key concepts covered in most writing classes — i.e. topic sentences, thesis statements, coherence, unity, levels of development. Analysis exercises give further illustration of concepts explained in class and in the primary textbook; Building exercises give students the “raw materials” to develop paragraphs and/or essays along the various modes. Revision prompts encourage students to look at specific key elements of their own writing and assess whether they have met the needs of their reading audience. Q: Would your students benefit from having real student essays and quality student models? The Pearson Student Essays Booklet (0 - 205 - 60544 - 3) This brief booklet of student models includes two essays from each of the nine modes. It also includes an essay that showcases the writing process from beginning to end, crystallizing the importance of revision for all writers. Q: Are your students visual learners? Would they benefit from exercises and writing prompts surrounding various images from everyday life, art, career, education? Pearson Visual Writing Guide for Developing Writers by Ileen L. Linden (0 - 205 - 61984 - 3) The Pearson Visual Writing Guide for Developing Writers is a thematic supplement designed to stimulate reading comprehension through an authentic perspective of visual imagery. Each assignment challenges the learner to think beyond the text to the image, expanding their worldview as they navigate through complex or unfamiliar issues. This approach teaches deconstruction, a problem - based strategy that

  5. Page 5
    Read page 5 as text

    v . reveals important social and cultural interrelationships across the curriculum. Instructors will find this a practical guide for assignments directed toward journaling, reflection, argumentative essay writing and more. Q: Do you require your students to have a portfolio? Would a daily/monthly/yearly planner help them to get organized? The Pearson Student Planner ( 0 - 205 - 66301 - X ) This unique supplement provides students with a space to plan, think about, and present their work. In addition to the yearly planner, this portfolio includes an assessing/organizing area, daily planner for students including daily, weekly, and monthly calendars, and a useful links page. Q: Do you require your students to keep a writing journal, and would students benefit from prompts and exercises within the journal to help guide their writing? Would a planner included directly in this journal help keep them organized through the semester? The Pearson Writer’s Journal and Student Planner by Mimi Markus (0 - 205 - 64665 - 4) This supplement gives students a place to explore their own writing in the writer’s journal section while also giving them space to stay organized in the student planner section. The journal portion of the supplement guides students’ writing through prewriting strategies, suggested themes for their journal writing, and sample student entries. In the planner section, students can use the monthly, weekly, and daily calendars to effectively manage their time and their course assignments. Q: Would your students benefit from seeing how writing is relevant to a range of careers? Applying English to Your Career by Deborah Davis (0 - 131 - 92115 - 0) This supplement includes a brief page of instruction on 25 key writing skills, followed by practice exercises in these skills that focus on seven specific career fields. Q: Would you like help in providing your students with more grammar and mechanics exercises? Eighty Practices by Maxine Hairston Emerita (0 - 673 - 53422 - 7) A collection of ten - item exercises that provide additional practice for specific grammatical usage problems, such as comma splices, capitalization, and pronouns. The Pearson Grammar Workbook, 2/e by Jeanette Adkins ( 0 - 131 - 94771 - 0 ) This workbook is a comprehensive source of instruction for students who need additional grammar, punctuation, and mechanics assistance. Covering such topics as subject - verb agreement, conjunctions, modifiers, capital letters, and vocabulary, each chapter provides helpful explanations, examples, and exercises.

  6. Page 6
    Read page 6 as text

    vi . The Pearson ESL Workbook, 2/e by Susan Miller and Karen Standridge ( 0 - 131 - 94759 - 1 ) This workbook is divided into seven major units, each of which provides thorough explanations and exercises in the most challenging grammar topics for non - native speakers of English. Topics include nouns, articles, verbs, modifiers, pronouns, prepositions, and sentence structure. Q: Do you have your students evaluate their peers’ work? Would you like them to have an evaluation guide to help them review for their work and the work of their classmates? What Every Student Should Know About Practicing Peer Review (0 - 321 - 44848 - 0) Michelle Trim Q: Do you have your students work in groups? Would you like them to have a guide to maximize the group work? Learning Together: An Introduction to Collaborative Learning by Tori Haring - Smith (0 - 673 - 46848 - 8) This brief guide to the fundamentals of collaborative learning teaches students how to work effectively in groups. Q: Would you like help in providing your students with more editing exercises? • Print: Pearson Editing Exercises (Student / 0 - 205 - 66618 - 3, Instructor Answer Key / 0 - 205 - 66617 - 5) The Editing Exercises booklet contains fifty one - page editing paragraphs that provide students with opportunities to learn how to recognize and correct the most common types of sentence, grammar, and mechanical errors in context. Embedding the errors within the context of informative paragraphs rather than using discrete sentence exercises simulates a more natural writing situation, allowing students to draw upon their intuitive knowledge of structure and syntax, as well as specific information from class instruction. The booklet makes an ideal supplement to any grammar, sentence, or writing text. Various editing topics can be assigned to coordinate with class lessons, or they may be assigned individually based on problems observed in students’ writing. Students may also complete selected exercises as an enrichment activity, either on their own or in collaboration with other students. Additionally, the variety of topics in the paragraphs themselves can also be used as springboards for discussion or journaling, or as models for writing assignments if desired. • Online: MyWritingLab APPLY exercises Get students reviewing and responding to students’ paragraphs. Go to www.mywritinglab.com for more information. Q: Would you like help in providing your students with more writing assignment topics? 100 Things to Write About Ron Koertge (0 - 673 - 98239 - 4) This brief book contains over 100 individual writing assignments, on a variety of topics and in a wide range of formats, from expressive to analytical writing.

  7. Page 7
    Read page 7 as text

    vii . Q: Do you assign a research paper? Would students benefit from brief guides explaining specific aspects of research? What Every Student Should Know About Researching Online (0 - 321 - 44531 - 7) David Munger / Shireen Campbell What Every Student Should Know About Citing Sources with APA Documentation (0 - 205 - 49923 - 6) Chalon E. Anderson / Amy T. Carrell / Jimmy L. Widdifield, Jr. What Every Student Should Know About Citing Sources with MLA Documentation (0 - 321 - 44737 - 9) Michael Greer What Every Student Should Know About Avoiding Plagiarism (0 - 321 - 44689 - 5) Linda Stern Q: Do you require a dictionary or stress the need of owning a dictionary? The New American Webster Handy College Dictionary, 3/e (0 - 451 - 18166 - 2) A paperback reference text with more than 100,000 entries. Q: Do you require and/or suggest a thesaurus? The Oxford Essential Thesaurus (0 - 425 - 16421 - 7) From Oxford University Press, renowned for quality educational and reference works, comes this concise, easy - to - use thesaurus - the essential tool for finding just the right word for every occasion. The 528 page book includes 175,000 synonyms in a simple A - to - Z format, more than 10,000 entries, extensive word choices, example sentences and phrases, and guidance on usage, punctuation, and more in exclusive "Writers Toolkit." Q: Do you require a dictionary and/or thesaurus? The Oxford American Desk Dictionary and Thesaurus, 2/e (0 - 425 - 18068 - 9) From the Oxford University Press and Berkley Publishing Group comes this one - of - a - kind reference book that combines both of the essential language tools — dictionary and thesaurus — in a single, integrated A - to - Z volume. The 1,024 page book offers more than 150,000 entries, definitions, and synonyms so you can find the right word every time, as well as appendices of valuable quick - reference information including: signs and symbols, weights and measures, presidents of the U.S., U.S. states and capitals, and more.

  8. Page 8
    Read page 8 as text

    viii . Penguin Discount Novel Program In cooperation with Penguin Putnam, Inc., Pearson is proud to offer a variety of Penguin paperbacks at a significant discount when packaged with any Pearson title. Excellent additions to any English course, Penguin titles give students the opportunity to explore contemporary and classical fiction and drama. The available titles include works by authors as diverse as Toni Morrison, Julia Alvarez, Mary Shelley, and Shakespeare. To review the complete list of titles available, visit the Pearson - Penguin - Putnam website: http://www.pearsonhighered.com/penguin . What Every Student Should Know About (WESSKA) Series The What Every Student Should Know About... series is a collection of guide books designed to help students with specific topics that are important in a number of different college courses. Instructors can package any one of these booklets with their Pearson textbook for no additional charge, or the booklets can be purchased separately. What Every Student Should Know About Preparing Effective Oral Presentations ( 0 - 205 - 50545 - 7) Martin R. Cox What Every Student Should Know About Researching Online (0 - 321 - 44531 - 7) David Munger / Shireen Campbell What Every Student Should Know About Citing Sources with APA Documentation (0 - 205 - 49923 - 6) Chalon E. Anderson / Amy T. Carrell / Jimmy L. Widdifield, Jr. What Every Student Should Know About Citing Sources with MLA Documentation (0 - 321 - 44737 - 9) Michael Greer What Every Student Should Know About Avoiding Plagiarism (0 - 321 - 44689 - 5) Linda Stern What Every Student Should Know About Practicing Peer Review (0 - 321 - 44848 - 0)

  9. Page 9
    Read page 9 as text

    ix . Michelle Trim Multimedia Offerings Q: Do your students have trouble transferring skill and drill lessons into their own writing or seeing errors in others’ writing? ● Would you like constant awareness of your students’ progress and work in an easy - to - use tracking system? ● Would a mastery results reporter help you to plan your lectures according to your class’ weaknesses? ● Do you want to save time by having work automatically graded and feedback supplied? MyWritingLab (www.mywritinglab.com) MyWritingLab is a complete online learning system with better practice exercises to make students better writers. The exercises in MyWritingLab are progressive, which means within each skill module students move from literal comprehension to critical application to demonstrating their skills in their own writing. The 9,000+ exercises in the system do rehearse grammar, but they also extend into the writing process, paragraph development, essay development, and research. A thorough diagnostic test outlines where student have not yet mastered the skill, and an easy - to - use tracking systems enables students and instructors to monitor all work in MyWritingLab. STATE SPECIFIC SUPPLEMENTS For Florida Adopters: Thinking Through the Test: A Study Guide for the Florida College Basic Skills Exit Test, by D.J. Henry and Mimi Markus FOR FLORIDA ADOPTIONS ONLY. This workbook helps students strengthen their reading skills in preparation for the Florida College Basic Skills Exit Test. It features both diagnostic tests to help assess areas that may need improvement and exit tests to help test skill mastery. Detailed explanatory answers have been provided for almost all of the questions. Package item only — not available for sale. Available Versions: Available Versions:

  10. Page 10
    Read page 10 as text

    x . Preparing for the CLAST, 7/e (Instructor/Print 0 - 321 - 01950 - 4) These two, 40 - item objective tests evaluate students’ readiness for the Florida CLAST exams. Strategies for teaching CLAST preparedness are included. For Texas Adopters The Pearson THEA Study Guide, by Jeannette Harris (Student/ 0 - 321 - 27240 - 4) Created specifically for students in Texas, this study guide includes straightforward explanations and numerous practice exercises to help students prepare for the reading and writing sections of THEA Test. Package item only — not available for sale. For New York/CUNY Adopters Preparing for the CUNY - ACT Reading and Writing Test, edited by Patricia Licklider (Student/ 0 - 321 - 19608 - 2) This booklet, prepared by reading and writing faculty from across the CUNY system, is designed to help students prepare for the CUNY - ACT exit test. It includes test - taking tips, reading passages, typical exam questions, and sample writing prompts to help students become familiar with each portion of the test. Thinking Through the Test A Study Guide for the Florida College Basic Skills Exit Tests: Reading and Writing, without Answers 3/e 0 - 321 - 38740 - 6 Thinking Through the Test A Study Guide for the Florida College Basic Skills Exit Tests: Reading and Writing, with Answers, 3/e 0 - 321 - 38739 - 2 Thinking Through the Test A Study Guide for the Florida College Basic Skills Exit Tests: Writing, with Answers, 3/e 0 - 321 - 38741 - 4 Thinking Through the Test A Study Guide for the Florida College Basic Skills Exit Tests: Writing, without Answers, 3/e 0 - 321 - 38934 - 4

  11. Page 11
    Read page 11 as text

    xi . Developmental Writing Instructor Resources Pearson is pleased to offer a variety of support materials to help make teaching developmental English easier on teachers and to help students excel in their coursework. Many of our student supplements are available free or at a greatly reduced price when packaged with a Pearson writing textbook. Contact your local Pearson sales representative for more information on pricing and how to create a package. On the Front Lines by Donna Bontatibus (0 - 205 - 81680 - 0) On the Front Lines is a practical, streamlined guide designed for the instructors — new , adjunct, temporary, and even seasoned — o f developmental writing at the community college. Within eight concise chapters, instructors receive realistic, easy - to - apply advice that centers on the preparation and teaching of developmental writing in a nation with over 1 , 000 community colleges. Instructors will be walked through the process of preparing a syllabus; structuring the classroom experience; appealing to different learning styles; teaching with technology; constructing and evaluating assignments; and conferencing with students. This accessible guide also encourages instructors to look outside the classroom -- to familiarize themselves with campus resources and policies that support the classroom experience -- and to look ahead for their own professional development opportunities. Given the debates on developmental education and the importance of first - year experience initiatives to assist with student transition and retention, there is a monumental amount of weight placed on t he shoulders of instructors of developmental w riting. On the Front Lines respects the instructor’s role in the developmental writing classroom and offers practical, straightforward guidance to see the instructor through the preparation of classes to the submission of final grades. The Pearson Developmental Writing PowerPoints (0 - 205 - 75219 - 5) To complement face - to - face and online courses, The Pearson Developmental Writing PowerPoint resource provides overviews on all the elements of writing an effective essay. This pedagogically sound PowerPoint guide will provide instructors and students with informative slides on writing patterns – classification, cause/effect, argument, etc. – and common grammatical errors, with questions and answers included. The Pearson Test Bank for Developmental Writing (Print Version) by Janice Okoomian with contributions by Mimi Markus — available via the Instructor Resource Center ONLY (0 - 321 - 08486 - 1) This test bank features more than 5,000 questions in all areas of writing. In addition to extensive grammar practice, the test bank covers paragraphs and essays, including such topics as the writing process and documentation. Instructors simply log on to the Instructor Resource Center (IRC) to download and print the tests of their choice. MyTest for The Pearson Test Bank for Developmental Writing (online only) (0 - 205 - 79834 - 9) This test bank features more than 5,000 questions in all areas of writing, from grammar to paragraphing through essay writing, research, and documentation. Through this instructor friendly program instructors are able to edit these questions and tests to suit their classroom needs and are also allowed more flexibility to manage assessments at any time.

  12. Page 12
    Read page 12 as text

    xii . Diagnostic and Editing Tests with Exercises, 9/e (0 - 321 - 41524 - 8) This collection of diagnostic tests helps instructors assess students’ competence in standard written English to determine placement or to gauge progress. The Pearson Guide to Community Service - Learning in the English Classroom and Beyond by Elizabeth Kessler Rodriguez (0 - 321 - 12749 - 8) Written by Elizabeth Rodriguez Kessler of the University of Houston, this monograph provides a definition and history of service - learning, as well as an overview of how service - learning can be integrated effectively into the college classroom.

  13. Page 13
    Read page 13 as text

    xiii . Instructor Resource Center GETTING REGISTERED To register for the Instructor Resource Center (IRC) , go to www.pearsonhighered.com and click “Educators.” 1. Click “ Catalog & Instructor Resources. ” 2. Request access to download digital supplements by clicking the “ New users, request Access ” link . Follow the provided instructions. Once you have been verified as a valid Pearson instructor, an instructor code will be emailed to you. Please use this code to set up your Pearson login name and password. After you have set up your username and password, proceed to the directions below. DOWNLOADING RESOURCES 1. Go to http://www.pearsonhighered.com/educator , sign in using your Pearson login name and password. Under “ Download Resources ” search for your book or product by either entering the author’s last name or keyword. 2. Select your text from the provided results. 3. After being directed to the catalog page for your text, click the “ Instructor Resources” link located under the “ Resources ” tab.

  14. Page 14
    Read page 14 as text

    xiv . Clicking the “Instructor Resources” link will provide a list of all of the book - specific print and digital resources for your text below the main title. Items available for download will have a icon. 4. Click on the “Show Downloadable Files ” link next to the resource you want to download. A pop - up box will appear showing which files you have selected to download. Once you select the files, you will be prompted to login with an Instructor Resource Center login. 5. If you have not already signed in, you will be asked to enter your login name and password, and click the “Submit” button. 6. Read the terms and conditions and then click the “I accept , proceed with download ” button to begin the download process. 7. “Save” the supplement file to a folder you can easily find again. Once you are signed into the IRC, you may continue to download additional resources from our online catalog. Please “Sign Out ” when you are finished.

  15. Page 15
    Read page 15 as text

    1 . How to Use IDEAS & Aims We wrote IDEAS & Aims to serve a growing need in college writing classrooms. Whether the course you are teaching is a studio basic writing course, an accelerated learning program, a stretch developmental writing course, an integrated reading - writing course, or a college composition course, IDEAS & Aims emphasizes the following : ▪ Rhetorical purpose (aim) ▪ College - level reading skills ▪ Critical thinking skills ▪ Academic, professional, and personal writing The Advantage of an Aims - Based Approach IDEAS & Aims gi ves special emphasis to the areas mentioned above, but it does so with an aims - or a purposes - based approach. The text reflects the reality that most people do not sit down and think, “ I need to write a division/classification paper. ” Instead, writers are better off considering their rhetorical purpose (the aim of the writing) and crafting that prose with a specific audience in mind. From our interactions with colleagues coupled with our years of teaching and administrative experience, we have found many instructors are not satisfied with textbooks organized by the modes of discourse (also called the patterns of organization). IDEAS & Aims , in contrast, takes an aims - based approach. By using an aims - based approach, the textbook shows how rhetorical aim is key to a writer ’ s purpose and how paragraphs work toward that overarching goal. Chapters 4 and 5 explain and illustrate the traditional methods of paragraph development — process, comparison and contrast , and so on — but then place these within the larger aims of describing, reflecting, informing, analyzing, evaluating, and persuading. W e believe students recognize the limited value of a modes - b ased approach. For example, a student may be asked to write a comparison/contrast paper in a writing course, but later on in her college career, she may have to write a lesson plan in an education course, a research paper based on the genre of IMRD (Introduction, Methods, Results, and Discussion) in a psychology course, or a marketing plan in a business course. Rather than drawing from her knowledge of the modes she learned in a writing course, she can direct her writing more effectively by focusing on the purposes of those types of documents and using the appropriate rhetorical moves that connect to that purpose as it connects to a specific genre of writing. If you we want to teach for transfer , as many experts in composition studies have argued for, thinking about the aim or purpose of a piece of writing and using a rhetorical mindset are major keys for students becoming adept and flexible writers not only in college but also in the workplace. To address that workplace focus, the aims - based chapters provide writing assignments that exemplify how a writer ’ s purpose plays out in professional settings. In addition, the textbook consistently interweaves examples of the workplace writing into the chapters.

  16. Page 16
    Read page 16 as text

    2 . Ove r all, IDEAS & Aims shows students how an aims - based approach can support them in their college, workplace, civic, and personal writing. The Reading - Writing Connection As one could expect, IDEAS & Aims discusses the writing process at length. However, this textbook also discusses the re ading process. Chapter 2 covers analytical reading strategies and how students should use a process of reading to get the most out of their writing course , as well as other courses. The textbook reflects the reality that writing teachers also have to teach reading skills. The book challenges students to become critical thinkers who engage in deep analytical reading and writing. Students will be guided to look at an author ’ s assumptions, evidence, and presentation of material, and then to think about their own assumptions and evidence. This textbook ’ s strong focus on connecting analytical reading, writing, and critical thinking strategies addresses the important reading - writing connection in our classrooms. In addition, a way to foster strong reading skills is through the IDEAS template ( I nterest, D etails, E xplanation, A udience, and S tyle) , which is detailed in Chapter 2 and 3 . Students can use this easy - to - remember and useful tool in productive ways. They can use the IDEAS template as a tool t o examine, analyze, and critique the diverse reading selections in the text book. Following research from reading pedagogy, when readings are provided, they are prefaced by pre - reading questions and are followed by questions for discussion that usually connect to the IDEAS template. In turn, instructors can use those reading selections and springboards for writing via journals and essays. Overall Structure of the Textbook IDEAS & Aims has five parts. Part One focuses on college expectations and codes, reading strategies and the process of reading, and writing and the process of writing. Part Two teaches students how to write cohesive, unified, and developed paragraphs and essays. The chapters in Part Three are organized by rhetorical purpose via six aims — writing that is descriptive, reflective, informative, analytical, evaluative, and persuasive. Each chapter showcases diverse readings that range from short selections (one to four paragraphs) to long essays. Part Four addresses working with sources, research, and MLA and APA documentation. Finally, the text concl udes with Part Five. Chapter 14: Style Matters, which provides important sentence - level informatio n and exercises ; and Chapter 15: Correcting Sentence Errors, which is similar to a handbook, concludes the text book.

  17. Page 17
    Read page 17 as text

    3 . Internal Structure of the Aims - Based Chapters In the aims - based chapters (6 - 11), the chapters are organized in a consistent manner: ▪ Learning O bjectives Each chapter provides clear learning objectives about the principles and skills the chapter covers. ▪ Succinct I nstruction The beginning of every chapter offers concise instruction and advice about writing for that purpose. ▪ Exercises Short exercises are provided that link directly to conce pts presented in the early part of the chapters. ▪ Examples/Student M odels There are examples of how students have gone through the process of writing a paper for a college class — their brainstorming and then the final product, the paper. These “ Put IDEAS to Work ” sections provide positive modeling for what students can do. ▪ Reading and Writing: IDEAS in Action To further reinforce the IDEAS template, the chapters also offer professional essays that are annotated via IDEAS to model analytical reading. ▪ Accessible R eadings The chapters provide a mix of readings that clearly connect to the rhetorical pur pose detailed in each chapter. A ll readings are prefaced by pre - reading prompts to stimulate c ritical thinking about topics. After the questions , there are typically two different assignments instructors can use f or directed journal assignments or for larger assignments. ▪ Additional Writing Assignments The chapters close with three larger writing assignments: a smaller paragraph - length assignment, an essay assignment, and a mock professional writing case that has students write in a specific genre (letter, memo, among others). ▪ Visuals for Critical T hinking Each chapter uses visual aids (photographs, comics, etc.) throughout to stimulate analytical thinking related to the learning goals of each chapter. Sometimes serious or sometimes humorous, they reflect the focus of each chapter and make students look beyond the obvious for critical thinking. ▪ Chapter at a Glance At the close of each chapter, there is a visual that reinforces the learning objectives of the chapter. Types of Writing Assignments In all of the aims - based chapters (6 – 11) and in earlier and later chapters , the book provides numerous and varied writing assignments or short writing prompts that can be turned into some sort of directed journal to be turned in or a major paper.

  18. Page 18
    Read page 18 as text

    4 . End - of - the - Chapter Writing Assignments Each purpose - driven chapters (6 – 11) has three types of writing assignments at the end of them : ▪ P aragraph - f ocused A ssignment The first prompt is a paragraph - level that usually demands one to four paragraphs of writing. Because instructors sometimes start small and move to larger assignments during a semester , these prompts serve the purpose of shorter assignments used e arlier in a semester or quarter. ▪ E ssay A ssignment Instructors can use the second prompt anytime in t he semester depending on how one configures his or her syllabus. These are larger papers. ▪ P rofessional Writing C ase The third prompt is modeled on how some instructors teach professional, technical, or business writing courses. Rather than assigning a paper that is written for the teacher and peers, students have to take on the role of a certain individual , consider a very specific reader, and use a professional writing genre in response to a rhetorical situation. They are given an interesting and detailed rhetorical situation, and then students have to write in response to it by using a lette r, memo, report, and other genres . Ideas fo r Writing P ro mpts and How to Use Them After the discussion questions that follow the readings in the text ’ s chapters, there are typically one or two “ IDEAS for Your Own Writing ” assignments that you can use for smaller or larger writing assignments. To model careful, deep reading, instructors can use these prompts for writing assignments to support strong discussion and thinking about the writers ’ ideas and moves in their pieces. Because a lot of college writing is based on writing in response to reading, you can modify the prompts in a couple of ways: ▪ Expand & Articulate You can t urn them into larger assignments by providing clear directions about audience, purpose, organization , and how they will be evaluated. ▪ Provide Choices for Journals or Short Papers You can use these prompts as choices for students to write in response to that unit on a specific aim of writing such as informative, etc. If an instructor regularly uses shorter papers, giving students a choice of what readings they can respond to gives them agency. Also, an instructor does not always have to use these prompts for writing. They can be used for discussion. After students have read a specific piece of writing, you can use some of the “ IDEAS for Your Own Writing ” prompts in these ways:

  19. Page 19
    Read page 19 as text

    5 . ▪ Use as Additional Discussion Questions Those writing ideas often connect to the analytical questions after the readings, so instructors can present them as ways to further connect with the authors ’ ideas and points. ▪ Have Students do an In - Class Writing to Discover Their Thoughts Key to becoming a stronger writer is practice, and in - class writing can show students that, as Janet Emig relates, “ writing is a mode of learning. ” Having students write in response to the prompts and then having them share their written response or ideas based on the responses can help students understand the messiness of writing and how writing helps them discover their thoughts. Teaching Strategies, Tactics, and Tips The following section provides a number of ways you can use IDEAS & Aims effectively along with some helpful discussion of how to use peer review and comment/evaluate student work. The IDEAS Template in Your Classroom As Chapters 2 and 3 detail, students can use the IDEAS template for both analytical reading and as a heuristic, a tool for generating content, for their papers. Below is more information about how to use the IDEAS template. Reading from a Writer ’ s and Reader ’ s Perspective One of the most significant challenges writing instructors face is helping students become stronger and more discerning readers. As we know from our own education, there ’ s a connection between reading and writing. To become a good writer, you need to become a strong reader. What the IDEAS template can do for students is give them an easy to remember mnemonic device that focu ses their attention on writers ’ moves. To that end, the “ Questions for Discussion ” after each major reading offer questions tied to the template to imprint that mindset for students, to make them think about a piece of writing from a writer ’ s and reader ’ s perspective. Too often students read selections in textbooks as though they are hallowed material, that the works are polished and need no work. When we selected readings for the chapters, we deliberately chose essays that connected to the aim of writing and a topic that students might enjoy discussing, but they are not without flaws. When directing discussion about a piece of writing, we recommend that instructors strive to go beyond initial reactions of like or dislike and make students delve deeply into how an essay is constructed, what support is used, and how it moves from one point to the next. By using the IDEAS template, you can ask questions that connect to the writer and reader. Here are some typical ones, many of which are followed by the simple and very important question of “ Why? ” that makes students explain their reasoning: ▪ Interest o What did the author do at the start to spark a reader ’ s interest in the topic? Why? o How could he or she done that more effectively? Why? o How would you have started the essay? Why?

  20. Page 20
    Read page 20 as text

    6 . o What would entice people to read on? Why? o How does the author maintain interest throughout the piece of writing? o What could have been cut or added to maintain interest? Why? ▪ Details o Look at the difference between general and specific details in the piece of writing. Where does the author stop to really detail something and why is he or she doing that? Why? What effect does it have on the reader? o Where are there places that might confuse the reader? Why? o What are places that need more details to show the reader? Why? o Where are there places that didn ’ t need to be as detailed as they are currently? Why? ● Explanation o Examples persuade. What examples work in this piece of writing for readers? Why? o What examples aren’t as strong? Why? o What examples or further explanation would you have used if you were the writer? Why? o Looking at the overall organization of the piece of writing, would a different order of examples and explanation worked more effectively? Why? How? o What choices in explaining matters would you redo if you were the author? Why? How? ▪ Audience o What’s the tone and attitude of the writer? How does that tone and attitude connect or distance readers? Why? o Where in the piece of writing does the author clearly connect to readers? How? o Where does the writing not take into account different perspectives? Why? o How might someone hostile to the author’s points react? Why? ▪ Style o Look at the individual sentences of the piece of writing. How does the writer vary the types and lengths of sentences? What effect does that have on the reader? o Pick out five sentences that are crucial to this piece of writing. How are they written? Why did the author choose to write them this way? What effect does sentence structure have on meaning? o Look closely at transitions. Where are they artfully used, and what can you learn from those examples? Where are stronger transitions needed? Why?

  21. Page 21
    Read page 21 as text

    7 . These questions are not the only ones you can use. In fact, to make some of them more effective, it ’ s better to cite specifics within the piece of writing to focus students ’ attention. Discussion and Group Work Using the questions above or ones similar, you can base discussion within your classroom on what students can learn from the essays and authors and how they can transfer that knowledge to their own writing. Being explicit about what students can learn from the reading will accomplish these tasks: 1) You can connect what published authors are doing in their writing to what students need to do in their writing. Being explicit about what works and what does not is a learning experience for their writing assignments. 2) You can show that they should not read passively. They have to engage in the reading and actively consider the choices the writer made for his or her audience. 3) You can slow them down. In contrast to skimming, looking at the essay or passage in “ slow motion ” will reinforce that you have to read carefully. 4) You can get them past the obsessive search for the “ right answer. ” Many of students seem to think discussion is focused on the right answer to questions. By opening up discussion to diverse perspectives, they can see that there are multiple answers as long as those perspectives are supported by logical reasons. To move students beyond the mindset of “ Everyone has a right to their own opinion ” , discussion can reinforce that opinions without logical support don ’ t have rights in the classroom. Open discussion as a whole group is useful. However, an instructor can often use small groups to do the work of breaking down a reading selection. The key though is properly arranging and monitoring small groups. While it ’ s helpful to put students in pairs for a number of activities, we suggest sma ll groups need to be between three or four people or in pairs. If you have over four people in a group, some students can hide from offering their ideas just like they do in a large - group discussion. The advantage that small groups have is that the introverts, the students who usually have good points but rarely speak in large groups, are more likely to contribute. It ’ s a safer space for them than a large - group discussion. One way to use the IDEAS template is to assign each small group one part of the template, such as Group 1 has “ Interest, ” Group 2 has “ Details, ” and so on. This can be easily done with the discussion questions after readings. You can assign each group a set of questions organized by parts of the IDEAS template, and then they can report their findings to the large group. Instructors often ask one group member to be the spokesperson for the group (the person who presents their points), and another gro up member acts as a secretary for the group to write down their ideas. At the end of class, the groups then turn in their notes to show that they ’ ve been on task and are doing their work. One pitfall of having groups present is that sometimes the other groups do not listen to what a group is saying. It becomes an exercise in the group reporting to the teacher. One method to guard

  22. Page 22
    Read page 22 as text

    8 . against that happening is using a presenter - respondent format . In this format, a group or individual expresses their ideas related to the IDEAS questions, but then they have to pick someone or multiple people to respond to what they just said — to agree, to disagree, or to offer a different viewpoint and why they think that way. In the presenter - respondent format, groups have to actively listen to what others are saying because they might get called on by their peers (or instructor) to respond to what was said during class. Once students get used to the format of discussion that has them talking to each other (and not exclusively to the instructor), often students will volunteer to be respondents, and discussion ensues. Prewriting and Invention As detailed in the chapters through student examples, students can use IDEAS as a way to generate content for their papers. The examples in the chapter s model how students can use IDEAS as a way to get the messy writing out of the way in order to move them toward drafting their papers. Using IDEAS in this way work s as simple brainstorming on paper or screen, with which writing instructors are familiar. Chapter 3 also provides various methods of prewriting that students can use. Another method of invention is pairing or grouping students to talk through the IDEAS template about points for their papers. To many students who have a fear of writing, simply talking to someone about their ideas based on the IDEAS template can free them from a negative mindset and provide a reader ’ s perspective on what they should do in the paper. To students, sitting down and talking about ideas is an easy first step that can precede working on the page or screen. To guard against idle chit - chat about whatever is on their minds, the instructor should closely monitor the conversations and get students on track when they need it. You should move from group to group to make sure they ’ re talking about their ideas for the papers. Directions for this collaborative, spoken brainstorming could be statements as simple as this: ▪ You have your paper assignment. I ’ m going to put you in pairs. Use the IDEAS template a guide to talk about what you ’ ll write about in your paper. Your partner should give you ideas on what will work and what won ’ t. I ’ ll move among you to take any questions and see how you ’ re doing. You ’ ll have five minutes for each pairing, and we ’ ll do three or four rounds of this, so you can get different perspectives. ▪ Now that I have you in groups of three, I want you to talk about what you ’ re going to include in your papers. Take turns presenting your ideas. After someone has presented his or her ideas, your peers should provide feedback on how to generate interest, provide good details, explain things better, offer examples, and think about audience. Think about what you would want as a reader. ▪ In this first group, just focus on Interest. What can the writer do to make this topic interesting to the reader? After five minutes, we ’ ll move to a second group of different people where you ’ ll talk about details to use, examples to provide, and explanation that will be needed. If you ’ ve created a supportive classroom environment for students, using the IDEAS template in this way could be done as a large group activity. Each student could present his or her ideas, and

  23. Page 23
    Read page 23 as text

    9 . then peers and instructor can respond by focusing on what really needs to be detailed, further explanation that is needed, and examples that could be used. By doing activities like the ones mentioned above , you are ensuring the focus of the classroom is on student learning and student writing. Peer Review Peer review is a hallmark of writing classrooms that focus on the writing process. Methods of peer review are detailed later (page 18 ), but using IDEAS to formulate peer review questions can explicitly address what you expect for a paper. Below is a basic example of content - based peer review questions an instructor might use based on the IDEAS template. 1. Provide a brief statement about the strengths of this paper. 2. Where does the paper need to be more interesting and work with the reader? Why? Offer one helpful suggestion on how to create more interest for the reader. 3. Where does the paper need to provide stronger details? Why? Offer two helpful suggestions for providing stronger details. 4. What needs to be explained better and why? What are some examples or further support that will help the paper? Offer two helpful suggestions about explanation. 5. How does the author need to think further about his or her reader? Offer one helpful suggestion about audience. 6. Describe two glitches in style or grammar that need to be addressed before the final draft is turned in. 7. Offer words of encouragement to the writer about revising this paper. Of course, these are just basic questions that you can adapt and revise to whatever paper your students are working on. Grading Criteria and Rubrics Key to explaining what you expect in a paper is providing grading criteria or a rubric to students, so they know what they have to do in a given paper. When you provide an assignment sheet, you can explicitly address what a paper should do by providing grading criteria and/or a rubric. An example of grading criteria for a book r eview is below. Behind each bulleted point, we have tied each to a part of IDEAS. A Successful Book Review ▪ Provides a concise, accurate , and interesting background for and description of the book at the beginning of the review . Interest ▪ Offers a thesis that directs the action of the evaluat ion and reflects the whole review by the end of the first paragraph. Explanation ▪ Has a thesis that is assertive , one that clearly makes a judgment a bout the merit of the book considering its possible audience . Explanation ▪ Gives solid reasons why someone should or should not read this book. Details, Explanation, & Audience

  24. Page 24
    Read page 24 as text

    10 . ▪ Offers strong support for its thesis by using specific and concrete details along with an explanation to support the evaluation. Details, Explanation, & Audience ▪ Has focused and unified paragraphs that relate specific details connected to criteria appr opriate for evaluating this book . Details & Explanation ▪ Is interesting to read — it isn ’ t boring. Interest & Audience ▪ Can have an attitude and certainly needs to be stylish. Interest, Audience, & Style ▪ Paraphrases a nd integrates quotations from the book effectively, smoothly, and ethi cally through appropriate introductory phrases and in - text citations in MLA Style . Details ▪ Can use third person voice and first person voice to evaluate the book but not second person ( you, your ). Details & Audience ▪ Exhibits strong concision, cohesion, transitions, and sentence variety in length and type. Audience & Style ▪ Provides a medium level of tone and diction — not too formal but not too informal. Style ▪ Does not have editing errors that distract the reader or disrupt the meaning of sentences. Audience & Style ▪ Is relatively free of mechanical and proofreading errors . Style The boldfacing of IDEAS could be a bit heavy - handed to some, so another option is an instructor explaining each bullet to students and casually connecting the IDEAS template to the detailed grading criteria of the paper. Another approach to showing students how they are going to be evaluated is creating a grading rubric that allots points to specific aspects of the paper. Below is an example of a rubric organized by IDEAS with 20 points allotted to each part. Instru ctors could obviously adjust point distributions as they desire. The example on the next page uses simple check marks to note the effectiveness of the paper based on those components, and the comments section provides a spot for instructors to be text - specific about what needs to be addressed when the student revises the paper.

  25. Page 25
    Read page 25 as text

    11 . Quality Excellent Effective Adequate Needs Improvement Weak Point Total Interest 20 points X 15 Details 20 points X 12 Explanation 20 points X 12 Audience 20 points X 18 Style 20 points X 15 Grammar Mechanics Spelling [negative points only] X - 10 Point Total: 100 62 Comments:

  26. Page 26
    Read page 26 as text

    12 . Similar to an instructor ’ s specific and well - written commentary about a paper, rubrics like the one on the last page make it transparent what ’ s working and what ’ s not and what needs to be addressed if students have the chance to revise their work for a higher grade. That rubric uses check marks, but a different rubric could provide space for comments on each aspect of IDEAS , such as the example below. In the rubric below Details and Explanation are put together to highlight how they work as a team and how support and evidence are crucial for a strong paper. Criteria Comments Points Interest 15 pts. Details & Explanation 50 pts. Audience Awareness 20 pts. Style 15 pts. The second rubric looks less scientific because it is simply a comment sheet broken down by IDEAS. Regardless, one advantage of using any of these (that is not often talked about) is that instead of writing on students ’ papers, you can write on the rubric using a word - processing program, and students won ’ t have trouble deciphering your handwriting.

  27. Page 27
    Read page 27 as text

    13 . Also, if you save comment files/rubrics for each student and put them in a folder related to the course, you can return to those comments if you need to assess where writers have grown and have been challenged throughout the term. The comments/rubrics for each student offer a glimpse of what they ’ ve done that semester or quarter. Professional Writing Assignments In each of the aims - based chapters, t he final assignment is always a professional writing case. These cases provide mock rhetorical situation s in which students have to take on a certain role and write to a fictitious audience. However, the situation is realistic to real writing situations they might encounter. The cases are similar to how professionals in various fields practice their craft and critical thinking skills in mock situations. Below are the professional writing cases featured in the aims - based chapters: ▪ Ch. 6: Real Estate Description: Describing to Make the Sale ▪ Ch. 7: Marketing Ideas Memo ▪ Ch. 8: Rejection Letter ▪ Ch. 9: PTA Memo ▪ Ch. 10: Parole Letter ▪ Ch. 11: Job or Internship Application Letter In addition, the cases show students how writing is important to their careers. Too often students take writing courses with the misguided notion that they won ’ t have to write often once they get a job. Most of them find out later on that they have to write all the time in their careers. So rather that tell students that writing is important in their professions, the professional writing cases in chapters 6 – 11 show them. Using a Case Method The cases in chapters 6 – 11 can be used as is, or instructors are welcome to modify them as they so choose. What you will likely have to do is give students information about specific genres and their formats during class time. One way of actively helping students learn about professional writing genres is by having students go out and find examples of a professional letter or memo and bring it back to class (and letters, memos, and reports from the college they attend are often interesting and revealing). The assignment would be something along the lines of a “ search and share ” activity where each student has to report on the documents and talk about what they discovered about the piece of writing. The students would have to talk about the what the document is about and then discuss what moves the writers made to connect to the principles detailed in the aims - based chapter and how the document is similar and different than the academic papers they write in college. Also, the instructor can specifically ask about the strengths and weaknesses of each piece of writing and have students give detailed, text - specific answers about what works and what does not. What follows on the next two pages is a handout about professional writing that you can copy and distribute to students. This handout works nicely with the search and share activity outlined above.

  28. Page 28
    Read page 28 as text

    14 . Tips and Guidelines for Professional Writing Genres In General In comparison to the academic writing you do in college, professional writing genres use single - spacing for paragraphs, generally shorter paragraphs, double - spacing between paragraphs, and shorter sentences. When doing professional writing, you need to sacrifice your prose to these ideals: clarity and concision . The reader of an email, memo, letter, or report should not have to guess at what you mean. A writer needs to be direct and use plain language. In other words, get to the point. A professional writing genre should have a bottom - line arrangement , meaning that the main point or points, the thesis of the document, needs to be presented early in the document — typically in the first paragraph, sometimes even as soon as the first sentence. Then all the details and explanation in the document need to connect to that bottom line. In professional writing genres, a writer also needs to use white space effectively by employing shorter paragraphs; using graphs, tables, numbers, and bullet points when necessary; and not taking up too much of the reader’s time. An email, letter, memo, or report not only has to make sense and provide clear points, it also has to look good. It has to look professional. Concision is key. Professional writing should impart the essential information in the least amount of words possible, make sure that sentences are tightly constructed, have no ambiguity, and use clear subjects and active verbs. Active voice is usually preferred because it makes it clear who is doing what. Emails Emails are a writing genre that professionals use all the time. Like other forms of professional writing, strong emails tend to use short paragraphs because they are easier to read on a screen. Using frequent paragraph breaks cuts up the information into an easily digestible format. Below are guidelines for sending emails to professors, but the same principles apply to other situations when you have to write a professional email. When you send an email, follow the guidelines below. Emails should: ▪ Have a clear and concise subject line that provides the gist of the email, such as “Question about This Week’s Reading” or “Availability for a Meeting?”. ▪ Begin with a formal address, such as “Dr. Taylor:” or “Professor Taylor:”. ▪ Use a respectful tone. ▪ Provide questions or information in a succinct manner. ▪ Use paragraph breaks for reading ease and strong organization. ▪ Be edited and proofread effectively so as not to cause confusion. ▪ Refrain from using abbreviations or text - prose. ▪ Close with a short statement followed by a comma and your name, such as “Thanks for your time,” or “Sincerely,” or “Have a good weekend,”.

  29. Page 29
    Read page 29 as text

    15 . Letters Letters are one of the oldest professional writing genres, and they should follow the general guidelines provided above, but a professional letter has a specific format at the beginning and end. An example is given below. 22 Ingram Avenue < This is the sender ’ s address. Tuscaloosa, Alabama 35401 August 28, 2015 < The date needs to be provided. Tom Tyler < Here you provide the person’s name you are sending it to with address. 311 - C Cedar Crest Apts. Tuscaloosa, Alabama 35401 Dear Mr. Tyler: < The formal address uses a professional address — Dr., Mr., Mrs., or Ms. — followed by a colon. After the introductory, body, and concluding paragraphs are provided flush - left (no tabs) and single - spaced with double - spacing between paragraphs, the letter should end with some kind of formal parting such as “Sincerely” or “Respectfully,” or other options. An example is below Sincerely, < Parting words are followed by a comma. < Spacing is here for the sender to write his or her name. Jacob Wilson < The sender’s name is written. Memos & Reports Memos and reports get work done in businesses, communities, and organizations. They can be informational, persuasive, evaluative, and other purposes or aims. These genres follow the same principles covered in the “In General” section above. For both memos and reports, there is a strong emphasis on bottom - line arrangement, clarity, and organization. At the top of both, there is transmittal data as shown below: To: From: Date: Subject:

  30. Page 30
    Read page 30 as text

    16 . The bottom - line of the memo or report should sum up the whole document, the whole purpose and point of it. The p aragraphs after the bottom line ’ s paragraph (first paragraph) support, detail, and clarify the point of the memo or report. Reports are usually longer in length than memos and often use headings to break up large chunks of information.

  31. Page 31
    Read page 31 as text

    17 . Methods for Effective Peer Review/Draft Workshops Mark Twain is often attributed as saying this about the weather: “Everybody talks about the weather, but nobody does anything about it.” To an extent, we could say something similar about peer review in the writing classroom: “Many people complain about peer review, but few do anything about it.” This part of the Instructor’s Manual provides some guidance about how to make peer review an effective and transformative practice in your classrooms. In other words, we’re doing something about it. Activity Based on Woods ’ “ Moving Students Beyond ‘ This is Good ’ in Peer Response ” To set the stage for effective peer review sessions in your classroom, we recommend you using or modifying an activity Peggy M. Woods discusses in her article “Moving beyond ‘This is good’ in Peer Response.” In her essay, she argues that one issue with peer review is that students are not properly trained to do peer review and they “also have limited experience as responders” (188). She advocates an exercise that sets the stage for helping students “recognize the importance of being specific as well as the importance of focusing on the text rather than making judgments about the writer” (189). In other words, she provides an activity that makes students think about the types of comments they want to receive and what types of comments they should give to their peers. In the classroom, you can either assign Woods’ questions as homework and then discuss their responses during class on the next day, or you can ask the questions during class and generate discussion right away. The key is that you will have devoted significant class time to exploring and discussing what are helpful peer review comments that make writers do strong revision. Here are the questions, taken verbatim, that Woods presents in her article: 1. List three comments/responses you have ever received on a piece of writing. 2. List three comments/responses that if you ever received on a piece of writing you would be so discouraged you would never write again. Be creative. These may or may not be comments you have ever actually received. Hopefully they are not. 3. List three comments/responses that if you ever received on a piece of writing you would be so encouraged you would keep writing forever. Again, be creative. And again, these may or may not be comments you have actually received. Hopefully they are. 4. Look over all the comments/responses on your list and rank them in terms of effectiveness for revision — 1 being the most effective for revision, 9 being the least. (189 – 90) 5. We have used this activity for y ears, and it has worked well. It ’ s usually best to shorten the directions a bit and emphasize the “ effectiveness for revision ” prompt (question 4 ) . Through the sharing of real or imagined responses, students always have figured out that specific and detailed comments about positives or places for improvement for papers work the best for actually revising a paper, not just editing it. Also, the point about making concrete suggestions about what a writer could change, cut, modify, and add in papers is crucial to moving papers past the first draft stage of the writing process. When doing this exercise in class, we often end with what are called “ Principles for Peer Review ” :

280 more pages in the full document

Unlock it once and it stays in your library, ready to chat with or turn into flashcards.

Unlock the full document

More English study materials

See all

Study this document with CramX

Once it is in your library, every tool can work from it.