Provides instruction on the correct manner to compose paragraphs and essays, both in college and the real world. Offers tips on punctuation, grammar, formatting, and word use and features example narratives students can study to improve their own writing skills.

Machine generated contents note: pt. 1 How to Write Paragraphs and Essays -- 1. Critical Thinking, Reading, and Writing: Making Connections -- What Is Critical Thinking? -- Four Basics Of Critical Thinking -- What Is Critical Reading? -- 2PR: The Critical Reading Process -- Amanda Jacobowitz, A Ban on Water Bottles: A Way to Bolster the University's Image -- What Is Writing Critically about Readings? -- Reading and Writing Critically -- What Is Writing Critically about -- Visuals? -- What Is Problem Solving? -- Chapter Review -- 2. Writing Basics: Audience, Purpose, and Process -- Four Basics Of Good Writing -- Understand Audience and Purpose -- Diagram: Relationship between Paragraphs and Essays -- Understand the Writing Process -- Understand Grading Criteria -- Chapter Review -- 3. Finding, Narrowing, and Exploring Your Topic: Choosing Something to Write About -- Understand What a Topic Is -- Practice Narrowing a Topic -- Practice Exploring Your Topic. Contents note continued: Write Your Own Topic and Ideas -- Chapter Review -- 4. Writing Your Topic Sentence or Thesis Statement: Making Your Point -- Understand What a Topic Sentence and a Thesis Statement Are -- Practice Developing a Good Topic Sentence or Thesis Statement -- Diagram: Relationship between Paragraphs and Essays -- Write Your Own Topic Sentence or Thesis Statement -- Chapter Review -- 5. Supporting Your Point: Finding Details, Examples, and Facts -- Understand What Support Is -- Practice Supporting a Main Point -- Write Your Own Support -- Chapter Review -- 6. Drafting: Putting Your Ideas Together -- Understand What a Draft Is -- Arrange Your Ideas -- Make a Plan -- Practice Writing a Draft Paragraph -- Practice Writing a Draft Essay -- Write Your Own Draft Paragraph or Essay -- Chapter Review -- 7. Revising: Improving Your Paragraph or Essay -- Understand What Revision Is -- Understand What Peer Review Is -- Practice Revising for Unity, Detail, and Coherence. Contents note continued: Revise Your Own Paragraph -- Revise Your Own Essay -- Chapter Review -- pt. 2 Writing Different Kinds of Paragraphs and Essays -- 8. Narration: Writing That Tells Important Stories -- Understand What Narration Is -- Four Basics Of Good Narration -- Main Point in Narration -- Support in Narration -- Diagram: Paragraphs vs. Essays in Narration -- Organization in Narration -- Read and Analyze Narration -- Profile Of Success: Kelly Layland, Registered Nurse -- Student Paragraph: Jelani Lynch: My Turnaround -- Professional Essay: Amy Tan, Fish Cheeks -- Write Your Own Narration (Assignments) -- Writing about College, Work, and Everyday Life -- Reading and Writing Critically -- Writing Critically about Readings -- Writing about Images -- Writing to Solve a Problem -- Checklist and Chapter Review -- 9. Illustration: Writing That Gives Examples -- Understand What Illustration Is -- Is Four Basics Of Good Illustration -- Main Point in Illustration. Contents note continued: Support in Illustration -- Diagram: Paragraphs vs. Essays in Illustration -- Organization in Illustration -- Read and Analyze Illustration -- Profile Of Success: Karen Upright, Systems Manager -- Student Paragraph: Casandra Palmer, Gifts from the Heart -- Professional Essay: Susan Adams, The Weirdest Job Interview Questions and How to Handle Them -- Write Your Own Illustration (Assignments) -- Writing about College, Work, and Everyday Life -- Reading and Writing Critically -- Writing Critically about Readings -- Writing about Images -- Writing to Solve a Problem -- Checklist and Chapter Review -- 10. Description: Writing That Creates Pictures in Words -- Understand What Description Is -- Is Four Basics Of Good Description -- Main Point in Description -- Support in Description -- Diagram: Paragraphs vs. Essays in Description -- Organization in Description -- Read and Analyze Description -- Profile Of Success: Celia Hyde, Chief of Police. Contents note continued: Student Paragraph: Alessandra Cepeda, Bird Rescue -- Professional Essay: Oscar Hijuelos, Memories of New York City Snow -- Write Your Own Description (Assignments) -- Writing about College, Work, and Everyday Life -- Reading and Writing Critically -- Writing Critically about Readings -- Writing about Images -- Writing to Solve a Problem -- Checklist and Chapter Review -- 11. Process Analysis: Writing That Explains How Things Happen -- Understand What Process Analysis Is -- Four Basics Of Good Process Analysis -- Main Point in Process Analysis -- Support in Process Analysis -- Diagram: Paragraphs vs. Essays in Process Analysis -- Organization in Process Analysis -- Read and Analyze Process Analysis -- Profile Of Success: Jeremy Graham, Youth Pastor and Motivational Speaker -- Student Paragraph: Charlton Brown, Buying a Car at an Auction -- Professional Essay: Ian Frazier, How to Operate the Shower Curtain -- Write Your Own Process Analysis (Assignments). Contents note continued: Writing about College, Work, and Everyday Life -- Reading and Writing Critically -- Writing Critically about Readings -- Writing about Images -- Writing to Solve a Problem -- Checklist and Chapter Review -- 12. Classification: Writing That Sorts Things into Groups -- Understand What Classification Is -- Four Basics Of Good Classification -- Main Point in Classification -- Support in Classification -- Diagram: Paragraphs vs. Essays in Classification -- Organization in Classification -- Read and Analyze Classification -- Profile Of Success: Leigh King, Fashion Writer / Blogger -- Student Paragraph: Lorenza Mattazi, All My Music -- Professional Essay: Frances Cole Jones, Don't Work in a Goat's Stomach -- Write Your Own Classification (Assignments) -- Writing about College, Work, and Everyday Life -- Reading and Writing Critically -- Writing Critically about Readings -- Writing about Images -- Writing to Solve a Problem -- Checklist and Chapter Review. Contents note continued: 13. Definition: Writing That Tells What Something Means -- Understand What Definition Is -- Four Basics Of Good Definition -- Main Point in Definition -- Support in Definition -- Diagram: Paragraphs vs. Essays in Definition -- Organization in Definition -- Read and Analyze Definition -- Profile Of Success: Walter Scanlon, Program and Workplace Consultant -- Student Paragraph: Corin Costas, What Community Involvement Means to Me -- Professional Essay: Janice E. Castro with Dan Cook and Cristina Garcia, Spanglish -- Write Your Own Definition (Assignments) -- Writing about College, Work, and Everyday Life -- Reading and Writing Critically -- Writing Critically about Readings -- Writing about Images -- Writing to Solve a Problem -- Checklist and Chapter Review -- 14.Comparison and Contrast: Writing That Shows Similarities and Differences -- Understand What Comparison and Contrast Are -- Four Basics Of Good Comparison And Contrast. Contents note continued: Main Point in Comparison and Contrast -- Support in Comparison and Contrast -- Diagram: Paragraphs vs. Essays in Comparison and Contrast -- Organization in Comparison and Contrast -- Read and Analyze Comparison and Contrast -- Profile Of Success: Brad Leibov, President, New Chicago Fund, Inc. -- Student Paragraph: Said Ibrahim, Eyeglasses vs. Laser Surgery: Benefits and Drawbacks -- Professional Essay: Mark Twain, Two Ways of Seeing a River -- Write Your Own Comparison and Contrast (Assignments) -- Writing about College, Work, and Everyday Life -- Reading and Writing Critically -- Writing Critically about Readings -- Writing about Images -- Writing to Solve a Problem -- Checklist and Chapter Review -- 15. Cause and Effect: Writing That Explains Reasons or Results -- Understand What Cause and Effect Are -- Four Basics Of Good Cause And Effect -- Main Point in Cause and Effect -- Support in Cause and Effect. Contents note continued: Diagram: Paragraphs vs. Essays in Cause and Effect -- Organization in Cause and Effect -- Read and Analyze Cause and Effect -- Profile Of Success: Mary LaCue Booker, Singer, Actor -- Student Paragraph: Caitlin Prokop, A Difficult Decision with a Positive Outcome -- Professional Essay: Kristen Ziman, Bad Attitudes and Glowworms -- Write Your Own Cause and Effect (Assignments) -- Writing about College, Work, and Everyday Life -- Reading and Writing Critically -- Writing Critically about Readings -- Writing about Images -- Writing to Solve a Problem -- Checklist and Chapter Review -- 16. Argument: Writing That Persuades -- Understand What Argument Is -- Four Basics Of Good Argument -- Main Point in Argument -- Support in Argument -- Diagram: Paragraphs vs. Essays in Argument -- Organization in Argument -- Read and Analyze Argument -- Profile Of Success: Diane Melancon, Oncologist. Contents note continued: Student Essay 1: "Yes" to Social Media in Education: Jason Yilmaz, A Learning Tool Whose Time Has Come -- Student Essay 2: "No" to Social Media in Education: Shari Beck, A Classroom Distraction--and Worse -- Write Your Own Argument (Assignments) -- Writing about College, Work, and Everyday Life -- Reading and Writing Critically -- Writing Critically about Readings -- Writing about Images -- Writing to Solve a Problem -- Checklist and Chapter Review -- pt. 3 Special College Writing Projects -- 17. Writing Summaries, Reports, and Essay Exams: Showing What You Have Learned -- Write a Summary -- Four Basics Of A Good Summary -- Write a Report -- Four Basics Of A Good Report -- Write a Response to an Essay Exam Question -- Four Basics Of A Good Response To An Essay Question -- Chapter Review -- 18. Writing the Research Essay: Using Sources in Your Writing -- Make a Schedule -- Choose a Topic -- Find Sources -- Evaluate Sources -- Avoid Plagiarism. Contents note continued: Cite and Document Your Sources -- Directory Of Mla In-Text Citations -- Directory Of Mla Works Cited -- Student Research Essay: Dara Riesler, Service Dogs Help Heal the Mental Wounds of War -- pt. 4 The Four Most Serious Errors -- 19. The Basic Sentence: An Overview -- The Four Most Serious Errors -- The Parts of Speech -- The Basic Sentence -- Chapter Review and Test -- 20. Fragments: Incomplete Sentences -- Understand What Fragments Are -- Find and Correct Fragments -- Edit for Fragments -- Chapter Review and Test -- 21. Run-Ons: Two Sentences Joined Incorrectly -- Understand What Run-Ons Are -- Find and Correct Run-Ons -- Edit for Run-Ons -- Chapter Review and Test -- 22. Problems with Subject-Verb Agreement: When Subjects and Verbs Don't Match -- Understand What Subject-Verb Agreement Is -- Find and Correct Errors in Subject-Verb Agreement -- Edit for Subject-Verb Agreement -- Chapter Review and Test. Contents note continued: 23. Verb Tense: Using Verbs to Express Different Times -- Understand What Verb Tense Is -- Practice Using Correct Verbs -- Edit for Verb Problems -- Chapter Review and Test -- pt. 5 Other Grammar Concerns -- 24. Pronouns: Using Substitutes for Nouns -- Understand What Pronouns Are -- Practice Using Pronouns Correctly -- Edit for Pronoun Problems -- Chapter Review and Test -- 25. Adjectives and Adverbs: Using Descriptive Words -- Understand What Adjectives and Adverbs Are -- Practice Using Adjectives and Adverbs Correctly -- Edit for Adjective and Adverb Problems -- Chapter Review and Test -- 26. Misplaced and Dangling Modifiers: Avoiding Confusing Descriptions -- Understand What Misplaced Modifiers Are -- Practice Correcting Misplaced Modifiers -- Understand What Dangling Modifiers Are -- Practice Correcting Dangling Modifiers -- Edit for Misplaced and Dangling Modifiers -- Chapter Review and Test. Contents note continued: 27. Coordination and Subordination: Joining Sentences with Related Ideas -- Understand What Coordination Is -- Practice Using Coordination -- Understand What Subordination Is -- Practice Using Subordination -- Edit for Coordination and Subordination -- Chapter Review and Test -- 28. Parallelism: Balancing Ideas B -- Understand What Parallelism Is -- Practice Writing Parallel Sentences -- Edit for Parallelism Problems -- Chapter Review and Test -- 29. Sentence Variety: Putting Rhythm in Your Writing -- Understand What Sentence Variety Is -- Practice Creating Sentence Variety -- Edit for Sentence Variety -- Chapter Review and Test -- 30. Formal English and ESL Concerns: Grammar Trouble Spots for Multilingual Students -- Basic Sentence Patterns -- Pronouns -- Verbs -- Articles -- Prepositions -- Chapter Review and Test -- pt. 6 Word Use -- 31. Word Choice: Using the Right Words -- Understand the Importance of Choosing Words Carefully. Contents note continued: Practice Avoiding Four Common Word-Choice Problems -- Edit for Word Choice -- Chapter Review and Test -- 32.Commonly Confused Words: Avoiding Mistakes with Soundalike Words -- Understand Why Certain Words Are Commonly Confused -- Practice Using Commonly Confused Words Correctly -- Edit for Commonly Confused Words -- Chapter Review and Test -- 33. Spelling: Using the Right Letters -- Finding and Correcting Spelling Mistakes -- Strategies for Becoming a Better Speller -- Chapter Review and Test -- pt. 7 Punctuation and Capitalization -- 34.Commas (,) -- Understand What Commas Do -- Practice Using Commas Correctly -- Edit for Commas -- Chapter Review and Test -- 35. Apostrophes (') -- Understand What Apostrophes Do -- Practice Using Apostrophes Correctly -- Edit for Apostrophes -- Chapter Review and Test -- 36. Quotation Marks (" ") -- Understand What Quotation Marks Do -- Practice Using Quotation Marks Correctly -- Edit for Quotation Marks. Contents note continued: Chapter Review and Test -- 37. Other Punctuation (;:()--- ) -- Understand What Punctuation Does -- Practice Using Punctuation Correctly -- Edit for Other Punctuation Marks -- Chapter Review and Test -- 38. Capitalization: Using Capital Letters -- Understand Three Rules of Capitalization -- Practice Capitalization -- Chapter Review and Test.