Looking for a simple, straightforward guide to college writing?
Have a look at A Practical Guide for Student Writers
I wrote this book in part out of my frustration at the textbooks currently available for college students writing at a level slightly below Freshman Composition. Most of those books are HUGE and filled with advice that’s just not practical. After more than twenty years as a college writing professor, I have developed a pretty good sense of what students need to improve on and where they struggle. I wrote this book with those students in mind. It’s straightforward and brief and will help students reach a level of understanding and confidence with their writing.
I partnered with McGraw-Hill to put the book out, and it’s being used in college classrooms across the country.
The text provides straightforward, no-nonsense advice on the writing process, time management, and the challenges that face student writers. Rather than follow a traditional approach to essay development, this book focuses on Essays That Tell a Story, Essays That Explain a Concept, Essays That Respond to a Text, Essays That Argue, and Essays That Use Outside Sources. In each of these sections, the emphasis is on writing analytically and paying attention to the needs of an academic audience; student-written essays are included in each section to provide readers with a clear understanding of the expectations their professors will have in asking them to write with these various goals in mind. The final section of the book provides students with advice on writing effective sentences, choosing words accurately and wisely, and avoiding common grammatical and punctuation errors. Useful exercises are found throughout the book for use in class or as out-of-class preparation.
