A composition teacher with more than 35 years experience teaching writing, Toby Fulwiler highlights the need for writers to gain confidence in their voices and ideas as well as to practice in a variety of formats and conventions. A practicing journalist with more than 25 years of experience writing and editing for newpapers, Alan Hayakawa understands the importance of conventional correctness and appreciates the way different writing situations and new technologies demand different approaches. For this reason, The Blair Handbook devotes time to both the whys and the hows of good writing. Students who know how to analyze and address individual rhetorical situations are more likely to succeed both across the curriculum and in the world beyond college.

Reading and Writing in College   

1 Why Writing Matters  

a    What is difficult about writing? 

b    What do you enjoy about writing?  

c    What surprises are in store?  

d    Why is writing important?  

e    What can you learn from the experience of others?  

f     What else do you want to know about writing?  

2  Reading Texts Critically  

a    Reading to understand   

b    Reading critically  

3  Reading Images Critically  

a    The elements of composition  

b    Words  

c    Color  

d    Images of persuasion

4  The Writing Process  

a   Describing writing as a process  

b   Planning   

c   Composing

d   Revising  

e   Researching  

f    Editing  

g   English as a second language  

PART 2

5  Analyzing the Rhetorical Situation  

a   Knowing the purpose  

b   Addressing audiences  

c   Understanding the situation  

d   Adopting a voice  

6  Keeping Journals  

a   Understanding journals  

b   Keeping journals in college  

c   Suggestions for using journals  

7  Strategies for Invention and Discovery  

a   Brainstorming  

b   Freewriting  

c   Looping  

d   Asking reporters’ questions  

e   Outlining  

f    Clustering  

g   Talking  

PART  3

Composing   

8 Writing from Experience  

a   Character  

b   Subject  

c   Perspective  

d   Setting  

e   Sequence of events  

f    Theme  

g   Sample student essay  

9 Writing to Explain  

a   Topic  

b   Thesis  

c   Strategies  

d   Organization  

e   Neutral perspective  

f    Sample student essay  

10 Arguing and Persuading  

a   Elements of argument  

b   Issue  

c   Analysis  

d   Position  

e   Argument  

f    Organization  

g   Sample student essay  

11 Writing About Literature  

a   Interpretive essays  

b   Exploring texts  

c   Interpretive communities  

d   Interpretations  

e   Different literary genres  

f    Sample student essay  

12 Writing Creative Nonfiction 

a   Lists  

b   Snapshots  

c   Playful sentences  

d   Repetition/refrain  

e   Double voice  

13 Writing Essay Examinations  

a   Understanding questions  

b   Writing good answers  

Revising   

14 The Revising Process  

a    Understanding revising  

b    Planning  

c    Revising strategies  

15 Focused Revising  

a    Limiting  

b    Adding  

c    Switching  

d    Transforming  

e    Experimenting  

16  Responding to Writing and Peer Review  

a    Asking for help  

b   Giving responses  

c    Writing responses  

d    Responding through conferences  

e    Responding in writing groups  

PART  5

Presenting and Publishing  

17 Designing Documents  

a   Objectives of design  

b   Layout  

c   Typography  

d   Graphics  

e   Illustrations  

18 Writing for the Internet 

a   Writing for the Web  

b   E-mail, newsgroups, and instant messages  

c   Weblogs  

19 Writing for the World  

a    Reports

b    Pamphlets and brochures

c    Newsletters  

d    Press releases  

e    Advocacy   

20 Portfolios and Publishing Class Books 

a   Writing portfolios  

b   Course portfolios  

c   Story portfolios  

d   Publishing class books  

21 Making Oral Presentations 

a   The assignment  

b   Speaking texts  

c   Speaking in public  

d   Creative options  

Writing with Research  

22 Writing Research Papers  

a    Understanding research  

b    Working with a thesis  

c    Keeping a research log  

d    Finding your way  

23 Conducting Library Research  

a    Planning library research  

b    Finding sources of information  

c    Taking notes  

24 Conducting Internet Research 

a    Search engines  

b    Limiting your search  

c    Search strategies  

d    E-mail, lists, and newsgroups  

25 Conducting Field Research 

a   Planning  

b   Interviewing  

c   Surveying  

d   Observing  

26 Evaluating Research Sources  

a    Evaluating library sources  

b    Evaluating Internet sources  

c    Evaluating field sources  

27 Using Research Sources  

a    Controlling sources   

b    Organizing sources  

c    Integrating information  

d    Paraphrasing and summarizing  

e    Incorporating visual images  

28 Avoiding Plagiarism  

a    What plagiarism  is 

b    What plagiarism is not

c    Recognizing and avoiding plagiarism  

PART  7

Writing in the Disciplines  

a   Differences among disciplines  

b   Similarities among disciplines  

30 MLA: Writing in Languages and Literature  

a   Aims  

b   Style  

c   Writing about texts  

d   MLA style: Documenting sources  

e   Conventions for list of Works Cited  

f   Sample MLA research paper  

31 APA: Writing in the Social Sciences  

a   Aims  

b   Style  

c   Writing about texts  

d   APA style: Documenting sources  

e   Sample APA research paper  

32 CMS: Writing in the Humanities 

a   Aims  

b   Style  

c   Writing about texts  

d   CMS style: Documenting sources  

e   Sample page with endnotes   

f    Sample page with footnotes  

33 Writing in the Physical Sciences  

a   Aims  

b   Style  

c   Writing about texts  

d   Number systems: Documenting sources  

34 Writing in Business  

a   Aims  

b   Style  

c   Common forms of writing in business  

d   Documentation and format conventions  

PART  8

Editing    

35 The Editing Process  

a   Editing techniques  

b   The meaning of “error”  

c   Working with others  

d   Editing on a computer   

e   Proofreading  

f    Editing when English is your second language 

g   Using Part Eight  

36 Shaping Paragraphs 

a   Unity  

b   Organization  

c   Coherence  

37 Improving Openings and Conclusions  

a   Engaging openings  

b   Strong openings  

c   Satisfying conclusions  

d   Strong conclusions  

38 Strengthening Sentences  

a   Coordinating ideas  

b   Using subordination  

c   Using parallelism  

39 Creating Emphasis and Variety  

a   First and final positions  

b   Sentence length  

c   Sentence types  

d   Sentence openings  

e   Deliberate repetition  

f    Elliptical constructions  

40 Building Vital Sentences  

a   Concrete, specific nouns  

b   Strong verbs  

c   Active or passive voice  

d   Vital modifiers  

41 Being Concise 

a   Vague generalities  

b   Idle words  

c   Simplifying grammatical constructions  

d   Redundancy  

e   Pretentious language  

f    Euphemism  

42 Adjusting tone  

a   Appropriate tone  

b   Point of view  

c   Level of formality  

d   Consistent tone  

43 Choosing the Right Word  

a   The history of English 

b   Using the dictionary and thesaurus  

c   Expanding your vocabulary  

d   Connotations  

e   Confusing words  

f   Prepositions and particles  

g   Slang, regionalisms, and jargon  

h   Figurative language  

i    Cliches  

44 Eliminating Biased Language  

a   Stereotypes  

b   Labels  

c   Nonsexist language  

GRAMMAR 

45  Eliminating Sentence Fragments  

a  Fragments lacking subjects or verbs  

b  Dependent clause fragments  

c  Fragments for special effects  

46  Fixing Fused Sentences and Comma Splices  

a  Comma and a coordinating conjunction  

b  Adding a semicolon  

c  Colon  

d  Separate sentences  

e  Subordinating one clause  

f   Creating independent clauses  

47  Using Verbs Correctly  

a  Understanding forms  

b  Standard verb forms  

c  Auxiliary verbs  

d  Understanding tense  

e  Appropriate sequence  

f   Understanding mood  

g  Subjunctive mood  

h  Agreement  

i   Intervening words  

j   Subject following verb  

k  Linking verbs  

l   Making verbs agree with subjects joined by and  

m  Or, nor   

n  Collective nouns  

o  Indefinite pronouns  

p Who, which, that  

q  Amounts  

r   Noun phrases and clauses

s  Titles, words used as words  

t   Subjects ending in -s  

u  Troublesome plurals  

48 Using Modifiers Correctly 

a   Adjectives or adverbs  

b   After linking verbs  

c   Confusing modifiers  

d   Double negatives  

e   Comparatives and superlatives  

f    Placing modifiers  

g   Dangling modifiers  

h   Disruptive modifiers  

49 Using Pronouns Correctly  

a   Clear antecedents  

b   Explicit antecedents  

c    It, they, you  

d   Who, which, that  

e   Unneeded pronouns  

f    Agreement  

g   Joined by and   

h   Joined by or, nor  

i    Collective nouns  

j    Indefinite antecedents  

k   Choosing case  

l    And, or, nor  

m  Appositive pronouns  

n   Us, we   

o  Verbals  

p  Than, as  

q  Who, whom  

r   Reflexive pronouns  

50 Consistent and Complete Sentences 

a   Unnecessary shifts  

b   Mixed constructions  

c   Missing words  

PUNCTUATION

51 End Punctuation

a   Periods  

b   Question marks  

c   Exclamation points  

52 Commas 

a   Coordinating conjunctions  

b   Introductory elements  

c   Nonrestrictive elements  

d   Parenthetical expressions and elements of contrast  

e   Tag sentences, direct address, and interjections  

f    Items in a series  

g   Coordinate adjectives  

h   Quotations  

i    Numbers, dates, names, and places  

j    To prevent misreading  

k   Misuse  

53 Semicolons  

a   Between independent clauses  

b   In a series  

54 Colons

a   Marks of introduction  

b   Marks of separation  

55 Apostrophes 

a   Possessive nouns and indefinite pronouns  

b   Plurals of words used as words, letters, numbers, and symbols  

c   Omission of letters  

56 Quotation Marks  

a   Direct quotations  

b   Dialogue  

c   Titles  

d   Translations, special terms, irony, and nicknames  

e   With other punctuation  

57 Other Punctuation 

a   Parentheses  

b   Dashes  

c   Ellipsis points  

d   Brackets  

e   Slashes  

MECHANICS  

58 Spelling  

a   Confusing words  

b   Spelling rules  

59 Capitalization

a   First word of a sentence  

b   Quotations and lines of poetry  

c   Proper nouns  

d   Titles   

60 Hyphenation 

a   Ends of lines  

b   Prefixes  

c   Compound words  

d   Numbers, fractions, and units of measure  

61 Italics 

a   Titles  

b   Individual trains, ships, airplanes, and spacecraft  

c   For emphasis   

d   Words, numerals, and letters used as words  

e    Foreign words  

62 Numbers and Abbreviations 

a   Figures and words  

b   Conventional uses  

c   In nontechnical terms  

d   Titles and degrees  

e   Time, dates, amounts, and symbols  

f    Geographic names    

g   Latin terms  

h   Initials and acronyms  

PART  9

Glossaries  

63 Glossary of Terms   

64 Glossary of Usage  

CREDITS

ESL INDEX

INDEX

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