A Troubleshooting Guide for Writers: Strategies and Process

ISBN 13:
9780072876895
ISBN 10:
0072876891
Edition: 4th
Format: Paperback
Copyright: 05/27/2004
Publisher: McGraw-Hill Humanities/Social Sciences/Languages
Newer Edition

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Summary

A Troubleshooting Guide for Writers: Strategies and Process is a brief rhetoric and reference for academic and business writers that provides over 280 specific writing strategies for solving problems at every stage of the writing process--from idea generation through editing. The book's practical approach not only helps writers with the broad challenges of planning and organization, but also with the specific challenges of style and grammar.

Myths about writing an introduction

(1)

Don't Believe Everything You Hear

(1)

How to Become a Better Writer

(13)

A Sample Essay: "The Uniform Solution"

(5)

PART I A Troubleshooting Guide to Prewriting

(24)

CHAPTER ONE "I don't know what to write"

(12)

Freewrite

(1)

Use Looping

(1)

Try Clustering

(2)

Write a List

(1)

Brainstorm

(1)

Examine Your Topic from Different Angles

(1)

Use Questionnaires

(1)

Write an Exploratory Draft

(1)

Relate the Topic to Your Own Experience

(1)

Talk into a Tape Recorder

(1)

Talk to Other People

(1)

Write a Poem

(1)

Write about Your Block

(1)

Put Your Writing on the Back Burner

(1)

Identify Your Purpose and Audience

(1)

Keep a Journal

(1)

Combine Techniques

(1)

Develop Your Own Writing Topic

(2)

Troubleshooting with a Computer

(2)

CHAPTER TWO "How do I write a thesis?"

(3)

Study Your Idea Generation Material

(1)

Write a Two-Part Thesis

(1)

Note the Main Points That Will Be Made in Your Essay

(1)

Limit Your Topic to Something Manageable

(1)

Express Your Assertion in Specific Words

(1)

Avoid Factual Statements

(1)

Avoid Announcing Your Intentions

(1)

Consider Your Thesis to Be Tentative

(1)

Troubleshooting with a Computer

(1)

CHAPTER THREE "How do I get my ideas to Fit together?"

(7)

Check Your Thesis

(1)

Write a Scratch Outline

(1)

Construct an Outline Tree

(1)

Complete an Outline Worksheet

(1)

Write an Informal Outline

(2)

Construct an Outline Map

(1)

Write an Abstract

(1)

Troubleshooting with a Computer

(3)

PART II A Troubleshooting Guide to Drafting

(26)

CHAPTER FOUR "I know what I want to say, but I can't say it."

(5)

Get Rid of Distractions

(1)

Set Intermediate Goals for Yourself

(1)

Allow Your Draft to Be Rough

(1)

Write in a New Place

(1)

Switch Your Writing Tools

(1)

Write on a Daily Schedule

(1)

Write a Letter to a Friend

(1)

Write for Yourself Instead of for a Reader

(1)

Use a Natural Style

(1)

Speak into a Tape Recorder

(1)

Reread Often

(1)

Walk Away

(1)

Write the Introduction Last

(1)

Begin in the Middle

(1)

Concentrate on What You Can Do and Skip What You Can't Do

(1)

Resist the Temptation to Rewrite as You Draft

(1)

Write Fast and Don't Look Back

(1)

Write an Outline

(1)

Return to Idea Generation

(1)

Troubleshooting with a Computer

(1)

CHAPTER FIVE "I'm having trouble with my introduction."

(4)

Explain Why Your Topic Is Important

(1)

Provide Background Information

(1)

Tell a Story

(1)

Use an Interesting Quotation

(1)

Provide Relevant Statistics

(1)

Find Some Common Ground with Your Reader

(1)

Describe Something

(1)

Begin with the Thesis and the Points You Will Discuss

(1)

Keep It Short

(1)

Write It Last

(1)

Troubleshooting with a Computer

(1)

CHAPTER SIX "How do I back up what I say?"

(7)

Use Your Own Experience

(1)

Use What You Observe

(1)

Tell a Story

(1)

Describe People and Places

(1)

Give Examples

(1)

Give Reasons

(1)

Show Similarities or Differences

(1)

Explain Causes or Effects

(1)

Explain How Something Is Made or Done

(1)

Explain What Would Happen if Your View Were Not Adopted

(1)

Consider Opposing Views

(1)

Use Material from Outside Sources

(1)

Troubleshooting with a Computer

(1)

CHAPTER SEVEN "I don't know how to end."

(4)

Explain the Significance of Your Main Point

(1)

Provide a Helpful Summary

(1)

Explain the Consequences of Ignoring Your Thesis

(1)

Conclude with a Point You Want to Emphasize

(1)

Restate Your Thesis for Emphasis

(1)

Suggest a Course of Action

(1)

Ask a Question

(1)

Look to the Future

(1)

Combine Approaches

(1)

Keep It Short

(1)

Troubleshooting with a Computer

(1)

CHAPTER EIGHT "I cant Think of the right word."

(4)

Write in a Natural Style

(1)

Use ITTS

(1)

Substitute a Phrase or a Sentence for a Troublesome Word

(1)

Ask Around

(1)

Freewrite for Three Minutes

(1)

Skip the Problem and Return to It Later

(1)

Use Simple, Specific Words

(1)

Use the Thesaurus and Dictionary Wisely

(1)

Troubleshooting with a Computer

(2)

PART III A Troubleshooting Guide to Revising

(42)

CHAPTER NINE "I thought my draft was better Than This."

(4)

Be Realistic

(1)

Walk Away

(1)

Share Your Draft

(1)

Listen to Your Draft

(1)

Identify Two Changes That Will Improve Your Draft

(1)

Write a Second Draft without Looking at the First

(1)

Do Not Despair if You Must Start Over

(1)

Try to Salvage Something

(1)

Do the Best You Can with What You Have

(1)

Troubleshooting with a Computer

(1)

Examining a Draft

(1)

CHAPTER TEN "I don't know what to change."

(7)

Walk Away

(1)

Construct a Reader Profile

(1)

Think Like Your Reader

(1)

Describe Your Draft Paragraph by Paragraph

(1)

Type Your Draft

(1)

Listen to Your Draft

(1)

Underline Main Points

(1)

Outline Your Draft after Writing It

(1)

Revise in Stages

(1)

Share Your Introduction and Conclusion

(1)

Share Your Draft

(1)

Pretend to Be Someone Else

(1)

Use a Revising Checklist

(1)

Trust Your Instincts

(1)

Do Not Edit Prematurely

(1)

Troubleshooting with a Computer

(1)

Examining a Draft

(1)

CHAPTER ELEVEN "Is It cheating if someone helps me?"

(4)

Choose Your Readers Carefully

(1)

Give Your Readers a Legible Draft

(1)

Give Your Readers Guidance

(2)

Get More Than One Opinion

(1)

Ask for Specific Revision Strategies

(1)

Ask Readers to Point Out Strengths as Well as Weaknesses

(1)

Evaluate Responses Carefully

(1)

Troubleshooting with a Computer

(1)

Examining a Draft

(1)

CHAPTER TWELVE "My ideas seem all mixed up."

(4)

Use Topic Sentences

(1)

Write a Postdraft Outline

(1)

Use Transitions

(1)

Repeat Key Words

(1)

Use Synonyms

(1)

Use Outline Cards

(1)

Troubleshooting with a Computer

(1)

Examining a Draft

(1)

CHAPTER THIRTEEN "My draft is too short."

(5)

Underline Major Points

(1)

Show after You Tell

(1)

Add Description

(1)

Add Examples

(1)

Add Dialogue

(1)

Evaluate the Significance of an Idea

(1)

Share Your Draft with a Reliable Reader

(1)

Return to Idea Generation

(1)

Check Your Thesis

(1)

Troubleshooting with a Computer

(1)

Examining a Draft

(1)

CHAPTER FOURTEEN "My draft is too long."

(4)

Check Your Thesis

(1)

Eliminate Unnecessary Points

(1)

Outline Your Draft

(1)

Eliminate Wordiness

(1)

Do Not Overwrite Your Introduction or Conclusion

100

(1)

Troubleshooting with a Computer

100

(1)

Examining a Draft

101

(1)

CHAPTER FIFTEEN "My writing seems boring"

102

(5)

Replace General Words with Specific Ones

102

(1)

Use Active Voice

103

(1)

Substitute Action Verbs for Forms of To Be

103

(1)

Rewrite Cliches

103

(1)

Eliminate Obvious Statements

103

(1)

Include Dialogue

104

(1)

Add Description

104

(1)

Add Examples

104

(1)

Tell a Story

104

(1)

Check Your Thesis

105

(1)

Troubleshooting with a Computer

105

(1)

Examining a Draft

106

(1)

CHAPTER SIXTEEN "My writing sounds choppy"

107

(6)

Use Different Sentence Openers

107

(1)

Vary the Placement of Transitions

108

(1)

Combine Short Sentences

108

(1)

Follow Long Sentences with Short Ones and Short Sentences with Long Ones

109

(1)

Use Parallel Constructions

109

(1)

Use Your Ear

109

(1)

Troubleshooting with a Computer

110

(1)

Examining a Draft

110

(3)

PART IV A Troubleshooting Guide to Editing

113

(52)

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN "I don't Find my mistakes."

116

(5)

Edit Last

116

(1)

Leave Your Work for a While

116

(1)

Point to Each Word and Punctuation Mark

116

(1)

Use a Ruler

117

(1)

Prepare a Fresh, Word-Processed Copy

117

(1)

Listen to Your Draft

117

(1)

Learn Your Pattern of Error

117

(1)

Use an Editing Checklist

118

(1)

Trust Your Instincts

118

(1)

Edit More than Once

118

(1)

When in Doubt, Check It Out

118

(1)

Learn the Rules

119

(1)

Get Help

119

(1)

Troubleshooting with a Computer

119

(2)

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN "I used a period and a capital letter, so why isn't this a sentence?"

121

(5)

Understand What a Sentence Fragment Is

121

(1)

Isolate Everything You Are Calling a Sentence

122

(1)

Read Your Draft Backward

122

(1)

Check -ing and -ed Verb Forms

122

(1)

Check for Fragment Warning Words

123

(1)

Watch Out for Who, Whom, Whose, Which, and Where

123

(1)

Eliminate the Fragments

124

(1)

Troubleshooting with a Computer

125

(1)

CHAPTER NINETEEN "How can this be a run-on or a comma splice? It's Not even long."

126

(3)

Understand What Run-On Sentences and Comma Splices Are

126

(1)

Understand How to Seperate Independent Clauses

127

(1)

Study Sentences Individually

127

(1)

Underline Warning Words

127

(1)

Forget about Long and Short

127

(1)

Troubleshooting with a Computer

128

(1)

CHAPTER TWENTY "It is I; it is me-what's the difference"

129

(6)

Cross Out Everything in the Phrase but the Pronoun

129

(1)

Cross Out Words That Rename

130

(1)

Add the Missing Words in Comparisons

130

(1)

Use They, Their, and Them with Plural Nouns

131

(1)

Remember That the -Body, -One, and -Thing Words Are Singular

131

(1)

Circle Who and Whom and Underline the Rest of the Clause

132

(1)

Determine Who You Refers To

132

(1)

Check It and They

132

(1)

Avoid Unclear Reference

133

(1)

Be Careful of This and Which

133

(1)

Troubleshooting with a Computer

133

(2)

CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE "How do I know which verb Form to use?"

135

(5)

Cross Out Phrases before the Verb

135

(1)

Rewrite Questions

136

(1)

Rewrite Sentences Beginning with Here and There

136

(1)

Watch Out for Subjects Joined by Or and Either/Or

136

(1)

Watch Out for Indefinite Pronouns

137

(1)

Understand Verb Tenses

137

(1)

Listen to Your Verb Tenses

138

(1)

Troubleshooting with a Computer

139

(1)

CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO "I'm unsure about modifiers."

140

(4)

Know When to Use an Adjective and When to Use an Adverb

140

(1)

Remember that Good Is an Adjective and Well Is an Adverb-with One Caution and One Exception

141

(1)

Do Not Use More or Most with an -er or -est Form

142

(1)

Check Sentences That Open with -ing or -ed Verb Forms

142

(1)

Move Modifiers near the Words They Describe

143

(1)

Troubleshooting with a Computer

143

(1)

CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE "Can't I Just place a comma wherever I pause?"

144

(4)

Find the Subject and Look in Front of It

144

(1)

Find the Coordinating Conjunction, and Then Look Left and Right

145

(1)

Look for Series

145

(1)

Identify Nonessential Elements

146

(1)

Troubleshooting with a Computer

146

(2)

CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR "What IF I want to quote somebody?"

148

(3)

Consider Where in the Sentence the Quotation Occurs

148

(1)

Determine Whether the Quotation or the Entire Sentence Asks a Question

149

(1)

Reproduce a Person's Thoughts as a Quotation

149

(1)

Be Sure You Really Have Exact Words

149

(1)

Troubleshooting with a Computer

149

(2)

CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE "I have 'trouble with apostrophes."

151

(3)

Identify the Missing Letter(s) in a Contraction

151

(1)

Use It's Only When You Can Substitute It is or It Has

151

(1)

Avoid Contractions

151

(1)

Use the "Of" Test

152

(1)

For Possessive Forms, Ask Two Questions

152

(1)

Watch Out for Possessive Pronouns

153

(1)

Troubleshooting with a Computer

153

(1)

CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX "I never know what to capitalize."

154

(3)

Capitalize the Names of Animals, People, and the Titles before People's Names

154

(1)

Capitalize Titles of Relatives Substituted for Names

154

(1)

Capitalize Specific Geographic Locations, Names of Nationalities, and Adjectives Delivered from Them

154

(1)

Capitalize Religions, Sacred Books, and Words and Pronouns that Refer to God

155

(1)

Capitalize Specific Days, Months, and Holidays

155

(1)

Capitalize Specific Brand Names

155

(1)

Capitalize Specific Organizations, Companies, and Buildings

155

(1)

Capitalize Specific Historic Events, Documents, and Periods

155

(1)

Capitalize Titles Correctly

156

(1)

Troubleshooting with a Computer

156

(1)

CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN "I can't spell."

157

(8)

When in Doubt, Check It Out

157

(1)

Buy Two Dictionaries

157

(1)

Use a Pronunciation Dictionary

157

(1)

Use a Spelling Dictionary

158

(1)

Use a Pocket Spell Checker

158

(1)

Learn Correct Pronunciations

158

(1)

Break a Word into Parts

158

(1)

Break a Word into Syllables

158

(1)

Look for Prefixes

158

(1)

Use Memory Tricks

159

(1)

Learn the Homophones

160

(2)

Underline Words to Check Later

162

(1)

Deep a Spelling List

162

(1)

Troubleshooting with a Computer

162

(3)

PART V A Troubleshooting Guide to Research

165

(18)

CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT "How do I Find good sources-and why do I need them?"

161

(10)

Get to Know Your Campus Library

167

(1)

Consider Your Needs

168

(1)

Use Reference Works

168

(1)

Use the Computerized Catalog to Locate Books

168

(1)

Use Indexes to Locate Magazine, Journal, and Newspaper Articles

169

(1)

Search the Internet

169

(1)

Use High-Quality Sources

170

(1)

CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE "What do I do with the sources I Find?"

171

(8)

Skim Your Sources to Determine Their Usefulness

171

(1)

Paraphrase Important Ideas

171

(1)

Use Summary when Appropriate

172

(1)

Use Quotations Appropriately

173

(1)

Combine Sources with Each Other and Your Ideas

174

(1)

Document Source Material Appropriately

174

(4)

Avoid Plagiarism

178

(1)

CHAPTER THIRTY "What does an essay with sources look like?"

179

(4)

Student Essay: "The Benefits of School Consolidation"

180

(3)

PART VI Appendixes

183

Appendix A Ideas For Writing

184

(3)

Appendix B Taking Essay Examinations

187

A Troubleshooting Guide for Writers: Strategies and Process

9780072876895

0072876891

Summary

Table of Contents

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A Troubleshooting Guide for Writers: Strategies and Process

9780072876895

0072876891

Summary

Table of Contents

Write a Review

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