Writing and Reading Across the Curriculum, Brief Edition

Brief, best-selling cross-curricular classic provides instruction  of source-based writing skills combined with five popular readings chapters.

This brief version represents a carefully chosen selection from the comprehensive version of the text, with five of nine readings chapters included in thoughtfully abridged formats. The abbreviated rhetoric section covers the skills of summary, critique, analysis, and synthesis, taking students step-by-step through the process of writing papers based on source material. Students then put these skills to practice on thematically-linked essays on provocative topics in the readings chapters. A stronger focus on argumentation prepares students for college-level assignments across the disciplines.

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A Note to the Student

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PART I¿ How to Write Summaries, Critiques, Syntheses, and Analyses

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Chapter 1: Summary

What Is a Summary?

Can a Summary Be Objective?

Using the Summary¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿

BOX: Where Do We Find Written Summaries?

The Reading Process

BOX: Critical Reading for Summary

How to Write Summaries¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿

BOX: Guidelines for Writing Summaries

Demonstration: Summary

Will Your Job Be Exported?–Alan S. Blinder

Read, Reread, Highlight

Divide into Stages of Thought

Write a Brief Summary of Each Stage of Thought

Write a Thesis: A Brief Summary of the Entire Passage

Write the First Draft of the Summary

Summary 1: Combine Thesis Sentence with Brief Section Summaries

The Strategy of the Shorter Summary¿¿¿

Summary 2: Combine Thesis Sentence, Section Summaries, and Carefully Chosen Details

The Strategy of the Longer Summary¿¿¿

How Long Should a Summary Be?¿¿¿

Exercise 1.1: Individual and Collaborative Summary Practice

Avoiding Plagiarism

BOX: Rules for Avoiding Plagiarism

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Chapter 2: Critical Reading and Critique

Critical Reading

Question 1: To What Extent Does the Author Succeed in His or Her Purpose?

BOX: Where Do We Find Written Critiques?

Writing to Inform

Evaluating Informative Writing

Writing to Persuade

Exercise 2.1: Informative and Persuasive Thesis Statements

Evaluating Persuasive Writing

The Moon We Left Behind–Charles Krauthammer

Exercise 2.2: Critical Reading Practice

Persuasive Strategies¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿

Logical Argumentation: Avoiding Logical Fallacies

BOX: Tone¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿

Exercise 2.3: Understanding Logical Fallacies

Writing to Entertain¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿

Question 2: To What Extent Do You Agree with the Author?

Identify Points of Agreement and Disagreement

Exercise 2.4: Exploring Your Viewpoints–in Three Paragraphs

Explore the Reasons for Agreement and Disagreement: Evaluate Assumptions

Inferring and Implying Assumptions

An Example of Hidden Assumptions from the World of Finance

Critique

How to Write Critiques

BOX: Guidelines for Writing Critiques

Demonstration: Critique

To What Extent Does the Author Succeed in His or Her Purpose?

To What Extent Do You Agree with the Author? Evaluate Assumptions

Model Critique: A Critique of Charles Krauthammer’s “The Moon We Left Behind”–Andrew Harlan

Exercise 2.5: Informal Critique of the Model Critique

BOX: Critical Reading for Critique¿¿¿¿¿¿¿

Chapter 3: Synthesis

What Is a Synthesis?

Summary and Critique as a Basis for Synthesis

Inference: Moving Beyond Summary and Critique

Purpose

Example: Same Sources, Different Uses

BOX: Where Do We Find Written Syntheses?

Using Your Sources

Types of Syntheses: Explanatory and Argument

Explanation: News Article from the New York Times

While Warning About Fat, U.S. Pushes Cheese Sales—Michael Moss

Argument: Editorial from the Boston Globe

Got Too Much Cheese?—Derrick Z. Jackson

What Are Genetically Modified (GM) Foods?

Genetically Modified Foods and Organisms—The United States Department of Energy

Why a GM Freeze?—The GM Freeze Campaign

How to Write Syntheses

BOX: Guidelines for Writing Syntheses

Argument Synthesis

The Elements of Argument: Claim, Support, and Assumption

Exercise 3.1: Practicing Claim, Support, and Assumption

Demonstration: Developing an Argument Synthesis—Balancing Privacy and Safety in the Wake of Virginia Tech

Mass Shootings at Virginia Tech, April 16, 2007: Report of the Review Panel

Colleges Are Watching Troubled Students—Jeffrey McMurray

The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA)

Exercise 3.2: Critical Reading for Synthesis

Consider Your Purpose

Making a Claim: Formulate a Thesis

Decide How You Will Use Your Source Material

Develop an Organizational Plan

Formulate an Argument Strategy¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿

Draft and Revise Your Synthesis

Model Argument Synthesis: Balancing Privacy and Safety in the Wake of Virginia Tech—David Harrison

The Strategy of the Argument Synthesis

Developing and Organizing the Support for Your Arguments

Summarize, Paraphrase, and Quote Supporting Evidence

Provide Various Types of Evidence and Motivational Appeals

Use Climactic Order

Use Logical or Conventional Order

Present and Respond to Counterarguments

Use Concession

BOX: Developing and Organizing Support for Your Arguments

The Comparison-and-Contrast Synthesis

Organizing Comparison-and-Contrast Syntheses

Organizing by Source or Subject

Organizing by Criteria

Exercise 3.3: Comparing and Contrasting

A Case for Comparison-and-Contrast: World War I and World War II

Comparison-and-Contrast Organized by Criteria

Model Exam Response

The Strategy of the Exam Response

Avoid Common Fallacies in Developing and Using Support

Summary

The Explanatory Synthesis

Model Explanatory Synthesis: Privacy vs. Safety in the Wake of Virginia Tech

The Strategy of the Explanatory Synthesis

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Chapter 4: Analysis

What Is an Analysis?

BOX: Where Do We Find Written Analyses?

How to Write Analyses

The Plug-In Drug—Marie Winn

Exercise 4.1: Reading Critically: Winn

Locate and Apply an Analytic Tool

Locate an Analytic Tool

Apply the Analytic Tool

Analysis Across the Curriculum

BOX: Guidelines for Writing Analyses

Formulate a Thesis

Develop an Organizational Plan

Turning Key Elements of a Principle or a Definition into Questions

Developing the Paragraph-by-Paragraph Logic of Your Paper

Draft and Revise Your Analysis

Write an Analysis, Not a Summary

Make Your Analysis Systematic

Answer the “So What?” Question

Attribute Sources Appropriately

BOX: Critical Reading for Analysis

When Your Perspective Guides the Analysis

Demonstration: Analysis

Model Analysis: The Case of the Missing Kidney: An Analysis of Rumor—Linda Shanker

Exercise 4.2: Informal Analysis of the Model Analysis

PART II¿ Brief Takes

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Chapter 5: The Roar Of The Tiger Mom

BOX: Group Assignment #1: Make a Topic List

BOX: Group Assignment #2: Create a Topic Web

Why Chinese Mothers Are Superior–Amy Chua

Mother Inferior–Hanna Rosin

Amy Chua is a Wimp–David Brooks

In the Eye of the Tiger–Meghan Daum

Tiger Mom vs. Tiger Mailroom–Patrick Goldstein

America’s Top Parent–Elizabeth Kolbert

In Defense of Being a Kid–James Bernard Murphy

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PART III¿ An Anthology of Readings

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Chapter 6: The Changing Landscape of Work in the Twenty-First Century

Prospects for Graduates

¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿ A Post-College Flow Chart of Misery and Pain — Jenna Brager

¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿ Many with New College Degree Find Job Market Humbling — Catherine Rampell

¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿ Job Outlook for College Graduates Slowly Improving — Lacey Johnson

Data on the Job Market

¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿ College Majors, Unemployment and Earnings: Not All College Degrees are Created Equal — Anthony P. Carnevale, Ban Cheah, and Jeff Strohl

¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿ Employment Projections: 2010-2020 Summary — U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

Work and Identity

¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿ No Long Term: New Work and the Corrosion of Character — Richard Sennett

Trends Affecting Work

¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿ Will Your Job Be Exported? [Summary] — Alan S. Blinder

¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿ Is Your Job an Endangered Species? — Andy Kessler

¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿ Degrees and Dollars — Paul Krugman

Synthesis Activities

Research Activities

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Chapter 7: Have You Heard This?¿ The Latest on Rumor

The Gossips–Norman Rockwell¿

Frankenchicken–Snopes.Com¿

Truth Is In The Ear Of The Beholder–Gregory Rodriguez

Fighting That Old Devil Rumor–Sandra Salmans

A Psychology Of Rumor–Robert H. Knapp

“Paul Is Dead!” (Said Fred)–Alan Glenn

Political Smear Rumors: Three Case Studies

In Untruths About Obama, Echoes Of A Distant Time–Samuel G. Freedman

The Anatomy Of A Smear Campaign: The Case Of John Mccain–Richard H. Davis

How Rumors Help Us Make Sense Of An Uncertain World–Nicholas Difonzo

Rumor Cascades And Group Polarization–Cass R. Sunstein

Managing Rumors–John Doorley And Helio Fred Garcia

The Rumor–John Updike

Synthesis Activities

Research Activities

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Chapter 8: Green Power

¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿ Going Green: A Wedge Issue

¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿ The Dangerous Delusions of Energy Independence — Robert Bryce

A Debate on the Future of Nuclear Power, Post-Fukushima

¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿ The Future of Nukes, and of Japan — Holman W. Jenkins, Jr.

¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿ No Fail-Safe Option — Eugene Robinson

¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿ Why I Still Support Nuclear Power, Even After Fukushima — William Tucker

¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿ If the Japanese Can’t Build a Safe Reactor, Who Can? — Anne Applebaum

Solar Power

State Solar Power Plans Are As Big As All Outdoors–Marla Dickerson¿

Here Comes The Sun–Paul Krugman

Solar Is Getting Cheaper, But How Far Can It Go?–Brad Plumer

Wind Power

The Island In The Wind–Elizabeth Kolbert¿

Wind Power Puffery–H. Sterling Burnett

Synthesis Activities

Research Activities

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Chapter 9: New and Improved: Six Decades of Advertising

Advertising’s Fifteen Basic Appeals — Jib Fowles

Making the Pitch in Print Advertising — Courtland Bovée, John V. Thill, George P. Dovel, and Marian Burk Wood

Selling Happiness: Two Pitches from Mad Men

A Portfolio of Print Advertisements

A Portfolio of TV Commercials

Synthesis Activities

Research Activities

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Video Links: Online Videos Linked to Chapters 1-9

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Credits

Index

Quick Index: APA Documentation Basics