A Guide to College Writing

Textbook Information

Features

“What’s the Point?”
- Opening section of each chapter that briefly identify and explain the concepts and skills students will learn in that chapter
“Give it a Try”
- Questions and prompts for students to practice and apply the skills they have learned in ways that will directly impact writing they are doing in other classes.
“Key Concepts”
- Brief explanations of concepts and foundational ideas about writing- longer explanations are in the glossary at the end of the book.
“Putting it into Practice”
- Section at the end of each chapter giving a summary of the key concepts covered and lists broader ways that students can begin to apply those concepts throughout their courses.
“Sample Assignments”
- These are given throughout each chapter to help students better understand the goals of their writing and the rhetorical situation of their assignments.
“Sample Student Texts”
- From various fields- demonstrate the concepts discussed and are analyzed to demonstrate their strengths and weaknesses.
“Professional Texts”
- Chapter 7 gives sample professional texts from the sciences, social sciences, and humanities as a final way to bring together all of the concepts of the text together to show how they actually produce a successful essay.
Optional: Pearson Writer (Built for mobile access)
- Writing samples
- Writing, Grammar and Research Guide
- Automatic Writing Review
- Citation Generator
- Research Database
- Project and Task Manager

Strengths

Materiality: Lightweight, and smaller design allows students to carry it without burden. Pages don’t smudge easily with either highlighter or gel pens.
Structure: Key concept definitions in the margins saves students time from flipping to the glossary. Short sections maintain students’ focus with the inclusion of graphs, sample writing, charts, and step by step lists in some cases. Telling students what they will be able to do in the beginning of the chapters is useful for students’ expectations.
Content/Pedagogy: Explains the difference between writing in a composition course and other collegiate writing that students will encounter in their other classes. This is helpful for students to understand what they will be doing in E110 and how it could possibly transfer to other courses. This inclusion of multiple disciplines is helpful for students to see their own majors in this text and see assignments and methods of writing in their chosen field.

Weaknesses

Materiality: Although its size allows it to be carried from home to class, its small structure also means it is much easier to lose or misplace. Pages are also very thin which allows writing to seep through.
Structure: Not much space for marginal writing- students may need post-it notes for annotations
Content/Pedagogy: Offers a rubric for what makes an A, B, C, and F paper and what professors look for in various assignments. This move is prescriptive and dangerous as this does not fit all professors, disciplines, syllabi, or even writing assignments. Also, there is no real inclusion of assignments that would be found in E110.