Rules for Writers is a college writer's companion that covers writing, grammar, research, and documentation in an extremely affordable and portable spiral-bound format. From the best-selling family of handbooks, Rules has consistently been the best value for college writers. Now it's even more so. The Seventh Edition actually teaches students how to make better use of their handbook. With new material about how to integrate the handbook into lessons and class activities, Rules for Writers is an even more useful tool for instructors.
Table of Contents
The Writing Process
1 Explore and plan.
a Assess the writing situation.
b Explore your subject.
c Draft a working thesis.
d Sketch a plan.
2 Draft the paper.
a Draft an introduction that includes a
thesis.
b Draft the body.
c Draft a conclusion.
3 Make global revisions; then revise sentences.
a Make global revisions: Think Big.
b Revise and edit sentences.
c Proofread the manuscript.
d Use software tools wisely.
e Manage your files.
STUDENT ESSAY
4 Build effective paragraphs.
a Focus on a main point.
b Develop the main point.
c Choose a suitable pattern of organization.
d Make paragraphs coherent.
e Adjust paragraph length.
Academic Writing
5 Writing about texts
a Read actively: Annotate the text.
SAMPLE ANNOTATED ARTICLE
SAMPLE ANNOTATED ADVERTISEMENT
b Sketch an outline.
c Summarize to demonstrate understanding.
d Analyze to demonstrate critical thinking.
e Sample student essay: Analysis of an article
SAMPLE ANALYSIS PAPER
6 Constructing reasonable arguments
a Examine your issue�s social and intellectual
contexts.
b View your audience as a panel of jurors.
c Establish credibility and state your position.
d Back up your thesis with persuasive lines of argument.
e Support your claims with specific evidence.
f Anticipate objections; counter opposing arguments.
g Build common ground.
SAMPLE ARGUMENT PAPER
7 Evaluating arguments
a Distinguish between reasonable and fallacious argumentative tactics.
b Distinguish between legitimate and unfair emotional appeals.
c Judge how fairly a writer handles opposing views.
Clarity
8 Prefer active verbs.
a Active versus passive verbs
b Active versus be verbs
c Subject that names the actor
9 Balance parallel ideas.
a Parallel ideas in a series
b Parallel ideas presented as pairs
c Repetition of function words
10 Add needed words.
a In compound structures
b that
c In comparisons
d a, an, and the
11 Untangle mixed constructions.
a Mixed grammar
b Illogical connections
c is when, is where, and reason . . . is because
12 Repair misplaced and dangling modifiers.
a Limiting modifiers
b Misplaced phrases and clauses
c Awkwardly placed modifiers
d Split infinitives
e Dangling modifiers
13 Eliminate distracting shifts.
a Point of view (person, number)
b Verb tense
c Verb mood, voice
d Indirect to direct questions or quotations
14 Emphasize key ideas.
a Coordination and subordination
b Choppy sentences
c Ineffective or excessive coordination
d Ineffective subordination
e Excessive subordination
f Other techniques
15 Provide some variety.
a Sentence openings
b Sentence structures
c Inverted order
16 Tighten wordy sentences.
a Redundancies
b Unnecessary repetition
c Empty or inflated phrases
d Simplifying the structure
e Reducing clauses to phrases, phrases to single
words
17 Choose appropriate language.
a Jargon
b Pretentious language, euphemisms,
�doublespeak�
c Slang, regional expressions, nonstandard
English
d Levels of formality
e Sexist language
f Offensive language
18 Find the exact words.
a Connotations
b Specific, concrete nouns
c Misused words
d Standard idioms
e Clich�s
f Figures of speech
Grammar
19 Repair sentence fragments.
a Subordinate clauses
b Phrases
c Other fragmented word groups
d Acceptable fragments
20 Revise run-on sentences.
a Correction with coordinating conjunction
b Correction with semicolon, colon, or dash
c Correction by separating sentences
d Correction by restructuring
21 Make subjects and verbs agree.
a Standard subject-verb combinations
b Words between subject and verb
c Subjects joined with and
d Subjects joined with or, nor, either . . . or,
or neither . . . nor
e Indefinite pronouns
f Collective nouns
g Subject following verb
h Subject, not subject complement
i who, which, and that
j Words with plural form, singular meaning
k Titles of works, company names, words
mentioned as words, gerund phrases
22 Make pronouns and antecedents agree.
a Singular with singular, plural with plural
(indefinite pronouns, generic nouns)
b Collective nouns
c Antecedents joined with and
d Antecedents joined with or, nor, either . . . or,
or neither . . . nor
23 Make pronoun references clear.
a Ambiguous or remote reference
b Broad reference of this, that, which, and it
c Implied antecedents
d Indefinite use of they, it, and you
e who for persons, which or that for things
24 Distinguish between pronouns such as I and me.
a Subjective case for subjects and subject
complements
b Objective case for objects
c Appositives
d Pronoun following than or as
e we or us before a noun
f Subjects and objects of infinitives
g Pronoun modifying a gerund
25 Distinguish between who and whom.
a In subordinate clauses
b In questions
c As subjects or objects of infinitives
26 Choose adjectives and adverbs with care.
a Adjectives to modify nouns
b Adverbs to modify verbs, adjectives,
and other adverbs
c good and well, bad and badly
d Comparatives and superlatives
e Double negatives
27 Choose appropriate verb forms, tenses, and
moods in standard English.
a Irregular verbs
b lie and lay
c -s (or -es) endings
d -ed endings
e Omitted verbs
f Verb tense
g Subjunctive mood
Multilingual Writers and ESL Challenges
28 Verbs
a Appropriate form and tense
b Passive voice
c Base form after a modal
d Negative verb forms
e Verbs in conditional sentences
f Verbs followed by gerunds or infinitives
29 Articles
a Articles and other noun markers
b When to use the
c When to use a or an
d When not to use a or an
e No articles with general nouns
f Articles with proper nouns
30 Sentence structure
a Linking verb between a subject and its
complement
b A subject in every sentence
c Repeated nouns or pronouns with the same
grammatical function
d Repeated objects, adverbs in adjective
clauses
e Mixed constructions with although
or because
f Placement of adverbs
g Present participles and past participles
h Order of cumulative adjectives
31 Prepositions and idiomatic expressions
a Prepositions showing time and place
b Noun (including -ing form) after a
preposition
c Common adjective + preposition
combinations
d Common verb + preposition combinations
Punctuation
32 The comma
a Independent clauses joined with and, but, etc.
b Introductory elements
c Items in a series
d Coordinate adjectives
e Nonrestrictive elements
f Transitions, parenthetical expressions, absolute phrases, contrasts
g Direct address, yes and no, interrogative tags, interjections
h he said, etc.
i Dates, addresses, titles, numbers
j To prevent confusion
33 Unnecessary commas
a Between compound elements that are not independent clauses
b Between a verb and its subject or object
c Before the first or after the last item in a series
d Between cumulative adjectives, an adjective and a noun, or an adverb and an adjective
e Before and after restrictive or mildly parenthetical elements
f Before essential concluding adverbial elements
g After a phrase beginning an inverted sentence
h Other misuses
34 The semicolon
a Between independent clauses not joined with a coordinating conjunction
b Between independent clauses linked with a transitional expression
c In a series containing internal punctuation
d Misuses
35 The colon
a Before a list, an appositive, or a quotation
b Between independent clauses
c Conventional uses
d Misuses
36 The apostrophe
a Possessive nouns
b Possessive indefinite pronouns
c Contractions
d Not for plural numbers, letters, abbreviations, words mentioned as words
e Misuses
37 Quotation marks
a Direct quotations
b Quotation within a quotation
c Titles of short works
d Words as words
e With other punctuation marks
f Misuses
38 End punctuation
a The period
b The question mark
c The exclamation point
39 Other punctuation
a The dash
b Parentheses
c Brackets
d The ellipsis mark
e The slash
Mechanics
40 Abbreviations
a Titles with proper names
b Familiar abbreviations
c Conventional abbreviations
d Latin abbreviations
e Inappropriate abbreviations
41 Numbers
a Spelling out
b Using numerals
42 Italics
a Title of works
b Names of ships, spacecraft, and aircraft
c Foreign words
d Words as words, letters as letters, numbers as numbers
43 Spelling
a Spelling rules
b The dictionary
c Words that sound alike
d Commonly misspelled words
44 The hyphen
a Compound words
b Hyphenated adjectives
c Fractions and compound numbers
d With certain prefixes and suffixes
e To avoid ambiguity or to separate awkward double or triple letters
f Division of words and electronic addresses
45 Capitalization
a Proper vs. common nouns
b Titles with proper names
c Titles and subtitles of works
d First word of a sentence
e First word of a quoted sentence
f First word after a colon
g Abbreviations
Grammar Basics
46 Parts of speech
a Nouns
b Pronouns
c Verbs
d Adjectives
e Adverbs
f Prepositions
g Conjunctions
h Interjections
47 Sentence patterns
a Subjects
b Verbs, objects, and complements
c Pattern variations
48 Subordinate word groups
a Prepositional phrases
b Verbal phrases
c Appositive phrases
d Absolute phrases
e Subordinate clauses
49 Sentence types
a Sentence structures
b Sentence purposes
Document Design
50 Principles of document design
a Selecting appropriate format options
b Using headings to guide readers
c Using lists to guide readers
d Adding visuals that support your purpose
51 Academic formatting
52 Business formatting
a Using established conventions for business letters
b Writing effective resumes and cover letters
c Writing clear and concise memos
d Writing effective e-mail messages
Research
53 Conducting research
a Posing questions worth exploring
b Mapping out a search strategy
c Searching a database or consulting a print index to locate articles
d Consulting the library�s catalog to locate books
e Using a variety of online tools to locate other sources
f Using other search tools
g Conducting field research
54 Evaluating sources
a Determining how a source might contribute to your writing
b Selecting sources worth your time and attention
c Selecting appropriate versions of online sources
d Reading with an open mind and a critical eye
e Assessing Web sources with special care
55 Managing information; avoiding plagiarism
a Maintaining a working bibliography
b Keeping track of source materials
c Avoiding unintentional plagiarism
Writing papers in MLA style
56 Supporting a thesis
a Forming a working thesis
b Organizing ideas with a rough outline
c Using sources to inform and support your argument
57 Citing sources; avoiding plagiarism
a Citing quotations and borrowed ideas
b Enclosing borrowed language in quotation marks
c Putting summaries and paraphrases in your own words
58 Integrating sources
a Using quotations appropriately
b Using signal phrases to integrate sources
c Synthesizing sources
59 Documenting sources in MLA style
a MLA in-text citations
b MLA list of works cited
c MLA information notes (optional)
60 MLA manuscript format; student research process and sample paper
a MLA manuscript format
b Highlights of one student�s research process
c Sample MLA research paper
Writing papers in APA style
61 Supporting a thesis
a Forming a working thesis
b Organizing ideas
c Using sources to inform and support your argument
62 Citing sources; avoiding plagiarism
a Citing quotations and borrowed ideas
b Enclosing borrowed language in quotation marks
c Putting summaries and paraphrases in your own words
63 Integrating sources
a Using quotations appropriately
b Using signal phrases to integrate sources
c Synthesizing sources
64 Documenting sources in APA style
a APA in-text citations
b APA list of works cited
65 APA manuscript format; sample paper
a APA manuscript format
b Sample MLA research paper
