Search by

Table of Contents

New
Touchstones

A Guided Approach to Writing Paragraphs and Essays

First Edition ©2013

ISBN-10: 0-312-61222-2
ISBN-13: 978-0-312-61222-1
Paper Text, 816 pages

See available formats »


Authors

Preface for Instructors

Readings by Patterns of Development

Introduction for Students

TOUCHSTONE 1: Writing for College: Academic Paragraphs and Essays

Chapter 1: Seeing the Big Picture: Understanding Paragraphs, Essays, Purpose and Audience

What Do You Know?

Understanding Academic Paragraphs and Essays

Understanding Your Purpose

Understanding Your Audience

Bringing it All Together

Journal Prompt

Chapter 2: Getting Your Ideas Down

What Do You Know?

Evaluating Your Learning Style

Recognizing Brainstorming Methods

Bringing it All Together

Journal Prompt

Chapter 3: Developing a Topic

What Do You Know?

Understanding Broad, Limited and Narrow Topics

Narrowing a Topic

Generating Ideas for Your Topic

Bringing it All Together

Journal Prompt

Chapter 4: Organizing Your Idea

What Do You Know?

Organizing Basics

Bringing it All Together

Journal Prompt

Chapter 5: Outlining Your Paragraph

What Do You Know?

Outlining Basics

Solving Problems in Paragraph Outlines

Bringing it All Together

Journal Prompt

Chapter 6: Composing Your Paragraph

What Do You Know?

Moving From Outline to Paragraph: An Opening Example

Writing an Effective Topic Sentence

Avoiding Problems in the Topic Sentence

Grabbing Your Reader’s Attention with the Topic Sentence

Writing the First Support Point

Writing the Related Examples

Completing the Paragraph

Case Study: Writing a Successful Academic Paragraph

Bringing it All Together

Journal Prompt

Chapter 7: Revising

What Do You Know?

Understanding the Revision Process

Revising for Unity

Proofreading for Grammar, Mechanics, and Word Choice

Some Helpful Proofreading Strategies

Using Peer Review as a Revision Strategy

Bringing it All Together

Journal Prompt

     Case Study: A Successful Academic Paragraph

Chapter 8: Moving from Paragraphs to Essays

What Do You Know?

Understanding the Difference between Academic Paragraphs and Essays

Moving from Paragraphs to Essays: Two Methods

Outlining Your Essay

Bringing it All TogetherJournal Prompt

Chapter 9: Composing and Revising Your Essay

What Do You Know?

Composing an Academic Essay

Completing Your Essay

Revising and Editing Your Essay

Case Study: Writing a Successful Academic Essay

Bringing it All Together

Journal Prompt

     Case Study: A Successful Academic Essay

TOUCHSTONE 2: Expanding Your Academic Writing

Chapter 10: Using Language Effectively

What Do You Know?

Recognizing Imprecise and Unclear Language

Eliminating Clichés from Your Writing

Adding Powerful Details

Bringing it All Together

Journal Prompt

Chapter 11: Basic Writing Patterns

What Do You Know?

Introduction to the Patterns of Development

Understanding Description

Understanding Narration

Understanding Exemplification

Understanding Process

Understanding Definition

Bringing it All Together

Journal Prompt

Chapter 12: Advanced Writing Patterns

What Do You Know?

Understanding Cause and Effect

Understanding Comparison and Contrast

Understanding Argument

Mixing the Patterns

Bringing it All Together

Journal Prompt

Chapter 13: Paraphrase and Summary

What Do You Know?

Writing a Paraphrase

Writing a Summary

Bringing it All Together

Journal Prompt

Chapter 14: Using Research in Your Writing

What Do You Know?

Using Research in Your Writing

Incorporating Sources

Writing the Research Essay

Bringing it All

Journal Prompt

TOUCHSTONE 3: Grammar for Academic Writing

Chapter 15: The Building Blocks of Language

What Do You Know?

How we Construct Language

Foundation Words: Nouns

Foundation Words: Verbs

Descriptive Words: Adjectives and Adverbs

Connecting Words: Prepositions and Conjunctions

Bringing it All Together

Chapter 16: The Simple Sentence

What Do You Know?

Build It: The Simple Sentence

Fix It: Missing Subject and Incomplete Verbs Fragments

Bringing it All Together

Chapter 17: The Compound Sentence

BUILD IT: The Compound Sentence

FIX IT: Run-ons and Comma Splices

Bringing it All Together

Chapter 18: The Complex Sentence

What Do You Know?

BUILD IT: The Complex Sentence (with dependent clauses)

FIX IT: Subordinate Clause Fragments

Bringing it All Together

Chapter 19: More Complex Sentences

What Do You Know?

BUILD IT: More Complex Sentences (with relative clauses)

FIX IT: Relative Clause FragmentsBringing it All Together

Chapter 20: Sentences with Modifiers

What Do You Know?

BUILD IT: Sentences with Modifiers

FIX IT: Misplaced and Dangling Modifiers

Bringing it All Together

Chapter 21: The Complex-Compound Sentence

What Do You Know?

BUILD IT: Complex-Compound Sentences

BUILD IT: Sentence Variety

FIX IT: Punctuation Errors in Complex-Compound Sentences

Bringing it All Together

Chapter 22: Creating Parallel Sentences

What Do You Know?

BUILD IT: Parallel Sentences

FIX IT: Faulty Parallelism

Bringing it All Together

Chapter 23: Using Verbs Correctly

What Do You Know?

BUILD IT: Sentences with Correct Verbs

BUILD IT: Basic Verb Usage: Present and Past Tense

FIX IT: Common Verb Problems

Bringing it All Together

Chapter 24: Using Pronouns Correctly

What Do You Know?

BUILD IT: Pronoun Usage

FIX IT: Common Pronoun Problems

Bringing It All Together

TOUCHSTONE 4: Reading for Academic Writing

Chapter 25: Introduction to Critical Reading

What Do You Know?

Developing Readers

Recreational vs. Critical Reading

Bringing it All Together

Chapter 26: On Family Heritage

Sherman Alexie, Blankets

Gary Soto, Like Mexicans

Chapter 27: On Looking Out for One Another

Eve Birch, The Art of Being a Neighbor

Howard White, The Power of Hello

Chapter 28: On Rich and Poor

Michael Lewis, Wading toward Home

George Saunders, The New Mecca
               
Chapter 29: On Education

Daphne Koller, Death Knell for the Lecture: Technology as a Passport to Personalized Education

Robert Lake, An Indian Father’s Plea

Chapter 30: On Responding to Violence

Michael Hall, Running for His Life

Courtney Moreno, GSW

Chapter 31: On Technology

Mona Eltahawy, Twitterholics Anonymous

Nancy Nevins, The Cell Fish Blues

Chapter 32: On Being from Elsewhere

Edwidge Danticat, Uncle Moïse

Maria Andreu, This (Illegal) American Life

Chapter 33: On Music

Joyce Zonana, Dream Homes

Michaela Angela Davis, Quitting Hip-Hop

APPENDICES

Appendix A: Guidelines for ESL Writers

Count and Noncount Nouns and Articles

Verbs

Prepositions

Order of Adjectives

Other Guidelines

Appendix B: More on Adverbs and Adjectives

Appendix C: Capitalization and Punctuation

Acknowledgements

Index

*Reference Material

Quick Guide: Run Ons

Quick Guide: Fragments

Quick Guide: Sentence Types

Quick Guide: Noun-Verb Agreement

Correction Symbols

Helpful Lists, Charts, and Visuals

 

*new to this edition

INSTRUCTOR:

View package options »Pricing

Our Retail Price to students: $78.95
Wholesale price to bookstores: $64.00

STUDENT PRICE: $78.95



 
Enjoy free shipping on orders over $40

Enter coupon code FREESHIP13 at checkout for free ground shipping on orders over $40. Offer applies to orders placed on this site only. 

 
  • 2012_ebookstogo_Top

  •