Cultivation I: College Writers Developing the Voice Within

Preface

1 Introduction to College Writing 
1.1 Good Writers Are Made, Not Born 
Common Misconceptions About Writing 
Myth #1: I’m Not Good at It 
Myth #2: Writing Is Easy for Some People but Difficult for Me 
Myth #3: Writing Is Not Fun 
Myth #4: Writing Is Not Important 
Becoming a Good Writer 
Master Writing Tasks 
Practice Writing 

1.2 Common Elements in All Writing 
The Writing Situation and Context 
The Writing Situation 
Considering Context 
Rhetoric 
Appeals to the Reader 
Persuasion 
Formal Versus Informal Language and the Standard College Essay 
Formal and Informal Writing and the Personal Essay 
Code Switching 

1.3 Tools of the Trade 
General Writing Resources 
Ashford University Writing Resources 
Ashford University Library 
Ashford Writing Center 
Teaching Assistants/Writing Coaches
Chapter Summary 
Key Terms

2 College Reading 
2.1 Reading to Write and Learn 
Reading Misconceptions 
Reading to Write 
Reading to Learn

2.2 Strategies for Active Reading 
Annotating and Note Taking 
Journaling and Reflection 
Survey, Question, Read, Recite, and Review 
Survey 
Question 
Read 
Recite 
Review 
Reading Visuals 

2.3 Reading for Academic Success 
Reading for Key Words and Action Verbs 
Understanding Discussion Questions and Written Assignments 
Discussion Questions and Posts 
Reading and Understanding Assignments 
Assignment Grading 

2.4 Critical Reading: Putting It Into Practice 
Critical Reading Exercise: Ralph Waldo Emerson 
Critical Reading Exercise: Sophocles 
Chapter Summary 
Key Terms

3 College Writing 
3.1 The Purpose and Types of College Writing 
The Purpose of College Writing 
Types of College Writing 

3.2 Personal Writing 
Recognizing a Personal Writing Assignment 
Characteristics of Personal Writing 

3.3 Expository Writing 
Recognizing an Expository Writing Assignment 
Types and Characteristics of Expository Writing 
Discussion Questions and Posts 
Written Assignments 

3.4 Persuasive and Argumentative Writing 
Recognizing Persuasive and Argumentative Writing Assignments 
Characteristics of Persuasive Writing 
Characteristics of Argumentative Writing 

3.5 Writing Research Papers 
Recognizing Research Paper Assignments 
Characteristics of Research Papers

3.6 Writing Combination Papers 
Recognizing Combination Paper Assignments 
Characteristics of Combination Papers 

3.7 The Writer’s Voice 
Understanding Tone and Voice 
Identifying Appropriate Tone and Voice 
Developing the Writer’s Voice 
Be Yourself 
Be an Ethical Writer 
Spend More Time Revising Than Writing 
Voice and Types of College Writing
Chapter Summary 
Exercise: Identifying an Essay 
Key Terms 

4 Selecting a Topic and Prewriting 
4.1 Selecting a Subject 
Understand the Assignment 
Consider the Audience 
Start With Yourself and What You Know

4.2 Developing the Topic 
Narrowing the Topic 
Developing a Focus 

4.3 Generating Ideas 
Journaling 
Brainstorming 
Free-Writing 
Tree Charts 
Ask the “Five Ws and an H” Questions 

4.4 Organizing Ideas 
Mind Mapping 
Outlining 
Scratch Outlines 
Formal Outlines 
Reverse Outlining 

4.5 Prewriting: Putting It All Together 
Chapter Summary 
Key Terms

5 Structuring and Developing a Paper 
5.1 The Introduction 
Capture the Reader’s Attention 
Reveal the Paper’s Purpose and the Topic 
Crafting the Thesis Statement 
The Controlling Idea 
Elements of a Strong Thesis 
Preview the Main Points of the Paper 
Setting Reader Expectations

52 The Body of the Paper 
Crafting Topic Sentences 
Supplying Supporting Detail 
Paragraph Cohesion and Transitions 
Approximate Body Paragraph Balance 
Body Paragraph Organization 

5.3 The Conclusion 
Signal the Conclusion of the Paper 
Summarize Main Points 
End on a Strong Note 

5.4 Structure Across Paper Types 
Structure and the Narrative Essay 
Structure and the Expository Essay 
Structure and the Argument Essay 
Structure and the Research Paper 
Chapter Summary 
Key Terms 

6 Personal Writing 
6.1 What Is Personal Writing? 
The Purpose of Personal Writing
Recognizing Personal Writing Assignments 
When It Is Not Personal 
Opinion Papers 
Reflective Papers 
Response Papers 
Creative Writing Assignments 
Combination Papers 

6.2 Personal Writing Conventions 
Tone and Language 
Point of View 
Structure and Supporting Ideas 

6.3 Narrative Writing Pattern 
The Purpose of Narrative 
Consider the Audience 
Develop the Thesis 
Develop the Plot 
Anticipate and Answer Possible Reader Questions 
Use Language and Dialogue Effectively 
Concrete Language 
Effective Dialogue 
Maintain Clear Narrative Order 

6.4 Descriptive Writing Pattern 
The Purpose of Description 
Use Specific Language 
Select Specific Details 
Use Descriptive Language 
Compare the Unfamiliar to the Familiar 
Chapter Summary 
Key Terms 

7 Exposition 
7.1 Understanding Expository Writing 
Tone and Language
Point of View 
Structure and Supporting Ideas 
Thesis Statement 
Paragraph Organization and Transitions 
Supporting Details 

7.2 Conventions of Expository Writing 
Definition 
Classification 
Description 

7.3 Informative Writing 
The Purpose of Informative Writing 
Understanding Informative Writing 
Structure of Informative Papers 

7.4 Comparison and Contrast Writing 
The Purpose of Comparison-and-Contrast Writing 
Understanding Comparison-and-Contrast Writing 
Find Commonalities and Differences 
Structure of Comparison-and-Contrast Papers 
Select an Organizational Arrangement 
Make the Comparison or Contrast Apparent to Readers 

7.5 Cause-and-Effect Writing 
The Purpose of Cause-and-Effect Writing 
Understanding Cause-and-Effect Writing 
Causal Analysis 
Forms of Cause-and-Effect Relationships 
Structure of Cause-and-Effect Papers 

7.6 Analytical Writing 
The Purpose of Analytical Writing 
Understanding Analytical Writing 
Structure of Analytical Papers 
Chapter Summary 
Key Terms

8 Revising, Editing, and Proofreading 
8.1 The First Draft 
Getting Content Down on Paper 
Planning for Revision and the Thesis Statement 

8.2 Revising 
Revising With Feedback 
Revising Specific Components of the Essay 
Is the Paper Focused? 
Is the Paper Well Structured and Well Organized? 
Is the Paper Complete? 
Is the Paper Coherent? 

8.3 Editing 
Style and Language 
Tone and Voice 
Denotations and Connotations 
Trigger Words 
Synonyms 
Clarity and Conciseness 

8.4 Proofreading 
Proofreading Strategies 
Microsoft Word® Tools 
References and Formatting 

8.5 The Final Draft 
Chapter Summary 
Key Terms

9 Revision...Or Something Else 
9.1 Methods for Revising 
Method 1: Reverse Outlining 
Method 2: Reading Imperatively 
Method 3: Writing Letters 
Method 4: Providing Support for Assertions 

10 That Something Else: Reframing 

Glossary 

References