Note: Chapters 2-22 include a Chapter Review. Each chapter in Parts II and III also includes a Topic Bank and Writing Opportunities.

1. The Importance of Writing
Avoiding the Two Major Problems of Poor Writing
Writing as a Life Skill

2. Elements of Good Writing
Good Writing: Four Misconceptions
Good Writing Doesn't Have to Be Complicated
Good Writing Doesn't Have to Be Long
Good Writing Is More Formal Than Talking
Good Writing Needs Proper Punctuation
The Computer, Writing, and You

I. Writing Effective Sentences
3. The Simple Sentence and the Independent Clause
The Subject
Subjects and Prepositional Phrases
The Verb
Verb Tense (Time)
Compound Subjects
Compound Verbs
Correcting Sentence Fragments

4. Linking Independent Clauses Using the Comma and Coordinators
Coordinating Conjunctions
Correcting Run-on and Comma Splice Sentences

5. Combining Independent Clauses Using the Semicolon

6. Combining Independent Clauses Using the Adverbial Conjunction

7. Adding a List
Punctuating and Placing the List
Parallelism in a Series

8. Adding a Colon for Variety

9. The Dependent Clause
Independent versus Dependent Clauses
Punctuating Dependent Clauses

10. The Introductory Phrase
Introductory Phrase Variety

11. Starting a Sentence with an Introductory Word
Punctuating the Introductory Word

When to Use Introductory Words
12. Adding Interrupters to the Sentence

II. Writing Effective Paragraphs
Prewriting Activities

13. The Paragraph
The Topic Sentence
Support Sentences
Creating the Working Outline of a Paragraph
Writing the First Draft
Revising the First Draft
Proofreading: The Final Step

14. Description
Types of Description
Dominant Impressions
Sensory Images
Comparisons
A Ten-Step Process for Writing the Descriptive Paragraph

15. Narration
The Point of the Story
Developing the Narrative Paragraph
Model Narrative Paragraphs
Transitional Expressions: Showing Time Sequence

16. Using Examples
The Topic Sentence
Transitional Expressions: Introducing Examples
Using One Extended Example

17. Classification
Breaking Down a Topic
The Topic Sentence
Transitional Expressions: Linking Your Classifications

18. Process
Types of Process
Organizing the Process Paragraph
Transitional Expressions: Connecting the Steps
The Topic Sentence

19. Comparison and Contrast
Deciding to Compare or Contrast
The Topic Sentence
Organizing Comparisons and Contrasts
Transitional Expressions: Connecting Your Comparisons and Contrasts

20. Definition
Simple Definitions
Extended Definition
The Topic Sentence of an Extended Definition

21. Persuasion (Including Cause and Effect)
Building the Persuasive Paragraph
The Pro/Con List
Support in Persuasion Paragraphs
Organization Patterns
Transitional Expressions for Persuasion
Persuasive Logic: Cause and Effect Reasoning
Transitional Expressions for Cause/Effect Writing
The Topic Sentence in a Cause/Effect Paragraph

III. Writing Effective Essays
22. The Essay
The Five-Paragraph Essay
The Introductory Paragraph
The Thesis Sentence
Putting It All Together
Introductory Sentences
The Body Paragraphs
The Concluding Paragraph
Sample Student Essay

The Writer's Resources
Grammar
Nouns
Pronouns
Verbs
Adjectives
Adverbs
Conjunctions
Interjetinos
Clauses and Phrases
Types of Sentences
Additional Practice with Sentences
Preposition Combinations
Articles
Capitalization and Numbers
Capitalization
Numbers
Additional Punctuation Rules
The Apostroph
Quotation Marks
Parentheses
Brackets
The Dash
The Hyphen
Underlining or Italics
Interrupters: Restricive and Nonrestrictive Clauses and Phrases (Modifiers)
Words and Meanings
Commonly Misspelled Words
Words That Sound Alike
Contractions That Sound Like Other Words
Words That Sound or Look Almost Alike
Confusing Verbs That Sound Alike: Lie/Lay; Rise/Raise; Sit/Set
Two- and Three-Word Verb Phrases

Readings
Description
The Mute Sense, Diane Ackerman
The Ice Cream Truck, Luis J. Rodriguez
Halloween Havoc, Erin Nelson (Student)

Narration
The Roommate's Death, Jan Harold Brunvand
The Eye of the Beholder, Grace Suh
Shattered Sanctuary, Stephanie K. Higgs (Student)

Example
Extremely Cool, A. J. Jacobs
The Culture of Violence, Myriam Miedzian
Virtual Violence, Nate Kistner (Student)

Classification
Why We Carp and Harp, Mary Ann Hogan
The Plot Against People, Russell Baker
Michelangelo Madness, Martin Brink (Student)

Process
Conversational Ballgames, Nancy Masterson Sakamoto
Strive to Be Fit, Not Fanatical, Timothy Gower
How to Become a Successful Student, Aaron Breite (Student)

Comparison and Contrast
Grant and Lee: A Study in Contrasts, Bruce Catton
Hasta la Vista, Arnold, Margaret Talbot
The Family Sedan Versus Dad's Sports Car, Yvonne Olson (Student)

Definition
Discrimination Is a Virtue, Robert Keith Miller
The Handicap of Definition, William Raspberry
What Is Success? Hannah Glascock (Student)

Persuasion
The Recoloring of Campus Life, Shelby Steele
Indistinguishable from Magic, Robert L. Forward
Unconditional Support, Beth Glenn (Student)
The Family Collective, Denise Hillis (Student)