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$a Webster`s New World Student Writing Handbook This book began with an ambitious goal: to meet the writing needs of all saidents. Acknowledging that "students " are not confined to a classroom, the Wia was to develop a reference book that would assist readers in any situation, aademic or personal. It would offer guidance for writing assignments acrosscurriculum, from accounting to zoology. And for personal reference, the book would help with resumes and letters as well as scholarship, college, and applications. The book would include all kinds of writing, creative or techniformal or informal. It would address all problems, no matter whether writneeded to study a model, find a quick definition and example in the Glos, or follow an extended step-by-step explanation from the text. No matter ether students were writing, revising, or proofreading-or only preparing to write-no matter what, the book would meet all of the writers needs. It was, indeed, an ambitious goal. Whether or not the book succeeds, only you, the reader, can ultimately ge. But having worked with students in both high school and college for 1N, twenty-five years, I sincerely believe this book can guide you through rv writing situation you will face. Others agree, including the many teachers students I consulted about the various kinds of writing assignments, in and of the classroom. Here s why we think the book works: The book is a reference work, a guide, a kind of "dictionary " of writing, not -meant for cover-to-cover reading. You can pinpoint needed information with litle reading. The alphabetical arrangement allows you to find quickly the sections which meet your specific needs. Cross-references refer you to related sections if you need additional help. The three parts of the book include: a general discussion of how to plan, write, revise, and proofread, a description of virtually every kind of writing, both academic and personal, quick definitions and brief examples in the Glossary. The Writing section includes the ten common methods for developing any hind of writing. Bold type in the table of contents and page-edge borders within the text of Part II signify those ten special chapters and help you locate them quickly for frequent reference. Step-by-step instructions will help alleviate the fear of facing writing assigtments. The instruction, tell you what to do, how to do it, and how the finished Product should look. The instructions include guidelines and checklists along the way to ease you through the task. Analyzing 58 kinds of writing, the book covers writing for longterm assigments, for all major content areas, test situations, and personal needs, The discussion of each kind of writing examines: o its characteristics,o ih "-pro. "ss for d.eveloping it, including prewriting, writing, revrsing, and proofreading,o sample papers to illustrate the characteristics and process, analyses, of the sample Papers describing their important features, Models for each of six content areas aid writing across the curriculum: o Englisho Social Scienceso Scienceo Businesso Vocational Educationo Mathematics Wherever possible, models for a specific kind of writing deal with the same general topic for all five Content areas.The result illustrate show tailor writing for a specific audience. Parallel topics also further understanding. For instance, using the same novel as the subject to illustrate a book review a literary analysis of a novel synopsis, and book reports for the five disciplines makes clear how one kind of writing differs from the others. The models are practical and readable, dealing with a wide variety of subjects of contemporury iterest. Many have been written by high-school and college students. Teacher in the respective disciplines agreed to the models success The models include writing of all lengths, from single-paragraphs to full length research Papers. Models illustrating the process of revision emphasize the importance of revising for successful writing. Each model is followed by an analysis. Numerous illustrations, examples, notes, hints, and warnings help clarify solutions to common writing problems. Cross-references emphasize the relationships amongthe many facets of writing and help you understand terms or concepts which may otherwise hinder you. Frequent references to word processing, computer searches, and data banks-including a separate chapter on writing with a word processor-ac-knowledge the technical and electronic world in which you work.As a result of its organization, many cross-references, and thorough treatment of each topic, this book should answer any need in any writing situation. I hope you agree. But more importantly, I hope that what you find in these pages will improve your writing-in school, on the job, and in your personal life. When that happens, this book will have met its goal. by:of
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