The Transition to College Writing
Second Edition ©2009
This brief rhetoric introduces the essential reading and writing strategies students need to succeed in courses across the curriculum. Taking the transition from high school to college as his starting point, Hjortshoj speaks directly and honestly to students, offering them practical strategies to sh...
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An academic survival guide for new college writers
An academic survival guide for new college writers
This brief rhetoric introduces the essential reading and writing strategies students need to succeed in courses across the curriculum. Taking the transition from high school to college as his starting point, Hjortshoj speaks directly and honestly to students, offering them practical strategies to shed ineffective habits and move toward a more mature, flexible understanding of how to respond to academic challenges. Distilling information about writing assignments from across the curriculum, Hjortshoj shows students how to decode these assignments and approach them effectively.
The second edition offers more advice on how to meet the difficult challenge of synthesizing and integrating sources, and the text has been streamlined to be a better reference."Hjortshoj unpacks and analyzes extremely difficult aspects of the writing process in a way that’s very accessible. He finds clear ways to illustrate the recursive nature of the writing process."— Glenn H. McKnight, Drake University"When I use this text in my peer tutoring seminar, in which most of the students are juniors and seniors, they always say they wished they had seen this when they were first-year students. It is clear, concise, and to the point."— Caroline L. Eisner, University of Michigan"After having taught freshman seminars for ten years, I had given up on finding a first-year seminar text that effectively addressed the key elements that prevent many students from achieving their academic goals. But The Transition to College Writing presents information that clearly characterizes the challenges students face as they make the adjustment to university-level coursework."— Mary F. Engel, The University of Scranton"It engages some of the most vexing and perplexing issues in grammar, composition, and pedagogy yet neither oversimplifies nor confuses. Students should find it both useful and refreshing, especially in conjunction with sound classroom instruction."— Mark Meritt, University of San Francisco
Table of Contents
Preface 1. Orientation Are You Prepared for College? Eduardo and Marie Mythical Colleges, Mythical High Schools Some Basic Differences between High School and College Take Charge of Your Own Transition to College, as Active Learners Guidelines 2. Language and Learning The Vital Connections between Language and Learning Consider Note Taking Forms and Functions of a College Writing Class Guidelines 3. Reading: How to Stay on Top of It Amanda’s Question Becoming a Predatory Reader Reading and Memory Ways of Reading Passive, Linear Reading
Reading with Two Minds
Highlighting
Notes, Outlines, and Summaries
Hard Reading
Some Other Ways of Reading
Reference
Selective Reading
Analytical Scanning
Close Reading
Overcoming Resistance to Strategic Reading Guidelines 4. How Good Writing Gets Written Patterns of Discontent Process and Product Prewriting or Planning
Composing
Revising or Rewriting
Editing or Proofreading
Release
The Choices Student Writers Make Cost/Benefit Analysis Alternatives Guidelines 5. Rules and Errors What are the Correct Rules for Writing? Two Kinds of Rules and Knowledge Proofreading by Ear False Rules How to Use a Handbook A Note to Nonnative Speakers of English What You Can (and Can’t) Expect from Teachers
Special Resources for Nonnative Speakers of English
Guidelines 6. Footstools and Furniture: Variations of Form and Flow in College Writing What’s Wrong with the Footstool Essay? What Remains True of Good Writing Workshop Figuring Out What Assignments Are Asking You to Do Structuring Comparisons and Arguments Organizational Options for Comparison
The Academic Meanings of Argument
The Form and Flow of a Scientific Report The Form of a Scientific Report
Narrative Flow through Categorical Sections
The Broader Uses of Scientific Narration
Variations and Preferences
A Brief Summary Guidelines 7. Writing in Reference to Others A Bubble of Solitude, Abuzz with Conversation The Familiar Principles of Referring to Others Misconceptions of Reference and Documentation Integrating References: the Importance of Voice Why and How We Use Documentation Systems Why Doesn’t Everyone Use the Same System?
When Should You Use a Documentation Format?
Which Format Should You Use?
MLA Format
APA Format
CMS Format
Where Can You Find These Formats?
How and When to Cite Electronic Sources Guidelines 8. Research Papers What Is a Research Paper? The Standard Method (and Why It Rarely Works) Revising and Adapting Your Strategies Choose a Topic
Locate Sources of Information on the Topic
Read Sources and Take Notes
Construct an Outline
Write the Paper, Incorporating Source Material
Document References and Add a Bibliography
Check for Errors and Typos, and Turn It In
Theft, Fraud, and the Loss of Voice Theft and Fraud
Unauthorized Assistance and Collaboration
Lazy Citation and Paraphrase
Loss of Voice
Guidelines Conclusion: The Whole Point of Writing Works Cited Index Authors
Keith Hjortshoj
Keith Hjortshoj (Cornell University) is the Director of Writing in the Majors in the Knight Institute for Writing in the Disciplines at Cornell University. He is also a senior lecturer in the Writing Workshop, which offers courses and services for students who encounter difficulty with writing and reading, especially in the first year of college. He has worked extensively with faculty development and teacher training across the curriculum. Currently, Hjortshoj is developing courses, workshops, and a book on writing for graduate students.
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