Cover: Focus on Writing, 5th Edition by Laurie Kirszner; Stephen Mandell

Focus on Writing

Paragraphs and EssaysFifth Edition ©2020 Laurie Kirszner; Stephen Mandell

Focus on Writing offers clear, thorough coverage of college writing, with a chapter design that puts writing first. The Focus on Writing strand in Chapters 2-17 prompts students to write, learn essential concepts as they follow a student model, and apply those concepts to thei...
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ISBN:9781319207397

Cover: Focus on Writing, 5th Edition by Laurie Kirszner; Stephen Mandell

Focus for Success

Focus on Writing offers clear, thorough coverage of college writing, with a chapter design that puts writing first. The Focus on Writing strand in Chapters 2-17 prompts students to write, learn essential concepts as they follow a student model, and apply those concepts to their own writing in a series of manageable steps. The text also empowers students with a unique tool for assessing and revising their work: the easy-to-grasp, easy-to-remember TEST (Topic sentence or Thesis statement, Evidence, Summary statement, and Transitions). A complete three-in-one text, Focus on Writing not only covers the process of writing paragraphs and essays but also includes a grammar guide with exercises and an essay collection. Supplementary online grammar practice through LaunchPad Solo for Readers and Writers rounds out this complete package.

Features

Clear, step-by-step writing instruction. In each chapter, students begin writing immediately by responding to a chapter-opening visual and prompt.  They then develop their ideas into paragraphs and essays with step-by-step instructions that are illustrated by student models in various stages of draft. 

TEST: A unique tool that inspires student confidence and independence. TEST (Topic sentence or Thesis statement, Evidence, Summary statement, and Transitions) helps students identify and learn the key elements of paragraph and essay structure,  so that they can quickly see where their drafts need more work.

Thorough yet accessible grammar coverage. Grammar in Context boxes within Units 1-3  alert students to common problems and editing solutions that are associated with the pattern they are learning. Unit 4, Revising and Editing Your Writing, offers fuller coverage of grammar and usage issues with a wealth of practice and editing exercises.

New to This Edition

Enhanced coverage of the reading process and its relationship to writing.  Chapter 1, Focus on Active Reading, has been thoroughly revised, with additional strategies and examples to help students become active readers.  New Focus on Reading questions accompany the essays in Chapter 37, offering students opportunities to practice previewing, marking up, and annotating each reading. 

Greater attention to preparing students for college writing. A new chapter, Writing with Sources (Chapter 17), guides students through the research process, from choosing a topic to evaluating, integrating, and documenting sources in MLA and APA styles.  Special attention is given to how to avoid plagiarism. 

New readings with updated topics and perspectives for todays students. Among the new readings are essays by Junot Diaz, Trevor Noah, Sherry Turkle, Hanif Willis-Abdurraqib, Jacqueline Woodson, and others on contemporary topics such as driverless cars, gun safety, racial profiling, ocean pollution, and the pros and cons of social media. This edition also includes more examples of argument, exposing students to a pattern that is central to much of academic writing. 
 
New exercises for engaging practice opportunities.  A number of exercises and examples have been replaced to keep the text fresh and lively.

"This text offers everything developmental writers need to review and improve paragraph and basic essay writing. From color-coded paragraph plans, to chapter exercises, clear graphic organizers, a thorough handbook of grammar and mechanics, and thematic professional and student writing, it is the complete package."
--Gina Santoro, Community College of Rhode Island

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Table of Contents

UNIT 1 READING TO WRITE 
1 Focus on Active Reading  
*1a Before You Read
*Textbook excerpt, Time-Management Strategies
*1b As Your Read
*Colin Powell, What American Citizenship Makes Possible 
*1c After You Read 
1d Writing a Response 
Chapter Review

UNIT 2 FOCUS ON WRITING PARAGRAPHS 
2 Writing a Paragraph 
2a Understanding Paragraph Structure 
2b Focusing on Your Assignment, Purpose, and Audience 
2c Finding Ideas to Write About 
2d Identifying Your Main Idea and Writing a Topic Sentence 
2e Choosing Supporting Points 
2f Developing Supporting Points 
2g Making an Outline 
2h Drafting Your Paragraph 
2i TESTing Your Paragraph 
2j Revising Your Paragraph 
2k Editing and Proofreading Your Paragraph
Chapter Review
3 TESTing Your Paragraphs 
3a TESTing for a Topic Sentence 
3b TESTing for Evidence 
3c TESTing for a Summary Statement 
3d TESTing for Transitions 
Chapter Review
4 Exemplification Paragraphs 
4a Understanding Exemplification 
4b Case Study: A Student Writes an Exemplification Paragraph
TESTing an Exemplification Paragraph
5 Narrative Paragraphs 
5a Understanding Narration 
5b Case Study: A Student Writes a Narrative Paragraph 
TESTing a Narrative Paragraph
6 Process Paragraphs 
6a Understanding Process
6b Case Study: A Student Writes a Process Paragraph 
TESTing a Process Paragraph
7 Cause-and-Effect Paragraphs 
7a Understanding Cause and Effect  
7b Case Study: A Student Writes a Cause-and-Effect Paragraph 
TESTing a Cause-and-Effect Paragraph
8 Comparison-and-Contrast Paragraphs 
8a Understanding Comparison and Contrast  
8b Case Study: A Student Writes a Comparison-and-Contrast Paragraph
TESTing a Comparison-and-Contrast Paragraph
9 Descriptive Paragraphs 
9a Understanding Description 
9b Case Study: A Student Writes a Descriptive Paragraph 
TESTing a Descriptive Paragraph
10 Classification Paragraphs 
10a Understanding Classification 
10b Case Study: A Student Writes a Classification Paragraph 
TESTing a Classification Paragraph
11 Definition Paragraphs 
11a Understanding Definition 
11b Case Study: A Student Writes a Definition Paragraph 
TESTing a Definition Paragraph
12 Argument Paragraphs 
12a Understanding Argumen 
12b Case Study: A Student Writes an Argument Paragraph 
TESTing an Argument Paragraph

UNIT 3 FOCUS ON WRITING ESSAYS
13 Writing an Essay 
13a Understanding Essay Structure 
13b Moving from Assignment to Topic 
13c Finding Ideas to Write About 
13d Stating Your Thesis 
13e Choosing Supporting Points 
13f Making an Outline 
13g Drafting Your Essay 
13h TESTing Your Essay 
13i Revising Your Essay 
13j Editing Your Essay 
13k Proofreading Your Essay
Chapter Review
14 Introductions and Conclusions 
14a Writing Introductions 
14b Writing Conclusions 
Chapter Review
15 Patterns of Essay Development: Exemplification, Narration, Process, Cause and Effect, and Comparison and Contrast 
15a Exemplification Essays
Farhad Manjoo, No, I Do Not Want to Pet Your Dog
15b Narrative Essays
*Junot Diaz, Watching Spider-Man in Santo Domingo
15c Process Essays
Russell Baker, Slice of Life
15d Cause-and-Effect Essays
Kathleen E. Bachynski and Daniel S. Goldberg, Facing the Concussion Risks of Youth Football 
15e Comparison-and-Contrast Essays
Michael Martinez, Migrant vs. Refugee: What’s the Difference?
Review Checklist
16 Patterns of Essay Development: Description, Classification, Definition, and Argument
16a Descriptive Essays
*Trevor Noah, Soweto
16b Classification Essays
Amy Tan, Mother Tongue
16c Definition Essays
Judy Brady, I Want a Wife
16d Argument Essays
Ben Carson, Vaccinations Are for the Good of the Nation
Review Checklist
*17 Writing with Sources
17a Finding and Evaluating Information
17b Using Sources in Your Writing
17c Using Sources Ethically
17d MLA Documentation Style
17e APA Documentation Style
Chapter Review

UNIT 4 REVISING AND EDITING YOUR WRITING  
18 Writing Simple Sentences 
18a Identifying Subjects 
18b Identifying Prepositional Phrases  
18c Identifying Verbs  
Chapter Review 
19 Writing Compound Sentences 
19a Using Coordinating Conjunctions  
19b Using Semicolons 
19c Using Transitional Words and Phrases 
Chapter Review 
20 Writing Complex Sentences 
20a Identifying Complex Sentences 
20b Using Subordinating Conjunctions 
20c Using Relative Pronouns 
Chapter Review 
21 Writing Varied Sentences 
21a Varying Sentence Types 
21b Varying Sentence Openings 
21c Combining Sentences 
21d Mixing Long and Short Sentences 
Chapter Review
22 Using Parallelism 
22a Recognizing Parallel Structure 
22b Using Parallel Structure 
Chapter Review
23 Using Words Effectively 
23a Using Specific Words 
23b Using Concise Language 
23c Avoiding Slang 
23d Avoiding Clichés 
23e Using Similes and Metaphors 
23f Avoiding Sexist Language 
23g Commonly Confused Words 
Chapter Review
24 Run-Ons 
24a Recognizing Run-Ons 
24b Correcting Run-Ons
Chapter Review
25 Fragments 
25a Recognizing Fragments 
25b Missing-Subject Fragments 
25c Phrase Fragments 
25d -ing Fragments 
25e Dependent-Clause Fragments 
Chapter Review
26 Subject-Verb Agreement 
26a Understanding Subject-Verb Agreement 
26b Compound Subjects 
26c Be, Have, and Do 
26d Words between Subject and Verb 
26e Collective Noun Subjects 
26f Indefinite Pronoun Subjects 
26g Verbs before Subjects 
Chapter Review
27 Illogical Shifts
27a Shifts in Tense  
27b Shifts in Person  
27c Shifts in Voice  
Chapter Review
28 Misplaced and Dangling Modifiers 
28a Correcting Misplaced Modifiers 
28b Correcting Dangling Modifiers 
Chapter Review
29 Verbs: Past Tense  
29a Regular Verbs 
29b Irregular Verbs 
29c Problem Verbs: Be 
29d Problem Verbs: Can/Could and Will/Would 
Chapter Review
30 Verbs: Past Participles 
30a Regular Past Participles 
30b Irregular Past Participles 
30c The Present Perfect Tense 
30d The Past Perfect Tense 
30e Past Participles as Adjectives
Chapter Review
31 Nouns and Pronouns 
31a Identifying Nouns 
31b Forming Plural Nouns 
31c Identifying Pronouns 
31d Understanding Pronoun-Antecedent Agreement 
31e Identifying Problem Areas with Agreement 
31f Vague and Unnecessary Pronouns 
31g Understanding Pronoun Case 
31h Identifying Problem Areas with Pronoun Case 
31i Identifying Reflexive and Intensive Pronouns 
Chapter Review
32 Adjectives and Adverbs 
32a Identifying Adjectives and Adverbs 
32b Understanding Comparatives and Superlatives 
Chapter Review
33 Grammar and Usage for Multilingual Writers 
33a Subjects in Sentences 
33b Count and Noncount Nouns 
33c Determiners with Count and Noncount Nouns 
33d Articles 
33e Negative Statements and Questions 
33f Verb Tense 
33g Stative Verbs 
33h Gerunds 
33i Choosing Prepositions 
33j Prepositions in Phrasal Verbs 
Chapter Review
34 Using Commas 
34a Commas in a Series 
34b Commas with Introductory Phrases and Transitional Words and Phrases 
34c Commas with Appositives 
34d Commas with Nonrestrictive Clauses 
34e Commas in Dates and Addresses 
34f Unnecessary Commas 
Chapter Review
35 Using Apostrophes 
35a Apostrophes in Contractions 
35b Apostrophes in Possessives 
35c Incorrect Use of Apostrophes 
Chapter Review
36 Understanding Mechanics 
36a Capitalizing Proper Nouns 
36b Punctuating Direct Quotations 
36c Setting Off Titles 
36d Using Semicolons, Colons, Dashes, and Parentheses 
Chapter Review

UNIT 5 READING ESSAYS 
37 Readings for Writers 
Naomi S. Baron, The Case against E-Readers: Why Reading Paper Books Is Better for Your Mind
*John Carlson, Real Solutions for Curtailing Gun Violence
*Olivia Goldhill, Should Driverless Cars Kill Their Own Passengers to Save a Pedestrian?
Tom Hanks, I Owe It All to Community College
*Alex Hern, Don’t Know the Difference between Emoji and Emoticons? Let Me Explain
*Rebecca Johnson, If You Want Women to Move Up, You Have to Accommodate Mothers
Caroline Knapp, How to Have a Dog’s Life
Eileen Pollack, What Really Keeps Women Out of Tech
*Roger Spranz, Make Your Own Waste Pie Chart
*Sherry Turkle, The Flight from Conversation
*Hanif Willis-Abdurraqib, My First Police Stop 
*Jacqueline Woodson, When a Southern Town Broke a Heart

Headshot of Laurie G. Kirszner

Laurie G. Kirszner

During their long collaboration, Laurie Kirszner and Stephen Mandell have written a number of best-selling college texts for Bedford/St. Martins, including Patterns for College Writing, Foundations First, *Writing First*, Focus on Writing, and, most recently, Practical Argument. Laurie Kirszner is a Professor of English, Emeritus at St. Joseph University. She has taught composition, literature, creative writing, and scientific writing, and she has also served as coordinator of a first-year writing program. Stephen Mandell is a Professor of English, Emeritus at Drexel University, where he founded and directed the basic writing program and has taught composition, literature, speech, and technical and business writing.

Headshot of Stephen R. Mandell

Stephen R. Mandell

During their long collaboration, Laurie Kirszner and Stephen Mandell have written a number of best-selling college texts for Bedford/St. Martins, including Patterns for College Writing, Foundations First, *Writing First*, Focus on Writing, and, most recently, Practical Argument. Laurie Kirszner is a Professor of English, Emeritus at St. Joseph University. She has taught composition, literature, creative writing, and scientific writing, and she has also served as coordinator of a first-year writing program. Stephen Mandell is a Professor of English, Emeritus at Drexel University, where he founded and directed the basic writing program and has taught composition, literature, speech, and technical and business writing.

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Instructor Manual for Focus on Writing, 5e