Course Match

A Brief Handbook: Conventions and Expectations for Writing, 2/e

BASIC APPROACH

(Note: This textbook was published by our college division for use by students at post-secondary institutions whose writing skills are below the level needed to succeed in college English. Please review this text carefully to ensure appropriateness of content for your students.)

A basic skills handbook for the developmental writing course, A Brief Handbook: Conventions and Expectations for Writing, presents grammar, usage, and essay characteristics as conventions that facilitate communication.

The logic—and occasional illogic—behind the grammar and usage principles is presented, along with common departures from convention and the contexts within which the departures are acceptable. A Brief Handbook goes beyond the traditional handbook to explain the WHY behind the rules, and in that way it engages students and helps them commit to learning the ways of experienced writers.

This handbook is particularly appealing to developmental students because of its supportive tone, accessible language, and clear explanations. Innovative apparatus helps students understand the role of writing conventions and conventions in general beyond the writing class. A generous number of activities give students abundant writing opportunities.

FEATURES

• Introduction: The Why and The Way—Designed to capture students' attention, the introduction offers students ten ways they can become better writers and ten reasons to do so. This chapter motivates students to use the handbook as a resource in their writing.
• "The Expectation"—Introduces students to a shared understanding of communication. Like shaking hands with the right hand, not the left, all human interaction operates within a framework of expectations—including writing.
• "Meeting the Expectation"—Follows "The Expectation," offering students a series of simple instructions that they must do to meet their reader's expectations. These instructions are the heart of the book, and are presented elegantly and convincingly so that students don't feel they are being force-fed grammar rules.
• Real life connections—A real-life analogy appears in every chapter opener and closer as well as every time a new major concept is introduced. This feature is meant to prompt students to recognize the way social interaction is governed by conventions and expectations. Cues about "The Expectation" and "Meeting the Expectation" reinforce the connection between social behavior and writing behavior.
• "Conventions and Expectations at Large"—This activity steps students from the writing classroom back out into the larger world. It begins with a convention or expectation in business, government, sports, or other arena of social interaction related to the focus of the chapter and serves as the basis for a critical thinking or writing activity.
• "Strategies for Writing"—Practical actions and shortcuts students can take to improve their writing and their understanding of grammar and usage.
• "Applications"—Samples for editing practice give students more opportunity to apply what they have learned.

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