EasyWriter

PART 1 WRITING PROCESSES 1 Why Write? a Write to connect b Write to survive c Write to define and discover d Write to succeed
2 A Writer’s Opportunities a Recognize opportunities b Be open to difference c Use social media wisely d Use AI tools wisely e Position yourself as an academic writer f Collaborate with others g Take advantage of low-stakes writing assignments
3 A Writer’s Choices a Take responsibility b Consider assignment and purpose c Choose a topic d Identify your audience e Consider stance and tone f Consider language g Consider time, genre, medium, and format
4 Exploring, Planning, and Drafting a Explore a topic b Develop a working thesis c Do research and gather credible evidence d Plan and draft e Develop paragraphs f Draft strong introductions and conclusions
5 Making Design Decisions a Lay out text b Consider accessibility c Choose visuals and media d Use visuals and media ethically
6 Reviewing, Revising, Editing, and Reflecting a Review your writing b Revise your writing c Edit and proofread your writing d Reflect on your writing
PART 2 READING, WRITING, AND SPEAKING
7 Building Confidence for College Reading a Identify your purpose for reading b Use tools and technologies to your advantage c Preview the text d Annotate the text
8 Reading Critically and Analytically a Ask critical questions as you preview a text b Annotate to begin an analysis c Read collaboratively d Summarize the text e Analyze the text f Student writing: Rhetorical analysis
9 Arguing Ethically and Persuasively a Read and listen openly b Identify basic appeals in an argument c Analyze the elements of an argument d Argue purposefully e Make an argument f Organize your argument g Student writing: Argument essay
PART 3 RESEARCH
10 Writing in a Variety of Disciplines and Genres a Recognize expectations of academic disciplines b Understand genres c Adapt genre structures d Choose genres for public writing e Student writing: Samples in a variety of disciplines and genres
11 Creating Presentations a Consider task, purpose, and audience b Write a memorable introduction and conclusion c Use explicit structure and signpost language d Plan visuals e Practice f Deliver the presentation g Student writing: Excerpts from a presentation
12 Conducting Research a Understand the challenges to research today b Begin the research process c Choose among types of sources d Use web and library research e Use generative AI for research f Do field research
13 Evaluating Sources and Taking Notes a Check facts b Read vertically c Read laterally d Read and analyze sources e Synthesize sources f Keep track of sources g Work with quotations, paraphrases, and summaries h Create an annotated bibliography i Student writing: Annotated bibliography
14 Integrating Sources and Avoiding Plagiarism a Use sources ethically b Integrate quotations, paraphrases, and summaries c Integrate visuals and media d Know which sources to acknowledge e Avoid plagiarism
15 Writing a Research Project a Draft your text, including illustrations b Review and revise a research project c Prepare a list of sources d Edit and proofread e Student writing: Outline for a research project
PART 4 DOCUMENTATION
16 MLA Style a Understand MLA citation style b Consider the context of your sources c Follow MLA format d Create MLA in-text citations e Create an MLA list of works cited f Student writing: Research essay, MLA style
17 APA Style a Understand APA citation style b Follow APA format c Create APA in-text citations d Create an APA list of references e Student writing: Research essay, APA style
18 Chicago Style a Understand Chicago citation style b Follow Chicago format c Create Chicago notes and bibliographic entries d Student writing: Research essay (excerpt), Chicago style
PART 5 STYLE: EFFECTIVE LANGUAGE
19 Language and Identity a Recognize how the language of others can shape identity b Use language to shape your own identity
20 Writing across Cultures, Communities, and Identities a Communicate respectfully and inclusively b Clarify meaning c Meet audience expectations
21 Language That Builds Connections a Examine assumptions and avoid stereotypes b Examine assumptions about gender c Examine assumptions about race and ethnicity d Consider abilities and disabilities
22 Language Varieties a Practice language awareness b Experiment with language varieties c Bring in other languages
23 Word Choice a Choose among levels of formality b Consider denotation and connotation c Use general and specific language effectively d Use figurative language effectively
PART 6 STYLE: EFFECTIVE SENTENCES
24 Varying Sentences a Vary sentence length b Vary sentence openings
25 Consistency and Completeness a Revise confusing sentence structure b Match subjects and predicates c Make complete comparisons
26 Coordination and Subordination a Relate equal ideas b Distinguish main ideas
27 Conciseness a Eliminate redundant words b Eliminate empty words c Replace wordy phrases d Simplify sentence structure
28 Parallelism a Make items in a series or list parallel b Make paired ideas parallel c Use words necessary for clarity
29 Shifts a Revise shifts in tense b Revise shifts in voice c Revise shifts in point of view d Revise shifts between direct and indirect discourse
PART 7 GRAMMAR
30 What Is “Standardized” English? a Understand how languages are shaped—and reshaped b Ask: What does standardized language have to do with me?
31 Top Twenty Tips for Editing Your Writing
32 Verbs and Verb Phrases a Understand regular and irregular verb forms b Build verb phrases c Choose between infinitives and gerunds d Understand lie and lay, sit and set, rise and raise e Choose verb tenses to fit your meaning f Choose active or passive voice g Use mood appropriately
33 Nouns and Noun Phrases a Understand count and noncount nouns b Choose determiners c Choose the best article
34 Subject-Verb Agreement a Check for words between subject and verb b Check agreement with compound subjects c Make verbs agree with collective nouns d Make verbs agree with indefinite pronouns e Make verbs agree with who, which, and that f Make linking verbs agree with subjects g Make verbs agree with subjects that end in -s h Check for subjects that follow the verb i Make verbs agree with titles and words used as words j Consider forms of be in varieties of English
35 Adjectives and Adverbs a Use adjectives after linking verbs b Understand comparatives and superlatives
36 Modifier Placement a Revise misplaced modifiers b Revise disruptive modifiers c Revise dangling modifiers
37 Pronouns a Consider a pronoun’s role in the sentence b Make pronouns agree with antecedents c Make pronouns refer to clear antecedents 38 Prepositions and Prepositional Phrases a Choose the right preposition b Use two-word verbs idiomatically
39 Comma Splices and Fused Sentences a Separate the clauses into two sentences b Link the clauses with a comma and a coordinating conjunction c Link the clauses with a semicolon d Rewrite the two clauses as one independent clause e Rewrite one independent clause as a dependent clause f Link the two clauses with a dash
40 Sentence Fragments a Identify sentence fragments b Revise phrase fragments c Revise compound-predicate fragments d Revise clause fragments
PART 8 PUNCTUATION/MECHANICS
41 Commas a Set off introductory elements b Separate clauses in compound sentences c Set off nonrestrictive elements d Separate items in a series e Set off parenthetical and transitional expressions f Set off contrasting elements, interjections, direct address, and tag questions g Set off parts of dates and addresses h Set off quotations i Avoid unnecessary commas
42 Semicolons a Link independent clauses b Separate items in a series containing other punctuation c Avoid misusing semicolons
43 End Punctuation a Periods b Question marks c Exclamation points d Understand end punctuation in informal writing
44 Apostrophes a Signal possessive case b Signal contractions c Understand apostrophes and plural forms
45 Quotation Marks a Signal a direct quotation b Identify titles of short works c Use quotation marks with other punctuation d Avoid misusing quotation marks
46 Other Punctuation a Parentheses b Brackets c Dashes d Colons e Slashes f Ellipses g Emoticons, emojis, and tone indicators
47 Capital Letters a Capitalize the first word of a sentence b Capitalize proper nouns and proper adjectives c Capitalize titles before proper names d Capitalize titles of works e Revise unnecessary capitalization
48 Abbreviations and Numbers a Use abbreviations b Use numbers
49 Italics and Hyphens a Italicize titles b Italicize words, letters, and numbers used as terms c Italicize non-English words d Use italics for emphasis—occasionally e Use hyphens with compound words f Avoid unnecessary hyphens