Introduction
T
his book began with an ambitious goal: to meet the writing needs of all students.
Acknowledging that “students” are not confined to a classroom, the idea was
to develop a reference book that would assist readers in any situation, academic,
personal, or professional. It would offer guidance for writing assignments across
the curriculum, from accounting to zoology. And for personal reference, the book
would help with resumes and letters as well as scholarship, college, and job applica-
tions. The book would include all kinds of writing, creative or technical, formal or
informal. It would address all problems, no matter whether writers need to study a
model; find a quick definition and example in the glossary; solve a grammar, usage,
or mechanics problem; or follow an extended step-by-step explanation from the text.
No matter whether students were preparing to write, revise, or proofread, the book
would meet ever writer’s every need.
It was, indeed, an ambitious goal. This fifth edition attests to the book’s continued success.
Having worked with students in both high school and college for over 30 years, I sin-
cerely believe this book can guide you through every writing situation you will face.
Others agree, including the many teachers and students I consulted about the vari-
ous kinds of writing assignments, in and out 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. The dictionary-like alphabetical arrangement in
Parts II and III let you pinpoint needed information quickly, with little reading.
• The four parts of the book include- a discussion of writing basics (chapters 1– 4), including planning, writing,
revising, and proofreading good sentences, good paragraphs, and good
multiple-paragraph papers, - a study of the ten methods for developing any kind of writing (chapters 5–14),
- a description of virtually every kind of writing, both academic and personal
(chapters 15–41), - a grammar, usage, and mechanics reference (chapters 42–45),
- short definitions and brief examples in the Glossary.
• Step-by-step instructions help alleviate the fear of facing writing assignments.
These instructions tell you what to do, how to do it, and how the finished
product should look. The instructions also include guidelines and checklists
along the way to ease you through the task.
• Analyzing 27 types of writing, the book covers writing for all situations as well
as for personal needs.