Real Essays with Readings
Sixth Edition ©2018 Susan Anker; Miriam Moore Formats: Achieve, E-book, Print
As low as $38.99
As low as $38.99
- Product Overview
- Content Material
- Courseware
- Reports and Insights
- Teaching Resources
- Support and Services
Authors
-
Susan Anker
Susan Anker (BA, MEd, Boston University) brings a unique perspective to the teaching of the developmental writing course. She taught English and developmental writing before entering college publishing, where she worked for eighteen years: as a sales representative and English/ESL editor at Macmillan Publishing Company; as developmental English/ESL editor, executive editor, and editor in chief at St. Martin’s Press; and as vice president and editor in chief for humanities at Houghton Mifflin Company. In each of these positions, she worked with developmental writing instructors and students, maintaining her early interest in the field.  Since the publication of the first edition of Real Writing in 1998, Anker has traveled extensively to campuses across the country, continuing her conversations with instructors and students and giving workshops and presentations. She believes that the writing course is, for many students, their first, best opportunity to learn the skills they will need to succeed in college and achieve their goals.
-
Susan Moore
-
Miriam Moore
Miriam Moore is Assistant Professor of English at the University of North Georgia. She teaches undergraduate linguistics and grammar courses, developmental English courses (integrated reading and writing), ESL composition and pedagogy, and the first-year composition sequence. She is the co-author with Susan Anker of Real Essays, Real Writing, Real Reading and Writing, and Writing Essentials Online. She has over 20 years’ experience in community college teaching as well. Her interests include applied linguistics, writing about writing approaches to composition, professionalism for two-year college English faculty, and threshold concepts for composition, reading, and grammar.
Table of Contents
Contents
1 Getting Started
Understanding Instructors’ Expectations
Making Connections
Your Classroom Writing Community
Your College Community
Learning from Prior Experiences
Setting Goals
Writing Goals
Reading Goals
Reading and Writing for Your Degree
Career Goals
Part 1 Critical Thinking, Reading, and Writing
2 Critical Thinking and Critical Reading
Critical Thinking
Question Assumptions and Biases
Apply the Critical Thinking Process
Active and Critical Reading
Apply the Critical Reading Process
2PR The Critical Reading Process
Vocabulary
Reading Multimodal Texts Critically
2PR The Critical Reading Process for Multimodal Texts
3 Effective Writing: An Overview
The Elements of Effective Writing
Context
Main Idea and Support
Organization, Unity, and Coherence
Conventions: Structure and Grammar
An Overview of the Writing Process
Reflecting on the Process
4 Responding to Texts
Ways of Responding to Texts
Reader-Response
Summary
Analysis
Synthesis
Evaluation
Documenting Sources
Reviewing What You’ve Learned
Deborah Tannen, It Begins at the Beginning
Reflecting on Writing
Part 2 Writing as a Process
5 Finding and Exploring a Topic
How to Find and Explore a Topic
Decode the Assignment
Find a Good Topic
Narrow Your Topic
Ask Yourself Questions
Map Your Ideas
List Narrower Topics
Explore Your Topic
Freewrite
List and Brainstorm
Ask a Reporter’s Questions
Discuss
Cluster and Map
Keep a Journal
Write Your Own Topic
Reflecting on Writing
Checklist: Finding a Good Topic
6 Developing a Thesis Statement
How to Develop a Good Thesis Statement
Consider Your Audience and Purpose
Focus on a Single Main Idea
Make Sure Your Thesis Is Neither Too Broad Nor Too Narrow
Make Sure You Can Show, Explain, or Prove Your Thesis
Express Your Thesis Forcefully and Confidently
Place Your Thesis Appropriately
One Student’s Process
Write Your Own Thesis Statement
Reflecting on Writing
Checklist: Writing a Thesis Statement
7 Supporting a Thesis
How to Support a Thesis
Consider Your Audience and Purpose
Prewrite to Find Support
Drop Unrelated Ideas
Select the Best Support Points
Add Supporting Details
Review Your Support
Write Topic Sentences for Your Support Points
Support in Multimodal Compositions
One Student’s Process
Write Your Own Support
Reflecting on Writing
Checklist: Supporting Your Thesis
8 Planning and Drafting a Paper
How to Plan and Draft a Paper
Drafting a Multimodal Project
Arrange Your Ideas
Create an Outline
Draft the Body of the Essay
Write an Introduction
Write a Conclusion
Title Your Essay
One Student’s Process
Write Your Own Draft
Reflecting on Writing
Checklist: Writing a Draft Essay
9 Revising a Draft
How to Revise a Draft
Understand Large-Scale and Small-Scale Revision
Revise Using Peer Review
Revise for Unity
Revise for Support and Detail
Revise for Coherence
One Student’s Process
Revise Your Own Essay
Reflecting on Writing
Checklist: Revising Your Essay
Part 3 Different Types of Writing
10 Essays That Show and Tell: Narration, Illustration, and Description
Showing and Telling
Four Basics of Writing to show and tell
Contexts for Writing To Show and Tell
Main Idea in Writing To Show and Tell
Support and Organization in Writing To Show and Tell
Read and Analyze Writing To Show and Tell
A College Narrative Essay: Jordan Brown, "A Return to Education"
A College Illustration Essay: Tam Nguyen, "Reflection"
A College Description Essay: Kimberly Kirwan, "Volunteering for a Fallen Soldier"
Writing an Essay To Show and Tell
Writing Guide: Writing To Show and Tell
Write a Narrative Essay
Write an Illustration Essay
Write a Description Essay
Writing To Show and Tell in the Real World
Profile of Success: Jenni VanCuren
Professional Narrative Essay: Bill Bryson, "Coming Home"
Professional Illustration Essay: Liza Long, "I Am Adam Lanza’s Mother"
Professional Description Essay: Annie Dillard, "Heaven and Earth in Jest"
Vocabulary to Show and Tell
Reflecting on Writing
Reflect on the Process
Reflect on Future Writing
11 Essays that Analyze and Explain: Process Analysis, Classification, and Definition
Analyzing and Explaining
Four Basics of writing to analyze and explain
Contexts for Writing To Analyze and Explain
Main Idea in Writing To Analyze and Explain
Support and Organization in Writing To Analyze and Explain
Read and Analyze Writing To Analyze and Explain
A College Process Analysis Essay: Katie Horn, "The Beginner’s Guide to Movie Night"
A College Classification Essay: Josef Ameur, "Video Game Genres"
A College Definition Essay: Benjamin Mills, "Of Nerds and Nerdiness"
Writing an Essay to Analyze and Explain
Writing Guide: Writing to Analyze and Explain
Write a Process Analysis Essay
Write a Classification Essay
Write a Definition Essay
Writing to Analyze and Explain in the Real World
Profile of Success: Iza Frechette
Professional Process Analysis Essay: Christopher Mele, "How to Pick the Fastest Line at the Supermarket"
Professional Classification Essay: Phyllis Crème and Mary Lea, "Writing at University"
Professional Definition Essay: Clive Thompson, "Emoji: Think of Them as an Upgrade"
Vocabulary to Analyze and Explain
Reflecting on Writing
Reflect on the Process
Reflect on Future Writing
12 Essays That Reason and Persuade: Compare and Contrast, Cause and Effect, and Argument
Reasoning and Persuading
Four Basics of writing to reason and persuade
Contexts for Writing to Reason and Persuade
Main Idea in Writing to Reason and Persuade
Support and Organization in Writing to Reason and Persuade
Read and Analyze Writing to Reason and Persuade
A College Comparison and Contrast Essay: Rui Dai, "A Whiff of Memory"
A College Cause and Effect Essay: Daniel Langford, "A Dangerous Game of Chance"
A College Argument Essay: Kathryn Arnett, "Media and Advertisement: The New Peer Pressure?"
Writing an Essay to Reason and Persuade
Writing Guide: Writing to Reason and Persuade
Write a Comparison and Contrast Essay
Write a Cause and Effect Essay
Write an Argument Essay
Writing to Reason and Persuade in the Real World
Profile of Success: Tiffany Riggs
Professional Comparison and Contrast Essay: Dave Barry, "Beauty and the Beast"
Professional Cause and Effect Essay: Brent Staples, "Just Walk On By: Black Men and Public Space"
Professional Argument Casebook
Janet Napolitano, "It’s Time to Free Speech on Campus Again"
Lindsay Holmes, "A Quick Lesson on What Trigger Warnings Actually Do"
Vocabulary to Reason and Persuade
Reflecting on Writing
Reflect on the Process
Reflect on Future Writing
Part 4 Researched Writing
13 Doing Research: Preparing to Write a Research Essay
Find Sources
Consult a Librarian
Use Library Resources
Use Other Resources
Interview People
Evaluate Sources
Questions for Evaluating All Sources
Questions for Evaluating Websites
14 Writing the Research Essay: Using Outside Sources
Make a Schedule
Choose a Topic
Avoid Plagiarism
Keep a Running Bibliography
Create Clear, Complete Records of Source Information
Use Summary
Use Paraphrase
Use Direct Quotation
Write a Thesis Statement
Make an Outline
Write Your Essay
Cite and Document Your Sources Using MLA Style
Use In-Text Citations within Your Essay
Use a Works Cited List at the End of Your Essay
Revise and Edit Your Essay
Sample Student Research Essay: Michael McQuiston, "To Be Green or Not to Be Green"
Writing Guide: Research Essay
Reflecting on Writing
Part 5 The Four Most Serious Errors
15 The Basic Sentence: An Overview
The Four Most Serious Errors
The Parts of Speech
The Basic Sentence
Six Basic Sentence Patterns
Editing Practice
16 Fragments: Incomplete Sentences
Understand What Fragments Are
Find and Correct Fragments
Editing Practice
Checklist: Editing for Fragments
17 Run-Ons: Two Sentences Joined Incorrectly
Understand What Run-Ons Are
Find and Correct Run-Ons
Editing Practice
Checklist: Editing for Run-Ons
18 Problems with Subject-Verb Agreement: When Subjects and Verbs Do Not Match
Understand What Subject-Verb Agreement Is
Find and Correct Errors in Subject-Verb Agreement
Editing Practice
Checklist: Editing for Subject-Verb Agreement
19 Verb Problems: Avoiding Mistakes in Verb Tense
Understand What Verb Tense Is
Use Correct Verbs
Editing Practice
Checklist: Editing for Verb Problems
Verb Tense Reference Charts
Reflecting on Writing
Part 6 Other Grammar Concerns
20 Pronouns: Using Substitutes for Nouns
Understand What Pronouns Are
Editing Practice
21 Adjectives and Adverbs: Describing Which One? or How?
Understand What Adjectives and Adverbs Are
Editing Practice
22 Misplaced and Dangling Modifiers: Avoiding Confusing Descriptions
Understand What Misplaced and Dangling Modifiers Are
Editing Practice
23 Coordination and Subordination: Joining Ideas
Understand Coordination and Subordination
Practice Using Coordination and Subordination
Editing Practice
24 Parallelism: Balancing Ideas
Understand What Parallelism Is
Practice Writing Parallel Sentences
Editing Practice
25 Sentence Variety: Putting Rhythm in Your Writing
Understand What Sentence Variety Is
Practice Creating Sentence Variety
Editing Practice
26 Formal English and ESL: Grammar Trouble Spots for Multilingual Students
Basic Sentence Patterns
Pronouns
Verbs
Articles
Prepositions
Reflecting on Writing
Part 7 Word Use
27 Word Choice: Avoiding Language Pitfalls
Understand the Importance of Choosing Words Carefully
Practice Avoiding Four Common Word-Choice Problems
Editing Practice
28 Commonly Confused Words: Avoiding Mistakes with Soundalikes
Understand Why Certain Words Are Commonly Confused
Practice Using Commonly Confused Words Correctly
Editing Practice
Reflecting on Writing
Part 8 Punctuation and Capitalization
29 Commas ( , )
Understand What Commas Do
Practice Using Commas Correctly
Editing Practice
30 Apostrophes ( ’ )
Understand What Apostrophes Do
Practice Using Apostrophes Correctly
Editing Practice
31 Quotation Marks ( " " )
Understand What Quotation Marks Do
Practice Using Quotation Marks Correctly
Editing Practice
32 Other Punctuation ( ; : ( ) – - )
Understand What Punctuation Does
Practice Using Punctuation Correctly
Editing Practice
33 Capitalization: Using Capital Letters
Understand Capitalization
Practice Capitalization
Editing Practice
Reflecting on Writing
Editing Review Tests 1-10
Part 9 Readings for Writers
34 Essays That Show and Tell
Narrative Essays
Langston Hughes, Salvation
Christina Tang-Bernas, \’in-glish\
Illustration Essays
Ashley Graham, Body Shaming
Cyra McFadden, Wait—Perhaps Your Cause Is Already Lost
Definition Essays
Henry Louis Gates, Jr., In the Kitchen
Jill McCorkle, Her Chee-to Heart
Writing to Show and Tell: Linked Readings
35 Essays That Analyze and Explain
Process Analysis Essays
Roy Peter Clark, 8 Writing Lessons from Michelle Obama’s DNC Speech
Nancy Bubel, How to Make a Terrarium
Classification Essays
Amy Tan, Mother Tongue
Martin Luther King Jr., The Ways of Meeting Oppression
Definition Essays
Catherine Rampell, Who Counts as Rich?
Damien Ridge, There’s No Crisis in Masculinity, Only a Narrow Definition of Men
Writing to Analyze and Explain: Linked Readings
36 Essays That Propose and Persuade
Comparison and Contrast Essays
Anne Fadiman, Never Do That To a Book
Amy Chua, Why Chinese Mothers Are Superior
Cause and Effect Essays
Oliver Sacks, Mishearings
Anahad O’Connor, How the Sugar Industry Shifted the Blame to Fat
Argument Casebook
Edward Schlosser, I’m a Liberal Professor, and My Liberal Students Terrify Me
Tom Cutterham, Today’s Students Are Anything But Coddled
Writing to Propose and Persuade: Linked Readings
Reflecting on Reading and Writing
APPENDIX Problem Solving in Writing
Index
Useful Editing and Proofreading Marks
Product Updates
Expanded reading coverage. New reading instruction includes a new section on vocabulary, vocabulary teaching tips, a list of active reading strategies, and "read critically" questions following readings to gauge students’ reading comprehension.
Reflecting on Writing activities. This set of questions, appearing in every chapter in Parts 1-3 and one each for Parts 4-9, requires students to use metacognition to evaluate how they approach the writing process and how what they’ve learned in that particular section has influenced how they will approach writing assignments.
Multimodal Teaching Tips and Writing Assignments. New multimodal assignments, teaching suggestions, and coverage on how to effectively read multimodal texts allow instructors to make full use of various types of media in the classroom.
Updated grammar instruction using readings from the book. Examples to illustrate grammar concepts are pulled straight from the readings in the book, giving students valuable context to practice these skills.
Updated readings that engage students on current topics. This new edition features twenty-three new relevant and relatable readings on themes such as body image, masculinity, and the American immigrant experience. Also included is a new argument cluster focusing on trigger warnings on campus, three new Profiles of Success, student papers, and professional readings.
Authors
-
Susan Anker
Susan Anker (BA, MEd, Boston University) brings a unique perspective to the teaching of the developmental writing course. She taught English and developmental writing before entering college publishing, where she worked for eighteen years: as a sales representative and English/ESL editor at Macmillan Publishing Company; as developmental English/ESL editor, executive editor, and editor in chief at St. Martin’s Press; and as vice president and editor in chief for humanities at Houghton Mifflin Company. In each of these positions, she worked with developmental writing instructors and students, maintaining her early interest in the field.  Since the publication of the first edition of Real Writing in 1998, Anker has traveled extensively to campuses across the country, continuing her conversations with instructors and students and giving workshops and presentations. She believes that the writing course is, for many students, their first, best opportunity to learn the skills they will need to succeed in college and achieve their goals.
-
Susan Moore
-
Miriam Moore
Miriam Moore is Assistant Professor of English at the University of North Georgia. She teaches undergraduate linguistics and grammar courses, developmental English courses (integrated reading and writing), ESL composition and pedagogy, and the first-year composition sequence. She is the co-author with Susan Anker of Real Essays, Real Writing, Real Reading and Writing, and Writing Essentials Online. She has over 20 years’ experience in community college teaching as well. Her interests include applied linguistics, writing about writing approaches to composition, professionalism for two-year college English faculty, and threshold concepts for composition, reading, and grammar.
Table of Contents
Contents
1 Getting Started
Understanding Instructors’ Expectations
Making Connections
Your Classroom Writing Community
Your College Community
Learning from Prior Experiences
Setting Goals
Writing Goals
Reading Goals
Reading and Writing for Your Degree
Career Goals
Part 1 Critical Thinking, Reading, and Writing
2 Critical Thinking and Critical Reading
Critical Thinking
Question Assumptions and Biases
Apply the Critical Thinking Process
Active and Critical Reading
Apply the Critical Reading Process
2PR The Critical Reading Process
Vocabulary
Reading Multimodal Texts Critically
2PR The Critical Reading Process for Multimodal Texts
3 Effective Writing: An Overview
The Elements of Effective Writing
Context
Main Idea and Support
Organization, Unity, and Coherence
Conventions: Structure and Grammar
An Overview of the Writing Process
Reflecting on the Process
4 Responding to Texts
Ways of Responding to Texts
Reader-Response
Summary
Analysis
Synthesis
Evaluation
Documenting Sources
Reviewing What You’ve Learned
Deborah Tannen, It Begins at the Beginning
Reflecting on Writing
Part 2 Writing as a Process
5 Finding and Exploring a Topic
How to Find and Explore a Topic
Decode the Assignment
Find a Good Topic
Narrow Your Topic
Ask Yourself Questions
Map Your Ideas
List Narrower Topics
Explore Your Topic
Freewrite
List and Brainstorm
Ask a Reporter’s Questions
Discuss
Cluster and Map
Keep a Journal
Write Your Own Topic
Reflecting on Writing
Checklist: Finding a Good Topic
6 Developing a Thesis Statement
How to Develop a Good Thesis Statement
Consider Your Audience and Purpose
Focus on a Single Main Idea
Make Sure Your Thesis Is Neither Too Broad Nor Too Narrow
Make Sure You Can Show, Explain, or Prove Your Thesis
Express Your Thesis Forcefully and Confidently
Place Your Thesis Appropriately
One Student’s Process
Write Your Own Thesis Statement
Reflecting on Writing
Checklist: Writing a Thesis Statement
7 Supporting a Thesis
How to Support a Thesis
Consider Your Audience and Purpose
Prewrite to Find Support
Drop Unrelated Ideas
Select the Best Support Points
Add Supporting Details
Review Your Support
Write Topic Sentences for Your Support Points
Support in Multimodal Compositions
One Student’s Process
Write Your Own Support
Reflecting on Writing
Checklist: Supporting Your Thesis
8 Planning and Drafting a Paper
How to Plan and Draft a Paper
Drafting a Multimodal Project
Arrange Your Ideas
Create an Outline
Draft the Body of the Essay
Write an Introduction
Write a Conclusion
Title Your Essay
One Student’s Process
Write Your Own Draft
Reflecting on Writing
Checklist: Writing a Draft Essay
9 Revising a Draft
How to Revise a Draft
Understand Large-Scale and Small-Scale Revision
Revise Using Peer Review
Revise for Unity
Revise for Support and Detail
Revise for Coherence
One Student’s Process
Revise Your Own Essay
Reflecting on Writing
Checklist: Revising Your Essay
Part 3 Different Types of Writing
10 Essays That Show and Tell: Narration, Illustration, and Description
Showing and Telling
Four Basics of Writing to show and tell
Contexts for Writing To Show and Tell
Main Idea in Writing To Show and Tell
Support and Organization in Writing To Show and Tell
Read and Analyze Writing To Show and Tell
A College Narrative Essay: Jordan Brown, "A Return to Education"
A College Illustration Essay: Tam Nguyen, "Reflection"
A College Description Essay: Kimberly Kirwan, "Volunteering for a Fallen Soldier"
Writing an Essay To Show and Tell
Writing Guide: Writing To Show and Tell
Write a Narrative Essay
Write an Illustration Essay
Write a Description Essay
Writing To Show and Tell in the Real World
Profile of Success: Jenni VanCuren
Professional Narrative Essay: Bill Bryson, "Coming Home"
Professional Illustration Essay: Liza Long, "I Am Adam Lanza’s Mother"
Professional Description Essay: Annie Dillard, "Heaven and Earth in Jest"
Vocabulary to Show and Tell
Reflecting on Writing
Reflect on the Process
Reflect on Future Writing
11 Essays that Analyze and Explain: Process Analysis, Classification, and Definition
Analyzing and Explaining
Four Basics of writing to analyze and explain
Contexts for Writing To Analyze and Explain
Main Idea in Writing To Analyze and Explain
Support and Organization in Writing To Analyze and Explain
Read and Analyze Writing To Analyze and Explain
A College Process Analysis Essay: Katie Horn, "The Beginner’s Guide to Movie Night"
A College Classification Essay: Josef Ameur, "Video Game Genres"
A College Definition Essay: Benjamin Mills, "Of Nerds and Nerdiness"
Writing an Essay to Analyze and Explain
Writing Guide: Writing to Analyze and Explain
Write a Process Analysis Essay
Write a Classification Essay
Write a Definition Essay
Writing to Analyze and Explain in the Real World
Profile of Success: Iza Frechette
Professional Process Analysis Essay: Christopher Mele, "How to Pick the Fastest Line at the Supermarket"
Professional Classification Essay: Phyllis Crème and Mary Lea, "Writing at University"
Professional Definition Essay: Clive Thompson, "Emoji: Think of Them as an Upgrade"
Vocabulary to Analyze and Explain
Reflecting on Writing
Reflect on the Process
Reflect on Future Writing
12 Essays That Reason and Persuade: Compare and Contrast, Cause and Effect, and Argument
Reasoning and Persuading
Four Basics of writing to reason and persuade
Contexts for Writing to Reason and Persuade
Main Idea in Writing to Reason and Persuade
Support and Organization in Writing to Reason and Persuade
Read and Analyze Writing to Reason and Persuade
A College Comparison and Contrast Essay: Rui Dai, "A Whiff of Memory"
A College Cause and Effect Essay: Daniel Langford, "A Dangerous Game of Chance"
A College Argument Essay: Kathryn Arnett, "Media and Advertisement: The New Peer Pressure?"
Writing an Essay to Reason and Persuade
Writing Guide: Writing to Reason and Persuade
Write a Comparison and Contrast Essay
Write a Cause and Effect Essay
Write an Argument Essay
Writing to Reason and Persuade in the Real World
Profile of Success: Tiffany Riggs
Professional Comparison and Contrast Essay: Dave Barry, "Beauty and the Beast"
Professional Cause and Effect Essay: Brent Staples, "Just Walk On By: Black Men and Public Space"
Professional Argument Casebook
Janet Napolitano, "It’s Time to Free Speech on Campus Again"
Lindsay Holmes, "A Quick Lesson on What Trigger Warnings Actually Do"
Vocabulary to Reason and Persuade
Reflecting on Writing
Reflect on the Process
Reflect on Future Writing
Part 4 Researched Writing
13 Doing Research: Preparing to Write a Research Essay
Find Sources
Consult a Librarian
Use Library Resources
Use Other Resources
Interview People
Evaluate Sources
Questions for Evaluating All Sources
Questions for Evaluating Websites
14 Writing the Research Essay: Using Outside Sources
Make a Schedule
Choose a Topic
Avoid Plagiarism
Keep a Running Bibliography
Create Clear, Complete Records of Source Information
Use Summary
Use Paraphrase
Use Direct Quotation
Write a Thesis Statement
Make an Outline
Write Your Essay
Cite and Document Your Sources Using MLA Style
Use In-Text Citations within Your Essay
Use a Works Cited List at the End of Your Essay
Revise and Edit Your Essay
Sample Student Research Essay: Michael McQuiston, "To Be Green or Not to Be Green"
Writing Guide: Research Essay
Reflecting on Writing
Part 5 The Four Most Serious Errors
15 The Basic Sentence: An Overview
The Four Most Serious Errors
The Parts of Speech
The Basic Sentence
Six Basic Sentence Patterns
Editing Practice
16 Fragments: Incomplete Sentences
Understand What Fragments Are
Find and Correct Fragments
Editing Practice
Checklist: Editing for Fragments
17 Run-Ons: Two Sentences Joined Incorrectly
Understand What Run-Ons Are
Find and Correct Run-Ons
Editing Practice
Checklist: Editing for Run-Ons
18 Problems with Subject-Verb Agreement: When Subjects and Verbs Do Not Match
Understand What Subject-Verb Agreement Is
Find and Correct Errors in Subject-Verb Agreement
Editing Practice
Checklist: Editing for Subject-Verb Agreement
19 Verb Problems: Avoiding Mistakes in Verb Tense
Understand What Verb Tense Is
Use Correct Verbs
Editing Practice
Checklist: Editing for Verb Problems
Verb Tense Reference Charts
Reflecting on Writing
Part 6 Other Grammar Concerns
20 Pronouns: Using Substitutes for Nouns
Understand What Pronouns Are
Editing Practice
21 Adjectives and Adverbs: Describing Which One? or How?
Understand What Adjectives and Adverbs Are
Editing Practice
22 Misplaced and Dangling Modifiers: Avoiding Confusing Descriptions
Understand What Misplaced and Dangling Modifiers Are
Editing Practice
23 Coordination and Subordination: Joining Ideas
Understand Coordination and Subordination
Practice Using Coordination and Subordination
Editing Practice
24 Parallelism: Balancing Ideas
Understand What Parallelism Is
Practice Writing Parallel Sentences
Editing Practice
25 Sentence Variety: Putting Rhythm in Your Writing
Understand What Sentence Variety Is
Practice Creating Sentence Variety
Editing Practice
26 Formal English and ESL: Grammar Trouble Spots for Multilingual Students
Basic Sentence Patterns
Pronouns
Verbs
Articles
Prepositions
Reflecting on Writing
Part 7 Word Use
27 Word Choice: Avoiding Language Pitfalls
Understand the Importance of Choosing Words Carefully
Practice Avoiding Four Common Word-Choice Problems
Editing Practice
28 Commonly Confused Words: Avoiding Mistakes with Soundalikes
Understand Why Certain Words Are Commonly Confused
Practice Using Commonly Confused Words Correctly
Editing Practice
Reflecting on Writing
Part 8 Punctuation and Capitalization
29 Commas ( , )
Understand What Commas Do
Practice Using Commas Correctly
Editing Practice
30 Apostrophes ( ’ )
Understand What Apostrophes Do
Practice Using Apostrophes Correctly
Editing Practice
31 Quotation Marks ( " " )
Understand What Quotation Marks Do
Practice Using Quotation Marks Correctly
Editing Practice
32 Other Punctuation ( ; : ( ) – - )
Understand What Punctuation Does
Practice Using Punctuation Correctly
Editing Practice
33 Capitalization: Using Capital Letters
Understand Capitalization
Practice Capitalization
Editing Practice
Reflecting on Writing
Editing Review Tests 1-10
Part 9 Readings for Writers
34 Essays That Show and Tell
Narrative Essays
Langston Hughes, Salvation
Christina Tang-Bernas, \’in-glish\
Illustration Essays
Ashley Graham, Body Shaming
Cyra McFadden, Wait—Perhaps Your Cause Is Already Lost
Definition Essays
Henry Louis Gates, Jr., In the Kitchen
Jill McCorkle, Her Chee-to Heart
Writing to Show and Tell: Linked Readings
35 Essays That Analyze and Explain
Process Analysis Essays
Roy Peter Clark, 8 Writing Lessons from Michelle Obama’s DNC Speech
Nancy Bubel, How to Make a Terrarium
Classification Essays
Amy Tan, Mother Tongue
Martin Luther King Jr., The Ways of Meeting Oppression
Definition Essays
Catherine Rampell, Who Counts as Rich?
Damien Ridge, There’s No Crisis in Masculinity, Only a Narrow Definition of Men
Writing to Analyze and Explain: Linked Readings
36 Essays That Propose and Persuade
Comparison and Contrast Essays
Anne Fadiman, Never Do That To a Book
Amy Chua, Why Chinese Mothers Are Superior
Cause and Effect Essays
Oliver Sacks, Mishearings
Anahad O’Connor, How the Sugar Industry Shifted the Blame to Fat
Argument Casebook
Edward Schlosser, I’m a Liberal Professor, and My Liberal Students Terrify Me
Tom Cutterham, Today’s Students Are Anything But Coddled
Writing to Propose and Persuade: Linked Readings
Reflecting on Reading and Writing
APPENDIX Problem Solving in Writing
Index
Useful Editing and Proofreading Marks
Product Updates
Expanded reading coverage. New reading instruction includes a new section on vocabulary, vocabulary teaching tips, a list of active reading strategies, and "read critically" questions following readings to gauge students’ reading comprehension.
Reflecting on Writing activities. This set of questions, appearing in every chapter in Parts 1-3 and one each for Parts 4-9, requires students to use metacognition to evaluate how they approach the writing process and how what they’ve learned in that particular section has influenced how they will approach writing assignments.
Multimodal Teaching Tips and Writing Assignments. New multimodal assignments, teaching suggestions, and coverage on how to effectively read multimodal texts allow instructors to make full use of various types of media in the classroom.
Updated grammar instruction using readings from the book. Examples to illustrate grammar concepts are pulled straight from the readings in the book, giving students valuable context to practice these skills.
Updated readings that engage students on current topics. This new edition features twenty-three new relevant and relatable readings on themes such as body image, masculinity, and the American immigrant experience. Also included is a new argument cluster focusing on trigger warnings on campus, three new Profiles of Success, student papers, and professional readings.
Apply academic writing skills in a real-world context
The central goal of Real Essays is to help students reframe writing as a skill essential to their everyday lives rather than just another stepping stone on their way to graduation. Built on the foundation of the Four Basics, the text guides students through the writing process, giving them technical skills, rhetorical knowledge, and creative confidence.
Real Essays helps students connect the writing class with their real lives and with the expectations of the larger world. This new edition breaks out types of writing by purpose as well as rhetorical mode, helping students discern what to write for which assignment, and includes professional model essays together with instruction, as well as in a separate reader in the back of the book. We have also added a "reflecting on writing" feature, giving students the opportunity to practice metacognition in their own writing, and updated the selection of model essays, including those by students.
This edition can be packaged with LaunchPad Solo for Readers and Writers, which includes LearningCurve, the adaptive online quizzing program with immediate feedback. LaunchPad Solo for Readers and Writers provides instructors with a quick and flexible solution for targeting instruction on critical reading, the writing process, grammar, mechanics, style, and punctuation based on students’ unique needs.
Success Stories
Here are a few examples of how Achieve has helped instructors like you improve student preparedness, enhance their sense of belonging, and achieve course goals they set for themselves.
Prof. Kiandra Johnson, Spelman College
See how the resources in Achieve help you engage students before, during, and after class.
Prof. Jennifer Duncan
Use diagnostics in Achieve for a snapshot into cognitive and non-cognitive factors that may impact your students’ preparedness.
Prof. Ryan Elsenpeter
Here’s why educators who use Achieve would recommend it to their peers.
Looking for instructor resources like Test Banks, Lecture Slides, and Clicker Questions? Request access to Achieve to explore the full suite of instructor resources.
Instructor Resources
Instructor Resources
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Instructor's Manual for Real Essays with Readings (Online Only)
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Warning! These materials are owned by Macmillan Learning or its licensors and are protected by copyright laws in the United States and other jurisdictions. Such materials may include a digital watermark that is linked to your name and email address in your Macmillan Learning account to identify the source of any materials used in an unauthorised way and prevent online piracy. These materials are being provided solely for instructional use by instructors who have adopted Macmillan Learning’s accompanying textbooks or online products for use by students in their courses. These materials may not be copied, distributed, sold, shared, posted online, or used, in print or electronic format, except in the limited circumstances set forth in the Macmillan Learning Terms of Use and any other reproduction or distribution is illegal. These materials may not be made publicly available under any circumstances. All other rights reserved. For more information about the use of your personal data including for the purposes of anti-piracy enforcement, please refer to Macmillan Learning's.Privacy Notice
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FAQs
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Are you a campus bookstore looking for ordering information?
MPS Order Search Tool (MOST) is a web-based purchase order tracking program that allows customers to view and track their purchases. No registration or special codes needed! Just enter your BILL-TO ACCT # and your ZIP CODE to track orders.
Canadian Stores: Please use only the first five digits/letters in your zip code on MOST.
Visit MOST, our online ordering system for booksellers: https://tracking.mpsvirginia.com/Login.aspx
Learn more about our Bookstore programs here: https://www.macmillanlearning.com/college/us/contact-us/booksellers
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Our courses currently integrate with Canvas, Blackboard (Learn and Ultra), Brightspace, D2L, and Moodle. Click on the support documentation below to find out more details about the integration with each LMS.
Integrate Macmillan courses with Blackboard
Integrate Macmillan courses with Canvas
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If you’re a verified instructor, you can request a free sample of our courseware, e-book, or print textbook to consider for use in your courses. Only registered and verified instructors can receive free print and digital samples, and they should not be sold to bookstores or book resellers. If you don't yet have an existing account with Macmillan Learning, it can take up to two business days to verify your status as an instructor. You can request a free sample from the right side of this product page by clicking on the "Request Instructor Sample" button or by contacting your rep. Learn more.
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Sometimes also referred to as a spiral-bound or binder-ready textbook, loose-leaf textbooks are available to purchase. This three-hole punched, unbound version of the book costs less than a hardcover or paperback book.
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Achieve (full course) includes our complete e-book, as well as online quizzing tools, multimedia assets, and iClicker active classroom manager.
Most Achieve Essentials courses do not include our e-books and adaptive quizzing.
Visit our comparison table for details: https://www.macmillanlearning.com/college/us/digital/achieve/compare
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Achieve (full course) includes our complete e-book, as well as online quizzing tools, multimedia assets, and iClicker active classroom manager.
Achieve Read & Practice only includes our e-book and adaptive quizzing, and does not include instructor resources and assignable assessments. Read & Practice does integrate with LMS.
Visit our comparison table for details: https://www.macmillanlearning.com/college/us/digital/achieve/compare
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We can help! Contact your representative to discuss your specific needs for your course. If our off-the-shelf course materials don’t quite hit the mark, we also offer custom solutions made to fit your needs.
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ISBN:9781319126674
Take notes, add highlights, and download our mobile-friendly e-books.
ISBN:9781319130336
Save money with our hole-punched, loose-leaf textbook.
ISBN:9781319054977
Read and study old-school with our bound texts.
ISBN:9781319521776
This package includes Achieve and Loose-Leaf.
ISBN:9781319521752
This package includes Achieve and Paperback.
FAQs
-
-
Are you a campus bookstore looking for ordering information?
MPS Order Search Tool (MOST) is a web-based purchase order tracking program that allows customers to view and track their purchases. No registration or special codes needed! Just enter your BILL-TO ACCT # and your ZIP CODE to track orders.
Canadian Stores: Please use only the first five digits/letters in your zip code on MOST.
Visit MOST, our online ordering system for booksellers: https://tracking.mpsvirginia.com/Login.aspx
Learn more about our Bookstore programs here: https://www.macmillanlearning.com/college/us/contact-us/booksellers
-
-
-
Our courses currently integrate with Canvas, Blackboard (Learn and Ultra), Brightspace, D2L, and Moodle. Click on the support documentation below to find out more details about the integration with each LMS.
Integrate Macmillan courses with Blackboard
Integrate Macmillan courses with Canvas
-
-
-
If you’re a verified instructor, you can request a free sample of our courseware, e-book, or print textbook to consider for use in your courses. Only registered and verified instructors can receive free print and digital samples, and they should not be sold to bookstores or book resellers. If you don't yet have an existing account with Macmillan Learning, it can take up to two business days to verify your status as an instructor. You can request a free sample from the right side of this product page by clicking on the "Request Instructor Sample" button or by contacting your rep. Learn more.
-
-
-
Sometimes also referred to as a spiral-bound or binder-ready textbook, loose-leaf textbooks are available to purchase. This three-hole punched, unbound version of the book costs less than a hardcover or paperback book.
-
-
-
Achieve (full course) includes our complete e-book, as well as online quizzing tools, multimedia assets, and iClicker active classroom manager.
Most Achieve Essentials courses do not include our e-books and adaptive quizzing.
Visit our comparison table for details: https://www.macmillanlearning.com/college/us/digital/achieve/compare
-
-
-
Achieve (full course) includes our complete e-book, as well as online quizzing tools, multimedia assets, and iClicker active classroom manager.
Achieve Read & Practice only includes our e-book and adaptive quizzing, and does not include instructor resources and assignable assessments. Read & Practice does integrate with LMS.
Visit our comparison table for details: https://www.macmillanlearning.com/college/us/digital/achieve/compare
-
-
-
We can help! Contact your representative to discuss your specific needs for your course. If our off-the-shelf course materials don’t quite hit the mark, we also offer custom solutions made to fit your needs.
-
Real Essays with Readings
The central goal of Real Essays is to help students reframe writing as a skill essential to their everyday lives rather than just another stepping stone on their way to graduation. Built on the foundation of the Four Basics, the text guides students through the writing process, giving them technical skills, rhetorical knowledge, and creative confidence.
Real Essays helps students connect the writing class with their real lives and with the expectations of the larger world. This new edition breaks out types of writing by purpose as well as rhetorical mode, helping students discern what to write for which assignment, and includes professional model essays together with instruction, as well as in a separate reader in the back of the book. We have also added a "reflecting on writing" feature, giving students the opportunity to practice metacognition in their own writing, and updated the selection of model essays, including those by students.
This edition can be packaged with LaunchPad Solo for Readers and Writers, which includes LearningCurve, the adaptive online quizzing program with immediate feedback. LaunchPad Solo for Readers and Writers provides instructors with a quick and flexible solution for targeting instruction on critical reading, the writing process, grammar, mechanics, style, and punctuation based on students’ unique needs.
Select a demo to view:
Sample Achieve