From Inquiry to Academic Writing: A Text and Reader with 2021 MLA Update

Preface for Instructors
Brief Contents
How This Book Supports WPA Outcomes for First-Year Composition
1  Starting with Inquiry: Habits of Mind of Academic Writers
What Is Academic Writing?
What Are the Habits of Mind of Academic Writers?
Academic Writers Make Inquiries
       Steps to Inquiry
       A Practice Sequence: Inquiry Activities
Academic Writers Seek and Value Complexity
       *Moves to Model in Academic Writing 
       Steps to Seeking and Valuing Complexity
       A Practice Sequence: Seeking and Valuing Complexity
Academic Writers See Writing as a Conversation
       *Moves to Model in Academic Conversations  
       Steps to Joining an Academic Conversation
       A Practice Sequence: Joining an Academic Conversation
Academic Writers Understand That Writing Is a Process
       Collect Information and Material
          Steps to Collecting Information and Material
       Draft, and Draft Again
          Steps to Drafting
       Revise Significantly
          Steps to Revising
Academic Writers Reflect 
       Steps to Reflection
       A Practice Sequence: Reflection Activities
Becoming Academic: Three Narratives
       Ta-Nehisi Coates, from Between the World and Me
       Richard Rodriguez, Scholarship Boy
       *Tara Westover, from Educated
       A Practice Sequence: Composing a Literacy Narrative

2  From Reading as a Writer to Writing as a Reader
Reading as an Act of Composing: Annotating
Reading as a Writer: Analyzing a Text Rhetorically
E. D. Hirsch Jr., Preface to Cultural Literacy
       Identify the Situation
       Identify the Writer’s Purpose
       Identify the Writer’s Claims
          *Moves to Model for Making a Claim
*Identify the Writer’s Appeals: Ethos, Pathos, and Logos
Identify the Writer’s Audience
       Steps to Analyzing a Text Rhetorically
       A Practice Sequence: Analyzing a Text Rhetorically
*Nick Hanauer, Education Isn’t Enough
       Writing as a Reader: Composing a Rhetorical Analysis
David Tyack, Whither History Textbooks?  
       An Annotated Student Rhetorical Analysis
Quentin Collie, A Rhetorical Analysis of “Whither History Textbooks?” (Student Writing)  
       Writing a Rhetorical Analysis
Sherry Turkle, The Flight from Conversation
       A Practice Sequence: Writing a Rhetorical Analysis

3  From Writing Summaries and Paraphrases to Writing Yourself into Academic Conversations
Summaries, Paraphrases, and Quotations
Writing a Paraphrase
       Steps to Writing a Paraphrase
       A Practice Sequence: Writing a Paraphrase
Writing a Summary
Clive Thompson, On the New Literacy
       Describe the Key Claims of the Text
       Select Examples to Illustrate the Author’s Argument
       Present the Gist of the Author’s Argument
       Contextualize What You Summarize
          Steps to Writing a Summary
          *Moves to Model for Summarizing  
          A Practice Sequence: Writing a Summary
Writing Yourself into Academic Conversations
       Steps to Writing Yourself into an Academic Conversation
       A Practice Sequence: Writing Yourself into an Academic Conversation
Tom Standage, History Retweets Itself

4  From Identifying Claims to Analyzing Arguments
Identifying Types of Claims
Dana Radcliffe, Dashed Hopes: Why Aren’t Social Media Delivering Democracy?  
       Identify Claims of Fact
       Identify Claims of Value
       Identify Claims of Policy
          Steps to Identifying Claims
          A Practice Sequence: Identifying Claims
Analyzing Arguments
       Analyze the Reasons Used to Support a Claim
       Identify Concessions
       Identify Counterarguments
*Moves to Model for Analyzing Arguments 
An Annotated Student Argument
Marques Camp, The End of The World May Be Nigh, and It’s the Kindle’s Fault (Student Writing)  
       Steps to Analyzing an Argument
       A Practice Sequence: Analyzing an Argument
Susan D. Blum, The United States of (Non)Reading: The End of Civilization or a New Era?  
       Recognizing Logical Fallacies  
       Analyzing and Comparing Arguments
Stuart Rojstaczer, Grade Inflation Gone Wild
Phil Primack, Doesn’t Anybody Get a C Anymore?  
       A Practice Sequence: Analyzing and Comparing Arguments

5  From Identifying Issues to Forming Questions
Identifying Issues
       Draw on Your Personal Experience
       Identify What Is Open to Dispute
       Resist Binary Thinking
       Build on and Extend the Ideas of Others
       Read to Discover a Writer’s Frame
       Consider the Constraints of the Situation
          Steps to Identifying Issues
Identifying Issues in an Essay
Anna Quindlen, Doing Nothing Is Something
       A Practice Sequence: Identifying Issues
Formulating Issue-Based Questions
       Refine Your Topic
       Explain Your Interest in the Topic
       Identify an Issue
          *Moves to Model for Identifying an Issue 
       Formulate Your Topic as a Question
       Acknowledge Your Audience
          Steps to Formulating an Issue-Based Question
          A Practice Sequence: Formulating an Issue-Based Question
Academic Writing for Analysis
*Ronald E. Purser, Mindful Schools

6  From Formulating to Developing a Thesis
Working versus Definitive Theses
Developing a Working Thesis: Four Models
       The Correcting-Misinterpretations Model
       The Filling-the-Gap Model
       The Modifying-What-Others-Have-Said Model
       The Hypothesis-Testing Model
          A Practice Sequence: Identifying Types of Theses
Establishing a Context for a Thesis
An Annotated Student Introduction: Providing a Context for a Thesis
Colin O’Neill, Money Matters: Framing the College Access Debate (Student Writing)  
       Establish That the Issue Is Current and Relevant
       Briefly Present What Others Have Said
       Explain What You See as the Problem
       State Your Thesis
          *Moves to Model for Formulating a Thesis  
          Steps to Establishing a Context for a Thesis
       Analyze the Context of a Thesis
Kris Gutiérrez, from Teaching Toward Possibility: Building Cultural Supports for Robust Learning
       *Moves to Model for Developing a Working Thesis  
       A Practice Sequence: Building a Thesis
An Annotated Student Essay: Stating and Supporting a Thesis
Veronica Stafford, Texting and Literacy (Student Writing)

7  From Finding to Evaluating Sources
Identifying Sources
       Consult Experts Who Can Guide Your Research
       Develop a Working Knowledge of Standard Sources
       Distinguish between Primary and Secondary Sources
       Distinguish between Popular and Scholarly Sources
          Steps to Identifying Sources
          A Practice Sequence: Identifying Sources
Searching for Sources
       Perform a Keyword Search
       Try Browsing
          Steps to Searching for Sources
          A Practice Sequence: Searching for Sources
Evaluating Library Sources
       Examine the Table of Contents and Index
       Read the Introductory Sections
       Skim for the Argument
       Check the Notes and Bibliographic References
          Steps to Evaluating Library Sources
          A Practice Sequence: Evaluating Library Sources
*Evaluating Internet and Social Media Sources
       Evaluate the Author of the Content
       Evaluate the Organization That Supports the Content
       Evaluate the Purpose of the Content
       Evaluate the Information
          Steps to Evaluating Internet and Social Media Sources
          A Practice Sequence: Evaluating Internet and Social Media Sources
Writing an Annotated Bibliography
       Steps to Writing an Annotated Bibliography
       A Practice Sequence: Writing an Annotated Bibliography

8  From Synthesis to Researched Argument
Writing a Synthesis
Paul Rogat Loeb, Making Our Lives Count
Anne Colby and Thomas Ehrlich, with Elizabeth Beaumont and Jason Stephens, Undergraduate Education and the Development of Moral and Civic Responsibility
Laurie Ouellette, Citizen Brand: ABC and the Do Good Turn in US Television
       Make Connections among Different Texts
       Decide What Those Connections Mean
       Formulate the Gist of What You’ve Read
          Steps to Writing a Synthesis
          *Moves to Model for Writing a Synthesis  
          A Practice Sequence: Writing a Synthesis
*Maryanne Wolf, Skim Reading Is the New Normal 
*Maria Gilje Torheim, Do We Read Differently On Paper Than On a Screen? 
*Naomi Baron, Do Students Lose Depth in Digital Reading? 
Avoiding Plagiarism
       Steps to Avoiding Plagiarism
*Integrating Sources into Your Writing
       *Identify the Source  
       *Take an Active Stance
*Using Quotations  
       *Use Signal Phrases to Introduce Quotations  
       *Indicate Changes and Omissions in Quotations  
       *Set Off Long Quotations as Block Quotations  
          *Moves to Model for Integrating Quotations
          Steps to Integrating Sources into Your Writing
          A Practice Sequence: Integrating Quotations
An Annotated Student Researched Argument: Synthesizing Sources
Nancy Paul, A Greener Approach to Groceries: Community-Based Agriculture in LaSalle Square (Student Writing)  
       A Practice Sequence: Thinking about Copyright

9  From Ethos and Pathos to Logos: Appealing to Your Readers  
 Connecting with Readers: A Sample Argument
James W. Loewen, The Land of Opportunity
Appealing to Ethos
       Establish That You Have Good Judgment
       Convey to Readers That You Are Knowledgeable
       Show That You Understand the Complexity of a Given Issue
          Steps to Appealing to Ethos
Appealing to Pathos
       Show That You Know What Your Readers Value
       Use Illustrations and Examples That Appeal to Readers’ Emotions
       Consider How Your Tone May Affect Your Audience
          Steps to Appealing to Pathos
          A Practice Sequence: Appealing to Ethos and Pathos
Appealing to Logos: Using Reason and Evidence to Fit the Situation
       State the Premises of Your Argument
       Use Credible Evidence
       Demonstrate That the Conclusion Follows from the Premises
          Steps to Appealing to Logos
          *Moves to Model for Appealing to Ethos, Pathos, and Logos 
Analyzing the Appeals in a Researched Argument
*Lisa V. Blitz, Denise Yull, and Matthew Clauhs, Bringing Sanctuary to School  
       A Practice Sequence: Analyzing the Appeals in a Researched Argument

10  From Analyzing Visuals to Using Them in Writing
Analyzing Visual Advertisements
       Notice Where the Ad Appears
       Identify and Reflect on What Draws Your Attention
       Consider the Ethos of the Ad
       Analyze the Pathos in the Ad
       Understand the Logos of the Ad
          A Practice Sequence: Analyzing the Rhetoric of an Advertisement
*Analyzing Infographics   
       *Consider the Images and Text That Draw Your Attention  
       *Identify the Organization, Its Ethos, and Framing Concepts   
       *Determine the Credibility of the Data  
       *Analyze How an Infographic Appeals to Logos  
       *Analyze How an Infographic Appeals to Pathos  
          Steps to Visual Analysis
          *A Practice Sequence: Analyzing an Infographic 
Using Visual Rhetoric: Photographs, Maps, Tables, and Graphs
       Using Photographs to Provide Context or Stir Emotions
       Using Maps to Make a Point
*Richard Florida, How the One Percent Is Pulling America’s Cities and Regions Apart   
       Using Tables to Present Findings
*Amina Chaudhri and William H. Teale, Stories of Multiracial Experiences in Literature for Children, Ages 9–14   
       Using Graphs to Visualize Data
          Steps to Using Visuals in Writing an Argument
          A Practice Sequence: Using Visuals to Enhance an Argument
Nathan Jindra, Neighbors Need LaSalle Branch (Student Writing)

11  From Introductions to Conclusions: Drafting an Essay 
Drafting Introductions
       The Inverted-Triangle Introduction
       The Narrative Introduction
       The Interrogative Introduction
       The Paradoxical Introduction
       The Minding-the-Gap Introduction
       *The Reframing Introduction   
          Steps to Drafting Introductions: Six Strategies
          A Practice Sequence: Drafting an Introduction
Developing Paragraphs
Elizabeth Martínez, from Reinventing “America”: Call for a New National Identity
       Use Topic Sentences to Focus Your Paragraphs
       Create Unity in Your Paragraphs
          *Moves to Model for Changing the Conversation  
       Use Critical Strategies to Develop Your Paragraphs
          Steps to Developing Paragraphs
          A Practice Sequence: Working with Paragraphs
Drafting Conclusions
       Echo the Introduction
       Challenge the Reader
       Look to the Future
       Pose Questions
       Conclude with a Quotation
          Steps to Drafting Conclusions: Five Strategies
          A Practice Sequence: Drafting a Conclusion
       Analyzing Strategies for Writing: From Introductions to Conclusions
Barbara Ehrenreich, Cultural Baggage

12  From Revising to Editing: Working with Peer Groups  
Revising versus Editing
The Peer Editing Process
       Steps in the Peer Editing Process
Peer Groups in Action: A Sample Session
An Annotated Student Draft
Rebecca Jegier, Student-Centered Learning: Catering to Students’ Impatience (Student Writing)         Working with Early Drafts
          Understand the Writer’s Responsibilities
          Understand the Reader’s Responsibilities
          Analyze an Early Draft
Tasha Taylor, Memory through Photography (early draft)
Working with Later Drafts
       Understand the Writer’s Responsibilities
       Understand the Reader’s Responsibilities
       Analyze a Later Draft
Tasha Taylor, Memory through Photography (later draft)  
Working with Final Drafts
       Understand the Writer’s Responsibilities
       Understand the Reader’s Responsibilities
       Analyze a Near-Final Draft
Tasha Taylor, Memory through Photography (near-final draft)
Further Suggestions for Peer Editing Groups

13  Other Methods of Inquiry: Interviews and Focus Groups
Why Do Original Research?
Getting Started: Writing an Idea Sheet
A Student’s Annotated Idea Sheet
Dan Grace, Idea Sheet for Parent/Child Autism Study (Student Writing)
Writing a Proposal
       Describe Your Purpose
       Review Relevant Research
       Define Your Method
       Discuss Your Implications
       Include Additional Materials That Support Your Research
       Establish a Timeline
          Steps to Writing a Proposal
An Annotated Student Proposal
Laura Hartigan, Proposal for Research: The Affordances of Multimodal, Creative, and Academic Writing (Student Writing)
Interviewing
       Plan the Interview
       Prepare Your Script
         *Moves to Model for Interviewing  
       Conduct the Interview
       Make Sense of the Interview
       Turn Your Interview into an Essay
          Steps to Interviewing
Using Focus Groups
       Select Participants for the Focus Group
       Plan the Focus Group
       Prepare Your Script
       Conduct the Focus Group
       Interpret the Data from the Focus Group
       Important Ethical Considerations
          Steps for Conducting a Focus Group
Entering the Conversation of Ideas

14  Education  
Mark Edmundson, Who Are You and What Are You Doing Here? A Word to the Incoming Class
Laura Pappano, How Big-Time Sports Ate College Life
*Alfie Kohn, Why Can’t Everyone Get A’s?  
*Alia Wong, History Class and the Fictions about Race in America  
*Tressie McMillan Cottom, Epilogue from Lower Ed: The Troubling Rise of For-Profit Colleges in the New Economy  
Nikole Hannah-Jones, School Segregation, the Continuing Tragedy of Ferguson

15  Sociology  
*Robin DiAngelo, The Perception of Race  
*Ibram X. Kendi, Definitions  
C. J. Pascoe, “Dude, You’re a Fag”: Adolescent Masculinity and the Fag Discourse
Robert B. Reich, The Rise of the Working Poor
Barbara Ehrenreich, How I Discovered the Truth about Poverty
*Aliya Saperstein, Gender Identification  
bell hooks, Seeing and Making Culture: Representing the Poor

16  Media Studies  
Sherry Turkle, Growing Up Tethered
Melissa Avdeeff, Beyoncé and Social Media: Authenticity and the Presentation of Self
Mark Hain, “We Are Here for You”: The It Gets Better Project, Queering Rural Space, and Cultivating Queer Media Literacy
*Ronald E. Purser, What Mindfulness Revolution?  
*Shira Chess, Nathaniel J. Evans, and Joyya JaDawn Baines, What Does a Gamer Look Like? Video Games, Advertising, and Diversity  
*Jia Tolentino, The I in the Internet   

17  Psychology and Biology  
Carol Dweck, from Mindset: The New Psychology of Success
*David Epstein, The Outsider Advantage  
*Robert Gifford, The Dragons of Inaction: Psychological Barriers That Limit Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation  
*Cassidy R. Sugimoto, Vincent Larivière, Chaoqun Ni, Yves Gingra, and Blaise Cronin, Global Gender Disparities in Science  
Agustín Fuentes, from The Myth of Race

18  Sustainability and Environmental Studies  
Andrew J. Hoffman, The Full Scope
Anna Lappé, The Climate Crisis at the End of Our Fork
Michael Pollan, Why Bother?
*Leda Cooks, Food Savers or Food Saviors? Food Waste, Food Recovery Networks, and Food Justice  
*Dahr Jamail, The Fate of the Forests   

Appendix: Citing and Documenting Sources

Index of Authors, Titles, and Key Terms

The ebook has been updated to give your students the latest guidance on documenting sources in MLA style and follows the guidelines set forth in the MLA Handbook, 9th edition (April 2021).

Achieve with From Inquiry to Academic Writing provides a dedicated composition space to guide students through drafting, peer review, source check, reflection, and revision.  Achieve is a flexible, integrated suite of tools for designing and facilitating writing assignments, paired with actionable insights that make students’ progress toward outcomes clear and measurable. Developed to support best practices in commenting on student drafts, Achieve includes an e-book, fully editable pre-built assignments that support the book’s approach, reading comprehension quizzes, and other interactive materials. For details, visit macmillanlearning.com/college/us/englishdigital.

New “Moves to Model” boxes prompt students to analyze and try out the rhetorical moves of professional writers and scholars. Appearing throughout the text, these boxes use examples from the reading selections to demonstrate specific rhetorical moves such as summarizing, making a claim, and conceding a point. Then, sentence guides prompt students to try out those moves in their own writing. The result is a toolkit of models for students to work from and a jumping-off point for instructors to discuss issues of style.

Twenty-three new and relevant selections provide eye-opening and engaging reading for students. For example,

• Tara Westover explores the tension between her ambition to be educated and her ideas of what it means to be a woman;
• Ronald Purser questions the effects of the growing mindfulness movement in schools;
• Ibram X. Kendi offers his definition of what it means to be an antiracist; and
• Jia Tolentino examines the effects of online performances of the self.

An even stronger emphasis on the importance of multiple perspectives helps students analyze and integrate complex points of view, moving them beyond binary thinking. The fifth edition includes expanded advice for analyzing appeals (Chapter 2), integrating ideas from sources while avoiding plagiarism (Chapter 8), using quotations and signal phrases (Chapter 8), and assessing the accuracy and credibility of sources and visuals (Chapters 7 and 10).

A thoroughly revised Chapter 10 on visual rhetoric helps students make sense of the many visual arguments they encounter. The chapter includes new examples and a new section on analyzing infographics.