A Writer's Reference with Writing about Literature
Eleventh Edition ©2025 Diana Hacker; Nancy Sommers Formats: Achieve, E-book, Print
As low as $39.99
As low as $39.99
Authors
-
Diana Hacker
Diana Hacker personally class-tested her handbooks with nearly four thousand students over thirty-five years at Prince George's Community College in Maryland, where she was a member of the English faculty. Hacker handbooks, built on innovation and on a keen understanding of the challenges facing student writers, are the most widely adopted in America. Hacker handbooks, all published by Bedford/St. Martin's, include A Writer's Reference, Eleventh Edition (2025); A Pocket Style Manual, Tenth Edition (2025); The Bedford Handbook, Twelfth Edition (2023); Rules for Writers, Tenth Edition (2022); and Writer’s Help 2.0, Hacker Version.
-
Nancy Sommers
Nancy Sommers, who has taught composition and directed composition programs for thirty years, now teaches in Harvard's Graduate School of Education. She led Harvard's Expository Writing Program for twenty years, directing the first-year writing program and establishing Harvard's WAC program. A two-time Braddock Award winner, Sommers is well known for her research and publications on student writing. Her articles “Revision Strategies of Student and Experienced Writers” and “Responding to Student Writing” are two of the most widely read and anthologized articles in the field of composition. Recently she has been exploring different audiences through publishing in popular media. Sommers is the lead author on Hacker handbooks, all published by Bedford/St. Martin’s, and editor of Tiny Teaching Stories on Macmillan Learning's Bits Blog.
Table of Contents
FULL FINAL BRIEF TOC 04.23.24
Hacker/Sommers
A Writer’s Reference, Eleventh Edition (2025)
CONTENTS
C | Composing and Revising
C1 Planning
C2 Drafting
C3 Writing paragraphs
C4 Reviewing, revising, and editing
C5 Reflecting on your writing; preparing a portfolio
A | Academic Reading and Writing
A1 Reading and writing critically
A2 Reading and writing about multimodal texts
A3 Reading arguments
A4 Writing arguments
A5 Writing in the disciplines
R | Researched Writing
R1 Thinking like a researcher; gathering sources
R2 Managing information; taking notes responsibly
R3 Evaluating sources
MLA | MLA Style
List of MLA in-text citation models
List of MLA works cited models
MLA-1 Supporting a thesis
MLA-2 Citing sources; avoiding plagiarism
MLA-3 Integrating sources
MLA-4 Documenting sources
MLA-5 MLA format; sample research essay
APA CMS | APA Style and CMS Style
List of APA in-text citation models
List of APA reference list models
APA-1 Supporting a thesis
APA-2 Citing sources; avoiding plagiarism
APA-3 Integrating sources
APA-4 Documenting sources
APA-5 APA format; sample research essay
CMS (Chicago) style
List of CMS-style notes and bibliography entries
CMS-1 Supporting a thesis
CMS-2 Citing sources; avoiding plagiarism
CMS-3 Integrating sources
CMS-4 Documenting sources
CMS-5 Chicago format; sample research essay
S | Sentence Style
S1 Parallelism
S2 Needed words
S3 Problems with modifiers
S4 Shifts
S5 Mixed constructions
S6 Sentence emphasis
S7 Sentence variety
W | Word Choice
W1 Glossary of usage
W2 Wordy sentences
W3 Active verbs
W4 Language that fits the writing situation
W5 Exact language
G | Grammatical Sentences
G1 Subject-verb agreement
G2 Verb form, tenses, and moods
G3 Pronouns
G4 Adjectives and adverbs
G5 Sentence fragments
G6 Run-on sentences
M | Multilingual Writers and ESL Topics
M1 Verbs
M2 Articles
M3 Sentence structure
M4 Using adjectives
M5 Prepositions and idiomatic expressions
M6 Paraphrasing sources effectively
P | Punctuation and Mechanics
P1 The comma
P2 Unnecessary commas
P3 The semicolon and the colon
P4 The apostrophe
P5 Quotation marks
P6 Other punctuation marks
P7 Spelling and hyphenation
P8 Capitalization
P9 Abbreviations and numbers
P10 Italics
B | Basic Grammar
B1 Parts of speech
B2 Sentence patterns
B3 Subordinate word groups
B4 Sentence types
I | Index
______________________
L | Writing about Literature (included only in the Writing about Literature version of the handbook)
L1 Reading to form an interpretation
L2 Planning the paper
L3 Writing the paper
L4 Observing conventions
L5 Integrating quotations from the text
L6 Using secondary sources
L7 Sample papers
Product Updates
New advice builds AI literacy. A new opening section provides a framework for developing AI literacy and introduces benefits and limitations of AI tools, advice about using them ethically and effectively, and practical guidance for crafting prompts. Tips throughout the handbook encourage students to try generative AI in different writing situations, and new citation models help students practice responsibility when they work with AI-generated material. Six new interactive tutorials in Achieve reinforce concepts related to generative AI.
More inclusive than ever before. New examples reflect current diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) principles. A new “Widening the Research Conversation” section empowers students to search for sources with diverse viewpoints and to write to include rather than to exclude. And a more flexible view of correctness and a wider embrace of language varieties help students see “school English” in a broader context.
Better support for corequisite composition. Achieve with A Writer’s Reference enables students enrolled in corequisite composition to succeed. A Student’s Companion offers college success and reading strategies, graphic organizers, and more than sixty exercises on writing and grammar topics. Interactive self-paced modules address key noncognitive (soft-skill) topics: time management, study skills, and growth mindset. And concurrent access allows students who are enrolled in both composition and corequisite support to access two Achieve courses for the price of one.
Authors
-
Diana Hacker
Diana Hacker personally class-tested her handbooks with nearly four thousand students over thirty-five years at Prince George's Community College in Maryland, where she was a member of the English faculty. Hacker handbooks, built on innovation and on a keen understanding of the challenges facing student writers, are the most widely adopted in America. Hacker handbooks, all published by Bedford/St. Martin's, include A Writer's Reference, Eleventh Edition (2025); A Pocket Style Manual, Tenth Edition (2025); The Bedford Handbook, Twelfth Edition (2023); Rules for Writers, Tenth Edition (2022); and Writer’s Help 2.0, Hacker Version.
-
Nancy Sommers
Nancy Sommers, who has taught composition and directed composition programs for thirty years, now teaches in Harvard's Graduate School of Education. She led Harvard's Expository Writing Program for twenty years, directing the first-year writing program and establishing Harvard's WAC program. A two-time Braddock Award winner, Sommers is well known for her research and publications on student writing. Her articles “Revision Strategies of Student and Experienced Writers” and “Responding to Student Writing” are two of the most widely read and anthologized articles in the field of composition. Recently she has been exploring different audiences through publishing in popular media. Sommers is the lead author on Hacker handbooks, all published by Bedford/St. Martin’s, and editor of Tiny Teaching Stories on Macmillan Learning's Bits Blog.
Table of Contents
FULL FINAL BRIEF TOC 04.23.24
Hacker/Sommers
A Writer’s Reference, Eleventh Edition (2025)
CONTENTS
C | Composing and Revising
C1 Planning
C2 Drafting
C3 Writing paragraphs
C4 Reviewing, revising, and editing
C5 Reflecting on your writing; preparing a portfolio
A | Academic Reading and Writing
A1 Reading and writing critically
A2 Reading and writing about multimodal texts
A3 Reading arguments
A4 Writing arguments
A5 Writing in the disciplines
R | Researched Writing
R1 Thinking like a researcher; gathering sources
R2 Managing information; taking notes responsibly
R3 Evaluating sources
MLA | MLA Style
List of MLA in-text citation models
List of MLA works cited models
MLA-1 Supporting a thesis
MLA-2 Citing sources; avoiding plagiarism
MLA-3 Integrating sources
MLA-4 Documenting sources
MLA-5 MLA format; sample research essay
APA CMS | APA Style and CMS Style
List of APA in-text citation models
List of APA reference list models
APA-1 Supporting a thesis
APA-2 Citing sources; avoiding plagiarism
APA-3 Integrating sources
APA-4 Documenting sources
APA-5 APA format; sample research essay
CMS (Chicago) style
List of CMS-style notes and bibliography entries
CMS-1 Supporting a thesis
CMS-2 Citing sources; avoiding plagiarism
CMS-3 Integrating sources
CMS-4 Documenting sources
CMS-5 Chicago format; sample research essay
S | Sentence Style
S1 Parallelism
S2 Needed words
S3 Problems with modifiers
S4 Shifts
S5 Mixed constructions
S6 Sentence emphasis
S7 Sentence variety
W | Word Choice
W1 Glossary of usage
W2 Wordy sentences
W3 Active verbs
W4 Language that fits the writing situation
W5 Exact language
G | Grammatical Sentences
G1 Subject-verb agreement
G2 Verb form, tenses, and moods
G3 Pronouns
G4 Adjectives and adverbs
G5 Sentence fragments
G6 Run-on sentences
M | Multilingual Writers and ESL Topics
M1 Verbs
M2 Articles
M3 Sentence structure
M4 Using adjectives
M5 Prepositions and idiomatic expressions
M6 Paraphrasing sources effectively
P | Punctuation and Mechanics
P1 The comma
P2 Unnecessary commas
P3 The semicolon and the colon
P4 The apostrophe
P5 Quotation marks
P6 Other punctuation marks
P7 Spelling and hyphenation
P8 Capitalization
P9 Abbreviations and numbers
P10 Italics
B | Basic Grammar
B1 Parts of speech
B2 Sentence patterns
B3 Subordinate word groups
B4 Sentence types
I | Index
______________________
L | Writing about Literature (included only in the Writing about Literature version of the handbook)
L1 Reading to form an interpretation
L2 Planning the paper
L3 Writing the paper
L4 Observing conventions
L5 Integrating quotations from the text
L6 Using secondary sources
L7 Sample papers
Product Updates
New advice builds AI literacy. A new opening section provides a framework for developing AI literacy and introduces benefits and limitations of AI tools, advice about using them ethically and effectively, and practical guidance for crafting prompts. Tips throughout the handbook encourage students to try generative AI in different writing situations, and new citation models help students practice responsibility when they work with AI-generated material. Six new interactive tutorials in Achieve reinforce concepts related to generative AI.
More inclusive than ever before. New examples reflect current diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) principles. A new “Widening the Research Conversation” section empowers students to search for sources with diverse viewpoints and to write to include rather than to exclude. And a more flexible view of correctness and a wider embrace of language varieties help students see “school English” in a broader context.
Better support for corequisite composition. Achieve with A Writer’s Reference enables students enrolled in corequisite composition to succeed. A Student’s Companion offers college success and reading strategies, graphic organizers, and more than sixty exercises on writing and grammar topics. Interactive self-paced modules address key noncognitive (soft-skill) topics: time management, study skills, and growth mindset. And concurrent access allows students who are enrolled in both composition and corequisite support to access two Achieve courses for the price of one.
The handbook that boosts the other AI – academic intelligence
In the age of artificial intelligence, A Writer’s Reference with Writing About Literature continues to boost literacy and build academic intelligence. It supports students as they use tools critically and responsibly to compose in a variety of genres for a range of purposes and audiences. The eleventh edition is more inclusive than ever before, is better suited to corequisite courses, and offers stronger support for human critical thinking. It also teaches concrete and flexible strategies that help writers see AI not as a substitute but a starting point. A Writer’s Reference with Writing About Literature is paired with Achieve – an integrated suite of digital tools that personalize learning and empower learners.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.
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.
-
ISBN:9781319562618
Take notes, add highlights, and download our mobile-friendly e-books.
ISBN:9781319562601
Keep your book open while you write with comb-bound texts.
ISBN:9781319596071
This package includes Achieve and Comb-Bound.
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.
-
A Writer's Reference with Writing about Literature
In the age of artificial intelligence, A Writer’s Reference with Writing About Literature continues to boost literacy and build academic intelligence. It supports students as they use tools critically and responsibly to compose in a variety of genres for a range of purposes and audiences. The eleventh edition is more inclusive than ever before, is better suited to corequisite courses, and offers stronger support for human critical thinking. It also teaches concrete and flexible strategies that help writers see AI not as a substitute but a starting point. A Writer’s Reference with Writing About Literature is paired with Achieve – an integrated suite of digital tools that personalize learning and empower learners.
Select a demo to view:
Sample Achieve