Contents

Preface: To the Instructor

Rhetorical Contents

How to Succeed in College with The Bedford Guide for College Writers

Book 1
A WRITER’S GUIDE
Introduction: Writing in College

Part One
A College Writer’s Processes

1. Writing Processes
Writing, Reading, and Critical Thinking
A Process of Writing
Generating Ideas
Learning by Doing Reflecting on Ideas
Planning, Drafting, and Developing
Learning by Doing Reflecting on Drafts
Revising and Editing
Understand Your Writing Situation
Writing with Purpose
Learning by Doing Writing with Purpose
Writing for Your Audience
Writing in Different Genres
Learning by Doing Experimenting with Genres
Learning by Doing Analyzing a Piece of Writing
Additional Writing Assignments

2. Reading Processes
A Process of Critical Reading
Preparing to Read
Responding as You Read
Learning by Doing Annotating a Passage
Learning by Doing Keeping a Reading Journal
Learning from Other Writers: Summarizing and Responding
■  Robert Jensen, From The High Cost of Manliness
■  Student Summary and Response: Olof Eriksson, The Problems with Masculinity
Reading on Literal and Analytical Levels
Learning by Doing Reading Analytically
Generating Ideas from Reading
Learning from Other Writers: Responding Critically
■  Neil DeGrasse Tyson, From The Cosmic Perspective
■  Student Critical Response: Ayesha James, Responding to Neil DeGrasse Tyson’s “The Cosmic Perspective”
Learning by Doing Reading Critically
Reading Online and Multimodal Texts
Learning by Doing Reading a Website
Additional Writing Assignments

3. Critical Thinking Processes
A Process of Critical Thinking
Applying Critical Thinking in Daily Life
Learning by Doing Thinking Critically When Facing a Problem
Applying Critical Thinking to Academic Problems
Thinking Critically about Your Own Writing: Self-Reflection
How to Reflect on Your Own Writing
Learning by Doing Reflecting on Your College Career
Contexts for Self-Reflection
Learning by Doing Reflecting on Your Course Syllabus
Learning from Another Writer: Self-Reflection
■  Student Self-Reflection: Khalia Nadam, What I Learned from My Research Project
Additional Writing Assignments

Part Two
A Writer’s Situations

4. Recalling and Observing
Why Recalling and Observing Matter
Learning from Other Writers
■  Margaret Rhee, Returning to My Father’s Koreatown
■  Student Essay: DeAndra Miller, Dead to Rights
Learning by Writing
The Assignment: Recalling a Personal Experience or Observing a Scene
Generating Ideas
Planning, Drafting, and Developing
Revising and Editing
Learning by Doing Strengthen Your Main Idea, Impression, or Thesis
Peer Response Recalling and Observing
Reviewing and Reflecting
Additional Writing Assignments

5. Interviewing for Information
Why Interviewing for Information Matters
Learning from Other Writers
■  Jon Ronson, How One Stupid Tweet Blew Up Justine Sacco’s Life
■  Student Essay: Lorena A. Ryan-Hines, Looking Backwards, Moving Forward
Learning by Writing
The Assignment: Writing an Essay Based on an Interview
Generating Ideas
Learning by Doing Analyzing Interview Questions
Peer Response Get Feedback on Your Interview Questions
Planning, Drafting, and Developing
Revising and Editing
Peer Response Get Feedback on Your Essay
Reviewing and Reflecting
Additional Writing Assignments

6. Comparing and Contrasting
Why Comparing and Contrasting Matter
Learning from Other Writers
■  American Psychological Association, Stress in America: Generation Z
■  Student Essay: Isaac Sinclair, E-Cigarettes Pose a Hidden Danger
Learning by Writing
The Assignment: Comparing and Contrasting
Managing Your Time: Writing a Comparison/Contrast Essay
Generating Ideas
Learning by Doing Making a Comparison-and-Contrast Table
Planning, Drafting, and Developing
Learning by Doing Building Cohesion with Transitions
Revising and Editing
Peer Response Get Feedback on Your Compare-and-Contrast Essay
Reviewing and Reflecting
Additional Writing Assignments

7. Explaining Causes and Effects
Why Explaining Causes and Effects Matters
Learning from Other Writers
■  Simon Gottschalk, In Praise of Doing Nothing: Why Leisure Time Is Good for Productivity
■  Student Essay: Yun Yung Choi, Invisible Women
Learning by Writing
The Assignment: Explaining Causes and Effects
Managing Your Time: Writing a Cause-and-Effect Essay
Generating Ideas
Learning by Doing Determining Causes and Effects
Planning, Drafting, and Developing
Learning by Doing Focusing Your Introduction
Revising and Editing
Peer Response Get Feedback on Your Cause-and-Effect Essay
Reviewing and Reflecting
Additional Writing Assignments

8. Taking a Stand
Why Taking a Stand Matters
Learning from Other Writers
■  Suzan Shown Harjo, Last Rites for Indian Dead
■  Student Essay: Marjorie Lee Garretson, More Pros Than Cons in a Meat-Free Life
Learning by Writing
The Assignment: Taking a Stand
Managing Your Time: Writing an Argument Essay 
Generating Ideas
Learning by Doing Testing Potential Topics
Learning by Doing Supporting a Claim
Learning by Doing Addressing Counterarguments
Planning, Drafting, and Developing
Learning by Doing Identifying Types of Appeals
Revising and Editing
Peer Response Get Feedback on Your Argument Essay
Learning by Doing Reflecting on Your Draft
Reviewing and Reflecting
Additional Writing Assignments

9. Proposing a Solution
Why Proposing a Solution Matters
Learning from Other Writers
■  Wilbert Rideau, Why Prisons Don’t Work
■  Student Essay: Lacey Taylor, It’s Not Just a Bike
Learning by Writing
The Assignment: Proposing a Solution
Managing Your Time: Writing a Proposal
Generating Ideas
Learning by Doing Describing Your Audience
Planning, Drafting, and Developing
Learning by Doing Proposing a Solution
Revising and Editing
Learning by Doing Revising for Clear Organization
Peer Response Proposing a Solution
Reviewing and Reflecting
Additional Writing Assignments

10. Evaluating and Reviewing
Why Evaluating and Reviewing Matter
Learning from Other Writers
■  Ty Burr, “Oh God, My Eyes”: A Review of “Cats”
■  Student Essay: Elizabeth Erion, Internship Program Falls Short
Learning by Writing
The Assignment: Writing an Evaluation
Managing Your Time: Writing an Evaluation  
Generating Ideas
Learning by Doing Developing Criteria
Planning, Drafting, and Developing
Learning by Doing Stating Your Overall Judgment
Revising and Editing
Peer Response Evaluating and Reviewing
Reviewing and Reflecting
Additional Writing Assignments

11. Supporting a Position with Sources
Why Supporting with Sources Matters
Learning from Other Writers
■  Tristram Hunt, Should Museums Return Their Colonial Artifacts?
■  Student Essay: Abigail Marchand, The Family Dynamic
Learning by Writing
The Assignment: Supporting a Position with Sources
Managing Your Time: Writing a Position Essay with Sources
Generating Ideas
Planning, Drafting, and Developing
Learning by Doing Strengthening Your Position as you Gather Evidence
Learning by Doing Avoiding Accidental Plagiarism
Revising and Editing
Peer Response Get Feedback on Your Position Paper
Reviewing and Reflecting
Additional Writing Assignments

12. Responding to Literature
Why Responding to Literature Matters
Learning from Other Writers
■  Jamaica Kincaid, Girl
Preparing to Write a Literary Analysis
■  Student Essay: Autumn Oliver, Being Good in Jamaica Kincaid’s “Girl”
Learning by Writing
The Assignment: Analyzing a Literary Work
Managing Your Time: Writing a Literary Analysis  
Generating Ideas
Learning by Doing Writing a Paraphrase of a Poem
Planning, Drafting, and Developing
Learning by Doing Examining Fiction Genres
Learning by Doing Developing Your Thesis
Peer Response Getting Feedback on Your Literary Analysis
Revising and Editing
Reviewing and Reflecting
Additional Writing Assignments

13. Responding to Visual Representations
Why Responding to Visual Representations Matters
Learning from Another Writer
■  Student Essay: Logan Sikora, The Attention Test
Learning by Writing
The Assignment: Writing a Visual Analysis
Managing Your Time: Writing a Visual Analysis    
Generating Ideas
Learning by Doing Seeing the Big Picture
Learning by Doing Observing Characteristics
Learning by Doing Interpreting Meaning
Planning, Drafting, and Developing
Revising and Editing
Reviewing and Reflecting
Additional Writing Assignments

Part Three
A Writer’s Strategies

14. Strategies: A Case Study
Generating Ideas
Planning, Drafting, and Developing
Rough Draft with Peer and Instructor Responses
Learning by Doing Responding as a Peer
Revising and Editing
Part of Revised and Edited Draft
■  Final Draft for Submission: Nick Catizone, Smartphone Addiction: Which Generations Is to Blame?
Reflecting as a Writer
Learning by Doing Writing a Reflective Letter
Reflective Portfolio Letter

15. Strategies for Generating Ideas
Finding Ideas
Building from Your Assignment
Brainstorming and Freewriting
Learning by Doing Brainstorming or Freewriting
Doodling or Sketching
Mapping
Imagining
Asking a Reporter’s Questions
Learning by Doing Asking a Reporter’s Questions
Keeping a Journal
Learning by Doing Keeping a Journal
Getting Ready to Write
Setting Up Circumstances
Being Open to Ideas

16. Strategies for Stating a Thesis and Planning
Considering Purpose and Audience
Stating and Using a Thesis
Learning by Doing Identifying Theses
How to Discover a Working Thesis
How to State and Improve a Thesis
Learning by Doing Examining Thesis Statements
How to Use a Thesis to Organize
Learning by Doing Using a Thesis to Preview
Organizing Your Ideas
Grouping Your Ideas
Outlining
Learning by Doing Moving from Outline to Thesis
Learning by Doing Outlining

17. Strategies for Drafting
Making a Start Enjoyable
Restarting
Paragraphing
Using Topic Sentences
Learning by Doing Shaping Topic Sentences
Writing an Opening
Learning by Doing Trying Different Methods of Writing an Opening
Writing a Conclusion
Learning by Doing Evaluating Openings and Conclusions
Adding Cues and Connections

18. Strategies for Developing
Giving Examples
Learning by Doing Giving Examples
Providing Details
Learning by Doing Providing Details
Defining
Learning by Doing Developing an Extended Definition
Reasoning Inductively and Deductively
Analyzing a Process
Learning by Doing Analyzing a Process
Dividing and Classifying
Comparing and Contrasting
Learning by Doing Comparing and Contrasting
Identifying Causes and Effects
Learning by Doing Identifying Causes and Effects

19. Strategies for Revising and Editing
Re-viewing and Revising
Revising for Purpose and Thesis
Revising for Audience
Revising for Structure and Support
Learning by Doing Tackling Macro Revision
Working with a Peer Editor
Questions for a Peer Editor
Meeting with Your Instructor
Revising for Emphasis, Conciseness, and Clarity
Stressing What Counts
Cutting and Whittling
Keeping It Clear
Editing and Proofreading
Editing
Proofreading
Learning by Doing Reflecting on Past Grades and Comments

20. Strategies for Creating Presentations and Portfolios
Presentations
Preparing Presentations
Using Visuals
Learning from Another Writer: Visuals for an Oral Presentation
■  STUDENT Presentation: Isabel Thornton, Fast Fashion: The Environmental Consequences of a Disposable Lifestyle
Learning by Doing Reflecting on Oral Presentations
Portfolios
Keeping a Portfolio
Understanding Portfolio Assessment
Tips for Keeping a Portfolio
Learning by Doing Reflecting on This Class

Book 2
A WRITER’S READER
Introduction: Reading to Write

21. America
■  Shankar Vendantam, The Huddled Masses and the Myth of America
■  Judith Ortiz Cofer, More Room
Paired Essays
■  Saša Vujnović, Challenges of the Gig Economy in the United States
■  Tom Spriggle, What Does a Worker Want? What the Labor Shortage Really Tells Us

22. Language
■  James Baldwin, If Black English Isn’t a Language, Then Tell Me, What Is?
■  Yesenia Padilla, What Does “Latinx” Mean? A Look at the Term That’s Challenging Gender Norms
Paired Essays
■  Richard Rodriguez, Public and Private Language
■  Amy Tan, Mother Tongue

23. Popular Culture
■  Stephen King, Why We Crave Horror Movies
■  Kurt Dean Squire and Matthew Gaydos, No, Fortnite Isn’t Rotting Kids’ Brains. It May Even Be Good for Them
Paired Essays
■  Jason Johnson, How Stan Lee, Creator of Black Panther, Taught a Generation of Black Nerds about Race, Art, and Activism
■  Nasim Mansuri, How This Year’s Movies Are Ending Cynicism in Film

24. Inequality
■  Jeremy Dowsett, What Riding My Bike Has Taught Me about White Privilege
■  Shanna Kattari, The Health Care Discrimination Transgender and Non-Binary People Face Every Day
Paired Essays
■  Rachel Kolb, Seeing at the Speed of Sound      
■  Emily Ladau, Playing the Online Dating Game, in a Wheelchair         

25. Gender 000
■  Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, Happy Feminist
■  Brent Staples, Black Men and Public Space
Paired Essays
■  Alina Bradford, What Is Transgender?
■  Amy Harmon, Which Box Do You Check?      

Book 3
A WRITER’S RESEARCH MANUAL
Introduction: The Nature of Research

26. Defining Your Research Project
Learning by Doing Reflecting on Research
Research Assignments: Working from Sources
The Research Proposal
The Source Evaluation
The Annotated Bibliography
The Outline
The Research Paper
Creating a Schedule
Choosing a Topic
Narrowing Your Topic
Turning a Topic into a Question
Moving from Research Question to Working Thesis
Plan Your Research
Sample Assignment: Creating a Research Proposal

27. Finding Sources
Searching the Internet
Smart Online Searching
Learning by Doing Comparing Web Searches
Searching the Library
Getting to Know the Library
Using the Library Catalog
Learning by Doing Brainstorming for Search Terms
Searching Library Databases
Using Specialized Library Resources
Finding Sources in the Field
Interviewing
Observing
Using Questionnaires
Corresponding
Attending Public and Online Events
Reconsidering Your Field Sources

28. Evaluating Sources
Assessing Reliability
Who Is Responsible for the Source?
What Type of Source Is It?
Is the Source Scholarly or Popular?
What Is the Source’s Purpose?
When Was the Source Published?
Assessing Bias
Recognizing Biases across the Political Spectrum
Assessing Relevance
Considering Your Purpose
Evaluating Online Sources with Healthy Skepticism
Understanding a Site’s Purpose
Fighting “Fake News”
Recognizing “Clickbait”
Distinguishing between News and Advertisements
Being Wary of Social Media
Authenticating Information
Diversifying Your News Sources
Reviewing Your Sources
Sample Assignment: Preparing a Source Evaluation

29. Working with Sources
Managing Your Sources
Taking Advantage of Digital Tools
Organizing on Paper
Keeping a Working Bibliography
Sample Assignment: Developing an Annotated Bibliography
Learning by Doing Writing an Annotation
Taking Notes
Reading Actively
Quoting
Paraphrasing
Summarizing
Learning by Doing Capturing Information from Sources
Citing Sources
Identifying the Source
Citing the Location of the Source Material
Learning by Doing Identifying and Citing Your Sources
Integrating Material from Sources
Integrating Quotations and Paraphrases
Integrating Summaries
Synthesizing Ideas and Sources
Using Sources Ethically
Avoiding Plagiarism

30. Writing a Research Paper
Planning with a Thesis Statement
Drafting
Citing Your Sources as You Draft
Beginning and Ending
Learning by Doing Focusing with a Reverse Outline
Revising and Editing
Peer Response Writing Your Research Paper
Documenting Sources

31. MLA Style for Documenting Sources
Citing Sources in MLA Style
Listing Sources in MLA Style
A Sample MLA Research Paper

32. APA Style for Documenting Sources
Citing Sources in APA Style
Listing Sources in APA Style
A Sample APA Research Paper

Book 4
A WRITER’S HANDBOOK
Introduction: Grammar, or The Way Words Work
Learning by Doing Creating an Error Log

33. Basic Grammar
1. Parts of Speech
2. Subjects
3. Verbs, Objects, and Complements
Learning by Doing Finding Subjects and Verbs
4. Clauses and Phrases
5. Sentence Structures

34. Grammatical Sentences
6. Sentence Fragments
7. Comma Splices and Fused Sentences
8. Verb Form, Tense, and Mood
9. Subject-Verb Agreement
10. Pronoun Case
11. Pronoun Reference
12. Pronoun-Antecedent Agreement
13. Adjectives and Adverbs
14. Shifts
Learning by Doing Considering Your Rough Draft

35. Effective Sentences
15. Misplaced and Dangling Modifiers
16. Incomplete Sentences
17. Mixed Constructions and Faulty Predication
18. Parallel Structure
19. Coordination and Subordination
20. Sentence Variety
21. Active and Passive Voice
Learning by Doing Considering Language

36. Word Choice
22. Appropriateness
23. Exact Words
24. Bias-Free Language
25. Wordiness
Learning by Doing Refining Your Wording
26. Commonly Confused Words

37. Punctuation
Learning by Doing Tackling Punctuation Patterns
27. End Punctuation
28. Commas
29. Misuses of the Comma
30. Semicolons
31. Colons
32. Apostrophes
33. Quotation Marks
34. Dashes
35. Parentheses, Brackets, and Ellipses

38. Mechanics
Learning by Doing Understanding Conventions
36. Abbreviations
37. Capital Letters
38. Numbers
39. Italics
40. Hyphens
41. Spelling

APPENDICES AND OTHER RESOURCES

Quick Format Guide
A. Following the Format for an Academic Paper
B. Integrating and Crediting Visuals
C. Preparing a Document Template
D. Solving Common Format Problems
E.  Designing Other Documents for Your Audience
F.  Organizing a Résumé and an Application Letter

Quick Research Guide
A. Defining Your Quest
B. Searching for Recommended Sources
C. Evaluating Possible Sources
D. Capturing, Introducing, and Citing Evidence Added from Sources
E.  Citing and Listing Sources in MLA or APA Style

Quick Editing Guide
A. Editing for Common Grammar Problems
B. Editing to Ensure Effective Sentences
C. Editing for Word Choice
D. Editing for Common Punctuation Problems
E.  Editing for Common Mechanics Problems

Index

Correction Symbols

Proofreading Symbols

A Guide to the Handbook

Summer 2024 Updates:

New! Corequisite Resource Manual in Achieve
Discover what Achieve offers for your corequisite composition course. Whether your focus is on honing students' reading and sentence skills, building the reading-writing connection, scaffolding the writing process, or fostering habits for lifelong learning, Achieve has the interactive resources you need. The new Corequisite Resource Manual includes a full description of each available resource, its pedagogical benefits, and best practices for assigning it. Now available in the Achieve courses for Patterns for College Writing, Achieve for Readers and Writers, The Bedford Guide for College Writers, and Successful College Writing.

Thirteenth Edition Updates (2023):

A section on succeeding with The Bedford Guide helps students identify their strengths as writers. This new section provides recommendations for building student confidence and points to valuable resources within the text and Achieve to support their efforts.

An interactive Student Success Toolkit addresses non-cognitive skills important to academic success. Available in Achieve, the student success toolkit includes self-paced modules on three key topics: time management, study skills, and growth mindset.

Integrated writing checklists in Achieve remind students to employ valuable strategies as they draft and revise.
Long a favorite feature of The Bedford Guide, the text’s handy writing checklists have been integrated directly into the pre-built writing assignments in Achieve.

Fresh and diverse readings in A Writer’s Reader showcase source-based writing and get students thinking and writing.
New thematic pairings on the gig economy and disability shine a light on current events, while new selections in the “Popular Culture,” “Inequality,” and “Gender” chapters amplify new voices on topics students care about, including:
■ A reflection on the end of cynicism in film by Nasim Mansuri
■ A cyclist on what biking has taught him about white privilege
■ A journalist, Amy Harmon, on non-binary genders on driver’s licenses