Welcome to composition and rhetoric! While most of you are taking this course because it is required, we hope that all of you will leave with more confidence in your reading, writing, researching, and speaking abilities as these are all elements of freshman composition. Many times, these elements are presented in excellent textbooks written by top scholars. While the collaborators of this particular textbook respect and value those textbooks available from publishers, we have been concerned with disenfranchising students who do not have the resources to purchase textbooks. Therefore, we decided to put together this Open Educational Resource (OER) explicitly for use in freshman composition courses at Texas A&M University. Thanks to a generous grant from Dean David Carlson of the Texas A&M University Libraries, this project became a reality. It is a collaborative endeavor undertaken by faculty in the libraries and English Department as part of the Provost’s Student Success Initiatives at Texas A&M and continues to be a work in progress. Combined, Dr. Terri Pantuso, Dr. Kathy Anders, and Prof. Sarah LeMire have over 30 years of experience in writing and research instruction. Our goal is for students to leave this course as critical thinkers, polished writers, and informed citizens who can engage in civil public discourse. Gig ‘em, Ags!

Welcome to Intermediate College Writing: Building and Practicing Mindful Writing Skills, an open textbook designed for use in university‐level courses that focus on cultivating study skills alongside effective academic and workplace writing skills. It offers a no‐cost alternative to commercial products, combining practical guidance with interactive exercises and thoughtfully designed writing opportunities.

This textbook’s modular design and ample coverage of topics and genres means that it can be used flexibly over semester‐long or stretch courses, allowing instructors and students to select the chapters that are most relevant for their needs. By blending new material with reviews of key topics, such as academic integrity, the chapters provide fresh perspectives on matters vital to the development of strong writing skills. The book adapts, builds upon, and expands material covered in our first open textbook, Mindful Technical Writing: An Introduction to the Fundamentals (Atkinson & Corbitt, 2021).

Table of Contents
Unit I: Exploring College Writing Fundamentals
Unit II: Writing Documents
Unit III: Attending to Design
Unit IV: Working with Sources
Unit V: Conducting Research
Unit VI: Employing Strategies for College Success
Unit VII: Producing Correspondence
Unit VIII: Producing Academic Writing
Unit IX: Refining Your Writing

The thirty chapters in this edited collection were selected from the more than 500 presentations at the Writing Research Across Borders II Conference in 2011. With representatives from more than forty countries, this conference gave rise to the International Society for the Advancement of Writing Research. The chapters selected for this collection represent cutting edge research on writing from all regions, organized around three themes—cultures, places, and measures. The authors report research that considers writing in all levels of schooling, in science, in the public sphere, and in the workplace, as well as at the relationship among these various places of writing. The authors also consider the cultures of writing—among them national cultures, gender cultures, schooling cultures, scientific cultures, and cultures of the workplace. Finally, the chapters examine various ways of measuring writing and how these measures interact with practices of teaching and learning.Edited by Charles Bazerman, Chris Dean, Jessica Early, Karen Lunsford, Suzie Null, Paul Rogers, and Amanda Stansell.

An English language skills textbook to help ESL students acquire communication skills in the community (listening, speaking, reading, and writing) The book is aimed at CLB levels 5/6 focusing on intercultural skills and essential skills: reading text, document use, writing, oral communication, thinking skills, working with others, and computer use.

This course is designed to introduce students to the study, analysis, and interpretation of literature across multiple genres. Key topics include literary genres and conventions; how to read and write about literature; literary analysis; and readings and responses in the genres of poetry, drama, fiction, and creative nonfiction. Primary literary works and critical responses are included, as well as a collection of writing assignments aligned with course content and learning outcomes.

This course was developed by faculty at Ivy Tech Community College, using original materials, as well as materials from NDLA.

This book is designed for a first college course in poetry. Assuming no prior knowledge of poetry, it guides the student through the most essential aspects of poetics, the tricky question of interpretation, and the importance of form. It also outlines, in several chapters, the ways that poetry has evolved over time.

Introduction to Professional and Public Writing is dedicated to introducing students to a lifelong commitment of engaging with these problems that matter. As an academic discipline, Writing Studies’ contribution to engaging with problems can be applied to all areas of study and to all types of problems because we focus on the way language itself—discourse—is created and exchanged in the service of engaging problems. Writing Studies deepens students’ rhetorical awareness of how the ongoing conversations between groups of people shape and express the problems that matter. According to Aristotle, being rhetorically aware means understanding “the best means of persuasion in any given situation.” It means understanding the deep logic that explains why an author has selected a particular genre to deliver a particular message to an audience. We all know writing is hard, but we commit to writing well because of the vital work it does in the world in helping humans preserve and extend our ability to come together. As theorist Anne Beaufort writes, “[w]hat writing expertise is ultimately concerned with is becoming engaged in a particular community of writers who dialogue across texts, argue, and build on each other’s work” (18).

Adapted from Introduction to World Literature Anthology by Christian Beck under a Creative Commons 4.0 Attribution license.

Study and application of basic principles of effective extemporaneous speaking, including audience analysis and adaptation, topic selection, research, organization, and presentation skills.
Chapter 1: Why Public Speaking Matters Today
Chapter 2: Building Confidence
Chapter 3: Audience Analysis
Chapter 4: The Importance of Listening
Chapter 5: Ethics
Chapter 6: Researching Your Speech
Chapter 7: Supporting Ideas and Building Arguments
Chapter 8: Organizing and Outlining
Chapter 9: Delivery
Chapter 10: Introductions and Conclusions
Chapter 11: Language
Chapter 12: Presentation Aids
Chapter 13 Informative Speaking
Chapter 14: Persuasive Speaking
Chapter 15: Special Occasion Speaking
Chapter 16: Online Public Speaking

1: Chapter 1 Reading Skills
1.1: Use Pre-reading Strategies
1.2: Annotate and Take Notes
1.3: The Reading-Writing Connection
1.4: Critical Reading and Rhetorical Context
1.5: Reading Strategies - Previewing
1.5.1: 3.4 Annotation Basics
1.6: Questioning Strategies
1.7: Inferences
1.8: Vocabulary
1.9: Reading Strategies - Taking Notes
1.10: Main Ideas and Supporting Details
1.11: Paraphrazing and Summarizing
1.12: How to Read Like a Writer
1.13: Key Takeaways
2: Chapter 2 Writing Process
2.1: Apply Prewriting Models
2.1.1: Outlining
2.1.2: Outlining
2.1.3: Drafting
2.2: The Writing Process - How Do I Begin? (Exercises)
2.3: The Reading-Writing Process
2.4: Steps in the Reading-Writing Process
2.5: The College Essay Assignment- Analysis, Rubrics, and Critical Thinking
2.6: Argument
2.7: Purpose, Tone, Audience, Content in an Assignment
2.8: Prewriting Strategies
2.9: Outlining
2.10: Key Takeaways
2.11: Revising and Editing
2.12: Chapter 4 Revising
2.12.1: Revising and Editing
3: Chapter 3 Essay Essentials
3.1: Writing a Thesis
3.2: Working Thesis
3.3: Elements of a thesis
3.4: Where is the thesis?
3.5: Tips for writing a thesis statement
3.6: Resources
4: Chapter 4 Writing Basics
4.1: Moving Beyond the Five-paragraph Theme
4.1.1: The Three-story Thesis- From the Ground Up
4.2: The Three-story Thesis- From the Ground Up
4.3: Three-story Theses and the Organically Structured Argument
4.4: Exercises
4.5: Verb tense
4.6: Passive and active voice
4.7: Run-ons, fragments, comma splices
5: Sentence Clarity
5.1: Chapter 5 Sentence Clarity
5.1.1: Sentence Variety
5.1.2: Coordination and Subordination
5.1.3: Parallelism
5.1.4: Writing Introductions
5.1.5: Writing Conclusions
5.1.6: Writing Summaries
5.1.7: Paraphrasing
5.1.8: Quoting

Conversation Activities | The Pathways Project

Short Description:
Let’s Chat! ASL features a collection of over 160 interpersonal activities for novice and intermediate learners. Touching on a range of thematic topics such as free time activities, resolving conflicts, daily routines, health, the environment, holidays and so much more, ASL teachers are sure to find an activity to use in their courses. These activities may be used as is or can easily be revised and remixed to fit the unique needs of individual classrooms.

Long Description:
Let’s Chat! ASL features a collection of over 160 interpersonal activities for novice and intermediate learners. Touching on a range of thematic topics such as free time activities, resolving conflicts, daily routines, health, the environment, holidays and so much more, ASL teachers are sure to find an activity to use in their courses. These activities may be used as is or can easily be revised and remixed to fit the unique needs of individual classrooms.

Are you a language instructor using Pathways Project Activities? We would love to hear from you. CLICK HERE to provide your feedback and share back activities you revised with the Pathways Community.

The Pathways Project, an initiative from the Department of World Languages at Boise State University, is a collaborative network of open educational resources (OER) including instructional language teaching materials and professional development created by and uniquely for Idaho’s K-16 language teachers and students.

Teachers and students participating in the Pathways Project come from different fields of study and schools across Idaho to create open (i.e., free), digital activities that support the teaching and learning of foreign languages and promote intercultural competence. We hope to impact the opportunities learners have to connect to the global world!

Visit the Pathways Project Website to learn more.

Word Count: 132240

(Note: This resource's metadata has been created automatically by reformatting and/or combining the information that the author initially provided as part of a bulk import process.)

Conversation Activities | The Pathways Project

Short Description:
Let’s Chat! Arabic features a collection of over 28 interpersonal speaking activities for novice and intermediate learners. Touching on a range of thematic topics such as greetings, daily routines, health, eating out, holidays and so much more, Arabic teachers are sure to find an activity to use in their courses. These activities may be used as is or can easily be revised and remixed to fit the unique needs of individual classrooms.

Long Description:
Let’s Chat! Arabic features a collection of over 28 interpersonal speaking activities for novice and intermediate learners. Touching on a range of thematic topics such as greetings, daily routines, health, eating out, holidays and so much more, Arabic teachers are sure to find an activity to use in their courses. These activities may be used as is or can easily be revised and remixed to fit the unique needs of individual classrooms.

Are you a language instructor using Pathways Project Activities? We would love to hear from you. CLICK HERE to provide your feedback and share back activities you revised with the Pathways Community.

The Pathways Project, an initiative from the Department of World Languages at Boise State University, is a collaborative network of open educational resources (OER) including instructional language teaching materials and professional development created by and uniquely for Idaho’s K-16 language teachers and students.

Teachers and students participating in the Pathways Project come from different fields of study and schools across Idaho to create open (i.e., free), digital activities that support the teaching and learning of foreign languages and promote intercultural competence. We hope to impact the opportunities learners have to connect to the global world!

Visit the Pathways Project Website to learn more.

Word Count: 42800

(Note: This resource's metadata has been created automatically by reformatting and/or combining the information that the author initially provided as part of a bulk import process.)

Conversation Activities | The Pathways Project

Short Description:
Let’s Chat! French features a collection of nearly 100 classroom-ready interpersonal speaking activities for novice and intermediate learners. Touching on a range of thematic topics such as free time activities, food, daily routines, health, the environment, art and so much more, French teachers are sure to find an activity to use in their courses. These activities may be used as is or can easily be revised and remixed to fit the unique needs of individual classrooms.

Long Description:
Let’s Chat! French features a collection of nearly 100 classroom-ready interpersonal speaking activities for novice and intermediate learners. Touching on a range of thematic topics such as free time activities, food, daily routines, health, the environment, art and so much more, French teachers are sure to find an activity to use in their courses. These activities may be used as is or can easily be revised and remixed to fit the unique needs of individual classrooms.

Are you a language instructor using Pathways Project Activities? We would love to hear from you. CLICK HERE to provide your feedback and share back activities you revised with the Pathways Community.

The Pathways Project, an initiative from the Department of World Languages at Boise State University, is a collaborative network of open educational resources (OER) including instructional language teaching materials and professional development created by and uniquely for Idaho’s K-16 language teachers and students.

Teachers and students participating in the Pathways Project come from different fields of study and schools across Idaho to create open (i.e., free), digital activities that support the teaching and learning of foreign languages and promote intercultural competence. We hope to impact the opportunities learners have to connect to the global world!

Visit the Pathways Project Website to learn more.

Word Count: 102757

(Note: This resource's metadata has been created automatically by reformatting and/or combining the information that the author initially provided as part of a bulk import process.)

Conversation Activities | The Pathways Project

Short Description:
Let’s Chat! Korean features a collection of over 55 classroom-ready interpersonal speaking activities for novice and intermediate learners. Touching on a range of thematic topics such as greetings, travel, daily routines, health, and so much more, Korean teachers are sure to find an activity to use in their courses. These activities may be used as is or can easily be revised and remixed to fit the unique needs of individual classrooms.

Long Description:
Let’s Chat! Korean features a collection of over 55 classroom-ready interpersonal speaking activities for novice and intermediate learners. Touching on a range of thematic topics such as greetings, travel, daily routines, health, and so much more, Korean teachers are sure to find an activity to use in their courses. These activities may be used as is or can easily be revised and remixed to fit the unique needs of individual classrooms.

Are you a language instructor using Pathways Project Activities? We would love to hear from you. CLICK HERE to provide your feedback and share back activities you revised with the Pathways Community.

The Pathways Project, an initiative from the Department of World Languages at Boise State University, is a collaborative network of open educational resources (OER) including instructional language teaching materials and professional development created by and uniquely for Idaho’s K-16 language teachers and students.

Teachers and students participating in the Pathways Project come from different fields of study and schools across Idaho to create open (i.e., free), digital activities that support the teaching and learning of foreign languages and promote intercultural competence. We hope to impact the opportunities learners have to connect to the global world!

Visit the Pathways Project Website to learn more.

Word Count: 39136

(Note: This resource's metadata has been created automatically by reformatting and/or combining the information that the author initially provided as part of a bulk import process.)

Conversation Activities | The Pathways Project

Short Description:
Let’s Chat! Spanish features a collection of over 100 interpersonal speaking activities for novice and intermediate learners. Touching on a range of thematic topics such as free time activities, travel, daily routines, health, the environment, art and so much more, Spanish teachers are sure to find an activity to use in their courses. These activities may be used as is or can easily be revised and remixed to fit the unique needs of individual classrooms.

Long Description:
Let’s Chat! Spanish features a collection of over 100 interpersonal speaking activities for novice and intermediate learners. Touching on a range of thematic topics such as free time activities, travel, daily routines, health, the environment, art and so much more, Spanish teachers are sure to find an activity to use in their courses. These activities may be used as is or can easily be revised and remixed to fit the unique needs of individual classrooms.

Are you a language instructor using Pathways Project Activities? We would love to hear from you. CLICK HERE to provide your feedback and share back activities you revised with the Pathways Community.

The Pathways Project, an initiative from the Department of World Languages at Boise State University, is a collaborative network of open educational resources (OER) including instructional language teaching materials and professional development created by and uniquely for Idaho’s K-16 language teachers and students.

Teachers and students participating in the Pathways Project come from different fields of study and schools across Idaho to create open (i.e., free), digital activities that support the teaching and learning of foreign languages and promote intercultural competence. We hope to impact the opportunities learners have to connect to the global world!

Visit the Pathways Project Website to learn more.

Word Count: 116579

(Note: This resource's metadata has been created automatically by reformatting and/or combining the information that the author initially provided as part of a bulk import process.)

A freshman composition textbook used by the English Department of Virginia Western Community College (VWCC) in Roanoke, Virginia. It aligns with ENG 111, the standard first-year composition course in the Virginia Community College System (VCCS). The ten chapter headings are:

1. Chapter 1 - Critical Reading
2. Chapter 2 - Rhetorical Analysis
3. Chapter 3 - Argument
4. Chapter 4 - The Writing Process
5. Chapter 5 - Rhetorical Modes
6. Chapter 6 - Finding and Using Outside Sources
7. Chapter 7 - How and Why to Cite
8. Chapter 8 - Writing Basics: What Makes a Good Sentence?
9. Chapter 9 - Punctuation
10. Chapter 10 - Working With Words: Which Word is Right?

This book was created by the English faculty and librarians of VWCC using Creative Commons -licensed materials and original contributions.

The layout of our book implies there is a beginning, middle, and end to a writing course, but because writing is both an art and a skill, people will find their own processes for learning, improving, and using these skills. Writing processes differ because we are each looking for a workable schemata that fits our way of thinking. Try out a variety of writing processes and strategies, and find what works for you. If you are not uncomfortable on this journey, you simply are not stretching yet.

A quick glance through the book will show you that it deftly covers the basics, which are always important to review as you get ready to build onto your scaffolding. Reminders of terminology that form the foundation of a discipline—as well as explanations, descriptions, and examples of their use in a basic education—are in chapters such as “Critical Reading,” “Writing Basics: What Makes a Good Sentence,” “The Writing Process,” “Punctuation,” and “Working with Words.” These are, of course, fundamentals that you have worked with throughout your education, learning in each course skills and habits that elevate your reading, writing, and thinking abilities. This college writing course will ensure that you take another step up to college and professional writing.

This text is different in its emphasis on research skills and research writing. The form you will learn, the building blocks of that form, the formality, and the sacrosanct crediting of sources is explained here from English professors and our instructional librarian at the college. Leaning on questions that lead to searches for answers that lead to arguments that present your understanding, the chapters “Critical Reading,” “Rhetorical Modes,” and “Argument” will fill out your growing appreciation of and comfort with the research form in everyday life. From the discussion of source types to guidance through the research process to the models of essay deconstruction, you will find that the expectations and language of this text begin with the college-level student in mind.

Working through this text will elevate you into the next stage of writing for a 21st century student and professional.