
Exploring Writing: Paragraphs and Essays, 4th Edition
Purchase Options:
* The estimated amount of time this product will be on the market is based on a number of factors, including faculty input to instructional design and the prior revision cycle and updates to academic research-which typically results in a revision cycle ranging from every two to four years for this product. Pricing subject to change at any time.
Additional Product Information:
Now in it's 4th edition, Exploring Writing emphasizes writing skills and process. By referring to a set of four skills for effective writing, Exploring Writing encourages new writers to see writing as a skill that can be learned and a process that must e explored. The four skills, or bases, for effective writing are as follows: Unity: Discover a clearly stated point or topic sentence, and make sure that all other information in the paragraph or essay supports that point. Support: Support the points with specific evidence, and plenty of it. Coherence: Organize and connect supporting evidence so that paragraphs and essays transition smoothly from one bit of supporting information to the next. Sentence skills: Revise and edit so that sentences are error-free for clearer and more effective communication. The four bases are essential to effective writing, whether it be a narrative paragraph, a cover letter for a job application, or an essay assignment. Updated with 11 new readings (including works by Carol Dweck and Ta-Nehisi Coates), new content on literary analysis and updated student examples, Exploring Writing engages students in the writing process and facilitates their development as academic and professional writers. This new title is also available in a low cost rental option.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
PART 1 Writing: Skills and Process 2
1. An Introduction to Writing 4
2. The Writing Process 25
PART 2 Basic Principles of Effective Writing 58
3. The First and Second Steps in Writing 60
4. The Third and Fourth Steps in Writing 90
5. Four Bases for Revising Writing 126
PART 3 Paragraph Development 162
6. Exemplification 164
7. Narration 175
8. Description 184
9. Process 195
10. Cause and/or Effect 206
11. Comparison and/or Contrast 216
12. Definition 230
13. Division-Classification 240
14. Argument 251
PART 4 Essay Development 270
15. Introduction to Essay Development 272
16. Writing the Essay 285
17. Introductions, Conclusions, and Titles 315
18. Patterns of Essay Development 329
PART 5 Research-Based Writing 368
19. Information Literacy 370
20. Working with Sources 385
21. Writing a Research Paper 417
PART 6 Handbook of Sentence Skills 434
SECTION I Grammar 436
22. Subjects and Verbs 437
23. Sentence Sense 442
24. Fragments 445
25. Run-Ons 457
26. Regular and Irregular Verbs 468
27. Subject–Verb Agreement 476
28. More about Verbs 481
29. Pronoun Agreement and Reference 485
30. Pronoun Types 490
31. Adjectives and Adverbs 496
32. Misplaced and Dangling Modifiers 501
SECTION II Mechanics 511
33. Capital Letters 512
34. Numbers and Abbreviations 519
SECTION III Punctuation 524
35. Apostrophe 525
36. Quotation Marks 531
37. Comma 538
38. Other Punctuation Marks 546
SECTION IV Word Use 552
39. Commonly Confused Words 553
40. Effective Word Choice 563
SECTION V Tests 570
41. Editing Tests 571
PART 7 Readings for Writers 588
INTRODUCTION TO THE
READINGS 590
GOALS AND VALUES 594
EDUCATION AND LEARNING 646
CHALLENGING SOCIETY 679
Index 717


By prompting students to engage with key concepts, while continually adapting to their individual needs, Connect activates learning and empowers students to take control resulting in better grades and increased retention rates. Proven online content integrates seamlessly with our adaptive technology, and helps build student confidence outside of the classroom.
SmartBook® 2.0
Available within Connect, SmartBook 2.0 is an adaptive learning solution that provides personalized learning to individual student needs, continually adapting to pinpoint knowledge gaps and focus learning on concepts requiring additional study. SmartBook 2.0 fosters more productive learning, taking the guesswork out of what to study, and helps students better prepare for class. With the ReadAnywhere mobile app, students can now read and complete SmartBook 2.0 assignments both online and off-line. For instructors, SmartBook 2.0 provides more granular control over assignments with content selection now available at the concept level. SmartBook 2.0 also includes advanced reporting features that enable instructors to track student progress with actionable insights that guide teaching strategies and advanced instruction, for a more dynamic class experience.
Video tutorial:

Your text has great instructor tools, like presentation slides, instructor manuals, test banks and more. Follow the steps below to access your instructor resources or watch the step-by-step video.
Steps to access instructor resources:
- To get started, visit connect.mheducation.com to sign in. (If you do not have an account, request one from your McGraw Hill rep. To find your rep, visit Find Your Rep)
- Then, under "Find a Title," search by title, author, or subject
- Select your desired title, and create a course. (You do not have to create assignments, just a course instance)
- Go to your Connect course homepage
- In the top navigation, select library to access the title's instructor resources

Affordability
Reduce course material costs for your students while still providing full access to everything they need to be successful. It isn't too good to be true - it's Inclusive Access.
Need support? We're here to help - Get real-world support and resources every step of the way.