This book gives students an answer to the question, “What does my professor want from this essay?” Using a single poem by William Carlos Williams as the basis for the process of writing a paper, it walks students through the processes of reading, brainstorming, researching secondary sources, gathering evidence, and composing and editing the paper. Writing Essays About Literature is designed to strengthen argumentation skills and deepen understanding of the relationships between the reader, the author, the text, and critical interpretations. Its lessons about clarity, precision, and the importance of providing evidence will have wide relevance for student writers. The second edition has been updated throughout and provides three new complete sample essays showing varying approaches to the final essay.

This book gives students an answer to the question, “What does my professor want from this essay?” In lively, direct language, it explains the process of creating “a clearly-written argument, based on evidence, about the meaning, power, or structure of a literary work.” Using a single poem by William Carlos Williams as the basis for the process of writing a paper about a piece of literature, it walks students through the processes of reading, brainstorming, researching secondary sources, gathering evidence, and composing and editing the paper. Writing Essays About Literature is designed to strengthen argumentation skills and deepen understanding of the relationships between the reader, the author, the text, and critical interpretations. Its lessons about clarity, precision, and the importance of providing evidence will have wide relevance for student writers.

This outstanding practical guide to writing analytical essays on literature develops interpretive skills through focused exercises and modeled examples. The program is tailored to meet the specific needs of beginning undergraduates. Features unique, detailed guidance on paragraph structure Includes sample essays throughout to model each stage of the essay-writing process Focused exercises develop the techniques outlined in each chapter Dedicated checklists enable quick, accurate assessment by teachers and students Enhanced glossary with advice on usage added to core definitions

Widely used in introductory literature courses as a style guide or as a supplement to anthologies, this book provides valuable guidelines for interpreting literature and writing essays. It includes full-length selections as well as essays.

"Designed to clearly explain to college and university students how to write essays that analyze and respond to literature. A hands-on approach to writing literary responses, designed to guide students as they develop the more critical, sophisticated style demanded in post-secondary."--

The Broadview Pocket Guide to Writing presents essential material from the full Broadview Guide to Writing. Included are key grammatical points, a glossary of usage, advice on various forms of academic writing, coverage of punctuation and writing mechanics, and helpful advice on how to research academic papers. MLA, APA, and Chicago styles of citation and documentation are covered, and each has been revised to include the latest updates. A companion website provides a wealth of interactive exercises, information on the CSE style of citation and documentation, and much more.

How does one help undergraduate students learn quickly how to produce effectively organized, persuasive, well-reasoned essays? This book offers a straightforward, systematic introduction to some of the key elements of the construction of arguments in essay form. The focus here is on practical advice that will prove immediately useful to students—recommended procedures are emphasized, and detailed examples of academic and student writing are provided throughout. The book introduces the basics of argumentation before moving on to the structure and organization of essays. Planning and outlining the essay, writing strong thesis statements, organizing coherent paragraphs, and writing effective introductions and conclusions are among the subjects discussed. A separate section concisely explores issues specific to essays about literary works.