Writing and Reading Across the Curriculum
Posted on June 10th, 2010 by
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Product Description
Remaining one of the best-selling interdisciplinary composition texts for over twenty-five years, Writing and Reading Across the Curriculum helps readers of all majors and interests learn to write effectively… More >>
This cut down by more than half the time it has taken my students to learn to write summaries, integrate sources, understand argument, and write syntheses.
Many of the readings are also interesting and productive, especially those on Folklore and Obedience to Authority. I’d teach it in combination with a course reader, though, since there’s almost no attention to the process of helping students find their voice and write more beautiful prose.
But no one book can do everything, and I plan to keep teaching this one. My students like it too — with its focus on arguable ideas and the wonderful step-by-step breakdown of the writing process.
Rating: 5 / 5
I’m currently using this for a freshman English course, and I find it is a complete mess. There are historical mistakes (claiming Cicero was the greatest writer of the Roman Empire -when Cicero wrote during the Republic), spelling errors, and even grammatical errors (take the title of Chapter 4 for instance: “Types of Synthesis: Explanatory and Argument” -has the author ever run into the term parallelism?).
The book is full of redundancies and proprietary terminology. Some of the concepts are barely explained, others are beaten to death. The writing style is not consistent, leading to the suspicion that many people had their hands in this one -perhaps “authors” in India. Some of the exercises are barely comprehensible. For instance:
“Look over the preceding readings and make a list of the ways they address the overall topics of computers, communication, and relationships. Make your list as detailed as you can. Then write several lists grouping together the readings that deal with similar aspects of the overall topics” (108).
We really don’t want our students writing like this, so the last thing we should do is expose them to a textbook like this.
Some of the reading selections are good, and others are vapid, pointless, and generally worthless. Essays about dirty dorm rooms and lack of parking spaces behind the gym -oh yes, this is really provocative.
I challenge anyone to find me a worse textbook.
Rating: 1 / 5
I have used this book in about six classes and it has come in handy several times when writing research papers in both MLA and APA citations.
Rating: 5 / 5
The delivery is in time. The item is good except for slight notes on it.
Rating: 4 / 5
This is easily the most boring book ever published. It literally put me to sleep last night. I have chronic insomnia. Doctors should prescribe this as a sleep aide. It is atrocious. You’re selling these stupid tomes for over $60, put a few images in there. Go wild and print a page in color. You can afford it you money-grubbing swine.
Rating: 1 / 5