Guest Barb B Posted April 8, 2010 Share Posted April 8, 2010 Looking for your favorite freschman college english comp. textbook for my next year senior. I've looked at a number online that seem good to me but wondering if anyone here really likes one in particular. Trying to have an english comp portion of English 12 to prepare ds for college writing. Barb Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michelle in AL Posted April 8, 2010 Share Posted April 8, 2010 My favorite on essay writing is The Lively Art of Writing. You can really understand how to write an effective essay after using this. We go through a chapter a week and do all the accompanying questions and writing assignments. My favorite Composition book with accompanying essays is The Bedford Reader. It teaches how to write al different types of essay-narrative, comparative, persuasive, etc and has some very good essays as examples. The essays read more like short stories than non-fiction. I just ordered this, used, from amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Step-Writing-About-Literature/dp/0787255645/ref=sr_1_10?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1270769759&sr=8-10 I liked the table of contents. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hoggirl Posted April 9, 2010 Share Posted April 9, 2010 My favorite on essay writing is The Lively Art of Writing. You can really understand how to write an effective essay after using this. We go through a chapter a week and do all the accompanying questions and writing assignments. My favorite Composition book with accompanying essays is The Bedford Reader. It teaches how to write al different types of essay-narrative, comparative, persuasive, etc and has some very good essays as examples. The essays read more like short stories than non-fiction. I just ordered this, used, from amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Step-Writing-About-Literature/dp/0787255645/ref=sr_1_10?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1270769759&sr=8-10 I liked the table of contents. What's the difference between The Bedford Reader and The Brief Bedford Reader with 2009 MLA Update (or something like that!) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Barb B Posted April 9, 2010 Share Posted April 9, 2010 Do you think the Bedford Reader is something a 12th grader could independently go through with Mom grading assignments? Also, do you think it helps with writing across all subject areas that might be encountered in college (ds is going into engineering so that type of writing as well as the core curriculum type of classes as well). Barb Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michelle in AL Posted April 9, 2010 Share Posted April 9, 2010 Yes, I think the Bedford reader could be done independently. He could read each section on how to write a specific type of essay and then read selections of those types of essays as you assign them. I wouldn't necessarily read them all. There are some adult topics. I remember one story about a Mexican family that immigrated to New York. A teenage cousin had aborted a baby in the commode and hid it from her parents (I'm going totally from memory here, but you get the gist). So, I'd preread if that would bother. I really like their writing exercises and suggestions for journaling. There are certain types of assignments it won't address such as scientific writing, but that's about it. I think The Lively Art of Writing is the best preperation for college writing. It really teaches you how to write an opinion based thesis statement, how to address both the pros and cons of your thesis etc. What's the difference between The Bedford Reader and The Brief Bedford Reader with 2009 MLA Update (or something like that!) I haven't seen this version, but I assume it would have either recent changes to MLA format or an abridged version of general MLA format that included recent changes. Their is also a Bedford Reader with updated MLA format Brief version I don't know what they have cut out of this version. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michelle in AL Posted April 9, 2010 Share Posted April 9, 2010 I have a syllabus for an honors course that I made that includes the Bedford reader along with 50 Essays a Portable Anthology if you'd like to see it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Barb B Posted April 9, 2010 Share Posted April 9, 2010 OHHH! Yes, I would love too. . . Barb Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.