《实用写作》体例新颖,内容详实,例文规范,实用性强。《实用写作》但求实用,主要突出常用文体写作技巧训练,加强写作能力的培养。使读者能够举一反三,轻松掌握用文体的写作。

PREFACE
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
SECTION ONE
A Model for Writing
PART 1 The One-Paragraph Essay (Stage I)
1 0verview of the One-Paragraph Essay (Stage I)
2 Support: Examples, Statistics, Statements by Authorities
3 Topic Sentence
4 Unity
5 Coherence
6 Tips on the Writing Process
PART 2 The One-Paragraph Essay (Stage II)
7 0verview of the One-Paragraph Essay (Stage II)
8 Support: Subtopic Sentences
Checklist for the One-Paragraph Essay
PART 3 The Five-Paragraph Essay
9 0verview of the Five-Paragraph Essay
10 Alternative Techniques of Layout
11 Thesis Statement with Blueprint
12 Central Paragraphs
13 Introduction
14 Conclusion
Checklist for the Five-Paragraph Essay
SECTION TWO
Beyond the Model Essay
PART 4 More Patterns of Development
15 Comparison and Contrast
16 Cause and Effect
17 Classification
18 Process
PART 5 The Research Paper
19 0verview of the Research Paper
20 Finding Support
21 Taking and Organizing Notes
22 0rganizing Your Thoughts and Support
23 Using Borrowed Material in Your Paper
24 Parenthetical Documentation
25 Works Cited
SECTION THREE
Improving Your Punctuation and Expression
PART 6 Punctuation
PART 7 Expression
APPENDIXES
INDEX

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The one-paragraph essay is an essay in miniature. It's a little piece of writing,
but it contains many of the fundamentals of much larger pieces of writing.
For example:
The one-paragraph essay has a clear, unmistakable structure. If that's good for something as small as a one-paragraph essay, think of how good that is for someone reading a 20-page paper! Or a book!
The one-paragraph essay has good support. That is, the middle sentences help persuade the reader. Think of how important good support is for longer pieces of writing.
The parts of the one-paragraph essay all have to go together well.We call that "unity." Again, that's also important for everything from a paragraph to a book.
And readers should know clearly at all times where they are in your paragraph. For example, are they still reading the first part of your support or have they moved to the second part? You should use signals to let them know. Those signals (and other devices we'll show you) help produce "coherence." That,too, is extremely important not just in a paragraph but especially in larger pieces of writing.
When we were working hard on the first edition of this book, back in... let's just say it was some time ago, we felt we had a fresh way to approach the traditional way of teaching writing. That is, we would use a friendly, spoken style of writing and lots of straightforward examples--the kind students might actually write. And we would teach a way for students to bring structure to their writing that would work not just in school but beyond.
Different approaches to writing have come and gone, haven't they? And today, with the wonderful technology everywhere, a spoken style of writing and a clear structure are much in demand. Think about the Web. Most usability experts say good writing for the Web should be skimmable--and what's more skimmable than having the main point up front for a paper? And then the main point at the beginning of each paragraph?
And in school, teachers are suffering from information overload as much as anyone. Of course most of them appreciate a clear, straightforward approach to writing. So we believe The Practical Writer is right on target for today's students!