The spirit of THE WRITER'S WAY remains in the ninth edition, as do its two core principles: (1) good writing begins when students know their audience and write for the right reasons; and (2) knowing their audience and having good reasons to write will teach students everything they need to know about technique. Based on a “whole language approach,” THE WRITER'S WAY is a dynamic, process-centered paperback rhetoric with readings. While this text is intended to be used in the classroom, it's very much based on the concept that there is little difference between writing in school and writing in the “real world.” Offering frank advice in a supportive, encouraging tone, Rawlins and Metzger lead students step by step through the writing process, from pre-writing to polishing the final draft. Each student text is packaged with a free Cengage Essential Reference Card to the MLA HANDBOOK, Eighth Edition.

Prologue.
Part I: INTRODUCTION TO WRITING.
1. Learning to Write.
2. What Makes Writing Effective?
3. Writing in School: An Introduction.
Part II: PLANNING AND DRAFTING.
4. Choosing Topics and Getting Started.
5. Thesis, Purpose, and Audience.
6. Style and Tone.
7. Organization: Mapping, Outlining, and Abstracting.
Part III: REVISING AND EDITING.
8. The Spirit of Revising.
9. Beginning, Ending, and Titling.
10. Peer Feedback.
11. Editing.
Part IV: FORMS OF WRITING: THREE KEY GENRES.
12. Personal Writing.
13. Writing to Inform.
14. Writing an Argument, Stage 1: Thinking Critically.
15. Writing an Argument, Stage 2: Selling the Case.
Part V: ACADEMIC WRITING.
16. Research.
17. Using Sources.
18. The Academic Research Paper.
Part VI: A COLLECTION OF GOOD WRITING.

The spirit of THE WRITER'S WAY remains in the ninth edition, as do its two core principles: (1) good writing begins when students know their audience and write for the right reasons; and (2) knowing their audience and having good reasons to write will teach students everything they need to know about technique. Based on a “whole language approach,” THE WRITER'S WAY is a dynamic, process-centered paperback rhetoric with readings. While this text is intended to be used in the classroom, it's very much based on the concept that there is little difference between writing in school and writing in the “real world.” Offering frank advice in a supportive, encouraging tone, Rawlins and Metzger lead students step by step through the writing process, from pre-writing to polishing the final draft. Each student text is packaged with a free Cengage Essential Reference Card to the MLA HANDBOOK, Eighth Edition. The ninth edition reflects current composition pedagogy that emphasizes “inquiry” and focuses more on research and academic writing than did previous editions. New student essays and new pieces by professional writers include work by Dave Barry and Annie Dillard, among others. Chapter 13, “Writing to Inform,” provides additional coverage of informative writing that goes beyond “how to” examples to include profiles as well as guidance on how to write effective ones. Writer's Workshop features at the end of many chapters have been updated, and continue to show student writing in progress, discuss practical writing issues, and ask students to apply what they have learned in the chapter to their own writing. Writer's Workshop features at the end of many chapters show student writing in progress, discuss practical writing issues, and ask students to apply what they have learned in the chapter to their own writing. The text offers detailed help on overcoming writers' most common problems, such as defeating writer's block, finding topics to write about, and making papers shorter or longer to meet requirements. Other topics covered include critical thinking, peer editing, and titling. A focus on student writing is evident throughout the text, allowing students to see that their peers can and do write wonderful essays. Complete essays and excerpts from actual students provide models for writers and opportunities for editing. Almost all chapters end with exercises that focus on whole-language activities.