Strategies for Using The Brief Penguin Handbook, third edition Paul Jude Beauvais August 20, 2008

Strategies for Using The Brief Penguin Handbook, third edition Use the handbook extensively during the first three weeks of the semester. Extensive use during the first three weeks encourages students to purchase the handbook.

Strategies for Using The Brief Penguin Handbook, third edition Cover the topics in Chapters 1 to 5 (pages 1 to 46) early in the semester. Topics discussed in these pages: – Analyzing rhetorical situations – Using invention strategies – Designing effective paragraphs and transitions – Critiquing and revising drafts – Editing prose

Strategies for Using The Brief Penguin Handbook, third edition Reinforce the topics in Chapters 1 to 5 by referring to them throughout the semester. Discussing the topics once will have little effect on most students. Refer to these topics whenever students begin a new writing assignment. Make clear that the strategies in these chapters should be employed regularly.

Strategies for Using The Brief Penguin Handbook, third edition Use Faigley’s discussion of the rhetorical triangle and Aristotle’s tactics of persuasion (Chapter 1, pages 1-6). – Ask students to begin each writing assignment by considering their goals as writers, their expectations of their audience, and the image of themselves they want their writing to convey. – Throughout the semester, use concepts such as ethos, logos, and pathos to explain strengths and weaknesses in drafts of students’ essays.

Strategies for Using The Brief Penguin Handbook, third edition For every assignment, encourage students to generate and organize ideas by using the reporter’s questions, idea mapping, and other heuristic strategies (discussed in Chapter 2, pages 6 to 20). – Then refer to these strategies again when students revise their essays.

Strategies for Using The Brief Penguin Handbook, third edition For every assignment, ask students to draft multiple versions of introductory, body, and concluding paragraphs (using the models for effective paragraphs and transitions presented in Chapter 3, pages 21 to 37). – Then encourage students to reconsider their options when they revise their essays.

Strategies for Using The Brief Penguin Handbook, third edition Whenever students revise their essays, encourage them to use Faigley’s strategies for revision (discussed in Chapter 4, pages 37 to 44). – Mention these strategies whenever you recommend that students revise their essays.

Strategies for Using The Brief Penguin Handbook, third edition When students critique each other’s work, encourage them to use Faigley’s strategies for editing the writing of others (discussed in Chapter 4, pages 44 to 46). – Then reinforce these strategies again by using them in your own responses to students’ work.

Strategies for Using The Brief Penguin Handbook, third edition Encourage students to keep the book instead of reselling it at the end of the semester. Point out information that will be useful throughout their college years (and beyond). – Note that Chapters 24 to 26 contain documentation guidelines for formats that are used in other classes. – Note that Chapter 11 contains information about writing resumes and letters of application.