Along These Lines: A Course for Developing Writers

Along These Lines is one of the most accessible and engaging rhetoric/reader/grammar texts available for developmental writing students. Each self-contained chapter is filled with numerous activities reinforcing the stages of the writing process: Thoughtlines, Outlines, Roughlines, and Final lines.
The Rhetoric Section includes lively exercises that have students create with groups, interview classmates, and react through peer review forms; more emphasis on learning by doing. Charts, checklists, examples, and exercises reinforce each teaching concept as soon as it is introduced; and a re-cap of the stages of writing - the outline, draft, and final version of a sample assignment - are all in one easy place for reference in each chapter.
The Reading Section features a separate and detailed chapter on reading critically and writing from reading, covering the steps of prereading; reading/rereading, annotating, and reacting in writing to an author's ideas; readings that appeal to the traditional and non-traditional student; selections focus on such topics as the workplace, getting an education, family relationships, and generation gaps; and "Topics for Writing" sparked by the content of the readings and designed to elicit thinking, not rote replication of a model.
The Grammar Section, called "The Bottom Line," incorporates grammar concepts taught step-by-step, as in "Two Steps to Check for Fragments"; Tear-out exercises that reinforce grammatical principles and eliminate pressure for instructors to prepare additional materials and sections that are easily adapted for individualized assignments and/or quick reference for both instructor and students.

Along these Lines is a basic, comprehensive rhetoric/reader/grammar book that introduces the writing process. This book provides a thorough, step-by-step introduction to the stages of the writing process: generating ideas, planning and focusing, drafting and revising, and polishing and proofreading. It incorporates accessible and relevant readings in each chapter as models or springboards for writing, reading critically, and writing from reading. A visually appealing layout and high interest activities encourage readers to learn by doing, while its energetic pace and text graphics provide skill reinforcement. The book recaps the writing stages at the end of each chapter for easy reference and also includes a self-contained grammar section. A valuable reference book for any reader who wishes to improve his writing skills for any reason.