The College Writer: A Guide to Thinking, Writing, and Researching, Brief
This textbook has met the needs of my students. It provides instruction beyond what I provide in the classroom and is a solid reference tool for following courses. The textbook speaks to all level of students. . . . I was so pleased that there is a chapter on critical thinking. This is the first chapter that I assign and again one of the last chapters. It applies throughout the entire semester and carries throughout the next semester. . . . [The Special Forms of Writing chapters] are a terrific addition to the textbook and are helpful to students within this course and the following courses."The consistency of this format is very beneficial to students. Many of our students are double and triple risk students. We rely heavily on study skills and textbook facilitation skills. The format of this book supports the tools that we share. . . . [T]he design enhances usability. . . . The multicultural readings are a strength. I appreciate this balance and believe that it is important for students to read both professional and student models."Ultimately, a textbook MUST be something my students want to use and use willingly. If they find it difficult, disorganized or unfriendly in any way, the textbook will be useless to me. The text must augment and support my classroom discussions. The College Writer was very helpful to me. . . . I like the variety of the text and the way it presents the material. I need to have a text that covers instruction in both writing about literature and research. . . . I like most of it and, most importantly, find it reader friendly. My students utilized the text and were not intimidated by it. The material is easy to absorb and the layout of the information is pleasing. Most of the material appeals to all our students, both young and old and multicultural, as we have quite a range of ages and ethnicities represented in our classes."I like the summary points at the end of each chapter, the ease with which information is presented, the presentation of points, and the topics covered. . . . [T]he text is written in a manner that students can grasp, and material tends to be presented in manageable portions and in a logical order."Overall, students like the text, and they can find more of the information that they are looking for. After the course is over, students often respond that they want to keep the text because they think it will be useful in other classes--and they are right. Students find most of the essays engaging and interesting.