The Lively Art of Writing: Words, Sentences, Style and Technique — an Essential Guide to One of Today’s Most Necessary Skills

A Note to the StudentChapter 1 What Is an Essay?Subjects for EssaysWhat Is an Opinion, and How Do You Reach It?What Makes an Opinion Interesting?Examining the OppositionBelieve What You SaySummaryChapter 2 From Opinion to Thesis"Closing In" on Your ThesisThe Five-Step ProcessA Subject Close to HomeSummaryChapter 3 The Full and Final ThesisElements of a Full ThesisThe Psychology of ArgumentStrongest Argument LastForm of the Full ThesisSummaryChapter 4 StructureThe IntroductionNo Bombs, PleaseThe Big Middle SectionRefer to Your Full ThesisYour Strongest ArgumentThe ConclusionBack to BeginningsUnderstand the StructureTying in the Middle SectionSummaryChapter 5 First Steps toward StyleThe First CommandmentThe Second CommandmentSummaryChapter 6 The Size and Shape of Middle ParagraphsOne Point, One ParagraphLength of ParagraphsBasic Paragraph StructureDeveloping a ParagraphPicture-Frame ParagraphsSummaryChapter 7 Connections between ParagraphsStandard DevicesA Note on 'however"Paragraph HooksThe CombinationsSummaryChapter 8 The Passive VoiceWhat It Is, and How to Beat ItAdrift in Nobody-LandMaking the Subject PerformWhy Passive Voice at All?A Plan for Self-ProtectionSummaryChapter 9 The Sound of SentencesThe Rhythm of SpeechGetting Inside the SentenceThe Basic StatementThe Strung-Along SentenceThe Periodic SentenceThe CombinationsSelecting the DetailsExpanding the SubjectExpanding the VerbExpanding the Rest of the SentenceSummaryChapter 10 Parallel StructureLook for the Common DenominatorThe Smaller ParallelsSummaryChapter 11 A Way with WordsSynonyms and AntonymsBig Words and SmallThe Solemn VaporsMetaphor and SimileAllusionSummaryChapter 12 Odds and Ends and MeansThe Terrible ThreeThe Troublesome Twenty-SevenPunctuationSummaryChapter 13 More Freedom and a Few FlourishesAssignment 1: First Person at LastAssignment 2: How to Write Badly by Trying Very, Very HardAssignments 3 and 4: IronyThe Fully Ironic EssayThe Ironic TouchChapter 14 Writing the Term PaperThe Trial ThesisProcedure for ResearchThe FinalYour Paper Is in the CardsWriting the First DraftThe Final DraftSummaryChapter 15 Summing UpHandy RemindersIndex