The Concise Canadian Writer's Handbook

Preface & Acknowledgements
Part I: Principles of Composition
Introduction: Paragraphs, the Writing Process, Argument, and In-class Writing
1. Kinds of Paragraphs
Unity, Coherence, and Emphasis in Paragraphs
2. Paragraph Unity
3. Paragraph Coherence
4. Coherence through Organization: Beginning, Middle, and Ending
5. Structural Coherence
6. Emphasis in Paragraphs
7. Length of Paragraphs
8. Essays: Unity, Coherence, and Emphasis
9. The Process of Planning, Writing, and Revising an Essay
10. Argument: Writing to Convince or Persuade
11. Writing In-class Essays and Essay Examinations
Part II: Understanding Sentences
Introduction: The Conventions of Language
12. Sentence Patterns and Conventions
Part III: Parts of Speech
Introduction: The Parts of Speech and How They Work in Sentences
13. Nouns
14. Pronouns
15. Agreement of Pronouns with Their Antecedent
16. Reference of Pronouns
17. Verbs
18. Agreement between Subject and Verb
19. Adjectives
20. Adverbs
21. Verbals: Infinitives, Participles, and Gerunds
22. Prepositions
23. Conjunctions
24. Interjections
Part IV: Writing Effective Sentences
Basic Sentence Elements and Their Modifiers
25. Subject, Verb, Object, Complement
26. Modifiers
Length, Variety, and Emphasis
27. Sentence Length
28. Sentence Variety
29. Emphasis in Sentences
30. Analyzing Sentences
Common Sentence Problems
31. Sentence Coherence
32. Fragments
33. Comma Splices
34. Run-on (Fused) Sentences
35. Misplaced Modifiers
36. Dangling Modifiers
37. Mixed Constructions
38. Faulty Alignment
39. Shifts in Perspective: Inconsistent Point of View
40. Faulty Parallelism
41. Faulty Coordination: Logic, Emphasis, and Unity
42. Faulty Logic
Part V: Punctuation
43. Internal Punctuation: Comma, Semicolon, Colon, Dash
How to Use Commas, Semicolons, Colons, and Dashes
44. Between Independent Clauses
45. To Set Off Adverbial Clauses
46. To Set Off Introductory and Concluding Words and Phrases
47. To Set Off Concluding Summaries and Appositives
48. To Set Off Nonrestrictive Elements
49. Between Items in a Series
Punctuation Marks that Come in Pairs: Commas, Dashes, and Parentheses
50. Punctuating Sentence Interrupters
51. Parentheses
52. Brackets
53. End Punctuation: Period, Question Mark, and Exclamation Point
54. Punctuation with Quotations: Using Quotation Marks
55. Avoiding Common Errors in Punctuation
Part VI: Mechanics and Spelling
56. Formatting an Essay
57. Abbreviations
58. Capitalization
59. Titles
60. Italics
61. Numerals
62. Spelling Rules and Common Causes of Error
Part VII: Diction
Introduction: Style and the Larger Elements of Composition
63. About Dictionaries
64. Level
65. Figurative Language
66. Concrete and Abstract Diction; Weak Generalizations
67. Connotation and Denotation
68. Euphemism
69. Wrong Word
70. Idiom
71. Wordiness, Jargon, and Associated Problems
72. Usage: A Checklist of Troublesome Words and Phrases
Part VIII: Research, Writing, and Documentation
73. The Library and the Internet
74. The Research Plan: Collecting Data: Sources
75. Taking Notes
76. Writing the Essay
77. Acknowledging Sources
78. Quotation, Paraphrase, Summary, and Plagiarism
79. Documentation
80. A Sample MLA Research Paper with Comments
81. Other Methods of Documentation
Appendices
Checklists for Editing and Revising
Glossary of Terms
Index
Symbols for Common Errors (back page)

Printed Student Workbook (9780195433999):
* Includes over 150 exercises which range in difficulty from basic to more complex so that students can practice their skills as they advance through a course.
* A complete answer key at the back of the workbook gives students the opportunity to check their progress and comprehension.
* Instructors can package the workbook with the text for a savings of over $20.00!
FREE Online Student Workbook:
* Includes 95 practice exercises and a complete answer key.
* An icon appears throughout the handbook directing students to the practice exercises online.
Instructor Resources: Solutions to online student workbook

William E. Messenger (now deceased) and Jan de Bruyn, both emeritus professors of the University of British Columbia, produced the first edition of The Canadian Writer's Handbook in 1980. Judy Brown joined the project as an editorial consultant on the third edition; she is a senior instructor in the English department at UBC, where she teaches courses in Canadian and children's literature. Ramona Montagnes, also a member of UBC's English department, has been the director of the university's writing centre since 1992 and is responsible for the development of new courses and programs for the centre.

Special Features

• 100% Canadian. Written with the unique needs of Canadian writers in mind.
• Concise. New, smaller format and thorough coverage of the fundamentals make this the perfect supplement for all courses with a writing component.
• Latest guidelines for documentation. Includes the 2009 MLA guidelines for documenting sources and preparing reference lists, as well as APA, Chicago, and CSE guidelines, guaranteeing students have access to the most current resources available.
• Easy to use. Includes quick reference tabs to find answers fast.
• Tried and tested. Previous editions have been extensively class-tested on thousands of students: over 25 years of classroom testing!
• Up-to-date sources. Discussion of achieving academic integrity and avoiding plagiarism as well as all examples in the documentation section have been brought up-to-date, ensuring students have access to the most recent tools available.
• Wide-ranging. Developed for a broad range of learners, coverage of EAL issues is seamlessly integrated, making it appropriate for classes with varying ability levels.
• Vibrant four-colour design. Visual interest and a new innovative format keep students engaged.