Along These Lines: Writing Paragraphs and Essays, 8th edition

For courses in college developmental writing.

Effective writers are effective learners

Along These Lines: Writing Paragraphs and Essays guides students, step by step, through the writing process with in-depth instruction on grammar and a proven focus on developing effective paragraphs and essays. With its intensive coverage of the writing process, the text helps developing writers acquire and improve their skills to become more effective writers and learners.

In the 8th Edition, each chapter offers numerous individual and collaborative exercises, along with contextualized practical writing applications, such as workplace writing, personal writing and classroom-centered academic material.

Intensify your reading, writing, and grammar program

• The writing process approach is supported by a model paragraph or essay that is developed throughout the entire chapter — from outline and drafts, to the final version. Here, the key roles of revision, editing, and proofreading are reinforced, and differences between basic revision strategies and in-text editing are clearly distinguished.
• New - Coverage of MLA style has been totally reorganized and rewritten to reflect online research and changes in the MLA Handbook, 8th Edition.
• New - New instruction on evaluating online sources for credibility and trustworthiness has been added to the chapter “Using Research to Strengthen Essays.”
• Expanded - Additional questions have been added to Chapter Tests, at the end of each grammar chapter, to provide more practice for students.

Engage students with high-interest readings and activities

• Updated - Significant improvements have been made to the Readings, including the incorporation of many new readings on current and interesting topics and a larger number of readings than in the last edition. A selection from literature, new readings from diverse perspectives, and three essays written by students have all been added.
• Updated - New and improved questions, exercises, and writing prompts — on topics interesting to students — have been added to every chapter. They now better differentiate between reading comprehension and discussion opportunities.
• Expanded - More critical-thinking boxes have been added throughout the writing chapters to encourage students to explore the role critical thinking plays in writing and reading.
• Updated - The enhanced Topics for Critical Thinking and Writing feature, at the end of each writing chapter, offers students prompts and activities to extend their thinking.

Appeal to visual learners with a striking art program and thoughtful design

• Updated - This new edition is the most engaging and visually appealing version of the text to date.
• Sample paragraph and essay formats, or graphic organizers, incorporate colorful highlighting and labeling for easy reference and recollection.
• Full-¿color photos open each chapter and are accompanied by Jumping In (writing chapters) and Quick Question (grammar chapters).
• Eye-catching and easy-to-follow checklists, charts, and Info Boxes provide quick reference and reinforcement of key terms and ideas.

The loose-leaf version of this text is also available with MyLab Writing

MyLab™ is the teaching and learning platform that empowers you to reach every student. By combining trusted content with digital tools and a flexible platform, MyLab personalizes the learning experience and improves results for each student. When students enter your developmental writing course with varying skill levels, MyLab can help you identify which students need extra support and provide them targeted practice and instruction outside of class. Learn more about MyLab Writing.

Reach every student with MyLab

• Empower each learner: Each student learns at a different pace. Personalized learning pinpoints the precise areas where each student needs practice, giving all students the support they need — when and where they need it — to be successful.

• MyLab Writing diagnoses students’ strengths and weaknesses through a pre-assessment known as the Path Builder, and offers up a personalized Learning Path. Students then receive targeted practice and multimodal activities to help them improve over time.

• Teach your course your way: Your course is unique. So whether you’d like to build your own assignments, teach multiple sections, or set prerequisites, MyLab gives you the flexibility to easily create your course to fit your needs.

• Improve student results: When you teach with MyLab, student performance often improves. That’s why instructors have chosen MyLab for over 15 years, touching the lives of over 50 million students.

Check out the preface for a complete list of features and what's new in this edition.

Intensify your reading, writing, and grammar program

• Coverage of MLA style has been totally reorganized and rewritten to reflect online research and changes in the MLA Handbook, 8th Edition.
• New instruction on evaluating online sources for credibility and trustworthiness has been added to the chapter “Using Research to Strengthen Essays.”
• Additional questions have been added to Chapter Tests, at the end of each grammar chapter, to provide more practice for students.
• Grammar chapters have been clarified and streamlined where needed.

Engage students with high-interest readings and activities

• Significant improvements have been made to the Readings, including the incorporation of many new readings on current and interesting topics and a larger number of readings than in the last edition. A selection from literature, new readings from diverse perspectives, and three essays written by students have all been added.
• New and improved questions, exercises, and writing prompts — on topics interesting to students — have been added to every chapter. They now better differentiate between reading comprehension and discussion opportunities.
• More critical-thinking boxes have been added throughout the writing chapters to encourage students to explore the role critical thinking plays in writing and reading.
• The enhanced Topics for Critical Thinking and Writing feature, at the end of each writing chapter, offers students prompts and activities to extend their thinking.

Appeal to visual learners with a striking art program and thoughtful design

• This new edition is the most engaging and visually appealing version of the text to date.

Check out the preface for a complete list of features and what's new in this edition.