The Student Writer: Editor and Critic

by Barbara Fine Clouse

This rhetoric/reader/handbook features a true balanced approach that helps students to discover their own successful writing process, and at the same time learn the qualities of effective writing. Numerous strategies are presented for idea generation, organizing, drafting, revising, editing and proofreading. The rhetorical modes are presented within the context of a writer's purpose and audience. Woven throughout the text are a generous number of student and professional essays to serve as both models and departure points for writing assignments, and a wide variety of activities for completion both in and out of the classroom. A concise handbook providing a full range of exercises, including paragraphs to edit.

Genres: Nonfiction, Writing

560 pages, Paperback

First published May 1, 1988

Reviews

[Matt Sautman · Rating 4 out of 5]

As a textbook, this is definitely better suited as a reference guide than as a text one reads cover to cover. I appreciate that it is filled with suggestions rather than prescriptions but I do question the quality of many of the readings included here along with the student sample papers. (The grammar section does approach prescriptivism though and does not leave room for other valid forms of English like AAV.) While I do see pedagogical value of student models, I’m of the persuasion that it is more fruitful for a teacher to provide their own models that the class workshops together. If I’m going to have a printed model, I’d rather that model be of publishable quality with innovative critical analysis. My other core complaint is not really complaint as much as it is a warning to readers who use this book outside a classroom that the MLA in this book is not accurate.

[Kelli]

Sadly, I am constantly reading this one. . .This is the reason I don't get to read as much as I want to during the school year.

[Sompasith Kounavong · Rating 3 out of 5]

The book is very useful to me and its designed how to improvement the power of writing tech. thanks

[Sydney Norman · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very useful for a college freshman writing class. If you're looking for guidance on writing/reference style (MLA, APA, etc.), it's probably easier to just look up online.