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MindTap for Van Rys' The College Writer: A Guide to Thinking, Writing, and Researching, 2 terms Instant Access, 8th Edition

John Van Rys, Verne Meyer, Randall VanderMey, Patrick Sebranek

Copyright 2027
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MindTap for Van Rys' The College Writer: A Guide to Thinking, Writing, and Researching, 2 terms Instant Access 8th Edition by John Van Rys/Verne Meyer/Randall VanderMey/Patrick Sebranek

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Overview
Meet the Authors
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Overview

MindTap for Van Rys' "The College Writer: A Guide to Thinking, Writing, and Researching" is the digital learning solution that powers students from memorization to mastery. It gives you complete control of your course to provide engaging content, challenge every individual and build their confidence. This flexible online platform enhances learning through interactive activities, built-in eBook content, and integrated tools like Turnitin, NetTutor, Gale College Collection, and Bongo to support student success.

MindTap builds students’ confidence in their own abilities and eliminates the common barriers to effective rhetoric in a way that makes it easy for you -- thanks to personalization features, engaging problem types and easy customization. Using Cengage English, students discover that writing is something everyone does, including themselves.

Meet the Authors

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John Van Rys

Dr. John Van Rys has taught composition, business writing, creative writing, and literature to college students for more than 30 years. He began his teaching career at Dordt University in Sioux Center, Iowa, before moving to Redeemer University in Hamilton, Ontario, in 2005. He earned his M.A. and B.A. from the University of Western Ontario and his Ph.D. from Dalhousie University. Today, Dr. Van Rys pursues scholarly work in Canadian literature, while also writing fiction and poetry. For more than 20 years, he has worked on writing-across-the-curriculum theory and practice, on connections between workplace and academic writing. He has also pursued strategies for strengthening varied literacies in students, from reading and research to visual literacy. Dr. Van Rys has applied his expertise, co-authoring various writing handbooks for students, from middle school to college. He has also co-authored an award-winning business-writing handbook for workplace professionals, WRITE FOR BUSINESS, with UpWrite Press.

Verne Meyer

Dr. Verne Meyer is an educator and businessperson. For nine years, he taught English in high schools in Michigan and Wisconsin. In addition, for fifteen years, he taught dramatic literature, theater history, and composition at Dordt University in Iowa. In 1977, partnering with Mr. Sebranek, Dr. Meyer co-founded Write Source Educational Publishing House, now a subsidiary of Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Supplemental. Dr. Meyer earned his B.A. from Calvin College, his M.A. from Marquette University, and his Ph.D. from the University of Minnesota. In addition to this text, he has co-authored a number of texts for college students, including THE COLLEGE WRITER'S HANDBOOK, COMP, THE BUSINESS WRITER, and WRITE FOR WORK. To meet the needs of students in grades 8 through 12, he has co-authored WRITERS INC, SCHOOL TO WORK, WRITE FOR COLLEGE, and a number of Write Source textbooks. Dr. Meyer's publications for businesspeople include WRITE FOR BUSINESS and EFFECTIVE EMAIL MADE EZ. Dr. Meyer is currently a contributing editor for Write Source and UpWrite Press. He is also a featured speaker in the School Improvement Network's instructional videos, Writing Across the Curriculum.

Randall VanderMey

Randall VanderMey is a professor in the department of English at Westmont College in Santa Barbara, California. He also has taught composition, literature, and technical writing at Iowa State University, Dordt College, and the University of Iowa. Dr. VanderMey earned his M.A. from the University of Pennsylvania, M.F.A. from the Iowa Writers' Workshop, and Ph.D. from the University of Iowa. He is a contributing editor and creative consultant for Write Source. Dr. VanderMey has received numerous fellowships, grants, and awards for his teaching and poetry. He has published two books of poems, GROWING SOUL: A SONG CYCLE, GOD TALK and CHARM SCHOOL: FIVE WOMEN OF THE ODYSSEY as well as a commissioned biography, MERIZON: THE GREAT JOURNEY.

Patrick Sebranek

Patrick Sebranek (M.A. University of Wisconsin, LaCrosse) taught English, speech, and multimedia classes for 16 years at Union Grove High School in Wisconsin. During that time, he served as the English department chair and worked on several district-wide projects, including a writing-across-the-curriculum program and a K-12 writing sequence. He has studied the works of James Moffett, Ken Macrorie, Linda Reif, Nancie Atwell, and many other contemporary educators dealing with writing and learning. Mr. Sebranek is an author and editorial director for the Write Source Educational Publishing House and works closely with teachers and educators on all new and revised handbooks and sourcebooks.

Features

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Available in MindTap for English are two powerful resources for you and your students, NetTutor and TurnItIn. NetTutor is a personal tutoring service students may use to get personalized feedback from a professional writing tutor. TurnItIn is a powerful tool to assure the authenticity of student work, especially in today’s rapidly evolving technology environment.

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Part I: THE WRITING PROCESS.
1. Getting Started.
The Writing Process: An Outline. Aiming for Writing Excellence: Seven Traits. Understanding Your Project. Developing a Topic. Researching Your Topic. Writing with or without Artificial Intelligence. Getting Started: Apply and Collaborate. Learning-Objectives Checklist.
2. Reading Critically.
Strategies for Critical Thinking. Using the SQ3R Reading Strategy. Active Reading Practices. Taking Notes Actively. Responding to a Text. Summarizing a Text. Engaging with Social Media. Reading Critically: Apply and Collaborate. Learning-Objectives Checklist.
3. Viewing Critically.
Viewing an Image Actively. Interpreting an Image. Evaluating an Image. Critiquing a Video. Detecting Misinformation. Viewing Critically: Apply and Collaborate. Learning-Objectives Checklist.
4. Planning Your Piece.
Forming Your Thesis Statement. Developing a Plan or an Outline. Experimenting with Mapping Methods. Planning the Design of Your Project. Planning Your Piece: Apply and Collaborate. Learning-Objectives Checklist.
5. Drafting: From Paragraphs to Essays.
Basic Essay Structure: Major Moves. Drafting Strategies. Drafting Introductory Paragraphs. Drafting Body Paragraphs. Developing the Middle. Drafting Concluding Paragraphs. The Last Step in Drafting: Your Working Title. Drafting: Apply and Collaborate. Learning-Objectives Checklist.
6. Revising Your Draft.
Tips for Revising Your Work. Revising Your Ideas. Revising Your Organization. Revising Your Voice. Strengthening Your Body Paragraphs. Revising Collaboratively. Revising Your Draft: Apply and Collaborate. Learning-Objectives Checklist.
7. Polishing Your Prose.
Tips for Polishing Your Prose. Strengthening Sentence Style. Edit Sentences to Give Them an Academic Style. Fixing Weak Wording. Polishing Your Prose: Apply and Collaborate. Learning-Objectives Checklist.
8. One Writer's Process.
Ariana's Assignment and Response. Ariana's Planning. Ariana’s Drafts. Ariana’s Revision. Ariana’s Edited Draft. Ariana’s Proofread Draft. Ariana’s Finished Essay. One Writer’s Process: Apply and Collaborate. Learning-Objectives Checklist. Seven Traits of College Writing: A Checklist.
Part II: READER: STRATEGIES AND SAMPLES.
9. Forms of College Writing.
Three Curricular Divisions. Writing in the Humanities. Writing in the Social Sciences. Writing in the Natural and Applied Sciences. The Rhetorical Modes. Multimodal Projects. Forms of College Writing: Apply and Collaborate. Learning-Objectives Checklist.
10. Personal Writing.
The Personal Essay: What It Is and Does. “Spare Change,” by Teresa Zsuffa. Strategies for Writing Personal Essays. Personal Essays: Learning Writers’ Moves. "Speaking Ill of the Dead," by Rachel Ten Hove. "It Took Me 18 Years to Embrace My Name," by Fiza Pirani. "What I Learned in Prison," by James Kilmore. DIY: Craft Your Own Personal Essay. The Personal Essay: Apply and Collaborate. Learning-Objectives Checklist.
11. Analytical Writing: Definition.
The Definition Essay: What It Is and Does. “The Gullible Family,” by Mary Bruins. Strategies for Writing Definition Essays. Definition Essays: Learning Writers’ Moves. "How ‘Namaste’ Flew Away From Us," by Kumari Devarajan. “A Danish Word the World Needs to Combat Stress: Pyt,” by Marie Helweg-Larsen. "The History of ‘Coming Out," by Abigail Saguy. DIY: Craft Your Own Definition Essay. Definition Essays: Apply and Collaborate. Learning-Objectives Checklist.
12. Analytical Writing: Classification.
The Classification Essay: What It Is and Does. "Why We Lift," by Hillary Gammons. Strategies for Writing Classification Essays. Classification Essays: Learning Writer’s Moves. "Latin American Music: A Diverse and Unifying Force,” by Kathleen Marsh. “Some Online Conspiracy-Spreaders Don’t Even Believe the Lies They’re Spewing,” by Colleen Sinclair. "Four Ways to Talk About Literature," by John Van Rys. DIY: Craft Your Own Classification Essay. Classification Essays: Apply and Collaborate. Learning-Objectives Checklist.
13. Analytical Writing: Process.
The Process Essay: What It Is and Does. “American Lumpia: Filipino Egg Roll,” by Andrea Santiago. Strategies for Writing Process Essays. Process Essays: Learning Writer’s Moves. "Chasing the Stoke," by Tim Zekveld. "Yogurt: Milk & Mayhem," by Nina Mukerjee Furstenau. “Why It’s Impossible to Actually Be a Vegetarian,” by Andrew Smith. DIY: Craft Your Own Process Essay. Process Essays: Apply and Collaborate. Learning-Objectives Checklist.
14. Analytical Writing: Comparison-Contrast.
The Compare-Contrast Essay: What It Is and Does. “Modern Arranged Marriages,” by Ariana King. Strategies for Writing Compare-Contrast Essays. Compare-Contrast Essays: Learning Writers’ Moves. "Beyond the Polite Smile," by Janice Pang. "Why We Care About Whales," by Marina Keegan. "How the Internet Has Changed Bullying," by Maria Konnikova. DIY: Crafting Your Own Compare-Contrast Essay. Compare-Contrast Essays: Apply and Collaborate. Learning-Objectives Checklist.
15. Analytical Writing: Cause and Effect.
The Cause-Effect Essay: What It Is and Does. “Adrenaline Junkies,” by Sarah Hanley. Strategies for Writing Cause-Effect Essays. Cause-Effect Essays: Learning Writers’ Moves. "1$_Your_P@$$wOrd_Cl3v3r?" by Scott Reichelt. “On the 100th Anniversary of the Negro Leagues: A Look Back at What Was Lost,” by Rob Ruck. “Why Losing a Dog Can Be Harder Than Losing a Relative or Friend,” by Frank McAndrew. DIY: Craft Your Own Cause-Effect Essay. Cause-Effect Essays: Apply and Collaborate. Learning-Objectives Checklist.
16. Reading Literature: A Case Study in Analysis.
Strategies for Analyzing Literature and the Arts. Analyzing Literature: Learning Writers’ Moves. Analyzing a Poem. "Let Evening Come," by Jane Kenyon. "'Let Evening Come': An Invitation to the Inevitable," by Sherry Van Egdom. A Poem to Analyze. "The World Is Too Much with Us,” by William Wordsworth. Analyzing a Short Story. "A Clean Well-Lighted Place," by Ernest Hemingway. "'A Clean Well-Lighted Place': Emotional Darkness," by Julia Jansen. Analyzing Literature’s Ability to Help People Cope with Disaster. “How the Literature of Fire Can Help Readers Find Hope Among the Ashes,” by Grace Moore. Literary Terms. Poetry Terms. DIY: Crafting Your Own Literary Analysis. Analyzing Literature: Apply and Collaborate. Learning-Objectives Checklist.
17. Persuasive Writing: Strategies for Argumentation.
The Argumentative Essay: What It Is and Does. “America Needs a Ministry of (Actual) Truth,” by Josh Wilbur. Structuring Arguments. Engaging the Opposition. Arguing Through Appeals. Making and Qualifying Claims. Supporting Your Claims. Identifying Logical Fallacies. "Executive Deception: Four Fallacies About Divestment, and One Big Mistake," by Kathleen Dean Moore. Strategies for Argumentation: Apply and Collaborate. Learning-Objectives Checklist.
18. Persuasive Writing: Positions, Actions, and Solutions.
The Persuasive Essay: What It Is and Does. “Evening the Odds,” by Dave DeHaan. Strategies for Persuasive Writing. Persuasive Essays: Learning Writers’ Moves. "Remedying an E-Waste Economy," by Rachel DeBruyn. " Reaction GIFs of Black People Are More Problematic Than You Think," by Naomi Day. “AI Harm Is Often Behind the Scenes and Builds Over Time,” by Sylvia Lu. "Can We Please Stop Using ‘Latinx’? Thanx," by Kurly Tlapoyawa. "Is Marijuana as Safe as We Think?" by Malcolm Gladwell. DIY: Crafting Your Own Persuasive Essay. Persuasive Essays: Apply and Collaborate. Learning-Objectives Checklist.
BONUS ONLINE CHAPTERS.
A. Taking Essay Tests.
Reviewing for Tests. Forming a Study Group. Consider the Testing Situation. Taking the Essay Test. Writing Under Pressure: The Essay Test. Taking an Objective Test. Tips for Coping with Test Anxiety.
B. Writing for the Workplace.
Writing Emails and Messages. Writing Business Letters. Writing Memos. Applying for a Job. Preparing a Résumé.
C. Preparing Oral Presentations.
Organizing Your Presentation. Writing Your Presentation. "Save Now or Pay Later," by Burnette Sawyer. Developing Digital Presentations. Overcoming Stage Fright Checklist.
D. Multimodal Projects.
A Multimodal Text: What It Is and Does. Strategies for Crafting Multimodal Texts. Multimodal Texts: Learning Composers’ Moves. “Slowpoke” comic strip, by Jen Sorensen. “‘Hamilton’—About Alexander and Eliza’s Last Goodbye,” by Neely Tucker. DIY: Craft Your Own Multimodal Text. Multimodal Projects: Apply and Collaborate. Learning-Outcomes Checklist.
Part III: RESEARCH AND WRITING.
19. Planning Your Research.
Your Project: Writing a Research Proposal. “Film Studies 201 Proposal: Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice as Fiction and Film,” by Gwendolyn Mackenzie. The Research Process. Getting Focused. Understanding Primary, Secondary, and Tertiary Sources. Exploring Information Resources and Sites. Planning Keyword Searches. Building a Working Bibliography. Developing a Research Plan. Planning Research: Apply and Collaborate. Learning-Objectives Checklist.
20. Doing Research.
Your Project: Creating an Annotated Bibliography. “Project on Alice Munro’s Runaway: An Annotated Bibliography.” Working with Your Sources. Evaluating Sources. Doing Primary Research. Doing Library Research. Doing Free-Web Research. Developing Effective GenAI Prompts. Doing Research: Apply and Collaborate. Learning-Objectives Checklist.
21. Practicing Research Ethics.
Your Project: Writing a Literature Review. “Assertiveness Use and Abuse Experience of Haitian Women: A Literature Review,” by Kadee Rowe. Research Ethics: A Primer. Developing Credibility through Source Use. Recognizing Plagiarism. Understanding Why Plagiarism Is Serious. Avoiding Plagiarism. Avoiding Other Source Abuses. Practicing Research Ethics: Apply and Collaborate. Learning-Objectives Checklist.
22. Drafting Research Papers.
Papers with Documented Research: Quick Guide. Reviewing Your Findings. Considering Methods of Organization. Considering Drafting Strategies. Using Source Material in Your Writing. Sample Research Paper: A Humanities Essay. "'Chipping Away' at Our Privacy?" by Lucas Koomans. Sample Research Paper: Science IMRAD Report. "The Effects of the Eastern Red Cedar on Seedlings and Implications for Allelopathy," by Dana Kleckner, Brittany Korver, Nicolette Storm, and Adam Verhoef. Drafting a Research Paper: Apply and Collaborate. Learning-Objectives Checklist.
23. MLA Style.
MLA Documentation: Quick Guide. Guidelines for In-Text Citations. Sample In-Text Citations. Guidelines for Works-Cited Entries. Sample Works-Cited Entries. MLA Format Guidelines. Sample MLA Paper. “‘Every Session Is a New Amnesiac Morning’: Why We Can’t Outsource Creative Writing to AI,” by Gabrielle VanDonge. MLA Style: Apply and Collaborate. Learning-Objectives Checklist.
24. APA Style.
APA Documentation Guidelines. Guidelines for In-Text Citations. Guidelines for APA References. Sample Reference Entries. APA Format Guidelines. Sample APA Paper. "The Silent Sibling: How Current Autism Intervention Affects Typically-Developing Siblings," by Julia Sweigert. APA Style: Apply and Collaborate. Learning-Objectives Checklist.
Part IV: HANDBOOK.
25. Understanding Grammar.
Noun. Pronoun. Verb. Adjective. Adverb. Preposition. Conjunction. Interjection. A Closer Look: Parts of Speech.
26. Constructing Sentences.
Using Subjects and Predicates. Using Phrases. Using Clauses. Using Sentence Variety.
27. Avoiding Sentence Errors.
Subject-Verb Agreement. Pronoun-Antecedent Agreement. Shifts in Sentence Construction. Fragments, Comma Splices, and Run-Ons. Misplaced and Dangling Modifiers. Ambiguous Wording. Nonstandard Language. Avoiding Sentence Problems Review.
28. Marking Punctuation.
Period. Ellipsis. Question Mark. Comma. Semicolon. Colon. Hyphen. Dash. Quotation Marks. Italics (Underlining). Parentheses. Diagonal. Brackets. Exclamation Point. Apostrophe.
29. Checking Mechanics.
Capitalization. Plurals. Numbers. Abbreviations. Acronyms and Initialisms. Basic Spelling Rules. Commonly Misspelled Words. Steps to Becoming a Better Speller.
30. Using the Right Word.
31. Multilingual and ESL Guidelines.
Five Parts of Speech. Understanding Sentence Basics. Sentence Problems. Numbers, Word Parts, and Idioms.

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