Approaching learning as the interconnectedness of ideas and disciplinary perspectives, PERSPECTIVES ON CONTEMPORARY ISSUES, 8e, encourages critical thinking and academic writing by presenting a variety of perspectives on current issues across disciplines. Contemporary issues engage students, while the thematically grouped readings provide thought-provoking material for in-class discussion and writing topics. Emphasizing writing and conducting research, Part I offers separate chapters on reading critically, the writing process, writing a summary, the critique, argumentation, synthesis requiring documentation, and the research paper. The readings in Part II are organized by broad-based curricular areas and include questions asking for a personal response to the readings as well as related writing and research topics. Part II chapters end with two full-color visuals in the "Responding to Visuals" sections.
