Smarthinking Writer's Handbook

7/23/2019 Smarthinking Writer's Handbook

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Smarthinking Writer's

Handbook

Chapter 1, Lesson 6

Writing to Argue a Position

Objectie

!n this "esson, #ou'"" "earn

ho$ to dee"op an argument

designed to conince readersthat #our position is "ogica"

and reasonab"e%


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!ntroduction

&ou'"" $rite man# arguments

in #our co""ege career%

nderstanding ho$ to create

an academic argument is oneke# to success in co""ege

$riting assignments% (ost o)

those arguments $i"" be$ritten as research papers in

#our major discip"ine* the#'re

ca""ed research papers simp"#

because #ou must inestigate


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issues to )orm educated

opinions% Other names )or

these kinds o) argumentsare academicorintellectuala

guments%Writing these arguments

re+uires #ou to take a position

and de)end it% &ou do nothae to conince #our

audience that #ou are

correct* it is impossib"e to

conince a"" o) #our readers


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that #our position is the on"#

or the right one% !nstead, #our

primar# purpose is toconince #our audience that

#our position is a"id, "ogica"and-or $orth considering%

."ements o) the !nte""ectua"

Argument

Audience and purpose

/hesis 0assertion

2ood reasons and "ogica"


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eidence

Counter3arguments

!ntroduction and

conc"usion

4ocumentation

Audience and Purpose

5e)ore #ou $rite aninte""ectua" argument,

consider #our audience and

purpose% !) #our audience is

#our pro)essor, there is a goo


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chance that s-he kno$s more

about the subject than #ou do

!n that case, the purpose o)the argument becomes a test

o) #our abi"it# to )orm areasonab"e thesis and to

support and de)end it

"ogica""# and thorough"#%Ho$eer, een i) #our

pro)essor kno$s something

about #our issue, $hen #ou

conduct a good inestigation,


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#ou become the subject3area

epert and there's a er# good

chance that #our argument$i"" present ne$ materia"s

and $a#s o) thinking about#our subject%

!) #our audience is broader

than #our pro)essor a"one0possib"# inc"uding #our

c"assmates, peers, or the

readers o) a ne$spaper

editoria" or !nternet $ebsite,


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#ou'"" be arguing #our

position to peop"e $ho

probab"# kno$ "ess than #ouabout the issue% /hen, #ou

rea""# hae the opportunit# toin)"uence someone's $a# o)

thinking about #our issue7

the stakes are higher and the$riting becomes more

eciting%

/hesis 0Assertion

(an# times, #our


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pro)essor $i"" assign the

paper and ma#be een the

speci)ic subject% Ho$eer,most "ike"# it'"" be up to #ou

to choose the ang"e that #ou$ant to research on the

topic and the position that

#ou choose to take% !) thechoice o) topic is up to

#ou, )ind a topic that

interests #ou% Perhaps #our

pro)essor "ectured about


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something )ascinating or

ma#be there $as an

interesting +uestion in atetbook% 8o matter $hat

subject #ou pick, be surethat it's a topic in $hich #ou

are genuine"# interested and

about $hich #ou're $i""ingto "earn more% Peop"e $ho

are engaged in their

research $rite more

interesting and origina"


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papers%

Choose a topic that'""

a""o$ #ou to take a side%

Academic arguments seek

to address +uestions thatpeop"e are concerned about

9esearch papers that argue

a position do so $ith

subjects )or $hich there are

no certain ans$ers% !n )act,these arguments are bui"t on

controersia" topics $here


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more than one ie$, or

position, is possib"e% &our

position is astancethatamounts to an attitude or

judgment about some issueSo, #ou need to aoid topics

that are simp"# a matter o)

opinion or that just need anep"anation% !nstead, )ocus on

topics $here reasoned and

"ogica" argument can support

an in)ormed ie$% :or


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eamp"e, it $ou"d be hard to

bui"d an argument around the

thesis 9oses are the mostbeauti)u" )"o$ers* in this

sentence, #ou're simp"#stating an opinion, or

pre)erence7#ou can't argue

about that% /he sentence !ttakes man# #ears to cu"tiate

a beauti)u" garden a"so $on'

$ork* this thesis ca""s )or an

ep"anation o) $h#% ;see


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.position< .p"aining

Wh#=

Write an assertion that

reea"s #our position% An

academic argument thatargues )or a position

re+uires a specia" kind o)

thesis, o)ten ca""ed

anassertion% An assertion is

a statement that o)ten 0butnot a"$a#s inc"udes a

moda" erb such as
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shou"d or ought and

asks the $riter to make a

judgment o) )act or o)a"ue% .amp"es o)

assertions that argue )orpositions are% /here is no $a# to predic$hether such chi"dren $i""

ki"" again, so it is better to


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gie them a second chance%

Can #ou think o) an# other

counter3arguments that this

argument shou"d address@

!ntroduction- Conc"usion2ood arguments $i"" present

an interesting introduction

that te""s the reader% Wh# it is controersia"0background,

? Wh# it is important


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0background, and

B% What #our position

0assertion is%

/he introduction sets up #our

argument and reea"s #ourassertion% Ho$eer, #ou

might )ind it easier to $rite an

interesting introduction

A:/.9 #ou'e $ritten #our

)irst or second dra)t o) thepaper% 5# then, #ou'"" be

much more certain o) eact"#


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$hat #ou $ant to argue and

$h#%

2ood arguments a"so present

the reader-s $ith an

interesting conc"usion% /heconc"usion pu""s together the

entire argument, summariFing

and stressing the main points(ore than that, in an

academic argument, the

conc"usion o))ers #ou a

chance to suggest )urther


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consideration o) the prob"em

or research that peop"e shou"d

do% Sometimes, theconc"usion is a good p"ace to

ask +uestions )or $hich #ouhae no ans$ers33this strateg#

"eaes the reader thinking%

Ask #our pro)essor $hetherit's oka# to ask thought3

prooking +uestions at the

end o) #our paper%

4ocumentation


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:ina""#, in an argument that is

intended )or #our co""ege

c"asses, #ou'"" probab"# beasked to document #our

sources% Ask #our pro)essor$hich method s-he pre)ers )o

documentation and then

)o""o$ the )ormat precise"#%Summar#

&ou'"" $rite academic orinte""ectua" essa#s in most o)

#our co""ege courses% A good


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essa# that argues a position

$i"" 01 address a speci)ic

audience and purpose, 0>hae an arguab"e assertion,

0? support the assertion $ithgood reasons and "ogica"

eidence, 0B address counter

arguments, and 0 $i""proide thought3prooking

and in)ormatie introduction

and conc"usion%



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Handbook

Chapter 1, Lesson D

Writing to PersuadeObjectie

!n this "esson, #ou'"" "earn to

dee"op a persuasie

argument that coninces

audiences to share #ourbe"ie)s and motiates them to

take action%


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What is Persuasion@

Persuasion attempts to moe

peop"e to action, to get them

to do something% :or more

than t$o thousand #ears,rhetoricians hae studied ho$

to persuade peop"e to act% !n

courts o) "a$, "a$#ers bui"dcases that the# hope $i""

either conict or re"ease

peop"e on tria"% !n goernmen

debates, po"iticians use


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"anguage to encourage peop"e

to ote 0or not oteG )or

particu"ar peop"e or pub"icpo"icies% !n re"igious

gatherings, "eaders speak totheir congregations to

persuade them to behae in

particu"ar $a#s to$ard their)e""o$ humans% And, o)

course, teachers use

persuasion on a dai"# basis, to

moe their students to


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become interested in their

subjects and to "earn ne$

concepts and ski""s%

&ou, too, hae used

persuasion man# times in#our "i)e% &ou ma# hae tried

to persuade a parent to pa#

)or #our schoo"ing, to bu##ou a car, or to "et #ou "ie

a$a# )rom home% &ou

probab"# hae persuaded

)riends to go to a part# $ith


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#ou or to change a behaior,

such as to +uit smoking%

4i))erences and 4istinctions

Persuasie $riting is di))eren

)rom $riting an academicargument such as a research

paper% !n academic argument,

#ou're using "ogic and reason

to conince #our audience

that #our position, $ritten asan assertion, is "ogica" and

reasonab"e% !n a persuasie


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argument, #ou a"so must

conince #our audience that

#our position is reasonab"e orcredib"e% 5ut persuasion goes

one step )urther< #ou inite#our readers to act or to do

something% ;See Writing to

Argue a Position%=Persuasie arguments are

specia" kinds o) arguments

that, un)ortunate"#, man#

students don't "earn to $rite%
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Written essa#s, te"eision and

radio broadcasts, and )orma"

speeches are common kindso) persuasion% Ho$eer,

persuasion isn't "imited tobroadcasters or po"itica"

"eaders* it's important in an#

job% .ecuties, sa"espeop"e,adertising and customer

serice representaties, and

ski""ed trades peop"e "ike auto

mechanics a"" need to


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persuade peop"e to be

success)u"%

/o moe an audience to take

action, #ou mustK

each, spend more time on

the JK +uestion% Ans$er the easiest

+uestions )irst%

5# ans$ering the ones that

#ou kno$ right a$a#, #ou

can c"ear #our mind o)


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those obious ans$ers and

a""o$ #our brain to $ork on

the other, more di))icu"t+uestions%

5rie)"# out"ine each short

ans$er be)ore $riting%

Out"ines in the )orm o)

simp"e "ists he"p #ou toorganiFe #our ideas% ot

do$n )acts, ideas, or

concepts that $i"" he"p

ans$er the +uestion% Se"ect

the ideas that make the best


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ans$er and organiFe them

+uick"#% /his process $i""

keep #our ans$ers on3track

!) #ou'e )o""o$ed the steps

aboe, #ou're read# to beginto $rite% Consider the

)o""o$ing $hi"e $riting #our

ans$ers% High"ight important

passages in the tet and take

good notes to he"p #ouremember $hat #ou read%

?% &ou might be asked to

$rite about the piece o)

"iterature in seera" $a#s

pages i) #our $ork

eperience is 1J #ears or

"onger* keep it to a sing"epage i) #ou hae "ess than

1J #ears o) $ork


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eperience%

Smarthinking Writer'sHandbook

Chapter 1, Lesson 1B

Writing a Coer and /hank3

&ou Letter

Objectie

!n this "esson, #ou'"" "earn

ho$ to $rite strong coer

"etters to enc"ose $ith #our


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resume and thank #ou "etters

to send a)ter interie$s%

!ntroduction

A"ong $ith #our resume, the

coer "etter and thank #ou"etter represent #our best

chance to communicate $ith

prospectie emp"o#ers% /hese

"etters set #ou apart )rom

other candidates%/he Coer Letter

A coer "etter is a one3page


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"etter sent $ith a resume% &ou

shou"d inc"ude a coer "etter

eer# time #ou submit aresume%

A coer "etter gies #ou anetra opportunit# to sho$ the

emp"o#er $ho #ou are and

ho$ #our ta"ents match thejob that needs to be )i""ed%

A"though #our resume a"so

ans$ers that +uestion, it does

so in a er# rigid )ormat% /he


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coer "etter a""o$s #ou to te""

the potentia" emp"o#er things

about #our eperiences andabi"ities in a targeted $a#%

&our coer "etter shou"dep"ain precise"# $h# #ou )it

the +ua"i)ications o) a speci)ic

position%.en i) #ou send #our resume

ia e3mai", $rite and attach a

coer "etter% 8ot sending one

is a sign o) "aFiness or


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ineperience in the job search

process, neither o) $hich is

he"p)u" in getting aninterie$% 8ote< in some

cases, it ma# be acceptab"e to$rite #our coer "etter in the

bod# o) the emai" $ith $hich

#ou send #our resume% Look)or cues in the job

description%

Writing a 2ood Coer Letter

/he )o""o$ing tips $i"" he"p


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#ou $rite an e))ectie coer

"etter to

?-B o) a page%


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4on't repeat #our resume

!nstead, se"ect a one or t$o

re"eant high points )rom

#our resume and use them

to he"p demonstrate that #ouare a good )it )or the

position%

5e actie.press #our interest in the

job and don't be sh# about

high"ighting #our ski""s and

eperiences that make #ou

good match C"ose b#


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te""ing the emp"o#er that

#ou "ook )or$ard to hearing

)rom him-her% Ho$eer, #oushou"d not stop there% /e""

the emp"o#er that #ou'"" ca"

or e3mai" in one $eek or ten

da#s to see $here the

compan# is in the hiringprocess% /hen, make the

ca""% /his proactie stance

sets #ou apart )rom otherapp"icants $ho simp"# $ait

to hear )rom the emp"o#er3i


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demonstrates #our

dependabi"it# and

independence%

5e po"ite and aoid

sounding desperate%4o not demand a positie

response% !nstead, epress

#our interest in theopportunit#% &ou ma# a"so

add, ! "ook )or$ard to #ou

response to he"p prompt a

rep"# )rom the emp"o#er%


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Proo)read care)u""#%

Spe""ing, grammar, and

t#pographica" errors in

coer "etters and resumes

are an eas# ecuse )oremp"o#ers to dismiss #ou

immediate"# as a potentia"

emp"o#ee% Hae anotherperson read #our document

be)ore #ou send them and

read them a"oud #ourse"),"istening and "ooking )or

readabi"it# and c"arit#%


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A samp"e out"ine )or an

e))ectie coer "etter

Paragraph 1< .press #our

interest in the position, using

the position name in the jobadertisement% (ention

$here #ou sa$ the ad%

Paragraph >< (ention 13>

accomp"ishments that

demonstrate #our suitabi"it#)or the job and distinguish

#ou )rom other app"icants%


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Paragraph ?< Address #our

desired outcome )rom the

"etter 0an interie$, adiscussion $ith the emp"o#er

about their hiring p"ans or jobopportunities, etc%% Sa# $hat

#ou $i"" do to )o""o$ up and

epress #our $i""ingness tosupp"# an# additiona"

in)ormation the emp"o#er

ma# need% /hank the

emp"o#er )or considering


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#our "etter or app"ication%

Samp"e Coer Letteram Smith

J Water Wa#

Wateri""e, Washington 11111

(a# 1J, >JJJ

on 5"ackman, 2raphics 4irector

he 2raphics P"ace?>? (ain Street

urkes, (ontana ?????

ear (r% 5"ackman,

am $riting in re)erence to #our adertisement )or a graphic artist-designer in #esterda#'s Montana Morningost% (# enc"osed resume $i"" sho$ that ! hae the +ua"i)ications and ski""s that are necessar# )or success in

his position%

(# )ormer position, in $hich ! $as promoted t$ice, re+uired that ! dee"op and use eperience in

hotoshop, 4rumbeat, !""ustrator and :reehand% !n this position, m# specia"t# $as ep"oring the potentia" o)isua" communication in a"" its contemporar# )orms and ! hae $on three a$ards )or m# $ork in this area% !)

ou are "ooking )or someone dedicated to )resh approaches in the communicatie arts, p"ease "ook at m#

esume attached to this e3mai"%

am aai"ab"e )or an interie$ at an# time% ! ma# be reached at home at 33 or ia e3mai" at"oaQao"b%com%Ho$eer, ! $i"" be happ# to ca"" #ou net /hursda# to see $hether #ou hae receied and

eie$ed m# app"ication% At that time, ! $ou"d be de"ighted to set up an interie$ appointment or to ans$er

n# +uestions that #ou might hae%

"ook )or$ard to meeting $ith #ou to discuss the position )urther%

hank #ou,

am Smith

ttachment< 9esume

.ercise


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sing the samp"e coer "etter

aboe, use the tet bo be"o$

to $rite a coer "etter )or ajob in $hich #ou are

interested% !) #ou are notcurrent"# seeking

emp"o#ment but #ou $ant to

practice $riting a coer "etteran#$a#, use a job

adertisement )rom #our "oca

ne$spaper% When #ou're

)inished, compare #our "etter


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$ith the eamp"e%

/he /hank &ou Letter

&ou shou"d $rite a )o""o$3up

"etter to a prospectieemp"o#er $ithin t$ent#3)our

0>B hours o) #our interie$

)or the position% /his "etter isa er# important part o) the

interie$ing process% (an#


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peop"e )ai" to send a thank

#ou "etter, making those $ho

do stand out in contrastG

5# sending a thank #ou to the

emp"o#er, #ou are "ettinghim-her kno$ that #ou are

sti"" interested in the job% !n

addition, it is a chance )or #outo remind the interie$er o)

#our interie$ and ski""s%

:ina""#, the "etter gies #ou an

opportunit# to te"" him-her


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things that #ou ma# hae

)orgotten to sa# in the

interie$ or things that #ou$ish #ou had said better%

Writing a 2ood /hank &ouLetter

Send the "etter as soon as

possib"e%

4o not de"a#7get it in the

mai" or emai"% &ou neerkno$ ho$ +uick"# the

emp"o#er $i"" be "ooking to


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hire%

/#pe the "etter in standardbusiness )ormat%

/he "etter shou"d use the

same )orma" tone and)ormat as #our coer "etter%

Send it direct"# to the

person $ho interie$ed #ou)or the position%

4ee"op a thank #ou "ette$ith the standard

components%


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o !n #our )irst paragraph,

epress #our appreciation

)or the interie$% !nc"ude

an# e"ements o) the

interie$ that come tomind 0e%g%, touring the

)aci"ities or meeting

potentia" co3$orkers%!nc"ude the names o) the

peop"e $ho interie$ed

#ou and the position tit"e)or $hich #ou

interie$ed%


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o !nc"ude speci)ics detai"s

about the interie$ to

re)resh the interie$er's

mind about $ho #ou are%

!nc"ude an# comments ora part o) the conersation

that $ou"d make #ou

stand out )rom others%o 4rie home an# main

points that #ou think

$ou"d be he"p)u"% 9e3

emphasiFe #our most

important ski""s and sho$


333/494

the interie$er $h# #ou

are the right )it )or the

organiFation%

o 5rie)"# add an# re"ean

in)ormation that #ou)orgot to inc"ude in #our

resume or interie$%

o Let the emp"o#er kno$

that #ou $ant to continue

#our discussion about theposition% 5e proactie and

te"" him-her $hen #ou $i"


334/494

ca"" to )o""o$3up the

interie$% /hen ca"" as

promised, as #ou did prioto receiing the interie$

Samp"e /hank &ou Letteroe Smith

6 C"ear Lane Hami"ton, /eas 11111

ugust 1J, >JJJ

amie Wi"son

irector o) Pub"ications

om's Pub"ishing Compan#J /ria" Wa#

ami"ton, /eas 11111

ear (r% Wi"son,

enjo#ed speaking $ith #ou this a)ternoon about the Pub"ication Assistant position% ! be"iee m# passion )orditing and ta"ent in the marketing and graphic arts )ie"d mesh $e"" $ith /om's Pub"ishing business goa"s and

bjecties%

uring our meeting, #ou said that #ou $ant someone to step in and take oer the editoria" aspects o) the

ompan# in an organiFed manner% ! am a er# organiFed and methodica" indiidua" $ho can easi"# "earn the

test dee"opmenta" so)t$are programs )or the medica"-nursing industr#% ! am a"so er# interested inarning more graphic design% /hese kinds o) responsibi"ities certain"# $i"" put m# creatie e))orts to the testG

s #ou suggested in m# interie$, ! "ogged on to #our $eb site and do$n"oaded the Writing 5etter /est

uestions demo% ! )ound it both interesting and eas# to )o""o$% /he step3b#3step eamp"es, guide"ines, andducator /ips gie great insights into $hat is epected on an eam%

nce again, thank #ou )or meeting $ith me% ! "ook )or$ard to continuing our discussion and $i"" ca"" #ou on

rida# to see $here #ou are in the interie$ing process% !n the meantime, p"ease )ee" )ree to contact me at

n# time% ! can be reached at home at 33 or ia e3mai" at ao"bQb"oa%com%


335/494

incere"#,

oe Smith

.ercise

sing the eamp"e thank #ou

"etter as a guide, $rite a

)o""o$3up "etter in the tetbo be"o$% &ou ma# use the

eperience o) a past interie$

to guide #our $riting%

Compare #our "etter $ith the

samp"e $hen #ou are)inished%


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Summar#

&ou'e "earned $h# coer andthank #ou "etters are

important to the job searchprocess and ho$ to $rite

e))ectie ones%

Smarthinking Writer'sHandbook


337/494

Chapter 1, Lesson 1

Writing Short Stories 1%

4ramatic /echni+ue in:iction% 9obert 5ahr, 1IIE%

/he 9ight to Write< An

!nitation and !nitiation into

the Writing Li)e% u"ie

Cameron, 1IIE%/he 8orton !ntroduction to

:iction% erome 5eat#, 1II6%


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Handbook

Chapter 1, Lesson 16

Writing Short Stories >

Documents

Smarthinking Writer's Handbook