This International Student Edition is for use outside of the U.S.

Writing to Read,
Reading to Write
SECOND EDITION

Alison Kuehner
 Writing
to Read,
Reading to
Write
SECOND EDITION

Alison Kuehner
Ohlone College
WRITING TO READ, READING TO WRITE
Published by McGraw Hill LLC, 1325 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY 10019. Copyright ©2023 by McGraw Hill LLC.
All rights reserved. Printed in the United States of America. No part of this publication may be reproduced or distributed in any
form or by any means, or stored in a database or retrieval system, without the prior written consent of McGraw Hill LLC,
including, but not limited to, in any network or other electronic storage or transmission, or broadcast for distance learning.
Some ancillaries, including electronic and print components, may not be available to customers outside the United States.
This book is printed on acid-free paper.
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 LCR 26 25 24 23 22 21
ISBN 978-1-265-23124-8
MHID 1-265-23124-9
Cover Image: Melinda Podor/Moment/Getty Images

All credits appearing on page or at the end of the book are considered to be an extension of the copyright page.

The Internet addresses listed in the text were accurate at the time of publication. The inclusion of a website does not indicate an
endorsement by the authors or McGraw Hill LLC, and McGraw Hill LLC does not guarantee the accuracy of the information
presented at these sites.

mheducation.com/highered
 About the Author

ALISON KUEHNER
Alison Kuehner loves teaching students. She was for-
tunate to discover her passion for teaching during her
senior year of college working as a peer tutor, where
she enjoyed the challenge of helping fellow students
effectively express their ideas in writing. After earning
an undergraduate degree in English literature from the
University of California, Berkeley, and a master’s
degree in literature from the University of Chicago, she
became a teacher, earning an English credential through
the Graduate School of Education at the University of
California, Berkeley, and a master’s in reading instruc- Courtesy of Andrew Brown
tion at Cal State East Bay.
Although she enjoyed her time teaching middle school and high
school students, Professor Kuehner is most inspired and energized by
the diversity and potential of community college students. She has taught
a range of courses at Ohlone College in Fremont, California, for thirty
years, including literature and composition courses; developmental and
reading and writing classes; and online, hybrid, and traditional classes.
Over the years, she has honed her skills as a teacher, thanks to her
students’ feedback and advice, and her colleagues’ willingness to share
and collaborate.
When Professor Kuehner is not teaching, she enjoys reading, spend-
ing time with her family and friends, and riding her bike, swimming, and
playing soccer. She is married to a physicist; they have two children. They
live in the San Francisco Bay Area with two overweight cats.

iii
Brief Contents

CHAPTER 8 188
PART 1 Rhetorical Analysis
Welcome to College Reading,
Writing, and Thinking 1 SPOTLIGHT ON STUDENT WRITING 209
Synthesis Essay
CHAPTER 1 2
Introduction to College Reading, Writing, and PART 3
Thinking
Reading and Writing about
CHAPTER 2 26 Multiple Texts 223
Active Reading
CHAPTER 9 224
CHAPTER 3 45 Comparing Texts
The Writing Process
CHAPTER 10 246
SPOTLIGHT ON STUDENT WRITING 68 Synthesizing Texts
Literacy Narrative
CHAPTER 11 271
CHAPTER 4 79 Arguing with Texts
The Writing Product: Academic Essay
Fundamentals SPOTLIGHT ON STUDENT WRITING 299
Argumentative Synthesis Essay
SPOTLIGHT ON STUDENT WRITING 110
Response Essay
PART 4
PART 2 Research and Documentation 311
Essential Elements of Academic CHAPTER 12 312
Reading and Writing 123 Planning a Research Paper

CHAPTER 5 124 CHAPTER 13 337

Summarizing Texts Writing a Research Paper

CHAPTER 6 145 CHAPTER 14 363

Responding to Texts Reading Visuals

CHAPTER 7 168 CHAPTER 15 388

Critically Evaluating Texts MLA and APA Documentation

iv
 Brief Contents v

SPOTLIGHT ON STUDENT WRITING 411 THEME 442

Revising and Editing a Research Paper How Can We Help People Who Are Unhoused?

THEME 456
PART 5 What Makes Life Meaningful?
Anthology of Theme-Based THEME 486
Readings 427 America: Land of the Free?

THEME 428 THEME 502

What Barriers Do College Students Face? What Makes a Persuasive Argument?
Contents

Preface xxii

PART 1
Welcome to College Reading, Writing, and Thinking 1
CHAPTER 1
Introduction to College Reading, Writing, and Thinking 2
Theme: How to Develop a Successful College Mindset? 2
Identifying Strategies for Success 2
Recognizing Key Factors for Succeeding in College 6
College Reading: Sinking In 6
College Writing: Giving It Time and Effort 8
Motivation and Interest 9
Beliefs about Learning 10
Reading and Writing about Students’ Mindsets 10
READING SELECTION: “Brainology: Transforming Students’ Motivation to Learn”
by Carol S. Dweck 11
Academic Style: Introductory Phrases to Acknowledge Sources 18
Developing a Critical-Thinking Mindset 19
READING SELECTION: “Impact of Poverty on Students: All in Their Minds?”
by Mary Ellen Flannery 20

CHAPTER 2
Active Reading 26
Theme: What Is the Effect of Multitasking on Learning? 26
Realizing Reading and Writing as Processes 26
Previewing before Reading 29
READING SELECTION: “Online Students Multitask More (Not in a Good Way)”
by Doug Lederman 30
Identifying the Topic, Thesis, and Main Ideas in a Reading 34
Topic versus Thesis 34
Identifying Main Ideas 35
Academic Style: Signal Verbs 36
Annotating and Summarizing 37

vi
 Contents vii

Annotating a Text 37
Summarizing a Text 38

CHAPTER 3
The Writing Process 45
Theme: How Do Writers Write? 45
An Overview: Understanding Writing as a Process 46
Defining the Purpose of a Writing Task 46
Prewriting 47
Choosing a Topic 48
Generating and Organizing Ideas 48
Drafting 51
READING SELECTION: “Advice for Aspiring Black Writers, from Black Writers”
by Taylor Bryant 52
Academic Style: Attribution 56
Revising, Editing, and Proofreading 57
Revising for Content and Organization 57
READING SELECTION: “Writing as a Process: An Interview with Mike Rose” by Tina Arora 58
Editing Sentences and Proofreading for Errors 61

SPOTLIGHT ON STUDENT WRITING

Literacy Narrative 68
Defining the Purpose of the Writing Task and Picking a Topic 68
Prewriting 70
Drafting 71
Revising 72
Editing and Proofreading 74
Formatting the Paper 75

CHAPTER 4
The Writing Product: Academic Essay Fundamentals 79
Theme: Why Is Sleep So Important? 79
Analyzing Essay Structure 80
Essay Parts and Their Purpose 80
A Published Student Essay 80
Analyze a Writing Prompt 84
READING SELECTION: “Why Do We Sleep? There Are Plenty of Theories, but Nobody Really
Knows for Sure” by Teodora Stoica 85
Academic Style: Appositives 90
viii Contents

Drafting a Tentative Thesis and an Essay Plan 91

Tentative Thesis 91
Essay Plan 92
Writing an Effective Essay Introduction 93
Sensible Strategies for Introductions 93
Introductions to Avoid 95
Writing Body Paragraphs 96
Writing a Strong Conclusion 97
Sensible Strategies for Writing a Conclusion 97
Conclusions to Avoid 97
Revising and Editing to Improve an Essay Draft 98

SPOTLIGHT ON STUDENT WRITING

Response Essay 110
Annotating to Evaluate Student Writing 110
First Reading: Annotations for Comprehension 110
Second Reading: Annotations for Evaluation 110
Sample Student Papers 111
STUDENT PAPER: “The Good, the Bad, and the Math” by Alejandra Jimenez 112
STUDENT PAPER: “Involuntary Resignation” by Veronica Alvarez 115
Peer Review 120
Strategies for Readers Giving Feedback 120
Strategies for Writers Receiving Feedback 121

PART 2
Essential Elements of Academic Reading and Writing 123
CHAPTER 5
Summarizing Texts 124
Theme: What Is the Purpose of a College Education? 124
Reading to Summarize 124
Applying Vocabulary Strategies 125
Understanding a Reading’s Structure 126
Annotating and Summarizing Main Ideas 126
READING SELECTION: “What’s the Purpose of College?” by Brandon Busteed 127
Drafting a Summary 129
Preparing to Write a Summary 129
Writing the Opening Sentence 130
 Contents ix

Revising and Editing, Checking and Proofreading a Draft Summary 132

Revising 132
Editing 132
Checking 132
Patchwriting Plagiarism 133
Copying without Quoting 134
Proofreading 135
Academic Style: Making Writing Flow Logically 137
Summarizing an Article 138
READING SELECTION: “Education Is the Answer to Many of Life’s Challenges” by Donald
Guy Generals 138

CHAPTER 6
Responding to Texts 145
Theme: What Makes People Happy? 145
Reading Critically 145
Identifying Types of Support 146
READING SELECTION: “More Money Does Make You Happier” by Ellie Zolfagharifard
and Ollie Gillman 147
Using the SOS Organizational Pattern 150
Summary 150
Opinion 151
Support 152
READING SELECTION: “Can Money Really Buy Happiness?” by John Grohol 153
Drafting a Response Essay: The SOS Organizational Pattern 155
Organizing and Developing Body Paragraphs 158
Chronological Order 158
Climactic Order 158
Simple-to-Complex Order 159
Development of Depth and Detail 159

CHAPTER 7
Critically Evaluating Texts 168
Theme: How Can We Help People Who Are Unhoused? 168
Reading to Critique 169
Critiquing Support 169
Critiquing Examples 169
Critiquing Expert Testimony 170
x Contents

Critiquing Explanation 171

Critiquing Factual and Statistical Evidence 172
READING SELECTION: “What Housing First Really Means” by Ben Cattell Noll 173
Preparing to Write a Critique Essay by Examining Support 175
Examination of All Support 176
Examination of the Most Important Support 176
Drafting a Critique Essay Using the SOS Pattern 177
READING SELECTION: “Housing First and Homelessness: The Rhetoric and the Reality” by
Stephen Eide 178
Revising a Critique for Development and Support 181
Academic Style: Quote Sandwich 182

CHAPTER 8
Rhetorical Analysis 188
Theme: When Should Americans Be Involved in Foreign Conflicts? 188
Rhetorical Analysis 189
Context 189
Situation and Author 189
Purpose and Audience 190
Purpose 191
Intended and Specific Audience 191
Appeals 192
Tone and Denotation and Connotation of Words 192
Tone 192
Denotation and Connotation 194
Reading to Analyze Rhetoric 194
READING SELECTION: “Remarks at a United States-France Ceremony
Commemorating the 40th Anniversary of the Normandy Invasion, D-Day”
by President Ronald Reagan 195
Preparing to Write a Rhetorical Analysis 198
Writing a Thesis 199
Introducing a Rhetorical Analysis 200
Writing a Body Paragraph 201
Concluding a Rhetorical Analysis 203
SPOTLIGHT ON STUDENT WRITING
Synthesis Essay 209
Analyzing Essay Structure and Use of Evidence 209
First Reading: Annotations for Comprehension 209
Second Reading: Annotations for Analysis 209
 Contents xi

Analyzing Student Papers 210

STUDENT PAPER: “What Makes One Happy?” by Michelle Asadulla 211
STUDENT PAPER: “Money, Friends, Purpose, and Happiness” by Kristen Chen 216
Annotating and Analyzing for Peer Review 222

PART 3
Reading and Writing about Multiple Texts 223
CHAPTER 9
Comparing Texts 224
Theme: Should We Support a Universal Basic Income? 224
Reading to Identify Parallel Points 225
READING SELECTION: “A Universal Basic Income: What Difference Might It Make?” by Christine
Morley, Phillip Ablett, and Jenni Mays 226
Comparing Sources and Synthesizing Information 230
Reading to Synthesize Additional Information 231
READING SELECTION: “America’s Real ‘Freedom Dividend’: Hard Work and Pro-Business
Policies” by Larry Elder 231
Organizational Methods 234
Preparing and Drafting a Compare-Contrast Essay 236
From Notes to Outline 236
Developing a Compare-Contrast Thesis Statement 237
Drafting a Compare-Contrast Essay 238
Academic Style: Creating Transitions 240

CHAPTER 10
Synthesizing Texts 246
Theme: How Will Climate Change Affect Us? 246
Purpose of Synthesizing Sources 247
Reading to Synthesize 247
READING SELECTION: “American Refugees: How Climate Change Might Force U.S. Migration
North and Where They Could Go” by M.L. Nestel 248
Keeping Track of Your Reading Notes 253
READING SELECTION: “Black Lives Matter: The Link Between Climate Change and Racial
Justice” by Adelle Thomas and Rueanna Haynes 254
Categorizing and Organizing Information 257
Categorizing Information 257
Creating an Outline or Paper Plan 259
xii Contents

Writing a Thesis Statement for a Synthesis 260

Synthesizing Information in Body Paragraphs Using Pie Structure 261
Starting a Synthesis Paper 262
Academic Style: Conciseness 265

CHAPTER 11
Arguing with Texts 271
Theme: How Free Is Speech on College Campuses? 271
Identifying Parts of an Argument 272
Claim 272
Writing a Claim in an Argument 272
Reasons 274
Support 275
READING SELECTION: “A College Lecture on Confederate Statues Made Me Realize I’m
Squelching Free Speech on Campus” by Kevin Weis 276
Introducing Controversial Issues 278
Provide Background Information 279
Define Terms 279
Structuring an Argument 280
Deductive Reasoning: Arguing from Claim or Reason to Support 280
Inductive Reasoning: Arguing from Support to Reason or Claim 280
READING SELECTION: “3 Approaches for Confronting Microaggressions”
by Tyrone Fleurizard 283
Evaluating Logic 286
Avoiding the Issue 286
Weak Cause and Effect 287
Pretending to Offer Proof, but Not Really 287
Oversimplifying the Issue 287
Responding to Counterarguments 288
Identifying Rebuttal versus Concession 288
Where to Place a Counterargument 290
Academic Style: “Although . . . Because” Claim 290
Evaluating an Argument 292
SPOTLIGHT ON STUDENT WRITING
Argumentative Synthesis Essay 299
Annotating and Analyzing Student Essays 299
STUDENT PAPER: “Segmented Sleep: Nature vs. Nurture”
by Renee Burke 300
STUDENT PAPER: “The Two-Way Correlation Between Sleep Disturbances and Dementia”
by Xiaoyan Huo 306
 Contents xiii

PART 4
Research and Documentation 311
CHAPTER 12
Planning a Research Paper 312
Theme: What Is Real News and What Is Fake News? 312
Writing a Research Question 313
Locating Academic Sources 314
Find Information in the College Library 315
Search the Internet 316
Wikipedia as a Source 317
Use Key Words in an Online Search 318
Preparing with Background Reading 319
READING SELECTION: “How to Spot Fake Health News, According to Experts” by Peter Flax 319
Evaluating Researched Sources 325
Locating Citation Information 328
Books and e-Books 328
Journal Articles 328
Web Page 330
Preparing an Annotated Bibliography 331

CHAPTER 13
Writing a Research Paper 337
Theme: What Is Real News and What Is Fake News? 337
Reading and Taking Notes on Sources 337
Importance of Taking Notes 338
Note-Taking Methods 338
Taking Effective Notes 340
Recognizing and Avoiding Plagiarism 341
READING SELECTION: “Fake Medical News: Avoiding Pitfalls and Perils” by Amar Shireesh
Kanekar and Avinash Thombre 343
Synthesizing Information from Sources 350
Informative versus Argumentative Paper 350
Organizing Notes to Create a Writing Plan 351
Developing an Outline and a Thesis 352
Moving from Charting to Outlining Main Ideas 352
Moving from Outlining Main Ideas to Adding Support 354
Moving from Formal Outlining to Finalizing a Thesis Statement 354
xiv Contents

Drafting, Revising, Editing, and Proofreading Your Research Paper 356

Documenting Sources 356
Formatting a Research Paper 357

CHAPTER 14
Reading Visuals 363
Interpreting Graphs and Tables 363
Tables 364
Pie Graphs 365
Bar Graphs 367
Line Graphs 368
Visual Information 370
Maps 370
Illustrations 372
Diagrams 373
Graphic Organizers 375
Infographics 376
Sidebars 378
Visual Narratives 380
Cartoons 380
Advertisements 382
Photographs 384

CHAPTER 15
MLA and APA Documentation 388
Documenting Sources and Formatting Papers Correctly 388
MLA Style: In-Text Citations 389
MLA: Works Cited List 391
MLA: First Page 397
MLA: Works Cited List 399
APA Style: In-Text Citations 400
APA: References List 403
APA: Title Page 406
APA: Body of Paper 407
APA: References List 409

SPOTLIGHT ON STUDENT WRITING

Revising and Editing a Research Paper 411
 Contents xv

Evaluating a Research Paper Draft 411

STUDENT RESEARCH PAPER DRAFT: “Taking Refuge: Climate Migration in the United States”
by Jamie Ferrante 412
Applying Comments to Improve a Research Paper Draft 417
STUDENT RESEARCH PAPER FINAL DRAFT: “Taking Refuge: Climate Migration in the United
States” by Jamie Ferrante 418

PART 5
Anthology of Theme-Based Readings 427
Theme: What Barriers Do College Students Face? 428
Reading: “Survey: Self-Doubt Is a Barrier to College” by Madeline St. Amour 428
Reading: “Six Lessons to Succeed as a First-Generation College Student” by Carolyn J.
Stefanco 431
Reading: “Academia, Love Me Back” by Tiffany Martinez 433
Reading: “Laziness Does Not Exist: But Unseen Barriers Do” by Devon Price 436

Theme: How Can We Help People Who Are Unhoused? 442

Reading: “To House the Unhoused, Hear the Unhoused” by Julia Irwin 443
Reading: “Food, Showers, Tents: Does the Help, Help the Homeless?” by Amy Taxin and
Geoff Mulvihill 445
Reading: “Commentary: We Need Rental Assistance and Services, Not Punitive Policies, to
End Homelessness” by Peggy Bailey 448
Reading: “Solve Homelessness by Addressing Its Root Causes: Mental-Health and Substance-
Abuse Issues Underlie the Problem” by Richard Bebout 454

Theme: What Makes Life Meaningful? 456

Reading: “Compassion as the Source of Happiness” by His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama of
Tibet 457
Reading: “A Reflection on the Meaning of Life: Remembering Vicktor Frankl in the Aftermath
of Anthony Bourdain’s Death” by Mirsad Serdarevic 461
Reading: “Emily Esfahani Smith Melds Wisdom and Psychology on a Journey Toward
Meaning” by Catherine Yang 464
Reading: Excerpt from “Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, an American Slave” by
Frederick Douglass 468
Reading: “Rat Park” by Stuart McMillen 474

Theme: America: Land of the Free? 486

Reading: “The New Colossus” (Poem) by Emma Lazarus 487
Reading: “Trump Official Rephrases Statue of Liberty Poem to Defend Targeting of Legal
Migrants” by Zachary Small 488
xvi Contents

Reading: “Immigrants in Our Own Land” (Poem) by Jimmy Santiago Baca 491
Reading: “Crafting the ‘Day of Infamy’ Speech” from the US National Archives 493
Reading: “To the Lady” (Poem) by Mitsuye Yamada 497
Reading: “Remarks on Signing the Bill Providing Restitution for the Wartime Internment of
Japanese-American Civilians” (Speech) by President Ronald Reagan 499

Theme: What Makes a Persuasive Argument? 502

Reading: “A Modest Proposal” by Dr. Jonathan Swift 503
Reading: “Ain’t I a Woman?” by Sojourner Truth 509
Reading: “The Gettysburg Address” by Abraham Lincoln 510
Reading: “Saying Her Name: What Monuments to Sojourner Truth Can Teach Us about
Memorializing Black Lives” by Frances Cathryn 512
Reading: “Op-Ed: Let’s Push the Language of Journalism Past Its Limits” by Alissa Quart 519
Reading: “Call It COVID” by Tatiana Tran 522

Index I-1
 Contents xvii

Alternative Table of Contents by Essay Genre

This alternative table of contents can be used to locate examples of paper types and approaches to
writing that are explained in Chapters 1 through 14 of the text.

Argument
Reading: “What’s the Purpose of College?” by Brandon Busteed 127
Reading: “Education Is the Answer to Many of Life’s Challenges” by Donald Guy Generals 138
Reading: “What Housing First Really Means” by Ben Cattell Noll 173
Reading: “America’s Real ‘Freedom Dividend’: Hard Work and Pro-Business Policies” by Larry
Elder 231
Reading: STUDENT ESSAY: “A College Lecture on Confederate Statues Made Me Realize I’m
Squelching Free Speech on Campus” by Kevin Weis 276
Reading: “Six Lessons to Succeed as a First-Generation College Student” by Carolyn J. Stefanco 431
Reading: STUDENT ESSAY: “Academia, Love Me Back” by Tiffany Martinez 433
Reading: “Laziness Does Not Exist: But Unseen Barriers Do” by Devon Price 436
Reading: “To House the Unhoused, Hear the Unhoused” by Julia Irwin 443
Reading: “Compassion as the Source of Happiness” by His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama 457
Reading: “A Reflection on the Meaning of Life: Remembering Vicktor Frankl in the Aftermath of
Anthony Bourdain’s Death” by Mirsad Serdarevic 461
Reading: “Crafting the ‘Day of Infamy’ Speech” from the US National Archives 493
Reading: “A Modest Proposal” by Dr. Jonathan Swift 503
Reading: “Ain’t I a Woman?” by Sojourner Truth 509

Argumentative Synthesis
Reading: “Can Money Really Buy Happiness?” by John Grohol 153
Reading: “A Universal Basic Income: What Difference Might It Make?” by Christine Morley 226
Reading: “American Refugees: How Climate Change Might Force U.S Migration North and Where
They Could Go” by M.L. Nestel 248
Reading: “Black Lives Matter: The Link Between Climate Change and Racial Justice” by Adelle
Thomas and Rueanna Hayes 254
Reading: STUDENT ESSAY: “3 Approaches for Confronting Microaggressions” by Tyrone
Fleurizard 283
Reading: STUDENT ESSAY: “Segmented Sleep: Nature vs. Nurture” by Renee Burke 300
Reading: STUDENT ESSAY: “The Two-Way Correlation Between Sleep Disturbances and
Dementia” by Xiaoyan Huo 306

Comparison
Reading: “A Universal Income: What Difference Might It Make?” by Christine Morley 226
Reading: “Food, Showers, Tents: Does the Help, Help the Homeless?” by Amy Taxin and Geoff
Mulvihill 445
Reading: “Ain’t I a Woman?” by Sojourner Truth 509

Critique
Reading: “Online Students Multitask More (Not in a Good Way)” by Doug Lederman 30
Reading: “Housing First and Homelessness: The Rhetoric and the Reality” by Stephen Eide 178
xviii Contents

Reading: “A Universal Basic Income: What Difference Might It Make?” by Christine Morley 226
Reading: “America’s Real ‘Freedom Dividend’: Hard Work and Pro-Business Policies” by Larry
Elder 231
Reading: “We Need Rental Assistance and Services, Not Punitive Policies, to End Homelessness”
by Peggy Bailey 448
Reading: “Solve Homelessness by Addressing Its Root Causes: Mental-Health and Substance-
Abuse Issues Underlie the Problem” by Richard Bebout 454

Explanatory Synthesis
Reading: “Online Students Multitask More (Not in a Good Way)” by Doug Lederman 30
Reading: “Multitasking May Hurt Your Performance but It Makes You Feel Better” by Ohio State
University 41
Reading: STUDENT ESSAY: “To Sleep or Not to Sleep, That Is the Question” by Courtney
Roberts 81
Reading: “Why Do We Sleep?” by Teodora Stoica 85
Reading: “More Money Does Make You Happier” by Ellie Zolfagharifard and Ollie Gillman 147
Reading: STUDENT ESSAY: “What Makes One Happy?” by Michelle Asadulla 211
Reading: STUDENT ESSAY: “Money, Friends, Purpose, and Happiness” by Kristen Chen 216
Reading: “Food, Showers, Tents: Does the Help, Help the Homeless?” by Amy Taxin and Geoff
Mulvihill 445

Literacy Narrative
Reading: Spotlight on Student Writing Process: “Literacy Narrative” 68
Reading: STUDENT PAPER: “The Good, the Bad, and the Math” by Alejandra Jimenez 112
Reading: STUDENT PAPER: “Involuntary Resignation” by Veronica Alvarez 116

Literature
Reading: Excerpt from “Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, an American Slave” by
Frederick Douglass 468
Reading: “Rat Park” by Stuart McMillen 474
Reading: “The New Colossus” (Poem) by Emma Lazarus 487
Reading: “Immigrants in Our Own Land” (Poem) by Jimmy Santiago Baca 491
Reading: “To the Lady” (Poem) by Mitsuye Yamada 497
Reading: “Call It COVID” (Poem) by Tatiana Tran 522

Research Paper
Reading: STUDENT ESSAY: “To Sleep or Not to Sleep, That Is the College Student’s Eternal
Question” by Courtney Roberts 81
Reading: “Why Do We Sleep?” by Teodora Stoica 85
Reading: STUDENT ESSAY: “Segmented Sleep: Nature vs. Nurture” by Renee Burke 300
Reading: STUDENT ESSAY: “The Two-Way Correlation Between Sleep Disturbances and
Dementia” by Xiaoyan Huo 306
Reading: “Fake Medical News: Avoiding Pitfalls and Perils” by Amar Shireesh Kanekar and
Avinash Thombre 343
Reading: STUDENT ESSAY: “Final Draft: Taking Refuge: Climate Migration in the United States”
by Jamie Ferrante 418
 Contents xix

Response
Reading: STUDENT ESSAY: “The Good, the Bad, and the Math” by Alejandra Jimenez 112
Reading: STUDENT ESSAY: “Involuntary Resignation” by Veronica Alvarez 116
Reading: “Education Is the Answer to Many of Life’s Challenges” by Donald Guy Generals 138
Reading: “Can Money Really Buy Happiness?” by John Grohol 153
Reading: “America’s Real ‘Freedom Dividend’: Hard Work and Pro-Business Policies” by Larry
Elder 231
Reading: STUDENT ESSAY: “Academia, Love Me Back” by Tiffany Martinez 433
Reading: “We Need Rental Assistance and Services, Not Punitive Policies, to End Homelessness”
by Peggy Bailey 448
Reading: “Trump Official Rephrases Statue of Liberty Poem to Defend Targeting of Legal
Migrants” by Zachary Small 488

Rhetorical Analysis
Reading: “Trump Official Rephrases Statue of Liberty Poem to Defend Targeting of Legal
Migrants” by Zachary Small 488
Reading: “Crafting the ‘Day of Infamy’ Speech” from the US National Archives 493
Reading: “OP-ED: Let’s Push the Language of Journalism Past Its Limits” by Alissa Quart 519

Summary
Reading: “Brainology: Transforming Students’ Motivation to Learn” by Carol S. Dweck 11
Reading: “Impact of Poverty on Students: All in Their Minds?” by Mary Ellen Flannery 20
Reading: “How to Spot Fake Health News, According to Experts” by Peter Flax 319
Reading: “Emily Esfahani Smith Melds Wisdom and Psychology on a Journey Toward Meaning”
by Catherine Yang 464

Visual Analysis
Reading: “Saying Her Name: What Monuments to Sojourner Truth Can Teach Us about
Memorializing Black Lives” by Frances Cathryn 512

Writing Process
Reading: “Advice for Aspiring Black Writers, from Black Writers” by Taylor Bryant 52
Reading: “Writing as a Process: An Interview with Mike Rose” by Tina Arora 58
Reading: Student Spotlight: Literacy Narrative 68
Reading: STUDENT ESSAY: “Paper Draft and Final Draft: Taking Refuge: Climate Migration in the
United States” by Jamie Ferrante 412
Reading: “Crafting the ‘Day of Infamy’ Speech” from the US National Archive 493

Speeches
Reading: “Remarks at a United States-France Ceremony Commemorating the 40th Anniversary
of the Normandy Invasion, D-Day” by President Ronald Reagan 195
Reading: “Crafting the ‘Day of Infamy’ Speech” from the US National Archive 493
Reading: “Remarks on Signing the Bill Providing Restitution for the Wartime Internment of
Japanese-American Civilians” by President Ronald Reagan 499
Reading: “Ain’t I a Woman?” by Sojourner Truth 509
Reading: “The Gettysburg Address” by Abraham Lincoln 510
A Note from the Author

Nationwide, composition programs have experienced profound shifts in the

past years with a move toward including more students in transfer-level
classes. In many states, including where I teach, legislation mandates that
students who place below college level must have a path to complete a transfer-­
level composition course within one year. This shift has encouraged accelera-
tion of the developmental sequence and a reimagining of strategies to teach
first-year students, such as in corequisite classes, to ensure that all students
will be successful at the transfer level. Even in states and at institutions
without such mandates, composition courses have a greater diversity of stu-
dents with a wider range of academic backgrounds and preparedness than
ever before. Meeting the needs of all students, regardless of their prior aca-
demic achievement, requires intentional instruction and resources.
Well before the legislative mandate, my colleagues and I redesigned the
English curriculum at our college in light of compelling research and evi-
dence that students, regardless of their educational backgrounds or placement
test scores, had a considerable capacity to achieve. We realized that if we set
high standards while providing appropriate academic and motivational sup-
port, students typically labeled as “not college ready” as well as students
on-level could succeed in rigorous classes. The time, effort, and thought that
went into developing a new curriculum at my college is reflected in this brief
rhetoric that may be used to educate the diversity of students in college-level
composition as well as in the corequisites that will support them.
This approach within Writing to Read, Reading to Write enables students
with varying levels of preparedness to meet the objectives of college-level
composition courses is built on three key pillars:

1. Building Skills in Reading, Writing, and Critical Thinking. Reading,

writing, and critical thinking are the foundation of students’ aca-
demic success. Strategies for tackling college-level materials are
explained and demonstrated; students apply and practice these.
2. Providing Scaffolding and Support. Scaffolded lessons and activities
develop students’ academic literacy skills in a logical progression,
beginning with foundational coverage of reading and writing pro-
cesses, moving through comprehension and summary to analysis,
evaluation, synthesis, and research.

xx
 A Note from the Author xxi

3. Taking a Student-Centered Approach. This means meeting students

where they are, honoring their intellect, interests, and varied life
experiences, and providing the guidance they need to succeed
academically.
In short, Writing to Read, Reading to Write offers strategies drawn from
years of experience teaching students at every level, enabling them to achieve
college-level composition learning outcomes. The challenges of curriculum
change are real; a tried and tested approach can transform students.
Alison Kuehner
Preface

Preface to the 2nd Edition

Writing to Read, Reading to Write presents reading, writing, and critical thinking as
meaningful and complementary endeavors that form the foundation of students’ aca-
demic success. Treating reading and writing as recursive processes, each chapter
builds on these skills to help students at all levels achieve college-level writing.
Scaffolding and support for these skills are embedded in every chapter in the form of
guided practice and explicit instruction around strategies for successful first-year
­writing. This student-centered approach to the writing course is supported by a
robust selection of digital assignments, assessments, and study tools in McGraw Hill
­Education’s Connect Composition platform.

An Emphasis on Reading, Writing, and Critical Thinking

Recognizing that students often come to the composition course lacking the reading
and critical-thinking skills necessary to produce college-level writing, Writing to Read,
Reading to Write builds in support for developing these complementary and inter-
twined skills. With Writing to Read, Reading to Write, students will develop their read-
ing, writing, and thinking skills in a logical progression, beginning with foundational
coverage of reading and writing processes, and building up to the strategies and skills
students will apply to their own academic work.
Reading
A focus on reading strategies, such as previewing, annotating, and summarizing,
gives students who are underprepared for the first-year composition course, or in
the corequisite support sections, a chance to practice those skills, and continually
apply and build on them, as they embark on college-level work. For on-level ­students,
these reading strategies reinforce best practices for engaging with challenging texts.
• Annotated Reading selections help students identify a reading’s key elements, such as
its thesis or claim, main points, support and evidence, and key vocabulary, providing
much-needed support in academic reading skills, for students at all reading levels.
• “Before Reading,” “During Reading,” and “After Reading” exercises support each
reading selection, enabling deep comprehension of the selections, necessary for
students to produce thoughtful prose. Online in Connect these assignments can
be completed in Power of Process, which prompts students to be active readers
as they preview, annotate, and reflect on the readings in the text.

xxii
 Preface xxiii

• An Anthology of Theme-Based Readings offers 25 additional reading selections,

allowing students to apply their reading, writing, and thinking skills to readings
of their choice.
• SmartBook 2.0, found online in Connect, uses adaptive assessments to create a
personalized reading experience customized to individual student needs.
SmartBook continually
adapts to pinpoint
knowledge gaps and
focus learning on con-
cepts requiring addi-
tional study. It supports
student engagement
and helps students
and instructors track
progress in achieving
reading and study
goals.
xxiv Preface

• Power of Process, also in Connect, provides strategies that guide students in learning
how to critically read a piece of writing or consider a text as a possible source for
incorporation into their own work. After they progress through the strategies,
responding to prompts by annotating and highlighting, students are encouraged to
reflect on their processes and interaction with the text. In this way, Power of Process
guides students to engage with texts closely and critically so that they develop aware-
ness of their process decisions and ultimately begin to make those decisions con-
sciously on their own—a hallmark of strategic, self-regulating readers and writers.
• Instructors can choose from 100 readings in the Power of Process reader or from
Writing to Read, Reading to Write, or they can upload their own readings. In
keeping with McGraw Hill’s commitment to equity, diversity, and inclusion, 50%
of the readings in both the text and in Power of Process are written by Black,
Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) authors.
Writing
A process-oriented, recursive approach to writing supports students’ reading, writing,
and learning, no matter their level upon entering the course. Students will learn how
to use writing to call up background knowledge before reading or to reflect on a text
after reading; they will write to generate and explore ideas, and to draft, edit, revise,
and proofread their own college-level texts.
• At the end of each chapter, Reading and Writing Activities guide students
through selecting a topic, prewriting, drafting, revising, editing, and proofreading
to develop a complete piece of writing.
• Pair and Share activities are strategically placed throughout the reading and
writing activities, offering peer-review opportunities at various stages of the
writing process.
• Online in Connect’s Writing Assignment Plus, students benefit from just-in-time
learning resources as they draft responses to writing prompts. The built-in

In Writing Assignment
Plus, instructors can
provide summative and
directive feedback on
students’ work. A
customizable scoring
guide provides assess-
ment transparency to
students, while allow-
ing them to see why
and how to improve.
 Preface xxv

grammar checker and originality detection alert students to issues before they sub-
mit their work and offer resources that direct them on how to correct errors within
the context of their own writing, empowering them to achieve their writing goals.
• Connect Composition grants students four years of access to the complete Con-
nect Composition Handbook, which features coverage of style, grammar, and
mechanics, as well as up-to-date guidance on MLA and APA documentation
styles. In Connect Composition, teachers can also assign a range of assessments,
including quizzes and tests, that are tied to the handbook.

Critical Thinking
Each chapter is based on a thought-provoking question to encourage inquiry and
critical thinking. Students will develop an academic mindset, critically reading, evalu-
ating, and responding to texts of various kinds and alternating points of view.
• A broad selection of readings aligns with thoughtfully chosen themes that provide
a structure for student learning and a foundation for understanding reading,
writing, and research processes. By reading related articles, students have an
opportunity to understand a topic in depth, and the text provides students with
more material with which to draft their resulting work.
• Engage with the Reading questions following each reading selection prompt stu-
dents to think critically about the text, explain complex passages, or respond to
an author’s arguments with their own ideas or analysis. The strategies they
encounter through their engagement with other texts will build understanding
of writing strategies and how they could apply to their own writing projects.

Scaffolding and Support for the First-Year Course

The structure of Writing to Read, Reading to Write has been carefully designed to guide
students through a logical progression of skills, with each new topic building on the last.
• Reading, writing, and thinking critically. Part 1, Welcome to College Reading,
Writing, and Thinking, introduces students to the right mindset for college suc-
cess, foundational reading strategies, the nature of the writing process, and the
fundamentals of an academic essay.
• Focusing on academic reading and writing. Employing skills from Part 1, in
Part 2 critical academic writing skills are developed with a focus on single texts.
Students will engage in important strategies, including summarizing the ideas
of others, responding thoughtfully to texts, and critically evaluating texts.
• Engaging with multiple texts. Building on Parts 1 and 2, in the third section
students deal with multiple texts, enhancing the essential elements of reading
and writing by demonstrating how students can compare or synthesize different
sources in an objective analysis or through critical evaluation, as well as how
they can develop original arguments supported by various sources.
xxvi Preface

• Conducting research and citing sources. Part 4, Research and Documentation,

guides students through the research process, including how to locate and eval-
uate sources, how to write an informative or argumentative academic research
paper, and how to analyze and incorporate visuals.
• Reading to expand perspectives and understanding. Part 5, Anthology of Theme-
Based Readings, is a collection of diverse views on themes students and their
teachers may wish to read and write about. Readings are intentionally selected
to spark critical and creative thinking and to inspire students’ writing.

In addition to the logical structure of the text, further scaffolding is provided

After Reading: Identify Audience; Identify Purpose
throughout.
Write responses to the following exercises using complete sentences.

• Writing prompts are5. Consider

offered theat audience: Whothose
two levels, are thethat
intended readers
require of this text?
students Do
to meet
you think readers other than the intended audience can also benefit
the core objectives offrom
thethefirst-year writing
ideas in this course, and a selection of Challenge
selection?
Choice prompts that require
6. Think abouta bit
themore reading,
purpose: Do theresearching,
authors wantand
the thinking.
audience toOffer-
be
informed,
ing students additional options instructed, or persuaded?
for completing Could there
the writing be more empowers
assignment than one
purpose? Explain.
all students to succeed.
Engagewith
• For students who struggle with sentence-level
the Reading clarity, or who are new to the expec-
Write responses to the following exercises using complete sentences.
tations of college-level writing assignments, Academic Style boxes provide profes-
1. Review your annotations from exercise 3 under “During Reading,” and
sional and student writing examples that model a range of writerly concerns related
select the writing advice given by professional authors that you can identify
to academic prose, such with. as writing
In your clear,explain
own words, concise sentences
that advice or orintegrating
and how why you feel quota-
it
applies to
tions, encouraging students toyou.
read as writers and to emulate strong writing.
2. Review your annotations from exercise 4 under “During Reading,” and
• Reading, writing, andselect
research skillsadvice
the writing are given
further supported
by professional by Adaptive
authors that you doLearning
not find
Assignment. Found in useful
Connect, Adaptive
or relevant Learning
to you. In Assignment
your own words, provides
explain that each stu-
writing advice
and why you do not find it useful or relevant.
dent a personalized3. path to learning concepts instructors assign in their course.
Look back over your annotations and your answers to exercises 1 and 2
The assignments continually adapt
above. Then to your
describe the own
individual, identifying
writing process knowledge
and purposes, how theygaps
are similar to or different from those of professional writers, and how you
might change your writing routine to improve them.

Academic Style: Attribution

When you summarize or quote, you should identify the source of that information and convey

why that source is reputable. In such cases, you can reference the person or organization by

providing attribution. That is, along with the quote or summary, you identify the source of the

information. You may also want to state the credentials of the source—that is, what makes the

source qualified to address the topic.

Examples of Sentences Using Attribution

• The author of ten best-selling books on personal finance, Suze Orman explains that
attribution
“writing is hard work, not magic.”

• Research published in a peer-reviewed academic journal, the Journal of Adolescent

attribution
Adult Literacy, shows that most professional writers create multiple drafts.

56
 Preface xxvii

and focusing on areas where remediation is needed. All adaptive content—including

questions and integrated concept resources—is specifically targeted to, and directly
aligned with, the individual learning objectives being assessed in the course.

A Student-Centered Approach
Throughout the chapters, students are reminded they are at the center of their learn-
ing and must actively participate to be successful as they read, write, think, and engage
with assignments. By offering varied approaches to writing projects and a range of
reading selections, this program meets students where they are, encourages them to
adopt a college mindset, and to achieve the goals of the course.
The New Three Rs: Relevant, Representative, and Reflective
While reading,
FIGURE writing,First
2 One Student’s and critical
Draft thinking encapsulate the academic mindset of the
(continued)
book, engaging students with relevant topics, representative readings, and opportuni-
ties for reflection isWriting
words. at theis heart
impossibleofwithout
the text.
a plan. To me, the word “deadline” always

has one meaning: I’m dead if I waited till the due day to start writing my paper.

• Relevant. Last
Themes and being
but not least, readings were
unfamiliar with chosen for Itheir
the topic that potential
was assigned for is to connect to

students’ also
lives. Throughout
a difficulty the
for me. In text,
order students
to write are encouraged
about something to understand how
I have never heard

academicbefore,
topics and research connect to the larger world or to the communities
I should do some researches before thinking about the topic. The thinking

process is only fun, when I make up questions and ask myself to answer them.
around them, as well as to their own lived experiences.
• Representative. Featured professional authors and student writers represent the
variety of experiences
REVISINGand backgrounds of today’s students, including second-­
language learners,
Since the writers
studentof color,
created and first-generation
a graphic college
organizer and immediately afterstudents.
com-
posed a first draft, she decided to put this writing away for some time.
• Reflective. Chapters present diverse views on a chosen theme, prompting
She felt by taking a break, she could return to the first draft, then to read students
to question texts, discover new perspectives, and draw their own conclusions.
it with fresh eyes and renewed energy.
When the student returned to working on the first draft, she read it
focusing Writing
Spotlights on Student on making the ideas clearer and better organized. She crossed
out unnecessary information and added specific examples and details
One chapter at the(marked
conclusion
in red ink).ofShe
each sectiontheprofiles
also clarified realby college
organization students and
changing the
order of information and by adding transitions (also in red). The student’s
showcases their written work. This Spotlight
second draft appears in Figure 3. on Student Writing feature gives students

FIGURE 3 One Student’s Second Draft

Writing is a Tool (Revising version), by Jane Nguyen. Used with permission.

To be honest, writing has never been interesting to me; when I was young, 1
caught words
I always catch myself talking more than putting things down on the paper.

I had energy to ran around, but had none to sit down and write. Later on in

life, I figured that writing had a lot of benefits. I was able to organize my

thoughts, think more careful before making something happen, and most impor-

tantly, I was able to express myself.

After my last year in middle school, I realized I should find a better 2

ideas
way to keep my thinking together. Since then, I started to write, a lot.

Of course, At first, it was just for fun purposes. I wrote songs when I feel
my
like my crush turned his head and looked at my direction. I wrote down some

crazy dreams in the morning after I woke up, because I thought that one day
could
I can publish them; but turned out, those dreams were from a movie I saw

before bed last night. I wrote down my mom’s grocery list and put it in her purse

continued

72
xxviii Preface

an opportunity to practice the skills they gained in the previous chapters in a more
holistic fashion, and by using actual student work. Students will have additional oppor-
tunities for reading and annotating a variety of student papers to analyze the writing,
practice peer review, and apply annotation and evaluation strategies to improve their
own writing. Perhaps most importantly, in these Spotlight sections, students will find
inspiration in the writing of their fellow student writers.

Accessible e-Book and Online Resources

The 2nd edition of Writing to Read, Reading to Write offers an improved reading
experience for all learners. Enhancements include improved e-book functionality for
viewing annotated readings and editing marks, and assignments in Connect that are
WCAG compliant.
At McGraw Hill Higher Education, our mission is to accelerate learning through
intuitive, engaging, efficient, and effective experiences, grounded in research. We are
committed to creating universally accessible products that unlock the full potential of
each learner, including individuals with disabilities.

What’s New in the Second Edition

Eight new chapters with an emphasis on academic literacy skills such as
◦ Spotlight on Student Writing: Literacy Narrative
◦ Writing Summaries
◦ Critically Evaluating Texts
◦ Rhetorical Analysis
◦ Comparing Texts
◦ Synthesizing Texts
◦ Reading Visuals
◦ MLA and APA Documentation
Six new chapter themes focused on contemporary issues such as
◦ How Can We Help People Who Are Unhoused?
◦ When Should Americans Be Involved in Foreign Conflicts?
◦ Should We Support a Universal Basic Income?
◦ How Does Climate Change Affect Inequity?
◦ How Free Is Speech on Campus?
◦ What Is Real News and What Is Fake News?
Twenty-five additional readings tied to new themes in the Part 5 anthology including
◦ What Barriers Do College Students Face?
◦ How Can We Help People Who Are Unhoused?
 Preface xxix

◦ What Makes Life Meaningful?

◦ America: Land of the Free?
◦ What Makes a Persuasive Argument?
An alternative Table of Contents aligns all of the readings with the essay types represented in the
text, including a variety of writing genres, such as speeches, research papers, rhetorical analyses, and
works of literature and a focus on equity and inclusion:
◦ More than 50% of the readings are by BIPOC authors.
◦ Liberal and conservative viewpoints are represented throughout.
◦ Language has been professionally reviewed for sensitivity and acceptance.
More examples and greater variety of student writing include
Published Student Writing
◦ “To Sleep or Not to Sleep, That Is the Question” by Courtney Roberts
◦ “A College Lecture on Confederate Statues Made Me Realize I’m Squelching Free Speech on
Campus” by Kevin Weis
◦ “Academia, Love Me Back” by Tiffany Martinez
◦ “3 Approaches for Confronting Microaggressions” by Tyrone Fleurizard
Model Papers
◦ “Writing Is a Tool” by Jane Nguyen (first and second drafts and final paper copy)
◦ “The Good, the Bad, and the Math” by Alejandra Jimenez
◦ “Involuntary Resignation” by Veronica Alvarez
◦ “What Makes One Happy?” by Michelle Asadulla
◦ “Money, Friends, Purpose, and Happiness” by Kristen Chen
◦ “The Two-Way Correlation Between Sleep Disturbances and Dementia” by Xiaoyan Huo
◦ “Segmented Sleep: Nature vs. Nurture” by Renee Burke
◦ “Taking Refuge: Climate Migration in the United States” by Jamie Ferrante (a draft and final
paper copy)
Features to support academic literacy include
◦ Academic Style boxes in each chapter
◦ Annotated Reading Selections
◦ Coverage of formatting and citation that reflects the latest guidelines published in the MLA
Handbook, 9th edition, and the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association,
7th edition
xxx Preface

Support for Instructors

Annotated Instructor’s Edition
Alison Kuehner created the annotations in the Writing to Read, Reading to Write
Annotated Instructor’s Edition to share her course-proven in-class activities and
teaching tips. Marginal notes also alert instructors to handouts and resources, as well
as Power of Process and Adaptive Learning Assignments in the Writing to Read, Read-
ing to Write Connect course.

Instructor’s Manual
Today’s first-year composition course, and the corequisite support course, requires new
ways of teaching. The Instructor’s Manual for Writing to Read, Reading to Write
includes three parts:
1. Using Writing to Read, Reading to Write in first-year composition. Includes areas
of integration, sequencing, additional essay prompts, and sample syllabi.
2. Using Writing to Read, Reading to Write in corequisite courses. Includes a
general framework for teaching first-year composition with a corequisite sup-
port course, as developed by a board of instructors teaching corequisites
around the country.
3. Corequisite Board of Advisor recommendations. McGraw Hill Education
partnered with a team of thirteen instructors at the forefront of corequisite
education today to develop a list of recommendations for instructors and
institutions launching their own corequisite programs.

Additional Resources
These additional teaching resources are downloadable from the Online Learning
Center. Please contact your local McGraw Hill representative for the username and
password to access these resources.
• Pacing Guides for activities in a composition course and a composition course
with a corequisite class. These charts provide a suggested pacing guide for intro-
ducing and teaching the primary activities in each chapter. Instructor-led activi-
ties are typically introduced by the teacher in class. Group practice is a chance
for students—in pairs, in small groups, or as a class—to engage in an activity.
Independent work can be accomplished by students during class time or at home.
• Topical PowerPoint presentations. The topical organization of fifteen chapter
PowerPoints allows for maximum flexibility across traditional composition sec-
tions and support courses. All PowerPoint presentations are fully accessible.
• Preformatted readings for Power of Process. Each reading in Writing to Read,
Reading to Write is available to be uploaded to accompany a Power of Process
assignment.
 Preface xxxi

Acknowledgments
Writing may seem like a solitary act, but it is not. So many people have helped me
along the way to creating this book. My initial thanks goes to Team JAM: Jennifer
Hurley and Meghan Swanson-Groupa, the J and M in our triad, who ventured forth
with me to revise the English curriculum. I am forever indebted to Katie Hern, Sum-
mer Serpas, and the many amazing folks involved in the California Acceleration
Project, especially Guillermo Colls, Andrew Kranzman, and Julia Raybould-Rodgers,
my fellow honey badgers in crime, who inspired me to be a better teacher. My long-
time colleague Bruce Bennet, who read early drafts, and faithful friend, Thea Johnson,
never stopped believing that a textbook could come from my class handouts.
My thanks to the many reviewers who provided insightful comments and excel-
lent suggestions on drafts of the book: Emory Abbott, Georgia State University; Kelly
Anthony, Ozarks Technical Community College; Joni Cay Appleton, Missouri State
University; Nolan Belk, Wilkes Community College; A. Beshears, Murray State College;
Sarah S. Bruton, Fayetteville Technical Community College; Karen Campbell, Grayson
College; Kenneth Chacón, Fresno City College; Kathleen Chrismon, Northeastern
­Oklahoma A&M College; Sharon Cline, Youngstown State University; Jane Cowden,
Ozarks Technical Community College; Howard Cox, Angelina College; Jenny Crisp,
Dalton State College; Linsey Cuti, Kankakee Community College; Dewayne Dickens,
Tulsa Community College; Steven Dooner, Quincy College; Helen Doss, City Colleges
of Chicago; Ellen Dugan-Barrette, Brescia University; Juanita Eagleson, University of
the District of Columbia Community College; Rodger Eidson, Georgia Perimeter College;
Ruth Engel, Tarrant County College; Sarah Fish, Collin College; Gabrielle Fletcher,
North Central Texas College; Dane K. Galloway, Ozarks Technical Community College;
Kimberly George, Temple College; Alexandra Graham, Missouri State University; Karen
Holley-McKinney, Georgia Perimeter College; Andrew Howard, University of the District
of Columbia Community College; Steve Kaczmarek, Columbus State Community College;
Laurel Kornhiser, Quincy College; April Lawson, Mississippi Gulf Coast Community
College; Marianne Layer, Grayson College; Dina Levitre, Community College of Rhode
Island; Paul Long, Baltimore City Community College; Heather Mashburn, Georgia
Piedmont Technical College; Brook Mayo, Asheville Buncombe Technical Community
College; Jeannine Morgan, St Johns River State College; Reyna Muñoz, El Paso
Community College; Jeff Newberry, ­Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College; Katie Pagan,
Brescia University; John Pleimann, Jefferson College; Cassandra Powell, City Colleges
of Chicago; Melodie Provencher, Youngstown State University; Brian L. Reeves, Lone
Star College; Stacey Santoro-Murphy, Joliet Junior College; Lynne D. Schneider,
Alabama State University; Sam Sonnier, Blue Ridge Community College; Kirk Swenson,
Georgia Perimeter College; Donna Knepper Taylor, Arizona Western College; Marlea
Trevino, Grayson College; Roy Turner, Lone Star College; Jeanne Urie, Tulsa Community
College; ­Danielle Wagner, North Central Texas College; Charles Warnberg, Brookhaven
College; Jeana West, Murray State College; Wei Yan, Saint Louis Community College.
xxxii Preface

Much gratitude goes to my amazing students, who not only persisted during a
year of remote learning but thrived and produced some excellent writing. In particular,
a heartfelt thank-you to Michelle Asadulla, Renee Burke, Kristen Chen, Xiaoyan Huo,
and Anne Marie Salgado who are sharing their writing in this textbook, and to my
embedded tutor, Lindsey Bilick, who supported many students empowering them to
do their best. These students’ writing, which was a pleasure for me to read, will no
doubt inspire future students.
Thank you, thank you, to my amazing team at McGraw Hill, for supporting a
second edition, and for making it a much-improved text. This includes Erin Cosyn,
for her guidance through the revising process and for making thoughtful contributions
to the text; Cara Labell, for her consistently positive support and good ideas; Carrie
Burger, for her wonderful efficiency in securing readings; Carey Lange, for her keen
editing eye; and especially Elizabeth Murphy, for being a true collaborator in shaping
this second edition. It has been rewarding to work with you all.
 PART ONE
Welcome to
College Reading,
Writing, and
Thinking

1 Introduction to College Reading, Writing,

and Thinking
2 Active Reading
3 The Writing Process
Spotlight on Student Writing Process:
Literacy Narrative
4 The Writing Product
Spotlight on Student Writing: Response Essay
CHAPTER 1
Introduction to College Reading,
Writing, and Thinking

After reading this chapter, you will be able to

• Identify strategies for college reading, writing, and learning.

• Recognize key factors in succeeding in college.
• Read and write about students’ mindsets.
• Develop a critical-thinking mindset.

Theme: How to Develop a Successful

College Mindset?
Having the right mindset is crucial to college success. Successful students also
have strategies for approaching their reading and writing assignments. They are
motivated and interested in studying and actively engage in learning. This chapter
considers the kinds of reading and writing expected in college and identifies
­strategies and attitudes to help you succeed.

IDENTIFYING STRATEGIES FOR SUCCESS

The illustration shown in Figure 1.1 represents what it takes to be successful. In
the image, the iceberg represents success itself. Above the waterline is what
people see, such as a successful person. Below the waterline is what people do
not see, such as the characteristics that make people successful. Before reading
further, stop and think:
• How does each characteristic below the waterline help create success?
• Why is the illustration titled “The Iceberg Illusion”?

2
FIGURE 1.1 The Iceberg Illusion
Sylvia Duckworth. Used with permission.

In this chapter, you will read about what it takes to be successful in college.
For instance, persisting when reading, working hard when writing, and being
dedicated to a college education are hallmarks of successful college students.
College students develop good study habits. Moreover, most successful college
students are not daunted by failure or disappointment; they are willing to make
sacrifices to prioritize their learning. As you read through the chapter, think
about how the images in this illustration reveal the “hidden” characteristics of
success.
The survey shown in Figure 1.2 identifies strategies you may already be
using—or could be using—for reading, writing, and learning. Taking this assess-
ment will help you pinpoint areas of strength and areas for improvement.
Identify how frequently you use the reading, writing, and learning strategies
listed in Figure 1.2 by circling the number that best represents how often you
­engage in each activity. Respond honestly: there are no right or wrong answers.
Then complete the activities that follow the survey.

3
4 1 Introduction to College Reading, Writing, and Thinking

FIGURE 1.2 College Reading, Writing, and Learning Survey

College Reading: How Often Do You Do the Following When You Read?

Never Rarely Sometimes Often Always

1. Preview the reading by

looking at the title and 1 2 3 4 5
introductory material.
2. Understand why I am
reading the assigned 1 2 3 4 5
material.
3. Read and reread the
1 2 3 4 5
material.
4. Realize when I understand
what I have read and 1 2 3 4 5
when I do not.
5. Make notes in the margins
or highlight the text when 1 2 3 4 5
I read.
6. Ask questions before,
1 2 3 4 5
during, and after reading.
7. Pause periodically to
summarize or to restate in
1 2 3 4 5
my own words what I’ve
just read.
8. Identify the main ideas
and examples in the 1 2 3 4 5
reading.
9. Look up unfamiliar words
and understand how they 1 2 3 4 5
are used in the reading.
10. Discuss the reading with
other students or the 1 2 3 4 5
instructor.

College Writing: How Often Do You Do the Following When You Write?

11. Understand the purpose

1 2 3 4 5
of a writing assignment.
12. Brainstorm or prewrite to
1 2 3 4 5
get ideas before writing.
13. Write with my audience in
1 2 3 4 5
mind.
14. Write several drafts of a
1 2 3 4 5
paper.
15. Reread my writing to check
that it has a clear thesis 1 2 3 4 5
and is logically organized.
continued
 Identifying Strategies for Success 5

Never Rarely Sometimes Often Always

16. Reread my writing to

check that sentences are 1 2 3 4 5
clearly and correctly written.
17. Ask the instructor or a
tutor to read my draft and 1 2 3 4 5
give me feedback.
18. Start working on my writing
as soon as I get an 1 2 3 4 5
assignment.

College Learning: How Often Do You Do the Following When You Learn?

19. Keep trying to learn even

if I have a setback or 1 2 3 4 5
failure.
20. Work as long and as hard
1 2 3 4 5
as I need to do well.
21. Accept challenging
1 2 3 4 5
assignments.
22. Work with classmates to
understand the assigned 1 2 3 4 5
material.
23. Get help from others
1 2 3 4 5
when I need it.
24. Reflect on what I am
learning and how it 1 2 3 4 5
applies to me or my life.

College Reading, Writing, and Learning Survey Scores

1. Add up the numbers you circled in each category in Figure 1.2—reading,
writing, and learning. Write down the total for each. Then, using the
score for each category, check the following assessments to determine
where your strengths lie and where you can improve.

College Reading Scores Assessment

50–40 You use many strategies that can benefit your reading. Reading is
an area of strength for you.
39–30 You sometimes use effective reading strategies but could learn
more strategies and apply them more often. Reading is an area
of some strengths and some room for improvement.
29–10 You would benefit from learning more reading strategies
and using them regularly. Reading is clearly an area to
improve.

continued
6 1 Introduction to College Reading, Writing, and Thinking

College Writing Scores Assessment

40–32 You use many strategies that can benefit your writing. Writing is
an area of strength for you.
31–24 You sometimes use effective writing strategies but could learn
more strategies and apply them more often. Writing is an area of
some strengths and some room for improvement.
23–8 You would benefit from learning more writing strategies and us-
ing them regularly. Writing is clearly an area to improve.

College Learning Scores Assessment

30–24 You have an effective attitude toward learning. This is an area of
strength.
23–18 You sometimes have an effective attitude toward learning but
could learn more about effective ways to learn. This is an area of
some strengths and some room for improvement.
17–6 You would benefit from changing your attitude toward learning.
This is clearly an area to improve.
2. Using your answers to question 1, identify the areas you most need to
improve in reading, writing, and learning for college.
3. Review the places in the survey where you circled 1 or 2. Write down the
strategy associated with that score. As you read through this textbook, take
notes on what that strategy involves and why, how, and when you should use
it. If you did not circle 1 or 2, consider looking at places you marked as 3.

RECOGNIZING KEY FACTORS FOR

SUCCEEDING IN COLLEGE
Why are some students more successful in college than others? It would be nice
if we could simply say, if you just study every day for ten hours or if you eat healthy
snacks while you read, you will succeed. Unfortunately—or maybe fortunately—life
is more complicated than that. Many factors contribute to college success, includ-
ing your
• Approach to college reading.
• Approach to college writing.
• Motivation and interest (short- and long-term goals).
• Beliefs about learning.

College Reading: Sinking In

Look at Figure 1.3 and consider: What do you like to read, and why? You may read
for a variety of reasons: personal, emotional, intellectual, and practical. Reading is
a way of discovering new ideas, sharing information, and getting in touch with
­others. Reading can be a source of knowledge and of personal pleasure.
 Recognizing Key Factors for Succeeding in College 7

FIGURE 1.3 Reading and Writing—Content and Purpose

What We Read and Write: Content Why We Read and Write: Purpose

• Tweets, blogs, texts, Instagram posts, • Interact socially with friends, family, or
or other social media postings interest groups.
• Magazines, school newspaper, local • Learn about community, neighborhood,
newspaper, informational Internet sites school, or the wider world.
• Novels, graphic novels, manga, poems, • Understand human feelings, experience
songs different times and places, escape
­reality, or let imagination soar.
• Bible, Koran, Torah, religious texts • Think deeply about values and morality.
• Books about hobbies, manuals, lists • Gain practical advice or help.

Much of what students learn in school is communicated through reading—

through textbooks, articles, and scholarly publications. Reading, along with
­writing, is the means by which people interact, share concepts and knowledge,
communicate ideas and information, and test theories and evidence.
Your college courses will involve reading various kinds of texts—printed or
written documents such as textbooks and other books, articles, essays, and web-
sites that you will read and study. There is no one way to read these different
texts; however, knowing which reading approaches work well for the assigned
reading, the course expectations, and your own abilities can help you get the
most from your reading. Successful college students read to understand rather
than to memorize information. They do not just run their eyes over the page and
cram for the test. Instead, they work hard to understand what they read by check-
ing their comprehension as they go along.
In one study of students in an introductory accounting course, the academi-
cally successful students had a reading approach the researchers termed sinking
in. That is, these students took time to sink into the material, which means they
• Read slowly and concentrated on the text.
• Took notes while reading.
• Highlighted important topics and main ideas.
• Reread difficult passages.
• Reviewed previous chapters or their class notes while reading.
• Persisted in their reading even when the material was difficult.
• Asked for help when they needed it.
In contrast, the students who did not do well in the class read quickly and
superficially, or skimmed, just to get the reading done. They were more likely to
skip over difficult information or tell themselves that they would come back to
the reading later and review it more carefully. They rarely did. In contrast, the
­successful students did not wait to clear up their confusion; they dealt with it
right away.
8 1 Introduction to College Reading, Writing, and Thinking

To sum up: Successful college students read with the intent to learn. They
persist if the reading is difficult and immediately try various strategies for resolv-
ing confusion.

College Writing: Giving It Time and Effort

Look at Figure 1.3 again and consider: What do you write, and why? Just as you
read for a variety of purposes, you may write for many reasons: personal, emo-
tional, intellectual, and practical. Like reading, writing is a way of sharing infor-
mation, getting in touch with others, and discovering new ideas.
In college, students write often. They may take notes during class or as they
read. Students might be required to compose papers, respond to short-answer test
questions, or write essay exams. Just as it is important to be an effective reader, it
is important to be a skillful writer. So, what makes for strong writing in college?
College professors value the complexity of ideas and intellectual risk taking.
That means your professors will expect more than grammatically correct ­sentences:
they will expect you to read carefully, apply critical thinking by actively questioning
arguments and assessing evidence, and express your thoughts clearly. In addition,
to produce an academic paper, you may need to
• Conduct research on a topic.
• Use information from class readings and lectures.
• Analyze (break down into parts to understand the whole).
• Evaluate (determine the value or significance).
• Synthesize (combine different ideas into a new whole).
The advice “Don’t wait until the night before it is due to write your paper”
certainly applies in college. Why? Effective writing takes time and effort. As a
strategic student and writer, you will want to go through the stages of the writing
­process. You will need to
• Spend time before you write to read and reread class materials.
• Take notes on your reading.
• Brainstorm (discuss informally with others) or freewrite (write continuously
without regard to grammar and spelling errors) to generate a lot of ideas quickly.
• Make an outline, or a writing plan, to prepare to write.
• Compose a first draft (an initial version of your paper).
• Revise your first draft, often several times.
• Ask someone else to read your drafts or reread your paper yourself.
• Check over your work before turning it in.
One college professor advises first-year students to think of writing as a skill
that they are learning—like painting a picture, driving a car, or playing baseball.
As a student, you must practice that skill to improve. The more you practice your
writing, the better your writing will get. Figure 1.4 summarizes the key strategies
for successful college reading and writing.
 Recognizing Key Factors for Succeeding in College 9

FIGURE 1.4 Strategies for College Readers and Writers

For both reading and writing, practice and persistence are the keys to success.

College Reading College Writing

Sink In Invest Time and Effort

• Read critically • Think critically
• Actively engage with text • Express thoughts clearly

Some Reading Strategies Some Writing Strategies

• Preview • Brainstorm or freewrite
• Take notes • Outline or plan
• Reread • Draft
• Review • Reread and rewrite
• Self-test • Edit sentences
• Check vocabulary and comprehension • Proofread for errors

Motivation and Interest

Students’ motivation to learn and interest in learning are fundamental to success.
Consider the experience of Andrew Paine, who dropped out of college after two
years of partying with his friends and getting poor grades. Looking back, he
observes, “I didn’t know what direction I was going in. There wasn’t really a light
at the end of the tunnel” (qtd. in Shea). (Note: Throughout the text you will see
information in parentheses—usually, the author’s last name and sometimes addi-
tional information, as in the preceding sentence. This information indicates the
source of the quotation used in the sentence. Turn to the list of works cited at
the end of the chapter for more information on the source.)
If people do not know why they are in college (if they lack concrete short- and
long-term academic goals) or if they are going to school to please their parents
or because all their friends are going, they may not be genuinely interested in
attending class or studying. Under any of these circumstances, they may not do
well in college.
Successful students are typically those who have a goal: they know what they
want to study, or they have a career path in mind. Other successful students are
motivated simply by their desire to learn or by their enjoyment of intellectual
pursuits. Prospective students need to ask themselves whether they truly want to
be in college. They should be able to give clear and heartfelt reasons for their
choice. People who find that they do not really want to be in college might think
about what other productive activity they would prefer to do instead, at least
until they feel ready to take on college work.
Andrew Paine, for instance, spent time away from college, until he discov-
ered that he was interested in environmental science. When he was ready, he
returned to college, explaining that his time away from studying helped him sort
10 1 Introduction to College Reading, Writing, and Thinking

out his priorities. “Now, I’m getting the most out of college academically,” says
Paine. “It really worked out” (qtd. in Shea).

Beliefs about Learning

Finally, students’ ideas about learning can influence their college success.
­Students who believe that luck, chance, a bad instructor, or a difficult assignment
determines whether they will succeed do not have control over their learning. In
contrast, students who believe that they have the power to learn hold an advan-
tage over students who believe they have little or no such control.
Consider the example of Roy, a student in a difficult introductory psychology
course. Roy believes that

effort is the absolute key to learning a subject. Talent and ability go to waste without ­effort. . . .
[E]ffort means reading to learn, striving to retain, applying material to life ­situations, and
redoing, reading, and studying as often as necessary. (Beyeler 309)

Roy’s attitude toward learning is that he has to work hard to do well in college.
This is most likely one factor that made him a successful student and earned
him a B+ in his challenging psychology class. In short, successful college
students
• Understand that they must be independent, active learners.
• Know what is expected of them by their professors and in their classes.
• Know why they are reading and have strategies for comprehension.
• Understand that good writing requires time, effort, and practice.
• Are motivated to learn and interested in learning.
• Believe they are in control of their learning.

READING AND WRITING ABOUT

STUDENTS’ MINDSETS
So far, you have seen that taking an active role in learning is a prerequisite for
college success. Let’s review what being active entails. First, as a reader, remem-
ber to employ well-established reading strategies and practice persistence to
ensure that you genuinely understand what you read. That is, before reading,
think about the topic and what you will read. Then during and after your reading,
use writing not only to enhance your reading comprehension but also to develop
your writing competence. Second, as a writer, be sure to prewrite, draft, reread,
and revise your work to improve its quality. Third, have a positive attitude toward
your education and take the ultimate responsibility for it.
Having a positive mindset is so basic that some researchers judge a student’s
attitude to be one of the biggest predictors of success. In “Brainology,” the read-
ing selection that follows, you will review research showing that what students
believe about their learning and how they respond to challenges make a big dif-
ference in their academic success.
READING SELECTION
“BRAINOLOGY: TRANSFORMING
­STUDENTS’ MOTIVATION TO LEARN”
In this reading the author uses American Psychological Association (APA)
style to indicate source information. Notice that some sentences include
parentheses, inside of which are a name and date: (Dweck, 2006). These
are parenthetical citations, or references to research. The name is the
­researcher’s last name, and the date indicates when the research was
published. A list, headed “References,” arranged by the researchers’ last
names, and including full publication information, appears at the end of
the reading. As pointed out earlier, in the text portions of this book, cita-
tions are also given for quoted or referenced material, but in a different
style (called Modern Language Association, or MLA, style), which uses the
­author’s last name and source page number in parentheses.

Before Reading: Predict;

­Recognize Prior ­Knowledge
Look over “Brainology: Transforming Students’ Motivation to Learn” before
you answer these questions. For instance, read the comments that
­immediately precede the reading—and then examine the title and the
headings in the reading. Write answers to these questions using com-
plete sentences.
1. What do you think the reading will be about? For example, what could
brainology mean? How might brainology relate to a student’s motiva-
tion to learn?
2. What do you already know about human intelligence? Is intelligence
fixed, or can it change?

During Reading: Annotate

Write responses to the following exercises using complete sentences.
3. Try reading the selection in “chunks.” That is, use the boldface head-
ings to divide the reading into sections, or chunks, and then read one
section at a time. After reading a section, stop to reflect on the impor-
tant ideas, using the headings as a guide. Write down the main ideas
in your own words.
4. As you read, mark any lines you find interesting or thought-provoking
or particularly agreeable.
5. As you read, mark any lines that confuse you or you find dis-
agreeable.

11
 Brainology: Transforming Students’ Motivation to Learn
By Carol S. Dweck
The National Association of Independent Schools, Winter 2008
Carol Dweck, professor of psychology at Stanford University, spent many years trying to
understand how people deal with failure and what that means for their future success. Her
ideas about fixed and growth mindset came out of this research. In this article, she argues that
students’ beliefs about their brains and about learning powerfully impact their achievement.

This is an exciting time for our brains. More and more research is showing that our 1
brains change constantly with learning and experience and that this takes place
throughout our lives.
Does this have implications for students’ motivation and learning? It certainly does. 2
In my research in collaboration with my graduate students, we have shown that what
students believe about their brains—whether they see their intelligence as something that’s
fixed or something that can grow and change—has profound effects on their motivation,
learning, and school achievement (Dweck, 2006). These different beliefs, or mindsets,
create different psychological worlds: one in which students are afraid of challenges and
devastated by setbacks, and one in which students relish challenges and are resilient in
the face of setbacks.
How do these mindsets work? How are the mindsets communicated to students? 3
And, most important, can they be changed? As we answer these questions, you will
understand why so many students do not achieve to their potential, why so many bright
students stop working when school becomes challenging, and why stereotypes have such
profound effects on students’ achievement. You will also learn how praise can have a
negative effect on students’ mindsets, harming their motivation to learn.
Mindsets and Achievement 4
Many students believe that intelligence is fixed, that each person has a certain amount
and that’s that. We call this a fixed mindset, and, as you will see, students with this
mindset worry about how much of this fixed intelligence they possess. A fixed mindset
makes challenges threatening for students (because they believe that their fixed ability
may not be up to the task), and it makes mistakes and failures demoralizing (because
they believe that such setbacks reflect badly on their level of fixed intelligence).
Other students believe that intelligence is something that can be cultivated through 5
effort and education. They don’t necessarily believe that everyone has the same abilities
or that anyone can be as smart as Einstein, but they do believe that everyone can
improve their abilities. And they understand that even Einstein wasn’t Einstein until he
put in years of focused hard work. In short, students with this growth mindset believe that
intelligence is a potential that can be realized through learning. As a result, confronting
challenges, profiting from mistakes, and persevering in the face of setbacks become ways
of getting smarter.
To understand the different worlds these mindsets create, we followed several hundred 6
students across a difficult school transition—the transition to seventh grade. This is when the
academic work often gets much harder, the grading gets stricter, and the school environment
gets less personalized with students moving from class to class. As the students entered

12
seventh grade, we measured their mindsets (along with a number of other things) and then
we monitored their grades over the next two years.
The first thing we found was that students with different mindsets cared about 7
different things in school. Those with a growth mindset were much more interested in
learning than in just looking smart in school. This was not the case for students with a
fixed mindset. In fact, in many of our studies with students from preschool age to college
age, we find that students with a fixed mindset care so much about how smart they will
appear that they often reject learning opportunities—even ones that are critical to their
success (Cimpian et al., 2007; Hong et al., 1999; Mangels et al., 2006; Nussbaum &
Dweck, 2008).
Next, we found that students with the two mindsets had radically different beliefs 8
about effort. Those with a growth mindset had a very straightforward (and correct) idea of
effort—the idea that the harder you work, the more your ability will grow and that even
geniuses have had to work hard for their accomplishments. In contrast, the students with
the fixed mindset believed that if you worked hard it meant that you didn’t have ability,
and that things would just come naturally to you if you did. This means that every time
something is hard for them and requires effort, it’s both a threat and a bind. If they work
hard at it, that means that they aren’t good at it, but if they don’t work hard, they won’t
do well. Clearly, since just about every worthwhile pursuit involves effort over a long
period of time, this is a potentially crippling belief, not only in school but also in life.
Students with different mindsets also had very different reactions to setbacks. Those 9
with growth mindsets reported that, after a setback in school, they would simply study
more or study differently the next time. But those with fixed mindsets were more likely
to say that they would feel dumb, study less the next time, and seriously consider
cheating. If you feel dumb—permanently dumb—in an academic area, there is no good
way to bounce back and be successful in the future. In a growth mindset, however, you
can make a plan of positive action that can remedy a deficiency (Heyman et al., 1992;
Hong et al., 1999; Nussbaum & Dweck, 2008).
Finally, when we looked at the math grades they went on to earn, we found that the 10
students with a growth mindset had pulled ahead. Although both groups had started
seventh grade with equivalent achievement test scores, a growth mindset quickly
propelled students ahead of their fixed-mindset peers, and this gap only increased over
the two years of the study.
In short, the belief that intelligence is fixed dampened students’ motivation to learn, 11
made them afraid of effort, and made them want to quit after a setback. This is why so
many bright students stop working when school becomes hard. Many bright students find
grade school easy and coast to success early on. But later on, when they are challenged,
they struggle. They don’t want to make mistakes and feel dumb—and, most of all, they don’t
want to work hard and feel dumb. So they simply retire.
It is the belief that intelligence can be developed that opens students to a love of 12
learning, a belief in the power of effort and constructive, determined reactions to setbacks.

How Do Students Learn These Mindsets? 13

In the 1990s, parents and schools decided that the most important thing for kids to have
was self-esteem. If children felt good about themselves, people believed, they would be set
for life. In some quarters, self-esteem in math seemed to become more important than

13
 knowing math, and self-esteem in English seemed to become more important than
reading and writing. But the biggest mistake was the belief that you could simply hand
children self-esteem by telling them how smart and talented they are. Even though this is
such an intuitively appealing idea, and even though it was exceedingly well-intentioned, I
believe it has had disastrous effects.
In the 1990s, we took a poll among parents and found that almost 85 percent 14
endorsed the notion that it was necessary to praise their children’s abilities to give them
confidence and help them achieve. Their children are now in the workforce, and we are
told that young workers cannot last through the day without being propped up by praise,
rewards, and recognition. Coaches are asking me where all the coachable athletes have
gone. Parents ask me why their children won’t work hard in school.
Could all of this come from well-meant praise? Well, we were suspicious of the 15
praise movement at the time. We had already seen in our research that it was the most
vulnerable children who were already obsessed with their intelligence and chronically
worried about how smart they were. What if praising intelligence made all children
concerned about their intelligence? This kind of praise might tell them that having high
intelligence and talent is the most important thing and is what makes you valuable. It
might tell them that intelligence is just something you have and not something you
develop. It might deny the role of effort and dedication in achievement. In short, it might
promote a fixed mindset with all of its vulnerabilities.
The wonderful thing about research is that you can put questions like this to the test— 16
and we did (Kamins & Dweck, 1999; Mueller & Dweck, 1998). We gave two groups of
children problems from an IQ test, and we praised them. We praised the children in one
group for their intelligence, telling them, “Wow, that’s a really good score. You must be
smart at this.” We praised the children in the other group for their effort: “Wow, that’s a
really good score. You must have worked really hard.” That’s all we did, but the results
were dramatic. We did studies like this with children of different ages and ethnicities from
around the country, and the results were the same.
Here is what happened with fifth graders. The children praised for their intelligence did 17
not want to learn. When we offered them a challenging task that they could learn from, the
majority opted for an easier one, one on which they could avoid making mistakes. The
children praised for their effort wanted the task they could learn from.
The children praised for their intelligence lost their confidence as soon as the 18
problems got more difficult. Now, as a group, they thought they weren’t smart. They
also lost their enjoyment, and, as a result, their performance plummeted. On the other
hand, those praised for effort maintained their confidence, their motivation, and their
performance. Actually, their performance improved over time such that, by the end,
they were performing substantially better than the intelligence-praised children on this
IQ test.
Finally, the children who were praised for their intelligence lied about their scores 19
more often than the children who were praised for their effort. We asked children to write
something (anonymously) about their experience to a child in another school, and we left
a little space for them to report their scores. Almost 40 percent of the intelligence-praised
children elevated their scores, whereas only 12 or 13 percent of children in the other group
did so. To me this suggests that, after students are praised for their intelligence, it’s too
humiliating for them to admit mistakes.

14
 The results were so striking that we repeated the study five times just to be sure, and 20
each time roughly the same things happened. Intelligence praise, compared to effort (or
“process”) praise, put children into a fixed mindset. Instead of giving them confidence, it
made them fragile, so much so that a brush with difficulty erased their confidence, their
enjoyment, and their good performance, and made them ashamed of their work. This can
hardly be the self-esteem that parents and educators have been aiming for.
Often, when children stop working in school, parents deal with this by reassuring 21
their children how smart they are. We can now see that this simply fans the flames. It
confirms the fixed mindset and makes kids all the more certain that they don’t want to
try something difficult—something that could lose them their parents’ high regard. How
should we praise our students? How should we reassure them? By focusing them on the
process they engaged in—their effort, their strategies, their concentration, their
perseverance, or their improvement.
“You really stuck to that until you got it. That’s wonderful!” 22
“It was a hard project, but you did it one step at a time and it turned out great!” 23
“I like how you chose the tough problems to solve. You’re really going to stretch 24
yourself and learn new things.”
“I know that school used to be a snap for you. What a waste that was. Now you 25
really have an opportunity to develop your abilities.”

Brainology 26
Can a growth mindset be taught directly to kids? If it can be taught, will it enhance their
motivation and grades? We set out to answer this question by creating a growth-mindset
workshop (Blackwell et al., 2007). We took seventh graders and divided them into two
groups. Both groups got an eight-session workshop full of great study skills, but the
“growth-mindset group” also got lessons in the growth mindset—what it was and how to
apply it to their schoolwork. Those lessons began with an article called “You Can Grow
Your Intelligence: New Research Shows the Brain Can Be Developed Like a Muscle.”
Students were mesmerized by this article and its message. They loved the idea that the
growth of their brains was in their hands.
This article and the lessons that followed changed the terms of engagement for 27
students. Many students had seen school as a place where they performed and were
judged, but now they understood that they had an active role to play in the development
of their minds. They got to work, and by the end of the semester the growth-mindset
group showed a significant increase in their math grades. The control group—the group
that had gotten eight sessions of study skills—showed no improvement and continued to
decline. Even though they had learned many useful study skills, they did not have the
motivation to put them into practice.
The teachers, who didn’t even know there were two different groups, singled out 28
students in the growth-mindset group as showing clear changes in their motivation. They
reported that these students were now far more engaged with their schoolwork and were
putting considerably more effort into their classroom learning, homework, and studying.
Joshua Aronson, Catherine Good, and their colleagues had similar findings 29
(Aronson et al., 2002; Good et al., 2003). Their studies and ours also found that
negatively stereotyped students (such as girls in math, or African-American and Hispanic
students in math and verbal areas) showed substantial benefits from being in a

15
 growth-mindset workshop. Stereotypes are typically fixed-mindset labels. They imply that
the trait or ability in question is fixed and that some groups have it and others don’t.
Much of the harm that stereotypes do comes from the fixed-mindset message they send.
The growth mindset, while not denying that performance differences might exist, portrays
abilities as acquirable and sends a particularly encouraging message to students who have
been negatively stereotyped—one that they respond to with renewed motivation and
engagement.
Inspired by these positive findings, we started to think about how we could make a 30
growth-mindset workshop more widely available. To do this, we have begun to develop a
computer-based program called “Brainology.” In six computer modules, students learn
about the brain and how to make it work better. They follow two hip teens through their
school day, learn how to confront and solve schoolwork problems, and create study
plans. They visit a state-of-the-art virtual brain lab, do brain experiments, and find out
such things as how the brain changes with learning—how it grows new connections every
time students learn something new. They also learn how to use this idea in their
schoolwork by putting their study skills to work to make themselves smarter.
We pilot-tested Brainology in 20 New York City schools. Virtually all of the students 31
loved it and reported (anonymously) the ways in which they changed their ideas about
learning and changed their learning and study habits. Here are some things they said in
response to the question, “Did you change your mind about anything?”
I did change my mind about how the brain works . . . I will try harder because I know that
the more you try, the more your brain works.
Yes . . . I imagine neurons making connections in my brain and I feel like I am
learning something.
My favorite thing from Brainology is the neurons part where when you learn something,
there are connections and they keep growing. I always picture them when I’m in school.
Teachers also reported changes in their students, saying that they had become more 32
active and eager learners: “They offer to practice, study, take notes, or pay attention to
ensure that connections will be made.”

What Do We Value? 33
In our society, we seem to worship talent—and we often portray it as a gift. Now we can
see that this is not motivating to our students. Those who think they have this gift expect
to sit there with it and be successful. When they aren’t successful, they get defensive and
demoralized, and often opt out. Those who don’t think they have the gift also become
defensive and demoralized, and often opt out as well.
We need to correct the harmful idea that people simply have gifts that transport them 34
to success, and to teach our students that no matter how smart or talented someone is—be
it Einstein, Mozart, or Michael Jordan—no one succeeds in a big way without enormous
amounts of dedication and effort. It is through effort that people build their abilities and
realize their potential. More and more research is showing there is one thing that sets the
great successes apart from their equally talented peers—how hard they’ve worked (Ericsson
et al., 2006).
Next time you’re tempted to praise your students’ intelligence or talent, restrain 35
yourself. Instead, teach them how much fun a challenging task is, how interesting and

16
 informative errors are, and how great it is to struggle with something and make progress.
Most of all, teach them that by taking on challenges, making mistakes, and putting forth
effort, they are making themselves smarter.

References
Aronson, J., Fried, C., & Good, C. (2002). Reducing the effects of stereotype threat on
African American college students by shaping theories of intelligence. Journal of
Experimental Social Psychology, 38(2), 113–125. https://doi.org/10.1006/jesp.2001.1491
Binet, A. (1909/1973). Les idées modernes sur les enfants [Modern ideas on children].
Flamarion.
Blackwell, L., Trzesniewski, K., & Dweck, C. S. (2007). Implicit theories of intelligence predict
achievement across an adolescent transition: A longitudinal study and an intervention.
Child Development, 78, 246–263. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-8624.2007.00995.x
Cimpian, A., Arce, H., Markman, E. M., & Dweck, C. S. (2007). Subtle linguistic cues impact
children’s motivation. Psychological Science, 18(4), 314–316. https://doi.org/10.1111/
j.1467-9280.2007.01896.x
Dweck, C. S. (2006). Mindset. Random House.
Ericsson, K. A., Charness, N., Feltovich, P. J., & Hoffman, R. R. (Eds.). (2006). The Cambridge hand-
book of expertise and expert performance. Cambridge University Press. https://doi.org/10.1017/
9781316480748
Good, C., Aronson, J., & Inzlicht, M. (2003). Improving adolescents’ standardized test
performance: An intervention to reduce the effects of stereotype threat. Journal of Applied
Developmental Psychology, 24(6), 645–662. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.appdev.2003.09.002
Hong, Y. Y., Chiu, C., Dweck, C. S., Lin, D., & Wan, W. (1999). Implicit theories, attributions,
and coping: A meaning system approach. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology,
77(3), 588–599. https://doi.org/10.1037/0022-3514.77.3.588
Kamins, M., & Dweck, C. S. (1999). Person vs. process praise and criticism: Implications for
contingent self-worth and coping. Developmental Psychology, 35(3), 835–847. https://doi
.org/10.1037/0012-1649.35.3.835
Mangels, J. A., Butterfield, B., Lamb, J., Good, C. D., & Dweck, C. S. (2006). Why do beliefs
about intelligence influence learning success? A social-cognitive-neuroscience model. Social,
Cognitive, and Affective Neuroscience, 1(2), 75–86. https://doi.org/10.1093/scan/nsI013
Mueller, C. M., & Dweck, C. S. (1998). Intelligence praise can undermine motivation and
performance. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 75(1), 33–52. https://doi.org/
10.1037//0022-3514.75.1.33
Nussbaum, A. D., & Dweck, C. S. (2008). Defensiveness vs. remediation: Self-theories and modes
of self-esteem maintenance. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 34(5), 599–612.
https://doi.org/10.1177/0146167207312960

After Reading: Reflect on the Text

Write responses to the following exercises using complete sentences.
6. Review your annotations and recall the lines from the reading you
marked as interesting or thought-provoking or that you found particu-
larly agreeable. Write down these lines. Put quotation marks around
the words you copied from the text to indicate these are the
author’s words. After the last quotation mark, write the author’s last
name, Dweck, and the text page number in parentheses. Then explain
why you agree with the lines or find them interesting or stimulating.

17
18 1 Introduction to College Reading, Writing, and Thinking

7. Review your annotations and recall the lines from the reading that
­confused you or that you found disagreeable. Write down these lines.
Put quotation marks around the words you copied from the text to
­indicate these are the author’s words. After the last quotation mark,
write the author’s last name, Dweck, and the text page number in
parentheses. Then ­explain why you find the lines confusing or ­disagree
with them.

Engage with the Reading

Write responses to the following exercises using complete sentences.
1. In writing, explain the main ideas from “Brainology: Transforming Students’
Motivation to Learn” and give specific examples of how these ideas relate to
your learning, your attitude toward college, or your success as a student.
2. In writing, give specific examples of how the main ideas from “Brainology:
Transforming Students’ Motivation to Learn” relate to your life outside
school—your relationships, your hobbies, your job, and anything else.
3. The last section of the reading has the heading “What Do We Value?”
According to the author, what do people in our society value? What should
they value? Do you agree with the author about what people do value or
should value?

Academic Style: Introductory Phrases to Acknowledge Sources

When writing about a reading, such as summarizing or quoting from a text, it is important

to let readers know which text you are writing about. One way to provide this information

is to add an introductory phrase that identifies the author or the title of the reading.

You can craft such an introductory phrase by writing, for example, “According to . . .”

or “In the article . . .” at the beginning of the sentence and then stating the article title

and/or the author’s name. After your introductory phrase, place a comma. Then write the

main idea (subject and verb) of the sentence. “Introductory phrase + main idea of reading”

is a useful sentence pattern you can use to state the main idea of a reading in your own

words.
 Developing a Critical-Thinking Mindset 19

Example Sentences Using Introductory Phrases That

Acknowledge the Source
• According to Stanford professor Carol Dweck, students who believe their intelligence
introductory phrase acknowledging source
can be developed (growth mindset) are more academically successful than students who

believe their intelligence is set (fixed mindset).

• In the article “Brainology: Transforming Students’ Motivation to Learn,” Carol Dweck

introductory phrase acknowledging source
describes her research that shows praising students for hard work is more motivating

than praising their intellect.

DEVELOPING A CRITICAL-THINKING MINDSET

When faculty from universities, state colleges, and community colleges were
­surveyed to determine what reading, writing, and thinking skills they felt were
important for student success in college, more than 75% identified the following
four “intellectual habits of mind” as most crucial:
Exhibit curiosity . . .
Experiment with new ideas . . .
See other points of view . . .
Challenge their own beliefs . . . (Academic Literacy 13)
These habits of mind—to be open to new ideas and to test one’s thinking—are part
of developing a critical-thinking mindset. When you exercise critical thinking, you
do not simply accept what you read or what you are told. Rather, you question,
check, and assess that information. For instance, after reading Carol Dweck’s
ideas about fixed and growth mindsets, you might be curious to find out more
about how Dweck developed her theories. You could experiment by applying
Dweck’s ideas of fixed and growth mindsets to people you know to determine
whether these mindsets explain people’s actions and behaviors. You might inves-
tigate other points of view, such as whether other researchers support—or disagree—
with Dweck’s theories. You might observe whether your own beliefs fit neatly into
the categories of fixed and growth mindsets. “Strategies for Critical Thinking” will
help you get started on developing critical-thinking skills.
The next reading is designed to start you down the critical-thinking path. You
will read further research by Dweck and others that suggests students’ mindsets are
determined not only by internal factors, such as beliefs about learning, but also by
external factors, such as income.
20 1 Introduction to College Reading, Writing, and Thinking

Strategies for Critical Thinking

• Question what you see, hear, or read by asking whether the ideas seem
valid and are supported by logical reasons and convincing evidence.
• Evaluate the quality of the support for ideas, looking for convincing and
sufficient evidence that an idea is acceptable.
• Consider the source of the information, including the qualifications or
­expertise of the person or organization providing the ideas and support.
• Seek out other points of view that challenge or question what you have
read and compare them to each other.
• Have an open mind and be willing to change your own thinking if you
read or hear ideas that are more compelling or convincing than what you
originally thought.

READING SELECTION
“IMPACT OF POVERTY ON STUDENTS:
ALL IN THEIR MINDS?”
Before Reading: Preview; Predict
Look at the reading selection title and read the information that immedi-
ately precedes the reading. Then write responses to the following using
complete sentences.
1. Look at the title of the reading selection. What do you think the read-
ing will be about? For instance, what impact could poverty have on a
student’s mindset?
2. The first subheading in the reading selection includes the phrase
Deficit Ideology. What do you think this means? How could a deficit
ideology relate to a fixed or growth mindset?

During Reading: Annotate

Write responses to the following exercises using complete sentences.
3. Try reading the selection in “chunks.” That is, use the boldface head-
ings to divide the reading into sections, or chunks, and then read one
section at a time. After reading a section, stop to reflect on the impor-
tant ideas, using the headings as a guide. Write down the main ideas
in your own words.
4. As you read, mark any lines you find interesting or thought-provoking
or particularly agreeable.
5. As you read, mark any lines that confuse you or that you find dis-
agreeable.

Impact of Poverty on Students: All in Their Minds?

By Mary Ellen Flannery
NEA Today, 29 September 2016
Carol Dweck’s ideas about fixed and growth mindsets have become popular with educators
since the publication of her book Mindset: The New Psychology of Success in 2006. Some
people, however, question whether mindsets alone can account for student success or failure,
or whether it is fair to focus on students’ beliefs about their learning when other issues may
be more powerful predictors of academic success. In this article, published by the National
Education Association, the author describes Dweck’s further research on the links between
poverty, mindsets, and achievement.

Students from low-income families who believe that they can develop skills and do better 1
in school if they work hard and practice—a “growth mindset,” in other words—may be
buffered from the effects of poverty on student achievement, a Stanford University study
has found.
But students who live in poverty are less likely to have growth mindsets. Instead, 2
they have what researchers call a “fixed mindset,” or the idea that intelligence and skills
are more like foot size or eye color: an unchangeable trait.
The topic of growth vs. fixed mindsets, and their effects on student achievement, has 3
been a popular—and controversial—one since Stanford’s Carol Dweck published her book,
Mindset: The New Psychology of Success in 2006. But the recent Stanford study, which
involved 168,000 10th-grade students across all of Chile, is the most expansive, and goes
the furthest to explore how family income interacts with mindset.
Typically, students from low-income families score worse on standardized tests than 4
their wealthier peers. But the researchers found that poor students with growth mindsets
performed just as well as wealthy students with fixed mindsets.
“Strikingly, students from low-income families (the lowest 10 percent) who had a 5
growth mindset showed comparable test scores with fixed-mindset students whose
families earned 13 times more (80th percentile),” said the study, which was published in
the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, and co-authored by Dweck, Susana
Claro, and David Paunesko, all of Stanford.
The problem is students from low-income families are much less likely to have 6
growth mindsets. “At the extremes, students from the lowest-income families were twice
as likely to endorse a fixed mindset as students from the top-income families and
schools,” according to the study.
Growth Mindset in Students—Deficit Ideology? 7
But is a focus on “growth mindset” just another way of blaming individual students for
problems that are institutionalized and overwhelming? Is it another way of saying, hey,
if you can’t succeed, then there must be something wrong with you?

21
 In his blog The Becoming Radical, Furman University education professor P. L. Thomas, 8
a former South Carolina high school English teacher, points to the dangers of “deficit
ideology,” or the belief that unsuccessful people lack something within themselves to be
successful—like grit, or positivity. This kind of thinking discounts the effects of external
forces, say racism or poverty, while also overlooking the benefits of wealth and privilege.
“Consequently, we routinely demand of children in the worst situations of life— 9
through no fault of their own—that they somehow magically set aside those lives when
they walk into school,” Thomas points out. This may be an appealing idea, but it’s
something that most adults can’t do, he adds.
The problem, some advocates say, is not that the more than half of all American 10
children who live in poverty have the wrong mindset. The problem is that more than
half of all American children live in poverty.
The researchers do address these concerns: “To be clear, we are not suggesting that 11
structural factors, like income inequality or disparities in school quality, are less important
than psychological factors. Nor are we saying that teaching students a growth mindset is a
substitute for systemic efforts to alleviate poverty and economic inequality. Such claims
would stand at odds with decades of research and our own data.”
Rather, they say, their work reveals the way structural inequalities can lead to 12
psychological inequalities, and hopefully suggest ways that educators can more effectively
support these students.
How It Works in the Classroom 13
Almost every teacher—98 percent—surveyed recently by the Education Week Research
Center agreed that using growth mindset in the classroom can improve learning. And,
importantly, nearly as many also say it will improve instruction.
The catch is that only about 20 percent strongly believe that they’re good at 14
fostering growth mindset in students, and they have even less confidence in their
colleagues and administrators. Eighty-five percent said they would like to get professional
development in this area.
Since publishing her book, Dweck has identified a few ways that teachers are more 15
likely to find success with using a growth mindset in their classes. For one thing, “a
growth mindset isn’t just about effort,” she told Education Week. “Students need to try
new strategies and seek input from others when they’re stuck. They need this repertoire
of approaches—not just sheer effort—to learn and improve.”
She also suggests that educators remember that effort is a means to an end, which 16
is more learning. Effort is not the end goal itself. “Too often nowadays, praise is given
to students who are putting forth effort, but not learning, in order to make them feel
good in the moment: ‘Great effort! You tried your best!’” she writes. A better
approach, she suggests: “When [students] are stuck, teachers can appreciate their work
so far, but add: ‘Let’s talk about what you’ve tried, and what you can try next.’”
Dweck also suggests that it’s equally important to consider whether teachers 17
themselves have a fixed, or growth, mindset, and to help them adopt a deeper, true
growth mindset that will show up in their classroom practices. The key to this, she says,
is acknowledging that we all are a mixture of fixed and growth mindsets, and we should
watch carefully for our fixed-mindset triggers.

22
 After Reading: Reflect on the Text
Write responses to the following exercises using complete sentences.
6. Review your annotations and recall the lines from the reading you
marked as interesting or thought-provoking or that you found particu-
larly agreeable. Write down these lines and put quotation marks around
them to indicate that they are the author’s words. After the last quota-
tion mark, write the author’s last name and the text page number in
parentheses. Then explain why you agree with the lines or find them
interesting or stimulating.
7. Review your annotations and recall the lines from the reading that
confused you or that you found disagreeable. Write down these lines
and put quotation marks around them to indicate these are the author’s
words. After the last quotation mark, write the author’s last name and
the text page number in parentheses. Then explain why you find the
lines ­confusing or disagree with them.

Engage with the Reading

1. What did researchers find out about the link between poverty and a fixed
or growth mindset? What did they find out about the link between
students’ mindsets and their achievement? Did these links surprise you?
Why or why not?
2. The reading selection raises the question whether “a focus on ‘growth
mindset’ [is] just another way of blaming individual students for problems
that are institutionalized and overwhelming.” What does this quote mean?
Do you agree with the quote?
3. Do you have experience with or knowledge of schools in low-income
neighborhoods versus those in wealthier communities? Using your
knowledge or experiences, explain the differences between low-income
and high-income schools and how or why different schools could influence
student achievement.
4. Do you feel you come from a low-income family or a high-income family?
Do you believe that your family’s income influences your mindset as a
student? Explain and give examples.

23
24 1 Introduction to College Reading, Writing, and Thinking

CHAPTER REVIEW

Key Terms
analyze To break down into parts to understand the whole.
brainstorm To discuss informally with others.
critical thinking The process of actively questioning arguments and eval-
uating evidence.
draft A version of a paper or other document.
evaluate To determine value or significance.
freewrite To write quickly and continuously in complete sentences but
without regard to grammar and spelling errors.
outline A written plan for writing, separating main ideas from supporting
points.
sinking in Reading slowly and carefully, usually to understand information.
skim To read or look over quickly, usually to find the main ideas.
synthesize To combine different ideas into a new whole.
text Any printed or written document, including textbooks, other books,
articles, essays, and websites.

Chapter Summary
• Successful college students read to learn, persist in the face of difficul-
ties, and try various strategies for resolving confusion.
• College writing requires time and effort; going through a process and
practicing lead to more effective writing.
• Being motivated and being interested to learn are keys to college
success.
• Successful college students believe that they can learn and have con-
trol over their learning.
• College requires students to think critically about what they read and
keep an open mind to new ideas.

Chapter Activities
Follow the instructions in each of the following exercises, using complete
sentences for your responses.
1. The chapter “Analyzing Visuals” includes an image that contrasts a
growth mindset and a fixed mindset. Create an infographic that shows
the habits of successful versus unsuccessful college students. Write a
brief summary for the image to explain the habits.
 Chapter Review 25

2. Explain in writing what you plan to do to be successful in your college

classes.
3. If you completed the survey (in Figure 1.2), review your answers and
consider the i­nformation in this chapter. What reading, writing, and
learning strategies will you use this semester in your college classes?
4. Reflect on your reasons and motivations for attending college. Why
are you in college? What are your learning goals?

Works Cited
Academic Literacy: A Statement of Competencies Expected of Students
Entering California’s Public Colleges and Universities. Intersegmental
Committee of the Academic Senates, 2002, senate.universityofcalifornia
.edu/_files/reports/acadlit.pdf.
Beyeler, Julia. “Reluctant Readers: Case Studies of Reading and Study
­Strategies in Introduction to Psychology.” Teaching Developmental
Reading: ­Historical, Theoretical, and Practical Background Readings,
edited by Norman A. Stahl and Hunter Boylan, Bedford/St. Martin’s, 1998,
pp. 301–16.
Shea, Rachel Hartigan. “Are You Ready for College?” U.S. News & World
Report, 13 Sept. 2002.

Credits
pp. 9–10: Quoted in Shea, Rachel Hartigan. “Are You Ready for College?” U.S. News &
World Report, 13 Sept. 2002; p. 10: Quoted in Beyeler, J. “Reluctant Readers: Case Studies
of Reading and Study Strategies in Introduction to Psychology.” Teaching Developmental
Reading: Historical, Theoretical and Practical Background Readings, edited by Morman
A. Stahl and Hunter Boylan, Bedford/St. Martin’s, 1998, pp. 316–29; pp. 12–17: Dweck, Carol.
“Brainology: Transforming Students’ Motivation to Learn.” Independent School Magazine,
National Association of Independent Schools. Used with permission; pp. 21–22: Flannery,
Mary Ellen. “Impact of Poverty on Students: All in Their Minds?” NEA Today, 29 Sept. 2016.
Used with permission.
CHAPTER 2
Active Reading

After reading this chapter, you will be able to

• Recognize reading and writing as processes.

• Preview and freewrite before reading.
• Identify the topic, thesis, and main ideas in a reading.
• Annotate and summarize a reading.

Theme: What Is the Effect of

Multitasking on Learning?

Multitasking refers to doing many things at the same time. Look at the photo-
graph in Figure 2.1. How is the individual multitasking?
Do you multitask? For example, while you are studying, do you also text
on your phone or listen to music? Do you think multitasking makes you more
productive—or less productive? In this chapter, you will read articles about how
multitasking affects college students and employees. You will learn strategies that
will help you read with understanding. Specifically, because reading and writing are
complementary processes, you will learn how to use writing before, during, and
after reading to aid comprehension, help reflect on the reading, and connect the
reading to your life.

REALIZING READING AND

WRITING AS PROCESSES
College requires students to be active readers and skillful writers. As with any skill,
such as playing a sport or drawing a picture, getting better takes practice. Skillfull
writing and attentive reading do not happen all at once. A process is involved.
As part of the reading process, strategic readers engage in many activities
before, during, and after they read to ensure they comprehend and think

26
FIGURE 2.1 Multitasking with Everyday Tasks
Bananastock/Alamy Stock Photo

critically about what they read. Study Figure 2.2, which identifies some ­strategies
readers can use during the reading process to understand the ­material. While
this is not a complete description of all the things readers do, it is a good start.
Moreover, strategic readers rarely read just once. Often, a first reading helps
them grasp the main idea or get an overview—the “big picture”—of the passage.

FIGURE 2.2 What Strategic Readers Do during the Reading Process

Before Reading
• Preview
• Freewrite
• Activate prior
knowledge

Rereading During Reading

• Check • Annotate
comprehension • Respond
• Think critically • Define key words

After Reading
• Summarize
• Reflect
• Discuss

27
28 2 Active Reading

Then a second reading may be more analytical or more focused. Even two read-
ings may not be sufficient when readers are faced with understanding challeng-
ing or new material. The point is that the reading process is recursive; that is,
it involves going back over what was read, sometimes many times.
Much of what you learn in college comes through reading. When you are
reading, you want to understand what you read: comprehension is an essential
goal. Sometimes it is possible to read all the words on a page and still not truly
comprehend what you have read. To explore this idea, try the Read for Compre-
hension activity.

Read for Comprehension

First, read the following short passage, entitled “The Breakaway vs. the
Peloton”:
At the pointy end of the peloton, Team Sky controlled the field. However,
on the descent a breakaway formed. Relegated to Sky’s slipstream, no
others could bridge the gap. Finally, a rampaging chase group headed
home but were unable to catch the five-man breakaway.
Now test yourself on the material you have read, and answer the
follow­ing questions.
1. Who controlled the field?
2. What happened on the descent?
3. Who could bridge the gap?
4. How many men were in the breakaway?
5. Summarize the paragraph—that is, restate the main ideas using your own
words.

You were probably able to answer correctly questions 1–4 in the Read for
Comprehension activity but had trouble with the last item, which asks you to
­summarize the paragraph. Could you successfully explain the main ideas of the
paragraph? Did you really understand what you read? Maybe you guessed that the
passage is about a sport. Chances are, you did not really understand it—unless you
know something about professional road race cycling. Maybe if you had done some
background reading or had prior, or background, knowledge about cycling or had
participated in a bike race yourself, the passage would have made more sense to you.
The point is that you can read all the words on a page and even successfully
pass a test on a reading passage without processing and truly understanding what
you read. When you are a college student, this kind of mindless reading does not
serve your goals well. Instead, you want to engage actively with your reading and
understand what the author is saying. Writing about the reading in your own
words can test your comprehension.
To sum up: College reading requires thinking. Read actively by engaging in
the reading process and by using writing to test your comprehension.
 Previewing before Reading 29

PREVIEWING BEFORE READING

Before you read, it is a good practice to preview the reading material. Previewing
involves thinking about what you will be reading: the subject of the reading. It
also involves thinking about why you are reading: the purpose for your reading.
Think of previewing as a warm-up, like stretching before you exercise. Previewing
prepares you mentally for the serious work of reading (see “Strategies for Preview-
ing a Reading”).
Specifically, previewing can activate your prior knowledge so you will
better understand and remember what you read. For instance, if you had read
introductory material about the short passage “The Breakaway vs. the
­Peloton,” you might have learned it described a stage in the Tour de France.
Moreover, if you had seen the passage in the context of a publication, you
might have recognized that the author was a former professional bike racer
and that the passage was published in a cycling magazine. These clues could
establish context for the passage and help you read with a clearer idea of the
situation.

Strategies for Previewing a Reading

• Read any introductory or summary material to identify the main ideas.
• Identify the author and publication to provide background information
and context.
• Look at the title and the headings to get an overview of the topic.
• Skim, or glance quickly over, the reading to get a feeling for its
organization.
• Consider the length of the reading to estimate how much time you will
need to read it.
• Recognize why you are reading the material to help you focus on your
purpose as you read.

You can also skim the text to prepare to read. Train yourself to glance at
key places, especially the title and the headings. Your goal is to get an overview
of the reading and its organization—how the author has structured and presented
the content—and the main points, which are often embedded in the title and
headings. Then, after previewing, you can read carefully to understand the key
concepts and study the topic in depth.
Finally, consider why you are reading. Do you need to know the information
for a test? Must you use it in an essay? Knowing your reading purpose can help
you focus on the relevant ideas or details, and take notes on useful information.
Before you read the first article in this chapter, preview the content by answering
the “Before Reading” questions. The previewing questions are general—that is, you
can apply them to most of your reading and in this way make previewing a habit.
 READING SELECTION
“ONLINE STUDENTS MULTITASK MORE
(NOT IN A GOOD WAY)”

Before Reading: Preview; Identify Your Purpose;

­Recognize Prior Knowledge
Skim the reading “Online Students Multitask More (Not in a Good Way)”
that ­follows. Then write answers to the following questions using com-
plete ­sentences.
1. Read the information in italics below the article title. What can you
learn from it about the reading?
2. Who is the author? Where was the article published? Who might be
the readers?
3. What is the main topic of the reading?
4. How is the information organized? How long is the reading?
5. What is your purpose for reading?
6. What do you already know about this topic? Freewrite about it for five
minutes.

During Reading: Connect with the Text

Write responses to the following exercises using complete sentences.
7. As you read, mark any lines you find interesting or thought-provoking
or particularly agreeable. Explain why you agree with the lines or find
them interesting or stimulating.
8. As you read, mark any lines that confuse you or you find disagreeable.
Explain why you find the lines confusing or disagree with them.

Online Students Multitask More (Not in a Good Way)

By Doug Lederman
Inside Higher Ed, 20 February 2019
Inside Higher Ed publishes news focused on community colleges and four-year
universities. In the following article, the author, Doug Lederman, a founder and an
editor of Inside Higher Ed, describes research on the multitasking habits of college

30
students while attending in-person or online classes. The findings suggest students, to
their detriment, multitask more frequently during online classes; however, other experts
question whether comparing online to in-person classes overlooks other important
concerns.

Study finds that even those who are inclined to stray do so less in face-to-face classes—
presumably because instructors and peers are watching. What are the implications for
online learning? Is all multitasking bad?

Andrew Lepp wasn’t surprised—and wouldn’t expect most people familiar with 1
higher education to be surprised—by the headline finding of a study he and
several colleagues published last week: that students in online courses said they
engaged in more noneducational multitasking than did their peers in in-person
courses.
“I would have bet anything that students would have multitasked more in online 2
courses,” said Lepp, a professor of recreation, park and tourism management at Kent
State University. “In that way this study just confirmed what’s obvious.”
But “where it gets interesting,” Lepp said of the study he and his colleagues 3
published this month in Sage Open, is in the finding that students who were deemed to
have similar levels of inclination to multitask were much less likely to do so in face-to-
face classes than in online courses.
What that suggests, Lepp said, is that something about in-person courses constrains 4
students from engaging in the texting, web shopping and other behaviors that are widely
shown as impeding learning.
What is that something? “The presence of the teacher and other students who might 5
look sideways at a student who is multitasking,” Lepp asserts.
Lepp and his co-authors—Jacob E. Barkley, also an education professor at Kent 6
State; Aryn C. Karpinski, an associate professor at Kent State; and Shweta Singh, a
doctoral student at Purdue University—have done significant work on students’ use of
smartphones and the relationship to academic success. They take as an article of faith
that multitasking and other forms of distraction from academic work are problematic
for students.
Their current study was inspired by an incident two years ago in which Lepp and 7
Karpinski happened upon a student entering data into a spreadsheet on a desktop
computer, streaming Netflix on a laptop and using headphones to listen to her
smartphone. Asked what she was listening to, the student said, “ ‘Oh, that’s my online
biology course,’ ” according to Lepp. His reply: “Yikes!”
After scanning the literature and failing to find studies assessing the role of 8
multitasking in online courses, the researchers undertook one. They asked a sample of
nearly 300 Kent State students who had taken both fully online and face-to-face courses—
the vast majority of whom lived near the physical campus—a series of questions about
their behaviors in the two settings.
As seen in the table below, students said they were about 25 percent more likely to 9
engage in the set of behaviors (listening to music, texting, social networking, internet
browsing and the like) in online rather than in in-person courses.

31
 TABLE 2 Comparison of Multitasking Behaviors in 100% Online Versus Face-to-Face Courses
Online Courses Face-to-Face Courses
Multitasking
Behavior n M Median SD IQR M Median SD IQR |Z| p

Texting 291 3.35 3.00 1.124 1.00 2.74 3.00 1.081 1.00 7.925 <.001
Email 291 2.71 3.00 1.261 2.00 1.88 2.00 0.986 1.00 9.448 <.001
Social networking 291 2.88 3.00 1.267 2.00 2.43 2.00 1.190 2.00 5.349 <.001
Watch videos 291 2.54 3.00 1.257 3.00 1.25 1.00 0.633 0.00 11.689 <.001
Off-task Internet 291 2.96 3.00 1.193 2.00 2.46 3.00 1.172 2.00 5.629 <.001
Video games 291 1.36 1.00 0.791 0.00 1.25 1.00 0.726 0.00 1.949 =.05
Music 291 3.27 3.00 1.326 2.00 1.31 1.00 0.747 0.00 13.143 <.001
Talking 291 2.84 3.00 1.176 2.00 2.19 2.00 1.054 2.00 7.915 <.001
Doodling 291 1.85 1.00 1.152 1.00 2.27 2.00 1.244 2.00 5.544 <.001
SCALES 291 2.64 2.56 0.731 1.00 1.97 1.89 0.612 0.78 16.541 <.001
Note. Frequency of behavior assessed with 5-point Likert-type scale (1 = never, 5 = always); individual items
compared with Wilcoxon signed-rank test for related samples; scales created by summing individual items and
dividing by number of items (nine). Scale means compared using dependent sample t tests. IQR = interquartile range.
Lepp, A., Jacob E. Barkley, Aryn C. Karpinski, and Shweta Singh. “College Students’ Multitasking Behavior in Online
­Versus Face-to-Face Courses.” SAGE Open (January 2019).

Students who had greater “multitasking tendency” (as measured by something called 10
the Polychronic-Monochronic Tendency Scale) were, unsurprisingly, more likely to
multitask in online settings than were those who scored low on the test. But the same
was not true in face-to-face courses.
“In other words,” the researchers wrote, “students who have positive attitudes 11
about multitasking and prefer to multitask appear to better control this academically
disadvantageous behavior in face-to-face courses.” They attribute the students’ “control”
heavily to what Lepp called the “norms of the classroom”—essentially, pressure from
peers or the instructor not to multitask.
Lepp and his colleagues are careful to note that many students who take online 12
courses, particularly working adults and those far from physical campuses, do so because
this is their best or only option.
The findings, then, are most relevant for undergraduate students with “sufficient 13
access to traditional face-to-face courses—that is, students already enrolled at traditional
‘brick and mortar’ universities and living on or near campus,” they write. For those
students, “those teaching online courses should place emphasis on discouraging students’
multitasking behavior while recognizing that the methods for doing so may be very
different than in face-to-face courses.” Additionally, “the developers of online courses
should explore technological and pedagogical solutions aimed at keeping online learners
focused on their primary task in the absence of a physically present instructor.”
Limitations of the Study 14
Experts on online education took issue with multiple aspects of the Kent State study,
even as they acknowledged that multitasking is a problem in many settings.

32
 George Veletsianos, holder of the Canada Research Chair in Innovative Learning 15
and Technology at Royal Roads University, in British Columbia, cited a common
complaint about research like this: the tendency to compare online and face-to-face
courses as if all online courses (or all face-to-face courses, for that matter) were the
same. Were the online courses synchronous or asynchronous? Were they predominantly
lectures or did they engage students with active learning?
“A better (and fairer) comparison for this study,” Veletsianos said in an email, 16
“would have been between courses of the same modality that included variations in
something like class size or pedagogy. Such an investigation would allow us to evaluate
the question of whether students are more likely to multitask when enrolled in larger vs.
smaller class sizes. Or, whether pedagogy has an impact on multitasking, which I suspect
it does (e.g., are you more likely to multitask when listening to a lecture or when actively
working in a group to develop a solution to a posed problem?).”
Laura Gibbs, an online instructor at the University of Oklahoma who blogs 17
frequently about technology and learning, raised similar questions in a blog post entitled
“Attention-Policing and Online Proctoring: Thoughts on a Study.”
“Online and face-to-face are delivery modes; they are not course designs,” she wrote. 18
“To say that online courses are alike because they are online is like saying that rocky
road ice cream and tater tots are the same because you find them in the freezer section.
Yes, being frozen is an important part of rocky road ice cream and of tater tots, but that
does not mean they are the same thing . . . Studying online courses versus face-to-face
courses is meaningless unless you know more about the courses in question, and about
the students, than just the delivery mode.”
Gibbs also balked at the researchers’ suggestion that it would be an improvement to 19
limit students’ ability to multitask in online settings in the same way they might feel
restricted in face-to-face courses.
“Is policing, in-person or remotely, the best way to help students develop better 20
self-awareness and self-regulation? I don’t think so,” she wrote. “One of the things I like
about teaching online is that it means I can give the students so much more freedom,
and also so much more responsibility, so that they can, perhaps, learn new things about
the best strategies for their own learning.”
If students choose to multitask, she argues, they might have good reasons to do so: 21
because they need more information to understand something, they’re cramming for a test in
another course—or because they are bored, which just might be the professor’s fault, she says.
“We need to ask students about their reasons, and students need to learn to 22
interrogate their own reasons,” Gibbs writes. “That’s how you develop self-regulation.
Sweeping generalizations, especially technophobic generalizations, are not going to help.”
Veletsianos agreed that understanding why students are multitasking is essential for 23
suggesting possible solutions. “Are they engaging in such behavior because our pedagogies are
uninteresting, because other media are distracting them, because they believe they can multitask
when in actuality this is rarely the case?” he said. “The former might require us rethinking how
we teach, while the latter might require us to equip students with better study skills.”
What might instructors or institutions do to diminish multitasking that is distracting? 24
Might social pressure work?
“Assuming that social pressure reduces the incidence of multitasking, pedagogical 25
practices that heighten instructor-student and student-student interactions might reduce

33
 multitasking,” Veletsianos wrote. “One could include further opportunities for collaborative
problem solving or small-group tutorials. In theory, reducing the amount of time that students
work in isolation might reduce multitasking. Another approach might involve including
information in assignments/activities that exert social pressure intended to reduce multitasking.
For instance, one could imagine a timed assignment in which students are given 60 minutes
to solve a problem and prior to the start of the activity they are provided a message that says
something similar to this: ‘peers who multitask have reported the following X negative
consequences’ (e.g., not being able to finish on time, earning a lower grade, and so on).”

After Reading: Summarize; Reflect

Write responses to the following exercises using complete sentences.
9. To check your comprehension, rewrite the main ideas of the reading in
your own words.
10. Review your annotations and then consider this: What ideas in the text
are new to you? What ideas in the text conflict with what you a
­ lready
knew before you started reading?

Engage with the Reading

Write responses to the following exercises using complete sentences.
1. Research cited in the article indicates that students in online courses engage
in more off-task multitasking than students in in-person classes. Based on
your experiences as a student, do you believe this is true? Why or why not?
2. One criticism of the study by Lepp is that not all online courses are the
same; some are synchronous and others asynchronous, some are small
and others large. What do you believe are the most important factors in
keeping students engaged in a class, whether online or in-person?
3. Do you believe the criticisms of Lepp’s study are valid? Why or why not?

IDENTIFYING THE TOPIC, THESIS,

AND MAIN IDEAS IN A READING
An important step in comprehending what you read is to locate the main ideas
and the important information.

Topic versus Thesis

It is helpful to know the difference between a topic and a thesis. The topic of a reading
can be found by answering the question: What subject is the reading about? The answer
would be a word or phrase that describes the reading’s subject. For instance, if you
were asked the topic of the first reading in this chapter, you might answer “multitask-
ing and online students,” because that is the general subject of the reading.
The thesis of a reading is an answer to the question: What does the author
say about the topic? The answer should be expressed in a complete sentence. For
example, if someone asked you about the author’s attitude toward the topic of the

34
 Identifying the Topic, Thesis, and Main Ideas in a Reading 35

first reading, you might answer, “Students taking classes online multitask more
frequently than students taking in-person classes.” Often the thesis is referred to
as the main idea of the reading. Figure 2.3 contrasts a topic with a thesis.
FIGURE 2.3 Topic versus Thesis
Topic Thesis

Is the subject of the reading. Combines the subject of the reading and the
­author’s attitude toward that subject.
Is expressed in a word or phrase. Is expressed in a complete sentence.
Example: multitasking and Example: Students taking classes online multitask more
online students frequently than students taking in-person classes.

Identifying Main Ideas

Often writers break up the thesis (the overall main idea) and explain it in different
parts of the writing. So, in addition to locating the topic and thesis, you should
determine the related main ideas the author presents throughout the reading.
Fortunately, most college texts are written to provide information and, there-
fore, authors make their main ideas clear by giving strong clues. Knowing where
to look for these main idea clues can help you recognize crucial information.
Study “Strategies for Locating Main Ideas” to understand where to locate impor-
tant ideas in a reading.

Strategies for Locating Main Ideas

Use the following clues in the reading itself.
• Title and headings. The title often identifies an overall main idea in the
reading, while a heading usually points to the main idea of a ­particular
paragraph or section.
• Opening sentence in a paragraph. The first sentence of the paragraph
­often states its main idea, in which case it is called the topic sentence.
• Last sentence in a paragraph. The closing sentence may sum up the
main idea of a paragraph. In fact, sometimes the main idea of a para-
graph is stated in both its opening and closing sentences or in both the
opening and closing sentences of a section of the reading.
• Examples. Writers often use examples to explain important points and
­concepts. When you see an example, look for a main idea stated in the
text right before or immediately after the example.
• Repetition. Writers sometimes repeat words or phrases to stress a
main idea.
• Key words. Words that represent important concepts or subjects can
help readers locate main ideas.
• Highlighted words and phrases. A special type style, such as bold or
italic type, calls attention to important words and ideas.
36 2 Active Reading

Academic Style: Signal Verbs

When summarizing, paraphrasing, or quoting, you can acknowledge the source of information, as

well as reflect the tone of the source, by using a signal verb. Well-chosen signal verbs show an

understanding of an author’s purpose. For instance, using a neutral verb, such as states,

indicates the author is writing to inform. If the author has a strong opinion, then a verb such as

argues or asserts would indicate the writer is developing an argument.

Signal Verbs and Their Purposes

Neutral
believes observes says tells
explains reports states thinks
Argues For
argues claims emphasizes proposes
asserts declares offers reasons
Argues Against
contradicts disagrees objects rebuts
criticizes disputes opposes refutes
States Indirectly
hints implies insinuates suggests
Concludes
concludes decides determines finds
Gives Support
cites describes references supports

Examples of Sentences Using Signal Verbs

• Based on her research, assistant professor Zheng Wang concludes that college students
signal verb
enjoy multitasking while studying because “it makes them feel good.”

• In the article “Don’t Multitask: Your Brain Will Thank You,” the author, Issie Lapowsky,

describes multitasking as doing two things at the same time.

signal verb
 Annotating and Summarizing 37

ANNOTATING AND SUMMARIZING

One strategy to actively engage while reading is to mark the main ideas in the text.
Additionally, think meaningfully about a reading and record your reactions to the
text. These practices will help you stay focused on and involved in your reading.

Annotating a Text
Some students think that taking notes must involve extensively highlighting the
reading with a brightly colored marker, but highlighting information often does
not promote understanding and critical thinking. Other techniques for marking
up a text may be more effective. Some research indicates that if students selec-
tively underline key words or phrases, as well as restate main ideas in their own
words, they will better understand what they read.
Although there is no one right way to mark a text, it is a good idea to develop
a system for annotating, or taking notes (see “Strategies for Annotating”), and to
understand the purpose of annotation.

Strategies for Annotating

• Write brief summaries in the margins. Writing summaries in your own
words, rather than copying words or phrases from the reading, will help
you understand and remember what you read. It will also help you avoid
unintentional plagiarism, a serious ­academic ­offense involving using
someone else’s words or ideas as if they were one’s own. Summarize
in a clear, concise manner so that you can reread your notes.
• List multiple ideas in a clear way. For instance, if the text notes that there
are “three causes,” you could number the three causes; if the text describes
causes and effects, you could use arrows to show the ­relationships.
• Note examples. The text’s examples not only promote understanding of
concepts but also may be a useful way to demonstrate your knowledge
on tests or in essays. Moreover, examples typically indicate that a main
idea is close by in the reading, because if a concept is important, there
is often an ­example to illustrate it. You can mark examples with a
particular code, such as “EX.”
• Put key information into charts or graphs. Pulling out important
­information from the text and organizing it is one way to make it your
own. You may more clearly see the relationships among ideas, or among
ideas and examples, in a chart or graph.
• Jot down possible test questions. If you are reading to prepare for a
test, anticipate test questions. As you read, look for material that you
­believe will be on the test. If you can frame the information in the form
of a ­question, do so as you are reading.
• Note and seek clarification of confusing ideas. You can mark unclear
passages with a question mark. Ask your instructor during lecture or
­office hours to explain the concept, or get your classmates’ help. Do not
skim over important information; instead, work hard to make sense of it.

continued
38 2 Active Reading

• Underline key words and phrases. After reading and annotating,

underline key words and phrases in the text that will help you recall
important information. Use your annotations in the margin to guide your
selection of key phrases or sentences—that is, the ones that best sum
up the ­important ideas.
• Note your reactions. If you have any questions, thoughts, associations,
or responses concerning the reading, note them in the margin as you
read so that you will not forget them. Reactions to the text may help
you form questions, develop responses, or make connections among
topics.

As you gain experience marking your texts, you may develop your own codes
for annotating. For instance, you might highlight main ideas in color and circle
examples. Whatever symbols or markings you use, be clear and consistent so that
you will always know what your marks mean.

Summarizing a Text
An important part of annotating is to write brief summaries in the margin. As
we saw earlier in this chapter, to summarize means to condense the information
and to rewrite it in your own words. As the Read for Comprehension activity,
earlier in this ­chapter, demonstrates (the “Breakaway vs. the Peloton” paragraph),
accurately summarizing a text is an important strategy for assessing comprehen-
sion. Moreover, an effectively written summary may be valuable in your own
writing, for example, as background information on a topic or as evidence to
support your original thesis.
“Strategies for Summarizing” is a step-by-step guide for writing summaries
of main sections of a reading, using “Multitasking May Hurt Your Performance
but It Makes You Feel Better” as an example.

Strategies for Summarizing

The examples for these steps are from the reading selection “Multitasking May
Hurt Your Performance but It Makes You Feel Better.”
1. Chunk the reading by dividing it into logical groups. If the reading
includes subheadings, the paragraphs under each subheading constitute
a group. If there are no subheadings, look for connections between
paragraphs to create logical groups.
Example of chunking the reading: In “Multitasking May Hurt Your Perfor-
mance,” the first two p
­ aragraphs (or the first two sentences) summarize the
research findings. Then the next seven paragraphs describe a study on
multitasking. Paragraphs 1–2 could be considered one chunk, and
­paragraphs 3–9 another chunk.

continued
 Annotating and Summarizing 39

2. Identify the main ideas in each section of the reading. Look for clues
to the main ideas, such as key words that signal main ideas. Look in key
places in the text, such as topic sentences or concluding sentences in
paragraphs, for main ideas. Use headings or titles, too, as a guide to
main ideas.
Example of figuring out the main idea from key words: The words “a new
study suggests” or “the findings provide” indicate a summary of the
research conclusions. Moreover, their placement at the beginning of the
reading suggests these are main ideas.
3. Focus on key words or phrases that exemplify the main idea. No need
to underline the entire sentence; rather, focus on the key concepts most
important to the main idea. This technique will help you to condense the
information.
Example of main idea sentence with key words and phrases underlined:
“The findings provide clues as to why multitasking is so popular, even
though many studies show it is not productive.”
4. Jot down the key words or concepts in your own words. You do not
have to write a sentence on the first attempt. Instead, write as much
of the main ideas as possible in your own words. Use fresh words and
new ways to rephrase the ideas. If you cannot replace key words or if
phrases are especially well written, then you may include these in your
summary with quotation marks around them.
Example of key concepts written in own words:
• “feel good” = provide satisfaction
• “not productive” = not effective
5. Rewrite the overall main idea in your own words in a complete sentence.
It may take several attempts to write a summary sentence that is accurate
and complete, and that uses your own words.
Example summary, first draft: People like to multitask even though they
are not good at it, because it makes them feel good.
Comment: Too much like the original text. Rewrite using more of your own
words.
Example summary, second draft: Even though they do not do it well,
people get satisfaction from multitasking because it makes them feel good
in the moment.
Comment: Better, but good is vague and the sentence is wordy. Replace
with a more specific word and revise for conciseness.
Example summary, final draft: While multitasking may provide satisfaction
in the moment, it harms effectiveness overall.
Comment: Much better.

continued
40 2 Active Reading

6. Credit the source of the summary. When you summarize other people’s
ideas, you must give them credit for their thinking. You can do this by
either (a) writing the author and title of the reading at the beginning of
your summary sentence or (b) including the author and page number in
parentheses after the summary sentence.
Example of crediting a source by citing the title of the r­eading at the
beginning of the sentence: According to the article “Multitasking May Hurt
Your Performance but It Makes You Feel Better,” Ohio State University
researchers have found that while multitasking may provide satisfaction in
the moment, it harms effectiveness overall.
Example of crediting the source by citing the author and page number in
parentheses after the sentence: Researchers have found that while
multitasking may provide satisfaction in the moment, it harms effectiveness
overall (Ohio State University 34).

Study Figure 2.4, which provides annotations for the reading selection “Mul-
titasking May Hurt Your Performance but It Makes You Feel Better.” The article
was annotated after several readings. In the middle is the article.
• In the right margin of the article are brief summaries of the main ideas and
supporting examples, which are highlighted in blue.
• In the left margin are the reader’s reactions (“responses”) to the reading and
definitions of unfamiliar words, which are highlighted in orange.
Notice that the annotations are consistent and well organized. They do
not overwhelm the text. Rather, they selectively point out the thesis, the main
ideas and examples, and the reader’s reactions. In fact, if you skim the reading
paying attention to the highlighted passages, you will be rewarded with a
brief summary of the reading. Effective annotations such as these will enhance
your
• Comprehension: to understand while reading.
• Reaction: to think and respond to the reading.
• Review: to look over your notes before class, before discussions, or in advance
of tests.
• Writing: to select and include important information from the text when writ-
ing a paper.
 FIGURE 2.4 Annotated Article

Responses and Main Ideas and

Definitions Examples
Multitasking May Hurt Your Performance but
It Makes You Feel Better

Ohio State University, 30 April 2012

What does COLUMBUS, Ohio—People aren’t very good at media multitasking —like Thesis = While
“media multitasking
multitasking” reading a book while watching TV—but do it anyway because it makes them may provide
mean? satisfaction in
feel good, a new study suggests. the moment, it
harms effec-
The findings provide clues as to why multitasking is so popular, even tiveness
Media = overall.
means of though many studies show it is not productive.
mass commu-
nication like Researchers had college students record all of their media use and Example: Study
broadcasting of college stu-
or Internet. other activities for 28 days, including why they used various media sources dents shows
more good
and what they got out of it. feelings but
I can relate to lower produc-
getting an The findings showed that multitasking often gave the students an tivity if multi-
“emotional tasking when
boost” when emotional boost, even when it hurt their cognitive functions, such as studying. studying.
studying and
checking so- “There’s this myth among some people that multitasking makes them
cial media Main Idea:
posts. more productive,” said Zheng Wang, lead author of the study and assistant Students think
feeling good
professor of communication at Ohio State University.
means they
Interesting are working
point that one “But they seem to be misperceiving the positive feelings they get from
well.
feels more
satisfied, but multitasking. They are not being more productive—they just feel more
isn’t really Example:
emotionally satisfied from their work.”
productive. Watching TV
Take, for example, students who watched TV while reading a book. while reading
makes study-
They reported feeling more emotionally satisfied than those who studied ing fun.

without watching TV, but also reported that they didn’t achieve their
The example
of watching cognitive goals as well, Wang said. Main Idea:
TV seems a False feeling
bit dated; “They felt satisfied not because they were effective at studying, but of increased
watching You- productivity
Tube videos because the addition of TV made the studying entertaining. The combination because of
or TikTok is multitasking.
more popular of the activities accounts for the good feelings obtained,” Wang said.
for students.
Wang conducted the study with John Tchernev, a graduate student in

Communication at Ohio State. Their results appear online in the Journal of

Communication.

41
Responses and Main Ideas and
Definitions Examples
Wang said many studies done in laboratory settings have found that

people show poorer performance on a variety of tasks when they try to

juggle multiple media sources at the same time: for example, going from
Main Idea:
texting a friend, to reading a book, to watching an online video. Multitasking is
popular de-
But surveys show that media multitasking is only becoming more spite impairing
performance.
“impairs” = popular. The question, Wang said, is why do people do so much multitasking
weakens,
damages if it actually impairs their performance?

To answer that question, Wang said they had to move out of the
Example:
I wonder if Study of col-
studies are laboratory and into real life. They recruited 32 college students who agreed
lege students
done on col- who self-
lege students to carry a cellphone-like device and report on their activities three times
reported their
because they multitasking
each day for four weeks.
multitask more
often than The participants reported on each media use (such as computer, radio,
other people?
print, television) and subtypes (for computer use, whether they were web

browsing, using social networking, etc.). They reported the type of activity,

the duration, and whether any other activities were performed

simultaneously (in other words, whether they were multitasking).

They also provided their motivations for each activity or combination

Maybe this
finding sug- of activities from a list of seven potential needs, including social, fun/
gests that stu-
dents need to entertainment, study/work, and habits/background noise. For each need,
take a break
when faced they reported the strength of the need on a 10-point scale, and whether
with an “in- Main Idea:
those needs were met on a 4-point scale.
creased cog- Multitasking
nitive need” The results showed that participants were more likely to multitask when happens in
and therefore response to
multitask. they reported an increase in cognitive needs (such as study or work) or “cognitive” or
Maybe stu- “habitual”
dents need to habitual needs or both. needs.
stop studying
and go do That means, for example, that the students were more likely to multitask
something Main Idea:
else, rather when they needed to study (a cognitive need). Multitasking
than try to do does not help
two things at But one of the key findings of the study is that this multitasking didn’t do students with
once. intellectual
a very good job of satisfying their cognitive needs which actually motivate needs, al-
though it
the multitasking in the first place, Wang said. That’s probably because their makes them
feel good.
other media use distracted them from the job of studying. However, the

42
Responses and Main Ideas and
Definitions Examples
students reported that the multitasking was very good at meeting their

emotional needs (fun/entertainment/relaxing)—interestingly, a need they

weren’t even seeking to fulfill. Main Idea:

Multitasking
In addition, the results showed that habits played an important role in does not help
students with
the use of media multitasking. intellectual
needs, al-
“Our findings showed that habitual needs increase media multitasking though it
makes them
and are also gratified from multitasking,” she said.
feel good.
Ha! I can re- This suggests that people get used to multitasking, which makes them
late; lots of my
friends seem more likely to continue.
Main Idea:
addicted to The more
“We found what we call a dynamical feedback loop. If you multitask
their smart- someone mul-
phones and to today, you’re likely to do so again tomorrow, further strengthening the titasks, the
constantly more they
checking their behavior over time,” she said. want to keep
social media multitasking.
accounts. “This is worrisome because students begin to feel like they need to

have the TV on or they need to continually check their text messages or

Main Idea:
computer while they do their homework. It’s not helping them, but Multitasking
creates an
they get an emotional reward that keeps them doing it. emotional re-
inforcement to
“It is critical that we carefully examine the long-term influence of media keep doing it,
although it’s
multitasking on how we perform on cognitive tasks.” counterpro-
ductive.
The study was supported by a grant from the National Science

Foundation.

CHAPTER REVIEW

Key Terms
annotating Marking, highlighting, or taking notes on a text.
previewing Quickly reviewing the content of a text before reading it.
prior knowledge Information that a reader already knows about a
subject.
recursive Referring to a process that repeats or goes back over.
summarize Restate the main ideas in one’s own words.

43
44 2 Active Reading

thesis The topic of a reading plus the author’s opinion about that topic,
expressed in a complete sentence.
topic The subject of a reading, expressed in a word or phrase.

Chapter Summary
• Active reading is a process that involves understanding, writing, and
thinking about what you read.
• Previewing and freewriting before you read can prepare you mentally
to do the serious work of reading.
• Identifying the topic and then locating and marking the thesis
and main ideas in a reading can help you to understand what you
read.
• Annotating by marking, taking notes on, and summarizing a text can
help you actively read, learn, and respond to a text.
• Consistently applying the writing strategies of freewriting and annotat-
ing while reading will aid your comprehension and help you develop
a response to your reading.

Chapter Activities
Follow the instructions in each of the following exercises, using complete
sentences for your responses.
1. List the writing strategies that best help you understand what you read.
These could be strategies covered in this chapter or ones you have
developed on your own.
2. What have you learned about multitasking from reading the articles in
this chapter? How might you apply that knowledge to your own study
habits or reading behavior? Give examples from the readings and/or
from your own experience to explain.
3. Locate an article (not in this chapter) on multitasking. Read the article
and annotate it, following the strategies in this chapter for locating main
ideas and annotating a reading.

Credits
pp. 30–34: Lederman, Doug. “Online Students Multitask More (Not in a Good Way).”
Inside Higher Ed, 20 Feb. 2019. https://www.insidehighered.com/digital-learning/
article/2019/02/20/students-multitask-things-unrelated-course-work-more-online. Used with
permission. pp. 41–43: Grabmeier, Jeff. “Multitasking May Hurt Your Performance but It
Makes You Feel Better.” Research and Innovation Communications, The Ohio State
­University. Used with permission.