Writing and Reading Across the Curriculum (8th Edition)

Rating:
Summary: book is okay.. but the author (Behren).........
Review: I don't know if I should call myself lucky or not by actually having the author (Behren) of this book as my Writing 2 teacher. All I can say is that this book is okay (just okay.. no better and no worse), but Mr. Behren is certainly not a good teacher. Anyway, this review is about the book not the author. All I can say is that I'm reselling this book back to the bookstore!! I certainly don't want to keep this one!

Rating:
Summary: The best apparatus out there
Review: This cut down by more than half the time it has taken my students to learn to write summaries, integrate sources, understand argument, and write syntheses.

Many of the readings are also interesting and productive, especially those on Folklore and Obedience to Authority. I'd teach it in combination with a course reader, though, since there's almost no attention to the process of helping students find their voice and write more beautiful prose.

But no one book can do everything, and I plan to keep teaching this one. My students like it too -- with its focus on arguable ideas and the wonderful step-by-step breakdown of the writing process.