By Anderson, Friend Rsszkiewicz BEYOND WORDS Cultural Texts for Reading & Writing - Custom Edition for Florida State University [Paperback]

by John J. Ruszkiewicz

Beyond Words is a highly visual, thematically-organized reader intended for use in introductory composition courses. With 350 images and over 70 readings, Beyond Words offers a rich environment in which students can learn strategies for reading and responding to both verbal and visual texts and practice informative, analytical, and persuasive writing. With more writing process instruction than similar texts, Beyond Words is the most accessible and teachable visual reader available today. The topics of its chapters and readings resonate with many of the most popular themes taught in composition identity, place, storytelling, news and media, consumer culture, information technology, advertising, health and fitness, public memorials. The end-of chapter "Assignment and Projects" sections offer uniquely in-depth and detailed assignments, while also providing unique student samples. Writing assignments begin with informative writing, move to analytical writing, and conclude with persuasive writing.The opening chapters present an overview of critical reading and writing strategies in language that completely avoids jargon and composition terminology in favor of a transparent and common-sense style that students will appreciate and enjoy.

Unknown Binding

First published August 7, 2005

Reviews

[Deja Bertucci · Rating 3 out of 5]

If you teach Freshman composition or anything like unto it, I simply cannot recommend this book highly enough. I've read it cover to cover, and that wasn't nearly as painful a task as it could have been. It makes ME want to do the assignments.

The best part about it is the broad net it casts over media, history, and contemporary science and technology. It engages the ethics of Second Life and myspace. It asks students to think critically about text messaging and Obama's tactics for getting the youth vote President Bush's visits to wounded soldiers. It's full of provacative images of everything from an arial view of a New Orleans residents during Katrina to a still from a South Park episode.

It's brilliant. Check it out.

[Xuân Quỳnh · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Digital media and technology have altered the way we interact with the world. Many of us now take devices such as smartphones and iPods for granted; routinely converse with friends via instant messages; share our lives on Facebook; amuse ourselves with video games; pull weather information we need off the Internet; and track political and cultural events via blogs and YouTube. We download music to our computers, take photographs with cell phones and do much academic work online. But being immersed in new media is not the same as comprehending all its messages or knowing how to respond to them critically. For centuries, people were considered literate if they could just read and write. And that’s still the case. But reading and composing sure look different today".

[Emily · Rating 4 out of 5]

Love this textbook for its strong visual content and appealing topics. I used the 1st edition and loved that too.

However, if your Pearson/Longman rep tells you there is an ebook version available in MyCompLab, do not believe them, because no such thing exists, at least in my set-up.

The MCL annoyance is not what cost it a star. I just docked it a star for being so expensive (abt $80, I think).

Why is it so hard to find a first-year comp textbook that is engaging and inexpensive? Why do the cheap ones have to seem so cheap?

Yeah, this review has rambled off-topic now.

[Emily · Rating 5 out of 5]

3rd edition is smaller, lighter, and has more explicit writing instruction: an actual improvement.