LB Brief

by Jane E. Aaron

LB Brief offers the authority and currency of its best-selling parent, The Little, Brown Handbook, in two briefer, spiral-bound formats (one with tabs and one without tabs) at affordable prices. As in its previous edition, LB Brief provides students of varying skills and interests with clear, reliable, and accessible explanations of handbook basics—the writing process, grammar and usage, and research writing. The Fourth Edition builds on the handbook’s usefulness with four main (1) reading and writing across the curriculum, including an expanded chapter on academic writing, showing students how to write in response to texts, and more coverage of argument, with information on how to handle opposing views and strengthen an ethical appeal; (2) research writing, including expanded discussions on how to find and evaluate print and Web sources, and a new research-paper-in-progress; (3) up-to-date documentation guidelines , including the most recent revisions to MLA and APA documentation styles, with numerous models of new media in each style and new annotated sample sources; (4) more writing process instruction , including a new student work-in-progress and new discussions of voice in writing.

Genres: Education, Reference, School, College, Writing

608 pages, Spiral-bound

First published September 1, 1993

About the author

Jane E. Aaron is a professional writer and editor as well as an experienced teacher. She is the author of the best selling Little Brown Handbook and coeditor of the best-selling Bedford Reader . She has served as consultant, editor, or writer on more than a dozen other textbooks for the first-year composition course.

Reviews

[Meltha · Rating 2 out of 5]

While the book is exhaustive, it’s also difficult to follow. This is grammar written for experts but given to neophytes. It gets lost in the arcane details when clearer language would be better. Basically, it needs a teacher to act as a translator.

[Faith · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a must have writer book. Any person that will be writing, professionally, academically, creatively, etc needs this book.

There are great examples of the different rhetorical styles and exercises to get an individual comfortable with them. The entire book is like all the English grammar classes you have ever had crammed into one book and it makes sense.

In addition to that, the book has MLA and APA styles listed exhaustively. There is very little that is not included.

In my opinion, if you are a writer, a student, or a parent with a student in high school or college, you need this book in your possession.

[Faith · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not sure that I would say this is the must have book for every writer. I would, however, say that if you are a college student or if you write academic papers that the LB Brief can be a lifesaver.

Of course make sure you have the most recent edition as MLA, APA and the Chicago Style do change from time to time. I also highly suggest to make sure to get the spiral bound so it will lie flat on the desk/table you are working on.

[Sarah Marie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Other book that went along with Good Reasons with Contemporary Arguments. Insightful and extensive as well, hard to navigate and sometimes confusing.