Book Description
Bringing new insight to the comprehensive HODGES' HARBRACE HANDBOOK, Fifteenth Edition, rhetorician Cheryl Glenn and linguist Loretta Gray add their expertise to this market-leading handbook.
Customer Reviews:
Fast service!.......2007-09-06
I havent actually used this book yet for my class, but it arrived very quickly, and in perfect condition. It's a very cute, small book and it's a great size to fit in a purse. I'm sure that when I do actually start using this book it will be very helpful!
Hodges' Harbrace Handbook.......2002-08-11
I've been using this handbook for about 25 years, and recently realized that my edition was the 3rd, published in the 1970s! So I ordered the latest edition (14th edition), and was so pleased with my purchase. This is a handbook that lives in our office, and gets used to death (we do graphic design, copywriting, editing). Any new employee on our staff is required to at least become familiar with the table of contents (in case of emergency!), and very soon they too are heading for Harbrace's to look up something. We love it.
The Guide for American English.......2002-07-31
It never ceases to amaze me how many times some ... grammarian tries to correct my writing only to review my Harbrace College Handbook to see they're wrong and I'm right. This is the definitive guide to American English grammar. Easy to read, plenty of examples, and more importantly it even covers those gray areas of usage letting the ready know this non-standard without simply cutting you off without explanation. I have purchased the latest edition ever since I purchased my first copy as text to Advanced Composition during my undergraduate days at the University of Maryland University College. Harbrace as served me very well ever since helping me obtain a high GPA in regards to my written assignments. I have a lot of other grammar books that I look at now and then, but Harbrace remains the standard.
The Guide for American English.......2002-07-31
It never ceases to amaze me how many times some anal grammarian tries to correct my writing only to review my Harbrace College Handbook to see they're wrong and I'm right. This is the definitive guide to American English grammar. Easy to read, plenty of examples, and more importantly it even covers those gray areas of usage letting the ready know this non-standard without simply cutting you off without explanation. I have purchased the latest edition ever since I purchased my first copy as text to Advanced Composition during my undergraduate days at the University of Maryland University Collage. Harbrace as served me very well ever since helping me obtain a high GPA in regards to my written assignments. I have a lot of other grammar books that I look at now and then, but Harbrace remains the standard.
Absolutely Essential.......2000-10-17
This is an exemplary work. It is absolutely essential to the high school level and above as a general and specific guideline to writing. I strongly recommend this book for those interested in perfecting their grammar and writing styles.
-Jonah Sampson Boyarin hehe
Customer Reviews:
MLA Handbook.......2007-09-23
I loved this book. It contains all the essentials needed to write papers and do them properly. It is an excellent book!
GOOD conditon.......2007-09-18
The book was in good condition without any marks on it.
I came within 4 days that was a good shipping!!!!!
I 'll buy more stuff from this seller.
Ignore the One-star Reviews.......2007-09-15
First of all, you should ignore all the one-star reviews of this book. Those reviews criticize the MLA, not the book. The book itself is really good. One of my English professors recommended it to our class. She also said that every English major should have a copy of it. I had always used Diana Hacker's book in other classes. After she recommended it, I decided to check it out at the bookstore. After skimming through it, I decided to buy it. It was so much easier to follow than Hacker's book. I will use it in the future. Gibaldi devotes an entire chapter just to plagiarism (and how to avoid it).
Brandon Simpson
www.myspace.com/brandonwsimpson
The book came in great shape........2007-09-13
The book came in great shape. I would order over and over again. I was able to get the book at a steep discount.
immeasurably helpful.......2007-08-27
My copy of the handbook is well-worn and probably older than most of the people on-line trying to buy this book right now, but I still remember how useful it was to me.
We were forced to purchase this book in high school in the early 90s. It was the format in which all papers were required to be written. While at first tedious, learning this system eventually made writing any paper really, really easy.
When I got to college, I was leaps and bounds ahead of the other students who had not learned this format. There were several occasions in which my essays were copied by the professors to use as an example of "the right way to write a paper." Because writing papers did not intimidate me, I took 4 times the required writing component courses in college.
Absolutely buy this book and refer to it often. Very rarely does it not have the answer you're looking for (that was really awesome, because nothing is more frustrating than looking at a manual for an answer it doesn't have).
Book Description
The Copyeditor's Handbook is a lively, practical manual for newcomers to publishing and for experienced editors who want to fine-tune their skills or broaden their understanding of the craft. Addressed to copyeditors in book publishing and corporate communications, this thoughtful handbook explains what copyeditors do, what they look for when they edit a manuscript, and how they develop the editorial judgment needed to make sound decisions.
This revised edition reflects the most recent editions of The Chicago Manual of Style (15th ed.), the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association (5th ed.), and Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary (11th ed.).
Customer Reviews:
Copyeditor's Handbook.......2007-08-27
I was very pleased with the way this purchase was handled from start to finish.
Writers can learn from this book .......2007-07-20
As a professional writer, I like to believe that my work does not need copyediting. But of course, there are always some improvements that a copyeditor can bring to any text. And as a writer, I can learn from the guidelines in this comprehensive, clear, and very readable book. It will likely gain a place next to the Chicago Manual of Style as a secondary reference to check for questions about grammar, punctuation, etc. The book's exercises and the explanations that accompany the answers will help you develop your writing skills and understand why copyeditors make certain changes in your work.
Great update.......2007-07-12
I had used the earlier edition, and find this to be a much welcome update, with valuable information on electronic editing.
Very helpful.......2007-03-31
This a great guide for anyone new to the publishing scene. No matter how great your writing and grammar skills are, you will need a book like this to help you learn how to prepare a manuscript properly. It is also very nicely written and enjoyable to work through.
Great resource for copy editors.......2007-03-09
A copy editor does not need much else besides this book. Not only is it full of those mechanical issues that trip up even good writers, but this book also offers practical suggestions for approaching copy editing job (especially important for the newbie in the field). This is an extremely user friendly book, including quick reference charts, many examples, and practice exercises.
Amazon.com
Who knew a stylebook could be so much fun? For lovers of language, Lapsing Into a Comma is a sensible and very funny guide to the technicalities of writing and copy editing. Author Bill Walsh, chief copy editor in the business section of the Washington Post, humorously discusses the changing rules of proper print style in the information age. Is it "e-mail" or "email"? According to established grammatical rules, it should be e-mail, but in common practice, we often use email (which should be pronounced "uhmail," but we all know not to do that). Therefore, email is OK.
Walsh does not advocate tossing your AP Stylebook, but he does encourage using your head and not blindly adhering to formal rules. "A finely tuned ear is at least as important as formal grammar," he says, "and that's not something you can acquire by memorizing a stylebook." What about companies that use punctuation in their logos? Walsh cautions against confusing a logo with a name. You wouldn't use "Tech Stock Surge Boosts Yahoo!" as a headline unless you wrote for a very excitable newspaper. And then there's arbitrary capitalization. "The dot-com era has leveled a wall that Adidas and K.D. Lang and Thirtysomething had already cracked," says Walsh, "and suddenly writers and editors faced with a name are asking, "Is that capitalized?"--a question that's about as appropriate as asking a 5-year-old, 'Do you want that Coke with or without rum?'"
The first half of Lapsing Into a Comma zips along, making you think about the intricacies of grammar and editing--all while trying not to choke on laughter. The second half is Walsh's personally crafted style guide. Remember--Roommate: Two m's, unless you ate a room or mated with a roo. --Dana Van Nest
Book Description
No writer's or editor's desk is complete without a battered, page-bent copy of the AP Stylebook. However, this not-so-easy-to-use reference of journalistic style is often not up-to-date and leaves reporters and copyeditors unsatisfied. Bill Walsh, copy chief for the Washington Post's business desk, addresses these shortcomings in Lapsing into a Comma. In an opinionated, humorous, and yes, curmudgeonly way, he shows how to apply the basic rules to unique, modern grammar issues. Walsh explains how to deal with perplexing situations such as trendy words, foreign terms, and web speak.
Download Description
No writer's or editor's desk is complete without a battered, page-bent copy of the AP Stylebook. However, this not-so-easy-to-use reference of journalistic style is often not up-to-date and leaves reporters and copyeditors unsatisfied. Bill Walsh, copy chief for the Washington Post's business desk, addresses these shortcomings in Lapsing into a Comma. In an opinionated, humorous, and yes, curmudgeonly way, he shows how to apply the basic rules to unique, modern grammar issues. Walsh explains how to deal with perplexing situations such as trendy words, foreign terms, and web speak.
Customer Reviews:
A decent book, but it has some errors and details missing........2006-06-24
I was walking around the local library the other day and came across multiple books on writing. To my surprise, the public library had more books on writing than the college library. I thought to myself, "I've been looking for these kind of books to enhance my writing!" So I grasped this book in my hands and began reading away. As I continued through this book, I began to notice the editorial commas. I slowly connected the truth of the book's title to the content of the book: This was a book based around press and media writing. I found a nice and quiet place to read at the library's local history room and then sat down near a desk.
While reading, I decided to give this book a review, so I wrote down notes in a notebook. However, my logic and learned way of writing may or may not conflict with one from the press; but I felt that errors and other press related style and/or punctuation was not pointed out soon enough. Therefore, I was confused as to the difference between press writing and academic writing, and may have created a biased review. I would have liked the differences pointed out. Please don't smack me with the stupid stick for having errors in this review: I'm still working on my English. With that being said, onto the online *evil smirk* book review.
E-mail vs. email:
As much as I admire a businessman becoming a writer for The Journal of Technical Writing and Communication, he forgot one thing: E stands for electronic! Instead of being 1337, he went on this long rant about being an "oldbie" on the web and a javaslinger; he coded his first page in raw HTML (javascript). I'm oldschool, but at least I understand why it was called "e-mail." Something that I found silly was his inability to appeal to authority. Let me ask you something: If the owner of eBay were to write up a report about his or her company and list the company's name multiple times through the report, then would you accept that as the correct spelling? I would. Case closed. Appeal to creator wins.
Possible error at the top paragraph on page 59: "The first example, however, places 'and added' in a parallel position; thus the 'and added' clause is made dependent on the..."
Let's look at the semicolon and the word "thus".
Last time I checked, a person is suppose to use a comma after and independent marker; thus, a comma comes after 'thus'. Is the missing comma suppose to be some type of Associated Press (AP) writing editorial punctuation? You could smack me with a stick for not reading the AP style guide, but it would have been nice if the author and the copyeditors noted what was going on. Some of the material and possible errors at this point make me question if I should continue reading the book. I looked up semicolon in the index, and it was about 30 or so pages ahead of the past page I was at. I noticed the semicolon was feared by the author and not brought out in detail. I'm not chuckling. I've questioned a few of the matters in this book. I've been able to accept press vs. academic so far, but I'm starting to get concerned if what I'm learning is correct or not. I grabbed the book from the library to learn. However, if these are mistakes, then I'm a novice writer learning mistakes that weren't meant to be mistakes. I don't think that's a good way to learn how to write. Do you?
Let's go to the their vs. his or her debate:
I don't care who or what you are, I'm going to use his or her. If something is singular, it's going to stay that way. I don't approve of the media or some other brainwashing superpower to change the rules of English grammar. This is why I've got to love some of the reviews on Amazon.com. People don't seem to care about grammar. Makes me feel like someone is trying to sell me snake oil and the people around me are conspiring with the retailer. Apparently, I'm not the only one that feels this way. Not after reading the rest of the reviews here. May I mention that Amazon.com was advertised in the book? Yeah. Thanks for dumbing down grammar.
Another section was where he used a comma instead of a semicolon to creates sentences like the following:
Page 91:
I like Trix, I like Lucky Charms, and I like Cocoa Pebbles.
Maybe I'm missing something here; maybe he was trying to detail something; maybe he's ADHD and forgot; and maybe the book is ADHD.
I like Trix, Lucky Charms, and Cocoa Pebbles.
Thank you parallelism.
A person is suppose to use a semicolon instead of this serial comma junk he's selling; however, this could be a style concern. Another entry about style and its concerns with semicolons could have been inserted.
Yeah. I'm done reading after 60 pages or so. At least I read more than a fifth of the book.
Parts of the book I liked:
Introduction to brackets. It may not have been correct, but I understand what it's about.
"I've written a stylebook that I hope makes the following point: Be skeptical of stylebooks."
You seem to have accomplished your goal: Your book makes me borderline schizophrenic.
Light reading for word nerds.......2006-04-12
Walsh's book is excellent, and a fun read. He even responded quickly to an e-mailed question asking for clarification on a rule regarding quote marks and other punctuation.
One caveat about some of the rules -- The book is written with newspaper writing primarily in mind, so some of the rules about how to handle titles may not apply to academic writing. Check the style of what you're working on.
A Misleading Book Title...and at Least One Wobbly Entry.......2006-03-16
I'll admit that I haven't read many entries in this book. However, I think I can safely say that I can't understand why so many people I've met in the publishing world (and reviewers here) like this book.
Notwithstanding that the title is a groan-inducing pun, isn't the book's subtitle misleading? "A Curmudgeon's Guide to the Many Things That Can Go Wrong in Print..." suggests that the book covers issues other than, or at least in addition to, those a copy editor faces, such as the ugliness of the inch and foot symbols used _in print_ instead of the single- and double-quote marks designed especially for the typeface.
Scanning a few of the entries, I came across REKNOWN. After penning a few cheeky words, the author writes, "'Reknown' is not a word. What it is is a common misspelling of _renowned._ ..."
Huh? What he meant to write is, "Reknown" is a common misspelling of _renown._" Mr. Walsh is careless (ignorant?) here, using the adjective "renowned" instead of the noun "renown."
Also, I find his use of "is is" to be simply bad writing that went wrong in print possibly for several reasons: he (or his editor) was too distracted by his "just folks" writing style to consult a dictionary; and, as the only other one-star reviewer of this book noticed, the author uses the pronoun "it" with unclear antecedents all too frequently.
Again, there's no denying many people like this book. Maybe in the end it all comes down to what your definition of "is" is.
The finest bone china.......2005-09-06
There are books, written by authors who have spent a year or two, or perhaps several, researching and organizing their material. These can be useful repositories of facts, helpful opinion and good advice. However, they often have the texture, in my opinion, of sand. The authors' ideas are a little too clear and distinct.
Then there are those books written by authors who have invested a career, or a life-times habit of critical thinking, in their work. There is a subtly, an echo of wisdom, in the distinctions made. These have the texture of fine clay. This is one such book.
And Bill Walsh is a gifted writer. "Lapsing into a Comma" is a delight to read.
If you are serious about your copy-editing, then you should not pass this one over.
A Style Book for the Common Man.......2005-07-31
If there is such a thing as an entertaining style book, this is it. Even if you have no interest in grammar you'll find this an entertaining read. For writers, Walsh shows a common sense approach to writing that's refreshing. I wish my English teacher in high school had taught with this book.
Average customer rating:
- Eccentric footnotes, but useful
- the go-to style guide for biblical scholars
- A Required Text!
- Standard manual on style
- The New Standard
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ASIN: 156563487X |
Book Description
"The SBL Handbook of Style is an astonishing book, a true 'one-stop' reference for authors preparing manuscripts in biblical studies and related fields. It covers an amazing range of topics, from what every literate scholar should know (but may not) to what only the most erudite expert in an obscure sub-field of the discipline would be likely to know. Do you need to know how to cite an internet publication? Whose job it is to prepare the index and secure permissions? How to alphabetize Abraham ibn Ezra (and why)? What the abbreviation AAeg stands for? It's all here. This volume should substantially reduce the incidence of tears and tantrums that so often beset the process of manuscript preparation. Before long biblical scholars will wonder how we ever got along without this indispensable reference work. Every graduate program should make The SBL Handbook of Style a required text."
-Carol A. Newsom, Professor of Old Testament, Emory University
" . . . A major service for the community of biblical scholars. This comprehensive but handy stylesheet, building on the base of the SBL guidelines, incorporates all that most authors and editors currently need to know about the technical dimensions of publishing activity, from commas and hyphens to abbreviations, from transliterations to forms of annotation. All that's left to authors is to come up with good ideas. All editors have to do is to learn what is here."
-Harold W. Attridge, Lillian Claus Professor of New Testament, Yale Divinity School
Customer Reviews:
Eccentric footnotes, but useful.......2007-06-28
Although I teach a seminary course on research and bibliography, I hesitate to fully recommend this book. The book is eccentric in placing editors, translators and other random information within the same parentheses normally reserved for publication information in footnotes.
This eccentric practice is different from all other standard systems.
I would recommend the new edition of Turabian (2007) for footnote style.
Of course if you are writing for SBL publications you will have to use the eccentric SBL style. Other parts of the book giving correct forms for abbreviation, spelling and capitalization are useful for those specializing in biblical and theological studies.
the go-to style guide for biblical scholars.......2006-09-04
As the premier North-American-based professional association of biblical scholars, the Society of Biblical Literature ('SBL') not only publishes the prestigious and tightly-edited Journal of Biblical Literature ('JBL'); its influence has a knock-on effect on other journals in this and ancillary fields.
Thus, the imperative of an authoritative 'SBL' style guide is obvious. Not so evident is how we lived without a full style guide for so many years until this superb collaborative project between SBL and Hendrickson Publishers emerged.
The editors have removed one of our last remaining excuses for sloppiness and inconsistency. I suppose we owe them our thanks ...
A Required Text!.......2005-04-23
This book must be on your shelf within easy reach if you are a graduate student of religion, a seminary student, or a scholar in the wide field of religion. Why? Because this book gives you the information you need to make your papers, articles, and books conform to the most used style in religious literature today--SBL.
In other words--student, when you see this on your recommended booklist for a religion class, buy it! It will help you make better grades! And, scholars, it will cut down editing time for submitting work for publication as well.
To put it colloquially, this book is the "Bible" of religious research!
Standard manual on style.......2004-12-03
The SBL Handbook of style is designed for those who are writing papers or dissertations in the field of ancient Near Eastern, Biblical and early Christian Studies. Most matters of style are comprehensively addressed, and where they are not, the editors refer the reader to the Chicago Manual of Style. The book is extremely useful for those who want to standardise their abbreviations and references. Several issues will have to be resolved in the next edition. First, although the book is nicely printed, the binding is poor, and fell apart only after I had used the book a few times. Second, several essential abbreviations are missing from the list of Greek and Latin works. Third, not all abbreviations are located in the same part of the book, and so one has to keep going backwards and forwards to find the appropriate reference. Fourth, the editors sometimes display a dogmatic approach to style. For example they insist that writers ought to use Miriam Webster's Collegiate Dictionary for their spelling. This dictionary however is only one alongside many other excellent dictionaries such as, the American Heritage, and the Random House. These criticisms should not detract from the importance and usefulness of this volume, which I recommend wholeheartedly.
The New Standard.......2000-03-17
This easy-to-use, inexpensive volume is a must-own for all who write in the fields of biblical and ancient near eastern studies. College and seminary students, graduate students, teachers, and researchers will find this book a fine substitute for Turabian and/or the CMOS for all but the most obscure situations. The discipline-specific nature of the work also allows greater depth of coverage without making it overlong. Get it today, or be behind the standard tomorrow.
Amazon.com
"A foolish consistency," Emerson insisted, "is the hobgoblin of little minds." That may well be, but editors have enough reasons to reject your work; don't let sloppy inconsistencies be one of them. The New York Times Manual of Style & Usage was written for the paper's editors and writers, but it is a fine, up-to-date resource for anyone's use. Our language is ever-mutating, and a guide such as this will ensure that you understand the impact your words might have before they reach print. Should you use Native Americans or American Indians? Debark or disembark? Did you know that thermos is no longer a trademark, but that Popsicle and Dumpster are? Writing, when you get down to it, is nothing more than the careful choosing of words. This style book will ensure that you don't choose carat when you mean karat, jury-rigged when you want jerry-built, chow chow when chowchow is called for, or V-8 when you could have had a V8. A naysayer may bridle against the strictures of such a rule book, but the authors believe "the rules should encourage thinking, not discourage it." Plus, "a rule," they say, "can shield against untidiness in detail that might make readers doubt large facts." We'd call the book "user-friendly," but that, we've learned, can be downright "reader-tiresome." --Jane Steinberg
Book Description
Is the deejay a wannabe?
Or does the D.J. just want to be?
When is heaven capitalized?
Do you stand in line or on line?
For anyone who writes—short stories or business plans, book reports or news articles—knotty choices of spelling, grammar, punctuation, and meaning lurk in every line: Lay or lie? Who or whom? None is or none are? Is Touch-Tone a trademark? How about Day-Glo? It’s enough to send you in search of a Martini. (Or is that a martini?) Now everyone can find answers to these and thousands of other questions in the handy alphabetical guide used by the writers and editors of the world’s most authoritative newspaper.
The guidelines to hyphenation, punctuation, capitalization, and spelling are crisp and compact, created for instant reference in the rush of daily deadlines. This revised and expanded edition is updated with solutions to the tantalizing problems that plague writers in the new century:
* How to express the equality of the sexes without using self-conscious devices like “he or she.”
* How to choose thoughtfully between African-American and black; Hispanic and Latino; American Indian and Native American.
* How to translate the vocabulary of e-mail and cyberspace and cope with the eccentricities of Internet company names and website addresses.
With wry wit, the authors, who have more than seventy-five years of combined newsroom experience at the New York Times, have created an essential and entertaining reference tool.
Download Description
For anyone who writes -- a short story or a business plan, a book report or a news report -- knotty choices of spelling, grammar, punctuation and word meaning lurk in every line: Lay or lie? Who or whom? None is or none are? Is touch-tone a trademark? Is Day-Glo? It's enough to send you for a Martini. (Or is that a martini?)
Now everyone can find answers in the handy alphabetical guide used by the thousand journalists of the world's most authoritative newspaper. The guidelines to correct hyphenation, punctuation, capitalization and foreign and English spelling are crisp and compact, created for instant reference in the rush of deadlines. Rewritten for the first time in twenty-three years and greatly expanded since the last edition, the manual tackles issues that will follow writers into the new century:
- How to respect the equality of the sexes without self-conscious devices such as "he or she"
- How to choose thoughtfully between terms like African-American and black; Hispanic and Latino; American Indian and Native American
- How to translate the vocabulary of e-mail and cyberspace for everyday readers, and how to cope with the eccentric capitalization and punctuation of Internet company names and Web site addresses
The authors have more than seventy years of combined newsroom experience, most of it at The Times. They recognize that our language is changing, but they tailor their responses to the paper's impression of its readership: "educated and sophisticated... traditional but not tradition-bound."
They counsel a fluid style, easygoing but not slangy, the unpretentious language of a letter to a literate friend. They invite readers of the manual to be precise while casting off the stodgy (among dozens of examples, writing before instead of the pompous prior to, and carry out instead of implement).
The authors also offer a thumbnail guide to newsroom ethics and standards in their entries on anonymous sources, attribution, fairness and obscenity. And they seed the rules with wry humor. (On vogue words: "Wannabe is the faddish slang of adults who, well, want to be teenagers." And about the late: "Do not fall into this error: Only the late Senator Miel opposed the bill. He was almost certainly alive at the time.")
For writers, editors, students, researchers and all who love language, The New York Times Manual of Style and Usage is an entertaining tool as well as an essential reference.
Customer Reviews:
Don't buy this........2004-08-19
This is a book which will tell you that using "data" as a plural is "stilted and deservedly obscure". This book essentially surveys the current mis-use of language and writes it down for all to follow. I expect they would have to issue a new version every year to keep up with the drift, which I suppose would be a good money-maker for the publisher.
Superb - for fiction writers, too!.......2004-01-13
_
Easy to navigate, has the answers to the questions you want, and you can find them instantly. I use this far more often than the Chicago Manual of Style or Strunk and White. It's small, well-organized, and has it all (most of it all, anyway).
I write fiction, and this guide works wonderfully anyway; I wouldn't hesitate to recommend it to a fiction writer. Sometimes--but only rarely--entries don't apply to fiction writing, or the rules differ.
The manual is organized alphabetically, not just by subject, but the entire book is alphabetical. This makes it *so* much easier to find what I'm looking for than the other reference guides.
E.g.: Do titles of books go in quotes? Look up "book" and the answer is there. If the answer isn't there, this manual anticipates what you may be looking for and tells you: for titles, see "title." If you look up the word, "quote," it will tell you how to use quotation marks (not 2nd grade information, but every permutation of those gnawing things you just aren't quite sure about when writing a professional cover letter or a story). And again, it can anticipate what was left out of the "quote" entry and send you elsewhere.
It's a keyword book, organized alphabetically, beginning to end. It *is* the glossary, in a sense, but the glossary doesn't send you to a wordy, where's-what-I-want chapter; the info is succintly at hand. No need to spend any amount of time searching for your question, or answer; it's there for you, as is the reason for the usage. I'd call this the opposite of the Chicago Manual of Style, where time spent searching for where they may have chosen to put my question is an exercise in frustration.
This is a great reference guide for any writer's desk, and within my reach at all times.
Say it as simply as possible........2003-09-28
I would expect the world's leading daily newspaper to produce a pretty decent style guide and I was not disappointed with this edition. Having always worked in the design side of publishing, where it is necessary to be much more familiar with words and language than other areas of print design, I've collected a few style guides over the years. This manual and the one from The Economist I have found the most interesting.
The New York Times book offers clarity and sensibly an alphabetical solution to the contents so that you can look up, for instance, elements of punctuation individually rather than have them all grouped under Punctuation. The manual takes a whole page to explain the use of hyphens and intriguingly uses this example 'Use the suspensive hyphen rather than repeat the second part of a modifier, in cases like this: On successive days there were three-, five- and nine-inch snowfalls' Quite correct but not very elegant I thought. It is this attention to detail and the thoroughness of the manual that impressed me.
I think it is worth mentioning here a rather unique style guide by Keith Waterhouse (author of 'Billy Liar) called 'Waterhouse on newspaper style'. I frequently get this out because it such a joy to read. Originally produced for journalists on the Daily Mirror (in the past the leading British tabloid) it is alphabetical but concerned with style more than anything, part of the contents might give you a feel of the subject matter, Adjectives, Alliteration, And now, The asthmatic comma, Captions, Catchwords, Cliches (standard), Cliches (trade), Compression, Consequences, Crossheads, Dead letters, Dots and dashes. It was published in the UK by Viking in 1989 and is well worth searching out.
A great and indispensable reference book.......2002-02-06
I wish I had known about this book ten years ago. It's got almost everything I need, as a newsletter editor and technical writer. I love it and use it every day.
Strengths: In-depth explanation of hyphenation with prefixes (pre-, in-, under-), very useful for a technical writer.
Flaws: It's got a strong NY regional focus (to be expected) and omits some useful words such as "hitchhike".
I back it up with the AP stylebook and Fowler's Modern English Usage.
A Great Manual -- but not for tired eyes!.......2002-01-09
This excellent manual shows some of the care and thought that went into Fowler's, Modern English Usage first published in an Oxford University edition of the 1920's. Newer writers have filled the need to update old Fowler and "Americanize" the examples without markedly changing the rules of our language. In this respect, the present authors Siegal and Connelly have done a great job of updating everything that crossed their desks. It was revealing to see, for example, the use of MIRV in two conflicting applications. Also, the small caps font for related entries is very useful.
Yet, I am frustrated; the glossy cover conceals an unfortunate economy in its production. The paper reminds me of pulp novel stock and the binding of these 369 pages which will be well-thumbed, is likely to fall apart if the pages are opened for the book to rest flat on a table. The print size is fairly small, but most important, the print is weak, the paper greyish -- a hard combination to live with. If you have any vision problem, you will need to read this with a strong light.
The thoughtfully presented Foreword (yes, this book has a Foreword well worth reading) with its well-chosen examples of style is excellent -- on any kind of paper!
It's difficult, if not impossible, to produce an error-free text, even after more than one edition, but when it's more than a spelling or language error, it's worthy of mention: Entries for both Fahrenheit and Celsius should give conversions to each other, but the Fahrenheit does not convert to Celsius; you'll have to reverse the math yourself.
If you are going to use this as a frequent reference, opt for the hard-cover edition.
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McGraw-Hill's Proofreading Handbook
Laura Killen Anderson
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ASIN: 007145764X |
Book Description
Expert advice to perfect your proofreading skills
McGraw-Hill’s Proofreading Handbook helps ensure that your documents are letter-perfect, every time. Veteran editor and proofreader Laura Anderson arms you with all the tools of the proofreader’s trade and walks you step-by-step through the entire proofreading process.
Book Description
This comprehensive desk reference introduces academic authors to the higher education publishing industry and guides them in creating successful textbooks for college, university, and adult audiences.
Customer Reviews:
Very professional.......2004-03-22
There aren't many books about textbooks and the ones that do exist tend to be rather theoretical. This one is very practical. You can tell it isn't written by a hack: the book is full of concrete details based on experience. As a textbook publisher myself, I feel confident in saying that no prospective textbook authors could read this without profit - and I doubt any experienced authors could either.
Very highly recommended for aspiring textbook writers.......2003-08-10
Writing And Developing Your College Textbook by Mary Ellen Lepionka (a veteran development editor in higher education publishing for more than twenty years) is a straightforward guide to creating an easy-to-understand, comprehensive, well-thought-out, accessibly organized textbooks for college-level courses. Individual chapters cover how to publish the text manuscript, as well as the importance of structure, ways to make drafting and revising easier, the right way to acquire permissions when needed, and much, much more. Writing And Developing Your College Textbook is very highly recommended for aspiring textbook writers regardless of the subject matter of the book itself.
Specialized advice for the colleg market.......2003-07-25
There are many books available on writing, publishing, and marketing your book. However, if you are preparing a book that you intend to be adopted by a college as a textbook, then most of those other books are of minimal value. The writing, publishing and acceptance of a college textbook is a unique undertaking. "Writing and Developing Your College Textbook" walks the potential author through the process of publishing your textbook.
The text takes you through the unique prerequisites for getting a publisher interested in your college textbook, use of an author team, knowing the market, the prospectus, and book outline. Then it walks you through the signing process and negotiating an agreement, book development, reaching your audience, creation of chapter apparatus, and all the various other details that must be attended to in order for your textbook to be successful. This is easily the single best book I have seen for the collegiate publishing market and a recommended read for anyone wishing to produce a college textbook.
Book Description
In easy-to-use outline form, this little book is a handy distillation of the best-selling MLA Handbook, with all the information a student needs to format a typescript, list sources at the end of the paper, cite sources in the paper's text, and avoid unintentional plagiarism. It also includes a sample outline and research paper and, for writers in the social sciences, a brief discussion of the style preferred by the American Psychological Association. Up to date-with rules for citing such new media as CD-ROMS, videotapes, and online databases. Includes a complete sample outline and research paper, with an appendix on APA style.
Customer Reviews:
Out of date!.......2005-10-03
The book is very useful & accurate for citing books and other print articles, but has no information on citing web pages, emails, or other electronic texts. It is based on the 1995 4th edition of MLA, while MLA is up to the 6th edition (2003)
An Excellent, Although Incomplete, Source On MLA.......2003-05-05
This Review refers to the paperback edition of The Essentials of MLA Style: A Guide to the System of Documentation Recommended by the MLA for Writers of Research Papers, by Joseph F. Trimmer.
Trimmer's book is one pertaining to the proper way of citing sources via the MLA standards. There are thorough examples and explanatory details allowing the user to easily format their work according to the accepted standards. The Essentials of MLA Style demonstrates each citation and works cited statement empirically, and even contains a correctly formatted essay on recycling on which the proper ways of in text citing are pointed out. An APA style section is also contained in the back of the book.
The work provides plenty of examples and displays a good number of MLA procedures. However, it does not properly go into internet or photographic source work. Otherwise, it displays a good amount of the proper form of MLA style documentation.
The literary style presents the topic in a clear and concise manner, creating a smooth sentence structure and professional air about it. The author does not stray from the topic, but overuses certain words at times.
The Essentials of MLA Style is a highly recommended source for anyone interested in composing a paper through that particular style, or anyone merely interested in how the style is used. Overall, Trimmer provides an excellent reference for those wishing to write research papers using the MLA form of documentation.
CONCISE and easy to use MLA how-to book.......2003-04-26
Bought for my Kidlet, she's found it a wonderful guidebook to writing MLA style papers. We looked at the full-version (over 200 pages) and it was, quite frankly, overwhelming.
This one though, we have found to have all the information she requires to write decent papers for her college professors. Thus far, all A's too! I have recommended it to my nieces because of the easy to use format. The index is thorough and the examples (profuse) make following the format SIMPLE.
AWESOME!.......2000-04-10
This book really helped me write an excellent paper. Everyone should get this book because it is useful until your learning days are over. This book really helped me a lot.
Book Description
The Web has developed its own set of rules and attitudes for writing hard-hitting marketing copy. Robert Bly's The Online Copywriter's Handbook is the first practical and authoritative guide to what exactly those rules are and how they differ from writing for print audiences. From novices just taking their first copywriting steps to veterans looking to add impact and results to their online efforts, it covers everything from general fundamentals of writing effective copy to specific Web copywriting tips and traps.
Customer Reviews:
Too many copywriting rules, not enough tech........2006-12-31
This book was very similar to Bly's previous books which went through the basic tenets of copywriting. He does a great job of transferring the "writing to sell" principles to web pages in this book, but I wish he would have touched more on the technical aspects. Many writers are looking to learn how to approach writing for Flash or any new web language of the day... and we need something that brings us into that territory. With this book, it was close but no cigar.
Bly has great experience and helpful hints.......2006-02-17
Learning to write content for an effective website is crucial for any business or organization. Not only does Bly recommend good writing practices, he also describes the best way to design and market your website. This book is a credible source and a helpful resource for anyone pursuing web content development.
I especially thought that the tips in the first half of the book regarding web writing fundamentals and practices were very helpful. And, although the data may have been out of date, the principles still apply. Bly also provided several good websites throughout the book that would help any beginning web designer in their quest for the perfect website.
Weak, Lacking Depth and Dated material.......2005-01-02
I've read many books in this segment and I would strongly recommend reading Hot Text: Web Writing that Works or Networds. Robert Bly is a "print guy" that thought it would be interesting to write a book on electronic copy. I would say that the first half of the book is written by supposed experts in on-line marketing. The book is crowded with all sorts of references to other people's work. This leads to a very choppy style of reading in my opinion. The author uses case studies from work that he has already completed but rarely does the content match the electronic world. For a book that is written in 2003, the data is incredibly dated. The author is comfortable with using data from 1996 in a book that talks about the ever changing environment of On-Line marketing. Most of the data regarding internet statistics was incredibly dated. The author talks about the principals of good copy writing but rarely goes into any depth with regards to examples of the principals. I found the writing to be lazy to say the least. Clearly this author is capitalizing on the interest of electronic copy. Take out the experts that know about on-line marketing, you're left with an incredibly weak book. Although there are is a lot of expert reference, rarely do the experts go into any depth with regards to their arguments or points. If this book is the only book that you are exposed to within this segment; you might be left thinking that you read an average book. When you compare the book to other books in the same segment, it simply doesn't compare. Not a good book.
Out of date..........2004-01-15
This book is totally out of date for 2003 and 2004!
Home Businesses Need This Book!.......2003-11-25
Every online business needs to understand how it can improve its appearance on the world wide web and Bly shows us how to do just that. This is a great book for small and home businesses who want to take their websites to the next level. And a great book for the beginning copywriter who wants to learn the ropes. My only regret is that it doesn't go as extensively into copywriting techniques as I had hoped.
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