This textbook collects writing about writing from scholars and writing programs across the country, organizing this material into sections tailored to the work you’ll be doing in composition courses here at Cameron.

Your instructor will probably not assign every single section of this book, but instead will pick and choose the sections most relevant to their individual class. You might be directed to specific chapters or sections of this book from weblinks on Blackboard or in instructional emails from your professor. Or, you might be asked to navigate to the assigned sections using the table of contents.

You can also use this textbook as a reference for your own writing–in your composition courses as well as in other classes where you have writing assignments. The sections on basic skills, style, mechanics, and the elements of an essay are relevant to whatever you’re writing, and you might find it useful to browse through those sections on your own as you write and revise essays and reports in any of your classes.

At the end of this introductory section you’ll find a collection of resources for writers, which include links and information about Cameron University resources like the Center for Academic Success and the Library, as well as links to web resources for writing tips and those all-important links to style and citation guides.

Because you might not always have access to the internet when you need to read from this textbook, you can also download a PDF or e-reader version of this book so you can access it offline from whatever device. If you need help with this, or with navigating the textbook in any way, talk to your composition instructor. We’re here to help (and pretty bored during office hours if y’all don’t stop by)!