Open Textbook of handouts and lessons developed by NROC to support reading and writing.

Unit 1: Introduction to College Reading and Writing

Author, Audience, and Purpose
Topic Sentences
Fact and Opinion
Responding to a Reading
Revising, Editing, and Proofreading
Subjects and Verbs
Prepositional Phrases
End Punctuation
Using Context Clues
Identifying Word Parts
Essential College Skills: Timeliness and Punctuality

Unit 2: Identifying Main Ideas

Stated Main Ideas
Supporting Details
Annotating a Reading
Developing a Thesis Statement and Supporting Ideas
Writing a Summary
Writing a Summary-Response
Run-on Sentences
Comma Splices
Sentence Fragments
Essential College Skills: Critical Thinking

Unit 3: Discovering Implied Meaning

Major and Minor Supporting Details
Author’s Point of View and Cultural Context
Implied Main Ideas
Developing an Implied Thesis Statement and Topic Sentences
Subject-Verb Agreement
Past, Present, and Future Tense
Coherence
Essential College Skills: Reading Comprehension

Unit 4: Interpreting Bias

Making Inferences and Drawing Conclusions
Outlining a Reading
Outlining an Essay
Using Transitional Words and Phrases
Writing a Multi-paragraph Essay
Commas with Introductory Phrases
Commas with Transitions
Faulty Parallel Structure
Adjectives and Adverbs
Essential College Skills: Note Taking

Unit 5: Analysis Through Definition

Identifying Denotation and Connotation
Identifying Types of Definitions
Recognizing Objective and Subjective Language
Creating an Effective Introductory Paragraph for an Essay
Writing and Revising a Multi-paragraph Definition Essay
Understanding the Four Sentence Types
Comma Use in a Series
First-, Second-, and Third-Person Pronouns
Essential College Skills: Studying and Time Management

Unit 6: Learning Across Discipline

Understanding Reading and Writing Differences Across Disciplines
Creating an Outline for an Analysis Essay
Developing Support in an Analysis Essay
Creating an Effective Conclusion for a Multi-paragraph Essay
Writing a Multi-paragraph Analysis Essay
Coordinating and Subordinating Conjunctions
Commas with Relative Pronouns
Apostrophes
Essential College Skills: Organizing a Paper

Unit 7: Exploring Comparative Elements

Identifying a Comparison Made in a Reading
Paraphrasing Reading Passages
Developing an Outline for a Compare and Contrast Essay
Developing a Thesis for a Compare and Contrast Essay
Figurative Language
Writing a Compare and Contrast Essay
Commonly Confused Words
Parenthetical Expressions
Mistakes with Modifiers
Active and Passive Voice
Essential College Skills: Test-taking—Tips for Showing What You Really Know

Unit 8: Informed Opinions Through Causal Chains

Listing Causes and Effects in a Reading
Logical Fallacies and Causal Relationships
Responding Effectively to Essay Assignments
Creating an Outline for a Cause and Effect Essay
Writing an Essay Showing Cause and Effect Pattern
Numbers
Semicolons, Colons, and Commas
Essential College Skills: The Importance of Your Voice

Unit 9: Applied Critical Analysis

Recognizing the Main Idea and Source Bias in a Complex Reading
Evaluating Credible Sources Used Within a Reading
Creating a Thesis and an Outline for a Critical Analysis Essay
Using Effective Evidentiary Support
Paraphrasing vs. Direct Quotations
Logical Fallacies and Analysis
Writing a Multi-page Critical Analysis Essay
Creating Concise Sentences
Blending Source Material into an Essay
MLA Citation Styles
APA Citation Styles
Essential College Skills: Using the Voice of Others—Information Literacy and Credible Sources

Unit 10: Using Sources in Critical Reading and Writing

Relating Different Viewpoints
Finding and Evaluating Sources
Evidentiary Support
Developing a Thesis and Outline for a Persuasion Essay
Writing a Persuasion Essay Using Evidence
Avoiding Plagiarism
Capitalizing Words and Punctuating Titles
Quotation Marks
Formatting a College Essay — MLA Style
Formatting a College Essay — APA Style
Essential College Skills: Teamwork: Learning and Collaborating with Your Classmates