So What?: The Writer's Argument - Softcover

"The scholarly apprentice model in So What? connects academic writing to the larger writing culture and lends itself to student empowerment and engagement, by allowing students to see their role in the process."--Cheryl Edelson, Chaminade University

"This book emphasizes the notion of academic discourse communities, which is an indispensable concept for students to grasp as early as possible. I like very much how the book addresses its students as both the apprentices and the colleagues of professors, engaged in the same types of scholarly inquiry."--Megan Swihart Jewell, Case Western Reserve University

"So What? helps the first-year writing professor teach academic writing to students by helping them to develop a clear sense of purpose and audience."--Christopher Ervin, Western Kentucky University

HOW to write compelling arguments
WHY the practice of argumentation is essential to academic work
So What? The Writer's Argument teaches students how to write compelling arguments and explains why practicing argumentation is essential to learning and communicating with others. Practical exercises throughout each chapter reinforce this broader academic aim by focusing on the key issue of significance-helping writers answer the "So What?" question for themselves and their audiences. By showing students how their writing fits within the broader context of academic inquiry,So What? encourages them to emulate and adapt the authentic academic styles, foundational organizing structures, and helpful rhetorical moves to their college classes and beyond.