Skills for Scholars

Michael S. Weisbach is the Ralph W. Kurtz Chair in Finance at Ohio State University and a research associate at the National Bureau of Economic Research. He lives in Columbus, Ohio. An incisive guide that helps up-and-coming economists become successful scholars The Economist's Craft introduces graduate students and rising scholars to the essentials of research, writing, and other critical skills for a successful career in economics. Michael Weisbach enables you to become more effective at communicating your ideas, emphasizing the importance of choosing topics that will have a lasting impact. He explains how to write clearly and compellingly, present and publish your findings, navigate the job market, and more. Walking readers through each stage of a research project, Weisbach demonstrates how to develop research around a theme so that the value from a body of work is more than the sum of its individual papers. He discusses how to structure each section of an academic article and describes the steps that follow the completion of an initial draft, from presenting and revising to circulating and eventually publishing. Weisbach reveals how to get the most out of graduate school, how the journal review process works, how universities decide promotions and tenure, and how to manage your career and continue to seek out rewarding new opportunities. A how-to guide for the aspiring economist, The Economist's Craft covers a host of important issues rarely taught in the graduate classroom, providing readers with the tools and insights they need to succeed as professional scholars. " Mr. Weisbach shows how to understand economics in a way that's entertaining for anyone who has ever been a student, or simply likes to read, write or talk economics. It is aimed at economics professors, and appears to give the inside scoop on teaching. In reality, anyone with a bit of curiosity is enticed to look at how it's done."---John B. Taylor, Wall Street Journal "The Economist's Craft is indeed a value addition and can serve as a guideline . . . to develop a unique position within the academic society."---Satya Sahoo, WMU Journal of Maritime Affairs "The Economist's Craft breaks down privilege and closes gaps between elite schools and public institutions by lifting up the skills to get grants, publish papers, and succeed in symposiums. All economics students, professors, and most of the social sciences should cherish this book."-Teresa Ghilarducci, coauthor of Rescuing Retirement: A Plan to Guarantee Retirement Security for All Americans "Before you go on a trip to Iceland, India, Indonesia, Ireland, Israel, or Italy, you are likely to purchase the respective Michelin Guide. The Economist's Craft is an immensely insightful, well-written, and often humorous guidebook to life as a research economist. It is a must-read for all those entering such a life. And for those already fully immersed in such a career, it provides a useful checklist for what is yet to be done. For example, have they lived in India for ten years, but, so far, without a visit to the Taj Mahal?"-George Akerlof, Nobel Laureate in Economics "The Economist's Craft is full of sage advice on how to be a better, more successful and more impactful economist, with lessons that hold in any field. Research, write, and present your ideas clearly, honestly, and transparently. Develop good collegial habits, help others, be a good citizen. Though pitched as advice for young scholars, it should be embraced by teachers, thesis advisers, journal editors, reviewers, and more to improve the quality and impact of all economics."-John H. Cochrane, Hoover Institution, author of Asset Pricing "Weisbach goes beyond mere tactical advice to deliver a highly substantive and engaging work of professional guidance. If I had read this book in graduate school, I would have avoided many mistakes. I recommend The Economist's Craft to any and all PhD students in economics and

William Germano is professor of English at Cooper Union. His books include Getting It Published and From Dissertation to Book. Twitter @WmGermano Kit Nicholls is director of the Center for Writing at Cooper Union, where he teaches writing, literature, and cultural studies. How redesigning your syllabus can transform your teaching, your classroom, and the way your students learn Generations of teachers have built their classes around the course syllabus, a semester-long contract that spells out what each class meeting will focus on (readings, problem sets, case studies, experiments), and what the student has to turn in by a given date. But what does that way of thinking about the syllabus leave out-about our teaching and, more importantly, about our students' learning? In Syllabus, William Germano and Kit Nicholls take a fresh look at this essential but almost invisible bureaucratic document and use it as a starting point for rethinking what students-and teachers-do. What if a teacher built a semester's worth of teaching and learning backward-starting from what students need to learn to do by the end of the term, and only then selecting and arranging the material students need to study? Thinking through the lived moments of classroom engagement-what the authors call "coursetime"-becomes a way of striking a balance between improv and order. With fresh insights and concrete suggestions, Syllabus shifts the focus away from the teacher to the work and growth of students, moving the classroom closer to the genuinely collaborative learning community we all want to create. "Germano and Nicholls's gently polemical, deeply romantic book regards the syllabus, and the work that goes into constructing one, as an opportunity to ponder the possibilities and pathways of the classroom. . . . As such, their book is filled with useful insights about teaching and how, under ideal circumstances, what is transferred isn't a body of knowledge but a kind of 'craft,' a way of reading and taking in the world. . . . The authors of Syllabus come across like fantastic and committed teachers."---Hua Hsu, New Yorker "Germano and Nicholls show how constructing the syllabus can facilitate self-reflection that fuels powerful pedagogy in every subject area. . . . Above all, Syllabus offers prompts for doing the thinking about teaching that will empower readers to create learning communities."---Koritha Mitchell, Public Books "An inspiring exhortation to make the standard college syllabus work harder and better. . . . A thoughtful, provocative collection of well-tested teaching strategies and philosophies that work across the curriculum." "A passionate book about teaching well, using the syllabus as a framework within which to discuss how to embark with students on the joint endeavour of learning. I like its philosophy. . . . One for all who value teaching."---Diane Coyle, Enlightened Economist "A magic box of a book, much bigger on the inside than the outside, unfolding from its one-word title and provocative, playful subtitle into an extended masterclass on the educational principle of learner-centered backward design. Engagingly written and astutely argued, Syllabus belongs on the bookshelf of every teacher who has ever looked ahead to the next semester and asked, 'Now, where do I begin?' "-Helen Sword, author of Stylish Academic Writing "With humor and compassion, William Germano and Kit Nicholls dissect the document at the nexus of all of the complexities and opportunities of teaching: the humble syllabus. Drawing on a wealth of institutional knowhow, classroom experience, and theoretical expertise, they show that a transformative course need not be an accident-it can be the product of deliberate design. This book is a manual on how to achieve that."-Roosevelt Montás, Columbia University "The educational world has lately seen a sustained effort to change the way we think about teaching: from focusing

A color-illustrated introduction to the basic principles of visual language that every content creator and consumer needs to know The right images capture attention, pique curiosity, and inspire viewers to stick around long enough to read any accompanying text. Nearly everyone today needs to use or understand images in communications of all kinds, from the most formal professional publication to the most casual social media post, and knowing the basics of visual language is essential for content creators and consumers alike. However, most people aren't taught visual grammar unless they go into art- or design-related fields. The Elements of Visual Grammar explains image use in any media in practical terms for writers, scholars, and other professionals. Award-winning art director and design professor Angela Riechers offers a flexible set of principles and best practices for selecting images that work-and using them in the most persuasive way. The result is an indispensable guide for anyone who wants to learn how to work more successfully with images and words. • Features more than 200 color illustrations-drawn from a wide range of styles, media, and eras-that demonstrate the principles of visual grammar and how images can support and enhance written content • Defines and illustrates the basic elements of images, describes how images function within text regardless of media, and explains how to choose images and integrate them with text • Introduces the practical, cultural, conceptual, and scientific factors that influence image use • Analyzes images by function and describes ways to employ symbolism, synecdoche, allegory, metaphor, analogy, and iconography Angela Riechers is Program Director of Graphic Design at the University of the Arts in Philadelphia. As an art director, she has created everything from page layouts for Harper's Magazine to iPad apps for O, The Oprah Magazine. Riechers received a BFA from the Rhode Island School of Design and an MFA from the School of Visual Arts. "Intelligent, easy to understand, and beautifully designed, with crisp writing and exceptional examples from a wide range of media-including graphic design, painting, photography, screen-based media, and products-The Elements of Visual Grammar opens the world of visual content to everyone. It should be on the desk of every creative person."-Sean Adams, author of How Design Makes Us Think: And Feel and Do Things "A fresh, comprehensive guide, The Elements of Visual Grammar makes the basics of graphic design, visual communication, and image creation accessible to a wide audience. It provides clear instructions, tips, and ideas and is written in a friendly way, making it an ideal handbook for anyone, even those with no visual expertise, to pick up and understand."-Jarrett Fuller, designer, writer, design professor, and host of the design podcast Scratching the Surface "Accessible, inviting, and fun to read, The Elements of Visual Grammar is a great introduction to visual language and storytelling. Full of rich material, it feels like a conversation with a smart friend who is taking you by the hand and letting you make discoveries along the way. One of the book's strongest features is its wealth of visual examples and detailed captions. I don't think I've ever learned so much just from a book's captions."-Perrin Drumm, head of publishing for A24 Films and founder of Eye on Design, the blog of the American Institute of Graphic Design

An indispensable guide to essential principles of English grammar and usage Stellar English lays out the fundamentals of effective writing, from word choice and punctuation to parts of speech and common errors. Frank Cioffi emphasizes how formal written English-though only a subdialect of the language-enables writers to reach a wide and heterogenous audience. Cioffi's many example sentences illustrating grammatical principles tilt in an otherworldly direction, making up a science fiction story involving alien invasion. Reading the book through will not only help you with your grammar but also reveal how the story ends! An invaluable brief handbook for native and nonnative speakers alike, Stellar English avoids the jargon and emphasis on outdated rules found in typical grammar guides and shows how good writing uses carefully constructed language that's at once appropriate to an audience and communicates-without distractions or confusion-just what the writer wants. Frank L. Cioffi is professor of English at Baruch College, City University of New York. He has taught writing and literature at Indiana University, Eastern New Mexico University, Central Washington University, Scripps College, Princeton University, and the University of Gdańsk in Poland. His books include The Imaginative Argument: A Practical Manifesto for Writers and One Day in the Life of the English Language: A Microcosmic Usage Handbook (both Princeton). "People cannot possibly enter or enjoy the academic debate if they cannot represent their ideas properly in writing. Stellar English makes an excellent contribution by opening up scholarly communication to writers who struggle to write well."-C. M. Gill, author of Essential Writing Skills for College and Beyond "Cioffi explains the importance of knowing formal writing alongside everyday informal English and ensuring that your prose has its intended results. Stellar English instills the fundamentals required to become a good writer and the confidence needed to undertake the process."-Grant Barrett, author of Perfect English Grammar: The Indispensable Guide to Excellent Writing and Speaking "Cioffi makes an important argument for formal English-not necessarily the best English, but rather an English that can sharpen ideas, focus logic, and communicate effectively with specific audiences. The mechanism of telling a story in the sample sentences, combined with the thumbs-up and thumbs-down markings, is ingenious."-Kit Nicholls, coauthor of Syllabus: The Remarkable, Unremarkable Document That Changes Everything "What sets this book apart is the way in which it succinctly presents grammatical rules without sacrificing complexity or nuance. Cioffi's tone is affable and approachable-he uses humor, personal anecdotes, and concrete examples to explain rules. He is both respectful and playful, clear and entertaining."-Shannon K. Winston, Indiana University

A practical guide to the art of mentorship in higher education Mentoring is integral to how academics are formed and what trajectories their careers will take. Yet until recently, no one was trained to do it, and many academics have ingrained assumptions about mentorship that no longer fit the lives, needs, and aspirations of mentees. How to Mentor Anyone in Academia shares proven techniques for the professional development of junior faculty, postdocs, and graduate students in today's rapidly changing academic landscape. Drawing on her experience as a professional coach who has worked closely with hundreds of students and faculty across the humanities, sciences, and social sciences, Maria LaMonaca Wisdom coaches readers in how to create their own signature approach to mentoring. She highlights the importance of honoring the unique backgrounds, values, and goals of mentees, and of self-knowledge and self-reflection for mentors. Through a series of "coaching moments," Wisdom enables readers to reflect on a range of relevant topics, including empathy and active listening, clarifying expectations, balancing firmness with heart, being attentive to power dynamics, time management and setting goals, mentoring for careers beyond the academy, and self-care for both mentors and mentees. Incisive and accessible, How to Mentor Anyone in Academia offers strategies and tools supported by the latest data on effective mentorship, helping mentors and mentees build dynamic relationships, identify what's working and what's not, and map out strategies for continued growth. Maria LaMonaca Wisdom is assistant vice provost for faculty advancement at Duke University. Formerly a professor of literature and a graduate student adviser, she now holds a faculty appointment in the Program in Education at Duke. She is also a professional certified coach (PCC) through the International Coaching Federation. "How to Mentor Anyone in Academia is a practical, accessible master class in mentoring. The 'coaching moments' provide valuable insights for both new and seasoned mentors. Though tailored to academia, the lessons apply across industries, making it an excellent resource for anyone looking to hone the craft of mentoring."-Lisa Z. Fain, coauthor of Bridging Differences for Better Mentoring "Leveraging her unique journey as a college professor, academic administrator, and professional coach, Maria LaMonaca Wisdom has crafted a beautifully written and incredibly practical companion for anyone aspiring to mentoring excellence. From mentor imposter feelings (who can't relate) to balancing high standards with care and empathy, the author comes alongside and shows us the way."-W. Brad Johnson, author of On Being a Mentor and coauthor of The Elements of Mentoring "Wisdom's thoughtful book offers evidence-based approaches to mentoring and coaching relationships with graduate students, postdocs, faculty, and professionals across and beyond the academy. It suggests models that fit with mentees' lives as students and offers an engaging framework that inspires reflection, reframing, and agency for change. A must-read."-Nora Dominguez, director of the University of New Mexico's Mentoring Institute "Wisdom draws on her extensive knowledge of academia to offer sharp analysis, thoughtful reflection, and actionable ideas about one of the most important practices in academic life. You can feel the thousands of mentoring conversations that went into writing this generous, welcoming, and insightful book. I recommend it to all faculty, graduate students, and staff."-Derek Attig, former president of the Graduate Career Consortium "This book is a great addition to the mentoring literature! It is specifically focused on mentoring in higher education, but there is also much in here for people interested in mentoring in general. Highly recommended as a must-read for its practical insights and wisdom."-Bob

The unwritten rules of success that every student must follow to thrive in college “The Secret Syllabus” equips students with the tools they need to succeed, revealing the unwritten rules and cultural norms and expectations not included in the official curriculum. Left to figure out on their own how the academic world works, students frequently stumble, underperform, and miss opportunities. Without mastery of the secret syllabus, too many miss out on the full, rich experience available to them in college. Jay Phelan and Terry Burnham share the essential lessons they have learned from struggling, unfocused students as well as award-winning college instructors and researchers. “The Secret Syllabus” draws on Phelan and Burnham's experiences with thousands of undergraduate and graduate students. Weaving engaging storytelling with practical, actionable advice, they illustrate both productive and counterproductive approaches to achieving academic excellence, and highlight the importance of setting and attaining goals, nurturing strong relationships, developing resiliency, and more. This fresh, funny, and boldly innovative book enables students to develop the consistently winning and effective behaviors that will equip them to thrive on campus and beyond.

Laura Portwood-Stacer, PhD, is a developmental editor and founder of Manuscript Works, a consultancy serving academic authors around the world. She is the author of Lifestyle Politics and Radical Activism and previously taught media and cultural studies at New York University and the University of Southern California. She lives in Los Angeles. Twitter @lportwoodstacer A step-by-step guide to crafting a compelling scholarly book proposal-and seeing your book through to successful publication The scholarly book proposal may be academia's most mysterious genre. You have to write one to get published, but most scholars receive no training on how to do so-and you may have never even seen a proposal before you're expected to produce your own. The Book Proposal Book cuts through the mystery and guides prospective authors step by step through the process of crafting a compelling proposal and pitching it to university presses and other academic publishers. Laura Portwood-Stacer, an experienced developmental editor and publishing consultant for academic authors, shows how to select the right presses to target, identify audiences and competing titles, and write a project description that will grab the attention of editors-breaking the entire process into discrete, manageable tasks. The book features over fifty time-tested tips to make your proposal stand out; sample prospectuses, a letter of inquiry, and a response to reader reports from real authors; optional worksheets and checklists; answers to dozens of the most common questions about the scholarly publishing process; and much, much more. Whether you're hoping to publish your first book or you're a seasoned author with an unfinished proposal languishing on your hard drive, The Book Proposal Book provides honest, empathetic, and invaluable advice on how to overcome common sticking points and get your book published. It also shows why, far from being merely a hurdle to clear, a well-conceived proposal can help lead to an outstanding book. "Superb: practical, accessible, deeply savvy. . . . I truly believe that if you want to understand how books can be made in the 2020s, you should read Anne [Trubek] Laura [Portwood-Stacer] and… basically no one else!"---Robin Sloan, New York Times bestselling author of Mr. Penumbra's 24-Hour Bookstore "There is so much in this little book to recommend to the bewildered or intimidated potential author that it is hard to imagine navigating the territory of scholarly publishing without it. . . . In crafting this guide for authors, Portwood-Stacer has done a tremendous service for both the academy and for the community of scholarly publishers."---Gregory M. Britton, Publishing Research Quarterly "I'm working my way through [The Book Proposal Book] and while I would like to rush right through it, I'm trying to read slowly because it's truly so instructive-not only for authors, but also for editors how to communicate better with their authors."---Alison Syring, University of Illinois Press "By bringing clarity to topics that are seldom explicitly taught, The Book Proposal Book offers a vital resource, especially for scholars who lack the resources to work with a freelance editor or attend a publishing workshop. . . . The Book Proposal Book can help authors to feel less alone through the daunting process of proposal writing. . . . I recommend this book not only for authors who are currently working on book proposals, but for all readers who share Portwood-Stacer's commitment to helping scholarly writers feel hopeful, powerful, and supported."---Sara Saylor, Journal of Interactive Technology and Pedagogy "Laura Portwood-Stacer brings great knowledge, clarity, and compassion to the project of coaching scholars through the book submission process. The result is much more than an exceptional guide to writing a book proposal. It's a window into the entire publishing process, with advice for authors heading into the labyrin

Dana T. Johnson taught for many years at the College of William and Mary, where she twice won the Simon Prize for Excellence in the Teaching of Mathematics, and has three decades of experience teaching college freshmen. Jennifer E. Price is a biologist who has much experience teaching online as well as traditional college courses. The essential survival guide for college students Getting into college takes plenty of hard work, but knowing what your professors expect of you once you get there can be even more challenging. Will This Be on the Test? is the essential survival guide for high-school students making the transition to college academics. In this entertaining and informative book, Dana Johnson shares wisdom and wit gleaned from her decades of experience as an award-winning teacher in the freshman classroom-lessons that will continue to serve you long after college graduation. Johnson offers invaluable insights into how college academics differs from high school. She reveals how to maximize what you learn and develop good relationships with your professors, while explaining how you fit into the learning environment of college. Answering the questions that many new college students don't think to ask, Johnson provides tactical tips on getting the most out of office hours, e-mailing your professor appropriately, and optimizing your performance on assignments and exams. She gives practical advice on using the syllabus to your advantage, knowing how to address your instructors, and making sure you're not violating the academic ethics code. The book also offers invaluable advice about online courses and guidance for parents who want to help their children succeed. Will This Be on the Test? shows you how to work with your professors to get the education, grades, and recommendations you need to thrive in the classroom and beyond. "Will This Be on the Test? demystifies the 'hidden curriculum' of college. This book is a perfect gift for any college-bound high school graduate."-Tara DaPra, University of Wisconsin–Green Bay "Bookstores stock their shelves with scads of books on how to get into college, but scarce few on succeeding once there. Read Will This Be on the Test? and be prepared for clear, useful, and straightforward advice, so you can be prepared for success in your college career."-Jeffrey Durso-Finley, director of college counseling, Lawrenceville School "Much of today's college talk revolves around getting in-but this book meaningfully shifts the focus to how to be successful once getting to college. Johnson provides expert advice to make this book an important and eye-opening read for high school students planning for college, current college students looking for help navigating the unfamiliar landscape, and the parents and school counselors who guide them."-Sarah Graham, director of college counseling, Princeton Day School "The most comprehensive, insightful, and honest guide to university life I have ever encountered. This incomparable book directly answers all the questions you're afraid to ask and equips you with the practical skills necessary not just to succeed in college but to shine in your life beyond. Dana Johnson recognizes the floundering that first-years endure and gives students the tools they need to teach themselves how to swim."-Sarah Eagan, student, Boston University

An invaluable guide for scholars stifled by the traditional academic route In the increasingly competitive world of academia, simply mastering your discipline is no longer enough to guarantee career success or personal fulfillment. The Entrepreneurial Scholar challenges scholars at all stages-from doctoral students to tenured professors-to break free from conventional academic pathways by adopting an entrepreneurial mindset. What opportunities can you create based on who you are, what you know, and who you know? Drawing on her experiences in higher education, start-ups, and management consulting, as well as interviews with a range of academics and entrepreneurs, Ilana Horwitz provides a road map for those stifled by traditional academic norms and expectations. This book calls on scholars to create ideas-not just consume them. It offers strategies to thrive in academia with limited resources and in the face of uncertainty. Embracing an entrepreneurial mindset entails viewing yourself as a knowledge producer, enhancing collaboration, creatively identifying resources, and effectively sharing your ideas. Horwitz empowers all scholars-particularly women and first-generation, low-income, and BIPOC individuals-to see themselves as proactive agents in their educational and career trajectories, despite structural constraints, unclear expectations, or unresponsive advisors. With actionable advice, real-world applications, and inspiring success stories, this guide is vital for anyone aspiring to excel within and beyond the ivory tower. Ilana M. Horwitz is assistant professor of Jewish studies and sociology and the Fields-Rayant Chair in Contemporary Jewish Life at Tulane University. She is the author of God, Grades, and Graduation: Religion's Surprising Impact on Academic Success. "The Entrepreneurial Scholar is the self-help book for aspiring scholars and established academics that we didn't know we needed. Instead of lamenting that we are at the mercy of the job market or societal trends, we can use Horwitz's guidance to reimagine what it means to be a scholar and entrepreneur of ideas, reclaiming the autonomy and empowerment that are so critical to our well-being."-Isis Artze-Vega, coauthor of The Norton Guide to Equity-Minded Teaching and Connections Are Everything "The Entrepreneurial Scholar is a much-needed antidote to the all too familiar belief that PhDs are only suited to, and trained for, an academic career. By sharing the stories of PhDs who proactively turned their training to a wide range of different successful and inspiring careers, Horwitz shows that the key element is an entrepreneurial mindset. Use this book to move from fear to conviction that there is a rich, fulfilling, and well-compensated life outside academia."-Karen Kelsky, author of The Professor Is In: The Essential Guide to Turning Your PhD into a Job "Ilana Horwitz shows how an entrepreneurial mindset can help scholars enhance their reach and impact. She offers an inspiring vision for the roles of scholars and scholarship in today's world."-Daniel R. Porterfield, author of Mindset Matters: The Power of College to Activate Lifelong Growth "At first blush, the realms of scholarship and entrepreneurship may seem in tension, even oxymoronic. In this illuminating book, Ilana Horwitz details the many links between these practices and, in the process, illuminates both."-Howard Gardner, author of Frames of Mind and coauthor of The Real World of College "Every graduate student is the CEO of their own education. In this vital, bracing book, Ilana Horwitz shows how to do that job. The Entrepreneurial Scholar is filled with good stories-including Horwitz's own-that point to how entrepreneurial thinking can unlock creativity you didn't know you had. If you're in graduate school or thinking of going, or if you teach graduate students, you should read this book."-Leonard Cassuto, coautho

"A Choice Outstanding Academic Title of the Year" Helen Sword is professor emerita in the School of Humanities and the Centre for Arts and Social Transformation at the University of Auckland and founder of WriteSPACE, an international virtual writing community. Her books include Air & Light & Time & Space: How Successful Academics Write; The Writer's Diet; and Stylish Academic Writing. Website helensword.com Selina Tusitala Marsh is a poet, academic, and illustrator whose books include three volumes of poetry and the Mophead series of graphic memoirs. An essential guide to cultivating joy in your professional and personal writing Writing should be a pleasurable challenge, not a painful chore. Writing with Pleasure empowers academic, professional, and creative writers to reframe their negative emotions about writing and reclaim their positive ones. By learning how to cast light on the shadows, you will soon find yourself bringing passion and pleasure to everything you write. Acclaimed international writing expert Helen Sword invites you to step into your "WriteSPACE"-a space of pleasurable writing that is socially balanced, physically engaged, aesthetically nourishing, creatively challenging, and emotionally uplifting. Sword weaves together cutting-edge findings in the sciences and social sciences with compelling narratives gathered from nearly six hundred faculty members and graduate students from across the disciplines and around the world. She provides research-based principles, hands-on strategies, and creative "pleasure prompts" designed to help you ramp up your productivity and enhance the personal rewards of your writing practice. Whether you're writing a scholarly article, an administrative email, or a love letter, this book will inspire you to find delight in even the most mundane writing tasks and a richer, deeper pleasure in those you already enjoy. Exuberantly illustrated by prizewinning graphic memoirist Selina Tusitala Marsh, Writing with Pleasure is an indispensable resource for academics, students, professionals, and anyone for whom writing has come to feel like a burden rather than a joy. "This book will be valuable for any writers-not only academics-who wish to experience more pleasure in their writing. Sword's engaging and personable writing style makes the book a pleasure to read." "Intrinsic motivations like joy and fascination can and should propel our writing-all the more so when extrinsic rewards seem few. In this generous, generative book, Helen Sword offers us ample encouragement and insight on how, even in difficult times, we can dare to seek delight."-Margy Thomas, founder of ScholarShape "At last, a writing guide that doesn't scold or ridicule, but treats the challenge of writing well as a form of pleasurable mastery."-Steven Pinker, Johnstone Professor of Psychology, Harvard University, author of The Sense of Style: The Thinking Person's Guide to Writing in the 21st Century "Sword is the prophetic voice crying out in academia's wilderness: 'Write with pleasure! It can be done! Come and see!' Through enviable prose, enticing poems, and elegant illustrations, readers see the pleasure, feel it, apply it to their own writing and, when all is read and done, cannot resist repenting."-Patricia Goodson, Texas A&M University "Helen Sword has been helping me improve my writing for more than a decade. In Writing with Pleasure, she finally taught me how to love it-and keep loving it. If you want to make writing a painless habit, this book is for you."-Inger Mewburn, Australian National University "Writing with Pleasure-itself a pleasure in the reading-opens exciting vistas onto the great expanse of writing: the aesthetics in the written, the corporeality of the writer, the emotions felt for and from writing. This original and inventive book charts new territory for anyone who writes and for everyone who researches writing."-Daniel Sh

"A Choice Outstanding Academic Title of the Year" Robert DiYanni is adjunct professor of humanities at New York University. His recent books include The Craft of College Teaching (Princeton) and Critical Reading Across the Curriculum. He lives in Bedford, New York. How you can enrich your life by becoming a more skillful and engaged reader of literature We are what we read, according to Robert DiYanni. Reading may delight us or move us; we may read for instruction or inspiration. But more than this, in reading we discover ourselves. We gain access to the lives of others, explore the limitless possibilities of human existence, develop our understanding of the world around us, and find respite from the hectic demands of everyday life. In You Are What You Read, DiYanni provides a practical guide that shows how we can increase the benefits and pleasures of literature by becoming more skillful and engaged readers. DiYanni suggests that we attend first to what authors say and the way in which they say it, rather than rushing to decide what they mean. He considers the various forms of literature, from the essay to the novel, the short story to the poem, demonstrating rewarding approaches to each in sample readings of classic works. Through a series of illuminating oppositions, he explores the paradoxical pleasures of reading: solitary versus social reading, submitting to or resisting the author, reading inwardly or outwardly, and more. DiYanni closes with nine recommended reading practices, thoughts on the different experiences of print and digital reading, and advice on what to read and why. Written in a clear, inviting, and natural style, You Are What You Read is an essential guide for all who want to enrich their reading-and their life. "You Are What You Read is simply a joy. The book enlarges our imaginations, yields moments of deepest pleasure, and helps us fathom the complexities of our own lives. DiYanni provides practical strategies that guide readers to a sustained, significant appreciation of literary works. The elegant applications of reading principles combined with engaging instructional approaches make this work required reading for all current and future English instructors."-Linda Costanzo Cahir, Kean University "Robert DiYanni's You Are What You Read is an ardent, well-conceived guide to how readers can improve their experience of a diverse range of literary texts. At a time when skepticism about the humanities abounds, DiYanni offers a valuable window into the ways our inner lives flourish and expand under the influence of poetry, fiction, and nonfiction prose."-David Haven Blake, author of Walt Whitman and the Culture of American Celebrity "Ours is a time when reading books as an art of joyful self-expansion and self-liberation is in decline-and, among many of us, in danger of being lost. This book is a lifeline thrown to us all. DiYanni calls, enables, and even inspires us to retrieve a precious spiritual resource."-Thomas L. Pangle and Lorraine Smith Pangle, University of Texas at Austin "As we follow DiYanni through the world's vast labyrinth of books, we are in the company of a seasoned, talented reader and an alert mind motivated by a heartfelt passion for reading and grounded in a genuine sense of humanity."-William V. Costanzo, SUNY Teaching Professor of English and Film "DiYanni's skillful, nuanced, and stimulating analyses will open windows into books familiar and unfamiliar, offering all the satisfactions of a conversation with an intelligent guide."-Maria Carrig, Carthage College

"Winner of the James Harvey Robinson Prize, American Historical Association" "A Choice Outstanding Academic Title of the Year" Zachary M. Schrag is professor of history at George Mason University and the author of Ethical Imperialism and The Great Society Subway. His teaching website is historyprofessor.org. He lives in Arlington, Virginia. Twitter @zacharyschrag The essential handbook for doing historical research in the twenty-first century The Princeton Guide to Historical Research provides students, scholars, and professionals with the skills they need to practice the historian's craft in the digital age, while never losing sight of the fundamental values and techniques that have defined historical scholarship for centuries. Zachary Schrag begins by explaining how to ask good questions and then guides readers step-by-step through all phases of historical research, from narrowing a topic and locating sources to taking notes, crafting a narrative, and connecting one's work to existing scholarship. He shows how researchers extract knowledge from the widest range of sources, such as government documents, newspapers, unpublished manuscripts, images, interviews, and datasets. He demonstrates how to use archives and libraries, read sources critically, present claims supported by evidence, tell compelling stories, and much more. Featuring a wealth of examples that illustrate the methods used by seasoned experts, The Princeton Guide to Historical Research reveals that, however varied the subject matter and sources, historians share basic tools in the quest to understand people and the choices they made. • Offers practical step-by-step guidance on how to do historical research, taking readers from initial questions to final publication • Connects new digital technologies to the traditional skills of the historian • Draws on hundreds of examples from a broad range of historical topics and approaches • Shares tips for researchers at every skill level "This volume is a complete and sophisticated addition to any scholar's library and a boon to the curious layperson. . . . [A] major achievement." "This book is quite simply a gem. . . . Schrag's accessible style and comprehensive treatment of the field make this book a valuable resource."---Alan Sears, Canadian Journal of History "A tour de force that will help all of us be more capable historians. This wholly readable, delightful book is packed with good advice that will benefit seasoned scholars and novice researchers alike."-Nancy Weiss Malkiel, author of "Keep the Damned Women Out": The Struggle for Coeducation "An essential and overdue contribution. Schrag's guide offers a lucid breakdown of what historians do and provides plenty of examples."-Jessica Mack, Roy Rosenzweig Center for History and New Media, George Mason University "Extraordinarily useful. If there is another book that takes apart as many elements of the historian's craft the way that Schrag does and provides so many examples, I am not aware of it."-James Goodman, author of But Where Is the Lamb? "This is an engaging guide to being a good historian and all that entails."-Diana Seave Greenwald, Assistant Curator of the Collection, Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum "Impressive and engaging. Schrag gracefully incorporates the voices of dozens, if not hundreds, of fellow historians. This gives the book a welcome conversational feeling, as if the reader were overhearing a lively discussion among friendly historians."-Sarah Dry, author of Waters of the World: The Story of the Scientists Who Unraveled the Mysteries of Our Oceans, Atmosphere, and Ice Sheets and Made the Planet Whole "This is a breathtaking book-wide-ranging, wonderfully written, and extremely useful. Every page brims with fascinating, well-chosen illustrations of creative research, writing, and reasoning that teach and inspire."-Amy C. Offner, author of Sorting Out the Mixed Economy

Ken Bain is an award-winning teacher and the bestselling author of What the Best College Teachers Do and What the Best College Students Do. He taught as a history professor for many years, founded teaching centers at Northwestern, New York, and Vanderbilt universities, and is the president of the Best Teachers Institute. He lives in South Orange, New Jersey. Twitter @KenBain1 From the bestselling author of What the Best College Teachers Do, the story of a new breed of amazingly innovative courses that inspire students and improve learning Decades of research have produced profound insights into how student learning and motivation can be unleashed-and it's not through technology or even the best of lectures. In Super Courses, education expert and bestselling author Ken Bain tells the fascinating story of enterprising college, graduate school, and high school teachers who are using evidence-based approaches to spark deeper levels of learning, critical thinking, and creativity-whether teaching online, in class, or in the field. Visiting schools across the United States as well as in China and Singapore, Bain, working with his longtime collaborator, Marsha Marshall Bain, uncovers super courses throughout the humanities and sciences. At the University of Virginia, undergrads contemplate the big questions that drove Tolstoy-by working with juveniles at a maximum-security correctional facility. Harvard physics students learn about the universe not through lectures but from their peers in a class where even reading is a social event. And students at a Dallas high school use dance to develop growth mindsets-and many of them go on to top colleges, including Juilliard. Bain defines these as super courses because they all use powerful researched-based elements to build a "natural critical learning environment" that fosters intrinsic motivation, self-directed learning, and self-reflective reasoning. Complete with sample syllabi, the book shows teachers how they can build their own super courses. The story of a hugely important breakthrough in education, Super Courses reveals how these classes can help students reach their full potential, equip them to lead happy and productive lives, and meet the world's complex challenges. "This book can help change how education is viewed, practiced, and implemented." "In Super Courses, Ken Bain draws us in with the promise of superlatives, but make no mistake-his examples offer wisdom that can readily transform a wide variety of courses into more heroic versions of themselves. Through compelling stories and research, Bain asks readers to imagine how we might build on these courses to make even more meaningful experiences for students. I plan to do just that with dozens of ideas gleaned from this enjoyable and inspiring volume."-Cassandra Volpe Horii, Founding Director, Caltech Center for Teaching, Learning, and Outreach, and former President, POD Network "Yet another outstanding book by Ken Bain."-Daniel K. Bubb, University of Nevada, Las Vegas "Ken Bain's provocative book, like the courses it describes, invites readers to think deeply about teaching, learning, and perhaps even the role education can play in society. Grounded in learning sciences and pedagogy research, Super Courses explores an array of case studies of fascinating approaches to teaching, challenging us to consider how to build student passion, curiosity, and autonomy into our teaching and learning. Super Courses will leave many teachers eager to find ways to reimagine their own classes."-Bruce Lenthall, Executive Director, Center for Teaching & Learning, University of Pennsylvania "Super Courses will be of great use for all teachers."-Jennifer Snodgrass, Appalachian State University "Super Courses offers specific and useful examples for promoting deep and meaningful learning. But I am most moved by the way Ken Bain's book promotes the development of the student as a human being. T

Betty S. Lai is an associate professor in the Lynch School of Education and Human Development at Boston College. Her research has been funded by the National Science Foundation, the National Institute of Mental Health, and the Gulf Research Program of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, among others. Her work has been recognized with awards from the American Psychological Association and the American Psychological Foundation. Twitter @BettySLai A practical guide to effective grant writing for researchers at all stages of their academic careers Grant funding can be a major determinant of promotion and tenure at colleges and universities, yet many scholars receive no training in the crucial skill of grant writing. The Grant Writing Guide is an essential handbook for writing research grants, providing actionable strategies for professionals in every phase of their careers, from PhD students to seasoned researchers. This easy-to-use guide features writing samples, examples of how researchers use skills, helpful tips, and exercises. Drawing on interviews with scores of grant writers, program officers, researchers, administrators, and writers, it lays out best practices, common questions, and pitfalls to avoid. Betty Lai focuses on skills that are universal to all grant writers, not just specific skills for one type of grant or funder. She explains how to craft phenomenal pitches and align them with your values, structure timelines and drafts, communicate clearly in prose and images, solicit feedback to strengthen your proposals, and much more. Ideal for course use, The Grant Writing Guide is an indispensable road map to writing fundable grants. This incisive book walks you through every step along the way, from generating ideas to finding the right funder, determining which grants help you create the career you want, and writing in a way that excites reviewers and funders. "Historically marginalized scholars will particularly find [The Grant Writing Guide] indispensable; they will relish reading the comforting prose of Lai, who lucidly explains how to get an edge on the competitive genre of funding. . . . The book promises-and delivers-on keeping the reader abreast with all the technical details of funding. It provides the novice with a blueprint for navigating the complex funding process with vigor and rigor."---Abdulrahman Bindamnan, Journal of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry "Betty Lai shepherds readers through every logistical-and emotional-step of securing a major grant. This will undoubtedly become the go-to grant writing guidebook for scholars of every stage, from graduate student to full professor. It's the book I wish I had twenty years ago when I started my career as an academic!"-Anthony Christian Ocampo, author of Brown and Gay in LA "If you've ever wondered about how to develop a winning grant, this book is for you. From concept to submission, this highly engaging work offers useful advice informed by Lai's own distinguished research career and numerous interviews with other successful grant writers. It's a must-read for scholars at every career stage."-Lori Peek, University of Colorado Boulder "Betty Lai's The Grant Writing Guide: A Road Map for Scholars translates the unspoken insider language that keeps access to resources in the hands of those who already have resources. Her book deftly supports an equity-driven narrative vision with an engineer's analytic specificity."-James L. Shulman, American Council of Learned Societies "The Grant Writing Guide recognizes that fundraising is not a solitary process. It shows researchers how to build networks of administrators, mentors, and peers who are supportive yet critical in helping to generate persuasive grant proposals. This book's detailed and elegantly presented advice is much needed and long overdue."-Donald J. Waters, former senior program officer, Andrew W. Mellon

A concise and practical manual on developing reading, writing, and critical thinking skills in tandem For college students learning how to write on scholarly subjects, writing and critical thinking go hand in hand. And yet most books on these topics are categorized separately: writing guides and critical thinking handbooks. This book is different, offering a manual for developing reading, writing, and thinking skills in tandem. With short, practical chapters, Thinking through Writing helps readers learn to think critically about themselves and the world at large, read carefully and get the necessary literary support, write clearly and persuasively, stay on point, and finish their work as cleanly and compellingly as possible. Drawing on years of teaching critical thinking and writing, including almost a decade of teaching Harvard's freshman expository writing course, the authors invite readers to consider the intimate relationship between thinking and the creative, critical, self-actualizing act of writing. • Interviews with some of the most interesting and brilliant writers working today • Advice on how to structure an argument, write for an audience, work through writer's block and anxiety, and much more • Tips on how to make your writing unique and personal • Exercises and templates to help novice writers reach their full potential in practice John Kaag is the Donahue Professor of Ethics and the Arts at the University of Massachusetts Lowell and external professor at the Santa Fe Institute. Between 2010 and 2016, he was visiting assistant professor of writing at Harvard University. He is the author of Sick Souls, Healthy Minds: How William James Can Save Your Life (Princeton). Jonathan van Belle is a writer and editor whose work has appeared in Aeon, Fast Company, Times Higher Education, and other publications. Kaag and van Belle are the coauthors of Henry at Work: Thoreau on Making a Living (Princeton). "One of the great strengths of the book is its knowledgeable-but-cheeky tone. It lends the authors enormous credibility when offering advice and solace and will help keep student readers on their toes rather than checking out of reading a dry textbook." -Lisa Horton, University of Minnesota Duluth "With a unique, lively, and contemporary approach, the authors of Thinking through Writing meet students where they are at both intellectually and personally, addressing them as partners and allies in the writing process."-Douglas Dowland, Ohio Northern University "Good writing involves 'thinking against oneself'-questioning oneself-and this jargon-free, concise, witty book not only does an admirable job of showing the student-writer how to perform this magic trick but also vividly executes it page by page, line by line."-David Shields, New York Times bestselling author of The Thing about Life Is That One Day You'll Be Dead "Writing is thinking, not just a record of your thoughts-and this book exemplifies that truth on every page. With bell-ringing clarity, Thinking through Writing shows how to sort your thoughts out into arguments, and how to support those arguments firmly and concisely. It's a true writer's companion, and a must-read for students who want to move from idea to page."-Leonard Cassuto, author of Academic Writing as if Readers Matter

Christopher L. Caterine is a communications strategist, writer, and career coach. Since leaving academia, he has helped many graduate students and scholars find satisfying work in new arenas. Twitter @clcaterine An indispensable guide for grad students and academics who want to find fulfilling careers outside higher education An estimated ninety-three percent of graduate students in the humanities and social sciences won't get a tenure-track job, yet many still assume that a tenured professorship is the only successful outcome for a PhD. With the academic job market in such crisis, Leaving Academia helps grad students and academics in any scholarly field find satisfying careers beyond higher education. Short and pragmatic, the book offers invaluable advice to visiting and adjunct instructors ready to seek new opportunities, to scholars caught in "tenure-trap" jobs, to grad students interested in nonacademic work, and to committed academics who want to support their students and contingent colleagues more effectively. After earning a PhD in classics from the University of Virginia and teaching at Tulane, Christopher Caterine left academia for a job at a corporate consulting firm. During his career transition, he went on more than 150 informational interviews and later interviewed twelve other professionals who had left higher education for diverse fields. Drawing on everything he learned, Caterine helps readers chart their own course to a rewarding new career. He addresses dozens of key issues, including overcoming psychological difficulties, translating academic experience for nonacademics, and meeting the challenges of a first job in a new field. Providing clear, concrete ways to move forward at each stage of your career change, even when the going gets tough, Leaving Academia is both realistic and filled with hope. "This book should be an eye-opener for junior researchers and PhD students alike and I would recommend reading it early in graduate school. Leaving Academia can prepare its readers for a potential career change at a later stage."---Eryk Walczak, LSE Review of Books "The prospect of leaving the ivory tower for new careers has never been made so accessible or so attractive. The reams of practical, actionable information packed into every chapter of this guide are underpinned by Caterine's compelling story of personal reinvention. Leaving Academia provides an escape plan for researchers and scholars frustrated with today's academic career maze."-Chris Humphrey, PhD, founder of Jobs on Toast "Written with energy and wit, Leaving Academia centers on Christopher Caterine's practical and emotional journey from academic to business employment. The book provides excellent discussions of resume writing, informational interviews, and other skills-but it's likewise valuable for the way Caterine describes how it feels to change careers. If you're thinking of making that change-or if your students are-then you should read this book."-Leonard Cassuto, PhD, author of The Graduate School Mess: What Caused It and How We Can Fix It "Leaving Academia delivers! Graduate students and newly minted PhDs need this book now. A compelling account of paths to professional flourishing outside academia, it will be useful to graduate students and PhDs in the humanities, arts, social sciences, and sciences."-John Paulas, PhD, president of PhD Matters Ltd.

Diana Fuss is the Louis W. Fairchild Class of '24 Professor of English at Princeton University. William A. Gleason is professor and chair of English at Princeton. Both Fuss and Gleason have led teaching seminars for graduate students and received Princeton's President's Award for Distinguished Teaching. The first comprehensive collection of hands-on exercises that bring active learning to the literature classroom This is the first comprehensive collection of hands-on, active learning exercises for the college literature classroom, offering ideas and inspiration for new and veteran teachers alike. These 101 surefire lesson plans present creative and interactive activities to get all your students talking and learning, from the first class to final review. Whether you are teaching majors or nonmajors, genres or periods, canonical or noncanonical literature, medieval verse or the graphic novel, this volume provides practical and flexible exercises for creating memorable learning experiences. Help students learn more and retain that knowledge longer by teaching them how to question, debate, annotate, imitate, write, draw, map, stage, or perform. These user-friendly exercises feature clear and concise step-by-step instructions, and each exercise is followed by helpful teaching tips and descriptions of the exercise in action. All encourage collaborative learning and many are adaptable to different class sizes or course levels. A collection of successful approaches for teaching fiction, poetry, and drama and their historical, cultural, and literary contexts, this indispensable book showcases the tried and true alongside the fresh and innovative. • 101 creative classroom exercises for teaching literature • Exercises contributed by experienced teachers at a wide range of colleges and universities • Step-by-step instructions and teaching tips for each exercise • Extensive introduction on the benefits of bringing active learning to the literature classroom • Cross-references for finding further exercises and to aid course planning • Index of literary authors, works, and related topics "Steal from this book: Diana Fuss and William Gleason want you to. Bringing together an astonishing range of tips on an astounding range of literatures, this is a pedagogical care package for days when you're 'off,' or students are tired, or the ice needs to be broken again, or you just want to shake things up. These tricks of the trade are more than surefire: they redefine the art of teaching literature."-Scott Herring, Indiana University "This thoroughly compelling book-the first collection of student-centered teaching tools for English instructors-will be useful to a wide range of teachers."-Maurice S. Lee, Boston University "Refreshingly hands-on without being reductive, this book makes an important contribution to undergraduate teaching and learning. By coming out in favor of active learning and student engagement, it positions itself at the head of a pack of bestsellers on the craft of teaching. But it outdistances them by calling on a wide range of expert teachers to share lessons gleaned from their experiences."-Jennifer Summit, San Francisco State University "From the insightful introduction to the systematic collection of diverse approaches to deep learning, this is a treasure chest that will help transform the literature classroom from a passive space to an active, engaged environment in which students encounter literature in new and exciting ways. Every literature teacher will find plenty of ideas and clever tactics to stimulate his or her teaching. New faculty should find it indispensable."-John Zubizarreta, Columbia College (South Carolina)

A scientist's personal reflections on how to harness creativity and curiosity to generate new ideas and discover the unexpected Like any creative endeavor, science can be a messy and chaotic affair. On the Art and Craft of Doing Science shares the creative process of an innovative and accomplished scientist, taking readers behind the scenes of some of his most pioneering investigations and explaining why the practice of science, far from being an orderly exercise in pure logic, is a form of creative expression like any other art. Kenneth Catania begins by discussing how ideas set the stage for scientific breakthroughs and goes on to describe ways to approach experimental design. He sheds light on the importance of art in making discoveries and demonstrates how to find and tell a compelling story about a scientific result while accurately communicating its findings. What role does failure play in science? Is it possible to fail better? How do you define success? Catania provides insights to these and other questions, along the way sharing the lessons he's learned from diverse figures ranging from science philosopher Thomas Kuhn to novelist Stephen King. Blending illuminating historical examples with insights from Catania's own groundbreaking research in biology and neuroscience, On the Art and Craft of Doing Science draws parallels with art and writing to reveal the creative side to the practice of good science. Kenneth Catania is Stevenson Professor of Biological Sciences at Vanderbilt University. A MacArthur Fellow and Guggenheim Fellow, he is the author of Great Adaptations: Star-Nosed Moles, Electric Eels, and Other Tales of Evolution's Mysteries Solved (Princeton). "With humility, balance, and hard-won wisdom, Catania charts a concrete and thoughtful path lined with personal scientific anecdotes about snakes, moles, and eels alongside insights from other minds. This practical guide will inspire many aspiring researchers to critically examine, conduct, and communicate the best possible kind of science: one where both observation and failure drive more questions."-Ashley Juavinett, author of So You Want to Be a Neuroscientist? "All aspiring young scientists should read this delightful, clearly written book that captures the excitement of exploring a favored research system. Kenneth Catania shows that focused observation, careful attention to detail, and accurate data recording expose anomalies that when followed reveal important and unique insights. Many examples of this creative, innovative approach are given, ranging from Cajal's discovery of the neuron and Fleming's discovery of antibiotics to details from Catania's own research on star-nosed moles, shrews, electric eels, and zombie-making wasps. A wonderful introduction to research."-B. Rosemary Grant, author of 40 Years of Evolution and One Step Sideways, Three Steps Forward "Kenneth Catania tells us the stories of how he made his cool, weird, and wholly unexpected discoveries in the animal kingdom. The result is a wonderful book on how to do biology the fun way: follow your curiosity, make observations, generate questions, design and execute experiments, make observations again. Keep going. There is no such thing as failure if you are learning and enjoying yourself."-Asif A. Ghazanfar, Princeton University "A welcome departure from thinking about the textbook version of 'the scientific method,' On the Art and Craft of Doing Science instead focuses on the much more creative process of how science actually moves forward. There is something for everyone: early-stage scientists will find insight and suggestions; more experienced scientists, useful pedagogy and awareness of how we apply our craft; and those who do not necessarily work in STEM fields will gain a window into exploring the curiosity that drives the scientist in all of us."-Theresa Desrochers, Brown University "An excellently written and illustra

A guide to writing with the reader in mind If you want people to read your writing, it has to be readable. In Academic Writing as if Readers Matter, Leonard Cassuto offers academic writers a direct, practical prescription for writing that will be read and understood: Take care of your reader. With a wealth of examples from the arts and sciences, this short, witty book provides invaluable advice to writers at all levels, in all fields, on how to write better for both specialized and broad audiences. Good academic writing depends on connecting with readers, earning their time and attention. Cassuto offers tips and advice on how to sharpen arguments and make complex ideas compelling. He addresses the workings of introductions and conclusions, transitions, signposts, paragraphs, and sentences-all the building blocks of academic writing. He also shows how storytelling and metaphor can make your prose more engaging than you thought possible. And he explains the proper use of that most dangerous of tools: jargon. This book can make any academic writer-including you-into a better writer. That means becoming a better communicator of the ideas and discoveries you want the world to grasp. For the sake of readers inside the academy and beyond it, Academic Writing as if Readers Matter shows how and why you have to make your writing connect with the people you're writing for. Leonard Cassuto is professor of English at Fordham University. He writes a regular column, "The Graduate Adviser," for the Chronicle of Higher Education, and his many books include The New PhD: How to Build a Better Graduate Education. "Elegant, eloquent, useful, and necessary, this book is an exemplary act of intellectual citizenship at a time when it's more imperative than ever to get across to the public what academics do and why it's valuable. (This means you, dear professor.)"-Rick Perlstein, New York Times bestselling author of Nixonland: The Rise of a President and the Fracturing of America "This witty and generous book offers a treasury of sound advice, astute analysis, and clear examples of dos and don'ts. Cassuto shows what it takes to welcome readers rather than alienate them."-Andrew Delbanco, author of College: What It Was, Is, and Should Be "From its title to its final sentence, I loved Academic Writing as if Readers Matter. Leonard Cassuto has created a small guidebook packed with big ideas that will help all writers-including natural and social scientists-reach broader audiences by clarifying their message. I plan to reread it periodically."-Christopher Chabris, New York Times bestselling coauthor of The Invisible Gorilla: How Our Intuitions Deceive Us "With charm and wit, Cassuto argues that successful academic writing is an act of generosity toward the reader. He provides concrete strategies to help any scholar or student write in a way that genuinely engages readers."-Rachael Cayley, author of Thriving as a Graduate Writer "Brimming with invaluable advice and practical tips, this handbook should be read by any academic who wants their book to be read."-Kevin M. Kruse, Princeton University "Academic Writing as if Readers Matter will make almost anyone a better writer (it's already having that effect on me), and that makes it a very rare and valuable thing. Professors and students need to read this book."-Carlo Rotella, author of The World Is Always Coming to an End "A Forbes Best Higher Education Book" "[Cassuto] offers academics - and other authors - important and candid advice while asking them to prioritize their audiences."---Marybeth Gasman, Forbes "A new guide teaches scholars how to write with readers in mind. [Cassuto] is calling for better communication across disciplines, which most certainly would advance not just writing but also all of science."---Jonathan Wai, Science "An engaging, practical guide to how to become a better academic writer. .

Jessica McCrory Calarco is associate professor of sociology at Indiana University and the author of Negotiating Opportunities: How the Middle Class Secures Advantages in School. She has written for the Atlantic and Inside Higher Ed, and her work has been featured in the New York Times, Time, and the Chronicle of Higher Education, and on BBC Radio and NPR. Twitter @JessicaCalarco An essential handbook to the unwritten and often unspoken knowledge and skills you need to succeed in grad school Some of the most important things you need to know in order to succeed in graduate school-like how to choose a good advisor, how to get funding for your work, and whether to celebrate or cry when a journal tells you to revise and resubmit an article-won't be covered in any class. They are part of a hidden curriculum that you are just expected to know or somehow learn on your own-or else. In this comprehensive survival guide for grad school, Jessica McCrory Calarco walks you through the secret knowledge and skills that are essential for navigating every critical stage of the postgraduate experience, from deciding whether to go to grad school in the first place to finishing your degree and landing a job. An invaluable resource for every prospective and current grad student in any discipline, A Field Guide to Grad School will save you grief-and help you thrive-in school and beyond. Provides invaluable advice about how to: • Choose and apply to a graduate program • Stay on track in your program • Publish and promote your work • Get the most out of conferences • Navigate the job market • Balance teaching, research, service, and life "Extremely valuable. . . . Undergraduate students considering graduate school as well as current graduate students will find the information contained here helpful, making this a useful guide for college and university libraries. Highly recommended for anyone curious about what to expect in graduate school." "[A] much-needed practical contribution . . . a tremendous resource . . . [A Field Guide to Grad School] should be required reading not just for aspiring graduate students but for the faculty and administrators who shape the culture and structure of graduate education."---Becca Spindel Bassett, The Harvard Educational Review "Eye-opening and informative, this book will help graduate students who feel like they have been dropped in the deep end of the pool without knowing how to swim."-Anthony Abraham Jack, author of The Privileged Poor: How Elite Colleges Are Failing Disadvantaged Students

From the bestselling author of The Book Proposal Book, a practical, step-by-step approach to mastering the four pillars of scholarly writing for authors, editors, and publishing professionals Developmental editing holds the power to make a manuscript connect with publishers and readers, yet few scholarly writers have the training to do it well. Make Your Manuscript Work offers a practical method for assessing and refining the features of their texts that matter most-argument, evidence, structure, and style. This guide shows scholarly writers how to identify what's been holding their writing back and fix it so they can accomplish their publication goals. Laura Portwood-Stacer, a writer, editor, and consultant for academic authors, explains how manuscripts move through the publication process and identifies the key stages for authors to improve their texts. She helps writers better understand who they are writing for and why, enabling them to determine what their drafts need most to move forward. Drawing on a decade of experience as a developmental editor of scholarly manuscripts, Portwood-Stacer details the most common opportunities for development she's encountered and shares practical tips for implementing needed edits. The book also includes a checklist of assessment questions, examples from real scholarly manuscripts, tips on seeking additional help, and advice on offering developmental editing assistance to other writers. Written with candor, empathy, and a deep awareness of the challenges faced by academic writers who want to publish, Make Your Manuscript Work is an indispensable how-to guide for scholars at all career stages. Laura Portwood-Stacer, PhD, is a developmental editor and founder of Manuscript Works, a consultancy serving academic authors around the world. She is the author of The Book Proposal Book: A Guide for Scholarly Authors (Princeton) and Lifestyle Politics and Radical Activism and previously taught media and cultural studies at New York University and the University of Southern California. "Laura Portwood-Stacer has done a great service in this book, generously and expertly sharing her innovative manuscript cycle concept for developmental editing. She provides concrete examples and a step-by-step process, all while never losing sight of the human elements at work in the publishing process. Make Your Manuscript Work is a resource that belongs on the bookshelves of libraries, academic editors, and scholarly authors everywhere."-Dawn Durante, Wyndham Robertson Editorial Director of University of North Carolina Press "I wish this book had existed years ago. It's the book I needed to succeed more easily as a scholarly author; and it's the book you need too. Portwood-Stacer provides a clearly drawn series of steps you can take to improve your own book (or article) manuscript-to hone its arguments, its structure, and its style. If you want your manuscript to be the best it can possibly be, Make Your Manuscript Work is the book for you."-Stephen B. Heard, author of The Scientist's Guide to Writing "Make Your Manuscript Work demonstrates how all good scholarly writing requires the skill of self-editing. This guide shows how to read your writing as an informed editor and provides a clear road map for authors to take charge of their writing process. The book will also help authors approach the academic publishing world with confidence, and show how we can value writing and editing as labor and, at the same time, engage our publications to do the work the world needs."-Stephanie Y. Evans, author of Black Feminist Writing: A Practical Guide to Publishing Academic Books "In this gracefully written book, Laura Portwood-Stacer supplies meticulous, actionable recommendations for the developmental editing of scholarly books, articles, and theses, along with an array of useful exercises, examples, templates, and references. The author's 'four pillars of schola

A guide to the art of reviewing scholarly books, with strategies and suggestions Scholarly book reviews should be enjoyable-both to write and to read. All too often, though, they offer little more than chapter-by-chapter summaries. In this comprehensive handbook, Steven Gump offers an encouraging guide to crafting valuable reviews of scholarly books in the humanities and social sciences. Readers learn how to write engaging, respectful reviews that make intellectual contributions of their own. With extensive experience in both writing and editing scholarly book reviews, Gump walks prospective reviewers through the process of selecting a book to review, identifying a venue to publish the review, reading and annotating the book, and writing a review that is tailored to the audience of the target venue, with the possibility of dissemination to popular outlets beyond the core field. Alongside this practical advice, Gump offers a generous philosophy of scholarly book reviewing that considers the roles of book reviews and the responsibilities of book reviewers within the broader scholarly ecosystem. Readers learn how to uplift the voices and contributions of authors, how to prepare the next generation of reviewers (including undergraduates or graduate students), and how to elevate an unjustly underestimated genre. Ultimately, this essential guide brings into renewed focus the joys of reading scholarly works, engaging with intellectual ideas, and writing incisively. Steven E. Gump is associate director of the Office of Citizen Scholar Development at the University of Virginia. As book review editor for the Journal of Scholarly Publishing since 2024, he solicits, develops, and publishes engaging reviews. "This book is terrific: astute, lively, and insightful. It's also so much more than a book about how to write good book reviews. By telling us what to note about a book's weaknesses and strengths, Gump teaches us how to write an excellent book, as well. But most remarkably, he shows us how to read books with joy."-Wendy Laura Belcher, author of Writing Your Journal Article in Twelve Weeks: A Guide to Academic Publishing Success "If it is possible to be a preeminent figure in the genre of scholarly book reviewing, then Gump is it. This book is both a passionate defense of the genre and a tremendously useful how-to guide: a field manual for intellectual work. Friendly and engaging, the advice here will help anyone who's ever tried to work their way into another person's thought, and wants to tell the tale of that adventure."-Eric Hayot, author of The Elements of Academic Style "Who could be better qualified to write a book about writing scholarly book reviews than a seasoned reviewer of books about scholarly writing? In this warm, witty, and eminently useful book, Steven Gump reveals the magic behind the mirror: the principles of curiosity, generosity, and pleasure in wordcraft that underpin the reviewer's art."-Helen Sword, author of Writing with Pleasure "How to Review Scholarly Books takes the reader through a judicious and useful discussion of the scholarly book review process: how to think about book reviews, how to put oneself into the position to be invited to write a book review, and how to write a useful one. Steven Gump's little book is written with care and confidence; you finish it encouraged, as well as reminded more precisely of the labor that writing a scholarly book review involves. More than a book about reviewing, it's a book about writing full stop."-William Germano, author of On Revision: The Only Writing That Counts "I hadn't imagined that it would be possible to write an entire book about book reviews. But indeed, it is. How to Review Scholarly Books shows that reviewing is a significant but overlooked scholarly practice. Written with the emerging scholar in mind and with summaries that could be used in workshops and classrooms, the book provides g

A user's guide to the fundamental practice of literary studies, providing context, examples, and practical exercises Close reading-making an argument based in close attention to a text-is the foundation of literary studies. This book offers a guide to close reading, treating it as a skill that can be taught and practiced. It first explains what close reading is, what it does, and how it has been used across theoretical schools ranging from affect studies to Black studies to queer theory to Marxism. It then presents a series of master classes in the practice, with original contributions by scholars from a range of different institutions. Finally, it provides practical materials, worksheets, and suggested activities for instructors to use in the classroom. The tone throughout is encouraging and accessible, inviting readers of all backgrounds to hone their craft. The book divides the practice of close reading into five steps, coining a term for each step: scene setting, noticing, local claiming, regional argumentation, and global theorizing. It traces the roots of close reading, showing how it has spread far beyond its origins in practical criticism and New Criticism. In twenty-one short chapters, contemporary scholars discuss close readings by such prominent literary critics as Erich Auerbach and Helen Vendler, describing how their arguments work and how to achieve similar results. An essential resource for instructors and students at the undergraduate level and beyond, this book shows how understanding close reading can make us better readers, thinkers, and writers. Dan Sinykin is the Winship Distinguished Research Professor of English at Emory University and the author of Big Fiction: How Conglomeration Changed the Publishing Industry and American Literature. Johanna Winant is associate professor of English and humanities at Reed College and the author of Lyric Logic. "Who needs directions for how to pay attention? Really, we all do, especially-as this important and lucid collection makes clear-if we're approaching literary works and hoping to write about them well. In showing how to write about literary works with attention, these writers on writers on writing also offer a lovely, reliable tour through the history of literary criticism. A monument. A multi-tool. I'll keep it close to my own classroom-and to my heart."-Stephanie Burt, author of Don't Read Poetry: A Book About How to Read Poems "This excellent book argues that paying close attention to literature and how we write about it is crucial, important, imperative, ethically urgent, and seriously necessary, perhaps now more than ever, and that the principle of close reading cuts across theories, ideologies, identities, generations, and primary texts."-Andrew DuBois, University of Toronto "This book's timely return to major works of literary criticism from the last century opens up new insights about the enduring value of literary study and brings clarity to a set of practices that literary critics tacitly know but rarely name. Winant and Sinykin teach us to both anatomize and compose close readings in an entirely new way. Undergraduates, graduate students, and instructors will find this book incredibly useful-we are already using it ourselves."-Rachel Sagner Buurma, Swarthmore College, and Laura Heffernan, University of North Florida "This tremendously affirming, thoughtfully conceived collection carries out its mission with precision, generosity, and flair. It promises to become an indispensable resource."-David James, University of Birmingham "Close Reading for the Twenty-First Century offers a much-needed clarity on the exact work of close reading. . . . Sinykin and Winant's book ultimately makes the parlor of close reading public and revels in its promise."---Douglas Dowland, Los Angeles Review of Books "If it attempts to construct a how-to taxonomy of what close reading is, for me the book is even mor

Robert DiYanni is adjunct professor of humanities and instructional consultant with the Center for Faculty Advancement at New York University. Anton Borst is instructional consultant with the Teaching and Learning with Technology group at New York University. They are the editors of Critical Reading across the Curriculum. The essential how-to guide to successful college teaching and learning The college classroom is a place where students have the opportunity to be transformed and inspired through learning-but teachers need to understand how students actually learn. Robert DiYanni and Anton Borst provide an accessible, hands-on guide to the craft of college teaching, giving instructors the practical tools they need to help students achieve not only academic success but also meaningful learning to last a lifetime. The Craft of College Teaching explains what to teach-emphasizing concepts and their relationships, not just isolated facts-as well as how to teach using active learning strategies that engage students through problems, case studies and scenarios, and practice reinforced by constructive feedback. The book tells how to motivate students, run productive discussions, create engaging lectures, use technology effectively, and much more. Interludes between chapters illustrate common challenges, including what to do on the first and last days of class and how to deal with student embarrassment, manage group work, and mentor students effectively. There are also plenty of questions and activities at the end of each chapter. Blending the latest research with practical techniques that really work, this easy-to-use guide draws on DiYanni and Borst's experience as professors, faculty consultants, and workshop leaders. Proven in the classroom and the workshop arena, The Craft of College Teaching is an essential resource for new instructors and seasoned pros alike. "The Craft of College Teaching provides a compendium of great ideas about the art of teaching well. It succeeds in demonstrating that expertise can be acquired. This book is for all caring instructors who have the curiosity and dedication to hone their skills."-Jonathan B. Wight, author of Ethics in Economics and Saving Adam Smith "The Craft of College Teaching is a treasure trove of practical advice and adaptable, student-centered strategies. Drawing on decades of classroom experience in a wide range of institutional contexts, this engaging book is a must for any teacher committed to helping students discover and explore their intellectual resourcefulness and practice their intellectual skills."-Donald McQuade, University of California, Berkeley "The Craft of College Teaching is the best book on teaching that I have read. I predict that those who reflect on and employ these practices will find that their students are far more engaged in class and are also learning and retaining more."-Steven Brint, author of Two Cheers for Higher Education "DiYanni and Borst weave together research on learning with a wealth of concrete teaching strategies, ideas about creative thinking from a range of sources, and lessons from their own experiences and those of their colleagues, all in a highly engaging form. If a new instructor could only have one resource, The Craft of College Teaching would be it."-Virginia Maurer, Harvard University "Succinct and readable, The Craft of College Teaching provides much relevant information on how current undergraduate students learn most effectively and how teachers can more successfully engage their students."-Hephzibah Roskelly, coauthor of Everyday Use: Rhetoric at Work in Reading and Writing

Fifty easy-to-deploy active learning exercises for teaching academic writing in any field The Pocket Instructor: Writing offers fifty practical exercises for teaching students the core elements of successful academic writing. The exercises-created by faculty from a broad range of disciplines and institutions-are organized along the arc of a writing project, from brainstorming and asking analytical questions to drafting, revising, and sharing work with audiences outside traditional academia. They present students with engaging intellectual challenges to work through together, arriving at generalizable lessons that transfer well across the humanities, social sciences, and natural sciences. Students will learn to articulate a thoughtful question, develop a persuasive thesis, analyze complex evidence, and engage responsibly with sources. The Pocket Instructor: Writing offers teachers concrete ideas about how to cultivate habits of radical revision and create a classroom community with an ethos of trust where students learn to give meaningful feedback. Written for both novice and veteran instructors, this essential guide will benefit faculty in any field who hope to improve student writing in their courses. Key features: • Exercises by experienced faculty from a wide range of disciplines and institutions • Step-by-step instructions with instructor insights for each exercise • A "Writing Lexicon" for terms such as motive, thesis, analysis, evidence, and method • Guidance for avoiding plagiarism • Index and cross-references to aid in course planning Amanda Irwin Wilkins is director of the Princeton Writing Program. Keith Shaw is a former associate director with the Princeton Writing Program and now directs Princeton's programs for transfers, veterans, and nontraditional students. "This book represents a significant-even momentous-contribution to practice. The exercises and reflections consistently persuade me of the editors' central premise: that very hard things about writing can be taught through curated practice."-Alfred Guy, Yale University "A concrete, tangible, flexible, and capacious archive of pedagogical resources that are inspiring, instructive, adaptable, and deeply principled. The book is exciting, intelligent, generous, and most of all useful."-Dara Regaignon, New York University

"One of the Times Literary Supplement's Books of the Year 2020" "Finalist for the PROSE Award in Literature, Association of American Publishers" "Shortlisted for the Parnassus Prize, Memoria College" Scott Newstok is professor of English and founding director of the Pearce Shakespeare Endowment at Rhodes College. A parent and an award-winning teacher, he is the author of Quoting Death in Early Modern England and the editor of several other books. He lives in Memphis, Tennessee. A lively and engaging guide to vital habits of mind that can help you think more deeply, write more effectively, and learn more joyfully How to Think like Shakespeare is a brilliantly fun exploration of the craft of thought-one that demonstrates what we've lost in education today, and how we might begin to recover it. In fourteen brief chapters that draw from Shakespeare's world and works, and from other writers past and present, Scott Newstok distills enduring practices that can make learning more creative and pleasurable. Challenging a host of today's questionable notions about education, Newstok shows how mental play emerges through work, creativity through imitation, autonomy through tradition, innovation through constraint, and freedom through discipline. It was these practices, and a conversation with the past-not a fruitless obsession with assessment-that nurtured a mind like Shakespeare's. And while few of us can hope to approach the genius of the Bard, we can all learn from the exercises that shaped him. Written in a friendly, conversational tone and brimming with insights, How to Think like Shakespeare enacts the thrill of thinking on every page, reviving timeless-and timely-ways to stretch your mind and hone your words. "Clever. . . . An incisive commentary on the pitfalls of contemporary American education. . . . A smart and valuable new book."---Daniel Blank, Los Angeles Review of Books "A wonderful new book."---Martha Barnette, public radio's A Way with Words "Newstok argues persuasively for a return to some of the pedagogical methods that proved so effective in the 1500s."---Paul Muldoon, Times Literary Supplement "With crisp, lapidary prose, Newstok writes authoritatively about the educational norms and practices that helped shape Shakespeare's mind. . . . As Newstok essays the contours of a Renaissance education, he demonstrates with verve the effect it's had on his own thinking. Put otherwise, the book is Newstok's essay at thinking-and it's a sterling attempt. . . . It will be of interest to any reader or teacher of Shakespeare-and it should be of interest to any serious reader or teacher. Watching Newstok think with Shakespeare is inspiring, and he proves an amiable guide."---Nathan M. Antiel, Principia: A Journal of Classical Education "Eminently sensible. . . . An emphatic appreciation of just how valuable the pedagogical insights of four centuries ago remain today."---David McInnis, Australian Book Review "Even in giving concrete, practical advice, Newstok displays a flexible virtuosity; he is a practiced craftsman at home in the workshop of language."---Joshua P. Hochschild, First Things "A delightful book. . . . Intelligent, perceptive, readable, useful."---Matthew Stewart, University Bookman "In 14 short, pithy chapters, Newstok shows how to recover the lost art of thinking."---Casey Chalk, American Conservative "Newstok convinces the reader that Shakespeare was indeed a great critical thinker, and was more creative, not less so, than we initially thought. What's more, his many real-life examples show that the creativity and meaningful scrutiny attributed to Shakespeare are not only beneficial, but possible for all of us. How to Think like Shakespeare is a unique analysis of both Shakespeare's formative education and his art, and will be useful for both educators seeking to break from current, quantitative, test-based pedagogical strategies and for creatives aspiring to hone their craft. I

An essential guide to dialogue in the college classroom and beyond Try to Love the Questions gives college students a framework for understanding and practicing dialogue across difference in and out of the classroom. This invaluable guide explores the challenges facing students as they prepare to listen, speak, and learn in a college community and encourages students and faculty alike to consider inclusive, respectful communication as a skill-not as a limitation on freedom. Among the most common challenges on college campuses today is figuring out how to navigate our politically charged culture and engage productively with opposing viewpoints. Lara Schwartz introduces the fundamental principles of free expression, academic freedom, and academic dialogue, showing how open expression is the engine of social progress, scholarship, and inclusion. She sheds light on the rules and norms that govern campus discourse-such as the First Amendment, campus expression policies, and academic standards-and encourages students to adopt a mindset of inquiry that embraces uncertainty and a love of questions. Empowering students, scholars, and instructors to listen generously, explore questions with integrity, and communicate to be understood, Try to Love the Questions includes writing exercises and discussion questions in every chapter, making it an indispensable resource for anyone interested in practicing good-faith dialogue. Lara Hope Schwartz teaches in the School of Public Affairs at American University, where she is founding director of the Project on Civic Dialogue (formerly the Project on Civil Discourse). A lawyer and former civil rights strategist, she is the author (with Andrea Malkin Brenner) of How to College: What to Know before You Go (and When You're There). "Lara Hope Schwartz provides us with an accessible, smart, and good-humored resource that we've long needed in college classrooms. She connects the skills of listening, critiquing, and generous thinking with the ways in which we learn and flourish in college and helps students to navigate the complex social and intellectual landscape of higher education. Try to Love the Questions is a guide to rich thinking, meaningful engagement, and deeper, more intentional learning."-Kevin M. Gannon, author of Radical Hope: A Teaching Manifesto "Try to Love the Questions offers a practical assessment of the challenges to open dialogue on college campuses today and suggests a clear and pragmatic approach to overcoming them. Contrary to common analyses that depict students as whiny, brittle, or self-indulgent, Schwartz correctly portrays them as capable, active, and needing and deserving of opportunities to learn how to use their voices."-Sigal R. Ben-Porath, author of Cancel Wars: How Universities Can Foster Free Speech, Promote Inclusion, and Renew Democracy "Try to Love the Questions boldly and cogently addresses an issue of urgent concern today: how to have productive and civil discussions in the college classroom at a time of polarization, direct attacks on people for their views, and outright fear of expressing one's opinions. I hope this book is widely read and discussed."-Gary Saul Morson, coauthor of Minds Wide Shut: How the New Fundamentalisms Divide Us "Schwartz offers astute observations about what college discourse is and lays out the skills and strategies-for speaking, listening, and reading-that improve participation. Try to Love the Questions is an excellent introduction to college discourse for people who wonder how or even why to participate in it."-Jonathan Marks, author of Let's Be Reasonable: A Conservative Case for Liberal Education