Using examples, readings and exercises, Robinson (English Emeritus, San Francisco State U.) and Tucker (English, California State U., Sacramento) take undergraduates through what they will need to develop fiction and non-fiction projects at the college level, and do so with an eminently practical, step-by-step approach. They describe how to read critically and to summarize, using a wide variety of readings on compelling topics, then show how to apply those critical skills in the writing process to shape texts, learning how to write by sorting it out and by comparing, discussing readings and concepts, writing the essay, taking care of common usage problems and proofreading effectively. They include material on writing answers to essay exams as well, and provide a proofreading skills workbook at the end of the text that allows for practice in grammar and proofreading. Annotation ©2008 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)