BOOKS REVIEW

            I have read some books dealing with writing. Generally, the books that I have read explain about how to write effectively. Part 1 of e-book, Technique for College Writing by Kathleen Muller Moore and Susie Lan Cussel, which is discussed by my group focuses in talking about academic essay and thesis statement. Chapter 1 of this book informs the reader about brief history of academic essay and introduction about thesis statement. Chapter 2 talks about thesis statement and its three part (Context, Subject, and Claim). Further, chapter 3 gives explanation about how critical thinking influences in writing thesis statement. When you come to chapter 4, you will get information about supporting the thesis statement: the burdens of proof.  Next e-book is Nonfiction Mentor Text: Teaching Informational Writing through Children’s Literature, K-8 by Linne F. Dorfman and Rosse Chapelli. In reading this book, I focused at chapter 5 which talks about writing to persuade. Since I am sure that student must have opinion about something. I want students who have opinions be passionate about these opinions, and to defend them with strong, well thought out and elaborated arguments. It will be interesting if the students can persuade the reader by their arguments. Other e-book is Teaching Academic Writing in European Higher Education by Lennart Björk, Gerd Bräuer, Lotte Rienecker, and Peter Stray Jörgensen. Chapter 1 tells about getting started in academic writing in the first year of a university education. Others two books similarly talk about the use of technology in writing process. Chapter 2 in Lazy Virtues: Teaching Writing in the Age of Wikipedia by Robbert E. Chumming and chapter 6 in Teaching Academic Writing: A Toolkit for Higher Education by Caroline Coffin.et.al talks about using technology as a media to improve students’ writing ability. I am interested on these two books which deeply talk about giving assignment for students through technology, especially Wikipedia.

            I believe that technology can be used to facilitate and to improve students’ academic writing. One of the useful technologies is computer. Computers can help students to develop their academic writing skills. Since, there are many applications that students can use. For instance is using electronic computer conferencing as media in developing students’ argument skills (Coffin, at Teaching Academic Writing: A Toolkit for Higher Education 2003). In her book, coffin has aim to provide a general overview of the forms of technology which can be put to use in developing student writing. Based on her survey, there are that can be used to improve students’ writing ability; namely course websites, computer conferences, and on-line writing laboratories. By using these, students can share their writing to correct by other students. As a result, teaching learning process run well and effective.

            Nowadays, technology can be used in a variety of ways to facilitate students’ control of academic writing. Teacher can use internet to improve students’ ability in writing. Since internet provides with numerous writing resources. Internet is accessible for everyone in the world and many teachers begin to use it as a media in teaching learning process. Media refers to websites that is accessible in Internet and provides the opportunity for people to interact. Wikipedia, for instance, is one of the websites that is very popular used and accessed by people in the world. It can be used as teaching learning process media that provides a good chance for the writing class students to increase their ability and confidence in producing a good essay. That is the reason why I really interested in web-based method in writing class especially which related to publishing the writing in Wikipedia.

             Lazy virtues: teaching writing in the age of Wikipedia is a March 2009 book from Vanderbilt University that explores the Wikipedia movement from the perspective of a writing teacher. Author Robert E. Cummings is an assistant professor of English and director of first year composition at Columbus state university, as well as writing specialist for the universities quality enhancement plain which he assist teacher across campus in their curriculum. This book has great capsule summary. Wikipedia assignments provide writing teachers the rare opportunity to have their students write for imaginary public audience. By arguments based on improving Wikipedia articles, students have a real and large audience. Based on classroom experience done by Chumming, there is good evidence that writing for realistic audience leads to be better writing. Chapter 2 and 3 are more immediately practical and will be useful to teacher wondering how to use wiki activities in teaching.

             Before students begin to write an academic writing and share it at Wikipedia, they must consider about how to make a good thesis statement and how critical thinking influences in producing a good thesis statement. Reading part 1 (Pp 3-128) of e-book, Technique for College Writing by Kathleen Muller Moore and Susie Lan Cussel will be useful for them as starting point to write academic writing. Hence, this textbook is designed to provide the reader with the tools needed to create successful academic essays and to enhance students’ writing in general.

            In my view as a English student, who have learnt academic writing at Padang State University, to become a good writer, someone must develop skills in critical reading and thinking, and it must be learnt how to organize and present the results of that intensive study in a conventional format that communicates your ideas clearly and persuasively. The fact is this book clearly explains about them. Besides, this book approaches college writing with the understanding that the basic tool necessary to create a successful academic essay is the thesis statement. The thesis statement provides an essay with a central purpose an organizing principle—for all of its parts. The first several chapters of the book teach about how to formulate a working thesis statement so that the reader can create an effective essays. Subsequent chapters are provided with additional tools and techniques that lead the reader, step-by-step, toward enhancing your critical thinking and analysis skills and applying those insights to your writing. In short, in this textbook you will learn how to think through the thesis statement to write winning essays. This book is also provided with task for every topic.it is good way to train the understanding of students about the material. These are the reason why I really recommend this book to use as textbook in writing class, especially at writing 1 at English department, Padang State University.

            When I come to the book discussed by my friend, Yuri, it is provided by a case dealing with how to start create academic writing. I think it is such kind interest catching for the readers before they want to read more about it. By illustrating the case, I can say as a reader there is a passion to read it because I want to know what the solution is. The writer, Otto Kruse from University of Applied Sciences, Erfurt, Germany gives an illustrating about Johanna who takes her degree in education at one of German universities. When she joined in a pro-seminar, she was encouraged to make an academic paper. However, she found out that writing an academic paper needed more skillful writing ability which encountered some new things such as summarizing, paraphrasing, and quoting which she did not know. Her struggle of making an academic writing was paid as she finally could finish one and got her credits. Based on that case, Otto discusses the solution dealing with Johanna’s problem; summarizing, paraphrasing, and quoting. These three things also must be considered by the writer before star writing for Wikipedia.