A way with words : style in the age of artificial intelligence / John Marsh.
"A Way with Words helps readers learn the essentials of writing. Rather than lecturing about when to use who or whom, this book focuses on writing clear, concise, and lively prose: eliminating wordiness, using active verbs, avoiding run-on sentences. John Marsh applies his experience grading over 5,000 essays over a quarter century as a teacher to take readers through the issues he most commonly sees. While Marsh teaches in the humanities, the advice applies to writing regardless of discipline. Using examples from papers students might actually write, the book invites readers to apply what they have learned to quizzes that mix and match issues -- vague pronouns, sentence fragments, punctuating quotations -- from previous chapters. The book includes a thoughtful discussion about balancing the competing demands of writing well and fighting linguistic discrimination. Finally, A Way with Words prompts readers to consider what artificial intelligence programs like ChatGPT and Bard will mean for student writing. It offers advice about how writers can distinguish their writing from the assembly-line writing that artificial intelligence tends to generate, and how they can develop their style to stand out to their teachers, employers, and clients" -- Back cover.
Record details
- ISBN: 9780472040070
- ISBN: 0472040073
- Physical Description: xi, 154 pages ; 23 cm
- Publisher: Ann Arbor : University of Michigan Press, 2026.
- Copyright: ©2026
Content descriptions
- Bibliography, etc. Note:
- Includes bibliographical references (pages 151-154).
- Formatted Contents Note:
- Introduction. Character and clarity ; Voice ; Why bother? ; Not showing but learning ; Style is not... -- A difficult dilemma : on concision -- Passive aggressive : on the active and passive voice -- Lights, camera, action verbs! -- Lost connections : modifiers, parallelism, transitions, and vague pronouns -- Better late than never : on clichés -- The art of joinery : fragments, run-on sentences, and the Oxford comma -- The long and short of it : on sentence variety -- Pretentious diction : on the sesquipedalian -- Conventions -- Inclusion -- Putting it all together : quizzes -- Answers to exercises -- Answers to quizzes.
Search for related items by subject
- Subject:
- English language > Writing.
Authorship > Technique. - Genre:
- Instructional and educational works.
Available copies
- 11 of 12 copies available at NC Cardinal. (Show)
- 1 of 1 copy available at Onslow County Public Library.
Holds
- 0 current holds with 12 total copies.
Show Only Available Copies
| Location | Call Number / Copy Notes | Barcode | Shelving Location | Status | Due Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jacksonville Main Library | 808.02 MAR (Text) | 36015000782827 | Adult New Nonfiction | Available | - |
Accessibility Features
Summary:
"A Way with Words helps readers learn the essentials of writing. Rather than lecturing about when to use who or whom, this book focuses on writing clear, concise, and lively prose: eliminating wordiness, using active verbs, avoiding run-on sentences. John Marsh applies his experience grading over 5,000 essays over a quarter century as a teacher to take readers through the issues he most commonly sees. While Marsh teaches in the humanities, the advice applies to writing regardless of discipline. Using examples from papers students might actually write, the book invites readers to apply what they have learned to quizzes that mix and match issues -- vague pronouns, sentence fragments, punctuating quotations -- from previous chapters. The book includes a thoughtful discussion about balancing the competing demands of writing well and fighting linguistic discrimination. Finally, A Way with Words prompts readers to consider what artificial intelligence programs like ChatGPT and Bard will mean for student writing. It offers advice about how writers can distinguish their writing from the assembly-line writing that artificial intelligence tends to generate, and how they can develop their style to stand out to their teachers, employers, and clients" --
