The Mad Scientist’s Guide to Composition

"Unlike some college composition guides the size of phonebooks and about as interesting, The Mad Scientist's Guide to Composition seeks to be fun, funny, and a little cheeky. Considering the composition classroom as a 'mad scientist's laboratory,' this guide introduces different kinds of writing as 'experiments.' 'Writing an essay' is a task that can strike fear into a student's heart, but performing an experiment--that licenses creativity and doesn't presume that one knows the outcome from the start. This loose theme lends coherence to the approach to composition, while encouraging students to have fun with writing. The Mad Scientist's Guide covers the kinds of writing most often required on college campuses, while also addressing important steps and activities frequently overlooked in composition guides, such as revision and peer reviewing. Actual examples of student writing are included throughout, as are helpful reminders and tips to help students polish their skills. First and foremost, the Mad Scientist's Guide seeks to make writing fun."--