Cover: Models for Writers, 15th Edition by Alfred Rosa; Paul Eschholz

Models for Writers

Short Essays for CompositionFifteenth Edition ©2025 Alfred Rosa; Paul Eschholz

Models for Writers offers short, accessible, and diverse readings that mirror the length and subject matter of essays students typically write in college. Suitable for a range of courses and levels, the fifteenth edition includes new readings from a range of voices and perspectives, with...
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ISBN:9781319411831

ISBN:9781319587666

Cover: Models for Writers, 15th Edition by Alfred Rosa; Paul Eschholz

Strong support and short essays help students become model writers

Models for Writers offers short, accessible, and diverse readings that mirror the length and subject matter of essays students typically write in college. Suitable for a range of courses and levels, the fifteenth edition includes new readings from a range of voices and perspectives, with expanded coverage of writing situations that students are likely to encounter.

Models for Writers with Achieve expands on the strengths of the book and includes the complete e-book, auto-scored reading comprehension quizzes, adaptive quizzing, and fully customizable pre-built writing assignments.

Features

A lively collection of classic and contemporary essays that provide outstanding models for students. The 67 brief selections in Models for Writers engage students and illustrate basic rhetorical patterns. Models include selections by Brent Staples, Stephen King, and Amy Tan. 


A unique, easy-to-follow rhetorical structure. Models for Writers organizes first by the components and style of the essay (in Parts Two and Three), then by rhetorical strategy (in Part Four). 


A focus on the writing process and the reading-writing connection. Part One illustrates the steps in the writing process and offers instruction on reading critically, with professional and student models.


Abundant and flexible editorial apparatus that provides strong support for student writers. Each chapter features an introduction and support for each reading: a biographical note, prompts for discussion, critical reading and writing, and classroom activities. 


Practical instruction on research and working with sources. Chapters 10 and 22 provide expert advice and models for evaluating, analyzing, summarizing, quoting, integrating, and documenting sources (in MLA and APA styles), as well as avoiding plagiarism. 


A flexible arrangement to support course goals. Each chapter is self-contained for maximum flexibility. An alternate table of contents is provided for those who organize their course thematically.

New to This Edition

Fifteenth Edition Updates (c2025)

27 Engaging, informative, and diverse new readings serve as models to engage students and spur discussion and writing. The new selections feature topical themes and a diverse range of perspectives from writers such as:
  • Abby Wambach on recognizing one’s own power to effect change in “Wolfpack.”
  • Michelle Zauner on finding comfort and solace in the traditional food of her Korean heritage in a selection from Crying in H Mart.
  • J.D. Vance on straddling two worlds with distinct values among the white working class of Appalachia in a selection from Hillbilly Elegy.

New coverage of important writing situations includes using conversation and rehearsal to develop ideas about a topic (Chapter 1), using AI tools for research (Chapter 10), and strategies to support the research process (Chapter 23).

New clusters of paired arguments present opposing views on compelling topics. Chapter 22, Argument, features two new clusters of paired arguments that explore the following questions:
  • “Should the Government Restrict Social Media for Children and Youth?”  
  • “Should Restorative Justice Programs Be Expanded?”

New features in Achieve include reading comprehension quizzes and writing assignments to support the readings, as well as an interactive Student Success Toolkit covering time management, study skills, and growth mindset.
“I'm truly fond of this book. Despite its small size it packs in all the essentials. My favorite aspect is in the introductions to the main writing strategies. Those introductions nicely distill the information to a level that makes the ideas more accessible for students, supported by consistently strong examples. Also, the book includes troves of general writing and research goodies!”
-Rachael Hammond, Shenandoah University 

“The reader is easy to use, has a compact size, includes interesting essays and topics, and engages students.” 
-Karrie Preasmyer, Vanguard University of Southern California

“Models for Writers provides a solid foundation to build a First Year Experience or Co-requisite course around. It has a solid ease of entry into communication and critical thinking concepts, with strong examples and comprehension activities.”  
-Jason Kalodzyk, Milwaukee Area Technical College 

Digital Options

Table of Contents

* indicates a chapter, section, or reading selection that is new to this edition.

Thematic Clusters
Introduction for Students

  • Part One: On Reading and Writing Well
    • Chapter 1: The Writing Process
      • Prewriting
      • Writing the First Draft
      • Revising
      • Editing
      • Proofreading
      • Writing a Narrative Essay: A Student Essay in Progress
      • Mya Nunnally, Mixed Results (student essay)
    • Chapter 2: Reading Actively and Critically
      • Reading Actively: Getting a Basic Understanding of the Essay
      • Celeste Headlee, Get Off the Soapbox
      • Reading Critically: Taking Your Analysis to the Next Level
      • From Reading to Writing
      • Writing from Reading: A Sample Student Essay
      • Zoe Ockenga, The Excuse "Not To" (student essay)
  • Part Two: The Elements of the Essay
    • Chapter 3: Thesis
      • James Lincoln Collier, Anxiety: Challenge by Another Name
      • Helen Keller, The Most Important Day
      • Julie Zhuo, Where Anonymity Breeds Contempt
    • Chapter 4: Unity
      • Jonah Berger, How to Make People Feel Heard*
      • Dick Gregory, Shame
      • Thomas L. Friedman, My Favorite Teacher
    • Chapter 5: Organization
      • Cherokee Paul McDonald, A View from the Bridge
      • Bharati Mukherjee, Two Ways to Belong in America
      • Dan M. Kahan, Shame Is Worth a Try
    • Chapter 6: Beginnings and Endings
      • Sona Charaipotra, Flipping the Script: Finding the Love of My Life While Writing the Book of My Heart*
      • Jancee Dunn, Fighting with Your Partner? Use These 4 Phrases*
      • Omar Akram, Can Music Bridge Cultures and Promote Peace?
    • Chapter 7: Paragraphs
      • Judith Ortiz Cofer, My Rosetta
      • Susan Cheever, Johnny Appleseed and America’s Drinking History*
      • Joni Whitworth, Pipe Dream*
    • Chapter 8: Transitions
      • Dan Shaughnessy, Teammates Forever Have a Special Connection
      • Eduardo Porter, What Happiness Is
      • Jonathan Safran Foer, Against Meat
    • Chapter 9: Effective Sentences
      • Erin Murphy, White Lies
      • Jhumpa Lahiri, My Life’s Sentences*
      • Langston Hughes, Salvation
    • Chapter 10: Writing with Sources
      • Use Outside Sources in Your Writing
      • Learn to Summarize, Paraphrase, and Quote from Your Sources
      • Integrate Borrowed Material into Your Text
      • Synthesize Several Sources to Deepen Your Discussion
      • Avoid Plagiarism
      • Write Authentically and With Integrity: Use AI Tools Responsibly*
      • Tara Haelle, How to Teach Children That Failure Is the Secret to Success
      • Aviva Chomsky, Is Immigration Bad for the Environment?*
      • Donna Hicks, Activate Empathy*
  • Part Three: The Language of the Essay
    • Chapter 11: Voice
      • Brooklyn White, A Pleasure to Burn: One Family's Hot-Sauce Heirloom
      • Sloane Crosley, Wheels Up*
      • Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, We Should All Be Feminists
    • Chapter 12: Diction and Tone
      • N. Scott Momaday, Flight of the Eagles*
      • Abby Wambach, Wolfpack*
      • Robert G. Lake-Thom (Medicine Grizzly Bear), An Indian Father's Plea
    • Chapter 13: Figurative Language
      • Robert Ramirez, The Barrio
      • Lauren Groff, Swimming: A Plan B Essay*
      • Hannah Gadsby, Whirl, Interrupted*
  • Part Four: Types of Essays
    • Chapter 14: Illustration
      • Natalie Goldberg, Be Specific
      • Mehdi Hasan, The Rule of Three*
      • Richard Lederer, The Case for Short Words
    • Chapter 15: Narration
      • Henry Louis Gates Jr., What's in a Name?
      • Misty Copeland, Life in Motion
      • Josh Bond, Call Me Charlie*
    • Chapter 16: Description
      • Eudora Welty, The Corner Store
      • Lee Skallerup Bessette, Chlorine*
      • Michelle Zauner, Crying in H Mart*
    • Chapter 17: Process Analysis
      • Marie Kondo, Designate a Place for Each Thing
      • Alice Wong, Tiger Tips on Interviewing*
      • Helen Czerski, Spiders' Legs Are Hydraulic Masterpieces*
    • Chapter 18: Definition
      • Catherine Pearson, I Love You, Now Leave Me Alone: What Friendship Means to an Introvert*
      • Akemi Johnson, Who Gets to Be "Hapa"?
      • Saadia Faruqi, Cut from the Same Cloth*
    • Chapter 19: Division and Classification
      • Martin Luther King Jr., The Ways of Meeting Oppression
      • Mia Consalvo, Cheating Is Good for You
      • Amy Tan, Mother Tongue
    • Chapter 20: Comparison and Contrast
      • Toby Morris, On a Plate
      • Brené Brown, Stressed and Overwhelmed*
      • J.D. Vance, Appalachia’s White Working Class*
    • Chapter 21: Cause and Effect
      • Rosie Perez, When a Teacher Sees You, Everything Opens Up*
      • Brent Staples, Black Men and Public Space
      • Stephen King, Why We Crave Horror Movies
    • Chapter 22: Argument
      • Thinking Critically About Argument
      • Writing Arguments
      • Taking a Stand
      • Rosemarie Garland-Thomson, Becoming Disabled
      • Mary Sherry, In Praise of the F Word
      • Pamela Paul, Let Children Get Bored Again
      • Should the Government Restrict Social Media for Children and Youth?*
      • Josh Hawley, Congress Must Act to Keep Kids Off Social Media*
      • Trevor Burrus, Nicole Saad Bembridge, The Government Cracking Down on Social Media Won’t Make Kids Less Sad*
      • Is College Worth the Cost?
      • Logan Smith, Think for Yourself and Question the Benefits of Higher Education
      • Peter Cappelli, Will College Pay Off?
      • Should Restorative Justice Programs Be Expanded?*
      • Emma Brown, The Potential for Another Way: Restorative Justice*
      • Martha Minow, When Should Law Forgive?*
  • Part Five: Guides to Research and Editing
    • Chapter 23: A Brief Guide to Writing a Research Paper
      • Establishing a Realistic Schedule
      • Strategies for Supporting Time Management and Focus*
      • Finding and Using Sources
      • Conducting Keyword Searches
      • Evaluating Sources
      • Analyzing Sources for Position and Bias
      • Developing a Working Bibliography
      • Taking Notes
      • Documenting Sources
      • MLA-Style Documentation
      • APA-Style Documentation
    • Chapter 24: Editing for Grammar, Punctuation, and Sentence Style
      • Run-Ons: Fused Sentences and Comma Splices
      • Sentence Fragments
      • Subject-Verb Agreement
      • Pronoun-Antecedent Agreement
      • Verb Tense Shifts
      • Misplaced and Dangling Modifiers
      • Faulty Parallelism
      • Weak Nouns and Verbs
      • Academic Diction and Tone
      • ESL Concerns (Articles and Nouns)
Glossary of Useful Terms
Acknowledgments
Index
Headshot of Alfred Rosa

Alfred Rosa

Paul Eschholz and Alfred Rosa are professors emeriti of English at the University of Vermont. They have directed statewide writing programs and conducted numerous workshops throughout the country on writing and the teaching of writing. Eschholz and Rosa have collaborated on a number of best-selling texts for Bedford/St. Martins, including Subject & Strategy; Outlooks and Insights: A Reader for College Writers; Models for Writers; with Virginia Clark, Language Awareness; and, with Virginia Clark and Beth Simon, Language: Readings in Language.

Headshot of Paul Eschholz

Paul Eschholz

Paul Eschholz and Alfred Rosa are professors emeriti of English at the University of Vermont. They have directed statewide writing programs and conducted numerous workshops throughout the country on writing and the teaching of writing. Eschholz and Rosa have collaborated on a number of best-selling texts for Bedford/St. Martins, including Subject & Strategy; Outlooks and Insights: A Reader for College Writers; Models for Writers; with Virginia Clark, Language Awareness; and, with Virginia Clark and Beth Simon, Language: Readings in Language.

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Corequisite Course Manual for Models for Writers (.pdf)

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Instructor’s Quick Start Guide to Achieve with Models for Writers, 5th Edition (.pdf)

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Sample Syllabi for Models 15e (.pdf)