The Mad Scientist's Guide to Composition (A Somewhat Cheeky but Exceedingly Useful Introduction to Academic Writing)

摘要

The Mad Scientist's Guide to Composition (A Somewhat Cheeky but Exceedingly Useful Introduction to Academic Writing) is probably the most high-spirited book we are ever likely to review in these pages. Aimed at college freshmen struggling with the daunting process of learning to write the kind of expository prose that will be required in their college papers, Weinstock harnesses the trope of the mad scientist creating an experimental monster. With cocky humor, he invites students to treat their essays as experiments where they can unleash their creativity and try different things until it all comes to life. Milking the trope, research becomes "grave robbing," planning becomes "readying the lab," writing drafts becomes "conducting experiments," and so on. And to top it off, the text is replete with monster movie stills, and tongue-in-cheek asides-"Do not read Latin incantations aloud unless you know exactly what they mean!" (p. 226).