Writing well, and persuasively, is not only a discipline that can be learned, it is one deeply rooted in the classical arts of rhetoric and polemic. This book introduces the essential skills, rules, and steps for producing effective political prose appropriate to many contexts, from the editorial, the op-ed, and the polemical essay to others both weighty and seemingly slight.

The CQ Press Writing Guide for Public Policy, Second Edition, is loaded with rich real-world examples that help students master the process of translating insightful policy analysis into clear policy recommendations. Known for his conversational writing style, author Andrew Pennock offers step-by-step instructions on how to write for a variety of genres--including policy memos, briefs, op-eds, press releases, written testimony, social media, and emails--in a style that policy makers expect. Focusing on an audience-centered approach, the second edition of this award-winning book helps students learn how to create and organize an argument based on the unique needs and expectations of policy makers. The book also covers the nuts and bolts of how to write for a policy audience in specific genres, with special consideration of ethics and working with visual and technical material. The second edition features updated examples and a new chapter on writing for public speaking. Winner of the 2019 Textbook Excellence Award ("Texty") from the Textbook & Academic Authors Association (TAA)

The author of Reading the OED presents an eye-opening look at language “mistakes” and how they came to be accepted as correct—or not. English is a glorious mess of a language, cobbled together from a wide variety of sources and syntaxes, and changing over time with popular usage. Many of the words and usages we embrace as standard and correct today were at first considered slang, impolite, or just plain wrong. Whether you consider yourself a stickler, a nitpicker, or a rule-breaker in the know, Bad English is sure to enlighten, enrage, and perhaps even inspire. Filled with historic and contemporary examples, the book chronicles the long and entertaining history of language mistakes, and features some of our most common words and phrases, including: Decimate Hopefully Enormity That/which Enervate/energize Bemuse/amuse Literally/figuratively Ain’t Irregardless Socialist OMG Stupider Lively, surprising, funny, and delightfully readable, this is a book that will settle arguments among word lovers—and it’s sure to start a few, too.

Essentials of US Politics and Government is the latest book in the Essentials of series for A-Level Politics, which maps on to the Edexcel specification. It covers all the knowledge required to tackle paper 3 of the A level; United States politics, as well as Comparative US-UK politics. Author Andrew Colclough is head of politics at an independent school in Oxford and a Team Leader examiner at Edexcel, so brings a wealth of experience in supporting both students and teachers. All of the core chapters in the book are organized around the series' signature 'Key Debates' feature, which explain the vital arguments, with supporting evidence, clearly and concisely. These aid students in constructing persuasive arguments in their essays. Summary tables at the end of each debate ideal both to gain a quick overview of the topic and as a tool for revision. The book also offers: - An abundance of contemporary political examples and case studies - A unique chapter on Comparative US and UK Politics - 'Knowledge Checks' at regular intervals so students can check their understanding and factual recall - A dedicated 'Exam Focus' chapter, which gives advice on developing the skills for exam success, as well as annotated sample essays - An extensive companion website with further sample essays, templates for essay planning, bonus case study material and more.

Providing expert advice from established scholars in the field of political science, this engaging book imparts informative guidance on teaching research methods across the undergraduate curriculum. Written in a concise yet comprehensive style, it illustrates practical and conceptual advice, alongside more detailed chapters focussing on the different aspects of teaching political methodology.

This book is a comprehensive review of the political career of Benjamin Disraeli, providing a thorough critical analysis of one of the most ambitious and controversial leaders in British history. ‘Disraeli and the Art of Victorian Politics’ is a major addition to our understanding of the dynamics of nineteenth-century politics.

The trusted series of workbooks by Philip H. Pollock III and Barry C. Edwards continues with A Microsoft Excel®Companion to Political Analysis. In this new guide, students dive headfirst into actual political data working with the ubiquitous Excel software. Students learn by doing with new guided examples, annotated screenshots, step-by-step instructions, and exercises that reflect current scholarly debates in varied subfields of political science, including American politics, comparative politics, law and courts, and international relations. Chapters cover all major topics in political data analysis, from descriptive statistics through logistic regression, all with worked examples and exercises in Excel. No matter their professional goals, students can gain a leg up for their future careers by developing a working knowledge of statistics using Excel. By encouraging students to build on their existing familiarity with the Excel program, instructors can flatten the statistics learning curve and take some of the intimidation out of the learning process. Gain lost time usually spent troubleshooting software to provide students with a smooth transition into political analysis.

China is known for its deep veneration of history. Far more than a record of the past, history to the Chinese is the magister vitae (teacher of life): the storehouse of moral lessons and bureaucratic precedents. Mirroring the Past presents a comprehensive history of traditional Chinese historiography from antiquity to the mid-Qing period. Organized chronologically, the book traces the development of historical thinking and writing in Imperial China, beginning with the earliest forms of historical consciousness and ending with adumbrations of the fundamentally different views engendered by mid-nineteenth-century encounters with the West. The historiography of each era is explored on two levels: first, the gathering of material and the writing and production of narratives to describe past events; second, the thinking and reflecting on meanings and patterns of the past. Significantly, the book embeds within this chronological structure integrated views of Chinese historiography, bringing to light the purposive, didactic, and normative uses of the past. Examining both the worlds of official and unofficial historiography, the authors lay bare the ingenious ways in which Chinese scholars extracted truth from events and reveal how schemas and philosophies of history were constructed and espoused. They highlight the dynamic nature of Chinese historiography, revealing that historical works mapped the contours of Chinese civilization not for the sake of understanding history as disembodied and theoretical learning, but for the pragmatic purpose of guiding the world by mirroring the past in all its splendor and squalor.

How to Write about Economics and Public Policy is designed to guide graduate students through conducting, and writing about, research on a wide range of topics in public policy and economics. This guidance is based upon the actual writing practices of professional researchers in these fields and it will appeal to practitioners and students in disciplinary areas such as international economics, macroeconomics, development economics, public finance, policy studies, policy analysis, and public administration. Supported by real examples from professional and student writers, the book helps students understand what is expected of writers in their field and guides them through choosing a topic for research to writing each section of the paper. This book would be equally effective as a classroom text or a self-study resource. - Teaches students how to write about qualitative and quantitative research in public policy and economics in a way that is suitable for academic consumption and that can drive public policy debates - Uses the genre-based approach to writing to teach discipline-appropriate ways of framing problems, designing studies, and writing and structuring content - Includes authentic examples written by students and international researchers from various sub-disciplines of economics and public policy - Contains strategies and suggestions for textual analysis of research samples to give students an opportunity to practice key points explained in the book - Is based on a comprehensive analysis of a research corpus containing 400+ research articles in various areas of public policy and economics