Pam Arlov wrote a textbook series that counters many of the objections students had about textbooks, such as: Students find textbooks dry and tedious. Arlov includes thought-provoking chapter openers, plenty of visuals, and a conversational, engaging writing style that students really respond to. Students find textbooks irrelevant to their lives. Arlov's coverage of the rhetorical modes is realistic and models real-life writing. She includes "Real Writing" examples in the modes chapters to make Wordsmith relevant to students' lives.  Students become frustrated if the entire text is not used in class. Wordsmith is 100 pages briefer than similar texts on the market and an affordable option. This more concise approach also does not overwhelm students with too much information. Wordsmith provides students with just the right balance of instruction and practice.

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