Media Writer's Handbook: A Guide to Common Editing and Writing Problems [Spiral-bound]

George T Arnold (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0072481951 | ISBN-13: 978-0072481952 | Publication Date: August 9, 2002 | Edition: 3

Appropriate for media writing courses as either a primary or supplemental text, Media Writer's Handbook is a primer for anyone who really wants to understand the grammatical and stylistic elements of good writing. Media Writer's Handbook is a teaching tool in the classroom and becomes a resource book that students and professionals can place on their desks alongside their dictionaries and stylebooks.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Dr. Arnold received his doctorate in Mass Communication and Journalism from Ohio University. He has been teaching at Marshall University for 30 years.

Product Details

• Spiral-bound: 312 pages
• Publisher: McGraw-Hill Humanities/Social Sciences/Languages; 3 edition (August 9, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0072481951
• ISBN-13: 978-0072481952
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6.5 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8.8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #782,971 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Indispensable reference tool for any mass media writer., June 10, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Media Writer's Handbook: A Guide to Common Writing and Editing Problems (News Reporting and Writing) (Paperback)

Dr. Arnold's book should sit next to any journalist's AP Stylebook. That says a lot about the number of times I've pulled it off my shelf to double-check the use of a verb or just to make sure I'm using the correct word or punctuation for the writing situation at hand.

It's quick, it's easy and it's also a reminder that despite the number of years I've been writing in journalistic style, there's an awful lot of ways to foul up. This book helps make sure I don't embarrass myself.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Who would have thought?, December 7, 2001

By A Customer

This review is from: Media Writer's Handbook: A Guide to Common Writing and Editing Problems (News Reporting and Writing) (Paperback)

I've used Arnold's book since 1997, when I purchased it for a journalism course at Marshall University. If I had known what a valuable resource this book would prove to be, I would have bought several. As a writer, I turn to this book on a regular basis. The pages are worn, the metal binding is bent, but I will never stop using this book. Media Writer's Handbook is a great source for writers and editors in all genres.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A must-have for students and professionals alike, June 11, 2003

By 

"bethhendricks1" (Findlay, OH United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Media Writer's Handbook: A Guide to Common Editing and Writing Problems (Spiral-bound)

I was a student of Dr. Arnold's at Marshall University, so I'm not completely unbiased. With that said, however, this book, the author aside, is always the first or second book I consult for journalism problems, questions or concerns. Completely different than the AP Stylebook, which focuses more on getting names/places/things correctly identified (read: how to correctly spell and hyphenate "Band-Aid"), this book is a wonderful source for basic English refreshers, such as noun-pronoun agreement, prepositions and sentences and syntax; punctuation, including how and when to use and not use periods, question marks, etc.; and, it includes a terrific "Quick Reference" section detaiing words that are frequently confused and misspelled, such as "over" and "more than," and a section on wordiness and trite expressions, such as not using "first annual." I am still working out of my 1996 edition, and find there are many days I wouldn't make it through without it! Thank you, Dr. Arnold, for your instruction and this wonderful book I'll carry with me throughout my career. (I may even have to update to a more current version?)