Literacy Skills for the Mass Media

Literacy Skills for the Mass Media provides students with tools and information to better understand words, grammar, spelling, and communication. The text helps students connect the dots between strategies and concepts that foster effective communication practices in both writing and speaking.

The text is divided into three sections. Section I introduces students to the basics of grammar, including types of words and their proper usage, the parts of a sentence and effective sentence structure, and how to effectively use punctuation. Section II focuses on sentence construction, providing readers with rules, tips, and strategies for creating dynamic sentences. The final section examines words, speaking to why word choice matters, how to use plurals, possessives, and contractions, common mistakes and issues, the importance of correct spelling, and more.

An easy-to-use guide to good grammar and successful communication, Literacy Skills for the Mass Media is an ideal textbook for foundational courses in writing, composition, mass media, and journalism. It is also a useful tool for remedial learning and for reference purposes. The book is an excellent resource for college orientation and student success programs as well.

Margaret Williams is an instructor in the School of Communication at The University of Southern Mississippi. She teaches the school’s British Journalism, Social Media and Culture course in London as part of USM’s summer British Studies Program. Williams previously worked as a newspaper reporter and editor. She has also worked in public relations and spent 12 years as the adviser to the student newspaper at USM, The Student Printz. She is an award-winning writer and has judged writing competitions at the high school, collegiate, and professional level locally, regionally, and nationally.