Merlene Purkiss

Merlene J. Purkiss (M.S., English Education, Nova Southeastern University) has more than 30 years experience in teaching college prep writing students at Miami Dade College. She is a former writing lab instructor and now an English professor, working with developmental learners who have faced formidable educational challenges as a result of varying factors, mainly language barriers. In creating this book, she has adapted some of her most effective teaching strategies and concepts from the writing lab and classroom. She has also incorporated students’ suggestions about methods that have helped them become better writers.