Pre-Reading
1. Schools encouraged us to read books that were either classics or books that had a deep kind of message or challenging meaning. They discouraged us from reading books that were more fun and not so academic, such as popular fiction books that have sometimes been made into movies. Activities that supported reading were book clubs and class assignments that required us to do a lot of reading.
Synthesis
This piece was hard to put with other readings that we have done because unlike the others that talked about writing techniques, this one talks about the differences in literacy. I wasn't quite sure how they could relate other than the fact that they both have to do with writing and how it differs depending on the writers background.
Summary
In her article "Sponsors of Literacy", Deborah Brandt attempts to tell the reader that people become literate through "sponsors". She argues that it is a person's environment that shapes the way they become literate and how literate they become, not just up to the individual person themselves.
AE #1
My literary history was somewhere between Branch and Lopez because while I came from a fairly poor farm community where not too many people did anything literary in their careers, the school in my town was good and my parents both had good reading skills. I also had a sort of natural ability to read as a child. I was reading simple sentences by the age of two, so I don't really remember "learning" how to read when I was in school. However, the people and environment around me certainly helped me to expand my knowledge on the subject over the years. I would consider the access provided as adequate. My teachers in school taught pretty well, and my parents and the library in town provided me with books and opportunities to read even more. I do wish I had access to talk to more people that were interested in writing when I was younger. Other than my teachers, I was one of the only people I knew that didn't think writing was a chore, so I really wish I had the opportunity to talk to other writers when I first found my interest in writing.
My Thoughts
I thought this reading was actually a bit interesting because it was a break from all of the writing technique articles. I also liked that it told the story of different people from different cultural and educational backgrounds and how they all still achieved a high level of literacy.
Saturday, September 29, 2012
Sunday, September 23, 2012
Dawkins Responses
Summary
In his article "Teaching Punctuation as a Rhetorical Tool", John Dawkins attempts to explain to the reader that although it may not always change the meaning of a sentence, the choice of punctuation that is used can have a great impact on the tone of the sentence and how the reader interprets it. He argues that the mainstream rules on punctuation can be broken and that writers have many choices when using punctuation and forming sentences.
Synthesis
This reading is similar to the Bryson reading because they are both discussing the use of grammar and how the rules that we are taught throughout our education are not always set in stone, but rather open for interpretation and experimentation. The difference is that Dawkins talks strictly about punctuation, while Bryson discusses more about sentences themselves.
Pre-Reading
3. In my mind, grammar is anything that has to do with the uses of words and their structure. That means I consider grammar to be anything from punctuation to word choice and placement.
QD
6. When I write, I wouldn't really say that I fixate on it or anything like that, but I do pay attention to it, especially when I am trying to make a point or create a mood for a sentence. In my free time when I write, which is mostly short stories, poetry, etc., I think about punctuation in terms of the situation in the story or the characters thoughts. For instance, if I was writing about a scene that is very dramatic or action packed, I would use more of the maximum and medium punctuation than I would if I was writing a scene about something more laid back, which is when I would use more medium and minimum punctuation.
AE
2. In the obituary the sentences were fairly long, but used lots of commas. The editorial used many commas as well, however used many dashes and parentheses in their sentences as well. The set of directions used many periods, with some commas here and there. I think that it is like this because the directions are like a set of commands, while the editorial is from an opinion standpoint and the obituary is describing the life of the person who died.
MM
I think that I am reading an article about punctuation rather than the teacher just explaining it because It is easier to understand something like this when you can see it and read it a few times. By reading the article, I learned that punctuation can have a huge impact on a sentence.
My thoughts
I thought this article was quite interesting. I learned a lot of new techniques that I can use when it comes to punctuation that can be useful for both my creative and my class writing, which I really found interesting.
In his article "Teaching Punctuation as a Rhetorical Tool", John Dawkins attempts to explain to the reader that although it may not always change the meaning of a sentence, the choice of punctuation that is used can have a great impact on the tone of the sentence and how the reader interprets it. He argues that the mainstream rules on punctuation can be broken and that writers have many choices when using punctuation and forming sentences.
Synthesis
This reading is similar to the Bryson reading because they are both discussing the use of grammar and how the rules that we are taught throughout our education are not always set in stone, but rather open for interpretation and experimentation. The difference is that Dawkins talks strictly about punctuation, while Bryson discusses more about sentences themselves.
Pre-Reading
3. In my mind, grammar is anything that has to do with the uses of words and their structure. That means I consider grammar to be anything from punctuation to word choice and placement.
QD
6. When I write, I wouldn't really say that I fixate on it or anything like that, but I do pay attention to it, especially when I am trying to make a point or create a mood for a sentence. In my free time when I write, which is mostly short stories, poetry, etc., I think about punctuation in terms of the situation in the story or the characters thoughts. For instance, if I was writing about a scene that is very dramatic or action packed, I would use more of the maximum and medium punctuation than I would if I was writing a scene about something more laid back, which is when I would use more medium and minimum punctuation.
AE
2. In the obituary the sentences were fairly long, but used lots of commas. The editorial used many commas as well, however used many dashes and parentheses in their sentences as well. The set of directions used many periods, with some commas here and there. I think that it is like this because the directions are like a set of commands, while the editorial is from an opinion standpoint and the obituary is describing the life of the person who died.
MM
I think that I am reading an article about punctuation rather than the teacher just explaining it because It is easier to understand something like this when you can see it and read it a few times. By reading the article, I learned that punctuation can have a huge impact on a sentence.
My thoughts
I thought this article was quite interesting. I learned a lot of new techniques that I can use when it comes to punctuation that can be useful for both my creative and my class writing, which I really found interesting.
Thursday, September 20, 2012
Project 1 intro and conversation
In an ever changing, technologically dependent world, texting is a form of communication present today that cannot be overlooked. Many oppose the idea that texting is a good form of communication, mostly because of the inadequate spelling and grammar present in most text messaging scenarios. However, this is not always the assumption. At East Tennessee State University, Rosalind Raymond Gann, Karin Bartoszuk, and Jillian H. Anderson conducted a study of undergraduate students to see if there was a correlation between texting language and the quality of grammar in their work. Their study showed that even though they all used text messaging on a daily basis, it did not have any negative effects on their writing for class. Therefore, this study and other research shows that the construct that many educators and grammar enthusiasts have about texting affecting a person's grammar are not necessarily true.
Some actually suggest that texting may be helpful to a person's grammar and spelling skills. According to Anne Trubek in her article "Txting 2 Lrn" she describes how using these shorter words may actually help improve reading and phonology skills, particularly in children. She also argues that being familiar with text language can also help students to take more efficient, yet still effective notes in class. This can be a useful skill to have, especially in fast paced college courses.
Therefore, the misconception that texting is always harmful to grammar and spelling skills is not always relevant. Those who are taught to use grammar well will do so in their papers, and will also be able to use effectively fast communication when in the text messaging setting. This was proven once again in a study done by Latisha Asmaak Shafie, Norizul Azida, and Nazira Osman at the Universiti Teknologi MARA Perlis in Malaysia. Even though this was not an American study, the results were the same. Those students who communicated in text messages during their spare time were just as able to write quality papers as those who did not text.
Note: I do have two other sources, among those listed below. I just was not sure how to work them into this because they all are saying different variations of the same thing, so it sounded a bit redundant and sloppy when I tried to use all five in just this introduction. I do feel like this introduction is a little short, but I wasn't sure how to lengthen it too much without getting into the rest of my paper. I know this is certainly far from perfect, so if you have any suggestions they will be greatly appreciated! - Alicia
Sources
Some actually suggest that texting may be helpful to a person's grammar and spelling skills. According to Anne Trubek in her article "Txting 2 Lrn" she describes how using these shorter words may actually help improve reading and phonology skills, particularly in children. She also argues that being familiar with text language can also help students to take more efficient, yet still effective notes in class. This can be a useful skill to have, especially in fast paced college courses.
Therefore, the misconception that texting is always harmful to grammar and spelling skills is not always relevant. Those who are taught to use grammar well will do so in their papers, and will also be able to use effectively fast communication when in the text messaging setting. This was proven once again in a study done by Latisha Asmaak Shafie, Norizul Azida, and Nazira Osman at the Universiti Teknologi MARA Perlis in Malaysia. Even though this was not an American study, the results were the same. Those students who communicated in text messages during their spare time were just as able to write quality papers as those who did not text.
Note: I do have two other sources, among those listed below. I just was not sure how to work them into this because they all are saying different variations of the same thing, so it sounded a bit redundant and sloppy when I tried to use all five in just this introduction. I do feel like this introduction is a little short, but I wasn't sure how to lengthen it too much without getting into the rest of my paper. I know this is certainly far from perfect, so if you have any suggestions they will be greatly appreciated! - Alicia
Sources
Drouin, Michelle, and Claire Davis. "R U Txting? Is The
Use Of Text Speak Hurting Your Literacy?." Journal Of Literacy Research
41.1 (2009): 46-67. ERIC. Web. 19 Sept. 2012.
Shafie, Latisha Asmaak, Norizul Azida, and Nazira Osman.
"SMS Language And College Writing: The Languages Of The College
Texters." International Journal Of Emerging Technologies In Learning
5.1 (2010): 26-31. Education Research Complete. Web. 19 Sept. 2012.
Trubek, Anne. "Txting 2 Lrn." Instructor
121.5 (2012): 49. MasterFILE Premier. Web. 19 Sept. 2012.
Gann, Rosalind Raymond, Karin Bartoszuk, and Jillian H.
Anderson. "If U Txt 2 Much, Duz It Mean U Cant Spell: Exploring The
Connection Between SMS Use And Lowered Performance In Spelling." International
Journal Of The Book 7.2 (2010): 69-77. Humanities International Complete.
Web. 19 Sept. 2012.
"Using Textisms Is Gd 4 U." New Scientist
201.2696 (2009): 17. Academic Search Complete. Web. 19 Sept. 2012.
Tuesday, September 18, 2012
Bernhardt Responses
Summary
In his article "Seeing the Text", Stephen Bernhardt attempts to tell the reader about how different formats of writing affect how the reader takes in the information being presented. He argues that both writing and visual communication have to work together in order to get a point across to a mass audience because sometimes the way a piece of writing is presented can have an effect on how the reader interprets it.
Synthesis
This piece relates to other articles we have read because it once again talks about the presentation of an argument and how that affects the reader's interpretation of the piece.
Pre-Reading
3. At this point none of my other classes here have really asked me to do lab reports like that, but when I was in high school I had to do projects where I had to use images along with text. When I did these projects, I thought that the images helped my audience to better visualize what I was trying to say in the text of my paper.
QD
2. The advantages of using partitions and section headings is that for the writer, it helps to organize their ideas. For the reader, it breaks down the points so they can better understand the writing and keep it organized themselves.
AE
1. If I change the font of this to something crazy like swirly letters or something, it would make this seem more laid back and not so much like an assignment. So, while the words themselves stay the same, the attitude behind it would seem to change, simply because of the way it looks.
After Reading
McCloud would have presented Bernhardt's argument in a comic format using the images themselves, rather than just talking about the concept like Bernhardt did. So, in other words, McCloud would be showing the argument to the reader instead of telling about it.
Meta Moment
I think visually thinking about texts is most appropriate in contexts such as comics or advertisements, where text and image have to work together to present a point. Out of the formal writing assignments for this class, the one that calls for the most visual thinking about presenting text would be project two because we can use more than just words on paper for that project.
My thoughts
I thought this reading was okay, I mean, it wasn't the most interesting thing in the world. However, it did present many good points on how the way something is written or organized can affect the readers interpretation, which can be very helpful to think about when writing in the future.
In his article "Seeing the Text", Stephen Bernhardt attempts to tell the reader about how different formats of writing affect how the reader takes in the information being presented. He argues that both writing and visual communication have to work together in order to get a point across to a mass audience because sometimes the way a piece of writing is presented can have an effect on how the reader interprets it.
Synthesis
This piece relates to other articles we have read because it once again talks about the presentation of an argument and how that affects the reader's interpretation of the piece.
Pre-Reading
3. At this point none of my other classes here have really asked me to do lab reports like that, but when I was in high school I had to do projects where I had to use images along with text. When I did these projects, I thought that the images helped my audience to better visualize what I was trying to say in the text of my paper.
QD
2. The advantages of using partitions and section headings is that for the writer, it helps to organize their ideas. For the reader, it breaks down the points so they can better understand the writing and keep it organized themselves.
AE
1. If I change the font of this to something crazy like swirly letters or something, it would make this seem more laid back and not so much like an assignment. So, while the words themselves stay the same, the attitude behind it would seem to change, simply because of the way it looks.
After Reading
McCloud would have presented Bernhardt's argument in a comic format using the images themselves, rather than just talking about the concept like Bernhardt did. So, in other words, McCloud would be showing the argument to the reader instead of telling about it.
Meta Moment
I think visually thinking about texts is most appropriate in contexts such as comics or advertisements, where text and image have to work together to present a point. Out of the formal writing assignments for this class, the one that calls for the most visual thinking about presenting text would be project two because we can use more than just words on paper for that project.
My thoughts
I thought this reading was okay, I mean, it wasn't the most interesting thing in the world. However, it did present many good points on how the way something is written or organized can affect the readers interpretation, which can be very helpful to think about when writing in the future.
Sunday, September 16, 2012
Porter Responses
Summary
In his article "Intertextuality and the Discourse Community", James E. Porter attempts to explain to the reader that just because a piece of writing has elements of other works does not necessarily make it plagiarism. He argues that such writings are the product of a "discourse community", a process in which many writer's works may have some of the same ideas and arguments.
Pre-Reading
In my mind, an author is a writer whose work is published and a writer is anyone who writes, published or not. I would choose the first term to describe the writer of any work that has been officially published, such as a book or an article. I would use the second term to describe the writer of an unpublished work, such as a paper written for class or a letter to a friend.
Synthesis
This article is hard to put with others because it wasn't dealing with constructs or arguments but instead the topic of plagiarism, which is different from the other topics that we have talked about. The only way that I can see that it has matched up with other readings is that it provides useful information about writing techniques.
QD
4. This is different from the way that I had assumed writing should be evaluated prior to reading this article because I never saw writing as something that had to always be accepted. It is different from the way that my writing has been evaluated in the past because my writing has only had to be accepted by the teachers that read it, not really by a "community".
5. His own work reflects the principles that he is writing about because he uses examples such as the Declaration of Independence and how Jefferson was not the only one who wrote it. By doing this, he is taking a concept from another work and applying it to his own, so therefore, intertexuality is taking place in this piece.
AE
2. Porter's version of the rule would say that if a group of students in a "discourse community" worked together on a paper, or if sources of other people's works are cited, then using the work of others would not be counted as plagiarism. The version for our class states that if any work at all that is not original is used, then it is automatically plagiarism.
MM
This study really hasn't changed the way that I think about writers too much because I know that some writers do work together and bounce their ideas off of each other when they write. It wouldn't change the way that I write too much because I personally like to be alone when I write, especially when it is the creative writing that I do in my spare time. However, when it is any other kind of writing, working with others to get some ideas would be helpful sometimes.
My Thoughts
I thought this reading was pretty good. However, from what Porter says in this article it makes the lines between what is plagiarism and what is not even more confusing than it was to me before.
In his article "Intertextuality and the Discourse Community", James E. Porter attempts to explain to the reader that just because a piece of writing has elements of other works does not necessarily make it plagiarism. He argues that such writings are the product of a "discourse community", a process in which many writer's works may have some of the same ideas and arguments.
Pre-Reading
In my mind, an author is a writer whose work is published and a writer is anyone who writes, published or not. I would choose the first term to describe the writer of any work that has been officially published, such as a book or an article. I would use the second term to describe the writer of an unpublished work, such as a paper written for class or a letter to a friend.
Synthesis
This article is hard to put with others because it wasn't dealing with constructs or arguments but instead the topic of plagiarism, which is different from the other topics that we have talked about. The only way that I can see that it has matched up with other readings is that it provides useful information about writing techniques.
QD
4. This is different from the way that I had assumed writing should be evaluated prior to reading this article because I never saw writing as something that had to always be accepted. It is different from the way that my writing has been evaluated in the past because my writing has only had to be accepted by the teachers that read it, not really by a "community".
5. His own work reflects the principles that he is writing about because he uses examples such as the Declaration of Independence and how Jefferson was not the only one who wrote it. By doing this, he is taking a concept from another work and applying it to his own, so therefore, intertexuality is taking place in this piece.
AE
2. Porter's version of the rule would say that if a group of students in a "discourse community" worked together on a paper, or if sources of other people's works are cited, then using the work of others would not be counted as plagiarism. The version for our class states that if any work at all that is not original is used, then it is automatically plagiarism.
MM
This study really hasn't changed the way that I think about writers too much because I know that some writers do work together and bounce their ideas off of each other when they write. It wouldn't change the way that I write too much because I personally like to be alone when I write, especially when it is the creative writing that I do in my spare time. However, when it is any other kind of writing, working with others to get some ideas would be helpful sometimes.
My Thoughts
I thought this reading was pretty good. However, from what Porter says in this article it makes the lines between what is plagiarism and what is not even more confusing than it was to me before.
Thursday, September 13, 2012
Elbow Responses
Summary
In his article "Voice in Writing Again", Peter Elbow attempts to tell his audience that using voice in one's writing can either be beneficial or harmful to the writing. He argues that voice is a good thing because some of the writer's personality comes out in the writing that way, therefore making their writing more effective. At the same time, he argues that using voice can be bad because it would affect the way we look at the writing of others.
Synthesis
1. This applies to Kleine because both articles say that if you put a little bit of personality into your writing, that it will make it more interesting to the reader, and voice is a big part of that.
2. I think that it is not what Allen fights against, but is rather what Elbow describes because voice and inspiration are two different things. Voice is, from what I understood, the way you choose to make your paper sound, not the inspiration for that paper.
Pre-reading
1. On my facebook profile, my identity is displayed as how my peers know me, not so much by how my family knows me. I construct this identity by adding pictures that include my life with my friends and posting statuses.
2. Well, first of all I already am using I in this assignment, I thought this was informal writing. So, that makes this writing different from my formal writing because it is more personal and reflects my own personal thoughts in a way that would be difficult to do in a formal paper without using "I".
QD
1. I define voice as the personality and feeling that goes into a person's writing. Yes, I have encountered different definitions of voice, and they were near the same definition as Elbow's, however they varied slightly depending on the person.
4. It does seem to me that he is playing that game. the effect of that however is that the reader sees both sides of the argument and therefore can form their own opinion on the subject.
AE
1. Sincerity is the truth of the writer in their work. What I mean by that is that if a piece of writing is sincere it is what the author truly feels is right. Resonance is how the point, or argument, of the piece comes across to the reader and how it stays with them after they read it.
2. When I listen to a passage, I lose interest in it a lot quicker than if I read it silently, which also means that I don't pick up on all of the details. However, if I do listen to it, I can hear the tone of it, which can sometimes be difficult if I just read it silently. If I read it silently, I can go back and read it again, which usually helps me understand a piece more than listening to it does.
Meta Moment
Yes I believe this to be possible because in order for a piece of writing to have a point It has to be seriously written, however it has to have some personality and voice in it or it would just be flat out boring.
My Thoughts
I thought this article was helpful. It gave very useful information about voice and its use, and let me see the topic of voice in a light that I had never seen it in before.
In his article "Voice in Writing Again", Peter Elbow attempts to tell his audience that using voice in one's writing can either be beneficial or harmful to the writing. He argues that voice is a good thing because some of the writer's personality comes out in the writing that way, therefore making their writing more effective. At the same time, he argues that using voice can be bad because it would affect the way we look at the writing of others.
Synthesis
1. This applies to Kleine because both articles say that if you put a little bit of personality into your writing, that it will make it more interesting to the reader, and voice is a big part of that.
2. I think that it is not what Allen fights against, but is rather what Elbow describes because voice and inspiration are two different things. Voice is, from what I understood, the way you choose to make your paper sound, not the inspiration for that paper.
Pre-reading
1. On my facebook profile, my identity is displayed as how my peers know me, not so much by how my family knows me. I construct this identity by adding pictures that include my life with my friends and posting statuses.
2. Well, first of all I already am using I in this assignment, I thought this was informal writing. So, that makes this writing different from my formal writing because it is more personal and reflects my own personal thoughts in a way that would be difficult to do in a formal paper without using "I".
QD
1. I define voice as the personality and feeling that goes into a person's writing. Yes, I have encountered different definitions of voice, and they were near the same definition as Elbow's, however they varied slightly depending on the person.
4. It does seem to me that he is playing that game. the effect of that however is that the reader sees both sides of the argument and therefore can form their own opinion on the subject.
AE
1. Sincerity is the truth of the writer in their work. What I mean by that is that if a piece of writing is sincere it is what the author truly feels is right. Resonance is how the point, or argument, of the piece comes across to the reader and how it stays with them after they read it.
2. When I listen to a passage, I lose interest in it a lot quicker than if I read it silently, which also means that I don't pick up on all of the details. However, if I do listen to it, I can hear the tone of it, which can sometimes be difficult if I just read it silently. If I read it silently, I can go back and read it again, which usually helps me understand a piece more than listening to it does.
Meta Moment
Yes I believe this to be possible because in order for a piece of writing to have a point It has to be seriously written, however it has to have some personality and voice in it or it would just be flat out boring.
My Thoughts
I thought this article was helpful. It gave very useful information about voice and its use, and let me see the topic of voice in a light that I had never seen it in before.
Tuesday, September 11, 2012
Berkenkotter and Murray responses.
Summary
In their articles "Decisions and Revisions" and "Response of a Laboratory Rat", Carol Berkenkotter and Donald M. Murray attempt to tell the reader that writers should talk while they write. They argue that it can help a writer revise and edit their papers because it gives a record of their thoughts as they go.
Synthesis
This reading is similar to other readings we have read because much like all of the others, this article gives us more writing advice to add to what the other articles have already talked about, thus helping us to further improve our writing. This article is different from the others, however, because instead of only giving the researcher's point of view, they give the view of the subject being studied as well.
Pre-Reading
2. Yes, I do have to say that I have a couple of writing rituals, one being that I usually do have to write on paper before I type. I just feel more inspired to write when I have a pen in my hand than I do when my fingers are on the computer keys.
QD
1. My impression of Murray's writing processes as they are described here is that it helps him to talk when he writes and that he is aware of the audience as he writes. They compare to mine a little bit because sometimes I do think out loud and talk to myself a bit while I write to get the ideas flowing, but I don't always think of an audience every time that I write.
3. This study changed Berkenkotter's understanding of writing processes because she discovered that the way that a writer writes and plans to write differs when they are in an unfamiliar setting doing unfamiliar tasks. She found that she could observe things that writers think and do that would have been unknown otherwise, so therefore, her understanding of the writing process changed.
AE
1. I think that I would have to say that I am more guilty of the editing sort of correcting than I do revision, however, I am getting better about it as the years go on. I still have to say that I am a lot better at revising the pieces that I write for my own pleasure than I am official researched school papers. I tend to do more editing on those than I do expanding the ideas.
MM
I learned that writing down or saying out loud things that I am thinking about when I write may help me in the writing process, especially when I am writing about something unfamiliar and/or uninteresting to me.
Thoughts on the Reading
I will be completely honest, I really just couldn't get into this article, I did not find it very interesting much at all, I suppose because it was just so long. It was also a bit confusing too. It seemed like especially in the Berkenkotter part, she was bouncing around all over the place when it came to topics. I just couldn't keep it all straight.
In their articles "Decisions and Revisions" and "Response of a Laboratory Rat", Carol Berkenkotter and Donald M. Murray attempt to tell the reader that writers should talk while they write. They argue that it can help a writer revise and edit their papers because it gives a record of their thoughts as they go.
Synthesis
This reading is similar to other readings we have read because much like all of the others, this article gives us more writing advice to add to what the other articles have already talked about, thus helping us to further improve our writing. This article is different from the others, however, because instead of only giving the researcher's point of view, they give the view of the subject being studied as well.
Pre-Reading
2. Yes, I do have to say that I have a couple of writing rituals, one being that I usually do have to write on paper before I type. I just feel more inspired to write when I have a pen in my hand than I do when my fingers are on the computer keys.
QD
1. My impression of Murray's writing processes as they are described here is that it helps him to talk when he writes and that he is aware of the audience as he writes. They compare to mine a little bit because sometimes I do think out loud and talk to myself a bit while I write to get the ideas flowing, but I don't always think of an audience every time that I write.
3. This study changed Berkenkotter's understanding of writing processes because she discovered that the way that a writer writes and plans to write differs when they are in an unfamiliar setting doing unfamiliar tasks. She found that she could observe things that writers think and do that would have been unknown otherwise, so therefore, her understanding of the writing process changed.
AE
1. I think that I would have to say that I am more guilty of the editing sort of correcting than I do revision, however, I am getting better about it as the years go on. I still have to say that I am a lot better at revising the pieces that I write for my own pleasure than I am official researched school papers. I tend to do more editing on those than I do expanding the ideas.
MM
I learned that writing down or saying out loud things that I am thinking about when I write may help me in the writing process, especially when I am writing about something unfamiliar and/or uninteresting to me.
Thoughts on the Reading
I will be completely honest, I really just couldn't get into this article, I did not find it very interesting much at all, I suppose because it was just so long. It was also a bit confusing too. It seemed like especially in the Berkenkotter part, she was bouncing around all over the place when it came to topics. I just couldn't keep it all straight.
Sunday, September 9, 2012
Berger Responses
Before You Read
1. If I was going to draw a picture of a woman, I would not really face her in any certain way, I mean, until now I never really thought about drawing a picture of a woman. If I did draw a picture though, I don't think that I would make her the only object in the picture, I would probably draw some flowers or a tree or something to give the picture some scenery. No, she would not be nude.
2. In the classical picture, (I chose Da Vinci's Mona Lisa) the woman in the painting has a calm, yet confident expression on her face, and looks as if she is presenting herself with class. In the modern advertisement, (in this case a Dolce and Gabanna ad), the confidence is still present in the picture, however, the model was depicted to look more like an object of sex than an object of class.
Summary
In his article "Ways of Seeing", John Berger attempts to explain to the reader that in Renaissance art, women were seen and judged as sights. He argues that women are the subjects of men and that being naked means to be without disguise.
Synthesis
This reading was similar to the other readings that we have read in this class because it discusses constructs. In this case it is the construct that women are born to serve men and to be only seen as sexual objects, which is still a little bit present even in today's equal society.
Questions for discussion
1. Yes, I do think that the artists of these paintings knew what they were doing when they created them because back then there was a huge line between men and women, and they knew the norms of society were to see women only as objects, so that is how they painted them. Yes, I do think that berger would agree with me.
3. While today's society is pretty equal when it comes to gender, there are still those assumptions about women being obsessed with their image and men with their power. Women today still tend to dress to impress, while men still tend to show off in order to make an impression.
Applying and Exploring
3. I do see it a little bit, because in some advertisements the model seems to either give off an image being sexy, confident, sweet, or a fun loving person just by the way she is standing or smiling in the picture. So yes, I do see some similarities.
4. I think humor defines a person by contributing to their overall personality, but I don't really think that it nessesarily has to compensate for something else. It may fall on gender lines though, because even in today's society there are many jokes in the mainstream that illustrate the mental and sexual differences between men and women.
Meta Moment
These concepts could be connected to writing, audience, and authorship because writing, like art, is deciphered by the reader. A person's writing could mean so many different things to different people that it can be interpreted in many different ways, not always in the way that the author intended it to. This article was parallel to that because the way that the viewer takes in the art is also different from person to person.
Thoughts on the reading
I thought this was a little bit interesting once I got reading, but I'll be honest, I wouldn't normally read an article about nude art in my spare time. However, it did describe some of societies constructs when it comes to gender differences, which could be useful information.
1. If I was going to draw a picture of a woman, I would not really face her in any certain way, I mean, until now I never really thought about drawing a picture of a woman. If I did draw a picture though, I don't think that I would make her the only object in the picture, I would probably draw some flowers or a tree or something to give the picture some scenery. No, she would not be nude.
2. In the classical picture, (I chose Da Vinci's Mona Lisa) the woman in the painting has a calm, yet confident expression on her face, and looks as if she is presenting herself with class. In the modern advertisement, (in this case a Dolce and Gabanna ad), the confidence is still present in the picture, however, the model was depicted to look more like an object of sex than an object of class.
Summary
In his article "Ways of Seeing", John Berger attempts to explain to the reader that in Renaissance art, women were seen and judged as sights. He argues that women are the subjects of men and that being naked means to be without disguise.
Synthesis
This reading was similar to the other readings that we have read in this class because it discusses constructs. In this case it is the construct that women are born to serve men and to be only seen as sexual objects, which is still a little bit present even in today's equal society.
Questions for discussion
1. Yes, I do think that the artists of these paintings knew what they were doing when they created them because back then there was a huge line between men and women, and they knew the norms of society were to see women only as objects, so that is how they painted them. Yes, I do think that berger would agree with me.
3. While today's society is pretty equal when it comes to gender, there are still those assumptions about women being obsessed with their image and men with their power. Women today still tend to dress to impress, while men still tend to show off in order to make an impression.
Applying and Exploring
3. I do see it a little bit, because in some advertisements the model seems to either give off an image being sexy, confident, sweet, or a fun loving person just by the way she is standing or smiling in the picture. So yes, I do see some similarities.
4. I think humor defines a person by contributing to their overall personality, but I don't really think that it nessesarily has to compensate for something else. It may fall on gender lines though, because even in today's society there are many jokes in the mainstream that illustrate the mental and sexual differences between men and women.
Meta Moment
These concepts could be connected to writing, audience, and authorship because writing, like art, is deciphered by the reader. A person's writing could mean so many different things to different people that it can be interpreted in many different ways, not always in the way that the author intended it to. This article was parallel to that because the way that the viewer takes in the art is also different from person to person.
Thoughts on the reading
I thought this was a little bit interesting once I got reading, but I'll be honest, I wouldn't normally read an article about nude art in my spare time. However, it did describe some of societies constructs when it comes to gender differences, which could be useful information.
McCloud Responses
Before You Read
1. When I was a kid, my favorite cartoon was the Powerpuff Girls. I really connected with the character Bubbles because she was really quiet and shy, and as a child, so was I.
2. In the room that I am in I see a few objects that resemble human faces, such as the vending machine and the bookshelf. They aren't that similar to human faces, but they do look like they have a sort of face by the way they are shaped. I can look at them and not see the face, but once I thought about them having a face, it was hard to imagine them without the face.
Summary
In his article " Vocabulary of Comics", Scott McCloud attempts to tell the reader that we do not just see and read cartoons, but rather become them. He argues that we as readers actually see those ideas represented as real because these ideas are so common in our society.
Synthesis
This article was hard for me to put with anything else we have read because it was different in so many ways. the only similarities that I have put with it are that all of the pieces that we have read have had something to do with arguments in writing, and this one certainly had an argument. This article was so different because it was put into a comic form and talked about ideas, rather than the other articles we have read where they talked about how to write more official papers using facts.
Questions for Discussion and Journaling
1. I think that adults still like the simplicity of cartoons because it is a break from their hectic and complicated lives. I do not think that there is an age where cartoons and comics are inappropriate because everyone needs a little escape from reality in their lives. I don't think that McCloud would think that there is an age limit to cartoons because in his article, it describes how all throughout society we use pictures and words to convey ideas, and that means adults are included.
2. McCloud uses the comic book format to convey his ideas to the reader because it presents his point in more of a visual way, which helps people understand his argument better than if he expressed his point in a strictly textual format. If he had done this article only in writing, it may not have been as interesting to the reader or it may have been harder for the reader to understand.
Applying and Exploring Ideas
1. Yes, I do think that more teaching strategies should contain visual imagery because not every student is good with words. Some people are more visual minded than others, and may have difficulty understanding a long written article. I think it would benefit so many people if more visual imagery was used in lessons.
3. I think that some adults claim that they grow out of watching cartoons simply because they believe that that is what is just what society expects of us when we grow older. While some cartoons are very juvenile and clearly aimed towards children, there are many cartoons that are relevant to the life of adults as well, so therefore, the construct that adults are too old to watch cartoons is not always true.
Thoughts on the Reading
I really liked this article a lot. The comic format it was in caught my interest, and the pictures helped the author's idea come to me clearer than it would have if he would have written the whole thing, especially with the visual subject that the article was about. This was a very interesting article in my opinion, if I saw this in a newspaper or something, I would probably actually pick it up and read it for my own pleasure.
1. When I was a kid, my favorite cartoon was the Powerpuff Girls. I really connected with the character Bubbles because she was really quiet and shy, and as a child, so was I.
2. In the room that I am in I see a few objects that resemble human faces, such as the vending machine and the bookshelf. They aren't that similar to human faces, but they do look like they have a sort of face by the way they are shaped. I can look at them and not see the face, but once I thought about them having a face, it was hard to imagine them without the face.
Summary
In his article " Vocabulary of Comics", Scott McCloud attempts to tell the reader that we do not just see and read cartoons, but rather become them. He argues that we as readers actually see those ideas represented as real because these ideas are so common in our society.
Synthesis
This article was hard for me to put with anything else we have read because it was different in so many ways. the only similarities that I have put with it are that all of the pieces that we have read have had something to do with arguments in writing, and this one certainly had an argument. This article was so different because it was put into a comic form and talked about ideas, rather than the other articles we have read where they talked about how to write more official papers using facts.
Questions for Discussion and Journaling
1. I think that adults still like the simplicity of cartoons because it is a break from their hectic and complicated lives. I do not think that there is an age where cartoons and comics are inappropriate because everyone needs a little escape from reality in their lives. I don't think that McCloud would think that there is an age limit to cartoons because in his article, it describes how all throughout society we use pictures and words to convey ideas, and that means adults are included.
2. McCloud uses the comic book format to convey his ideas to the reader because it presents his point in more of a visual way, which helps people understand his argument better than if he expressed his point in a strictly textual format. If he had done this article only in writing, it may not have been as interesting to the reader or it may have been harder for the reader to understand.
Applying and Exploring Ideas
1. Yes, I do think that more teaching strategies should contain visual imagery because not every student is good with words. Some people are more visual minded than others, and may have difficulty understanding a long written article. I think it would benefit so many people if more visual imagery was used in lessons.
3. I think that some adults claim that they grow out of watching cartoons simply because they believe that that is what is just what society expects of us when we grow older. While some cartoons are very juvenile and clearly aimed towards children, there are many cartoons that are relevant to the life of adults as well, so therefore, the construct that adults are too old to watch cartoons is not always true.
Thoughts on the Reading
I really liked this article a lot. The comic format it was in caught my interest, and the pictures helped the author's idea come to me clearer than it would have if he would have written the whole thing, especially with the visual subject that the article was about. This was a very interesting article in my opinion, if I saw this in a newspaper or something, I would probably actually pick it up and read it for my own pleasure.
Thursday, September 6, 2012
Research Tools: Summary.
Finding Scholarly Articles in Articles Plus
Scholarly articles have seven parts: title, authors, abstract, introduction, article text, conclusion, and works cited. Once you type in what you are looking for into articles plus, the results of your search can be narrowed by clicking on "full text", then on scholarly journals, then update. Some of the articles are in PDF, some are not. Articles can be emailed, printed, or saved on a drive.
Finding Full Text From Citation
When finding the full text from a citation, identify the author, publication date, and the title. Then go to the library homepage, click on Alice, change to periodical title then type in the title. The results will then pop up and you find what matches what you are looking for with the publication dates. If there is no full text, you can go to the homepage and go to services, and fill out the request to find the full text.
How to Get a Book from Ohio Link
If Ohio University does not have the book that you are looking for, you can request a book through Ohio link. Click on search Ohio link, and it will search to see if there are copies available from other schools in the state. To borrow a book, click on request and fill it out with the school you go to, Ohio ID and password, then choose a pick up location. Then when the book arrives in three business days, you will get an email telling you that it has arrived and is ready for you to pick up.
Scholarly articles have seven parts: title, authors, abstract, introduction, article text, conclusion, and works cited. Once you type in what you are looking for into articles plus, the results of your search can be narrowed by clicking on "full text", then on scholarly journals, then update. Some of the articles are in PDF, some are not. Articles can be emailed, printed, or saved on a drive.
Finding Full Text From Citation
When finding the full text from a citation, identify the author, publication date, and the title. Then go to the library homepage, click on Alice, change to periodical title then type in the title. The results will then pop up and you find what matches what you are looking for with the publication dates. If there is no full text, you can go to the homepage and go to services, and fill out the request to find the full text.
How to Get a Book from Ohio Link
If Ohio University does not have the book that you are looking for, you can request a book through Ohio link. Click on search Ohio link, and it will search to see if there are copies available from other schools in the state. To borrow a book, click on request and fill it out with the school you go to, Ohio ID and password, then choose a pick up location. Then when the book arrives in three business days, you will get an email telling you that it has arrived and is ready for you to pick up.
Wednesday, September 5, 2012
Project 1 proposal assignment
Project 1 Proposal Assignment
I am going to question the construct that texting is harmful to one's grammar habits when transitioning to writing professional papers or structured essays. This construct is most visible in places such as schools and other classroom environments because many instructors believe that if students get in the habit of shortening words and sentences when texting, that they will do the same in their papers. It influences our ways of thinking about writing because then we as a society begin to believe this construct as being true, which I will attempt to persuade the reader of my essay that it is not. It affects our conceptions about what "good" writing is because we would think that texting is a "bad" form of writing, when in reality it is simply a tool used for faster communication, not necessarily meaning that those who text are unable to use grammar when they are needed to do so. Some key words for my topic are texting, grammar, spelling, communication, informal vs. formal writing, and essays, just to name a few.
I also apologize for this being so late. I did this on paper and brought it to class with me this morning because I didn't see anything in my catmail last night telling me otherwise, so I apologize for the confusion that happened on my part there.
I am going to question the construct that texting is harmful to one's grammar habits when transitioning to writing professional papers or structured essays. This construct is most visible in places such as schools and other classroom environments because many instructors believe that if students get in the habit of shortening words and sentences when texting, that they will do the same in their papers. It influences our ways of thinking about writing because then we as a society begin to believe this construct as being true, which I will attempt to persuade the reader of my essay that it is not. It affects our conceptions about what "good" writing is because we would think that texting is a "bad" form of writing, when in reality it is simply a tool used for faster communication, not necessarily meaning that those who text are unable to use grammar when they are needed to do so. Some key words for my topic are texting, grammar, spelling, communication, informal vs. formal writing, and essays, just to name a few.
I also apologize for this being so late. I did this on paper and brought it to class with me this morning because I didn't see anything in my catmail last night telling me otherwise, so I apologize for the confusion that happened on my part there.
Monday, September 3, 2012
Reading Response 3
Summary
In her article "Helping Students Use Textual Sources Persuasively", Margaret Kantz attempts to tell readers about the right way to write a research paper. She argues that writers should write creative, persuasive essays because they offer "infinite possibilities" and allow readers to "think constructively" (81).
Similar readings
This reading is similar to both Greene and Kleine's articles because all three give very useful tips for writing, especially researched writing. All three articles have mentioned the theme of "argument" as being very important to a thoroughly thought out researched essay.
Pre Reading #2
A fact is something that most all people have agreed on and accept as true. A claim is not quite a fact, but is when a group or individual believe something is true based on proof. An opinion is the belief of an individual or group that something is right based on their own logic and thoughts. An argument is a point that an individual or group is trying to make to persuade an audience to believe that they are right.
QD#1
Kantz contends that facts are not necessarily always the definite truth, but rather often have angles, especially in historical texts. From how I read it, Kantz argues that fact, opinion and argument actually often work together as one and are not always just like those meanings listed in the question. Kantz basically says that the writer has to take factual evidence so he or she can create an opinion on the subject, then be creative and tie all of that in to form a researched argument.
QD#2
Kantz says that students don't know how to use texts in the way of understanding how to take evidence and write it in a paper, how to discuss details in these papers, or know how to show different points of view in their papers. Judging from my own experience, I do think that she is correct. when I had to write researched papers in high school, I looked up the information, believed it to be correct, and typed it all up into my own words in a paper, completely disregarding that there could be anything more to it. I do feel like I understand a little better now, but I still can't say that I completely understand it due to the fact that I haven't tried writing a research paper like this yet.
AE#2
Prior to this class, I learned that research was structured and to the point while creativity was loosely structured and had more room for free thought. Kantz, however, talks about the two ideas working together as one when writing a paper. Our ideas really didn't overlap too much, other than I thought about how in high school I had to creatively put the information into my own words so my research wasn't plagarized at all. Her thinking influences mine because now I don't just think of creative papers as changing the words and paraphrasing, but rather that I need to put a little bit of my own actual creative energy into what seems like what would be an official, structured paper.
MM
Kantz is trying to analyze the constructs that research can't be creative. She does this by telling the reader that a paper can be creative and still contain all the necessary information that a research paper needs. It would be useful for me to understand her findings and claims because now I know that I can always look back to this article and remember how to write a creative research paper.
My Thoughts on the Reading
I thought this reading was very informational and very helpful, however I wished that it were presented in a more interesting way. The article seemed like it dragged on forever and just overall seemed way too long, so because of that I kept losing interest and had to re read it a few times before I actually got the point.
In her article "Helping Students Use Textual Sources Persuasively", Margaret Kantz attempts to tell readers about the right way to write a research paper. She argues that writers should write creative, persuasive essays because they offer "infinite possibilities" and allow readers to "think constructively" (81).
Similar readings
This reading is similar to both Greene and Kleine's articles because all three give very useful tips for writing, especially researched writing. All three articles have mentioned the theme of "argument" as being very important to a thoroughly thought out researched essay.
Pre Reading #2
A fact is something that most all people have agreed on and accept as true. A claim is not quite a fact, but is when a group or individual believe something is true based on proof. An opinion is the belief of an individual or group that something is right based on their own logic and thoughts. An argument is a point that an individual or group is trying to make to persuade an audience to believe that they are right.
QD#1
Kantz contends that facts are not necessarily always the definite truth, but rather often have angles, especially in historical texts. From how I read it, Kantz argues that fact, opinion and argument actually often work together as one and are not always just like those meanings listed in the question. Kantz basically says that the writer has to take factual evidence so he or she can create an opinion on the subject, then be creative and tie all of that in to form a researched argument.
QD#2
Kantz says that students don't know how to use texts in the way of understanding how to take evidence and write it in a paper, how to discuss details in these papers, or know how to show different points of view in their papers. Judging from my own experience, I do think that she is correct. when I had to write researched papers in high school, I looked up the information, believed it to be correct, and typed it all up into my own words in a paper, completely disregarding that there could be anything more to it. I do feel like I understand a little better now, but I still can't say that I completely understand it due to the fact that I haven't tried writing a research paper like this yet.
AE#2
Prior to this class, I learned that research was structured and to the point while creativity was loosely structured and had more room for free thought. Kantz, however, talks about the two ideas working together as one when writing a paper. Our ideas really didn't overlap too much, other than I thought about how in high school I had to creatively put the information into my own words so my research wasn't plagarized at all. Her thinking influences mine because now I don't just think of creative papers as changing the words and paraphrasing, but rather that I need to put a little bit of my own actual creative energy into what seems like what would be an official, structured paper.
MM
Kantz is trying to analyze the constructs that research can't be creative. She does this by telling the reader that a paper can be creative and still contain all the necessary information that a research paper needs. It would be useful for me to understand her findings and claims because now I know that I can always look back to this article and remember how to write a creative research paper.
My Thoughts on the Reading
I thought this reading was very informational and very helpful, however I wished that it were presented in a more interesting way. The article seemed like it dragged on forever and just overall seemed way too long, so because of that I kept losing interest and had to re read it a few times before I actually got the point.
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