Jen's ENGL F111X Blog

Lesson 15

2011-12-07T23:59:00.000-09:00

December 6, 2011

XXXXX Morgan

P.O. Box XXXXX

Fairbanks, AK 99708

Dear Ms. Morgan:

I wanted to thank you for your suggestions and feedback these past few months. They have been very helpful as I have completed each assignment for my English course at the University of Alaska Fairbanks.

As you are aware, I am attending the university in order to eventually obtain a degree in accounting. Currently, I am in my freshman year and have just completed my first semester. Over the course of my English class I have had the opportunity to research and write many papers. With this letter I have enclosed a resume of some of my accomplishments. My plan is to continue to write for each class I take over the next several years, and to also use what I have learn to improve my correspondence at my job for the Fairbanks North Star Borough School District.

Once again I want to thank you for your help this semester. I am very grateful for all that you have done. I hope that as you read the following resume you enjoy looking at the accomplishment that I have achieved.

Sincerely,

Jennifer Morgan

Writer

P.O. Box XXXXX

Fairbanks, AK 99708

Objective

To inform you of my writing experience

Education

Fall 2011 University of Alaska Fairbanks

· Enrolled in accounting program

· Completed English course

May 1996 Eaton High School

· Graduated top ten percent of class

· Completed four years of English or writing classes

Academic Writing Experience

Fall 2011 Introduction to Academic Writing, ENGL F111X

· “Teenagers and Cosmetic Plastic Surgery”: Wrote a ten-page essay about the dangers of adolescent plastic surgery

· “Social Classes in America”: Wrote a five-page paper comparing two essays that discuss social stereotypes in the media

· “A Comic Book Can Be a Powerful Tool”: Wrote a five-page essay discussing Joel Andreas comic book essay format

· “Protecting Sexually Active Teens”: Wrote a five-page essay discussing the importance of teens having easy access to condoms

· “Teenagers and Community Service”: Wrote a five-page essay discussing the benefits of a high school graduation requirement of community service

· “Mike Rose’s ‘I Just Wanna Be Average’”: Wrote a three-page paper describing Mike Rose’s essay on his experience in vocational classes

· “Education and Social Classes”: Wrote a four-page paper comparing two essays that suggest schools educate to students in order to maintain their social class

· “Gratitude, My Personal Strength”: Wrote a two-page essay describing a personal strength of gratitude

Additional Writing Experience

August 2011-

Present Fairbanks North Star Borough School District, Special Education Secretary

· Prepare progress reports, letters of consent, and Individualized Educational Program reports

· Record contact log of conversations with parents regarding scheduled appointments

· Schedule meeting between teacher, staff, and parents

Lesson 14

2011-12-02T14:37:00.000-09:00

What I wish I had done differently while working on my research paper.

My research paper is about the affects that plastic surgery can have on a teenager, both emotionally and physically. I was able to find a lot of information that supported my thesis , as well as those that gave the opposition’s argument. In fact, I had so many good sources of information, that at first I had trouble narrowing it down to those that would best serve my paper. After a lot of reading and pre-writing, I was finally able to chose those I felt had the best supporting evidence for my argument.

I also think that I gave myself plenty of time to work on the research paper. After submitting the rough draft and consulting with an outside source, I still had almost two weeks to implement some of the changes that were suggested. By following my plan for completion, I was able to take each step at a steady pace and did not feel rushed at all.

When consulting with the writing center, I was able to talk with a lovely person who gave me some great ideas on how to improve my paper. She walked me through each paragraph, suggesting some word changes or areas I might want to expand. I feel that I was able to take her input and make the necessary changes in order for my main idea to come across more clearly.

Over all, I am happy with the way my research paper turned out. Over the last week, I have spent time going over my paper in order to see if there was anything I might want to change, and tweaked it where it was needed. If I have to choose something that I wish I had done differently, I think it is that I wish I had annotated the two books that I used as sources. I made all kinds of marks on the many articles that I printed off the internet, both with highlights and notes in the margin, and I feel that this helped me to understand the material better. When I was reading the two books, though, I just bookmarked a few key pages and made a couple notes on yellow post-its. If I had it to do over, I think I would take those books somewhere I could make copies, and print those pages or chapters that supported my paper. This way, I would have been able to mark up the pages with my thoughts and questions, and have gotten more out of the material.

Lesson 13

2011-11-21T13:28:00.000-09:00

My Experience with the Writing Center

I had an appointment over the phone with the Writing Center on November 20, 2011. I emailed them my paper, and a woman named Jennifer called me at 2:17 at my home. We discussed my paper for almost a hour, and she helped me a lot with some of my sentence structures. She also gave me some areas in my paper where I could expand on the ideas.

My research paper is about how lives of teenagers can be negatively impacted by receiving plastic surgery at such a young age. Jennifer stated that my paper had a lot of direct points, that the paper flowed smoothly, and that she didn’t have any problems transitioning from one point to another. One question I had, was about citing my charts in the body of the paper, and although she wasn’t exactly sure how to do, she gave my some advice that was helpful. Jennifer also walked me through some of the sentence where she thought the wording was a little off. She suggested changing a word here and there, which helped some sentences explain my point a little better, and others have more of an impact. She also mentioned that she liked the idea that teenagers and adults of different expectations of the results of surgery, and she suggested that I should expand on this more. '=

We also discussed an idea that I had planned to put in my paper, but decided to leave it out at the last minute because I was having trouble finding any source to support it. The originally idea was that instead of parents and plastic surgeons evaluating the teens to determine if they were mature enough to make a decision regarding surgery, that the teenagers should be required to visit a psychologist and the doctor would then have to clear her before she could proceed with the surgery. Jennifer stated that she thought my paper might be leading up to something like this, but that I never actually got there. She suggested that I add the idea back into the paper, and instead of worry about citing a source, to just use my own words. She also suggested that I might want to address who would regulate the psychological clearance that teens would have to receive, and to also discuss some alternatives to plastic surgery for teens who are suffering from low self-esteem.

In the paragraph where I plan to address the opposition’s view, she suggested that I might want to give some examples of when teenagers would benefit from plastic surgery in a positive way. In my research paper, I had just mention those teens who suffering from serious discomfort or pain, and Jennifer suggested that I list some individual examples.

I think that the phone consultation that I had with Jennifer was very beneficial. She point out several areas of my paper that I could improve, and she also listed some areas where I could expand my ideas a little bit. I am grateful for her help, and thankful that she had so many suggests for me.

Lesson 12

2011-11-18T19:37:00.000-09:00

A Writer’s Reference Exercise

In the plagiarism exercise, I learned that if a phrase contains two sentences and the first sentence contains the authors name and the second contains the information from the source, the second needs to be properly documented.

Lesson 11

2011-11-11T23:53:00.002-09:00

I summarized two articles for lesson number eleven. The first article, “Cosmetic Plastic Surgery for Young Adults,” is a guide for parents of teenagers interested in receiving a cosmetic surgical procedure. It was updated in October of 2011, so I found the information in it valuable and up to date. The information in the article was beneficial in seeing both sides of the argument. It leaned a little more towards allowing teens to receive surgery, but did offer scenarios in which it would be inappropriate. This article also lists several links where I can go to receive reliable information. The article was well written and valuable in allowing me to see the opposition’s view on the argument.

The second article, “Is Plastic Surgery a Teen Thing?” by Denise Mann, is very interesting. The statistics were a little outdated, but when I combined them with the information from the first article, it allowed me to see how the number of cosmetic surgical procedures has increased in the last decade. It also lists some common reasons why a teenager would wish to receive plastic surgery. The article also explained that the teens need to have realistic expectations and be mature enough to make an informed and responsible decision. This article was also well written, and brought up some good points.

When I annotated both of these articles, I found that I was able to put my thought into a more organized fashion. This allowed me to make notes of not only what I thought about different statements, but questions I needed to look up later, and different areas I would like to explore more. One of the pre-writing strategies I used for the article was to play the believer/doubter game. I read the article through with the intention of believing what the author was trying to convey, and made notes in the margin. Then, I reread the article with the intention of doubting the things the author was writing, and I made marks in the margin this time as well. After I was done reading the article, I looked over my notes and was able to better grasp both sides of the argument. It was a very effective tool. On the second article I did the does/says analysis. For each paragraph in the article I would write a does statement in which I would identify the paragraph’s function. Then I would write a says statement summarizes the paragraph’s main point. While I didn’t find this as helpful as the believer/doubter game, it did allow me to analyze each paragraph, and to really think about what I was reading. Overall, I found the annotating of the articles to be the most helpful.

Works Cited

“Cosmetic Plastic Surgery for Young Adults.” Plastic Surgery Guide. Novellead, October 2011. Web. 5 Nov. 2011. <www.plasticsurgeryguide.com>.

Mann, Denise. “Is Plastic Surgery a Teen Thing?” Medicine Net. Medicine Net Inc., 4 Oct. 2004. Web. 5 Nov. 2011. <www.medicinenet.com>.

Lesson 10

2011-11-04T18:23:00.001-08:00

A Senseless Crime

In New York City last month, a college student took a trip on what she thought was to be the beginning of her wonderful career in design,and ended with her spending two nights in jail. In The New York Times article "Dismal Tale of Arrest for Tiniest of Crimes" Jim Dwyer describes how twenty one year old Samantha Zucker was arrested for not producing her identification. Zucker, a Carnegie Mellon University senior, had taken a trip to New York City with eighty other college student, hoping to find a job after graduation in her chosen field of design. After two exhausting days of visiting design firms around the city, she dropped of her bag at her hotel room and then decided to take a walk with a friend in Riverside Park in order to see the Hudson River, which runs past her hometown. Instead of the peaceful experience she was hoping for, Samantha and her friend were informed that the park was closed, given tickets for trespassing, and then Samantha was arrested, because she had left her identification at the hotel two blocks away. Instead of allowing her friend to walk the two blocks to retrieve her id, the police handcuffed her and she ended up spending the next thirty six hours in jail. In this article Dwyer describes the actions of the police department as a "staggering waste of spirit, the squandering of public resources" and pointless. What is even more sad is that this senseless action might have been caused by one man, but although the other police officers were shock by Zucker's arrest, no one had the courage to stand up for her and correct the mistake.

Works Cited

Dwyer, Jim. "Dismal Tale of Arrest for Tiniest of Crimes." The New York Times. N.p. 1 Nov. 2011. Web. 2 Nov. 2011. <www.nytimes.com>.

Lesson 9

2011-10-29T01:12:00.000-08:00

What else I still need to do?

For my final English paper, I am writing about how allowing teenage girls to have cosmetic plastic surgery encourages a negative body image and causes more self-esteem issues. I have researched the basic ideas of my paper, but I still need to get more information on the physical effects plastic surgery has on a still maturing body. I also need to find more information on the emotional issues that would cause a teenager to want plastic surgery, and how the surgery effects the teenagers mental well-being.

What do I need outside help with?

I recently finished the plan for completion of the research paper, and when I was filling out my calendar I was looking at the remaining lesson plans to get an idea of when various activities were due. I noticed that in lesson thirteen I have to consult with someone else and have them look over my research paper. Obviously this is something I will need outside help on. My problem is finding someone who is willing to read the paper and get it back to me within enough time to submit lesson thirteen and make corrections to my research paper. In the lesson plan it is suggested that I use the writing center. I've never done this before. Any opinions on whether I should go this route?

Why am I feeling threaten by this research paper?

I am researching the physical and emotional affects that cosmetic surgery can have on teenage girls. The research paper is a large one, and just the size alone is a little intimidating. I am trying not to think about this too much, but instead I try to concentrate on gaining information about the physical and emotional affects, while keeping a rough outline of my paper in my head. So far I have found some good information, but nothing that really catches my eye and makes me say "wow." I am still looking. I'm not discourage, though, because their is a lot of information on my subject out there, and I am confident that I will find a book or article that adds a little something special to my paper.

Lesson 8

2011-10-21T23:47:00.002-08:00

Memo

Date: 18 October 2011

To: Romina Kline

From: Jennifer Morgan

Subject: MY RESEARCH TOPIC

I proposed to research the effects that plastic surgery has on teenage girls. I plan to answer the question on whether teenage girls should be allowed to receive plastic surgery before they are eighteen years old. My tentative thesis is: allowing teenage girls to have elective plastic surgery encourages a negative body image, causes more self-esteem issues, and has the risk of being physically dangerous. I have considered a few alternate research topics if this proposal is denied. The first is if fad diets can lead to eating disorders in teenagers. Another topic is whether TV, movies, and video games have a substantial effect on young children’s behavior. A third is whether elementary schools should have a second language taught as part of their standard curriculum. A final alternate topic that I have considered for my research paper is whether the gay marriage should become legal, and whether it should become an issue for the federal the government to decide.

The topic of whether teenage girls should be allowed to have plastic surgery is one that I have been considering since I wrote the outline for it in lesson five. Back then I did a little research in order to find out the different issues and dangers associated with plastic surgery and how they relate to teenagers. Since then, I have read a few more articles from doctors, psychologists, and the information that plastic surgeons post on the websites for their facilities. I still have questions about the physical dangers of plastic surgery in general. I also need to find out more information about the changes that are still occurring in a teenage girl’s body, and how having plastic surgery at a young age could affect her normal development. I plan to research this a little more, by looking online for different medical articles written by doctors. I also have questions about the psychological problems that might already exist in teens that are leading them to have surgery as a fix to their body issues. I plan to see if there are any books at the local library, or if there is any information that I can download onto my nook about this issue.

In lesson 9, part of the assignment is to create an annotated bibliography page for the research paper. In order to allow me enough time to complete this assignment, or to find new sources for a research topic if this proposal is denied, I would appreciate it if you could have approval of this research topic back to me by 5:00 p.m. on Monday October 24, 2011. If this proposal is denied, any recommendations you could give me on a new topic would be greatly appreciated.

Lesson 8

2011-10-21T19:31:00.000-08:00

Describing an Image

““Two Ways a Woman Can Get Hurt”: Advertising and Violence,” by Jean Kilbourne, is an essay about advertising images that used sex to sell items, but by doing so end up objectifying women and leaving them open to the possibility of violence. Jean Kilbourne teaches at Wellesley College and serves on the Massachusetts Governor’s Commission on Sexual and Domestic Abuse. In this essay there are many examples of images that use sex to sell items, all with dangerous over tones. One image that I think shows the strongest argument for how sex in advertising can be harmful to women, is the image on page 423. It shows a drink with a scoop of ice cream, straw, and cherry, with the slogan “If your date won’t listen to reason, try a velvet hammer” (423.) Below the image of the drink, in small print, it list the address and phone number of the bar. This image draws the audience’s eye, because of the large drink shown. It looks delicious with the ice cream and cherry, and makes the reader take a second look. The slogan at the top is in such large print, that it is the second thing one sees, instead of the name and address of the bar. It seems to encourage people to come to the bar, and if a person’s date is being uncooperative, it also seems to suggest that getting her or him drunk will solve the problem. Kilbourne goes on to state that one-third to three-quarters of all sexual assault cases involve alcohol. This makes the image extremely dangerous, because it suggests using alcohol to get your way with your date, despite the other person’s objections.

Works Cited

Kilbourne, Jean. “”Two Ways a Woman Can Get Hurt”: Advertising and Violence.” Rereading America. Eds. Gary Colombo, Robert Cullen, and Bonnie Lisle. Boston: Bedford/St. Martin’s, 2007. 417-43. Print.

An article pertaining to my research topic that also contains a visual.

A topic that I am exploring for my research paper is that allowing teenage girls to have elective plastic surgery encourages a negative body image, causes more self-esteem issues, and has the risk of being physically dangerous. One article that I have read that pertains to this subject is an online article published by Faze Magazine, located at http://www.fazeteen.com/issue13/teen_cosmetic_surgery.html. In the article “Bodies Under Construction: Teen Cosmetic Surgery,” Liane Beam Wansbrough talks about the increase number of teenagers who are getting plastic surgery. She interviews several teenagers who described the type of surgeries they were interested in. Liane also suggests that the increase number of teens seeking plastic surgery is due to the increase in visibility of the surgery in the media. Teenagers are growing up with parents who have had plastic surgery, and have talked about it with their teens. They see cosmetic procedures discuss on television and in magazines. All of this leads to more awareness, and the teens start to consider changes they would like to make to their own bodies. The image at the top of this article, though, is a very good example of why teenagers might be too young to consider plastic surgery. This image is a head shot of what looks to be a very beautiful teenage girl, with long blonde hair, and perfect skin. Where her eyes, nose, and mouth should be, are instead cut-out images of other facial features to replace the girl’s original. It is a collage if disproportion features, with two different colored eyes, an off-centered nose, and an extremely large mouth. This image reminded me of the children’s books where you could cut out the paper clothes, hair and facial features, and attach them to the blank cardboard doll. The image makes it seem like the teen is place dress-up with her picture. With this thought in mind, it makes me think that the maturity level of teens is not advanced enough yet to make such life altering decisions about their bodies.

Works Cited

Wansbrough, Liane Beam. “Bodies Under Construction: Teen Cosmetic Surgery.” Faze Magazine. Faze Magazine. n.d. Web. 19 October 2011. <www.fazeteen.com>.

Lesson 7

2011-10-13T21:34:00.000-08:00

Read another person’s blog and comment on it.

I read and posted and commented on Panama John’s blog at http://panamajohnwriter.blogspot.com/.

I commented on his lesson 6 blog that where he had posted a picture of President Obama, his hands at his side, standing in front of the American flag, while the people behind him had their hands over their hearts. No details are given about this picture, and it is not known whether right before or after the photo was taken if President Obama had his hand over his heart, but the image itself makes it seem as if the President is being unpatriotic. I commented on the blog, because I felt it was a great example of how an image can pull on a person’s emotions.

Lesson 7

2011-10-13T21:32:00.002-08:00

Who is the audience for my essay?

My essay is about allowing teenagers to have easy access to condoms in order to reduce the teen pregnancy and the spread of sexually transmitted diseases. The audience for my essay is local parents, teacher, school staff, and anyone involved with youth in Alaska. I use statistic that represent teenager the number of teenagers in Alaska that have reported to having sex at least once. This audience would be slightly resistant to the essay.

What is the thesis for my essay?

When teenagers have been educated of the dangers of having unprotected sex and have easy access to condoms, this allows them to be responsible in practicing safe sex, as well as preventing unwanted pregnancy and the spread of sexually transmitted diseases.

Does it include the claim and three supporting reason to make it a strong thesis.

Yes, the claim and the three supporting reasons are that it educating teenagers is important, that when they have access to condoms they can reduce unwanted pregnancy, and the spread of sexually transmitted diseases.

Can audience be swayed by the claim and reasons? Why or why not?

Yes the audience can be swayed, because I not only listed the reasons but supporting details and statistics as well. The first reason is that teenagers need to be informed that their actions have lasting consequences and educating them to the dangers of having unprotected sex is important. I described the two types of curriculum that the Alaska Department of Health and Social Services stated was taught in Alaskan schools. I also stated that according to the Alaska DHSS, talking about sex to teenagers neither hastens the age when they first have sex, nor the frequency or number of partners. Therefore talking about sex and the use of condoms could only help to protect the teenagers.

The second reason listed in my essay is that the use of condoms by teenagers reduces the spread of sexually transmitted diseases. Again I used the Alaska DHSS to state a statistic that 47% of Alaskan high school students have reported having sex at least once. I went on to describe the several types of STDs that teenagers can get if they have unprotected sex. I also wrote that in Controversies in the Practice of Medicine by Mark A. Goldstein M.D. and Myrna Chandler Goldstein, it states that every year there are twenty million reported cases of STDs in the United States, and one third of these are school age children (139). These statistics were used to convince the audience that almost half of Alaskan teenagers have already had sex, and are at risk to get an STD. This stresses the importance of teenagers using condoms and having easy access to them.

This third reason I listed was that pregnancy is a concern for any sexually active teenager, and providing teens with easy access to condoms will increase the chance that the protection will be used. I listed some of the numerous consequences of teenage pregnancy, and the difficult decisions that the teens will have to face. I wrote about having to choose whether to keep the baby, give the child up for adoption, or to have an abortion. For each of these choices I described some of the hardships that the teens would face, no matter which path they followed. These details described how difficult a teens life would be if she was to become pregnant, and that it would not only effect the present, but her entire life. I then state that the chances of teen pregnancy can be reduced if teens have access and use condoms.

What value does each of my sources have to the audience?

Controversies in the Practice of Medicine, by Mark Goldstein M.D. and Myrna Goldstein, is a book that list both side of varies arguments. One of these issues is condom distribution and whether it should be allowed, and if it works. It is well thought out and written, and by giving both sides of the argument, it allows the readers to think about the issues from different perspectives.

“Parental Consent and Notice for Contraceptives Threatens Teen Health and Constitutional Rights,” by the Center for Reproductive Rights, is a more biased piece of work. It does list some very important issue that arise when discussing not only allowing teenagers to have easy access to condoms, but the rights that teenagers have concerning privacy issues. The Center for Reproductive Rights has been around for more than 15 years, and according to their website they have used the law to advance reproductive freedom. They are a global legal advocacy organization, with expertise in U.S. constitutional law.

I used the Palo Alto Medical Foundation website to gain information about sexually transmitted diseases. This website has information from physicians, social workers, educators and researchers that are concerned with addressing the health care needs of teenagers.

Finally, I used “Adolescent Health Research Update,” which was developed by the Alaska Adolescent Health Advisory Committee, and part of Alaska Department of Health and Social Services. This is a government body, and the statistics in the report pertain to teenagers in Alaska. This particular report was written by Mary O’Bryan who is a register nurse and has a bachelor’s of science in nursing. This source would have a high value to my audience, because it would be unbiased. It lists the facts and statistics and leaves the reader to decide what solutions to follow.

Works Cited

Goldstein, Myrna Chandler and Mark A. Goldstein, M.D. Controversies in the Practice of Medicine. Westport: Greenwood, 2001. Print.

“Parental Consent and Notice for Contraceptives Threatens Teen Health and Constitutional Rights.” Center for Reproductive Rights. N.p.,1 Nov. 2001. Web. 10 Oct. 2011. <http://reproductiverights.org>

Palo Alto Medical Foundation. Sutter Health. Jan. 2009. Web. 4 Oct. 2011. <www.pamf.org>

State of Alaska. Department of Health and Social Services. Alaska Adolescent Health Advisory Committee. O’Bryan, Mary. “Adolescent Health Research Update.” Alaska DHSS. Alaska DHSS. May 1997. Web. 4 Oct. 2011. <http://hss.state.ak.us>

Lesson 6

2011-10-07T18:32:00.001-08:00

Respond to the image on page 118 in Writing Arguments.

The first image on page 118 is a picture of John Walker Lindh with his hair shaved and in a prison uniform, taken by the Alexandria County Sheriff’s department. This image just shows his shoulders and his face. It is slightly grainy and overall it is not an image that gains sympathy for the person in it. Lindh was captured in Afghanistan by the United States military, after the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001. In Writing Arguments it states that Lindh is also known as the American Taliban. This picture tries to persuade it’s audience that Lindh needs to be prosecuted as a traitor. Just looking at this image by itself, without knowing the back story, it is hard to figure out what is trying to be accomplished. It looks like a lot of other mug shots you see on the news. Without reading the text that explains Lindh was captured in Afghanistan and was arrested for supporting the Taliban, it would be hard to figure out what is going on, much less what is trying to be accomplished with the photograph.

A thesis for this image might be: John Walker Lindh was arrested in Afghanistan, after the September 11 attacks on the United States, for supporting Taliban activities and should be prosecuted as a traitor.

The second image on page 118 is more disturbing. It has a major shock effect going for it. This image is of John Walker Lindh while he was being held captive in Afghanistan. It shows Lindh with long hair and a scruffy beard, completely naked and strapped to some type of upright table. There are restraints across his chest and wrist. The first thought that popped into my mind when seeing this photo was that he had been tortured. Whether this was true or not, the image begins to draw sympathy for Lindh. When the United States government was forced to release this image in March of 2002, it immediately would have made Lindh look as though he was punished and torture before he ever had a chance to defend himself. The claim being made by this picture is that Lindh was unjustly treated while he was held captive, and that he should be released.

A thesis for this image might be: United States citizen, John Walker Lindh, was treated harshly after his capture in Afghanistan, and should be released until he can receive a fair trial.

How the image on page 118 relates to current events.

With troops still in Afghanistan and Iraq, and the fighting still going on between U.S. troops and the Taliban, this photo would be personal for a lot of military families and their friends. Especially with the tenth anniversary of September 11, seeing the first image of Lindh would lead a lot of people to support his prosecution. Even though the second image draws sympathy for the treatment of an American whose was arrested, with people remembering the horrific events of ten years ago they might feel sympathetic towards his situation. People might instead think that any treatment he received while in Afghanistan is justly deserved, and doesn’t even compare to the pain the Taliban caused on 9/11.

Image

This is an image taken by Larry Blucher and posted on CNN’s news blog, along with an article by Steve Kastenbaum titled “Wall Street Protesters Coalesce; Movement Spreads Nationwide.” This photo shows the protesters who are camped out in Zuccoti Park in New York City’s financial district. The man at the center of the image holding the sign demonstrates the frustration that the protestors feel over the events of the last several years. These protestors are part of the movement know as Occupy Wall Street, who marched through lower Manhattan on October 5, 2011. Although this group is leaderless and doesn’t have an organizational structure, it is not disorganized or aimless. A lot of the people gather in the street are focused on what they consider corporate greed and big business involvement in the government. This is not the main goal of the movement at this time, though. Occupy Wall Street’s main objective is to bring people together to start talking and working together. These want the people gathered to voice their concerns with those around them, and start discussing possible solutions. This group might not have a main message, but it is a place for dissatisfied and frustrated Americans to let their voices be heard.

Thesis for image: Occupy Wall Street protesters have gathered in New York City in order to voice their dissatisfaction and frustration with the way things are in America right now.

Why understanding visual elements is useful in writing arguments.

Understand the usefulness and effect visual elements can have on an audience is very important. We live in a visually oriented society, where everywhere you look there are pictures, photographs, drawings, movies, and commercial that can bring out a response in those that see these items. Images can speak to the audience in an emotional way and get their imaginations flowing. It can bring an argument to life and keep the reader hooked. Learning to use the effect that visual elements can have on an audience will only enhance the argument that a person is trying to make.

Works Cited

Sheriff's Office Photograph of John Walker Lindh. "Writing Arguments." n.d. Photograph. p. 118.

Photograph of Lindh During Incarceration in Afghanistan. "Writing Arguments." n.d. Photograph. p. 118.

Blucher, Larry. 5 Oct. 2011. CNN: This Just In. Web. 5 Oct. 2011.

Kastenbaum, Steve. "Wall Street Protestors Coalesce; Movement Spreads Nationwide." CNN" This Just In. CNN, 5 Oct. 2011. Web. 5 Oct. 2011.

Lesson 5

2011-10-01T00:31:00.000-08:00

A question about any writing problem i think other students might also be experiencing.

Does anyone else have trouble find credible sources for each lesson? I find that there is a lot of information out there on each subject I am writing about, but try to discover how credible each piece of work is, is something else entirely. Is there any suggestions on how I can go about accomplishing this?

Which of the techniques for generating ideas for essay was most valuable to me?

     I found the first task in exploratory writing was very helpful. At first I thought it would be difficult to generate ideas in which to write about, but once I got started the ideas began to flow. I listed such communities such as my past and present work, school, my daughter's school, family and friends. Then I thought about a couple people in each group and issues that they seem to talk about frequently, and before I knew it I had a large list of ideas. I was pleasantly surprised.
     One of the ideas I came up with was making community service a requirement of high school graduation. This was actually something that happen to my high school class a long time ago. I lived in Ohio then, and we had experienced a lot of bad weather that year. In order to graduate on time for the ceremony, all seniors had to do a couple days community service to make up for the missed school days. I found this to be very beneficial. So when I was brainstorming ideas, and thinking about my own daughter starting high school and issue that effect the local school, this popped into my head.
     One of the suggestions for generating supporting ideas that I did not care for was clustering. I just didn't seem to be able to come up with any more then the basic ideas that I already had. If I had a choice, I don't think I would try this method again.

What have I learned about the writing process and myself during this lesson?

I think what I have learned most about the writing process is that thorough research and lots of pre-writing make it easier to accomplish an assignment. During this lesson I did a lot of pre-writing, and when it was time to do the outlines. a lot of the information I need was already done.
What I learned about myself during this lesson was that the more organized the information is, the better I am at generating ideas. When I was completing the outlines, I could actually see each paper coming together.

Whose blog have I read and commented on?
I have read Doug M's blog post, at http://doug-m.blogspot.com/, about how he is finding that each English assignment is taking a long time. I commented on this post because I sometimes feel that the assignments are taking awhile to accomplish. I stated that after juggling this class, and the two others that I'm taking, for a month now, I have finally come up with a system that seems to work. I have been trying to accomplish all the assignment for my other two classes on the weekends, leaving the weekdays after my job for working on the English assignments. Dedicating a few hours each day seems to be working for me.

What have I learned about the textbooks I am using for this course?

I absolutely love A Writer's Reference. I always have it with me when I am working on my English, and I am constantly looking things up in it to verify if I am doing it correctly. I have learned that any time I have a question about the content of the essays, or just need to verify that I am doing something correctly, I can just look in the different section and find the answer. This book is very convenient.

Lesson 4

2011-09-23T19:42:00.000-08:00

An evaluation on the supporting evidence I found for my revised claim.

I am writing an essay that supports the thesis from my paper in lesson one, that through the process of my divorce I learned that being grateful for the people and things in my life leads to happiness. I have found a few sources to support this statement. The first source was my own original paper, because it contained the support evidence of this lesson already. My second source was from a website located at www.meaningandhappiness.com, in which I found an article written by Dr. Steve Wright titled “List of Personal Strengths, Psychology Research”. Dr. Write is a developmental psychologist, who worked at Cornell University. In this online article he list 24 character strengths, divided into 6 different categories. One of the strengths listed was gratitude, in which he describes it as being aware and thankful of the good things that happen. The final source that I used for my essay was a book titled A Primer in Positive Psychology by Christopher Peterson. Peterson is a professor of psychology at the University of Michigan, and in this book he talks about focusing on positive experience and character traits. All of these source were a great help in revising my essay in lesson one.

Works Cited

Morgan, Jennifer. “Gratitude, My Personal Strength.” 5 Sept. 2011: 1-2. Print.

Peterson, Christopher. A Primer in Positive Psychology. Oxford: Oxford University, 2006. Print.

Wright, Dr. Steve. “List of Personal Strengths, Psychology Research.” Meaning and Happiness. N.p, 16 May 2010. Web. 19 Sept. 2011. <http://www.meaningandhappiness.com/psychology-research/list-of-personal-strengths.html>.

Lesson 4

2011-09-22T19:32:00.000-08:00

Which of the suggested Tasks from Writing Arguments did I find most helpful in pre-writing my revision? Why?

I found several of the suggestions in Writing Arguments most helpful in evaluating the essay that I wrote for lesson one. The first thing that I tried was to read the original essay as someone who had never seen it before. I read it with the intention of believing everything stated in it, which wasn’t hard because I had wrote the thing in the first place. Then I re-read the essay a second time with the intention of doubting what was being stated. At first I found this difficult, but once I got into the essay I began to see places where someone would doubt the statements I had said. This is mostly because I had listed gratitude as a personal strength of mine, but had decided to only list my gratefulness with my employer and the advancement in my job as an example. An unbiased observer might state that by listing only my job as an example of gratitude, I had not shown enough variety in examples to support this being a personal strength.

I also found free writing to be a helpful technique. It allowed the ideas to flow without restriction, and I was able to come up with a couple of ways of supporting the thesis from the essay of lesson 1. Even though I only listed the one area in my life as an example, I had given several details to describe why I was grateful for my job. In the free writing process, I was able to see I needed to focus on those details for my argument.

I also did a pros and cons list, as well as a believing and doubting game, both of which were very helpful in finding the things to focus on to support the thesis of the essay from lesson one. Even though I was supporting the claim stated in the original essay, it was nice to see the areas where others would find doubt.

What genre of argument would I most likely write on my own? Why?

The genre of argument I would most likely use is a letter to the editor of a newspaper or magazine. By choosing a written argument, as opposed to something verbal, I would have a chance to choose the exact words that would make the most impact. When writing a letter to an editor, I could write several drafts until I felt that the point I wanted to make was stated at it’s best advantage. Then I could chose a newspaper or magazine that targeted the audience I wanted most to read my argument. Whether my aim was to address like-minded individuals that would support my claims, influence someone who was undecided, or to better inform an audience that was opposed to my point of view, I would have the chance to choose the right publication that best suited my needs.

Did I ask anyone else to make recommendations about my revising process? Why or why not?

No, I didn’t ask anyone for a recommendation at this time. I felt that on this particular assignment that I didn’t need one.

Why and how is an argument both a process and a product? What is the goal of an argument?

I touch on both of these questions in a couple of my earlier blogs. To answer the first question, when two or more people are having a discussion or an argument in which they are seeking the best solution to a problem, this is the process. If the discussion was to be stopped in the middle, in order to examine each individual person’s contribution to the argument, these contributions are what is known as the products. By looking at each product individually, this allows you to see how a person’s ideas flows and shifts during the conversation. Therefore, during the course of an argument, each individual’s contributions (or products) added together make up the whole process of an argument. This is why an argument is both a process and a product.

To answer the second question, the goal of an argument is to find the best solution to a problem. An argument list differing opinions, statistic and facts, that will allow someone to become informed and eventually lead to the best solution possible for that problem.

How did previewing sections of a book (rather than simply reading them) help me to understand the material?

This is another question that I have answered in a previous blog. Previewing sections of a book, instead of just simply reading it first, allowed me to see what the overall idea of the book was. I was able to find out what to expect, so when I read the book I knew which sections were important and relevant and needed to be remembered. When I knew beforehand what the idea of the book was, I was able to concentrate on the main details, and take notes on the important facts that pertained to the subject. This led me to understand the material better and I was able to grasp the main idea faster. I think that previewing sections of a book beforehand is a great way to study.

What blog did I read and leave a comment on? Summarize what I wrote.

I recently read and posted on C.S. Byrd’s “Voluntary Simplicity” blog. (http://csbyrd.blogspot.com/) The lesson three post about a recent article in the Anchorage Daily News, hit a little close to home for me. It was about a recent telephone scam where the caller pretends to be from the police station and threatens to arrest the individual unless they hand over large sums of money. I commented on this blog, because I had received a call a few days ago that had similar characteristics of the ones described in the blog. In my comment, I described the voice mail that I had received and the few detail that I could understand of the jumbled message. This blog was interesting and informative, and I encourage others to go and check it out.

Lesson 3- How does one demonstrate his or her belief in an opinion?

2011-09-15T17:53:00.000-08:00

There are many ways that a person can demonstrate their belief in an opinion. One way is to participate in a discussion with others whose opinion they respect. This allows them to throw around ideas, stating their own beliefs, and listening to others as well. Another way a person might demonstrate their beliefs in their own opinions is to writing a paper, an editorial for their local newspaper, an online article, a letter to an magazine editor, or personal correspondence. In these cases, the author can state his or her opinion on a subject and back the idea with supporting facts in an organized fashion. An example of one of these techniques would be a woman writing the editor of her local newspaper about the proposed property tax increase that would lead to major maintenance of public schools in her area. She could use this opportunity to state her opinion, for example in support of the tax increase, and then to list facts about what the money would do for each school. A final way that a person can demonstrate their belief in an opinion is by giving a speech in front of a crowd. This way not only allow someone to state their opinion with support facts, but will also allow him or her to engage their audience, making an memorable impact.

Lesson 3- Why is a written argument a good way to support an opinion?

2011-09-15T17:48:00.000-08:00

A good argument takes time and a well thought out statement. By writing an argument, the author can take the time to research the subject, obtain facts from well respected specialist, and construct a statement that has impact on the reader. In order to have a high quality argument, the author must take the time to think about the subject he or she is writing about. Once the facts are gathered, the author reflects on these, forming ideas and opinions. The author then begins to write his or her argument, taking the time to consider opposing views, and listing ideas in such a way as to grab the reader’s attention. The ultimate goal being to inform the reader of the truth on a subject and persuade them to the author’s objective.

Lesson 3- Why and how is an argument both a process and a product?

2011-09-15T17:47:00.000-08:00

When two or more people are having a discussion or argument in which they are seeking the best solution to a problem or scenario, this is what is known as the process. If the discussion was to be stopped suddenly in the middle of it, in order to examine each individual person’s contribution to the argument, these contributions are what is known as the products. Products are usual brief, consisting of a few sentences at a time. By looking at each product individually, this allows you to see how a person’s ideas flows and shifts during the conversation. Therefore, during the course of an argument, each individual’s contributions (or products) added together make up the whole process of an argument. This is why an argument is both a process and a product.

Lesson 3- How did previewing sections of a book rather than simply reading them help me to understand the material?

2011-09-15T17:44:00.000-08:00

Instead of simply reading a book, I would first preview the sections. This allowed me to see what the overall idea of the book was about. I would be able to know what to expect, and therefore, when the time came to read the book, be able to know which sections were important and relevant and needed to be remembered. By knowing beforehand what the idea of the book was, once I actually began to read the book I was able to concentrate on the main details, and take notes on the important facts that pertained to the subject. Ultimately, this led me to understand the material better. I was able to grasp the main idea faster, and retain the information in the book. I think that previewing sections of a book beforehand is a great study tool.

Lesson 3- What is the goal of an argument?

2011-09-14T19:43:00.000-08:00

The goal of an argument is to find the best solution to a problem. This can be accomplished my engaging in intelligent conversation with people that one respects. Such conversations can engage our minds and allow us to explore different ideas. By listening to others opinions and sides of an argument, we might become aware of facts that up to that point were unknown. These types of creative discussions often lead to new, fruitful ideas. By listening to other people that we respect, we seek out the truth in a situation, and sometimes become persuaded to another way of thinking on a topic. An argument list differing opinions, statistic and facts, that will allow someone to become informed and eventually lead to the best solution possible for that problem.

Lesson 3- What blog did I leave a comment on?

2011-09-14T19:17:00.000-08:00

After reading several different blogs of my fellow classmates, I decided to post a comment on Panama John's blog (http://panamajohnwriter.blogspot.com). This entry was about the Ngobe people of Panama and the controversy over the Cerro Colorado copper mine, which is located on the Ngobe's territorial lands. In Febuary of 2011 the Panama government passed Law 8, which would then allow the mining companies to start the mining process without first waiting to hear the opinion of the people who lived there. This caused an uproar and in protest the Ngobe people, on several occcasions, blocked the Inter-American highway, the only highway linking the eastern and western parts of the country. This eventually led to the law being revoked on March 3 by Panama's President Ricardo Martinelli. The Ngobe people showed great spirit and perseverance. They did not give up their protest, even when they were tear gassed and faced with violence. They continually blocked the Inter-American highway, to show that their beliefs were important. This raised awareness in their cause, and eventually resulted in change.

I decided to comment on this blog, because not only did the writer make me aware of something that I had not known before, but I also felt that the spirit shown by the Ngobe people was inspirational. They believed in their cause, and they did not give up, even when faced with resistance. I felt that this was a perfect example of how a group of people can cause a positive change. I encourage all of my readers to visit Panama John's blog to read the original entry for yourselves.

Welcome

2011-09-08T18:33:00.000-08:00

Hello everyone! Let me briefly introduce myself. My name is Jen Morgan and I currently live in Fairbanks, AK. My family and I have been in this beautiful city for 4 years now, and we absolutely love it. This is my first time ever blogging... YIKES! I am looking forward to sharing some of my thoughts and getting to know all of you a little better through your blogs.