Last Blog: Reflection

Being in this class this semester has really given me great benefits. My writing overall has become much more advanced, mostly because of the daily grammar lessons we had in class. I though the class was very fun and interesting because each class involved each student to be challenged in some way. My favorite part of the class was probably the grammar quizzes, because not only did they help my grade, but they improved my writing as a whole. These blogs were also great for me because they made me realize the way I write. I liked the fact that I didn't have to worry about making them a certain format, and I could be creative with them. They were also very easy because they did not take up a lot time and some of them were fun, such as the "wordle" blog.

Crossing the Lines

I agree with his objection about intrinsic worth because he explains that life begins before conception. This argument deals with morals, and this the issue people argue most about. I agree with his disbelief that "a single cell has the moral or legal standing of a child". Just because they are too young, does not mean it is morally right to use in research cloning. One should not stand in the way of such a "creation majestic beauty and mystery". He also does not believe that the embryo is entitled to inviolability. However, it should be entitled to something. This is what most scientists involved with research cloning do not agree about. They believe that cloning research is simply for the benefit of future generations.

Yes, Don't Impede Medical Progress

1. The thesis statement basically says that cloning is overall beneficial because it has shaped art, religion, and even culture. She places it at the end of the essay to emphasize the points she made in the body paragraphs.
2. She connects her argument to the broader issues of scientific progress by stating the opinions of "most Americans" or the political issues mentioned such as the view that microscopic cells are still people with rights. However, she argues against these issues with her own values which make her argument less effective.
3. The strategy of answering the objections of critics is important because it shows that the writer really understands both sides of the issue, and considers the opinions of others. The main arguments she answered include the risk of birth defects, reproductive cloning, and also the moral issues. The strategies she uses is by stating the objections of critics, ethical and moral values.
4. The word fear is used by the author to create a sense of pathos in the reader. She does this by describing how politics work. It helps her argument by explaining that emotions of people can affect their opinions about cloning and medical progress.
5. She does not address her main topic to possibly express that medical progress is necessary in general and its more about improving future generations. This helps argument by giving a general look at the issue and is legitimate because it makes a point that change is a positive thing in life.

Reflecting the Research Process

The library workshop was very informative for me and simple to follow. It showed me all of the databases on one page, which made it very easy to find what I needed. I especially liked the "Opposing Viewpoints" database, because it shared both sides of the arguement I am writing about in my essay. I sometimes found it difficult to find my specific topic, so when I searched it, I had to search for a broader topic. For example, I typed "Using phones while driving" instead of "Using cell phones while driving". There were some articles and essays that were very helpful for my research, and some were very irrelevant. Overall, I think I will be able to find enough research about my topic on the databases. If not, I will most definitely be able to find enough through reliable internet websites for statistics and such. Other than that, I have not come up with any other problems yet for the research process.

My Halloween Weekend

This weekend, I went to go visit my friend Melissa in Charleston with my best friend Amber. We left early Friday morning and got there around lunchtime. We ate lunch, and then went to the movies to see Halloween 2 in Cinebarre, which is a movie theatre where you get served food while watching the movie. After the movie, we dressed up in our halloween costumes and walked downtown to meet people the rest of the night. Amber dressed up as a jailbird, Melissa dressed up as white trash, and I dressed up as Hannah Montana. On Saturday, we went shopping at the Tanger Outlets and then got ice cream. That night was Halloween and we walked around town in our costumes like the night before, but this time the cops were everywhere and our feet hurt. So, we went to a restaurant called the Kickin' Chickin' and danced, then went back to Melissa's dorm. We got back and stayed up until 4 in the morning. We woke up this morning with a parking ticket on my car for $14! Parking in Charleston is hectic. Even though we had bad luck at times, it was a a great trip and i just got home not too long ago. It was the best Halloween I've ever had.

Reflection of the semester

I am definitely very proud of my hard work so far this semester. I have learned much more about grammar and even writing essays. The biggest thing I have like about this class is that it has challenged me and showed me my strengths and weaknesses. My strengths include writing a more developed thesis statement and conclusion paragraph. My weaknesses include careless grammar/spelling errors and a small range of vocabulary. However, this class has definitely taught me to write more professionally, and so far I'm really enjoying it. I hope to be challenged more, expand my vocabulary and get to know more people between now and the end of the semester.

Research Paper Freewrite

There are many research topics I may be interested in writing about. The first topic is the dangers of the use of tanning beds and whether or not they should be illegal. The next topic I considered was the issue of drug abuse/overdose and how to prevent it. Another good topic was about texting while driving and whether or not it should be a crime. The last topic I was interested in was abortion. Although it is very controversial, obviously, I would definitely consider writing about this because I feel very strongly about pro-choice.