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.

Wordle!

title="Wordle: That's Not My Style"> src="http://www.wordle.net/thumb/wrdl/1216866/That%27s_Not_My_Style"
alt="Wordle: That's Not My Style"
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The top five biggest words were American Eagle, Hollister, clothing, theme, and ad. These were all words that were necessary in my paper. Alot of the smaller words on the wordle were words I could have changed, but were not needed to change because they were not used as often. The American Eagle and Hollister ads were what I was comparing in my paper, so I couldn't really change that. Also, the words clothing and theme were important in order to explain the similarities and differences. I maybe could have used the word ad less often, but it was the only word that I really could have changed.

Effective Sentences Paragraph

She went to the seashore, found some seashells, picked them up, and put them into a basket. Then, she went home with a basketful of seashells. She took the shells out of the basket and placed them on a dinette table. Then, she brought jeweler's tools to the table and pierced holes in the shells. After that, she strung the shells on small chains of gold and silver. She ended up making twenty necklaces and sold him for $10 a piece. After making a profit of $175, she went to the shore again. This time, she could afford to stay for a week.

Cool-Hunting

Cool-hunting definitely has an impact on my life. I watch mtv pretty often, and it always focuses on the celebrities and what teens want to see. I listen to many different genres of music from rock to rap, and the artists have very different personalities. I also like to get on facebook and read celebrity magazines, which contain alot of gossip. I get involved in these activities because of cool-hunting. I'm a very social person so it is important to me to fit in and be "cool". For example, in one of my favorite shows "America's Next Top Model", the models are very skinny. Therefore, the perception of an American of normal weight is concidered "fat" in our society. Although it seems ridiculous, many teens listen to this-- including me-- because of cool-hunting.

Freewrite & Outline for Compare and Contrast Essay

Freewrite:

Photo 1- American Eagle Avertisement
*color (mostly blue)
*setting is outdoors in the grass
*text
*guy and girl laying down
*theme is love related
*matching clothing
*sells clothes for guys and girls

Photo 2- Hollister Co. Advertisement
*color (sepia)
*setting is beachy
*no text
*girl laying on guy on a surfboard
*theme is love/sex appeal related
*less clothing (beachwear + jeans)
*sells clothes for guys and girls


Outline:

I. Although the American Eagle and Hollister advertisements share the same goal, the American Eagle ad focuses more on the buyer's interest through the color, setting, and theme.

II. Color
A. American Eagle- Most prevailing color is blue
B. Hollister- Sepia

III. Setting
A. American Eagle- Outdoors, on the grass
B. Hollister- Beach, sand, surfboard

IV. Theme (Pathos)
A. American Eagle- More flirtatious with text
B. Hollister- More sensual with no text

V. American Eagle's clothes have more quality than Hollister's clothes and target a larger group of people.

Reflection

I definitely agree with the comments that were made about my paper. I noticed that I used very great examples in my writing, as well as a strong conclusion. However, I also have to agree that I could have used more detailed and specific wording, along with a more attention-grabbing introduction. I hope to improve drastically on these two main things in my Compare and Contrast essay. I will strive to do this by maybe confiding more in a thesaurus, and also read the powerpoint online to assist me in finding a "hook" for my introduction. My goal is to make my next essay as flawless as possible and also make it more interesting for the reader to enjoy.

Compare & Contrast

In the essay "Close the Borders to All Newcomers", the writer is clearly against immigration. James states that "the United States is headed for a crisis of incalculable magnitude" if we do not stop immigration. He proves this with many statistics. For example, he says that "there is an indication that between 45 million and 54 million people will be entering the U.S. in a little more than a generation". Throughout the decades, immigration has greatly increased. This also creates a problem of Americans losing their jobs. Many illegal immigrants cause more taxes for Americans, as well as contributing to bad health through energy use, toxic waste, and smog and urban crowding.

In the essay "Give Us Your Best, Your Brightest", the writer is for liberalizing immigration. Moore's first point was made by basically saying that the people who are against immigration are just viewing it as a stereotype. They don't truly see how immigrants have positively influenced our industries. He also explains that most immigrants entering the U.S. were said to be the "best, brightest, most energetic, and talented". If anything, the immigrants have helped the U.S. economy more than hurt. The diversity brings more benefits of technology, talents, and more. Moore also believes that the immigrants create more jobs for the Americans than taking them away. Even the illegal immigrants are not "the poverty-stricken and least skilled", surprisingly. So overall, the immigrants help improve our country more economically, and the amount of immigrants entering is increasing drastically.

Ethos, Pathos, and Logos

The three rhetorical modes of persuasion are logos, pathos, and ethos. The first is logos, which appeals to reason. This advertisement's slogan underneath the picture says "Everything you do affects your children", which gives makes you believe it is true. The next is pathos and in this advertisement, it creates an emotion to make smokers feel bad about smoking so that it will not affect their children. The last is ethos, which appeals to character and authority. This advertisement uses the brand of Legos to show authority which expresses how smokers could influence their kids to also smoke. The logical fallacy used in this advertisement is the way it shows a bad message to kids by using Legos to create a picture of a cigarette. Some people may think it is wrong to show this kind of advertisement.

My Composing Process

I've noticed that when I sit down to write, I need to start out listening to music. My favorite type of music is something upbeat, such as pop or hip hop. It always gets me motivated enough to start. Another thing that affects my writing process is I like to be comfortable. I usually like to type my pieces of writing in my bed with my laptop. I also have a diary I keep in my room that I write in almost every night, which also motivates me. Being able to write about my life when I feel like letting out on paper is a great thing for me. I enjoy writing in my free time and usually write when I have alot on my mind.

Who Am I: Finding Identity and Voice in Composition

This essay really informed me that it is important to use your own "voice" and character in your writing. I learned that you should write as if someone were seeing it in your eyes. It is all about making the writing interesting by connecting it to your personal life. It can be hard because it is a type of writing you may not be used to. So therefore, it is good to practice to get better. I think the best way to improve my "voice" in my writing is to put more of my opinions and experiences into it. Then, I can gradually learn to open the doors for more definition and life into what others read in my writing.