in class writing

Passage A
1Did you know that until May 5 of every year, you are not really working for yourself?
2A group in Washington, D.C., has learned that it takes workers an average of four months and four days to earn enough to pay their taxes.
3The group found in its study that taxes eat up 34 percent of all the income in the United States.
4 So, if workers used they’re entire income for taxes, they would not be through paying them until May.
5Being that May 5 is the first day people really work for themselves, the study group has some advice.
6It would like a bill passed naming May 5 “Tax Freedom Day.”
7 On that day, you would give yourself a break, irregardless of how hard you worked.
8 For, from May 5, on you will finally be you’re own boss.

Passage B

1Did you ever daydream about writing your life story?
2Do you think that your life is too dull, or you can’t write?
3Anyone’s life story is filled with fascinating events, and writing them down in the best way you know can give you a sense of accomplishment and, perhaps, leave a valuable inheritance to your family.
4The first thing to do is to buy a loose-leaf notebook.
5Each page of the book should be titled with a significant milestone in your life—from your first dog to your proudest moment.
6You should then jot down a few key words in the book whenever a memory comes back to you.
7The idea is not to begin with “I was born . . .” and try to write a chronological history of your whole life.
8Just delve into your passed at random; one memory will trigger another.
9It will become quite easy after a while.
10It's also important to write in your own language.
11Plain, honest writing is the goal.

in class writing

Commas 1 - Insert any missing commas in the following sentences.
Example: My opinion as long as you asked is that the expedition is likely to succeed.
My opinion, as long as you asked, is that the expedition is likely to succeed.
1. That singer, whoever he is, really knows how to sing the blues.
2. The woman sitting at the back table, is a well-known restaurant reviewer.
3. When conditions are right, that horse can run just like its father.
4. His four favorite artists are Monet, Renoir, Degas, and Manet.
5. Let Warren and Andrea, our most skillful speakers, present our proposal.
6. Long regarded as a leading newspaper, the Washington Post boasts an outstanding staff of reporters.
7. Slowly, slyly ,and cautiously Eric slid the wallet across the table.
8. What we need is creative leadership, leadership that will encourage experimentation.
9. During high school he read Romeo and Juliet, Julius Caesar, and Hamlet.
10. Song of Solomon, I believe, is the professor’s favorite.
11. I believe that ,should the eggs break, we will have a mess.
12. Sometimes I think that people are extremely foolish.
13. I believe that a computer breakdown is a common excuse for late papers.
14. The elephant that stands on the drum, is Maggie.

15. The elephant, which is a hard worker and a talented performer, is found in most zoos and circuses.

Commas 2 -Insert all necessary commas into the following sentences:

1. Heeding all too well the admonition of Genesis 1:26, man has clearly established dominion over the fish of the sea, the birds of the air, the cattle, and all the earth.
2. In fact man has gone far toward destroying all members of the animal kingdom, including of course himself.
3. In the last 150 years man has increased his extermination of mammals alone by fifty-five-fold, and if the killing continues at the present rate, man may well destroy all 4,062 species of mammals within thirty years.
4. Even today there are 835 endangered species with more being added each year.
5. In India where 40,000 tigers roamed in 1930 there are now only 2,500 left, and the lion population currently estimated at 175 has been depleted even more severely.
6. Australia a land of energetic sports-minded individuals, has treated its animal population no better than India has.
7. Consequently, animals like the kangaroo for which Australia is famous, are fast disappearing as are koala bears, Tasmanian wolves, and emus.
8. Because Australians were not concerned about their wildlife, in 1930 the government machine-gunned 20,000 emus at one time.
9. In the United States, too several species of wildlife have disappeared and many others are close to extinction.
10. The Eastern elk and the passenger pigeon, once so plentiful in this country, are now forever gone.
11. Other animals such as the alligator, the Southern Bald eagle, and the ivory-billed woodpecker may be fated to join the growing list of species we will see no more.
12. Although alligators are protected by law, men continue to kill them for their skins, only the belly portion of which are used.
13. As long as Americans want their expensive alligator belts, handbags, and shoes the poachers will continue to supply the skins.
14. The profit motive of course, has led to the wholesale slaughter of animals like the alligator and the tiger, but many other animals have been killed for whim or pleasure.

More Parallelism

1. We were dirty, hungry, and tired when we returned home from our camping trip in the woods.
   
2. My roommate liked to repair things around the house and was always trying to fix things.
   
3. During the day, we went on long hikes, rowed around the lake, or just leisure time.
4. She returned to the hotel to pay her rent, and because she had left some of her things in the room.
   
5. Two things that I found hard to learn as a freshman were, to get enough sleep and and to not spend too much money.
6. He asked me about the courses I was enrolled in as well as if they related to my major.
   
7. The doctor said that I should rest and that it was best not to get excited or upset.
8. Hitler’s followers considered other nations to be racially inferior and were fit only for slave labor.
9. The best way to combat juvenile delinquency is not to set up more social agencies but by restoring old-fashioned discipline in the home.
10. The book told how to build a gun cabinet, how to build a bookcase, and all types of furniture that you can make.
11. When I was a member of the basketball team, everyone met me with a happy smile, made lively conversation, and I was invited to many parties.
12. Fires, caused by unheeding persons, have destroyed valuable forests and thereby decreasing our lumber resources.
13. In basketball, there is never a dull moment, any team can win, and a fine display of teamwork.
14. My parents liked peace and quiet and to relax in the evening at home.
15. Esther is a helpful person and who makes friends easily.
16. Yosemite is a park with spectacular scenery and which has half-tame bears.
17. My friends were always going off to jog in the park or a game of tennis.
18. The manager asked me to file an application and would I leave my number.
19. We went to rallies to protest against pesticides, oppose nuclear power, or other current auses.
20. My roommate was a smart dresser, a good student, and really knew how to talk.

in class writing

1) I don't think you should go out with him. I heard that he just recently got fired from his job because he never showed up on time. He also just broke up with his long-term girlfriend because he was cheating on her. I don't want you to end up getting hurt and he just doesn't seem like a good guy.

2) Race is still an important issue in American politics today. I recently heard President Bush speaking about all the hate crimes going on in schools. As a result of this, many students don't feel safe at school and are scared to even go to school. Something needs to be done in these school systems so that students are treated fairly and are able to feel safe at school.

3) Argumentative essays are meant for the writer to be able to share their views and opinions with their readers. Often times writers use an argumentative style in order to sway the reader into agreeing with them and seeing their side of the argument. In my essay on capital punishment, my views weren't completely convinving, however, I did take an obvious side. My paper was definitely anti-capital punishment. In order to support this claim I listed the reasons why capital punishment should be abolished.

in class writing

Many of us foolishly object to taking courses in writing. In fact students going into the technical or scientific fields may think that writing is something they seldom have to do. However, our notion that only poets and novelists have to write is unrealistic. For example practicing engineers and scientists say they spend half of their time writing memos and reports. In addition, many college students going into business think their secretaries will do their writing for them. Yet, this attitude shows a naive faith in the competency of their secretaries. Because young business people seldom have private secretaries. In fact, a person in any field who can express ideas clearly is sure to succeed.

Topic Proposal

- I will discuss the issue of corruption in the legal system and discuss the issues of innocent people being convicted of the death penalty.

- The problem is that many people in the United States as well as other countries have been convicted of a crime or put on death row and then later evidence has proven that they were in fact innocent. This problem is a very big issue because it is dealing with the lives of people.

- The solution is that there need to be DNA testing and strict regulations so that only few people will ever receive the death penalty and when they do, it is becuase they were in fact guilty.

- The justification is that if there are stircter laws regarding the death penalty and DNA testing before hand, there will be little discripency.

-The position of anti- death penalty will be use din this paper, because the people against hte death penalty argue against it and one of their main reasons for beign against it is that the court is not always fair or right in their decisions.

- SOme concerns I have are if my policy is strong enough or how I am going to formulate a policy stronger than the one the that is used today.

The policy I think that needs to be changed at USC is that I think besides just having secruity guards in the dorms at night after 12, I also think they should have secruity guards who walk with students to the garage at night. Because of the number of incidents where people have been held up at gun point in the garages and been robbed I think it would be a good idea for their to be at least one security guard who walks with students to the garage and from the garage. The security guard could take more than one student at a time and I really don't think it would be that difficult. It is true that their are camera's in the garage but that doesn't stop someone from robbing students, and the red blinking light things are useful but by the time a student reaches one it may be too late, and what if a student isn't near one when they get approached? The current policy of security guards in the dorms late at night, camera's, and the push-call system are all good ideas and have benefits however, I just feel that more needs to be added to the system because things are still happening. I think authorities have not come up with the security guard walking students to the car idea because they think it will be a hassale, however I don't think it would be. The only place they would haave to walk students is to the garage because that is an enclosed area that is often times targeted. It is dark and closed off and normallly there arne't many people nearby. I think the policy could be perfected a little more by adding a security guard that walks students to their cars.

free write

I have always kind of been apathetic towards gay/lesbian rights. This issue has never really bothered me or effected me and so therefor I never really thought of my stance on the issue. I sort of always had the mindset of as it doesn't really matter to me because it doesn't effect me. That was until a girl at my school who had always been really friendly and had a lot of friends came out that she was gay. After she had gotten up enough courage to tell everyone, in return everyone quickly distanced theirselves from her and slowly began making jokes about her. That's when I realized it is important to have opinions on issues, even if they don't affect you presonally because they effect other people. This girl had never done anything wrong to any of the people making fun of her and her lifestyle wasn't affecting them. So after this I decided that I felt that people who are gay are still people and should still be respected. I learned that just because something doesn't affect me is no reason not to have feelings on the issue and that it is selfish to just agree with everyone around you.

SWA #11

The articles that I feel are the most credible on homelessness are "Four Corners Best Answer on Homeless" and "What Did Not Work: Effort to Centralize Homeless services." I picked these two articles because in the first one the writer is an active member of the community, an executive board member, and works as a real estate developer. He seems like he has a lot of experience and expertise and therefor his opinion seems to be more valid than just some random person. The other article has a whole list of ways and plans for the homeless and it seems the writer has spent a lot of time researching the issue in order to figure out what would be the best way to handle homelessness. The less credible articles are the ones where the writer doesn't seem to have a background on the issue and is just writing their opinion. You can hold some level of credibility of an article based on who the writer is, why they are writing the article, and who they intend to read the article. Also, you can tell if it is credible based on if the writer is using facts or purely just opinion. Less credible articles is research papers may be ones that don't provide facts or statistics or is derived from a source that is not up to date or knowledgable about the topic. 

in class writing

The editorial that I think was must effective was, "Colu,bia Council Should Support Mission, Homeless." The reason i felt that this article was the most effective is because the author too a situation (homelessness) and discussed how the policies weren't being carried out but how they could be. The author discusses what City Council has been doing and not doing, which many people may not be aware of until reading this article. Then the author describes how homelessness effects the overall opinion of travelers passing through Columbia when they see the city's homelessness problem. Including this in the article is very effective becasue everyone wants people to respect the city they live in and people also want to attract more visitors and tourist into the area because that will of course bring more money into the city. This editorial incorporated the emotional feelings of not only people hwo pity the homeless but also peopel who want columbia to be respected nationwide.

SWA #10

The three editorials featured in The State newspaper have very similar ideas regarding homelessness in Columbia. However, they also use different ways of getting their point across. For instance in the first Editorial "Columbia Council Should Support Mission, Homeless," the author does not try to make his/her point discrete. The author from the very beginning tells the reader that they believe that the Columbia City Council should not deny the church from having the property rezoned so that homelessness can be handled better. This article is very much tot he point and the author tells the reader what he thinks the city council should do. In the next article 'Columbia Must Care for Homeless as Well as Bantus." the author still portrays what they feel should be the right action taken however, this article puts more of an emotional value on the issue. For instance, the author talks about issues such as alcohol and drug recovery. Also the author complains about how the city says they are going to make changed but these changes haven't happened before so why would they know? This article is more geared towards saying the city council does not carry out the actions they say they will. This article also talks about how old the problem of homelessness is and how it needs to be solved. The final editorial, "One-Stop Proposal for Area's Homeless Looks Promising," takes a more positive position in supporting the mission and discussing the positive effects the proposal will have for the city's homeless. This article was effective because sometimes people would rather read positive editorials rather than a bunch of people complaining. This article is also very informative because gives the specific facts of what the mission is trying to accomplish and what differences could be made because of it. All of these articles are written in order to be effective and get a point across however, different methods were taken. Complaining and dissing the city council could be effective in order to enrage citizens of the city and trike an emotional feeling in them, while being positive may get people to think "hey, that's a good idea." Editorials are just the authors opinion on a subject and different authors use different methods of getting these points across. These three editorials were all based on teh same issue but each author used different tactics. 

SWA #9

I agree with Williamson and feel that the word "retard" is hate speech, when used in the wrong context. I agree with her argument that for children with disabilities this word may continue to haunt them through the walls of education. For instance, if someone uses that word around a child who has a disability, they may think that they are specifically being targeted. Having physical and emotional disabilities would be hard enough as a child and is a very serious matter, especially for a child. Children with disabilities want to have as normal lives as possible and so being reminded every day that they are different than others, and that difference is something people make light of, joke about, and use to offend others cannot be anything but emotionally destructive to these children. I agree that this word should not be considered "cool" by Hollywood because then it just causes children to use this word at school in order to harm someone else's feelings.

I disagree Williamson and feel that the word "retarded" should not be considered hate speech because it is not specifically threatening towards anyone. People who use this word may go a little to far sometimes but all in all I think people do not mean to actually be offensive to those with disablities. For instance the word as sort of been changed as time as gone on and people have given the word "retarded" there own definition. For children at least it's not so much associated with people with disabilities but more to kid and pick with their friends. I don't think the people who use this word or really trying to offend children with disabilities and therefore, I don't think this word should be considered hate speech.

in class writing

The issue is whether or not Barbie is a positive image for young girls or if barbie gives girls a false idea of what they should be. The exigence of this issue is that some people believe that Barbie is a fun part of growing up that allows girls to be creative and imaginitive while others believe that Barbie makes young girls materialistic and worry too much about outward beauty and as a result causes young girls to feel very insecure.

The intended audience is probably aimed towards women who have children specifically girls or any women interested in feminism. The audience could even been young adults or older women who played with Barbie as a child and are interested in this topic.

Certain feminists and psyhcologists may view Barbie as a negative toy for young girls because it effects how they view their body image and view what's important in life. While other women who playe dwith Barbie when they were younger may have not felt this way and disagree because they feel that Barbie is just a fun toy used to strengthen young girls iamgination.

The author comes out and says that she is on the more moderate end of the argument. She feels that Barbie may be a scapegoat for American culture. She says that it's not just Barbie that should be a concern but more the ideas that our culture give children about beauty and materialistic items.

in class writing

The most interesting and intriguing think I found throughout my research thus far was the history of the death penalty. I never realized how extreme the methods that were used in the death penalty were. Another astonishing thing was that some of these harsh methods like hanging for instance our still used in certain countries. You always hear about the debate of pro death penalty and anti- death penalty but I have never really researched the topic and learned about the history. For instance I learned that the death penalty was used in ancient times for instance in B.C. It was interesting to see how some countries such as the countries of Western Europe and the United States hav made a lot of progress changing the law or process of giving the death penalty and some countries and states even abolishing the death penalty all together while some countries have not changed their method or views on the death penalty at all. It was interesting to see the case studies and compare these statistics and facts.

Topic Proposal

1. Comparing and Contrasting the Death Penalty in the United States and in other countries. The death penalty has been a form of punishment for the most heinous crimes around the world since the ancient times. Over time however, the process of Capital Punishment has changed as well as raised many questions around the world. Certain countries around the world as we as some states in the U.S have completely abolished the death penalty, while other countries still use methods most would call cruel and unusual. The debate over the death penalty is one that has become very controveral. 

2. The issue of the death penalty is one that has become a very hot and debated issue especially in American politics. Both democrats and republicans have different opinions of this idea as well as different countries have made debated, researched, and finally made decisions reagarding the death penalty. Many people find it interesting because it sparks such an emotional feeling in most people. Also, when something involves saving or destroying the lives of people it is sure to strike interest. Certain countries have steered away from the death penalty arguing that studies prove that there is no evidence that the death penalty is more effective then life imprisonment. People have also argued that what if the law process was flawed and the government took the life of the wrong person? Others on the other side argue that if someone takes the life of someone else then they no longer have the right to live. It is a very emotional subject that has caused many debates and arguments around the world. 

3. Abolitionists in America, feel that the death penalty is considered unconstitutional according to the eighth amendment. These people believe that times have changed and that it is not the governments right to take away the life of someone else. They also believe that other Westernized Countries have steered away from the death penalty and so the United States should do the same.

People in favor of the death penalty, these people argue that if someone commits a crime so horrible and offensive, that meets the ruling of the death penalty then these people no longer have the right to live. These people believe that the death penalty keeps the other citizens safe and also argue that once one has killed someone is such a way that they should not have a second chance at life.

Certain countries around the world such as communists countries have complete control of their people and feel that it is their right to control the citizens and decide whether or not they deserve the death penalty. Many of the countries have not changed as much with the times and strictly believe that the death penalty should be controlled by the government. 

4. Personally I feel that the death penalty should be abolished, at least in the United States. For instance, most people die on death row and so why would you just not sentance them to life in prison. However, I am not going to get into my opinion for or against this in my paper I'm going to focus more on the different opinions and past rulings countries and the different states have made. 

Annotated Bibliography

Annotated Bibliography

Vollum, Scott. Last Words and the Death Penalty: Voices of the  

     Condemned and their Co-Victims. New York: LFB Scholarly

     Publishers. 2008

            Vollum discusses the many crimes that have put people on death row. He does a number of case studies involving these crimes and the criminals who committed the crimes. Vollum also allows the reader to hear the last statements of both the condemned and their victims. This allows the reader to hear both sides and decide if they think capital punishment is deserved or warranted, also one is able to see what crimes in what states actually cause the court to rule in favor of the death penalty. This is important to my particular paper because I will be able to use the specific cases and compare them and get peoples opinion of the death penalty. It will also allow me to compare the opinions of the victims and of the condemned to allow the reader of my paper to determine their own thoughts regarding this topic.

 

Lu, Hong. China’s Death Penalty: history, law, and contemporary practices. New York. Rutledge. 2007

            This particular book is very helpful in describing how the death penalty works in China. It tells what types of crimes must be committed in order for the death penalty to be your punishment. It also does a nice job of giving the history of the legal system in China and how the law on the death penalty came about an dhow it has changed throughout the years. This will be helpful in order to compare and contrast how the death penalty differs state to state and country to country. Also Lu gives the characteristics of those who have received a death sentence and the process they must go through.

 

History of Death Penalty. DPIC. Washington D.C. 2009.

       

                        This website begins by discussing the early death penalty laws and where it began. Then it continues on to specifically talk about the death penalty in America and how Britain influenced America into using the death penalty as punishment. It also talks about the early and late movements people made in order to abolish the death penalty in America and how some states were successful. This website discusses the constitutionality of the death penalty, how the death penalty has become limited in the United States as well as recent developments in the death penalty today. This article will be important to my paper because it will help me discuss the differences between the death penalty in the United States and how the death penalty in other countries may work. Also it allows me to compare the death penalty among the states for instance it shows what states do not practice the death penalty as well as those who do and discusses which states use the death penalty most strictly. Another valuable piece to my paper will be the history of how the death penalty got started and which countries first used it for instance we adopted the death penalty from Britain.

           

Overview of the Death Penalty Worldwide.

     http://www.capitalpunishmentuk.org/overview.html

            This website article is very short and to the point. It discusses how the use of capital punishment has decreased worldwide it the past few years. However, it also discusses countries such as Japan, China, and North Korea and how the way they use the death penalty is much different than in other countries because some of the executions go un reported. It also gives a graph of countries that lists countries and the methods of execution and then lists the number of each used in the different countries. This website is very useful in order to compare not only how widely used the death penalty is amongst other countries but also which method of execution is more widely used in each individual country.

 

Hood, R. Death Penalty: A World Wide Prospective. Oxford University

     Press, Inc. New York, NY. 1989

            This article discusses the death penalty and how it differs and is similar worldwide. It focuses on researching and discussing which countries are tending to become more opposed to the death penalty and working toward getting rid of the death penalty as well as discussing which countries are using the death penalty more widely and expanding the use of it. It even discusses the pro’s and cons of the death penalty and construct studies to prove which method; death penalty or life in jail as a better outcome. This article is very important for my paper because it conducts country to country surveys and polls which will help me in comparing and contrasting the views and practices of the death penalty worldwide.

 

Rogers, Alan. Murder and the Death Penalty in Massachusetts.    

     Amherst. University of Massachusetts Press. 2008

            This particular article focuses on the death penalty specifically in Massachusetts. This article discuses the history of the death penalty in this state and how it has changed over the years. It also compares the death penalty in Massachusetts compared other states. It begins by illustrating the criminal procedure in colonial Massachusetts and how it has changed over time. Then near the end of the book it discusses Massachusetts move toward abolition and the criminal process after abolition. This is important for my paper because it allows me to compare the progress certain states in the United States have made compared to other countries.

           

Green, Melissa. History of the Death Penalty and Recent   

     Developments. University of Alaska Anchorage. May 2005.

            This article gives a brief description of the history of the death penalty beginning with the first recorded execution in the United States. The article discusses how the process of the death penalty spread throughout the United States and how eventually certain methods of execution were considered cruel and unusual. It cites certain Supreme Court decisions in favor of the death penalty and against the death penalty. And then the article eventually discusses the status of the death penalty in the United States and compares it in the different states. This is useful for my paper because it will help me gather information on the death penalty in the United States and help me discuss the differences that range between the states. Also I will be able to discuss how the death penalty has changed over the years.

 

F E Zimring, G Hawkins, Capital Punishment and the American Agenda.      Cambridge University Press. New York, NY. 1987. 

            This book focuses on discussing the political and social aspects of the United States that consider it to be the only Westernized Country to still have the death penalty. It compares the death penalty in America compared to in Western Europe as well as discusses the steps America has taken towards the abolition of the death penalty. This book shows facts such as statistics and specific Supreme Court cases that have lead America in the direction toward abolition. This book will be very helpful for me to use in my paper because it lists specific court cases that have molded America’s beliefs in the death penalty. It also compares America to other Westernized countries unlike the other sources that compare America to countries who still believe in the death penalty. 

SWA #8

Works Cited

Vollum, Scott. Last Words and the Death Penalty: Voices of the Condemned and their Co-Victims. New York: LFB Scholarly Publishers. 2008

The Death Penalty Today. Boca Raton, Fla. CRC Press. 2008

Delfino, Michelangelo. Death Penalty USA. Tampa, Fla. MoBeta Publishing. 2008

Bedau, Hugo. The Death Penalty in America. HeinOnline. http://scholar.google.com/scholar?hl=en&lr=&q=info:YIaZe3wfB1IJ:scholar.google.com/&output=viewport&pg=1

Hood, R. Death Penalty: A World Wide Prospective. Oxford University Press, Inc. New York, NY. 1989

Rogers, Alan. Murder and the Death Penalty in Massachusetts.  Amherst. University of Massachusetts Press. 2008

Is the Death Penalty Dying?. Amsterdam, London. Elsevier JAI, 2008.

F E Zimring, G Hawkins, Capital Punishment and the American Agenda.  Cambridge University Press. New York, NY. 1987. http://www.ncjrs.gov/App/Publications/abstract.aspx?ID=105067

SWA #7

Review Questions

1) If you decide to use library subscription services to find articles you can search extensively through years and years of articles from all sorts of different print periodicals. While if you use the world wide web you can also find many articles with just the click of your mouse, however not all sources on the web are credible. Anyone with a computer can set up a web page, this is why it is important to make sure that the website you are getting your information is accurate and updated. LexisNexis Academics indexes are very credible because it provides full text and is updated hourly.

2) A bibliography is an alphabetically arranges list of all the sources you have used to support and explain your research. A bibliography includes the author of the source, the title of the source, the date published, and the publishing company. An annotated bibliography is when you add annotations to your bibliographies. Annotations are summaries and responses , Annotations show that you understand each source and a response shows your thoughts about the information in the source. 

3) In order to declare a source credible or not, you must evaluate ever source you use in your paper. Firs you must look at the source and see if it is associated with an organization that is recognized in that field. Next you must see if the source is listed under a reputable domain to make sure the domain is credible. Also you should look and see if the source is peer-reviewed, this means that experts review the source to make sure it is accurate and updated. Other things to keep in mind are is the source accesed by large amounts of people. is the source directed at extremists, is the source current and is the source moral, immoral, ethical, or unethical. 

4) It is important to make a research plan to guide your research because it helps to form a base. If you know where you want your paper to go it is much easier to stay on track and unorganized. Having a plan will give you ideas to go off of once you start actually writing. It will also make sure your paper stays organized because you will ahve already developed your plan, instead of shifting from topic to topic. 

5) According to the Council of Writing Program, plagiarism is when a writer purposefully and knowingly uses the ideas, language, and other types of work without acknowledging the source. In order to avoid plagiarism you must cite your sources, in text and within a bibliography. Also make sure unless you are quoting a source do not take the exact text from a source. Just be mindful of your sources and do not try to pass off someone's ideas as your own. Give credit where credit is due.  

in class writing

My post-secret is a picture of an old woman sitting on a bench by herself and on it i wrote "some of my biggest fears are of getting old and being alone." I used certain techniques to get my point across, for instance this post secret is kind of a dark, cold, sad secret so I used black and white to illustrate the dimness of this fear. I also used the old woman sitting by herself because of course that displays her being alone. Another technique i used to reitterate the feeling of being alone, is when typing the text I put the word alone at the bottom in it's own corner. I have always known that this was a sort of secret and probably a feeling most people have. When asked to make my own post-secret I decided that this is a feeling I have that I never really talk about but one that probably a decent amount of people could relate to.

SWA #6

The two MAC ads I chose to compare and contrast was the 1984 Apple's Macintosh Commercial and the MAC love commercial. These ads are both very different not only in length but in the message they are trying to send. For instance the 1984 Apple Macintosh Commercial was trying to spread the word about this new type of computer and the new technology that it offers. The commercial used a lot of technology and insinuated that this computer will change the way technology will function in the future. If you watch this ad it comes across as MAC's being this incredible new invention that everyone needs to get to know. This ad appears to be an earlier ad and the MAC love ad seems to appear at a later time, after MAC's have already been introduced to the public and have become popular. The reason the MAC love ad is different is because it is not so much introducing the idea of a MAC but rather showing how the whole world has come to use MAC's. The way they used all different languages shows that not only people in th United States have come to love MAC's but that they are popular in all different places in the world. The earlier (1984) ad is more or less trying to get the word out about MAC's and inform people of what they are capable of and the MAC love ad is trying to advocate that most of the world has come to use MAC's and so if you aren't one of these people who loves a MAC you need to get one. Also both ads use different methods to grab attention. For instance the 1984 ad uses all types of crazy technology to grab the audiences attention while the MAC love one is short and to the point but leaves the viewer with an overall positive opinion of the ad due to the happy music and all the "i love you's" in different languages. These ad's reflect the time period they were made in by of course the 1984 ad trying to show how this MAC can change the future while the MAC love was obviously made after MAC's have already become popular. 

Post Secret

The post secret I decided to discuss is one that shows a football player holding a football like he is about to throw it and then in little text boxes with what looks like a typed font it says "You molested me but you didn't break me" and then at the bottom it says "I WON!" written in red ink and it looks hand written instead of typed. I really thought this was interesting because at first when you see a football player you don't expect it to be something so deep it sort of makes you think of this big football player with a dark secret. Another reason I chose this particular picture is because I liked how the words I WON! were handwritten in red ink. The red ink makes it stand out and because it's hand written it almost shows that the person who molested the author of this no longer has a hold on them anymore. I also thought it was good to use an athlete because athletes normally stand for someone who is strong and able to fight battles to achieve something. Maybe this person is trying to say that they have fought a long battle with themselves over being molested and now are finally letting go and finally feel that the have won the battle. Also, something else I found interesting about this image was that the first typed text box appears over the football players face. Maybe the person who made this post secret did that because they are ashamed of what happened and don't want anyone to who they are. 

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An advertisement that really stood out to me was one advocating that people should not drink and drive . The advertisement caught my eye because it shows a tree with a white box around it and inside the box it says reserved for drunk drivers. I found this argument extremely creative and interesting. The way I see it is that parking a car is an everyday experience that most people rarely think about. However, taking the parking spot out of context and putting it around a tree really grabs someone's attention. When I came across this advertisement I immediately realized something was wrong with the picture and that's why it stood out to me. Everyone can relate to the simple task of parking a car therefore making this ad relatable to all people able to drive. It also sends the message that if you drink and drive easy things like parking a car may become difficult. The advertisers appealed to the viewers emotions in a very delicate way. For example, I think they may have chose this particular advertisement because when people park their car they are making a decision to go somewhere. For instance if you park at the mall you made the decision to go to the mall or if you park at a certain restaurant you chose to go to that restaurant. I feel like the advertisers are trying to send the message that if you drink and drive you are making a decision that could cause serious damages, like running into a tree. Another aspect of this advertisement is that the colors are very dim and cold. This gives the viewer a sense of gloom because the picture is not bright and vibrant. I think this was used in order to give the viewers fear. Overall I feel that this advertisement was very well made, it has every aspect of a strong argument. It grabs the viewers attention and at the same time sends out a very powerful message through graphics. 

In Class Writing: How is Visual Argument Different from Written Argument

Visual Argument is different from written argument because the Author has to get their point across in much less words. In a visual argument the author's point may not be immediately recognizable to the reader, yet the overall point may be very similar. Visual argument may be more effective for certain people because a picture is colorful and vibrant and often times grabs a person's attention, while in a written argument people may become bored with all the words and lose interest. However, at the same time the advantages of written argument is that the author can specifically spell out their point of view and the reader knows exactly what the argument is.

In Class Writing

What made me pick the article " Are bloggers Journalists?" is because I thought the author presented the argument in a very intelligent but understandable manner. The author compares teh situation tot hat of the Founding Fathers which is a subject everyone is familiar with. I also picked this article because I am majoring in Journalism and was interested in this topic, it was something I could relate to. The author appealed to the emotion of American pride. He relates bloggers to people like Thomas Paine and Benjamin Franklin, people who were very influential in helping to make America a country. I also picked the article "If You Run A Red Light WIll Everyone Know." I picked this article because it was also very relatable to me. I think most everyone has come close to running a red light or speeding and I found the argument brought up was very interesting.  Everyone wants to be safe but at what cost do you give up your privacy. The criminal websites are now even showing when people simply run a red light. I felt this article was extremely relatable to all kinds of people. 

SWA #5 Response to Ch 10 readings

1. Are Bloggers Journalists?
In the article "Are Bloggers Journalists," Christopher Daly discusses the controversial topic of whether bloggers should be protected under the same rights that Journalists are. Daly does a nice job of remianing neutral and explains both arguments of whether they should or should not be protected. I find it interesting that to support his own opinion that bloggers should be protected, he goes back to the 1700's and uses Thomas Paine's common Common Sense as an expample. By using this example, Daly is appealing to people's emotions. He's appealing to an audience that understands what America was founded on. Daly's point is that Thomas Paine had no expertise in Journalism and that his phamplets were similar to today's blogs. I agree with his position that America was founded on Freedom of Speech and it is very hypocritical to deny bloggers of the rights that Journalist have. I found myself entrigued by this article for many reasons. One, I am a Journalism major so I can relate tot he topic. Also, now that we are using blogs in English I am more comfortable with blogs and have a better understanding of their function. Finally, I am really interested in politics and find his connection to the First Amendment interesting and entriguing. I think Daly does a good job of appealing to a wide audience and also a nice job at supporting his position.

2. "If You Run a Red Light, Will Everyone Know?"
This article by Brad Stone was very interesting. Stone discusses whether or not it is ethical for websites like CriminalSearches.com to exist. Websites like these have become very popular and are making it much easier for people to access any person's criminal record. Now, a lot of people feel that if you commit a crime you no longer have a right to privacy and that people should know that you broken the law. However, Stone brings up some good arguments. For instance sometimes those websites can make mistakes and list someone as a criminal when they infact aren't. Or the website can show that you were speeding. This information can cause many restrictions on someone, causing people not to get jobs simply because the got a speeding ticket? I think there is a very fine line between trying to protect safety and invasion of privacy. Although Stone does a nice job of showing both sides of this argument, he does give his opinion. I agree with him that websites these days are going a little too far. Where will it stop? If we continue to head this way people may have no privacy at all.

SWA #4

What Comes Next After Generation X?

1a) The text for this article is written in an essay form. The style the author uses is he brings up questions that encourage the reader to think and form their own opinions. The language is pretty easy to understand so that the reader does not get lost in the words but rather focuses on the point of the essay. The audience that the author most likely had in mind ranges from young adults to older adults. It focuses on answering the question about a specific generation so it is obviously geared towards that audience but it also discusses aspects of other generations that might spark interest in an older audience. Overall the essay seems to target a large audience. I don't think the author intended to target to my age group, yet I found the article very interesting and relatable. The author is very interested in figuring out what defines a whole generation and if a whole generation of people can actually be lumped together. He obviously has a fascination with people and wants to get people thinking about what ideas, thoughts, and events can shape an entire generation. Constraints that limited the author may include a differing of ideas. People who read the article may disagree with his rational on people being defined by their politics, or their music, or the technology that was create, or the events that have occurred during their lifetime. However, at the same time their is a common ground reached in this article. At least I feel like this article can reach out and relate to everyone at least in some way. One may not agree with every argument made but there is enough research and feedback from a variety people, included in this essay that almost anyone can find something in the article they agree with. I think there are a number of arguments made in the essay but they are all backed up well with facts and with real people's opinions. 

SWA #2 Response to Parker

In Kathleen Parker's article "Seeking Balance in an Either-Or World," she discusses why she feels more people should be moderate regarding their political views. SHe even goes into detail about how she tends to be Pro-Life when it comes to abortion but also agrees that she could fight for the opposite side. Parker argues that being independent is a more American approach at politics and ends her article with a statistic that proves that the Independent party is growing in America and becoming more common.

After reading Parker's article and carefully analyzing it, I have found that she has a makes valid point and provides substantial support behind her reasoning. She continues to argue that more people should be able to find their views in the middle rather than to the far left or to the far right. I can understand what she is saying and can even find myself agreeing with her. I think that it would be beneficial if people were more open minded and willing to really think about an issue rather than just agree with their political party. Also if more people were moderate I think that the political candidates would be forced to work harder rather than just rely on the fact that certain states tend to always lean towards their party or on the contrary not work as hard in states that tend to lean the other way. 

However, I also find myself questioning whether or not it is plausible for Americans to become more moderate. For instance I know a lot of people who have very strong political opinions and I don't see how they could switch to a more moderate stance. I agree with many of her points but i also feel like there's nothing wrong with having strong opinions and sticking to them. To persuade people to become more moderate may take away from many values people have. 

SWA #1 Best/Worst Writing Experience

My best writing experience occurred last year (my senior year) of high school. The reason this experience was so important to me is because the paper was part of our senior project and something I had been working on since the previous year. This senior project of course was this huge deal and highly despised by most students because of  the amount of work you were expected to put into it.  The paper we had to write was only part of the project, there was also a product we had to make and a speech we had to give. However, after I finished the paper I felt a sense of accomplishment. After researching my topic and working on the paper for so long, when I finally did complete my six page research paper (which at the time was the longest paper I had ever had to write), I felt very confident and accomplished. After working so diligently and putting some many hours into a paper it really was a great feeling and the whole experience seemed worth it.

At the same time I have also had bad writing experiences. For instance last semester in English 101 the essays we had to read and then write in response to, were often times very difficult to understand and sometimes I felt completely lost. For example the first writing assignment we were faced with I found myself completely lost and had no idea where to start or what the essay was about. I also, being new to the class didn't know what my teacher expected and that added to the experience being horrifying. Looking back now I would have talked to my teacher more about the topic and tried to understand better but at the time I took a blind leap and just tried my best. My grade didn't turn out too bad, especially since it was the first paper but the overall experience was probably the worst I have had in regards to writing. I have found with writing it is not much fun to write if you have no idea as to what you are saying and you just ramble on. However, at the same time if you put a lot of time and effort into a certain piece it leaves you feeling very accomplished

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