Rhetoric and Composition – What criteria should students use when choosing between the APA and MLA style of writing.
English Education – Learning with Music.
Cultural Studies – Is Reality TV real?
Discourse Analysis – How helpful are group assignments to students?
5 Topics I Could Research and Write On
1. The importance of Library Orientation in Composition class.
2. Music in the Learning Environment: A, B, C's
3. Reality TV: Good OR Bad?
4. The mystery behind group Assignments; How they hurt and not help
5. Online dating can turn out to be quite successful!
Friday, February 13, 2009
Friday, February 6, 2009
Journal Enrty 9
1. What is the writer trying to find out more about throught their research (what research question guides her work)?
The purpose of this study was to focus on how students negotiate various genres with which they come in contact. It examines how students' constructs of "self" are reflected in school genres and how their backgrounds, specific academic disciplines, and institutional goals affect those constructs. She asked the following questions:
1. In what ways do students experience a “double bind” (Russell, 1997) or tension or
contradiction where demands are placed on them by competing motives of the various
activity systems they encounter? How then, do students negotiate these competing motives
within the genres they encounter at their academic institution? In turn, are students’ identities
transformed, and if so, how?
2. How is the activity system of St. Augustine College stabilized and/or changed based on the
ways that students negotiate the various competing motives within this activity system
(which is itself comprised of several systems)?
3. How does student self-representation vary within and among genres at St. Augustine
College?
4. What does this variance reveal in terms of the work completed at St. Augustine?
2. How does the author collect the data she needs to answer her questions?
She conducted systematic observations and interviews within the complex system, and analyzed the various genres that students encountered there. She examined the multiple genres students encountered at St. Augustine College, and paid particular attention to the tensions and contradictions within their self-representations.
3. What sort of genres do you see your peers using as forms of "self representation"?
Some examples may be:
*How they write
*How they speak
*Their physical appearance
*How much they care for school and other things that i may care for
*Things of interest to them
The purpose of this study was to focus on how students negotiate various genres with which they come in contact. It examines how students' constructs of "self" are reflected in school genres and how their backgrounds, specific academic disciplines, and institutional goals affect those constructs. She asked the following questions:
1. In what ways do students experience a “double bind” (Russell, 1997) or tension or
contradiction where demands are placed on them by competing motives of the various
activity systems they encounter? How then, do students negotiate these competing motives
within the genres they encounter at their academic institution? In turn, are students’ identities
transformed, and if so, how?
2. How is the activity system of St. Augustine College stabilized and/or changed based on the
ways that students negotiate the various competing motives within this activity system
(which is itself comprised of several systems)?
3. How does student self-representation vary within and among genres at St. Augustine
College?
4. What does this variance reveal in terms of the work completed at St. Augustine?
2. How does the author collect the data she needs to answer her questions?
She conducted systematic observations and interviews within the complex system, and analyzed the various genres that students encountered there. She examined the multiple genres students encountered at St. Augustine College, and paid particular attention to the tensions and contradictions within their self-representations.
3. What sort of genres do you see your peers using as forms of "self representation"?
Some examples may be:
*How they write
*How they speak
*Their physical appearance
*How much they care for school and other things that i may care for
*Things of interest to them
Sunday, February 1, 2009
Journal Entry 8
1. What is the writer trying to find out more about through their research (what research question guides his work)?
Through this research article, the writer is trying to find out how, "to simplify the complex relation between performer and audience in rock music. " Basically he found "4 Real" ways to analyze the relationaship between the performer, the audience, the authenticity of the performance and the function of the music.
2. What sort of texts or sources does the author quote from to build his argument?
To build his argument the writer used a number of articles that related to his research. However he used the majority of the following:
*Journals
*Essays
*Reviews
*Speeches
*Commentators Reponses to music
3. In what ways do you see others around you attempting to establish their authenticity?
Around the world we see performers and celebrities setting the standards in the ways we dress, our diet, or excercising habits, our hairstyles and the way we even hygenically take care of ourselves. Each individual has their own sense of style and sense of belonging in this world. It may not necessarily be a "norm," but it makes the person feel confident about them selves.
"The unstated paradox contained within this formulation is not that an audience accepts as real that which is patently unreal; rather it is that an audience accepts reality, or authenticity, as a performance, without necessarily accepting that its status as performance invalidates it as a true expression of the star’s authentic self. "
Around me every day I see persons wearing what they want to wear, piercing body parts, tattoos, hairstyles, hair colors, shoes they wear, nail polishes (colors and designs), bumper stickers on their cars, writing with messages on people's shirts and a number of other ways in which people's true "authentic self" can be expressed.
Through this research article, the writer is trying to find out how, "to simplify the complex relation between performer and audience in rock music. " Basically he found "4 Real" ways to analyze the relationaship between the performer, the audience, the authenticity of the performance and the function of the music.
2. What sort of texts or sources does the author quote from to build his argument?
To build his argument the writer used a number of articles that related to his research. However he used the majority of the following:
*Journals
*Essays
*Reviews
*Speeches
*Commentators Reponses to music
3. In what ways do you see others around you attempting to establish their authenticity?
Around the world we see performers and celebrities setting the standards in the ways we dress, our diet, or excercising habits, our hairstyles and the way we even hygenically take care of ourselves. Each individual has their own sense of style and sense of belonging in this world. It may not necessarily be a "norm," but it makes the person feel confident about them selves.
"The unstated paradox contained within this formulation is not that an audience accepts as real that which is patently unreal; rather it is that an audience accepts reality, or authenticity, as a performance, without necessarily accepting that its status as performance invalidates it as a true expression of the star’s authentic self. "
Around me every day I see persons wearing what they want to wear, piercing body parts, tattoos, hairstyles, hair colors, shoes they wear, nail polishes (colors and designs), bumper stickers on their cars, writing with messages on people's shirts and a number of other ways in which people's true "authentic self" can be expressed.
Friday, January 30, 2009
Jornal Entry 7
1. What is the writer trying to find out more about through their research (what research question guides their work)?
The writer is trying to find out how the professional writing can apply to their own work. Basically they are trying to figure out the strategies, processes and the beneficial researces that can help the writer understand the writing process a lot easier. Basically how editors revise.
2. What is the research methodology of this article (how do they collect their information, and how do they analyze the information they collect)?
The basic research methodology of this article is that the writer taped six professional editors in their work. This was the basic method for her collecting this information. She classed these editors as well to broaden her analysis of her research.
3. How does professional editing differ from how students revise their own work?
The most basic understanding of this is that students tend to revise their own work; however, editors revise work done by others.
The writer is trying to find out how the professional writing can apply to their own work. Basically they are trying to figure out the strategies, processes and the beneficial researces that can help the writer understand the writing process a lot easier. Basically how editors revise.
2. What is the research methodology of this article (how do they collect their information, and how do they analyze the information they collect)?
The basic research methodology of this article is that the writer taped six professional editors in their work. This was the basic method for her collecting this information. She classed these editors as well to broaden her analysis of her research.
3. How does professional editing differ from how students revise their own work?
The most basic understanding of this is that students tend to revise their own work; however, editors revise work done by others.
Journal Entry 6
1. What does Bitzer not mean by “rhetorical situation”? In other words, how does his view differ from past views that readers might compare to his?
Bitzer does not mean:
*"Understanding speech hinges upon understanding the context of meaning in which the speech is located."
*"Merely rhetoric occurs in a setting which involves interaction of speaker, audience, subject; and comminicative purpose."
*"Nor would he equate a rhetorical situation with a persuasive situation, which exists whenever an audience can be changed in belief or action by means of speech."
*He does not mean that "a rhetorical discourse must be embedded in historic context in teh sense that a living tree must be rooted in soil."
2. What does Bitzer mean by “rhetorical situation”?
Bitzer defines a rhetorical situation as, "a complex of persons, events, objects and relations presenting an actual or potential exigence which can be completely or partially removed if discourse, introduced into the situation, can so constrain human decision or action as to bring about the significant modification of the exigence."
3. Explain what “exigence” is. Give your own example of an exigence someone could respond to in writing.
Bitzer defines exigence as, "An imperfection marked by urgency; it is a defect, an obstacle, something waiting to be done, a thing which is other than it should be." An example of this would be the recent economic downfall and the affected displaced employees. I assume that a number of people would respond in writing to this situation and finds ways to help or give advice to those that lost their jobs!
Bitzer does not mean:
*"Understanding speech hinges upon understanding the context of meaning in which the speech is located."
*"Merely rhetoric occurs in a setting which involves interaction of speaker, audience, subject; and comminicative purpose."
*"Nor would he equate a rhetorical situation with a persuasive situation, which exists whenever an audience can be changed in belief or action by means of speech."
*He does not mean that "a rhetorical discourse must be embedded in historic context in teh sense that a living tree must be rooted in soil."
2. What does Bitzer mean by “rhetorical situation”?
Bitzer defines a rhetorical situation as, "a complex of persons, events, objects and relations presenting an actual or potential exigence which can be completely or partially removed if discourse, introduced into the situation, can so constrain human decision or action as to bring about the significant modification of the exigence."
3. Explain what “exigence” is. Give your own example of an exigence someone could respond to in writing.
Bitzer defines exigence as, "An imperfection marked by urgency; it is a defect, an obstacle, something waiting to be done, a thing which is other than it should be." An example of this would be the recent economic downfall and the affected displaced employees. I assume that a number of people would respond in writing to this situation and finds ways to help or give advice to those that lost their jobs!
Wednesday, January 28, 2009
1. Write as if you are Natalie herself, writing a personal email to her parents defending her choice...
Look Mom and Dad,
I am an adult. I am 22 years old and i have chosen to do whatever i want to do with my life! I wasn't intend to wait until i was 40 to loose my virginity anyhow so i might as well make some money off of it. Maybe i can finally pay you back for all the money you gave me all my life.
I just think virginity is a tool that's trying to keep us beautiful women in our place! Lets look at the bright side...I STILL HAVE MY VIRGINITY! how many 22year old college students entering the Master's program do you know who are still VIRGINS!
Its still shocking how many men want to sleep with me! What's more shocking is the number of bidders and price it is at now!
Look Mom and Dad,
I am an adult. I am 22 years old and i have chosen to do whatever i want to do with my life! I wasn't intend to wait until i was 40 to loose my virginity anyhow so i might as well make some money off of it. Maybe i can finally pay you back for all the money you gave me all my life.
I just think virginity is a tool that's trying to keep us beautiful women in our place! Lets look at the bright side...I STILL HAVE MY VIRGINITY! how many 22year old college students entering the Master's program do you know who are still VIRGINS!
Its still shocking how many men want to sleep with me! What's more shocking is the number of bidders and price it is at now!
Tuesday, January 27, 2009
Journal Entry 5
The Problem of Specialization
When it comes to the topic of Specialization, most of us will readily agree that specialization, no matter what field of study you are involved in, plays as a pillar in that field’s model of hierarchy. John Higham explains, “Initially, disciplinary specialization ran counter to American ideals; there was no place for a Renaissance man or woman in the newly de (com)-partmentalized university. Soon after the turn of the century, however, specialization became more and more accepted as a way to advance knowledge beyond a kind of general application.” Where this agreement usually ends, however, is on the question of, is specialization helpful in some scenarios? Whereas some are convinced that specialization is what creates that advantage. For example, for those people in the medical field, they can specialize in their fields. In scenarios like that specialization is of great importance. In the case of the English Language, specialization has revolutionized its dimensions and its outlooks. However, others maintain that specialization is really not as important as general knowledge. They feel as though the ‘general’ advantage or ‘general’ perspective of things is what creates that advantage.
When it comes to the topic of Specialization, most of us will readily agree that specialization, no matter what field of study you are involved in, plays as a pillar in that field’s model of hierarchy. John Higham explains, “Initially, disciplinary specialization ran counter to American ideals; there was no place for a Renaissance man or woman in the newly de (com)-partmentalized university. Soon after the turn of the century, however, specialization became more and more accepted as a way to advance knowledge beyond a kind of general application.” Where this agreement usually ends, however, is on the question of, is specialization helpful in some scenarios? Whereas some are convinced that specialization is what creates that advantage. For example, for those people in the medical field, they can specialize in their fields. In scenarios like that specialization is of great importance. In the case of the English Language, specialization has revolutionized its dimensions and its outlooks. However, others maintain that specialization is really not as important as general knowledge. They feel as though the ‘general’ advantage or ‘general’ perspective of things is what creates that advantage.
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