"Good Enough" reflection

After reading "good enough" by Heidi Bowman I realize I'm a lot like her in that I procrastinate and I enjoy writing but at times I wish I was like my dog and didn't have a care in the world, and didn't have to write my papers. I can relate to her that once I start writing my paper in the moment that it's not that bad and I actually start getting really into it. I also believe in the "shitty first draft" because every writer needs to start somewhere and then you can revise it later

The Curious Researcher

After Reading The curious  Researcher; living sources, interviews, and surveys by bruce Ballenger, I learned that it would beneficial to your paper if you interview someone with authority and experience because in reality you really don't know a lot about a your topic as someone who has written a book on it or experienced it. Another main point I learned when conducting an interview, its always best to try and have it in person. The personal interview is always preferable because  not only can you listen but you can watch and observe the subject's gestures and the setting. finally, make sure your questions are open-ended because you can get a lot more in your answers and be surprised by what the subject has to say.

Literature Review Reflection

I learned from my 1st draft that it's easy to back up the point your making with a quote because it makes your argument much stronger. It was a bit overwhelming at first having to use all the sources but once I knew how to organize my findings, the review came out easily. My research paper needs a literature review section because its a good way to organize my sources and figure out which ones are beneficial to my topic. A literature review says my topic is a significant issue that we need to be aware of. My research fits within my current knowledge because it's about male school shooters and almost all of my sources talked about male victims and male bullies. I expect to contribute a research paper that is easily understood by my audience and can help shed a light on the importance of the causes of male school shooters.

The Art of Quoting

In chapter 3 The art of quoting, the author, Gerald Graff talks about the importance of having your quotes be relevant to your topic and making sure you explain their meaning. In Graff's view "Finding relevant quotations is only part of your job; you also need to present them in a way that makes their relevance and meaning more clear to your readers" (Graff p. 44). This conclusion that Graff argues adds weight to my argument because it's our job as the writers to make sure our audience understands why we used a quote in our paper and the significance behind it. Especially because quotes can't speak for themselves, so as writers we need to build a frame or "sandwich" around them.

They Say I Say

After reading the article I learned a main point is to not summarize someone but quote their exact words because this gives a tremendous amount of credibility to your paper and keeps is fair and accurate. Another main point I got from this chapter was that authors assume that quotes can speak for themselves but in reality they next text surrounding them so the reader can understand the importance of that quote. Finally, the last main point I found really important was choosing a quote that fits your paper/topic because you don't want to just throw in a quote for the sake of having one. You want it to relate to what your talking about not be misleading.

School Shooting Questions

I am writing about school shootings among high school students in the Midwest because it's an important issue than everyone can relate to since it can happen everywhere. I'm going to focus on what drives a student to commit such a crime and if there has been an increase in school shootings within the last 10 years. I'm writing for students, it doesn't matter where they go to school because a shooting can happen at any school.  I want readers to learn about the factors that push a student to kill others so others can see warning signs with their classmates. I expect to find a lot of information on the topic because there have been many articles written about shooting events. I hope to answer why a student does it and if there's been an increase and if it will only get worse from here. If I can interview a participant I think that would be most beneficial, my friends brother has been at a school while a shooting as occurred but it was at the University of Texas so it doesn't really fit my narrowed down topic.

Evaluation of Research Questions

I think my questions are pretty vague and really unspecific. It doesn't really relate to my life but Ive always found school shootings to be interesting after reading a novel about them, visiting Northern Illinois where there's been a killing, and hearing about universities whose had shootings. It's not something most kids think about going away to school but can happen just about anywhere. I feel like I can also find enough adequate information on my topic because there have been multiple school shooting across the US, but I think I'm going to concentrate on just Illinois within the last 20 years and if there has been an increase because of the availability of fire arms. This topic does offer taking photographs and looking at archives, I think it would be pretty hard to interview someone who has been a victim or even the killer.

Research Brainstorming

After brainstorming for my research topic I thought it would be the most interesting if I focused on a social controversy. The 3 I came up with were gay marriage, the use or miss use of medical marijuana, and school shootings. I decided on going with school shootings because people don't realize it could happen at their school and I've been hearing about them happening at universities over the years. Now living on a college campus Ive given thought that it could happen here and can relate to any school student. Some possible questions I've raised were: Are school shootings more likely to happen at a large university or at a high school? Why have troubled kids decided to kill their classmates? was it a result of bullying? and finally Has there been an increase or decrease in school violence in United States? After I choose which question I want to further investigate I will definitely narrow the focus to a specific time, location, and maybe even school that has already had a shooting.

Researching 1 in 6 Million & How I fell in Love with Post-It notes

After reading "researching 1 in 6 million" I learned that good research is driven by a passion for the topic. The author was really interested in her grandmother surviving the Holocaust. Her mom wasn't much help in giving a lot of information so having to go out of your way really takes dedication. I do think that her article was more about her experience than giving advice on how to write in depth research papers. In "How I Fell in Love with Post-it notes" I realized I have a lot in common with Susana in that we both have to have our supplies organized and be in a quiet place in order to analyze our reading. I could really relate to her steps because I also take breaks when doing research papers. I may not leave for a weekend but i will definitely sit in front of the TV, work out, or eat a snack to get my mind off of my work. I think her steps are easy for everyone to follow.

Linguistic Landscape

For my linguistic Landscape project I want to focus on the death penalty. It's been a controversial topic from the beginning of time. I did a little research on Troy Davis, who was just recently executed by lethal injection in Georgia. Before he was killed he still announced that he was an innocent man and I realized that some people who are getting killed could actually be innocent. I don't think its right to kill someone for a punishment but would rather be better to just have them rot away in a prison cell for the rest of their lives. For my genre I want to do a graffiti in the quad where everyone can see it, I'm not the best artist but I think its the most efficient to get your message to the public. Ive always found street art to be interesting because they're all different and have different messages. Most people use spray paint or paint but for my project I would use brightly colored chalk to grab the attention of the people passing by. My graffiti will have minimal writing because most people walking by wont have a chance to stop and read it. Along with some writing will be a large picture to drive the point across that the death penalty should be abolished.

"A Bullet for your Arsenal"

In Susana Rodriguez's article I thought a striking point she made was how advertising companies have the knowledge to make visually appealing images. She uses the old I pod Ad to describe how the Ad is used to draw your attention of a mystery silhouette rocking out to music and a vivid neon background to draw the most attention. Then she comapres the new I pod Ads that have amped up colors using swirling chromatics to visually italicize, bold, and underline just how hard the silhouettes are jamming to their handheld idols. She says the newer Ads have gotten sneaky playing with the consumers "emotions and perceptions". I think that's very important to companies because you want the most attention from the audience your trying to market to. Also, I find it helpful that she looks at an image's composition, or layout to help develop even more of a  meaning.

Banksy's Outdoor Graffiti

The features of these genres are both political messages. In the first graffiti art a small girl is frightened by a rat, which he uses as a symbol for the government. In the second graffiti art he draws Abe Lincoln on an abandoned building and portrays him as homeless. Bansky produced both of these images. From looking at some of his artwork I can tell that he takes political messages seriously. Bansky's audience is just the general public, his graffiti is meant to announce his opinion and in the example his opinion on politics and government. I personally think its hard to understand the actual message of the second graffiti of Abraham Lincoln because the first one is pretty straight forward that people are afraid of the government. I think hes trying to say the government isn't beneficial to anyone, it just causes poverty.

Language Awareness in the classroom

I interviewed Steph Pepin about her spoken language in her family. I learned that even though she lives in Niles her Grandma from her mom's side came straight from Poland and knows both english and polish as well as her mom. I asked her about how she speaks around her house to her parents and siblings. I found it interesting that she speaks a little polish and with her brother some spanish, since they both took spanish in high school and her dad is part Puerto Rican and Polish, I thought it was really cool she has so much culture in her family.Steph's boyfriend also speaks polish.

On Critiquing and changing genres

I think the most important thing I learned from reading the article "Critiquing and changing articles" is knowing when to use an appropriate genre for a specific situation. It's important because if you don't want to lose the audience your trying to capture by not using a genre that's suitable for something, like a billboard, you don't want to use a lot of words and no pictures. The successfulness of any message is based upon the genre that is used by the creator.

"From Outside, In

The meaning behind Mellix's title is that the language she spoke was different from the standard English people in her community would speak and even some relatives from the north. At  first she would try and hide the black English she and her family spoke, to sound more proper to others. But over the years from school she developed the more standard way of English and speaks it openly but feels like shes betraying her "blackness".

She would use black English around her family and some friends. but would use standard English when talking to white people around her community. Even when her family from the north came to visit she would have to try and think about what to say before talking. She felt as if her sense of doubleness was something menacing and a built in enemy.

For Mellix to speaking standard English to a white person was very important because she wanted to come across as someone who knows their language and can use it properly.  Blacks who spoke standard English sought it to be difficult because they felt embarrassed and judged if they talked in their black English especially in public, so they would always turn to using standard English.

The strategies Mellix's parents used to teach her standard English were when writing letters to relatives to use standard English and keep the sentences short and brief. I see the that power of language is based off the language you know and where your using it. If a person is using standard English, whether it be in writing or talking they are seen as more educated and powerful compared to others using another language where its considered a minority.

The transformation Mellix experienced in her college composition class was becoming a better user of standard English. At first her professor would tell her to use better words but by the end she was using a wider range of vocabulary and her sentences were full of detail and in correct grammar. She felt as if she were betraying her blackness, to balance she had to imagine herself apart of the culture and the language. While she saw it as a challenge she discovered the new possibilities with the use of a powerful language.

working outside with my dad

Even though my dad is now 57 I still picture him a lot younger than he really is. His jet black hair is now going gray, he says its because he has to deal with me but he just doesn't want to admit that's what happens when you get old. He even has to wear glasses 24/7 now. He is a very serious and stern man especially with important matters but other times he can be goofy and even a little immature. I can see now where I get my personality from.I've always admired my dad for how smart he is, he does a lot of crossword puzzles so you can never win at games like scrabble. Before becoming a dentist he wanted to be a chemistry major, that takes a lot of hard work and dedication, it has definitely paid off for him.

My dad and I have always been close. I was definitely a daddy's girls, always wanting to help him around the house. On Sunday's during the summer and fall when I was in grade school I'd be outside helping him mow the lawn. I was too young to do it by myself so he'd be right beside me holding onto the metal bar, his hands covering mine. I remember the smell of the fresh cut grass and the smell of burning leaves. My dad would have on his usual gray sweatpants and gray sweatshirt, I guess he never cared it looked like he was wearing a jumpsuit. Most kids wouldn't find this activity fun but I look it as a way my dad and I bonded, something special between him and I. I don't remember ever talking because the lawn mower was loud and overpowering but we didn't need to. We had a routine of how we cut the grass and it never changed.

Why and when we speak spanish in public

What makes this writing so powerful is that the author wrote it as if she were talking to you face to face. Its very relate able and personable that everyone reading it can understand. What is especially valuable about this type of genre is that it can say a very important message to many people who are reading the article. It's very informal and the writer says exactly whats on her mind. Marquez explains that her family hasnt adopted english as their official family language because they want to stay true to their culture. If i were standing next to a group of popele speaking spanish I wouldnt consider it rude but more curious as to what theyre talking about and if they were talking about something they didnt want anyone to understand. I think i the US government has steered clear from an official language because theres so much diversity in the US it wouldnt be fair to have a national language when there are so many people from all over the world. I don't think there is a need for one because everyone recgonizes english as the most commonly used language.

3 new ideas important for every writer

After reading the two articles by Hall and Frost I learned 3 important ideas that every writer should use. First, to be a good writer, you have to be a good reader. In Jordan Hall's article "Reading as a Writer of Genres" she explains the importance of being an active reader. Hall uses an example of a poster for a grand opening of a coffee shop. She breaks down the poster to explain why each section was devised by the writer to grab your attention. It's important because if you know how to grab an audience you'll be more successful with your own writing in trying to get your message to the public. The second and third important ideas came from Frost's article "Exercises in Genre" the quad chart and A3 reports. Both are totally different genres of writing. The quad charts do not have to be done on 11 by 17 paper where as the A3 reports are limited to that format.  A3 reports always offer a solution to a problem while quad charts can do other things like introduce a new product. They're also different in terms of formatting and delivery. Even thought both genres take forever to accomplish the end product is very appealing and satisfying for the user.

Magazines, novels, and facebook statuses

I read magazines, novels, and Facebook statuses much differently from one another. When reading a novel I'm amerced in what I am reading because I usually have to concentrate really hard on what I'm reading so I understand the message if there is one. I'm the type of reader who can space out and not know what I just read. Which is totally different when I'm relaxing and reading a magazine because it's usually something I'm interested in. Magazines don't need you to think about what your reading, you can just enjoy what's on the page. Since I'm on Facebook everyday, multiple times a day, I can't always help myself and I want to know what my friends are up to. It's mindless and I can spend a good hour going through my news feed reading the new and updated statuses.

Picture sharing activity

August 24, 2011

Dear classmate,

            This is a picture of my dog Buster in my backyard. He's a mix between a yorkie and a poodle. He was about six months old when this picture was taken earlier this year. This picture brings back a lot of memories with my brother as well because we would do photo shoots with Buster. We were trying to get him on the cover of a dog magazine called Orvis, he's a very photogenic dog. This image is important to me because he reminds me of home and my childhood. Even though he's the first dog my family has ever had, I've been begging for years to get one. finally, the year I leave for school my parents agree to finally get one. It's as if they wanted something to replace me when I left the house since I'm the youngest child. I was opposed to getting a small dog because I've always liked bigger dogs but this silly little pooch has a special place in my heart. What's so great about Buster is that everyone in my family acts like a kid again when playing with him. I chose this picture because he's an important part of my family and life, even though he's just a dog. He's excited to see everyone when they walk in the house and gives everyone kisses, barks at strangers, and is there for you when no one else is. He can be a pain in the butt at times, stealing shoes and toilet paper out of the garbage, but Buster is one of the smartest dogs I've ever come across. He knows an arrange of tricks from roll over to fetching his ball on command, he even knows when he's been bad.  It's not like you can stay mad at the little guy for long. You can't help but smile when you see him waiting for you in the window coming home from a long day at school. Everyone that meets him right away falls in love with his friendly disposition. Being away from home so far, I miss him the most just because I'd spend the most time with him. He's taught me many responsibilities because he needed a lot of care when he was a puppy. It was a nice change to take care of someone else besides me for once.

                                                                      Sincerely,           

Catherine Favale

Introduction

I want to go back to bed.