At this stage, my research has been within my own major. I have looked around in my field to find things that interest me, and jobs that hire math majors. I do not yet have specific sources for my evidence, as my research has mostly been questioning my peers, but, I do have a better idea now, of what I want to do with my degree than I have all the way up to this point. Here is my preparation outline:
Preparation Outline
Topic: Math as a major, what to do with it?
Purpose: To inform audience of the many ways that math affects current events, and their everyday lives.
I-Introduction: Story of how people react when I share with them that I am a math major. Include
short humorous imitation of the questions I am always asked, including: “Are you going to be a
teacher?” and inevitably, “What do you want to do with that?”
A-Statement of Topic: In fact there are a lot of things that I can do with a degree in math. Math
is all over, we encounter it every day. After all, math is just manipulating numbers, and there are many careers that could use someone skilled in such things.
B-Signposts: Although I have not yet decided exactly what I want to be when I grow up, there
are three different areas of emphasis I can choose from. Each of these areas would manifest themselves in current events in different ways. I am going to tell you a little about each of these areas, and answer the question; “What can you do with a math major?” once and for all.
Transition: There are three different areas of focus within the math major, that I have considered, the first area of emphasis, is finance. How greatly this area of the math major is affecting all of us right now is unbelievable.
II-Body
A- The area of finance is on everyone’s mind right now. We cannot always predict the overall market, but we can protect ourselves through sound financial planning. This is what I would want to do.
1- Transition: Protecting ourselves financially can be something a math graduate can help us with, another way we can protect ourselves is through insurance. Life insurance companies are another area that looks for math majors.
B- Statistics majors can often find jobs working for ins. companies assessing risk, and determining the amount to charge in order to cover the pay out. This is something I would find interesting.
1- Transition: Statistics is a large field within math, and Ins. companies widely use graduates in this area, another field in which math majors are widely used is computer programming.
C- Computer programming is not always done by computer science majors. This area also hires and uses math majors. Math majors can emphasize in computer science and gain some of the same education in technology as computer science majors do, in addition to their math background.
1- Transition: Programming is only one of the other fields that math majors can enter.
III-Conclusion: Finance, statistics and computer science are three areas that I have considered within the math major. However, these are only three small examples of jobs or fields that are available to me as a math graduate. So to answer the forever question; yes, there are many careers that look for math majors, and no, I am not going to be a teacher. There is a lot more out there for math majors than teaching; many jobs, that affect each one of us, are being performed by mathematicians. Including financial planners, ins. statisticians, and computer programming.
Monday, April 20, 2009
Thursday, April 9, 2009
Graphic Design
The first example that I found was the "Who's watching your drink" coaster. The thing that I think this design does best is guiding your eye along the z. The shape of the text as well as the descreasing size naturally takes your eye along the path of the words. The message is clear and consise as well as the design. The author chose a unique way of making a text dominant advertisement somehow merge into an image dominant advertisement depending on how you look at it. 
The next example I thought was good was the "Dirty Disco" ad. This ad also leads your eye along the z path. The womans hair flows along the top leading your eye back to the curve of her elbow then finally to the lower right corner for the company name and date. This is an image dominant ad and the image does well to intrige viewers because of its sensuality. The image, although it dominates the ad still does not detract from the information text that it advertises. It stays enough in the background and leaves just the right amount of white space for the mind to still see and comprehend the text. The choice not to show her face also helps, in that her body portrays sensuality etc. but the attraction is to the company not the woman, because there could be any face on that body which seems to tell the reader that if you come to their club you will find many women that look that good.
The last positive example that I included was the "Four Eyes" company logo. The image does well in portraying the company name, however what I liked about this exapmle was the type. The company uses a nonscript, bold, blocky, yet slightly slanted type. I thought this matched with the name very well. The plain blocky thick lines make you think of the nerdy smart kid that was nicknamed four-eyes in elementary school. Yet the forward slant and the modern non-script part shows that the smartie-pants thing is now in style and that is exatly what they are trying to sell. They are proud to be "nerdy" and you will need their smarts to help you with your problems.
Next I looked for poor examples of graphic design and found the updated DQ logo. This I think is bad because the colors do not fit or represent anything to do with DQ. I think that it would be a bad idea to update a logo that was already so recognizable, and the additions make it much harder to recognize. I also think that the additions confuse the eye, and force it in a counterclockwise circular direction, rather than the natural z pattern. In other word what they could do better would be to leave well enough alone.
The last bad example I found was the picture illustrating the decline of a business. I think that the thumbs down is not only unneccesary, but also distracting from the idea of the ad. It doesn't seem to fit. The ad as a whole does not have a color scheme, mixing black and white as well as color. Also the red line and the hand come from the same direction making the whole very unbalanced. I think that to removing the hand altogether would improve the image greatly, or at least to have it entering from the other side of the page, making it smaller and maybe in a shade of gray so that the red line would be more prominant.
Wednesday, April 8, 2009
Bias Language
I happen to be your run-ofthe-mill, young, white, male. Belonging to the large majority, and the one group that is rarely the victim of bias or stereotypes. However, that does not protect me from making blunders myself. The example that comes to mind, is when I made a mistake in refering to my wife-to-be's future occupation.
When my wife and I were dating, she was preparing to enter massage therapy school. When I would tell my friends about her, it was a common question for them to ask me what she "did." I would respond that she was going to be a massage therapist. Usually they would tell me how lucky I was going to be to be married to a masseuse. We would laugh and I would brag, and it became kind of a running joke. One day she was with me when this exchange was taking place. This also happened to be the day that when asked what she was going to be, I replied "A masseuse!" I was quickly, and sternly corrected. She was going to be a massage therapist, not a masseuse. Only later when she explained the incorrect implications implied with the word masseuse, did I realize the huge mistake I had been making. I was even more embarrassed seeing as how the person I was refering to was going to be my wife!
My wife quickly forgave me, but made sure I was clear that I was to always refer to her as a massage therapist and nothing else, as well as making sure my friends did the same. I knew that I had been ignorant about the connotations of the different tittles, but it did teach me that I needed to be more aware of how I used my words. It also taught me that if using the wrong word, or the one associated with stereotypes and bias, you could not only offend someone, you could be saying way more than you meant.
A real world example of bias language that I found was when New Orleans mayor, Ray Nagin, following Katrina, asked that the African-American community rebuild a "chocolate New Orleans." Many African-Americans were offended, and his attempt to explain himself was weak. However, it did not cost him the election for a following term.
I think that this speech is offensive, I know that many African-American's refer to themselves as "chocolate" but it is obsurd to assume that all of them would agree with the term. Also it was unprofessional to use that slang term when adressing the public; it could only serve to imply to the white community that "chocolate" was an acceptable way to refer to their African-American counterparts.
All of us make mistakes, and we all need to learn correct terms and tittles, but wouldn't it be even better if we didn't need distinctive terms in the first place? If everyone was just human, instead of a color or an orientation, or even a gender?
When my wife and I were dating, she was preparing to enter massage therapy school. When I would tell my friends about her, it was a common question for them to ask me what she "did." I would respond that she was going to be a massage therapist. Usually they would tell me how lucky I was going to be to be married to a masseuse. We would laugh and I would brag, and it became kind of a running joke. One day she was with me when this exchange was taking place. This also happened to be the day that when asked what she was going to be, I replied "A masseuse!" I was quickly, and sternly corrected. She was going to be a massage therapist, not a masseuse. Only later when she explained the incorrect implications implied with the word masseuse, did I realize the huge mistake I had been making. I was even more embarrassed seeing as how the person I was refering to was going to be my wife!
My wife quickly forgave me, but made sure I was clear that I was to always refer to her as a massage therapist and nothing else, as well as making sure my friends did the same. I knew that I had been ignorant about the connotations of the different tittles, but it did teach me that I needed to be more aware of how I used my words. It also taught me that if using the wrong word, or the one associated with stereotypes and bias, you could not only offend someone, you could be saying way more than you meant.
A real world example of bias language that I found was when New Orleans mayor, Ray Nagin, following Katrina, asked that the African-American community rebuild a "chocolate New Orleans." Many African-Americans were offended, and his attempt to explain himself was weak. However, it did not cost him the election for a following term.
I think that this speech is offensive, I know that many African-American's refer to themselves as "chocolate" but it is obsurd to assume that all of them would agree with the term. Also it was unprofessional to use that slang term when adressing the public; it could only serve to imply to the white community that "chocolate" was an acceptable way to refer to their African-American counterparts.
All of us make mistakes, and we all need to learn correct terms and tittles, but wouldn't it be even better if we didn't need distinctive terms in the first place? If everyone was just human, instead of a color or an orientation, or even a gender?
Thursday, March 26, 2009
parallelism
I think there is no deeper reason that the authors wrote the way they did, I think it is written the way it is because parallelism is a skill that is not highly focused on by most writters. One of the sentences in the first example, that could use some parallel structure is the sentence that describes the houseing as having "beautiful architecture, classic interiors and fully furnished quiet comfortable living space." I think this sentence would flow better if it were worded something like : Beautiful architecture, classic interiors, fully furnished spaces and comfortable rooms. In the second example the sentence that I think could use the most help is the one that states "make a difference on campus and within your community." I think this sentence would sound better using in instead within. But the biggest problem with this document is the order of the list. The contact information finds itself in the middle of the list of benefits and reasons to join. The author probably put it there in order to give people contact info for scheduling the seminar mentioned just prior, however the contact info would flow much better if it were found at the end of the list, or even using a different bullet method to seperate it from the motivating factors.
Again I think the reasoning between these errors is the lack of knowledge or experience and or neglecting to proofread aloud to check for flow and rhythm.
The post example I found of unparallel advertisement is for a shampoo, it says: "No other shampoo leaves hair so lustrous, and yet so easy to manage. A more parallel sentence would be to say: so lustrous and yet so manageable. This would balance the two sides of the conjunction.
Wednesday, March 25, 2009
Possesives and Craft of Research
1- Sons-in-law’s homes
2- Arkansas’ rivers
3- Jim’s and Joan’s house
4- Ph.D.s’ research
5- McGraw-Hill, Inc.’s advertising
6- Fred the electrician’s estimate
7- Anyone else’s idea
8- Witnesses’ depositions
9- The airport’s upper level
10- One of my friends’ daughter
1- The tree surgeon could not save the white spruce’s limb.
2- The User’s manual for the new software package, was so confusing that most consumers returned it to the company.
3- Windows’ intuitive commands make it easy for users to move from one application to another.
4- I will be in Hawaii for Mother’s Day, in New Mexico on April Fool’s day, and in California on Veteran’s Day.
5- Grover Cleveland was the people’s choice.
6- Each participant filled out the Reader’s Comment Form.
7- Now that he has his bachelor’s degree, he plans to get his master’s, and possibly his doctorate.
8- The National Secretaries’ Conference will be held in Houston this year.
9- For appearance’s sake, the feuding vice presidents kept their differences to themselves during the monthly staff meeting.
10- My brother’s-in-law idea was to have the family reunion at a spa.
11- We have been invited to a holiday party at the Roth’s.
12- The telephone company’s president’s idea was to offer discount rates to seniors.
Craft of Research
One of the points that I liked in The Craft of Research, was that writting an argument is very similar to having an everyday conversation. To illustrate this, Booth shows how in a conversation with someone we often times make claims and support those claims with evidence, then respond to the questions posed by the other. This is how to write an argument, only we have to play both sides 0f the conversation. Booth asserts that we need to state our claim, support it, then anticipate the readers doubts or questions and respond to them.
Another point made in The Craft of Research is the explaination of "warrents" These are general ideas that are accepted by the public as truth and support or explain your claim. These are needed in an argument sometimes to connect your reasoning and evidence to your claim. Booth cautions that a writer must only include warrents when they are neccesary, relevent, and generally accepted.
The last point I will summerize is that of the idea that reasons used to support a claim can actually turn into claims themselves. Booth says that it is important to watch what claims you are making even if they are reasons, to ensure that you give evidence and reasons to support each claim that you make. Booth also makes the distiction between reasons and evidence, which is concrete data, not an opinion or idea. It is important that we use both reasons and evidence to support our claims.
One of the areas addressed by Booth that could help my own research methods is the first point I summarized. I feel like when I research I forget that I need to treat my paper as if I was entering a conversation with my readers. The one thing that I tend to leave out is the answering of anticipated responses. I think that I usually get caught up so much in my own position that I forget to acknowledge other positions and respond to them. I liked the idea of Booth to pretend as if your paper is a conversation with another person, and to anticipate the questions of the other person.
2- Arkansas’ rivers
3- Jim’s and Joan’s house
4- Ph.D.s’ research
5- McGraw-Hill, Inc.’s advertising
6- Fred the electrician’s estimate
7- Anyone else’s idea
8- Witnesses’ depositions
9- The airport’s upper level
10- One of my friends’ daughter
1- The tree surgeon could not save the white spruce’s limb.
2- The User’s manual for the new software package, was so confusing that most consumers returned it to the company.
3- Windows’ intuitive commands make it easy for users to move from one application to another.
4- I will be in Hawaii for Mother’s Day, in New Mexico on April Fool’s day, and in California on Veteran’s Day.
5- Grover Cleveland was the people’s choice.
6- Each participant filled out the Reader’s Comment Form.
7- Now that he has his bachelor’s degree, he plans to get his master’s, and possibly his doctorate.
8- The National Secretaries’ Conference will be held in Houston this year.
9- For appearance’s sake, the feuding vice presidents kept their differences to themselves during the monthly staff meeting.
10- My brother’s-in-law idea was to have the family reunion at a spa.
11- We have been invited to a holiday party at the Roth’s.
12- The telephone company’s president’s idea was to offer discount rates to seniors.
Craft of Research
One of the points that I liked in The Craft of Research, was that writting an argument is very similar to having an everyday conversation. To illustrate this, Booth shows how in a conversation with someone we often times make claims and support those claims with evidence, then respond to the questions posed by the other. This is how to write an argument, only we have to play both sides 0f the conversation. Booth asserts that we need to state our claim, support it, then anticipate the readers doubts or questions and respond to them.
Another point made in The Craft of Research is the explaination of "warrents" These are general ideas that are accepted by the public as truth and support or explain your claim. These are needed in an argument sometimes to connect your reasoning and evidence to your claim. Booth cautions that a writer must only include warrents when they are neccesary, relevent, and generally accepted.
The last point I will summerize is that of the idea that reasons used to support a claim can actually turn into claims themselves. Booth says that it is important to watch what claims you are making even if they are reasons, to ensure that you give evidence and reasons to support each claim that you make. Booth also makes the distiction between reasons and evidence, which is concrete data, not an opinion or idea. It is important that we use both reasons and evidence to support our claims.
One of the areas addressed by Booth that could help my own research methods is the first point I summarized. I feel like when I research I forget that I need to treat my paper as if I was entering a conversation with my readers. The one thing that I tend to leave out is the answering of anticipated responses. I think that I usually get caught up so much in my own position that I forget to acknowledge other positions and respond to them. I liked the idea of Booth to pretend as if your paper is a conversation with another person, and to anticipate the questions of the other person.
Wednesday, March 4, 2009
Integrating Sources
The integrating sources article gives rules forusing sources in our writting; how to do it properly, and how not to misuse them.
The first section gives three basic principle in using sources that basically explain how to distiguish your own writting from that of the source. Making sure that your own argument is clearly separated from the words of the source and at the same time making sure you relate the words you are siting to your argument.
The second section gives direction of how to use direct quotes in your paper. The author instructs that you should only use direct quotes when the exact words of the source are pertinent to your paper. The article also suggests that it is important to introduce the qote properly by constructing your own writting in a way that will flow into the words of the source. This section also outlines the gramatical rules of quoting a source, such as where to put punctuation in relation to the quote.
The next section gives instruction on how to use "qote blocks" this is something used when the length of a direct quote exceeds five lines. It is also helpful to use a quote block when the language or wording of the quote is the thing going to be discussed. This section gives technique intruction as well as commentart instruction on how to integrate a quote block into your paper.
The next section is about discursive notes, or information from a source that isn't necesary to your argument, but worth including for clarification or interest's sake.
The paper then moves onto another chapter about citing specific sources. The first section is about when to site a source. This is neccesary whenever you quote directly another person's work, but also whenever you paraphrase, or otherwise use information, ideas or data from another writer.
The next section then aswers the question: When is it not neccesary to cite a source? The answer to that is threefold. First, if you've already cited the source earlier in the paragraph or sentence and it is clear where you are getting the information. Second, when you are using words, phrases, or information that are common knowledge, or have become a part of everyday speech. Last, it is not neccesary to cite a source when that source is a conversation with a contemporary rather than a written piece.
The next section details ways to cite a source in your writting. You can do this with foot notes or in text. It is important to know which way is expected and how to do it properly. This section explains how to do both.
The last section in this chapter explains that when you are drawing from knowledge of others, even when it is not a specific citation, it is good to make an endnote giving "acknowledgement" to the person who gave you the info or helped you reach the conclution. The proper way to do this is explained in this section.
Chapter three speaks of the misuse of sources or plagerism, in fact the first section is all about plagerism. It explains that anytime you use the information given by another writter whether paraphrased or quoted, without giving credit to the original author it is considered plagerism. Plagerism is taken very seriously; it is a way of lying cheating and being very dishonest. The author suggests that you are very careful to avoid this problem and always take care to seperate your own work from a source clearly, as well as always giving credit where credit is due.
The next section explains that there are other ways of misusing sources other than plagerism that are just as dangerous. These include: misinterpreting the source or misrepresenting data, collaborating with other students on assignments and handing in identical work, using the same piece of your own writting for two different assignments, and knowingly helping another person plagerize.
The next section discusses the special circumstances of electronic sources. Since they are so common now, it is important to understand how to use them properly and safely to avoid any of the dangerous situation discussed earlier. The author suggest you take special care when researching on the internet or electronic databases.
The last two section explain the disiplinary action that may be taken when sources are misused, as well as some suggestions about how to avoid these perils. The author gives lots of ideas on how to ensure that you use sources properly, that can all fall under careful planning, good understanding, and overall honesty.
The last chapter goes into great detail about intext citation rules as well as listing sources in a bibliography style at the end of a paper. Both sections give many examples for all kinds of sources and special cases in both MLA and APA format. The rules are numerous and it is important that you do it correctly. It is a good idea to check with souces such as this paper when sighting sources in your paper to ensure you are doing it correctly.
The first section gives three basic principle in using sources that basically explain how to distiguish your own writting from that of the source. Making sure that your own argument is clearly separated from the words of the source and at the same time making sure you relate the words you are siting to your argument.
The second section gives direction of how to use direct quotes in your paper. The author instructs that you should only use direct quotes when the exact words of the source are pertinent to your paper. The article also suggests that it is important to introduce the qote properly by constructing your own writting in a way that will flow into the words of the source. This section also outlines the gramatical rules of quoting a source, such as where to put punctuation in relation to the quote.
The next section gives instruction on how to use "qote blocks" this is something used when the length of a direct quote exceeds five lines. It is also helpful to use a quote block when the language or wording of the quote is the thing going to be discussed. This section gives technique intruction as well as commentart instruction on how to integrate a quote block into your paper.
The next section is about discursive notes, or information from a source that isn't necesary to your argument, but worth including for clarification or interest's sake.
The paper then moves onto another chapter about citing specific sources. The first section is about when to site a source. This is neccesary whenever you quote directly another person's work, but also whenever you paraphrase, or otherwise use information, ideas or data from another writer.
The next section then aswers the question: When is it not neccesary to cite a source? The answer to that is threefold. First, if you've already cited the source earlier in the paragraph or sentence and it is clear where you are getting the information. Second, when you are using words, phrases, or information that are common knowledge, or have become a part of everyday speech. Last, it is not neccesary to cite a source when that source is a conversation with a contemporary rather than a written piece.
The next section details ways to cite a source in your writting. You can do this with foot notes or in text. It is important to know which way is expected and how to do it properly. This section explains how to do both.
The last section in this chapter explains that when you are drawing from knowledge of others, even when it is not a specific citation, it is good to make an endnote giving "acknowledgement" to the person who gave you the info or helped you reach the conclution. The proper way to do this is explained in this section.
Chapter three speaks of the misuse of sources or plagerism, in fact the first section is all about plagerism. It explains that anytime you use the information given by another writter whether paraphrased or quoted, without giving credit to the original author it is considered plagerism. Plagerism is taken very seriously; it is a way of lying cheating and being very dishonest. The author suggests that you are very careful to avoid this problem and always take care to seperate your own work from a source clearly, as well as always giving credit where credit is due.
The next section explains that there are other ways of misusing sources other than plagerism that are just as dangerous. These include: misinterpreting the source or misrepresenting data, collaborating with other students on assignments and handing in identical work, using the same piece of your own writting for two different assignments, and knowingly helping another person plagerize.
The next section discusses the special circumstances of electronic sources. Since they are so common now, it is important to understand how to use them properly and safely to avoid any of the dangerous situation discussed earlier. The author suggest you take special care when researching on the internet or electronic databases.
The last two section explain the disiplinary action that may be taken when sources are misused, as well as some suggestions about how to avoid these perils. The author gives lots of ideas on how to ensure that you use sources properly, that can all fall under careful planning, good understanding, and overall honesty.
The last chapter goes into great detail about intext citation rules as well as listing sources in a bibliography style at the end of a paper. Both sections give many examples for all kinds of sources and special cases in both MLA and APA format. The rules are numerous and it is important that you do it correctly. It is a good idea to check with souces such as this paper when sighting sources in your paper to ensure you are doing it correctly.
Monday, February 23, 2009
They say I say summary
I have to say first of all that I enjoyed this book. I was surprised at how helpful the templates seemed to be. I thought at first that they would make all writting too similar, but as I tried it I could hear that it would in actuality serve to improve the clarity and content of my writting. Nor for the summary.
The introduction to the book explains the authors' phylosophy about writting templates and gives some examples. They aactually follow their own advise, by placing naysayers, acknowledging the "they say" and inserting their own "say".
The first chapter contains intruction on starting with the "they say" or in other words, entering a discussion in order to give purpose to your writting. The authors give templates for how to present information that has been stated or claimed by others in order to set up your paper as a response to something instead of unsolicited rambling.
The next two chapters explain the difference and the how tos of quoteing and summarizing the "they say" quoteing is a way to present the "they say" word for word, while summarizing is a way to shortly present an idea from someone else without using their exact words. The authors give examples, templates and considerations for choosing how you will present the "they say" in these two ways. It is also important with both of these skills, to give credit where credit is due.
Then the authors move on to how to present the "I say" or your own argument. The authors present the idea that you can repond to the "they say" by either agreeing; "yes", disagreeing; "no", or both; "okay, but".
Next the authors explain the importance of separating the "they say" from your "I say" whether you disagree or agree or both, it is important to add your own insight and information. This is in reality the essance of the "I say"; you have to have something to say.
The authors, in the next chapter, instruct how to plant a naysayer in your paper for arguments sake. You do this by using the template of "skeptics my object....but...." or "One might argue that....However..." this helps to present your evidence and examples in rebuff to potential disagreements the reader might have.
Most important, the authors say, is to emplain "So, what?" They show how to do this by using the sentence "This is important because..." This might seem a simple format, but it is terribly important to explain the need for the argument, instead of simply presenting an argument without a purpose or resson. A written piece must explain to the reader why they should care.
The last few chapters explain how to "tye it together" things like creating a conclusion, letting your own voice come through the writting, and resummerizing everything that you presented.
Until I read this book I didn't realizehow important it is for us to use other peoples words in our writting to set up a conversation instead of just presenting information. I think that the templates given in this book can help tremendeously in accomplishing the dialoge goal that we have been studying.
The introduction to the book explains the authors' phylosophy about writting templates and gives some examples. They aactually follow their own advise, by placing naysayers, acknowledging the "they say" and inserting their own "say".
The first chapter contains intruction on starting with the "they say" or in other words, entering a discussion in order to give purpose to your writting. The authors give templates for how to present information that has been stated or claimed by others in order to set up your paper as a response to something instead of unsolicited rambling.
The next two chapters explain the difference and the how tos of quoteing and summarizing the "they say" quoteing is a way to present the "they say" word for word, while summarizing is a way to shortly present an idea from someone else without using their exact words. The authors give examples, templates and considerations for choosing how you will present the "they say" in these two ways. It is also important with both of these skills, to give credit where credit is due.
Then the authors move on to how to present the "I say" or your own argument. The authors present the idea that you can repond to the "they say" by either agreeing; "yes", disagreeing; "no", or both; "okay, but".
Next the authors explain the importance of separating the "they say" from your "I say" whether you disagree or agree or both, it is important to add your own insight and information. This is in reality the essance of the "I say"; you have to have something to say.
The authors, in the next chapter, instruct how to plant a naysayer in your paper for arguments sake. You do this by using the template of "skeptics my object....but...." or "One might argue that....However..." this helps to present your evidence and examples in rebuff to potential disagreements the reader might have.
Most important, the authors say, is to emplain "So, what?" They show how to do this by using the sentence "This is important because..." This might seem a simple format, but it is terribly important to explain the need for the argument, instead of simply presenting an argument without a purpose or resson. A written piece must explain to the reader why they should care.
The last few chapters explain how to "tye it together" things like creating a conclusion, letting your own voice come through the writting, and resummerizing everything that you presented.
Until I read this book I didn't realizehow important it is for us to use other peoples words in our writting to set up a conversation instead of just presenting information. I think that the templates given in this book can help tremendeously in accomplishing the dialoge goal that we have been studying.
Friday, February 13, 2009
Dashes, Commas, Parentheses real worl example
The advertisement seems a little disjointed, but I'm not sure grammer changes would help that much. One thing that I noticed is the sentance about crabs. The author uses a dash where I would use parentheses. I think that the important fact is that they have five pair of legs, that the first pair is also used for defense seems secondary, therefore calling for parentheses.
Another thing that I might change is the part about vitimins A and D. I would use the dash here, because I think that to most people it is more important to know that those vitamins provide strong bones and teeth. I don't think that many people know what A and D are good for, so this information would draw more people's attention.
The last thing that I would change, is to add a comma after pink in the flamingo sentence.
I think that these simple changes could not only make the advertisement more correct, but could also help make it more effitient int fulfilling it's purpose of getting people to eat seafood.
Another thing that I might change is the part about vitimins A and D. I would use the dash here, because I think that to most people it is more important to know that those vitamins provide strong bones and teeth. I don't think that many people know what A and D are good for, so this information would draw more people's attention.
The last thing that I would change, is to add a comma after pink in the flamingo sentence.
I think that these simple changes could not only make the advertisement more correct, but could also help make it more effitient int fulfilling it's purpose of getting people to eat seafood.
Saturday, February 7, 2009
Annie Dillard Disscusion Questions
1-My pre-writting rituals, in the past, have been to procrastinate until the last moment. I am trying to correct this bad habit now, but throughout my high school days and much of my early college career, I could not jot down a thing unless it was due early the next morning, or during the next hour. I also have to be sitting at a computer; there is no hand writting for me. I cannot make my brain function or my creativity flow, if I am not typing. I think the procrastinatin thing was simmilar to Dillards. I needed the "fury", and the pressure of a vice clamp before I could get the words to come. Now, with many more responsibilities and not any more time, I try to work on my writting a little at a time in advance, but I still do my best work right before the deadline.
2-Unfourtunatley I feel like I rarely knock down bearing walls when I rewrite. My editting process usually is limited to basic grammer corrections. This, I feel, is a result of my answer to the next question. Who creates these limits? I think I do! I often put down my original writting and then feel predjudice toward changes. I often tend to believe that my first try is sufficient, or even more, perfect.I put limitations on the the changes that I feel are neccesary or improvements, and am often reluctent to knock down any bearing walls.
3-The metaphore of Dillard's that I most relate to is the "exploding typewritter" I feel like when I really get it into my head to write something it often comes out faster than I can put it down on paper. I rarely get stuck or slowed down. It kind of all just comes out. The metaphore that I would choose for myself would be something more like, "When I write it is a phychological illness." I hear voices. My only job seems to be recording what they tell me. However, I am not very good at using metaphores, or should I say that the voices aren't very helpful when it comes to metaphores.
4-As I started to explain in my answer to the last question, I do feel that writting is a "mystical experience." I often don't know where the words come from, and when I re-read what I wrote I frequently can't even remember writing or thinking of the things that I read. The mystical thing is that I am just as frequently incredibly impressed with what I read, as if some better author than myself wrote it.
5-I lean toward the feeling that Dillard is going for entertainment, however I also believe that the humor and entertainment could be for the purpose of interesting people in writting while the vaugeness could be for the purpose of avoiding giving those same people the oppertunity to form their own experiences instead of giving them a preconcieved notion of what it is like
2-Unfourtunatley I feel like I rarely knock down bearing walls when I rewrite. My editting process usually is limited to basic grammer corrections. This, I feel, is a result of my answer to the next question. Who creates these limits? I think I do! I often put down my original writting and then feel predjudice toward changes. I often tend to believe that my first try is sufficient, or even more, perfect.I put limitations on the the changes that I feel are neccesary or improvements, and am often reluctent to knock down any bearing walls.
3-The metaphore of Dillard's that I most relate to is the "exploding typewritter" I feel like when I really get it into my head to write something it often comes out faster than I can put it down on paper. I rarely get stuck or slowed down. It kind of all just comes out. The metaphore that I would choose for myself would be something more like, "When I write it is a phychological illness." I hear voices. My only job seems to be recording what they tell me. However, I am not very good at using metaphores, or should I say that the voices aren't very helpful when it comes to metaphores.
4-As I started to explain in my answer to the last question, I do feel that writting is a "mystical experience." I often don't know where the words come from, and when I re-read what I wrote I frequently can't even remember writing or thinking of the things that I read. The mystical thing is that I am just as frequently incredibly impressed with what I read, as if some better author than myself wrote it.
5-I lean toward the feeling that Dillard is going for entertainment, however I also believe that the humor and entertainment could be for the purpose of interesting people in writting while the vaugeness could be for the purpose of avoiding giving those same people the oppertunity to form their own experiences instead of giving them a preconcieved notion of what it is like
Monday, February 2, 2009
real world grammer examples
Advertising is a curious thing. Things are not always as they seem. The people that create ads and such, know what sells and know how to get the attention of their target audience. However, now-a-days grammer skills are becomming less and less prevelent, so some mistakes might be purposeful, others might, unfourtunately, be a result of grammatical ignorance. I cannot presume to know to which cause we owe these examples, however, I shall give it my best shot.
The Jack and Coke ad is using as it's tag line, the reliability of the product due to its longevity. By placing a comma instead of the correct semicolon after "Wiskey" the author can imply (without actually lying) that the Jack and Coke has been brewed since 1866, instead of the wiskey being the brewed liquid for ages. Thereby the advertisement is able to mislead the audience into trusting a product that may be reletively new in itself.
The Cabella's advertisement contains, I think, too many commas in the sentence about the prices being good only at the Lehi, Utah location. The author might have felt that the comma was needed after "Utah" because he wanted to separate the location from the description "retail" store. However, a semicolon would have been better or nothing at all.
In the training table example, the author places a comma between the adjectives crisp and hot, while both of them are discribing the bacon. I think this probably stems from the rule that a comma should be placed between words in a list, however the list in this case, is the ingredients of the sandwich and not the way the bacon is cooked.
I think in the next example the author uses a semicolon after "Make Money from Home" because she feels that "trading foreign currancy" further explains the first part. This would be correct except that when using a semicolon, it should separate two parts of a sentence that could otherwise stand alone. This is not the case in this example, seeing as how on both sides of the semicolon the statements are fragments.
The Marie Calandars advertisement is missing the last comma that should be placed after delicious. This also probably stems from the rule that in a list there is not always a comma between the next to last word and the "and" before the last word. However in this list, the adjectives are describing their success as delicious as well as sweet and creamy, but the way it is written it is describing their delicious success as only sweet and creamy.
Most of these advertisement errors would go unnoticed unless pointed out. I think that is because most people don't know all the rules for grammer, and most importantly they don't know all the exeptions to the rules. I think that the authors were trying to write correctly and were using rules that they learned in school, however, in this wonderful language we call English, there are always exceptions to the rules and those are as important to remember as the rule itself.
The Jack and Coke ad is using as it's tag line, the reliability of the product due to its longevity. By placing a comma instead of the correct semicolon after "Wiskey" the author can imply (without actually lying) that the Jack and Coke has been brewed since 1866, instead of the wiskey being the brewed liquid for ages. Thereby the advertisement is able to mislead the audience into trusting a product that may be reletively new in itself.
The Cabella's advertisement contains, I think, too many commas in the sentence about the prices being good only at the Lehi, Utah location. The author might have felt that the comma was needed after "Utah" because he wanted to separate the location from the description "retail" store. However, a semicolon would have been better or nothing at all.
In the training table example, the author places a comma between the adjectives crisp and hot, while both of them are discribing the bacon. I think this probably stems from the rule that a comma should be placed between words in a list, however the list in this case, is the ingredients of the sandwich and not the way the bacon is cooked.
I think in the next example the author uses a semicolon after "Make Money from Home" because she feels that "trading foreign currancy" further explains the first part. This would be correct except that when using a semicolon, it should separate two parts of a sentence that could otherwise stand alone. This is not the case in this example, seeing as how on both sides of the semicolon the statements are fragments.
The Marie Calandars advertisement is missing the last comma that should be placed after delicious. This also probably stems from the rule that in a list there is not always a comma between the next to last word and the "and" before the last word. However in this list, the adjectives are describing their success as delicious as well as sweet and creamy, but the way it is written it is describing their delicious success as only sweet and creamy.
Most of these advertisement errors would go unnoticed unless pointed out. I think that is because most people don't know all the rules for grammer, and most importantly they don't know all the exeptions to the rules. I think that the authors were trying to write correctly and were using rules that they learned in school, however, in this wonderful language we call English, there are always exceptions to the rules and those are as important to remember as the rule itself.
Tuesday, January 20, 2009
Inventing the University
I found it interesting that Bartholomae seemed to be more impressed with the clay model example with all of its grammatical errors, than with the other examples that were grammatically correct but lacked the voice, or the membership of the discourse community that he was looking for. I thought this was interesting because all of my life I've been taught that the most important thing a teacher is looking for is correct grammer and spelling. I think that he brings up an interesting point, that instead of playing it safe and writting simple as we always do, students should be brave and use their writting to speak to the reader on their level using the same voice and language that an expert in the field would use, even if they make mistakes grammatically, it shows an ability to join the "conversation".
I think that this article is especially interesting following Orwell's essay on the fall of our language due to fancifull writting, but maybe that is an arugumentative comparison to be made another day.
In my field of study we rarely do much writting. In the math major we are more concerned with numbers than words. However, I do believe that mathmaticians have a discourse community, it just doesn't show up in the form of written essays. Right now I am in a class called Analysis 2 my professor tells us that this is the calss that will teach us to think like mathmaticians, and believe me, mathmaticians don't think like the rest of the population! I think that this class relates well to Inventing the University, because in that essay Bartholomae encourages, even beginners, to think, speak and write, on the same level as the expert, concluding that if the attitude is correct mistakes can be fixed as learning increases. That is exactly what I have to do in this particular math class. Think, solve and act as if I am already an expert mathmatician, and be patient throughout the semester as I learn to do better.
I think that this article is especially interesting following Orwell's essay on the fall of our language due to fancifull writting, but maybe that is an arugumentative comparison to be made another day.
In my field of study we rarely do much writting. In the math major we are more concerned with numbers than words. However, I do believe that mathmaticians have a discourse community, it just doesn't show up in the form of written essays. Right now I am in a class called Analysis 2 my professor tells us that this is the calss that will teach us to think like mathmaticians, and believe me, mathmaticians don't think like the rest of the population! I think that this class relates well to Inventing the University, because in that essay Bartholomae encourages, even beginners, to think, speak and write, on the same level as the expert, concluding that if the attitude is correct mistakes can be fixed as learning increases. That is exactly what I have to do in this particular math class. Think, solve and act as if I am already an expert mathmatician, and be patient throughout the semester as I learn to do better.
Monday, January 12, 2009
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