Reading Reaction #6

Everything’s an Argument - Chapter 20

Plagiarism and Academic Integrity

There wasn’t really any new information in this chapter, but it’s always good to get a reminder of some of the rules. However, one thing that I have never done before is sending a letter request to get permission to use copyrighted internet sources, so I guess that part was kind of new to me. If I ever have to send a request, the email examples in the chapter will be helpful.

The chapter reminded me of how important it’s to cite your sources right to not get accused for plagiarism. I’m always afraid that I will forget to cite a source, or do it wrong. Something I need to work on, so I don’t get accused for plagiarism, is to not use a paraphrase that’s too similar to the original sentence. I need to be better at creating my own sentences and use my own words. The two lists of materials that need to be cited and the materials that don’t need to be cited were helpful. Sometimes I’m not completely sure if I have done the citing right or not, so the two lists will hopefully help me figure that out.

Annoying Ways People Use Sources

This reading was VERY helpful and interesting! Most of the material was basic information, but there was a lot that I had forgot about. I liked how Stedman used driving as a metaphor for writing. I hate slow drivers, so I kind of recognized myself in the introduction. Now I understand how professors feel when students write sloppy, and how annoying that most be.  

I really liked how Stedman showed examples, pointed out the problems, and then explained how to fix it. Even if the chapter contained a lot of information it was easy to read and understand. Now I only need to try use these tips for my own writing. The chapter taught me how important it’s to guide your reader. Without guiding the reader thought the quotation the reader will be lost and have a hard time understand what I try to tell or explain.

Thesis Statments

-       Writing can be creative or uninspired, but Lynn is able to use both styles to reach her different audiences. In Lynn’s writing for her non-profit she thinks out side the box and uses her personal voice to reach the audience, and for the airport she has to follow the requirements for professional/business writing.

-       Writing can be creative or uninspired, when a writer can be creative and use his or her own voice it is more difficult. When Lynn is writing for her non-profit she has to balance her own opinions with the audience expectations.

-       When Lynn is writing for her non-profit she is able to use personality and stories to engage the audience, without alienating the community members by being too personal.

Reading Reaction #5

Everything’s an Argument - Chapter 16

Academic Arguments

This chapter contained a lot of helpful information, even if most of the information was basically things we should already know, it was good to get a reminder. There are so many things to consider when writing academic arguments. I liked how the chapter first provided information and then gave an example. Something I found very helpful was the information about how to organize the paper, where to put the strongest evidence, and how to balance my own words and arguments with arguments from a source.

One thing I have never thought about is that even if the teachers decides the topic I can still make it match with my interests. I have always been writing what I think the teachers expect me write, instead of thinking outside the box and making the assignments more fun. Working with a topic that I find interesting is so much easier than something I don’t care about. 

One thing I need to work on is editing and proofread my text. I need to be better at reading through what I have been writing, and not just reading it, I need to look closer for mistakes and misspellings. I need to be better at not rushing through it; I need to take the time it requires. 

The first academic argument sample “A Directive Approach toward ESL/EFL Writer” by Brian Raidy, was very good. I liked how they point out his thesis statement, his evidence, and his arguments next to the paragraphs.

Understanding Rhetoric - Issue 4

Arguable Assertions

Most things in this chapter made a lot of sense. I have always used both sides of an issue when presenting my arguments. Because you bring up both sides of an issue doesn’t mean that you necessary have to agree with both sides. Just like they say in the chapter it’s not always about what’s right and wrong.

In the end they talk about that a paragraph is like a sandwich, and that you need the different components to make the paragraph whole. Your arguments need certain parts to work, and without all the components there is no paragraph.

Shitty First Draft

Writing… where should I start? Writing makes me terrified sometimes, depending on the assignment. Reading this chapter made me realize that I need to stop trying to write a “perfect” first draft. I can sit down trying to write a first draft for days… just because I try to get it perfect the first time. With that said, I have always had a problem writing a first “shitty draft.” Since I need it to be perfect from the beginning, which I know is impossible. Even if I know it’s impossible I find it hard to just start typing. I get anxious before I start writing, but in the middle of the writing process I think its fun. I like writing, especially about things that I find important and interesting.

“The only way I can get anything written at all is to write really, really shitty first drafts”(Lamott p. 1). This is a quote I’m going to try to keep in mind whenever I try to start writing something. No one has to see my first draft, and then I can turn in a better second draft. Hopefully it will make me less anxious about writing. 

They Say, I Say - Chapter 7

So what? Who cares? Saying why it matters?

This chapter was very interesting. It gave me a lot of new information that I will have to work on. I know that you should always ask the questions so what? and how cares? I just didn’t know how to do it or how to get the right answer. I feel like teachers have always said that we need to answer those two questions, but never told us how to do it.

“The templates not only demonstrate that other care about you claim but also tell you readers why they should care” (p. 99). I wish I had learned about these templates before, it would have made a different in my writing process. The templates were easy to understand and hopefully they are as easy to use.

Interview Questions Draft #1

1. For how long have you worked at Santa Barbara Airport?
   
2. How long have you worked with communication and marketing?
   
3. Can you describe your writing process?
   
4. What type of writing do you enjoy the most?
   
5. Who is your target audience?
   
6. What type of information is most important for you to provide to the costumers?
   
7. In what way would you say that you provide the information? Tone/Style
   
8. What do you think is the hardest/easiest thing about writing?
   
9. Why and how do you use social medias?
   
10. What is the thought behind “Easy Come. Easy Go”? And whom is it directed to?

Reading Reaction #4

They Say, I say- Chapter 9: “Ain’t So/ Is Not”

Academic Writing Doesn’t Always Mean Setting Aside Your Own Voice

The chapter starts with the question “Have you ever gotten the impression that writing well in college means setting aside the kind of language you use in everyday conversation?”(p. 129). My answer to that question would be yes, and then I’m not just talking about using slang. Teachers have always told me that I need to use advance words and create complicated sentences. They said that it would be more convincing and trustworthy. I’m not saying that they where wrong, in fact I agree with them. “Standard” English is better to use in certain situations.

When I got my assignments back in high school there were words, sentences, and phrases highlighted all over the paper, and usually without an explanation. I most certain don’t trust my own writing skills, and I’m always nervous turning in assignments. Even if I know exactly what the assignment is about I always think I have done it wrong until I get it back.

I like that the chapter shows that you can mix your own language with “standard” English. By using your own language it points out what a person says and the way they say it. “You can always experiment with your language and improve it. You can always dress it up, dress it down, or some combination of both” (p. 127). It’s also important to know when it’s appropriate to mix your own language with “standard” English. The audience and purpose need to be considered before mixing. We also need to understand that when we mix these languages the “standard” English is changing over time.

They Say, I say- Chapter 11: “I Take Your Point”

Entering Class Discussions

I think it’s very important to be a part of the class discussions, that way you can show your classmates that you understood their point of view, and you can also share your opinions.  What I think is most important is that you stick to the topic, and that your comment is relevant. One of the things that the chapter points out, is that one of the most important things when joining a class discussion is to link what you are about to say to something that has already been said.

At SBCC some teacher gave us extra points every time we talked in the classrooms. I would say that there are two reasons why they did this. The first one is because they wanted the students to participate more and the second reason is because they wanted to start a conversation. I personally think it’s a horrible idea… People started to talk about things that wasn’t even relevant to the class material…just to get extra point. I’m not saying I didn’t do this, when I figured out that I could say anything or just agree with the person who spoke before I took advantage of that. I started doing what everyone else did to get extra points. After a while it started to get really annoying, and I didn’t like to participate in those classes.

Artifact Analysis

For my final project I chose to reach out to a women who is the head of the marketing division for the Santa Barbara Airport. Since my concentration is marketing I couldn’t find a more suitable person for my interview. 

The artifacts that I looked over were their Website, their social medias, their mission, their security, and their airport news archive. The documents were primarily convincing and friendly. Their Website is easy to maneuver and it is easy find the information that is necessary for the travelers. One of the first things you see is “book a flight today,” and also arrivals and departures. Their social media sites are easy to find on the bottom of their homepage. They use Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Pinterest, and Instagram. The two I chose to look at was Facebook and Twitter. Their Facebook and Twitter page is very friendly, and looks almost the same. They post the same information on both sites, and they post pictures on the people who work at the airport and also of their travelers. They provide the travelers with all the security information that is needed, and the documents are easy to read. In their news archives they inform people when it would be the best time to travel and why. They also explain how easy it is to travel from Santa Barbara airport, and the benefits of choosing them. It provides all the new information that their travelers need, and find useful. Everything is easy to find, and you do not have to read though tons of papers to find an answer. When people travel they want it to be as easy as possible.

They artifacts I analyzed were easy to read. There were no spelling errors and all the headings in the documents were boiled, which makes everything easy to find. They documents was spaced out in different paragraphs that contained different information. They use a language that is easy to understand even for international travelers. The audience for these documents is definitively adults. According to their tagline “Easy come. Easy go,” I would say that it is for business people who travels a lot, and what it to go quick and easy. The tone of these documents is friendly and clear. They send out a clear and simple message in a friendly way. The purpose behind these documents is to inform people about the Santa Barbara airport. It gives a lot of information about the aircraft, their services, and what is new at the airport etc. They use the same style for all their documents, for their website, and for their social medias. They are all simple and informative.

Reading Reaction #3

Rhetorical Analysis - Chapter 6

This chapter was a bit challenging for me. It contained a lot of new information, and some of it was hard to understand. However, I also found the chapter interesting, especially the part about the examining arguments based on emotion. It made me question how many ads I see everyday and what impact they have on me. Even if I know that it’s “just” an ad I still believe it has an impact on how I view things.

What made me confused was that I don’t understand how I should figure out what “style” the writer is using. “Readers naturally judge the credibility of arguments in part by how stylishly the case is made–even when they don’t know exactly what style is (p. 105).” That’s how I’m feeling. I can judge a writers work, but how would I know if those judgments are right?

I was very confused while reading this chapter and for some reason I just couldn’t understand it until I got to the guide page. Everything started to get more understandable when I read the guide to write a rhetorical analysis, but I’m still confused…

Finding Evidence - Chapter 17

This chapter provides a lot of good information. The information was pretty basic and easy to understand. I have always used the “regular” Internet to search for everything, but since I started at SBCC I have used the library database and catalog for my research papers. During my years at CC I learned how to navigate their database. In the beginning it was kind of hard and I wish I had access to this chapter earlier. However, I never learned about the LCSH, which would have been helpful and it would have saved me a lot of time.

Something I need to work on is to draw upon personal experience. Even if it’s not the best evidence to use, it something I need to be better at. I’m bad at using personal experience in situations when it could be good information/evidence to use.