Mine is Still Better

• I have chosen my exemplification essay, "Hot Shower or Nuclear Waste" as my third piece to my portfolio. My reason Behind choosing this essay is because every person that has read this essay has always enjoyed the content and imagination behond writing my paper. The descriptions on all my heros and examples was spot on and made reading my paper easy and fun.
• I believe my portfolio should be an A+ because I have worked hard on correcting all of my past mistakes and finding new ways to improve my grade. I pretty much live at the writing center as often as I can to get multiple different points of view on my papers along with corrections. I have had multiple peer reviews after I got a grade on my paper. I'm alway looking for something I can improve on in any class and english is no different. I have always demanded an A out of my self and dont accept anything less.
• My favorite portfolio was my own. I read my peers portfolio and they sound good but always seem rushed.

Substitute Day!!

What essay you chose to include in your portfolio and why- I chose to include my descriptive essay in my portfolio because I believe it displays my best skills as a writer and shows great contrast to the research essay by including more creative aspects rather than informative. I also wrote my descriptive essay at the beginning of the semester so being able to reflect back on my writing made it clear to me which aspects of  composition I improved upon most.   

What you anticipate your portfolio grade will be and why- I am anticipating an A on my portfolio because I believe that my writing is highly proficient and falls into each category A column on the rubric. 

Your favorite peer portfolio you looked at during the past couple weeks, and why- My favorite portfolio belonged to Jonathon Gourley. Jonathon chose to include his descriptive essay as well, and I was highly impressed. He used wonderful word choice in both his descriptive and research essays, and it was obvious that he spent quality time reviewing and revising them for proficiency. Jonathon is a very good writer and displays great knowledgeably and creativity in his essays.  

By Claire Reyburn

Portfolio blogin

The essay I choose to accompany my research essay was my descriptive essay.  I wrote my descriptive essay on my hike of Longs Peak this past summer.  I choose to put it in my portfolio because it was the essay that was the most on point in terms of the assignment (other than my research essay).  It was also very descriptive as to not only what I saw and experienced through my senses but also what transcends the senses like emotions.

I think my portfolio grade will be a solid B because that is the grade I have got on all of my papers that I turned in and I am allowed to improve them from there.  However the grading of the portfolio will be tougher because I had a chance to revise my final drafts.

I looked over Rebbeca Pottebaum's portfolio while she was comprising it.  She didn't always chose a very interesting topic but she followed the professor's rubrics to the letter.  Everything Rebbeca wrote was exactly what the professor wanted.  I think this is because she always asked for help in major structure tips as well as minor grammar ones.

Portfolio, WHAT?!

- For my end-of-term portfolio I chose my Descriptive essay entitled, "Steel, Wood, Polymer, and Alloy." I chose this essay because I believe it truly illustrates my ability to describe in detail an object without giving up the object. My Research paper outlining the futility of "gun-free zones" further supports my use of vocabulary and ability to effectively defend my position.

- I believe my grade for my portfolio should be an A.  This is because my average grade for my papers is a B and after analyzing and fixing the grammatical errors this should bump them up to an A.

- The portfolio that I reviewed was Claire Reyburn's. Throughout her writings she utilized a variety of descriptive phrases and words to thoroughly describe her point of view. Her descriptive essay detailing a girl's adventure kept me guessing and inquisitive while I was reading. Overall I was very impressed with Claire's work and growth as a writer over the course of this class.

The Grand Scheme

1) My Research Paper:
My support points are not clearly laid out in the introduction and systematic throughout so I need to definitively state what my points are and lay them out through the paper the way I state them in the beginning.  My topic is very broad and I barely scratch the surface in my support topics which need to be more deeply explained because of the complexity of them.

2) New Report on Reflective Essay:
Continuing to ponder and ascertain the brilliance I have absorbed from my professor

3) I will choose my "Conquering the Summit" essay for my other portfolio entry



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The BETTER Portfolio Plan then the one below this one

RESEARCH

1. My research paper needs to be mechanically changed. I use "you and I" way to much. The mechanics of the paragraphs is where I lost most of my points. My use of plural words and  commas destroys my essays.
2. There are a few senteences that needed to be explained more but other then that, I liked my paper.

REFLECTIVE

1. I have not started my essay yet. Working on my review essay.

WHICH ESSAY

1. Im trying to choose between my desciptive and exemplication essays. They are both my favorite but Im leaning towards my exemplification essay due to the creativity of the writing and topic. The topic is rolling around in nucleur waster to develop nucleur powers.

Rebecca Pottebaum

Portfolio Plan

1) In my research paper I need to include complete in-text citations and clarify the argument that I have presented.

2) For my reflective essay I have begun an outline but still have to decide which specific essay I will be turning in with my portfolio before I can start writing.

3) I have not chosen yet which essay I will be turning in with my portfolio.

IN CLASS THINGIE

REVERSE OUTLINE

• Thesis
• I need to stop using the word "you" in all my sentences. I like using the word "you" because I feel it makes the reader think of themselves in the situation but that can take away from the example. That person may have never drank alcohol or may not own a phone. If they cant relate to what Im trying to say then the use of the word "you" can take away from the impact of the story.
• Support Paragraph 1 drunk driving
• The supporting story against drunk driving needs to be cited from M.A.D.D. (mothers against drunk driving) properly. The story needs to have last names and be personal.
• Support Paragraph 2 drunk driving
• I need to reword some of the sentences to support my essay not go against.
• I need to reread the citing page for indented citing.
• GET RID OF THE WORD YOU
• Support Paragraph texting
• Rewording several sentences to sound professinal rather then "cave-man grammar."
• GET RID OF THE WORD YOU
• Supporting Paragraph- Prevention
• Reword sentences to sound professional
• I DIDNT USE THE WORD YOU. WOOHOO
• Change Punishment
• Need to move last sentence to beginning of conclusion
• Conclusion
• I like my conclusion and would change anything other then putting the Work Cited on a different page.

REFLECTIVE ESSAY

• Thesis
• Talking about what i have learned- MLA format.
• Support Bit
• Im still working on proper use of you and I.I over use commas and need to learn how to put information in MLA format properly. I write my papers as if Im talking face to face with a person which is good but I need to know when to write personally and when to sounds professional.
• Support Bit
• I now know what MLA format is and my grammar has improved from the first essay i turned in. My paragrpah flow nicley between paragraph and have learned my stron points are introduction and conlcutsion but need to write my information professionally.
• I like talking as if Im talking to a person.
• Conclusion
• I was lucky if I could write a good paragraph when i first started this class and now i can write a 7 page research paper. I can write a 3 page essay without freakinout over how i will sound on paper.

Rebecca Pottebaum
 

Reflective Outline-Basic

Introduction

·         Where my writing style started at the beginning of class.

      My perception of English Composition.

Paragraph 1

·         Which essays I chose and why?

·         Descriptive Essay

·         Research Paper

Paragraph 2

·         How my writing style evolved and adapted over the course.

·         Descriptive Essay

·         Research Paper

Conclusion

·         Where I can improve.

·         What do I need to do in order to advance or refine my skills?

Reverse Outline of Research Paper

Introduction

o   Thesis

§  The presence of gun-free zones or areas with restrictive firearms laws foster an environment in which troubled individuals can operate without the threat of retaliation or resistance.

o   Need to make minor punctuation and grammatical corrections

·         Paragraph 1 - Bill of Rights

o   2^nd Amendment, Constitutional basis for argument

o   Punctuation and formatting issues with MLA, and paragraph indention.

o   Reinforce the rest of the Bill of Rights to support argument

o   Correct quotations, “shall not be infringed”

·         Paragraph 2 - History of Violence, Swiss/UK/US

o   Clarify the examples and lay them out appropriately

§  Swiss

§  UK

§  US

o   Punctuation, firearms per capita numbers

·         Paragraph 3 – United Kingdom

o   Clarify argument

o   Word usage

o   Explain numbers and how they apply

·         Paragraph 4 – FBI Stats

o   Punctuation, verb tense.

o   MLA citing

o   Clarify point of data

·         Paragraph 5 – Violence and Gun owners

o   Work on word choice and better flowing sentences

o   Move from coincidence to direct support

·         Conclusion – Laws of Man

o   Work on punctuation, word choice, and tense

o   Reword conclusion F.P. to better complete the paper

·         Works Cited

o   Refine and ensure in proper MLA format

Video link!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fJ06pk326pA&feature=youtu.be

Excerpt from "False Security"

Some believe that the banning of all firearms would eliminate person to person violence in a utopia that only exists in fantasy. Evidence to the contrary is that several days following the most recent and noticeable massacre at Sandy Hook Elementary, a man in China, where firearms are highly regulated and illegal, walked into an elementary school and brutally murdered children with a knife. Where does the regulation and oversight of the people stop? Do we now ban all knives, guns and pointy objects; or maybe we should encourage, develop and congratulate those individuals around us who would stand up to people that intend to harm us. The commonly used phrase, fight fire with fire, is a prime example of the steps we need to take to combat this terrible condition that all humans regardless of beliefs are capable of.

Cole's favorite paragraph

One more thing to consider is we know when we do something wrong.  There is such a thing called a conscience and it takes the form of guilt when we do something wrong and the form of self-satisfaction when we do something right.   There is also something inside of us that pushes us to do the right thing.  When you see a person, especially a woman, on the side of the road with a flat tire, our mind comes up with two possible courses of action.  The first is to stop and help the woman put the spare on and drive away safely and the other is to speed right by her and let her struggle herself.  However, whether anyone will admit it or not, there is something much deeper inside every human to stop and help someone else in trouble.  Whether you want to or not is irrelevant, you may be late for a meeting or work, or don’t know how to fix a tire, but the fact of the matter is your conscience will push you to stop and help.  A person will never feel self-satisfaction that he/she drove past someone on the side of the road who was in trouble and ran through a puddle and splashed the person as well.  It will not happen because it is not human nature.  Human nature compels everyone to do what is right.  This is true because the God who created humans is always right, always just, and always loving.  Humans are set apart from animals and plants because we were made in the image of God.  A dog would never feel guilt for leaving a complete stranger on the side of a road (Lewis, 21-27).

Pretty Good Paragraph!!

Eyes flicker back and forth. They’re watching you. They’re talking to you. Everyone is out to get you. These are just some of the constant, repetitive thoughts that go through a schizophrenic’s mind on a second by second basis. In the world of mental illness and psychiatry, treatments and cures for schizophrenics have been greatly improved over the years. Schizophrenia, contrary to popular belief, is not an illness where the sufferer has split personalities. Rather, they hear voices in their minds or develop strange beliefs that do not match those of their own character. (Schizophrenia 1)

By: Claire Reyburn

The article talks the importance of networking with people in business and personal. People all around you can assist you in matters dealing with business. Maybe your friend you just met is the secretory to the CEO of a business and now you get the hook up with NFL and MLB tickets. Social networking can be found anywhere just by a conversation online or at a coffee shop. Social Networking can also be use to find jobs. Using the website behance.net, artist of all types can be reached by different companies to get hired or referred. behance.net is more refined for a specific job while google+ and linkedln are for a variety of job seekers as well as employers seeking said job seekers. The author is a columnist at Forbes Magazine specifying in leadership topics along with business dynamics.

The EBSCO research relating to social networking gave me a whole other realm of information not completely related to the website research done the previous day. The website dealt with artists reaching for employment and recognition while the article that was found on the EBSCO database dealt with 5 ways to find talent for your company by social networking. The article on Forbes Magazine is giving tools and tricks to employers in finding competent employees. The two sources have to deal with networking but on two different levels.

Dill, Kathryn. "5 Ways To Improve Your Company's Search For Talent."Forbes.Com (2014):                   1. Business Source Premier. Web. 16 Oct. 2014.
by Cole Moffitt and Rebecca Pottebaum

IN CLASS THINGIE 1ST ON THE LIST

Attack of the English Teacher Blog

• Frequency of Posts- 6
• The blog is posted about once a week and occasionally a couple post in one day but not very often
• Voice- 8
• The members of the blog express themselves easily and can be understood but doesnt make sence sometimes
• Passion/Expertise- 10
• The passion in the posts is evident by how the pictures correlate with the posts and some of the members go into great long detail that shows they care
• Organization- 9
• The page is laid out very nice and easy to find the information you are looking for. The blog post could be titled to correspond with the chapter the post is talking about.
• Aesthetically Pleasing- 10
• The page is easy to read and the colors are nice.
• User Friendly- 10
• The page is easy to operate
• Interesting- 10
• Before even getting to the blog sight, the name draws you in and makes you want to read about the blog.
• Good Writing- 8
• The writing is fun to read but some people done show as much enthusiasm.

Riding a Turtle

• Frequency of Posts- 7
• The blog posts and not posted often but the month of September, there was 22 posts.
• Voice- 8
• The members care about what they post and express themselves properly
• Passion- 10
• Every member did researcha and cared about what was being posted
• Organiazation- 7
• The blog archive on the left side of the screen is jumbled and stretched out.
• Aesthetically Pleasing- 6
• I did not like the busy turtles on the left and right sides of the screen, this made reading the posts difficult and i didnt like the colors-boring.
• User Friendly- 5
• Its easy to scroll up and down the page but the left side of the screen is just annoying with the words taking up one line at a time
• Interesting- 9
• I liked the name, but doesnt really drawl me in, I would have no idea this blog had to do with English class.
• Good Writing- 10
• The people writing the posts like what they where writing and cared
• Relevance- 10
• The post related to what was meant to be talked about suchas the reading responses to the different chapters

Unconventional English

 

•  Frequency of Posts- 5
• Im not sure, I found the blog to be confusing
• Voice- 10
• The couple posts I read seemed to be expressed quit well
• Passion- 10
• The members like what they were postings and took lots of time to make sure it made sense.
• Organizaiton- 4
• I like the hyperlink at the top to take you back tp the front of the blog but I dont like the circles and found this to be confusing
• Aesthetically Pleasing- 10
• The front of the blog id intersting and makes me want to explore everyting but is the circle every post form RR ch 5 or is the circle one post per person, i wasnt for sure from the arrows on the left and right sides of the page
• User Friendly- 6
• I like the hypoerlink that started you all over again but the layout takes time to get used to
• Interesting- 8
• I like the front page of the blog
• Good Writing- 10
• the couple posts I read made sense
• Relevance- 10
• The posts had to do with the post required for the class that day

Drunk Writers Talk 121

• Frequency of Posts- 7
• The posts are there but not very frequent
• Voice- 7
• Seemed like the people were posting because they were told to not because they wanted to
• Passion- 8
• A couple members cared and expressed what they wanted well but not all the members did the same type of work
• Organizaiton- 3
• The Archive on the right side was long and hard to read. Could not use the link easily
• Aesthetically Pleasing- 7
• Looks nice but to much going onand some of the words are in black so you cant read them at all.
• User Friendly-2
• You can scroll up and down but the links are useless
• Interesting- 6
• I like the front page of the blog page but hard to read
• Good Writing- 6
• the couple posts I read made sense but with the cursive and the way the page is laid out makes the blog hard to read and understand
• Relevance- 10
• The posts had to do with what was required in class

Eng 1 Blogger

Frequency of Posts- 10

• There are many posts

Voice- 8

• The members cared and expressed themselves easily

Passion- 8

• The members expressed their posts with lots of description in some of the posts

Organizaiton- 10

• The Archive on the right side was easy to use and well organized

Aesthetically Pleasing- 2

• Boring but easy to use

User Friendly-10

• Easy to use

Interesting- 5

• The Blog is boring and the information is simple in most posts

Good Writing- 6

• I would call the posts 50/50 on whether the writing was good or not

Relevance- 10

• The posts had to do with what was required in class

Rebecca Pottebaum, Cole, Claire Reyburn
 

Group Prospectus Review

After reading each others research paper prospectus' we have decided that the best topic for a research paper is Cole's topic; political awareness in the US.  This is a well established topic in the academic community and is a topic that Cole seems passionate about and has some education about already.  Whether the reader agrees or not with his topic is irrelevant because it is a highly controversial topic and, we believe, will cause interest. He is trying to convince people that an educated voter populus will change the production of many things in the US.  If you want more information then you should read his paper when he writes it.
He has not quite developed his final thesis but his working argument is this:

"In my research paper I plan to demonstrate that an educated voter populous to what the founding fathers started to build in America will facilitate efficient production in the US, both in terms of government and economically."


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by, Claire Reyburn, Rebecca Pottebaum, Cole Moffitt

Drunk Writer Talk Review

Blogging is an art form. How frequently the blogger posts their material, how much thought is put into the posts, and also how user friendly their site is are all important aspects to look at when critiquing a blog. Today in English 121, the Give Me a Minute crew was asked to review a fellow class member's blog. The blog of choice? Drunk Writer Talk.

At first glance, Drunk Writer Talk is very aesthetically pleasing. It comes complete with a more dark, vintage theme that can have any history buff/ hipster swooning. The posts are all written in a classic cursive font, which can be hard to decipher for some, but overall fits very well with the page. There are several eye catching graphics within the posts and filling up the margins never allowing the reader to get bored. Visually this group definitely knows what they are doing. 

Going deeper into this blog's content, it becomes obvious that the group in charge is dedicated to the site's maintenance. The posts are consistent and frequent, and all group members seem to be responsible for their own contributions. The team also has a few group posts showing that they are capable of working together as well as independently. 

The quality of each post comes into play as the criticisms go deeper. Aside from a run on sentence here-and-there and quite a few simple grammatical errors, each post is very well written. As well as being formatted correctly, the topics are also very interesting and the author's keep a reader's attention with their charismatic voice. One thing the group does need to improve on however is making sure their sentences are organized and do not wander throughout the post. 

Overall, Drunk Writer Talk is a very entertaining blog written by three seemingly enthusiastic young women. Other than an inconstant lack of organization seen periodically in posts, This blog is very well done and deserving of attention. 

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The image selected portrays a vintage looking photograph of a young woman with the caption "I'm a classy drunk". This seemed rather fitting to Drunk Writer Talk's blog because both are visually very friendly and appealing, with a classy, old school theme. However, both touch upon the subject of alcohol adding a certain level of raunchy character that keeps the reader interested.  

By: Claire Reyburn,

Cole Moffitt &

Rebecca Pottebaum

The Blaze

     The Blaze is a news organization that mainly exists online.  This news organization is conservative and posts articles that you would not normally see on Fox News, they are more in-your-face direct about things that are going on in the world.  It does not only post articles on politics though, they range from health and science to faith and technology.  In most main stream news organization, they are more careful about what information and opinions they put out there.  The Blaze just lets it fly.  This is not, however, and rinky dink website, it has over two million hits on social media.  The Blaze has a short background on most of their authors and contributors and they all have educated backgrounds and write likewise.

 Does the site clearly state who the sponsoring author or organization is?
     -Yes, The Blaze is a corporation 

Is the author/sponsor clearly named?

     -yes

Is the author/sponsor an expert on the topic? Look for credentials—sometimes you need to trace the URL back to view a previous page with background information.

    - Yes, the Blaze posts alot of video interviews with credible sources like Glenn Beck or quotes            other known news sources like the Washington Post or quotes the people they are directly              talking about like the White House Press Secretary.  

Is the information on the site appropriate material for the purpose of the page? (.edu for educational or research material; .gov for government resources; .com for commercial product or commercially-sponsored sites; a name in an URL usually corresponds to a personal home page

     -theblaze.com is the URL and that is appropriate of a news cite

What is the purpose of the site—to persuade, to inform, to sell? Is the information biased?

     -This cite is suppose to persuade viewers to think conservatively, but the information they present        is just actually what's happening, without clouding the facts.

Is the site backed by advertising? Does the advertising influence the content of the site?

     -There are a few ads from non related organizations like "Zales Diamonds" and "Broadvoice"           phone service 

Does the site claim to provide or describe the results of academic research?

     -no

Are sufficient references provided to other works, to document hypotheses, claims, or assertions?

     -yes

Are references cited fully?

      -there are links throughout the article but there are not references at the end

Can the results be verified through other means—e.g. print sources?

Can the information on the site be verified in other sources?

If a blog, are there other sources to verify the expertise of the author/s? Do/es the author/s give credit to other materials used?

Has the site been updated recently?

Are the links relevant and appropriate for the topic?

Is the material presented covered in depth, or merely superficially?

Is the material appropriate for printed publication?

Behance.net

The website we chose is www.behance.net. This social website has a variety of art created by artists around the world waiting to be discovered. Created in New York City of 2006, a group of people collided ideas together to come up with this website for all types of artists. The creators name is not mentioned anywhere, only a group of people. This website is efficiently laid out for easy use and search. The entire page has pictures ranging from sculptures to computer enhanced or modified art work. Behance would be a good site for established businesses to find young talent.

In 2006, we set out to put control into the hands of countless creative professionals suffering from inefficiency, disorganization, and careers at the mercy of bureaucracy.

This quote is the inspriation behind what made this website great. The website is all about connecting with people that are artists. There is no selling of the art which I find interesting considering they are artists that want to make money but the whole purpose is for businesses to connect with them. Creating an account on behance is all that is required to get started for posting your work. Users visit this site multilple times a day, checking for contact information from potential businesses and work. New people just like looking at all the fastinating work posted to individual artists's posts. Viewers can also leave comments at the bottom of the artists page letting them know how awesome their work is. This website is something to behold with all the creativity that went into the work.

Work Site

 

www.behance.net. 2006. online. October 9, 2014

 

Rebecca Pottebaum, Jonathan Gourley

Evaluating Print Resources

1. The author, Josh Gollish, over the past 20 years has experienced the evolution of digital film making and the death of true film making.  He now develops thousands of gigabytes of pictures and film for movies and formats them for post production. Anywhere from anti-aging actors to adding color for clarity. He uses Apple products to develop his information into movie scenes such as "Skyfall". He has been formatting images for many years and has the experience to back him up on his article. He is a DIT (digital imaging technitian)
2. The information in the alternate online source is more realistic when it comes to how simple this job is today. 15 years ago, the guy who formatted the film and modified the camera was called a camera engineer. Camera engineers had a very complicated job manipulating each setting on the camera, now the software does all the work for you. According to the online source, George C Polmer, as long as you have experience working with a computer you can do this job. DIT has taken away the creativity of developing a movie due to simple computer software. George likes how easy the process is but sometimes wants the good old times back. He has had a longer career as a camera engineer and DIT when compared to Josh but still sees the advantages of the new job field. George's writing style is similar and easier to read. Josh writes intelligent information, however, it is very hard to follow the article if you don't have a clue about cinematography. I had a hard time following this article along with my partner.  
1. The article's author Josh Gollish, is very passionate about his work in DIT world. His passion first came into focus when he won a competition with his biology class in producing a film about bears with his VHS camera. Taking his talent from college to real life, his first feature was "The Paper Moon Affair", in 2005. This film, became know as the Viper expert. This was when his career took off. Josh started modifyiny the software so He could had his own touches that the human brain can comprehend but maybe the computer wont reconize. The field of expertise is a demanding job with short time to fix the digital film to get the equpment ready for the next scene or day. This job includes long hours with tedious work but DIT find very rewarding.

WORKS CITED

 

Rebecca Pottebaum, Jonathan Gourley

Chap 5 RR

Details are a part of my writing that need some serious adjustments.  I have noticed that my writings lack descriptive details that allow my reader to understand or picture what I am describing.  Focusing on the different types of descriptions that I want will help with adding more of the right stuff.  If I am writing an essay describing the different steps a bill has to go through to become a law, I will use objective or unbiased and unemotional description.  If I am describing my grandma's home made strawberry rhubarb pie, I would draw more on expressive details, making it personal and maybe emotional for my reader.
As a student progressing into higher-level writing, the important thing to focus on is the structure of the description and the actual words used in the description.  The structure needs to be different for different parts of my paper.  I might choose to arrange my description in chronological order so I would not put what happens at the end in the middle of my paper.  I might choose progressive order so I could save the best event or idea for last and leave the reader with the most important point of the paper.  The next most important concept for higher-level writers to grasp is word content.  A dog is no longer a dog, it is a white splatted faced border collie with a shimmering black back.  See what I mean? More intense and descriptive word content.

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by:Cole Moffitt

Chapter 13 Reading Response

Persuasive vs. Argumentative

Persuasive and argumentative essay follow similar paths but differ in the basis for their individual arguments.  Argumentative essays utilize established facts, reasoning, and knowledge. This allows them to be easily supported and defended in a discussion.  Persuasion, however, could be on the same topic as your argumentative essay but uses emotions and personal feelings or beliefs to support your claim.  By using unsupported facts biased by your emotions destabilizes your defense of the topic. 

This chapter overall was very informative, as the two methods are very similar and can be easily influenced by each other. I think that your argumentative essay should be persuasive to the reader by convincing them with the facts and arguments presented to them. You can also verbally present your argumentative essay passionately as long as your personal emotions do not unduly effect the evidence of your paper.

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Name calling you POOPIE HEAD!!!!

Logical Fallacy - Name Calling or ad hominem

Definition: An argument based on the perceived failings of an adversary rather than on the merits of the case; a logical fallacy that involves a personal attack.

Personal or abusive example:

All politicians are self-indulged liars and only care about money. 

Circumstantial example:

He is a terrible President because he was playing golf instead of taken care of the worlds problems.

Biased or 'poisoning the well' example:

As President he has preached for bipartisan actions but behind closed doors he pushed the parties apart.

This type of name calling places the author in an uneasy light and lowers themselves to the level of the person or people they are trying to discredit. By realizing the consequences of using name calling, the author can avoid such logical traps in order to separate himself from his peers. Only by being self-aware and arguing from a position of strength can you prove your argument effectively.

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Jonathan Gourley, Rebecca Pottebaum, Cole Moffitt, Claire Rayburn

The military of the United States of America is the most dominate fighting force in history

     Since mankind began coalescing into larger and larger societies, they have formed groups or castes of individuals to protect them from external pressures and dangers. These individuals formed into armies capable of projecting their society’s power and beliefs throughout their geographic region. As advances in technology continued to expand their capabilities, several of these armies began to stand out from their contemporary counterparts.  Some of the most notable throughout history are the Roman Empire, the hordes of Genghis Khan, and more recently the Armed Forces of the United States of America. Several critical factors, logistics, uniform training and tactics, and multi-spectrum warfare, have made each of these fighting forces the most powerful of their time.
     The commonly used idiom, an army marches on its stomach, first attributed to the French General and Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte, underlines the importance of logistics in supplying a fighting force in the field. Armies of the Roman Republic and later the legions of the Roman Empire relied heavily on long lines of support from nearby cities and fortifications. These lines consisted of supply wagons transporting food, hay, leather, spare weaponry, and military communications. Without these critical lines of supply, a Roman legion in the field would be cut off and eventually annihilated. The hordes of Genghis Khan largely eliminated long supply lines by bringing entire nomadic cities with them wherever they advanced and conquered. This allowed them to rely on local, natural or captured resources to feed, clothe, and arm themselves. The American military has taken the complex logistical system to its extremes with the ability to transport large units of men and equipment thousands of miles away from their home bases around the world. This is starkly contrasted by the Romans who were limited hundreds of miles by man and horse-power versus the United States who can incorporate prepositioned ships, aircraft fleets and sophisticated transportation systems to supply units for long periods of time. These intricate logistical systems fail however if the army using them is not sufficiently trained and equipped.    
     The hallmark of an effective fighting force is the ability to train large numbers of men and women to fight in a unified system. This inclusive and uniform training regimen allows for units within a fighting force to operate independently while still keeping the ability to augment units in the surrounding area. This unified training is illustrated by observing late Roman military tactics. Each legion can be subdivided into several Cohorts, Centuries, and Contubernium. The ability to consistently train each subdivision of the legion allowed the entire army, sometimes multiple legions, to flow and adapt to the hectic movements of the battlefield. Their training, identical uniforms, armor, and weaponry allowed a legionnaire the ability to move from one unit to the next and still effectively operate with minimal additional training. In modern times, with the advent of mass production assembly lines, the uniformity of weaponry and uniforms has accelerated to the point of complete interchangeability. This is perfectly illustrated by the ability of a U.S. Army soldier and a U.S. Marine to take a critical part of their weapon, trade them, and still have two functioning weapon systems. Consistent training and logistical support are only truly effective on the battlefield when coupled with multispectral tactics and weaponry.    
      Multispectral tactics involves seamlessly combining weaponry from several different classes and then using them in combination with a variety tactics on the battlefield. Multispectral warfare can range from the use of arrows, catapults, infantry, and sea-faring vessels to aircraft, electronic-jamming, and satellite communications. Armies who only have the ability to project their combat power in one dimension will almost always fall to a multi-faceted force. Genghis Khan’s armies utilized fast moving cavalry, mounted archers, large numbers and psychological warfare to defeat their foes. By combining their attack from these varied fronts, Genghis Khan’s armies did not allow the enemy force to effectively counter and defeat any one his actions. Roman military tactics utilized a combination of advanced catapults and ballistae, infantry and cavalry formations, and complex battlefield maneuvers. This multifaceted approach permitted Roman legions freedom of movement and maneuver on the battlefield while simultaneously denying it to their enemies. With the advent of airpower and electronic warfare in the 20^th century the idea of a multispectral battlefield has evolved to encompass every aspect of the modern conflict. Recent conflicts, such as the 2003 invasion of Iraq, involving attack aircraft, long-range missiles, massed ground formations, and pre-attack psychological warfare, showcased this modern multifaceted approach to combat and subsequently allowed the United States to quickly and efficiently defeat the enemy forces on the battlefield.     
       Any singular attribute, logistics, uniform training, or multispectral warfare, alone on the battlefield will fail in attaining victory for an army. However, when combined together, effectively and efficiently, any fighting force will achieve battlefield superiority and victory for their country. Throughout history there have been numerous nation-states, empires, republics, and kingdoms that have succeeded in effectively combining all of these interwoven factors. Building on the successes and failures of these peoples, the United States military has grown to become the modern-era’s most dominate and effective fighting force. This growth began in the early 1900’s as the United States fought in two world conflicts which forced a revolution in weaponry and tactics. Because the world is constantly changing, adapting, and evolving, the United States will have to continually shift and adapt its tactics in response to this rapid evolution of modern conflicts.


Keppie, Lawrence. The Making of the Roman Army: From Republic to Empire. University of                    Oklahoma Press, 1998. Print.
de Hartog, Leo. Genghis Khan: Conqueror of the World. I.B. Tauris & Co Ltd, 1989. Print

Chap 13 and handout RR

I liked this chapter, unlike the last two snooze-inducing chapters.  Argumentative writing is definitely the most fun for me.  I like taking and picking a viewpoint I have and defending it.  This chapter has given me tools that I would otherwise not have to better my writings.  I thought it was interesting how the chapter brought in the Greek words logos, pathos, and ethos for different persuasive writing techniques in your support.  I like categorizing things and when I can break down all the supporting details I have into those three categories, it will help me decide what to use and not use.  The comic strip handout was a fun visualization of the relationship between argumentative writing and conversations.  The sandwich analogy was most applicable for me.

 

This section breaks down a critical piece of any type of writing.  As a college student, the entire chapter should be bookmarked and locked away for future reference for many years.  In writing these types of essays it is essential to understand what type of supporting evidence needs to be used.  There is a lot of implied writer discretion in this chapter as to how to present my points to a different audience.  It is fairly easy now as a student to determine my audience, the professor. However thinking ahead it will be more difficult to correctly and effectively persuade a workforce, or a group of parents with different age children ect...  I would like it if the chapter had gone in depth on how to diagnose my audience.  The comic strip handout yet again was a funny and relative example of presenting an argumentative-persuasive topic.   It will be most useful to refer to that when I am trying to decide how to look at the opposition's viewpoint.  

http://brentwhite.files.wordpress.com/2011/08/ron-swanson-parks-and-recreation-22047507-500-281.jpg

by: Cole Moffitt

R.R. Ch. 13

1. My personal reaction first begins with pg 570. I love the opening cartoon for this chapter. The scit was funny but very true. This cartoon brought my attention to the chapter and made me want to read a little deeper into the chapter. The entire chapter is 81 pages, this chapter was extremely overwhelming. I could not really read this whole chapter. I did like page 585. The enjoy examples, very easy to read and understand.
2. I liked how the book explained the differences between arugementation and persuasion. This made my essay more proper. This chapter professionally could have been written better. It is impossible to keep any readers attention for 81 pages. My group couldnt begin to read every sentence or scan the chapter. I enjoyed the story on 595, "The Case for the Paying Organ Donors." I was interested enough in the title to read the entire story and understand how a layout should be for the arugumentive essay.

http://www.quickmeme.com/Argumentative-Cave-Bear

 

Steel, Wood, Alloy, and Polymer

Even before the formation of the United States as we know it today, Americans and the other peoples that lived throughout the continent depended on a variety of tools to survive.  One of those tools helped shape the very nature of our country that we experience and live in today. These early tools were always handcrafted one at a time out the finest oak, maple, and walnut wrapped around a finely tuned piece of hammer-forged steel. Each one carefully fitted, tested and then engraved with some of the most exquisite and intricate designs.  With advances in modern machining and technology, these pivotal tools have transformed into engineered mechanical marvels.  They are constructed with advanced polymers, aluminum alloys, blended steels and involving numerous small parts, each moving and interacting with each other to perform the task at hand.  Utilizing these tools causes emotional, physical, and psychological reactions in its user regardless of whether it is a young child’s first time or a seasoned operator.

Touching and utilizing a potentially harmful tool for the first time floods the user with many sensations that span all of the human senses.  When someone first lays eyes on the combination of steel, wood, or polymer it spurs their mind to fantasize and make assumptions of what attributes it may contain. As soon as they touch and pick it up, the metal feels cold, heavy and slightly awkward because of its length. Upon close examination of this steel tool, it has several strong odors of various oils and grease followed by a sweet but acrid smell.  Once the user begins to operate it, harsh waves of sound and air pressure build up and are released in every direction. Other people in the area immediately hear and experience similar effects. For the operator each harsh sound and acrid smell is preceded by a sharp feeling of recoil throughout his or her body. Each of these tools is designed to operate in a variety of conditions continuously with predictable results; it is this reliability that has caused millions of people to attach strong emotional feelings to these important objects.

For the uninitiated or uneducated, these steel tools elicit very strong and usually adverse emotions.  These emotions range from fear of the unknown, a natural sense of danger to even hatred and terror.  On the other end of the spectrum they range from excitement, respect, a rush of adrenaline, and awe.  These two dichotomies of reactions lead to many misconceptions that illustrate the other in a negative light.  Only through the passing of knowledge, experience, and a sense of personal responsibility will this emotional gap begin to close. For those individuals who are open-minded and receptive to teaching, begin to shift their emotional associations to joy and excitement even though coupled with an appropriate amount of respect.  Emotional and physical stressors are usually strongly associated with an individual’s psychological thought-process and well-being.

Stressors, both emotional and physical, impact how we interact with the environment.  For some the acrid smells and oils, coupled with the sharp sounds elicit a favorable biological response of endorphins and adrenaline which they find calming and euphoric.  However, these same biological responses cause some to experience anxiety, nervousness and adverse physical reactions.  These different experiences relate directly to the varied psychological reactions that each operator associates with these actions. 

     Utilizing these tools causes emotional, physical, and psychological reactions in its user regardless of whether it is a young child or a seasoned operator.  The combination of these emotional, physical, and psychological reactions provides an avenue for someone to have numerous types of experiences not limited by their own previous exposure.  Tools made out of steel, wood, alloys, and polymers have been critical in forming and shaping the nation that we live in today.  It is by these tools that will remain a strong and united people.

AKA NOT OK

AKA121 is a blog of fellow classmates of mine, whom I do not know.  I think their theme was suppose to go for soothing and simple but unfortunately comes too close to drab and unimaginative.  The background is pure white with light gray writing which made me turn down the brightness on my screen so I could read the writing.  There are no taglines or witty sayings to entice the viewer to read any specific post.  This in turn already lets the viewer down when he does choose a post to view.   I will say I like the variety of pictures they post with each posting.  The man with the windmill beard made me laugh.
There is no evidence of passion in any of the writings.  I know it is hard to get passionate about and excerpt from a boring text book, but common, college students perfecting faking everything through high school.  Some of the most amazing papers I have seen praised by teachers and professors was written by students who were burning the midnight oil at 2 a.m., 8 hours before the paper is due.  If you can do that, you can pull some creativity out of a 3 paragraph blog post.  I tend to like points being made through writing by NOT directly saying what the writer's point is.  I like the reader to do their own thinking.  This does 2 things, it keeps the reader focused on what the topic is and it lets different readers come to different conclusions around the same idea.  If AKA121 would just cause the reader to do a little thinking, I think my approval would rise.
The thing AKA121 does well is they are directly on point and remain relevant to the topic.  The post at least twice a week (the requirement for the class) which shows they are at least good students.  It is easy to navigate the page and I was able to see what each of the authors posted.  My note to you, AKA121, is entice me! Draw me in with flare and creativity.  If not for me, do it for Jimmy.

Cougar Team Review

My first impression of The Cougar Team was how bright the entire web page was. The bright blue on the sides of each blog post catches your attention although can be overwhelming for your eyes when trying to read the posts. The page is well organized and easy to find what information you make be looking for. I do like the pictures that went with the posts. They were bright and went with the posts they talking about.

• Frequency of Posts- The blog posts are posted quit often in August with twelve posts however in September there are only two posts. The activity has fallen quickly for a blog that is about a month old.
• Passion- Cougar Team's memebers write quit professsional. The post about "Reading Images" is informative and well thought out. The writers defintly care about what their writing and only want themselves to sound good.
• Good Writing- Most of the posts have good grammar and examples. Some of the post just need to double space their spaces between sentences. The words sometime jumble together a bit
• Astheically Pleasing- The layout is bright and friendly but with the bright blue along the sides makes it hard to focus on the paragraghs to read. The eyes are slightly tired from reading just one post and needed to take a break.
• User Friendly: The layout of the page makes all links easy to find and read. The columns on the right side is well organized with what posts are posted in what months. The titles of the post need to be smaller so the entire tiltle fits. I read plenty of Ch. 5 and Ch. 7 but some many title sstart off with that title/.
• Relevance- Im not for sure what Cougar Team has to do with writing but I like the name. The name is unique.

The Cougar Team has many good posts that are very realivent to being in a english class. The biggest problem I had was just the insane blue on the sides that still has my eyes hurting. They are very to the point when it comes to their posts. If the post say Ch. 5 then that post is about the conteents of that chapter.

 http://www.quickmeme.com/meme/3qbjko