Practice Write 3/10/16

In my opinion, I think the point of this course is to better the students as academic readers, writers and thinkers. I believe that we are supposed to be learning how to read an academic writings and draw ideas and our own point of views from that writing. From there we enter the conversation with our own writing and introduce our view points. I believe the point of this course is to show us how to have a conversation with other scholarly authors.

They Say I Say Chapter 8 (Pg 105-120)

Summary: Chapter 8 of "They Say I Say" focuses on how to connect all the separate parts of your writing. One way to connect your thoughts and sentences together is to use transition words. Transition words help you get from one point to another. Some commonly used transition words include; although, furthermore, despite, even though and however. Another way you can connect your sentences is by using pointing words. Pointing words point back to previously stated sentences or concepts in your writing. Some common pointing words include; this, these that, those, their and such. A third way to connect parts of your writing is to develop a certain amount of key terms and phrases that you will repeat throughout your writing. If you use this strategy correctly, the readers should be able to remember these phrases and get a better understanding of your topic. The last technique that can be used to connect your writing involves repeating yourself, but with a slight difference. You basically repeat ideas that you have previously stated, but with a slight change so it does not seem too repetitive. Instead of jumping to a completely new idea during your writing, try reiterating what you have been saying and connecting that to the new idea your about to introduce. This way the reader won't be blindsided.  

Quote #1: "It may help to think of each sentence you write as having arms that reach backward and forward, as Figure 6 suggests" (Pg 107).

Although I somewhat agree this statement, I also question it. Does this mean that all sentences in your writing have to connect to every sentences? I believe this should be true only when your coming to an end of one idea or paragraph. You should repeat what you have been saying and connect that idea to new concept you are about to introduce.

Quote #2: "As a result, the more you use transitions, the more you'll be able not only to connect the parts of your text but also to construct a strong argument in the first place" (Pg 11-112).

I believe this statement is true and very important. Transition words only help the reader more understand your topic and how the different points you bring up are relevant. In an argument, you are trying to persuade the readers to believe in your view points. Using transition words will help the reader understand your concepts even more and potentially persuade them.

Questions:
1. Do all sentences in your writing have to connect to every other sentence?
2. Does repeating yourself, but slightly differently, actually help the readers understand more?
3. Can you use too many transition words?
  

Practice Write

For my essay #2 draft I would like my readers to focus mainly on how I analyzed my visuals. I want to make sure that I did the anaysis correctly and in the format that is expected. Also since I am analyzing an article with picture as well, I want my readers to pay attention to how I connected the two different visuals and how they compliment one another.

Unit 1 Reflection Blog

The process of choosing an issue to write about for my research proposal was quite simple but also complicated at the same time. The original topic that I chose  had something to do with small businesses in the bay area and how they can sustain their business. I had no personal connection to this topic and only chose this because it made sense to me and seemed fairly easy at the time. However, as time went on and as the class went into more depth about the next four essays we will be writing I realized that this topic was actually going to be challenging. Because I didn't have a personal connection with the topic, I wasn't interested in doing this assignment and grew very bored of it.  I realized I wouldn't be able to write four essays on this issue alone. I finally decided to change my topic to something that actually sparked my interest, standardized testing in schools. One of the challenges I faced during this unit was trying to connect my issue to sustainability. I am still some what unclear on how we need to connect standardized testing to sustainability. However, I do know now that I will start researching how the increasing dependency on standardized testing in schools benefits or hurts the students. This connects to sustainability because I show how school will be able to sustain or sustain in the future if we keep depending on these tests. On my essay, the main feedback I would like is to know if my issue really does connect to sustainability and how well I stayed on topic. I have a tendency to stray off topic throughout my essays so I would like my feedback to mention if I do or do not stay on topic.    

Practice Write 3/3/16

The visual analysis I chose is obviously very bias. However, it does represent my argument and what I want to persuade my readers to believe in. Is it okay for the visual to be bias and only show one side of an argument? Do we have to explain in our essay how this visual represent sustainability in our topic? Does we have to include an actual image of the visual in our essay or just a link?

Essay 2 Idea Draft

Visual: http://thecompanion.in/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/education-system.png

Inquiry question: Is the increasing dependency on standardized testing scores hurting or benefiting students in todays society?

Explanation of the visual: The different animals lined up in the picture represent the diverse students in classrooms across the country. The man sitting at the desk giving the instructions represents the typical standardized tests distributor that people have been accustomed to seeing. Although the task presented is rather simple, some of the animals (students) are not capable of doing it. Not all of the animals are able to climb the tree because of their physical nature. However, some of the animals would find climbing the tree easy and would pass the exam. This represents standardized testing because all students across the country are being given then same exam with the same questions. However, not all students are being taught the same material and have the same comprehension skills. Certain students will indeed benefit from standardized testing because of their ability to perform well. The students who aren't able to do well on these tests are left behind and are considered "unintelligent".

How this responds to my inquiry question: The point of my research question is to find out whether or not standardized testing is benefiting or hurting students. The visual I have chosen seems to give me a very clear answer to this question. Although it is very bias to one side of the of the argument, it still gives viewers a clear perspective about how standardized tests affect the students.

Why I chose this visual: Because of my personal background with standardized testing and the many other known problems dealing with standardized test, I have decided to focus my research more on how these tests are hurting the students and how the future of schools will not sustain if it continues to depend solely on standardized tests. This picture serves as a summary of my main argument and will hopefully persuade my readers. This visual is pretty easy to understand and makes a clear point, standardized tests are not fair for everyone and will always favor someone. It challenges the fact that standardized tests are supposed to be seen as a fair tests and even shows how it is unfair.

Intertextuality: This visual connects with a wide range of viewers. Children will find this interesting because of the light humor that is added with the different animals, but still understandable. Adults will easily understand this and possibly relate to the picture because of the standardized tests they had to go through as students.

  

They Say I Say Pg. 139-159

Summary: In chapter 11 of "They Say I Say" the authors educate us on how to have a proper and valuable in class discussion with our peers. The authors provides us with techniques to frame our comments in ways that refers to the person who spoke before and us and give opportunity for people to speak after us. When joining an in class discussion it is important to connect what you have to say to what your peers have already said. It is a good idea to refer to the person specifically when responding to a comment. Another way to add to the class discussion is to potentially change the subject completely. When doing this, you need to make it clear to the listeners that you are about to talk about a topic that has not been brought up. You also need to find a connection between the previous topic and your topic so the listeners will not see your comment as irrelevant. Chapter 12 of "They Say I Say" talks about what motivates an authors writing and the argument they are portraying. It is suggested that we read an authors argument as a response to other arguments and provokes more arguments to come. This helps the reader think critically and absorb the information even more. To decipher what exactly the authors argument is you must figure out what views the author is responding to and what their own view point is.

Quote #1: "Particularly important for class discussion is the point that our own ideas become more cogent and powerful the more responsive we are to others, and the more we frame our claims not in isolation but as responses to what others before us have said" (Pg 141).

In class discussions would not work without the meaningful comments from the students in the class. Contributing an opinion on a topic or presenting a new fact not previously mentioned in the discussion is crucial for creating a conversation. Responding to your peers is equally as important. This generates a conversation with the class and gives more opportunities for more opinions to be heard and potentially new information to be brought up.  

Quote #2: "Instead of thinking of the argument of a text as an isolated entity, they now thought of that argument as one that responded and provoked other arguments" (Pg 146).

I believe this is how everyone should interpret an authors argument when reading academic writing. Usually, arguments are a response to recently talked about subjects. An authors argument will provide the reader with background to that already talked about topic and present their own views and opinions. The argument is basically an author adding to a conversation.

Quote #3: "In other words, imagine the author as participating in an ongoing, multisided, conversation in which everyone is trying to persuade others to agree or at least to take his or her position seriously" (Pg 147).

I completely agree with this statement. When reading academic writing, keep in mind that the author is responding to an already talked about topic. They did not invent this topic but is just responding to the views and opinions of authors.

Questions: 
1. What if you want to talk about a completely new topic that no one has talked about yet? How do you present that argument?
2. Do you have to reference the specific arguments you are responding to in your own argument?
3. Are all academic writings an argument that responds to a larger conversation?