on The angle of planned parenthood.org is in support of its services, and susanbanthonylist.org is against the government funding of planned parenthood. Both websites use many facts and statistics, but the planned parenthood website mostly explains their services.
PP typically appeals to liberals and sba-list appeals to conservatives displeased with government funding of planned parent hood.
on For raising the minimum wage.
1.The genre is organizational white papers. It helps the reader understand the seriousness and professionalism of the article.
2.The author is Tina Kotek, the speaker of the Oregon house of Reps. She is invested into these issues because of her job.
3.She is writing to the regular people who happen to be reading the article.
4.The motivation was the new law passed to raise the minimum wage gradually in Oregon.
5. Her purpose is to educate the public and persuade them that raising the minimum wage was a good idea.
6. An Oregon newspaper, explains the purpose of writing the article so many people would read it.
Against raising the minimum wage.
1.The genre is organizational white papers. It helps the reader understand the seriousness and professionalism of the article.
2. The author is the editorial board of USA Today. They are effected by the minimum wage increase because it will raise prices on products for them.
3. They are writing to convince the public of a certain way.
4. The motivation was California and New York increasing their minimum wage.
5. The purpose is to convince the public to be against minimum wage increases.
6. It is a reputable publication.
on Derek Tremblay Help Received: Writing
Major Garriott Center with Major Garriott
ERH 101-03
5 December 2016
A Rags to Riches Story: My Progressions in Writing
This semester, in taking ERH 101-03 at VMI, I have made many progressions in my writing from high school. My writing in high school, and when I first came to college, was often unorganized and uninspired. I didn’t know the correct way to organize and write a paper, I would just try and follow the questions that I was expected to answer and I could not write about my own ideas. My thesis statement was always in a random place or not even in the paper at all. The teachers never actually taught me how to write and it would always result in a grade on papers that I was not happy with. I was confused and I learned to hate writing. I would always have trouble coming up with ideas and I thought writing was useless, because I didn’t understand how I would have to use my writing skills at a real job or life in general. This semester I have learned more about writing and the way I write than I ever have. I started off knowing nothing about writing, and now I know enough to write an acceptable college-level essay. A rags to riches story if you will. From assignments, like readings in the Writing About Writing book, and conferences with Major Garriott, my literacy has grown and my writing has improved tremendously. This semester I have better attacked writing by writing more often, reading various texts related to writing, being more engaged in class, and planning out my writing more effectively. By stating my arguments better and writing toward my audience, my writing has improved significantly.
Writing papers in high school had always been a point of anxiety for me the whole year. I wrote very few papers before college, but the ones that I did write would be announced at the beginning of the year, and at that moment I immediately started dreading writing that paper, even though it was due months down the road. I didn’t know how to write and get a good grade, and I didn’t know how to plan out my essay in a helpful way that I could use. The anticipation of cramming in all of my brainstorming, research, and writing into a few days (like I knew I would end up doing) would stress me out and make have a negative attitude toward that class. This was also true for ERH 101 at VMI, but I realized there was no way I could avoid writing in college, so I decided to keep an open mind and to do my best. Keeping an open mind allowed me to absorb the information faster and to become a better writer.
When I began writing papers for this class my papers were often unclear, and I had weak topic sentences. Weak topic sentences cause the reader to be unsure of what argument the paragraph is making. It allows for the reader to make their own assumptions about the paper that the writer might not agree with. In one of the first papers I wrote a really weak topic sentence stating, “Dr. Bednar fits very well into Gee’s definition of a Discourse” (Rhetorical Analysis of Professor Bednar’s “Economics 301: Business Economics”, 3). I didn’t explain how, and the topic sentence didn’t really fit the rest of the paragraph. However, in my revision, I made “Dr. Bednar has credibility in the econ and business discourse community. Technical terms used in the syllabus set the tone for the class and the expectation to act like a professional” (Acting as a Professional: Professor Bednar’s “Economics 301: Business Economics, 4) the topic sentence. This topic sentence better explains what the paragraph is about and gives more information about Dr. Bednar to the reader. Learning the skill of strong topic sentences is important to get my message across to my audience.
In the papers I wrote, I would have good sources that fit into my paragraphs, but I wouldn’t explain the quotes and what they meant to the rest of the paper. In my paper, “Core values, which are scholarship, discipleship”: Religious and Academic Aspects of Southern Virginia University, I have a lengthy quote about how Southern Virginia University (SVU) ranks nationally in their business program. Then, all of the analyzing of the quote I do is, “These stats are impressive” (“Core values, which are scholarship, discipleship”: Religious and Academic Aspects of Southern Virginia University, 3). In my revisions, I went more in depth of the statistics and what they meant for SVU. I stated why in might attract potential students and why the data is important. Sources are a big part of my papers and I’ve learned, this semester, how to properly integrate them into my papers. Sources strengthen the argument for a paper and integration of them helped my writing become stronger.
This semester I have learned the importance of organization in my papers, which is to have the ability to get my message across to the reader in a convincing manner. I have learned that in order to have an effective paper that relays my message and thoughts toward the audience I need to have a strong thesis in my introductory paragraph, and I need to connect my body paragraphs to my thesis. I need to have a strong topic sentence at the beginning of my paragraphs, and my paragraphs need to adequately describe my topic sentence. I also need to have a summary at the end of the paper that ties everything in and restates my thesis. Organization in my papers is important because without it my writing would be not credible by the reader and they would have trouble following along with my argument in the paper.
My writing techniques have improved visibly from the first paper at the beginning of the semester up until the psychology paper I turned in last week. Previously my writing had been boring and uninspired, I found it difficult to come up with ideas because I found the topics boring and uninteresting. The readings that I have done in class have made writing more interesting and fun. Alexie was an interesting read for me, I found it very relatable to me and the paper I wrote about my literacy journey. He learned to read with Superman comics (Alexie, 129), and I learned to read with children’s books. This excited me to find a situation so relatable to mine and I enjoyed writing about it in my last ERH paper. The last paper I turned in for psychology we were allowed to pick our topic and make the paper about whatever we wanted it to be. I choose relative deprivation, because after reading it in class I found it very interesting and I thought I would be able to write well for that topic. I used the writing techniques that I learned in ERH to form this paper into a way to get my message across to the reader, and maybe even get a good grade. I made a strong thesis statement that stated an argument, I formed three strong body paragraphs that related to my thesis, I integrated sources that helped get my message to the reader, and I formed a good summary that tied together the entire paper. I ended up getting a 98 on the paper, which is the best grade I’ve ever gotten on a paper. My writing has greatly improved over the span of this semester and I look for it to constantly improve over my cadetship.
My writing has strengthened greatly this semester. I have become more interested in writing and I’ve enjoyed writing more than I ever have. Writing is a way of talking to an audience, and the skills I’ve learned make me more effective in communicating my message to the reader. I have learned an organization template for writing, and I have how to use quotes and my sources to reach my audience with my ideas and thoughts.
Works Cited:
Alexie, Sherman. “The Joy of Reading and Writing: Superman and Me.” Writing about Writing, edited by Elizabeth Wardle, Doug Downs, Bedford St. Martin’s, 2014, 129
Tremblay, Derek. “Core values, which are scholarship, discipleship”: Religious and Academic Aspects of Southern Virginia University
Word Count: 1399
on Derek Tremblay
Major Garriott
ERH 101-03
5 December 2016
Reflective Essay
This semester, in taking ERH 101-03 at VMI, I have made many progressions in my writing from high school. My writing in high school, and when I first came to college, was often unorganized and uninspired. I didn’t know the correct way to organize and write a paper, I would just try and follow the questions that I was expected to answer and I could not write about my own ideas. My thesis statement was always in a random place or not even in the paper at all. The teachers never actually taught me how to write and it would always result in a grade on papers that I was not happy with. I was confused and I learned to hate writing. I would always have trouble coming up with ideas and I thought writing was useless, because I didn’t understand how I would have to use my writing skills at a real job or life in general. This semester I have learned more about writing and the way I write than I ever have. From assignments, like readings in the Writing About Writing book, and conferences with Major Garriott, my literacy has grown and my writing has improved tremendously. This semester I have better attacked writing by writing more often, reading various texts related to writing, being more engaged in class, and planning out my writing more effectively.
Writing papers in high school had always been a point of anxiety for me the whole year. I wrote very few papers before college, but the ones that I did write would be announced at the beginning of the year, and at that moment I immediately started dreading writing that paper, even though it was due months down the road. I didn’t know how to write and get a good grade, and I didn’t know how to plan out my essay in a helpful way that I could use. The anticipation of cramming in all of my brainstorming, research, and writing into a few days (like I knew I would end up doing) would stress me out and make have a negative attitude toward that class. This was also true for ERH 101 at VMI, but I realized there was no way I could avoid writing in college, so I decided to keep an open mind and to do my best.
When I began writing papers for this class my papers were often unorganized, I didn’t explain myself to the reader, I didn’t explain what the sources I used meant, and I had weak topic sentences. In one of the first papers I wrote a really weak topic sentence stating, “Dr. Bednar fits very well into Gee’s definition of a Discourse” (Rhetorical Analysis of Professor Bednar’s “Economics 301: Business Economics”, 3). I didn’t explain how, and the topic sentence didn’t really fit the rest of the paragraph. However, in my revision, I made “Dr. Bednar has credibility in the econ and business discourse community. Technical terms used in the syllabus set the tone for the class and the expectation to act like a professional” (Acting as a Professional: Professor Bednar’s “Economics 301: Business Economics, 4) the topic sentence. This topic sentence better explains what the paragraph is about and gives more information about Dr. Bednar to the reader.
This semester I have learned the importance of organization in my papers. I have learned that in order to have an effective paper that relays my message and thoughts toward the audience I need to have a strong thesis in my introductory paragraph, and I need to connect my body paragraphs to my thesis. I need to have a strong topic sentence at the beginning of my paragraphs, and my paragraphs need to adequately describe my topic sentence. I also need to have a summary at the end of the paper that ties everything in and restates my thesis.
My writing techniques have improved visibly from the first paper at the beginning of the semester up until the psychology paper I turned in last week.
on My writing process is just me trying to come up the ideas and the right way to state it in my papers. I feel like this method doesn’t work too well and I feel like it takes me much longer than it should to write my ideas down on paper. Maybe I could try different methods like planning out, on paper, my paragraphs and all the ideas I have that I want to put into my paper.
on Osborne pushes the ideas out on paper faster than his fingers can keep up.
He halted his writing to fix grammatical errors, which probably hurt his writing and flow of ideas.
He then forces himself to come up with new ideas.
He keeps working until he gets a good product.
He let his friend look it over.
on No, if I was able to be interested in the topics and I could write freely and I could have fun with it and get all of my ideas out on paper, rather than trying to make everything perfect because it is for grade.
on How writers are defined as unskilled, and how do they write?
The code, the order of writing.
Speaking while writing.
Is there a “correct” way to plan your writing and write?
Importance of prewriting exercises.
How is effective writing developed.
Use of models in writing.
on I pay attention to the important things, and I try to apply it to my writing. I also practice the writing styles I may use.
on Derek Tremblay Help Received:
Major Garriott General Review: Major Garriott
ERH 101-03 Peer Review: A.J. Bradt
November 16, 2016
A Literacy Roller Coaster
My literacy journey was influenced largely from the experiences I had learning and reading as a youth. Ever since I can remember, reading was greatly encouraged in my family., Before kindergarten my aunt would take care of me every day being that my dad had to work every day of the week. I can remember us occasionally walking about half a mile to the local K-mart to get lunch at the K-mart café and after we would head to the book section where I would pick out numerous books that I thought I would be interested in. Firetrucks, cars and construction vehicles were often the topic of the books that I chose. I would go home and my aunt would read them to me and I would look at the pictures for hours and try to read the books for myself. However, my literacy journey has not always been so reinforced as it was when I was younger. As I got older I started to drift away from a strong background of reading and writing. My development journey of literacy has shaped the way I write today. My strengths and weaknesses come from my use and non-use of literacy resources and support from literacy sponsors as a youth.
My aunt played a large role in my literacy development from a young age. Much like Alexie I didn’t grow up in the best financial situation but our house always seemed to be filled with books (Alexie, 129). My dad worked two jobs to provide for his four young children and was often not at home, after my mother passed from cancer my aunt stepped in to help my dad and even moved with us to Virginia from Maine. She took care of me and my siblings and did her best to provide us with the care we badly needed. While my siblings were at school she would do “play school” with me and I would dress up like I’m going to school and she would teach me letters and numbers. She would read to me and help me learn to read for myself. A book she had in her apartment that really aided my development as a child was “Dick and Jane. She would read it to me until one day I could read it myself. Much like Superman comics for Alexie, “Dick and Jane” and a large part in me learning to read at a young age (Alexie, 129). The simple words and fun stories kept me interested in reading and was the start of my literacy journey. My aunt’s positive interactions with me since I was a child gave me a solid foundation and a head start on being interested in reading and literacy.
Influences on my literacy development didn’t end with my aunt, eventually I started school and my dad got remarried so I was less dependent on my aunt to take care of me. In kindergarten I was the “problem child”. I constantly challenged my teachers and didn’t listen to their instruction. I would get in conflicts with the other kids and I often got sent to the office for my behavior. The conflicts I had has a child are comparable to Alexie’s childhood interactions with classmates (Alexie, 130). While these might not have been positive interactions it represents who I was and how far my personality has come. Despite this behavior my kindergarten teacher, Ms. Scott, was very kind toward me and she was always willing to work with me to make sure I would learn the material. Ms. Scott’s kindness showed me that teachers could be trusted and learning could be fun, she reinforced the positive literacy experiences I previously had. However, not all my teachers throughout elementary school had a positive influence on me. In the third grade my Language Arts teacher didn’t care much about us and the learning process of third graders. She assigned us to read books that were way past our reading level and books that we weren’t very interesting and hard to follow. She would then give us packets with questions on the readings. Me with my third-grade reading level was unable to comprehend a 400-page book such as “Little House on the Prairie” and answer difficult questions on the text. For the first time I started getting bad grades and I started believing that I wasn’t very smart. Rather than having a bad teacher harming my literacy development, I believe that aided my development. I had a strict father who would punish me when I was younger with grounding for my bad grades because he thought if we got a bad grade I was just “not trying”, so my Language Arts grade caused me to spend continuous months alone in my room for being unable to bring up my grade. All the time I spent in my room as a child I was reading books. I remember in elementary school I would go to the library and request for them to get certain books. I then would check in with the librarians every morning wondering if the book had come in, probably annoying them to death. Just as Alexie had, I fell in love with reading, and I would read any spare chance I had, I was known to leave my lamp on until late at night because I able to read what I wanted to and I was interested by the stories. Like Alexie I read anything I could get my hands on from, kid’s almanacs, to books about space, to young adult chapter books (Alexie, 131). These books were influential to me, they increased my vocabulary, and made me want to read more and more.
It was around this time that my dad remarried. My step-mother was an avid reader and still is today. She would always read books with me and encourage me reading on my own. Countless times she would take me to the local library to pick out books, and as I grew older and could read bigger books, I would carry home two armfuls of books every time we went. Me and my step-mom would read the books I got from the library and we would talk and have engaging conversations about them. She read books that I liked such as the Artemis Fowl series and I would read some of the books that interested her like the Jason Bourne series. Reading these books caused the development of my literacy, vocabulary, and ability to write. The stories were exciting and caused me to love reading. This was a large part of my literacy development growing up. She influenced me to enjoy reading and to read often, she was my main literacy sponsor growing up. My step-mother’s influences made me interested in reading and writing and was the pinnacle of my strength in writing.
During middle school my literacy in writing and reading decreased for multiple reasons. In the seventh and eighth grade I started to become involved with sports. Having baseball and football practices mixed with weight rooms took away from the energy I was willing to spend reading late at night. Also, I stopped getting in trouble and getting bad grades so I stayed out of my room and I stopped having an excuse to read as much as I did. My interests changed and I also saw it as “uncool” to read. My time became more preoccupied with other hobbies. As I moved to high school my habits didn’t change and I never picked up reading again. The school work became harder and the sports became more demanding and I grew further and further away from where my reading literacy once was. Maybe I just became lazy and these are all excuses I’ve led myself to believe as to why I don’t read anymore, either way, my literacy and my writing ability has suffered over the years. Although my reading and writing literacies suffered in high school and middle school I gained valuable literacies in baseball, football and other sports. The development of these literacies, while they harmed school related ones, were valuable because they allowed me to excel at sports. If I had never developed these literacies when I did I wouldn’t be at VMI today and I would probably not have an opportunity such as the one I have here at VMI to further my education.
My literacy that I once had in writing is most what influences my literacy in writing at VMI. My literacy did not grow much in high school, I only took the basic classes and I almost never had to write papers or do critical reading like I do in college. I feel like my writing now is still mostly the remnant of the books I read when I was younger and the literacy sponsors I had as a kid. As I experience new things every day and as I experience VMI my literacy will grow and I believe my writing will improve reflecting my growing maturity.
My literacy journey has been full of ups and downs. The solid structure I had from literacy sponsors as a child, by my guardians and teachers, caused me to have a love of reading and writing. When I got older I started making decisions for myself and I became busier and I neglected my literacies in reading, while gaining literacies in sports. The current strength of my writing is effected by my neglect of reading during my adolescent years.
Works Cited:
Alexie, Sherman. “The Joy of Reading and Writing: Superman and Me.” Writing about Writing
Word Count: 1595