Last Blog Post

When we thought the end was never in sight and now it is here! This is our last blog. It feels very nice :) it is somewhat relieving. It’s a signal that school is almost over but finals are very near. This class has helped me out a lot more than I had expected. I am really glad I found out about the smartthinking website to submit papers for editing. It’s a very helpful tool that I recommend to anyone who did not try it. Since I have another two years in college before I get my Bachelors Degree, I figure this website will come pretty handy to future classes.
This class has helped my writing skills greatly. It shows when I feel confident about a paper and get a good grade on it. I have been very successful in this class. All the extra work we had to do like the blogging, discussion posts, group activities, other side activities, EL questions, and other assignments (although sometimes they seemed pointless)have helped my writing skill s and my critically thinking skills. It was cool to hear other people’s opinions and to collaborate on assignments. It really takes away a lot of the agony when being assigned a project. Having partners in a project really relieves the stress. Thanks for whoever I was put in a group with to help complete an assignment. It was relieving to know I could rely on my classmates to help complete a project.
It was great to share ideas and opinions about topics and assignments with my classmates. It helped me become more open minded to other opinions and understand the reasons behind them. I have become more tolerant of others ideas and opinions that conflict with mine.
Well, since school is almost done for this semester that means finals are fast approaching. Since I have five classes that means, five finals. Lucky me right. I just wanted to wish every good luck on their finals and hopefully we all end this class with a good grade: ) Well good luck and have a happy holidays.
Thanks Jennifer for a productive semester and contributing to my education. Your teaching is greatly appreciated. Happy Holidays!!

Response to my first blog

I think critically thinking is much much more than what I wrote in my first blog. Thinking critically is being able to see beneath the surface of what you are analyzing. It is being able to understand, using your current knowledge and applying it, to what is being analyzed. Analyzing things is a crucial part in being able to critically think about something.
In my first blog “I wrote that my habits are reflected when it comes to reading and thinking critically about something. When it comes to my life, I feel when I think critically about things it is easier than when I read books or other sorts of writings. When analyzing books or other writings I usually end up doubting myself saying “That’s probably wrong”. I am never confident in whether or not I truly get the concept or the underlying ideas of a book or any kind of writing. Hopefully this class will help me think critically and better analyze concepts of writings and writing itself.” My opinion has changed in some ways. When I critically think about my work in school it helps me better understand the concepts. I can critically think more effectively due to the classes I have taken this semester, giving most of the credit to this class and my art class. Also, now when I read books and writings I can analyze them with confidence and trust my critical thinking skills to better understand them. This class has helped me a lot in sharpening up my critical thinking skills.
In my first blog, I wrote that analyzing things includes observing things. My thoughts on this have changed. When I analyze things, mostly my school work, I think of how I can approach it. I think of all the necessary outcomes and all of its details and keep that in mind while trying to approach it. Analyzing something does not just involve looking at it but applying knowledge to it, exploring it much more than just its surface.
I previously wrote that I analyze the media and how they display the view of what people should look like. I think this is still true in that the media represents women as being thin. This is true, yet, it doesn’t take much to figure that out. All in all, we all analyze and critically think every day. Thanks to this class I can do that more efficiently.

6 Page Research Paper...My Favorite!

My first thought when I saw the “RLit Research Paper” title was another essay? Then I saw how many pages it had to be and starting thinking that eventually I would have to do this paper no matter how long I put it off. It is bittersweet knowing this is the last paper but has to be six full pages.
I honestly dread writing research papers. Once we were assigned one and I looked at the topics they had to be on and my anxiety kicked in. I knew that it was coming sooner or later though. Every time I think of my paper and how far I am on it, I just think of the word stress. So far my research paper has not been started. I am starting it today though by finding sources and creating a sort of outline I plan to follow. I am still in the process of reading the other book. I chose to do the writing prompt that included the Lolita book. It is interesting so far. I have no idea when I plan on starting to actually write my paper. I am aiming to do it the day before Thanksgiving. I might start it on Thanksgiving so I do not pick at the food that is being made so I am actually hungry for the dinner. (Ha-ha). Other than that my essay is coming along just fine so far.
I tend to procrastinate when I do my work (that doesn’t just apply for this class). It pressures me into finishing because it has to be due soon, so, I get it done under pressure. I think that runs in the family though because my sister is exactly the same way. We will both be sitting at the table doing homework at eleven at night. It does not help that we sit there and talk to each other or goof around. I think my plan on starting my paper the day before or the day of Thanksgiving is a good one. My sister will be gone for Las Vegas and she won’t be there to distract me.
The difficulty I am having is finding other sources that will be relevant to my paper. I am not sure if my sources will incorporate smoothly with my paper. That is one of my biggest obstacles I think I will face once it comes the time. If anybody has any helpful ways they use to organize their paper or an outline they follow that they find helpful. Do not hesitate to share with me : ) I always am in need of improving my essay writing skills.

Communication Styles

I am not much of a communicator through the internet. I don’t have a MySpace, Twitter, Facebook, etc. The only I thing I do have is this blogging account which I would have never signed up for if it wasn’t for this class. I communicate a lot through text message though which is like my writing style if I were to use online communication sites. My writing style is sort of unique because I use acronyms for certain words or I abbreviate some, but that is for text messaging only. When I compose emails to teachers about school, my writing is professional and has correct etiquette I guess you would say.
When it comes to communicating with family and friends I do not use proper language all the time. But who usually does these days? I know one of the big issues people are talking about is how they are worried about younger generations and the way they talk. With advanced technology, these generations text or IM with slang or acronyms. This transfers over to everyday living with students using this incorrect language in class. I think that not being able to talk in perfect grammar all the time is only human. We adapt to what things are “cool” or what is easiest at the time. It is interesting to see how things slowly change and evolve in society.
When it comes to my communication style, I tell stories or information that is straight to the point. My sister on the other hand, when she tells a story she doesn’t leave out any details. She will tell you a ten minutes story that really could have been about two. She will tell you every minor detail and every single word said. She is a good story teller but when she has a story to tell you be prepared to be there a while. If I am doing something and she has to tell me a story I usually tell her wait until I am done and then she can talk (haha). When I tell a story I just tell the necessary major details. When I get super excited about something and I want to tell someone that is when I leave in every detail. That is where I confuse people too, I tell a story and while I am thinking it in my head I say the major stuff assuming the other person already knows what I am talking about. So leaving in some minor details is not too bad.
I would have to say my communication style is different than anybody else’s. I think everybody is unique in how they portray themselves through words. That is how we distinguish ourselves from others; we use our own kind of language that everyone understands.

All that work for something

I admit I am a poor essay writer. If I write a good essay it takes a lot of hard work and dedication. When it comes to essay writing and dedication, I just can’t seem to find much motivation for it. When I took English 101 I learned A LOT of writing skills from my professor. I am not sure if it was because we wrote about six essays in her class or if she really taught me stuff I didn’t know. I think it could be a mixture of both. I am thankful though for learning so much in her class because I really feel like I left her class with good knowledge on writing. After taking that class, I had the courage to take this class “Critical Approach Read and Write Research”. All I was thinking was “this is the class I have to really focus on in order to keep up a good grade.” This class has been a lot of work but it is not as bad as I thought it would be. I am keeping up with all the work. When it came time to the first essay I did a lot better than I thought. I think that was due to the extra reading and writing assignments we took part in class. Doing group work and discussion boards really help express your ideas and see what other people think. Group work really helps a lot because you see the knowledge your group has about the topic and you see how much the other group knows about their topic. All this helps me to better understand the assignment and what we are talking about in the assignment. Essay writing is one of the ways in which I have seen my writing improve. PDR’s are a huge help in my writing skills because it gives you another view point on how your essay is being read. I really value what my classmates have to say about my papers. Their input is important because it gives you an eye to point out the little things. After this class is over, I HOPE my writing skills and impeccable and over the top! Since that is not very realistic, I just wish my writing is at the level in which it needs to be in order to be successful in future class and college academics.
I think by doing all the extra work in the class helps improve my critical thinking writing and reading skills. By doing essays, blogging, blog responses, group work, discussion boards, and all the extra things we do makes a quantum change in our writing skills.

Editorial Cartoons

Editorial cartoons play an important part in American culture. I remember when I was little my grandma would save the Sunday paper cartoons so I could read them. I think these small editorial cartoons effectively communicate things going on in society. Some of these editorial cartoons put a little humor or seriousness into the issues or topics going on in society. Also, they emphasize little things or dare to go where people don’t want to. They depict topics that are discussed in everyday life and things people dare no talk about or make fun of. Cartoons say what people are really thinking, all thoughts aside. Daryl Cagle is one of the well known professional cartoonists who focus on emphasizing things going on in society. For example, Cagle’s recent cartoons consist of the H1N1 swine flu virus and how people are reacting towards it. Also, there are cartoons on the recent balloon boy, Obama, Halloween, and more. I think these editorial cartoons help people better understand the issues going on. By adding a humorous twist to the topic it can help people better understand the issue and also gives people a look more on the bright side of things. Meaning that, people can take such a serious issue as the H1N1 virus, or swine flu, and see the humorous side of it. It gives people reassurance in that everything can be looked at in a humorous sort of view. One of the funny cartoons Cagle has come up with is about Halloween. It shows four little kids dressed up for Halloween with their little candy buckets and they are standing in front of a house that has a “for sale” sign on it. On the “for sale” sign it says foreclosed. As these kids are standing in front of this house they are all in a circle looking puzzled or upset. The caption under the cartoon is a voice of one of the kids and it says “Going door to door isn’t working. It’s time to reevaluate our business model.” It shows the topic of Halloween (coming up just next week) and the state of the economy. This is a perfect example of how cartoonists depict things we never really would have thought of. Like kids having to skip so many homes because of all the foreclosures in our neighborhoods. It’s funny yet shows the true reality we are facing. There are plenty more editorial cartoons on Daryl Cagle’s website that are very funny. If you want to check it out it is www.cagle.com .
I think cartoons help alleviate the stress or worry we have about current issues or topics going on. They help see the funny side of things. I think they are even funnier because when we read these cartoons we always think in our heads “very true” and let out a little laugh.

Freedom of Speech

I am proud to have the rights given by the First Amendment. (Actually I am proud to have the rights of all the amendments but for the sake of the chapter I am just going to focus on the First Amendment.) Given the right of free speech is one of the biggest freedoms people can have (along with many other rights). Although I have the freedom of speech, there are some things that I would not say. I grew up being taught that you should treat others how you would want to be treated. I would not disrespect others by using sexist, racist, or another abusive language. To me, this kind of talk is unnecessary and disrespectful. So, with that said, the prompt asks if you would sign an agreement that asks you to refrain from using racist, sexist, and otherwise abusive language on campus in order to be accepted to the school. Personally, I think why wouldn’t someone sign an agreement saying they would not use racist, sexist, or abusive language? Is it really that hard to be respectful to other peoples sexuality, race, gender, or just in general, be respectful? For me, this agreement would be easy for me to sign. Although it may be restricting my freedom of speech, I do not talk down to anyone’s sexuality, race, or gender. I do not talk down to anyone period. The prompt asks to weight the social benefits of this agreement. I think this agreement will reduce prejudices and make people accept one another. It is really important that people do not judge each other. Prejudging is what affects our world today. People still live with prejudices and cannot accept others for who they are. Which is sad. But that is life. Not everyone has the same opinion about issues or ideas. People grow up learning things differently. That is something I can understand. But what I do not understand is why people would put others down because of their race, gender, or sexuality. It is disrespectful and unnecessary. So the agreement would be something I would sign because I would have no problem abiding by those rules. Not only would I sign it, I would encourage others to sign it as well. I am totally for freedom of expression just as long as it is in a tasteful way and under necessary conditions.