Blog 10!

So what did I really learn in English 102?  I learned that Owl Purdue is the best place to go to learn how to cite a source.  I have always used the Sons of Citation.  The Sons of Citation website is not always correct so I now use Owl Purdue and have found it to be more helpful.  Remembering that if it is not my own thought, I must cite is critical.  I certainly don’t want to be a “thief”.

            I have learned that if I use active verbs my paper will have a better impact on my audience.  Remembering to not use you & one will not offend my audience.  However I can start a sentence with I.  But I should not use, I think or I feel.  I should just state whatever I want to say because it is ok to have an opinion and to state that opinion. 

            One of the things that I like to use and should not is a contraction.  Contractions make it easier to use the wrong verb form.  A contraction also does not increase my word count.  I need to avoid them.

            When writing a paper, I should slow down and never ever turn in my rough draft.  My rough draft is a work in progress.  I should expect to have to rewrite a paper a couple of times before I turn it in.  The writing process has many stages, prewriting, drafting, rewriting, peer editing, final drafts and reflections are all the stages a writer should be taking.

            The most important thing I learned that if it is not my thought, I must cite it!

Blog 9

Meeting the goal of taking an article and stating my opinion at first was difficult.  I found it difficult doing the first paper because I wanted to just talk about the article but never really state my opinion.  I did not finish revising that paper.  But I will be finishing it a little later today.  Now that I have practice and a better knowledge, the revision should be easier.

Remembering that I am writing for someone is a major factor to take into consideration.  A writer must know their audience.  If I know my audience I can make any topic interesting.  The formality of a paper also will apply to my audience.  I would definitely write different if I was writing for one of my family members verses a member of Congress. 

Taking a resource, reading it and citing it is what makes a paper work.  I always thought that if you reworded something you didn’t have to cite it.  I sure did find out that I was so wrong.  In the critical analysis paper I found this the most difficult.  Because the paper is regarding a movie, I continually asked myself, should I cite this or not.  I am hoping I have mastered this skill in my writing.  Again it is another paper I have not completely revised but I will be finishing it today.

While I think I have mastered most of the goals, there is always room for improvement.  I have found it frustrating that I could take the placement testing and test way above college level because I can recognize better writing if given options but seem unable to write “cold turkey”.      

At this point I have to finish fixing my papers today because tomorrow is the due date to turn them all in.  I have found that because I do not enjoy writing, I will find every excuse under the sun not to revise my papers. 

Blog 8

The research paper has been difficult to write.  Sometimes I feel like I am just rambling,  or I feel like I am rambling so that I can meet the page requirement. 

Since we have gone over the TS/CD paragraph structure it has helped with writing my paper.  I have been checking to make sure that I have enough information in a paragraph to support my CM.

Also, using “you” is so common to write since that is how most people talk.  Since we discussed it is offensive to the writer’s audience, it is helped me to remember to avoid it.  I still like the verbs is, are was and were.  Again they are a part of everyday dialogue so it has been hard to avoid them.

Lastly, I think the most difficult is that I want to make sure that I have completely backed my argument.  I get it that it is ok to have an opinion and I can just say it.  But have I completely argued my topic to make my paper the best it can be? 

Humor & Style

       When I think of humor, I think of the ability to laugh at myself.  The ability to say it's ok you made a mistake pick yourself up and go on with life.  Or oh my that was really dumb but it's ok you can laugh and go on with life.
     Yet at the same time humor is going and seeing a funny movie with my family.  The ability to be able to forget the crap of life and just laugh is so important.  I think have a good laugh with friends is the best medicine.
     When I think of the word style, I think of fashion.  What is the appropriate hem line right now?  Are the suit coats long or short?  Are sleeves tight or flowing?  And what is the latest hair style, is it long, short, curly or straight?
     The article on "cocaine" that we read and wrote about, I thought that person should be on America's dumbest criminals show.  How can people be so stupid? 

Blog #6

Ok so once again my blog is late.  I did not check it until tonight, (Sunday) so I had no idea it was due on Friday.  So here it goes........The critical analysis was on the movie "Beautiful Girls".   I found it very hard to write an analysis and not a summary.  It is hard to write a critique.  Unfortunately I did not like this movie.  And because I did not like it, I have found the assignment to be that much harder.  So I need to take a different perspective and write what I think and why I think the way I do.

I think to fix my paper, I will need to cite more stuff.  I never realized that you have to site so much.  I don't understand if you are changing something to your own words why it has to be cited.  And I still like to use the word "you" and should not.  I have to remember it is ok to have an opinoin and to just say it.  So I will work on rewriting this paper because I am using it as a learning tool.

I have found this to be a difficult paper to write and then rewrite.  I am concerned about writing the research paper.  I am struggling with the "why" and "when" something is cited.  Without having a clear understanding of citing it will be hard to write an excellent paper.

Time to work on the rewrite of "Beautiful  Girls". 

Blog #5

     First of all, I had to go back and figure out what in the world was the Evaluative Summary that was assigned.  I had to go back and find the assignment and then the paper.  It was a little over a month ago and I couldn't remember a thing about it.  Which makes it a little tough to blog about. 
     I do think my paper could have a better flow to it.  My opinion is stated several times in my paper.  I stated several times I could agree with part of the article but not all.  I do believe that it is ok to not agree with everything.  This is what makes the world go round.  It would be pretty boring if we all agreed on everything.
     I did use the verbs is, are, was and were a lot.  But I am confused when it seems that the book tells us to use them.  And now in our rewrite we are not to use them.  UGH!  I am the type of person to write a paper and be done with it.  I understand good writers will write something and then rewrite again.  I guess, I fit the category of write and get it over with.  Yes I am whining!
     I will take a look further at my paper and attempt to rewrite.  Please help with the the due date of the revision as Oct. 19th is a Tuesday not a Friday, (oops).  Thanks!

Research Paper Free Write

My outside interests are hanging out with friends and family, reading and scrapbooking.  I do not belong to any extra clubs.  I work full time, go to school part time and take care of my family. 

     I hate watching the news because it is always gloom and doom.  There is nothing good about it.  I always end up feeling depressed after watching it.   I don’t mind listening to some of the news on the radio, but only for a few minutes because it annoys me.

     When hanging out with friends and family, we discuss raising our children, some of the joys of them as well as the difficulties we are having.  We give each other encouragement and sometimes advice if asked for.    We discuss what is going on with our work, if it is busy or slow and if the bosses are treating us fairly.  I am a supervisor, and I find it helpful to discuss some of the dilemmas that I have with a neutral party.

     Some of our couple friends work in a factory as does my husband so that gives them a lot to talk about.  I work for a financial institution so I don’t always have much to say about the factory.  In the past year, we have discussed a lot regarding the economy.  Many of us were all going through hard times and are slowly starting to see an improvement. 

     Friends and family discuss health issues with us.  They are all dealing with some type of difficulty.  Now of us make our situation to be any worse than the other person’s.  We all realize that we are dealing with something and just encourage each other. 

     Everyday I think about getting through the work day.  Dealing with each situation as it comes up and try to keep telling myself that it is just a job.  And that I am going to school to move on with my life.  I think about my children and husband.  Wondering if they will find a cure to help my husband with his bone disease (no, I do not want to write about it).  I think about my parents, mother in law and grandparents with their health issues, wondering how they are doing.  I am a very family driven person.  I tend to do what is best for everyone else before I do for myself. 

     I enjoy watching “The Doctors” show on television and looking up medical research.  I also watch sports with my family. 

     Family and friends are the most important in my life.  I tend to try to be as positive as I possibly can.  I like to encourage others and not focus on me.