Blogging Blog Post

Yes! I really enjoyed using a blog in this class to do assignments. This is my first experience with blogging and I wasn't so sure about it at first, but I really learned to enjoy it throughout the semester. In fact, I am even considering making my own personal blog after this semester is over. Crazy, I know. I enjoyed posting assignments on the blog because it seemed more convenient than turning in a written assignment and it was cool to see what everyone else had to say in their posts.

I really enjoyed reading what my classmates had to say on their blogs. It was nice to get a feel of the different ideas that everyone had on different issues that they had encountered with the different papers that we wrote throughout the semester. So in that way, blogging was very beneficial. I also feel like it helped me get to know everyone in the class a little better and it helped me see that everyone has a unique voice and style that comes across in their writing. So, overall I really enjoyed using a blog for this class and I honestly am going to miss writing these little blog posts each week. Here's to you, little writing blog! 

Analysis of A Website

Alright, so the website that I chose to analyze is nutrition.gov, which I thought was ineffective. Here it goes:
-Alignment: This website uses center alignment which is gives the website a very formal look. I guess it is a .gov website so it should be more formal looking, but this website also is very boring to look at because of the use of center alignment. On the other hand, everything is aligned with something else in a very logical manner and the information is organized very clearly, which is good. I just think that they could have experimented more with left and right alignment to make the home page more interesting to look at.
-Contrast: This web page doesn't really place emphasis on any certain text or image, so my eyes aren't drawn to anything right off the bat. Since nothing really catches my attention by being different and standing out, I don't know what information is the most important. They also don't use colors or fonts that really stand out and catch my attention.
-Proximity: I guess I kind of talked about this aspect with alignment, but the website does a great job of grouping information together and grouping it together in a very logical manner. In that way, I think it is effective. But also, nothing really stands out on the page, so it makes it difficult to know what is the most important information on the page.
-Repetition: There is not a whole lot of repetition in the design of this website. They kind of repeat colors and fonts, but it is mostly dull colors such as navy blue and gray and boring kinds of fonts that aren't very interesting to look at. There is a lot of text on the page as well, which doesn't help it to look unified and simple.
-Composition: I thought that the placement of the picture on the web page could have been better in order to create a better visual effect. It is pretty small and it is centered near the top of the page. I also thought that they could use a better picture to correlate with nutrition that could better represent the purpose of the website. I don't think that the "rule of thirds" was applied here, but I might be wrong.
*I feel like a pessimist now after writing that, but I really do love nutrition! I just happen to think that their website is ineffective haha.

Solutions and Websites

After my conference yesterday, I was able to fix my issue with the organization of my paper. Natalie gave me some great advice about how to deal with organization. She said to copy and paste each of my topic sentences from my paragraphs into a separate word document and then see if they all made sense and flowed nicely. It really helped me to be able to distinguish what ideas worked well together and places where I needed to change my flow of ideas. Also, to help with not sounding redundant in my paper, I found some specific examples that I can include in my argument.

Effective Websites:
http://www.ae.com/web/index.jsp
http://mormon.org/
http://www.apple.com/
 http://www.bettycrocker.com/

Ineffective Websites:
 http://www.nutrition.gov/
 http://nccam.nih.gov/
 http://mhs.d321.k12.id.us/
 http://www.foxnews.com/

Not Patchwriting/Issue Paper Struggles

The meaning of the word 'myth' has changed and adapted throughout time based on people and circumstances. What used to be something of cultural importance is now used to reject another idea that seems to be invalid based on other ideals (Bacchilega 25). 

The hardest part in the writing process for me is making sure that my ideas make sense in the order of my paper. Having a strong appeal to logos is a lot more difficult than I anticipated. Also, in some spots in my paper it feels like I am getting repetitive with my ideas, which could become a problem.

Researching at the Library

Monday's class was extremely helpful in learning about how to start researching. Getting starting on research for research papers can be intimidating, but learning about the numerous resources that are available for our use made it not seem like such a daunting task. It was very cool to learn that the library has a whole page dedicated to Writing 150. I never would have known that before. Also, it was very beneficial to learn that there are several databases that you can find through the library's home page. In the past, I had just used one database and sometimes it can be hard to find adequate information when you are just using one database to find sources. I have already found some great scholarly and peer reviewed journals and articles while searching for the short amount of time that we had in class on Monday. I am anxious to start looking for more sources. The only concern that I have is that I won't be able to find books that relate very well to my topic. Hopefully I will be able to find some beneficial information that isn't just found online. Also, I would just like to mention that I felt super high-tech while using an i-pad and sitting in those nifty little desks :)

Issues Paper Proposal

Initial Stance: Reality television promotes degrading morals and behavior to young-adult audiences.
 
I decided to choose this topic because I think it is very kairotic and it is an interesting topic to discuss with others.  It's not what the topic that I was going to choose originally, but the more I thought about it, the more I decided that I could probably write a research paper about it. I think that as I focus and really narrow in on my topic that it will be easier to find reliable information about the topic.

Some questions that I hope to answer with this topic are:
What kind of values does Reality TV appeal to?
How does the behavior that Reality TV portrays effect the young adult/teenage audiences that tune in to watch?

I am not completely sold on this topic because my feelings are kind of mixed about the whole issue. I think that some so-called "Reality TV" programs serve a good purpose and have good messages to send to viewers (eg. Extreme Home Makeover). On the other hand, some Reality TV shows (eg. Jersey Shore and other MTV shows) are extremely degrading and promote bad morals and ethics to those who watch. I will just have to be specific enough that I can be persuasive to the audience.

20 Interests

1. Effect of cell phones on the way we communicate
2. College Athletics
3. Product placement in movies
4. Childhood obesity
5. Regulation of school lunches
6. Genetically modified foods
7.Music-sharing programs on the internet
8. Facebook
9. Fast food
10. Fluoride in city water
11. Vaccines
12. Decline of newspapers
13. Standardized testing
14. Rating system on television programs
15. Cyberbullying
16. Nutrition
17. Exercise in schools
18. Steroids and professional sports
19. Modern music
20. Animal rights

Peer Review/Movies

1. I will revise my introduction paragraph so I introduce the author and the audience earlier in my paper.
2. I need to condense some sentences or combine them in order to make my paper flow better.
3. I will fix my conclusion so that it doesn't start with "in conclusion." :)

I have a lot of favorite movies, but if I had to pick five they would be:
1. Wild Hearts Can't Be Broken
2. Pride & Prejudice
3. Elf
4. Ever After
5. Dan in Real Life
 

Love Letter from Ken to Barbie- Biblical/Book of Mormon Style

Dearest Barbie,
My love, when shall I see thy beautiful face? Behold, I, Ken, know that thou art the most beautiful girl in all the land. Thy gorgeous golden hair dost shine and blow in the wind as thou dost drive thy pink corvette around these lands. Thou art so fashionable and all that art around thee notice thy sense of style. Thou art an example to those around you and thou art so talented in many different ways. And now, I speak concerning things which I have said before which is that I know that our love is strong and mighty. And now is not our love so powerful that it can overcome all of the foes that we must face? Behold, I say unto you, yea, it is. Our love shall triumph all the foes. I will loveth thee forever.

Until we meet again,

Your love and heart's true desire,

Ken

Love Similes

1. His resolve was like a lollipop, it was sticky and broke under pressure.
2. Their love was like snow on a summer day, confusing and unreal.
3. Her eyes were as green as a tomato before it's ripe.
4. His heart was as full as his stomach after eating dinner at Chuck-A-Rama.
5. He misses her like a balding man misses his hair.

Transgression Letters

Dear Judge,
I am terribly upset to admit this, but today I just received my fourth speeding ticket of the month and my license was revoked. I understand the reasoning behind my first tickets, but the one I received today seems a bit extreme. I was simply going 2 miles over the speed limit (which was 35 mph) while trying to keep up with the flow of traffic. Cars kept passing me while I was going the actual speed limit, so I decided to speed up so I wouldn't be a hazard to those around me. At the time, I believed that my actions were justified. But right as I sped up a little, an officer decided to pull me over and give me a ticket. I would very much appreciate it if you could reconsider the penalty for this action. I appreciated all of your honorable efforts to uphold the law. Thank you for your time.
Sincerely,
Avarie Skinner

Mom,
Hi Mom! I hope that you are having a wonderful day! So, I kind of have a funny story for you. You might not laugh right away, but I promise that eventually you will think that this story is quite hilarious. So today I was driving back from work, just like I always do on Tuesdays and I was going to speed limit (just like I always do, well, usually). Then I realized, in the middle of singing along to my favorite song, that all these cars were passing me. I couldn't very well be one of those cars that everyone rolls their eyes at and then passes in a mad huff, so I decided just to speed up a bit so I could go with the flow of traffic. After my slight acceleration, a police officer pulled me over and gave me a ticket. Oh, and since this is my fourth ticket this month they took away my license as well. But don't worry! I have it all taken care of. I have written a letter to the judge to convince him to let me off. It will be fine. You're the greatest, Mom! I miss you!
Love,
Avarie

Hey guys,
So, it looks like I won't be able to drive the carpool anymore. At least not for awhile. You see, I got a ticket today and apparently it was one too many because they took my license away. It was totally uncalled for too. I was literally going two miles over the speed limit of 35 (which should really be 50) . I don't understand why he pulled me and my little Honda civic over when there was a new, red Ferrari that sped past at lightening speed. It's just my luck I guess. I'm sorry that I have to bail on you this week, but it should be all taken care of by next week. I sent a letter to the judge, so we'll see what happens with that. Thanks for understanding.
Your pal,
Avarie 

Found Poem

This is from a recipe for chicken wings that I found in my slow cooker cookbook. Here it is:

Brown wings

            in oil

                        in the

skillet,

or brush wings

with

                        oil

and

            broil,

watching

                                    carefully

so they do not

                                                                        burn.

Combine remaining

                                                            Ingredients

in 5-6 1/2-quart

                                    slow cooker.

Add

                        Wings. Stir

            gently

so that they are all

                        well covered

with

                        sauce.

Cover.

                                                            Cook on

Low 4-6

                        hours,

or until

                                                tender.

 

Critical Reading Questions

"Dear Students: Don't Let College Unplug Your Future" By Gideon Burton
1. In this article, the author's intent is to convince his audience that college is behind the times when it comes to using new media effectively and that the structure  He also wants to convince his audience that they will never be prepared for the the "real world"  after graduation if they don't start taking full advantage of what new media has to offer. He also suggests that using and taking advantage of new media will be worth far more than a college diploma ever will.

2. This author definitely uses ethos to establish credibility in his writing. He mentions that he is a college professor and this is an argument that professors don't usually make when addressing students. He also does a great job of using imagery and humor to appeal to his audience. For instance, "<image of university magazine with supercomputer and smiley nerd>".  I think that imagery and humor were very effective rhetorical tools to use considering that his audience is a bunch of college students. Also, I don't know if this is a rhetorical tool or not but I noticed that he capitalizes a lot of phrases and words for emphasis throughout the article.

3. I think that this article was effective, to a point. It definitely made me want to go out there and use more of the resources that new media and technology have to offer. However, I wasn't completely convinced that my use of Facebook or blogging would someday be more valuable than a diploma. That seems like a stretch. I agree with the fact that colleges should do a better job of incorporating such media into their curriculum, but I wouldn't go as far as to criticize the very academic structure of a university.   

Errors and Peer Reviews

 Errors
1. "...your eyes fall up several titles of textbooks..."
Problem: I wrote up, instead of upon.
"...your eyes fall upon several titles of textbooks..."
2. "After asking the bookstore why some classes at BYU required custom edition textbooks..."
Problem: I changed tenses in the middle of this sentence. The word required should be changed to require.
"After asking the bookstore why some classes at BYU require custom edition textbooks..."
3. "For instance, I know several students that search amazon.com for the best deals on the books they need each semester and when book-sell-back comes around, they actually make money selling back their books."
Problem: This is a run-on sentence and should be separated into two parts.
"For instance, I know several students that search amazon.com for the best deals on the books they need each semester. By the time book-sell-back comes around, they actually make money selling back their books."
4. "...the textbook buying process can be a little less dreadful of an experience and an experience that won't break the bank."
Problem: I repeated the word experience twice in the same sentence.
"the textbook buying process can be a little less dreadful and be an experience that won't break the bank."
5. "It's that time of year again; textbook purchasing time!"
Problem: I need to change the semi-colon to a comma because it is linking both an independent and a dependent clause.
"It's that time of year again, textbook purchasing time!" 

Peer Reviews
I am usually not a big fan of peer reviews. From my past experiences, I found them to be very unproductive and a waste of time. I also usually have a hard time coming up with suggestions or comments to write on the papers because I feel like I don't know any more than the writer's do. However, the peer review that we had on Wednesday in class was one of the most beneficial peer reviews that I have ever been apart of. The comments that the members of my group gave were very helpful and are definitely helping to improve my writing. Thanks guys! :)

Blog Post #1: Fallacies & Ethos, Pathos, and Logos

Fallacy
http://www.uvsj.com/police-investigate-couple-who-left-baby-at-home-during-church/article_4b2428ba-4157-11e1-b11f-001871e3ce6c.html#axzz1jmb4HkPV

This article is from the Rexburg Standard Journal and talks about how a couple left their baby at home while they attended church. The part that I wanted to focus on as a fallacy was the quote by the police captain: "It was a dumb decision they made, the couple ought to be ashamed....These aren't bad parents, they made bad choices."
This is an example of a hasty generalization fallacy. The officer quickly generalized that even though these parents made a bad choice, that they aren't bad parents. There is not a lot of evidence backing up this generalization and coming to a conclusion like the one stated requires more evidence. Since all the reader knows from the article is that the parents left their baby at home, they need to have more information about the situation to be convinced that the couple are not bad parents.
Ethos, Pathos, and Logos: Pride & Prejudice 

Ethos: An example of ethos is when Mr. Collins mentions his connection to the de Bourgh family. By mentioning this, he is trying to establish credibility and nobility for himself.
Another example is when he mentions that Lady Catherine de Bourgh told him to find a proper wife. By saying this, he is establishing credibility for himself and for asking for Elizabeth's hand in marriage.

Pathos: An example of pathos is when he mentions that one of the reasons for him marrying her is that it would "add very greatly to my happiness." By saying this, Mr.Collins is trying to appeal to Elizabeth's emotions by talking about his own emotions toward the matter of marriage. Another example of pathos is when Mr. Collins says that Elizabeth's "modesty adds to her other perfections." By saying this, he is trying to flatter Elizabeth and appeal to her emotions by complimenting her.

Logos: Mr. Collins is using logos when he talks about how he will inherit Elizabeth's father's estate someday. He makes the logical argument that it makes sense for Elizabeth to marry him because he will someday have possession of the estate. Another example of logos is when Mr. Collins mentions that it is a "right thing for every clergyman to set the example of matrimony in his parish." By stating this, he is making the logical argument that it would be beneficial for him to get married so he could set a good example to others.

About Me

Hello! I am definitely new to the blogging scene, but here goes nothing....
My name is Avarie and I am from Idaho. I'm originally from the northern part of the state but for the past few years my family has been living in Rexburg, Idaho. Since I am a native Idahoan, my favorite food is obviously potatoes! But I really love any type of food in general, which is probably why I am a pre-dietetics major! I love food and nutrition and I would love to someday be able to help those who need help making healthy choices when it comes to eating. I also enjoy all sports- both playing and watching! I grew up playing basketball, volleyball, soccer, and running sprints in track. My favorite is probably basketball. I enjoy being outdoors as well, whether it be boating, hiking, biking, or running.

I would consider myself to be somewhat of an athlete, but I also enjoy music. I don't play any instruments, but I do love to sing. I especially love jazz music, but you can often find me listening to a variety of different stations on Pandora, ranging from The Decemberists to Justin Bieber. (Please don't judge me haha.) A few other random things about me: I like the Food Network channel, hot chocolate, and playing a rousing game of Yahtzee. Well, that's me in a nutshell. Can't wait to get to know you guys better, see you around!