Thursday, January 26, 2012

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! :)

Tuesday, January 17, 2012

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.

Monday, January 16, 2012

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!