Research Paper Process Reflection [Categories: Where to Invade Next, Research Paper, Reflection]4/18/2018 Who did you work with to compose your research paper? Was this a good approach?
Unfortunately I worked on the research paper without consulting any one else. I did however rely on the resources from Dr. Mangini’s web page. I found the links under the research paper category to help me cite my work in (almost) correct MLA citation. I reviewed several research papers written by students in past semesters to get a feel for formatting as well. This was a decent approach. I wish that I had submitted my paper to Smarthinking to see areas that I could have improved on before completing my first draft. I will probably use this resource for the second draft. What rhetorical mode and genre are you using? Argumentation is the rhetorical mode. I chose a topic, developed a point of view, researched the topic and formulated an argument to persuade the reader(s) and made my thesis seem like the most logical solution to the problem. The genre is MLA Research Paper. The Modern Language Association has established a comprehensive system for authors to borrow existing literary work and integrate it into a composition of their own. This system allows readers to access further information regarding the topic as well as citing where the information came from and who intellectually owns the information. When did you write this project? Good approach? I started writing this project about a week before it was due. I chose my topic shortly after we finished watching the film. I spent a lot of time contemplating my point of view and my argument for something that I personally had strong feelings about. It was great to explore the topic through my own inner dialogue but I think I should have started writing sooner. Where did you write this project? Good approach? I wrote this project from home. It was a good approach for me because there was a lot of research involved and I found it helpful to get messy with it, like physically messy. I scrabbled a ton of things on paper and had three or four word documents open at a time just to jot notes or ideas down so I wouldn't forget them. I found an overwhelming amount of relevant information and the chaos of this process helped to grind out a more linear product. I couldn't have been more expressive anywhere else. Why did you choose to write about your chosen topic? Good choice? I wrote about the lack of paid time off for workers in the United States. I chose this topic because I have spent years working in heavy industry and I see a lot of people who work as laborers and they are treated like expendables. I felt passionate about the subject so I chose to write about it because there are many people who work hard and they deserve a break equally as much if not more than everyone else. I felt motivated to write about the topic because it's something that I have strong personal beliefs about. It was a great choice. How did it feel to write this argument ("during, after, and since")? Do you have any "if only" moments that can help you revise the draft? It was empowering to write this research paper. As I was finding facts and writing them, I gave me a sense that I was right and “they” were wrong. After I submitted my first draft I could only think of ways to make my argument stronger. Since, I have been thinking of changing my tone of writing to come across as more humble. I think that may improve the ethos of the work. How will you revise your argument? I am planning to dig deeper and make some more discoveries about what other people are saying about the subject. I think looking at the matter more from the opposing viewpoint could help me understand the topic and allow me to approach my argument in a more holistic manner.
0 Comments
Where to Invade Next, Michael Moore, February 12, 2016, https://www.amazon.com/Where-Invade-Next-Michael-Moore/dp/B01EGW9EOU
Where to Invade Next is a documentary film in which various countries are visited by Michael Moore to understand how governments handle education, workers rights, women’s rights, prison systems, and health care. He compares the principles of these countries to those of the United States to highlight the fact that we have a lot of areas for improvement. Moore provides very important perspective on the issues that are highlighted. His aim is to inform the audience of issues that are present and shows that there may be many more solutions than we thought. The film includes many sources of statistical data that show the differences that are present and help support his argument. He uses humor as a way to keep the viewers engaged but in a way that shows a desperate need for change. Are We There, Joe Robinson, June 2008, http://search.ebscohost.com.libdb.dccc.edu/login.aspx?direct=true&db=aph&AN=31876672&site=ehost-live This article is from a periodical called Sierra Club that focuses on Environmentalism and outdoor recreation. The article discusses the declining amount of vacations being taken by Americans. It highlights contemporary issues and trends that are causing this phenomenon. There is a lot of information in this article including valuable statistics and interviews that give support to the trend highlighted in the topic of the article. The author makes the topic feel relevant by providing personal stories and experiences. This helps set the tone of the article and allows the reader to relate. I am writing about the lack of vacation time for workers in the United States. This article specifically talks about this issue and integrates statistics that support my argument. The personal accounts of the issue can help readers to relate to the argument. Take time off, like it or not, Kaitlin Pitsker, April 2016, http://search.ebscohost.com.libdb.dccc.edu/login.aspx?direct=true&db=aph&AN=113204393&site=ehost-live This is an article that discusses the how employees are so attached to their work that they don’t take vacations. Tech companies and new companies are beginning to require workers to take days off and are calling it “forced vacations”. The source points out how including incentives for employees can help them feel better about taking time off. Gives real world examples of companies allowing more time off. It talks about personal experiences of some to relate to the reader and makes the argument seem more valid. Offers advice to the reader of how to personally handle a situation with employer. This gives the feeling that the author cares about the topic and would like to see things change. The personal experiences could be very useful for my argument. The fact that companies are implementing forced vacations could help the reader to see that this is what many employees and employers alike want. The Benefits of Vacation: Why Letting Employees Off Makes Sense, Sean Pomery, July 2013, https://www.tlnt.com/the-benefits-of-vacation-why-letting-employees-off-makes-so-much-sense/ This article covers the benefits of vacation time for workers, why american workers are afraid to use vacation time and how employers can offer this time to their employees. Research and a report from credible sources is included to back up the claims of the article. The author mentions that he is a business owner which reinforces the fact that other executives may support his argument too. I think this adds to the persuasive effect of the article. He includes several clear bullet points stating claims and provides sources to back them up. I like the fact that the author is a business owner and may be able to tie that into my argument. There is a clear “cause, effect, solution” structure to the article. This offers great perspective and gives clear answers in how to solve some of the issues. I will definitely be using that to persuade readers of my paper to realize that it could be easier than thought by some to enact change. Americans Are Taking More Paid Vacation Days, Rebbeca Greenfield, May 2017, https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2017-05-23/americans-are-taking-more-paid-vacation-days This source brings up the fact that Americans are taking more paid vacation days on average but still are not using all that they are offered. It talks about how the recession affected worker attitudes toward taking time off from work. Workers are afraid to take time off because they don’t want to seem lazy. This source provides information in a clear and concise way. I would like to tie in the recession with my argument and this article provides some insight into the connection of the two. In this blog post I will be summarizing three topics from the documentary Where to Invade Next and developing a research question and an argument for each of the questions. This will help me further analyze the film and develop a topic and argument for my research paper.
Topic #1: Defense spending in the United States. Research Question: Is it viable for the federal government to reduce the defense budget and use those funds for other resources? Argument: The United States spends more on defense than the next eight countries combined. China’s economy ranks second in terms of GDP yet education, social security and transportation all rank in the top ten funding areas. National defense spending in China is less than spending for healthcare or public service. In 2015 the United States congress allocated more than half of discretionary spending to the military. If China can maintain status as a world economic power without spending half of its budget on national defense, the United States congress should be able to figure out how to at least reduce military spending and allocate those funds where they are needed more. Topic# 2: Labor rights. Research Question: Should the US government intervene to give workers more time away from work? Argument: The United States is the only industrialized country without statutory agreements for minimum leave for work. After five minutes of research and simple math, I found that the average number of paid days off for the top nine countries in terms of GDP is 24.8. This includes paid vacation days and public holidays. I think that there is a stigma in America that the government should not mandate paid time off because it will directly affect productivity. If anything, I believe the opposite is true. Topic #3: Prison system reform Research Question: Should private prisons be made illegal? Argument: Private prisons take advantage of prisoners and their families. The two biggest prison corporations in the country made $3.3 billion in 2012 profiting from government payments and prison laborers. A company called Global Tel*Link charges more than a dollar per minute for inmates to talk to their families or friends. Global Tel* Link makes more than $500 million a year from exploiting these people. The reason we have prisons is to rehabilitate offenders, not to make money by exploiting them. I have watched and annotated Michael Moore’s documentary Where to Invade Next. In this blog post I will be summarizing the film and analyzing the rhetorical concepts that Moore employs throughout the production.
In the documentary Where to Invade Next, Michael Moore visits nine countries throughout Europe to examine how these nations handle a variety of social and economic issues. Moore compares these ideals with the current politics in the United States to highlight how different America is from the rest of the world. The film examines labor rights, school meals, sex education, women’s rights, decriminalized drugs and low recidivism. In Italy, law mandates that workers are given ample time off from work including time off after getting married and parental leave. Many Italians understand that stress causes sickness and the government keeps these mandates in place to greatly improve the quality of life for all workers while maintaining productivity and overall happiness in the workplace. Schools in France have very high standards for student meals. Students are provided with healthy nutritional food and lunch periods are an hour long and are approached as an educational tool to teach children proper etiquette and to show the importance of a healthy well balanced diet. Daycare is subsidized by the government and is free for all parents. College is also publicly funded and is practically free. The French government is able to provide these necessities while keeping the tax rate slightly higher that the taxes in the United States. The education system in Finland is ranked as one of the highest in the world. Decades ago it was as bad as American education. Today Finland has one of the shortest school days and shortest school years in the western world. Students are required to complete very little homework and college is practically free. It is illegal in Finland to charge fees for the education system. In Slovenia it is essentially free to go to university. There were large protests when it was proposed that universities would begin charging tuition. Many laws and standard practices were put into effect to protect workers in Germany. German workers are required to work only 36 hours a week. In 1976 a law was passed that required supervisory boards for large companies to include at least fifty percent workers. It is also against the law in Germany to contact an employee while they are on vacation. The Portuguese government has decriminalized all drug use. Posessin is considered a minor misdemeanor. As a result, drug use has declined by fifty percent. The Norwegian government believes that prisoners should retain basic human rights while in prison and also after a prison sentence has been completed. The idea of maintaining the dignity of sentenced criminals has reduced the recidivism rate to twenty percent in Norway, compared to eighty percent in the United States. Tunisian women have been protesting and fighting for their rights since the late 1960’s and played a key role in the Tunisian revolution. Today women’s rights are guaranteed by the constitution and it is considered one of the most progressive in the Arab world. Iceland became the first country to democratically elect a female president in 1980. By law, women must make up forty percent of company boards. It has been proven that when women are more involved in executive roles, corporate governance is greatly improved. It has been noted that companies with three or more women on the board of directors exhibit stronger performance. The overall message of the film is to compare the progressive governance of these countries to the more conservative, profit driven practices in the United States. Government intervention increases quality of life, provides a better standard of living, maintains efficient productivity and generally allows all citizens to lead a more fulfilling and stress free lifestyle. It begs the question, what is preventing us from living by these principles in “the greatest country on Earth”? Rhetorical Analysis How does Michael Moore establish ethos? Moore’s confidence throughout the film provides the viewer with a sense that he is experienced and well versed in the topics of discussion. Moore wasn’t afraid to ask controversial questions or intentionally make one-sided remarks. It shows his dedication and willingness to see things from multiple points of view. Near the end of the film he talks about his past experiences in Germany and that he personally witnessed the fall of the Berlin wall and the end of the cold war when he was young. It is evident that he has immersed himself in world politics for most of his adult life. How does Michael Moore use logos? Logos is apparent throughout the film in the use of factual information that is backed by credible sources. Information is presented in a clear and consistent way and it is evident that much research was done to bolster the viewpoints expressed in the production. How does Michael Moore appeal to pathos? Throughout the film, media coverage is often displayed. Moore uses these images to connect the audience emotionally with the discussions. It evokes a feeling of reality that the viewers can relate with because these issues are universal and everyone can relate personally in some way. What is Michael Moore’s telos? The purpose of this film is to inform and persuade. Moore makes us aware of political and social issues in the United States. He then gives us examples of how governments throughout the western world are able to conquer these issues. I think he wants viewers to be “awakened” and realize that life in America is not as great as many view and there are so many ways to improve it. What is the kairos of this film? The film highlights several major controversies discussed regularly in current media. These are issues that millions of Americans are exposed to every single day. Moore takes advantage of current displays of social injustice, inequality, racism, corruption and human degradation. He wants us to see what’s happening around us every day and stand up to make a difference not only for the benefit of our nation but for the good of humanity in its entirety. Writing the life-choice memoir was a challenging but exciting process. I found it challenging to write in a narrative rhetorical mode because I am so accustomed to expository writing. It was difficult to compose sentences that use mainly description but I feel like I eventually got it figured out. I am writing this blog to reflect on my process and to learn from it and improve my writing. Watching the Reflective Writing video offered a lot of insight on reflective writing. I hope to use those methods for this blog post to grow as a writer.
Who did you work with to compose your life-choice memoir? Was this a good approach? I wasn’t sure of my topic was something that I should write about because it happened only about 6 months ago and thought maybe the subject was to sensitive to use for a memoir. I consulted my sister because she went through the experience with me. She told me that it would be fine to write about and to not worry about it. I felt somewhat selfish writing a story about it because so many other people were affected by the situation. She assured me that it was fine as long as I was comfortable sharing my experience. I also talked to her about some of the emotions that she felt. This helped me use more description when writing about the emotions in my memoir. I felt much more confidence about writing the memoir after we talked. When did you write this project? Good approach? I wrote the project mostly in mornings on the weekend. We learned in class that people are the most productive in the morning so decided that I will try to do most of my writing then. It seems to work well for me as long as I eat breakfast and have a cup of coffee first. It feels easier to write when my mind is fresh after a good sleep. Where did you write this project? Good approach? I did all of the writing at home at my desk. I think I would like to do some writing at the library instead. Household chores seem to be distracting at times and I think I could benefit from different surroundings. Being in a quiet studious space sounds like it could be beneficial. Getting out of the house early will probably help me feel more productive too. Why did you choose to write about your chosen topic? Good choice? I began writing about one topic and ended up changing to a different topic and starting over. I was hesitant to write about the new topic because it was a very emotional event and I was fearful that it would bring back bad feelings. I couldn’t have been more wrong. I actually enjoyed the writing a lot and it was nice to reflect on the situation even though it was emotionally draining. Once I started writing I felt inspired because there were so many details that I remembered. Using description was much easier because the memories were so clear. How did it feel to write this narrative ("during, after, and since")? Do you have any "if only" moments that can help you revise the draft? While I was writing I felt inspired or even propelled to tell the story. It was exciting to tell the story in my own way and to recreate the scenes on paper. I did find it difficult to write in a narrative rhetorical mode at first but it became easier as I put more effort into it. I felt a huge sense of accomplishment after I had finished. I am kind of amazed that I was able to write something from scratch that reads like a novel. Since writing the draft I would like to go back and change a few things to make the story more showing and less telling. (I’m still getting a feel for this style of writing). How will you revise your narrative? I think I could make the story feel more fluid if I changed some of the descriptions. Adding more dialogue may help the story by giving a better point of view.
What You Don’t Know by Lulu Wang is a podcast in which Lulu tells the story of her grandmother who is diagnosed with terminal cancer but is not aware of the diagnosis. Her family makes a decision to not tell her grandmother hoping to protect her from emotional and psychological suffering and to preserve her health. In the beginning of the story I thought the decision seemed wrong and unfair to the grandmother because I felt that it was her right to know about her own health. As I heard more of the story and listened to the family members justification, my opinion began to change. Lulu comes from a traditional Chinese family and her parents, aunts and uncles maintain many customary beliefs and morals from their home country. Lulu’s mother reveals to her that when Lulu's grandfather was sick, the grandmother prevented him from knowing the truth in the same belief. I think it was difficult for Lulu to understand because she has spent most of her life exposed to different ideals living in the United States. Lulu talks about an old Chinese belief called “Chongxi” which means that you can wash away a misfortune with joy. I would loosely translate this concept to mean “out of site, out of mind” in American culture. By keeping the truth from her grandmother, they are protecting and prolonging her health and happiness. The whole family puts a great amount of effort into staging a fake wedding as an excuse for each family member to be with the grandmother one last time. In retrospect these efforts are a testament to the strength of this family and the amount of respect that they feel for their matriarch. I believe that they blocked the emotional burden from the grandmother and instead carried it with themselves in order to protect her. Towards the end of the story, Lulu explains that her grandmother continued to live in good health for three years, unaware of the three-month diagnosis that she had been given. Maybe their actions had indeed had a profound effect? About one month ago I began my workday by driving a company truck to a job location. The truck was new and it was emphasized by management that drivers needed to ensure that the trucks weren’t being recklessly damaged during daily operations as much of our older equipment had been. The truck that I am driving is equipped large side view mirrors designed to give better visibility when towing a trailer. These mirrors extend much further away from the body than a normal passenger car. I proceed to drive under a bridge at the same time as an oncoming truck. Upon passing each other, I hear a loud crash and know immediately what had happened, our mirrors had collided with each other. I exit from under the bridge and look at the driver side mirroring disbeleif to find that the plastic housing and small convex mirror have been shattered but the largest and most important mirror was still intact. The other truck had continued driving until it was out of sight. A feeling of panic set in because I knew that management would be disappointed with the situation. I quickly sorted through my options and came to the conclusion that I could either quietly park the truck at the end of the day without saying anything and no one would know what happened or I could take direct responsibility of the situation and admit to my mistake. I spent the rest of the day contemplating my decision. At the end of the workday when I arrived back the office, I spontaneously decided to explain our fleet maintenance manager what had happened and showed him the damage. He was understanding of the situation and ensured me that it would be repaired easily and that it wasn’t that big of a deal in the grand scheme of things. I felt relieved after explaining myself and was freed from a sense of guilt. I believe that deep down I would have revealed the truth about the situation no matter what. It seemed as though my subconscious was telling me to make the right choice the whole time and the final act of confessing felt more like an instinctive reaction than a troublesome task.
My name is Margaret is short story about a young African American woman named Margaret who works as a servant for a wealthy white woman named Mrs. Cullinan. Mrs. Cullinan has such little regard for her servants that she refuses call them by their real name. After some time Margaret becomes angered and won't tolerate this oppression any longer. She decides to break some of Mrs. Cullinans favorite kitchenware as a way to stand up to her authority. We are examining this story to extract a common theme of challenging authority and breaking the status quo. Margaret had become desperate and frustrated about her situation with Mrs. Cullinan. Margaret couldn’t quit the job because her mother wouldn’t allow her to. She needed to find a way to be fired from her job so she could escape the oppressive environment. She soon found a way to do so while also tormenting this insensitive woman at the same time. Margaret intentionally dropped and shattered a casserole dish and two green glass coffee mugs, all of which were Mrs. Cullinans prized family heirlooms from her mother. Margaret’s decision and subsequent actions were fueled by anger and frustration. While not the most mature course of action I believe it was the best thing she could have done at the time. I don’t think there was a way for her to reason with Mrs. Cullinan or to handle the situation diplomatically so she chose the next best thing and it was ultimately very effective. The moral of the story is that Margaret was in a very oppressive environment and she made a courageous decision to incite change and to establish the fact that she too is powerful. When I was 14 my friend Rob and I agreed to clean up leaves for a family friend and he would pay us for the work. We went on a Saturday morning and began the simple but somewhat large task of moving many fallen leaves from the driveway, patio and lawn into the surrounding wooded area at the back of the house. The neighboring property on the opposite side of the house was only separated by a split rail fence and was also littered with fallen leaves. Halfway through our day, we were encountered by a man on the other side of the fence claiming that we had pushed some leaves onto his property. He demanded that we come onto his side of the fence to remove them. The leaves had obviously been there for some time and the man was attempting to persuade us into cleaning up a portion of his property so he wouldn’t have to. Rob and I became immediately aware of the man’s dishonesty and lack of respect. Again he insisted, pointing at the debris strewn across his lawn. We argued for a few moments and indicated our awareness of his deceptive behavior. The man realized that we weren’t dumb enough to be swindled. He immediately began to withdraw and even commended us for standing up to him. His change in tone was laughable. Rob and I felt a small sense of victory and scoffed at the man as he retreated back to his house and we continued our work.
Writing is a long and complex process. It can be overwhelming and intimidating at times, especially in the beginning. I have chosen quotes from three sources, Teach Writing as a Process not a Product (Don Murray), Daily Writing Routines of Great Writers (Maria Popova) and Bird By Bird: Some Instructions on Writing and Life (Anne Lamott). I found the following quotes to be inspiring and motivating because they outline the writing process and simplify some of the methodology used to write effectively. From Teach Writing as a Process Not a Product by Don Murray
My own quotes
The Proust Questionnaire is a list of questions that gives insight into ones identity. Some of the questions are fairly mundane, while some are thought provoking. Below are the questions and my responses as of 1/24/18. Answering the questions was a fun and interesting and the process has even taught me about myself! __1.__What is your idea of perfect happiness? Being outdoors in nice weather surrounded by friends. __2.__What is your greatest fear? Neglect __3.__What is the trait you most deplore in yourself? Stubbornness __4.__What is the trait you most deplore in others? Laziness __5.__Which living person do you most admire? Members of Trumps cabinet for trying their best to hold things together. __6.__What is your greatest extravagance? Paying for Spotify every month and barely using it __7.__What is your current state of mind? Sleep deprivation __8.__What do you consider the most overrated virtue? Tenacity, sometimes people don’t know when enough is enough. __9.__On what occasion do you lie? Tardiness __10.__What do you most dislike about your appearance? Teeth __11.__Which living person do you most despise? Tom Brady __12.__What is the quality you most like in a man? Responsibility __13.__What is the quality you most like in a woman? Maternal instinct __14.__Which words or phrases do you most overuse? Just, I don’t know __15.__What or who is the greatest love of your life? Current girlfriend __16.__When and where were you happiest? Lincoln financial field 1/13/18 __17.__Which talent would you most like to have? Ability to charm people __18.__If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be? To be less self conscious __19.__What do you consider your greatest achievement? Improving my horrible credit score __20.__If you were to die and come back as a person or a thing, what would it be? A bird on the higher end of the food chain __21.__Where would you most like to live? Any location that is warm and dry all year, preferably near the ocean. __22.__What is your most treasured possession? Current career knowledge __23.__What do you regard as the lowest depth of misery? Losing a loved one __24.__What is your favorite occupation? Fishing __25.__What is your most marked characteristic? Curiosity __26.__What do you most value in your friends? Loyalty and mercy __27.__Who are your favorite writers? Jack London, Gary Paulsen __28.__Who is your hero of fiction? John wick __29.__Which historical figure do you most identify with? Leonardo DaVinci __30.__Who are your heroes in real life? Dwayne Johnson __31.__What are your favorite names? William, Eric __32.__What is it that you most dislike? Eating a raw tomato __33.__What is your greatest regret? Not listening to my friend who told me to buy bitcoin 5 years ago. __34.__How would you like to die? While sleeping or laughing __35.__What is your motto? There’s always time to do it right the second time. |
Archives
April 2018
Categories |