Chapter 8 caught my attention right away. In the beginning, I was amused with “Is it really true that there are no dumb questions? No, that is not true. There are, in fact, stupid questions.” This humor made me want to read on. There were a lot of questions to ponder on throughout this Chapter, especially to assist me in my revision for my final portfolio. I particularly liked how it states on page 183 “Find a way to make each project your own. Then, own it. And see it through.” We have all been given the same requirements for each of our papers, yet each one of us has a different thoughts and opinions, which makes each of our own work unique. We are responsible for what we wrote, as well as how we were educated by the lesson learned. Throughout our revision process, it has taught me to be a more confident writer. So when I read “own it” it made me feel proud. We all began with our drafts and made our changes accordingly. I know with each change, as a writer, I felt more attached to each piece. I felt as if more of my own emotions were grasping on. I found myself getting more emotional each time I revised or re-read. Does that make sense to anyone else? LOL I was also able to relate to page 188 where it states “Practice over time will yield results.” I remember in the beginning of this course, I dreaded my revision. Now, I have to admit, I actually enjoyed this process. I don’t think I was ever really taught how to revise correctly. After learning more about revision in this course, it wasn’t that bad after all.
Dow, Thomas. “Advice, Writer to Writer.’ Why White Rice? Thinking Through Writing. Dubuque: Kendall Hunt, 2010. 175-197. Print.
Recent Updates Page 2 RSS Toggle Comment Threads | Keyboard Shortcuts
-
Maureen Rich
-
Iwona Ligeska
Growth takes time. I found this article very relevant to my situation and probably others as well. When I started this semester I was almost sure that I am not a good writer. During this long 15 week semester I was able to spend plenty of time writing, rewriting, correcting and editing. It was like never endless process. However, each time I read the same paper it made more sense to me and found better ways of correcting it. In Chapter 8, the author Thomas Dow, pg 188. tries to answer to this questions by giving examples. It is hard to know if someone new will become a good writer. It depends on many factors. One of them is how effectively one will express the idea in writing, how much experience will have at the beginning of the course. Mr. Dow presented a great example of Michael Jackson playing a basketball. For some it will takes months to get comfortable on the court, for others it will take less. Similarly in writing, some people will become better writers if they practice more. The good thing is that during this course I was able to grow not only as a writer but also as a person. I received a great amount of life lessons and learned to reflect on others who are less fortunate than us. It takes a lot of effort to learn how to write but practice will make it better. My hope is that similarly to others who practiced I did improve as well.
Dow, Thomas. “Advice, Writer to Writer.’ Why White Rice? Thinking Through Writing. Dubuque: Kendall Hunt, 2010. 175-197. Print. -
Courtney Watkins
Since I am rapping up my final portfolio it is a good decision for me to start doing some serious revision to my portfolio. Like Professor said, it does not take long to revise your work and it is really worth it to do so. I actually already started proofreading my work and I found some few minor mistakes. Also, before I even started to revise my work I read the reviews from my peers again and they were really helpful. The poem, “The Impotence of Proofreading” was very entertaining. I really liked how he changed the words about english into funny wordingd that would make everyone laugh. I think he is very creative for making something like that. I actually watched the video more than twice and everytime I watched it I was thinking about our professor. I think it is even more funny that our professor chose this video for us to watch. This just brings back memories about all the interesting videos I have seen in the past lessons for this course. The important part was that I got the message he wanted to get across which is there is no prostitute for carefully editing your own work. I must say that I am glad that I have gotten this far in this course. I have came very in this course and learned so much. I have not yet finishsed fully editing my writing for my final portfolio. After doing some editing already I know that it is important because otherwise, I will senseless mistakes which could really have an impact on my grade. Farewell, to you all.
McGuire, Michael. “Final Editing Strategies.” learning.writing101. learning.writing101, 2012 . Web. 3 May. 2012. -
Kelly Creed
I like how chapter 8 answers frequently asked questions. Some of the questions I found to be redundant that we hear in a lot of classes, however it is good to always have a refresher. One point that resonated with me was, “How can I say something about a topic I’m just beginning to explore.” Throughout this semester, I have battled with this obstacle in my geography class. The course is set up where we read 3-4 chapter and then take a test. Over time I have found that the test does not correlate with the information we learned in the chapters. A lot of the time the test calls for us to do outside research and then answer the question from the sources we found. I have had a hard time grasping this concept. Why would our teacher want to test our knowledge on information that does not pertain to the reading materials in the book? I thought I signed up for a geography course, not a search the web course? With the class being set up like this, I had a hard time writing convincing essays about material that I had little to no knowledge about. I wanted to sound like I knew the material, but not too well. My discovery and research had only begun. I wish I had read Chapter 8 earlier in the semester, so I would have some insightful information to guide me in my geography course. I like how chapter 8 states to focus on supporting your position in a clear, organized, and developed piece of writing. It doesn’t matter if you spent three weeks researching a topic or two days researching a topic, as long as you pick a perspective to write about and then write it well you will achieve success.
Dow, Thomas. “Advice, Writer to Writer.’ Why White Rice? Thinking Through Writing. Dubuque: Kendall Hunt, 2010. 175-197. Print. -
Mayra Pulido
The conclusion was interesting to me. It took you on the journey of processing, thinking, the observing, the understanding, and to focus. Even if it was about the book, I can relate it to the writings I have done. As the chapters were about our writings, this part focused a little more on the title. I was always told that the title was important, but not like a “punch to the throat.” The process of how the title for the book came to be and the picture of how its not just a picture to match the title, but the artist response and how it relates to the goal and purpose of this book. I have to say I enjoyed reading this book and it has a lot of good pointers. I think this book should be made available to teachers in elementary school for children’s writing to be more developed by the time they go to college. Or maybe the same book in a format (if this is not appropiate) where students alone can read it and apply it to their writing. High school students especially. I am going to make sure I take the title of each of my paper and ask around if they would read anything with that title. This final portfolio makes me nervous. Trying to really pull in readers. Especially right now that I shared my writings to my family members and friends for feedback. I think they are being to nice to me and do not want to make me feel bad, so I have to push them to really look at it and really ask themselves if they would read it and if it caught their attention the whole way forgetting that I am the one that wrote it.
De Villez, Eric. “A conclusion that began briefly as a tip of the hat to the idea of process-and then lingered’ Why White Rice? Thinking Through Writing. Dubuque: Kendall Hunt, 2010. 175-197. Print. -
Kenyatta Greer
Editing used to be the most dreaded part of the writing process for me. I would have pieces close to being finished, but I would not complete them, because I dreaded the editing process. After talking to a friend about it, I was convinced it was because of over identification with my work. I felt great when writing, but when it was time to take out the red pen, I hesitated. I finally realized that just like me, my writing would never be perfect. So instead of me editing my work, I sent it to friends and family. After reading their responses, it was clear again that the process was not as daunting as I imagined. This week, I sat down with a friend with one of my portfolio drafts. Of course, it was the one that I thought I did well on, but he was not impressed. I asked him to read the first sentence and answer the question outlined in our notes. He put it down. At first, I thought he was just joking, but he wasn’t. What I thought was my best opening in my portfolio, did not impress my reader. After all, my writing should be all about the reader, right? He was kind enough to give me some great feedback that I will use during my revision process.
Citation -
Linda Seguin
Reading Chapter 8 in Why White Rice reinforced many of the important concepts that were presented in our material throughout the class. I am an adult learner and continue to be so until I die. I agree with the Professor Dow in this chapter and find his “Breaking it Down “summaries to be great advice to the younger students in the class. I love to spend a lot of time in local libraries. We are very fortunate to have such knowledge at our fingertips and there is something nostalgic about holding a classic book in contrast to the electronic books that everyone is utilizing. There is so much to learn and explore. Professor Dow writes, “We continue to grow as writers and thinkers over a lifetime” (197). Going back to college has been a more enjoyable to me as an adult learner. I appreciate this knowledge and do apply what I have learned into my professional scope of practice. This knowledge strengthens my skills. Another excellent remark by the Professor was on page 185, he stated, “Reading will improve your writing. You will expand your knowledge, have more to say, and discover new and interesting ways to say what you need to say.” I think we can all agree that this course with Professor McGuire has done just that to our writing . I do take pen and paper in hand every day and have noticed that my style is more concise and organized and I add more precise detail. It is easier for those who must read my writing, therefore to understand my situation with minimal questioning. “ The best advice I can share with you is to keep writing what you think…” Dow writes, “ …what you want and/or need to say- and writing to help you think more clearly” (197).
Dow, Thomas. “Advice, Writer to Writer.’ Why White Rice? Thinking Through Writing. Dubuque: Kendall Hunt, 2010. 175-197. Print. -
Prof McGuire
Week 15: The Final Stretch to the Portfolio
This is our final week before the portfolio is due. Lesson 15 materials are now available, and the focus is mostly on editing and proofreading strategies as you finish up your work. Detailed instructions on how to post your final portfolio are also included in this week’s material. Work hard. We’re just about there.
-
Kenyatta Greer
I really enjoyed this week’s writing style presentation. This class has challenged me in a number of ways as a writer. For example, writing about service is something that is new to me, but I have benefited from the progression. I learned during my service opportunities, however, I was shocked at how much came out of me because of writing about the process. Thus, it was challenging to reflect on my experiences, and communicate to others, who may have never heard of the organization. The video was authentication, because it looked at how when writing, the writer must “show” their audience. Another piece of the video that resonated with me was the part on style. Given that, this is something that I am constantly trying to develop, it was great to examine how different authors use words. My personal style has changed dramatically in the last six months. I believe it was because I was doing more reading than writing. I know it is important for all writers to read, but I had to balance the two, so I would be using my “voice,” instead of sounding like someone else. I am now comfortable with the fact that writing is a process. Through this class, I have become more open to others reading and reviewing my writing. The reviews have been positive, while remaining beneficial. Thus, I have learned a great deal from my peers about a variety of topics.
— McGuire, Michael. “Writing Style what is it?.” learning.writing101. writing101, 2012. Web. 26 Apr. 2012. -
Alex Jellema
The slide show about Writing Style was interesting to read through. The idea of “showing” vs “telling” was an interesting one and many examples were given along with ways on how to avoid doing so. While reading the tips, another way of saying “showing” came to me. I think another appropriate way to say it would be “painting a picture”. When you are writing something, especially something that other people will be reading, you want to be as descriptive as possible to make it really easy for the people reading it to be able to imagine everything you are describing clearly and easily. The ability to write something and “show” it is something that needs to be practiced by most people, but is worthwhile to achieve. By being able to write like this you will become a much better writer in general and you work will be much more enjoyable to read. The slides given to us to look over this week definitely give a good foundation and will definitely help those struggling with the concept. Now that it has been brought to my attention, I will try to do my best in the future to be as descriptive and intricate in my writing as possible, using all five senses and detailed imagery. Passive voice is always something that Word brings up, so I’ll try to fix those as well. I will also go back before in turn in my portfolio and look over all the work that needs to be turned in and add any of these ideas before I submit it.
McGuire, Michael. “Writing Style: What is it?.” Composition II. WordPress, 4/22/2012. Web. 4/26/2012. -
Sarah Binger
Reading/Research Journal 13: When listening to Professor Mcguire’s lecture on the topic of writing style I got to thinking about my own writing style and what that means for any future writing I might do. What really is a writing style? I thought back to the first times I ever came in contact with the written word, the times when my parents would read stories to my siblings and I. The first literature I heard was in their voices, and each of their voices was different down to the stories they read to us. Winnie the Pooh belonged to my mother, Paddington belonged to my father. Their voices changed the way I understood what was written. As I grew and began to be able to read for myself the voice I heard was the author himself having to make me understand through written word what exactly he was trying to say. With this in mind I begin to think of my own writing style, what is it that I want to convey to the audience? I want to paint words and not just “tell” a story as Professor put it. Recently I began reading the novel “No Country for Old Men” by Cormac McCarthy, now that is an author that has his own style, disregarding any cues for conversation or normal transitions he tells a story in such a way that it feels very natural, like you’re watching from a bird’s eye view. I wish to write in such a way that people feel compelled to read my work and possibly even enjoy it.
Mcguire, Professor Mike. Writing Style: What is it? 25 April 2012. Slide Presentation. -
Joan Garrity
RRJ # 13: For this entry, i wanted to express my opinions on the story i read in 8.7, i found this to really hit home with me. I have experienced some teachers who will be so power driven that they will not give anyone the benefit of the doubt, or any courtisness whatsoever. In regards to absences. I have experienced times where i had to miss class due to uncontrollable things, such as a babysitter cancelling at the last moment. Or my car breaking down/not starting. I would try to find out what i missed and if i could make it up and sometimes the teacher wouldn’t care to give me a chance to do so. I dont expect it to be all the time. but here is the whole point, they still get paid regardless of whether or not i pass or fail.. whether or not they give me a 2nd chance or not. I feel that it is just a niceness quality. Some kindness never hurts, nor does understanding! Some teachers i have encountered have been so power trip driven that it is sickening. However, i have had way more teachers that are / were so wonderful, i wish i had a class with them all year round. In this story he discusses that of course the teacher would not cancel class just because you were absent. I think thats a little rough. Nobody expects class to be cancelled because they were absent. Really?! thats absurd. I also understand his point that you know your going to “miss” something/s that maybe important or crucial. I get that. But, if i email a teacher to state i will be absent, wouldn’t it be courtious to email a response stating, ” ok, we are going to be doing/ working on this today” and possibly inform me of the expectations of the days class. would that be so hard? i dont think so. We are adults, College students, not grammar school students. It can be very frustrating.
Why White Rice, Thinking through writing.Eric R DeVillez, Thomas P Dow, Michael S McGuire. Troy A Swanson. -
Shawnette Sierra
I found the video/slide-show about writing style interesting. I never really thought about writing style, as I have read other essays, journal entries, articles, or even books. Nor have I really ever thought about my own personal writing style and how it effects my readers. The slideshow talks about grammar, how it effects the reader. For myself personally, I like to write in a way that is easy for readers to understand my point, or what I am trying to get them to understand. I think I like to prefer reading in that way too, I want to be able to read something and understand what they are saying off the bat, not sit and think about what I read really means. I do agree that all writing is creative. I do believe it is important for the writer to make it interesting for the reader. No one enjoys reading fact after fact, emotions, abstract visuals, and so on make anything more enjoyable to read. I agree that details are important. I also agree that using all of your senses to describe things is a great way to be creative and interesting for the reader. When reading something, I like to imagine the person, place, or thing in my head. I like to think about how it would smell, or look like, maybe feel. So I do agree being specific can make a difference to the reader. After watching this video, I think it will really help when revising my previous draft work. I will make sure that my draft work has been interesting, creative, and descriptive for the readers.
McGuire, Michael. “Writing Style what is it?.” learning.writing101. writing101, 2012. Web. 26 Apr. 2012. -
Peter Traxler
I really enjoyed the article “Dracula Sucks” on page 182 of WWR. There is so much truth about how to gain the attention of others in this article. There is a certain aspect of something being so cheesy that it is funny. I have seen movies like this, but in most cases that was not the intent of the director. Most other times cheesiness can result in boring, uninteresting, and failing. We are to write something that attracts the audience to our portfolio. I hope in reading this I can be more cognizant of the fact that coming off as cheesy will not work. I am glad Troy shared this lesson he has learned with us, unfortunately most lessons like this I end up learning the hard way. For instance in this class alone I have learned that something is better than nothing, that it is best to stay ahead of the game, and to use my voice before it is too late. Coming back to the point of “Dracula Sucks”, I think the following sentence sums up how to avoid this pitfall. “Now, Tom does point out that you can go over the top, so you might want to substitute substance for cheesiness.” It seems that in doing some major writing you would want to have all your t’s crossed and you i’s dotted so to speak. When you have that firm base of good ideas and “solid points”, you are more free and open to enhance your writing or speech. Only when the foundation is set can you make the ideas vibrant.
Swanson, Troy “Why Dracula Sucks” Why White Rice? Thinking Through Writing. Dubuque:Kendall Hunt,2010. 182-183. Print. -
Eric Wisch
Loved the chapter about style. I definitely have a certain style to my writing. From when I first started writing papers in 8th grade, through high school teachers hated my style. I would get corrections on my test cancelling out words like “ridiculous” and other super-adjectives. I hated that my writing to them was out-there or weird. I hate writing boring non-sense. I hate knowing that someone is reading something that is boring, or not palatable. Even when I read some of your guys writings I want to stop, and immediately comment on how bored I am. Just kidding, I don’t think any of your guys’ writing have been boring; if it was I would definitely tell you, though. I think style is definitely something that is very omnipotent to each author, or writer. I have read a ton of Clive Barker’s stuff and he has a way of writing that is way different than anything else I have ever read. he just has a way of relaying what he is saying, or making you want to absolutely never sleep, or eat again. In regards to getting close to our final portfolios, I am definitely stoked to sort of back track and do a little better on my first writings. If you get this far in my RJE, I just want to let you know that your portfolio is very important. I have taken Com 101, with McGuire and he is just as strict with your portfolio as he is with everything else. Make your work stand out, make sure you site your work, and don’t bore him. Good luck guys!
McGuire, Michael “Writing Style: What is it?” learning.writing101 Web 2012 -
Mayra Pulido
Chapter 8 was a good chapter to read at this point of the class. Especially getting close to putting together our final portfolios. The first advice was how to make a topic interesting even though their is no interest on the topic at all. Taking a chance without be afraid of being wrong. Another advice was timing. Giving yourself time to write. Not doing it last minute like the day before. Pg. 184 “I worked on it again this morning, and now I’m adding to it. I’ll also keep writing it, re-working parts, revising the whole thing, and thinking about it pretty much non-stop until this manuscript is in our publisher’s hands.” Of course another advice that we all know we should not do is plagiarizing. Professor Dow also mentioned in this chapter that Professors really check the sources their students use and you have to state your sources. He also gave examples of two different ways you can write when using the word “you”. It is interesting to see how different the two examples become. He also talked about is their such thing a a stupid question, and his answer was yes. A good question is a question with will keep the mind thinking, expanding the different views of a question. What I mentioned above were the things that stood out to me more, especially when I have in mind how will I begin my intro to my portfolio. What can I say or use to keep the reader interested in what I have to say. I want my readers to not be able to put my paper done until they are done completely. I will certainly keep these point in mind. And I hope I have become a better writer than I was in the beginning. I do feel like I have learned different things here about writing. I am excited to put it all the “pieces” together and see what I have made all together (final portfolio).
Dow, Thomas “Advice, Writer to Writer. Answering your Frequently Asked Questions” Why White Rice? Thinking Through Writing. Dubuque:Kendall Hunt,2010. 77-99. Print. -
Jessica Konstant
Style has never been something that I thought about very much when I am writing. I never thought about what my style was and how it affected my writing until now. This presentation was very informative for me, mostly because I usually don’t think about it. I wasn’t sure exactly what it was and the different things that make up your writing style. What was most interesting to me was how much grammar and style are related. But after reading about it, it makes sense that they would go together. Thinking about what we are going to write affects the tone and the overall paper and how the reader perceives it. The advice of “Show don’t tell” is very good advice to take as you are writing. When you are showing you are very detailed and try to make it so the person can feel like they were there when they are reading your writing. It is important to do this so that the reader doesn’t get bored. They want it to be exciting to read and feel like it is as real as possible, and let their imaginations take them to what you are describing. The video also said, “No subject is really interesting; it’s the writer’s job to make it so.” This was the part that stuck out to me the most, and really just shows what the writer’s job is. There were also a lot of good examples of showing and telling, and good tips that I will be using while revising.
McGuire, Michael. “Writing Style: What is it?” learning.writing101. writing101, 2012. Web -
Natalie Nalepa
I think that everyone is pretty much born into their writing style, and it is very diffuicult to change your style once you have developed it. I can tell the different styles of some people in this class, and could probably identify who wrote a few different things if I haven’t read them before. As for vocabulary, I’d much rather not have to whip out the dictionary while reading your work. I hate it when people try to use big words that most people do not know unless they read the dictionary on a regular basis. I know a couple people outside of this class that seriously study the dictionary and use big words just to make themselves seem smarter and to try and make other people feel like they are stupid. As for descriptions, it is nice to create a nice visual image, but sometimes people go a little too far with that, and it is obvious that they are just trying to fill in those extra 250 words they need for their 1,000 word essay.. The more you describe, the less is actually left up to my imagination. I think I am going to have some trouble revising my writing. I have not really started to yet, but I reread everything I have written severl times to make sure it was satisfied with it before I submitted it. Maybe I am wrong though, maybe looking back on things I wrote months ago, I will have better ideas now.
— McGuire, Michael. “Writing Style: What Is It?.” learning.writing101.net 2012. Web. 25 Apr. 2012 -
Maureen Rich
After watching the video Writing Style What is it? I was really anxious to go and start revising! I found this to be quite helpful and inspiring. I never really thought of grammar and style to be the same. It was stated in the video “Grammar and Style are part of the same continuum. Essentially they refer to the same thing: the choices a writer makes and the effects those choices have on the reader.” I never looked at the two it the way the video described. There was a lot to learn in this video. The part I was pulled in the most was “all writing is creative”, explaining the “show don’t tell” aspect. I was able to tell the difference of which writing was “show” and which one was “tell”. This aspect is great to learn from to become a better writer. It assists you in your writing with creativity to reach out to the reader and engage them. Like Professor McGuire stated, let the reader determine what he wants to feel or believe. It is the writers job to get the reader to be interested. I also think the reminder of using all five senses is a tip I know I personally forget when writing. Using the specific details using the senses is a way to pull the reader in so they can really feel you. The video also stated “images are not just visuals” which is also inspiring to me. Using the 5 senses can help you with having the reader visualize without an image. All these tips will definitely be significant in my revision and whereas before I dreaded revising, I am actually looking forward to it.
McGuire, Michael. “Writing Style what is it?.” learning.writing101. writing101, 2012. Web. 25 Apr. 2012.-
Linda Seguin
Good Morning Maureen, Just wanted to cheer you on with the revision process. I know you will make it come to life even more! Excellent statement, “Using the 5 senses can help you with having the reader visualize without an image.”
-
Maureen Rich
Thanks Linda!!!
-
-
-
Linda Seguin
Just wanted to share an observation that I have noticed in regards to our writting assignments and the peer reveiw. I have reveiwed the power point on writing styles and would like to give kudos to the class for the originality and destinctive styles that have progressed throughout the semester. I enjoyed the creative writing with all the descriptive word choices that painted for me the images that each writter experienced. Nice Job everyone.
-
Mayra Pulido
I agree with you Linda, our class does have originality.
-
-
Linda Seguin
The power point presentation in last weeks assignment briefly explained some of the basic concepts involved with textual positioning and the language choices that a writer must make. From what I can decipher positioning includes all the subjective responses that can effect the researcher and how they interpret the data that they collect. The writer has the ethical responsibility to properly represent their subjects and given the type of position the writer tales it may change the position of the reader. All of this power through the words they chose. From past readings their where 3 positions explained; #1) Fixed Position: Includes personal facts that might sway your initial impression of your subject, ex. age, gender, class, nationality or race. #2) Subjective Positions: Subjects life events and personal experiences. #3) Textual Positions; Which connects/supports our current reading and deals with language choices you make to represent what you see. It reflects the position the writer takes in the field with respect to people you study. It is through this connection of all the positions/perspectives that is the goal of all fieldwork writers. I believe by incorporating all three positions a writers paper would be very interesting/ colorful and rich in all detail making it a creative work. In our current reading, ” What We Call Ourselves and Others,” it becomes clear that a writer must clearly comprehend the context and language in which is chosen and the sentence structure that is utilized in order to properly convey a true reflection of the subject. When it comes to using labels to describe people i am very careful. I do not want to offend anyone and I do not want to offend anyone and I do not want to shed negative light on those individuals. I agree with the chapter that labels are distracting and cam be detrimental if the language chosen in mot properly placed in the paper. So, in summary I will continue to be cautious with the craft of any of my writings in regards to textual positions.
Copossela ed., “What We Call Ourselves and Others: Names, Solidarity, and Stereotypes.” learning.writing101.net. Professor McGuire. 15 April 2012. Web. 23 April 2012. -
Courtney Watkins
The presentation “What is Style” was really informative. It gave me a lot of ideas and advice for my future revisions and writing. I have always wanted to be able to write in a way where my writing can be viewed as creative, down-to-earth and intellectual also. I learned that creative writing can be done by using style which attracts the audience or keeps the reader tuned in. I was able to understand the difference between show and tell after reading Ernest Hemingway’s piece and then the one you wrote. I have a clear understanding of how to write and tell an audience what’s going on and also, how to show what’s going on with descriptive wording. I also realize that I can learn new writing techniques by observing the way others write. For example, I read Tim O’Brian wrote and it was very smooth. Learning to write creatively is a good way to improve skills. It is also a good way to connect with people. After reviewing all of the examples of selections written from other authors I have learned how to write descriptively. I know that it is important to be able to give reader a vison of what I have written. After listening to this presentation I had some new ideas that I can use when I revise the work I have done. I know there is a lot of improvement that needs to be done.Just as I have done with all the other readings and listening selections, I will take what I have learned her and use it to develop my writing skills.
McGuire, Michael. “Writing Style what is it?.” learning.writing101. writing101, 2012. Web. 25 Apr. 2012. -
Kelly Creed
I found the video, “Writing Style: what is it?” to be very informative and it opened by eyes to some aspects I will encompass into my writing revisions. Before this video, I did not know that grammar and style were so closely related. Also, one point that was covered was that, “No subject is really interesting; it’s the writer’s job to make it so.” I found this to be true upon my peer revisions. A lot of people wrote about animal cruelty and did their service project at an animal’s shelter or organizations that dealt with animals. I am not an animal lover at all, actually I do not care and most of the times have absolutely no interest in animals. However, some of my peers wrote their papers about animals so well that I very captivated by their writing and I felt for these animals. Their writings were so good that it made me want to be apart of the organizations or help out and stop the animal cruelty. I find that these peers succeed in their writings because they were able to change my mind on the issue and really connect to their cause. These writers showed, rather than told. Upon review of my papers, I feel like I can be more descriptive and I can use more sensory images to improve mu writing. I aspire to write in a way that I can grasp anyone’s attention on a boring, insignificant matter and turn it into apiece that no one can put down because it is so interesting.
McGuire, Michael. “Writing Style what is it?.” learning.writing101. writing101, 2012. Web. 25 Apr. 2012. -
Iwona Ligeska
I found this video very inspiring and interesting. It was a great thought to combine to such a risky journey with the idea of building self-confidence for young people. They could observe and see how much a human being is capable of doing just if he/she set their mind into it. Sometimes teenagers are overwhelmed in their life and lose their faith. They do not have enough motivation to go on even though their life is just beginning. They do not what to do in life and even small goals seems to be not reachable. Life is not easy for some of them and some find it difficult to live in this world. Teenagers easily sink into alcohol or drugs if they don’t have any motivation in life. They are surrounded by computers, games and do not have any skills yet to be on their own. The example of Ray Zahar going to the South Pole with his friends is very powerful. His journey changes impossible in to a possible. You just need to believe it. His inspirational words and experience will definitely encourage young population to go on and think big. When I watched this video I felt like everything in life has its purpose. Sometimes we do things automatically and do not think much about it but God knows that everything in life has its purpose and time. Some people will learn things at 13 years old, others at 40. For each of us this is the right time to learn.
-
Prof McGuire
test
-
Mary Zayed
HELLO THERE ALL MY ANIMAL LOVERS! I just recently got a job at an archer bank and was informed that they work with an animal orginization called “Paws of Chicago.” When I was aware of this, I automatically thought of all of you guys. They actually let their animals go out and play instead of having them locked up in small cages all hours of the day. Here’s some info on it, and if anyone is intrested in volunteering with me hopefully just let me know
PAWS Chicago is the city’s largest No Kill humane organization, focused on solutions to end the killing of homeless pets. Since our founding in 1997, homeless dogs and cats killed annually in the City of Chicago has dropped more than 50 percent. PAWS Chicago is working to build a No Kill Chicago — a city where pets are no longer destroyed just because they are homeless.
I was also informed that Oprah went to visit this wonderful place, and i mean c’mon if Oprah went….. haha it’s good.
-
Linda Seguin
Good Evening classmates, I have been to the Paws organization and found it a 360 from animal welfare. i have adopted dogs from both organizations and believe that animal rescue and human treatment should be a no brainer for humanity. Its shocking to hear and see some of the atrocities that occur to these animals ans hope that reading some of the wonderful fieldwork papers posted by our classmates changes your viewpoint on this issue and leads you to a shelter should you decide to seriously take on the 24hour care of a pet for better or for worse.
-
Iwona Ligeska
I am happy you shared with this information. I read your paper and I know there are plenty of people who love animals and are willing to help somewhere else besides animals shelters.
-
Maureen Rich
Thanks for sharing that organization with us Mary! It’s good to know that the animals killed annualy has dropped more than 50% by this organization.
-
Mary Zayed
Patrycja Gola! i swear i didn’t read your essay before posting this haha. even though i should have. your essay was very informative. good job!
-
-
Patrycja Gola
The video titled Writing Style What is it? was a good way to explain exactly what style in writing means and how we can accomplish an excellent style of writing. Depending on the style we choose to use in our writing then that is what our writing will be portrayed as. The writing we do can be funny, dramatic, sad, or make the reader feel happy, it just depends what our goals are when it comes to what we are writing. The difference between grammar and style in writing is simple, grammar is making sure your words are spelled correctly, you use a comma when one is needed, and that your sentences end with a period. Style refers to the creative ways in which we choose to write, the more creativity someone chooses to add to their writing the more enjoyable the piece of writing becomes. I like how the video stated that “No subject is really interesting; it’s the writer’s job to make it so.” I have never really thought about this before, I suppose that could be true even with the most boring subjects. If someone is talking about a boring subject such as politics they can write about a current political scandal and make it more humorous than serious, people like myself who don’t enjoy politics may find their writing interesting and readable because of the humor they added. This relates to books we may read on subjects that really do interest us. I am interested in fitness and nutrition, I like reading on those topics constantly, but there are certain books or internet articles that I will reflect on again, or finish reading the entire thing without shutting the book because of the boring content. I am more inclined to read about fitness when the author makes it exciting to read otherwise even though it’s written about a subject that interests me I may put it down and never read it because of the style in which it was written.
McGuire, Michael. “Writing Style what is it?.” learning.writing101. writing101, 2012. Web. 22 Apr. 2012. -
Prof McGuire
Lesson 14 material is available…
I’ve posted the Lesson 14 materials on the Lessons Blog, so check it out. We’re nearing the end of things, so your portfolio pieces should be getting closer and closer to done. Be revising and making them strong while finishing your ethnographic “story of service” piece and writing the “beginning” and “end” as described in this week’s assignment.
Next week, we talk about final editing, and I’ll give you the final instructions on assembling the portfolio. Almost there…
Have a great week.
-
Prof McGuire
Something to Inspire
This may seem just a bit random, but the more I think about it, the more relevant I think it is to the things we are trying to accomplish this semester (and beyond). I first learned of Ray Zahab when I saw the film Running the Sahara. I really like his message about pushing beyond perceived limits. Check it out, and let me know what you think.
-
Prof McGuire
For the record everyone, the man in this video is not named “TED.” His name is Ray Zahab. The conference he is speaking at is called TED, which is an annual conference. (http://www.ted.com/pages/about).
-
Maureen Rich
Although I could never do what TED did because like Patrycja, I do not like the cold nor would I want to be out in the desert that long either! His words were inspiring and I think it was great that he was trying to inspire children. I like how he said “make the impossible, possible”. He brought up a good point about being 13yrs old and hearing these words rather than learning it later on at 40. Overall, he is correct and anything is possible, as long as we put our minds to it and give it our all. It took a lot of strength and courage to do what TED and his friends did. I can’t even imagine the obstacles they came across the way, but they seemed to have thought it all out and traveled well prepared. Blogging it for children to learn from was a great idea to show children anything is possible.
-
Eric Wisch
Eh, I don’t think he focused much on “believing in yourself” or “anything is possible”. In my opinion he is kind of a tool, his rant made me lose a little respect for TED.
-
Prof McGuire
Not sure why you say something like this–sounds kind of rude. You don’t have to agree with a person’s message, but to insult someone by name calling is faulty logic–called “ad hominem”–especially when their is no other substance to your criticism. Let’s at least keep it civil. Thanks.
-
-
Patrycja Gola
Ted did something I would never want to do, I hate the snow and the cold, it would freak me out to be in the middle of nowhere like that. 111 days of running in the Sahara desert does not sound appealing either, I have a hard time getting myself to jog around my block for 20 minutes so it’s great to see someone so motivated to do something like that, I wish I could find that within myself. I liked how he talked about getting inspired by someone else who is trying to solve the water issues that are going on in the world. 33 days in the snow and still being able to blog about it during the trip is an amazing accomplishment in itself. Butter and bacon does not seem appealing but like Ted said they were burning an average of 8,500 calories a day so butter and bacon seem like they would do them good. It was awesome that they did all this so they can inspire people, I don’t know if people will go out and do what they did but maybe people especially young people that are struggling to find their niche can go after something and do it, accomplish something that will benefit their futures and not live just for the present like most young people do. The part that really inspired me was when Ted said “I ran for the grand sum of five years, and a year before that I was a pack a day smoker living a very sedentary lifestyle.” I feel like this quote relates to so many people because of Americas battle with weight and diseases that are due to people’s lifestyles. There are so many people that struggle even getting in and out of a chair thinking that is what their future will be, thinking they will never lose weight, they will never live a “normal” life. Someone like Ted that sat around all day and lived an unhealthy lifestyle and then accomplishing something majority of people will never accomplish should be a huge motivation for so many people. I also liked how he stated “We can make the impossible possible”, that’s a great quote since anything we truly want to accomplish we will accomplish.
-
Linda Seguin
We need more TED’S in this world. This is an exellent example of someone who witnesses a good deed to help mankind and pays it forward. He turned his world trekking into an educational adventure for all the children that he was blogging while tirelessly pushing forward to his goal.. Now that I am at a more mature point in my life, I am one of those people who could say that youth is wasted on the young If you are young think about TED’s advice and be motivated while your still in your prime youth to make a difference in the world. Don’t let it slip away. Be proactive like TED. I know that I still am on a much smaller scale.
-
-
Iwona Ligeska
When I read this reading “What We Call Ourselves and Others” I was able to see how adjectives give meanings to nouns and also label them with positive or negative association. In reality each label is taking away the true meaning of a word. They distract our minds from seeing with a clear and fresh look. Labels mask the real face of a word. One of the examples was about rating college girls for their beauty, character, ambition, intelligence and general likability. This experiment was done without using last names, only based on the above characteristics. It turned out that majority of girls received favorable votes. Then two months later, the same contest was repeated but this time each girl was introduced with a last name either Jewish, Italian or Irish. After voting it turned out that the results were less favorable for Italian and Irish, much less for Jewish. It was obvious to see that last names had a huge impact on this contest. As of this results, most of the college girls received much less votes. Clearly, we can see that even using proper names can influence others perception. When we use names in minority groups, those words not only characterize the person but often makes the person feel rejected or less important. In reality, minorities are very sensitive to some words without realizing that those words are not meant to hurt them and majorities use those words without any intentions of hurting someone. Labels can steal the true meaning of a one simple word.
— Bauer, Laurie, James Holmes and Paul Warren. “What we call ourselves and others: Names, Solidarity, and Stereotypes.” Bauer, Laurie, James Holmes and Paul Warren. Language Matters. Palgrave Macmillan, 2006. 293-337. PDF Document.
Patrycja Gola is discussing. 
Maureen Rich, and 
Linda Seguin are discussing. 
Mayra Pulido is discussing. 
Iwona Ligeska, 
Eric Wisch and 2 others are discussing. 
Patrycja Gola 5:11 pm on April 28, 2012 Permalink | Log in to Reply
I too have become more comfortable with others reviewing and reading my writing, I realized that if I am uncomfortable with someone reading something I wrote than I didn’t do a good enough job on my writing. When you feel good and like what you wrote then you’re more confident and not afraid of what others have to say about it because you know you did a good job and put your all into it.