Blog 12

Rhetorical Activity 1

I would have to say that when I hear a proposition in the media or my close friends and family it ends up being 50/50 on how many of those are supported by reliable sources and data. I believe that testimony and data are huge factors when considering reliable rhetoric. I think there are many times or places for certain instances to be supported with testimony and data and the more important circumstances the more crucial. You want to gain popularity with the public or fellow friends and family by being reliable and trustworthy while giving great propositions. I think that now I am beginning to realize how important reliable data and sources are to a paper or a speech or anything that will be reviewed by an audience that you are trying to convince and grasp the attention of. In the past, when I wrote research papers I definitely gave support and evidence, but maybe I was not as concerned with how reliable the resource was and basically wanted to get the information and get the assignment done. I have definitely evolved as a writer over the years and realized I need to search and discover reliable sources and give the best support I can to my propositions. I think that if I would have considered this in that past my argument would have definitely been more convincing and stronger.

Blog 11

Three questions to give depth to my ethnographic report:

1. First of all I would ask my informant, Do you use all three of the intrinsic rhetorical proofs, ethos, pathos and logos while creating grant proposals or newsletters or do you concentrate mostly on the pathos angle to bring out the emotional view of the public? If so, how?
-This is important because when you are a non-profit organization you need to focus on being honest with the public, but making them sympathsize with the need to help innocent animals.

2. Next I would ask what companies or sponsors do they look for to bring in funds for the organization? Is there a certain representation you want to present for your particular type of work?
-Meaning what do they look for in candidates to bring in more donations. Ultimately if you have a strong and popular sponsor that represents and supports your organization then perhaps it will result with more public donations and support.

3. Finally the last major question I am curious about is, How often are the grants and newsletters sent out? Is it a constant rotation or seasonal or when certain events are being announced?
-This is important because you would think the more they sound out most often the more donations come in; however, there are certain times of the year when people really shy away from donating and times when people are much more generous. I would like to discover the balance and force that they engage into bringing in donations year round.

Blog 10

Ancient Rhetorics for Contemporary Students: Rhetoric Activity

One place where I see rhetoric being used constantly, aside from television, is in the checkout line at the local supermarket. The items I am talking about in this situation are gossip magazines. There are at least five different ones in each line and every one will have some kind of insight on the lives of the current celebrity. However, many of these magazines are mostly fabricated and their main purpose is to grab the public and persuade them to buy this magazine full of opinions and propaganda. It is hilarious to see that most of the stories will be given by "a source close to the celebrity" but never a major reliable source is ever present to back up the magazines "facts" of a particular person or event they are covering. Also many of these magazines will have outrageous headlines that always make me wonder why anyone would ever believe it and waste their money. I wonder if these magazines rhetoric ability is just that good to persuade a reader or that the reader's life is just too dull and is indulging in the magazines as something to look forward to.

Blog 9

The Exchange and Reflection of the artifact interview

After reading Chase's account of our interview I thought that he really understood who I was and what I like. I enjoyed how he commented on my love for stilettos because many people would say those type of shoes are not comfortable, however, someone who is obsessed with being comfortable loves them and loves the comfort they give me. If I were Chase I probably would not have chosen my sweater because it was honestly nothing that means a great deal to me, but I wanted him to pick something that he noticed immediately and was interested to learn more about. I probably would have stuck with my pearl earrings because they have more of a story behind them. He actually mentioned them, but decided on the sweater and I wanted him to ask me about whatever he was curious about.
I learned from this classroom assignment that I really need to study the person I'm planning on interviewing before the fact so I have better open-ended questions to ask. I need to know exactly what I want from the person and how I am going to get it. I do believe that I have the ability to think on my toes and think of questions, off the top of my head, to keep the informant talking. I found that I did assume some things about the artifact that were dead on and that were completely off the wall, but I think that is good because it keeps me open-minded. I also think I have the ability to make a person feel comfortable which is always a good aspect of an interview so you can gain their trust and in the end they will open up to you more.

Blog 8

In-Class Activity: Using a Cultural Artifact: An Interview



I started observing the artifacts that were on my interviewee and fellow classmate, Chase, and was immediately drawn to his baseball hat. The hat was a distressed black in the front and on the bill, which contained a frayed triangle. The back of the hat was a netted light beige color. He first had a grey knit tossel cap on to shield his head from the cold wind that entered through the netted part of the baseball hat. The characteristic that drawn me to the hat in the first place was a familiar looking mushroom icon with the numbers 1985 underneath it. When he removed the knit cap that is when I saw the word Nintendo.
When I first noticed that the hat and the mushroom icon was a representation of Nintendo I was taken back to a day many years ago when I used to play the first Nintendo video game. I started thinking of the different games, especially Super Mario Brothers because the mushroom icon is a huge part of that particular game. I also remembered playing the other games, like Duck Hunt. I was very curious to hear Chase's story behind the hat.
Chase explained that the hat was purchased 3 months ago at Walmart and when he bought the hat it was already a little distressed and it had gotten more worn in over the past months. We came to the conclusion that the frayed triangle was a way to draw attention to the mushroom icon and Nintendo stitching. The aspects that attracted him to the hat was the mushroom icon and the fact that it was a Nintendo hat and he had never seen it before. He was also a huge fan of the "old school" Nintendo, as we like to put it, and the mushroom icon reminded him of Super Mario Brothers too. It was a flashback to a period of our childhood when the biggest problem we had was choosing the game we wanted to play and having to beat the old grey box or blow into the old disks if they were not working properly. We both reminisced for a few minutes about a simpler time. Chase was and still is a big fan of video games, like recent game Mario Cart.
It was an amazing and refreshing experience to have a simple baseball hat bring me back to my childhood, a place i have not revisited for a long time. It was also nice to discuss it with a fellow classmate who remembered many of the same things I did. This assignment was also a great example and gave me a better understanding of what the main goal is for the entire ethnographic report.

Blog 7

Describe the features, functions, and student activity of a textbook for a single field, such as American History. Write a paper analyzing the genre.

When it comes to studying American History, memorization is key to being able to remember and understand this complicated subject. I personally love history and it mostly has to do with the textbooks I was taught with.
Most textbooks need to start of with a history of its own and to explain the goals and aspects contained within the book. All of the chapters are outlined in a particular way, whether they are set up by timeline or genre of history. In each of those chapters, many textbooks have a series of vocabulary words that are important in learning the basis to the subject the textbook is addressing. The textbook also aids in repeating certain vocabulary, people, times, and places to enable the student to memorize the subject easier and to be able to fully understand it.
In all of the history books I have encountered there will most always be a chapter summary full of the vocabulary, and outline of the chapter, and also great study questions to aid the student in studying for upcoming exams. Some of the study questions also involve group work, which can help each student learn different views and perhaps understand things better with the help of a classmate. I personally do not like group work. I find that all students learn in a different way and that is why many books give you the option for group or solitary work.
One of the most important functions of a textbook can also be found in the back of the book. Those two functions are the index and the glossary. The index can help narrow down the search for a particular subject a student is looking for and everything that is related to that subject. The glossary is always a great way to find the complete definition of the vocabulary that is important in the particular subject.
Another great aspect of history textbooks that have always helped me envision the things I was reading were pictures people, places, and events that occurred centuries ago. Whether they are real photographs or paintings they always helped me put a name to a face or a place.
Textbooks are always a great learning tool and can really help a student who uses it to their advantage remember key points while taking a test or being asked questions years later.

Blog 6

Find a Web site for an organization or public interest group. Analyze how (and how well) the site is suited to its aims and audiences.

The organization's web site that I chose to analyze is the PRSA, Public Relations Society of America. I chose this organization because I am a Public Relations major and was interested to see what the PRSA's main goals would be.
First, when I went to the website I immediately went to the "about us" tab to learn more about this organization. It contained, in a way, a mission statement and the reason behind this organization and how many people are actually a part of it. It also shows interested viewers that there are many Chapters, Sections and affiliations all around the country. It enables public relations professionals to contact other agencies, people, and to be up-to-date with all the latest PR news.
Next, the web site shows ways that young professionals can look for new and exciting jobs in PR career field. When you have your focus on PR, this web site is the place to go to find a job in PR. Another great aspect of being a part of PRSA is the fact that an individual can have the opportunity to meet other individuals that are perhaps in the same situation or can acquire advice from more experienced PR professionals.
The organization also gives out a series of awards that are very credible among the PR professionals. These awards are given to professionals that have published great works in the public or in the PRSA's newsletter, people who bring individuals together to build an even better career and organization, and never ending hard work and complete dedication to the cause.
After looking throughout the website, it made me realize in more how much I love my major and how excited I am to one day be a part of such a great organization. I would love one day to be a member of the PRSA and to help encourage and persuade others young individuals to join and keep the drive and be a huge asset to PR.

Blog 4

There is many differences in the draft copy of the cover letter and of the final copy. With the help from his teachers notes and peer reviews, he was able to achieve executing a well written cover letter to send into the work force.
First, in the draft copy of the cover letter, the professor and peer-reviewer explained the opening paragraph was very vague and needed more information about the reasons why he would be good for this job and outlining more of his skills. In his final copy, he took these comments and re-wrote a great opening paragraph.
Next, in the second paragraph explaining the classes he took and how he understands the necessary computer programs the company uses, one comment the professor gave was to rephrase a certain sentence that ultimately sounded better. Again, he took that very revision and incorporated it into the second paragraph. Another important comment the teach gave was to have the student give reason of why it would be good for him to know how to use this particular computer program. As the professor put it, "the X, Y, and Z."
In the third paragraph, the main comments was to reword his sentences and create a better topic sentence, which ultimately the author ends up adding into his cover letter. Another very important suggestion was to expand on his knowledge of the internship itself. He will show that he has done his homework and is in fact very interested him the company and the job he would be doing at this company. The suggestion did say to perhaps make it in a separate paragraph, which the author did not end up doing. I do not think that was a bad decision the final draft works just fine without having a separate paragraph for it.
Finally, the one main thing the student was concerned about was whether he needed to expand more on his job descriptions, the spacing on the cover letter itself, and overall being informative enough. He ultimately achieved these with the help of the comments from his peer review and the professor. In the end, he produced a smart and well-written cover letter to send to the desired company.

Blog 3

Faigley argues that a document in the workplace is "a moment in the continuous process of communication." Drawing on Faigley's definition of the "social perspective" on writing, explain what a professional writer needs to be able to do in order to participate effectively in this "continuous process of communication."

To begin, Faigley defines social perspective as a "link in the communication chain" that enables writers to be able to keep up with the ever changing society, by using communication between groups. These writers focus on social roles and differences and changes in cultures. For a writer to be able to achieve this goal of the social perspective they need to discover new methods of research and the easiest way to relate it to this ever-changing social world. One example of research is empirical research, which involves two parts, quantitative and qualitative research.
Writers also have to understand that writing from a social perspective involves looking at society and cultures from a broader point of view. It is not like technical writing where detail is very crucial. It is also important for the writers to be able to understand and communicate with different languages between different cultures. If you can not fully understand what a person is trying to communicate there is no way you can write and achieve the goal of the writing assignment.
Finally, along with any other writers goals, writing through the social perspective a writer needs to know the social relationship of the author and the reader and what is the ultimate point the text is trying to get across. Also, noticing how a particular social text changes over time is important to be able to write in the future.

Blog 2

How does Jack Selzer convince you that his analysis about Nelson"s writing practices are based on extensive, careful observation?

I believe that Selzer set out to discover exactly what a technical writer's writing process is since many of the others being observed were very young and inexperienced. I think that Selzer saw an opportunity to prove that technical writing is a lot more than sitting down and writing without any effort at all.
First, Selzer observes Nelson, an engineer in Chicago, to prove that there is more to the technical writing process. He explains that Nelson does a series of procedures prior to finishing a writing proposal or assignment. There are notes, drafts, outlines, plans, revisions, and etc. In his article Selzer stated that Nelson uses 80 percent of his time just arranging and brainstorming his writing project. That is a great deal of time for someone to spend on those two aspects of the assignment. Many people was their time thinking of complicated sentences or fancy word use that could ultimately take away from the writing.
Selzer also noticed information being re-used from previous assignments, which ultimately cuts down on time and work. When you are a technical writer there are many deadlines and other assignments waiting to be started and spending a long period of time on one piece is not feasible. This is why all the preparation that goes into writing a single assignment is crucial.
Next, while observing Nelson, Selzer directs a series of questions and comments about the certain things the writer does and why he does it. Even offering suggestions to see if Nelson would stray from one of his procedures. He wanted to know what Nelson was doing when it came down to his notes and revisions and why he was doing it.
In the short time that Selzer observed Nelson, he saw that the writer also considers the audience that will be receiving his pieces. Nelson writes very simple and "straight to the point" making it very simple for just about anyone to read and comprehend his writing, even when it is as difficult as engineering.
Finally, I think that Selzer was able to obtain a great deal of information from his one day of observations. I think that he accomplishes the task of letting us know that there is still a great deal more that he could have learned and observed. I think that also this was a way for him to prove that research is key for teaching young students how to go about writing about a certain subject. I know that when I was in high school, we were required to turn in and outline and two rough drafts and I think that in the end is has made it easier for me to go about writing and finishing an assignment well.

Blog 1: 1/14/2009

Describe the types of job titles that professional writers hold, the kinds of writing they do in these jobs, and the types of skills and knowledge they need to perform well in these jobs. What aspects of professional writing most interest you? What aspects of it would you like to learn more about?

Throughout reading the web links I have learned that there are many job titles that professional writers hold ranging from writing novels and screenplays to writing for textbooks and multimedia companies. As explained in the "Writers and Editors," Occupational Outlook Handbook, professional writers fall in to two categories, one being the writers and authors and the other being technical writers. Between these two categories professional writing could be considered the "blood, sweat and tears" of the way the business world functions. Without having such writers, there would be no way to reach out to the public and expand a business.
Professional writers look to achieve many goals while they are writing about their particular assignment. Some of these goals include possessing the power or persuasion and grasping the public's attention, informing consumers of the pros and cons of certain products, and creating a positive image and to be asked to write again since many writers and freelance and work for themselves.
For professional writers to be able to achieve these goals and to furthermore, keep their job, they need to have a background, as well as a degree, in the particular area in which they are writing for. If you do not have the knowledge or the "know-how" on what you are writing about you will not be able to produce a well throughout execution of the assignment. Many writers are familiar with technology, being that a computer is a huge asset in the writing profession. Many employers look for writers who can speak a second language and also will hire a writer in terms of their most concentrated skill. For example, a fashion merchandising major with a minor in English could be very useful to have writing about fashion other than the stock market. Also a writer should be open-minded and creative and obviously love to write.
I am very interested in being able to write about something you are passionate about. I think in that case it is not considered a "job" but instead a way for you to express yourself and enjoy every minute of it. I feel that it is also interesting from the readers point of view. For example, there are times when I am reading/listening something that the author was obviously passionate about and, in a way, it exudes out of the page, television, radio, etc. and I can feel that passion that was achieved. I would love to one day have that same affect on someone whether it is me writing for a company or perhaps my own novel.
I definitely feel I need to learn more about the writing itself and how they achieve the ideas that they are getting across.