False Dilemma (Logical Fallacy)

A false dilemma is when a writer forces the reader to choose between two extreme arguments with no regard to a middle ground.

In order to avoid falling for this trap, be sure to explore your topic to understand multiple views and positions.



Image from www.aurellem.org

Chapter 8 Reading Response

Chapter 8 Reading Response

This was an especially long chapter due to the huge amount of essays stuffed in there, but it was not an unbearable read. However, admittedly, I was less interested in the chapter as I was the previous. This chapter covered a lot of excellent points to be sure, especially when it explained how to correctly use commas in a sequence, but it's mere introduction made my eyes glaze out of focus. And the pages that followed didn't rescue me since much of what it covered I had already come to realize on my own, so, unfortunately, it's insightful tips were wasted on me. Its tips on how to properly structurize it, however,  were helpful as always. 

This chapter made me realize something obvious: I have been surrounded by exemplification essays all my life. Indeed it is the kind of format I am prone to since it makes the subject much more interesting and relatable. This chapter did not exempt anything therefore did not need any more elaboration. Personally, I could have used less elaboration since much of it seems to be second nature for me (or so this chapter made it seem, anyway).

Exemplification Freaking Point

2D Vs. 3D Animation

Over the years, the popularity of 3D animation has skyrocketed leaving poor 2D animations on the sidelines to inevitable regression and death.

Examples: - 3D movies are very popular and gain an insane amount of money in the theaters compared to 2D youtube videos (maybe include money statistics).
- 3D movies cater more to modern audience's high expectations.
- 3D animation is much more compelling since it seems more realistic to the brain.
- 3D animation has gotten much easier due to advancing technology, you can make a 3D animation in your own bedroom.
- There is plenty of exposure to 3D animations, kids through growing up with it and adults through watching their kids.

Intro: Maybe start the essay with a story of your own experince
Conclusion: Possibly end by referencing money making 3D animation machines <cough><cough>"Frozen"<cough><cough>.

Outline added by Sabastian


Image from http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2015/aug/10/what-critics-know-aa-gill-giles-coren

Combining Patterns

Staples use of cause and effect in his essay works far better to demonstrate the process of a child becoming a thug. While examples would probably have given us more details and insight, it would have been unnecessary since it would take more time to prove the same point.

 









Image from http://www.revelationtv.com/rnews/entry/confused-and-scattered

Just Walk On By

"Just Walk On By"

Answers to Purpose and Audience Questions

1) Thesis: "It was in the echo of that terrified woman's footfalls that I first began to know the      unwieldy inheritance I'd come into - the ability to alter public space in ugly ways. His thesis is implied.

2) The author uses a combination of both logic and emotion to relate to his readers. It is an appropriate strategy since the subject has affected him personally.

3) Staples readily assumes that his readers are fearful of black men, especially when walking down a dark corridor. He challenges these views by describing how such views affect him, which in turn show how unfair this misconception is.

4) His first sentence hooks in the audiences attention. It proved a successful ploy as it shocks the reader into attention and makes us want to read on.
 





Image from http://slodive.com/inspiration/hairstyles-for-black-men/

Journal Entry

 I have been in situations where I was outside, alone in the dark night and a stranger would cross my path. For me, those situations got me really spooked particularly when the stranger was male regardless of his race (it's dark after all). My reaction would probably be tension in my body and walking a little faster in order to pass them as quickly as possible. Even after reading Staples's essay, I must say with great embarrassment that I would probably still react the same way, only be far more aware of my reaction.

Exemplification Essay Freaking Point

Exemplification Essay Freaking Point

Dogs are given too much free reign in Colorado and this creates a lot of problems for people's sanity, safety and health.

-Mention the risk of rabies which is increased when dogs are allowed to roam around outside unsupervised. 
-Interesting note: according to Boulder County Colorado Animal Control website, people are responsible for dogs that habitually disturb the peace with unprovoked barking and can be given a three day "barking notice" which can result to that person being summoned to court if the dog still refuses to shut it. (so people who have obnoxious dogs, beware)
-If your pet has bitten someone, or if you are the victim of an animal bite, you are required under state law to file a report with the Animal Control Unit within twelve hours of the bite.
-Introduction: DEFINITELY use your own personal experiences as examples! Don't just use it for the intro though, use it throughout the paper. I'm just mentioning the few laws I found so you can make the audience see how it affects the majority at large as well. 

Just Walk On By Style and Structure Evaluation

Just Walk On By Style and Structure Evaluation

1. I do feel like Podohertz's point enhanced Staples' point, but it was not necessary since he gave examples about "paranoid touchiness" earlier in the essay. 

2. I think Staple's strategy was highly effective, since it really forces the reader to read forward and find the context of the anecdote.

3. Staples uses more than enough examples to support his thesis, but fortunately they transition well and do not get in the way of his point.

4. He first presents examples of minor reactions that people have to his appearance and then goes on to describe major reactions, concluding it with examples of his childhood in comparison to his adulthood. I think this approach is fine but it would be equally or more effective to start out with childhood examples.

5. Robber: conveys the same idea

thief: conveys same idea 

criminal: a more general category that "thug" fits into

felon: a more general category that "thug" fits into

gangster: gangsters are often thugs

rapist: rapists are often thugs

sucker punch: "sucker punching" is often what a thug does.

Journal Entry: I was bitten by a dog when I was really young and I instinctually perceived the owner as threatening. I'm sure if Staple's was in the same situation when he was really young, he'd feel the same way.

Combining the Patterns: Yes, since it would have given more specific causes of young thugs.

"group" blog post Just Walk On By thingy

Comprehension

1. Because he frightens her

2. He makes people in public around him uncomfortable

3. Nights are less dangerous for him than days, because he can be more under the radar

4. Boys are entranced by their power to intimidate, and when one is poor, they find they can easily obtain money by just acting tough

5. Giving people a lot of space and whistling nonthreatening tunes

Journal Entry
I have perceived people being frightened of me, because I also like to walk around at night, but I notice it particularly when driving, people walking will cower in fear or grip their children a little closer when I go through a parking lot or neighborhood

Chapter 8 Reading Response

Chapter 8 Reading Response

I learned a lot about using examples correctly in chapter 8. While I knew previously that good examples in any essay made writing more compelling, I never really stopped to think about how many examples should be used in a piece of writing or how to format them. Now I know that a formal and informative college paper is usually fine with only one example, whereas a dissection of a novel may need 10 or more examples! I also learned about using commas correctly when talking about three or more things.

I also read many essays in this chapter that I thought were very interesting. Partly because I liked the topics, but also because the authors included vivid examples, some of which I could easily relate to. Particularly, I liked Farhad Manjoo's "No, I Do Not Want To Pet Your Dog" essay, because he used many examples of annoying dogs that I could relate to so easily (since I live in the most dog-infested apartments on the friggin' planet). I also liked the examples in Maia Szalavitz's "Ten Ways We Get the Odds wrong". The details were neatly organized into little sections that seemed to go on for the perfect amount of lines to keep my attention while still informing me.

Therefore, I found this chapter very interesting and informative. Hopefully, we get more chapters like this later in the book.

Dan's Thesis Statement

I've chosen to argue that stunt actors are way better than CGI.

Thesis statement: While most would argue that modern day CGI is much more difficult to notice in the movies today, stunt actors, costumes and real effects such as props and models still create a much more compelling atmosphere, make movies more visually appealing, and are probably a much cheaper alternative than to use all the computer generated effects.

Mental Floss Mini Essay review

Mental Floss

Mental Floss is a visually stimulating and quirky website where a person can read a variety of things from historical events to the latest conspiracy theories. It never fails to please as it seems to have a little something for every and any reader. However when it comes to taking all of its information to heart, proceed with caution. Some of it's outlandish tales provide little to no credibility.  

First off, many of the articles on mentalfloss do not go into many specifics or details. Often times an article will display general facts about its subject without delving deep into research or varied scientific views. For example, the "What’s the Difference Between Dark Matter and Dark Energy?" article tells us that approximately 96% of the universe is dark matter or dark energy, but it doesn't go into detail about the ratio of these universal forces or what they do exactly. This tells me the author was not too interested in making a point or bringing the audience concise facts.

From the first time you read the title, mentalfloss immediately snaps your attention as a website that means business, making you remember what floss is and how it is used, especially in the context of the brain. Fair to it's name, it engages the reader and makes them think deeply on the topics discussed. Unfortunately, it only makes readers think and speculate, as it doesn't give enough sources or information to provide further info. This is not necessarily a bad thing, as long as the reader can remember that what they are reading isn't meant to be interpreted as fact, just to be thought upon. Mentalfloss therefore succeeds in its purpose to entertain and delight, but falls short in it's quest to provide reliable information.

 

Image from www.mentalfloss.com

Thesis Sentence Brainstorming

Thesis Sentence Brainstorming

Topic: Comic books as literature

Specific topic: humorous comic books

Specific argument: they create a fun environment to learn funny jokes and even relevant and interesting facts

Thesis: Humorous comic books create a fun environment that 

Blog Review Assignment 1

For the past week I have to following mentalfloss.com which I rate as an 8.
It is visually stimulating with fun, interesting topics but I question it's credibility since most of it feels more like speculation than fact.

Sabatstian rated lifehack.com as 8/10. It isn't very visually stimulation but it's content more than makes up for it as it is interesting and useful.

Dan rated thisdayinhistory.tumblr.com as 4/10. It is an interesting read that relates historical events to today's date but rates poorly according to the class criteria.


Image from http://www.azquotes.com/quote/1048528

Blog Reviews

The blog I chose to review is called This Day In History. It picks a significant event that happened on that day in history, and tells you a brief story of how it all went down. For me, this is very interesting, and I enjoy reading about what incredible or horrific things had happened previously. Unfortunately, according to the criteria that we made up for blogs, this one doesn't score too well, as it doesn't have a catchy title, isn't visually appealing, doesn't have much humor, and doesn't vary too much, so I'm forced to give this blog a 4/10, although I enjoy ready it anyway.


The blog that Emily chose to review is called Mental Floss. She gives it an 8/10 based on our criteria, because it is visually appealing and has topics that are engaging and neat. She docked it two points because she doesn't think it's a very credible source, and sometimes the topics don't make a whole lot of sense. My own rating for this blog would be a 3/10.


Sabastian decided to review Lifehacker, and he rates it 8/10, based on the interesting topics, but the visual layout was boring. Personally, I think he gave it way too good a rating, and I would give it a 4/10.

Quality Criteria mini blog review

Quality Criteria mini blog review

I give the LifeHacker.com blog a 8/10. The background and design is plain but the articles are interesting and useful.

The Today in History blog on Tumblr gets a 4 from Daniel. It lacks a catchy title, isn't too visually appealing, doesn't contain a lot of humor and is rather repetitive. He still enjoys it though.

Emily has followed the mentalfloss blog for a little bit and decided to give it an 8. She likes the design and topics but questions their credibility since they tend to use informed guessing rather than facts.

Reverse Outline

Reverse Outline-"What your e-mail etiquette says about you"

Intro: I am a spelling geek, and I seem to be the only one

Thesis: Misspelled texts are a symbol of power

Supporting point 1: Powerful people misspell texts on purpose because they want to make the point that they are busy.

Supporting point 2: Power goes hand in hand with being hip and cool, not necessarily being formal, which means that errors are beneath them.

Supporting point 3: There are consequences of powerful people making their subordinates figure out what the hell they mean.

Conclusion: people who understand power don't say anything at all

Sabastian, Emily, Dan

Chapter 3 Reading Response By Sabastian Stevens

Chapter 3 Reading Response By Sabastian Stevens

When I pored over the information in chapter 3, it made me feel like I was in high school again. Learning about topic sentences, body paragraphs and conclusions brought a powerful sense of deja vu and did not educate me very much. Regardless, I did learn of a few refined techniques for polishing important sections of the essay and of a few questions one can ask while writing their work to affirm their purpose. For example, if you or your reader are asking yourself, "What does <your subject> smell like?", your goal in your essay is probably describing your topic. However, if the question is "What happened, and when?", you are probably writing a narrative. Either way, it is important to ask yourself these questions through each draft until you can answer them with confidence. I also found out about useful ways to start introductions to essays, such as beginning with a story or surprising statement to win the audience's attention, and following off strong arguments from there. I learned similar concepts for the conclusion as well, such as making a prediction of results that may happen due to ideal or not ideal courses of action. Everything else was review, however, and that made the chapter seem surprisingly short and uninformative. Hopefully, the next chapter is much more useful and eye-opening.

Sabastian Stevens-SDE

Chapter 1 Reading Response by Sabastian Stevens

Chapter 1 and Introduction Reading Response by Sabastian Stevens

When I was browsing this chapter and introduction, I gleaned over the writing process. All of that seemed familiar; inspiration, arrangement, drafting, planning and proofreading has been shoved down my throat even through elementary school so this was no surprise to me. A lot of the conventions advice also seemed painfully obvious, yet the book continued to drill me on points like noticing highlights, boldface, italics, juicy words and punctuation. I was ready to move onto something different.

I ended up being quite surprised though when I reading the introduction and saw the "What's in a name?" story by Henry Louis Gates Jr. I noted amount of power and emotional influence that one piece of writing can have. Equally surprising is the amount of depth that an essay can have and the many different responses people can have when reading it. For example, when I was reading, my main reacton was disgust. It was pretty awful to see that blacks were essentially resigned to injustice and had to endure stale names and treatment from their white brethren. My pain was amplified by the fact that they were almost always fearing danger, danger of losing jobs, income and sustenance. However, many different reactions were explained in the book, such as anger towards the white people or the author, indifference, and even happiness.

I also learned that to a certain extent, these reactions can shape up a different story for different people. People who sympathize with the innocence of the author in his early years may take the story's events more seriously, especially if the events are in light of the author. However, these personalized interpretations can also make people miss details about the story or essay and that is why it is a good idea to read over the work multiple times, especially if you have a strong opinion about said work.

When I read over the "Let Steroids into the Hall of Fame" essay by Zev Chafets, I saw that the author seemed to have a highly biased opinion. Perhaps he read anti-steroid articles and thought that the authors were ignorant, or maybe he had a favorable experience with steroid use in his past. I don't feel like there's anything wrong with a little bias, but I felt like in this case it got in the way of presenting viable counter-arguments. He mentioned very general counter-arguments but failed to tackle the bigger and more specific issues of his claims, probably in an effort to build his counter-arguments. However, I don't think this strategy is very effective because it doesn't inform the reader very well about both sides of the issue. What exactly is so wrong about not supporting steroids in sports? There must be arguments made against specific points in the counter-argument to really leave an impact. This is something I felt that the author Brent Staples did quite well in his "Cutting and Pasting: A Senior Thesis" essay. I felt like his writing touched upon the views that students who didn't understand plagiarizing had, while explaining the true downsides of copying work from others. I'm sure Zev Chafets could learn a thing or two from him.

Sabastian Stevens-SDE

Chapter 3 Reading Response

Chapter three was definitely something high school covered each and every year. I can still hear the chorus of groans sung by students whenever it inevitably came around. But as always, the review was actually helpful and something I should probably mark down and highlight to help me through the rest of the year  because this book is mine now. Not returning. It's going to be my precioussss! However I do wish it had more details about how to cite other people's work because at this point I am terrified that I will unintentionally plagiarize someone's idea and fail the paper I spent hours on.