Journal Entry - Lesson 15

Dear Mrs. Ingram:

Thank you so much for the supportive role you played in helping me to complete the academic writing class I took this semester. If it had not been for your encouragement and enthusiasm I probably would not have finished the course.

I have learned so much from this experience. At the beginning of the semester I had a very limited knowledge about writing academically. Over the course I have learned to write an essay properly following MLA format. I now know it must have a strong thesis with 3 supporting statements, and a conclusion where the thesis is restated. I have been given the opportunity to write different types of essays. Some of the essays I wrote were: a summary, contrasting two articles, and a research paper.

I have also acquired training in writing a resume, building an annotated bibliography, writing outlines, researching sources, and how to correctly cite sources within a text. Along with these, I have learned to find and locate effective sources and use graphics that can improve the quality of an essay.

Thank you for giving your time and encouragement. It has been a rewarding experience.

Sincerely,



Marcia Evarts
Student

Journal Entry 14

What I would have done differently.

It is hard to say what I would do differently while I was working on my paper because I have not received it back graded. I feel that I have spent enough time on research and writing, as well as having it checked many times at the Writing Center. I have been working on it for the last 5 weeks. It has helped by doing homework assignments that have been in conjunction with writing the research paper. Pre-writes, summaries of sources, writing outlines, annotated bibliography, writing the works citied page, and rough draft have help me to have time to research, gather, and write my final paper. I hope to receive a good grade on my paper.

Journal Entry Lesson 13

Consulting with Someone

Over the semester, I have visited the Writing Center on UAF’s campus many times. I have had many different people check over my writing assignments. I have seen a change in my attitude, knowledge, and an improvement in my ability to write.

At first I was really afraid of having someone critique my paper. I felt self-conscious and worried that I would be told that I was a poor writer. As I have continued to visit the Writing Center, I found that everyone working there was interested in my success. I was never made to feel that I was a poor writer. After the first visit, I was no longer apprehensive and found that as my attitude changed, the experience became pleasant and very enjoyable.

Each person I have worked with has been very helpful, some have been more meticulous than others. My papers were checked for errors and each time I was told different things to correct. I have been given ideas for revisions, and explained some rules of grammar. I have always had problems figuring out when to put a comma when using the word “and” in a sentence. One of the people working at the Writing Center explained to me that if I combined together two complete sentences, I would use a “comma box,” or the word “and” with a comma after it. Another thing I learned was when to use apostrophe “s” or “s” apostrophe; the first one being used showing ownership by a single person, and the second one being used to show plural or many persons ownership. I know these are simple English rules, but I was grateful for the mini lessons. It reminded me of what I had learned in high school and gave me knowledge to improve upon.

I have been encouraged especially when I have made a repeat visit and had the same person review my paper. Then comments were made pointing out the improvements I have made from previous papers. Just this last week the person that reviewed my rough draft for my research paper said that when I finish I should publish my paper. I was shocked! I had never considered that I would publish anything. It was quite a compliment and made me feel great. This has encouraged me and helped me to see that I am improving my writing.

I have found it has been very helpful to discuss my paper with someone at the Writing Center. They are friendly people willing to help me succeed. I am grateful that the university offers a Writing Center. I have received help at all stages of writing an essay from writing an outline and figuring out a thesis statement, to the works cited page. Visiting the Writing Center has changed my attitude about having someone check over my paper and helped me to understand the process of writing as well as improved my proficiency in writing.

Journal Entry Lesson 11

Summarizing Reading Material

I have found that there are many ways to help understand material that I want to use for my research paper. One of those is by summarizing. When summarizing, it is important to read over the material, take notes, and make an outline. All of these are important in order to understand what the author is trying to convey.

I like to read through the text many times because I usually miss things the first time. Depending on the material, I may read the entire work ten or more times, especially if the language is difficult to understand. For example, if I read something from Thomas Jefferson or John Adams, I have a hard time understanding the material on the first reading through because of the time frame that it was written in. By reading over the material many times it becomes clearer. It also helps to have an open mind towards whatever the subject matter is about. This helps to not pre-judge the ideas expressed by an author. When I have done this, I have sometimes been impressed to change my own view on the subject.

After I have read through the text and feel I have a pretty good understanding of the material, I like to take notes. This is called annotating. If the material is online, I usually print it out because it is easier to highlight, underline or circle important concepts, and to write comments in the borders. This helps me to be able to start organizing the ideas expressed. One of the first things I look for is the author’s thesis statement and the supporting statements used to back up the thesis statement. It also helps to know the audience the author is writing for and the purpose of the material being presented. I like to look up words in the dictionary that I do not understand to better clarify the text. In this week assignment, I did not understand the word “anachronistic” meant. I looked it up in the dictionary and found that it means: outdated or obsolete. This made the sentence it was used in make more sense.

When I have finished annotating the references, then it is time to write a brief summary of the material studied. This not only helps me to know exactly what the author’s intent was, but it also helps in deciding what material I will use in my paper. Some of the material is duplicated although from different sources and depending on the creditability of the source depends on which source I choose. Writing a summary of the reference material I found also helps in deciding the organization of the outline for the final paper.

As I have completed assignments for my English class this semester, I have found that reading over the reference material many times, annotating the material, and then making summaries helps very much in having an organized, well thought out, and good argument on my final essay.

Journal Entry - Lesson 10

I really hate that people blame society for their problems!

After reading Class in America—2003 by Gregory Mantsios, I started thinking about my own upbringing. I was raised by a single mother with two other siblings. She was a college graduate and had a decent paying job. From the descriptions of the different classes, my family probably was considered as poor or lower class.

I remember that money was tight. My mother had a strict budget that she adhered to. Very rarely did the family go out to eat, like maybe once a month and dessert was only offered on Sunday. For entertainment, we would go to the drive-in movie because it charged a small fee for each vehicle. Many times we would be able to invite friends to come along since it didn’t cost anything extra. My mother liked to take the family to the theater usually once a year. Everyone would get all dressed up in their best clothes; it was a special time for our family. Musicals like: Oklahoma, Sound of Music, and South Pacific were some of the highlights.

I never considered that our family was poor. Looking back on our childhood, my siblings and I still remember it with fond memories. We never felt that we were lacking anything, even though the family did not have a lot of money. Life was filled with laughter, joy, and happiness. I feel that it was because my mother worked hard, planned for expenditure, and saved so that her children could experience the refined culture around us.

She taught each of her children to work hard and be responsible for their choices. I recall her encouraging us to make good choices and always do our best.

I know that my mother made a lot of sacrifices for our family. She did not blame society for her lot in life. She continually worked hard to improve her family’s living conditions. My mother has been a great example to me. I recognize that the independence, fortitude, and strong work ethics I have developed are from the example she set.

Journal Entry - Lesson 9

Entry one-
I plan to continue to follow SJR 21 in the Alaska Legislature to see if there is any more information available for my research paper. I will also continue to check the newspapers in both Fairbanks and Anchorage as well as view the comments from the Financial Committee. I would like to make a chart showing a few other states and how many legislators they have per population. Then it will be easier to compare the statistics with Alaska.

Entry two-
For my research paper I have already visited the Division of Elections office here in Fairbanks. I may need to go back and gather some more information on the district boundaries. I also plan to visit the Writing Center weekly to have them check my paper for errors and see if they have any ideas as far as expanding or improving my paper.

Entry three-
A research paper that is eight to ten pages long can be threatening, but I don’t feel threaten. I also don’t feel confident. I feel more overwhelmed because of the time involved for research, pre-writes including drafts, and the final touches. The paper is my FINAL! I have never had to write a paper for a final. To me, English is a very hard subject compared to Math. Math is black and white. There may be different ways to come up with the answer for a problem, but the answer will always be the same. There are rules in English, but every instructor grades differently. I have found this out from getting help at the Writing Center up on UAF's campus. What one person thinks needs to be changed, another person will disagree. Se-la-vie.

Journal Entry - Lesson 8

Entry One-
The ad for Old Spice Cologne in the essay ""Two Ways a Woman Can Get Hurt"; Advertising and Violence" on pp. 421 of Rereading America, shows a young man leaning over a young woman. The young woman has her hand pushing against the young man’s chest. They both appear to be laughing. Above the picture is the word “NO” in very large letters. Then down on the bottom is a lot of small print with two words “sweat” and “proof” printed in bold letter. This ad clearly is sending two messages. Supposedly the young woman is saying no to the young man, and yet it shows them both smiling and laughing. This gives viewers the impression that when a woman says no, she really does not mean it. This clearly dehumanizes women and leads to the abuse of woman. It is no different than pornography! Women are shown as objects and not as a person with feelings. It is very demoralizing!

Entry Two-
My research paper is on a bill that will increases the Alaska State Legislature from sixty seats to seventy-two seats. If it is approved by the Legislature, Alaska State Voters will be voting on it in November. The Legislature states that one of their reasons for wanted to add more legislators is to help reduce the boundaries on some of the bush districts, specifically Senator Kookesh’s district. The senators district spans over 1000 square miles. Looking at the House District map provided by the Division of Elections (http://www.elections.alaska.gov/maps.php), it is hard to imagine how adding more legislature will improve this condition. According to the Legislative notes, the population in the rural areas is decreasing while the population in the larger cities like Anchorage and Fairbanks continues to increase. This means that the larger rural districts will continue to remain large in order to maintain an average population in each of the districts.

Entry Three
My thesis statement for my research paper is: Increasing the Alaska State Legislature from sixty members to seventy-two members will not benefit Alaska State residents because it will increase the costs of government without giving better representations to the people. It also will not change the fact that population in the larger cities continues to increase while population in the bush areas continues to drop. I believe it is a strong statement. It has a central idea and supportive evidence.

Reading Another Person's Blog

I must say that I enjoy reading another person's blog, especially when it is one of my children. It is a great way to keep in touch and share pictures. English journal blogs are not as interesting. I did view a few blogs from my English class. I commented on Zack Richard's blog. It was interesting because he talked about Tiger Woods and all the media coverage on him. Do we get extra credit points for commenting on someone else's blog?

Journal Entry - Lesson 7

My essay on "Amendment to Expand the Legislature," is directed to the voters of Alaska. The essay’s thesis is: "Increasing the Alaska State Legislature from sixty members to seventy-two members will not benefit Alaska State residents because it will increase the costs of government without giving better representations to the people. Also, it will not change the fact that population in the larger cities continues to increase while population in the bush areas continues to drop." It has a strong thesis because it has a claim with three supporting reasons.

I believe the audience can be swayed by this essay because the works cited from the legislative notes are contradictory. In one place a senator says that this will make the district boundaries in the rural areas smaller and in another place another senator states that the boundaries in the rural areas will stay pretty much the same due to population decreases in those areas. The legislators that are over districts covering large areas will continue to have a hard time being able to visit all of the villages and cities in their area. Another reason is because the voters in the State of Alaska have continued to vote against more government spending.

I have used sources from the U.S. government as well as from the Alaska State Constitution and Legislature. Even though these sources are from the web, they are very creditable.

Journal Entry - Lesson 6

Political cartoon by Sven Van Assche

The political cartoon by Sven Van Assche from the Darien Times depicts a young girl standing in front of an open door. The opening is dark and has many pairs of eyes staring back. On the door is labeled “Internet Chat Rooms.” On the side is written, “Knock, knock” and “Who’s there.” The cartoon is portraying the controversy over whether there needs to be some kind of regulation of the internet to protect children from predators.

With the increase of accessibility to the internet by children, is it legally right for the government to regulate the internet for the protection of children? Does this violate a person’s civil rights? Whose responsibility is it to keep our children safe?

We have talked in our church about what we can do as parents, so if I were going to write a paper on this cartoon, the thesis would be:

They are three things that a parent can do in order to protect their child from predators on the internet. First, make sure their computer is placed in a high traffic area of the home. Second, use an internet filtering tool. Third, teach your children how to use the internet safely.

Discrimination against Alaskan workers

The website http://alaskaworkers.com explains that Project Labor Agreements (PLA) discriminates against Alaska’s workforce. Many of the recent government jobs have union only PLAs. In Alaska, only about 17% of the construction workers are union employees. This means that the most construction workers do not qualify for government jobs and are finding it difficult to obtain employment. The Alaska Chapter of Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC) urge voters to contact their legislator and ask them to quit discriminating against Alaskan hire by eliminating the PLA.

My thesis would be:

Project Labor Agreements (PLA) discriminates against Alaskan worker because only a small percentage of the workers in Alaska are union employees; because taxes from non-union workers go to support many of the projects that have a PLA; and because unions generally hire workers by seniority which could place a worker living outside of Alaska being hired before an Alaskan worker.

Journal Entry - Lesson 5

What do you do when you get a brain cramp?

Taking English 111 has been a real eye opener to me. I have done very little academic writing in the past. I am learning so much, but it is time consuming. I enjoy learning new techniques and the mechanics of writing. I feel like I am an okay writer, but would like to improve.

The pre-writing takes a lot of time, but actually helps me to think of new ideas. My favorite ones are freewriting, idea mapping, and Pro and Con Because-clauses. Sometimes I have completed a few pre-writing strategies just to get ideas flowing. I did this in lesson 1 for my first assignment.

I do not like formal outlines and don’t think I would use this strategy unless required by my professor. I do not think in such an organized way. My thoughts are more jumbled so I need to get them down on paper first and then try to organize them.

So far the textbooks have been very helpful. It is nice to have a couple of sources to go to when I don't understand something.

I like my professor because she returns my papers within a few days of turning them in. The comments she makes are insightful and let me know where I can improve or where I did well. I try to use the comments and corrections when checking over my next assignment before turning it in.

Evaluation of supporting evidence

I used three sources in my essay "Persistence is the key to success.” The first two sources were from web sites. The other was from a popular children’s book.

As I started my search on the internet, I was looking for one or two quotes that would help readers understand my position. I also wanted to make sure that the person quoted was well known so that it would be considered a creditable source. The first quote was by Benjamin Franklin. His statement, “Energy and persistence conquer all things,” fit right into the title of my essay. I found it on the web site Motivational and Inspirational Quote Collection.

The second quote was one that I had heard before. I knew it was by Thomas Edison and referred to his inventing the light bulb. It was, “Results? Why, man, I have gotten lots of results! If I find 10,000 ways something won't work, I haven't failed. I am not discouraged, because every wrong attempt discarded is often a step forward.” I knew it would be creditable if I could find it. After searching the internet I found a site by Gerald Beals called, Thomas Edison.com. This quote was perfect for showing that mistakes are not failures but stepping stones. This is exactly what persistence is. Not giving up and the ability to keep on trying.

My last source came from the book, Charlotte’s Web by E.B. White. I did not use a direct quote, but just part of the story line. This book has been a favorite of mine since I was a child. I love the friendship that is developed between Wilbur and Charlotte and the fact that Charlotte never gives up on making sure that Wilbur is safe. This is a book of fiction, so I would not have used it if my paper would have required an actual event, but for the purpose of showing an example of persistence, it was perfect.

Writing a revision

When I started writing the revision of my essay from lesson 1, it was hard to change from writing in 1st person to 3rd person. I started with mapping ideas and then did some brainstorming of Pros and Cons because statements. It helped to solidify what my key points were. From there I took each paragraph from the first essay and did a rewrite. This helped to keep my focus on what my thesis was.

I found it hard to look at my topic "persistence" from two views since the paper was suppose to be an argument, but I was only able to voice one view. Usually in an argument paper, both sides are viewed. This is why it is considered to be both a process and a product. The goal of an argument should involve an exchange of ideas and then choosing the best solution for all involved. It can be found in all aspects of our life. Some examples are: two lawyers involved in a legal case, present their sides and the judge or jury will make a final decision; children expressing their opposition of a rule to their parents; members of a community voicing their opinion at an assembly meeting. My essay focused on the ability to succeed through perseverance.

If I were to give a presentation or write a letter to the editor, I would want to include both sides of an argument. If I didn't, my paper wouldn't carry much weight. I need to be able to show why my opinion is the best by countering any opposition.

I like to get another person's opinion of my paper before I turn it in. I have found it helpful to discuss my paper with a family member or friend and visit the writing center on campus. They have checked my paper for errors, given ideas for revision, and explained rules of grammar. Each of these has helped me get a higher grade and better understand the process of writing an essay.

Previewing section of a book help me to pick out the important ideas and what the author is trying to tell me. Then I can decide what applies and what doesn't. This is very important in evaluating sources so time is not wasted on trying to find sources that are not very creditable.

Which genre of argument would you most likely use on your own?

As I looked over the list of the different types of genres, there were a few that I would use; some on a regular basis, and others on rare occasions. These are personal correspondence, letters to the editor, and most recently, blogging.

I communicate with my family and friends through personal correspondence. Now days there are a variety of ways to communicate. Sometimes I write letters, other times I email, and for just short, brief messages there is texting. I enjoy all of them because they keep my family and friends close to me. Recently my daughter and her husband were in Thailand for 2 months. I wasn't always able to reach them by phone and it was very expensive. We would email at least once a week, and sometimes more.

I have only written a letter to an editor, once. It was scary thinking that a lot of people would be reading what I wrote. It is a great way to voice your opinion.

Blogging is all new, and I look forward to doing it. I have viewed other peoples blogs and have enjoyed reading their posts. Maybe this will become something I enjoy doing.

Journal entry - Lesson 3

Are We the Guinea Pigs?

Congress continues to debate over health care reform in America. They all agree that something needs to be done, but they haven’t agreed on how. While they continue to discuss the issue, health care prices are escalating. This has made it impossible for many families to afford health care coverage and resulted in employers dropping health care benefits for their employees. It is important that whatever heath care bill congress agrees upon, that it will make health care accessible and costs affordable without taking away our freedom of choice.

Our medical technology is one of the top in the world. One young man's diagnosis was prostate cancer. He was scheduled for surgery within 2 weeks. He has had a full recovery and considered in remission. If he had lived in Canada he would not have been able to be seen by an oncologist for 6 months. Since prostate cancer is a fast growing cancer, he may not have been alive today. This is one of the reasons I don’t want to see a national health care plan that is run by the government. Health care needs to be assessable for everyone.

There has to be a way for health care to be available for all Americans that is affordable where the federal government would only need to help when employers are unable to carry a health care plan for their employees. We all need to contact our congressman and input our ideas. Together we can find a solution, one that would benefit everyone.

English 111

This is my first post for English 111, I hope it turns out :)