Analyzing Message in "Pay Teachers More"

In this blog post, I will analyze the message and overall purpose of the editorial, "Pay Teachers More." I will go about doing this by answering the questions given and referring back to Student's Guide information on page 180 through 181.

Seth Sawyers. "Purpose." 05/14/2009 via Flickr.
Attribution 2.0 Generic License. 

• Out of all the bullet points listed for "Message and Purpose" on page 181, which two or three seem most relevant to the goals of your text's author/s? Why?
• For the editorial I chose, I think the author intended to express an idea or opinion, inform the reader about a topic that is often misunderstood and persuade the audience of something.
• express idea or opinion: As the author is writing an editorial, he is clearly suggesting that he has a strong view of this particular issue. He also uses personal pronouns such as "I" or "me," as he directly gives his opinion. 
• informs the reader about a topic that is often misunderstood: Kristof calls out fallacies that are often associated with the topic, and tries to clarify and offer a full explanation of the situation. 
• persuade the audience of something: The author uses pathos, ethos and logos throughout the text to evoke emotion and ultimately persuade the reader to take on a new perspective. Also, the tone that he uses is very passionate and slightly aggressive, which allows helps the writer to incline the reader towards or against something. 

• Which bullet points do NOT seem relevant to the goals of your text's/author/s? Why not?
• Although the author intended to do most of the listed items, he did not seem to analyze, synthesize or interpret. 
• The author did not provide details and specific accounts of the topic--he provided an over-arching summary that was intended to inform, persuade, and evoke emotion.

• Are there nuances and layers to the message the author(s)/speaker(s) is/are trying to get across? If so, what are they? If not, why not?
• Yes, I believe there are some different components hidden underneath the overall message. He suggests that a way to help and aid poverty is to pay educators more. This is a huge underlying message--poverty can be solved, or at least be helped through increasing teacher's salaries? He seems to be expressing the need for overall change--change in education, change in society's perceptions of teachers, change in salaries, change in society. But, if the reader only read or skimmed this article once, or maybe even twice, these nuances would not be recognized by them.

--Jenny Bello

Analyzing My Own Assumptions

In this blog post, I will analyzing my own cultural thoughts and assumptions, in relation to the text. I will also be answering the questions from Writing Public Lives' (pg. 80) section of "Analyzing the Text's Relationship to Our Own Cultural Assumptions."

1. What cultural or societal values, beliefs, etc., do we share with the society and culture in which the text was written? Why have they endured?

In relation to the text, I have the same idea that teachers are not respected or thought highly enough of in our culture. I share the idea that performance, especially on an international scale, is very important, and that we should always try and strive to learn from other cultures and societies in order to improve our own. These ideas have endured because they are applicable to the majority of the population's opinions--success, respect and performance are three universal topics that we all can relate to on a similar basis.

2. What cultural or societal values, beliefs, etc., do we not share? Why not?

I do not have the same belief that says that the measure of success that someone is accredited is based on their salary or position. This is a very popular idea in our culture, but I do not agree with it mainly because I think the definition for "success" is distinct for each person. I also do not agree with the practice that our society does off this point. Many people give more respect to people who are more financially "successful." Again, the term of success is flexible, not fixed, so I do not think respect should be based off of finances.

Frank Winkler. "New York Skyline." 09/02/2005 via Pixabay.
CC0 Public Domain License.

3. If the text is written in a culture distant and different from our own, what societal values, beliefs, etc., connect to or reflect our own culture? What societal values, beliefs, etc., can we not see in our own culture?

This text does relate to American culture and it was written in relation to American culture, so all of the values and beliefs discussed in the article are stemming from our society.

4. If the text is written in our culture but in a different historical time, how have the societal values, beliefs, etc., developed or changed over time?

This article was written in 2011, so not much has drastically changed. In fact, the subject matter is still being debated today. Our society still values the same things we did four years ago: education, performance, salary and respect. This list of topics are all still up-to-date in accordance to present day society.

--Jenny Bello

REFLECTION:

I read Lauren's and Rachel's blog post about their own assumptions, and I noticed that all of our beliefs and societal values agreed, for the most part, with the text. We all had chosen articles written from the American culture perspective, and all three of us chose current topics. I liked how Lauren related hers back to an even bigger issue: equal opportunity. I think that having a bigger issue behind the smaller, more specific topic is a good technique in this project. In my own research and work, I might look to find an even bigger context or background surrounding my argument.

Analyzing My Text's Cultural Setting

In this blog post, I will be discussing and including background information about my text, including the setting that the article was published and the setting that the author is referring to. I will provide answers to the Writing Public Lives, "Questions We Might Ask When Analyzing The Text's Relationship to Its Social or Cultural Setting," on page 79.

1. What values, ideas, norms, beliefs, even laws of the culture play an important role in the text?

To provide some context, the author is writing from the perspective of the United States, and is primarily discussing the problems found in the American education system. The culture that we live in values success, both financially and professionally. Our society believes that in order to be successful, one must have a large amount of money. Respect is earned through salary, profession and position, and our attitudes and lifestyles reflect this belief. Our culture also values performance as a whole, and strives to be ahead of other countries in the ranking system.

TBIT. "Money." 09/16/2015 via Pixabay.
CC0 Public Domain License.

2. Does the text address these cultural values, beliefs, etc. directly (by directly mentioning and responding to them) or indirectly (by presenting a scenario or narrative that addresses them)?

The author addresses these beliefs and ideas by directly responding to them. For example, Nicholas Kristof echoes our definition of success, as he relates the significance of this belief to how much teachers are getting paid. He points out the lack of respect that we have towards teachers, because of their low pay and "simple" career. The author also points out the importance of performance, whether it is talking about students, teachers, or other education systems around the globe.

3. What is the relationship of the texts to the values, beliefs, etc.? Is it critical of these aspects in our culture? Is it supportive? Does it seek to modify these aspects of the culture in a certain way?

The relationship between these values and ideas and the text is definitely negative. The author is pointing out the flaws in our society and culture that make up the way we think and act towards educators. Kristof clearly addresses the misrepresentations of teachers, and fundamentally denies these "fallacies." The text seeks to modify these aspects by evoking sympathy and emotion towards teachers and their situations, which in turn, could gain teachers respect that the author thinks they deserve.

--Jenny Bello

Cultural Analysis of "Pay Teachers More"

In this blog post, I am going to be analyzing the cultural messages discussed in "Pay Teachers More," which is the single text, out of the three in my "Evaluation of Rhetorical Situations" blog post, that I chose.

My cultural keywords are "salary," "performance," and, of course, "education."

• Salary: Clearly the article is centered around the topic of salary, but it is stressed in different ways:
• The amount that teachers are receiving in comparison to other countries and professions, is undeniably low.
• The controversy and argument between saying whether teachers are overpaid or underpaid.
• Salary connects with performance, as the article gave international examples of excelling educational programs, with high teacher salaries.
• The amount that a person gets paid can also be a sign of respect that they have in a society.

• Performance: The article discusses not only the teacher's performance as an educator, but also the student's performance level. 
• The teachers perform better, or have a greater incentive to try harder, if they are paid more.
• The children are statistically proven to heed economic benefits later in life if they had a good teacher. 
• In other countries around the world, teaching, as a profession, accept students that are at the top of their college graduating class.

Bob Cotter. "The Importance of a Teacher." 11/08/2011 via Flickr.
Attribution Non-Commercial 2.0 Generic License.

• Education: Again, this article obviously revolves around education, but not just the current student's education.
• Undergraduates involved in education often graduate at the bottom thirty percent of their class. 
• If "good teachers" were more available throughout K-12 years, than the differences in the levels of education between the whites and blacks would be indiscernible.
• The Center for Education Reform is pushing for an increase in teacher's salaries.
• Many claim that the education system would drastically be changed if there was an increase in salary.

The basic thesis or argument for this article is as follows: If teacher's salaries were to be raised, the performance level of themselves and their students would greatly increase, and the benefits would be evident through an economic, social and physical standpoint.

This exercise is going to be very helpful in this upcoming Project--not only have I determined what the thesis is in the text, but also I have highlighted a few key words that are important to mention.

--Jenny Bello

Evaluation of Rhetorical Situations

In this blog post, I will locate three examples of acts of opinionated public speech by someone in my discipline. Then, I will analyze each rhetorical situation by giving an explanation of each of the following categories: author/speaker, audience and context.

Example #1: "Teachers Salaries (Opinion)"

Author: The speaker's blog is titled, "Remnants," and his URL includes his name: Anthony Pandolfo. The speaker is a man, as the URL tells us, but it is also evident through the way he writes and the blog's layout and style itself. He seems to be well-educated, because of his grammatically correct sentences and his seldom-known facts. He grew up in New Jersey, and now lives in Piscataway. Also, his career is not mentioned, but he has done some stage acting on the side. All this and more is in his other blog posts.

Audience: Although the author never truly gives a summary of the controversy, the facts and details can be assumed through his writing. He writes to an educated audience, who has some basic knowledge regarding the topic. The message is intended for them, because he does not provide surrounding context or an introduction regarding teacher's salaries and the issue behind it. He just blurts out his opinion and what he knows on the topic as soon as he starts writing.

Context: The blog post was published on January 14th, 2014. He uses Wordpress, which is a blogging website. The author mentions Governor Christie, and her idea of prolonging the school year; this was a popular topic last year, but not anymore. This, in fact, shaped his opinion written in the article. The author, being from the east coast, may have a different opinion than a person living on the west coast. Also, he could have been brought up around different sorts of schools, like private or charter, where the salary for teachers was not drastically small. He writes from Piscataway, New Jersey, and there are no other texts involved.

Example #2: "Low Salaries Keep Many Teachers Out of the Middle Class: Report"

Author: The author of this report is Rebecca Klein, who is an editor for Huffington Post Education. She has written many articles, regarding various problems and issues in the education field, which proves that she is credible. There is no public information on where she lives, or if she has another career, but she seemed to have published this article from the east coast, as the time is written in Eastern Standard Time.

Audience: The audience that Klein is writing to is not expected to know an extensive amount of background information regarding the topic. The author gives a very brief, but specific, summary of the controversy and what is has been happening with teacher's and their salaries. Her writing suggests that the audience should know that something has gone amiss with teacher's paychecks, but not necessarily what that something is.

Context: The article was published on Huffington Post on July 24th, 2014. She is writing in QRG format, and the conventions are to include visuals, hyperlinks, compact paragraphs and plenty of white space. The author may be answering some frequently asked questions regarding some changes in the education system, or lack thereof, that were happening last year. As taxes or expenses grow, teacher's salaries do not seem to; this fact has been discovered in the last few years, and Klein is addressing it in the article. Klein is writing in terms of American culture, and expects the readers to apply this knowledge to that background as well. She includes a vast amount of hyperlinks to various articles that are discussing the same ideas, and she uses them to expand on her topic.

Example #3: "Pay Teachers More"

Author: The author of this article is named Nicholas Kristof, who is an Op-Ed Columnist for The New York Times, since 2001. He grew up in Oregon, received his undergraduate at Harvard University and studied law at Oxford University as a Rhode Scholar. He speaks Chinese and Japanese, and has served as a foreign correspondent for the newspaper. He and his wife have written many books together, including "Half the Sky," which was listed as the No. 1 best seller. He has won two Pulitzer prizes, as well as some other humanitarian awards.

Audience: The author expects his audience to have a decent amount of background information on the topic as a whole and on some specifics of the topic. He shows this by immediately referring to a statement made about teacher's salaries, and then responding to it, without any introduction. He is writing for a well-educated audience, but despite his extensive word choice and sentence structures, the article comes off as casual and relaxed.

Context: The editorial was published on March 12, 2011 in The New York Times. This type of genre encourages the inclusion of personal pronouns, such as "we" "I" and "you." The author seems to be responding to events that had happened earlier in the year, as he refers to the "debates in Wisconsin" and such. He also refers back to the 1970's to provide a stark contrast between teacher's salaries then and now. The author writes from an American perspective, as he relates to other countries and their wages compared to our own. Some of his other articles relate to this text, as well as some other editorials by other authors.

Images Money. "Dollar." 08/8/2010 via Flickr.
Attribution 2.0 Generic License. 

--Jenny Bello



REFLECTION:

After looking through Rachel's and Lauren's posts on their blogs, I reviewed over my own. I think that my analysis was well-thought out and developed enough, and I realized that all my sources were from very different genres of writing. However, in Rachel's post, she included a text that was argumentative, yet presented in a way that evokes emotion. Similarly, in Lauren's blog, she included an article written by a former teacher, which brought in the idea of personal experience. I did not include any article in which the speaker was a teacher or directly related to the subject matter, and I wish I would have. This would have provided a better argument, in my opinion.

Overall, I think I included a decent amount of insight into each text or article, and that my thoughts were developed clearly and thoroughly. In the future, I will continue to research on this topic for a first-hand view point.

Developing a Research Question

This blog post will mark the start of Project #2. In this post, I will develop and explore possible research topics for this next assignment, in relation to my major. I will list off several research questions that I am interested in and would like to provide an answer to.

Going back to Project #1, I am going to be answering the following question: "What kinds of public debates and arguments are taking place in my field or discipline?"

Got Credit. "Education." 03/16/15 via Flickr.
Attribution 2.0 Generic License.

In the education field, there are a lot of current "hot" debates or topics in the news. Some include:

• cost of university tuition
• salary of educational professionals
• international American schooling
• Standardized testing (specifically: Common Core)
• college ratings
• sexual assault at universities
• nutritional value in school lunches

Personally, I find most of the topics surrounding universities to be the most interesting. Here are some potential research questions that I would consider using:

1) How has the cost of tuition for universities affected the number of students attending colleges?

• most interesting to me--it is getting to be more and more expensive, and their does not seem to be any stop to it in the near future
• I am worried and nervous about it, so I myself am eager to know the answer.
• related question: Will the cost of tuition continue to rise in the next few years? Why or why not?

2) How will the implementation of college ratings affect universities and the students who attend them? What is the overall purpose? 

• This may be a really broad question, but I am interested in knowing just what the definition of this is. 
• Also, this is a very current topic that is spearheading now, so I would like to know what this could mean in the future for me as a student.

3) Has the low salary of teachers and professors affected the quality of education? If so, how?

• I have always been interested in this topic, mainly because I have always wanted to become a teacher, despite the low salary.
• Like any other career, the lack of motivation and incentive is normally caused by a low pay-grade. 
• If the teachers are not being paid very much, how motivated are they to teach, and to teach thoughtfully and purposefully?
• Also, as the price of living is going up in certain cities and areas, is the salary for teachers also increasing? If not, then how are they expected to be able to teach in that area?

I find these three topics the most interesting out of my list, but the third one is the topic I am most passionate about. If I have the choice, I will most likely choose this option as my research topic.

--Jenny Bello

Reflection on Project 1

In this blog post, I will take time to reflect and review my work done for Project 1. I will also be answering the following questions given to me by my professor.

Questions:

1. What challenges did you face during the Quick Reference Guide and how did you deal with them?

Near the beginning of this assignment, I had a lot of trouble determining exactly what was being asked of me. I did not know or understand what a QRG was, and I did not know how to go about creating or formatting one. I solved this problem myself by reading over the Project #1 Rubric (too) many times and also by researching QRG examples on the internet.

After realizing and connecting the meaning of a QRG to an example, I realized that I was familiar with the concept of the genre, and that the only thing I lacked was personal experience.

2. What successes did you experience and how did they happen?

I had a successful time with the researching aspect of this project; all of the sources were easily accessible and purposeful in including them in my writing. I found a wide variety of speakers in a lot of different media sources. Social media, comedy shows, news articles, journals, blogs, radio segments--you name it, I probably found it. This could have mainly been because I chose a popular and current topic, but it also could be because I learned how to research in a wide range of formats.

I also felt really confidant about the conventions in this genre; once I had an understanding of the protocol in this genre, it was easy to format and finish my writing in this way.

Jason Howie. "Social Media Apps." 03/23/2013 via Flickr.
Attribution 2.0 Generic License. 

3. What kinds of arguments, rhetorical strategies, design choices and writing practices did you find the most effective for your project? Why?

I found a lot of social media and popular culture sources and arguments to be effective, not only for this genre, but specifically for my subject. I did include some scholarly sources and information as well, but overall, people seem to have a common understanding of this topic and want to share their opinion about it. The place where most of these opinions end up are blogs and other forms of social media.

I found that hyperlinking was really effective and useful--I could include as much information as I wanted to, by including a simple hyperlink! I found it helpful for myself, because I could condense specific information in the article. Also, adding pictures into the text created an inviting article, at least to look at, and I enjoyed including such visuals.

4. What kinds of arguments, rhetorical strategies, design choices and writing practices did you find the most ineffective for you project? Why?

As I said, most scholarly sources felt out of place in this assignment and in my topic. They were ineffective because most of them were statistics, and if that was all that was included, the audience would get bored really quickly. I mainly focused on the opinions and hard facts of the topic, while including some statistics that served as strong evidence.

5. How was the writing process for this project similar to other school writing experiences you've had in the past?

Like other past writing experiences, I had to research a topic throughly and provide sources about it. I have had to quote and explain various pieces of information, and give intensive information about a topic. I have also had to think about the certain conventions and rules that go along with the genre.

6. How was the writing process for this project different to other school writing experiences you've had in the past?

Unlike my other writing experiences in the past, this project called for a Quick Reference Guide, which was a completely new concept to me. I have never been told not to include in-text citations, until now. Also, I have never written about a topic from all the parties involved--I have normally just picked one of those groups and zeroed in on how they were involved in the matter that I was discussing.

This was definitely one of the most informal and causal pieces of writing I have ever written that was related to school-work, and that was completely fine with me.

7. Would any of the skills you practiced for this project be useful in your other coursework? Why or why not?

This project clearly relates to this class--the use of media sources, hyperlinks, white space, extensive research and other various conventions and qualities are some common themes that we have been discussing. In my other classes, some of these things would apply. For one, I now feel more confidant in my research skills. I have an understanding of the types of information that I could gather, and how I could find that info.

However, this would not relate to most of my other classes because of the format and genre that it is in. This is a very specific genre, with regulations that seem to only coincide with this particular style of writing. I will probably not be told to write a QRG ever again, but if I do have to, then I have extensive knowledge on how to go about doing that.

--Jenny Bello

REFLECTION:

After reading and replying to two other blog posts, I have developed some new ideas regarding Project 1. First of all, I am consoled by the fact that other people struggled with formatting in Google Docs, too. Both Addie and Lauren said that this was one of their biggest problems that they had to overcome while writing their QRG, and I could not agree more.

Reading other classmate's reflections on their project made me realize how impactful this experience could become for our general writing skill levels. I think that as a class we have gotten to be better researchers, because of this specific project. I know that, personally, I have gotten better at differentiating between summarizing and presenting information, too. Looking back on it, this project taught me a lot of useful skills that are going to be useful in future classes and papers.

Project 1

In this blog post, I will turn in (finally!) my Project 1 assignment, or my Quick Reference Guide. I tried to follow and mimic the format the best that I could. It has been a lot of work, but it is done, and I am proud of it.


Here goes nothing!
--Jenny Bello

Clarity, Part 2

In this blog post, I will refer back to the "Clarity" section in the Rules for Writers textbook and pick four new topics to read and review. Then, I will take what I have learned from this reading and apply it to my QRG draft.

My four clarity topics:

1. Active verbs (pg. 112)

• the passive voice lacks strength
• the active voice expresses meaning clearer 
• the active voice should be used most often in writing
• helps to add emphasis and character
• example of active voice: I finished my exam. 
• passive voice is appropriate when trying to deemphasize the subject in the sentence
• example of appropriate passive voice: The exams are graded by the professor.

2. Needed words (pg. 119)

• in a compound sentence, if the word is said in the beginning, then it is okay to leave out at the end.
• ex. "Tom is a man who means what he says and [who] says what he means." (pg. 120)
• add the word "that" when doubting if the sentence is grammatically correct
• add comparison-type words
• keep and add 'an,' 'a,' and 'the' for clarity

3. Appropriate language (pg. 161)

• avoid the jargon, or language that only people with special knowledge in a field or study would know about
• this could even include words that are used in higher education systems
• try to avoid the uncommon "hard" words
• do not sound pretentious
• sound educated, but not annoyingly intellectual
• do not add words just to add words
• steer clear of euphemisms
• they are not needed and sound pretentious
• examples: "economically deprived" (poor), "preowned automobile" (used car), "negative savings" (debt) (pg. 163)
• be formal, but not too formal
• us a correct form that sounds relaxed but not too "friendly"

4. Exact words (pg. 171)

• find the exact definition--this will help the writer use it correctly
• specific, factual nouns
• the proper noun or name
• the specific quality or theme
• the specific physical object
• do not overuse clichés 
• use the standard idioms
• idioms: speech forms that do not follow specific rules, but are set already in our language
• examples: "abide by," "comply with," "prior to," "think of," etc.
• triple check figures of speech
• do not force them, nor overuse them
• use appropriately and sparingly

Quan H. KIM. "Clear sky." 05/21/2015 via Flickr.
Attribution Non-Commercial 2.0 Generic License.

After editing my draft in relation to this list of four clarifying features, I learned somethings about my writing. 

• active words
• passive voice--use it too regularly
• ex. "However, each individual state created their own standards, which left the states to determine success by making up their own definition." (pg. 1)
• I need to revise my paper and make sure to use active voice whenever I can. This way, my paper will sound stronger and it will be written better.

• needed words
• I include words that are needed.
• If anything, I am too "wordy" with my sentences, and I do not omit words enough.
• I am careful to include comparison-type words and articles.

• appropriate language
• I did not include any jargon.
• I explained all that my readers might not be informed of (acronyms, groups, acts, etc.)
• I avoided euphemisms and slang.
• I used an appropriate level of formality.
• ex. "Parents and teachers are also adding to the never-ending social media conversation, voicing their personal opinions. Some use sarcasm to express their frustration, while others are not so subtle." (pg. 4)
• demonstrates voice and character, yet is not informal or too casual
• exact words
• I used the words according to their actual definitions.
• I need to use more specific and concrete nouns.
• ex. "Various school districts and school boards are taking more action, either against or in support of the program." (pg. 4)
• names? examples?
• I used the standard idioms.
• "by the fact that" (pg. 5)
• "until then" (pg. 8)

Overall, I was pleased to see that I followed most of the rules and tips that the book provided on these four clarification qualities. I will be revising for a few things here and there, but as a whole, I am proud of the work and the writing quality that I have so far.

--Jenny Bello

Identifying Basic Grammar Patterns

In this blog post, I chose my longest paragraph of my QRG and I used the "Grammar Basics" section of Rules for Writers (pg. 367-400) to identify various features. I analyzed and commented thoroughly on my longest paragraph. I identified sentence structures and purposes, parts of speech, sentence patterns and subordinate word groups.

Jimmie. "Grammar minibook." 06/17/2009 via Flickr.
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I really enjoyed doing this blog post. It required me to stop and take a clearer look on the structure of my writing, and not just the context. I learned that though I do include variety in the length of my sentences naturally, I need to pay deeper attention to how I structure my sentences and thoughts. Again, I need variety in my writing. (This is a common theme that I am discovering about myself lately.)

Identifying the sentence purpose was probably my favorite part, because normally, in a school-related writing assignment, I just stick to the basic declarative sentences. If I branched out and included more imperative, interrogative and exclamatory sentences, that would automatically count as variety. Overall, this exercise helped me to recall the basics of grammar and apply them to my own writing.


--Jenny Bello

Paragraph Analysis

In this blog post, I will include a copy of my QRG draft with a paragraph analysis. I will be analyzing how well I focus and develop the main point, organize internally within paragraphs, link ideas coherently, and provide smooth transitions.

I will also include a short reflection, referring to my paragraph analysis, in this blog post.

Kevin Dooley. "Reflection." 06/02/2008 via Flickr.
Attribution 2.0 Generic License Agreement.

After conducting my paragraph analysis, I realized I have a few strengths and many weaknesses that reoccur in my writing.

Strengths:

• I am good at writing introductions, and presenting a new topic. 
• I can organize paragraphs well, internally.
• I can provide context that seems natural in a paragraph.

Weaknesses:

• I forget to write or include conclusions.
• My conclusions that I do write are not strong enough.
• I tend to summarize and not provide enough specific evidence (especially in this genre.)
• paragraphs are not well organized together
• work on transitions into new topics and paragraphs
• need to work on overall structure and sequence of paragraphs and QRG

Overall, I think I have a lot more work to do, but I feel confident in knowing exactly what I have to revise. I have never done a paragraph analysis before, but this has been very helpful. I liked how I was instructed to go paragraph by paragraph, making me stop and look at my writing in a new light.

--Jenny Bello

Reflection on Project 1 Draft

In this blog post, I will assess the comments on my first draft of the QRG, using the list of questions found on pg. 66 of A Student's Guide to First-Year Writing. I reviewed two of my peers' drafts, including Rachel's and Anne Emilie's, and left comments with my suggestions and revisions.

The two who peer-reviewed my own work were Rachel and Addie. They did an excellent job, and added comments to suggest revisions of both global and local revisions. Their insight helped me out tremendously.


Audience Questions:

• Who, specifically, is going to be reading this document? Who am I trying to reach with my argument?
• My professor and peers are going to serve as my main audience. I am not necessarily trying to change my reader's opinions regarding the controversy, but rather provide an unbiased explanation.

• What are their values and expectations? Am I adequately meeting those expectations?
• My audience values clarity and information; they expect a contextual piece of literature that informs, not persuades. 
• I think I am adequately meeting these expectations, because I provide a background to the controversy and I do not overtly express my opinion of the matter.
• I plan on revising and editing my QRG to provide slightly more information on groups like PARCC and some statistics that are important to consider, so as to give my audience more insight into the controversy.

• How much information do I need to give my audience? How much background information or context should I provide for them without insulting their expertise?
• Although this is a genre based on information and context, I do not need to overload my audience with facts and statistics. I need to present the issue and how it began, but for something like Common Core, a popular topic, I do not need to over-do it on the summary. 

• What kind of language is suitable for this audience?
• The QRG's are normally relaxed, however, correct grammar and word choice are necessary. It is a professional document, but it is not a stereotypical formal essay either. There is definitely a balance between informality and formality, and I hope that I achieved this in my work. 
• I tried hard not to use words like "I" or "you," as that sets up an informal relationship between the reader and the author. 
• I need to triple-check to see if I ended up using any of these words in my QRG.

• What tone should I use with my audience? Do I use this tone consistently throughout my draft?
• I should use an informative tone, but also be able to add my own voice and personality, correctly. I hoped that my tone conveyed that I was knowledgeable on the topic, but not boring or uninteresting. 
• I think I used this tone consistently in my draft, because I tried to incorporate my own voice through word choice or sentence structure, while also staying professional.

Context Questions:

• What are the formatting requirements of this assignment? Do I meet these?
• The formatting requirements include:
• concise and short paragraphs
• use of visuals and media sources
• use of subheadings
• a lot of empty or white space within paragraphs
• I do meet these requirements in my QRG draft. My recent experience with blog posts and the conventions for that genre came in handy for the QRG format.

• What are the content requirements for the assignment? Do I meet these?
• background into controversy
• description of groups involved
• reason why people are upset (why it is a controversy)
• quotes regarding what people are saying on all sides of argument
• how people are sharing/publicizing their opinions (social media, online news sources, scholarly journals?)
• description of facts vs. opinions
• explanation of credibility or lack of for each source
• I think I meet these requirements, primarily because I went through this list while writing my draft and used this as a reference point on what I should include next. 
• These requirements also served as my sub-headers, or at least some of them did, to give the reader an insight on what the paragraph is about. 
• I plan on rereading (again) the Project #1 Breakdown and rubric to see if I have covered all of the content requirements.

• Does my draft reflect knowledge or skills gained in class in addition to my own ideas and voice? 
• Yes, my draft both reflects the things that we have discussed in class and my own ideas.
• In class, we discussed the conventions of a QRG, the wide variety of sources that should be included, and the content requirements.
• I added my own personal voice by choosing specific words or sentence structures, presenting sources in unique ways, and carefully choosing the information that I wanted my readers to know about the controversy.

• Have I addressed any grammatical issues that my teacher highlighted in class or in my previously-graded assignments?
• Yes, I have addressed any issues, whether it was related to grammar or content, that may have been highlighted in previously-graded assignments. 
• These include:
• appropriate use of hyperlinks
• concise and clear introductions
• use of white space and paragraph breaks

--Jenny Bello

Clarity, Part 1

In this blog post, I will choose four topics from the "Clarity" Section of Rules for Writers that I think I could benefit from knowing more about. I will discuss these topics and how I can use them to improve my writing skills.

1. Parallel Ideas (pg. 116)

• parallelism: balance of quantity and verb tense throughout a sentence
• I had always heard of parallelism, but I never knew the exact definition. I think I do this automatically, but when revising, I could double-check to see if my words and phrases match up in a sentence.
• ex. "Impressionist painters believed in focusing on ordinary subjects, capturing the effects of light on those subjects, and using short brushstrokes." (pg. 116)

2. Shifts (pg. 135)

• includes point of view, verb tense, mood or voice, indirect speech to direct
• making the point of view match in person and number
• consistent use of verb tenses (-ing, -ed, etc.)
• three moods: indicative (facts, opinions, questions), imperative (orders and advice), and subjunctive (wishes and desires)
• just like Spanish!!
• I did not know that there were actual names for these three modes of speech.
• I personally struggle with remembering to maintain the same verb tense throughout my writing. I often skip over from past to present tense, and then back again. 
• correct example: "The scarlet letter is a punishment sternly placed on Hester's breast by the community, and yet it is a fanciful and imaginative product of Hester's own needlework." (pg. 137)
• This section helped me identify the different kinds of shift that are present in writing, and how to stay consistent with each type. 

3. Emphasis (pg. 141)

Chris. "Exclamation Mark." 05/26/2015 via Flickr.
Attribution Non-Generic Share-Alike 2.0 Generic License.

I have always struggled with emphasizing key words and phrases, mainly because I revert back to the three main conjunctions, 'but', 'yet' and 'however.'

• coordinate equal ideas
• appropriate use of semicolons and commas
• how to draw equal attention to two topics using grammar
• subordination
• how to make a comparison; two different types of emphasis
• stress certain ideas 
• words that express a contrast between two topics
• although, unless, while
• combining short and incomplete sentences
• using grammar, word choice and capitalization

This section helped me to brainstorm ideas on how to effectively compare and contrast two ideas, while also offered advice on how to introduce and explain topics that are equal in importance.

4. Variety

Over the years, my writing and word choice has been at a standstill. I mainly use the same vocabulary and sentence structures, and so I find the topic of variety very significant if I want to improve my writing skills.

• sentence openings
• change the beginning of a sentence to avoid monotony
• example: instead of 'a' use 'just'
• sentence structures
• variety of simple, compound  and compound-complex sentences
• occasional use of inversion

Hopefully, I will remember these words of advice whenever I write in the future, and refer back to them as needed when I am in need of a change in my writing. 

Overall, these four topics, parallelism, shifts, emphasis and variety, can benefit my writing skills. If I put the tips that I have just reviewed into practice, then it will probably make me become a more experienced and more advanced writer.

--Jenny Bello

REFLECTION:

While peer reviewing two other classmate's QRG drafts, I learned some new things regarding my four Clarity topics:

• Variety in sentence structure and transition words provide more than just style and voice, but more importantly can add strength to the argument. 
• In Anne Emilie's draft, she uses a different sentence structures throughout her paragraphs. This helped me as a reader to stay engaged, but I also found her statements to be more believable. 
• For example, she uses inversion, questions and other methods to evoke variety.

• Applying emphasis, using grammar, naturally makes the reader gravitate towards a topic. 
• Using semi-colons and commas are effective when trying to state a point.
• For example, Rachel writes, "Opponents of abortion can be supporters of ESC research; this is the controversy’s grey area." (Rachel's first draft)
• The use of the semicolon allows me to weigh the significance of the "grey area."

• Consistent use of verb tense gives off the sense of a well-organized paper.
• Anne Emilie did a really good job at staying consistent with her verb tenses, basically throughout her whole draft.
• As the reader, this made the paper not only much easier to follow, but also made it seem like it was developed properly. 
• Staying with present tense example: "To Levinson and others who believe strongly in film as an art, it is important to preserve one’s right to opinion and value every film based on skill, regardless of ethnicity." (Anne Emilie's First Draft)

Thoughts on Drafting

In this blog post, I will reflect back on the act of putting the Quick Reference Guide draft together.
While reflecting, I will review the Student's Guide reading and answer corresponding questions.

A Student's Guide to First-Year Writing pg. 49-58

1. What parts of the book’s advice on the above bulleted topics are helpful for writing in this genre?

While writing my first draft of the QRG, I found many things in this section helpful. Some include:

• remaining flexible as I write (pg. 49)
• allowing thoughts and ideas to develop as you begin and are partaking in the writing process
• things might update or change
• do not remain fixed on a certain position on the subject
• the importance of paragraph breaks (pg. 51)
• quick and easy-to-read paragraphs 
• white space
• PIE (pg. 51)
• Point, Illustration, Explanation
• can be done with quotes or any type of information
• grabbing the reader's attention (pg. 52)
• this genre should not be hard or boring to read
• well-organized (pg. 55)
• information should be presented in a well-developed manner
• not overwhelming or confusing
• looking back and looking forward (pg. 57)
• provide external context than just the situation/controversy itself
• gather insight into what might happen or has already happened after controversy

2. What parts of the book’s advice on these topics might not be so helpful, considering the genre you’re writing in?

Some of the book's tips I did not find so helpful, especially when dealing with this particular genre. This items include:

• thesis statements and revising them (pg. 49-50)
• while there is an overall purpose and theme to a QRG, there is not one major thesis. 
• instead, it is an article that draws from one particular topic
• paragraph development (pg. 51)
• no body paragraphs in a QRG
• no need for topic and conclusion sentences
• tips for writing introductions (pg. 52-53)
• was not all that helpful because there was not much of an introduction to write
• no need for "fluff"; got to the point of the QRG immediately

Overall, I found many things in the book relatable to the genre, and the tips served as good reminders. 

ijustwanttobeperceivedthewayiam. "bulleted list." 11/21/2011 via Flickr.
Attribution Share-Alike 2.0 Generic License.

--Jenny Bello

REFLECTION

After reading some of my classmates' blog posts, I recognize some things that my QRG needs help with, in terms of editing and revising.

1. Organization: In Rachel's blog post, she clearly stated that organization is one, if not the most, important factor of any written work, but especially a QRG. In this genre, one has to be able to tell a sequence of events in order, so as to present the information in a timeline fashion. I need to revise my QRG so that it is more organized and fluid.

2. PIE Format: In my QRG, I do not know if I introduced and developed quotes and pieces of information well enough. I plan on going back and explaining quotes and pieces of information more thoroughly in the near future.

3. Introductions: I was reminded of the importance of introductions by my classmate Breanna. Even though an introduction in a QRG may be different than in other genres, it is still a necessary part of the paper. I need to work on introducing my topics and ideas cohesively, so as to not overwhelm the reader. This can go hand-in-hand with organization. I need to work on writing strong, thought-provoking introductions.

Draft of Quick Reference Guide

In this blog post, I will include a working hyperlink to my first draft of the quick reference guide. I will also address my fellow classmates, and tell them what they should look for when reviewing my document.


Peer-reviewers: This is my first draft of the QRG, and I do not know if I am that confident in it. To be completely honest, I don't even know if I formatted or wrote it correctly. I know that my word choice can be revised and improved, and perhaps the cohesion of sentences in my paragraphs. Also, I hope to add more graphics and other kinds of media to it. However, is the content fluid? organized? well-developed and introduced? Do I lack informality? or am I too informal?

Also, if you catch any spelling/grammar mistakes, I would highly appreciate it if you could point those out.

Tell me what I should add or what I should take away, in order to master this genre of writing.

My QRG

Joanna Penn. "Notes for first book with my own ideas." 10/10/2009 via Flickr,
Attribution 2.0 Generic License. 

--Jenny Bello

Extra Credit: Putting Quotes in Context

In this extra credit blog post, I will analyze quotes by a few celebrities and put them into context. I will also answer the given questions on each quote and interview.

Mathieu Plourde. "Contexts." 02/10/2013 via Flickr.
Attribution 2.0 Generic License.

Kanye West

Interviewed with The American Dream issue of Paper

Quote: “I know people want to talk about the American Dream, but my dream is a world dream. It's a world in which everyone's main goal would be to help each other. The first thing I told my team on New Year's Day was, "You know, people say bad news travels fast, but this year let's make good news travel faster."”

Questions:

1. Describe the context: What was the context in which the quote was actually said? To what kind of publication? When? Who were they speaking to? Was the speaker responding to a question? Or did the quote emerge as part of a conversation about a specific topic?

• The quote is actually the first couple sentences in the article that Kanye West wrote. 
• This was published in a magazine called Paper, which seems to deal mainly with fashion. It was published in April of 2015. 
• Kanye West was describing his journey and progress that he has made as a fashion designer, however, he mainly focused on his past experiences that led him to be where he is today as a man.
• The quote, and the article, was not an answer to a specific written question, but maybe a collection of popular questions that West has been asked.

2. Explain how knowing the context shapes our understanding of the quote: How does knowing the specific context in which the quote was said inform your understanding of the quote? Try to describe how knowing the context helps you react to the quote in some specific way. 

• By reading the rest of the interview, I now understand the reason that why Kanye West said the things he did, and why he was discussing the idea of the American Dream.
• Recognizing the meaning of the quote and putting it into context makes the quote seem less outrageous and egotistical.
•  I not only understand the quote more, but I understand who Kanye West is as a person more now too. 

3. Analyze how the quote-in-context shapes your view of the celebrity who said it: Explain how understanding the context in which the celebrity said the quote does or does not color your perception of them. Does knowing the context for the quote deepen your impression of the celebrity who said it? Does it change or alter your perception of them? Does it cut against the way this celebrity is often talked about or represented within the culture-at-large?

• By understanding the context of this quote, Kanye West seems a more respectable and genuine person. The article itself probably allows me to empathize and sympathize more with him now.
• Now, in popular culture, there is this ongoing "meme" with Kanye West. He is known to be egotistical and obsessed with his image and himself. This article that he has written helps to change that perception slightly, however, he still comes off as self-important. 

Christ Pratt 

Reported on MoviePilot

Quote: “I do know what it feels like to eat emotionally, and…to be be sad and make yourself happy with food. And then to be almost immediately sad again and now ashamed and then to try to hide those feelings with more food. I know what that’s like. It’s a vicious cycle and it’s a very real thing.”

Questions: 

1. Describe the context: What was the context in which the quote was actually said? To what kind of publication? When? Who were they speaking to? Was the speaker responding to a question? Or did the quote emerge as part of a conversation about a specific topic?

• The quote was included in an article written primarily about Chris Pratt, and his sudden change in a role as an actor and his body image. 
• It was published on MoviePilot, which is a news source that mainly discusses movies and actors, in July of 2014. 
• The article was published around the time that "The Guardians of the Galaxy" came out in theaters.
• He was being interviewed and he was being asked a question on relating his personal weight loss experience with those that women have in Hollywood. He was asked to give his insight on the struggles that people have with weight, especially in the public eye. 

2. Explain how knowing the context shapes our understanding of the quote: How does knowing the specific context in which the quote was said inform your understanding of the quote? Try to describe how knowing the context helps you react to the quote in some specific way. 

• Understanding the context of this quote helps to put his words into perspective. I now know the background of Chris Pratt's experience with being overweight and what he had to go through to lose that weight. 
• With more context, I have a stronger reaction to his quote than I did when I read it all by itself.

3. Analyze how the quote-in-context shapes your view of the celebrity who said it: Explain how understanding the context in which the celebrity said the quote does or does not color your perception of them. Does knowing the context for the quote deepen your impression of the celebrity who said it? Does it change or alter your perception of them? Does it cut against the way this celebrity is often talked about or represented within the culture-at-large?

• Now, I have more respect and admiration for Christ Pratt. As the article has all positive things to say about him, it does make me have more positive feelings towards him as an actor and as a person.
• I knew that he did lose weight, because of the recent movies that he was in, and I have been a fan of "Parks and Recreation," however, I did not realize the significance of it all. This article helps to emphasize all the work that he put in, and I can't help but feel proud and happy for him.
• This helps to put weight issues and struggles into perspective for all actors and actresses in Hollywood--it is difficult to maintain a healthy lifestyle, yet not become obsessed with being the "most fit" and "skinniest."
• I now feel like I can relate to Chris Pratt on a normal level, because he shared some honest and vulnerable truths.

--Jenny Bello 

Practicing Quoting

In this blog post, I will use the information that I just read in Section 5.4 of A Student's Guide to First-Year Writing, to practice quoting and integrating quotes correctly. I will use two quotes from my annotated bibliography, talking about my controversy, as my examples.

Jenny Bello. "Practicing Quoting Paragraph." 09/08/2015 via Google Docs.

Legend:

yellow= ellipsis or brackets

orange= signal phrases

pink= putting it into context

blue = establishing authority of source

Coffee. "Free vector graphic." 2012 via Pixabay.
CC0 Public Domain License.

--Jenny Bello

QRGs: the Genre

In this blog post, I will discuss and explain about what a Quick Reference Guide (QRG) is as a genre. Also, I will answer questions pertaining different properties associated with a QRG.

Duke University Archives. "Perkins Library Reference Desk, 1970s." 03/04/2011 via Flickr.
Attribution Non-Commercial Share-Alike 2.0 Generic License.

1. What do the conventions of this genre - the Quick Reference Guide - seem to be?

• subtitles are often written as questions
• the subtitles therefore serve as a lead or a transitional tool
• it is easier to scan over the article; the reader can pick and choose what he or she would like to read
• it offers a "story-telling" aspect 
• can reflect the frequently asked questions
• use of images and visual content
• presents evidence in graphic form
• evokes emotional response
• contextualizes data
• short paragraphs
• easy to read, pleasing to the eye
• simplifies and specifies
• directs the reader to the purpose
• social media references
• informality
• appearance of universal theme or topic
• attract certain audience
• provide additional evidence and support
• hyperlinking
• additional information sources listed to give background and context
• makes it easier for reader and writer
• gives credibility to writer; shows that writer did his research
• substitution for citation
• context
• one-stop source
• includes others opinions
• answers who, what, when, where, how and why

2. How are those conventions defined by the author's formatting and design choices?

The author of a QRG follows these conventions by:

• writing paragraphs 2-3 sentences in length
• breaking chunks of text up with a visual image or source
• using large, easy-to-read font
• hyperlinks are in a different color
• side-bars with even easier to read information

3. What does the purpose of these QRGs seem to be?

The QRG's purpose is to be written as a brief research source that includes all the information one would need to know on a certain topic. It is not supposed to overwhelm the reader, but rather attract it's audience. The reader should finish the article within five minutes, but should be able to access more information if necessary. A QRG's purpose can be found in the title itself. 

4. Who is the intended audience for these different QRGs? Are they all intended for similar audiences? Or different? How and why? 

The intended audience for QRGs are ordinary people with an ordinary intelligence level of the specific subject. The authors are mainly writing informally, gearing towards a younger, less professional audience. The audiences for each of these QRGs are very similar, because they all use the same basic styles and conventions.

5. How do the QRGs use imagery and visuals? Why do you think they use them in this way?

There are many different types of media sources in each QRG. The author embeds videos, various photos, graphs and data charts to give further explanations for his or her topic of interest. They provide a new way of visualizing the information provided, and now the reader has a deeper understanding. 

--Jenny Bello

REFLECTION:

Many of my classmates and I shared the same "conventions of a QRG" list, as we had come up with a clear list in class. However, we demonstrated our knowledge and perception of these conventions in different forms. For example, Lauren put an emphasis on the importance of the visual images and media sources that are included in a QRG, while Katherine focused on the importance of short and direct paragraphs. I really appreciated Hannah's thorough response, and her list that covered all the major conventions, while not repeating any. She did a really good job giving a detailed description into each convention.

With my personal list, I do not think that I included enough main conventions. If I could go back and change it, I would forgo the "context" convention and change "subtitles are usually written as questions" into a convention that simply says subtitles are necessary. Then, I would have a very accurate list of QRG conventions. 

Cluster of My Controversy

In this blog post, I will include my Coggle cluster of my controversy, that I have already discussed. I will also explain what I did with it, how I organized it, and how I plan to use it in the future.

Coggle cluster of my controversy


In my cluster, I began with Common Core in the center, which is my controversy, and extended outwards, with the groups that are most involved in the subject matter. I then included information on how they speak publicly about the matter, usually using a type of media, while also including their opinions and ideologies. One the right side, I mainly included the groups that are actively involved in the education field, whether it is their career or not. On the left side, the group is primarily composed of politicians.

Overall, I found this exercise to be tremendously helpful, as I compiled my research and my findings into one simple organizer. I will be able to refer to this easily and quickly later on in this project.

mkreyness. "Spider Web." 11/19/06 via Flickr.
Attribution 2.0 Generic License.

--Jenny Bello

REFLECTION: After looking at other clusters, I have a few things to say about my own. My classmate Rachel and I used the same program, which was Coggle, to compile our cluster. I appreciated her brevity with every thought that she had; it made it look organized yet simple. I probably should have condensed my ideas into phrases more than sentences, because this organizer is for me to look at and refer to.

I also looked at Lauren's  cluster, and hers was equally as brief and to the point as Rachel's was. She This makes me question if I needed to include that much information in my cluster. Lauren also separated her chart into four main groups of people that were involved in her controversy, which made it easy to read and look at. Overall, this beneficial tool is a great starting point while writing a QRG, and I think each of my classmates would agree to that.

Annotated Bibliography in APA Style

In this blog post, I have composed an annotated bibliography of all the sources I have researched, relating to my controversy. I used APA style, which is the style that the education field uses. I found an online APA style guide, however, I primarily referred to the Rules for Writers textbook.

APA style guide

APA style guide in Rules for Writers:

Hacker, D. Sommers, N. (2014.) Writing Papers in APA Style. Little, K. L. Hea A. K. Hall A.M.

(Eds.) Rules for Writers (7th ed.). (pp. 539-595). Boston, MA. Bedford/St. Martin's.

References

Bayliss, S. (2014). What’s Happening at the Core?; Despite the vast array of publishing materials

geared towards the Common Core State Standards, educators still seek support—and time to adapt. School Library Journal, 60, No. 2, 18. Retrieved from http://www.lexisnexis.com

In this scholarly article, Sarah Bayliss’ purpose is to introduce the concept of Common Core, and to explain the benefits and disadvantages of the program. The author presents a unique viewpoint of the topic, by including quotes of educational book publishing companies, and their responses to Common Core. In the article, it was concluded that if schools adopted the program, publishing companies could be affected in a positive way. I would use this article to suggest and explain some alternative benefits that the standards may have.

CBS News. (2014, September 21.) The debate over Common Core. CBS News. Retrieved from

http://www.cbsnews.com/news/the-debate-over-common-core/

In this article, CBS News presents an unbiased account of the Common Core controversy. The article's purpose is to address the pros and cons of the program, as well as to provide a variety of opinions and thoughts related to it. Educators, government officials and parents are quoted in the article, as they discuss the future of education for the nation. As American education continues to fall behind other countries, politicians and educators are seeking a change in school systems, but many are apprehensive about this particular method. I would refer back to this article if I wanted a neutral, non-partisan perspective relating to Common Core for a future research paper.

Colbert, S. (2014, April 8). Common Core Confusion. [Video file]. Retrieved from www.cc.com

In this video short, comedian and news reporter, Stephen Colbert, satirizes the Common Core controversy. His purpose is to present the humor in the controversy, as well as provide credible facts and information. He includes clips from other news reports, and also quotes from concerned parents. Colbert provides several examples of the types of problems that are given to students in the Common Core program, and by doing so, he points out the ridiculous expectations of students. I would use this video file in a future research project to identify the comicality of the standards and the learning techniques.

Ellenberg, J. (2015, June 16). Meet the New Common Core. New York Times. Retrieved from

http://www.nytimes.com

In this article, written by Jordan Ellenberg, the Common Core program is bashed and criticized. The purpose of the article is to persuade readers to dislike the program, and to help readers understand the flaws. The author mainly focuses on the new teaching style that would be implemented, and the difficulty that it would bring to students. Ellenberg uses a compelling argument when she discusses her son’s experience in school with the implementation of Common Core. This article serves as a editorial, and would benefit a research paper by offering a first-hand account inside a Common Core classroom.

Houang, R. T. Schmidt, W. H. (2012). Curricular Coherence and the Common Core State

Standards for Mathematics [Abstract]. Educational Researcher, 41, no. 8, 294-308. doi: 10.3102/0013189X12464517

In this abstract of an article, the authors Richard Houang and William Schmidt develop a deep understanding of the effects of Common Core. Their purpose is to relate the findings and statistics of the program to the actual student’s scores, thus determining the success of the standards. Their methods included “regression and analysis of covariance techniques” (Houang R.T., Schmidt, W. H., 2012, pg. 294). Through their research, the authors recognized the trend in higher test scores from students who had some experience in a Common Core classroom. This article is purely based on facts, and would provide helpful evidence when discussing Common Core’s advantages.

Kumar, M. (2015, May 27). Common Core and America. Eagleview News.  Retrieved from

http://eagleviewnews.com/2015/05/27/common-core-and-america/

In this short article, a student of Bellbrook High School describes Common Core in simple terms. The author’s purpose is to quickly and easily describe what the program is, and how it started. She is writing to an audience that does not need any prior knowledge of the topic to understand her article. The author keeps referring back to the government, to acknowledge that they have offered many suggestions, regarding education, to states over time, including the Common Core program. Although the author does not provide many useful pieces of information, I would use this source to offer a basic definition of what Common Core is.

Moser, L. (2015, August 19). The Republican Primary Candidates’ Daylong School-Choice

Lovefest [Web log post].. Retrieved from http://www.slate.com/blogs/schooled/2015/08/19/gop_education_summit_six_candidates_meet_with_campbell_brown_in_new_hampshire.html

In this blog post, the author writes about education from a political standpoint. Her purpose is to provide a negative image of the Republican primary candidates, and their thoughts and opinions on education. The author is clearly against the Common Core program, and uses sarcastic language to get her point across to the readers. The author lists six different candidates, and proceeds to describe their views on the current state of public education. I would most likely choose not to use this article in the future, because it is biased and opinion based, but it does provide evidence to the thought that education is a major political topic.

Nelson, Steve. (2015, August 21). Common Core: The Lego Kit of Education [Web log post].

Retrieved from http://www.huffingtonpost.com/steve-nelson/common-core-the-lego-kit_b_8020956.html

In this blog post, the author begins with an analogy and anecdote, and ends with his clear opinion on Common Core. The article’s main emphasis is on the need for creativity and innovation, in order for a child’s education to flourish. The author explains that the modern educational system prevents this from happening. He admits that the fundamental purpose of the Common Core standards are not bad, however, he does not believe they are executed properly. The author uses loaded vocabulary and pathos to illustrate his view points, and to persuade his audience to think the way he thinks. I found this article extremely well-written and amusing, and I would use this article to include a professional opinion that is anti-Common Core.

NPR (Producer). (2015, August 10). New Tests Push Schools to Redefine ‘Good Enough’

[Audio podcast.] All Things Considered.  Retrieved from http://www.npr.org/sections/ed/2015/08/07/425058164/who-is-good-enough-in-a-common-core-world

In this podcast, NPR discusses the Common Core standards and what the term “good enough” is defined as. The podcast introduces PARCC, which is a group of seven states that use the Common Core standards, but are trying to modify the tests. PARCC is trying to change the “cut-score” idea, and establish a better means of determining success. The group is realizing that the Common Core program is more of a political issue than anything else. This podcast serves as a very recent update on this controversy, and would serve as a great reference for a research paper, as it describes a new way of looking at the program.

Schlichter, Kurt. (2015, September 2) [Twitter post]. Retrieved from

https://twitter.com/KurtSchlichter/status/639241974793400320.

In this Twitter post, a well-known political figure and activist, Kurt Schlichter, shares his personal experience and opinion on the Common Core controversy. His intended purpose is to criticize and embarrass politician Jeb Bush, while also using persuasive techniques to point out the flaws of the program. Schlichter uses his child’s homework troubles as a way to influence reader’s thoughts. I would most likely use this source to present how exaggerated this controversy is in the political sphere.

Example of annotated bibliography in APA style 

E Ponder. "Tagxedo Annotated Bib." 05/29/2012 via Flickr.
Attribution -Non-commerical -ShareAlike 2.0 Generic License.

I hope that this annotated bibliography comes in handy for future reference!

--Jenny Bello

Professor Bottai: Here is a link to my edited page for this blog post. I had a hard time with the hanging indents for the citations, even after I copied, pasted, and edited into Google Drive. My 'editing' page kept looking different than my official published blog post, so I included what it actually supposed to look like. Hope this helps!

REFLECTION:

After looking over two of my classmate's annotated bibliographies, I compared and contrasted it to my own. My classmate, Rose,  wrote hers in APA style too, and we had very similar finished products. However, our spacing was different, for whatever reason. In my post, I included a lot of spaces and breaks between summaries and citations, because that is what my APA example seemed to do. Rose used minimal spaces, and her bibliography continued down the page, one citation after another. I am at a loss to know whose method was correct, because we wrote and published our bibliographies in a blog post. Were we supposed to follow the conventions of a blog post, even while writing a formal document, such as an annotated bibliography? I don't have an answer.

Another one of my classmates, Clayton, wrote his annotated bibliography in IEEE style, a format that matches with his discipline, which is electrical and computer engineering. Our citations, of course, were slightly different, as his included the date he accessed the source. I realized that in his discipline, this key piece of information might be considered extremely significant. Technology develops and changes so much, and so if the source is out of date, then it could lead to false information and could be harmful to his research.

Overall, I find it interesting to compare and contrast styles of writing, because each style builds off of an individual set of majors and disciplines.