Revisiting My Writing Process

In this blog post, I will read over and reflect on my first two blog posts, "My Writing Process" and "Calendar Reflection." I will identify what has changed over the course of this semester and what aspects have stayed the same.

Amber Case. "Redundant Clock." 09/06/2009 via Flickr.
Attribution Non-Commercial 2.0 Generic License.

In my very first blog post, titled "My Writing Process," I identified myself as a heavy reviser, because I "do not plan ahead when I write, unless it is absolutely necessary," (Bello). I would consider myself to still fundamentally be a heavy reviser, however, I think I am growing more accustomed to planning ahead and pre-writing. This course forced me to plan and pre-write, because each task in the deadlines was a step towards writing.

I definitely have some more work to do with the first stages of writing, which I will have plenty of time to practice and try out in my papers to come. In my semesters and years to come, I know that I will still fall back into the heavy revision writing process, but I will also pre-write more than I ever have. I now see the value in pre-writing, so I hope that I can adopt that into my work ethic.

In my second blog post, titled "Calendar Reflection," I discussed time management and what I want my semester to look like. I listed off a few tips to help me focus on my classwork and assignments, which I seemed to practice and use, coincidentally. However, reading this blog post makes me realize that I didn't know what I was up against in college. 

I seemed to think that setting around 2 hours a night to do homework was going to suffice, and while some days it does, somedays that is not nearly enough. I also tried to tell myself that saying no to activities and hanging out with friends to do homework was a thing I need to learn how to do. I have practiced this on some specific occasions, however, I need to learn how to manage my free time a bit better. The time that I am not with friends, or at a club, event or outing, I need to focus on finishing my work, instead of piling it onto Sunday afternoons. 

I have become extremely more efficient, however. I know that I can finish a blog post in around 20-30 minutes, depending on what it is discussing, whereas, at the beginning of the semester it took me closer to an hour to complete. I also know that I can use my mornings to do homework. Something about waking up, grabbing a cup of coffee and sitting back in bed to do homework is relaxing and an easy way to start the day. For future reference, I need to take advantage of this. 

After this course and this semester, I know that I am motivated to complete my homework early, if I put my mind to it. I used to save a lot of this course work for Saturdays, which is the least helpful thing that I have done for myself all semester. However, I know I can accomplish so much more if I do a little each day, even if I only work for thirty minutes. 

This strategy, doing a little each day, is going to make my life so much easier, if I stick to it. It will help me, not only in my future college courses, but also in my future career. I am grateful for this course because it allowed me to discover what works and what does not, regarding my writing process and my time management.

--Jenny Bello

Reflection on Project 3

In this blog post, I will be including answers to the questions posed in Writing Public Lives on page 520. I will be reflecting on my public argument.

"Reflecting on Your Own Revision Process"

1. What was specifically revised from one draft to another?

Between my drafts, I revised mostly the wording of my sentences and the organization of my editorial. From the start, the general ideas that I wanted to include were there, but they were not presented in a very effective way.

2. Point to global changes: how did you reconsider your thesis or organization?

Throughout my writing process, my thesis and purpose of my writing remained the same. However, my organization changed. I started by writing about the issues with the program in a sequence, but my final draft was organized by the groups of people that the standards affected, and how those groups of people were affected.

3. What led you to these changes? A reconsideration of audience? A shift in purpose?

These changes were not brought on by either of these things, but were simply added in because I wanted to address and recognize all the people that I thought were significant in this particular issue. My purpose might have changed slightly, from "look at all the bad things Common Core has done" to "look at all the people that have been affected by Common Core and what they have to say about it." I hope I achieved this purpose.

4. How do these changes affect your credibility as an author?

I think these changes help my writing and my credibility, especially since I am writing in an editorial genre. Since I incorporate more personal accounts of people, my argument is coming off more credible to my audience.

Viola's Visions. "Reflections." 06/01/2014 via Flickr.
Attribution Non-Commercial Share-Alike 2.0 Generic License.

5. How will these changes better address the audience or venue?

Like I said, I think that since this is an editorial, these changes are appropriate. Also, I think that I can better include my audience with these changes, because I now include information and accounts that they can relate to, on different levels.

6. Point to local changes: how did you reconsider sentence structures and style?

Over the course of several drafts, I added my own personal voice and style into the editorial, slowly but surely. I included more personal pronouns and opinions, as well as personal statements about the topic itself.

7. How will these changes help assist your audience in understanding your purpose?

These changes will help my audience to understand my purpose better because I provide a clearer picture of the affects of the program at large. My purpose is to present how the Common Core is hurting and not helping our education system, and by giving various accounts of the different groups of people affected by the standards, I am able to accomplish my purpose.

8. Did you have to reconsider the conventions of the particular genre in which you are writing?

Over a few drafts, I had to include more and more conventions of the editorial genre, including more hyperlinks to my sources, a more personal style and tone and various formatting changes, such as my profile picture and captions under the photos.

9. Finally, how does the process of reflection help you to reconsider your identity as a writer?

Through the process of reflection, I am able to identify my strengths and weaknesses as a writer. I am not only reflecting on my writing process, but how my writing and my ideas have evolved over the course of this paper. I am able to identify the things I need to improve on, such as incorporating my style and tone into my writing in a professional way. I am also able to identify the things that I have already done well. The process of reflection allows me to look back on my writing, but also to the future.

--Jenny Bello

Publishing Public Argument

In this blog post, I will publish my finalized public argument. I will also be including information regarding how well I thought I did on my project, that will be used in the future as a foundation for a rubric.

Jon S. "Newspapers B&W (4)." 08/11/2011 via Flickr.
Attribution 2.0 Generic License.

Here is my final draft of Project 3, which I uploaded as a PDF for formatting purposes.
I also included my most recent version in Google Docs in order to access the hyperlinks, however the formatting is off and there are no pictures in this version. Enjoy!

1. Mark with an "x" where you feel your target audience currently stands on the issue (before reading/watching/hearing your argument) below:

←----------------------------------------------------|--------------------------------------------------------->

Strongly                                           X Totally neutral                                                   Strongly

agree                                                                                                                          disagree

2. Now mark with an "x" where you feel your target audience should be (after they've read/watched/heard your argument) below:

←----------------------------------------------------|--------------------------------------------------------->

Strongly                             X               Totally neutral                                                   Strongly

agree                                                                                                                          disagree

3. Check one (and only one) of the argument types below for your public argument:

         _______ My public argument establishes an original pro position on an issue of debate.

         ____X___ My public argument establishes an original con position on an issue of debate.

         _______ My public argument clarifies the causes for a problem that is being debated.

         _______ My public argument proposes a solution for a problem that is being debated.

         _______ My public argument positively evaluate a specific solution or policy under debate (and clearly identifies the idea I'm supporting).

         _______ My public argument openly refutes a specific solution or policy under debate (and clearly identifies the idea I'm refuting).

4. Briefly explain how your public argument doesn’t simply restate information from other sources, but provides original context and insight into the situation:

While many other sources seem to focus on one particular group of people that are being affected by Common Core, like parents, educators and students, I included information regarding all three of these groups. I also include a personal aspect into the argument as well, as I give my personal insight into my experience with the program. Additionally, I have tried to alter the statistics that I have found in my research and present them with a deeper and more emotional context, to stir a sense of empathy in my audience. 

5. Identify the specific rhetorical appeals you believe you've employed in your public argument below:

Ethical or credibility-establishing appeals

                    ___X__ Telling personal stories that establish a credible point-of-view

                    ___X__ Referring to credible sources (established journalism, credentialed experts, etc.)

                    __X___ Employing carefully chosen key words or phrases that demonstrate you are credible (proper terminology, strong but clear vocabulary, etc.)

                    __X___ Adopting a tone that is inviting and trustworthy rather than distancing or alienating

                    ___X__ Arranging visual elements properly (not employing watermarked images, cropping images carefully, avoiding sloppy presentation)

                    __x___ Establishing your own public image in an inviting way (using an appropriate images of yourself, if you appear on camera dressing in a warm or friendly or professional manner, appearing against a background that’s welcoming or credibility-establishing)

                    ___X__ Sharing any personal expertise you may possess about the subject (your identity as a student in your discipline affords you some authority here)

                    _____ Openly acknowledging counterarguments and refuting them intelligently

                    _____ Appealing openly to the values and beliefs shared by the audience (remember that the website/platform/YouTube channel your argument is designed for helps determine the kind of audience who will encounter your piece)

                    _____ Other: 

Emotional appeals

                    __X___ Telling personal stories that create an appropriate emotional impact for the debate

                    ___X__ Telling emotionally compelling narratives drawn from history and/or the current culture

                    _____ Employing the repetition of key words or phrases that create an appropriate emotional impact

                    __X___ Employing an appropriate level of formality for the subject matter (through appearance, formatting, style of language, etc.)

                    _____ Appropriate use of humor for subject matter, platform/website, audience

                    ___X__ Use of “shocking” statistics in order to underline a specific point

                    __X___ Use of imagery to create an appropriate emotional impact for the debate

                    _____ Employing an attractive color palette that sets an appropriate emotional tone (no clashing or ‘ugly’ colors, no overuse of too many variant colors, etc.)

                    _____ Use of music to create an appropriate emotional impact for the debate

                    _____ Use of sound effects to create an appropriate emotional impact for the debate

                    __X__ Employing an engaging and appropriate tone of voice for the debate

                    _____ Other:

Logical or rational appeals

                    ___X__ Using historical records from credible sources in order to establish precedents, trends, or patterns

                    __X___ Using statistics from credible sources in order to establish precedents, trends, or patterns

                    _____ Using interviews from stakeholders that help affirm your stance or position

                    _____ Using expert opinions that help affirm your stance or position

                    __X___ Effective organization of elements, images, text, etc.

                    _____ Clear transitions between different sections of the argument (by using title cards, interstitial music, voiceover, etc.)

                    _X____ Crafted sequencing of images/text/content in order to make linear arguments

                    _____ Intentional emphasis on specific images/text/content in order to strengthen argument

                    _____ Careful design of size/color relationships between objects to effectively direct the viewer’s attention/gaze (for visual arguments)

                    _____ Other: 

6. Below, provide us with working hyperlinks to THREE good examples of the genre you've chosen to write in. These examples can come from Blog Post 11.3 or they can be new examples. But they should all come from the same specific website/platform and should demonstrate the conventions for your piece:

The New York Times Op-Editorials:

Op-ed example #1
Op-ed example #2
Op-ed example #3

--Jenny Bello

Reflection on Project 3

In this blog post, I will discuss whose work I peer reviewed and who reviewed mine. I will offer my own personal insight on how I feel with my project and its' revisions.

AJC. "Peer Review." 05/23/2008 via Flickr.
Attribution Share-Alike 2.0 Generic License.

I peer reviewed Annelise's and Tom's projects, both of which were very good and very different. Annelise is choosing to write a listicle for this project, while Tom is writing a blog post.

Regarding my own project, I will be answering the some questions:

1. Who reviewed your Project 3 draft?

Tom Cortez reviewed my Project 3 draft.

2. What did you think and/or feel about the feedback you received? Be explicit and clear. Tell me what helped or what confused you about the feedback you got.

Tom did a really good job about being specific regarding what worked and what did not work in my argument. He pointed out a few things that really struck him as persuasive, making me feel more confident about my work. I really appreciated pointed out minor details that seemed to be a little off, whether it was about the formatting or about my argument.

3. What aspects of Project 3 need the most work going forward? How do you plan on addressing these areas?

I personally feel like I need to work on Purpose the most because I feel I am not consistent when I am arguing. Some of my points come across as solution-based, while I am trying to present a con argument. I plan on addressing this issue by evaluating and revising my language and my presentation of my ideas in order to come across more clearly.

4. How are you feeling overall about the direction of your project after teacher conferences and peer review?

I am feeling confident in my editorial, even though I know I have some revising to do. I left my teacher conference feeling very encouraged about the state of my project and I was anxious to see where it could go. Also, I know now that my argument and the points I am trying to make are understandable to an audience, so that is encouraging too.

--Jenny Bello

Draft of Public Argument

In this blog post, I will include a hyperlink to my first draft of my public argument. I will also be  addressing my potential peer-reviewers as to what to expect when reading this.

As I have written this draft, and as I am about to publish this, I am in no means done with my work. I have a lot to do--citations, photos, revisions of grammar and spelling, etc., but also content. I am not thrilled with what my content turned out to be. I was headed in the right direction, but I got a little side-tracked to my overall purpose in writing. I hope I can reconnect with that in my revision process.

Quinn Dombrowski. "Over-the-top scare quotes." 03/20/2008 via Flickr.
Attribution Share-Alike 2.0 Generic License.

I have a lot of loose ends that need to be tied up, and I am already aware of the awful conclusion that I have currently (give me some grace.) Some questions that need to be answered, however, include: do I sound too informal? does my document resemble an editorial? do my ideas add up to a general purpose or conclusion?

Let me know what you think, but be gentle.


--Jenny Bello

Considering Visual Elements

In this blog post, I will be considering the visual aspect of my genre and public argument. I will be choosing some questions from Writing Public Lives that I feel is most relevant to my project.

Questions:

Creating Visual Coherence: Color Choices

1) What color choices best reflect the visual-rhetorical tone of my project?

• If I used a combination of cool and warm tones, than that will effectively reflect my rhetorical tone. I am trying to evoke empathy and sympathy for students, as well as raise awareness, and perhaps an emotional response, against Common Core. Red and blue colors will most likely echo this.

2) Thinking of my background color, what color should the font be in order to be readable and appropriate to the message of the project? 

• I have never seen anyone write an editorial and include a colored background, especially not in The New York Times. I will stick with the classic white background with black text, and incorporate the colors and tones into the imagery and other aspects of the text. 

Kostya Sasquatch. "Font." 07/30/2009 via Flickr.
Attribution Non-Commercial 2.0 Generic License. 

Font Choices

3) How might I vary the fonts used in my project for emphasis, such as the title and body of my project? 

• I will probably keep the same font throughout, but I will change the size. I will probably enlarge the font in the title and perhaps make some key words or phrases bold. I am debating whether or not to enlarge a quote's font, in order to emphasize it's meaning and make the editorial more visually appealing.

Creating Visual Salience: Image Selection

4) Is the feeling or tone that the image evokes appropriate to the visual-rhetorical tone of my argument? 

• The images that I plan to include in my editorial echo the tone of a certain idea that I want to present to my audience. I am planning on reflecting the feel of the rhetoric in images, that would evoke emotion and thought. 

5) If the image is a graph or chart, does it clearly support a major point of my argument, or is it superfluous? 

• The few charts and graphs that I hope to include are clearly reflections of the statistics and information that I was discussing in my writing. Instead of drawing away from a specific point, they seem to prove and establish authority and credibility for me and my information.

Creating Visual Organization:

6) Scan your public argument or your outline. Do your eyes move easily from section to section in the order that you intended? 

• As I have looked at other editorial examples, I know exactly what I want my editorial to look like. The article will be easy to scan and read over, if I break up text into smaller chunks (no more than 3-4 lines each) and include different media sources, such as images and videos.

7) Do too many visual images make your text busy and disorganized? If so, which images might you omit? 

• I have not already made a draft, but this question just serves as a reminder that too many images can set off the reader. While it is important to include media sources and break away from text, there should be no more than 4-5 in an editorial. I should focus on picking the ones that do the most for my argument and purpose, and omit the rest.

--Jenny Bello

Project 3 Outline

In this blog post, I will be writing out a complete outline for my public argument for Project 3. I will be answering and following the information listed in Writing Public Lives on pages 415 and 419.

Introduction (think about your situation or Kairos): 

• Engaging the reader: pick one current event that is in the news today (legislation, candidates that are pro/anti Common Core, or story about kid in NY)
• Transition: ineffective for more kids than it is effective; discouraging education rather than building up
• Thesis: The implementation of the Common Core Standards is hurting the education system as a whole and the students' morale and confidence in their academic process, as well as excluding the students involved in alternative education systems. 

Body Paragraphs:

1. Major Supporting Arguments

• displaying test results (gap between classes and ethnicity)
• homeschoolers/alternative schooling and their problems that they are encountering with implementation of Common Core
• children's personal accounts with experiencing Common Core in the classroom
• parent's complaints and arguments (social media, blogging)
• high cost of implementing program

2. Major Criticisms:

• Common Core Standards organization believe that it is the best solution
• government policies and legislation want to push our country to be competitive in other countries
• schools and states that have fully adopted the program and like it

3. Key Rebuttal and Support Points:

• a majority of schools that tried the program back out of it after
• kids/school districts/teachers do not think that it is effective
• governmental agencies and organizations are trying to come up with certain alternatives and ways to improve it, because the way it is now is not good enough
• other countries have not adopted this and are doing very well in education despite it

4. Topic Sentences:

• While some schools and states have fully adopted and kept the program, the majority of states backed out once the program started to heed it's results.
• The government and other agencies and organizations on the outside of the education circle view this program as successful, while those who are directly involved, including school district staff, teachers and especially students, do not favor the program or it's effects.
• The Common Core organization have talked themselves and their program up to be unblemished, however, many other organizations that are as credible as them are trying to alter or improve the current program.
• Instead of improving our current education system and providing schools with more funds, Common Core calls for their own large budget. 

5. Evidence

• Diane Ravitch's blog 
• quote: "They are introducing four- and five-year-olds to Common Core and imposing “rigor” on these little ones. Rigor for 4-year-olds? What about their social-emotional development, which goes hand-in-hand with cognitive skill-building? What about play, the primary engine of human development? Unfortunately, it seems like we’re subjecting our young children to a misguided experiment." (Ravitch). 

• New York Time's article
• "Chrispin had reason to worry. New York’s state exams were two days away, and he was having difficulty dividing large numbers and deciphering patterns. He had once been a model student — the fastest counter in the first grade, his teachers said. But last year, in the confusion of a new and more difficult set of academic standards known as the Common Core, he had failed the state tests in English and math, placing him near the bottom of his class." (Hernández). 

• Budget Photo

• Graduation Requirements
• "According to our analysis, graduation requirements in only 11 Common Core states meet this definition of alignment, and requirements in 13 are partially aligned.[3] This leaves 22 states that have adopted the Common Core but lack corresponding graduation requirements that match the expectations of new standards," (n.a.). 
• moving back from program because too difficult to achieve

• "The Trouble With the Common Core"
• "Reports from the first wave of Common Core testing are already confirming these fears. This spring students, parents, and teachers in New York schools responded to administration of new Common Core tests developed by Pearson Inc. with a general outcry against their length, difficulty, and inappropriate content. Pearson included corporate logos and promotional material in reading passages. Students reported feeling overstressed and underprepared—meeting the tests with shock, anger, tears, and anxiety. Administrators requested guidelines for handling tests students had vomited on. Teachers and principals complained about the disruptive nature of the testing process and many parents encouraged their children to opt out," (n.a.).

6. Map of argument

Here is a map of what the order of my argument is going to look like. Putting this together helped me visualize the transitions of my thoughts and ideas, and how I was going to incorporate this.

Jenny Bello. "Map of Project #3." 11/03/2015 via Coggle.

Conclusion:

• For the conclusion of my editorial, I plan on writing something that would establish a "common ground" between the reader and myself. This issue might be kind of controversial, so this would help me incorporate all of my readers and their ideals.
• I want to say something that would acknowledge that education does need to change, and there may be some beneficial ideas that started the implementation of the common core, but the way it has been carried out and established in schools is not the solution to the problem. We are in need of a change, but this change is not a solution. 

--Jenny Bello

REFLECTION:

I read over Addie's and Rachel's "Project 3 Outlines," and they were both very impressive. The two outlines were detailed and specific, showing that my classmates have thought a lot of this upcoming project and what they are going to be writing about. Rachel had a lot of evidence that seemed to be paraphrased into her own words. This will be beneficial in her writing, as she can just use, and maybe slightly revise, what she has in her outline. I, on the other hand, just included hyperlinks and quotes in my evidence section, which is not as helpful in the long run. Addie wrote fantastic topic sentences that are going to be helpful when writing her paragraphs. I need to work on my topic sentences a little, in order to forecast the direction I am going to be taking for each of my major arguments. Overall, all three of our outlines are going to be helpful when we are composing our drafts, but there are some things that I could have done differently to improve it.

Analyzing My Genre

In this blog post, I will be giving examples of the genre that I chose for my own public argument. I will also be providing answers for the "Questions for Genre Analysis from Chapter 6" in Writing Public Lives on page 342.

Editorial Examples (All from The New York Times)

Example 1
Example 2
Example 3
Example 4
Example 5

Coffee. "Newspaper."  01/14/2015 via pixabay.
CC0 Public Domain License Agreement. 

Questions (pg. 342)

Social Context:

• Where is the genre typically set?
• The genre is usually included in newspapers or major magazine publications. 
• What is the subject of the genre?
• The subject of the genre is persuade and present a personal opinion about a topic.
• Who uses the genre?
• Anyone can use the genre, however, only certain, talented and successful authors get their editorials published. 
• When and why is the genre used? What purposes does the genre serve for the people who use it?
• This genre is used after a political, social or economic issue is introduced. It is used so that people with knowledge of the background of the issue can be presented with an opinion about it. Then, they are able to decide where they stand personally on an issue.

Rhetorical Patterns of the Genre:

• What type of content is usually included and excluded?
• While there is some background or context included, there is not a whole summary or explanation on an issue or topic. The author includes a lot of personal pronouns. There are very few "raw" statistics because the author often writes them into his thoughts in a new and interesting fashion.
• What rhetorical appeals are used most often? Do you notice any patterns in the appeals to logos, pathos and ethos?
• Pathos and ethos are used most often, as these are often the most persuasive techniques. However, logos is included when trying to back up a claim. Normally, the author will start out with emotional language and topics and then will incorporate logic.
• How are the texts organized? Do they generally open in similar ways? What common parts do the samples share?
• There are short paragraphs, around two to four sentences long. There is a lot of white space in between paragraphs and thoughts. Normally, there is a very opinionated or assertive claim at the beginning of the editorial, that is filled with emotion. The samples all do this, as well as include hyperlinks to other sources and use an extensive amount of images. 
• Do sentences in the genre share a certain style? Are they mostly active, passive, simple, or complex? Is there an abundance or lack of questions, exclamation points or semicolons?
• The sentences are generally more simple than complex, but they are always in an active voice, to help encourage an emotional response. As far as punctuation goes, there is very little usage of anything but periods and commas. 
• What type of word choice is used in the genre? Do many of the words fit in a particular category of jargon or slang? Is the overall effect of the word choice formal, informal, humorous or academic?
• Again, to elicit an emotional response, the author includes heavy and exaggerated language. There is no slang or jargon in editorials, however, sarcasm is used frequently. The word choice gives off an informal and humorous effect, as the author embodies a sassy tone.

Analyzing Patterns: 

• Who does the genre include and exclude?
• The genre includes those who know a certain amount of information about a topic and are willing to discuss the effectiveness or ineffectiveness of it. People who know nothing or very little about something are excluded from this genre. 
• What roles for writers and readers does the genre encourage?
• The writer is supposed to come off as this intelligent, strong and brusque author, and the audience is supposed to engage in a conversation with them, almost denying or contend with the author.
• What beliefs or values are assumed or encouraged from users of the genre?
• The users of this genre are politically and socially aware, as they are knowledgable of issues in today's society. Also, authors of editorials generally value honesty and sincerity from their sources and those involved in an issue.
• What content does the genre treat as the most valuable? Least valuable? 
• The genre views direct quotes and information from the source as most valuable, along with photos. The genre views statistics as less important, however, they are still used and included sometimes. 

--Jenny Bello

REFLECTION:

I read through Rachel's and Addie's "Analyzing my Genre" blogposts. Rachel and I are both planning on writing an editorial, so our posts and the information were very similar. She seems to know the exact roles that the audience and the author are supposed to take in this genre, and I was reminded of these roles when I read her post. Addie is choosing to write an article that would be included in an online magazine or newspaper. I liked how she related this genre back to one that she already feels comfortable with, the QRG, when trying to analyze the genre. I need to do that when I am approaching this genre for this project, because most genres are similar in a handful of ways. Overall, I think all three of us have a good grasp on the genres that we chose.