Write a question about any writing problem you think other students might also be experiencing.
How do you decide on which is the best idea to write about?
Which of the techniques for generating ideas for essays has been most valuable to you? Why? Give an example from the writing you have done so far.
Freewriting has been the most valuable technique for me because it’s the only time that I find myself writing without inhibition. For my essay “Grief is Not a Good Mixer for Alcohol” I wrote a lot about my personal experience in my freewrite which made it useful for me to pick out parts that I could discuss in the third person.
Which technique would you choose not to use again? Why?
I would not use the believing/doubting game again as a strategy for pre-writing. I have a really hard time imagining other people’s views. My mind gets stuck on my view and I ended up just sitting there writing nothing.
What have you learned about yourself during this lesson?
I learned in this lesson that I’m not as smart as I think I am. English was always an easy subject for me in school but it has been my hardest subject so far in college. Even with the pre-writing strategies I had a hard time coming up with issues to write about.
What have you learned about your instructor’s expectations of you?
The instructor expects me to thoroughly read each assignment and to follow directions completely. She expects me to read the work that is assigned and to learn as much as I can during this short semester.
Monday, July 13, 2009
Thursday, July 2, 2009
Lesson Four - Questions
Which of the suggested Tasks from Writing Arguments did you find most helpful in pre-writing your revision? Why?
The task I found most helpful was Idea Mapping. Before I started it I was thinking to myself that this has never worked for me before and I doubt it will work now but I need to have some pre-writing strategies for my assignment. It actually worked this time! I was a little worried about not having enough information for my paper and when I was mapping out everything I realized I had more than enough information and I even had some issues that I had not originally thought of. I am really glad I decided to use this task for my essay and I know in the future it’s going to be the first pre-writing strategy that I use.
Which genre of argument would you most likely write on your own? Why?
The genre I would choose for my own writings would be blogs. I already have several personal blogs and if I were to write and publish arguments I would want immediate feed back from people that were not bias. I read a lot of people’s blogs and comment on them myself so it would seem most natural to put my thoughts and opinions out into the world via this genre.
Why and how is an argument both a process and a product?
Arguments functioned as a process has two or more parties discussing the best solution to a question or problem. If each party looked at each others contributions to the conversation those contributions would be products. The written argument is the product and when it enters into a conversation it becomes a process.
What is the goal of argument?
The goal of an argument is to offer reasons in support of your conclusion, reasons that all parties to your dispute can accept.
How did previewing sections of a book (rather than simply reading them) help you to understand the material?
When previewing sections it gives you an idea of what you will be reading and sparks your interest in certain parts. Then when you actually go back and read it thoroughly your mind is already engaged.
The task I found most helpful was Idea Mapping. Before I started it I was thinking to myself that this has never worked for me before and I doubt it will work now but I need to have some pre-writing strategies for my assignment. It actually worked this time! I was a little worried about not having enough information for my paper and when I was mapping out everything I realized I had more than enough information and I even had some issues that I had not originally thought of. I am really glad I decided to use this task for my essay and I know in the future it’s going to be the first pre-writing strategy that I use.
Which genre of argument would you most likely write on your own? Why?
The genre I would choose for my own writings would be blogs. I already have several personal blogs and if I were to write and publish arguments I would want immediate feed back from people that were not bias. I read a lot of people’s blogs and comment on them myself so it would seem most natural to put my thoughts and opinions out into the world via this genre.
Why and how is an argument both a process and a product?
Arguments functioned as a process has two or more parties discussing the best solution to a question or problem. If each party looked at each others contributions to the conversation those contributions would be products. The written argument is the product and when it enters into a conversation it becomes a process.
What is the goal of argument?
The goal of an argument is to offer reasons in support of your conclusion, reasons that all parties to your dispute can accept.
How did previewing sections of a book (rather than simply reading them) help you to understand the material?
When previewing sections it gives you an idea of what you will be reading and sparks your interest in certain parts. Then when you actually go back and read it thoroughly your mind is already engaged.
Lesson Four - Source Evaluation
One of my sources for my argument essay was an article entitled “Drugs and Alcohol Not the Way to Cope With Grief” by Drew Edwards MS, EdD that I found on the health and performance solutions area of Virginia Tech’s website. Edwards earned his Master of Science and Doctor of Education degrees. wards discusses reasons on why people turn to alcohol and other drugs when coping with distress or sorrow. Alcohol and other drugs numb their emotions temporary giving them some sort of relief, although they experience it more intensely as the drugs wear off. One of the problems with using sedatives to deal with grief is that it can cause a person to build up tolerance and become dependant on it.
My second source was a blog entry entitled “Using Addiction to Deal With Grief,” posted by The Canyon (2008). The Canyon is rehabilitation and dual diagnostics treatment center in Malibu, CA. The blog talks about using alcohol and other drugs as an escape mechanism for grief. The entry focuses on addiction being a Band-Aid for grief, it temporarily covers it but when removed the grief will still be sitting their waiting to be dealt with. Grief cannot be skipped, it has to be dealt with full term. It discusses the long term affects that alcohol can have your body and the dangers if you already have a mental illness.
My second source was a blog entry entitled “Using Addiction to Deal With Grief,” posted by The Canyon (2008). The Canyon is rehabilitation and dual diagnostics treatment center in Malibu, CA. The blog talks about using alcohol and other drugs as an escape mechanism for grief. The entry focuses on addiction being a Band-Aid for grief, it temporarily covers it but when removed the grief will still be sitting their waiting to be dealt with. Grief cannot be skipped, it has to be dealt with full term. It discusses the long term affects that alcohol can have your body and the dangers if you already have a mental illness.
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