Writers Workshop Activity p. 132

A topic I need and want to explore is the current standpoints of both the Democratic and Republican parties. Most people my age have been greatly persuaded by there parents political opinions and have yet to discover another reason why they identify with either the Democratic or Republican party on their own. If I was exploring this topic to gain Rhetorical Knowledge the audience would consist of myself. my purpose would be to further enlighten myself about the topic and have no particular initial stance on the topic. If I was exploring this topic through Critical thinking, reading and writing, would be challenged to dig deep as possible into the topic. I would involve myself in heavy research and try to find as much information on each party and their standpoints as possible. My writing process for this topic would need a lot of organization and revision. The are a lot of different views for each party that I would like to know and discuss, but I would first have to make sure I had all my thoughts well in order. As for knowledge of conventions, I would have to make sure to cite and edit all the works I put into my paper.

invention strategies

Three invention strategies I use are listing, free writing, and questioning. Invention strategies are important because they aid you in arranging your thoughts and ideas in an effective manner. I can incorporate invention strategies into my I-Search and Writing to Explore assignments by using listing to plan, free writing to get my ideas down, and questioning to ask myself if there is more ground that I should cover within my writing in order to improve it. Revision strategies that I use are proof reading, receiving constructive criticism via teachers, friends, or classmates and writing more than one draft to see which one I favor more. This is important because it allows to improve greatly. I can incorporate these revising skills into my I-Search and Writing to Explore assignments by editing and fine tuning my writing in order to deliver it in the most intelligent and well written way possible.

Assessing your Strengths and Weaknesses

Until this point, I have never been given the opportunity to deeply analyze the strengths and weaknesses of my writing skills. Now that I have taken a more in depth look at my writing skills, I have discovered a vast amount of necessary information about myself and my learning process.

I see myself to be a good rhetorical writer. If given a specific topic or standpoint (as long as its somewhat interesting for me ) I can easily convey my message. Since rhetorical writing is to be seen as delivering an overall structure, it is easiest for me to understand. I personally write with the overall structure of my paper in my head and just free write until I feel I have delivered my point.

When it comes to critical reading and writing, I don't feel that I am as skilled. Its hard for me to see a point in an abstract way when I'm so used to seeing it in a conventional way. I don't mean to say that I'm an uncreative or shallow minded person, I just prefer to discuss points that I already know and have a firm stance on.


My writing process is pretty basic. I usually begin with thinking about how I want to sound within my writing, what points will I be getting at, and how will I conclude. I jot down bullet notes quickly and begin to free write. Excessive planning slows me and confuses me.

Knowledge of conventions is probably my weakest points. I typically assume I'm a punctuation and grammar rule pro, but the truth is that my I've usually got my rules confused and wind up with numerous errors in my writing. At times when I try to have a more sophisticated tone in my writing, my sentence structures more become baffling than intellectual. My "table manners" of writing are not the best, but I'm constantly looking to improve them.

"Knowledge Collections" or...?/ Ivory tower

I understood "Knowledge Collections" or Discourse Collections t0 deliver a contrasting view on learning methods and what knowledge really is. I understood The Ivory Tower readings to compare learning strategies between students and teachers and how to offer fairness to both groups.


These reading left me with many thoughts. In "Knowledge Collections" or Discourse Collections how Archie Zariski defined knowledge made me feel as if he were a very old fashioned man who was entirely stuck in his way. The more up-to-date views of professor Hibbitts seemed to relate more to how I see things. I do agree with Archie Zaraski when he claims that expertise and skill can't be downloaded in a file, but you have to give it some credit, a lot of lessons this generation learns effectively are learned through the internet. I guess it really all depends on the topic your trying to become educated in. In The Ivory Tower reading I felt that "Professor X" had the right approach to teaching when he said he attempts to do lessons that can be engaging to both professors and students.


If i were able to question Archie Zariski, I'd ask him about how vast his knowledge of the internet is and if he ever utilizes it for the sake of education. I would ask "Professor X" why he chooses to remain anonymous.

An Issue On Campus Affecting Me

An isssue on campus here at USF St. Petersburg that is affecting me is the fact that we're on probation. I don't fully understand the situation but it sounds really negative and threatening to my education. I blame Karen White because I know shes at the head of this situation. I have felt this impact at orientation for summer institute, when considering the future of my education, and when thinking of all the money my parents are spending for me to go here. I'm putting too much into this school for it to not be "accredited" or whatever. Its unfair, its like we've been cheated.

letter to the editor

Dear Natalie Angier,


Thank you for your inspiring insight into image disorders. I felt that the title was entirely appropriate for the message you were trying to convey to your readers. Mirrors are indeed fascinating and can become an obsession for the vain and image obsessed."Mirrors are like pieces of dreams, their images hyper-real and profoundly fake". I have never found a more agreeable statement. Mirrors project illusion that cause people to become self conscious and insecure. I too believe they project a false and unpleasing image. How Dr. Epley states in your story, its entirely true that we project multiple faces into the mirror each day while still being ourselves. We differ with outfits, times of the day, emotional state, and more. I was shocked when you described how dramatically different a mirror image could display someones head size. Half the size of a normal head is a very significant difference. I myself am in the process of studying image disorders and see a very defined link between your views on self image and eating disorders. If one cannot see their true image, how are they suppose to know how truly flawed or fine they are? We truly do live in a terribly narcissistic society in which mirrors are heavily relied on and can be possibly blamed for poor self esteem and confidence in those who seek approval through them.

Poem

Eating disorders are bad
they're threatening and harmful too
when you purge and you starve, it causes much harm
so respect both your body and you.