Reflection

date observed: 11/22

date entered: 11/22

context: group project

activity: reflection on mm project

My group so far has done very little. We are composing a photo essay cataloging the waste at Clemson, especially since the school perpetuates an idea that it is "green" university. Each person is responsible for taking/finding his own pictures regarding his subtopic. While I wish I could say I have much faith in my group mates, in class no one is very willing to deal with work. Because of this, I feel like I constantly am delegating work and setting deadlines in hopes that it all will be accomplished outside of class. I am used to being in groups where one person seizes control and finesses all the details throughout the project and have been this person before. Nonetheless, there is some trepidation over the reliability of certain group members because one has not really been involved in the process at all (at his own discretion). So while I am sure that everything will turn out fine, at this point in the project there seems little to reflect upon beyond my fear of the finished project. We discussed adding music to the back of our Powerpoint, and though no definite has been made, I think "Big Yellow Taxi" may be the frontrunner. Also, the complementation of the pictures through Powerpoint should be no entirely difficult. We are going to put the slides on timers and have the only words for the essay on the last page detailing how there is little written availability of Clemson's plan to create a "solid green" university. With the paper, since there is little enthusiasm in class about beginning it, it too was divided into subtopics of 650 words that each person is responsible for and making one person the main editor to oversee its flow. This leaves proper space for an abstract and a conclusion and should complete the project soundly.  While right now it is easy to be nervous over the final results, I am sure by December 2, everything will be in order.

Commercial

date entered: 10/26/08

date observed: 10/26/08

context: individual

activity: controversial commercials

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yy4_Dd-tmKQ

grammar

date observed: 10/18/08

date entered: 10/19/08

context: individual

activity: questions about grammar

When do you use 'then' or 'than'? And when would long dashes be used in writing?

thank you for smoking

date observed: 10/7/08 and 10/9/08
date entered: 10/11/08
context: individual
activity: Thank You For Smoking free write

The movie Thank You For Smoking is a entertaining way to expose argument at its most outlandish capacity. A movie that focuses around a the Vice President of the Academy of Tobacco Studies clearly has political undertones Though Nick Naylor is the hero of the movie, his pro-smoking lobbying shows how argument can even work to the advantage for one of the most dangerous, addictive, and highly contested legalized products in this country. I think that Nick Naylor and the movie make some really good points about argument. The quote that says, "if you argue correctly and you are never wrong" provides a good tip regarding our research paper. I feel like it almost encourages you to focus more attention to the holes in the opposition's argument rather than stress the correctness of your own logic. That is extremely logically too because you aren't bombarding the audience with an opinionated diatribe, but instead you present the fallacies in one way of thinking. And then the alternative argument would always come across as more plausible. Also, I think that Nick's son constantly used argument to appeal to his dad's ego by calling him "the sultan of spin." I think that technique is useful if your audience is more personally related and would probably always work in oral debate as well. Lastly, the power of choice is Nick's golden argument. He uses at the Congressional hearing to expose the unconstitutionality of prohibitive actions against smoking and to kill the argument for a visually graphic warning label. I think in many arguments the freedom of choice and that Constitutionally protected right works to quell oppositional arguments. Thank You for Smoking did give a good groundwork for effective argumentation that can be translated into our research assignments.

Preliminary Research

Date observed: 10/4/08

Date entered: 10/4/08

Context: Individual

Activity: preliminary search for research topic

I thought the tutorial was helpful. There was a lot of information that I wish I knew as a freshman. I thought that Jan did a really good job showing all the modes of research and her enthusiasm about the library kept the lecture interesting. I am writing my research paper on childhood obesity, its prevalence in modern culture, and whether state-enforced P.E. programs effect the rates. For keywords I have been using childhood obesity, which has led to articles and books about the influence gym class has on obesity. Also when I searched for articles, I used "childhood obesity" and "physical education" together and getting really good results. Just from the library search alone, I have 32 books. There are a myriad of articles, both from lexisnexis and academic one search. I also know that there has been an Inside Sports with Byrant Gumbel that looked into P.E. classes and its effects. There are nutritionists available on campus that I am sure will be able to give me good facts about childhood obesity and preventative measures. All in all, I am confident that there are good resources available for my project.

debate ideas

date entered: 9/21/08

date observed: 9/21/08

context: individual

activity: idebate.org topics

Five topics that interest me for the position paper are:

1. Should physical education in schools be compulsory?

2.  Should publicly supported education programs include the distribution of condoms?

3. What is the right balance between freedom an restrictions upon artistic expression?

4. Should the EU introduce one working language?

5.  Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland currently have a football team each. Should they combine?

free write

Date entered: 9/21/08

Date observed: 9/16/08

Context: Individual

Activity: free write

I watched an interesting documentary that focused on the historic Frederick Douglass High School in Baltimore, Maryland. This film depicted the current failure of the school to comply with the No Child Left Behind Act. Due to the stipulations of the congressional bill, the school has been threatened with closure by the state. Though the school struggles with retention rates and statistically does not meet high school proficiency exam score, the recent administration has made strides in these areas. The introduction of the No Child Left Behind Act threatens the continued existence of the Baltimore landmark and does not account for the  recent improvements the school has undertook. I feel that the No Child Left Behind Act only subjugates the urban poor and further stunts the educational progress of the students.

review of revision

date observed: 9/8/08

date entered:9/8/08

context: group

activity: peer revision

I think that the peer revision really helped me today. Prior to class I struggled coming up with enough to discuss to make the word requirements. In the groups, I was able to see how other people expanded certain areas of their paper and where to condense. I think that having other students read my work, they are able to refine my thesis and ideas better than others because they are more familiar with the assignment. I still have a lot of work to do with my paper, but now I have direction. From peer review, I know that I have to more strongly assert the rhetoric appeals and I need to develop a stronger to give an innovative spin on my Honda Accord advertisement. Also, my partner marked areas of confusion with what I already have written. 

Date entered: 9/7/2008

Date observed: 9/7/2008

Context: Individual

Activity: Thesis work, page 22

1. Daryl Cagle and Michael Ramirez's cartoons shows the flexibility in border patrol policy in the United States. In both there are ways to circumvent vaults or fences for illegal immigrants to enter the U.S. Both also show the incentives to cross into America; Cagle's work shows that while the government tries to keep illegals out, once one has hopped the border, there are the perks of lemonade, education, jobs, and health care. Ramirez's cartoon makes entrance into the U.S. look ironclad, but there is always an entrance for those who are willing to work for cheap. 

2. The cartoons by Daryl Cagle and Michael Ramirez focus on the leniency the government allows for the entrance of illegal immigrants, while it promotes strong anti-alien policies. 

3. The cartoons by Daryl Cagle and Michael Ramirez focus on the mutual benefits of illegal immigrants entering America such as education and cheap labor, respectively, while the government promotes strong anti-alien policies.

4. The cartoons in Figure 1.12 and Figure 1.13 by Daryl Cagle and Michael Ramirez focus on the mutual benefits of illegal immigrants entering America such as education and cheap labor respectively, while the government contradictory promotes strong anti-alien policies. 

photo and bio

date observed: 9/1/2008

date entered: 9/1/2008

context: individual

activity: photo and bio

Caitlin Shevlin is a senior at Clemson University, majoring in history. A native of New Jersey, Caitlin hopes to return north to attend graduate school for education administration. During her time at Clemson, she was a member of the Women’s Rugby Club and helped her team reach the top sixteen in the nation. Beyond athletics, Caitlin loves to play with her dog, bake, and read online celebrity gossip. 

At a Glance

Dated observed: 8/28/08

Date entered: 8/28/08

Context: Individual

Activity: At a Glance, page 21

Observation:

Picture courtesy New York Times Political Section. Art by Ronald J. Calla II

I think that this is a photo that is meant to persuade readers. By transforming the Obama insignia with the initials of LBJ  (for former president Lydon B. Johnson), it associates Obama's presidency with the progressive presidency of Johnson. Johnson not only brought great social change to America, he lessened American involvement in Vietnam and regrouped a country suffering from the assassination of its leader. This visual persuades its viewer that Obama can bring similar changes to America.

I think that the visual is very simplistic in form, but it can be analyzed for its contextual meaning. 

I think that the author is commenting on the prominence of the Democratic National Convention in the news and the dire need for governmental change. The comparison between Obama and LBJ recognizes an impending social revolution in my opinion.

Collaborative Challenge

Date observed: 8/27/08

Date entered: 8/28/08

Context: Individual

Activity: Collaborative Challenge, page 34

Observation: After watching the Apple ad campaigns, I am more convinced than ever that Macs are the only computer for me. I must be the target audience for Apple because Justin Long has me hook line and sinker. Using a cool, laid back and young celebrity type, Apple clearly favors the hip, artsy type with commercial appeal to plug its computers. All the ads juxtapose Long with an older, fatherly, and more than slightly nerdy PC representative. Such a clear visual difference between the men reinforce the clear cut separation between the computers. While Apple clearly aligns itself with the cool, young crowd, it establishes PC users to be elderly and stuffy in their electronic choices. The ads also illuminate common concerns to switching to Macs, such as transferring files or navigating non-Windows operations. Yet, Long concretely quells concerns by explaining the new Apple server and the similar Microsoft applications available. By voicing apprehensions to Macs and then alleviating concerns by describing  all that Macs can do, Apple shows how much more than your average PC. By creating a visual analogy of an old man and a trendy celebrity to a PC and an Mac as well as concisely explain the new perks of Macs, Apple ads effectively fossilize PC usage in favor of its own modern computer experience.

my first day at Clemson was...

lonely