date observed: 10/26/08
context: individual
activity: controversial commercials
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yy4_Dd-tmKQ
Sunday, October 26, 2008
Saturday, October 18, 2008
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?
Saturday, October 11, 2008
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.
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.
Sunday, October 5, 2008
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.
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