Revised Journal #3 Benefiting from MLA instruction

I think purchasing the "Rules for Writers" by Diana Hacker is a very good investment for English 202. For the research paper that we are going to be writing it will be very important for us to know how to use MLA formatting and especially how to do the formatting and the citing correctly. I have the sixth edition of the "Rules for Writers" book that I borrowed from a friend and it has a huge section about MLA formatting. I think the sixth edition works just as well as the seventh edition. The MLA formatting section goes from page 411 all the way to 475. I found this to be extremely helpful. The book provides numerous of different examples from different types of texts you may be citing, along with sample papers that include MLA formatting in the paper. Overall, I have found these types of books to be very resourceful and beneficial while writing annotated bibliographies and research papers through the years. I would definitely recommend that all students take advantage of this book and refer to it if there is any question about formatting.

Journal #4 Revised

I read an editorial from our text Practical Argument on page 344-345. The editorial is called "Wikipedia with Caution" and it was published in the Stanford Daily on March 8th, 2012. I found this article to be very interesting since we as a class are now getting into our research projects. With this we are trying to find information and sites that are credible for usage in our papers. The editorial discusses how The Department of History at Middlebury Collage forbade kids to cite wikipedia in their papers. A lot of people became upset about this ban and it gained national attention including an article in the New York Times. This editorial took the position where they thought it was okay to do this and was not an issue of censorship. However, they felt like most kids already knew not to cite Wikipedia in a paper. I mainly agree with this. I think that Wikipedia can be helpful for some quick research. But I also think that it is always important to double check the information from a credible site. I really do not see a reason for people to be upset about not being able to cite Wikipedia as a source in a paper. Also, in the editorial it talks about how Jimmy Wales, one of the founders of Wikipedia did not see Middleburry's action as a "negative thing." Wikipedia had now introduced a citation function where contributors can direct readers to other well-established sources. I did not know that and I think that it was very helpful and a very nice feature for Wikipedia to provide for people. I really liked this editorial and think English teachers should discuss Wikipedia with their students to help them better understand what kind of a role it can play in their papers.

Journal #6 Research Fun!

Through researching for our desired topics we were taught how to use online databases. The databases we use are created through the University of Wisconsin Stevens Point for all of the students to use and benefit from. At first I found that using the databases to be very confusing and challenging. Mainly because you can type in different key words and a lot of the research you come to find depends on the key words that you use and if the words are to broad the sources you find become very general. It can be hard to narrow down your words to find specifically what you want. However, after a lot of practice and guidance I got the hang of it and found these databases to be very helpful. I came to find a lot of good information on energy and future energy sources for the United States. Through the databases I received a lot of credible information that will be beneficiary for my paper. Also, I Used the magazine National Geographic to gather research. They had a couple of really good articles on energy sources that worked good in my paper.
In my opinion research papers can be very tough to write. A lot of times I struggle with what information to use and how to reiterate it in my own words and what would be good information to quote. However, this is now the third research paper I have written, and I think every time you get a little better and you understand how to meet your goals. Like, making an argument and backing it up with information that is reliable. Overall, I think being able to write a research paper is very beneficiary also knowing how to locate concrete research that will strengthen your paper.

Journal #5 Research Paper Thesis/Intro Idea

For my research paper I decided to go off of my Evaluative Essay. I had watched the Frontline documentary on "Nuclear Aftershocks." I enjoyed this documentary and wanted to explore different energy sourced further so I decided to base my research paper off of this. My thesis for my research paper is: where should America go with energy. As of right now I plan on researching four different types of energy, most likely they will be nuclear, solar, wind and coal. I will touch base on all of those and probably talk about hoe sufficient each one is, how ling it would take us to move to this source of energy and how costly it would be. Then I will pick a specific one that I think would be best for America that would provide the most clean energy and I will expand on that. I will discuss how long it could take for America to switch to this energy source, how much money would be invested in it and if it would be the most sufficient to meet our country's needs. These are my tentative ideas and I would like to know what you guys think?

Journal #4 Evaluating Wikipedia

I read an editorial from our text Practical Argument on page 344-345. The editorial is called "Wikipedia with Caution"and it was published in the Stanford Daily on March 8th, 2012. I found this article to be very interesting since we as a class are now getting into our research projects. With this we are trying to find information and sites that are credible for usage in our papers. The editorial discusses how The Department of History at Middlebury Collage forbade kids to cite wikipedia in their papers. A lot of people became upset about this ban and it gained national attention including an article in the New York Times. This editorial took the position where they thought it was okay to do this and was not an issue of censorship. However they felt like most kids already knew not to cite Wikipedia in a peper. I mainly agree with this. I think that Wikipedia can be helpful for some quick research but I also think it is always important to double check the information from a credible site.  I really do not see a reason for people to be upset about not being able to cite wikipedia as a source in a paper. Also, in the editorial it talks about how Jimmy Wales, one of the founders of Wikipedia "did not see Middleburry's action as a "negative thing"." Wikipedia had now introduced a citation function where contributors can direct readers to other well established sources. I did not know that and I think that it very helpful and a very nice feature for Wikipedia to have. I really liked this editorial and think english teachers should discuss Wikipedia with their students to help them better understand what kind of a role it can play in papers.

Journal #3 Benifiting from MLA instruction

I think purchasing the "Rules for Writers" book is a very good investment for English 202. For the research paper that we are are going to be writing it will be very important for us how to use MLA formatting and especially how to do the formatting correctly. I have the sixth edition of the "Rules for Writers" book and it has a huge section about MLA formatting. The section goes from page 411 all the way to 475. This provides numerous of different examples from different types of texts you may be citing along with sample papers that include MLA formatting in the paper. Overall, i have found this book to be very resourceful and beneficial while writing annotated bibliographies and research papers.

screening report on scene :)

Screening Report for True Grit

            “True Grit” came out in 2010 as an American Western film written and directed by the Coen Brothers. It comes from a novel written in 1968 by Charles Portis. In 1969 the first version of the movie was released starring the classic John Wayne. In the late version the three main characters are Rooster Cogbum played by Jeff Bridges, Mattie Ross played by Hailie Steinfeld and LaBoeuf played by Matt Damon.

            The scene that I find to be vey important in the movie “True Grit” is near the end, in chapter eight. This is the scene where essentially you see the tenderness that Rooster really has for Mattie by saving her life. The scene starts when Mattie has fallen into a pit and her foot is caught and she is not able to get out. There are snakes all around her and one ends up biting her in the hand. Rooster rushes to the rescue and with his urgency and precise movement you start to see how much he cares for her and that there is truly a soft side in him. Mattie has been bitten in the hand by a deadly snake. The camera zooms in and you see Rooster suck the poison fro Mattie’s hand in an attempt to save her life. He then pulls her out and rides fiercely on Mattie’s horse Blackie; into the night trying to get her to a doctor. During this they show the day turn into night and the camera focuses on the horse trying to go as fast as he can. Eventually the horse collapses and Rooster is forced to shoot it, to put it out of its pain. At this point Mattie is crying but time is running out to save her. Rooster scoops her up like baby and begins to run in order to save her life. The camera then shifts to show the horse dead behind them and the horse getting farther and farther away. Rooster meanwhile is running as fast as he can to save her life. His breaths are heavy and just when you think he’s not going to make it he collapses and shoots his gun off. Then in the distance you see a house and then like a ray of hope a light turns on and you know everything will be okay. The camera then fades out into the next scene.

            I think this scene is really important because you really see a different side of Rooster and how much he cares for Mattie even though he never shows it. The film does a great job showing the intensity that he has to get her help. He never stops, even when he can hardly breathe, trying to get her to a safe place. This scene is really moving along with the different camera techniques of zooming in on certain parts; you really see Roosters character develop and are touched by the tenderness and true concern that he shows for Mattie. 

Journal #2 Simon Birch-A Classic

"Simon Birch" is one of my favorite movies of all time, it was directed and written by Mark Steven Johnson. Ever since I was little I have really enjoyed this movie and I grew up watching it with my family. When I watch movies I do not really respond to the formal elements as much as I tend to the cultural ones. I love the whole concept of the movie, it is a really heart felt movie that hits you deep and makes you think what is truly important in your life.
I tend to be drawn to movies that discuss moral issues and represent values that are similar to my own. "Simon Birch" illustrates this quite well, the main theme I find the movie to have is the power of friendship and love. Simon was born with a condition that makes him smaller then most kids while Joe, is regular sized, they are best friends and go through some of the most important times of their lives together. They have so many exciting and sad times together. When I think about their friendship I can relate it to my own life.
Simon thinks that God has a special purpose for him and that he does not have that much time to figure it out. While Joe is essentially trying to figure out who he really is after his mother unexpectedly dies. Their friendship gets tested throughout the film but they never loose each other. Both boys are in search to find themselves together. They go through a lot of challenges and there are a lot of different tear jerkers scenes throughout the film. In the end the boys both get their answers to the questions they are searching for. I also really like the way that Joe, his mother and Ben all treat Simon like a capable human begin even though he is different then others. They open their hearts and their home up to him. The ending is wonderful and really hits you deep. I would recommend people of all ages to se this movie.

 Cover Picture of the movie "Simon Birch"

Journal 1: Is winning the only thing or is there more?

In David Maraniss short essay he discusses that in football winning is not the only thing that matters. In his opening paragraph he discusses that Sheldon Adelson says his philosophical inspiration comes from the old packers coach, Vince Lombardi, winning isn’t everything, it’s the only thing. Maraniss then goes on to point out that Lombardi neither created this saying nor believed it. Also, he mainly discusses the football game: Packers V. Seahawks, the horrible call that was made during the last play and how people like Russell Wilson (quarterback), Pete Carroll (Seahawks Coach) and himself reacted. He was disappointed in the way both Wilson and Carroll and believes they should have handled the situation better.  Maraniss ends his essay stating that neither he nor Lombardi believed that winning is the only thing. What I get out of it is that it is better to have integrity, sportsmanship, honor and respect then just winning.
 

               Through and through I agree with David Mariniss’s position about winning not being the only thing, other key facts are involved in football games along with other sports. He respects that the Packers are locally owned and not owned by someone who is mainly interested in making money I also agree with this. I really liked how he refuted opposing arguments, which made his argument stronger and more realistic because he acknowledged both sides. Overall I enjoyed this essay and I felt like he wrote from the heart and had a lot of interesting points that he was able to back up. 

 

                                                                                          picture from nj.com
                                                                                          Who are these refs?

Believing game post 2

The book ‘The Giver” by Louis Lowry has been challenged many times throughout the country. Mainly in elementary and Middle school classrooms. According to the American Library Association “The Giver” was among one of the most challenged book of the 1990’s. Most of the reasons from the book being challenged were for violence, euthanasia, infanticide, sexual scenes and suicide.  The Giver has been challenged many times in school districts and public libraries. In 1999 the book was challenged in South Carolina. A parent from Perkins County complained to the school board because the references to death are inappropriate for students in elementary school. Other parents joined in on the complaint; the school board members decided to remove the book from in elementary classrooms and libraries but allowed the book to stay in high school classrooms and libraries. I believe “The Giver” should be banned from readers who are in middle school and below.  

Believing game post 1

This book “The Giver” by Louis Lowry is important for kids in the Middle School age level to read and then discuss in and outside of school. The book can show kids why and then they can discuss it in class. It is so important to have a society where everything is not managed, controlled and monitored. It is important for kids to know that good can come with bad, love can come with grief, success can come with sacrifice and that pain, happiness, and all the emotions that one can feel come from living.  This book is of very important value. It shows people especially young ones what life would be like with out choice, emotion, choice and individuality. The book teaches children how all these thing enrich our society and what life could be like without them. I believe “The Giver” needs to be kept available for all readers to have access to.                

 

Test Video Post

Jason Aldean

test post

Test post for english 202.

sunshine flowers! -from microsoft