in class writing

Passage A
1Did you know that until May 5 of every year, you're not really working for yourself?
2A group in Washington, D.C., has learned that it takes workers an average of four months and four days to earn enough to pay their taxes.
3The group found in its study that taxes eat up 34 percent of all the income in the United States.
4So, if workers used their entire income for taxes, they would not be through paying them until May.
5 Since May 5 is the first day people really work for themselves, the study group has some advice.
6It would like a bill passed naming May 5 “Tax Freedom Day.”
7On that day, you would give yourself a break, regardless of how hard you worked.
8Therefore, from May 5 on, you would finally be your own boss.

Passage B

1Did you ever daydream about writing your life story?
2Do you think that your life is too dull, or you can’t write?
3Anyone’s life story is filled with fascinating events, and writing them down in the best way you know can give you a sense of accomplishment and, perhaps, leave a valuable inheritance to your family.
4The first thing to do is to buy a loose-leaf notebook.
5Each page of the book should be titled with a significant milestone from your life—from your first dog to your proudest moment.
6You should then jot down a few key words in the book whenever a memory comes back to you.
7The idea is not to begin with “I was born . . .” and try to write a chronological history of your whole life.
8Just delve into your passed at random; one memory will trigger another.
9It will become quite easy after a while.
10It's also important to write in your own language.
11Plain, honest writing is the goal.

in class writing

Commas
1. That singer, whoever he is, really knows how to sing the blues.
2. The woman sitting at the back table is a well-known restaurant reviewer.
3. When conditions are right, that horse can run just like its father.
4. His four favorite artists are Monet, Renoir, Degas, and Manet.
5. Let Warren and Andrea, our most skillful speakers, present our proposal.
6. Long regarded as a leading newspaper, the Washington Post boasts an outstanding staff of reporters.
7. Slowly, slyly, and cautiously, Eric slid the wallet across the table.
8. What we need is creative leadership, leadership that will encourage experimentation.
9. During high school, he read Romeo and Juliet, Julius Caesar, and Hamlet.
10. Song of Solomon, I believe, is the professor’s favorite.
11. I believe that, should the eggs break, we will have a mess.
12. Sometimes I think that people are extremely foolish.
13. I believe that a computer breakdown is a common excuse for late papers.
14. The elephant that stands on the drum is Maggie.
15. The elephant, which is a hard worker and a talented performer, is found in most zoos and circuses.

Commas 2


1. Heeding, all too well, the admonition of Genesis 1:26, man has clearly established dominion over the fish of the sea, the birds of the air, the cattle, and all the earth.
2. In fact, man has gone far toward destroying all members of the animal kingdom, including of course himself.
3. In the last 150 years, man has increased his extermination of mammals alone by fifty-five-fold, and if the killing continues at the present rate man may well destroy all 4,062 species of mammals within thirty years.
4. Even today, there are 835 endangered species with more being added each year.
5. In India, where 40,000 tigers roamed in 1930, there are now only 2,500 left and the lion population, currently estimated at 175, has been depleted even more severely.
6. Australia, a land of energetic, sports-minded individuals, has treated its animal population no better than India has.
7. Consequently, animals like the kangaroo, for which Australia is famous, are fast disappearing as are koala bears, Tasmanian wolves, and emus.
8. Because Australians were not concerned about their wildlife, in 1930 the government machine-gunned 20000 emus at one time.
9. In the United States too, several species of wildlife have disappeared and many others are close to extinction.
10. The Eastern elk and the passenger pigeon, once so plentiful in this country, are now forever gone.
11. Other animals, such as the alligator ,the Southern Bald eagle, and the ivory-billed woodpecker, may be fated to join the growing list of species we will see no more.
12. Although alligators are protected by law, men continue to kill them for their skins ,only the belly portion of which are used.
13. As long as Americans want their expensive alligator belts, handbags, and shoes ,the poachers will continue to supply the skins.
14. The profit motive of course has led to the wholesale slaughter of animals like the alligator and the tiger, but many other animals have been killed for whim or pleasure.

More Parallelism

We were dirty, hungry, and penniless.
My roommate liked to repair things around the house and do his own cooking.
During the day, we went on long hikes, rowed around the lake, or just had leisure time.
She returned to pay the rent and get some things she had left.
Two things that I found hard to learn as a freshman were to get enough sleep and trim expenses.
He asked me about my courses and asked where I was planning be next year.
The doctor said that I should rest and not get excited or upset.
Hitler’s followers considered other nations to be racially inferior and fit only for slave labor.
The best way to combat juvenile delinquency is not to set up more social agencies but to restore old-fashioned discipline in the home.
The book told how to build a gun cabinet, how to build a bookcase, and how to make all types of furniture.
When I was a member of the basketball team, everyone met me with a happy smile, made lively conversation, and invited me to many parties.
Fires, caused by unheeding persons, have destroyed valuable forests and thereby decreased our lumber resources.
In basketball, there is never a dull moment, any team can win, and there is fine display of teamwork.
My parents liked peace and quiet and relaxing in the evening at home.
Esther is a helpful person and makes friends easily.
Yosemite is a park with spectacular scenery and has half-tame bears.
My friends were always going off to jog in the park or to play a game of tennis.
The manager asked me to file an application and leave my number.
We went to rallies to protest against pesticides, oppose nuclear power, and other current causes.
My roommate was a smart dresser, a good student, and knew how to talk.

SWA #12

The first essay by Lisa Randall was a about the significance of science in people's lives. The essay was very hard to follow and I found my self having to reread paragraphs over and over. It may be due to the fact that I find science completely confusing and boring or to the fact that she seemed to fill her sentences with large, and uneccessary words.She talked about the importance of word choices in relation to misunderstandings of scientific meanings. She then jumps to the topic of global warming. It is hard to determine whether she was talking about science, the warming of the earth, or simply the importance of word choice.

The second essay by Brian Greene discusses the role that science has on giving our lives meaning. He talks about things in our lives that we enjoy because of what they can give us, not to how they come about. One of the examples he used was stars. We enjoy them because they are beautiful, we dont realize that they act as "nuclear furnaces that supply the universe with carbon, oxygen, and nitrogen." He goes on to talk about the lack of interest in science with young people. He insists that there should be a better science curriculum taught in school that will show the students how science directly applies and affects their daily lives.

in class writing

College students going into business, think their secretaries will do their writing for them. This attitude shows a naive faith in the competency of their secretaries. Our notion that only poets and novelists have to write is unrealistic and many of us foolishly object to taking courses in writing. Students going into the technical or scientific fields may think that writing is something they seldom have to do, but young business people seldom have private secretaries. Practicing engineers and scientists say they spend half of their time writing memos and reports. Other things being equal, a person in any field who can express ideas clearly is sure to succeed.


1. I don't think that you should go out with him. I heard that he doesn't have a job and that he just broke up with his long-term girlfriend. Without a job he won't have money and won't be able to take you on a proper date. Also, he must have done something wrong if she broke up with him or he may no longer want to be in a relationship with anyone.
2.Race is still an important consideration in American politics today. I recently heard President Bush speak about hate crimes in schools. He addressed the students about being more accepting of their fellow classmates.This shows that it is still affecting students in today's society even though we have come a great distance from segregation. Something needs to be done to reverse the idea of racism against any one race.
3.Argumentative essays are ment to show the authors views and opinions and sway thereader to the side the author has taken. In such an essay you must take one side and provide adequate information to change the position of the reader. My essay took an obvious side by listing why capitol punishment should be abolished. Capitol punishment should be abolished because it goes against our constitutional rights as Americans.
4. Reading "How to Say Nothing in Five Hundred Words," by Paul Roberts, was almost like sitting down and listening to a lecture. It was long and hard to follow and it frequently lost my attention. There was tons of great and useful information, but I had nothing to relate it to. I couldn't find a way to use the information to help me with my paper, so the book was useless for this particular assigment.

Topic Proposal- Policy Paper

Anabolic Steroids in Sports



On the topic of Anabolic Steroids I will take a global approach and offer a broad plan to solve this major social problem that affects the entire sports community. To do this I will use a policy argument to answer the question of whether or not steroids should be allowed in sports.
The problem is athletes using Anabolic Steroids to gain an advantage over competition in sporting events. Many of the users are professional athletes where the sport is their career. The use is not as rampant in amateur and school sports. Pro steroid activists argue that in many cases using steroids is a business decision for the professional athletes and they are simply trying to reach their full athletic potential. Those against steroid use see it as cheating the game and acknowledge the serious side effects involved.
Steroids have been banned from sporting events and those caught using are given serious and legal consequences. The drugs are not only banned from sports, but they are considered an illegal substance and if caught by legal officials it is treated as any other drug violation. The solution to keeping steroids out of sports is a regular and consistent drug tests that are monitored and cheat proof. In the past, athletes have been able to trick the test into mistaking the synthetic steroids for those naturally produced by the male body. Chemists have come up with ways to detect the difference between synthetic and natural and whether the use is long term or stopped shortly before the test is administered. If sports associations would make such testing mandatory before and during training prior to the start of the season, the drug use would greatly drop. As a culture we need to reduce the appeal for better and better performance also.
Many young and older athletes alike are putting themselves at great risk by using these performance enhancing drugs. More advertising for the dramatic and serious side effects needs to be done to let these athletes know what they are doing to their bodies. These men and women are putting themselves at great risk down the road for the short lived benefits of muscle mass increase and strength in their desired fields.
This paper is based on the medical viewpoint and the viewpoint of saving the integrity of sporting events. It will be taken from the perspective of those against the use of the drugs for sporting and mainly health reasons. I will be able to use my medical journal sources and the editorials against the use of Anabolic Steroids.

in class writing

1.Over the course of my research for my topic on steroids in sports, I found that the counter arguments in favor of the use of the drug were somewhat compelling. The authors made good points about how we as a culture take drugs to alter and perfect our bodies and we should be able to do so in sports. The use of steroids lets an athlete know what his/her full potential in the sport could be. By the end of my research I found myself agreeing with this logic and wondering why we would not let such athletes use the performance enhancers to increase their strength. If we allowed the drugs the athletes would not have to hide the use of the drugs and a safer more hygenic application might take place. If doctors could control the substance use and monitor the athletes to make sure no dangerous ingestion takes place.
3.There are time limits associated with meal plans. There are a few hours in the morning that you can get breakfast, a few in the early afternoon for lunch, and then the rest until around 11 for dinner. The ability to get dinner late is great, but the cut off hours for lunch are way too early. My First class is at 12:30 and most days I do not wake up until right before class leaving me unable to get lunch before class starts. My schedule is back to back, most days I am in class until 7:30 at night. This means I completely miss lunch and am only able to eat one meal a day. Some may think its odd, but If I wake up at 12 I do not want to eat lunch until around 5 and then dinner at around 10. The meal plan makes it difficult for me to eat when I'm hungry. I think that the campus should allow you to eat your meals whenever you want to eat them, not when they think you should eat. Also, if you want to eat 9 meals a day you should be allowed to do so. It's your meal plan and you should be able to eat whenever and as often as you like. At the end of the week I have 6 or 7 meals left over, that simply go to waste. A new policy of meal plans used at anytime should go into effect to make things easier on students with a tight schedule.

SWA #11

The articles that would have more credibility are those that are written by writers from The State. The others are merely letters to the editor, which provide a good sample of the reader's perspective and the opinions of the community, they do not offer credible information. You can measure the credibility of an article by the information given. Without going and fact checking the article, usually facts given are good indication of a credible source. This shows that the author took the time to find out information about the topic and write it down. You can tell opinions from facts pretty easily in an article. An article of just opinions is a good alternative view on an issue, but it can not add anything to an argument other than another view. Less credible articles can be used in a research paper to add an alternative perspective. This gives the reader different viewpoints that are essential to showing all sides to an issue. If you only show one side to an argument it is biased and the reader can not make a true decision on an issue if they do not have anything to compare the argument to.

In class writing

1.I found that the first editorial," Columbia Council Should Support Mission, Homeless," to be the most rhetorically effective piece. The exigence of the piece is the immediate need to address the issues present for the homeless person and attempt to help them. The article approaches many constraints of readers in the way it touches on all sides of the topic. The author touches on the points of needing to expand the mission for the homeless and the effects the surrounding community feels such an expansion will cause.

SWA # 10

All three editorials are an oral argument for the move of the Oliver Gospel Mission to its proposed location. The first piece supports the move of the mission and urges the addressing of the homeless in Columbia. The second piece also addresses the mission's request to move to a new location and the Bantu relocation. The third piece is about the organization, Four Corners of Hope and their involvment in the move of the mission. These differences in argument allow for differences of constraints among readers. The similarities constitute the exigence of the arguments.

SWA#9

In today’s society the word “retarded” has become “hate speech” according to Gail Williamson. It is no longer used to describe someone who is simply mentally disabled, but is used to describe something or someone a person does not like. This has given the word a derogatory meaning and can no longer be used to describe the mentally disabled because it will appear as though we are talking negatively about them. When someone uses a cuss word it is immediately known as bad speech, the word “retarded” should be added to those known unspeakable words because it has no positive connotations to it.

To retard something is to slow it down. It has been used in association with the mentally disabled and is accurately done so. Many people use it in the wrong context, but it is by no means “hate speech.” Every time you turn around another word must be added to a list that we are not to say because someone said it in a negative way. If we are to remove a word from our vocabulary every time someone says something that offends someone then we will have almost no words left. It is illogical to try and ban words just because a small number of people are offended.

Exploratory analysis

Barbie is a controversial toy, many think that the doll creates a stereotype for which many girls try to fit into resulting in poor body image and self conscious behavior. The intended audience is anyone who played with Barbie Dolls growing up or those that feel that the dolls reflect a bad image. The author is a young women who herself played with the Barbie Dolls, but later found them to be in bad taste. One of the constraints of the argument is the bias a reader may already have for or agaisnt the toy. Tradition is another large factor in this piece, the doll and its controversy have been around for decades, making it hard to sway a decision after all the publicity it has already gotten. It is a reoccuring debate between feminists and Barbie enthusiasts. The different positions of the argument are those that are for Barbie, those agaisnt Barbie, and those that are in the middle, neither loving nor hating the idea of the doll. Those that are for Barbie are those that seemingly grew up playing with and loving the doll. They are insistant that the doll urges imagination. Those against Barbie argue that she offers a body type that can never be achieved and her image centers around materials and not on education or individuality. There are those that are in the middle that see both positive and negative qualities associated with the doll. The author seems to favor the moderate position, stating that she played with the doll as a young child, but as an adult was concerned with the feminist side and did not like what Barbie stood for.

in class writing

During the process of writing up my annotated bibliography, I found it amazing how long steroids have been used in sports. Also, the amount of secrecy involved with the hiding of participating in such enhancement for sports. There were many articles stating that if we did not allow steroids then athletes would miss out on the effects their enhanced bodies could have on a sport. They even compared steroids to memory drugs and without them we would never know the athletes full potential. I have always heard negative things when it comes to steroids so it was very interesting to read a much different take on the drug.

Annotated Bibliography

Laura Papps
English 102-061
March 2, 2009
Annotated Bibliography


Cawley, Adam, et al. “Catching the Cheats: Advances in the Detection of Endogenous
Steroid Abuse in Sport.” Chemistry in Australia. 1March 2009.
http://raci.org.au/chemaust/docs/pdf/2006/CiAmarch2006p3.pdf.
Cawley’s study of a subject’s urine to determine a doping violation provides a scientific backup of the effects of steroids on the body. The report includes charts and equations to support the results. This laboratory is accredited by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA). The article is objective, providing all the carbon isotope ratio statistics. These laboratories require ways of analyzing so that the androgynous steroid stands apart from the other synthetics in the urine. The article showed the chemical breakdown of the steroid and how it affects the body. This information is important to the medical aspect of steroids in sports.


“A Sporting Chance.” Academic Journal Language. 2 August 2008. Pyschology and Behavorial Sciences Collection. EBSCO. Thomas Cooper Library, Columbia,
SC. 1 March 2009.
http://wfxsearch.webfeat.org/wfsearch?cid=11039#wf_ebscoxml_pbh.
The article is not objective, but seems to be an opinion piece. The piece interests those that think steroids should be allowed in sports and those athletes will only benefit from them. The author wants the reader to find that steroids can only enhance our bodies. If the public could take the risks with the benefits then they would agree with steroids in sports. I think the author over generalizes the risks associated with using performance enhancing drugs. This article will be a good alternate view point to the steroid argument.


Graham, Michael R., et al. “Anabolic Steroid Use.” Sports Medicine. (2008.)
Academic Search Premier. EBSCO. Thomas Cooper Library, Columbia,
SC. 1 March 2009.
http://wfxsearch.webfeat.org/wfsearch?cid=11039#wf_ebscoxml_pbh.
This source provides an objective look into the history, methods, and detection of anabolic steroids. This article gives medical proof in favor of discontinuing the drug use. Also, ways to detect such usage in the body are given. This article is a credible source to promote anti-steroid campaigns. It will benefit my main position against the use of anabolic steroids in sports.


Fornari, Victor, et al. “Can Steroid Use be a Precipitant in the Development of an Eating
Disorder?” International Journal of Eating Disorders. July 2001. Pyschology and
Behavorial Sciences Collection. EBSCO. Thomas Cooper Library, Columbia, SC.
1 March 2009. http://www.web.ebscohost.compallas2.td.sc.edu/ehost/pdf?.
This article provides an objective view to a side of steroids not commonly looked at. This addresses any young adults that may be taking the drugs and are not aware of the abstract side effects. Weight gain is a common side effect of the drug, but an eating disorder may also develop. This article brought up a new perspective not found on any other source. It will help in facilitating different points in a position.


Quinn, Elizabeth. “Steroid Use Continues Despite Health Risks to Athletes.” About.com:

Sports Medicine. 21 August 2008. 24 February 2009.
http://sportsmedicine.about.com/od/performanceenhancingdrugs/a/AnabolicSteroi

d.htm>.


This source is an objective article on what steroids are, how they work, and some commonly used types. This is directed to anyone who wants an unbiased view on steroids. I leaned the many effects of steroid abuse in this article. The information will enhance the claim on the drastic effects steroids can have.


Katz, Jeffrey. “Should We Accept Steroid Use in Sports?” NPR. 23 January 2008.
24 February 2009. http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=18299098.
This source is against the drug use and gives examples of athletes who have taken them. This addresses anyone in sports or those interested in sports. Debates over the topic were held between six experts, which are listed in the article. It includes those that are for and against accepting performance enhancing drugs in sports. This article provides the credibility from experts needed to back up a position.


“History of Anabolic Steroid.” Anabolic Steroid Guide. 24 February 2009.
< http://www.anabolicsteroidsguide.com/history-of-anabolic-steroid.html>.
This source provides a history of anabolic steroids from the view of a group that is for the drug. The article gives history such as athletes in ancient Greece using steroids. This seems to point to the group using this fact to give the drug credibility. Also, on this site is a link to buy such performance enhancing drugs. This is an addition to the position for the usage of the drug.


“Anabolic Steroids.” Espn.com:Drugs and Sports. 6 September 2008. 24 February 2009.
< http://www.espn.go.com/special/s/drugsandsports/steroids.html>.

This source gives objective evidence of the hazardous effects of steroid abuse. A description of steroids and their uses is followed by a list of side effects. Also, the conclusion that they are indeed addictive is detailed. This source will be useful because the idea that the drug is addictive was not found in any other source.

Topic Proposal

Laura Papps
Topic Proposal

Anabolic Steroids: Roid Rage or an Advantage?
Steroids may have short term effects on enhancing performance in sports events, but the long term effects may be toxic. There are lists of the side effects of the drugs some that are permanent and non treatable. Do the short term benefits of such drugs really make up for the lasting ailments that may occur? Over the past year some professional athletes have come under the spot light for the mistreatment of such performance enhancing drugs. The punishments have been severe, not to mention the backlashes that are secretly occurring in the bodies of such athletes. Those interested in this topic include athletes of any sport and anybody interested in competitive sports. Some of the arguments against such drugs include doctors and medical researchers. Those for it obviously include athletes wanting to increase ability and strength and give them an upper hand on the competition.
My paper will look at three different positions on anabolic steroids. The first position is that of a medical view. This includes the side effects and the detection of such drugs in the body. Another position is the ethical stand point. Are anabolic steroids ethical in sports? Should they be allowed? The third and final position is that of the athlete and those for the use of the drug. What are the advantages? What is the temptation to use such a product?
Many people are involved in sports, if not participating, simply fans. We have seen the athletes in the news and in the games. This paper will look at the different viewpoints on the drug and the pros and cons to allowing it in professional and amateur sport events.

SWA #7

1. Library subscription databases can specialized to certain areas of information. Some of them can have information from decades back on your topic. The world wide web has a multitude of information and sites, but not all of them are credible, quality sources.
2. A bibliography is the arranged list of sources related to your issue that are listed alphabetically. An annotated bibliography simply adds summaries and written evaluations to the list of sources. The summaries on the sources can be later used in the paper.
3. A source credibility can be evaluated by noting if the source is associated with an organization that is recognized in the field you are reseaching, if it is duplicated in print, the currency of the source, and is it accessed by a large number of people.
4. A plan of your research will make it easier to write your paper later.
5."Plagiarism is the dishonorable act of passing someone else's words off as your own." Be sure to put quotations on all quotes and cite the authors.

SWA#8

Quinn, Elizabeth. “Steroid Use Continues Despite Health Risks to Athletes.”
About.com: Sports Medicine. 21 August 2008. 24 February 2008.
http://www.sportsmedicine.about.com/od/performanceenhancingdrugs/a/anabolicsteroids.htm.

Katz, Jeffrey. “Should We Accept Steroid Use in Sports?” NPR. 23 January 2008. 24
February 2009. http://www.npr.org/templates.story/story.php?storyid=18299098.

Keating, Steve. “Fahey Brings Change of Style to Doping Fight.’’ Reuters. 11 December
2008. 24 February 2009. < http://www.reuters.com/news/globalcoverage/steroids>.

“History of Anabolic Steroid.” Anabolic Steroid Guide. 24 February 2009.
http://www.Anabolicsteroidsguide.com/history-of-anabolic-steroid.html.

“Anabolic Steroids.” Espn.com: Drugs and Sports. 6 September 2008. 24 February 2009.
http://www.espn.go.com/special/s/drugsandsports/steroids.html.



Should steroids be allowed in sports?

Post Secret

My post secret card read, I have an obsession with high heels, but I hate wearing them because I feel too tall. I chose to use that secret because it is something I have thought about in the back of my head, but I have never really told anyone about it. I chose the background of the grass because my favorite color is green, especially that lime green shade of the grass. I went through the magazine I had and chose the tallest heals I could find to represent my feeling too tall in high heels. I hand wrote the writing in purple to give the magazine pictures my own personal touch. I am a bit of a perfectionist and so I put the border around it to give it a complete and fluid edge. The zebra pattern was just something I found that got my attention.

SWA#7

The text in this card is "the dress you mother is wearing to our wedding is absolutely hideous, I fear our photo album." The explicit claim is that the author does not like her partner's mother's dress. The author seems to think it will ruin any wedding photos they may have. The implicit claim is that the author is a woman. Generally a man would not care about a dress someone is wearing, nor how it looks. Also, the background is of a bride, which gives the assumption of the author being a woman. Here we can rule out a same-sex couple because their union is illegal in the United States. So we must assume a woman is writing this card. The visual backs up the complaint of her partner's mother's dress with the wedding scene in the back.

SWA #6

I feel this argument fails to me as an audience, because it does not seem reliable. They simply claim to be the "Hottest New Diet of 2009," but do not give adequate supporting evidence to back up their claim. The sight quotes two doctors, but does not give their history or even what kind of doctors they are. These men pictured could be paid actors who have no idea what they are talking about. There is no way for the reader to know. They grab the readers attention by stating that by taking these diet pills you can burn body fat and flush out your system. By reading the fine print at the bottom, however; it states that this product has not been approved by the FDA, so there is no way of knowing if it is safe. The advertisement's audience is women, or any woman seeking to lose weight quickly.
The ad

In Class Writing

Visual argument is much more immediate than a written argument. In a visual argument you have a picture and maybe a few words to convey an entire argument on an issue or topic. You must use a visual that will grab attention or call to controversy in order to get any response. Unlike a written argument, a visual one can be interpreted many ways by many differernt people. In a visual argument symbols or other representations are often used in place of words to bring about an comprehension of the picture.

Rhetorical Analysis #1

Essay Author and Title: Stephanie Coontz, "Taking Marriage Private"
Central Argument of the Essay:(p.364) The law should not stand in the way of two people's desire, no matter their sexual orientation, to obtain the legal rights and obligations of a dedicated relationship.
My Central Claim about the nature/effectiveness of the argument in the essay: The essay did give me a new look on same-sex marriage, however; it did not change my view nor persuade me to think differently.
This is how the author munipulated the rhetorical appeals:
The logos appeal:Couples in a relationship without the legal validity do not have any legal rights when it comes to benefits and healthcare.
The ethos appeal:Throughout the essay, Coontz gives the history of marriage and its evolution during the past decades.
The pathos appeal:She appealed to my emotions as a female, by giving the example of a woman living with a man for almost 20 years gets no government support, but just a short marriage of nine months qualifies the spouse for the Social Security benefits of the deceased.
My conclusion about the nature/effectiveness of the argument in the essay:Gave good supporting evidence to back up her claim, effective in stating that the rights that go along with a marriage license is unfair to those who are unable to get one.

"If You Run a Red Light, Will Everyone Know?"

In the essay by Brad Stone, he argues that the general public can too easily access other people's criminal records. He does execute some credibilty by adding in the example of the Fair Credit Reporting Act of 1997, which says that employers must tells prospective employees of their wish to do a background check. Also, he appeals to the readers emotions by citing one of his friends speeding ticket listed as criminal activity. Most of us would not want our speeding tickets listed that way to future employers. I feel as though the author could have stated his claim, he seemed to just be concerned with getting the reader thinking, rather than make a strong argument agaisnt it.

SWA #5

In the essay “If You Run a Red Light, Will Everyone Know?” Brad Stone talks about the background check websites that are popping up. A new, free search has come up to offer those same criminal records, but without all the barriers and fees. The drawback to this new site is that not only are your private records readily available to the public, they may not show completely accurate information. This new site CriminalSearches.com shows some speeding tickets as simply a “criminal offense.” This information is not only misleading, but could be damaging if an employer were to choose the cheap way out instead of hiring an investigator. I think that the public should have access to such criminal records, but how can we be sure that such a site is accurate. If it shows a simple speeding ticket as a criminal act, how can we be sure who the actual criminals are in our community? This site could just lead to local hysteria, pinning everyone for criminals.

In the essay “Taking Marriage Private” by Stephanie Coontz , she gives many examples and facts on marriage throughout history. This essay said many things I had never heard of in regards to same sex marriage. She goes through history and shows the evolution that marriage has gone through over time. It shows the unfairness of a single piece of paper, that is that if you do not have it you have no rights to your significant other or their property. She brings about a good point that it was only recently that people needed the state’s permission to be married. While I do not agree with same sex marriage, I do not feel that we can keep them from these rights. I do feel that churches can keep them out if they so choose, but a marriage in the court house seems totally appropriate.

SWA #4

In the essay by Brent Staples about the decline of radio, we can use TRACE to analyze his writing. The text is an argumentative essay on the depletion of small radio companies and the overtaking of larger corporations. He discusses how radio is no longer personal, but simply advertising and reruns of overplayed music. The audience can be generalized to all Americans that listen or have listened to the radio. It can be narrowed down to those Americans living in New York that listen to the radio as well. Throughout the essay the author projects his disgust with the corporatization of the radio and the difficult task he must undertake to listen to decent music. He reminisces to the days when each radio station had their own style and played different music and allowed local bands on the air. Some of the possible constraints for the author might be his living up north, specifically New York where he mentions the price for a station is around $100 million. He obviously valued the more eclectic music, seemingly as he is unsatisfied with the mainstream music played in his area. I too do not particularly care for most mainstream music played on the radio. When in my car I listen to CDs or my IPod, where I have specifically chosen the music I want to listen to. The exigence for this essay is the uprising of corporate radio and the lack of decent music to be found upon such stations. The author and I share much common ground as I can relate to the dislike of radio today and all the music and commercials. I felt as though it was not a very good argument because he did not propose a means of change, just simply stated the issue at hand.

SWA #3

There are so many enduring arguments in America today. These arguments leave many people at odds with each other over differing sides. In today’s society the death penalty is a widely controversial topic. Many Americans think that it goes against a person’s rights. I believe that once you break a law, you lose your rights.
If convicted of any crime may it be murder, kidnapping or rape and the convict is put into prison for life, what have we given them? Life in prison is a life of ease. Prisoners get television, exercise, three square meals and recreation time outside. Capital Punishment was legal until 1972 when Furman v Georgia ruled it unlawful. However; in 1976 it was reinstated in some states after Gregg v Georgia. Today only thirteen states do not have the death penalty.
If a murderer is locked up, what prevents them from killing again? Many convicted murderers do not stop once they reach jail. Fellow inmates and guards have been killed by such prisoners who are in jail for life. I believe in “an eye for an eye.” Once you take a human life, you lose the right to keep yours.
Those who argue against the death penalty claim that it goes against an individual’s rights and is cruel and unusual punishment. I must argue that the man or woman killed by such an individual lost their right to live when such a convict killed them. The death penalty is about justice, not about rights for convicts. Many men are frightened by the death penalty and therefore may not kill or commit heinous crimes to avoid it. If we take away the death penalty, then we take away any punishment for such crimes. Putting a man in jail for life gives him a free ride. While it may not be the ideal living situation for most, who can argue with free room and board on the victims tax dollars.

SWA #2

The article “Seeking Balance in an Either- Or World,” by Kathleen Parker was about the effect of an extremist policy when it comes to politics. She argued that if you are an Independent or centrist then you are considered weak or indecisive by someone from either extremist party. Her main example of such a centrist policy she has is on abortion. She is pro-life and agrees that abortion is the killing of a child, yet she does not agree with the government forcing women to have their children. She does, however; think that young people should be as educated about abortion as they are about birth control.
Throughout the article I agreed with Parker and her views on centrism, however; there were some weak points that I did not think helped her argument at all. Parker brought up the point that in today’s society you have to choose a side, you cannot stay in the middle on any topic relating to politics. While many people think that you must pick a side whether right or left, Republican or Democrat, the majority of the people in the United States actually consider themselves Independent. Parker claims the centrism is the most patriotic choice because you do not get caught up on one side agreeing with whatever they say no matter if you really do or not. Centrism allows you to reason with both sides and fall somewhere in the middle. I agree with Parker on the point that centrism is the most patriotic, but for the fact you are not tied down to one party and hopefully you can reason out the issues and pick one side or none at all, whichever is logical to you not what your party says is logical. A weak point she had in her article was by trying to argue that Independent was the only right way. While a smart choice for some it is not the only right choice, but luckily there are two other parties to choose from.
The most striking thing that I took away from this article was the point that extremists say that compromise is bad if not impossible. I think that as a united nation we should strive for compromise on the issues. Arguing with other parties and individuals does not solve the issues it only causes more within the country.

SWA #1

As a journalism major I have done and will do alot of writing. In highschool I obtained an internship through a local relief clinic. At this internship I write all the press releases and any announcements that need to be made. My best writing experience was when an article I had written for the clinic was published in the local newspaper. Since I want to make writing a career it was very rewarding to have my work published at a young age.
In highschool I took a few AP courses. The classes themselves are very stressful and the majority of the time is spent preparing for the final AP exam. That exam determines whether or not you get credit for the course. The final portion of my English 101 AP exam consisted of essay answer questions analyzing short pieces from books. In addition to the lingering hand cramp from the page after page of written answer required to answer each question, I was left with a fried feeling. I think this was my most frustrating experience because I felt I could not adequately answer the questions.
Having my work printed in the paper affected me the most as I writer. It was a leading factor in my desire to pursue writing as a career.