group plan

We are planning on targeting TCU students focusing on pyhsical visuals accompanied by a wesbite. We are planning on using the term "hook up" to motivate people to action to volunteer within their local communities. We chose this term because it has a slang connotation as someone who is permissive. We are taking this initial attention getter and using in a different context. We are going to have stickers and pins to attract people as well. We are using pathos the most but also logos because this very word makes people think about what we are talking about. Pathos, because we can relate to the people we are targeting to attract their interests.

Because we are trying to motivate people to action, we are also going to provide places where they can become more involved with their community thru many different organizations. The website will give people actual information about who to call and exact dates. We want to get their attention but then make them think about how they can actual benefit their community.

fast write

I would like a clear division between members. I am very organized and can easily direct people and the flow of ideas. I absolutely HATE presenting or talking in front of people.I would rather do all the work and then have someone else explain it to other people. I would be okay if we split up the work simply 3 ways because I think my group members and I work very well together, but I would not want to be the one simply presenting for 10 minutes. I think my best quality is my ability to think of the big picture as well as the steps it takes to get there.

Unite 3 Portfolio Author's Note

As a whole, I think this portfolio developed my issue of gun control at schools from the letter to the editor, to the op-ed, and to the humorous piece clearly. My target audience is a newspaper like the Wall Street Journal because the target audience for them is a more moderate crowd. I specifically chose this newspaper to focus on because I am not completely anti-gun, unlike many liberal leaning people are, but I am anti-gun in schools, unlike many more conservative people are. I am concerned that by stance will not appeal to everyone who would read the Wall Street Journal, but I am confident that it would appeal to the majority of its readers.
I think my letter to the editor was able to criticize Vertuno's piece in an appropriate manner with examples and my own personal experience. I think I might have been perhaps too critical towards the end, but I made sure to criticize what he wrote, not him as a person.
My op-ed piece I think provides a lot of "what ifs" to really get my audience thinking instead of just reading. I tried to put the reader in the situation so that they could fully grasp possible scenarios and the severity of this issue. I put the Texas flag backwards on purpose because I wanted to prove that this legislation is not appropriate and wrong.
My humor piece was the most frustrating piece to finish. I had all these ideas but could not seem to put them on paper in a way that flowed. I cannot draw, and even though I know we are not being graded for our artistic ability, I think my lack of ability might hinder my argument.

Humor-author's note

For my humorous piece I am arguing against guns on school campuses. I chose to do a comic of a preschool, Sunshine Elementary. All the 4 year olds are holding a gun and have ammo in around their waists. The shooting range is in the foreground with a teacher saying "I will give extra credit to the person who hits the bull' eye the most" and another teacher saying " does anyone need more ammo?". There is a rules list above the gun target that says everyone must be under 5 years old, own a AK-47, and be enrolled in Sunshine Elementary.There is also a sign that says BYOG-bring your own gun next to the Texas flag.
I hope that I have been able to display my argument without many words. This is my second draft but my drawings are still not adequate, yet. The only concern of mine is that I might be offending teachers, who might not necessarily be pro-gun either. I do not want people to react too sensitively because of the anniversary of Columbine being yesterday, and with Virginia Tech and Northern Illinois still recent tragedies, I do not want to hurt anyone.

Humor Challenge

So far, working on my humorous argument has been difficult.i know what my idea is and the details of the argument I am trying to make, but I think that actually creating it is going to challenging. I know we are not expected to be artist, but the best thing I can draw is a stick figure and I don't want this to negatively effect my argument. I feel that using the comic as my medium is the best choice, but am doubting my ability to put my ideas on the paper.
I am also challenged by the fact that I don't know if my argument is even funny. I think it is and so does my small group, but what about others? I am apprehensive because I think that others might not even get what I am trying to depict.

Nonetheless, I have found it to be exciting to get to make an argument on my own for once. As opposed to having to analyze someone else's I really have enjoyed thinking on on my own about an issue. I have found myself taking different sides to the same story because I can really see how someone else would see it.

Humor Op-ed

This article was able to take the general topic of American's not being aware of there surroundings and legislation, and make it geared towards guns. He critiques the most typical members of society: the stupid, the rich, the poor, the hard worker, and those who don't care. By doing this, and including himself he appeals to more people because he is not just picking on on group. He takes a somewhat doomsday approach to how everyone seems to be apathetic to all the goes on around the U.S. and the world.

He is also able to stay critical of how people should care about what is done and how the laws the government makes affect them. He was able to effectively combine his critical opinions with things that the majority of people would fine funny, even if some would not be willing to laugh. For instance, someone too oblivious to know a car is coming because they are texting, though scary, is funny to watch and later hear about. He was able to bring it back to how we rely too much on media and loose face to face contact. By choosing a particular person and an action that almost everyone can relate to and a common situation, he is able to illicit some laughter even though he is critical.

op-ed auhtor's note

This is my first draft of my op-ed piece. I think I was able to write a catchy opening to prove my point immediately. I think I might have been a little too mean when trying to provide specific examples, so if you could help me perhaps, be more nice. I like this draft, but I still need a little help transitioning. Thanks!

Prewrite in class

Tara Finn
Pre-Writing
April 6, 2009
Op-ed Piece


The general tone of many gun-control op-ed pieces is that of the second amendment right to possess a firearm. Many relate it back to the massacres at Virginia Tech and Northern Illinois University. There are many technicalities about who is allowed to own guns in various states and how a national law, like that from the Supreme Court, would not be able to be enforced. The New York Times is a national liberal paper that is known for putting spin on many of their articles. However, even with one of the most conservative issues, they seemed to simply argue the legality, not the potential threat, of guns.
For my specific topic, I want to focus on not allowing guns on school campuses, not simply who is allowed to own guns. I want to make the point that I support the Second Amendment and as a gun-owner myself, how I see why it would cause such a stir. I think that as U.S. citizens, that those are licensed and trained should be able to carry weapons for their protection, just not on school grounds. Most people are focusing on guns on university campuses, but high schools and middle schools and even preschools would be affected. It is not simply about the second amendment right to possess a firearm, it is the lack of judgment that people have about it safe.
I plan to approach this issue through the eyes of a current student and future teacher who is and will spend much of my time in the classroom on school campus. I want to take the perspective that I think people, including teachers, should be able to have a gun if they wish, but that they should not be allowed to carry it to school so they can feel safe. Most assume that the only real problem with this is the threat of a massacre, but there is so much more. It is the student who is too intimated to ask questions because the teacher has a 44 in his or her coat. It is the drunken frat boy who gets mad at someone and decides to shoot someone. Theses situations are not protected by the second amendment, and yet, Texas is pushing to include them in state law. I want to motivate people to protest these new laws and to really think about why they are passing them. Is it to demonstrate our second amendment right to posses a firearm, or is to prove a point that school boundaries do not really prevent violence?
I think that pathos appeals will be most effective because even the word “gun” puts people’s nerves on edge. It is a part of society that people are naturally afraid of what can harm them. By using pathos to give specific accounts of those who have been affected by gun violence, I think the reader will be able to relate more and perhaps agree more. Also, with cases like Virginia Tech and Northern Illinois, there is a mass amount of sympathy for those people because it was displayed so frequently and really brought the possibility to life.
I think that a combination of facts and personal experience will help to best better my argument. The laws that are pending will also help the reader see that is it is a real possibility, not some random issue. I also think that using direct quotes from those who survived the school shootings with strengthen the sympathy and understanding.
I might to do a little research on the passage of the second amendment and the current status of the laws.

Gun Control- Op-ed topic

This op-ed piece was able to not only pull in a current situation that happened in California because of gun control, but also how nationally, gun control is a hot issue that needs to be dealt with appropriately. He picks a specific incident and relates it back to the bigger issue. I think his remarks about citizens owning guns and how that does not necessarily make the entire community safe were brilliant. "If arming citizens reduces crime, then why isn't Baghdad the safest city in the world?"Stephen Maffin asks. He argues that is not simply about making laws about gun control; it is about enforcing them. The death penalty and the three-strikes rule do not seem to a deal breaker for murderers.

I think was an effective op-ed piece because the reader can clearly see where the author is coming from, their evidence for their claims, and where they are headed creating more trust in their opinions. Guns are a scary topic for many, but this op-ed had a great way of bringing it to a level where almost anyone could see the validity in his arguments. He was able to take a national concern and make it feel like a community problem and vice versa. He is direct and sincere.

Letter to the Editor draft

Dear Editor,

In Jim Vertuno’s March 29, 2009 article “Guns on Campus: Bills would allow guns at college”, he argues that college campuses would be safer if licensed people carried concealed weapons. Many advocators seem to think the college boundaries do not really prevent anything to begin with. To most people, there seems to be an obvious clash between guns and students, but not for the Texas State Legislature which is one of the seven states considering passing a law in favor of guns at schools.
Texas already has the reputation for being gun-friendly and while perhaps, having those responsible enough to have a gun on campus could protect the innocent, if an outraged shooter did attack, God forbid like at Virginia Tech; the costs still out way the benefits. While I understand that we all have the Constitutional right, according the Second Amendment, to posses a firearm, this should not apply to schools. The law does not protect those outraged killers who pick a campus and target innocent people to murder. Nor does it protect those who target an office or a hospital. I think that guns should be left with law enforcement, secured at home, or lodged in between a person’s hands while hunting.
I have fired a gun many times and each time, I am amazed at the amount of damage a push of a trigger can really do so someone or something. I personally own a gun and have never felt like my rights were being infringed upon because I could not bring it to school. If I walked around campus and saw a person with a gun in their coat, concealed or not, I would immediately think it is a gunman, not someone who is licensed to carry a weapon. If students are allowed to carry guns, what is stopping teachers, janitors, even potential students from bringing a gun to school? Perhaps a future student is taking a campus tour and they decide that they do not want to attend this particular school because of their gun policy? This would be a huge deterrent for universities and their income.
Though I do not agree with Vertuno’s article, I do think he was able to make some valid points with his quotes from advocates. My only concern, being a current college student, would be that I would not be able to adjust to where guns are allowed and where they are not. Sure police would be expected to have a gun and maybe even campus security at large events like football games. But how would students react to seeing their teacher walk in with a gun around his or her waist? How intimidating would that be and how would that affect the classroom environment? It is not simply about our second amendment right to own a gun; it is about the safety of school and students.
There has to be a distinction between what is appropriate for safety and what makes those who own guns feel like they can make other safe. A gun is a scary object, not something to be handled lightly by anyone and this includes law enforcement. When it comes down to it, every gun loaded or not, has the potential to if not kill, seriously hurt someone. Even cops make mistakes, but a mistake at school can cost students their lives, and for what? So that those who are licensed to carry gun, many of whom are no longer in school, can demonstrated their second amendment right?
Tara Finn
Texas Christian University

Author’s note

This is my first draft and I am not sure if I approached this the correct way. I think I was trying to say that I am not anti-guns, but anti- guns at school. I am unsure of how personal to be and how to balance that with facts from the article. I do not know if this is the correct format and would love the help! Thanks!

Article Choice

I am from California, and decided to chose and article that focused on the current economic debacle within the University of California system. Doyle, the author, is a staff writer from the "San Francisco Chronicle". The UC system plans to increase tuition rates 10 percent at 10 of the campuses for the summer session, which will eventually lead into the fall and spring sessions as well. The undergraduate increase from $ 7, 126 to $ 7,789 though not seemingly alarming, is covered with scandal. The fear comes from the possibility that continued tuition rates are not affordable for lower-income families. Also, that is not proportionate to the cost living increase.

The controversy also steams from the refusal of the chancellor of Cal, Birgeneau, to take any sort of a pay cut. The economic crisis is not only effecting businesses and Wall Street, it is severely hurting students and schools. The idea behind a public schooling system is to educate students, not to turn them away because of their lack of funds.

Topic Choice

I am going to write about higher education tuition rates in California, specifically the UC system. They are taking tax payers' dollars and using them to boost the salaries of chancellors, who do not deserve it. I pay taxes in California. Also, my brother is possibly going to Cal and my parents' money would be going into someone else's already large, undeserving wallet. Lower income families are also at a loss because of the soaring tuition rates.

Finn-author's not Final unit 2

As a whole, I think this portfolio has developed well from when I first started. Even though I completely changed 3 of my sources,I think it was worth the extra time to pull better sources on my topic. From the two source pre-write, to the drafts is where is where I saw the most dramatic change because it forced me to really put the paper together. I had to not only summarize the source, but analyze which I found to be the most difficult task.
This final draft I think has a nice flow with coherent sources that all take slightly different opinions on study abroad. I think I was able to transition well from each source and keep the paper flowing nicely so the reader can follow along. I think my chosen sources balance each other well and strengthen the analysis. My only real concern at this point, is that I did not walk the reader through enough analysis while summarizing. But I made a decision to do all the summarizing first so the reader knew the source's background and viewpoint, and then analyze their rhetorical strategies. Though this might seem out of order, I felt it made the paper flow better overall. Enjoy reading!

author's note #2

I feel like this draft is a lot more solid than my first draft. I think I still need to help on transitioning between the sources, but other than that, I think I was able to fix what I needed to. I still don't know if my conclusion ties the whole paper together, so I would like some suggestions for that as well.

Deeveloping cas study

I think my second draft has a lot more actual rhetorical analysis as opposed to simple summary of my sources. I tried to incorporate ethos, pathos, and ethos in all four of my sources and I think they transition well. I think I was able to demonstrated each source's unique opinion without incorporating my own biases, which was very difficult to avoid. I was able to funnel my introduction better to really narrow down into my main analysis. Where as before, I was just writing random sentences that I didn't think flowed well. I also think my conclusion has been developed better to give a concise ending to my paper with a very personal feel.I still am unsure about how exactly to end my paper, but I think my idea is now more developed. I was able to balance the personal and national feel to study abroad with a more distinct separation between the two.
I think I need to still tweak my transitions a little to make it flow more easily, but overall, I think it has developed well into a solid rhetorical analysis essay. It at first seemed so overwhelming to have to write an 8-10 page paper, but starting they way we did, I think I was able to explain and analyze each of my sources effectively for the reader. This way, the reader knows the background of each source and their individual point of views.

Local Community

Study Abroad directly affects the local TCU community because many TCU students have the opportunity to study abroad. It is an experience that those who are fortunate to have, say last them a lifetime. Before I found sources, I went to the TCU website and watched the testimonials of actual students talk about their experiences and they all said pretty much the same thing. It is something that can be talked about, but in order to really understand, has to be experienced. TCU offers many programs both for a semester and a summer session for every major to ensure that everyone has the opportunity to study abroad. On the other hand, it is also extremely expensive, as everything at TCU seems to be. I think that can discourage a lot of people, but hopefully with my paper's personal anecdotes, it can seem more affordable.
Also, study abroad students are here at TCU. They eat our food, where our clothes, and begin to pick up American slang. They support our local communities and begin to learn the entire American culture. They positively effect our world view while we hopefully boost their view of the United States. This relationship though can be awkward at times because of cultural differences, is one that impacts everyone who has ever been able to meet/talk/ or even simply look at someone foreign. There is a lot to learn on both sides.

author's note-draft 1

I like my draft of this essay but I think it still needs a lot of work. I have good sources, but I think I need better transitions. I need a way to connect all the sources into my thesis- which I am still changing because I am not sure how to incorporate all the sources yet. I feel like I have a good mix of personal experiences and actual facts from the Institute of International Education, a very reliable source. I think that I might rely too much on this source and might need to mix it up a little bit.
I absolutely hate my intro but could think of anything else while I was writing. Please feel free to give me any suggestions because I need them!
I like my conclusion a lot and I think my body paragraphs are solid- but could be better. I want the reader to understand the importance on a personal and national level but I still don't know if that is too broad or not. I feel like I did a good job balancing these two views. One last thing, I don't know if I did too much summary of each source and not enough analysis; I don't know if we are even supposed to put analysis in something we can't give our opinion about.

Preperations

I think that my first two body sections are solid. The two sources that I began to analyze are the ones I am most confident in, and therefore, was able to write the most about. They take similar views on study abroad and how the country's view effects how the world sees America. As I was writing my paragraphs, I began to realize that my topic incorporates a lot more than I thought it did when I first started. I began with the idea that I would talk about the benefits of study abroad and how it is crucial to the college experience. As I furthered my research however, I began to realize that I needed to change my focus. I need to argue the study abroad is crucial to not only the college experience, but also to the United States a whole; specifically the economy. I never realize this before, but have found it quite fascinating to discover.

As far as my rhetorical strategies, I think that most of my sources deal with the facts, therefore the logos and they come from credible sources to the ethos is displayed as well. But I think I need to elaborate on the sources pathos. I think with more relatedness, the audinece will be able to more easily understand. While writing, I tried to set up a model in my paper. I wanted to introduce the source and its author with a little background information, so the reader could decide if it was biased or not based on the circumstances. I then went paragraph by paragraph through each source and either summarized or quoted points that were relevant and need to be further analyzed.

Prewrite Questions

What is connecting your sources?

The idea that study abroad affects a student’s education, not just in college, but for the rest of their lives, especially their potential careers. And how such a personal experience can connect people to cultures they never could have imagined before. Also, how it affects not only students, but countries and their individual economies and how the rest of the world views them. The more students who want to visit a certain country, the better that particular country looks to every other country. What is so special about that country? Also, the economy and how a few thousand students make a big difference in the GDP and other reliable financial analysis.

Controlling idea?

The study abroad experience though unique to every person and his or her personal journey, allows for a cultural exploration and a discovery beyond the traditional accepted cultural norms. Every student’s experience is valued not only as an experience, but as economically stimulating.

Order of sources? Effective?

I would organize my sources by their specific points. I would most likely start with the general experiences, with the percentages from the International Institute of Education Opinion piece by Michael Adams. I think it gives a good starting point for my general idea because it shows both the good and the bad of the United States’ current situation and how if specifically affects the students. There is a good deal of statistical information mixed with his current view of out eco crisis.

The second source I would use would most likely be to elaborate on the first; it is by Philip Altbach and simply elaborates on the reason the American opportunity is dwindling. I might combine these two witin the same section.

The third source I would use would be TCU’s study abroad testimonials available on TCU’s website. These statements are very straight forward and clearly describe college students’ experience within a familiar community. I think this narrows my focus to an audience that everyone at TCU can relate to.

The fourth source would be the personal interview with two current exchange students from Holland. I have been able to interact with them and have the describe their personal experiences here not only in the United States, but also Texas, and even more specifically, TCU. Hearing it straight from their mouths I am able to interpret their feelings about this experience and compare it to the facts and data. It allows the audience to relate as more.

I think that having a mix between personal experiences and factual statistics creates a well balanced analysis. I might decide to switch it up and alternate between personal and fact sources depending on how paper begins to flow.

Transition?
From source 1-2 they talk about very similar things so I think I simply be able to use a word like similarly, and then talk about the next source.
From 2-3 I would talk about how a country’s experience is similar and different from that of an individual and then use those testimonials. I think this will be the most difficult because I have to go from interpreting study abroad as a beneficial economic stimulus for countries to personal experiences. I think with the comparison approach though, that I will be able to smoothly crate a transition.

From 3-4 I will be able to elaborate upon a testimonials to an actual specific experience. Going from TCU students going to other places and reporting back, to foreign students coming to TCU and how their experience has and will shape them.

I think there will a natural flow because I start off big and end up small; I might however start small and end up big.

Research Perspective

As I research more and begin to really delve more into study abroad, I have begun to realize the true importance of it. I have found myself wanting to study abroad for some time, but now after researching all the benefits, not only from the experience, but also from the career perspective, I cannot help but think what my own study abroad experience will be like. I have talked with so many people and they all say the same thing, but anticipating my own study abroad experience in Italy, I begin to fill in mental gaps. As in how much it is really going to cost with the exchange rate hating the dollar right now. How learning the language will affect my experience. How the people I meet will change my whole perspective on a given subject. Because of my research, I have also discovered that study abroad makes people more marketable.

Businesses want people who have a familiarity with the rest of the world. Studying abroad not only creates that knowledge, it maintains it. Most of my sources talk about the benefits of studying abroad, but there are also some downsides. Mainly, the money, but also the getting adjusted which is something that most cannot prepare for. Having to fend for myself in a foreign country is a scary thought, but with a scheduled study abroad experience, most sources say that the adjusting is well worth the rest of the the experience. Through researching, I have simply begun to see more of the logistical side of study abroad.

Research

1. I am having trouble finding sources about my specific subject. I am trying to argue that study abroad is crucial to the college experience. I have been able to interview people and then I also used the TCU website, but I do not think that I have another primary source that is really beneficial. Most of the sources that I found were secondary and even though they had useful information, I cannot use them.
2. I also do not know how to link my different sources together- they are mostly testimonials. I cannot seem to find any written sources that argue specifically my subject.
3. The experiences that I have been able to document seem so similar that I a afraid I will not be able to make a rebuttal against the argument I have chosen.

I interviewed two Dutch exchange students because they have experienced study abroad and therefore, they are primary sources. I mostly asked them about actually living in the United States and going to school here and what they were going to be bring back with them to Holland. They were able to tell me both good and bad experiences. They were able to tell me about living in another country, not so much about the logistics of coming to the United States. I think they were able to give a very emotional appeal because they are living it right now; therefore, many college students can relate to them.

The TCU study abroad website I think qualifies because it had many digital testimonies about various study abroad experiences from many different people. There was not only a written summary, but also a verbal summary of their unique experiences abroad. I chose this source because I wanted to be able to relate my argument back to TCU students. This way, they can see all the opportunities that they have through TCU. The source is about showing the TCU study abroad experience through the eyes of those who have experienced it. It used a pathos and ethos appeal because the students lived it and TCU is a credible name.

I chose an Israeli-Palestinian story from BBC because I wanted to relate it back to the world as a whole and to prove how study abroad changes more than just individual people; On a large scale, how countries are effected by study abroad. The source is about how the current middle-eastern conflict affects the students in those countries opportunities to study abroad and learn more about different cultures. They were able to use the Pathos appeal because most Americans are sympathetic towards Israel and also Ethos because it comes from BBC America which is a trusted source on the world stage.

Research Thoughts

I found researching to be a very difficult task because there is so much material that could possibly be used but I never knew if it was a primary source. I had a difficult time with deciding what to use because what I thought might be a primary source, was later described as secondary. It also seemed that all the useful information was that from secondary sources. I do not think that secondary sources are less useful; in fact, they proved to not only be easier to find, but easier to interpret. I felt that having to narrow my search to primary sources headed me in a direction with weak sources.The sources I used were primary accounts and gave detail, but did not seem to be nearly as detailed as the secondary. Which seems contradictory to everything we talked about in class, but just from simply researching, that is what I have observed.

The connections among my sources all point in the same direction because it seemed impossible to find any conflicting information. I could never really find exactly what I was looking for, and that was a primary source reflection from someone who had studied abroad in a document form. I had no problem finding people who I know are studying abroad or even reading testimonials from TCU. ButI wanted a perspective from someone not affiliated with TCU, so that other college students could relate as well. With the same approach from all my topics, I am forced to create my own approach from interpreted data.

Topic Choice

For this unit two essay, I want to focus on the current state of the nutrition in the United States. More specifically, I want to compare it to other countries and discuss how our culture affects our nutrition. I also want to focus on the negative affects of poor nutrition and how it makes people more susceptible to diseases, like diabetes and high cholesterol. I think that this topic would be interesting because it is something that we all deal with on a day to day basis. The media also affects us because the amount of advertising put into trying to persuade people to eat certain kinds of food.

Or, I am also considering doing study abroad and the effects a different culture has on a person's education. How adjusting to a new country can be both difficult and exciting and how foreigners meet new people. I cannot decide between the two subjects right now, but I think I am leaning more towards nutrition and healthy living.

Author's Note-Final draft

This is the final draft of my public space analysis essay for unit one. I am confident in this piece because I feel I was able to connect the space with an argumentative analysis that will help guide the reader to an understanding of Alice Carlson Elementary School. My only concern is that the reader will not be able to immediately make the connection between these two schools. Hopefully though, my descriptions and analysis together, will prove that these schools need each other because of their shared physical space.
Overall, my essay explores Alice Carlson as a whole in relation the TCU and Fort Worth community. I think that I was able to incorporate my personal views and experiences with the space as well as giving an accurate description of the actual physical space. I feel my arguments are clear and well developed.

Author's note #2

This is my second draft of my public space analysis and I am moderately confident in my paper this time around. I feel like I was able to elaborate more on the actual physical space and how it relates to TCU. I still wonder how to conclude this paper to tie in both schools and the community. I would also want to correct grammar that I often overlook when I elaborate.

Effective Public Space Analysis

I think an effective public space analysis would not only describe the physical space, but also how that space effects those people who use it. Or how the community as a whole views and uses this space either positively or negatively. This space is obviously public, but I think there should also be an element of personal attachment or experience with this space. This way, the reader can see it through someone who does actually use it.
I also think that an effective analysis has to think about who the reader is and how they would react to this claim. Using pathos, logos, and ethos, seems important but I do not think that all three have to be used to make a legitimate argument. As long as there are examples to back up the author's claim, no matter how far fetched it may seem, the analysis can be effective.

Think about qualities of an effective Public Space Analysis

Finn-author's note 1

This is my first draft of my public space analysis. I am still trying to figure out the organization of my piece because right now I feel like it is comparison and contrast essay when I want it to be an analysis.
I would like some help trying to organize my ideas better in relation to public space. Also, I don't know if I should be saying "I" and things of that nature when I describe the space. Do I make it seem like I am comparing these two schools? Because my goal is to analyze/argye how their shared space effects both schools in different ways.

Public space/community aspect

Alice Carlson effects the community because it creates learners for the future. Having TCU right next door creates an opportunity for those children to see what college is like. It shapes a generation of children into young adults. And even though the traffic usually annoys most people in the TCU community, I think most of us would agree that it is a beneficial space. It is a place for students to learn and ask questions, just like we do here at TCU. obviously the level of academia is different but it is the same concept, it is a school, made to teach it students. On a formal level, TCU's tax money goes to fund this school, making it responsible to the TCU community.

annotated notes

Tara Finn
Eng Comp
2/2/09
Alice-Carlson Observation Notes

As I began to observe this school so close to TCU’s campus I began to narrow down what exactly I would be focusing on during this analysis. I decided to focus on the outside of the school because not only can more people see the actual environment, but also because getting into the school felt a little uncomfortable. I was planning on observing with my educational psychology class but because of the weather, we had to forgo our observations. I want to be able to relate this school to the larger TCU community, not just the Stadium and Cantey intersection.
I went o observe on January 29 around 3:25 p.m. The very first thing I noticed was the line of cars waiting to for the children to come out. The line went down most of Cantey and began to loop around University Drive. Every kind of car seemed to be in that line. There were ones ranging from 2009 Ford-150 to Toyota Camries that seemed a bit older. As I began to look to see who was driving the cars, I noticed that it was mostly women who I would safely assume are mothers. But as I began to think this, I caught myself because of the situation that I have been with the children I babysit for. I pick them up from school and while I wait for them to come out, I can feel other mothers looking at me as if I am a teenage mother. I decided it would be best to begin focusing on the actual school itself.
Even with the students inside, I could still here their noises from across the street on TCU’s campus. Within the reddish-brown brick walls and the red roof with the white pillars were hundreds of children excited to get out of school. There were stairs up to every entrance with the thresholds being white with lots of windows. I noticed that the building itself looks very professional, almost to the point as if it were a business and not a school. I thought it could have used some more color and playfulness. All around the school there were trees and shrubs filling in the gaps between buildings. I noticed the stop sign with the TCU purple street signs. And the silver fire hydrants located all along the intersection. There seemed to be a lot of TCU students crossing the street as well. Then I began to notice the actual physical weather environment. It was sunny and warm with a light breeze. It was quite noisy and there were also birds chirping.
Then the students came out and the noise escalated and the grass seemed to be flooded with children coming from all directions. The car line began to move and children seemed to leave fairly quickly. Soon, there were not more children left and the place seemed empty.

Saturday January 31, 2009

I decided to observe again on the weekend to see what the building had to say for itself when there were no children in it. It was severely more quiet and all I could hear was the occasional car and the few birds. It seemed like the school was lonely with no children inside of it learning and exploring.

Arguments of fact/definition

While observing Alice Carlson I noticed a few arguments of facts. One would be that children should attend school and maybe even children should attend public school. The school's location could argue that being next to a TCU's campus benefits the children and could motivate them to want to attend college. This school is called an elementary school, but is it really what people think of when they think of elementary schools? It is a school, but what kind of school and how does that effect how people view it? That leads to the question, what is a school? There are many different types of school and with that, many groups of people who support each one.

Observation Reflection

While observing the elementary school, Alice Carlson, I felt extremely awkward. I was the only TCU age student simply standing there watching the school and I began to feel the stares from the parents. I simply stood there with my notebook and pen and looked around. I walked around the school and began to take in the smells and air. I began to realize things that I never noticed before as I occasional strolled down Cantey. For instance, the windows of the school have the student's artwork all over and each grade had a project to create. Having been inside this school before, I began to remember the smell of cafeteria lunch and the loudness of a normal classroom, I even remember the smell of the office. It was a mix of the brown paper bag smell and rust mixed with food. A pungent smell that reminded me of my own school. Walking around the halls, I realized that this elementary school is just like TCU; only with thousands less students and obviously not as difficult subjects. But the overall function of a school remained the same.

Finn-public space#1

I plan to analyze Alice-Carlson elementary school because I think it is often overlooked within the TCU campus and community. I have had the chance to visit Alice Carlson for many of my education classes and also as a TCU student who is just as annoyed with the traffic at 3:00 in the afternoon as everyone else.
I plan to observe this space in one of my education classes on Thursday January 29 around noon and then again as I drive to work on Friday January 30 around 3:00. I hope these two different perspectives will create a well-rounded analysis if this school on TCU's north campus.

I have a few ideas already about this space because I have been able to be apart of the community and actually talk to students at this school. At the a same time, I have been one to have to slam on the breaks when children run out in the middle of the street. I hope to discover more about how Alice Carlson sees TCU. I already know how we students, for the most part, view this school. I am curious to find out how teachers and students over there view us.

Local Communities-Finn

Most of my favorite local places are ones that few people from outside the community know about. One in particular is the mountain hiking trail of Fremont Older in Saratoga, California. I live in Silicon Valley surrounded by computers companies and business gurus; so oftentimes, people forget about the beautiful nature that makes up this valley. There cannot be a valley without a mountain range nearby and my favorite set of mountains is located on Fremont Older. This trail leads you to the top of the valley to a beautiful view of the entire South Bay. It is a trail with no real direction because everytime someone embarks on this trail, there are different things to notice. This trail is a place for many to escape from the hectic world because it removes technology and focuses on nature. This place is difficult to find and only locals know where it is because it is understood that it is reserved for people living within the South Bay. People may have heard of this place, but one has to be a true local to appreciate it for it is.

Another local place that I am apart of is that of Aptos Beach, California. Here, not only is my home but also a local music hangout called Fins Coffee. Here, in a place surrounded by tourists, is the place for locals to hangout and share their music. This place is inviting to all, but seems to be somewhere for those who appreciate the same things flock to.

Pathos appeal-Finn

I cannot think of anything more heart wrenching then the picture of the fireman holding the dead baby girl after the tragic Oklahoma City bombing. You see his despair and try to imagine that of the people surrounding, especially this girl's family. There are no words and yet, there is an immediate feeling of sickness and empathy. The first time I saw this picture I naturally gasped and felt sick. It is very difficult to see something like this and not react negatively. Naturally, I think humans want to relate to others and be able to sympathize and empathize with others. Our emotions do not have reason, they simply are the way we feel. Like the book said, pathos is the emotional appeal that can call people to action. Also, the connection with readers that is formed is difficult to break because it feels natural.
Emotional appeals can also make logical appeals stronger because the audience can relate. This picture is obviously disturbing but it also appeals to the logic side because it advocates for the rescue and memory of all those who were brutally killed by Timothy McVeigh.

Chapter 1

While I was reading I was surprised to hear that everything can be an argument. I thought it was interesting how there are different types of arguing that can produce different effects and how pictures can lead one to conclusions as well. I began to understand the different types of arguments that vary from each other including: arguments to make decisions, arguments to pray(which seemed the most unusual to me), arguments to explore and arguments to persuade or convince. There are also appropriate times for all of these various arguments and situations that make one argument a better choice than another. Aristotle's three forms of rhetoric pathos, egos, logos were also discussed in chapter one.

Disagree:
Prayer as an argument seemed odd to me because I do not see how an individual thought can be an argument. Prayer is usually a reflective process that tries to calm and relax the one participating. Making an argument during prayer seemed contradictory because the vary nature of this process. Not everything has to be an argument simply for argument's sake, especially prayer and meditation. I can maybe understand how someone could advocate for prayer but I cannot see the action itself as an argument. It is something that happens in the mind of someone, not an action for others to argue.

Intro: 1/12/09

I am a sophomore from San Jose, California and a Secondary Education-Social Studies Major. This is a required course but I would like to come out of with a better idea of how to compose my own argument and how to respond to others' arguments better. Usually, most of the writing that I do is school related. However, I compose several e-mails a day along with of text messages. I also have been practicing writing lesson plans for my classes, which is something I am not comfortable with. I never realized how much effort goes into making a single class period run smoothly. I think my writing is solid. It is not my favorite subject, nor my best, but I think that I write well enough that my ideas are expressed and the assignment requirements are met.I know I need to work on the context of my writing and how I transition from idea to idea.

I am a member of Ft. Worth, Texas and San Jose, California. I was born in California and now go to school in Texas so it has been an experience for me adjusting to the different environment and people. There are a lot of stereotypes that come with being from California and vice verse when I tell people in California that I go to school in Texas. People in Texas think that Californians lay on the sunny beach all day while Californians think that Texans are rednecks and that everyone has a cow. Obviously, both these ideas are stereotypes but I think people would be surprised about how many people actually think this way. I think that fact that I can use where I grew up as stepping stone to where I am now is great. Each state,even each city, offers its own unique environment that have helped me to from my identity.

While I was writing this blog I did not realize that I was making an argument until I began to think about. I would say that I argue that both California and Texas offer different opportunities and that a person is shaped by where they are raised. I am simply informing people about certain differences between the states. As I was reading, I related my argument to the Rogerian argument, in which common ground is established. The choices I made including the stereotypes I mentioned demonstrate that I have heard both sides of the story. I do not think that one state is better than the other, simply different. I would say I bring a unique view of this subject, having lived in both states. In this course, I think that my political views might be argued because of the stark contrast between the red state and the blue state.

I have read, understand, and agree to the terms of the course syllabus.