1st writing assignment

You can check my essay on art and inclusion: Private Revolution. Click here.

Entry #9 MLA Research Paper (Daly): New Alternative Conclusion

Owing to public controversy, state legislators have to look closely the problem of irresponsible drivers. Public awareness repudiates the use of phones while on the road because of this misbehavior have caused traffic deaths and multiple injuries. From cartoons to scientists, they all have agreed on the dangerous consequences of using a cell phone while driving. Scientists confirmed that those drivers using cell phones are as dangerous as drunk drivers. Despite expert opinions, media neglected scientists fact by means of a syllogism without taking notice of statics, the families of the victims and the fallibility of law around states.   Matt Sundeen of the National Conference of State Legislatures (qtd. In Layton C9) stated that “It’s definitely an issue that is gaining steam around the country”. States Legislators need to act now to regulate the use of cell phones in moving vehicles.

Sources:
Matt Richel (2013). Driven to distraction. [ONLINE] Retrieved from: http://topics.nytimes.com/top/news/technology/series/driven_to_distraction/index.html. [Last Accessed 13 June 2013].

Entry #8 Peer Assesment

PEER ASSESSMENT

·                     Paste your paragraph on immigration.

·                     Give it an appropriate title.

·                     Go into a mate’s blog and assess his/her paragraph.

·                     Use the tools/criteria discussed in class. 

·                     Go back to your own blog and make the necessary changes (following your mate's/mates' suggestions) to improve it. 

NB: DO NOT ERASE your original paragraph, leave both versions.

First Version:

Immigration: A reflection

Immigration is a displacement of people into new surroundings triggering a social reaction. Societies are ordered by ephemeral conventions which are given by organizations that influence the reality and their perception between good or evil. Unfortunately, this manufactured purpose of the universe is only a limited perspective of an always-changing world that escapes the law of families, schools, countries and above all, the limited perception of capitalism. Idealizations are produced for those with a relative power creating a false sense of equilibrium. Thus, Children at school are taught how Columbus discovered America, ignoring the genocide of thousands of natives. Also, Children are taught how good Sarmiento was at school, ignoring his proto-Nazi ideology. His book, Facundo, is a clear representation of how “the others” have to be seen: as the enemy. Nevertheless, the book that is the icon in Argentina is the Martín Fierro which coincides with a clear hate towards the immigrants. Both ideologies follow the same ideal of blaming “the other” without having in mind whether they are guilty or not. Discrimination is a logical device to differentiate and separate two statements from each other. However, this is an individual discrimination to rationalize to make a decision, to give a mark to your student at school, to decide between going out with this girl or that girl which is quite different from producing a whole idealization, blaming a whole group of people, based on a proximal fear of losing your own tangible resources: icons of essence and/or existence. Fear is motivation for those whose existence is supplied by a structure not knowing that life is not a fairy tale and all empires and societies sooner or later are condemned to fall. Critical thought not only help us to realize what is good or evil but also to discover how the whole society and media lie to us. From this point, we are given the opportunity to discover the truth and to try once for all to start thinking about the world and about us. The purpose of the universe is not in Sarmiento hymn but in how we manage to keep alive, all alive, all together. Indeed, society is bound to change through Immigration.

Sol Fos's editing

Immigration: A reflection

Immigration is a displacement of people into new surroundings triggering a social reaction. Societies are ordered by ephemeral conventions which are given by organizations that influence the reality and their perception between good or evil. Unfortunately, this manufactured purpose of the universe is only a limited perspective of an always-changing world that escapes the law of families, schools, countries and above all, the limited perception of capitalism. Idealizations are produced for those with a relative power creating a false sense of equilibrium. Thus, Children at school are taught how Columbus discovered America, ignoring the genocide of thousands of natives. Also, Children are taught how good Sarmiento was at school, ignoring his proto-Nazi ideology. His book, Facundo, is a clear representation of how “the others” have to be seen: as the enemy. Nevertheless, the book that is the icon in Argentina is the Martín Fierro which coincides with a clear hate towards the immigrants. Both ideologies follow the same ideal of blaming “the other” without having in mind whether they are guilty or not. Discrimination is a logical device to differentiate and separate two statements from each other. However, this is an individual discrimination to rationalize to make a decision, to give a mark to your student at school, to decide between going out with this girl or that girl which is quite different from producing a whole idealization, blaming a whole group of people, based on a proximal fear of losing your own tangible resources: icons of essence and/or existence. Fear is motivation for those whose existence is supplied by a structure not knowing that life is not a fairy tale and all empires and societies sooner or later are condemned to fall. Critical thought not only help us realize what is good or evil but also to discover how the whole society and media lie to us. From this point, we are given the opportunity to discover the truth and to try once for all to start thinking about the world and about us. The purpose of the universe is not in Sarmiento hymn but in how we manage to keep alive, all alive, all together. Indeed, society is bound to change through Immigration.

Hernandez, J. (1872) Martín Fierro. Argentina: Terramar (2007)

Sarmiento, D.F. (1845) Facundo. Argentina: Ediciones Clásicas (2001)

Entry #7 Metacognitive Analysis:

1. Paragraph ONE: YOUR PARAGRAPH (TOPIC SENTENCE + BODY +  CONCLUSION SENTENCE)

   Rationalism ,in the hands of the right ones, help us to find ephemeral truths from our reality. A person claims a statement after a detailed observation through logical experimentation. The following example will enlighten us:  “Canal Encuentro” released a few series of documentaries about myths and facts, among them, The Loch Ness Monster documentary made a real impression on me: A scientist went to the Loch Ness River and observed its biosphere, and came to the conclusion that the Loch Ness Monster would never sustain its existence in such a place. The monster would simply starve to death without any resource to keep itself alive. The scientist observed and applied his logic in order to produce convincing arguments to support the fact that “The Loch Ness monster will never survive in such a place”. In rationalism, the scientist produced a statement supported by arguments that were the result of logical experimentation. On the other hand, ordinary people have an interesting way of twisting arguments to produce a fact.  Cynics produce a statement which is supported by an irrational distrust with a negative connotation. A partial number of Argentineans in reference to certain subjects would produce vulgar statements such as : “Hay que matarlos a todos”, “son todos vagos”, “que negros de mierda!” or “estos afanan a lo loco, como se rascan…”  and immediately reinforce those statements with cynical smiles using short phrases such as: “no vamos a cambiar nada”, “es el país que nos toco”, or “es así”. The lack of arguments can be often replaced by conclusions that denote economic sensibility nurtured by an aggressive capitalist culture. The problem is not that ordinary Argentineans have this thought; the problem is that graduated people, with relevant positions in this society such as teachers, politicians or journalists, act based on irrational principles that would irremediably produce drastic effects in our lives. The irresponsibility of these people is the consequence of impunity in our culture, but that is not valid justification for their current irresponsibility in their duties, Heidegger classified this attitude in which the being-there consumes not to understand the world but in order to see. Consequently, people have the impossibility to understand by themselves because they only consume information to satisfy their immediate desires. The importance of a valid source to support arguments to reach the truth and opinions has to be taught by those whose roles have an effect on our population; A serious rational compromise with the truth has to be led by politicians, teachers and anyone with influence to support freedom, diversity in thinking and real peace. 

Source:

Heidegger, M. (1927). El ser y el tiempo: El ser-ahí y la caída del ser-ahí – la avidez de novedades.    México: Editorial Efe (2010)

1. Paragraph TWO:    YOUR MATE'S TOPIC SENTENCE + YOUR BODY+ YOUR MATE'S CONCLUSION SENTENCE

   A social understanding of the importance of reason can lead us to a better reality. A person claims a statement after a detailed observation through logical experimentation. The following example will enlighten us:  “Canal Encuentro” released a few series of documentaries about myths and facts, among them, The Loch Ness Monster documentary made a real impression on me: A scientist went to the Loch Ness River and observed its biosphere, and came to the conclusion that the Loch Ness Monster would never sustain its existence in such a place. The monster would simply starve to death without any resource to keep itself alive. The scientist observed and applied his logic in order to produce convincing arguments to support the fact that “The Loch Ness monster will never survive in such a place”. In rationalism, the scientist produced a statement supported by arguments that were the result of logical experimentation. On the other hand, ordinary people have an interesting way of twisting arguments to produce a fact.  Cynics produce a statement which is supported by an irrational distrust with a negative connotation. A partial number of Argentineans in reference to certain subjects would produce vulgar statements such as : “Hay que matarlos a todos”, “son todos vagos”, “que negros de mierda!” or “estos afanan a lo loco, como se rascan…”  and immediately reinforce those statements with cynical smiles using short phrases such as: “no vamos a cambiar nada”, “es el país que nos toco”, or “es así”. The lack of arguments can be often replaced by conclusions that denote economic sensibility nurtured by an aggressive capitalist culture. The problem is not that ordinary Argentineans have this thought; the problem is that graduated people, with relevant positions in this society such as teachers, politicians or journalists, act based on irrational principles that would irremediably produce drastic effects in our lives. The irresponsibility of these people is the consequence of impunity in our culture, but that is not valid justification for their current irresponsibility in their duties, Heidegger classified this attitude in which the being-there consumes not to understand the world but in order to see. Consequently, people have the impossibility to understand by themselves because they only consume information to satisfy their immediate desires. The importance of a valid source to support arguments to reach the truth and opinions has to be taught by those whose roles have an effect on our population; Societies are more favourable to succeed in their administrations with a consciousness in the importance of rationalism. 

1. Paragraph THREE: metacongnitive analysis

METACOGNITIVE ANALYSIS:

·                     Does the overall meaning vary?

·                     Is one sentence better than the other? Why?

·                     Which sentence(s) best reflects the content of the paragraph?

·                     Are there good synonyms, antonyms, hyponyms in the 1st and last sentences?

·                     Has wording been avoided?

·                     Is there any repetition?

·                     Is every element in the paragraph included in the TS? And in the Conclusion sentence?

NB: You need not answer EVERY QUESTION. They're just a guide.

Metacognitive Analysis

There is no difference in meaning in both sentences, both follow the same argument. In my opinion, I prefer the second TS and CS because not only reflect the content of the paragraph but also avoid wordiness. Repetition is  another good point to remark that the second TS and CS is way much better than the former ones, making the point clearer.

ISFD 41
Fos, María Soledad
Moyano, Federico

Entry# 6 Structured Paragraph Writing

Successful Academic Writing: Paragraphs

What is a Paragraph?:

• A number of sentences focusing on one main midea.
• Physically easily to identify.
• Backed with sustained evidence and examples.
• Writing structured Paragraphs must have:

1. The Format Style
2. Correct Punctuation.
3. Paragraphing:

• A distinct section in a piece of writing.
• A number of related sentences.
• One main idea - single focus.
• Cohesion: well organised

Parts of a Paragraph: English Academic Writing:

• Topic Sentence: Introduce the subject
• Body: Supported with arguments by:
• Importance: degree
• Chronologically: order of events

• Closing sentence: remind the audience:
• Re-state
• Keep your audience thinking

Types of Paragraphs:

• By listing: Introduction+developer+modulator+terminator
• By examples: Introduction+example+example
• By comparison:
• By contrast
• By definition:

Genres of Paragraphs:

• Fiction or non-fiction:

1. Narrative: Used to tell a sequence of events
2. Descriptive: to describe a scene
3. Expository: To provide information
4. Persuasive: To convince others about something

   
   

Qualities of Successful Paragraphs:

1. Unity:

• Topic sentence: states the main idea
• Topic sentence: Deconstruction:
1. Topic: Subject of the paragraph
2. Controlling Idea: specific comment about the subject based on “Wh questions”: Who? What? Where? When? Why?
• Position of the Topic Sentence:

1. Start the paragraph with the topic sentence:Helps the reader to identify the topic
2. To be creative: The Topic sentence can be elsewhere in the paragraph.

2. Coherence: How all the sentences fit together: Logical bridges from one sentence to the other.
• Repetition of key words
• Use synonyms
• Use pronouns
• Use transition words
3. Development: Supporting evidences
• Examples of the topics

Parts of a Paragraph/ T E E Rule: T.S. + Explanation + Evidence:

• Topic Sentence: What?: Gold, a precious metal, is prized for 3 important characteristics
• Explanation:Why?:

1. Beauty
2. Durability
3. Utility

• Evidence: How?:

1. Jewellry
2. Roman Coins
3. Space Techno

Differences between Introduction and Conclusion:

1. Introductory:
• State the topic of assignment and comment on its importance
• State the Main Argument
• Specify How you intend to answer the question
2. Concluding:
• Summarise the main points
• State main conclusions
• Satisfy the reader
• Give something the reader to think about
• DO NOT end with a quotation
• DO NOT introduce new material
• DO NOT end with a generalisation

Parts of a Paragraph:

Sources:

AlexESLvid (2009). Parts of a Paragraph. [ONLINE] Retrived from: http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=cCuExRE6N-4#!. [Last Accessed 30 May 2013].

Cage, K. (2012). Writing a Paragraph. Retrived from: http://www.massey.ac.nz/massey/fms/Student%20services/Student%20Learning%20Development%20Service/Documents/Albany/Brochures/Assignment%20Writing/Writing%20a%20paragraph.pdf. [Last Accessed 31 May 2013].

Students:

Fos, María Soledad

Moyano, Federico E.

Entry # 5 She's a writer.

She’s a writer

Reading helps us to create an exquisite confection of the world that produces the delight of imagination but this writer believes that the discovery of reality demystifies that imaginary world creating a truthful connection with the world. At the fiftieth Commonwealth lecture, Nigerian storyteller Chimmamanda Adichie touched the heart of the audience deeply with her moving speech about the role of a writer. Writing is to enlarge our imagination through creating mystical worlds that are to touch the sensibility of another human being. Writing is a lonely quest in which vocation, seriousness are attached to a remorseless determination to reveal an intense world that claims to be discovered. The notion of “private” does not combine with the sense of writing because the virtue of writing is to unite with a random reader that is expectant to enjoy literature. She prefers realistic literature because the similarities with our world, sometimes not only they are to be treated as a record of the real but also they have the powerful possibility to infuse with meanings our world. Then, Literature as the realization of the world has the power to transform facts into truths that will help us to find humanity. On a world that quantifies death, poverty, famine or war. Literature is the search for humanity, a leap of faith that fills with delight the hearts of those who touch. Writing transcends the author because the writer is attached to a sensibility that is the voice of a citizenship that demonstrates against injustice and requires to be built stronger to create a stronger history. At the Commonwealth lecture, Chimmamanda said that writing is creating citizenship, writing is born from a genuine sensibility, and writing is the capacity to narrate perceptions and above all writing is an obsession to state that we are similar, in our differences, in the long quest for a better world.

The single story refers to the concept developed by people with a certain degree of power above other people. A dominant group projects a definite concept based on assumptions or beliefs supported inevitably by a social sensitivity created by economic variables. Accordingly to Ms Adichie, the danger of the single story demonstrates how impressionable and vulnerable everyone is in front of input that was born from blased viewpoints. Stories have the power to produce the division of a group, but Chimmamanda Adichie realizes how stories have also the power to make a better world. Consequently, people are given a unique perception about the nature of reality and how things have to behave in relation to the world. There, the single story shows people as the result of a fully power exercise from a dominant group because power makes stronger the predominant one who at the same time deposits a limited perception of other person as an alien or different. Power is justified through the financial dominant position modifying the perception of the audience of the single story to shape shift a concrete identity over another group. Furthermore, the single story not only creates stereotypes but also steals recognition from people leaving them no other option but to be labeled as “different” without dignity in their futures. The concept of “pity” was elucidated by her as an automatic response of the audience of the single story who are blinded by recurrent stereotypes reproduced massively. Conversely, she states that in order to avoid the danger of the single story, we need to produce a mental shift so as to achieve real authenticity. Real authenticity places individuals as rightful human beings with their own identity and culture with the ability to comprehend the world, the aptitude to create meaning and enough potency to speak for themselves. Stories have both the power to break the world and to humanize it; it is our final decision to choose what we like, a single place or a paradise.

Sources:

Adichie, C. (2009). The Danger of the single story. [ONLINE] Retrieved from: http://www.ted.com/talks/chimamanda_adichie_the_danger_of_a_single_story.html. [Last Accessed 05/22/13].

Adichie, C. (2012). Commonwealth Lecture 2012: Connecting Cultures. [ONLINE] Retrieved from: http://www.commonwealthfoundation.com/event/commonwealth-lecture-2012. [Last Accessed 05/22/13].

Adichie, C. (2012). About the author. [ONLINE] Retrieved from: http://www.halfofayellowsun.com/content.php?page=book&n=2&f=2. [Last Accessed 05/22/13].

Tunca, D. (2012). Bibliography. [ONLINE] Retrieved from: http://www.l3.ulg.ac.be/adichie/cnabio.html. (Last Accessed 05/22/13)

Entry #4 APA Citation Form

APA Citation Form

Moyano, Federico E.

APA Style

            The American Psychological Association is a large community of scientists and professionals in The United States. In order to avoid problems such as plagiarism, using and taking full credit of other’s ideas, this organization developed a system to clarify communication through a clear organization of the format and through producing clear and accurate reference citations to support facts.

          CITATION RULES                                        

            The focus of this summary is very much on Citation Rules based on APA style. Therefore, this text has a pragmatic approach in order to make possible a quick comprehensible reading for those who are interested in this academic style. The citation requires to be on the correct formatting: This means that the text needs Times new Roman type format, and also requires the correct indentation, and double- spacing and the same margins (1 inch of each side of the page)  

                                              

CITATION FORMAT FOR BASIC SOURCES

CITING AUTHORS

If we want to cite a book we have to include the Author’s last name followed by a comma, and the Author’s initial name followed by a period. In case we have more than one author, we have to include them in alphabetical order. Nevertheless, The APA style only allows up to seven authors by citation, so in case we have more authors than what it is legally allowed we include the first six authors, followed by ellipsis and we include the last author in alphabetical order. This formula is applied to all the citations in reference to the quoting of authors. We include the author’s followed by the year of publication in parenthesis followed by a period.  There is a possibility that an author would appear twice as a reference but with different productions. In that case, we repeat the whole reference and we order the authors chronologically.

Ex-1: 

Author, A. (Year of publication).

Ex-2:

Author, A.A, Buthor, B.B. (Year of publication).

Ex-3:

Author, A.A. Buthor, B.B, Cuthor, C.C, Duthor, D.D, Euthor, E.E, Feuthor, F.F.… Zuthor, Z.Z. (Year of publication).

Ex-4:

Author, A. (Year1).

           Author, A  (Year2).   

CITING BOOKS

The quoting of books in order to support a fact has to follow the APA rules that are shown below. We include the author followed by a comma and the year of publication followed by a period. The title of the specific work has to be in italics and followed by a period. The location followed by colon and last but not least, the Publishing house.

Ex-5:

Author, A.A. (Year of publication). Title of work: Capitol letter also for subtitle. Location: Publisher. 

CITING ARTICLES FROM SCHOLARLY JOURNALS

            Citing articles have almost the same logical patterns that books have. We act in accordance as above, we include the author, comma and the year of publication followed by a period. Then, we write the title of the article followed by a period. In italic text type, we add the title of the Journal followed by a comma and we include the volume number. The issue number has to be in parenthesis followed by a comma. Finally, we add the pages followed by a period.

Ex- 6:

Author, A.A. (date). Title of article. Title of periodical,  volume number (issue number), pages.

            CITING MAGAZINES

            Citing magazines follows the same logical order that citing from articles. In italics text type we include the title of the magazine followed by a comma, and the volume followed by a comma and we add the pages in normal text type followed by a period.

            Ex-7:

Author, A. (date). Title of article. Title of Magazine, volume, pages.

            CITING NEWSPAPERS

           

            In order to quote from newspapers we add: author, year , title of article and the title of the Newspaper italicized followed by a comma. Finally, we add the page numbers.

           

            Ex-8:

Author, A. (date). Title of article. Title of Newspaper, page number(s)

            CITING FROM ENCYCLOPEDIAS

            Citing an entry from an Encyclopedia has the following structure: We introduce the exact formula we have been using before {Author, A. (Year). Title of the article.} Thus, we include the name of the Encyclopedia italicized  followed by a comma, in parenthesis we add the volume followed by a comma and the page numbers, we have to remember to include the city of publication followed by a comma .We complete the reference by adding the state of publication followed by colon and the publishing house.

            Author, A.A. (date). Title of the article. In the Encyclopedia, (Volume, page numbers). city of publication, state of publication: Publisher.

            CITING FROM WEB-BASED SOURCES

           

            In order to track sources from the internet, The DOI (Digital organizer identifier was developed) consists of a large numeric string that allow users to track information on the internet. However, the recently the DOI was replaced due to its flaws by a new alphanumeric link that enable us to track information easily with a long lasting registered link. Nevertheless, if the article does not have DOI or the new alphanumeric link we simply add the phrase “Retrieved from” plus the URL of the web page.

            The citation from web-based sources use these systems. Therefore, we have to use the following formulas:

DOI (Digital Object Identifier):

            Author, A. (Year). Name of the article. Title of Journal, Volume, page: doi 000000000/000000000000

NAL:

            Author, A. (Year). Name of the article. Title of Journal, Volume, page. http://dx.doi.org)10.0000/0000

URL:

            Author, A. (Year). Name of the article. Title of Journal, Volume, page. Retrieved from http://www.somethingsomethingsomething.com/full/url

          Sources:

American psychological association (2013). Publication Manual. Retrieved from: http://www.apastyle.org/. [Last Accessed 5 May, 2013].