Considering Types

Chiltepinster. "Mocking Bird Argument" 6/26/2011 via wikimedia. CC0 Public Domain.

This blog will talk about what kind of argument I will use. The different types of arguments include position argument, casual argument, evaluative argument, proposal argument, and refutable argument. The type of argument that is most appropriate for stem cell research is the position argument.

This kind of argument is the best because I am trying to argue a point, not necessarily the success or failure to a certain action taken by government. Government is a part of the issue but it is not necessarily the entire issue. The government has responded to the concerns about stem cell research since they are ones that fund a lot of scientific research. Without government approval, it is hard for stem cell approval to create a lot of progress. There have been specific pieces of legislation that have been passed by President Bush and Obama that have influenced stem cell research, but there is always unrest, even when laws are set.

I am not really trying to refute an idea necessarily, I am just supporting my idea. I don't want to insult the religious beliefs of others and how they think about stem cells, but I want these people to be able to accept my point of view and see that accepting stem cell research can be accepted by their religion as well. It is about helping people in the long run.

I am not trying to propose a new solution. I am just trying to say the benefits of stem cell research are good enough that they would be supported by religious people. There are two options and I am just saying one is better than the other.

Reflection:

I looked at Issak's and Evan's blog posts on their argument devices and I agree with what they had to say about their arguments and the best way to get their rhetorical devices across to the audience. I feel like I have not changed my views on how I want to bring across my argument. Evan had a similar kind of argument that I had in the way that it comes across to the public and he took the same approach that I had. It is very important that I include both point of views and then argue that one is better than the other. If you ignore the other side, the people you are trying to convince will not want to listen to what you have to say.

My Rhetorical Action Plan

742680. "Planning Plan Adjusting Aspirations Concepts Ideas." 2/2015 via pixabay. CC0 Public Domain.

1) Audience: Who am I going to try to persuade with my public argument?

My designated audience is appealing more towards the science educated younger generation. These are individuals who might be more interested in stem cell research but don't know a lot about it. I will make sure that I discuss the specifics of stem cells and which aspect of them are more highly debated. This is very specific knowledge and do not expect my audience to be very familiar with it. But having an interest is might draw them to the article since it would most likely be published on a more science oriented website or magazine.

• What does the audience know about stem cells already? How would they know about this topic if they do?

The audience would most likely have an idea about what stems cell are and their general purpose. The details about them and what aspect of the research is most controversial is not something I would expect the audience to know. THis is the specificity of the embryonic stem cells, not necessarily the adult stem cells.

• What do I know about the values of the audience I am talking to?

These people are interested in science and how the world around them works. But having an interest in science does not necessarily relate to religious values. Usually though, it means that they are willing to experiment farther with science and the way the world works than more conservatively religious people. I am more reaching out to their thirst for more knowledge, or wanting to help people. But to speak out to more critics, I can bring up that stem cell research is helping people in the end and limiting that assistance will not create change in the struggles people are facing today and will face in the future. 

• What type of research or evidence will be most persuasive in this argument? How will I go about translating the research for my audience?

In this case, factual research is always good. Discussing what kind of event are taking place in the stem cell research now are important to showing the audience that I know what I am talking about and that I have heard the most recent information on the topic before coming to my conclusion. The current development in adult stem cells will most likely help my case since this seems to be the safer stem cells to be working with right now when it comes to public opinion. I can convey this message by also relating better to the audience. I can talk about my future goals in life and coming from this point of view makes me see that even with all the advancement we have made in science, there is so much more to discover and learn. We have already improved our overall health so much with medical discoveries, why should we stop now? I can even refer to first impressions  of acts that are now consider to be normal in medical procedures. 

• What visual images or elements might my audience respond to? Why?

The future picture of recovering patients from medical breakthroughs by stem cells is always a positive motivator. There is also the visualization of the current sick patients and just how bad some of these diseases are, not just for the patients but their families as well. No one wants to watch a family member slowly lose their mind or not be able to walk or move. It is often the family members that fight the hardest for the change since they are the ones that are stuck their watching their loved one degrees health wise. 

• Why is my audience reading my argument? Am I trying to expand their understanding on an idea or topic? 

I would assume they are reading about it because they are interested in stem cells or they were searching articles on a science based website and maybe wanted to learn something new. They could have also been in a similar position I was in when I had to find a topic to research. This could give them one perspective on stem cell research and why it should be accepted. 

2) Genre: What form of writing will I use? 

I will make this an article. That means the paragraphs have to be shorter an easier to understand. I still have an introduction and a thesis but it is more reader friendly. 

The second kind of form I can use can be a TEDD talk sort of a video. In this video you don't only inform the public about the topic you are researching but you inform them on your views and your argument about the topic. You bring the audience into the story by not only the topic, but by words, body language, and visuals. These sort of things can vary from professors talking about issues or fanatics posting videos on youtube. Hopefully this video would be perceived in a way where I seem like more of an expert in the topic I am discussing. 

• What is the function of the genre?

The article: It is to draw the reader in and to make it easy for them to stay engaged in the text. This is a text that the reader should be a bit engaged in to begin with, but in order to keep the reader interested, a picture is nice or even in the case of scientific articles, charts or graphs that are portraying the point you are trying to get across. This goes along with the visualization of the idea. 

The video is a form of communication that involves less effort by the viewer and a chance to hopefully get their full attention. You are informing the reader about the issue in a visual way. That means that body language becomes a factor for the speaker. Depending upon where the video ends up can change the intension of the video. But that is the same for a work of literature as well.   

• What is the setting of your genre?

The setting is in a medical related website. This website mostly attracts science oriented people who enjoy learning new things about medical facts and may be interested in the idea of stem cells or may to learn more about stem cells for other means. 

A type of video is a TEDD talk video which goes over a certain issue in today's world. These Tedd talks also allow the author to divulge his opinion to the audience as well as stating the facts. This is the approach I would like to take in my argument. I like the viewers to have all the information before they can fully make their judgement on the issue.  

• How I might I use ethos, logos, and pathos for my argument?

I can use my personal story to build my credibility to the reader about how I have the best interest of patients in mind. This is ethos by building my character as a compassionate person who cares about the lives of others. I can also use logos by talking about the specifics of  stem cell research. By being about to talk about the stem cells in more detail, I will seem like more of a credible source since I know about the information I am talking about. 

I can use sympathetic gestures in a visual aspect to make sure that the audience wants to trust me. I can use the same type of rhetoric in my speech as I mentioned before for my article.

• What kinds of visual elements will I use in this genre?

I can include graphs or some sort of visual representation of the data I am talking about or the kind of progress that stem cell research is making. I could also use images of sick people today with diseases that stem cell research will supposedly cure. This gives a bigger motivation to look for a cure or to support the advancement of research in order to limit those kind of situations. 

• What types of style will I use for this genre?

I will use a mixture of formal and informal language. When it comes to discussing the specifics of stem cell research, I will use more formal language to get the information across in the most efficient way possible. The informal aspect comes into play when trying to relate to my audience. I need to seem like a person with feelings, not a machine spewing out facts. This is also what will help me become a more credible source. 

This kind of style applies for the speech expect I have to be mindful of body language, apparel, etc.  

3) Responses/Action: Explain the possible actions I would like my audience to take after they read or view my argument. 

First I want them to think about their own opinions on this issue and then be able to listen about the facts of the issue to see if their ideas on the issue have changed. But by the end of the article, if they are persuaded by my argument then they would want to inform their state representative their viewpoints on the issue or even donate money themselves to stem cell research. Even if they are not as inclined to do that much after reading the article, hopefully they will have changed their own views and maybe even talked to others about what they have learned and inspire others to take some form of action. 

• Positive support I will get from the audience is:
• the thought that I am doing something good by raising awareness. Stem cell research can bring salvation to a lot of hope deprived people. Diseases that are deemed fatal today may be curable some time in the future. 
• I am laying out the facts in, hopefully, a non bias way. Finally, they have found out information about the stem cell research controversy that doesn't have the author pouring their heart into the argument with no facts to back it up. (I hope they will think this by the end). 
• The reaction of "I am now so emotionally involved in this issue because of what this amazing author said that I just want to give all my money to stem cell research since the government does not advocate much of it. We want to cure illnesses!"

• Negative Rebuttals that the audience might give are: 
• Even with these potential cures, it does not give enough reason to mess with future human lives in this way. God made these stem cells to produce life. We should not be pocking at them trying to discover their secrets. 
• Even with the potential, it does not mean that these amazing cures have yet to be discovered. It is only the potential of cures that I am fighting for.
• Then there are those who are not willing to change their views. They will always believe that these embryonic stem cells are future life and messing with them is not a good thing, no matter what the future benefits. 

• Which of the negatives are best to talk about?

The second one mentioned is the best to argue against. It is good to state not only the potential of stem cells but how far they have already come and the progress that they have made. This website gives some information on the different parts of stem cell research. It gives the impression that there is a plan with these stem cells and how they are planned on being used. 

• What are potential chains of actions am I trying to create?

I want to for one, raise awareness of stem cell research and how much of a future investment it is. It is something that should be taken seriously. 

Analyzing Purpose

Live Life Happy. "You had a purpose before anyone had an opinion." 5/16/2015 via flickr. Creative Commons Public Domain. 

This blog post contains a link to a coggle that talks about why I am writing this argument and what I am trying to get my audience to do or to think like and what shouldn't be a possibility for the audience. The paragraph discussing the audience it stated within the Coggle in the category of "audience."

Analyzing Context

Tagle, Eduardo. " Debate Anatel 2010." 1/11/2010 via wikipedia. CCO Public Domain. 

In this blog post I will be going into more depth about the topic that I am arguing about. This topic would be stem cell research. I not only have to look at my side of the argument, but the opposing side as well and be able to produce counterarguments.

1) What are the key perspectives or schools of thought on the debate that you are studying?

There are two very clear sides to this argument: those for the evolution of stem cell research and those against stem cell research all together. Those who are against stem cell research are more against the use of stem cells for other purposes. This controversy mostly comes out of the use of embryonic stem cells. By using them stem cells for research, you are essentially eliminating all chances of the embryonic stem cell every producing life.

By taking the stem cells out of the embryo, the researcher would have to break through the outer layer of the embryo, therefore killing the likelihood of it becoming a baby. There are regulations put on how much can be done with embryonic stem cells. There is always controversy about when life starts. Those who believe it starts at conception sees this kind of research is taking away a life that has the right to live. But the opportunities these cells hold is enormous.

Then there is the group that is willing to take these risks in order to save the lives that are already in existence. The benefits of the research into these cells seem to be enormous. There is a lot of potential with cells that can transform into any other kind of cell. The embryonic stem cells are primarily used for research to cure neurological diseases.

Here is a link talking more about stem cells and the controversy.

2) What are the major points of contention or major disagreement among these perspectives?

The major point of controversy in this issue is the potential life these embryonic cells can have if they were not experimented on. There is also the issue that the cells used to create life should not be experimented on. Science should not go that far. Human life is sacred and should not be put in a petri dish and broken apart. People are also against the cloning of embryonic stem cells.

3) What are the possible points of agreement, or the possible common ground between these perspectives?

Both sides can see that the research may hold good outcomes, but one side is not willing to let embryonic stem cells be used for such experiments. Human life is sacred and using the thing that creates life to experiment with is out of some people's code of ethics.

4) What are the ideological differences, if any, between the perspectives?

People who are for the advancement of stem cell research are able to see the scientific advancements of it over the actual harm of using the stem cells. The embryonic stem cells that are being used for these experiments are either donated when frozen embryonic stem cells are left over from In Vitro Fertilization treatment, or they can be created in a lab. Just because someone is a scientist does not mean that they are not religious, it just means that their religious ideologies are different than those who disapprove of the stem cell research. These religious views might be a bit more conservative and that is why they feel so strongly about this issue.

This link tells more about the views of the different sides and the politics behind it as well.

5) What specific actions do their perspectives or texts ask their audience to take?

Many people's call to action has to do with government involvement. Many people advocate to push the government to approve more on stem cell research. Those who are advocating the saving of lives through the elimination of stem cell research advocate their representatives to not support the expansion of stem cell research. The stem cell still has the potential of being fertilized and creating life. This is not something science should mess with.

Those who are for stem cell research advocate the advancement of medicine and proclaim that advocating for the advancement of stem cell research will help bring cures to some of the world's worse diseases, whether they be genetic or degenerative. These diseases have been puzzling scientists for quite some time. This could lead to a new hope  for those battling life threatening diseases. It leads people to become aware of the struggles that they are going through and the benefits that come out of advocating for stem cell research.

6) What perspectives are useful in supporting your own arguments about the issue? Why did you choose these?

I support the advocation of stem cell research. I feel that this research can lead to new medical breakthroughs that we would not have been able to come up with otherwise. It will lead to help saving lives. Taking the role as a future doctor, it shows that I have the best interests at heart. I want to see us saving as many lives as possible. advocating for stem cell research can help bring life saving opportunity to many Americans, as well as those is other parts of the world. Also as someone coming out of school in 4 to 8 years, breakthroughs in this type of research can lead to new job opportunities and different methods of helping people.

7) What perspectives do you think will be the greatest threat to your argument? Why so?

This argument has to be appealed ethically since it is the ethical appeal that people are most concerned about. This involves conveying to the audience that I am ethically stable and that I can relate to both the more conservative audience as well as the science based audience. I am a religious person as I have grown up with a Catholic mother who has taken me to church and has gotten me involved in the church. Even with this tie to faith I still believe that the life saving potential of this research is too important to pass up on the hope that the little embryonic stem cell will have the opportunity to create life.

Reflection:

After reading through Michael's and Alex's blog post, I know that I have to really know what I want to argue, not just a general idea that stem cell research is good, but what part of it is good and even bring up a particular instance that stem cell research can help. The more specific you are about the argument, the ore the reader can hopefully understand your argument and have less opportunity to form a counter argument.

Audience and Genre

geralt. "Men Personal Many Human Silhouette Quantitative." 4/ 2015 via pixabay. CCO Pubic Domain.

In this blog I will be discussing the audience involved in knowing the answer to the controversy I will be talking about.

The people interested in this topic are those that have probably been exposed to the idea of stem cells in the past. I would say, based off of the places that this controversy is written about, people who read about more scientific information would be interested in this topic and would be more inclined to read my argument and maybe be able to make a rebuttal on it. When I approach the audience I can probably assume that they know what stem cells are but maybe do not know the different types of stem cells. Those who are also involved in the religious/ ethical based argument may not be scientists, but more conservative individuals.

Two specific groups that may be interested in this topic may be:

• More socially conservative Republicans. (Who would be against my side of the issue)
• College students interested in research. (Who might be more prone to agree with me)

For the more conservative Republicans...

• Some news sources that tend to have a conservative audience would be:
• The National Review
• This place would be a place to write general articles. These are articles that we have been looking at in class for quite some time. It needs a title, introduction, short, easy to read paragraphs, and of course, hyperlinks. These don't seem to be very long articles but get their point across in a quick and efficient manner.  
• Examples of articles published on this site are:
• "Cow Cloning Disaster a Warning Against Human Cloning"
• "Adult Stem Cells Affect MS"

• The Weekly Standard
• This is another place where conservatives tend to see what current events are occurring. This is showing current events so if there was an update on the stem cell research issue, a conservative view will be posted here. These seem to be a little more serious in their format, not really including many pictures, but getting right to the information. 
• Examples of stem cell articles at the site are:
• "The End of Stem- Cell Wars "
• "Stem- Cell Doubletalk"

For the more science oriented college students...

• Some news sources that tend to have a science interested audience are:
• Medical Daily
• This place talks about new science topics that are continuing to evolve today. There are images and the language is a bit viewer friendly. This also goes into detail a little more about the actual  stem cells just in cause the audience was not an expert in them. This is why it is better for college students since they might be familiar with stem cells but don't exactly know what they mean. 
• Some examples of articles from this source are:
• "FDA Approves Stem Cell Treatment For Hearth Disease: Mayo Clinic To Test Technique In Human Trial"
• "Stem Cell Breakthrough Opens Door For Two -Dad Babies In As Little As 2 Years." 
• How Stuff Works
• This is a similar site to the Medical Daily. They post article format things that are a bit viewer friendly but involve the reader to become more interested in the topic to go looking for it. But there are also blogs on this page that will talk about parts of a bigger topic. Blog posts came up a lot when discussing stem cells 
• Some examples of articles from this source are:
• "A real Use for Stem Cells." 
• "Recent Stem Cell Successes show how powerful Stem Cell Therapies May become" 
• 
  

Extended Annotated Bibliography

This is the link for the extended Annotative Bibliography.

Narrowing My Focus

OpenClipArtVectors. "Light Bulb Lamp Electric Electric Bulb Think." 2013 via pixabay. CCO Public Domain.

This blog will talk about questions I need to answer for project 3 and why they are important to answer.

Questions to answer:

What kind of stem cells are people most against using?

There are different kind of stem cells and these different stem cells are taken from different places in the human body and from different ages as well. the certain human age of the donator can be influences how people think about using stem cells for other purposes. It also brings up the question of whether the stem cells are lab grown or if they are actually coming from a person.

What form of media is this controversy most talked about in?

By knowing what form of media this is discussed in can tell you a lot about what kinds of people are more invested in this issue. Different sources reach different kinds of people. Knowing who is keeping up on this issue the most shows who knows more about it and is willing to argue their point more. As a writer, you also know where they are most likely to get their information and understand whether it is credible or not. This can help argue your own point, whether it is for the other side or against it.

Questions About Controversy

geralt. "Question Question Mark Characters Request Problem." 2014 via pixabay. CCO Public Domain. 

In this blog post I will be looking for new sources for Project 3. I will be discussing the stem cell research and how it should be permitted so that science and medicine can be allowed to evolve and change for the better.

Questions involving WHO:

1) What new groups arose in protest after President Obama permitted the government funding of stem cell research?
2) What specific religious groups are oppose to stem cell research?
3) What specific groups are advocating for stem cell research?

Questions involving WHAT is up for debate:

1) What kind of stem cells are people most against using?
2) What scientific facts are being used to argue against stem cell research?
3) What proof is there that proves that this research may be successful in creating all these new and impressive cures? Is it just talk?

Questions involving WHEN this controversy started:

1) When was stem cell research introduced?
2) When did more restrictions get put on stem cell research?
3) When were shifting moments in the controversy?

Questions about WHERE the controversy unfolded:

1) What form of media is this controversy most talked about in?
2) Is there a particular part of the country that this issue is more significant in?
3) Where in religion is this the biggest problem?

Questions about HOW this controversy has unfolded in the media:

1) Was there a significant event or news release that make this a big issue?
2) Is there any recent buzz about this topic?
3) How are doctor's opinions on this issue impacting its development?

Reflection on Project 2

In this blog post I will be analyzing the corrections I made on my final draft on project two and the revision process I went through to try to make the paper look flawless to the best of my ability.

1) What was specifically revised from one draft to another?

I made sure that I included all the aspects that were on the rubric in my essay. I needed to find a few more quotations for the speech to use as support for my argument points. I also needed to work on introducing my quotes so they didn't just come out of nowhere. I also needed to improve connecting more with my audience. I needed to similarities to connect more with the topic I am discussing. The original connections were not as similar to my topic as they should have been.

2) Point to global changes: how did you reconsider your thesis or organization?

I rewrote my thesis only slightly. Overall I thought it was good in getting the points that I was writing about to the reader. I did, however change how I opened into the thesis. The intro needed to be a bit more grabby and introduce the speech better. I gave more context about the speech which helps give the reader an idea of who President Obama's audience was.

3) What led you to these changes? A reconsideration of audience? A shift in purpose?

Talking to my professor helped a lot with the editing process. He was able to read the essay in a way that I will never be able to see it since I am the one that wrote it. I don't always notice the faults I make in my essay writing since I wrote it and in my opinion something may make more sense than if someone else tries to read it.

4) How do these changes affect your credibility as an author?

By adding more factual information or support for my claim, the opposition has less to fight back and are that much more likely to believe my claim. By being more organized in my ideas, the audience has a better idea of what I am saying and they are more likely to believe that I am more knowledgable about the topic.

5) How will these changes better address the audience or venue?

By allowing the connection between me and the audience flow better with the topic, it will make me seem less desperate to connect with them and they connect more with me without maybe being as aware that they are doing it.

6) Point to local changes: how did you reconsider sentence structure and style?

I didn't really focus as much on my sentence structure. But I did try to limit the number of complex sentences that I was using. The longer the sentences get, the more likely you are to lose your audience in the essay's complexity.

7) How will these changes assist your audience in understanding your purpose?

By understanding my words more, they will understand the point I am trying to get across and therefore, understand the entire purpose better. Also, by improving my conclusion, they will be left with a better sense of what is going on.

8) Did you have to reconsider the convention of the particular genre in which you are writing?

I originally thought we were writing our rhetorical analysis in the same form as the author we are analyzing. This means that I started out writing in more of speech form. This complicated the structure I was using and therefore was not what the teacher wanted. I ended up rewriting much of my essay, since I now know that it is an essay.

9) Finally, how does the process of reflection help you reconsider your identity as a writer?

I give my chance a see how others think of how I write and what ways I can improve that I originally wouldn't have thought of. Sometimes my mindset remain that why fix what isn't broken. But writing doesn't necessarily have to be broken to fix. There is not a right or wrong way to write so it can always be changed for the better.

ClkerFreeVector. "Thinker Thinking Person Idea Wondering Gesturing." 2012 via pixabay. CCO Public Domain.

Reflection:

After reading through Swati and Mike's reflections it seemed that I did similar editing to what they did. Much of my time was focussed on making sure my introduction and conclusion included everything they needed to. The body paragraphs were easier for me to form since I knew what points I needed to make. I did have to work to find more evidence to include. It still makes me question whether I have too long of paragraphs, but I am never sure. These posts also made me realize that I can always work on improving my work and how editing is never really a completed process.

Final Project 2

Foto, Montecruz. "The Addicts Party." 6/5/2011 via flickr. Creative Commons Attribution Share-Alike.

This the link for my final project 2. It will be talking about the rhetorical strategies people in the physiology department need to know how to use.

Punctuation Part 2

IkamusumeFan. "A smiley-face emoticon." 11/23/2013 via wikipedia.  Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike.

In this blog post I will be discussing more punctuation rules that may be familiar or have never been seen before. This is done with the help of Rules for Writers. I will be talking about the colon, the apostrophe, and the quotation marks. 

The Colon

This is used to call attention to the language that follows it. 

•  Use a colon after an independent clause to direct attention to list, an appositive, a quotation, or a summary that is important to the understanding of the previously stated independent clause. 
• Example with a list...
• Taking care of a dog includes: grooming them, feeding them, playing with them, and most importantly loving them.
• Example with an appositive...
• My dog is always up to one of two things: eating or sleeping. 
• Example with a quotation...
• My mom's saying has never failed me yet: "If you can't say something nice, don't say anything at all."
• Example with a summary or explanation...
• Trust is a precious thing: once it is broken it can never be completely fixed.

• Use a colon according the convention.
• In a business letter, use a colon after addressing someone
• Ex. Dear Professor McCarthy:
• In stating the time
• Ex. 11:00 p.m.
• Titles and Subtitles
• Ex. Cells: The Building Blocks of Life
• Bibliographic entries
• Ex. Boston: Bedford 2009

• Avoid common misuses of the colon
• A colon has to be followed by a full independent clause. It can only be used:
• between the verb in its subject. 
• between a preposition and its object.
• after "such as," "including," or "for example."

The Apostrophe

• Use this to show that a noun is possessive.
• Ex. The girl's purse, the dog's bone, my mom's house. 

• When to add an apostrophe...
• If the noun doesn't end in an "s" add an "'s"
• the refrigerator's buzzing sound.
• If the noun is singular and does end in "s" or has that sound add an "'s" to indicate possession.
• Tess's dog would not stop barking at me.

• When to add an apostrophe but no "s"...
• If the plural form of the noun ends in "s," just add an apostrophe.
• Ex. The dogs' food was ready.

• Joint possession 
• To show that two people or nouns have possession, only put an "'s" or apostrophe with the last noun in the list. 
• Ex. Jack and Jacob's room has a large TV in it. 

• Compound nouns
• If the noun is compound, put the "'s" or apostrophe at the end of the last word.
• Ex. My half sister's son was very cute when I was babysitting him last evening. 

• When using possession on an indefinite pronoun, use "'s" at the end. 
• An indefinite pronoun is: someone, no one, something.
• Ex. Someone's music wouldn't start playing. 

• Use an apostrophe to indicate contractions.
• It's going to be a cold day out. 

• Don't use an apostrophe to form the plural of numbers, letters, abbreviations, and words mentioned as words. 
• Ex. The 1970s were a stressful time for our nation. 
• Ex. He got all As on his report card last year. 

• Don't use an apostrophe to pluralize abbreviations. 
• Ex. There are many pros and cons to the situation. 
• Avoid common misuses of the apostrophe...
• Be careful when "its" means "it is" or "its" 
• Ex. Each room has its own bathroom that connects with it. 

Quotation Marks

These are primarily used to give reference to someone else's words. Other uses for quotation marks include:

• using single quotations within quotations.
• For titles of short works of literature.
• for words used as words.

• Using quotes to enclose quotations from another speaker or writer. 
• Ex. Maria said, "I need to do homework actually, sorry." 
• When in a dialogue, a new paragraph with a set of quotes indicates a new speaker is talking. 

• Exception: 
• Do not use quotation marks around indirect quotes. An indirect quote tells what someone else said but not in their exact words. 

• Exception: long quotes
• Long quotes are indicated by indenting the entire paragraph. This informs the reader that someone else is talking. This can also be assisted by an introduction to the quote. 

• Use single quotation marks to indicate a quotation within a quotation. 
• Ex. Martha said, "I don't understand my mom sometimes. I mean she is always yelling at me to 'Clean my room!' and 'Take care of the dog!'."

• Using quotes around the title of a short work. 
• This could be an article a short story, song, poe, radio program, or chapter of a longer book.
• Ex. In the article "Obama and Stem Cell Research," he tells his audience why he approves of stem cell research. 

• Use quotes to show that a word is being indicated as a words. 
• Ex. The word "red" has a lot of different interpretations for different people. 

• Punctuations with quotation marks.
• Place periods and commas in the quotation marks.
• Ex. She said, "Why is this so hard," and stomped away. 

• Put colons and semicolons outside quotation marks. 

• Put question marks and explanation points inside the sentence, unless it pertains to the whole sentence.

• You can introduce your quotation with a colon.

Paragraph Analysis 2

Inf3ktion, Roosh. "Cleaning." 3/29/2010 via flickr. CC0 Creative Commons.

This is a link of the paragraph analysis that I did of my first draft of the rhetorical analysis. In this blog I will be going over what I thought about my draft and what are things I can change about it.

In my draft I feel like I make my point in my introduction sentences but tend to lose my point as the paragraph goes on. This is something I can work on editing. I can also work on more effortlessly intertwining the actual stem cell research topic and the topic about the rhetorical strategies used by President Obama. My argument does not make as much sense if you don't know what the original stem cell research argument is about.

I can watch the organization of the actual paragraphs themselves, but I do a nice job connecting the idea of one paragraph to another. I just need to work on making conclusions in each paragraph that makes sure the point is being made.

Revised Conclusion

Joshbdork. "A finish line which uses transponder timing and RFID technology through overhead antennas and passive, disposable chips.
" 5/24/2010 via wikipedia. Creative Commons Attribution- Share Alike 3.0

In this blog post I will be rewriting my conclusion of my rhetorical analysis. I will make sure to:

• answer the question "So what?"
• circle back
• look forward
• and paint a picture

In my rhetorical analysis. I feel that my new conclusion makes sure to include the "So what?" question better and gives a better idea of what it was the article was talking about. It talks less about the actual stem cell research and more about the argument strategies that President Obama is using. I also brought the idea back to why the students reading this would want to know about the rhetorical situations of the speech. 

Revised Conclusion:

By President Obama connecting with the audience on a person and patriotic level, using powerful descriptions, and being very well organized in his ordering of the speech, he was able to get his message across in a way that showed the audience that he was a credible source and should be listened to.  Whether people actually changed their views I am not sure on, but he supported the funding of stem cell research in a way that makes the reader agree with him on some level;  stem cell research might be a good thing in the long run. Knowing this kind of rhetoric is something that future doctors will need to know how to do. Doctors need to know how to talk to the patients they are working with and get them to understand what the best forms of treatments are for their patients. This could also be helpful if you plan on becoming a future researcher. You will have to understand how to get your research across to the general public and get them to understand that what you are doing is a good thing. Much of that is getting your audience to trust you. That is what President Obama is doing in his speech. He used his knowledge of the audience and the context of the situation to bring his side of the issue across in the best light. This is the goal for any rhetorical argument; have your side of the story seem the best and 

Revised Introduction

Genuine500. "Lysol-products." 5/16/2013 via wikipedia. GNU Free Documentation License.

In this blog post I will be throwing out my current introduction and starting from scratch. In this case, I will be starting my introduction with more information on what makes a good introduction.

New introduction:

If you were given the opportunity to have the potential to save countless lives, would you do it? That is the question that drives scientists and average citizens to fight for the evolution of stem cell research. Stem cells are tiny cells that have the ability to transform themselves into any type of cell your body needs. This is the view that President Obama had when he gave his speech in 2009 approving the government funding of stem cell research. President Obama used his personal faith, patriotism, strong word choice, and pristine organization to help show his more conservative critics that he is doing the right thing.

Reflection on Project 2 Draft

Bells Design. " man person people emotions feeling white head face portrait happy makeup contrast clown sad adult funny humour grimace silly strange whimsical crazy happiness disappointed change painted twins." unknown via Pexels. CC0 Public Domain. 

Tags

• man
 
• person
 
• people
 
• emotions
 
• feelings
 
• white
 
• head
 
• face
 
• portrait
 
• happy
 
• makeup
 
• contrast
 
• clown
 
• sad
 
• adult
 
• funny
 
• humour
 
• grimace
 
• silly
 
• strange
 
• whimsical
 
• crazy
 
• happiness
 
• disappointed
 
• change
 
• painted
 
• twins

In this blog I will be discussing the two rhetorical analysis that I revised. I revised Samantha's draft as well as Elliot's draft. I will be discussing how reviewing these two analysis helped me understand my own analysis.

1) Do I have an identifiable thesis?

In my current draft I have put the thesis statement into my first paragraph so now it is more concise. In this, the reader no longer has to search for the map of the story. I can still work on incorporating the context of the speech in the story and how that influences the reliability of the author. But I can always work on making the words more condense so the message is gotten across in a more reasonable fashion. Elliot did

2)  How have I decided to organize my essay?

I organized mine more like the speech I did the analysis on. But I realized that I needed to include my thesis statement in the introduction paragraph, so the essay became more of an essay than a speech. This is something I need to finalize, whether it is an essay or a speech. Samantha and Elliot did more of an essay format and they made sure to include all the necessary information better.

3) Did I identify and analyze the five elements of the rhetorical situations?

I brought up the audience and how his language had to be dramatic enough to appeal to the general American public and relate to the people who do not agree with the ethics of the stem cell research.
But I can work on talking about the context and when the speech was given and how the timing influenced the result. I can also talk about the website and how the nature of the website could have impacted why they posted this speech and the website's audience.

4) Do I explain why and how certain rhetorical strategies are used?

I talked about how the author used logic as well as ethical appeals to increase his credibility. This as a major topic of my essay. This was brought up equally as much in the other essays and it helps bring up the way that the author is persuading.

5) Am I thoughtfully using evidence in each paragraph?

I have mentioned quotes in my paragraphs that refers back to the article that supports the claims I am making about rhetorical devices and strategies.

6) Do I leave your reader wanting more?

This is something I can work on. Get people more involved in the issue is a good way to get people to want to learn more. I guess I have to get more invested in this issue myself for others to get involved in it and want to read more.

Punctuation Part 1

JGo. "Virgola."11/16/2007 via wikimedia. Public Domain.

In this blog post I will be discussing 3 points of punctuation that are discussed in Rules for Writers. I will be talking about the uses of commas, when not to use commas and

The Comma:

• The Comma is used before coordinating conjunctions that connect two independent clauses.This is telling the reader that one independent clause is ending and another one is beginning. This is for longer independent clauses so there is no confusion. 

• Ex: The dance teachers being class with a warm up, and then the students end the class with improve across the floor.

• You also use commas after an introductory statement. This introductory statement gives the condition in which the action is occurring.

• Ex. When this blog post was made, Victoria was very tired and really needed her coffee.

• This is not done, however, when the introductory phrase is a short adverb phrase or clause. So, bottom line, the longer certain sections of the text are, the more likely there is a use for commas. They make sure the reader understands the sentence correctly.  

• Use commas when making a list of things. These things can be verbs, nouns, or longer phrases.

• Ex. This afternoon, Timmy and I went to Bashas to get milk. eggs. cheese sticks, and yogurt. 

• You don't have to put a comma before "and" in this case, but it doesn't hurt to either. 

• Use a comma between a list of adjectives that don't use "and" or "or". These are coordinate adjectives, and commas should not be used cumulative adjectives

• Ex. The kind, loving, gentle dog gave me big slobbery kiss on the face.
• Do NOT use a comma: The big scary gray dog jumped on me from behind and caused me to scream like a little girl. 

• Use commas to separate the nonrestrictive portions of the sentence from the restrictive portions.

• Nonrestrictive portions are nouns or pronouns and usually contains nonessential information that is not necessary for the sentence to make sense. It is an add on to give the sentence more description.
• Ex. The coffee that Starbucks brews, which is way overpriced, is so good that I usually get a cup 3 or 4 times a week. 
• The part about it being expensive wasn't necessary but it told you more about the coffee. That is the nonrestrictive portion of the sentence which the commas are closing off.  

• Use commas to isolate nouns or direct who the sentence is addressing. 
• Ex. Katie, lets do this. 

• Use commas with words like "said" to start off or end a quote. 

• Ex. The other day my friend said, "Give me tea or give me death" and I started laughing so hard people starting staring. 

• Use commas to separate years from days and with other uses of indicating time. 

• On March 2, 2009 I went to the carnival and rode on 10 rides. 

• Use commas when trying to prevent confusion in the reader. 

• Even though we try to be perfect in everything we do, it is against human nature to be perfect. 

Unnecessary Commas

• Don't use a commas between compound elements that aren't independent clauses. 

• Ex. The girls went to the movies but afterwards they ended up going to a party. 

• Don't use a comma to separate the verb from its subject or or object.

• Don't have unnecessary pauses between the verb and the subject. They are connecting ideas. 
• Ex. Dance studios that have become too crowded with students eventually make a new studio!

• Don't use a comma before the first item of a series or list of things. 

• Ex. You need to remember to pack a sleeping bag, toothbrush, pajamas, and snacks if you are going to a sleepover. 
• You need to commas in the series, but they are excluded from the beginning and end of it. 

• Don't use a comma between:
• cumulative adjectives. They are not separated by "and."
• Ex. She wore the new blue hat the other day.
• an adjective and a noun. They flow together with one another. No pause is necessary.
• Ex. The orange, scary tiger almost killed my friend.
• an adverb and an adjective.
• Ex. The dance studio is good for distinctly(,) hardworking individuals who are willing to put themselves in a lot of pain to do well.

• Don't use a comma to separate the ending point of a sentence. 
• Ex. Don't live in the south side of Detroit(,) unless you want your house to get robbed. 
• Don't use a comma to separate a sentence that has been inverted. 
• Ex. At the last show sat the director of a prestigious dance school. 

The Semicolon

• This combines two sentences that have equal grammatical merit. 

• Combine two independent clauses without the use of a coordinating conjunction. 
• Ex. The dance teachers all got together to decide who would be in the dance; they were talking for quite some time. 
• the semicolon takes the place of the coordinating conjunction. 

• Use a semicolon to link independent clauses linked with a transitional expressions. 
• Transitional expressions are conjunctive adverbs(accordingly, also, anyway, besides, certainly, etc.) and transitional phrases (after all, as a matter of fact, as a result, at any rate, etc.)

• Use a semicolon for a list of things with punctuation within the things. 
• Ex. Common healthy foods are smoothies, with whole fruits and veggies; salads, with a lot of colorful veggies; and soups, without a lot of sodium. 

Reflection:

It seems that Samantha uses commas in her introduction within her introduction sentence. "In the teetering political environment of today, liberals and conservatives are frequently at each other's throats regarding any legislation suggested by either side." Without this comma, the sentence would not have been as easy to read and would have dragged on so it could become too long. In context, it makes you more aware of just how important commas are to sentences.

It also seems that Elliot used a comma before the quotes that surrounded the title of the article he did his rhetorical analysis on. In the article, ""Quantum and Consciousness Often Mean Nonsense" by Matthew Francis, Francis uses various rhetorical strategies in relation to the rhetorical situation to convey to his educated audience that cross-disciplinary research should be done with caution."

It also seems that Elliot forgot a comma when using an intro to his statement. "In addition(,) another attribute his audience shares is an interest in science and philosophy, specifically the subject of quantum mechanics and consciousness, given away by due to the title of the article, “Quantum and Consciousness Often Mean Nonsense”. This is if he makes an edit to the essay that someone else suggested.

Draft of Rhetorical Analysis

Stockman, Daniel. "Corgi Puppies 83." 2/3/2013 via flickr. CC0 Creative Commons. 

This blog posts contains the link to my rough draft of my rhetorical analysis. In this article, I will be arguing how the use of ethics is the best way to convince the reader of the author's views and credibility. It is a draft so my ideas might not be laid out perfectly at this point in time. I am still trying to maneuver my way around the language to convince my author of my own credibility. I will try to relate to my audience by our commonalities and hopefully smooth flowing language will help show these new little freshman that I at least know what I am doing when it comes to writing.

Once again I will say that this is a rough draft, so don't judge too harshly. Hope you enjoy the read and maybe even learn something new.

THIS is the link to my amazing first draft. 

Practicing Summary and Paraphrase

Stevens, Mark. "A River Flows to the Ocean." 10/6/2011 via flickr. CC0 Creative Commons Attribution NonCommerical 2.0 ShareAlike 2.0 Generic. 

In this blog I will be analyzing a quote I pulled from the article "President Obama's Speech on Stem Cell Executive Order." I will be paraphrasing the quote as well as writing a summary for it. I will be using the information from the reading in the Student's Guide to First- Year Writing as a guide for writing the paraphrase and the summary. 

The original quote from the speech is:

"This Order is an important step in advancing the cause of science in America.  But let's be clear: promoting science isn't just about providing resources - it is also about protecting free and open inquiry.  It is about letting scientists like those here today do their jobs, free from manipulation or coercion, and listening to what they tell us, even when it's inconvenient - especially when it's inconvenient.  It is about ensuring that scientific data is never distorted or concealed to serve a political agenda - and that we make scientific decisions based on facts, not ideology." (Obama)

My Paraphrase of the original source:

Allowing stem cell research is beneficial in the evolution of science knowledge in America. Allowing this research is not only about giving money but promoting the freedom of though and exploration into that thought. It involves scientists to be allowed to use their knowledge free from outside persuasion and do what they need to do even if not everyone approves of it. Scientific data needs to remain pure of politics and show exactly what they research is showing, not what cultures are allowing it to say.

My summary of the original source:

Allowing stem cell research promotes science in America, the freedom of thought and curiosity, and allowing science to stay clean from the persuasion of culture and personal opinions rather than factual based evidence.

Project 2 Outline

Kennedy, Chuck. "President Obama lifts federal funding restrictions on stem cell research." 9/3/2009

In this blog post I will be doing an outline of my rhetorical analysis. This analysis is trying to show what rhetorical strategies are best used arguing for stem cell research and in the physiology field, what are good tools used in a rhetorical analysis of  work of public speech. I am analyzing the speech given by President Obama when he approved of the government funding stem cell research. The important thing I got out of the reading is to really stick to the article, speech, etc. that you are doing your rhetorical analysis on. I tend to get off topic in my writing and this is a good think for me to keep in mind when outlining my essay. This is what my introduction will talk about as well as the argument itself and what the speech is basing its views on. My thesis needs to be descriptive and get right to the point; it will be the map of my article, telling the reader exactly what I will be going over for them. I need to make sure my claim is clearly made and it something that can be debatable. That is why I have information to back up this claim. It shouldn't be obvious that my argument is the right choice. I need to make sure I really quote the article and provide a good analysis of the quotes so they back up my argument. The reader needs to see why I am making the argument that I am. Also the conclusion need to leave no room for the reader to question what my point was for the article.

Here is a link to my outline. 

Reflection:

After reviewing through Alex's and Chloe's blog posts and outlines of their rhetorical analysis, I feel good about where I am in my outline and what I plan to do. I am still confused about whether the argument is about the actual topic or about the rhetorical strategies used to argue the message. Alex's argument made me think more in depth about what I am talking about in my conclusion. I hope that I am on the right track when it comes to my analysis. If anything the draft is the time to make the mistakes so that I learn from the corrections I have to make.

Draft Thesis Statement

OpenClipArtVectors. "Draft Clipboard Sketch Board Brown Clip Pencil." 2014 via pixabay. CC0 Public Domain.

In this blog post, I will be experimenting with different thesis statements for my rhetorical analysis with the help of The Student's Guide to First- Year Writing.

Thesis statement options:

         1) President Obama, in his speech relating to stem cell research, used his personal story, good organization arrangement of the text, and extreme word selection to help increase his credibility as a speaker and convince his audience that it was the right choice to approve of government funded stem cell research. He was very good in making the speech work for a wider audience and gave the impression that he is doing everything he can to help make America in general a better place to live an keep it ahead of its competitors involving medical practices.

This is a good thesis statement I feel since it tells the arguments I will be making in relationship to the topic, but it does get a bit long and can end up being more restrictive on the rhetorical analysis than I want it to be. It is a bit long but it also covers my assumption on how well President Obama was in his persuading of the American people.

         2) In President Obama's speech announcing the acceptance of government funded stem cell research, he used emotional word choice, his personal religious beliefs, and persuasive organization to help convince the audience that the government system made the right choice.

This thesis statement is a bit shorter than the first one and doesn't do as much explaining into how successful Obama was in persuading his audience into feeling that he and the government are making the right call on this controversy. His job is to fulfill the needs and wants of the majority of the people, and that is what he is feeling he is doing.

     3) President Obama used strong ethics, and logic to help persuade the American citizens that stem cell research is a good thing and that it is even better that the government is now funding it. He makes himself relatable to the people and tries not only to use the future benefits of the research but the need for America to be leading the field in medicine.

This topic gives more general points that I will cover in my rhetorical analysis rather than mentioning  specific rhetoric strategies. This can be good and bad. If I don't get to a more specific point, the point can become more lost than if I started out with a more specific idea.

Reflection:

After reading through Chelsea's and Alex's blog posts on their thesis statements, I feel confident about how mine is progressing. I feel that I have addressed what is mentioned in the student's guide and that I have included enough information to successfully guide the reader through the analysis. After reading through Chelsea's, it makes me feel like I should include some information about my counterargument in the thesis statement instead of just in the text. It will make me seem more of a credible source to my readers. This counterargument can be about how logic is very important to put in a scientific based rhetorical analysis, but in this case, ethics seems to be more related to the issue and therefore more important to argue.

Analyzing my Audience

Scoble, Robert. "Audience Listens at Startup School."29/10/2011 via flickr. CC0 Creative Commons. 

In this blog post I will be analyzing my audience that I will be writing my rhetorical analysis for. Most of the information is quite specifically laid out in the rubric, but it also changes with the argument given in my article along with my major and the major of the students I will be writing for.

Who am I writing for?

In the case of my rhetorical analysis, the audience would be college freshman hoping to graduate with a major in physiology. I am analyzing the speech given by President Obama and relating to the new students how this rhetorical analysis can help them build their own rhetorical analysis. I am showing how he presented the news and how he expressed his opinion on the issue.

What position might they take on this issue? How will I need to respond to this position?

As physiology majors, depending upon religious views, etc., I would generally think they would be for in favor of funding stem cell research. If they see the same potential in medicine that I do and how much good the results of the research could have on the overall health of the population, they would be in favor of the research.

Knowing that my audience are most likely future researchers or some kind of doctors, I can make sure to show that they feel satisfied by reading the article while making them think about the whole issue as well. You want to use facts that will appeal to maybe future jobs for these freshman that might not be around now. Knowing the potential of stem cell research and the vast applications it could have can make way for new specialities and different types of procedures. Who knows, it could even lead the way into more research opportunities to maximize the opportunities of the stem cells.

It is also to point out that as future doctors or medical practitioners, it is important to know how to law restricts medical practices and even where jobs today can be leading. To keep them engaged in the argument, I can remind the freshmen that it is important to keep up with the current events surrounding medical issues relating to their future jobs.

What will they want to know?

They will want to know what sort of strategies are used in rhetorical analysis within the physiology or about medical issues and what sort of strategies are the most successful in completing their goal. I plan on explaining how, even though President Obama is not a doctor, that his strong use of ethics helps the audience believe him to be a credible source and better understand and agree with the ideas he is getting across. They will want to know whether Obama presented a good argument and whether or not he upheld his credibly within the speech. His reputation is much of his credibly, but a speech relating to something more scientific can be messed up and give the audience the impression that he is not the right person to make such an announcement.

How might they react to my argument?

I am assuming many will agree in my evaluation of the essay and will see how reassuring the audience or your credibility not only by your medical license but by your ethical values, people will be more persuaded by your argument. Medical related rhetorical analysis are not always aiming at medical professionals, but the average patients and people being impacted by new practices or new research topics.

How am I trying to relate to or connect with my audience?

I will probably relate back to the idea that I am a freshman as well. People tend to relate better to their equals rather than someone who needs to continue to remind their readers of their superiority. Also as someone who wants to become a doctor myself, I will give the best information on the topic I have since I, first of all want to be the one to understand the rhetorical analysis and get the most from it that I can.

Are there specific words, ideas, or modes of presentation that will help me relate to them in this way?

Just as President Obama did, I cannot drag ideas out too long, but get to my point and make it. There needs to be short and concise paragraphs so that it does not become an eyesore to the reader. They are college freshman you cannot assume they will already have a lot interest in the topic already. I will also have to make sure that they feel I am someone they can trust with learning this information. I can do this by using correct grammar, hyperlinks to sites talking more about stem cell research just in case they don't have a lot of background knowledge on the topic.

Reflection:

After reading through Mira's blog, I realize that I need to focus more on the rhetorical strategies used by the author rather than the argument in general. It is more of a template to analyze rather than really diving into the issue. I feel I have a good ideal of who my audience is, but like any audience, everyone has slightly different ideals and values and a bit of guess work in required to find out what the majority of the people will be thinking who are reading my article.

After reading through Chloe's blog, I feel that my argument is really coming off of the ethics behind the action rather than the actual research itself. It is the stem cells and where they are coming from that people are concerned about rather than the results that they can hold. That means that the counter argument should not solely fall back on factual data, rather than an ethical stance on the author that maybe it is not so bad that this research is taking place because of who the speaker is rather than the issue itself. As a man of faith himself, Obama shows that he is focusing on the big picture of saving lives in the future rather than just trying to save the life of the fetus that might not make it, or how the benefits of the research can outweigh the questionability of using stem cells for a bigger purpose.