Final Exam

Faith Ford

ENG 112

Professor Guarino

April 20th, 2014

Final Exam

Going into your first college English class can be very intimidating. You think you are going to have to write 20 page papers with a terrible professor. My experience in this class was the total opposite. I have learned so much about myself not only as a student but as a writer as well. In this class we wrote three essays that each helped me improve my writing, but one was the most significant. My autobiographical essay has helped me learn to not focus on so much emotion but to be mindful of the assignment that needs to be done. This won’t only benefit me when writing papers in my future academic career but also in my field of social work.

When we were first given the autobiographical essay I already know what I was going to write about. My friend Issaac’s death had impacted me in so many ways it was the perfect topic. While writing it I was determined to help the reader understand Issaac’s story. I did not once think about getting my point across. I was more story telling then fulfilling the assignment requirements. I thought my paper was God’s gift to this earth until peer review’s. They tore my paper apart. I was so hurt. At first I didn’t understand why my paper wasn’t good until out meetings with our professor.

My professor made me see what I was doing wrong. I realized how much story telling I was doing in my paper. The analysis or what I thought was analysis had nothing to do with my thesis statement. In Blog 2R I say, “ This semester I plan on making them (thesis statements)  a strong point in my essay.” Although in the essay my thesis statement was great, it was everything after that was bad. I never had that problem before. The topic was very emotional but I had to still keep the assignment in mind.

A goal that I had this semester was to better my writing style. With this essay I noticed some of my bad habits when it comes to writing. I tend to us a lot of the same words and phrases. In my autobiographical essay I using words and phrases like, ‘I will never forget’ and ‘At that moment I realized’. Reading something that is repetitive can annoy the reader. Using similar but different words can change the flow of the essay and make it sound better. I ended up changing the phrases to ‘is something I can never forget’ and ‘I felt as though’. I learned to actually read through my writings to pick out and add in things that I need. Self critiquing your papers is good to do before someone else tears it apart.

Whenever I tell someone that I am going to be a social worker the first thing they say is, “Wow! You have to be strong for that.” I realize that this is a very emotional field to be involved with. I know I’ll have to endure many things that I can’t get emotionally attached too. I can’t let the cases affect me off the job, I have to stay professional. Just like my assignment I have to stay on task. I have to focus on what my boss tells me to do rather what feels right.

Although I recognize my writing has improved there are still some things that I need to keep working on. My thesis statements have been my main focus throughout this semester. In multiple blog posts I address that my thesis statements are terrible. Before I would over-think them. They would have a great start but my endings would fall flat. Keeping them simple but explaining what the paper is about helps me write a successful thesis statement. Another thing I have to work on while I write is realizing my simple mistake that I don’t go back to correct. These small mistakes cause my paper to get slaughtered when other people review it. In my Blog 1R post I state, “To better myself in reading and writing during the semester I can't be afraid to make mistakes. Although  I want to play it safe and stay in my comfort zone I won’t be able to better my writing”. When I finish my paper I think it’s the best thing in the world but I have to realize there is always room for error. Lastly, I know I have to keep working on is expanding my vocabulary. I am very repetitive in my essays so I need to use different words. I try to change the way I word things.

Despite the fact that my time in English 112 is ending I want to keep some goals in mind while writing essays in other classes. I would like to keep excelling in the goals I already accomplished but I know I can do better. In my future academic career I would like to be able to learn the rubrics before I start writing. I know i need to familiarize myself with the assignment before I just wing it. Knowing the expectations will help me not only get a better grade but become more knowledgeable about the topic. Another skill I would like to uphold throughout college is learning better vocabulary. I know if i get back in the habit of reading I will learn new words all the time. Every time I don’t understand something when I am reading I look it up. That’s how I tend to learn new things. Lastly, the skill I want to obtain during future semesters is knowing that I can always make my papers better. They might be good to me when I finish them but there’s always room for improvement, whether the feedback comes from a professor or a peer.

This semester in English 112 has been great. I hope to keep learning different

techniques to improve my writing. I never thought I could learn so much about myself as a 

writer until I took this class. I know these assignment will have an effect on my writing in the 

future.

Blog 12T

3 Elements

-Logos

-Ethos                   -->Appeal to audience

-Pathos

1. Logos - Statistics, real experience, facts, experimental, results, observed (concrete), logic

Evidence/Support objective facts=true 

Danger of overusing: Disengage a reader/boring

2. Pathos - Emotion--> sadness, guilt, humanity, pity, positive, happiness

Danger of overusing: Annoys audience, desensitize 

3. Ethos - Ethics, spirit of right and wrong, (credibility) trustworthy, authority, believable, unbiased, opposition, fairway

Logical Fallacies

- Faulty Reasoning 

- Error in Argument

- Poke Holes in Argument

Examples
1.Either you support the President in everything he says and does or you are not a patriotic American.

2.That boy scout troop made an old lady’s day by visiting and entertaining her in her nursing home; we should give generously to the boy scouts as a result.

3.Here’s what I think about what you have written: anyone who opposes the death penalty for murder is a criminal at heart.

(http://www.uwec.edu/ranowlan/logical%20fallacies.html)

Blog 12R

In class this week we learned about logical fallacies. Logical fallacies are holes in an arguments that writer's usually miss in their papers. When a writer has a certain position in a paper it's hard to not include a lot of facts and statistics when you're trying to prove yourself. In the essay "Children Need To Play, Not Compete" there was a lot statistics. It''s good to have facts in a position paper but you don't want to bore your reader to death.

We also talked about the terms logos. ethos, and pathos. Logos has to deal with logic. Ethos has to deal with the writer's credibility. Pathos has to deal with an emotional appeal. All three of these terms are needed in a paper to balance it out. You can't have too much emotion because it gets annoying after a while. You want to be credible but you don't want to bore you reader. 

Learning a new term and being reminded of three others was helpful. I have a feeling we will be writing a research paper soon which I'm happy that we touched up in these things.

Blog 7R

This week we revised out essays. This was extremely helpful to me. When I revise my essays I never know what to change, keep or take out. Our professor helped us with a lot of things that I didn't even. One by one she would say something for us to fix and would give us 5-7 minutes to change it.

The first thing she told us to do was make sure your title is original. Even if we used our song lyrics for a title that should be in the introduction paragraph. Our title should be creative and catch attention. Next was looking for repetition and on sentences. One phrase that I was you a lot " I'll never forget that moment". I never realized I was using that so much. Another thing was grammar errors such as using a semi colon or comma the wrong way. Finally we had to judge if our transition sentences made the essay flow. Without a good transition sentence, your whole essay can awkward.

Blog 7T

1. Observattion - When uses all five sense to describe something in great detail.

2. Perspective - The main idea or cultural significance that the writer wants readers to take away from reading the observational profile. 

3. Assumptions - Ideas, beliefs, or values that are taken for granted  as commonly accepted truths. 

4. Participation Observer - An insider, at least for a short time, joining in the activity with the people being interviewed and observed.

5. Spectator - Writer acts as an independent reporter, watching and listening but remaining outside of the outside.

6. Quote - Language that is especially vivid or memorable.

7. Paraphrase - Tends to be used when the writer needs to go into detail but can put the information in a more striking form the speaker originally used. 

8. Summary - Used to condense lengthy information.

Reflection

My paper had both strengths and weaknesses. A few weaknesses were my thesis statement, the clarity of sentences and telling my stories. I have always struggled with thesis statements but the workshop helped a lot. I figured if I let my class break it apart it would be easier for me to develop it on my own time. Everyone was afraid to do it so I did. It helped me understand what I did wrong. My sentences sometimes sound like I'm babbling on paper. Everything always makes sense in my head but then when I put it on paper it doesn't make any sense. Once I read it over I can sometimes catch my mistakes and fix them. When I tell stories in my essays I expect people to know what I know. I forget that I'm telling a story for a reason. Then when I remember that I need to give some extra details I give too much. Besides weaknesses my paper has many strengths. When ever I analyze something I do a great job. I great with details when it comes to analyzing things. I describe the situations in paper very well.

I did not really enjoy peer review at all. It was some what helpful but not really. Only two people were helpful when giving me feedback. My group was helpful with my thesis statement.

Draft #2

Faith Ford

English 112

February 10, 2014

Outline

How Long Will They Mourn Me?

Waking up to know I had a day to plan what I was putting on my graduation cap was probably the most exciting experience I had my senior year. A big red and gold “17” with a prom queen crown right on top. Never would I have thought I would have to change that “17” to “R.I.P.” My friend Issaac Smith was murdered the night of June 16, 2013, five days before graduation. "I wish it could have been another. How long will they mourn my brother?" This is the question I ask myself all the time. The pain from grief and mourning someone is the worst pain you can feel. You feel empty, alone, confused, angry, and so much more. The experience of losing my friend this past summer taught me not to give up and wallow in the pain but to turn that pain into willpower.

I had astronomy with Mrs. Sikka for first period. Issaac was in that class with me. He would always manage to put a smile on my face that early in the morning. At one point during the semester I remember he was telling me about his problems with his father. Soon after, he would have to move to New Haven and commute daily for school in New Britain. This created many hardships for him. Waking up every morning at 4am for school wasn’t early enough to get to first period for about 3 weeks. He missed his lunch period and stayed after school to make sure all his work was caught up in that class. He would always ask me if we took notes or had homework. He was determined to graduate.

When I think about Issaac’s work ethic I get so upset. He was shot was shot over a sneaker exchange. There are many different stories to go along with the situation but a life is not worth a pair of sneakers. To know someone so motivated and ready to live life get that opportunity taken away over a pair of sneakers is disgusting.  I regret how many opportunities I have passed up because of laziness or just being ungrateful. I have the privilege to further my education meanwhile my friend who would have had the same is lying six feet under. It just makes you think about things differently. It’s terrible how something bad has to happen in order for us to appreciate things the way we’re suppose to.

Praying is something I did on a regular basis before I prayed at a vigil. When you realize you are praying for a friend who should be holding your hand during that prayer you break down. At that vigil I realized my friend was not coming back. No matter how hard I asked in my prayers I knew he was gone. I thought about the people who actually lost a son, brother, or best friend. How could a class work so hard to keep a prom promise yet still have an empty chair at graduation? I’ll never forget that vigil. Strangers crying on stranger. Even though we didn’t know each other  we all had something in common.

Everytime I tell someone where I’m from I get a certain look. “You are from New Britain? Oh.” I’ll never forget the time I wa telling someone about Issaac and the response I received was “Well you should be use to things like that happening since you are from New Britain.” I did not know exactly what to say back. I just toned them out and thought about how everyone came together and brought each other through this tragedy. We came together as a student body and a city. I remember everyone telling each other simple things like “I love you” and “Stay safe”. It was nice to know we were all in it together.

Our big day was bittersweet. Waking up to know that I was finally graduating was the best feeling I have had in my life. But the only thing that bothered me was knowing one family would not get to watch their child walk across the stage. During the ceremony Issaac’s sister wore his cap and gown and received his diploma. After the ceremony I ran to my dad to get a surpise for Issaac’s family. My mom bought a banner in memory of Issaac. It was beautiful. I kept it on my living room table so who ever wanted to sign it could. I asked everyone who signed it to give me a dollar to put in a card to go to his family. I will never forget the look on their faces when we unraveled the banner. It was a mix of comfort and pain. I could tell they loved it but wish they did not have to be in that predicament.

Hugging a father who lost his son on Father’s Day is something I can never forget. When we unraveled the banner he half smiled and looked down because he was choking back tears. He got up and embraced me. I could not say a word. He did not say thank you like Issaac’s mom kept saying over and over. The hug was overwhelming I could feel his gratitude. At that moment I realized that I am still alive and need to exceed at everything Issaac could not do, not only for him but for myself. Seeing how quick someone can be taken drove me crazy.

Issaac would not want us to be sad and mourn for too long but he would not want us to forget him. I want people to remember and the good things I have done. I want people to know I was here. Loosing Issaac was something I never expected but it opened my eyes to things I could not see before. Things such as I am someone with a future, someone who has something to offer, someone who can say “I was here.”