Reflection on Open Letter Draft

In this blog post I will reflect on my draft for project 4 and the general peer review process. I will also answer questions provided by the Student's Guide in order to reflect on drafting and how I plan to revise my open letter.

Screenshot from my computer, 12/10/15

I reviewed Sam's and Evan's drafts. Evan has made his rough draft into his final, so I've just provided the link to that.

Did you demonstrate an ability to think about your writing and yourself as a writer?

• I believe I demonstrated an ability to think about my writing and myself as a writer. I reflected on many aspects of my writing style, such as my style of heavy revising. Another aspect I touched on was my issues with procrastinations. This is key part of who I am as a writer, so writing about this really demonstrated my ability to think about my writing and who I am as a writer.

Did you provide analysis of your experiences, writing assignments, or concepts you have learned?

• I have not provided much analysis on my experiences, writing assignments, or concepts I have learned in my draft. This portion is largely lacking and I need to address it in my final  draft. I plan on adding a lot of analaysis about how I handled each project and why my writing style suited or did not suit each of them.

Did you provide concrete examples from your own writing (either quotes from your writing or rich descriptions of your writing process)?

• I did provide concrete examples from my own writing. I had a few quotes from past blog posts. I may go back into my final projects and see if I can add quotes from them to add to this portion of my letter.

Did you explain why you made certain choices and whether those choices were effective?

• I did not explain why I mader certain choices very thoroughly. This is another aspect of my letter that I need to address and revise. Perhaps I will talk about why the approaches I took to writing each of the projects was either effective or ineffective.

Did you use specific terms and concepts related to writing and the writing process?

• I used some specific terms and concepts related to writing and the writing process. One examples is when I identified myself as a "heavy reviser". This term came straight from the given readings we read early on in the semester. 

Draft of Open Letter

In this blog post I will link my draft of the open letter. I will also write a short paragraph giving relevant details about my draft and what I'm looking for in terms of peer review.

Screenshot from my computer, 12/5/15

Draft of Open Letter

This draft is not much more than the content of the two previous blog posts. Nonetheless, I would still appreciate all feedback on what I do have. I think the weakest area in this draft is the lack of transitions from thought to thought. Any suggestions on how to resolve this issue or any other issue you find would be very much appreciated. Also, please point out any and all convention errors for this genre.

Reflecting More on My Writing Experiences

In this blog post I will provide answers to six questions on my writing experience this semester. When appropriate, I will refer back to old blog posts, comments, and drafts.

Screenshot from my computer, 12/5/15

1. What were the biggest challenges you faced this semester, overall?

• This semester, the biggest challenge was writing in new genres I had no previous experience writing in. For example, I had never heard of a QRG before this semester. Learning the conventions and specific style of this type of writing was difficult for me. My final draft for Project 1 took by far the most time and effort to create.

• Also, time management in general was a big challenge at times. It was especially difficult when other courses also demanded lots of time and energy.

2. What did you learn this semester about your own time managment, writing and editorial skills?

• My thoughts about time management in the "Calendar Reflection" where I said that "For this class specifically, if I dedicate one hour a night to homework I can easily meet the weekly deadlines" are funny in retrospect. I learned that I was not able to follow this regiment. Also, when I said I was a "heavy reviser" I was absolutely correct. To complete my assignments in the most effective manner, I need to begin writing without an entirely clear idea of where I want the piece to go. Along the way, I find exactly how I want to get my point across.

3. What do you know about the concept of 'genre'? Explain how understanding this concept is central to being a more effective writer.

• After going through this course, I understand what it means to write in a certain 'genre'. There are infinite types of writing situations that must be written in a very specific style or genre to be effective. It's imperative to understand that and choose the exact right genre for your writing situation, otherwise your writing will not be as effective.

4. What skills from this course might you use and/or develop further in the next few years of college coursework?

• I think one of the most important skills I will use and develop further in the future is writing with a specific audience in mind. In the professional world, I will likely write for a select few people while trying to achieve a very specific effect. I plan on practicing this important skill whenver I write something. 
• Another skill I will use in the future is researching a topic quickly and effectively. Over time, I will learn exactly what search terms will yield the results I want. This skill is very valuable for not just writing, but learning anything you want.

5. What was your most effective moment from this semester in 109H?

• My most effective moment from this semester was constructing a compelling argument for Project 3. I feel like the sequence in which I presented my ideas was effective and clever. Also, the images I presented were appropriate and helped convey my ideas in a clear manner.

6. What was your least effective moment from this semester in 109H?

• My least effective moment was my failure to effectively link my ideas in Project 2. I made several compelling points in the paper, but my transitions from point to point and general commentary were lacking. This hurt the effectiveness of my project significantly.

Revising My Writing Process

In this blog post I will refer back to blop posts 1.10 and 1.12 to reflect on my writing process and time management approach. I will also speculate on how the type of writer I am now will affect my writing in the future.

Screenshot from my computer, 12/5/15

In blog 1.10 I wrote that I was a heavy reviser.

I was not sure if that style was the most effective style for me, but after going through this course, I believe that heavy revising suits me well. When I approach a writing assignment, I will have an idea of the idea I want to convey, but it's very difficult for me to have the foresight to see exactly how I get there. 

To fix this problem, I simply begin writing. Through the process of writing the first few sections of the paper, I figure out the specifics of what information I want to include and how I want to present it in my writing.

In blog 1.12 I wrote that procrastination has always been a problem for me.

Going through this course, procrastination was still a large issue for me. However, I don't think this is all bad. When given less time to complete my work, I tend to focus much better and get my work done effectively. As I progress in my academic career, I will likely need to give myself more time for assignments. However, since this first semester was relatively easy, procrastination was not as large of an issue.

Hopefully, as I go through college and go out into the real world, I will become a more responsible writer and take my time. I foresee becoming a responsible writer if my schedule becomes more busy in the future, which it almost certainly will.

Reflection on Project 3

In this blog I will reflect on project 3. Specifically, I will be answering the nine questions on page 520 of Writing Public Lives.

Screenshot from my computer, 11/22/15

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

• The overall idea of my project changed from one draft to another. I originally wanted to address the lack of teachers in computer science, but decided to instead address the lack awareness about computer science in high school students.

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

• My organization stayed roughly the same. I began by introducing the issue briefly, and getting right into my proposal argument.

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

• Changing the overall point I wanted to argue came about after I had a shift in purpose. I wanted to work towards improving awareness of computer science in general.

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

• These changes don't affect my credibility as an author very much. The final product is not fundamentally different.

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

• These changes better address the younger audience I'm trying to target since I'm focusing on high school students.

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

• I changed my style to putting mostly bulleted information on my slides and describing them in better detail in my voiceover.

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

• These changes will help my audience understand my purpose more clearly since the presentation is better structured.

8. Did you have to reconsider the conventions of the particular genre in which you are writing?

• I did have to reconsider the conventions of a PowToon. I was using too many words in my original draft.

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

• The process of reflection helps me realize why I made certain changes in the entire process. If I didn't reflect, I would never understand exactly why I made various decisions.

Publishing Public Argument

In this blog I will link my final project on a public argument. I will also give some important information about my intended audience, argumentation approach, and use of rhetoric.

My Beautiful PowToon

Screenshot from my computer, 11/22/15

1. Mark with an "x" where you feel your target audience currently stands on the issue (before reading/watcing/hearing your argument) below:

←----------------------------------------------------|----X----------------------------------------------------->

Strongly agree                                 Totally neutral                        Strongly disagree

       

2. Now mark with an "x" where you feel your target audience should be (after they've read/watched/heard your argument) below:

←------------------X---------------------------------|--------------------------------------------------------->

Strongly agree                               Totally neutral                          Strongly disagree

                                                                                                                   

3. Check one (and only one) of the argument types below for your public argument:

         ___X___ My public argument proposes a solution for a problem that is being debated.

4. Briefly explain how your public argument doesn’t simply restate information from other sources, but provides original context and insight into the situation:

My public argument provides original context and insight since my specific proposal is one that has not been provided before. Nobody else has presented my idea in exactly the way I did.

5. Identify the specific rhetorical appeals you believe you've employedi n your public argument below:

Ethical or credibility-establishing appeals

                    

                    __X___ Referring to credible sources (established journalism, credentialed experts, etc.)

                    __X___ Employing carefully chosen key words or phrases that demonstrate you are credible (proper terminology, strong but clear vocabulary, etc.)

                    __X__ Adopting a tone that is inviting and trustworthy rather than distancing or alienating

                    __X__ Arranging visual elements properly (not employing watermarked images, cropping images carefully, avoiding sloppy presentation)

                    _____ Other: 

Emotional appeals

                    __X__ Employing an appropriate level of formality for the subject matter (through appearance, formatting, style of language, etc.)

                    __X__ Use of “shocking” statistics in order to underline a specific point

                    __X__ Use of imagery to create an appropriate emotional impact for the debate

                    __X__ Employing an attractive color palette that sets an appropriate emotional tone (no clashing or ‘ugly’ colors, no overuse of too many variant colors, etc.)

                    __X__ Employing an engaging and appropriate tone of voice for the debate

Logical or rational appeals

                    __X__ Using statistics from credible sources in order to establish precedents, trends, or patterns

                    __X__ Effective organization of elements, images, text, etc.

                    __X__ Clear transitions between different sections of the argument (by using title cards, interstitial music, voiceover, etc.)

                    __X__ Crafted sequencing of images/text/content in order to make linear arguments

                    __X__ Intentional emphasis on specific images/text/content in order to strengthen argument

                    __X__ Careful design of size/color relationships between objects to effectively direct the viewer’s attention/gaze (for visual arguments)

6. Example 1

    Example 2

    Example 3

Reflection on Project 3 Draft

In this blog post I will reflect on my own project 3 draft and the peer review process. I will also discuss the aspects of project 3 that I need to focus on moving forward.

Screenshot from my computer, 11/15/15

I reviewed Samantha's and Michael's drafts of project 3.

1. Mira and Samantha reviewed my Project 3 draft.

2. The feedback these two provided was very helpful. Specifically, the ideas Mira and Samantha had to do a better job of persuading my audience and sticking to my genre were very helpful. I will certainly take all of their ideas into account when working towards my final draft

3. For me, nearly all aspects of my Project 3 need work. The aspects that need it the most are genre, audience, and argumentation. For genre, I plan on adding an audio voiceover for all the slides in my PowToon. For audience, I plan on developing and revising my argument much more to make it as convincing as possible. For argumentation, I need to implement lots of logical and emotional appeals to create the best argument possible.

4. I'm feeling more confident about the overall direction of my project after the conference this week. Hearing what Sean had to say about the project helped me better understand what type of presentation he was looking for.

Draft of Public Argument

In this blog post, I will have a short paragraph addressing my draft of project 3.

Screenshot from my computer, 11/7/15

My original plan was to create a script for a PowToon animated slide show. I did not end up writing the script for the rough draft, but I did create a rough draft of the PowToon. Just a heads up, the final product will have all the sweet animations and audio to make the presentation interesting. Right now I just have the skeleton of the project. However, feedback on what I have right now will still be invaluable! I've included a blank google doc where you guys can leave comments about the presentation.

PowToon Presentation Rough Draft

Google Doc

Considering Visual Elements

In this blog post, I will consider visual elements of my project. Specifically, I will respond to several questions from pages 395-402 in Writing Public Lives.

Screenshot from my computer, 11/7/15

How might I vary the fonts used in my project for emphasis, such as in the title and body of my project?

• I may vary the fonts for various situations. For example, if I'm transitioning from my own words, to a quotation, I might change fonts to empahsize what the quote is saying. 

Will the feeling or tone that the image (that will be on there) invokes be appropriate to the visual-rhetorical tone of my argument?

• The tone of the images I present must be and will be appropriate to the visual-rhetorical tone of my argument. Without that continuity, any images I introduce will hurt my argument rather than enhance it.

Do your eyes move easily from section to section in the order that you intended?

• The eyes will be able to easily move from section to section in the order I intend. Transitional effects will help.

Do too many visual images make your text busy or disorganized? If so, which images might you omit?

• There may end up being too many images in my PowToon presentation. I may end up omitting images that aren't central to the emotional or logical appeal of my project. 

If you are calling your audience to take action, are the consequences of not taking action and the benefits of taking action clearly expressed?

• The consequencess of not taking action and the benefits of taking action will be clearly expressed. That information is central to persuading my audience. If they don't have a reason to care, then there's no reason for the audience to care.

Will images be placed in a sequenced way?

• Images will be placed in a way where one image gives the audience more context on the debate, and the images following will be more effective as a result. The order in which I use images will be very important.

Project 3 Outline

In this blog post I will outline my argument for project 3. I will discuss elements of the introduction, body, and conclusion of my argument.

Screenshot via my computer, 11/7/15

Introducing Your Public Argument: "Frame the Consequences"

I believe the best way to introduce my argument is to "frame the consequences". It's a lot more difficult to ignore an argument, when you know the issue being discussed could negatively impact you and those you care about. In my introduction, I'm going to discuss the dangers of not educating the next generation of students in the field of computer science. I believe this will grab the attention of my audience very effectively.

Developing Strong Supporting Paragraphs

• Major Supporting Arguments
• Computer science(CS) job demand is three times the number of CS students
• Computers are a part of every major corporation in the United States
• Lack of CS teachers limits the ability for schools to teach computer science
• Money
• Job Security/satisfaction
• Major Criticisms
• Not everyone needs to learn CS(manual workers, minimum wage positions, etc)
• Not practical/possible to provide resources for compulsory computer science programs in schools
• Enough CS programs as is
• Key Support and Rebuttal points
• "Computer science(CS) job demand is three times the number of CS students"
• Going to be very relevant for my argument, core of argument
• "Lack of CS teachers limits the ability for schools to teach computer science"
• Main point I'm basing my proposal on
• "Not practical/possible to provide resources for compulsory computer science programs in schools"
• With the current way we budget our funds, it is not. We need to change the way we appropriate funds in education
• Topic Sentences
• "With the demand for computer scientists so high, it's more important than ever to address our education system's overarching deficiency in computer science education."
• "The idea that implementing widespread computer science education is impractical is simply incorrect"
• Gather Evidence
• Explaining the first topic sentence
• Explaining the second topic sentence
• Develop a Map of Your Argument
• *Wrote a storyboard on paper*

Concluding Strategies - "Call to Action"

• The main point of my proposal argument is to call my readers to action. A few ways I envision my audience reacting (if all goes according to plan) is by contacting local government and education officials to see if computer science education can be more appropriately funded. If that's not currently possible, then hopefully each citizen will vote for legislation to give more schools money for computer science education programs

REFLECTION:

After reading Issak's post on considering visual elements, I was reminded of a few key elements of visuals in our projects. It's always important to sparingly use items like bolded headings and graphs. If each slide or paragraph has a a graph and bold heading, there is no emphasis coming from these visual elements. Also, something that is often forgot is the necessity of a professional color scheme. For my project, I need to make sure the colors are visually pleasing, yet formal and professional.

After reading Alex's post on considering visual elements, I realized just how many ways this project can be done, which is pretty cool! Alex's choice of using Prezi should add some good variety to the genre's our projects are done in. Alex's choice also makes me more comfortable using a genre like PowToon. I don't want to be the only one doing some kind of slide based presentation!

Analyzing My Genre

In this blog post, I will analyze the specific genre I'm doing my project 3 in. I've chosen to create a video using PowToon for this project, and will analyze elements of this genre of video.

Screenshot via my computer, 11/7/15

Example 1

Example 2

Example 3

Example 4

Example 5

Social Context

• The genre is typically set on video sharing websites like YouTube 
• The subject of the genre is anything the creator wants it to be. All five of the examples I've linked have a unique subject
• Students use this tool a lot for presentations, but many educators also use PowToons to provide educational presentations
• This genre is used when someone wants to deliver information to the general public about a topic they feel is important.

Rhetorical Patterns of the Genre

• Usually only the most important content is included in PowToons. There is not a lot of space to include smaller details.
• Logical and emotional appeals are most relevant in image based presentations like PowToons.
• There is a noticeable pattern in each PowToon. It will usually begin with some background information and context on whatever the subject is, followed by the main argument or point(s) of the PowToon.
• Sentences are usually short, simple and active. Often PowToons will pose questions that the creator goes on to answer.
•  Simple, effective word choice is primarily used in PowToons. Generally the tones are more informal and casual.

Analyze What those Patterns Reveal about the Social Context of the Genre

• This genre includes everyone who regularly consumes media online. It excludes those who don't use technology very much or prefer to get information from books, magazines, or newspapers.
• The genre encourages writers to inform and empower the reader to do something. Usually the PowToon will attempt to inspire the reader to help make a change.
• Users of the genre are avid users of technology and generally have a more open mindset on issues in general.
• The genre treats big, central ideas as most valuable, and values smaller ideas less

EDIT:

Hallye's and Swati's posts were interesting in their own unique way. Since Hallye's subject is in the field of history, our projects have taken drastically different shapes. It's interesting how two students doing this project can have such different approaches. Swati's project reminds me much more of mine. Her genre also uses lots of logical appeals to persuade its audience. If I every need to refer to another project I can always check out Swati's project as a perfect reference!

Considering Types

In this blog post, I will consider different types of public arguments I can use for project 3.

Screenshot from my computer, 10/28/15

I am mostly considering a position and proposal argument for project 3. I feel like a position argument is versatile and fits all the needs of my argument. The only downside is the lack of a specific idea that I am bringing forth. This is where the proposal argument shines. In a proposal argument, I would be able to give my own idea on computer science education and defend it using all the toosl we've already learned. In the end, I am likely to choose the proposal argument. So many people give position arguments that are repetitive and highly unnecessary. With a proposal, I have a chance at making a legitimate impact on computer science education.

EDIT:

After reading Chelsea's Rhetorical Action Plan and Considering Types posts, it is apparent that Chelsea is on the right track using a refutational argument for project 3. Chelsea is choosing to focus on the negatives in aerosol injection. Therefore, an argument refuting the pros of aerosol injection and its overall benefit is perfect.

After reading Casey's Rhetorical Action Plan and Considering Types posts, I understand her choice to use a position argument. It makes the project simple and familiar. However, I feel like a proposal argument might be more effective. Personally, when any argumentative piece gives an alternative to what is currently available, I automatically give the piece more credit. I think we should always be suggesting new ideas so we may approach a more effective and efficient society.

My Rhetorical Action Plan

In this blog post, I will completely answer the three following questions regarding, audience, genre, and response/actions. For the genre questions, I will specifically discuss the elements of two different genres I may write in for project 3.

Screenshot from my computer, 10/28/15

1. Audience - I am going to try to persuade young adults invested in public education.

• Knowledge - The audience is not likely to know a great deal about computer science education and the exact logistics of bringing widespread computer science education to schools. Some audience members might have to be convinced of the importance of computer science in the first place.
• Values - This audience values education and optimizing the opportunities we give our future generations. This is very important to address and understand when I construct an argument aimed at this audience.
• Standards of Argument - I think research on the benefits of a diverse education, along with statistics on the relevance of computer science in general should help convince my audience. Little translation should be needed if the statistics are straightforward.
• Visual Elements - My audience might respond to some illustrated statistics about the need for computer science students. This will put the matter of computer science education into a more clear perspective.
• Purpose - My audience is reading my argument because they care about public education. I'm trying to expose the truth behind implementing computer science education into public schools. My argument is (hopefully) likely to motivate my audience to push for more resources in our public schools to teach computer science with.

2. Genre

• Blog (Example 1, Example 2)
• This genre is designed to give the reader fast information. The blog avoids all the formalities of formal writing and gets right to the meat of the argument. 
• This genre is exclusively used online.
• I'm likely to use the three main rhetorical appeals, especially logos. This topic is about education, so I should speak intelectually.
• Graphs and other illustrated statistics are effective in this genre
• I will use a more informal tone in this genre
• Video (Example 1, Example 2)
• This genre is designed to give lots of visual information, as well as audio. It's very effective in attracting a large audience, since a video is easy to consume.
• This genre takes place online, mostly.
• In a video, emotional and logical appeal are most prominent. The abilitiy to have constant visuals caters to these appeals best.
• Lots of powerful images and video clips on computer science are most effective in this specifc setting.
• This genre can be either formal or informal. If I choose this genre, I will take an informal tone.

3. Responses/Actions

• Positive Reactions
• Excitement for the future of computer science
• Sense of urgency to change how we teach computer science and improve our current resources for teaching it
• Greater involvement in local politics in order to change how we teach computer science
• Learning computer science 
• Negative Rebuttals
• "Everyone deserves to learn computer science right now" / Of course, in an ideal world, eveyrone would be able to learn computer science right now. Unfortunatley, most schools don't have the resources to teach computer science on a large scale. We need to attack the root of the problem which is a lack of computer science experts in our schools.
• "Computer science is not important" / In the United States, the number of computer science jobs is three times greater than the number of computer scientists students today. Nearly every company will rely on some kind of computer, and we need computer scientists to manage them.
• "Computer science takes too much money to teach" / While it is optimal to teach computer science using nice, new technology, it is not necessary. It's actually quite possible to learn the basics of computer science using just a paper and pencil.

Analyzing Purpose

In this blog post I will answering four questions given by the section titled "Thinking through the Purpose of Your Public Argument".

Screenshot from my computer, 10/28/15

1.Goals:

• Express my own, unique opinion on the overall issue of computer science education
• Express ideas that big media producers aren't willing to say (controversial statements)
• Express the complications that come with universal implementation of computer science education programs

2.Plausible:

• Get reader thinking about ideas I express about the complications about computer science education
• Start to convince readers of opinions I express

  Not Plausible:

• Completely convince readers of my opinions
• Change the way we approach computer science education as a whole

3. "Express the complications that come with universal implementation of computer science education programs"
   
Potential effects

• Increased awareness of complications stemming from computer science education
• Calls by citizens to their local government about the future of computer science education in our schools
• Petitions to change the way we teach and approach computer science education

4. The types of people most likely to advance my cause are young adults who are invested in the public education system and young students interested in education. Those young adults are more open and liberal than the average citizen. Therefore, they are more likely to accept what I have to say and act upon the ideas I express. Young students are unlikely to take strong, direct action on the matter of computer science education, but if I can influence the way they think, they could advance my cause.

Analyzing Context

In this blog post I will be answering detailed questions on items related to the "Reading the Context" Box on Writing Public Lives page 340.

Screenshot from my computer, 10/28

1. There are two main perspectives on the subject of computer science education. One group is those who believe it should be more widely implemented in our education systems, and the other is those who believe more computer science education is unnecessary. These ideas are represented well in this article.
2. Major points of contention are the practicality of implementing computer science education in all public schools, costs, and necessity.
3. The growing need for computer science professionals is an area that both groups can agree on. It's widely accepted that the market for computer scientists is growing rapidly and needs more people to enter that workforce.
4. The ideological differences are widely based around how strict our requirements should be to obtain a high school degree or graduate lower level schooling systems. Some believe that the requirements should include some kind of computer science benchmark, while others don't think it's fair to have.
5. Those arguing for more computer science education urge their audience to reach out to their local government to bring more computer science requirements to their schools. Those arguing against this general increase in computer science requirements urge their audience to see the logistical flaws in implementing computer science requirements into our public schools.
6. I chose the latter perspective moreso than the former. I chose this because, while I believe that computer science education is critical to have, it does not seem like we are currently equipped to require all schools to teach computer science.
7. I think the perspective stating computer science education is necessary will represent the greatest threat to my own. There are valid points to be made about the desperate need for computer science students.

EDIT:

After reading Evan's and Lawrence's posts, I learned a few things about how this project could work out. After reading Evan's, I learned that others are studying a similarly broad debate. Outsourcing is a very large and diverse topic, much like computer science education. Lawrence's post showed me the opposite. Lawrence chose to focus on the reaction to a very specific event. It's interesting that this project can take two distinct forms that still accomplish the common goal of constructing our own public argument.

Audience and Genre

In this blog post I will identify two specific audience groups that may be interested in my research. For each group I will identify publication locations and examples.

Screensshot from my computer, 10/25/15

Parents

Every parent wants the best for their children, and if what I have to say might affect the education of their children, parents are going to listen. Two locations that I might publish my research are online at NY times and WSJ. For both locations, a standard Op-Ed article format would suffice.

• NYtimes.com
• "10 year deadline to offer computer science to all students" 
• "A computer network that links all school districts"
• WSJ.com
• "Artificial skin that knows when it gets touched"
• "Charter Network Makes the Grade in N.J. School"

Educators

Educators, of course, have a passion for teaching others and showing others the beauty of knowledge. If I have something positive to add to the material educators use, educators are likely to pay attention to what I have to say on the matter. Writing a tutorial for ALA.org would be one example of a location and genre for educators. Another example is an article on Edutopia.org.

• ALA.org
• Cloud Computing
• Tablet Computers
•   Edutopia.org
• "Computer Science: The Future of Education"
• "The Pros and Cons of Computer Labs"

Extended Annotated Bibliography

This blog post contains the link to my extended annotated bibliography for project 3.

Annotated Bibliography

Narrowing My Focus

In this blog post, I will narrow my focus on to three of the 15 questions I posed in the previous blog post. I will give a short explanation on why I chose each of these as interesting/important to answer before I craft my argument.

Screenshot from my computer, 10/25/15

Who is most vocal about the way we should approach computer science education in the future?

• I think this is a crucial question to answer for a couple reasons. One, if I don't know what kind of people are arguing about this topic, I don't know how much credibility this debate really has as a whole. Also, if it's someone famous it's important to know their opinion on the matter.

Are most arguements about how we should introduce computer science education or if we should even at all?

• This is by far the most imporant question to answer in regards to constructing my argument. I need to understand exactly what the debate is about to even begin to formulate my own opinion and argument on the matter

What part of the world is most invested in computer science education?

• This question will give me a cultural scope of how this matter is playing out across the world. This is important to know, because if this matter is globally relevant, I need to know that.

Questions About Controversy

In this blog post I will discuss the topic I've chosen to participate in for Project 3. I will also draft a series of questions about this publiuc debate to construct an argument of my own about computer science education.

Screenshot from my computer, 10/25/15

Who

1. What political figures have come forth on the topic of computer science education?
2. How many professionals within computer science have made efforts in the educational realm of the field?
3. Who is most vocal about the way we should approach computer science education in the future?

What

1. What are the varying opinions on the matter?
2. Are most arguements about how we should introduce computer science education or if we should even at all?
3. What is computer science education in the general sense of our society? What types of changes will it cause?

When

1. How long has the debate been ongoing for computer science education?
2. When did computer science education first become relevant?
3. Will computer science education be a hotly debated topic for years to come?

Where

1. Where do these debates take place?
2. Is this conversation on computer science education only relevant in the United States? Just first world countries? Everywhere?
3. What part of the world is most invested in computer science education?

How

1. How are professional computer scientists represented in the media?
2. How was this issue first addressed and brought to the public eye?
3. How has the media latched onto a topic that may not be very interesting to everyone?

Reflection on Project 2

In this blog post I will be reflecting on the revision process I underwent for project 2. Specifically, I will answer nine questions from Writing Public Lives page 520.

Screenshot from my computer, 10/24/15

What was specifically revised from one draft to another?

• From my rough to final draft, I added/changed/removed many things. The biggest thing I added from the original to the final was evidence. My rough draft lacked direct quotations from the text. Another thing I added was smoother transitions. Going from one paragraph to the next was not smooth until the final draft.

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

• My thesis changed to better fit the topic of arguments in computer science. My organization was originally done well, so I made few changes in that regard.

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

• Fully addressing the topic was what led me to changing my thesis. Before revision, the thesis did not address the larger purpose of the paper.

How do these changes affect your credibility as an author? 

• These changes did not change my credibility per se. The changes did, however, make the paper more clear and effective as a whole.

How will these changes better address the audience or venue?

• These changes better addressed the audience's interests and reasons to read the paper by explicitly stating what the paper would cover. The audience, after all, is reading the paper to better understand how computer scientists construct arguments. 

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

• In terms of sentence structure, I did not reconsider heavily. The style of my paper did not change drastically either. The changes I made were focused around adding evidence and connecting big ideas.

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

• These changes help the reader understand understand my purpose by better explaining the points I make within the body paragraphs of the paper. In reality, the introduction and conclusion are the primary ways in which I reveal my purpose, but the body paragraphs reinforce my purpose.

Did you have to reconsider the conventions of the particular genre in which you are writing?

• I did not really have to reconsider the conventions of this genre. Rhetorical analysis are a large part of high school English, so this assignment came more naturally.

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

• Reflection forces me to evaluate myself on a specific level as a writer. I would never reflect this deeply about my writing if I wasn't forced to in an assignment like this

Reflection:

After reading Chelsea's and Chloe's reflections, I realized we had similar experiences in some regards, but different experiences in other ways. For example, Chelsea's thesis stayed the same throughout both drafts. This is quite the opposite of what I did, considering my thesis changed drastically from first to final draft. In Chloe's reflection, she talked about how she went back and re-read her article to gain new perspective on how to write her analysis. I can relate to this, as I watched the TEDx talk I analyzed many many times to get the best idea of how to approach this project.

Project 2

Here we are, friends. The link to my final draft of project 2 is directly below.

L I N K

Screenshot from my computer, 10/24/15

Punctuation, part 2

In this post, I will examine three more punctuation topics from the punctuation section of Rules for Writers.

Screenshot from my computer, 10/24/15

The apostrophe

This section was a good review for apostrophe usage. I knew most of the intricacies of the apostrophe, but this section reinforced my prior knowledge. When revising, I will look at each case of apostrophe usage and make sure I used it correctly. 

Unnecessary commas

I have a tendency to be a bit of a "comma queen" when it comes to writing. Often times my sentences will be difficult to understand when they have unnecessary commas. This section helped remind me to keep a specific eye out for this cardinal sin. In the revision stages of my writing, I will be sure to pay special attention to unnecessary commas.

Quotation Marks

Historically, quotation mark usage has given me trouble. This section gave me clarification on a lot of subtleties when using quotation marks. Specifically, the portion about quoting within a quote was very helpful. I never understood how the single quotes were supposed to be used until after reading this section. I will go back into my draft and make sure all the quotes have been appropriately punctuated. 

After reviewing my draft, with these specific punctuation topics in mind, I caught some errors within my writing. I also saw correct usage of these topics.

This is an example of correct usage of quotations. 

• The only mention of his own credibility is that he has a “successful career in the tech industry”.

It was reassuring seeing the quotations had been used correctly. If I need to quote something within a quote, I will be sure to correctly use single quotes.

This is an example of unnecessary commas.

• Sparing use of firm, unsettling statistics will grab the audience’s attention, more than anything else in a piece of computer science rhetoric.

This was one of a few instances in my draft where I had unnecessary commas. I need to focus on correctly using commas next time I write. While having too many commas is not always terrible, repeated violations can seriously hurt to flow and effectiveness of your writing.

Copy for Paragraph Analysis 2

In this blog post I will link a paragraph analysis of project 2. I will also write a reflection on what I learned about the strengths and weaknesses of my documents paragraphs.

Screenshot from my computer, 10/17/15

From carrying out a pargraph analysis for my project 2 draft, I learned a couple important things. Something that I already knew, but was reinforced by the paragraph analysis was my lack of smooth transitions. Within my paragraphs, I lack smooth transitions, and more importantly, my paper does not effectively flow from one paragraph to the next. Another thing I learned was that I need more evidence within each body paragraph. I focus well on the main point, but the main point would be better developed in each paragraph if I include more direct quotes from the original TEDx talk.

Revised Conclusion

In this blog post, I will do the same thing I did with the previous blog post, except with my conclusion. I will rewrite the conclusion section of project 2 and explain why the new version is superior to the original.

Once again, I would not say the revised conclusion is stricly superior to the original version. However, the revised version does answer the question of "So What?" more effectively. I explicitly tell the reader how they should apply what they have just read in both versions, but the new version is more effective.

Screenshot from my computer, 10/17/15 

Original:

To conclude, a computer science argument needs many elements to persuade the audience. Humor, appeals to logic, and metaphors are just a few of those crucial elements. Partovi might consider reading this guide to computer science rhetoric before writing his next speech. Each of you new computer science students should keep this guide in mind as well. Never overlook these elements in computer science rhetoric that you consume, and especially do not overlook them when writing your own arguments in the field of computer science.

Revised:

While Partovi's TEDx talk was far from the ideal emobidement of computer science rhetoric, Partovi's speech had many of the rhetorical elements commonly found in computer science arguments. Partovi's attempts at logical appeal via statistics, appeals to his own skills as a computer scientist, and use of metaphors to explain central ideas are all standard when constructing an arguement within this field. When consuming the latest arguments within computer science, refer back to this guide. More importantly, remember this guide when you write your own arguments down the road.

Revised Introduction

In this blog post, I will rewrite my initial introduction. With the new introduction, I will focus on abiding by the guidelines expressed in pages 52-3 of Student's Guide. I will then explain why my new introduction is superior to the original.

While I wouldn't call the revised introduction strictly better than the original, the revised version does abide by the guidelines established in Points 1, 2, and 3 more than the original. The new introduction also gives background information on the topic covered in the public speech act. My original introduction was lacking this element entirely, and I think that's the largest flaw of the original that I fixed in the revised version.

Screenshot from my computer, 10/17/15

Original:

The rhetorical elements of an argument within the field of computer science are unique from the elements of any other type of argument. The specific cultural context of the argument, audience, speaker, and message the speaker is trying to convey will shape how the author forms his argument. In this paper, I will explain exactly how a member of the computer science academic field would construct their argument to effectively persuade their audience of something. Hadi Partovi’s method is unique, since his public speech act was a TEDx talk as opposed to a scientific journal entry. Nonetheless, Partovi still uses conventions such as appealing to his own credibility, presentation of compelling statistics, and a myriad of other tactics to make his argument as agreeable as possible.

Revised:

It is incredible that public speech acts have been used to persuade audiences for thousands of years. What's even more incredible is how little rhetorical strategies have changed. In an ongoing debate regarding computer science education, many voices come forward to give their take on how we should educate today's youth. In Hadi Partovi's TEDx talk on computer science education, Partovi attempts to combine appeals to his own abilities, compelling statistics regarding computer science education, and several other rhetorical strategies to specifically appeal to the upper-middle class audience of the Seattle, Washington area.