Determining our group's topic on what to do our research project went fairly well. All 4 group members had input into what we thought would make a good topic and we essentially had a 75 minute brainstorming session. At the end of the period we all agreed upon a topic which I think should be pretty interesting and relevant to current events in America.
For our groups research project, we are going to be going into a topic that is somewhat of a 'hot button' issue of whether or not children in the MMSD (Madison Metropolitan School District) that are the children of illegal immigrants should be taught in classes alongside children of citizens of this country. Though the children are legal citizens in every sense under the law (provided they were born in the U.S.), there is still some backlash against teaching these children who are sometimes called 'anchor babies'. I expect that we have much to learn as this issue is a big 1 that will likely get bigger as the immigrant population of the United States has been steadily growing, but our group will be up to the challenge.
Tuesday, October 28, 2008
An assignment to be proud of:
A research paper, for me at least, has always been prompted within certain guidelines. Recently, in my English 201 class, this mundane approach teachers have on the normal research project was changed. Our prompt was to engage a topic in public discourse in an interesting and effective way by any means necessary.
I meet with my cohort to go over possible ideas and after a couple of minutes sitting and joking, due to our bewilderment over the freedom that was given, we began throwing idea after idea onto the table. However, this swell and range of possible topics brought us to our first problem. We needed to boil down our collected ideas and come to a common ground on one issue, a task not as easy as it sounds. Luckily, toward the end of our meeting, one idea stuck. Recently, teachers have been reluctant to teach the kids of illegal immigrants. Being the son of a Hispanic mother, who is a Spanish translator and frequently involved in the Latino community, this issue struck home. Teachers who are unwilling to teach certain kids is something many people are unaware of and a perfect opportunity for our group to research and inform the public on an important and concerning issue.
Once we had a topic that we all were interested in the next problem arose. Since we have freedom to present this research paper however we want, my group and I needed to decide how to reach the most people. A popular forum for reaching the masses is the Internet, however, our inexperience in website construction and because youtube wouldn’t exactly attract a proactive audience, the possibility was shut down. The answer to this problem came at the best possible time, during a slow and painful defeat in Monday Night Football. Annie, a member of my cohort, called and told me how she had a phone conversation with our teacher and presented the idea of a radio show. This would allow us to interview people and their thoughts on this issue. With a little bit of luck and hard work we plan on getting a spot on a university sponsored radio show, reaching anyone listening and whoever they talk to about it.
Due to the limitless opportunities our class was provided with, my cohort and I are on the fringe of a research paper that will test a lot more than just our ability to follow instructions. Our goal will not be easy to meet, to say the least, but the rewards for succeeding will mean more than a grade ever could.
I meet with my cohort to go over possible ideas and after a couple of minutes sitting and joking, due to our bewilderment over the freedom that was given, we began throwing idea after idea onto the table. However, this swell and range of possible topics brought us to our first problem. We needed to boil down our collected ideas and come to a common ground on one issue, a task not as easy as it sounds. Luckily, toward the end of our meeting, one idea stuck. Recently, teachers have been reluctant to teach the kids of illegal immigrants. Being the son of a Hispanic mother, who is a Spanish translator and frequently involved in the Latino community, this issue struck home. Teachers who are unwilling to teach certain kids is something many people are unaware of and a perfect opportunity for our group to research and inform the public on an important and concerning issue.
Once we had a topic that we all were interested in the next problem arose. Since we have freedom to present this research paper however we want, my group and I needed to decide how to reach the most people. A popular forum for reaching the masses is the Internet, however, our inexperience in website construction and because youtube wouldn’t exactly attract a proactive audience, the possibility was shut down. The answer to this problem came at the best possible time, during a slow and painful defeat in Monday Night Football. Annie, a member of my cohort, called and told me how she had a phone conversation with our teacher and presented the idea of a radio show. This would allow us to interview people and their thoughts on this issue. With a little bit of luck and hard work we plan on getting a spot on a university sponsored radio show, reaching anyone listening and whoever they talk to about it.
Due to the limitless opportunities our class was provided with, my cohort and I are on the fringe of a research paper that will test a lot more than just our ability to follow instructions. Our goal will not be easy to meet, to say the least, but the rewards for succeeding will mean more than a grade ever could.
Monday, October 27, 2008
Project I.D.E.A.s
As we all discussed possible directions for our project topic we came up with ideas ranging from the UW Break-dancing club to STD's. Our discussion wasn't what you would call heated, but yet full of many different directions. The confrence concluded with a bright I.D.E.A. of researching a local problem in Madison elementary schools of teachers refusing to teach children of illegal immigrants. Thanks to Annies great suggestion we all finally agreed on our topic.
Throughout the meeting we didn't really argue, just focused on finding a unique and interesting topic we all liked equally. The major disagreement we encountered was over the topic which was quickly resolved with a great I.DE.A. The only other item we have discussed as a group was the way we would present this information in our final report, and we all agreed on this after only a few minutes as well. As a group the I.D.E.A. cohort works well together and always manages to have fun.
In the past group projects have always been sucessful and fun for me. I can tell our cohort will work well together and present our information to the community and hopefully resolve the problem.
Throughout the meeting we didn't really argue, just focused on finding a unique and interesting topic we all liked equally. The major disagreement we encountered was over the topic which was quickly resolved with a great I.DE.A. The only other item we have discussed as a group was the way we would present this information in our final report, and we all agreed on this after only a few minutes as well. As a group the I.D.E.A. cohort works well together and always manages to have fun.
In the past group projects have always been sucessful and fun for me. I can tell our cohort will work well together and present our information to the community and hopefully resolve the problem.
Tuesday, October 14, 2008
Putting the Paris into Politics
As the Presidential election comes closer, more and more political commercials and publications are introduced into the media. Each one of these ads contribute to the reputation of either candidate weather it is good or bad publicity. As this publicity spreads throughout the population the candidates turn from political entities to pop culture icons. Although they are not the same type of pop culture icons as actors and musicians, their every move is still viewed by the public and plastered all over the media. Usually these publications have nothing to do with the true character and intentions of the candidate and somewhat undermine what is really at risk: democracy.
As the media turns our politicians into pop culture icons it takes away from the true meaning of the elections. As an avid TV viewer I see more adds about the faults and negatives of each candidate than the good. Unfortunately these ads tend to focus on unimportant items and usually create logical fallacies in the process. This turns the elections into a he said/she said game along with many of the ads dealing with true pop culture icons. It is rare to hear a commercial or statement that has anything to do with the plan each duo has for our country. These types of publicity are what generate opinions for voters however they have nothing to do with the actual democracy of our country.
In my opinion, this pop culture fix on our government has a great effect on what decisions are made. Each candidate and government official is watched over ever so carefully by the media, and in turn the entire nation. Every decision they make proves to be very influential on their reputation. Being in the public eye may change the mind of how a candidate votes on certain influential documents, especially so close to an important Presidential election. They will fear the negative publicity that an unfavorable vote may cause, even if this decision is for the good of our country.
As voters make their ways to the polls this year they will most likely not remember important factors when choosing a president but rather the silly things such as Barak Obama being compared to Paris Hilton or how Sarah Palin having a pregnant teen daughter. As our world becomes more technologically advanced, future presidential elections may become even more intertwined with pop culture. It is important however to remember when you are at the polls this year: vote not for your favorite pop star, but vote for who can create a promising future for our democracy.
As the media turns our politicians into pop culture icons it takes away from the true meaning of the elections. As an avid TV viewer I see more adds about the faults and negatives of each candidate than the good. Unfortunately these ads tend to focus on unimportant items and usually create logical fallacies in the process. This turns the elections into a he said/she said game along with many of the ads dealing with true pop culture icons. It is rare to hear a commercial or statement that has anything to do with the plan each duo has for our country. These types of publicity are what generate opinions for voters however they have nothing to do with the actual democracy of our country.
In my opinion, this pop culture fix on our government has a great effect on what decisions are made. Each candidate and government official is watched over ever so carefully by the media, and in turn the entire nation. Every decision they make proves to be very influential on their reputation. Being in the public eye may change the mind of how a candidate votes on certain influential documents, especially so close to an important Presidential election. They will fear the negative publicity that an unfavorable vote may cause, even if this decision is for the good of our country.
As voters make their ways to the polls this year they will most likely not remember important factors when choosing a president but rather the silly things such as Barak Obama being compared to Paris Hilton or how Sarah Palin having a pregnant teen daughter. As our world becomes more technologically advanced, future presidential elections may become even more intertwined with pop culture. It is important however to remember when you are at the polls this year: vote not for your favorite pop star, but vote for who can create a promising future for our democracy.
Saturday, October 11, 2008
information inundation
With the growing availability of different means for communication (youtube, facebook, cable television, etc.) many different pop culture icons have been able to express themselves better about politics. This phenomenon both helps people be more aware of what is going on but also can sometimes deter people from caring. The 2008 campaign has been everywhere: from street corners where venders sell candidate buttons to commercials on TV. Everyone has something to say about it. Many people are becoming more and more aware of the issues that are being discussed in debates and in the news. It is harder and harder to be ignorant when everything around you is screaming CAMPAIGN. This is a benefit of the apparent merger between politics and popular culture. People who otherwise wouldn’t change their daily routines to find out what is going on are now bombarded with information and cannot escape the political issues at hand. Late night talk show hosts are indiscrete and opinions fly around freely. Sometimes it is not the political issues that make the news themselves, but the popular culture that got involved in the campaign. It has become an in-your-face election year, one that is impossible to hide from.
On the other hand, some people are reacting negatively to this convergence. They are repelled from the forced involvement in the campaign since it is everywhere. There is a noticeable apathy when it comes to watching the actual debates themselves and discussing the after-math. Many people feel the political situation in the US is getting old and would prefer to talk about it less. The popular culture’s involvement is over-whelming and no one wants to “waste” their time paying attention anymore. The accessibility of information pertaining to the campaign deters people from trying to get involved. It takes nearly no energy to find out what is happening and people are being more and more apathetic. There is an “enough is enough” attitude that creates a certain tension among constituencies. The drama surrounding the election that is magnified by the involvement of pop culture has become too much for certain people.
Popular culture provides another way for people to be informed which is important since we live in a society facing many social, economic and political problems. It is a time when everyone needs to get involved and have an active opinion. On the other hand, too much exposure to these issues can turn people off from wanting to get involved. It is vital to find a balance: one where people can easily access information on issues but not too much information inundation.
On the other hand, some people are reacting negatively to this convergence. They are repelled from the forced involvement in the campaign since it is everywhere. There is a noticeable apathy when it comes to watching the actual debates themselves and discussing the after-math. Many people feel the political situation in the US is getting old and would prefer to talk about it less. The popular culture’s involvement is over-whelming and no one wants to “waste” their time paying attention anymore. The accessibility of information pertaining to the campaign deters people from trying to get involved. It takes nearly no energy to find out what is happening and people are being more and more apathetic. There is an “enough is enough” attitude that creates a certain tension among constituencies. The drama surrounding the election that is magnified by the involvement of pop culture has become too much for certain people.
Popular culture provides another way for people to be informed which is important since we live in a society facing many social, economic and political problems. It is a time when everyone needs to get involved and have an active opinion. On the other hand, too much exposure to these issues can turn people off from wanting to get involved. It is vital to find a balance: one where people can easily access information on issues but not too much information inundation.
Tuesday, October 7, 2008
The art of good rhetorical analysis
Rhetoric is a term affiliated with analysis of words on a page, paragraphs in a paper, or lines in a speech. Many many people use rhetoric in their daily lives and don't think twice about it. Some of it is done very carefully with painstaking detail, and others not so much, but rhetorical analysis has the ability to reveal things which would otherwise not be so apparent.
By analyzing a writer's work using rhetorical analysis, it helps the audience to better understand the point the writer was trying to convey in the content of the piece. What context the work was done under (and for what target audience) are important things to consider when analyzing writing. The style of the piece as how it is organized can also reveal alot about the true motives behind the work. A good example I can think of this are the 'truth' ads, an anti-tobacco smoking propaganda campaign in the United States. Some of the ads have clearly targeted specific groups, such as urban dwellers or teenagers, and this can readily be seen by the characters and scenarios portrayed in some of the ads. A rhetorical analysis of these ads would likely reveal that the ads were using situations (context) that would be familiar to the audience (teens/city folk) so that they could better understand the message the ads were attempting to communicate (do not smoke).
I believe that rhetorical analysis does offer more than simply intellectual exercise. In sticking with the truth ads example, I am sure that many people were working on the ads using this very same line of thinking/analysis to see what best would appeal to the targeted audience. In a a broader sense this is what the entire commercial industry does, attempt to target audiences by finding things that they know the audience will be able to easily relate to. Rhetorical analysis can be useful in this way, as well as for analyzing many other texts and documents with targeted demographics.
By analyzing a writer's work using rhetorical analysis, it helps the audience to better understand the point the writer was trying to convey in the content of the piece. What context the work was done under (and for what target audience) are important things to consider when analyzing writing. The style of the piece as how it is organized can also reveal alot about the true motives behind the work. A good example I can think of this are the 'truth' ads, an anti-tobacco smoking propaganda campaign in the United States. Some of the ads have clearly targeted specific groups, such as urban dwellers or teenagers, and this can readily be seen by the characters and scenarios portrayed in some of the ads. A rhetorical analysis of these ads would likely reveal that the ads were using situations (context) that would be familiar to the audience (teens/city folk) so that they could better understand the message the ads were attempting to communicate (do not smoke).
I believe that rhetorical analysis does offer more than simply intellectual exercise. In sticking with the truth ads example, I am sure that many people were working on the ads using this very same line of thinking/analysis to see what best would appeal to the targeted audience. In a a broader sense this is what the entire commercial industry does, attempt to target audiences by finding things that they know the audience will be able to easily relate to. Rhetorical analysis can be useful in this way, as well as for analyzing many other texts and documents with targeted demographics.
“Rhetoric is the art of ruling the minds of men.” -Plato
Every year our world shrinks. The information super highway connects us with every possible media forum we can imagine in merely seconds. As our ability to communicate grows, so does the importance of understanding what is being said beyond the basics. Rhetoric, the art of persuasion and decision making, permeates into most of human discourse, making it extremely important and useful. With proper understanding of rhetoric’s tropes and schemes a person can analyze what is being said and learn to appreciate rhetorical situations and how to use these situations in their advantage. Rhetoric shows us how to build up or break down an argument.
One example for the application of rhetoric can be seen in the current presidential race. Carefully constructed arguments bring many broad ideas to the table but rarely tackle any real tactics for reform. The two candidates continuously flood their speeches with fluff to make what they are saying more appealing to the audience. With the topics at hand diluted in articulate banter during the presidential debates, rhetorical analysis can help clarify and break down these arguments. If people cannot see through these techniques, you might as well take away the two men in position and let the rhetoricians behind the speeches run for the oval office. Even though the amount of rhetoric used in the presidential debates is scrutinized against, it is still an extremely useful and effective tool in persuasion.
Outside the public setting, the transition from breaking down an argument to building one with rhetorical devices applies to a wide variety of real life situations. Commonly underutilized, the usage of rhetoric can build a good argument into a great one. From constructing a presentation for your peers and colleagues to arguing with a roommate or writing a blog, the understanding of rhetoric and its applications will prove beneficial to your desired outcome.
Although the usefulness of rhetorical analysis does not end with simply breaking down or building up an argument, the impact this narrow scope has is large. Rhetorical analysis empowers the speaker, or author, with the skill of persuasion.
This blog brought to you by,
Curtis E. Bear
The courtesy bear
One example for the application of rhetoric can be seen in the current presidential race. Carefully constructed arguments bring many broad ideas to the table but rarely tackle any real tactics for reform. The two candidates continuously flood their speeches with fluff to make what they are saying more appealing to the audience. With the topics at hand diluted in articulate banter during the presidential debates, rhetorical analysis can help clarify and break down these arguments. If people cannot see through these techniques, you might as well take away the two men in position and let the rhetoricians behind the speeches run for the oval office. Even though the amount of rhetoric used in the presidential debates is scrutinized against, it is still an extremely useful and effective tool in persuasion.
Outside the public setting, the transition from breaking down an argument to building one with rhetorical devices applies to a wide variety of real life situations. Commonly underutilized, the usage of rhetoric can build a good argument into a great one. From constructing a presentation for your peers and colleagues to arguing with a roommate or writing a blog, the understanding of rhetoric and its applications will prove beneficial to your desired outcome.
Although the usefulness of rhetorical analysis does not end with simply breaking down or building up an argument, the impact this narrow scope has is large. Rhetorical analysis empowers the speaker, or author, with the skill of persuasion.
This blog brought to you by,
Curtis E. Bear
The courtesy bear
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