Final Blog

Final Blog

            Here I am writing my last and final blog for English 101.  It is hard for me to believe that my freshman year is almost over.  Starting out the semester we talked about different types of genres, and the way that people give feedback.  In my first halfway learning blog I talked how in high school I was not a very good peer evaluator.  Now that I have done a few peer reviews in college I feel like I have learned how to do a better job on helping others and giving them better ideas.  The next thing we moved onto do was begin the first project.  My topic was about how “The effects of no snow” has affected ISU students.  The next project then came up quick and the semester was already half over.  The next project assigned was with two other group members.  The members in my group were great.  They were always in class, and always had their information ready each time we got together.  This time the topic was on “Turning an academic paper into your teacher on notecards.”  In my Learning blog Final 2, I talked about how many people reacted asking, “why were we doing this, and telling us they would never turn something in like this, but some didn’t really care either way.  Now we have just finished up our last project on Monday.  For this project I talked about what I have learned and how to create a learning blog.  In the paper I included things I have learned throughout the semester and some ideas for other people that want to create their own.  As the semester finishes each member will give a presentation on all the learning blogs they have created over the semester. 

            I have learned a lot this semester.  I was very surprised the first day when I was told this class would not be like your ordinary English class.  In the first blog I talked about creating my blog.  I have never done any online blogging before this class, but as the semester progressed blogging has taught me a lot and I really enjoy it.  What really was a big takeaway for me is when the teacher would have us take notes in class, and post them on our blog.  Just being on the blog really helped me get acquainted more with it.  Another great takeaway was getting to have peer reviews and see what other ideas people had to help with writing each time.  For my half way Learning Blog 2 I talked about 3 vocabulary words I learned about in unit 2.  Code Switching, Code meshing, and Juxtaposition, Switching is just “switching” back and forth between languages. Code Meshing means to utilize two distinct English dialects in written genre.  As a group we all were very curious about what a Juxtaposition was, so we decided to ask about being told we decided it was just a big word for example of our notecard.  The last major thing I learned was the right way to set up a research design and what is included in an abstract.

            Throughout the semester there were a few things I didn’t understand, but I got them figured out.  I never was bashful to ask a question but I normally would just hold it until the end of class to ask it.  In the first halfway learning blog, I talked about how I was not sure how my rubric was suppost to be set up, but after the next class everything got straightened out.  In Unit 2 I remember everyone was thinking that the whole unit was due on a Friday but it was only the rough draft was due the class was at a sign of relief.  I felt like this last paper was hard for me to get started.  I really was not sure what I should include or how I should go about writing it, once I got started I was able to pull some information together and end up completing it.

            In the Final Blog 2 I talked about how our group communicated very well.  Everyone pulled their own weight, and did an excellent job together.  Always in high school I was never really a fan because it always seemed that one person did all the work and the rest would just kind of be there.  Another great take away was the “Grassroots writing Journal article.”  The article really made me stop and think about my peer reviewing throughout high school and I realized I was really helping anyone.  As I finish up my final blog I feel like I have had a successful semester in English 101 and that I have really learned a lot.

GWRJ Article

1.  General Topic- Learning to write learning blogs

2. Specific Genre-Nonfiction/Opinion

3. Explanation of the author's perspective-  Talk about what I have learning while creating blogs, and also different ideas that can be included in the blogs

4.Visual Aids- Screen shot or an example of my learning blog

5.Citing Research-  MLA or APA

Ten Characteristics of GRWJ

1.  Taking Notes
2. Observations
3. Introduction
4.Thesis Statement
5. Life Experience
6. Research Engines
7. Topic
8. Writing Skills
9.Examples to include in the articles
10.Interviews with others on their opinions

Final Learning Blog 2

Final Learning Blog 2

            Here we are finishing up our second final blog.  As a class we have been working in groups on the research design/proposal.  The next step will be to collect our research on our “notecard” experiment.  I feel like my group has worked very well together and all three of us have been to every class which makes working together much easier.  Everyone is always helping each other if someone is not sure about something.  As a group next week we will conduct our experiment.  I am very excited to see the results and just how students are going to react.  I am sure there will be many different reactions all over the board from not much of a reaction of highly reacting.  So at this point my group has just completed the research and got the final results.  Wednesday we had a peer review day that really was great and helped our group be able to get feedback from other groups to put the final touch on our research paper.  Tomorrow we will turn our final research design in, and give an overview of our results to the class.

            I have learned a lot from this unit.  The major thing I have learned is the correct way to set up a research design, and what needs to be included in it.  During the first half I learned a few new vocabulary words, and also what Juxtaposition was.

            At this point I do not have any questions as the unit is coming to an end, but like always I will ask when I have a question.  I realize it is much better to ask and get exactly what the teacher is looking for, and not try to take a wild guess and be totally wrong.

            I feel like our group has communicated very well.  Each person was able to pull their own weight throughout the group and each person always had their part completed and ready to put into the research design.  Looking at this project through a group perspective we all were there for each class, and each time we were ready to work.  No one just sat there at any point in time and let someone else do all the work, we all worked together to complete the entire project.

            I would just like to say that the peer reviews have been very helpful to me.  Each person I have talked to has been very helpful giving me advice for what I could improve on and ideas on how to improve it, and also what I have done well.  Also working in groups for me has been fantastic.  My group members have been very hardworking and helpful.  College group work has definitely changed my perspective I had on it in High School.

            While creating this research design I have been very confident.  When given this project I thought to myself that it would be very difficult to accomplish.  Taking the project step by step has been very helpful.  I believe that taking the project one step at a time made the project be easier on each group.  As the project comes to an end I feel very confident with the group results, and I am excited to see how everyone else’s group turned out for them.

            When creating the research proposal each group member took one part of it.  In the “Statement of the problem” we just talked about how we would be putting an academic paper on notecards to turn them into the teacher.  On the “Purpose” we stated how the reason for this was to see how people would react to turning in a paper in notecard form for a final grade.  Finally the “Research Questions” were asked to see how students feel about turning their paper in on notecards for a final grade.  When starting the research each group member randomly asked five males and 5 females with one member asking a professor.  When finding the results we would give the notecards to the students and ask them to “Read over them to see if everything looked ok since we were turning it in as a final project.”  Many people seemed to become very confused at this point wondering why we would be turning it in on notecards.  After all the research was done my group created a graph showing each person’s major that we asked, and on a scale from one to ten how they reacted.  So all in all, I feel like this project was a success for my group.

Research Proposal

Purpose:

The purpose of this study is to test people's reactions with an academic paper on a notecard instead of a "normal" sheet of paper.  Also, the different ways people react when handed the material will be tested and put into a table to be compared.  The reasons for these tests are to see how individuals would feel about turning in a paper in  notecard form for a final grade.

Half Way Learning Blog 2

Half Way Learning Blog 2

            Here we are already into Unit two, it seems as though this class is flying by.  We just read another article from the “Grassroots Writing Journal” talking about grammatical snobbery.  In this article it talked about the proper use of grammar and how different types of words can mean pretty close to the same thing along with the way that it fits into the context or genre.  Friday we got into our groups for the project and talked about some topic ideas for this project.  We each came back on Monday and had an idea for a topic which we finally decided on and were ready to begin.  We began answering the research proposal questions which we completed, and then moved on to complete the juxtaposition.  While answering the research proposal questions as a group it seemed to me that we answered them as thoroughly as we could.  Now that we have moved into the second unit and have been paired up into groups, we are all starting to get to know each other better and it makes the projects simpler I believe.  Also, as a class each person answered some questions on “Standard English.”  I felt like a majority of the class all came up with the same answers to each question for the most part.  With this in mind and only being in this Unit for a little over a week I have already learned a fair amount, and I am very excited to begin our research.

            After only being on this Unit for a little over a week, I have already learned three different vocab words.  Up until today, Wednesday, I had no idea was a juxtaposition was.  After finishing the research questions today we all asked each other “what is a juxtaposition?” the reply from everyone was I don’t know.  So we decided it would be a good idea to ask since it is due the next class.  After asking, all three of us decided it was just a fancy word for an example of our notecard.  During our discussion of “Standard English” there were two words that came up that I was unsure of what they meant:  Code Switching and Code Meshing.  Code switching is utilizing two different languages while speaking, “switching” back in forth between the two languages.  Code meshing is the other which means utilizing two distinct English dialects within written genre.  These are just a few things I have learned within the first week of this Unit.

            At this point I do not have any questions about the project, but if I do I will not hesitate to ask.  Like I said in the last blog, I normally just wait until the end of class to ask if necessary.

            The first day I was very confused thinking everything for the Unit was due on Friday.  As it seemed a few others thought the same thing and began to ask.  You quickly answered saying No No only the rough draft.  At this point the whole class was at a sign of relief.  As Unit two progresses at this point you have explained everything very clear, and everything seems to be understood.

            I feel like I am communicating with my group members very well.  When picking out the topic it was very simple, because we all liked the same idea which made everything very easy and simple.  While doing the research questions we each came up with different ideas and were able to talk over each of them and agree on the best ones.  Getting along with group members makes everything much more fun and enjoyable to do.

            Group projects never seemed to go very well for me throughout High School, but the entire college group projects have went very well.  I have enjoyed working with all of my group members throughout the semester.  Dealing with great groups it has definitely changed my opinion to the good on group projects.

Evaluating the Standard Questions

1.  The way a normal human being has a daily conversation or writes a paper.

2.  This is prob the way it was originally spoken and no one has ever changed the way people speak or write.

3.  Speaking with others from the same country or same language would be about the only non formal english should be used.

4.  When writing a paper there are many different ways someone could be a good writer.  A good writer is my perspective keeps there material to a certain topic and gets the points across they want to talk about.

5.  Cant spell words, paper does not make sense, and dont have complete sentences.

6.  Many people say words in a different tone and in they say the say word a different way.

7.  Working on the structure of paragraphs

8.  I feel like standard English is correct english.  Standard English is the way that the average human speaks and I feel like if everyone talks this way then this is how english should be considered.

Final Learning Blog

Final Learning Blog

As I begin to write the final learning blog it just lets me reflect on the things I have completed in the first unit.  I feel as I have come very far in this unit from Day 1.  Day 1 I was not really sure what topic I really wanted to talk about.  During class when you gave us time to look for a topic, it seemed as nothing really came to mind that really interested me.  As I was listening to someone talking about snow I decide this would be the perfect topic for me to write about.  So once I decide this topic, there was still one more problem, I just was not sure how this would relate to ISU students.  So after thinking and thinking I had come up with a few ideas to include in the context of my paper.  This is when I began to really start to get the hang of things and start to pull together.  I feel as though I have come very far since the beginning of this class.

            As this semester progresses I feel like I learn something new almost every day that I attend class.  The biggest thing I have learned so far is how to make and set up a blog.  I am not the most technological person around so I did not know much about making a blog.  While being in class and as the teacher having us take notes on the computer and then post them on our blogs was very helpful.  Just from posting things during class or assignments that are due and even logging in to my blog every day has helped me learn about the blog tremendously.  I also learned that maybe I do enjoy group work.  Each time we have done revising my group members have been very helpful.

            I would say my biggest take-away from this class has been the article “Grassroots Writing Journal.”  After reading the article it really made me stop and think the way that I revised people’s papers throughout high school.  After thinking about the article it really affected the way I revise papers now.  I never have been great at revising papers so I would always say, “that looks great” or something to that extent.  After reading that it let me realize it does not help me or the person I am revising the paper for to say something like that.  That article will stick with me forever and I will always remember to be as helpful as I can be while revising a paper.

            It seems no matter what class, but the question that always sticks in my head “Did I do this right?”  A few other questions I still ask after everything is turned in are: “Was my paper long enough” and “Was my rubric set up the right way?”  Those really are the only things that I still question, but I have confidence that everything was done right and I know I did the best I could.

            Throughout this unit one of the better things I think I did while writing the paper was contacting people and getting them interviewed.  Having interviewed three people it makes me think that I have gone above and beyond in that area of the project.  I feel like I did everything to the best of my abilities though.  I feel good about what I have done, and I have worked hard to accomplish this unit.  I have completed everything that is due, and always turn it in on time.  I don’t really like to say I have done something well, because what I think is well and what someone else things could be two different things.  So everything that I have turned in so far I have done the best I can to complete it.

            At this point of the unit I don’t really have anything else to say.  I would like to say I really enjoy getting to work on our projects in class.  I think you have done a wonderful job on planning everything and you haven’t really overloaded us with lots and lots of homework.  You seem to have assignments due throughout the unit so at the end we just have to make a few revisions and put everything together.   I feel like this unit has made me a better writer and editor.

Trajectories of Literacy and CHAT

Trajectories of Literacy

When given an assignment for my class I just kinda sat and thought for awhile.  As I thought about some ideas I had seen on the TV that morning that snow ski resorts were hurting for business.  I knew it had to relate to ISU students and faculty but I was not real sure how to relate that.  It really has not moved to far I have it saved on my computer and I will be turning in a printed copy Friday.

All of my articles are news articles off of the Internet.  I did talk to 3 different people on some topics I wrote about in my paper.

People that have read my paper so far are my classmates and my roommate has read over it.

I am not really sure who will read it in the future.  More than likely no one will read it after this class it will just be saved as another document on my computer or flash drive.

I save everything I do to my computer.  If I happen to work on the paper somewhere else without my computer I will also save it on flash drive.

I anyone was to ever write a story on something like this some of the information could be used from the information I received and wrote about.  Papers, Internet Articles would be the main texts used.

CHAT

Production:  I used many different tools while creating this article.  I used my computer and the school computer, and I used the Internet.  Another important thing I did was reading over the articles and getting the most important information out of them to write into my paper.

Representation:  I took time to find articles and good information to include into my paper.  I also talked to 3 different people and I included into my paper on some of the topics that I included into my paper.  When starting this paper I knew it had to include ISU students and faculty so I did my best to include a few facts and also include information about what my interviewees had to say.

Distribution:  The text really will not go out into the large world but it will definitely be seen by my teacher and so far a few of my classmates have seen and read over my article.  There will be a printed copy given to my teacher, but I don't really think it will venture out into the world very far.

Reception:  This text really will not be taken up by anyone in particular, but my teacher will get to see it and read over it and give me her thoughts on what she thinks of it. 

Activity:  I used the internet to research articles.  I read different articles and created a final paper.

Ecology:  roommate was asleep and it was dark in the room other than the light from my computer. 

Socialization:  Throughout this project I have interacted with students and faculty at ISU.  I know how the teacher interacts with the class now and what she expects from us.

Half Way Learning Blog Revised

Half Way Learning Blog

At this point we are already three weeks into the second semester and it seems like it is flying by.  As a class we have gotten into the first unit, we have made our own blogs for the class, and we have done a few group activities.  We had a reading assignment on the different types of genre and the way people give you feedback.  It seems to me that as the semester is going on everybody is starting to get familiar with each other, especially since we are getting together for group discussions and projects. After reading the grassroots writing journal it really made me think how well of a peer evaluator I was.  Like a few other people said , in high school I was not a good peer evaluator.  When someone would ask me to give them feedback on their paper, I would always say it looks good.  I was not a great writer in high school so I didn’t really know how to give them advice.  After reading the article it made me realize that I was not helping out my classmates at all.  During peer evaluation now I do my best to help others with what I know and how they can improve.

Throughout these first three weeks I have learned how to make and use my blog for the class.  During the process of making this blog it has taught me how to post and read what others are thinking and the items we talked about in class each day.  I still don’t really know much about the blog and how to work it, but I learn a little more each day I log into it.  I have also learned good ways to pull key information out of papers and get the important parts.  Now that I have put the rubric together I have learned it is not as difficult as I made it out to be.  Before this class I have never had anything to do with online blogging sites.  So starting out I was clueless on how to set one up or even comment or post something.  Since I am just starting to learn about the blog it is always a new adventure every time I log on.  I really have not played around with it much I just log on and post or do whatever is assigned and log back off.

As of right now I don’t have any major questions.  Normally the questions that come up during class, I wait until the end of class and ask you as I am leaving.  Like I said, for the half way blog I do not have any major questions.

At first I did not really know how the rubric was supposed to be set up, but now that I have finished the rough draft I have a better idea about it.  I am excited to hear what my classmates have to say about it tomorrow. When setting up the rubric I did not really know how to set it up, but I finally decided I would just make bullet points like we did in class.  To be honest with you I just kind of winged the rubric since I was not really sure how you wanted it set up.  While making the rubric I feel like I struggled with it.  Since there were no set rules I really was not sure how to start it or what exactly needed to be included on it.  Now that I have finished the rubric I feel that I struggled with it and it took way longer than it should of.  One of my biggest struggles is the fact that I don’t do well when I don’t have set guidelines.  When starting anything I like to know what needs to be included and how it needs to be set up.  When starting something and getting to set my own guidelines I normally ponder over what I think needs to be included because I am afraid I will include the wrong thing.

I believe that I am doing a great job getting all of my homework done, and doing the best I can on them.  I will say I am not a big fan of the eight o’clock class but with my schedule that is where it worked best for me.  I feel like the group work the class did on Friday was very helpful.  I have had many group projects where the classmates are not very helpful, but I feel that on Friday my group members were very helpful and cared about helping me.  College could be a different experience for me with group projects, so far my first one was great and I am excited to do more group projects.

I would just like to say I am not a big fan of English, nothing against you, but I believe you are going to make the class fun and it will be easier for me to get through.  I really enjoy the fact of getting in groups and talking to others.  I do enjoy getting comments from peers, but I would like the final comments to come from you. 

English Rubric

English Rubric

·        Well written out (Good Grammar, Spelling, Punctuation)

·        How well it relates to ISU students

·        Informal

·        Knowledge of the topic

·        Supporting Information

·        References- Citing other sources correctly

·        Transitions

·        Evidence that supports my topic- Credibility

·        Sentence Fluency

·        Organization of the paper (Problem, Cause)

·        Conclusion

·        Good Title

Half Way Learning Blog

Half Way Learning Blog

At this point we are already three weeks into the second semester and it seems like it is flying by.  As a class we have gotten into the first unit, we have made our own blogs for the class, and we have done a few group activities.  We had a reading assignment on the different types of genre and the way people give you feedback.  It seems to me that as the semester is going on everybody is starting to get familiar with each other, especially since we are getting together for group discussions and projects. 

Throughout these first three weeks I have learned how to make and use my blog for the class.  During the process of making this blog it has taught me how to post and read what others are thinking and the items we talked about in class each day.  I still don’t really know much about the blog and how to work it, but I learn a little more each day I log into it.  I have also learned good ways to pull key information out of papers and get the important parts.  Now that I have put the rubric together I have learned it is not as difficult as I made it out to be. 

As of right now I don’t have any major questions.  Normally the questions that come up during class, I wait until the end of class and ask you as I am leaving.  Like I said, for the half way blog I do not have any major questions.

At first I did not really know how the rubric was supposed to be set up, but now that I have finished the rough draft I have a better idea about it.  I am excited to hear what my classmates have to say about it tomorrow. 

I believe that I am doing a great job getting all of my homework done, and doing the best I can on them.  I will say I am not a big fan of the eight o’clock class but with my schedule that is where it worked best for me.  I feel like the group work the class did on Friday was very helpful.  I have had many group projects where the classmates are not very helpful, but I feel that on Friday my group members were very helpful and cared about helping me.  College could be a different experience for me with group projects, so far my first one was great and I am excited to do more group projects.

I would just like to say I am not a big fan of English, nothing against you, but I believe you are going to make the class fun and it will be easier for me to get through.  I really enjoy the fact of getting in groups and talking to others.  I do enjoy getting comments from peers, but I would like the final comments to come from you.

Topic for paper

                                                             MY TOPIC/Snow Removal


1. My topic will be about Companies in the Snow removal business: This is relevant to ISU students cause we are experiencing not receiving snow and many people have snow plowing business in the area.

2. http://www.whptv.com/news/local/story/A-challenging-winter-for-snow-removal-companies/qbQP1cvv-0Sl9ZrJUoVLdw.cspx?rss=50

http://www.usatoday.com/weather/news/story/2012-01-04/no-snow-budget-saving/52379618/1

http://www.cbn.com/cbnnews/finance/2011/December/No-Snow-Leaves-Ski-Resorts-Struggling-/


http://www.nytimes.com/2012/01/19/business/warm-winter-is-bad-news-for-retailers.html

3. Internet articles