Reflection on Open Letter Draft

In this post I will be reflecting over the peer reviewing process for our last assignment. I will be reflecting over the comments I received.

I peer reviewed the drafts of Chris and Olivia

Toshihiro Gama, "Red Panda", taken on June 5th, 2013 via Flickr Attribution Generic 2.0

• The most powerful part of my letter is my organization. It is clear in what it is talking about and is structured very neatly. This is where my semi-formal letter is excelling because it gets the necessary points across. 
• What I need to add is evidence form my blog posts. My letter is lacking evidence and for that it weakens the overall strength of the letter. 
• No cliches are used in the letter. The only cliche that can be said was used was that every student dislikes taking English courses. This is because I had written in my letter that I disliked English and writing. 
• In my letter everything seems to fit. The only thing that may not fit is the talk about genre. It seems a little bit forced but it is asked about in the assignment description so it was covered. It seems a little bit out of place when reading over the whole letter but it needs to be addressed. 
• Nothing in the letter is concealed, everything listed in the assignment is covered. 

Draft of Open Letter

In this blog post I will be posting the rough draft of my semi-formal letter!

When peer reviewing my draft, I would like for the reviewer give me ideas of where I can include hyperlinks to blog posts and such. I did not include any yet because I was unsure of when it would be a good idea to add "evidence" in the letter. I would also ask to make sure that the reviewer checks to make sure I hit on all the required topics/questions on the rubric. Of course grammar and things like that would also be great! Be as harsh or as nice as you feel comfortable being!
Thanks!

HERE is the link to my rough draft!

Reflecting More on My Writing Experiences

In this blog post I will be reflecting on my work through the course by answering the provided bulleted questions.

Alan Wolf, "Midland Painted Turtle" taken on August 27th, 2005 via Flickr Attribution Generic 2.0

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

The biggest challenge for me that came up with this course was the work load. Out of all my courses it was the most demanding and required the most time. Learning to balance this with my other classes that I was taking was the biggest challenge that I faced. This course required a significant amount of work each day.

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

Through this course I learned that I have strong time management skills. I turned everything in on time and never procrastinated the deadlines. I never had to do a ton of work on Saturday as I spaced out my work over the week. My writing skills were stronger than I thought as I created some pieces of writing that I was very proud of. My editorial skills increased in strength due to the structured peer reviews we did. The project three peer review helped me learn how to peer review more effectively.

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

What I learned about the concept of "genre" was that there is a certain way of writing depending on the genre. The genre is like a set of rules, and the rules are the conventions of the genre. You must follow these rules to successfully write in the genre. You cannot simply pick a genre and not follow the conventions. By following the conventions you are then writing in the genre.

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

One skill I know I improved on was my time management skills. I also know that my editorial skills have improved. Before this I would rarely edit my papers. I would try to write the paper to the best of my capability the first time around and then not revisit it. I still write it to the best of my capability but I now know how to edit it to make it even better.

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

I would say that my project three was my most effective moment. I used a genre that allowed me to be creative and I was very proud of how my project turned out. It followed the conventions, was effective for it's purpose, and looked professionally done. It allowed me to create a project using everything that I learned in the course.

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

My least effective moment was the punctuation posts. I did not like doing those at all and my blog posts were very forced. I felt as if it was unnecessary busy work. I understood why we were doing the punctuation blog posts but I feel as if no one actually allowed themselves to learn about punctuation by doing them.

Revisiting My Writing Process

In this blog post I will be revisiting the first two blog posts that I made in this course. I will reflect on them, seeing how I have changed as a writer and how my time management has changed. I will also be looking forward to the future.

Dean Shareski, "Mirrors" taken on August 3rd, 2009 via Flickr Attribution Generic 2.0

My Writing Process:
At the beginning of the semester I considered myself a heavy planner with a dash of heavy reviser. I think I have become a better balance between the two. I have learned to take some of the time I would use on planning and use it to revise. I plan slightly less and revise more. This course has taught me to simply "crank" out pieces of writing due to it's heavy workload so I have learned to create a rough draft that can simply be crafted into a final draft. Looking forward, this class has taught me to work diligently and stay on top of my work. I think I have learned to edit and revise much better. I have also learned to understand a grading rubric better and learned how to create a piece of writing based off of a rubric. For the future and rest of my college schooling I think that his class has taught me to write in different genres. It has made me a more diverse writer and more efficient writer. I will continue to be a nice blend of heavy planner and heavy reviser. Depending on the genre I will be able to lean more to one side if that is what will work better for that genre.

Calendar reflection:
Looking back on my calendar reflection was amusing because it is funny how much I thought i'd be able to do. I actually have done a decent job balancing everything I feel like. I was correct about choosing between hanging with friends and going to the recreation center. I seem to have more free time than I did in high school but I also seem to have more stuff to fill it with. I think this course has taught me to not procrastinate because if you do it leads to the worst weekend of your life. I have done everything I have sought to do in college so far and I feel like I have managed my time well. Moving forward, I would like to go to the rec more. I tend to nap a lot so maybe I will cut back on that and go to the rec instead. I believe this course has shown me that I will keep working hard. I survived this class when at time I thought I would not and I am proud of that.

Reflection on Project 3

In this blog post I will be answering the reflection questions on page 520 of Writing Public Lives. 

Daniel Stockman, "Corgi Puppies", taken on May 28th, 2011 via Flickr Attribution-ShareALike 2.0 Generic License.

1. What was changed from the first draft to the final was the platform, I switched from power-point to a prezi. I also added a voice over to it to make it more like a presentation. 
2. I did not change my thesis/organization too much as I felt that it was created effectively the first time around. I made the prezi very organized, moving from one idea to the next. 
3. Audience had a lot to do with the structure and organization of my prezi. I wanted to make it clear what the argument was first before introducing the counter arguments. I also emphasized on addressing what computer science is first. 
4. I feel that it strengthens my credibility. I am making an effort to make sure the whole topic, pros and cons are all laid out there for the audience to see. I am not holding back and i'm confident in my argument so it makes me more credible. 
5. These changes will make it so the audience has a full grasp on the topic and in turn will side with my argument. The venue is perfect for a prezi because it is simple and an interesting presentation. 
6. I made sure to not put too much words or sentences on any one slide. I did not want any slide to be overwhelming to the audience so they were more of talking points. 
7. By understanding the whole topic and not this my side, the audience will understand what my purpose in my argument is. If they understand all the aspects of the topic then they will understand where i'm coming from and it will be more clear to them. 
8. The only conventions that I had to consider was the limited text space on the slides so it was not overwhelming. I also had to put the voice-over on the presentation in order to make it effective with the talking points. 
9. Through reflecting I realized as a writer I can adapt to any genre with not much difficultly. This presentation was difficult to make but I feel like it achieves it's purpose and is effective. I feel pretty confident and proud of this project. 

Publishing Public Argument

COMPLETEEEEEE! Here is the link to the final copy of my PREZI.

Moyan Brenn, "Happiness" taken on March 30th, 2014 via Flickr, Attribution Generic 2.0

Now to answer the provided questions:

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                                            Totally neutral                                                    Strongly

agree                                                                                                                          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                                            Totally neutral                                                    Strongly

agree                                                                                                                          disagree

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

         ___X___ My public argument etablishes an original pro position on an issue of debate.

         _______ My public argument establishes an original con position on an issue of debate.

         _______ My public argument clarifies the causes for a problem that is being debated.

         _______ My public argument prooposes a solution for a problem that is being debated.

         _______ My public argument positively evaluate a specific solution or policy under debate (and clearly identifies the idea I'm supporting).

         _______ My public argument openly refutes a specific solution or policy under debate (and clearly identifies the idea I'm refuting).

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

For my public argument I gave insight to how computer science can provide much more than just learning computer science. I explained how it would be beneficial for the students in the way that they think, setting themselves up for job opportunities, and diversifying a one-dimensional work field. I also gave reasons as to why the counter-arguments were refutable. 

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

Ethical or credibility-establishing appeals

                    _____ Telling personal stories that establish a credible point-of-view

                    __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)

                    __x__ Establishing your own public image in an inviting way (using an appropriate images of yourself, if you appear on camera dressing in a warm or friendly or professional manner, appearing against a background that’s welcoming or credibility-establishing)

                    __x__ Sharing any personal expertise you may possess about the subject (your identity as a student in your discipline affords you some authority here)

                    __x__ Openly acknowledging counterarguments and refuting them intelligently

                    _____ Appealing openly to the values and beliefs shared by the audience (remember that the website/platform/YouTube channel your argument is designed for helps determine the kind of audience who will encounter your piece)

                    __x__ Other: Voice over of presentation

Emotional appeals

                    _____ Telling personal stories that create an appropriate emotional impact for the debate

                    _____ Telling emotionally compelling narratives drawn from history and/or the current culture

                    __x__ Employing the repetition of key words or phrases that create an appropriate emotional impact

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

                    __x__ Appropriate use of humor for subject matter, platform/website, audience

                    __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.)

                    _____ Use of music to create an appropriate emotional impact for the debate

                    _____ Use of sound effects to create an appropriate emotional impact for the debate

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

                    __x__ Other: Voice over of presentation

Logical or rational appeals

                    _____ Using historical records from credible sources in order to establish precedents, trends, or patterns

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

                    _____ Using interviews from stakeholders that help affirm your stance or position

                    _____ Using expert opinions that help affirm your stance or position

                    __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)

                    _____ Other: 

6. Below, provide us with working hyperlinks to THREE good examples of the genre you've chosen to write in. These examples can come from Blog Post 11.3 or they can be new examples. But they should all come from the same specific website/platform and should demonstrate the conventions for your piece:

Prezi 1

Prezi 2

Prezi 3

Reflection on Project 3 Draft

For the peer reviewing I peer reviewed the drafts of Gabee and Joy. 
Their peer review sheets can be found through the links below
Gabee's peer review
Joy's peer review


I will now be answering the provided questions regarding reflecting over my project three draft. 

1. Who reviewed your Project 3 rough draft?

No one has peer reviewed my draft. I would wait and see until later if someone reviewed it but I have to finish this deadline before right now since I have work until midnight. 

2. What did you think and/or feel about the feedback you received? Be explicit and clear. 

Tell me what helped or what confused you about the feedback you got.

No feedback was given from peer reviews but my conference with Professor Bottai was helpful. He suggested to use more evidence if I make bold claims. He also suggested to do a voice over. He also suggested to show the counter arguments in the beginning to make it seem as if I am arguing against something. 

3. What aspects of Project 3 need to most work going forward [Audience, Purpose, 

Argumentation, or Genre]? How do you plan on addressing these areas? 

I will need to move a counter argument to the start of the presentation and I will need to make my claims either less bold or provide evidence to back them up. 

4. How are you feeling overall about the direction of your project after peer review and/or instructor conferences this week?

I really like my presentation and like what I have going with it. It is effective and is visually appealing. I think it gets my argument across and is effective. What I need to do is simply finesse it. 

Draft of Public Argument

My draft is still very much a draft, maybe even less than that. I will be working on it and making it complete tomorrow so right now it is not even complete but I plan on finishing it and adding things such as visuals, quotes, etc...

To visit my draft click HERE.

UPDATED

Okay so I decided to make a prezi instead. I originally created a powerpoint but I was not feeling it that much and the prezi is turning out a lot better. Just disregard what is above and refer to the links below.
Link to my PREZI
Link to PEER REVIEW COMMENTS SHEET

Considering Visual Elements

In thus blog post I will be answering six questions from Writing Public Lives regarding the visual aspect of my project.

QThomas Bower, Visuals, taken on March 16th, 2008 via Flickr Attribution Generic 2.0

• What color choices best reflect the visual-rhetorical tone of my project? 

For my PowerPoint presentation I feel that colors such as blue, silver, and black will be most effective for the colors. These colors can contrast one another so the presentation will pop and they have a slick and clean look to them. They also can be associated with computers which is the topic of my presentation. 

• If my project is going to be displayed, are the fonts large enough to be read at the distance from which it will be viewed?

Since the genre I will be using is meant for presentations, I will need to ensure that the font size is large enough to be read in a presentation. Even though I will not be presenting this and simply turning it in, I have to make sure it could be presented if necessary. I have no clue what amount of people this could be presented to so it is important to make the font big enough for a large group. 

• If my project uses headings for different sections of my argument, do these headings stand out and break up the text clearly? Should another font or font color be used to make them more distinct?

With PowerPoints there is a heading section. This will allow me to clearly lay out what the heading is as it distinctly stands out on it's own. I can also possible change the font or color to make the heading more clear. The headings will effectively break up the different parts of the project. 

• If you are writing a multi-modal argument, do the visual images help you move from point to point in the argument clearly?

The visual images will help me conclude an idea that I have established. I will use them to show statistics or simply to appeal to the audience's visual wanting. They will help prove my argument as well. 

• If you are calling your audience to take specific action, is this called specifically developed? Do they know what action they take or what steps they can take?

In my presentation I will conclude with ways for the audience to help achieve the goal that I have been striding for. I will have a slide telling the audience what they can do to help. 

• Do the different visual and textual elements come together persuasively as a whole, or are there elements that seem disconnected or out of place?

I plan to use whatever visual and textual elements I have in the most effective and persuasive manner I can. If something feels disconnected or out of place then I will move it until it is in place and is working effectively. 

Project 3 Outline

In this blog post I will be creating an outline for my project three.

Introduction: For my introduction, the Connect the Issue to Your Audience's World View will be the most efficient type of introduction for my piece of work. My project is already very directed and created to appeal to the audience. This type of introduction falls in line with it because it helps me appeal to the audience even more so. If I can connect the issue to my audience's personal views on the world(values, ideals, politics) I will be able to sway their opinion on the issue. I have to help make them understand that by teaching computer science will help further an individuals education and with am more educated world comes a better world.

Body:

-Major Supporting Arguments: Computer science teaches problem solving skills, furthers education, teaches students how to learn better in other classes, good computer science jobs, lucrative field, interactive and fun, creates diversity in computer science field if it is taught in schools.

-Major Criticisms: Too much workload for students, cannot add another main topic in schools, not enough funding, not every kid is interested in computer science, too early on to teach complex ideas such as computer science.

-Key Support and Rebuttal: I will use all the supporting points at some point in my argument as they only strengthen the effectiveness of my argument. The rebuttal points that are most important for me to address are funding and too much of a workload.

-Topic Sentence/Evidence:
By teaching computer science in schools, students will be setting themselves up for the future, will learn to work with computers and technology, and will be learning invaluable skills that will help them succeed in their other classes. They will not have too much of a workload because by learning computer science they will only be making their other classes easier for themselves.
https://www.iste.org/explore/articledetail?articleid=216
http://www.governing.com/columns/tech-talk/gov-a-time-for-code.html
https://www.ncwit.org/resources/moving-beyond-computer-literacy-why-schools-should-teach-computer-science/moving-beyond
-These sources provide me with information and why schools don't teach computer science and why we should.

The cost of teaching computer science and adding another core topic in education is well worth the work for the students. They will gain invaluable skills that will help them achieve a greater education by learning computer science.
https://www.iste.org/explore/articledetail?articleid=216
http://www.governing.com/columns/tech-talk/gov-a-time-for-code.html
https://www.ncwit.org/resources/moving-beyond-computer-literacy-why-schools-should-teach-computer-science/moving-beyond
-These sources provide me with information and why schools don't teach computer science and why we should.

-Map of My Argument
To visit my Coggle click here!

Conclusion:
The conclusion I will use is the Call to Action conclusion. I want my readers to try and help get computer science more attention in the schooling system. They will see what teaching computer science can do for their children's education and they will then go and try to get computer science implemented in their child's school.

Reflection: I read the blog posts of Joki and Jon. Jon seemed to have a very good grasp on what he needed to do in terms of visuals to make his genre and project more effective. He knew that he needed images that would only help his genre become more effective. Joki on the other hand has a very unique genre(letter) that doesn't necessarily include visuals. She still may be adding images but Joki definitely has a harder task when it comes to visuals in her genre. After reading these two I realized like my classmates, I also have a very good grasp on what my visuals should be to help further the quality of my project three.

Analyzing My Genre

In this blog post I will be answering questions regarding my genre, by answering these questions I will be analyzing my genre. I have also linked five examples(of the same topic) to the genre type that I will be using.

Example 1
Example 2
Example 3
Example 4
Example 5

Screenshot from Sean Bottai's website, taken on November 2nd

Social Context: 

• The genre is typically set in a presentation setting. It is typically in schools and students use power points to present to the classes. It is easily used for a presentation because it is made as a presentation platform. 
• The subject of the genre will be the computer science. I would also say the subject is public presentation. 
• Many presenters use this platform because it can be visually appealing and presented to a large group of people. It can provide slides that display talking points and the speaker uses the slides to aid him in his presentation. 
• As stated earlier, it is used for a presenter to present information to a group of people. It can be used to simplify an idea or to simply aid a presenter when they are presenting information.

Rhetorical Patterns of the Genre: 

• The type of content that is usually included is shorter, efficient information. An example of this is images that provide statistics or statistics themselves. Also short quotes are usually good also. It is important to not place too much on a slide or it is overwhelming. 
• The use of rhetorical appeals is dependent on the topic. The genre is simply a platform to present information. In this situation, pathos will be used along with ethos and logos. Pathos is most applicable to my topic. 
• In the examples they all start with a title page that eventually leads to the main idea of the presentation. They also include images and short bulleted points. They all also conclude their presentation in one manner or another. 
• The use of claims is very common. Since these are used in presentations the statements are typically used as talking points that the presenter will go on to elaborate on. 
• The language used is semi informal. Since they are short discussable claims they are not super hard statements to comprehend. The jargon used depends on the creator of the presentation and the topic of the presentation. 

Analyzing What those Patterns Reveal about the Social Context of the Genre:

• The genre includes the audience and the presenter. This genre does not include the idea of an author who writes a whole essay. It rather includes a person who creates the presentation.
• For readers or viewers this genre requires them to be attentive and try to be comprehensive. For the writer it requires the writer to be as effective and informative as possible in as little words as possible. 
• The assumption that the user is trying to get information conveyed to a large crowd along  with that the person using the genre is a good or efficient presenter. 
• This content treats facts and statistics as most valuable because they are the most effective use of statements in the little space provided in the slides. Long quotes are less valuable because a viewer will most likely not take the time to read it all when the slide is being presented. 

Reflection: I read the blog posts of Olivia and Grace. They both have very interesting genres in regard to their project threes. Olivia is doing a cooking video and seems to have a good grasp on the aspects of the genre and how she will implement them in her project. The same goes for Grace, she is creating a blog post.....something we are very familiar with. We all seem to have a good idea on how we will create our genres and how we will be effective with it. 

Considering Types

In this blog post I will be considering the different types of arguments that I could use for my project 3

Screenshot from Sean Bottai's website, taken on October 30th, 2015

After learning about the different arguments, I feel as if a position argument, evaluative argument, or a refutation argument. 

A position argument I believe would be the most effective because this debate has two clear sides. I would take my position on the issue, build the strongest argument for that side, then I would also be prepared to defend my position. There is really only a pro side and an against side so this seems to be the most practical type of argument. 

Another type of argument that would be effective is the evaluative argument. I would use examples of computer science in schools and evaluate how effective it has been in these schools. By doing this it would show that computer science is effective in schools and in turn should be emphasized more in all schools. 

A refutation argument would also work. Since this side is two sided, there is a clear anti-computer science argument. I would simply refute this argument and this would be simultaneously building up my argument. This is something I could do in the positional argument as well. I could combine the two very effectively. 

The casual argument and proposal argument just simply do not fit the issue I have at hand. It is hard to make the topic I am dealing with into a cause and effect type of argument. There also is not any problems with no computer science, it is just something that would be very beneficial to add to schools.

Reflection:
I read and commented on the Considering Types post and My Rhetoric Action Plan post of Grace. I also read and commented on the Considering Types post and My Rhetoric Action Plan post of Olivia. Through reading their posts, I've come to learn that the type of argument that will be used is heavily reliant on what kind of issue is being debated. Some issues have solutions, some are rooted from problems, and some are simply in order to try and enhance a situation that does not need fixing. It seems as if most of us have an understanding on our arguments and what we will need to do in order to maximize our argument, this means we understand who we are trying to reach and what type of argument will do this the most effectively. 

My Rhetorical Action Plan

In this blog post I will be analyzing my plan of action for this project by answering the questions provided that are shown below.

Screenshot from Sean Bottai's website, taken on October 29th, 2015

Audience: 

• The audience may or may not know about computer science. It is hard to say if the whole audience is on one side or the other. I do know that some people are aware of the situation and some do not. Some members know about computer science in school because some schools have some sort of computer science class. I believe the thought that a lot of members of the audience have is that computer science should be in school but as an elective course. 
• The values that I feel that all of the audience have is to do whatever benefits the students the most. They want to have their children and the rest of the students to be the most prepared for the real world and they want their children to be thoroughly educated through the schooling system. 
• I think the way to persuade the audience best is to show them that by implementing computer science in their children's schools, their kids will be gaining invaluable skills and their knowledge will grow as a result of the addition of computer science. I would show them what skills computer science builds problem solving skills which can be used in other classes and areas of knowledge. By implementing computer science not only will the students learn computer science but they will get the skills that are built from learning computer science. 
• I think images of students learning on computers could be beneficial to my arguments. I also think statistical images such as pie charts and graphs that show computer science as a good work field would also help my argument. 
• My audience is listening to my argument because it involves their children. With my argument I will be trying to teach them things they do not know about computer science and if it goes correctly they will join my side of the debate. In turn, they will try to raise awareness so that they can get computer science in schools.  

Genre:

Genre 1 - PowerPoint (Example 1 and Example 2)

• The function of this genre is to be simple but effective. It allows the viewer to not be overwhelmed all at once with a lot of information but rather break up the argument into pieces, making it easier to follow. I chose it to allow readers to educate themselves in a way that is better than reading an essay. 
• The setting of my genre is a slide show so typically an environment in which people are being educated in a group. I could see it being used at an expo of some sort with a large scale presentation.
• I would use pathos, to appeal to the emotional side of the audience. I would so this because since it involves their children it will be easy to appeal to emotion. 
• The visual elements will be the PowerPoint itself along with other images and visual statistics.
• This style is very informal and conservative. There is a possibility of discussion slides that are informal. 

Genre 2 - Persuasive Essay (Example 1 and Example 2)

• The function of this genre is an essay. It is meant to be very informative. I chose it because as a persuasive essay it will be informative and try to persuade readers to take my side on the issue. 
• A setting for this genre would be in schools or magazines/newspapers. It could also be put on a public website. It would go any place that persuasive pieces of writing are usually found. 
• I would use logos in a persuasive essay. It is a very informative piece of writing and by providing very logical information the reader will be more easily persuaded. 
• I could use bar graphs or pie graphs in the essay. Visual understanding could also help the reader be persuaded. Some times ideas are viewed as more logical when they are presented in a visual representation. 
• This genre will be more formal and academic. It is meant to be a solid piece of writing that educates the reader in a way that then leads to the reader being persuaded by the information provided and in turn they join my side of the argument. 

Positive Reactions:

• Readers turn to supporters of the cause and become advocates for the cause and they make movements towards advancing computer science in schools. - I would respond well to this because it is raising awareness for the cause and that is what I want. 
•  Computer science courses increase. - I would also like this reaction because it is starting to implement more computer science courses in schools.
• Legislators speak of changing curriculum in schools to make computer science a top priority. - This is very very unlikely but this would be an interesting effect. I would find this step fast but I would be interested to see how it works.  

Negative Rebuttals:

• No one is persuaded by my argument and no improvement in regards to teaching computer science is made. - I would be slightly sad that no one had a response to my argument. I would attempt to make another attempt at persuading them with a different avenue.
• Everyone hates the idea and thinks that it is a bad idea so they remove what little computer science education they had in schools. - I'd be very upset because it did the opposite of my intended purpose. I would keep trying to raise awareness for my side of the issue to gain support.
• People do not agree with me. - This is very possible, although it is a persuasive essay it does not mean that some people would nit be persuaded. In response I would continue to try and convince them with factual, evidence-based information. 

Analyzing Purpose

In this blog post I will be answering the four questions below in regard to purpose. The questions will be answered in reference to my project three.

Screenshot from Sean Bottai's website, Taken in October 28th, 2015

1. The goal of my public argument is very straight forward, I would like to see computer science become one of public educations main(or at least more main) focuses. I want the readers to try and look at what skills are formed from learning computer science rather than the actual learning of computer science. As a result of my argument I would love to see things get done to start teaching/placing more of an emphasis on computer science in education. Clearly, it will take time but to see some of the necessary steps being taken would be a start. 

2.

Plausible Actions/Reactions	Not Plausible
·         Discussions in schools about computer science ·         Importance of computer science is discussed ·         Studies are done to see what skills computer science creates ·         Some schools place more importance on computer science ·         Baby steps – trial computer science classes ·         Legislative bodies discuss implementing more computer science classes	·         Implement computer science in all schools ·         Make computer science the number one focus in all high schools ·         Every student sprouts immense interest in computer science ·         Every student becomes a programmer ·         Computer science is more recognized naturally ·         Computer science is a mandatory course/credit

3    3. Discussions in schools about computer science -> people start talking -> raises awareness on the issue -> more people feel that computer science should be taught in school -> people pressure schools into changes -> computer science becomes more important in school -> schools find it to be effective -> schools make computer science a main focus. 

d

s    4.The audience that I really need to reach is the parents of the children on the schools that are in question in regards to implementing computer science. If I can sway the parents in favor of my side, they will fight strongly for that side because they want what is best(or what they view as best) for their children. A parent is very concerned with their child's education. If they believe that by teaching computer science in schools their kid will gain invaluable problem solving skills that helps them in all areas of study, they will fight for that side. The only catch is convincing the parents that my side is the right side. The parents would try to get legislators and the school to implement computer science if they feel that it is needed in schools. If enough parents were to do this is could actually lead to changes being made. This is why parents are the audience that are the most important to target in regards to my argument. 

Analyzing Context

In this blog post I will be answering the questions regarding context from Writing Public Lives

Screenshot from Sean Bottai's website, taken on October 27th, 2015

• There are two key perspectives in the debate that I am studying. The two perspectives are those who would like to see computer science taught in schools and those who do not want computer science to be taught in schools. It is simply a two sided debate and there is not much lee way when it comes to opinions. 
• The main point of disagreement is whether computer science should taught in schools or not. Your opinion on this will basically put you in whichever side of the debate you belong with(based off of your opinion). 
• Possible points of agreement could be a way to implement the teaching of computer science but not at the level that some people want to see it implemented at. It would have to be a compromise between the two sides. 
• The basis for the opinion that each side is based off of is coming from the person's ideology. Some people see computer science in education as a platform for much greater knowledge. Other people's ideology is that by placing an emphasis on computer science will make it to other core areas of knowledge such as English, writing, and math will not receive a substantial amount of attention in schools. 
• The actions that they want to be taken are to either implement computer science or not depending what side of the debate they are on. Legislators have the final say when it comes to who decides what is taught in school so this is who they have to persuade. 
• The perspectives of those who want computer science to be implemented is the perspective that backs up my argument the most. I chose these because I felt that I aligned with the side that wants to teach computer science in high schools more. For this reasons, I share the same perspective with most people on that side of the debate and I can use their arguments to help form my argument. 
• I think that the perspective of computer science taking valuable time away from other core topics is a valid argument that goes against my argument. I think it is a valid point but can the teaching of computer science can be manipulated to make sure that the core topics do not lose any valuable time. 

Reflection: I read the blog posts of Joki and Jon. Joki and I had very similar approaches when analyzing the context. We both have a very two-sided debate and understand both sides of the debates. With that said, we also have a side of the debate that we side with more and will have to use our side's perspectives to try and disprove valid points made by the other side of the debate. After reading Jon's blog post, it seemed like he understood all sides of his debate but did not fully have a grasp on which side of the debate he stands with.

Audience and Genre

In this blog post I will be exploring the types of audiences that I am trying to reach with my paper.I will also be looking into what publication platforms and genres would be the most practical with my topic and audience.

thinkmedialabs, "Audience" taken on September 24th, 2011 via Flickr Attribution Generic 2.0

1. The primary audience that I need to address is the parents of the children. The children are merely subjected to the decisions made in regards to whether computer science should be taught or not. Even though the children are the subjects of the topic they have little to no say about whether computer science should be taught or not. A lot of the time, both sides try to appeal to the parents as they have a lot of say about what goes on in the schools that their children attend. The publication platforms could be a weekly school news letter or a schools website. The genres are computer science and education. Links to these can be seen here, here, here, and here.

2. Another audience that I will be specifically targeting is the government officials who make the decision to either implement or not implement computer science. The idea is that if the government officials will either be swayed by an argument such as mine and will then feel it is a good idea to implement computer science in schools. That is why it is necessary to target these government officials as a primary audience. The publication platforms to this would be a major news source and a newspaper. This is because it will be put out to the public and if the public is in support of the argument they will call for action from the government. The genre of this would be government action and the public calling for reform. The other genre would once again be computer science as the argument is based heavily off of factual evidence. Links to these can be seen here, here, here, and here.

Extended Annotated Bibliography

In this post I will be linking my extended annotated bibliography that I created for project three.

Alexandre Duret-Lutz "Bibliography" taken on December 11th, 2006 via Flickr Attribution Generic 2.0

Click HERE to visit my extended annotated bibliography for project three!

Narrowing My Focus

In this blog post I will be picking two of the questions from my previous blog post and I will be explaining their importance. 

Mathias Erhart, "Kittens", taken on June 8, 2008 via Flickr Attribution Generic 2.0

First question: "What is being fought for on both sides of the controversies?"

This question is very important to the debate. It is crucial to understand both sides of the debate and what they are advocating for. Both sides will have certain ways that they are feeling for certain reasons and it is important to find out what these reasons are. If I am capable of finding out the reasons it will allow me to justify what they are doing an analyze both sides without my own biases. 

Second question: "Are there geographic relations to who is for and against computer science in schools?"

This question is very interesting because it could demonstrate why there are people on both sides of the debate. People being raised a certain way in specific geographic areas could lead to a certain mindset on an issue like this. This is part of human nature, people have a reality that is formed off of how they are raised or what they are accustomed to. This might be applicable with people's views on computer science being taught in schools.

Questions About Controversy

For project three I will be focusing on the same topic of that in project two. I will be making the topic bigger to the topic of computer science in the education system. 

Lisa L Wiedmeier, "Puppy", taken on November 6th, 2012 via Flickr Attribution Generic 2.0

5 questions to identify who is involved:

• Who wants computer science in schools?
• Who does not want computer science in schools?
• Who would fund computer science in schools?
• Who would teach computer science in schools?
• Who would be learning the computer science in schools?

5 questions to learn about what is up for debate:

• What is being fought for on both sides of the controversies
• Why do people feel the way they do on each side?
• Does each side have evidence to back up their claims?
• Does teaching computer science take importance off of other subjects?
• Why is there a lack of computer science education in schools?

5 questions to learn about when the debate unfolded:

• When was the idea of teaching computer science in schools formed?
• When did computer science as a job begin?
• When were computers available to the general public?
• When was coding let out for the general public to experiment with?
• At what age(average) do kids have a growing interest in computer science?

5 questions to learn about where the debate unfolded:

• Where were computers formed?
• Where is coding and computer science very prominent/located?
• Which schools can afford to provide courses on computer science?
• Are there geographic relations to who is for and against computer science in schools?
• Are certain states more involved in the sphere of computer science?

5 questions to learn about how the debate unfolded in the media:

• Are there interviews debate regarding this topic?
• Are there any scholarly articles regarding this debate?
• Which groups of people advocate for what side of the debate?
• Is this debate heavily discussed on social media?
• Which organizations cover this topic/debate?

Reflection on Project 2

In this blog post I will be reflecting on my project 2 by answering questions provided by Writing Public Lives.

Swaminathan, "Reflections" taken on October 20th, 2007 via Flickr Attribution Generic 2.0

1. When revising my essay I really changed up my intro and conclusion, I changed my focus slightly and took the publisher into perspective which led to me revising my intro and conclusion.

2. When I revised my thesis, I focused on addressing the author's argument and the strategies used in the argument. The thesis exercises in class really helped me and I used what I learned about pathos, ethos, logic, authority, and audience to form a strong thesis.

3. What led to these changes was a change in perspective, I looked closer at the publisher (ISTE) and thought about what their purpose was for publishing this article on their website. I viewed them alongside with the two authors.

4. These changes strengthened my credibility because it demonstrated how I could view the significance of all aspects of an article and their purpose and reasoning. It demonstrated that I have good analytical skills.

5. These changes did not change how I addressed the audience. They were already heavily analyzed in my first draft and I maintained that throughout the revision and into the final draft.

6. I utilized what I learned in the "Punctuation" blog posts to correct grammatical and punctuation errors. I made some sentences shorter and combined or broke down certain sentences.

7. These changes will make the essay easier to read which will lead to the reader understanding the essay more since they can read it smoothly.

8. I originally wrote this essay like a QRG, I quickly found out it was written completely different and was written as an essay. After I learned that I had to reconsider the conventions of the project.

9. The process of reflection helps me learn a lot about myself. The identity I learned i have is that I tend to give an essay my all in the first rough draft so that there is less to revise, that being said, I revise and make changes by re reading my piece of work and using help from my classmates peer reviews.

Reflection: I was only able to read the blog post of Grace because no one else has done the reflection yet. Grace really emphasized focusing on her audience in the revision stage. She investigated who her audience was and how she can write her essay in order to appeal to the intended audience the most. She also edited to limit wordiness which was something I also did.