Website Portfolio Link

To view my final portfolio, click here.

Thlog: Week 10

Where did the time go?! I can’t believe it’s been just over two months since I began this Writing 2 adventure. We really only did one stand-out activity this week, and that included reading and analyzing Anna and Bella’s example metacognitive essays. This gave us an insight into the flexibility of design, context and tone required for our paper. Anna’s metacognitive response paper had a fantastic chronological structure, but her writing could have been a lot more interesting and creative. Contrastingly, Bella’s essay had terrible structure, but used more of a personal and conversational voice that was very interesting to read. In my own metacognitive response essay, I will extract ideas from both of these examples. In specific, I am going to use a similar chronological structure to Anna’s, but use a conversational, emotional tone in my writing similarity to Bella’s. My personal idea of reflection is to oversee previous work and make a valuable assessment on my progress. Reflecting will give me the opportunity to see how I’ve improved over the course, and what I’ve learnt not only as a writer but as a person. 

So as I wrap up Writing 2’s final Thlog, I want to thank Z for the enthusiasm and passion he brought to the course. In addition, I want to also thank my classmates for providing me with constructive feedback for most of my work. Goodbye Writing 2!

OMG wait I just found this picture of a guy waving goodbye and it looks like Z hahaha I hope everyone appreciates this as much as I do.

Thlog: Week 9

Monday’s class was primarily targeted at exploring and sharing our WP3 ideas. I initially jotted down a few questions and concerns I had about my WP3. The most difficult question I needed answering was whether or not a Yahoo Answers post was an appropriate genre selection for my mature audience. Because of its lack of credibility, I was unsure if I can sincerely address an important topic through this mode of cyber communication. However, after posting the question on my PB3A, I received an awesome response from Sam. She suggested that instead of using a Yahoo Answers post for my adult audience, I use it for my younger audience. This way, it ties in with the “lack of credibility” because children often don’t seek credible sources when simply “Googling” a question. So big shout-out to Sam for solving my dilemma. 

I’m really really looking forward to creating our final portfolio. Z gave some pretty reasonable comments on both my WP1&2, so fixing those up and seeing how much better I can make them is exciting. I’m also interested to see how I’m going to approach my reflection piece, and how far I have come — if at all — since the beginning of the quarter. I can’t believe how quick this quarter has flown! One more thlog ;)

WP3: Writing About Writing, About Writing

Being an international student studying in America is shocking and often disadvantageous. The education system and formatted curriculum is unlike any other in the world. First-year composition — an introductory core curriculum writing course — is unique to the United States and is often disputed as an unnecessary course. Doug Downs’ article What Is First-Year Composition? explains the origin, features, positives, and negatives of learning and teaching writing in a first-year composition (FYC) course. According to Downs, over time, writing has become about avoiding breaking specific “rules,” which students are to be adept with by the end of high school (Downs, 53). Downs relates these “rules” to rhetorical writing, in that rhetoric predicts that “rules” vary by situation and are dependent on audience perception. Given that writing is not universal but contingent of community standards and subject knowledge, we can predict that “writing will be learned best not in an isolated, universal course, but via actual genres written in the situations they’re intended for” (Downs, 55). Teaching writing outside meaningful rhetorical situations won’t work well; learning transfer from general instruction will be hit-or-miss. Downs argues that traditional FYC has many flaws: its stakeholders ascribing blame to bad students and bad teaching. But despite these flaws, FYC is a site where people can explore and profess knowledge, including access, interaction, voice, textual production, rhetoric.

          Using Downs’ academic piece as a template for my transformed genres, I have specifically targeted two audiences — one younger and one older — to translate the article’s content. For the younger audience, I have used a Yahoo Answers post, targeting students from 14-18 years old. The Yahoo Answers questioner is a 17-year-old student from Australia, who is new to the American schooling system and wants to know what first-year composition is. Beginning her first quarter at UCSB she is placed into a first-year composition class, and asks the public to give a definition and the objective behind the course. Following the question are multiple respondents that represent specific members and groups in society. These members include Doug Downs (the author), a politician, a professor, a student, a graduate teaching assistant, and the (FYC) institution. These responses all correspond with one of Downs’ main arguments — that first-year composition has the potential to be beneficial, if taught in an appropriate manner. 

          My younger audience genre is a Yahoo Answers page with the question “What Is First-Year Composition?” This particular post targets students around 14-18 years old, who are currently enrolled in high school. These students attend American schools, and are required to take a first-year composition course in their first year of college. Yahoo Answers is a public forum, accessible to basically anyone in society. Because any internet-user is able to post a response, the credibility of the forum is decreased drastically. Despite its lack of credibility, Yahoo Answers is the quickest and most convenient Q&A forum available on the internet. Generally, younger internet-users are less likely to search credible sources and instead search for the most accessible and available answer to a given question. 

         To suit this target audience, the language and tone used in the Yahoo Answers page is casual and unprofessional, with multiple grammatical errors. Also included are informal abbreviations and emotion symbols. However, the respondents tone varies depending on whom is giving the answer. The student’s language compared to the professor’s language is far more crude, exaggerated and less serious about the subject matter. For instance, the professor answers "First-year composition is an English course meant to ensure students can write when they get to us -- but doesn't; our students can't complete a sentence, much less write well." Another student on the other hand states "FYC is just some shiz you have to take that makes you ok 4 taking otha classes. its really stupid nd boring. "

         The context segment directly below the Yahoo Answers question provides the audience with a short briefing on exactly what the questioner is asking and why. In this particular post, the Australian student explains that she grew up in the Australian schooling system, and is unfamiliar with “first-year composition.” The respondents to the post are people in varying disciplines in different settings of society. The context of each answer varies depending on the respondent and their personal and educational background. 

          The genre I’ve transformed to fit an older audience is an informative email addressed to parents of students taking an English class in their senior year of high school. The target audience is therefore approximately 40-60 years old. The email aims to inform the parents on the reformed English class content and format. In relation to Downs’ article, the email explains that instead learning to avoid breaking “rules” in English class, the students will be taught about various writers, writing processes, genre, and rhetorics. In addition, the email briefly lists the previous course intentions, and describes the newly revised attitudes and objectives. 

          To suit this target audience, the language and tone is formal and proper, with no grammatical errors. If the author of the email was a teacher with more of a personal relationship with the parents, the tone would have purposely been more friendly and conversational. However, because the author is the Head of English Department, the language must be non-conversational and an almost superior tone. 

          The context of the email focuses on both previous and reformed course material. Because the email is addressed to a cohort of parents rather than an individual, the opening paragraph introduces the author to the recipients. The second paragraph talks about the “past forty years,” and the strategy behind teaching and grading writing within the department. The following paragraph explains why this strategy is outdated and weak. The forth paragraph includes a very brief explanation on the reformed teaching strategy, and what the department wants to achieve as a result. The final paragraph includes a couple of helpful suggestions, including the enclosed copy of the class rubric and offering to be available for any questions through the most convenient mode of communication. At the very end of the paragraph, the author signs off, followed by their position within the school, the school’s name, her email, and her phone number. 

          The structure of the email is very specific, so that the audience can understand the content and not waste any time in doing so. The opening line of the email is an address to the recipients, followed by a sentence of introduction. Then, a brief summary of the topic and situation is addressed. Following this summary is the argument against this situation and why. The final main paragraph is how the author is proposing to fix the situation. To end the email, the author has attempted to end in a positive and approachable manner; offering availability for questions and an attachment of the class rubric. Finally, the author signs off, followed by an assortment of personal and contact information. 

I chose to use Yahoo Answers to represent a younger genre because a younger audience is less likely to fret about the credibility of the answer. When I was younger, I would rely on Yahoo Answers for almost anything. When one types a question into Google, Yahoo Answers is often one of the first links, as it is the most relatable link available. Additionally, if I ever needed a quick response to a question, I would post on Yahoo Answers and receive a response within hours. The promptness and easiness is appealing, especially to impatient children.

          My goal for the Yahoo Answers page was to communicate on a social and interactive platform what first-year composition is, and how different people from different disciplines have varying definitions. I attempted to use the casual atmosphere and lack of credibility to target a specific audience, whom generally responds more openly in these circumstances.

          My intended audience was American high school students (14-18 years old) who are educated and are taking a compulsory English class. In attempt to meet this particular audience’s expectations, I wanted to focus a lot on conveying a main topic in Downs’ article as efficiently and simplistically as possible. Because high school students are often lazy when it comes to reading, I wanted to ensure the content was minimal and broken up, without being too broad. In addition, I used emotion symbols and abbreviation, which often appeals to younger internet users.

          The moves I used in this translation was to use numerous definitions and opinions from different people in society, and then  “[render] the characters, context and environments in those frames clearly” (McLoud, 156). This gives the readers a three-dimensional approach to first-year composition, just like Downs suggests in his article. However, the respondents don't originate from similar disciplines, but vary from politicians, to parents, to students, and professors. Using answerers from different disciplines “engages [the] audience in a way that will invite them to be receptive to [the] message,” regardless of their background (Losh and Alexander, 2013). These different perspectives gives the audience options on how to approach first-year composition depending on their preferred source. A child who is more serious about school may prefer to listen to the professor, rather than a non-studious student’s bias opinion. On the other hand, “mentioning that you’re a college freshman might give you credibility if you’re responding to a post aimed at teenagers applying for [first-year composition] college courses” (Losh and Alexander, 2013).

          I chose to write an email to the parents of students in a high school English class because parents are often interested in what their child is being taught in school and why. When I was in high school, my teachers from various disciplines would email my parents informing them on exactly what content I was studying and how the teacher was approaching the course. I asked my mother to extract an old email from my high school economics teacher in Australia. Although the curriculum and teaching style varies in Australia, the genre conventions of an informative email addressed to a parent appear to be very standard. The email always begun and ended with a polite sentence or two, similarly to what I have demonstrated in my email.

          My goal for the email was to redeclare and correct the outdated model of teaching and grading in a writing class, and to briefly introduce a newly revised rubric. The email’s purpose is essentially a courtesy piece, to forewarn parents on alterations of the English class’s regime.  

          The intended audience of the email was to parents of students taking an English class in their senior year of high school. The target audience is therefore approximately 40-60 years old. Access to education is much easier in today’s society, so whether or not the audience is wealthy or was educated themselves is indeterminable. In addition, the race and gender are two other social factors that are unknown. The relationship between the audience and their children is also indeterminable, but the email is narrated assuming they are somewhat interested in their child’s education. With this assumption, I tailored my piece as a courtesy email. Because of the author’s role as an English teacher, “it is their duty to be formal and respectable” (Losh and Alexander, 2013). Therefore, I intentionally used a professional format so that the audience respects the decisions made in the email. 

          A particular move I used was to conclude the email by offering availability for questions or concerns. This gives the audience an option to discuss or clarify the content presented throughout the email. At the bottom of the email, I included a phone number and contact email for the audience to use, further promoting the audience’s power to contact the author. Another move I used was to begin and end the email with friendly, off-topic statements. For instance to begin the email, the author introduced herself, and to conclude the email the author offered to answer any questions or concerns about the topic. I used this move in attempt come across as polite, by greeting and farewelling the audience with poise. The content within the email may cone across as bland to some members of the audience, so having a more conversational beginning and end keeps the audience somewhat engage.


Available Links:
"What Is First-Year Composition" - Doug Downs
Transformed Genre: Email
Transformed Genre: Yahoo Answers Page
WP3 + Feedback Matrix

PB3A: Unravelling & Transforming Genres

For my WP3, I’ve decided to work with Doug Downs’ What Is First-Year Composition?  Downs’ article focuses on what first-year composition is, and whether or not it has out-grown our current society. In short, first-year composition is an introductory core curriculum writing course that focuses on improving students’ abilities to write in a university setting and introduces students to writing practices in the disciplines and professions. The opening paragraph of Downs’ article discusses the definition of first-year composition depending on the person being asked within society including a politician, parent, or professor for instance. Before Downs goes into specifics on first-year composition he attempts to tackle what is actual “good” writing. After a short discussion he deciphers that “good” writing is socially constructed. Downs then attempts to explain the origin and importance of following an obligatory core curriculum in high school, to give the reader additional information on how the first-year composition course was derived. The key aspect of Downs’ article is that overall, “good” academic writing becomes about avoiding breaking the many socially constructed rules and sticking to the Harvard writing format as best as possible.

To morph Downs’ piece into two completely new genres, I have selected genres that appeal to age-specific audiences. For the younger audience, I will use an email written by a literature teacher that targets middle school students. The second genre will be a Yahoo Answers post, that primarily targets a more mature audience. 

Younger Audience

Genre: Email

Target Audience: A class of grade 6 students obligated to take literature class (11-year-olds)

Scenario: During the first week of (middle school) instruction, the students constantly complained about how much they hated literature, and instead wanted to study something they enjoy. The email has been sent on the first weekend of instruction, addressed to the students of her literature class.

Genre Subject: The email will be a welcoming passage to the students in her literature class, along with a brief explanation as to why the students must study the set curriculum, rather than being able to choose their own subjects.

Conventions: The email will be set out professionally; including a line to address the class, a welcoming paragraph, an explanatory paragraph (on why they study core subjects), a concluding paragraph, and a sign-off. Because of the young audience, the language will be basic and comprehensive to an 11-year-old, and the tone friendly and calm. The email will also be short, because often younger people have shorter attention spans. In addition, the email will include multiple emoji’s and a couple of colorful pictures somewhat relevant to the email, so that the children are more likely to positively react. 

 

Mature Audience

Genre: Yahoo Answers Post (including questions and answers)

Target Audience: Mature person seeking a definition and different perspectives on first-year compositions.

Scenario: The Yahoo Answers questioner will be Jaimee Gilbertson from Australia, who is new to the American schooling system and wants to know the exact definition of first-year composition. There are then many respondents that represent specific members or groups in society. These members include Doug Downs (the author), a parent, a politician, a person of the general public, a professor, a student, a graduate teaching assistant, and the (FYC) institution. 

Genre Subject: In Yahoo Answers, users have the opportunity to ask a specific question, whilst other users respond to the question to receive points. The highest rated answer voted by the public is displayed at the top of the “answers” segment. 

Conventions: Generally following the “question” posed by a Yahoo Answers user, there is a “context” blurb written by the questioner that gives the viewers a slightly more comprehensive explanation on what the user is asking. Below the “question” and “context” segments of the Yahoo Answers page, there is the “answers” section, where it lists each of the respondents answers. The answers will be a couple of sentences long, and use highly intellectual language to fit the target audience.

I have some questions regarding my proposal, so please feel free to answer them or make any additional suggestions!

Questions: 

1. Should my “mature audience” genre be more professional? Because the people who are involved (politicians, professors, parents etc.) might not be inclined to use Yahoo Answers, because of its lack of credibility. Perhaps a more formal writing blog could be used instead?
2. Should I make the Yahoo Answers questioner someone other than myself? Maybe an anonymous user, or perhaps a student in a particular academic field?
3. Should I include information about obtaining “points” as a user on Yahoo Answers? Or is it irrelevant?

Thlog: Week 8

So on Monday we handed in our WP2's! What a flippin’ relief. It was super time-consuming and difficult to write — I was definitely out of my comfort zone for that one. On Monday I was sick as a dog, so missed the entertaining videos everyone keeps on talking about. 

I’m a big fan of Losh and Alexander’s comic. I think it’s really impressive that they created an entertaining and intriguing comic, and be able to relate it to academic writing so convincingly. I much prefer reading comics than boring paragraphs of writing, so I found this was a great way to mix up the class reading. Losh and Alexander focus on writers adapting to audience’s, and changing identities accordingly. They compared this idea to choosing particular clothes for particular occasions, so changing rhetorics can be a great thing. Anyway, it was a super cool reading for this week.

So WP3 is slowly approaching, and I’m a lot more excited about it than I have been about the previous writing projects. As we looked over previous WP3’s ideas, I’m pretty bummed we weren’t able to select our own topic. I feel like I would have been a lot more motivated to do it, but I understand this is a writing class and it’s important to learn about writing in the process. I’m in Hawaii for the rest of the week, so I’m going to try to attempt PB3A soon so that I don’t end up completing it at the last minute. I’m still a little confused about the tone of this proposal. Is it supposed to be conversational? Also, in the WP3, is there a specific format to follow? Or am I just writing about what I’ve done in an orderly fashion? Hopefully I find my selected article interesting enough to challenge my creativity and think outside the box.

Thlog: Week 7

So instead of Thloggin’ Thursdays I’ve decided today’s going to be Weekly Writing Wednesdays. No more procrastination. So this week was a very short week, so there’s not a lot to write on. One of the writing tips Z gave us this week was writing out a mind map. I actually do this every time I am given a prompt and have a topic of interest. Especially writing it out, it enables me to just get all of my ideas and assort them into particular parts. This promotes the idea of overlapping and relating the concepts more closely. 

We then went to socrative.com where everyone in the class pasted their introductions. Each student voted on their three favorite introductions.  The two highest voted introductions possessed some moves that are unique to the authors. For instance, the highest rated introduction started with a question, followed by a definition and ended with a quote. The second highest rated introduction had a very conversational tone, with the sentence length varying drastically. This exercise was super sweet, because it gave everyone the chance to read other people’s work and take away some effective moves. I especially like that both of the introductions had a really strong, interesting first sentence. I think the first sentence of the paragraph is the most important, because it sets the tone for the entire essay. I’ll definitely be using these tips from other student’s introductions and implementing them into my own writing.

We then went into peer reviewing (my favorite part!), and came out with some very useful tips. The girls who peer reviewed my work said that the structure of my paper was really creative and effective. Because “structure” was a big problem in my WP1, I’m really happy with the way my draft turned out and the girls’ positive comments. I still, however, need to do a lot more with finding sources and using them to enhance my paper.