Reflection on the blogging this semester.

This semester in our English Composition 122, we had to write blogs throughout the entire semester. The blogs were essentially stepping stones, where we applied ideas and concepts in a small way to what we were working on in our class. Each blog had something to do with a larger writing assignment, and they were equally helpful in applying the idea or concept. At first, I found the blogs to be ‘busy work’, but as I moved through the semester, I found them to be helpful, like they were a pseudo first draft. Personally, I hate writing multiple drafts, so I edit constantly as I write any assignment. Having to write these blogs has made me think deeper about the topic/idea/theme, and has helped increase the effectiveness of my writing.         

            When I went to write my final paper, I was able to pull not only from my previous three papers, but I was also able to pull from each of my blogs. In fact, I used some of the sources that I referenced in my blogs, and put those into my paper, because I felt like it added value to the message that I was trying to convey. I think that the best blog that I wrote was my blog on evaluating editorial articles. Previously, I hadn’t thought about editorial articles as a different branch of writing, but after learning about it, I might even consider that as something that I might like to do for a living. They are very brief, but also informative. In the ‘instant- gratification’ society that we live in today, getting a message across quickly is imperative, otherwise you run the risk of losing a bigger audience. The editorial article that I found was great, in fact I referenced it in my paper, and used it as a source.

            I would say that I probably wouldn’t want to add my BlogSpot to my resume, because I feel like it is almost too informal. If I wanted to display my work, I would probably choose some of my other research and argumentative papers to display my capabilities. I think that the blogs were a good idea, and I would recommend others to try and do the same when they are attempting to write papers for school or something similar. They help with brainstorming, especially when someone like myself doesn’t like to write multiple drafts. 

The importance of framing evidence and sources

Framing evidence and sources is important because it is a way that the author essentially guides the readers by showing them specific evidence in the text. The textbook, “Writing Arguments a Rhetoric with Readings” says: “…an arguer consciously selects evidence from a wide field of data and then frames these data through rhetorical strategies that emphasize some data, minimize others, and guide the reader’s response.”

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has various data regarding plastic waste, and how the oceanic ecosystem is affected. The EPA does a great job with framing evidence, facts, and sources that show the reader how much plastic waste has negatively affected the ocean. One of the first sections in their article on plastic waste incorporates facts that make their readers sympathetic to the EPA’s goal(s) that they are trying to accomplish. Then the EPA shows the reader how plastics are made, and how they are recycled. After that basic information, the article explains to the reader how to identify different plastics, and how those specific plastics should be recycled. Finally, they show markets for recovered plastics; which is how those plastics are converted into another usable product rather than just add to the accumulating waste.

When I did a Google search for framing sociology, I found one website that was helpful in understanding framing theory. It said: “Framing theory and the concept of framing bias suggests that how something is presented (the “frame”) influences the choices people make. This idea is important because it is contrary to the central concept of rational choice theory.  According to this theory, people always strive to make the most rational choices possible.” In other words, framing evidence should be done in a way that the readers will identify with statistics and evidence that is rational. So, a hypothetical example would be:

1.     This year, .06% of children will die by poisoning due to packaging labels not being explicit.

2.     This year, 2,506 children will die by poisoning due to packaging labels not being explicit.

If I were arguing for better labeling of hazardous materials, I would choose to use the actual number, rather than percent of child deaths, because it appears to be more to the reader. If I chose to use the percent of children, rather than the number, it wouldn’t convey the same message; that mislabeling is a big issue, and needs to be reformed. These types of examples can go either way, but the important part is that the author chooses to display the facts or data in a way that is more powerful to the reader. Framing is an important and imperative way to be effective in any argumentative writing.

Evaluation of Editorial Articles

     An editorial is an article that is written by an author for a news publication. Editorials follow the same pattern of other articles or pieces of writing which include an introduction, body, and conclusion. This type of writing appeals to Kairos, where the timing is an important aspect. Editorials are not lengthy, they normally consist of around 500 words. Sometimes editorials have a personal aspect, but do not include content written in first person. Editorials address an issue, and they attempt to; explain an issue, criticize an issue, persuade an audience, or praise an issue. There is somewhat of a structure that editorial pieces follow. The process, again, is similar to other works of writing; they address an issue, present opinions or facts, present opposing opinions or facts, use examples to gain credibility, and conclude. (http://www.geneseo.edu/~bennett/EdWrite.htm)

     The topic of oceanic plastic pollutants that I have been researching this semester, has been researched and written on for many years. An editorial piece that I found on that topic was posted by the New York Times’ website. “Notes From thePlasticene Epoch, From Ocean to Beach, Tons of Plastic Pollution” written by The Editorial Board, was posted on June 14, 2014.

     This article addressed the issue of plastic waste that is ending up in the ocean and on surrounding beaches. It mentioned a common misconception regarding “floating islands of trash”, but clarified that the ‘islands’ are “… more like vast, soupy concentrations of flotsam, some of it large, some tiny, all indigestible, sickening and killing fish, birds, whales and turtles.” They also went on to show the readers about the amount of trash that one organization removed from the ocean. “They collected 1,312 pounds of trash…” which included mostly plastic waste, and could have been prevented if more recycling programs had been implemented. 

     This article does a good job of making the issues of oceanic pollution relevant, as well as clarifying some misconceptions regarding the issue itself. This article was short, as many editorial articles are, but it was very effective. It appealed to Kairos, because it was urging the readers to become more involved in recycling programs, and it offered information about another cleanup that was going to be happening within the next month following the its publish date. 

The Importance of Incorporating Charts, Graphs, Breakout Boxes into Research Papers.

In an instant gratification society, getting information across to a lazy audience is pretty difficult. One effective way to get information to an audience is by incorporating visual aids such as;

·      Charts

·      Graphs (bar & line)

·      Breakout boxes

Many reputable websites, like news reporting websites, and even less-reputable ones such as DIY websites all incorporate visual aids. These aids can include a vast amount of information, from statistics, to directions on how to install a wall mount for a television. The use of these aids helps the reader get an idea of the topic that is discussed in the content of the material, or to help them further understand the content.

A great way to visually display any number of statistics is by incorporating bar graphs, pie charts, and line graphs. Generally, graphs “tell a story” which emphasizes a point that the author is trying to make. A visual display is very effective, and sometimes more memorable than pages of text. Chapter 9 of Writing Argument: A Rhetoric with Readings says: “With the availability of spreadsheet and presentation programs, today’s writers often create and import quantitative graphics into their documents. These visuals- such as tables, pie charts, and line or bar graphs- can have great rhetorical power by making numbers tell a story at a glance.”

Another great way that authors can visually appeal to an audience to get their main ideas across is by use of bullet points. Bullet points visually lay out the key points that the author is touching on, and because they are generally bold and outside the text body; they stand out. Many bloggers employ bulleted entries before their text, so that their readers can get an idea about what each section is about. Although effective, it allows for the readers to skim through the material, and possibly not read the contents, hence why it is important to include the main ideas when using bullet points.

One example of a breakout box was found on BBC News Business website. This article discusses the United Kingdom’s GDP growth, and uses a bar graph to illustrate fluctuations of growth and decline from 1990-2014. The graph shows that the UK had some declines in GPD briefly in the early 90’s, and again in the late 200’s, but overall their GDP has had positive growth. The bar graph is effective in showing the reader that the UK’s economy has been fairly positive over the past twenty or so years.

For my argumentative paper, which is about oceanic pollution, I could create and incorporate some type of visual tool such as a chart or graph. Throughout my previous research, I have found a lot of statistical data regarding pollution and how it effects the natural environment. I could use some of that data and then create a display, which will visually illustrate the damaging effects that pollution causes. I think that if I employ a visual aid, that my argument’s strength will only increase in its effectiveness.

When an author is writing an argumentative paper, it is important for them to use data or evidence to back up their claims. Their use evidence or data in their writing is important, and sometimes more effective when used in visual displays such as; graphs, charts, and breakout boxes.