Thursday, September 17, 2009
D#4, HW#8 - Reflect: Take an inventory of what you know (page 47)
What are the stigmas of attending a community college is the central issue of my research question. The main controversy being the thought that attending a community college is not as good as going to a four-year school from day one. People disagree that going to a community college provides any advantage over attending a four-year school from the start. I believe that I can argue that attending a community college initially can provide me with many advantages that a four-school can’t. I base this on my own experiences here at MCC and those experiences of my old high school friends who attend ASU. I think a lot of the opinions are based on rumor and lies. I think those who have biases against community colleges hear stuff from others or many movies and television where community colleges are often depicted as being for losers. Typically, I have found that people discuss this in group environment like parties I go to where I have to defend myself as to why I am going to MCC instead of ASU. I am not really to sure what perspective I need to learn more about at this point.
D#4, HW#7 - Reflect: what is the writer's place in the rhetorical situation? (p.46)
My interest in this topic was sparked by the little comments my friends had (have) of my decision to attend a community college before transferring to ASU. I know that I have made the correct decision based on the amount and quality of academic work I have taken these past two semesters. I feel that I can answer my research question with my own personal experience as well as with information from other resources. I value this issue because I don’t want to be seen as a person taking the “easy way” to my degree. My perspective is simple – MCC provides me just a much quality of academics as I would get from ASU at this point. I think my values and perspectives will help me justify the silliness in having any stigmas toward attending a community college. My specific issue is with my friends with who I attended high school. They think that community colleges are for “losers”.
Tuesday, September 15, 2009
D#4, HW#6 - Write a research question (p. 45)
After some brainstorming and following the five steps on page 45 of our textbook, I have settled on the following as my research question:
What are the stigmas associated with attending a community college versus a four-year University?
What are the stigmas associated with attending a community college versus a four-year University?
D#4, HW#5 - Write:focus your research topic (p. 44)
My research topic is focused on the stigma associated with attending a community college versus a four-year University.
Subtopics
Subtopics
- The campus facilities
- The out-of-class activities
- Athletics
- Nation-wide recognition v. local recognition
- Big campus v. high school-like campus
- Academic standards
- The Professors
- Alumni
D#4, HW#4 - Reflect: How can I make my topic manageable? (P.43)
I feel that my topic is appropriate. I have found a lot of information that will allow me to fulfill the requirements of the assignment going forward. I am motivated to write on this topic because the topic is personal to me and I will be able to satisfy my need to explore the topic.
I am very interested in the topic because I have made a commitment to get my lower division credits at a community college before transferring to the state’s biggest University. I had the chance to go to ASU as a Freshman but chose the path I am on now for various reasons which I may document in my paper. Finally, I think my writing task is doable as I will debate specific subjects within the topic and try not to stray out further than I need to.
I am very interested in the topic because I have made a commitment to get my lower division credits at a community college before transferring to the state’s biggest University. I had the chance to go to ASU as a Freshman but chose the path I am on now for various reasons which I may document in my paper. Finally, I think my writing task is doable as I will debate specific subjects within the topic and try not to stray out further than I need to.
D#4, HW#3 - Techno_Tip (p.14)
What are people talking about in this blog?
This blog was about the recent case of a New York City supermodel who sued Google to find the identity of the person behind some hateful blogs towards her. A New York Court ruled that the NYC supermodel had the right to find out who was behind the blog. So Google gave up the identity of the blogger. The blog asked if this was a major development in online blogging.
How do different blogs relate to one another? How are they similar? How are they different?
The blog I found on www.blogcatalog.com listed under the ‘Personal’ category with the tag ‘Totally Useless’. Most of the blogs are random thoughts and reactions to everyday news or issues. The only differences I saw were the topics discussed. The reactions were pretty typical - if you chose to critize someone in a blog be aware you may have to identify yourself.
What subtopics did you learn about while following the conversations? Do some of the subtopics cause you to reconsider your understanding of the issue?
The subtopics of this blog talked about a blogger’s requirement to identify themselves upfront if they have bad things to say about someone. I learned that you may not in the future be able to blog anonymously and say negative things about someone. The court ruling shows me that Blog owners are responsible for their blog’s content.
This blog was about the recent case of a New York City supermodel who sued Google to find the identity of the person behind some hateful blogs towards her. A New York Court ruled that the NYC supermodel had the right to find out who was behind the blog. So Google gave up the identity of the blogger. The blog asked if this was a major development in online blogging.
How do different blogs relate to one another? How are they similar? How are they different?
The blog I found on www.blogcatalog.com listed under the ‘Personal’ category with the tag ‘Totally Useless’. Most of the blogs are random thoughts and reactions to everyday news or issues. The only differences I saw were the topics discussed. The reactions were pretty typical - if you chose to critize someone in a blog be aware you may have to identify yourself.
What subtopics did you learn about while following the conversations? Do some of the subtopics cause you to reconsider your understanding of the issue?
The subtopics of this blog talked about a blogger’s requirement to identify themselves upfront if they have bad things to say about someone. I learned that you may not in the future be able to blog anonymously and say negative things about someone. The court ruling shows me that Blog owners are responsible for their blog’s content.
Friday, September 11, 2009
D#3, HW#1-12
3. What did I like about the essay? How does it fit WP#1 assignment prompt? If you were going to revise this to submit for WP#1, what would you change? Why?
I liked how the Author inserted her personal experience with breastfeeding into the topic. For me, it made the essay personal to the Author. The essay fit into the WP#! Assignment by staying within the 3-4 page limit, she reflected on a specific experience, she discussed her purpose in researching and writing about the issue, she gave the audience her opinion on the issue and she did write in a intelligible manner. I would make one revision – what are the opposing viewpoints? I think it is important to at least share an opposite viewpoint to her clearly pro-breastfeeding opinion.
4. Identify kairos.
Kairos is moment in which you receive a motivational influence to write something no matter how small or large. An example, the first week of school (at MCC) parking was ridiculous! I deal with it like everyone else does but on my second day of class someone chose to park within inches of my driver-side door. You could say I had a kairos moment right there. I left a nice little not communicating my frustration with their parking. The note did reference their mother – for that I guess I should apologize.
My motivation to do this research and writing is to get a good grade of course. But as I get to the upper division course there will be other writing assignments where my research skills will be needed. I need to learn these skills now.
Nothing is really affecting me now, other than the amount of time I am spending reading and going through the process of thinking of a research topic. I go to calls, I go to work, I study, I eat and I sleep. So far that has been the majority of my last three weeks!
I’m not too sure how to answer what has happened in the past or what may happen in the future to affect the topic I am choosing. I am still in the process of selecting a topic.
5. Find out what’s important to you
The swine flu scare, will I be able to find a job once I am done with college, I live in a place that is not the safest neighborhood, Football players get away with a lot of stuff because they play on the varsity team.
I’m not too sure how to answer the remaining questions on page 39
6. Generate topic ideas
1. The stigma of attending a community college versus a four-year University
2. Our economic times and my place in this economic timeline
3. The ghetto-like atmosphere of my apartment complex in Mesa
4. The privileges given to Sports stars on the college campus
5. The Swine flu outbreak that may hit the college campus this year
6. Poor people are getting poorer and high unemployment may be here for a while
7. Social networks are great. But they can cause more harm than good
8. All this talk about going “Green”?
Rephrased:
Why is there a stigma associated with attending a community college versus a four-year University?
How do I fit in these economic times and what is my place in this economic timeline?
Why do the people that live in my apartment complex live in ghetto-like fashion?
Why are campus athletes given academic privileges?
How hard will the Swine Flu affect the Mesa Community College campus this winter?
Will the unemployment rate ever go back to pre-recession levels?
Social networking – do they cause more harm than good?
What does it really mean to “Go Green”?
Why is there a stigma associated with attending a community college versus a four-year University?
I have several friends attending Arizona Sate University who thinks that it would be beneath them to attend one of the Maricopa Community Colleges. I am annoyed by this attitude. I think that Community Colleges provide just as much of a solid education as most traditional four-year universities. I chose MCC for several reasons including financial, flexibility and academic success rate in getting into a four-year school. This does not make my education any least than the person who chose to attend a four-year school from the start.
The interesting idea within this topic is:
I think that Community Colleges can provide just as much of a solid education as most traditional four-year universities.
7. Consider audience and purpose
My audience for this research paper will be my instructor and my classmates in ENG102. I think they will relate to the topic as it seems most of my classmates may be in a transfer program to ASU. Or, if they are seeking an Associates degree, my consider further education at a four-year school down the road. I think my topic will satisfy the research requirement for this class. The criteria I have for this research topic is to stay focused and not let the argument drift out into areas not meeting my research goal.
9.
I wrote for about seven minutes about the prejudices of attending a Community college in the eyes of some people. How by going to ASU you prove yourself academically. By even being accepted into ASU, you are better. The thought that classes at Community colleges are at the high school level is a joke. The instructors at Community colleges are mostly rejects form four-year schools. The level of education is bad a community colleges. If community colleges are so good why do more people go to ASU than any other school?
10.
I didn’t know where to get this information? Was I supposed to find resources to do this one?
11.
Caporrimo, Rosaria. “Community College Students: Perceptions and Paradoxes” Community College Journal of Research & Practice, Jan 2008, Web. 11 Sep. 2009
Doyle, William R. “Community College Tranfers and College Graduation” Change, May/Jun2006, Web. 11 Sep. 2009
I liked how the Author inserted her personal experience with breastfeeding into the topic. For me, it made the essay personal to the Author. The essay fit into the WP#! Assignment by staying within the 3-4 page limit, she reflected on a specific experience, she discussed her purpose in researching and writing about the issue, she gave the audience her opinion on the issue and she did write in a intelligible manner. I would make one revision – what are the opposing viewpoints? I think it is important to at least share an opposite viewpoint to her clearly pro-breastfeeding opinion.
4. Identify kairos.
Kairos is moment in which you receive a motivational influence to write something no matter how small or large. An example, the first week of school (at MCC) parking was ridiculous! I deal with it like everyone else does but on my second day of class someone chose to park within inches of my driver-side door. You could say I had a kairos moment right there. I left a nice little not communicating my frustration with their parking. The note did reference their mother – for that I guess I should apologize.
My motivation to do this research and writing is to get a good grade of course. But as I get to the upper division course there will be other writing assignments where my research skills will be needed. I need to learn these skills now.
Nothing is really affecting me now, other than the amount of time I am spending reading and going through the process of thinking of a research topic. I go to calls, I go to work, I study, I eat and I sleep. So far that has been the majority of my last three weeks!
I’m not too sure how to answer what has happened in the past or what may happen in the future to affect the topic I am choosing. I am still in the process of selecting a topic.
5. Find out what’s important to you
The swine flu scare, will I be able to find a job once I am done with college, I live in a place that is not the safest neighborhood, Football players get away with a lot of stuff because they play on the varsity team.
I’m not too sure how to answer the remaining questions on page 39
6. Generate topic ideas
1. The stigma of attending a community college versus a four-year University
2. Our economic times and my place in this economic timeline
3. The ghetto-like atmosphere of my apartment complex in Mesa
4. The privileges given to Sports stars on the college campus
5. The Swine flu outbreak that may hit the college campus this year
6. Poor people are getting poorer and high unemployment may be here for a while
7. Social networks are great. But they can cause more harm than good
8. All this talk about going “Green”?
Rephrased:
Why is there a stigma associated with attending a community college versus a four-year University?
How do I fit in these economic times and what is my place in this economic timeline?
Why do the people that live in my apartment complex live in ghetto-like fashion?
Why are campus athletes given academic privileges?
How hard will the Swine Flu affect the Mesa Community College campus this winter?
Will the unemployment rate ever go back to pre-recession levels?
Social networking – do they cause more harm than good?
What does it really mean to “Go Green”?
Why is there a stigma associated with attending a community college versus a four-year University?
I have several friends attending Arizona Sate University who thinks that it would be beneath them to attend one of the Maricopa Community Colleges. I am annoyed by this attitude. I think that Community Colleges provide just as much of a solid education as most traditional four-year universities. I chose MCC for several reasons including financial, flexibility and academic success rate in getting into a four-year school. This does not make my education any least than the person who chose to attend a four-year school from the start.
The interesting idea within this topic is:
I think that Community Colleges can provide just as much of a solid education as most traditional four-year universities.
7. Consider audience and purpose
My audience for this research paper will be my instructor and my classmates in ENG102. I think they will relate to the topic as it seems most of my classmates may be in a transfer program to ASU. Or, if they are seeking an Associates degree, my consider further education at a four-year school down the road. I think my topic will satisfy the research requirement for this class. The criteria I have for this research topic is to stay focused and not let the argument drift out into areas not meeting my research goal.
9.
I wrote for about seven minutes about the prejudices of attending a Community college in the eyes of some people. How by going to ASU you prove yourself academically. By even being accepted into ASU, you are better. The thought that classes at Community colleges are at the high school level is a joke. The instructors at Community colleges are mostly rejects form four-year schools. The level of education is bad a community colleges. If community colleges are so good why do more people go to ASU than any other school?
10.
I didn’t know where to get this information? Was I supposed to find resources to do this one?
11.
Caporrimo, Rosaria. “Community College Students: Perceptions and Paradoxes” Community College Journal of Research & Practice, Jan 2008, Web. 11 Sep. 2009
Doyle, William R. “Community College Tranfers and College Graduation” Change, May/Jun2006, Web. 11 Sep. 2009
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