Reading Sources Critically

Reading Sources Critically

1.       What arguments does the author make?

Schools, specifically high schools and how they aren’t teaching anti-racial topics the way they should be taught.

White people should never use the N-word, but black people can decide what the appropriate line is for them.

There are other ways to fight racism.

He makes it clear that he is analyzing the problem from a white person’s perspective.

2.       How persuasive do you find the argument?

His overall argument that black people can have their own conversations about when it is appropriate to use the n-word but that white people should never use it. He supports this with the example and further argument that teachers need to appropriately teach materials containing racial differences.  He addresses the point that some people make that black people and white people have a double standard with that word but history has been a double standard and people need to get over it. He uses the analogies of Jeff Foxworthy, Seinfeld, and referring to Jewish jokes.

3.       What is the author’s stance?

He is very clear that he is against any white person using that word in any connotation.

4.       Does the publisher bring a certain stance to the work?

Boston College is a catholic college and they could have taken religious values into consideration.

5.       Do you recognize ideas you’ve run across in other sources?

Yes, nearly form every large magazine including Time.

6.       Does this source support or challenge your own position – or does it do both?

It supports our opinions.

7.       What can you tell about the intended audience and purpose?

Audience definitely consisted of college students and the purpose was to generate conversation for the students there. Another purpose would be to reinforce the fact that y’all shouldn’t be using the word under any circumstance if you are white. The main purpose was to argue a certain point. 

In-Class Lab: How Things Mean

Thesis: Advertisements generally strive to bring groups of people to consensus, appealing strongly to their emotions.

Peace Symbol Analysis.

The overall statement of both buttons is to reject war, and provide support for peaceful means of reaching agreement.

They make their statement through visual representation.

Left Button

·         The “melty” font of the statement creates the allusion of a melting heart, or one open to suggestions.

·         The circular peace symbol could represent the world, further explaining the buttons point for world peace. The outside ring is circular, meaning that it has no endpoints. This can be related to an eternity symbol.

Right Button

·         The peace symbol stands out against the black background. Putting down any thoughts of war.

·         The bold font makes their statement more prominent and credible.

Symbols of Patriotism

Eagle

·         The bald eagle is the nation’s national mascot.

·         The flag coupled with the eagle creates an even greater plea for patriotism. Seeing that the flag has been known to represent our country for ages, it an adds a sense of loyalty and pride.

·         The piercing eye is ever watchful in protecting its citizens and holding them accountable for their loyalty.

Bulldog

·         The English bulldog is Great Britain’s National mascot.

·         The dog standing on the flag is expressing protection.

·         Seems larger than its surroundings making it a more dominant force in the world..

French Wall

·         It’s the national motto of France brings familiarity.

·         Set in stone, or unchangeable.

·         Camera gives the effect that they are watching over their people and keeping an eye on other countries.

·         The parallel line create a feeling of steadiness and reliability.

·         Brotherhood sets the image that they are all equal and unites them.

Summary Pg 269-284

In pages two-hundred and sixty-nine through two-hundred and eighty-four in Everyone's An Author, by Lundsford, Ede, and others, the authors address the part that arguments play in our lives and spell out the components that should be reviewed in analyzing one. The first chapter, The Role of Argument, explains that arguments are everywhere. They can be found in places and situations you would never think of, and are diverse in their tactics to convince the recipient. they may be thought of as deceptive in some cases, but the text makes it clear that the discernment between fact and façade is the audiences responsibility. This describes one way argument is involved in our lives. Some of the other reasons for argument are to explore, understand, and inform. It is also necessary in making choices by yourself or with other people.To have a successful argument in any of these cases, the authors points out, one must always be conscious of who they are writing to. Everyone wants to be heard. Arguments sensitive to the their audience and written by people who know how to argue will be.
In the second section of the reading, the statement of three key questions instructs the reader on how to interpret arguments: Who's arguing - and where do they come from? What's at stake? What's the claim? The first tells the reader to decipher what authority the arguer has on the subject and where they and are from. Additionally, it suggests that the reader audience takes a look at the medium the debater is using for their argument. In response to the second question, the authors ask four more questions: What are the facts? How can the issue be defined? How much does it matter? What actions should be taken as a result? All of these together can be the means of analyzing an argument's accuracy. Lastly, the claim is a statement that can provoke arguments, meaning, it is not steady fact and can be negotiated. Though this is true, the author makes it clear that it is not solely based on opinion. It is important in all cases that the claim is clear, whether it is directly stated or not.

"Yes, We Can" Pg 69

"The medium of the “Yes, We Can” video truly boosted their argument. The voice-overs created the illusion that the featured singers agreed with Barack Obama’s statement to the point that it was like they were arguing it themselves. Connecting to that thought, the presence of the popular singers was influential because people love music. Our culture is full of it. Music is a way of communicating feelings intensely, and with more force and with more imagery than normal everyday conversation can provide, as done in this video. Visuals are also the means that flip the light switch. In cartoons, the lightbulb is symbolic of an idea, or a realization. The bolded, and capitalized words in this video act the same way, pulling people in and offering them the qualities in life that they desire. One of the words applied to these characteristics is the word, “change.” Change can often be thought of as daunting, demeaning, and difficult. The way this video puts the image of an upright, calm, and confidence filled singer next to this intensified word brings hope, one of the other presented words, to the viewers heart. Lastly the final fragment turns from the word, “hope” to the word, “vote”. This tells the audience that they can have hope in their country, themselves and their government if they vote for Barak Obama, promoting the election to smile on the candidate, convincing the audience that he is definitely the one for the job.

Pg #70 Think About Your Writing

I recently wrote an email in which I petitioned one my professors. My motivation for the email was clearly stated by the nature of my request. I asked, "[Would you] be open to reviewing [my assignment] and giving me some feedback about it, so that I can get the best grade possible?" The first part of this question shows that I was responding to a homework assignment that my professor had assigned. The question, "[Would you] be open...?" addressed the possibility of her position being a matter of time and availability. Thoughts about the amount of time looking over the assignment might take probably crossed her mind. I acknowledged this position, but then took her position as a teacher and her hope for her students to do well, and used it in backing up my own. I did this in the last sentence of the above phrase. By stating that my motives were to get "the best grade possible," I was able to reference an even stronger position that my professor is in charge of. Her job relies greatly on her students doing well. Knowing this, I complimented one of her positions, almost offering help and support for it, and therefore overriding her less reasonable and supported stance.

Pg 62 In-Class Lab

Every time I’ve taken a position in the last few days:

Explaining my reasons for

1.       Staying later after night class

2.       doing cross country instead of swimming next year

3.       not going on a trip

4.       not staying at the high school for lunch

5.       why my solution to a math problem was right

6.       telling my sister to clean the car

7.       telling my sister to get my other sister from the car

8.       telling my sister we had to leave earlier than later

 

Pg 66 In-Class Lab

Every time I’ve taken a position in the last few days:

Explaining my reasons for

1.       Staying later after night class

2.       doing cross country instead of swimming next year

3.       not going on a trip

4.       not staying at the high school for lunch

5.       why my solution to a math problem was right

6.       telling my sister to clean the car

7.       telling my sister to get my other sister from the car

8.       telling my sister we had to leave earlier than later

 

 

 

 

How does it appeal to you?

It adheres to my opinion it states the importance of every child and their feelings outside and inside the womb. The #They Feel Pain supports people who have suffered through their live children being lost. These people most likely feel that the life of any child is valuable despite any reason the parents might have for an abortion.  

                                How does it not appeal to you?

This advertisement appeals largely on a pathos/emotional basis. I may feel more inclined to accept it if I was given factual information or statistics to back up their opinion. How do they know the newly developing fetus feels pain? Is this statement, “it won’t hurt a bit” accurate when getting an abortion? I’ve done a lot of research, and read multiple scholarly articles by medical students on brain/nerve development in fetuses and the time frame legally accepted for abortion, because these questions and their possible accuracy does matter to me. But what we know is that the fetus does not at this point (4-10, or in some places 4-7 weeks after conception) have the nerve or brain development to be conscious. These two advertisements appeal on an emotional basis for a highly emotional topic, but allowing yourself to be so shocked at abortion without fully understanding the process and fetal development is deceiving. Abortion does hurt the mother, and it is not an easy decision. If you take the abortion pill rather than having a surgical abortion, which basically induces a miscarriage, mothers go through intense fevers, severe cramps, nausea, vomiting, heavy bleeding, etc. for several hours before feeling normal. Counseling is also provided through planned parenthood. Which brings me to my last point.

 

·         The second ad contrast the baby to a piece of tissue.

·         A pair of ominous looking scissors in the third

·         A fetal child with a partially developed face

·         Comparing the mother’s pain to the child’s pain, ”#theyfeelpain”

·         “Excuse me America, this is a tissue” expresses a sassy, upset tone that communicates the maker’s strong opinion on this topic

·         The words, “speak up” contained in the first ad

 

If I were to revise it for an audience supporting abortion I would put a statistic on the third ad explaining that we have no proof of when the baby is actually able to feel things and would change the hash tagged statement to say, “#care” to address the reasons that parents give for their decision. On the first and second ads I would take out the baby in both pictures. In the first I would change the picture to be of a man and woman’s hands, showing that they were in the decision together. In the second, I would put a picture of a crying woman, using tissues, and change the statement at the bottom to talk about how the negative emotions of an accidental pregnancy can be stopped by an abortion.

 

If I had to create it in a different medium, many things would change. If was to be presented orally instead of over the internet, I would exclude all of the word. This would allow for more verbal explanation and physical emphasis. I would include a more vivid picture in every circumstance to grab the attention of the audience and call them to recognize my point.   

 

 

 "Abortion in America." GeneLalor.com. Gene's Blog, 7 Mar. 2009.      

       Boyle, Patricia. "Excuse me America this is not a tissue..." Abortion in Advertising. 

                  N.p., n.d. Web 5 Nov. 2015 

      Durp, Blair. "Stop Abortion just STOP IT." Abortion. Pintrest.com,

                  N.d. Web 5 Nov. 2015