Last Post!

Everyone,

I truly appreciate your hard work with these blog posts all semester! There has been some truly powerful writing in these responses. Often, the level of insights and analysis is much higher than in the papers. Sometimes, it helps to relax and simply respond. Overthinking can cause writer's block.

For your last post, I want you to tell me how you have achieved or not achieved the Course Competencies:

1. Practice writing as a recursive process.
2. Practice reading as an active part of the writing process.
3. Apply the rules of Standard English grammar.
4. Investigate research resources where/when available.
5. Recognize standard documentation form.

This post should be reflexive.

Thanks! I'm looking forward to your posts!

Argument!

For this blog, please focus on the topic you want to use for your brochure.

What are you arguing? In this space, write what you know about your topic.

Explain its relevance to society and why people should "care" about the topic you have chosen. What do you know about the counter-arguments? What are the pros and cons?

The semester is almost over!

Documentation

Tremendous posts last week! Those of you who posted did excellent work!

On a different note: often, I hear stories of how students take information from the Internet or get friends to write their papers. This is, of course, disappointing.

In this space, please discuss why you think plagiarism is such a problem these days?

Why wasn't it as prevalent a few years ago? How can you avoid plagiarism? Why it is so important to avoid plagiarism?

Please discuss why you would personally never try to use other people's ideas as your own.

Thanks!

Shaping Spaces

Thank you all very much for your posts concerning the Lion King! The insight and reasoning in some of those posts were very, very strong. Nicely done!

This week we will be discussing how to analyze spaces.

Think of a space that might be particularly interesting to analyze. Describe it. Describe who uses this space. How does the design of the room affect the way it is used? Does it affect the way it is used? Does the space shape the people or do the people shape the space? Do not duplicate other people's answers. Explain your answers fully.

We will discuss these in class.

Thanks!

Week Ten Thought Questions

This week's blog comes to us from Bonnie Mills! After having read Margaret Lazarus' analysis of The Lion King, do you agree or disagree with her critique of the stereotypes commonly found in Disney movies? Why or why not? Use examples from Lazarus' essay. Think of some Disney movies that you know. Are these types of stereotypes harmful or not? What do you think?

Thanks!

Week Nine Blog

You had some really great responses to our question about Vincent and Jerome and how they compared with each other. I especially appreciated Tasha's post about how the two are "brothers" and Bonnie's point about how we are all, essentially, "invalid" due to the flaws in our human nature that cause us to discriminate. Everyone had great points! I would encourage you to read them over.

I must say that even though some of you complain about the blogs, the writing here is often stronger than in your papers--hence, one of the reasons why the blog is a useful tool.

For this week, please post a response to Stephen King's essay "Why We Crave Horror Movies." We will be reading it in class and discussing it. In this space, please discuss whether or not you agree with King's assertions.

Thanks in advance!

Gattaca Part II

Excellent work discussing important themes from the movie Gattaca! You have all definitely focused on some important underlying messages in this fim. Thanks!

Compare and contrast Jerome (Jude Law) with Vincent (Ethan Hawke). How are they similar and how are they different? What does the movie want us to understand from seeing these two characters and their stories side by side? Think about the word "invalid," as well as the ending.

Lastly, what is the movie's overall message? How is it relevant to society? Is it relevant to society? Explain.

Good work!