Blog #14 Hunger of Memory- Chapter 3 Credo

In Chapter 3, Credo, Rodriguez discusses how his religion has shaped him and how it is transformed over time. Throughout the chapter, Richard makes evident distinctions  between the religious practices he participates in at home and those he participates in a school. This parallels his previous analysis of his private and public identity. He refers to his home religion as a mere "night religion" while at school everything revolves on religion including the daily schedule and holidays. Because it is a Roman Catholic school, they incorporate religion into everything while at home it's for his private needs. One of these distinctions is that his home religion is more of a Mexican Catholic while his school religion is White Catholic, as we see this through the two differing depictions of the Virgin Mary. Additionally, his home religion revolves much more around their family needs rather than God as their savior who they worship, likely due to the fact that they view religion through the lens of their low socioeconomic class. Contrastingly, Rodriguez was exposed to the American culture which is why he values books and education in a different way from that of his family. Through the chapter, Rodriguez talks of how his faith has changed from a Catalico to a Christian. His views changed because he sees the church in a different light. Growing up in a Roman Catholic church, Richard felt that he had to be involved in his religion and in church activities as that was how it was. But not, it is merely a habit a ritual of word changes as he feels the churches have modernized and do not center around God anymore. While before the church was a community in which people come could come together and worship, he feels that the White churches he attends now are just for "social reinforcement". Similar to how his parents lost authority over him due to his advancement in language and his assimilation, so did the church. His religion evolved from a communal belief system to a much more individualistic belief system, which is very much like the American way to become an independent, hard worker.

This chapter while it went much more into depth regarding Rodriguez's religion, it did incorporate themes from previous chapters which stood out to me. I had a hard time relating to this chapter as I'm not a very religious person. As a child, I did attend church with my mom most Sundays but during my teenage years my mom stopped going which meant so did I. I think Rodriguez includes this chapter to show how religion has played a significant role in who he is today. Furthermore, I think he wanted readers to see that education and language changed many aspects of his life including his beliefs regarding religion. In my opinion, I believe that Rodriguez is trying to find himself through religion. In previous chapters, he talked about how he had a hard time establishing his own point of view and he described how he often was just an imitation of literature he has read. Even when he begins to feel disconnected from any intimate bonds, he turns to the interpretations of Richard Hoggart and finds himself through Hoggart's definition of the "scholarship boy". I think in this same way he tries to define himself through the elements of religion. This is why I believe he has such a hard time understanding how to label himself because he has always found himself through other means and not wholeheartedly being able to relate to just one religion leaves him struggling to be either a Christian or a Catholic. He continuously tries to label himself but the circumstances of certain religions only constrain him, making it difficult for him to identify with just one religion.

Blog #13 Hunger of Memory- Chapter 2 Achievement of Desire

In Chapter 2, Achievement of Desire, Richard Rodriguez discusses his love for literature as well as what he credits his success to and the idea of the "scholarship boy". Rodriguez claims that while there were other important factors which led him to his academic advancement, the "primary reason for [his] success in the classroom was that [he] couldn't forget that schooling was changing [him] and separating [him] from the life [he] enjoyed before becoming a student,". Rodriguez knew that indulging himself in his studies had cause a negative impact on his family bonds and he wanted to make this loss of intimacy a positive thing by making the most of his education. He began to lose himself in the words and read constantly which only made his parent's lack of education more apparent to him. He was often ashamed of his parents and they lost his authority which led him to find this authority in his teachers. Despite his past, Richard regrets putting everything aside and while he values his education, he longs for a more passionate life with that intimacy he only felt with his family. Nowadays, his colleagues are bright thinkers and while his conversations are advanced, he misses that bond and those intimate conversations which contrast his now professional and lonely lifestyle. In turn this level of education does help him to realize he could never form his own point of view and he became an imitation of others he had read. This academic advancement makes it possible for him to see himself through others and be conscious and critical of himself. This is what makes him a "scholarship boy". Not only is he a middle class child struggling for academic success but his change in authoritative figures, his embarrassment of his parents, his acknowledgment that education "requires self-reformation", and even his nostalgic feelings in which he misses his intimate bonds and personal level conversations all contribute to the persona of the "scholarship boy". His search through other educational writers to find why his education has severely removed him from his personal past further confirms his need to find things out about himself through others.

After reading Chapter 2, I feel much better about getting into the book than the first chapter as this one was much more interesting and relatable for me. Similar to Rodriguez, education is something that sometimes comes between my parents and I. For example, in the book Rodriguez recalls one instance of his childhood where he became frustrated when his father could not help him with his homework. That is definitely an act I can say I'm guilty of as my parents only completed high school and some college and the educational system is much different now than it was then in terms of what we learn, so going to them for homework help has become somewhat of a rare occurrence. I often don't realize it but I can be hard on my parents about things which I feel are common knowledge but might not be for them and this is an example of generational differences. Additionally, I can relate when Richard's mom wants him to stay closer to home and doesn't understand the need for Richard to achieve a better education elsewhere. While my mom fully supports me with everything in her, she often doesn't realize that she is trying to convince me to stay closer to home for college. This chapter was a reality check for me because when I do these things where I easily become frustrated with my parents for something they might not understand I don't think too much about it. But reading Rodriguez do the exact same thing and realizing how insincere he sounds makes me see that I can't look at him as an impolite individual because it would be hypocritical. Looking through the lens of someone else does make me see that I have to be more patient with my parents and remember that they are responsible for who I am today.

Blog #12 Hunger of Memory- Chapter 1 Aria

In Chapter 1 of Hunger of Memory, entitled Aria, Rodriguez talks of his childhood,family, and education as well as his views of language and bilingual education including how they've changed. Through the chapter he incorporates themes of public identity, private identity, assimilation, and education. He talks of his hatred of his teachers at the beginning of his education due to the fact that they forced him to learn English. Looking back on it now, Rodriguez sees how learning in Spanish would not have been beneficial for him as learning English helped him improve socially, causing him to be more outspoken and successful in his communication with others. This is what caused his negative views of bilingual education because he knows without being forced to learn English, although he would've been more comfortable with his teachers speaking to him in Spanish, he would not haven been pushed out of his shell to develop his individual personality, or his "public" self. Despite this idea, Rodriguez acknowledges that his assimilation and his gaining of confidence in his public self did disrupt his family life and cause him to lose his private self. Though he began to embrace his assimilation, he began to lose his confidence in Spanish and was often scorned by his family. Additionally, his assimilation could be viewed negatively as he began to notice more and more of the accent in his parent's public voice. Not only was he embarrassed, but he also felt unprotected and it placed a burden on him because his parents became dependent on him for translations and communication when children should be dependent on their parents. Regardless, there were positive elements to Richard's assimilation. His language improved and he began to fit in as well as grow up. Furthermore in this chapter, we begin to see how Richard often searches for validation elsewhere, as his loss of language causes him to look for public acceptance from his family, his teachers, and even his classmates.

After reading Chapter 1, I have to admit while the autobiography possesses similar themes to The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian, Rodriguez does establish a much more serious and literal tone making me miss Sherman Alexie's sarcastic and upbeat one. If I'm being honest Rodriguez's book takes me much more time to sit back and comprehend the ideas and it does somewhat take away from the relatability for me. Regardless there were some parts of this chapter which made me put myself in his shoes and think about his feelings at the time. His account of coming to Sacramento only knowing a few English words does hit home for me, not personally but in terms of my day. My dad immigrated to the US when he was around 17 or 18 from Iran. He knew very few English words and many people to this day still treat him differently when they hear his heavy accent so I can see where Rodriguez is coming from. While I don't have to translate for my dad, he'll often ask me how to spell words or he'll say something with poor grammar i public and I'll cringe a bit and then feel guilty that it even bothers me so much of what people think. In that way, which I look for public acceptance from others I definitely relate to Richard. Growing up with strict parents, I always sought validation from them and pushed myself to please them. Slowly it became more for myself than anything but working hard is an ideal that's ingrained in me due to them.

Blog #11 Writing Workshop

For the revision/extension essay, I chose to expand as well as revise the first essay we did in the class regarding an experience which seemed ordinary at the time of it happening but after looking back on it turns out to be of significance in some way. This essay was the one I received my lowest grade on so I hope by revising and extending this essay to achieve a better score and produce an overall improved work. Originally, I wrote this essay about the incident of me finding out that the tooth fairy was not real and at first being hurt but later understanding my mother's reasoning for keeping up this lie. My main critiques for this essay upon receiving it back were to change some redundant areas of the essay as well as to relate the theme back to some social issue. At first, I was uncertain about how exactly to relate this issue back to some form of a social issue without going off topic or stretching the ideas to the point where they do not fit within the essay, Additionally, I was not sure about how to incorporate texts from the anthology, as none of the essays seemed to  directly relate to my topic, let alone relate in any ways. However, discussing my essay with Ms. Thoeun helped guide me in the right direction regarding how I can extend this essay and connect it back to a global issue to ensure my essay is relatable for readers.

After speaking with Ms. Thoeun, I plan to maintain this same overall theme but extend the essay by linking my theme to contemporary parenting issues involving certain parenting styles in comparison to previous generations as well as pulling from outside sources such as online articles. These contemporary issues such as "tiger moms" or "helicopter parenting" will aid in connecting my essay topic to other individuals as there has been controversy regarding parenting which does not set children up for the actuality of the real world. This directly relates back to my topic as my mother lying to me about imaginative creature such as the "tooth fairy" could have set me up for failure by providing me with a false reality of what the world is truly like. I hope to achieve a well written and relatable essay by following these suggestions and incorporating further sources.

Chapter 14 Argumentation

In Chapter 14, the process of reasoning that asserts the soundness of a debatable position, belief, or conclusion, also known as argumentation, is discussed. Argumentation can be utilized to convince others on the  position or stance one has taken as well as refute a position. Although argumentation goes hand in hand with persuasion, they do not mean the same thing. While persuasion refers to how a writer influences an audience through appeals of pathos, ethos and logos, argumentation only applies to the appeal to reason. Argumentation, unlike persuasion, has the primary purpose of exhibiting the validity of the argument rather than convincing the audience to take action. When writing with argumentation, one can choose an appeal which primarily suits the audience and purpose and support that appeal with evidence while also including other examples of other appeals. Important factors to consider include being open minded which will aid in coming up with opposing arguments as well as the purpose of the argumentation essay such as how one wants readers to respond. Additionally, one should ensure that the thesis is debatable so that some can object to the statement, as ideas which are already facts are not arguments. Evidence plays a significant role in argumentation essays as they it is what supports the position and works to convince the audience that the argument being made is worth considering. It is important the evidence meets the following criteria: evidence must be relevant and pertinent to the argument in that it fully supports the argument without taking away from it; evidence should be representative of the topic that is being spoken of otherwise the argument will be weak and could make the author seen unreliable and uninformed, leaving the argument ineffective; lastly, the evidence should be sufficient with regards to the topic and the audience. Refutations are also essential to an argumentation essay as they strengthen the case by showing that the author is aware of opposing positions and can address these objections effectively. When writing argumentation essays, inductive and deductive arguments should be utilized to structure the essay and the author should be sure to avoid any fallacies which would weaken the argument such as sweeping generalizations, misleading statistics, or ad hominem.

For me, Chapter 14 had to be on of the most informative chapters I've read so far within the textbook.Of course I was aware of the argumentation essay and factors such as evidence and refutations but I had not realized all of the major errors of fallacies I was including in my writing. In addition, I wasn't aware of concepts such as Toulmin logic and Rogerian argument which I realized I also need to be careful of. Often when refuting any opposition arguments I can sometimes come off as confrontational or the "I'm right, you're wrong" type of approach. This chapter helped me to understand the deductive and inductive arguments a bit better but I still think I need further instruction regarding the difference between the two. Chapter 14 helped me to realize the mistakes I've been making in my argumentation essays such as equivocation fallacy or the You Also fallacy which I thought was an effective way to find a hole in the opponent's arguments prior to reading this chapter.

Chapter 12 Classification and Division

In Chapter 12, Classification and Division, Kirszner and Mandell examine the process of breaking a whole into individual parts, known as division, and the process of sorting individual items into categories, or classification. Classification and division are processes which can aid in putting a variety of ideas into a coherent and effective order. Through these processes, one can recognize relationships between parts as well as use these relationships to categorize them. Although the processes are related to one another and may require similar steps, they are two separate processes. Classifying items begins with individual parts and sorts them into categories based upon their attributes. The quality items have in common is known as the principle of classification and is decided based on the individual categorizing them. Contrastingly, division is the opposite of classifying that is division starts with a whole and breaks it into individual parts or categories. The principle of classification also plays a role in division because it is needed to identify how to assign the parts of the whole into separate categories. These processes can be used when brainstorming an essay as they can narrow down what to include in the essay or shape how the essay should be structured. When selecting what principle of classification to use, one must consider factors including the assignment, the purpose, the audience and other knowledge of writing.

This chapter was a bit surprising to me as I did not previously know that classification or division could be categorized as essay types. Although I had heard of the usual ones such as compare and contrast or cause and effect, this one was unfamiliar to me previous knowledge. For this reason, I was very interested in the sections including how to apply classification and division to my own writing. One part which stood out to me was the reminder in the checklist which stated that all categories should be at the same level. I never thought of the idea that categories could be viewed in terms of level and that this was a significant issue to consider. Also, I viewed these processes in a much more on the surface perspective and never considered that classifying and dividing items could be used to explain significance and relevance of these items. This chapter educated me of the importance of these processes as they can help recognize relationships between different ideas and they can also aid in structuring an essay.

Chapter 10 Cause and Effect

Chapter 10, Cause and Effect, discusses the factors, planning, structuring and revising of a cause and effect essay. Rather than describing how something happens such as in a process essay, cause and effect essays analyze why something happens and either examine causes, explain the effects or do both within the essay. When examining the situation in which is being examined, it is important to effectively distinguish between the correct causes and effects, as some situations include many causes or many effects. Identifying the causes can be difficult, as determining the main cause and the contributory causes is very important to the structure of the essay. Although the main cause is sometimes the obvious one, this is not always the case. In addition, one must understand the immediate and remote causes. Immediate causes follow closely before the effect while remote causes may take time to recognize due to the fact that they can happen much further back in the past. It is crucial when determining immediate and remote causes that one does not assume that the immediate cause is the most important or the main cause. When effects are also causes, this is called a causal chain. When causal chains occur, the result of one action is the cause of another, forming a link of chains. Another factor to consider is post hoc reasoning which should be avoided at all causes. Post hoc reasoning occurs when one event precedes another and is thought to cause the event simply because it came before. In post hoc reasoning, coincidence is mistaken for causality.

Although I had thought I had known all about the factors regarding a cause and effect essay, this chapter informed me of a lot of aspects I did not know about. For example, I never realized there could be so many different ways to structure a cause and effect essay such as through describing the less important causes to the most important or distinguishing between the immediate and remote causes. I also did not know previously that an important part of describing the effects in a cause and effect essay was predicting the outcome of certain effects. One critical part of this chapter for me was the grammar in context section which it discussed how to use affect and effect correctly because I realize that many people have a hard time with this problem. Additionally, I believe that an important tip of this chapter was to not just assume that the immediate cause is the main and most important cause because it can lead to misleading conclusions.

Blog #7 The Absolutely True Diary of a Part Time Indian pp. 178-229

Throughout the last few chapters of Alexie's book, many significant events occur which move the plot of the story along and contribute to the prominent themes of the book. To start, Junior's basketball team at Reardan has yet another match against Wellpinit where Coach places Junior to guard Rowdy. Starting the game out Junior plots revenge, still angry about the prior concussion he received from Rowdy and possessing a fire for the need to prove himself. But after actually winning the game against his reservation's team, he has a change of heart realizing that Indian team members needed this win more than he did, as losing is likely going to result in a Rowdy's beating from his father. Due to his change of perspective of the meaning of this game, Junior begins to feel guilty and ashamed of himself as all the feelings come flooding in. In the next chapter, he apologizes to Rowdy and they have a conversational exchange which makes Junior feel better about the situation despite not being in the best place of their friendship. One event which plays a large role in the theme of alcoholism present throughout the story, is the death of Junior's sister Mary. Junior is so overwhelmed by the whole situation that he becomes hysterical. Later on in the chapter, Junior has a conversation with Rowdy in which Rowdy blames Junior for Mary's death claiming that her leaving the reservation was Junior's fault. The next chapter includes a grieving period for Junior in which he cries for everything bad that has ever happened to him and his tribe, as he comes to conclusion that regardless of all of the terrible things he is going to be okay because he has aspiring dreams and because he is going to learn from everything that has happened to him. At the end of the story, Junior and Rowdy play a basketball game together and Rowdy tells Junior that he is happy for him and tells him about a dream in which Junior was standing on the Great Wall of China.

Overall, the last few chapters of The Absolutely True Diary of a Part Time Indian really capture the complexity of the story. The basketball game between Readrdan and Wellpinit seems to parallel the internal conflict within Junior regarding his life on the reservation and his education with the Whites of Wellpinit. Though he begins the game thinking only about himself, his perspective changes when he actually wins which is something I can relate to in that I often remind myself that I need to step back and take a look at the bigger picture when I'm mad about petty things. Although it is not the most important theme of the story, one which did stand out to me is Rowdy and Junior's friendship which changes frequently throughout the story. In the end, Rowdy and Junior's bond stays strong and it helps you see that they are able to see past the differences they have in terms of leaving the reservation because they know that their friendship is so much more than that and they can still support each other. Another idea which stood out to me is although Junior did move to Wellpinit, he never truly assimilated to their culture. He saw how different lifestyles and cultures were and although he did try to lie many times, he also stood up for his beliefs and to his own morals in not running back to the reservation to please others. In the end, I wholeheartedly can say this that this has to be my favorite book that I have had to read for school and maybe even one of my favorite books in general. Although Junior and I are completely different people, it is still so easy to find his character and his issues relatable because despite going through the struggles of the Indian community, he is just an awkward teenager going through life. I feel like this is one of those books where you can read it over and over again and always find something new to latch onto or some fresh perspective that changes how you view it. As I said in the beginning, Alexie's book pulled me in with its sarcastic nature and comedy and now finishing the book I can say that it was compelling from start to finish.

Blog #6 The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian pp. 1-53

In pages 1 through 53 of Sherman Alexie's The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian, we are introduced to the character of Junior, a young Indian teenage boy growing up on a reservation dealing with the awkward stages of life as well as the difficulties of being an Indian. Junior begins the story explaining his birth defect and how that affected his childhood, causing him to have frequent seizures, a lisp, and a stutter. This lead to him becoming the class ridicule including name calling and regular beatings. Consequently, Junior became an introvert and an avid cartoonist making it his dream to become a rich artist. In these chapters, Junior also talks about how being poor has played a significant role in his life causing him to lose his best friend, his dog Oscar. Additionally, these chapters talks about Junior's best friend Rowdy who he also views as his protector due to Junior's scrawny size and constant bullying. Junior and Rowdy have a strong bond and many things in common such as their love for comics and cartoons. Junior also recalls an incident in which his frustration caused by an outdated textbook led him to throw the book at his teacher. Despite the trouble he made, the conversation with Mr. P following the incident opened Junior's eyes to how restricting the reservation was, particularly holding him back from his dreams because of the lack of proper education. Junior realized if he wanted to succeed he needed to get out of the harmful and constraining environment of the reservation which only resulted in bringing him pain and discouraging his sense of hope.

So far, The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian has been such an entertaining and fast read. It pulled me in from the very beginning with the sarcastic nature of the tone and the comical sketches placed throughout the chapters. I love that it is so different from typical books required for school reading in that it has themes present which are extremely relatable for students our age. The story has themes of hopes and dreams, friendships, family problems, and making difficult sacrifices which I think not only we as students but everyone can relate to. I also really enjoy the flow of the writing and how much of Junior's character and personality comes through Alexie's writing. In addition, I appreciate that despite the apparent struggles Junior is facing, the story is told through in a humorous way but it also doesn't lose focus of the serious problems it is trying to get across such as the discrimination against Indians and the inadequacy of education. Alexie also tells the story in a way where you can grow and face the experiences with Junior's character. Considering it is told in somewhat of a "diary" format, the experiences are told very vividly and all of Junior's first reactions and feelings are easy to connect with.

Chapter 8 Exemplification

In Chapter 8, Kirszner and Mandell define the process of exemplification which utilizes cases, or examples to illustrate and explain a general point or an abstract concept. Exemplification can be used in all situations and is an effective way of explaining and clarifying, adding interest, and persuading an audience but only when used appropriately. Examples used to explain should directly pertain to the topic and should clarify information which aids in understanding the essay. To add interest, examples should be specific and intriguing in that they pull the reader but not distract or confuse them from the purpose of the essay. When trying to persuade readers, examples should indicate reasons why they should consider the perspective and convince them of the credibility of the author to build a sense of trust. In addition, all examples should center around and support the thesis statement. These examples throughout the essay should work to reinforce the main topic and the point being made. Besides carefully choosing examples based on their relevance to the thesis, it is important to consider the number of examples included. Although there is not a set number, there should be enough examples to support the main idea but not so much that it takes away from the writing or fails to stay relevant to the topic. Furthermore, a good range of examples is necessary to persuade readers. It is not effective to provide only one example as readers cannot assume this can represent the outcome of all situations which is why it is necessary to provide an adequate amount of examples which properly develop the thesis. Likewise, it it necessary to consider the structure of an exemplification essay such as whether to arrange the essay chronologically, by order of increasing complexity, or by order of importance.

After reading Chapter 8, I felt that I had a better grasp of exemplification in regards to how to use in and what factors to consider when including examples. Although this chapter did provide further insight, I did have prior knowledge of the importance of examples as a way to get the main point across. When writing essays, I've found that examples are a highly effective way of convincing readers of your perspective as well as the credibility of yourself as an author. For example, if examples are used which lack development and do not support the topic properly, readers can assume the author has not done sufficient research and will be less likely to agree with the author's perspective. I found the tip of going back to revise the thesis, as stated on page 202 to be particularly helpful because I usually restrict myself to having to find examples which directly support the thesis and sometimes it's difficult to do this. This often leads me to include examples which do not precisely support the thesis, making it difficult for readers to see my perspective when I could simply go back and change my thesis. Additionally, the paragraph which talks about providing enough examples stood out to me because I've always used three as a rule of thumb and I've gotten used to this method of writing when three examples does not always apply to the situation and the essay might require just one example or five examples. In particular, I also found the revision and editing checklists to be useful and made a mental note to come back and use them because I usually do not know where to start when going back and reviewing my writing.

Chapter 6 Narration

Chapter 6 of Patterns for College Writing discusses narration which they define as, "tell[ing] a story by presenting events in an orderly, logical sequence." Although narration can be used as a structural pattern for essays which are not primarily narrative, this chapter focuses on how narration can structure narrative writings such as biographies, personal letters, and even social networking sites. Narration can be used universally throughout all writing as it simply tells what is happening through chronological events. Additionally, not only does narrative writing help in personal narratives, it also helps to develop techniques of other forms of writing such as process essays or cause and effect essays. When planning a narrative essay, it is important to develop a thesis statement as well as pay attention to various factors such as sentence structure, details, and the chronological order of the events talked about in the essay. Details play a large role in the communicating narrative writing to readers because they help provide background and context of the events and allow the readers to observe the writing through the author's eyes. Furthermore, verb tenses are important because they show the sequence of the events and if they are used improperly can fail to indicate time shifts within the writing, which is why it is important that they are consistent. As stated in the previous chapters, narrative essays ares structured as follows: introduction including the thesis statement, followed by body paragraphs, and ending with the conclusion. When the narrative essay is completed, the writing must be both revised and edited for run on sentences, chronological order, significance, details, transitions, and various other aspects.

After reading this chapter, it definitely made me reflect on my narrative writing as well as self-analyze how these factors applied to my writing skills. For one, I think I could use some work on keeping my verb tenses consistent because although I am well aware of proper verb tenses when I write for long periods of time I have been known to be inconsistent without realizing it due to the lack of breaks. Also, the varied sentence structure portion of the chapter caused me to look back on my previous writings and see that I often use the same sentence structure or transitions.One part which stood out to me in this chapter was the peer editing worksheet regarding narration because I made a mental note to refer back to this in case my peers do not know what to look for when asked to revise my writing.

Chapter 4 Drafting and Revising

In Chapter 4 Drafting and Revising, the process of composing various drafts as well as the steps of revising along with tools and checklists are discussed. When writing a first draft, it is important to get ideas down without worrying too much about grammar or word choice, similar to when one is freewriting, as this is only the first step to writing and these primary thoughts can be improved throughout the revision process. In addition, the chapter includes many tips for a first draft such as taking small breaks and leaving time to revise the writing. One significant thing to remember is that revision will take place throughout the writing as it is not an ending point but rather a process which can always help writing improve. Revisions can be made to almost all aspects of writing such as word choice, sentence structure, organization, and even ideas. For example, ideas may later be viewed to not fully support the thesis and can be removed or later in the revision process better ideas can be thought up and added into the essay. Furthermore, several instances of advice as well as options of revision such as through peers, instructors, or self-critique are provided throughout this chapter to ensure the best process of revision is achieved. The chapter utilizes student Laura Bobnak's essay to walk readers through the drafting and revising stages and exemplify how the process should go.

I found this chapter to be particularly helpful as I observed many new tips and methods of drafting and revising my essays. Additionally, I found Laura Bobnak's first, second, and final draft to be useful because it helped walk through both the revision and draft process step-by-step. For one, the idea that students should revise on hard copy rather than computer is a new one to me. I never realized that where you revise your work could greatly affect how well your paper is revised. Also, the revision advice stood out to me because it reminded me how important it is to reread through the essay several times as in previous essays I have been known to sometimes lose focus within the essay or repeat phrases too often. I also believe looking at an essay with fresh eyes is extremely constructive because rereading can become tedious and writing can start to look the same causing students to lose their focus. In terms of different revision strategies, I believe talking with the instructor is the most beneficial for me because instructors have practice with revisions and they can objectively provide feedback which I think allows me to grow most as a writer.

Chapter 3 Arrangement

Prior to writing an essay, it is essential to arrange your ideas to ensure proper organization of your composition. When given an assignment, it's important to assess the prompt or carefully listen to the instructions provided by the teacher as this often hints to how the essay should be structured such as whether it is a cause-and-effect essay or a compare-and-contrast essay. Through asking specific questions and analyzing the answers to these questions regarding the topic, one can narrow down the overall structure of the essay. Essentially, an essay should have three parts: an introduction, a body, and a conclusion. Though there are several ways to form an introduction such as defining an important term or asking a question, primarily all introductions should introduce the topic as well as grab the readers' attention. The main purpose of the body paragraphs of an essay is to justify your thesis by providing information and valid points. All body paragraphs should be properly organized, flow smoothly, and offer well developed support of the thesis. Types of support include examples, reasons, facts, statistics, details, expert opinions, personal experiences, and visuals and should be chosen based on their relevance to the topic and their ability to best justify the thesis. Transitions can be utilized throughout the body paragraphs to help move the essay along and provide insight of time or sequence. The conclusion is very important due to the fact that it plays a significant role in what the readers take away from the writing. The conclusion should function as a way to emphasize the thesis as well as the purpose of the essay. Rather than state new points, the conclusion should summarize both essay's main idea and the tone of the essay. In addition, the conclusion should guide the reader to keep thinking about the topic of the essay and form their own thoughts and opinions.

After reading Chapter 3 Arrangement, I do feel that I have a better grasp on how to organize my essay and how to determine what structure and pattern to use. Although I already did know the basic composure of an essay in terms of an introduction, body paragraphs, and a conclusion, this chapter offered a lot of tools and methods which I can refer back to when writing my essays. Parts in particular which caught my attention were the different ways to form an introduction as well as the list of transitions. I often have a fairly difficult time starting my essays so having several different examples to look back at will help guide me when beginning my essays. Also, I found the tip of writing your entire essay and then going back to write the introduction to be very helpful because I've never really thought about it in that way. While writing my introductions, I have a hard time finding ways to introduce the topic without putting specific details which I'm saving for my body paragraphs. Overall, this chapter showed me errors in my writing and helped provide me with reference points that I can come back to.

New Beginnings

Hi,
Greetings loved ones, welcome to my blog! I'll start off by telling you a little bit about myself. My name is Shabnam Behin and if you're wondering about the name, as everyone I first meet does, it comes from my roots as I am half Persian and half Filipino and in the Farsi language it means morning dew which I have really come to love, as it in my perspective represents new beginnings such as the morning dew on the grass every day when walking outside in the morning. Things I'm most passionate about include music, specifically going to concerts, ballet, trying new foods, taking my dog for walks and spending quality time with family.

I have three older sisters as well as loving parents and a dog who I consider to be my only brother. Speaking of family, the topic is one that has always played a large role in my life from having a stable support system to even shaping who I've become as a person. Growing up with three older sisters who have always pushed themselves academically, I learned from a young age the importance of always being the best version of yourself and continuing to challenge oneself both through education as well as individual growth. With both of my older sisters having graduated with their masters as speech therapists and a third sister who is currently achieving her masters in physical therapy, the standards have always been set high for me. Though when I was younger I saw this as a burden placed upon me, I came to realize as I got older how important it was for me to have these ideals embedded within me at such a young age. It made we work harder not only for my parents and my sisters but also for myself, as I look up to my sisters as role models and would not have it any other way.

Based on previous experiences and classes, I've found myself to work best by means of visuals and hands-on participation as I often need to observe important concepts in action or through example in order to fully understand them. I also believe that class discussions and group efforts help me grow as a thinker because I enjoy feeding off others' ideas and seeing their perspectives on various topics. I've found that this aids in my growth as an individual because it opens my mind to differing opinions and ways of thinking I do not normally engage in. My blog title reflects me as an individual as it is a lyric from a favorite song of mine which talks about putting the distractions of the world away and focusing on the little things which life has to offer. My blog background represents my love for concerts as my favorite feeling occurs at concerts when everyone is singing the lyrics and you know that everyone there in the room is passionate about the same artist and music. It's through these moments that you can feel the sense of love and community and all other matters and differences get put aside for a few hours.Through this class I hope to challenge myself as a writer and individual as well as gain my own voice. My main goal in taking this class is to develop a writing style specific to me which others can identify and can distinctly represent me as an individual.