Ready or Not is Eng 104 is next

I have signed up for English 104 in the fall, which makes me wonder how different it will be from English 101/102. I think I am pretty good at finding secondary sources for my projects. I have used primary sources before in other classes so I am familiar with them as well but could use some getting use to. I am pretty good at using the articles and databases resources the library has to offer. I find of myself dreading having to do group projects again. I really dislike working in groups. I am the type of person who likes to be responsible for my own work and no one else’s. I expect to have to write longer pages that require more sources as references to my views. Also have not really interviewed people and used it for a formal paper so that should be interesting. It will be interesting to see what types of assignments are assigned in English 104. I do not know whether to look forward though.

Projects

This week went okay other then me oversleeping on Wednesday and missing class. I still feel bad about that. Today I read my project three aloud in class and received feedback. It was helpful in a way but I find students have trouble giving constructive criticism. I do believe so of them liked my paper but I would liked to here maybe things I need to add or improve in the paper. Hearing Adam’s paper although I am not sure I agree totally with his point of view it’s interesting hearing his argument. He had a lot of sources and figures, which helped but I agree with Olivia who said a chart would have been nice.
My project 1 revision was okay but I am not completely happy with it just yet. I was not able to find credible sources. I should probably go back and look at other Prides that take place throughout the country. I am curious to see the feedback I will get from Karen in our meeting next week. It should be helpful and led me in the right direction on where to go for here. I am not sure which project I will revise next. Probably project 2 which but I am not quite sure yet.

Workshops

This week is class has been interesting. I like the new way of getting feedback on our writings. Also I think it helps to read our papers out loud to see that what we wrote might not sound right or be grammatical incorrect. It is also giving me a chance to better understand the BSU writing program grading continuum. I did not realize what some of the things meant on continuum. Professor Neubauer helped explain to the rest of the class and me exactly what syntax and diction means. I do am not the A level writing according to continuum. Last semester we were asked to grade ours on where we thought are writing was on the continuum. I can tell I have gotten better during this semester. I wouldn’t say it was a big change but I would say I have improved. Getting to see more of my classmates writing is interesting. I like seeing all the ideas students have come up with to write about. Also seeing what issues are important to them. I am not quite sure what the discussion leader still does but I believe I am not alone on that one. I thought Christian’s paper on multiculturalism was really good. He is a good writing and he seems to be really good at introducing the sources in a creative way. It seems like this process will take longer though since our class is only fifty minutes long.

Presenting Projects

I thought hearing about everyone’s experience during class interesting. I liked the groups who got the chance to use the median of video. The Carmichael smoking section group’s video was interesting. As a nonsmoking I never heard of the hang out area. I liked to the idea of the interviewing students asking questions such as why they like whatever place on campus someone was assigned. I also felt some of those pages put my groups to shame. Going first sucked but I guess it was okay to get it over with. I felt like my group’s page was pretty boring. I would of liked to do more only if I was more experienced with how to add things on fan pages. It should be interesting to see what the last group has to show since they have seen all the other groups go.

Timed Writing prompts & observation

I really hate time writing prompts. I never seem to write a half way decent essay. I understand we have to do it for the university and course. I just do not see how that proves if we are where we should is at this level our college writing. I rather do the writing like we have been so I was comfortable with the outcome. I always seem to just answer the questions the writing prompt is asking. I should probably work on making my time writing skills better. Since I have to take the writing competency in a year or so. I am debating on whether to take the writing competency or just take the class. I will probably take the writing competency exam once just to see where my writing is at and if I could pass it without having to take the course. I did my observation today at Woodworth Commons in the lounge area we have as the profile picture. It went okay kind of slow in the area for dinnertime. I would say the weather had something to do with that. I know I would have gone there endless I had the observation because it was so nasty out today. A few interesting things were said one guy mentioned foot fetishes. I noticed people use the area to wait on friends who they plan on eating dinner with.

Projects

This week in class was pretty effortless. I did meet with my group once in the library to work on our work plan that is due Friday. That went all right I guess. I am not thrilled about this project. I really dislike working in groups. I have always preferred working on own I know I am okay with the outcome. I usually get in a group and become a follower with whoever decides to take the lead. I still have my project 3 to revise which will be challenging I never to seem to meet criteria in length of the papers we do in class. I like my topic I just need to add for information on the topic and maybe some of the views of the opposing argument. I think I will do my observation of the Woodworth commons next week. I planned on going during dinnertime, which I have done before just without taking notes. I eat alone for every meal so I am not proud to say I listen in on interesting conversations around me most of the time. I even want to say something to add to the discussion sometimes but that would be rude. Some interesting things go on though if someone just looks around and watches all the types of people who eat there. I use to live in Woodworth my semester at college. So the dinning is different from the living area, which is just upstairs. It is the only all female dorm on campus.

Facebook for Academic pruposes

I have never thought about using Facebook for academic purposes mostly because almost every professor I have had since coming to college can not stand that students getting on Facebook instead of paying attention in class. I guess it all depends what goes on the Facebook page on whether it could be used in another way other than social networking. I really doubt my peers will leave Facebook just because more pages of non-personal pages started to pop up. I mean students still kept a Facebook even if their parents or professors own one. There really is not much difference. I do not know if Facebook will have a future in the work place. I think it would be hard to track who is really using it work and who is just playing around on the networking site. I honestly do not use Facebook to often I did not get a Facebook until I came to Ball State because everyone here had one. I have a Myspace as well. I have kind of gotten away from social networking sites. I use it to keep in touch with a few friends who do not have cell phones. I do not belong to very many organizations on Facebook. To be honest I have no idea what a wigets even is. I would think an Academic page would need to look more professional then a personal page.

An Evening with Ted Koppel

When I arrived Pruis Hall was almost full. I ended up by Stephanie from class by chance. It was very noisy before Ted Koppel came out due to the fact the place was packed. I didn’t know who Ted Koppel was other than what I had learned about him in class on Monday. I expected for it to be more of a speech he deliver. Instead we got a discussion basically about the economic situation and the every changing media. One thing I he said I thought was important is real journalism as he calls it entails editing, why something is important and context. The question and answer part was interesting I thought most of the people asking questions were commutations or journalism majors. Some of the questions I didn’t really understand what they were asking even after they explained themselves. He made a point to keep saying journalism needs to go back to being creditable and delivering the facts. So many times today news and media works on getting the story first instead of checking out if the story is true and factual. I didn’t really find the discussion to interesting but journalism is not my field of study and I rarely watch the news. One of the funniest things is when I saw two individuals fall up the stairs. Also the people leaving before the discussion was over was annoying. Even though he did mention that they could because they were going over time. Over all I did some new things so I guess that didn’t hurt.

Revising and laziness

I was really good about writing in my blog on time last semester. This semester though I have gotten lazy and put it off. I am going to work on fixing that bad habit. My opinion on peer review is that it can be helpful and times if they are going you more than its good. Really pointing out what points and themes stood out to the reader helps. Also knowing what the reader finds interesting and what they could care less about. Revising is apart of growing as a writer I think. The first draft may look nothing like the first. I find with my first draft of my papers I usually find myself throwing all my ideas and thoughts on the page. I sometimes don’t know exactly what specific thing I want to write about yet. I mean sometimes criticism may seem like an attack on you but it not really. What’s the point in writing a paper that now one cares to read.

conference/ project 2

The conference for project 1 went well. I had a clear idea of how to improve it if I choose it for my final portfolio. I was confused about project 2 and talking with Professor Neubauer cleared my confusion up. I still may to make a lot of revision after Monday but I know were to start now. I don’t think I have ever written a paper based on my interpretation of a visual. I have questioned these things before though like why does a designer choose a certain graphic for a flyer or something like that. It will be interesting to see where the other students in class choose to use as a visual. I am pretty sure I am going to use a painting from the Ball State University Museum of Art. I have been in there several times and like the some of the more abstract painting that the viewer has to interpret for him or herself.

Personality match up in class

The Personality activity in class today was interesting. I found some similaries between my partner and I. I also found some differences like she prefers to party more then me. We agreed on big things though like wanting a non-smoker and someone who respects the time needed to study throughout the week for studying. I could live with a roommate who parties as long as the party was else where I am too anal to have so many people in my apartment or house whatever it may be. I would prefer to have all female roomies and my partner didn’t mind having male roomies.

I think Ball State housing could look into giving a personality quiz when it comes to randomly putting roommates together in a dorm. No one deserves to live in such close quarters with someone they distain. You don’t have to even be friends just respect each other’s space and personal things. I got stuck my first semester with a girl who woke me up every morning by her boyfriend calling at 6:00 AM wasn’t fun at all. I got lucky this year with my new roommate who I get along fine with we are similar in some ways.

ISTJ

I play the insight game and my results where I am an ISTJ. I have taken personality quizzes before and gotten different results so I don’t know. I read what it had to say about my personality type, which is pretty accurate. I found it pretty neat that the professions listed that I would be good at is one I am going to school for. I am majoring in special education. I am in total agreement about what they say about me being faithful to my family, friends and my country. Especially when coming to my family I am very protective of them. They say ISTJ resist change, which is so true I hate small changes. When I have to make a change as small as having to sit in a different sit in a classroom or using a different shower in the dorms, which bugs the crap out of me. The test pegged my personality pretty well I think.

The only areas that I don’t think I fit into are I am not patient like the results said I should. My mom tells me I am one of the most impatient people she has ever met. I don’t think I am very conservative either. I think I am the opposite. I would consider myself very liberal. I think the Insight game was fun though.

Unity week

I attend Civil Rights: Now&Then that Rev. Joseph Lowery spoke on. I got there early and there were lots of people in the lobby of Pruis Hall waiting like me, to be seated. I was given a program and a water bottle on my way to my seat. There was a slide show going before the event got started pictures of Dr. King Jr. and Rev. Lowery. The Triumph Gospel Choir preformed at the beginning they sounded great. I noticed that the choir was 99.9% black. Which Rev. Lowery also pointed that out later when he talked. The President of Alpha Phi Alpha came on next to introduce Ball State University President Dr. Jo Ann Gora. Dr. Jo Ann Gora came out talked about Rev. Lowery and Unity week.
Rev. Lowery came out and sat down in his chair. He got a standing ovation before he said anything to us. He told the audience to sit down. He talked more about his experience with meeting President Obama and speaking at the benediction at the inauguration address nearly a year ago. A couple things he said that stood out me were “honor the mission” and “love always embraces justice”. He talked about how the day revered for Dr. King Jr. should be used to for service and not just to have time to remember the man himself, which is also important though as well. His ideas about the war and war in general where very different he had a point though about how you can’t reason with people who are willing to strap bombs to themselves to blow up buildings and such. His sense of humor was great he made me laugh a couple time throughout the time he spoke. He believes the Middle East could have some better results through nonviolence and marches.

New Semester & Project

My goals for English 102 are to become a even better writer. I want to be aware of how to make my statements clear grammar wise so my reader gets what I am saying. I still need work with sources and citing in MLA format. I like to stop procrastinating with the deadlines as well. That’s not just for this class but all my classes when it comes to doing my work last minute.
The event I plan on going to during unity week is Civil Rights: Now&Then with Rev. Lowery in Pruis Hall. I don’t really now what to expect while there. I think it will be interesting though and informative. I also may attend a Thursday event they are having in Pruis Hall as well. I think the progress that has been made is great. I never thought I see an African American President in my lifetime but now there is one. The next step would be allowing a women President but that’s just me.