AlanaJacobsEnglish207 Blog

According to my ENG 381 class, revision is different from editing. Unlike editing, revision is more than just catching spelling and punctuation errors. Revision involves looking closely at the work at hand, and making sure it is cohesive with the thesis. In an essay, revision could include ensuring that the paragraphs appear in logical order, and answers the who, what, where, why, and how.

It is very important to revise because it transforms you paper rather than merely adjusting it. The creator of the work, along with peer and professionals, can revise.

The peer review was really helpful. I am kind of surprised to be saying this, since I usually do not find peer review beneficial. Since I was struggling with the length, the person who looked over my first draft gave me tips on how to expand my arguments and points. After reading another person’s paper during the last class for peer review, I realized where I could improve my own paper. I completely forgot that I could include limitations and the appeals being used in my PSA. Through peer review, I realized that these two points should be made in my rhetorical analysis.

I am really struggling with examples drawing from the PSA I chose, and I fear that I will have a lot of trouble meeting the length requirement for this assignment. I have pointed out the areas that make the PSA effective, I just need help supporting my arguments.

“Anti-Smoking.” 5 March 2006. You Tube. Video. 19 March 2009

<http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sXAlpHSI-d0>.

A rhetorical analysis based on a PSA should be in many ways graded the same way as the PSA’s we created in groups. The reader should be able to figure out my stance on the PSA’s message, whether I am for or against the issue. Clear and concise organization should be used in this assignment, since it is in essay form. A strong thesis statement should be included at the end of the introduction paragraph so that the reader is informed right away of the argument to be made in the paper. Good and logical examples should be used to support the thesis and arguments. Examples from the PSA will serve as evidence to persuade the reader to consider the argument.

Quit Smoking

I want to use this PSA because of it’s use of graphic images. I feel the topic of being against smoking is wonderfully represented by this PSA because of the somewhat disturbing images. The realism of the video will help me write my rhetorical analysis.

In the two samples we read for homework, the main topic of the essay is immediately introduced. However, each is about a very different topic: one political and the other focuses on pop culture. The sample about hip-hop is a lot less formal than the political one about Saddam Hussein.

After reading these two samples, along with Monday’s sample, I think my rhetorical analysis should include a topic sentence and a strong thesis at the very least. Each writer used different techiques to introduce their argument or topic, such as a quote or strong statement. I think introducing a rhetorical analysis in an interesting way is just as important as stating all of the points that you will outline in your paper.

I worked at three different libraries over Spring Break. I didn’t even really leave town, unless you count my commute from job to job in BG and Toledo! Breaks are extremely important for college students… It gives us a chance to relax and recoup. I feel very refreshed and ready to jump back into the rest of the semester’s work.

Our PSA informs our audience, the upcoming future teachers, to be aware of what they post. This relates to literacy because as role models, teachers have the ability to be impressionable on a wide variety of people, including students. The use of technology directly relates to literacy. The ability to use technology, along with reading from a script, constitutes as being literate. Anyone who views our video should be able to understand the message of our PSA, and this relates to literacy because the PSA wouldn’t be effective otherwise.

My group’s PSA went pretty well overall. I was kind of surprised how many attempts we had to make, even with a storyboard and script. Working with the video equipment and having insufficient computers to work with were the major problems, and even those issues were minor. Changing roles around seemed to help with the filming portion. The video turned out good and I think our message and audience is made very clear. Our project is finished and burned to a CD, so the work is done for my group’s PSA.