Living Sources

After reading the curious researcher by Bruce Ballenger, I learned that if you want to collect data for a research paper, you should interview experts. I f you interview someone who knows what they are talking about, then your paper would turn out stronger. He also says to make contact with the person that your interviewing, that way you can see their gestures and body languages. Another thing I learned from this reading is that surveys shouldn't be controversial, and should consist of a short introduction, and no more than seven questions. So, when interviewing or conducting a survey it should be very information to the person doing the interview.

Reflection on Literature Review

Writing my first draft, about the collective bargaining in the NBA was harder than I imagined. I had to corporate the research I found about collective bargaining and mold it into a social change, which was difficult. It was hard to relate collective bargaining and how it is a social problem. I need to talk more about the way people, other than NBA players are effected by collective bargaining, and salary cap. It takes time and patience to come up with an agreement about money, I could talk about how people get over lockouts.

Quaotations

According to Graff he talks about when and how to use quotes. Also mentions to "Be careful not to select quotes just for the sake of demonstrating that you've read the authors work; You need to make sure they support your own argument." If you write a paper and it has quotes that don't relate to your argument it can hurt your paper. That's why it's important to make sure the quote supports your paper correctly.

They Say I Say

This reading was about quotations, and how it's used. The author says when a quote is used in a paper it has to be introduced properly. Also the quotes have to be explained, its best to explain the quotes so the reader could understand the reasons for putting a quote in the paper. This is helpful because it can help me how to use a quote properly, by introducing it and explaining it the right way. Chapter 4 wasn't in the file.

Questions for Ethnographic Project

Im writting about how fans all over the world are effected by the NBA, due to collective bargaing. Im writting for the people who hate to see the NBA season on a lockout, and the atheletes not haveing a job. I want the readers to learn about the money crisis in the NBA, and how players and employers can't agree on a salary cap.  I can do research on how players feel, and why money is an issue to such a succesful enterprise.

Evaluation of Research Questions

Yes, collective bargaining raises other questions like why athelets and employers cant come to an agreement? and what is being said in the meetings? This topic is interesting to me because Im a fan of the NBA and having no season this year effects me and alot of people, because it was a event that was fun to watch and get away from everything.

Research Paper Brainstorming

After going over alot of social crisis the three that I picked are; occupying wallstreet, gay marrige, and the collective bargaining in the NBA. The one that i picked to do reserch on is the crisis in the NBA. Due to the lockout because of collective bargaining between the basketball atheletes and the employers, players have no job until they can agree on conditions.

How I Fell in Love with Post-It Notes, and Researching One in Six Million

In "How I Fell in Love with Post-It Notes," by Susana Rodriguez she talks about her research strategies to write a paper. She puts it into steps and the first is to load the research guns. By that she means to make sure she has all the things she needs, like post-it notes and pencils. Her second step is fire without aming, she means to read carefully and understand what is being said. Lastly, the third step is she walks away, and takes a break from all the research. In the other reading "One in Six Million," by Hilary Selznick she talks about how a research paper could be fun. She says when someone is able to pick the research topic it could be a fun and interseting experience. If I pick a topic that interests me and follow Susana Roderigez's steps to write a research paper, it coul be the best paper I've written.

Linguistic Landscape

The linguistic landscape project I would like to write about is on the death penalty. That is something I dont believe in, and have religious beliefs against. I've researched the death penalty and found out there are many states who allow the death penalty. Also how race plays apart in the death penalty, there are more blacks on death row than any other race. I researched Troy Davis who was exucuted last week, and there was no forensic evidence in his case, he also happened to be a black man.

Reading Visual Texts: A Bullet for your Arsenal by: Susana Rodriguez

This article is about advertisements/pictures haveing a thousand meanings. An example Susanna uses is  the i-pod ad banners, how you can picture yourself in the silouettes which make you want to get one. But can also be looked at as being offensive, because the silouettes are all lean, hip people. Depending on your state of mind, you can look at pictures/advertisments in so many ways, negative or positive. Susanna also talks about a picture with family in front of disney world with everyone is smiling and looks to be enjoying their time there. Little would the viewers know that they were having a bad day, and those where just smiles for the camera.  

Interviewing Diamond

Diamond is from South Side, Chicago, where the culture is somewhat different from other states. She speaks english but in a more urban like accent, where its more informal, and improper. A sentence like "Im about to go outside,'' isn't english for Diamond or a black Chicagoan, instead it's "Im finna go out.'' Her english is more short and improper with friends, and proper and formal at school or work. She only speaks like that when shes with friends, because they understand her language. With family it's the same but more respectful, she wouldnt talk to her parents like she would talk to her friends. There are many ways english can be spoken and Diamound speaks in one of the ways in, a short and imporper way, where it's comfortable for her. But knows when to switch to a more proper English when appropriate.

Getting Personal Letter

Dear, Irene

I really enjoyed reading “Getting Personal,” I like that you were truthful from the beginning. “My purpose here is not to offer instruction on how to write the personal essay, but instead to examine what the personal essay has taught me about writing,” (Irene 21). By reading your experiences with personal essays, it teaches people how to become better writer’s in this genre. Another point that I liked was that “you have to be honest with yourself as well as the audience reads your work,” (Irene 21-22). I never really looked at it like that. If a reader wants to enjoy a good reading the writing should be honest but interesting, after all it is a “PERSONAL” essay. Also, I like how you talked about the personal essay being more than just the writer personal journey. “The personal essay considers how issues relate to the reader,” (Irene 23). I now know that when writing a personal essay, you should make the reader feel as if they were the ones who wrote it and make them feel a part of the essay. By reading “Getting Personal,” I learned to be honest when writing a personal essay and to relate the audience in my writing. I should be truthful and honest not only to myself by to the reader as well. As well as relating the audience somehow, by making them feel a part of the issue in your personal essay.

Sincerely,

Biruk Ijigu

Getting Personal, and Critiquing and Changing Genres

When writing a personal essay, you should be able to get personal in the writting. Give plenty of details and also should put own thoughts, beliefs, and perceptions into the writting piece. While critiquing and changing genres you should judge your own writing, and make arguements to strenghten your writing. When doing so you become a better writer.

From Outside, In

The meaning of Mellix's is saying she is apart of something but doesn't feel welcomed. The ways it reflects her journey ion the personal narrative she described is that she use to she black English and wasn't treated the same as someone who would speak standard English. She still spoke English but it wasn't proper English, therefore she was outside looking in. She learned how to speak English in a more proper and understanding manner, then she started to feel comfortable. Mellix would use "black" English when shes with friends or family, and use standard English out in public such as school or work. She learned when, where, and how to use her two languages properly. She didn't mind the "doubleness" of speaking to whites and speaking to blacks, but it can get a little overwhelming. She wouldn't want to sound as if she doesn't know how to speak standard English.

My Language

The language that is spoken in my family is English and Amhric. I feel more attached to English because I started speaking it when I was young and started to forget about Amhric. My family made sure I didnt forget though, they speak to me in Amhric and I reoly in Amhric and English at the same time. Amhric comes from Ethiopia, located on the east part of Africa. I dont think that my language would be recognized in school, unlike spanish, its not popular in the states. Also there is a low population of Ethiopians in America.

The Person who Influences me the Most

Derrick Rose, a basketbal player for the Chicago Bulls, is a humble person who has high expectations for himself. He sets high goals and achieves them. On media day, where the press interviews all the players before the season starts, he said "why can't I be the best player?, why cant I be the league's Most Valuable Player, I work hard enough." That statement shocked the basketball world, comeing from a young quiet third year player that set high goals for himself that no one thought he would acomplish. He later said that he wasn't trying to come of as cocky or arrogant by saying he could be the best, it was just confidence in himself. I think that it was a bold statement to make and I look up to him for not only setting high goals, but actually acheiveing them. He speaks in a polite and humble manner and is always postive. I learn alot from watching, and listening to him. He tought me that if I put my mind to something I really want to achieve, I can accomplish it. Also, how to speak publicly by not sounding arrogant, but to sond proper and respectfull.

Why and When we Speak Spanish in Public

1.) Marquez says the reason she and her family haven't adopted English as their first language is because  it's a matter of respect for parents and comfort in their cultural roots. If I were standing next to Marquez and her parents and they were speaking Spanish I wouldn't consider that rude. I speak another language as well and understand that it is their native language and they should never forget about that, or their culture.

 4.) The circumstances that Marquez would stop speaking Spanish and use English is when there are two or more people who are bilingual and another person who speaks only English. She believes that it is rude and I agree with Marquez, because I wouldn't want to make the other person feel uncomfortable. I think that it's rude and not the best time to speak my language when I'm with someone who doesn't know what I'm saying.

The writing features that make this piece of writing powerful is that Marquez gives examples of real life situations that helps the reader understand her ideas. When I read what she goes through and she explains her reasoning I get a clear understanding of how she feels towards certain situations. This was an informational reading to me, which I think was a valuable type of genre. I got to read from another bilingual persons perspective, which helped understand the importance about speaking not just another language but their native language.

Grassroots Reading

I learned from reading "Reading as a writer of Genres" and "Excersise in Genres," that we read different genres with different tones.  Depending on the type of genre we read, we would have different intersest to it. Also how the text is written and the visual that is diplayed, shows how it should be read. Reading a flyer to a garage sale might have "GARAGE SALE" in big letters to attract the audience, as well as pictures to go along with it. Another idea I learned is about a quad chart. It could be a helpful resource to organizing genres which you are writing. This is important for every writer because it teaches how to read genres.Also when to expect genres just by looking at the visual aspect of a letter or book. As well as how to write genres in a more organized manner.

Educational Textbook, Magizines, and Fantasy

Reading a educational textbook will require full attention to understand what you've read. If you don't understand the text you can read it over to grasp the idea. Opposed to reading a magizine, you read it for entertainment and you don't have to study the text word for word. However, if you read a fantasy novel you might read it for entertainment, or read to understand whats going on in the story.

Chicago Bulls

Biruk Ijigu                                                                                                 August 23, 2011

                                                            English 101

            This is an image of the Chicago Bulls mascot. This picture is important to me because I love basketball, and it is my hometown team. A bull is a strong and furious animal, which is sort or how the team plays, strong and always fighting to win. This is why I believe that Chicago has the best mascot, and how the bull is similar to the style of play, in which Chicago plays. The picture is a red bull staring at you, as if it’s going to attack you. There is a basketball in the background to show the sport or the mascot. I love to play basketball; it is a fun and intense game, struggling to put up as many points as the opposing team. I also love watching the Bulls play, every game they gave it their all and were winners. To me they are the most exciting basketball team to watch. The Bulls are very important to a lot of Chicagoans. Chicago is a city where we love our sports whether its basketball, football, hockey or baseball, we show appreciation. The sports in Chicago are a way of bringing Chicagoans together, and giving us something to talk about. Even if we’re not the best team, and were constantly losing, Chicagoans are at every game cheering them on. The Bulls are an amazing team full of life and means so much to the city of Chicago. People will continue to follow and cheer for this team for many years to come. The Chicago Bulls aren’t just a team to me; they have a strong culture that represents strength and power, there more than family in my eyes. The picture isn’t just a bull; it symbolizes the type of spirit the Chicago Bulls have, a strong devotion to winning.

My First Post

I had a big breakfast.