Project Update

We are in the second week of our group projects, and we are in the beginning stages of creating our website. So far we have a home page created and we are each working on our individual pages. Information is slowly coming together, and we have to watch out for infringement problems. We have figured out what kind of pictures we can use, but we are having a hard time trying to decide what information to use. Some of the information we have gathered overlaps each others' work, so we have to decide who should use it in their section and what is relevant enough to put on our site. So far the project is going well, though.

Group Project

We are just starting on our group project for English. So far we have set up a website to give information about Facebook. We split up subtopics and each of us are going to work on one. The website will have things related to using Facebook and privacy issues, as well as who owns the things you post and how to safely use the website. We have already run into issues pertaining to copyright problems, but Mrs. Evans helped us find different places to find pictures and information. We will be working on the website both together as a group, and also individually for each of our pages.

Road Map to Writing

Today's reading from chapters 28 and 29 in our English book, the Norton Field Guide to Writing, were about the importance of setting up our writing. We should have a strong opening to grab our reader's attention and a great ending to keep them interested. Having a clear beginning and end also helps our reader stayed focused and wanting to read more.

Another thing that helps when we are writing is to give the reader an idea of what they will be reading about. Setting up a guideline or a "map" will help the reader decide if they are interested in beginning the paper as well as help them along while reading it. The "map" will help them in-the-know. It is very helpful to readers to properly set up your paper so that it as easy and interesting for them to read.

I Don't Comprehend

In part four of the Norton Field Guide to Writing, we learn about what makes a good structure for rhetorical essays. They say that your beginning and ending depends on your rhetorical situation. I agree with this because you would not write about a chicken if the article you are analyzing is about shopping. We have all kinds of options to draw in our audience and help them understand what we are analyzing. The book tells us to use a short narrative or metaphor to relate to the article we are writing about. Other good ways to help you analyze your article would be to compare things or give examples of why you agree or disagree. I think those are good ways to help you understand what you are going to write about.

This Or That

Have you ever made a list of things comparing which one is better? I know I have. Many people compare and contrast things without even knowing it. Whether you are comparing which movie would be better to see or which restaurant you would like to eat at, we compare things all the time. The book talks about different kinds of comparing and contrasting.

One type of comparing and contrasting is by using the block method. This would be making a simple list of all the pros and cons of the two things you are comparing. The other method would be a point-by-point method which would be choosing only a few certain points to make your statement. I usually use the block method because it is easier for me to focus on all the the points in my two subjects rather than just a few general points. I use the block method on many things without even realizing it. I believe that it is helpful to make comparisons to help make choices easier.