Evaluations can be criticism, such as with a movie or new album release. It is giving your opinion about the movie or album, for example, evaluating it and determining if you think it is worth seeing or listening to. An evaluation, is your judgement on something.
From How to Write Anything, pages 102-118, part of the latest reading in class, I have learned that the easiest way to judge something is to create and define a criteria, which "are standards by which objects are measured: A good furnace should heat a home quickly and efficently" (104). With this cirteria, you can either defend your dissions or explain and discuss them in more detail, depending on the reader's reaction to your criteria. So, now using your criteria, you write your opinion on say, the movie or album, using facts, examples, statistics, testimony and just good reasoing as evidence and support for what you are saying. Also, advice is helpful to include for the reader, because sometimes, people are reading your review because they cannot decide for themself between two options, or just want to hear someone's opinion, and so, help them out with their choice. Tell the reader what you think, what you would do, any regrets afterward, and just weigh the positives and negatives for them. However, something important I learned while reading about this is that you should always stand by your values and write on something you know well, you do not want to confuse your reader and give them mixed signals. Also, be sure to keep an open mind, because this is your opinion, doesn't make it the right one. People are entitled to their own opinion, and if they want to disagree with you, they can, but don't get upset over it, because that is just their opinion, and it happens to be different than yours. So what? Maybe, with different opinions and views on something, together, a deeper understanding od say, the movie or album, could develope. I mean, two heads are better than one. Just don't expect everyone to instantly agree with your opinion on something. Plus, follow the criteria, and be fair. Don't put a personal view on something that goes away from the criteria you had already set out.
Moreover, keep the audience in mind. Who are you writing this evalution for? If it is for a general auidence, you have to explain more, defining key terms, than if it was an expert on the subject because they are considered knowledgeable readers.
Lastly, pay attention to developing materials (the criteria), and then creating the structure, such as "a basic review might announce a subject and make a claim, list critera of evlauation, present evidence to show whether the subject meets those standards, and draw conclusions" (113). It may also be helpful for the structure to have a focal point, or to do a compare and contrast to show strengths and weaknesses.
The final touch to this whole review, and final step, is to choose a style and design, including visuals that will enhance and show what the review is about.
Hopefully this helps, if anyone out there wants to write a review on something.
Sunday, November 28, 2010
Friday, November 12, 2010
Parts of an Essay
Alright, so for my classmates today, I plan to keep this short and sweet. I know you look at what I write and such, but don't repsond because it's so long. I agree with you. I wouldn't even read my own work. So, today, I'm going to try to not write a lot...
One of the readings for class, that we even talked about, was about parts of an essay. These parts include the title, thesis, intro, transitions, and the conclusion. From these readings, I learned that the title should help the writer stay on topic, be related to the topic the writer is writing about, tell the reader something the paper is going to be about, grab attention of a possible reader, be specific, and be aware of tone, audience, and style. P ersonally, I have the most trouble being creative for a title that will grab someone's attention and also tell what the paper will be on. For me, you can't have it both ways...
Next up is the most difficult part of the essay, and most important. It is the thesis. The thesis is the main argument that is often in the introduction, but does not have to be. It can be in the second paragraph, or even the last one. It must be a complete, detailed and specific sentence that is an opinion, something arguable and debateable, not a fact.
One of the readings for class, that we even talked about, was about parts of an essay. These parts include the title, thesis, intro, transitions, and the conclusion. From these readings, I learned that the title should help the writer stay on topic, be related to the topic the writer is writing about, tell the reader something the paper is going to be about, grab attention of a possible reader, be specific, and be aware of tone, audience, and style. P ersonally, I have the most trouble being creative for a title that will grab someone's attention and also tell what the paper will be on. For me, you can't have it both ways...
Next up is the most difficult part of the essay, and most important. It is the thesis. The thesis is the main argument that is often in the introduction, but does not have to be. It can be in the second paragraph, or even the last one. It must be a complete, detailed and specific sentence that is an opinion, something arguable and debateable, not a fact.
The first paragraph is called the introduction. This serves to formally introduce the argument, usually containing the thesis. This paragraph sets tone for rest of paper, and provides background information. Some possible ways to start this paragraph is with an anecdote, quote, data, or a question. It is important that it grabs the reader's attention, because the reader can choose to stop reading at any point. It can be multiple paragraphs long. To be honest, I have the most trouble starting the intro and incorporating my thesis in it. I usually go with a quote.
Next up are transitions. These make the writing flow smoothly, and are kept clear and concise. They guide the readers and connect words or phrases in a sentence. A few of my favorite transition are: Moreover, furthermore, nevertheless, on the contrary....Actually, I just love them all. I know, I'm weird for saying that, but transitions are probably the most fun things to use in the essay and write. Plus, they make you sound like an expert, and smarter than you are. I like sounding scholarly.
Lastly, there is the conclusion. This paragraph is the final one. It serves to wrap up the essay, but not in a way that it repeats the introduction. It acts as a summary, and influences the reader in some way, making an impression on them to act on an issue or change their thoughts or writing style, for example. My old English teacher told me once, that the final sentence of your essay, needs to be a call to action, something short and sweet (unlike how this blog has become).
Well, that's what I've learned this week, and hopefully you did too. Guess I didn't stay true to my word on keeping it short. Sorry guys! But hey, it was informative.
Check out somet of these links for my help and info on writing an essay:
There are so many sites out there for your help!
Friday, November 5, 2010
How To Write Anything: Rhetorical Analysis
So, today I am doing some reading on Rhetorical Analysis. It was a lot of reading, and it made a lot more sense than my AP English teacher had Junior year. She never gave a straight up answer about what rhetoric is, and how to use it. She was very confusing, and my papers suffered because of it. She kept saying how broad it was and that there is no real definition, if that is so, then why were my paperes not as good? Anyway, so as I am reading, it all started to make sense, and I seriously thought/considered to copy these pages of the book and give them to that teacher I had, or at least to her class...But, as I was saying before, it was a lot of reading, so I am only going to tell you about one section of it: Finding and Developing Materials.
So, now that we know what we want to write about, we have to actually develope the idea and make it useable- that is where this section comes in handy. This section talks about considering the subject matter (does the piece make a point? Is it a novel?), the audience (Is it for a professor? A child?), its author, language, occation, context, and use of rhetorical appeals. Considering these is very important because they all corespond to each other. To make a piece effective to say, your professor, about saving the rainforest, you don't want to write it using childish language, with slang, in a poster format, and neglect to mentions the benfits if we do, and organizations that help protect it. But, most importantly, the main thing about rhetorical analysis is its appeals. This is the part my teacher never really explained to us, and tried to have us figure it out on our own (which failed miserably).
These appeals are categorized into three types: pathos, ethos, and logos. Pathos is where the writer "generates emotion in order to move the audiences." Ethos is where "a text may establish the character and credibility of its author." Lastly, logos is where the writers uses "evidence and logic to make its case."
For a persuasive argument, this is great to know. Everyone feeds off of emotions and are motive-drive beings, as my Sociology teacher says. Pathos, forming emotions in the reader, will make the reader more towards your side of the argument. They will feel for your side, root for the underdog, and feel compelled to act. For example, when writing about the need to help the poor, pathos would be telling a story of a weak, baby, who was brown with dirt and lost its baby pink glow, and its family troubles. Seeing how this family is, being poor, plays on our emotions. We want to help this family out. Ethos is good to use because its deals with credibility. The reader is going to believe and act more if the author seems credible- reliable, and with authoity, and clearly knows what they are talking about. As it says inthe reading, audiences are more swayed "by writers or speakers who present themselves as knowledgeable, honest, fair-minded, and even likeable." Moreover, with logos, using evidence only enforces the idea and persuades the reader that they are right and to side with them. If a claim is supported by facts, statistics, quotes, and such, it is mmore believeable and we instantly think that position is right. We are also all logic beings - thinking beings (Homo Sapiens). We find an argument valid, if its facts are true and there is eveidence, since nowadays, seeing is believing. If you can prove it, and show that what you saying is true, then who can disagree with you?
So, basically, that is the most important thing I learned from the reading, which was way more helpful than my high school English teacher. So thank you, reading...
So, now that we know what we want to write about, we have to actually develope the idea and make it useable- that is where this section comes in handy. This section talks about considering the subject matter (does the piece make a point? Is it a novel?), the audience (Is it for a professor? A child?), its author, language, occation, context, and use of rhetorical appeals. Considering these is very important because they all corespond to each other. To make a piece effective to say, your professor, about saving the rainforest, you don't want to write it using childish language, with slang, in a poster format, and neglect to mentions the benfits if we do, and organizations that help protect it. But, most importantly, the main thing about rhetorical analysis is its appeals. This is the part my teacher never really explained to us, and tried to have us figure it out on our own (which failed miserably).
These appeals are categorized into three types: pathos, ethos, and logos. Pathos is where the writer "generates emotion in order to move the audiences." Ethos is where "a text may establish the character and credibility of its author." Lastly, logos is where the writers uses "evidence and logic to make its case."
For a persuasive argument, this is great to know. Everyone feeds off of emotions and are motive-drive beings, as my Sociology teacher says. Pathos, forming emotions in the reader, will make the reader more towards your side of the argument. They will feel for your side, root for the underdog, and feel compelled to act. For example, when writing about the need to help the poor, pathos would be telling a story of a weak, baby, who was brown with dirt and lost its baby pink glow, and its family troubles. Seeing how this family is, being poor, plays on our emotions. We want to help this family out. Ethos is good to use because its deals with credibility. The reader is going to believe and act more if the author seems credible- reliable, and with authoity, and clearly knows what they are talking about. As it says inthe reading, audiences are more swayed "by writers or speakers who present themselves as knowledgeable, honest, fair-minded, and even likeable." Moreover, with logos, using evidence only enforces the idea and persuades the reader that they are right and to side with them. If a claim is supported by facts, statistics, quotes, and such, it is mmore believeable and we instantly think that position is right. We are also all logic beings - thinking beings (Homo Sapiens). We find an argument valid, if its facts are true and there is eveidence, since nowadays, seeing is believing. If you can prove it, and show that what you saying is true, then who can disagree with you?
So, basically, that is the most important thing I learned from the reading, which was way more helpful than my high school English teacher. So thank you, reading...
Monday, November 1, 2010
Midterm Portfolio
Well, here is the site to my website for my mid-term portfolio. Enjoy!
http://samanthasportfolio.weebly.com/
http://samanthasportfolio.weebly.com/
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