Wednesday, February 29, 2012

"Good Reasons” Chapter 13 Précis

In their textbook, “Good Reasons Researching and Writing Effective Arguments,” chapter thirteen, authors Lester Faigley and Jack Selzer explain how proposal arguments work, how to recognize components of a proposal argument, and the steps in building a proposal argument. Faigely and Selzer develop their lesson by providing bulleted explanations of the components of arguments, an example of how to choose the topic, a chart of the steps to write an argument, and two examples of essays with annotations explaining the argument components. Their purpose is to teach students how to write a proposal argument in order to strengthen the student’s persuasive writing and influence on what someone should or should not do. Their intended audience is students because the content is very explanatory and factual.

Thursday, February 16, 2012

8 Précises and citations for MWP1


1.      In their article, “Immigration: The Journey to America The History of Ellis Island,” authors Adam Chao, Dan Spencer, and Rico Suave explain the history of Ellis Island’s early beginnings, the buildings, and how they changed over time. The authors develop and support their claim by describing the history of the island in great detail and in a chronological order. Their purpose is to provide factual information about this immigration station in order to inform the reader of the magnitude of its significance in America’s history. The intended audience is students especially those interested in gaining knowledge about this historical place, and this can be seen through the word choice and factual description. 

Chao Adam, Spencer Dan, Suave Rico. , “Immigration: The Journey to America The History of Ellis Island.” 15 Feb. 2012. Web.  http://library.thinkquest.org/20619/Eihist.html





2.      In her article “Medical Inspection of Immigrants at Ellis Island, 1891-1924,” author Elizabeth Yew describes the medical inspection that the immigrants at Ellis Island had to go through. The author develops and supports her thesis by examining the medical conditions at Ellis Island. Her purpose is to provide a detailed account of the medical history and conditions in order to enlighten the audience of this serious part of American history. The intended audience are those individual conducting research on the medical history of Ellis Island, and this is understood through the factual straightforward manner.

Yew, Elizabeth. “Medical Inspection of Immigrants at Ellis Island, 1891-1924” Department of Medicine Cabrini Medical Center New York, New York. Web. 16, Feb. 2012    




3.      In their article, “Front doors to freedom, portal to the past: history at the Ellis Island Immigration Museum, New York.” Authors Desforges, Luke and Maddern, Joanne discover the importance of museums and the role they play in preservation of the past in a case study of the Ellis Island Museum. The authors develop and support their thesis by exploring the interactions between individual participants and institutions involved in production of the museum. Their purpose is to show the histories and landscapes which result from the interactions in these fields in order to

Desforges, Luke, and Joanne Maddern. "Front Doors To Freedom, Portal To The Past: History At The Ellis Island Immigration Museum, New York." Social & Cultural Geography 5.3 (2004): 437-457. Academic Search Premier. Web. 15 Feb. 2012.

http://web.ebscohost.com/ehost/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?sid=c7338e48-d79d-46a1-9a22-711204a84666%40sessionmgr12&vid=6&hid=15



4.      In her article, “Ellis Island Immigration Museum,” author Diana Pardue discusses the history of the restoration and continued preservation of Ellis Island. The author develops and supports her thesis by providing a factual timeline of events leading up the restoration and continued preservation. Her purpose is to inform the reader of the Ellis Island Museum which is an important part of preserving this national monument in order to show the reader how crucial its preservation is. The intended audience are scholars and historians interested in the museum, and this is understood through the factual and straightforward layout.

Pardue, Diana. "Ellis Island Immigration Museum." Museum International 56.3 (2004): 22-28. Academic Search Premier. Web. 15 Feb. 2012.


5.      In the article, “Spectres of migration and the ghosts of Ellis Island,” author Maddern, Jo Frances confers the different meanings of ghosts associated with Ellis Island. The author develops and supports her thesis through the in-depth interviews with the producers of the restoration of Ellis Island Immigration Station. Her purpose to discuss the spectropolitics  associated with its turbulent past in order to help the reader unravel the trying economics and politics of Ellis Island. Her audience is historians interested in the meaning of ghosts associated with Ellis Island.

Maddern, Jo Frances. "Spectres Of Migration And The Ghosts Of Ellis Island." Cultural Geographies 15.3 (2008): 359-381. Academic Search Premier. Web. 16 Feb. 2012.





6.      In the book, “Forgotten Ellis Island The Extraordinary Story if America’s Immigrant Hospital,” author Lorie Conway declares the struggle between continuing the flow of immigrants into the nation and the control of disease. She develops and supports her thesis by including a lot of pictures and quotes from the immigrant hospital. Her purpose is to describe medical conditions in order to open the readers eyes of the struggles of both the immigrants and medical providers at Ellis Island. Her intended audience is a historian or young scholar, and this can be detected through the many quotes and pictures provided.

Conway, Lorie. “Forgotten Ellis Island The Extraordinary Story of America’s Immigrant Hospital.” Copyright 2007. Print.




7.      In his e-book, “Whiteness How America’s Immigrants became White the Strange Journey from Ellis Island to the Suburbs,” author David R. Roediger breaks down the popular culture, politics, prejudices, and the housing of the immigrants. He develops and supports his thesis by breaking down and explaining the causes and effects of immigration in America and all the areas in life it touched. His purpose is show the struggle of the immigrants to incorporate themselves into the American culture in order to inform the reader of this important and large part of America’s past. The intended audience is are historians and scholars interested in the roles immigrants had in shaping America.    

Roediger, R. David. “Whiteness How America’s Immigrants became White the Strange Journey from Ellis Island to the Suburbs.” Copyright 2005. Web.    




  

8.      In the e-book, “Ellis Island Interviews Immigrants Tell Their Stories in Their Own Words,” author Peter Morton Coan relays the individual stories of some of the many immigrants who passed through Ellis Island. He develops and supports his thesis by directly relaying the immigrants stories. His purpose is to share the stories of the immigrants in order to help the reader understand the what the immigrants went through to make it to America. His intended audience is historians, scholars, and those interested in the sacrifice immigrants made to provide a better life for their families.

Coan, Morton, Pete. “Ellis Island Interviews Immigrants Tell Their Stories in Their Own Words.” Copyright 1997. Web.

Monday, February 13, 2012

Working thesis for MWP1


Ellis Island was a place of both triumph and tragedy and its preservation today is crucial because so many individuals flourished yet so many were turned away from the land of opportunity, and those individuals who made it helped to shape America.

Saturday, February 11, 2012

Précis for article for MWP1

                In their article, “The History of Ellis Island,” authors Adam Chao, Dan Spencer, and Rico Suave explain the history of Ellis Island’s early beginnings, the buildings, and how they changed over time. The authors develop and support their claim by describing the history of the island in great detail and in a chronological order. Their purpose is to provide factual information about this immigration station in order to inform the reader of the magnitude of its significance in America’s history. The intended audience is students especially those interested in gaining knowledge about this historical place, and this can be seen through the word choice and factual description.          

Questions for MWP1


·         What years was Ellis Island Running?

·         How many people did it let through its gate each year and total?

·         What happened to those immigrants once they got to America?

·         Was Ellis Island the only immigrant incorporating system in America?

·         What exactly is Ellis Island?

·         What was the system that Ellis Island used to allow or not allow immigrants in?

·         What purpose does Ellis Island serve today?

·         How were the immigrants treated once they got to America?

·         Why were the immigrants leaving their homes and coming to America?

·         When did Ellis Island open and close for the first and last time?

·         How much control did the government have over Ellis Island?

·         Why is it important that Ellis Island be preserved today?

·         How much did it cost for an immigrant to travel to America?

Wednesday, February 8, 2012

Chapter 4 and 7 Precises


                In their textbook, “Good Reasons Researching and Writing Effective Arguments,” chapter four, authors Lester Faigley and Jack Selzer convey how to properly draft and revise an argument.  Faigely and Selzer develop their teachings by expressing the next step of writing a working thesis, focusing the thesis so it is not too broad or narrow, considering the reader and his/her attitudes, organizing the argument through formal or working outlines, composing an engaging title, introduction, and conclusion, evaluating the draft by asking questions, responding to other writers, and finally editing and proofreading carefully. Their purpose is to teach students how to begin a draft and revise it in order for the student to have a stronger paper. Their intended audience is students because the content is very explanatory and factual.





            In their textbook, “Good Reasons Researching and Writing Effective Arguments,” chapter seven, authors Lester Faigley and Jack Selzer inform the reader about putting good reasons into action. Faigely and Selzer develop their instruction by explaining a hypothetical situation where there would be a good purpose for an argument, listing the methods for conveying your point such as telling a story, and researching others perspectives on the topic. Their purpose is to teach students some methods that are effective tools in convincing an audience of an argument in order to help the writer create a better argument. Their intended audience are students who are learning to write an argument, because the content is direct and informative.   

Tuesday, February 7, 2012

Précis and connection of 3 pieces


                 In his article, “Rethinking the Berne-Plus Framework: From Conflicts of Law to Copyright Reform,” author Paul Edward Geller argues that the Berne-Plus Framework should be remodeled. The author develops and supports his thesis by explaining why this international framework for copyright does not work through hypothetical situations and detailed descriptions of the problems in choice-of-law roulette. His purpose is to inform individuals of the problems with this global context of copyright laws in order to persuade the individuals to move toward a more coherent core-right method that is technology neutral and self-limiting. The intended audience is educated law reformers and specifically those dealing with copyright issues, and the audience is known because of the sophisticated language and in-depth content.           



Throughout the past few days I studied three different sources all concerning plagiarism, copyright laws, sampling and other forms of the taking of another individual’s work and incorporating it into ones own. In all three cases questions are posed regarding if it is necessary to give credit to an original source, and if so how much credit. I agree with all of the sources that it is only right to give credit to the original creator of a piece of work. In the audio recording I disagreed with one of the speakers when he suggested paying the original musical artists for a sample of their work but I think it is important to at least recognize that the consumer did borrow a piece of the original creators work. In the article about the lines of plagiarism are blurring for students because the World Wide Web seems to offer so much information without anyone claiming it. The final article I read dealt with the complexity of international and global copyright laws. The author purposed that the world move away from choice-of-law where an individual may lose their rights outside of a specific country and move towards core-right theory of copyrighting. The major theme that all three of the sources have in common is that plagiarism or the copying of someone else’s work without their permission or giving them credit is a serious and grave problem. Where the line is drawn and how far giving credit to a source does one need to go is a strongly debated issue. I believe that in every case we as college students, now knowing the seriousness of the situation, have a profound responsibility to give due credit to those who are the authors and original creators of a piece of work.  

Saturday, February 4, 2012

Response to audio and article on Plagiarism


                            Plagiarism is defined as the practice of taking someone else’s work and passing it off as your own. Plagiarizing is a grave act can lead to a plethora of problems and arguments. The audio program “Digital Music Sampling” and the article, “Plagiarism Lines Blur for Students in a Digital Age” discuss this serious and growing problem. In the audio program the DJ’s discuss whether or not sampling is illegal, if the consumer should give credit to the producer, and if so how much credit. Some of the DJ’s though it was necessary to go as far as paying the original creators while others thought sampling without citation was perfectly legal because they made something completely different out of the borrowed snippet of music. I believe that it is necessary and proper to give credit to the producers of the original piece because time, effort was put forth to create something original. I do not think it is necessary to pay the original artist though because the snippet that was borrowed from them was transformed into a completely different piece of art. I think that the happy medium is crediting the original artist, but not going as far as paying that artist. In the article author Trip Gabriel discusses how the internet is blurring student’s concept of intellectual property. Information is just a button away, and often all of this information seems to be without an author. According to Ms. Wilensky, one of the individuals quoted in this article, “The main reason it [plagiarism] occurs, is because students leave high school unprepared for the intellectual rigors of college writing.” So between the fact that the information is so easily available seemingly without authors, and students are unprepared to analyze articles, they have become prone to plagiarism. I do agree with the fact that plagiarism is becoming more rampant and think that students need to learn how to properly credit and use sources of information. I believe it is perfectly fine to use other peoples work in your own as long as you make it your own, don’t plagiarize, and as long as the original source is given proper credit.           

Thursday, February 2, 2012

Chapter 2&3 precises


“Good Reasons” Chapter 2&3 Précises



In their textbook, “Good Reasons Researching and Writing Effective Arguments,” chapter two, authors Lester Faigley and Jack Selzer communicate how to effectively read an argument. Faigely and Selzer develop their lesson by describing how to explore controversies, ask questions before reading, detect fallacies, map, annotate, and summarize an argument. Their purpose is to teach students how to read an argument in order for the students can better understand arguments that will aid in their own writing. Their intended audience is students and particularly those students interested in examining how to read an argument, because the content is very explanatory and factual.    




            In their textbook, “Good Reasons Finding Arguments,” chapter three, authors Lester Faigley and Jack Selzer show how to successfully find an argument. Faigely and Selzer develop their lesson by explaining how to distinguish an argument, the basics of an argument which include claim reason and link, read an assignment carefully, list issues narrow them down and choose an interesting one, explore and research a topic, and describing how to find good reasons based on whether one can argue by definition, value, consequence, and counter positions. Their purpose is to teach student how detect an argument and decide if the topic is worthy of writing about. Their intended audience is writing students.