End of semester

I was first confused by this course because I have never taken a writing course that explores one topic, "communities," throughout the whole semester. However, I have found this course to be very practical because I had never written a project proposal or attempted to "initiate action." I didn't understand why we needed to explore these modes of discourse until I thought of the universal applications associated with these forms. For example, as a biology major, I will probably need to write a project proposal or grant proposal versus a literary analysis essay. I didn't understand how we could learn to write without extensive reading as examples of "good writing"; however, considering the types of writing we have been doing, the examples Mrs. Scott provided for us were effective models/ descriptions of how we should write. 

Conventions of my Genre

For my initiating action project, I want to write a letter to dining services. I found a couple of examples online of various letters written to promote change or awareness. The first letter was written by a disabled restaurant patron who had difficulty maneuvering around the restaurant. He wrote to the owner asking for improved accessibility in the restaurant for all wheelchair users. He introduced his argument by starting with a narrative of his own experience at the Westside Diner. The second letter I found was written by a citizen addressing a newspaper editor about the harmful affects of chemicals in perfumes. Her argument was supported by facts about the Clean Air Act of 1980 and scientific research about the health effects of these chemicals. I think my letter addressed to dining services would be more like hers because I must compel my audience to act via fact, and not anecdote. From just looking at these two samples,  I see that there is much freedom in how I can write this letter; however, I must emphasize the exigence of what I am asking and it must be supported by undeniable fact. 

Pitts, C.M. The Environmental Health Network of California Files Petition with the FDA. June 16, 1999. 

White, G.W. & Thompson, R. & Nary, D.E., The Action Letter Portfolio: Writing Letters that Work! 1998 

Initiating Action

For my initiating action project, I will write a letter to dinning services urging them to charge $.50 per Styrofoam container in order to discourage unnecessary use of styrofoam. I will write about the malfeasant effects of styrofoam on the enviromnent and Virginia Tech's massive ecological footprint due to the excessive use of styrofoam products from dinning halls. I will also point out how students who are eating in the dinning room use styrofoam products despite the small posters that have been put up stating the anti-green effects of styrofoam. Taking action that will directly affect students, in this case their budget, which most students cannot ignore, is the only way to promote a greener campus. I will also suggest large posters or signs be put up in the dinning halls stating this new charge and how it will affect student budgets. 

Essay Feedback

When re-reading my essay before it was due, I had the same concerns about my piece that Grete brought up in her feedback. I didn't fix the problems I saw in my essay because I wasn't sure how to revise the piece without losing what I liked about my essay. Now that I have more time to revise and second opinion that reasserted what I had worried about, I think I can go back an effectively rework parts of my essay without losing the integrity of my thoughts. 

I was glad to hear that Grete thought the I was funny and reflective because that was exactly how I wanted to portray the author. The largest concerns with my essay pertain to unexpanded ideas and curt reflections after some of the anecdotes. I think her comments will greatly facilitate revising this essay. 

Initiating Action

Through observation, I have come by two examples of "Initiating Action" which I think fit this assignment. Unfortunately, they are not samples I can bring to class, so I will discuss them on my blog. The first is a petition I was looking at in Bollo's last week. The petition was asking Blacksburg residents to sign if they wished for more bike lanes to be incorporated during new construction in the town. They argued that many Blacksburg residents bike as their main form of transportation and that the new plans for Blacksburg did not include adding bike lanes. 

The second example of "Initiating Action" is the Obama rally today on the Drillfield. Students were screen printing red t-shirts with Obama's face, and the band "Hope Hop" performed songs promoting change, peace, and love. Also, students had made signs urging students to vote on Tuesday for the democratic party. 

What is an essay?

From our readings, I have concluded that en essay revolves  around the author and his ideas. The purpose of an essay is to provide a forum of communication between the author and his readers and the subject of this discussion is anything the author wishes to discuss. From this, we see a need for a personal presence from the author. A good essay will allow the reader to participate in a journey alongside the author. In addition to the abstract values of a good essay, it needs to be accurate relative to the subject and the writer's perspective. 

My essay is intended to be a personal narrative, but I have yet to include a strong personal aspect to my piece. I will be including more anecdotes about my self, things I have observed, and their relatedness to my topic. I want to work off the idea of an essay as a journey and invite my reader on a trip through my topic. 

Research Proposal Comments

Grete's note was helpful since I don't really know how to write a research proposal. I think I will still have trouble editing my proposal because I am so unfamiliar with this mode of discourse. My main problem was that I didn't include a real plan of action regarding research and how I will get it.