Topic Proposal

                Classroom attendance is completely different from high school to college. Most college courses do not require attendance. This is especially true for lectures. However, many general education courses at the University of Iowa require attendance and use it towards one final grade. The problem with this attendance policy is that it kills students’ intrinsic motivation to learn in class.

                As a freshmen, I have felt this effect. I generally look forward to going to classes that are do not require attendance because I am interested in learning more. On the other hand, rather than developing an eagerness for learning, I often feel resentful towards going to classes that require attendance.

                In this presentation I will argue that University of Iowa students generally feel less motivated and interested in courses that require attendance. To solve this problem, the University must do away with required attendance policies. I plan to utilize various social and psychological journals in the University of Iowa database to support my argument. I will also interview individuals or survey the class on their opinions regarding the issue of required class attendance.

IMRaD Report

Abstract

                What factors influence a first-year student’s transition to college? This study analyzes the different ways in which in-state and out-of-state students adjust to college life. A sample of twenty University of Iowa freshmen students were surveyed about their perceived adjustment to different aspects of college. Sample data indicates a potential advantage for out-of-state students in transitioning to college, as out-of-state students reported that since beginning college they have generally experienced more improvement in sleep, exercise, emotional well-being, and relationship building than their in-state counterparts. Based on these findings, it is necessary to ask why. More research on this topic is necessary before we can conclude why this trend has occurred, although it’s possible that out-of-state students become more productive, on average, as a result of being thrust into a new environment.

Introduction

                A student’s transition to college can be one of the most exciting yet vulnerable times in one’s life. For decades researchers and recent high school graduates have wondered about what factors contribute to a smooth college transition. In 2012, researchers concluded that social connections are the most important factor for a successful college transition, indicating a potential disadvantage for out-of-state students (DeRosier & Leary). Additionally, out-of-state students generally pay higher tuition and may have to adapt to an entirely new culture. So, if DeRosier and Leary are correct, what is it like for the approximately 13.7% (Dotterweich, Baryla, & Rochelle) of students that enroll in out-of-state universities?

                The objective of this study is to discover ways in which the college transition differs for in-state and out-of-state students and also to discuss potential answers as to why the experiences may differ. Unlike many studies that use GPA or test scores to judge the experience of a student, this study focuses on how well individuals believe they are doing. The end result is a measure of one’s perceived level of adjustment.

Methods

Participants

A convenience sample of twenty freshmen students at the University of Iowa were surveyed.

Data Source

Surveys were conducted through the online survey application Survey Monkey.

Survey Questions

                First, participants were asked which city and state they permanently reside in. They were then asked to note whether or not they live in a suburb of a bigger city and, if applicable, which city the suburb is a part of. Next, participants were instructed to rank a series of statements based on their level of agreement since beginning college courses. Five choices were given for each statement and each choice was given a value for data analysis: strongly disagree (-2), disagree (-1), neither agree nor disagree (0), agree (1), and strongly agree (2).

The statements were presented as follows:

                Your academics have improved.

                You get better sleep.

                You exercise more.

                Your emotional well-being has improved.

                You are content with the relationships you’ve made.

                Participants were made aware that the purpose of the survey was to study the relation between the location of one’s hometown and his/her perceived adjustment to college life.

Data Analysis

                Ranked responses were given the stated values so as to show positive adjustment as a positive number and negative adjustment as a negative number. Responses were then separated into two groups: in-state and out-of-state students.

Results

Figure 1: Average rankings of in-state and out-of-state students

                Figure 1 shows that on average, the students surveyed have adjusted well to college life. Each category has a positive average for both in-state and out-of-state students, therefore the sample evidence indicates that freshmen students generally have a positive adjustment to college life.

                There is also a clear discrepancy between in-state and out-of-state students’ level of adjustment in all categories except academics. On average, out-of-state students self-reported 25% lower in academics, 100% higher in sleep, 500% higher in exercise, and 50% higher in both emotional well-being and relationships.

Discussion

                The results of this study raise many questions. First, the sample data shows that students believe they are generally doing well academically. College courses are considered more rigorous than high school courses and therefore one would assume a negative result for academics. Sample bias may be responsible for this outcome. Of the twenty individuals in the sample, a majority were direct admits into the University of Iowa’s business school. Therefore, many individuals surveyed may already be academically inclined, thus the data shows a positive result for academics. Additionally, in-state students reported a slightly higher level of academic wellness than out-of-state students. Because the sampling method was not random there is no way test whether in-state reported academic levels are significantly higher than out-of-state levels, although if it were at some point proven statistically significant, the discrepancy may be explained by lower levels of reported in-state student improvement in the four other surveyed categories of college life.

                This brings us to the next point. Out-of-state students reported much higher results in the subsequent four categories of college life. Why could this be? If DeRosier and Leary assert that social connections are the most important factor in a successful college transition, how do you explain the results of this survey? Of course, as previously stated, this data was collected through a convenience sample and therefore there is a high probability that it isn’t an accurate representation of the population of first-year college students. But, if we assume the sample data is at least a semi-accurate portrayal of the population, one potential reason for the survey results may be that out-of-state students generally make social connections than in-state students during the beginning of the academic year. In-state students, on average, have more friends to lean on as they begin college but may become distant with these individuals as the year progresses. Out-of-state students, on the other hand, generally do not have the luxury of existent relationships and may feel much more motivated to form new relationships quickly. It is possible this may also cause a ripple effect and motivate out-of-state students to become more productive individuals in general, thus providing a potential explanation for the higher reported increases in sleep, exercise, and emotional well-being.

                Now, it is important to state once again that these ideas are only ideas, they are not conclusions based on any statistical level of certainty. The topic of this report is interesting, although it would benefit from more rigorous research methods. If a cross-country study that employed random samples of students at randomly chosen colleges and universities were conducted, one would likely be able to provide reliable data correlations and to draw statistically significant conclusions.

               

References

DeRosier, M. E., & Leary, K. A. (2012). Factors Promoting Positive Adaptation and Resilience during the Transition to College. Wuhan, Hubei, China: Scientific Research Publishing.

Dotterweich, D., Baryla, E. A., & Rochelle, C. F. (2011). Nonresident Enrollment at Religious and Secular Colleges. Johnson City, Tennessee, USA: Taylor and Francis Group.

Appendix

Respondent	Residence	Population	Location	Academics	Sleep	Exercise	Well-Being	Relationships
1	Chicago, IL	9,730,000	out-of-state	0	1	2	1	1
2	Twin Cities, MN	3,798,000	out-of-state	0	0	0	1	2
3	Springfield, IL	208,200	out-of-state	1	1	1	0	1
4	Iowa City, IA	164,400	in-state	0	0	0	1	2
5	Chicago, IL	9,730,000	out-of-state	1	1	2	0	1
6	Des Moines, IA	611,500	in-state	0	0	-1	0	0
7	Cedar Rapids, IA	257,900	in-state	0	1	1	0	1
8	St. Louis, MO	2,796,000	out-of-state	0	-1	-2	0	2
9	Des Moines, IA	611,500	in-state	0	1	2	2	1
10	Madison, WI	243,400	out-of-state	0	0	-1	0	1
11	Wayland, IA	1,000	in-state	0	1	-1	1	1
12	Waverly, IA	10,100	in-state	0	-2	-2	-1	1
13	Iowa City, IA	164,400	in-state	0	1	0	1	1
14	Chicago, IL	9,730,000	out-of-state	-1	1	1	1	-1
15	Des Moines, IA	611,500	in-state	1	-1	-1	-1	-1
16	Iowa City, IA	164,400	in-state	1	-1	1	0	0
17	Des Moines, IA	611,500	in-state	1	2	1	1	2
18	Des Moines, IA	611,500	in-state	0	0	-1	-1	0
19	Des Moines, IA	611,500	in-state	-1	1	2	1	1
20	Bristow, VA	8,900	out-of-state	0	1	1	1	2

IMRaD Rankings

1) Sample 4, grade: A+

2) Sample 2, grade: A

3) Sample 1, grade: B

4) Sample 3, grade: C

Sample 4 is clearly the best report. The author conveys his or her points well and uses good formatting and quality visual aids. Sample 2 contains many of the same positive aspects of sample 4, although it is not as easy to read and could use additional depth on the topics. Sample 1 is alright. The works cited and appendix should be on separate pages from the body of the paper, and the procedure of the survey is questionable. Picture 3 does not even look like a symmetrical face. Sample 1 also has a few grammar mistakes. Lastly, sample 3 is simply not a good paper. It has a lot of room for improvement in almost every aspect of the assignment.

Major Writing #2 Survey

https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/KZGVGRD

Freakonomics Excerpt & Economist Sells Bagels

Although the two articles cover the same topic, they are much different from each other. They both analyze data about bagel delivery company but in completely different ways. The "Economist Sells Bagels" utilizes the IMRaD format. It has a clearly designed format with an abstract, page numbers, section headings, etc. The Freakonomics excerpt, rather, is a narrative with the intent of interesting the reader, thus it utilizes more word choice to garner pathos appeal, whereas "Economist Sells Bagels" strictly uses ethos and logos.

IMRaD paper ideas

Research Idea #1

Topic: Wealthiest 1% influence on presidential elections

For this research topic I will survey at least twenty people with 3-4 questions. I am not sure yet how I will choose people to survey as it will be difficult to use an approximate random sample and to curb sample bias since it will have to be an optional survey.

My survey questions will be along the lines of:

                -Do you believe the wealthiest 1% of Americans has a disproportionate influence on U.S presidential elections? If so, estimate what percent you believe the top 1% to have on elections.

                -Do you believe the U.S. federal government is doing anything to curb the influence of the 1%? If so, what? If no, is the influence of the 1% growing?

                -Do you believe the influence of the 1% is a problem? Explain. If so, do you believe you have the power to change the situation? How?

Before presenting my findings, I will present historical data on similar polls as well as data on the percentages of campaign donations from different socio-economic classes. All of these sources should be scholarly, peer-reviewed articles. I will search for them on sites such as Google Scholar or EbscoHost.

Note that all questions start with, “Do you believe…” The reason for this will tie into my discussion section. I will make sure to note that the historical data matters not so much as my findings because people vote based on what they believe to be true, not what is actually true. This will be an interesting point if there proves to be a disparity between historical data and my findings. If there is no disparity, it will still be interesting, yet less profound.

Research Idea #2

Topic: Student debt at the University of Iowa

For this research topic I will survey at least twenty people with 3-4 questions. I will potentially choose survey participants by choosing multiple distinct places on the University of Iowa campus to survey only a few people. This way I will get a variety of respondents, both male and female and of a many different majors and ages.

Before introducing my findings I will present a historical context with data on college prices, parent aid, scholarship aid, need based aid, student debt at graduation, and time taken to pay off student debt. Again I will only use peer-reviewed articles as sources. It may require additional effort to find data specifically on the University of Iowa.

Survey questions will be something along the lines of:

                -How much does the University of Iowa cost for you per year?

                -Have you taken out loans? Do your loans cover the full cost? If they cover more than the            amount needed, do you spend the leftover funds?

                -What percentage of your tuition and fees are paid for by scholarships? Grants? Parents?

In the discussion area of my paper I will attempt to connect my findings with historical data. This would be an extremely interesting topic if my sample data is reliable. I suspect the discussion area of my report will develop as I analyze my findings.

Speech Outline

Greeting/Hook:

Background story of why I chose to analyze Kum & Go

-Sophomore year of high school

-My friends and I would hang out outside of Kum & Go all the time

-We would go there after school

-We’d be there every weekend

-Spent thousands of dollars on food and gas

Thesis Statement:

Kum & Go wants customers to Kum & Stay. Kum & Go effectively influences customers to do so through advertising campaigns, focused on pathos and ethos appeal, that build its public image as a homey, welcoming place of business that cares about the local communities that it serves.

Overview:

To test my thesis….

-I examined background information on Kum & Go

-Analyzed two advertisements

-Analyzed outside article on Kum & Go

-Tested the level of pathos and ethos Kum & Go uses in its marketing operations

-I explain the purpose and reasoning behind Kum & Go’s decisions

Transition:

-General background information on Kum & Go

-Facts and statistics on when/where Kum & Go started

-Locations Kum & Go serves today, number of locations, etc.

-Define target market/audience for Kum & Go and most appropriate rhetorical appeals for said audience

Main Idea 1:

-Cover first advertisement

-Establishes quality of products

-Explain ethos and pathos of advertisement

-Connection to thesis: Kum & Go is not only out to get a profit. Kum & Go cares about the customer.      Kum & Go delivers quality products at affordable price.

Main Idea 2:

-Cover second advertisement

-Ad is designed to build Kum & Go’s welcoming, homey image

-Cover the importance of FREE coffee

-Explain ethos

-Thoroughly explain pathos

-Small business values

-Diminished association with corporate big business

Main Idea 3:

-Cover article on Philanthropy

-Donate mainly to causes that support youth and philanthropy

-Importance of having Kum & Go name attached to said causes

-Strong pathos appeal

-Investment in future of Kum & Go

Conclusion:

In conclusion…

-Kum & Go builds its reputation for quality (ethos) through ads such as… (first ad)

                -brief summary

-Kum & Go builds pathos through ads such as… (second ad)

                -brief summary

-Kum & Go further builds pathos and invests in its future through its philanthropy and community           outreach… (summarize third main point)

Kum & Go has effectively built and will continue to build its reputation as a welcoming business that is an integral part of the community.

(Clincher) It provides quality products and services and gives back to the communities it serves.

Speech Proposal

             The company I chose to analyze is Kum & Go. I chose Kum & Go because I frequented it more than any other business during my high school years. Additionally, it’s headquartered in Des Moines, roughly ten minutes from my hometown.

                I examined two different promotional coupons for food and drinks at Kum & Go. The first one advertises a free 20 oz. Java Ridge coffee. The coupon establishes pathos with the word “free” in capital letters. Who doesn’t love free things? The word free in all caps gets people excited and interested in what the advertisement has to say. The advertisement also establishes mythos because it has a very simple, straightforward format. There is no fancy editing that went into the coupon. I believe it was designed this way to appear as if anyone could have made it. By doing so, the marketing experts at Kum & Go make their business appear like a small local business, with little connection to the corporate world. The reason for doing this is because it appeals to people’s cultural values and attitudes. A majority of people in Iowa live in rural areas where there is a bigger focus on small and local businesses. Although any given Kum & Go customer may know that Kum & Go is by no means small, this coffee advertisement influences customers’ subconscious opinions by increasing the likelihood that they will believe Kum & Go’s values fall in line with those of the small businesses around the state of Iowa.

                The second advertisement I analyzed is a promotion for a $4 meal that includes a medium drink, a bag of chips, and two roller grill items. On the advertisement it shoes an example of the items you get as a part of the promotion. Everything is perfectly placed and looks delicious. This helps build pathos because it makes customers hungry and want to eat at Kum & Go. Additionally, the words “meal” and “medium drink” are in large font and are bolded. This too builds pathos as it catches peoples eye and causes customers to pay attention to what the advertisement has to say. The ad also includes the Kum & Go logo and is very well put together, which builds ethos.

                To build logos in my speech I will also analyze an outside source that describes Kum & Go with statistics on things such as locations, services, etc., and I will analyze a source that describes Kum & Go’s place in Iowan culture, and its influence on the community. Lastly, the most important part of speech will be my story with Kum & Go. My friends and I used to hang out at a Kum & Go near our homes all the time because we were tired of hanging out at our houses with nothing to do. During the years that my friends and I hung out at Kum & Go we surely spent a few thousand dollars on food alone, to say nothing of all the times we filled our cars with gas. My story will build mythos and pathos and will describe how effective Kum & Go’s marketing is, at a personal level.

In-Class Speech Analyses

Speech 1:

Pros

1. Ethos: the speaker corrects her mothers mistake about what age she started reading. Telling the truth builds credibility

2. Pathos: the speaker uses appropriate word choice and delivers her speech at an appropriate rate, pausing in between important phrases. The delivery of her speech builds tension and emotion within the audience.

3. Mythos & Pathos: the speaker tells the story about her childhood. It is very emotional and helps her make her point.

Cons

1. The speaker has a thick accent.

2. Lack of facts/statistics

3. Speech is a little lengthy

Speech 2:

Pros

1. Pathos: music playing in the background

2. Logos/Pathos: intelligent and emotional word choice

3. Logos: Facts and statistics on when women will achieve equality, at current rates

Cons

1. Speaker speaks too slow

2. Speaker is vague towards end of speech

3. Speaker appears somewhat nervous

Kum & Go Advertisement Analysis

The purpose of the advertisement that I analyzed is to attract customers to eat at Kum & Go. The post advertises Kum & Go's current promotion: four dollars for a medium drink and a meal (two roller grill items and a bag of chips). While I'm unsure of the author of the ad (there is probably multiple), the audience is surely any hungry Kum & Go customer. When I think of the rhetorical square, it is clear that pathos is used more than any other appeal in this advertisement. There are two perfect looking hot dogs and an ice cold fountain drink next to a bag of chips. The food is the focal point of the advertisement and is designed to make people FEEL like they want to eat a meal from Kum & Go. Additionally, the words “medium drink & meal” are bolded and are in a larger font. The reason for this could be considered ethos or mythos, because the placement of the words is designed to catch the eye of potential customers and to evoke certain feelings associated with refreshments and food. Ethos is also heavily used in the ad and there is a general lack of logos. The ad shows a Kum & Go logo as well as a Lays logo. The entire layout is well done and was clearly put together by someone with solid design and Photoshop skills. All of this adds to the credibility of the ad and will lead customers to believe that Kum & Go serves quality, reliable food.

What Makes a Great Speech?

1. Confidence. Be comfortable speaking in front of a crowd.
2. Preparation. Practice your speech multiple times.
3. Research. Be prepared with accurate facts and statistics.
4. Appearance. Dress up for your speech.
5. Dynamics. Utilize effective body language and eye contact. Change the rate, volume, and tone of your voice at appropriate times.

Conference Suggestions

I think the conference with Professor Paudel was generally helpful. My final draft is a better finished product as a result. I think it would have been helpful for conferences to be scheduled for thirty minutes. If some conferences didn't take that long it would have been no big deal, although I believe my conference easily could have gone that long if it were scheduled for more than fifteen minutes. The comments on my paper were extremely helpful to me in revising my paper, I focused on addressing each comment while I wrote my final draft. One issue I had was that I didn't see the comments on my paper until my conference when Professor Paudel showed me how to view them. While not absolutely necessary, I think it would be beneficial if Paudel would have included directions on how to view the comments. Had I viewed the comments before my conference, I would have been able to ask more specific questions on how to improve my paper.

Major Writing Assignment #1 (First Draft)

Writing in Financial Management


Writing is universal. It is found everywhere in day-to-day life is a key component to many professions. Writing is especially crucial in the field of financial management. Financial management, or wealth management, is often the responsibility of a financial advisor. Financial advisors often work on behalf of individuals and corporations. Financial advisors manage the funds of individuals, corporations, local or state governments, and charitable organizations in order to help all parties reach their financial goals. A job in financial management could be focused in some area of investing, raising capital, budgeting, estate planning, or risk management, or could involve a combination of areas.


As a freshmen finance major interested in financial management, I was curious to learn and inform others about the roll that writing in the profession. In my study I interviewed Ryan Bhattacharyya, president of PREMAC Wealth Management Services, a financial management firm out of West Des Moines, Iowa that manages over one billion dollars in assets. According to Bhattacharyya, “Business credibility hinges on the ability to write well.”


Academic Writing


Although writing ability is crucial to the world of finance, financial professionals rarely engage in technical writing considered to be academic or scholarly. Financial advisors write a variety of reports that are written almost exclusively towards cliental. As a result, ideas are simplified and stated more concisely. For example, Exxon Mobile’s 2015 second quarter report includes phrases such as “Driving down costs and improving efficiency,” and “Leader in exploration and development cost,” but does not dive into the technical and geological reasons for improved efficiency or successful exploration. This simplified language choice helps clarify complex ideas to clients.


While financial advisors rarely write academic reports, they often read academic writing. When I asked Bhattacharyya what sort of reading he does, he replied he does, “extensive reading of scholarly articles, financial journals, The Wall Street Journal, and The New York Times.” He went on to explain that in a world with an ever-increasing level of communication, staying up to date is key. Through these academic sources Bhattacharyya stays current with stock market happenings and market research in order to make informed decisions on behalf of his clients. To understand how the decision making process works, I pulled an article published in The Wall Street Journal on September 14, 2015. The article, written by Daniel Gilbert, Erin Ailworth and Alison Slider, states that, “Drillers are bracing for cuts to their credit lines in October, as banks re-evaluate the worth of oil and gas properties.” This article could influence Bhattacharyya and other financial advisors alike to act in a variety of ways. After reading, one may decide to sell or short sell clients’ shares of any highly leveraged oil drilling companies. Or, one might decide to invest in oil companies that are not highly leveraged, assuming they will have the opportunity for valuable acquisitions of smaller oil companies in the near future.


Non-Academic Writing


While reading to stay up to date is a large component of financial management, financial advisors spend more time each day writing. The vast majority of writing in this profession is considered non-academic. For Bhattacharyya, the main reasons for writing include, “Daily to-do lists, emails to industry partners, clients, and prospective clients, and quarterly newsletters to clients.” Bhattacharyya sent an example of a to-do list which includes short hand writing such as, “E/Thomson/risk,” which means he needs to email a client by the name of Thomson with an updated risk management plan. Bhattacharyya is able to write in short hand on his to-do lists because he is the intended audience. In other words, he’s the only person who needs to understand what the lists mean. This requires relatively no writing skill. On the other hand, writing to others takes well developed writing ability that is vital in such a highly connected field.


The most effective way to stay connected in business is through email. Many financial advisors receive hundreds of emails daily. Writing emails requires a certain adroitness, especially when requesting something from another individual, “Email does not have body language, voice tone, emphasis, etc. I always default to being cautious and tactful when asking others to do something on my behalf,” says Bhattacharyya. Although it is difficult, there are certain email techniques that will greatly increase the chances of having someone do something for you, for example, having an employee work late. According to Dale Carnegie in his article “Executive Leadership,” the best way to win someone to your way of thinking is to “Speak in terms of the other person’s interests.” So, if a financial advisor needed to email an employee about working late, he or she might start by addressing the subject line with ‘Job Opportunity.’ He or she would then proceed to write an email complementing the employee’s recent work ethic and explain that by staying late, the employee will increase the likelihood of future raises and promotions. Financial management is as much about handling people as it is money. Bhattacharyya stresses that when writing to others, “Skills most important are proper use of familiarity, grammar, and syntax.” Having learned English as a second language, he has a heightened sense for what is formally correct in English writing. He also recommends to, “Convey the message succinctly so the recipient has a clear understanding of it with minimal need for further clarification.” These skills are exemplified in Bhattacharyya’s resume, a great example of writing directed at others. In one page he summarizes his educational background, his work experiences, and his certifications all in adequate detail. I suspect he uses this as a tool to build trust with potential clients.


Conclusion


Through my research I learned that writing is a central component to a career in financial management. Every day on the job includes academic and non-academic reading, and writing and receiving emails. The last question I asked Bhattacharyya was how he developed his writing ability, to which he replied, “My writing skills have changed over my career and have become more refined from a business perspective… The base line skills were learned in college while a vast majority of the “fine tuning” has been through professional experience.” This has a large implication for freshmen finance majors: work hard now, make grades, and learn the base line skills of writing so that one day you will earn the job you desire and the opportunity to refine your writing ability.

APA references

Bullock, D. S., Desquilbet, M. 2009. Who Pays the Cost of Non-GMO Segregation and Identity Preservation? New York, NY: Agricultural & Applied Economics Association.

Stowe, H. B. 2005. Uncle Tom's Cabin. New York, NY: Dover Publications.

Source Analysis for Major Writing #1

The sources I found for my major writing #1 are three very different articles. Two of the articles seem to me to be non-academic while the third seems to be academic, although I am not sure on this as I am still trying to figure out how to tell the difference. One source is about writing effective business reports. This one will be very easy to apply to this assignment as it gives clear recommendations on how to improve written documents in the world of business. The second article is about how to avoid various mistakes when writing emails. I think this will also be easy to use for my assignment because such a large number of emails are sent and received by prominent businessmen and businesswomen every day. The last source is about writing Request for Proposal responses. This article caught my eye and I decided to use it because it touches on effectively dealing with other people through written communication. I feel that effectively dealing with others is the most important business skill and that is why I chose my third source.


http://web.b.ebscohost.com.proxy.lib.uiowa.edu/bsi/detail/detail?sid=95d17596-b087-4621-bda6-471d1a71dbc8%40sessionmgr111&vid=0&hid=118&bdata=JnNpdGU9YnNpLWxpdmUmc2NvcGU9c2l0ZQ%3d%3d#AN=5333180&db=bth

http://web.b.ebscohost.com.proxy.lib.uiowa.edu/bsi/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?sid=62c8ee82-9eca-4ffb-bc12-14cf8c1fabe9%40sessionmgr113&vid=0&hid=118

http://web.b.ebscohost.com.proxy.lib.uiowa.edu/bsi/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?vid=34&sid=1b3c4248-e234-4bf2-b986-02cb1d7cf771%40sessionmgr110&hid=118

Major Writing #1 Questions

1. How often do you  write and what types of writing do you do on a daily basis?
2. Do you enjoy the writing you do? Why or why not?
3. Describe your position.
4. How often do you write to other people? For what reason do you do so?
5. When writing to request something from others, are you intentionally tactful in the way you write?
6. How often do you read other's writing?
7. How connected is writing in the business world?
8. How has your writing style as well as the type of writing you do changed over your career?
9. Do you incorporate skills you learned in college into your writing or has most of your writing skill been developed prior to college?
10. What is your educational background?
11. Where have you worked over the years?
12. Is there any form of writing you dislike?
13. Do you feel your writing ability is a valuable asset to you and/or your employer?
14. What writing skills are most important to the business world?
15. Do you collaborate with others in your writing? If so, how often and for what purpose?
16. Do you ever have to do research for your writing? Do you site sources? What counts as a reliable source? As evidence?

*these questions are not in order

Major Writing #1 Assignment Analysis

The rhetorical situation of my informational report will be unlike anything I wrote in high school. My purpose in writing will be to establish a solid "A" in business rhetoric and also to learn more about the genre of business writing and how I can apply it to my current and future life. My audience will be my professor (Hem Paudel), myself, and all other college freshmen that choose to read my report. I will do my best to write in the same style as that which I intend to learn about: professional business style/genre. I will take an informative stance and will likely scatter my feelings about my findings throughout the assignment. Lastly, the media through which I will present the finished product will most likely be on paper, unless of course Professor Paudel would rather me post it to my blog.

Rhetorical Situation Assignment

During my senior year in high school I took a language arts course in which my class read the novel The Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls. Afterword, the instructor assigned us to write our own personal memoirs in the same style and genre of creative non-fiction. We were encouraged to turn in our final drafts hand-written in order to better personalize our stories. While in the process of writing I considered my audience to be my instructor and myself. I knew my instructor to be an avid traveler so I wrote my memoir about three separate travel experiences and the realizations I gained from each. I also considered myself an audience member because I figured I could learn something about myself through the process. As a result, my purpose in writing the memoir became to maintain my grade in the class as well as to discover more about who I was. I took an emotional stance throughout my paper. At the climax of my story I revealed my feelings of humility when I made a connection between three different experiences, which occurred in three different regions of the world, in which I was completely awe-struck by the brilliance of the night sky. In the spirit of creative non-fiction, I slightly exaggerated aspects of each experience. In hindsight, I realize that by including photos from my stories I could have improved the media/design aspect of my memoir.