Invention Journal Part I

Chapter I: ​Thinking as an Academic Writer

Assignments:

#1 Rhetorical Appeals
Read Chapter 1 and the handout, "Three Rhetorical Appeals." Then respond to the following by
developing your answers by using complete sentences and paragraph form. You can blend your
answers into one or more paragraphs depending on how you choose to discuss your response.

Discussion Questions
1. In your own words discuss what role does rhetoric plays in argumentation.
Rhetoric plays a huge role in argumentation. Argumentation has very strong ties

to persuasion, which is something enlisted in the three rhetorical appeals; ethos, pathos, and

logos. Ethos is an appeal to ethics, pathos is an appeal to emotions, and logos in an appeal to

logic. In spoken or written argumentation, ethos, logos, and pathos can prove to be the backbone

of what persuades the reader to agree with whatever topic is being argued about. Say, for

example, a salesman is trying to argue that the cars in his dealership were the best. To persuade

the buyer to think so, the salesmen might touch into logos and gives factual information

(numbers, percentages, stats., etc) on why his cars are actually the best. Doing so would allow

the buyer to rationalize and believe that side of the salesmen's argumentation. This idea can be

applied to almost any argumentation situation, where evidence is needed to prove an opinion

right or wrong.

2. What is meant by the "rhetorical situation?"

All of the communication and persuasion related to rhetoric is encapsulated into the

rhetorical situation. This is because the rhetorical situation is a term used to describe the

audience, the speaker (or writer), and the issue. From grocery lists to college essays, these three

things can be broken down and therefore, are most commonly represented within a triangle.

Being represented within this shape allows those factors to be shown that they can be used in any
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order and regardless, all have direct ties to one another. Additionally, this triangle (the "rhetorical

situation") can be used to determine a writer's purpose or aim. Therefore, it proves to be very

important when analyzing a piece of literature, or even your own work.

3. Why are the understanding of rhetorical appeals and the rhetorical situation important for
writers?
Understanding of rhetorical appeals and the rhetorical situation is important for writers

because of many things. First, logos, pathos, and ethos, are a huge part of literature and when

used correctly, they can push a piece of writing to the next level. Next, they can help a writer or

reader to analyze pieces of writing and figure out the audience, the speaker (or writer), the issue,

and a writer's purpose or aim. Continuing on, these skills have huge ties to argumentation, where

logos, pathos, and ethos, support the evidence and allow it to connect to all types of audiences,

whether that's factually or emotionally. Lastly, in addition to the writing and developing

argumentation skills, understanding rhetorical appeals and the rhetorical situation are very

important for everyday life because the type of persuasion used within them can be seen in

marketing all over the world. Recognizing this can allow a reader or writer to not only see the

real reason behind why a brand is promoting a product, but also allow them to see the fallacies

within it. This idea could also come in with the analyze of their own writing or pieces of

literature that they were reading.

4. How will you, as the writer, consider these appeals when crafting your own arguments?
I will consider these appeals when crafting my own arguments by realizing when and

where each of them is appropriate to use. For example, when writing a more emotional based

argument, I would use pathos rather than logos, and when writing a more factual based

argument, I would use logos rather than pathos. Additionally, I will further acknowledge the idea

that these appeals are all around me and my writing, and when used correctly, they can push my
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writing to the next level. Doing so would allow more depth within my writing but also allow me

to further analyze other pieces of writing.

#2 Understanding the Topic ​- ​Chapter One and Two (Along with your Essay #1 Assignment
Sheet)
Now that you have reviewed the Essay #1 assignment sheet and the topic list discuss the
following,
1. What topic are you planning to explore for the semester? Is it too broad? Too narrow?
For my topic, I plan to write about the debate over whether or not cheerleading should be

considered a sport. Seeing as I am a cheerleader myself, this issue is very predominant in my

every day-to-day life, so I thought it would be the perfect one for me to dive into and find more

about. I believe that certain aspects of this topic could be too broad such as the different types of

cheerleading and whether or not all or some of them are considered a sport. However, I’m going

to narrow this down and probably just provide the different types within a foundational

paragraph. I plan on narrowing it down to just cheerleading as whole because I believe it would

be too broad and confusing if I tried to switch back and forth between all the different types of

cheerleading.

2. Why are you interested in this topic?

I am very interested in this topic for many reasons. For one, because as a sophomore in

high school, I have now been involved in cheerleading for six years. Therefore, this debate

naturally surrounds my life and is something I’m constantly thinking about when at games,

practices, and competitions. I recognize our hard work and determination while participating

in all these things, but I also recognize the opposing viewpoints of this debate and wish to

find out more about them.

3. What is the rhetorical situation surrounding your topic? In other words,

❏ Who is discussing your topic?
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This topic can be discussed in a multitude of places, ranging from a

courtroom to a cafeteria. The people doing the discussion could be anyone from

cheerleaders to the NCAA officials because the issue most clearly relates to them

or their organization. However, everyone seems to have either a yes it is or no it

isn’t an opinion so, there could ultimately be a multitude of people discussing

what they think.

❏ What is its context (political/social/environmental, etc.)?

The context of this issue is that this debate has been around for a long time

and most everyone has an opinion on it. There is some grey area within the topic

but for the most part, everyone is either simply yes or no. People who are on the

yes on the debate, commonly know either know factual information about it or are

ex-cheerleaders who have biased opinions due to their previous experiences with

the activity. People who are on the no side of the argument, see things more in a

black and white matter, and either has concrete facts on why it’s not, or they only

view cheerleaders as girls who wear short skirts and shake pompoms on Friday

nights for the football and basketball teams.

❏ What different groups does it affect, and what are these effects (there may be
both short-term and long-term effects)?
This impacts mainly boy and girl cheerleaders because the debate is all

about the sport they're involved in. As a result, it could also impact coaches

and/or parents because they too are involved in the sport one way or another.

There aren’t really any long or short term effects, only that if cheerleading

continues to not be considered a sport, cheerleaders would feel emotionally upset

over the fact that the activity they spend so much time doing isn’t considered a
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respectable sport. If it begins to be considered a sport, they would obviously feel

the opposite.

❏ Is it related to any other issues or problems?

This issue could relate to anyone based on sexism or negative stereotypes. The

argument behind cheerleading not being considered a sport has links to both of

those things. Additionally, it could relate to debates over gymnastics or

tumbling/stunts because those are also links to cheerleading and things several

cheerleaders do.

❏ What makes this topic so important?

This topic is so important because the number of cheerleaders in the United

States is increasing every year, so therefore the number of people this issue

impact is also increasing. Cheerleaders work just as hard, and twice as long as

any other sport so it’s extremely important that they get the recognition and title

they deserve. Additionally, the opinions over this argument are commonly black

and white, so something needs to be done so someone's opinion is based on facts

rather than just the idea that cheerleaders just shake pompoms and say “​Go,

Fight, Win!”, ​on Friday nights.

#3 Burke’s Parlor​ - ​Will be prompted in class (after analysis of assignment sheet for essay #1)

Read Burke's Parlor metaphor below and engage in a class discussion using the provided
questions.
Kenneth Burke writes:
Imagine that you enter a parlor. You come late. When you arrive, others have long preceded you,
and they are engaged in a heated discussion, a discussion too heated for them to pause and tell
you exactly what it is about. In fact, the discussion had already begun long before any of them
got there so that no one present is qualified to retrace for you all the steps that had gone before.
You listen for a while until you decide that you have caught the tenor of the argument; then you
put in your oar. Someone answers; you answer him; another comes to your defense; another
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aligns himself against you, to either the embarrassment or gratification of your opponent,
depending upon the quality of your ally's assistance. However, the discussion is interminable.
The hour grows late, you must depart. And you do depart, with the discussion still vigorously in
progress.
(Burke, Kenneth. ​The Philosophy of Literary Form​. Berkeley: University of California Press,
1941. Pp. 110-111.)

Discussion Questions:
1. How do the first few lines of the metaphor relate to researching a topic? Explain.
Often times when researching a topic, the topics someone will find or discover will

already have countless articles and essays written over them. These countless articles and essays

can include many different viewpoints and opinions. This idea can be shown in the first few lines

of this metaphor when the phrase “​Imagine that you enter a parlor. You come late. When you

arrive, others have long preceded you, and they are engaged in a heated discussion, a discussion

too heated for them to pause and tell you exactly what it is about. In fact, the discussion had

already begun long before any of them got there so that no one present is qualified to retrace for

you all the steps that had gone before.”​ The parlor can be seen as a reference to debate or topic,

where there are many different layers, opinions, and viewpoints. It’s up to the listener or reader

to be able to distinguish between them and provide the background information on the topic in

order to know if they should be the one to write about it and that if they choose to do so, they

will be successful.

2. Why is listening for a while important when it comes to argumentative writing?

Listening for a while when it comes to argumentative writing is very important because

doing so would allow the listener to hear all sides of the argument, as well as allow them to

establish their own viewpoints on the issue. Additionally, it would provide them with a wide

variety of evidence and support to use for their side of the argument, while also simultaneously

gathering helpful information for a rebuttal or refutation.

3. What does it mean to "put in your oar?" Explain.

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The phrase “put in your oar” basically refers to the listener putting their voice and

opinions into the conversation or debate over the topic. This “oar” could be similar or completely

different to all the others already in the conversation, but regardless, it basically references the

listener joining the conversation.

4. How do the sentences about "someone answers...." relate to argumentative writing? Explain.
Oftentimes, a debate will occur through an essay, article, or another form of writing, but

in this case, the debate is verbal. So, the sentences about someone answering the listener can be

as seen as a verbal reference to a rebuttal or simply just another side of the argument. This can be

shown within the text, where statements such as “​Someone answers; you answer him” a​ nd

“another comes to your defense; another aligns himself against you”, ​imply that two sides of an

argument are being discussed. Therefore, these statements clearly relate to argumentative writing

because argumentative writing is all about the two sides of an argument.

#4 Evidence in Argumentation-​After reading the handout, "The Role of Evidence in

Argumentation" answer the following:

- https://libguides.stark state.edu/friendly.php?s=Lessons
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zBh_Rr-mbIM&list=PLCXF3MwEdFEywXi94776v
bAW3aEqvv2U6&index=26
- https://www.lib.uoguelph.ca/get-assistance/writing/writing-disciplines/using-evidence-eff
ectively

1. What role does evidence play in argumentation? Explain.

Evidence can come in many forms such as examples, sources, or statistics. When used

correctly within an essay, these things are what prove an author's argument to be based on factual

information rather than biased opinions or assumptions. As a result, they also build an author's

credibility and show the readers that they can trust them and the information they’re providing.
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However, it is important for an author to incorporate their evidence in a clear and logical way

because if the readers can’t identify the connection it's supposed to make with the argument, it’s

practically useless and no more effective than an opinion would be.

2. In your own words, explain the role that the audience plays in argumentation?
The audience plays a huge role in argumentation. The argument, evidence, tone, diction,

and syntax an author uses is completely orientated by the audience. Beginning with the

argument, some subject matter would and wouldn’t be appropriate for specific audiences. Say,

for example, an author was writing an essay for a group of third graders, their subject matter

would have to be completely different than if they were writing for a group of college students.

This idea applies to everything within an argument such as the tone, diction, and syntax an

author uses because once again, for different types of audiences some things would and wouldn’t

be appropriate.

3. How has this information shaped your understanding of your own writing?
This information has greatly shaped my understanding of my writing. Not only has it

furthered my awareness of how evidence can make or break an argument but it has also opened

my eyes on how I sometimes alter my tone, diction, and syntax depending on the audience I’m

speaking too. For example, when reflecting upon the essays I’ve written for my Composition

class versus my History class, I can notice a significant difference in the way I structured my

essays and in the evidence I used to support my arguments. In the future, knowing these things

will make me more aware of the way I write and structure my essays, which I think will help me

grow as a writer and ultimately make me a better and more successful one.

#5 Taking a Position - Chapter 1 & 2 - After topic selection

Now that you have reviewed the Essay #1 assignment sheet and the topic list discuss the
following,
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1. Help readers understand your topic choice by explaining the issue.

I choose the debate on whether or not cheerleading is a sport for my topic this semester.

By NCAA definition, a sport is ​“a sport shall be defined as an institutional activity involving

physical exertion with the purpose of competition versus other teams or individuals within

a collegiate competition structure. Furthermore, sport includes regularly scheduled team

and/or individual, head-to-head competition (at least five) within a defined competitive

season(s); and standardized rules with rating/scoring systems ratified by official regulatory

agencies and governing bodies.”​ This debate is one that affects millions of people, most

specifically cheerleaders, and considering I am one, I thought it was the perfect topic for me to

dive into. With the amount of research I’ve done so far, I’ve found that although there’s a fine

line between those who believe cheerleading is a sport and those who believe it’s not, there’s a

lot of grey area surrounding the issue. This grey area mainly comes from there being multiple

kinds of cheerleading, such as sideline and competition. However, as previously mentioned,

there are still two very opposing viewpoints on this debate with or without the grey area. The

group of people against cheerleading as a sport support their side of the argument with the idea

that because cheerleading is partly based on non-physical qualities such as their ability to excite

a crowd, cheerleading fails to be an actual sport. On the other side of the argument, people

support cheerleading as a sport because they realize that the perfect definition of a sport doesn’t

exist and that cheerleaders put in just as much time and effort as any other sport does.

2. Identify stakeholders.
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The stakeholders for this issue would be cheerleaders, anyone involved in cheerleading,

anyone who cares about cheerleading, and cheerleading involved companies such as NCAA and

Cheer USA.

3. What is the conversation surrounding your topic?

There’s a lot of grey area when it comes to the conversation surrounding my topic, but

regardless, everyone involved mainly has a strictly yes or no answer. The ones on the no side

support their argument with the idea that because cheerleading is partly based on (and

cheerleaders are judged on) non-physical qualities such as their ability to excite a crowd,

cheerleading fails to be an actual sport. On the other side of the argument, people support

cheerleading as a sport because they realize that the perfect definition of a sport doesn’t exist and

that cheerleaders put in just as much time and effort as any other sport does.

4. What is your position on the topic?

My opinion doesn’t fall under this, but for the sake of Essay #2, I will be writing on

behalf of the argument that’s against cheerleading as a sport.

5. Provide one or two reasons why you feel this way.

- When cheerleaders are judged at competitions, they’re judged on non-physical

qualities.

- When they are judged, it’s strictly by opinions. There isn’t a standardized set of

rules they get judged upon.

#6 Gathering Data

Now that you have read over the assignment sheet, chapter 22, and information about primary

research, it is time to share what your plan is for essay three. Please answer the questions that
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relate to the type of research you plan to conduct. After you post your response to the questions,

respond to at least two other student posts, giving feedback or including additional questions

they should consider.

Interviewing

1. What will be your method for interviewing (i.e face-to-face, skype, email, phone?

I plan to interview face-to-face but if her schedule does not allow for the time, then I

might resort to facetime, call, or an email.

2. Who will you interview and why? (Only interview one person for this essay.)

I am interviewing my cheerleading coach, Jamie Trissel. I’m doing this because I value

her opinion as a person and I know she’ll be able to give me good insight on my topic

considering her extensive background and history with cheerleading.

3.What do you hope to learn about from the interview?

I hope to learn about her views on the debate over whether or not cheerleading is a sport.

I’m interested to see what she thinks qualifies and disqualifies cheerleading as a sport and I’m

also hoping to learn about what she believes should could to make cheerleading as a sport.

4. Post your 10 Interview Questions for your interviewee that have a focus.​

● Who are you and how long have you been associated with cheerleading?

● Are you aware of the debate over whether or not cheerleading is a sport? What is

your view on it?

● What are all of the things you thing cheerleaders should be judged upon at

competitions? How do you thinks participants should be judged on them?

● What do you think qualifies cheerleading as a sport?

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● What do you think disqualifies cheerleading as a sport?

● Do you think any aspects of cheerleading need to be changed? If so, what?

● Do you think that the male presence in sports related jobs has an effect on sports

such as cheerleading? (This relates to large majority of Athletic Directors being

males)

● How do you feel about cheerleaders being denied the ability to have “first team”

members? Do you think this is fair?

Surveying

1. What will be your method for conducting a survey (online or paper)?

I have prepared a google form survey.

2. What do you hope to learn from the survey?

I hope to learn about what people's views are about the debate over whether or not

cheerleading is a sport. I also hope to learn what they think should change to make cheerleading

a sport.

3. Post the questions (no more than ten) that you will ask on the survey.

● Please select all the things you feel cheerleaders should be judged upon:

Ability to execute jumping, tumbling, and stunting skills

Usage of props (Ex. Signs, megaphones, pom poms, etc.)

Appearance (Ex. Matching uniforms, bows, etc.)

Level of crowd involvement

Execution of motions (Ex. Placement, sharpness, synchronization, etc.)

● Please select the way you feel cheerleaders should be judged at competitions:
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By one judge

By a panel of judges

Based on opinions

With a set of standardized rules

Combination of opinions and standardized rules

● What do you feel qualifies a physical activity as a sport? Be specific.

● If you had to explain to someone why you think (or don't think) that cheerleading

is a sport in one sentence, what would it be?

● Cheerleaders have commonly been stereotyped as girls who stand on the sidelines

only to shake pom poms and yell, "Go, Fight, Win!". Do you believe this

stereotype contributes to people thinking that cheerleading isn't a sport although it

isn't necessarily accurate today?

● Arguably, one of the main reasons why cheerleading is not considered a sport is

due to the fact that its participants are judged based on opinions rather than with a

set of standardized rules. What is your opinion on this? Do you agree that this

disqualifies cheerleading a sport or do you believe that it doesn't?

● Do you believe that the pure athleticism behind a full-out jumping, tumbling, and

stunting routine is enough to qualify cheerleading a sport? Why or why not?

● What do you feel needs to be changed in order for cheerleading to be considered a

sport? If you have an idea, explain it and how you would do it. If you have no

ideas because you believe that cheerleading doesn't need to change in order to be

considered a sport, explain why.

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● Would you be willing to answer follow up questions based on your responses?

Yes

No

#7 Audience Expectations

Once you have read "Think About What Your Readers Expect" and "Think About Your

Credibility" on pp. 14-17 in the text, share your thoughts with your peers answering the

questions provided for your first post. For your second posts respond to at least two other

students offering feedback and/or suggestions.

1. Does anything in these readings appear to be more challenging than you expected?

The majority of the information talked about on pages 14-17 are what is to be expected

for a college class, but I think one part of it that is challenging is having to get your support and

data from “experts”, a.k.a scholarly sources. Although I understand why we have to, I think this

because it’s extremely hard to find specific information that is scholarly. A student maybe be

able to find an essay that somewhat relates to their topic but information like specific statistics

are really hard to find.

2. How will you establish your credibility in essay three since you are only using primary data to

develop an argument?

I will establish my credibility by recognizing all the different sides of my topic and

letting my reader know of them. When doing this, I will not include my own biased opinions so

therefore, the reader can establish their own opinions on the topic and not be persuaded to think
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what I think. Additionally, I will use reliable statistics and factual information to reassure my

reader that they can trust what I’m saying and that I wasn’t something I made up.

#8 Analyzing the Data

Topic for Discussion

1. Mention your topic and type of data collection used.

My topic was whether or not cheerleading is a sport. I collected data through researching

cheerleading, surveying 29 people, and interviewing Jamie Trissel.

2. What conclusion did you come to based on the data?

I came to the conclusion that although cheerleading is a huge debate, a lot of people who

are associated with the activity do not think there should be any debate.

3. What did you find interesting about your findings?

I found it very interesting that a lot of people within the cheerleading community do not

think that there should be a debate on whether or not anything is a sport.

4. What will you differently next time you conduct primary research?

I think I will send out my survey and interview questions after I have first written some

of the essay. This is because I found that when I was writing, if I had asked certain questions I

would’ve had better information to provide to my readers.

​ 5. What is your research question?

My research question for my final essay is:

“Does the cheerleader effect have a negative impact on women in today’s society?”

#9 Collaborative Experiences

1. What was helpful when working with a group of people?

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I think one of the most helpful aspects of working with a group is being able to share the

workload. I often find myself overwhelmed with the amount of work some projects entail, so

knowing that that work will be lessened due to the help from my fellow group members is

something I really like.

2. What was frustrating?

Specifically with my group, I was frustrated with the fact that they waited till the last

minute to do their work and even then, the work they produced was very low quality.

3. What are your expectations for your group members?

I expect them to do their work and to complete it on time.

4. What assets will you bring to your team?

I will bring my good work ethic and my leadership skills.

Invention Journal Part II

1. Write Now: “Compare Styles across Genres and Media,” p. 11
Blog Post:
https://www.aauw.org/research/the-simple-truth-about-the-gender-pay-gap/
Newspaper Article:
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/equal-pay-for-equal-work-is-almost-a-reality/
Scholarly Article:
http://content.ebscohost.com/ContentServer.asp?T=P&P=AN&K=130116065&S
=R&D=a9h&EbscoContent=dGJyMMvl7ESep7Y4xNvgOLCmr1Gep7ZSsKe4T
LeWxWXS&ContentCustomer=dGJyMOzpsEq3prVIuePfgeyx44Dt6fIA
Equal Pay Within Different Types of Media
Often times in life or in literature, a reader can witness a topic being developed

throughout different types of media. These different types of media come in thousands of forms

but in an English class, the three most common types used are newspaper articles, scholarly
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articles, and blogs. Although a paper version is sometimes available, these three types of media

are most commonly seen online, where they represent a wide variety of topics and/or issues. For

the sake of Journal Entry #1, the ongoing issue being discussed in this essay through different

types of media is that of the gender wage gap. The gender wage gap is commonly defined as “the

average difference between the remuneration for men and women who are working.” Regardless

of the fact that the same work is being completed no matter the sex of the employee, the ones

that are male generally get paid more than the female ones and that’s where this issue roots from.

This issue impacts a large number of people on a daily basis, so the newspaper articles, scholarly

articles, and blogs that encapsulate the media are overflowing with different peoples opinions

and ways they think it could be solved. For the comparing and contrasting purposes of Journal

Entry #1, the blog “The Simple Truth about the Gender Pay Gap”, the newspaper article “Equal

pay for equal work" is almost a reality” and the scholarly article “Career Choices and the Gender

Pay Gap: The Role of Work Preferences and Attitudes” were chosen. Because they were written

about the same topic in different ways, these sources have similarities such as their word choice

and use of charts and graphs and differences such as their overall length and relationship with the

reader.

Due to the similarities between their content, these sources share characteristics such as

their word choice and use of charts and graphs. Beginning with their word choice, all three

sources provide readers with a professional tone, accompanied by a lot of statistics-based

statements. These statements contain words such as equal, measure, and paid. This can be seen

within all three sources:

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● “Career Choices and the Gender Pay Gap”: There are multiple reasons – linked to

women’s education, working hours, employment sector and family constraints –

why women tend to hold jobs that are less qualified, less valued and less well

paid​ than those of men.

● “The Simple Truth about the Gender Pay Gap”: In some occupations, women

collectively are receiving billions less than they would with equal pay; for

instance, women working as physicians and surgeons are ​paid​ $19 billion less

annually than if they were paid the same as men in that occupation.

● “Equal pay for equal work”: But it's not overt discrimination against women that's

responsible for the lingering difference between what men and women are ​paid​,

according to recent data.

This same idea can be applied to their use of charts and graphs. In the hopes of further proving

their point about the issue of the gender wage gap, these three sources use a lot of charts and

graphs. For example, “Career Choices and the Gender Pay Gap”, provides readers with a chart

about the distribution of jobs and wages by occupational category, “The Simple Truth about the

Gender Pay Gap” provides readers with a chart about the ten occupations where women

collectively lose the most money, and lastly, "Equal pay for equal work" provides readers with a

chart over women's earnings relative to men’s. Combined with the word choice, these three

sources use of charts and graphs make them very similar.

However, these sources do have some differences such as their overall length and

relationship with the reader. Beginning with their overall length, these three sources range from

“The Simple Truth about the Gender Pay Gap” being four pages, “Equal pay for equal work”
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being six pages, and “Career Choices and the Gender Pay Gap: The Role of Work Preferences

and Attitudes” being twenty-seven pages. These differences come from these sources being of

different styles, where a certain length is appropriate for each. Another difference that comes

from these sources being of different styles is their relationship with their audience. Although

they were written over the same topic, these sources were not written for the same audience. For

example, the blog “The Simple Truth about the Gender Pay Gap” was written for audiences who

wished for superficial insight into the gender wage gap. On the other hand, “Career Choices and

the Gender Pay Gap: The Role of Work Preferences and Attitudes” was written for more

professional audiences who wished to have a deep insight into the issue. These can be seen as

caused by their lengths because a piece of writing that was twenty-seven pages versus one that

was four, would obviously give readers more information. Those two things combined show that

although these sources were written over the same subject, they weren’t written the same.

There are countless different types of media but in an English class, the three most

common types used are newspaper articles, scholarly articles, and blogs. For the comparing and

contrasting purposes of Journal Entry #1, the blog “The Simple Truth about the Gender Pay

Gap”, the newspaper article “Equal pay for equal work" is almost a reality” and the scholarly

article “Career Choices and the Gender Pay Gap: The Role of Work Preferences and Attitudes”

were chosen. Because they were written about the same topic in different ways, these sources

have similarities such as their word choice and use of charts and graphs and differences such as

their overall length and relationship with the reader. Through the use of analysis, it was shown

that these sources use similar words such as equal, measure, and paid. It was additionally shown

that these sources use similar charts and graphs to prove their point such as the ten occupations
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where women collectively lose the most money and women's earnings relative to men’s.

Additionally, the differences were analyzed that “The Simple Truth about the Gender Pay Gap”

is four pages long, “Equal pay for equal work” is six pages long, and “Career Choices and the

Gender Pay Gap: The Role of Work Preferences and Attitudes” is twenty-seven pages long.

Lastly, it was shown that these sources were written for different types of audiences, such as

“Career Choices and the Gender Pay Gap: The Role of Work Preferences and Attitudes” was

written for more professional audiences who wished to have a deep insight into the issue.

Through these examinations, it’s been proved that although some sources can be written on a

similar subject, they might not always be exactly the same.

2. Write Now: “Analyze Opinion Writing,” p. 25

Blog Post: ​http://time.com/4474496/screens-schools-hoax/

Fallacies within ​Screens In Schools Are a $60 Billion Hoax

Despite providing readers with an interesting read, ​Screens In Schools Are a $60 Billion

Hoax c​ ontains many logical fallacies. By definition, logical fallacies are “faulty reasoning”. The

first logical fallacy within ​Screens In Schools Are a $60 Billion Hoax, ​can be seen right at the

beginning, where author, Nicholas Kardaras, states “The screen revolution has seen pedagogy

undergo a seismic shift as technology now dominates the educational landscape. In almost every

classroom in America today, you will find some type of screen—smartboards, Chromebooks,

tablets, smartphones. From inner-city schools to those in rural and remote towns, we have

accepted tech in the classroom as a necessary and beneficial evolution in education. This is a

lie.” Although it may not seem present, the logical fallacy of “straw man” can be seen within this

piece of text. This is because the author misrepresented the opposing viewpoints argument in
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order to not only make an easier attack on it but also to make their side appear more accurate.

Additionally, that piece of text can be seen as another type of logical fallacy; Either-or. Within

this specific piece of text, the “This is a lie.” part, can be seen as what relates to the either-or

fallacy. This is because when stating that “we have accepted tech in the classroom as a necessary

and beneficial evolution in education” is a lie, readers are left to assume that there’s no part of

that phrase that is true. When scanning through the text after this statement, many more logical

fallacies can be seen although these two are the most obvious.

3. ​Write Now: “Respond to What You Read,” p. 27

Reading I chose: ​“Is Faster Always Better?”

Summarization and Continuation of the Ideas in “Is Faster Always Better?”

The reading, “Is Faster Always Better?” by Katherine Mangan, talks about dual-credit

programs and follows the experiences of James Hinkston as took them in highschool to prepare

for college. Mangan begans her article with a case study of James Hinkston and explained how

he started college in high school though advanced courses. She then talks about dual credit

programs in general and continues telling readers about how this relates to Hinkston. Mangan

uses this to transition into why dual-credit programs are blooming and why they were of interest

to students such as Hinkston. However, she then goes into talking about how many high school

students are not prepared for the work and content of a dual-credit class and often fail later on

due to taking them earlier than they should’ve. Mangan uses this idea to conclude her article and

finally, connect back to Hinkston, who realized he lacked the skills needed to succeed

immediately in college after high school.

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Within the article “Is Faster Always Better?”, readers were provided specific insight into

the idea of dual-credit classes through the experiences of James Hinkston as took them in

highschool to prepare for college. In the twelfth paragraph, Hinkston recalls the time where he

slacked off during school because he had thought that he had earned the right and was so much

further ahead than anyone else so it didn’t matter. Being a sophomore in highschool who began

taking dual-credit classes during freshman year, this thought is something I very much relate to.

Although I wouldn’t go hiking or stay out all night like Hinkston did, I often just look at my

work instead of actually doing it. This leads to me procrastinating but I always end up

completing my work because I know that these classes will help me in the future and be

something I’m thankful that I didn't have to pay for. This is something that Hinkston somewhat

realized too, although he only said that slacking “shot all the confidence I’d built based on

having done so much more than everyone else”.

4. ​Write an Evaluation Argument of a Film, p. 368, first column

The film I chose: Pitch Perfect

Directed by Jason Moore in 2012, ​Pitch Perfect​ opens with Beca Mitchell (Anna

Kendrick) as she arrives at Barden University. Barden University is home to the Barden Bellas,

an all-girls a cappella singing group that thrives on female pop songs and their perfect looks.

After a rocky ending to their season at last year’s finals, they are forced to regroup and recruit

people they would’ve never considered in the past. Among these recruits, is Beca. Being a

freshman as well as an aspiring DJ, Beca first shows no interest in joining the Barden Bellas.

After meeting Jesse, a member of an all-male a cappella who happen to be the rivals of the

Bellas, Beca is quick to change her mindset. In fact, she even takes it upon herself to transform
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the Bellas, taking them out of their comfort zone and into competition. Hard work and dedication

proves this transformation to be successful as the Bellas are lead on a journey that leads them to

be the winners of their biggest competition. Although it seems as if it's another typical

“underdog” story, ​Pitch Perfect i​ s an aca-amazing movie! With its soundtrack of infectious

acapella mashups, array of hysterical one-liners, and awkward yet relatable romance scenes,

Pitch Perfect ​proves to be a film with a triple treat of genres: Musical, Comedy, and Romanic.

5. ​Write Now: “Analyze a Print or Web Ad,” p. 219

The advertisement I chose:

1. Despite Nike phrasing this photo with “Believe in something. Even if it means sacrificing

everything.” and Colin Kaepernick’s actions previous to this ad being very controversial,

I still think Nike is still trying to just sell their brand. However, I do think they were

making their buyers aware of something that they support and that if they were to buy

Nike apparel, they would be a part of an empire that’s bigger than just clothes or

sneakers.
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2. This is a single image, it is not part of a series. The advertisement depicts a black and

white photo of Colin Kaepernick with the phrase “Believe in something. Even if it means

sacrificing everything.” It does not employ a visual metaphors although it does relate to

his action of kneeling before the American Flag. The primary appeal within this

advertisement is pathos. Although Colin Kaepernick is shown within it and that might

appear to be ethos, the controversy that the phrase on the image holds is meant to spark a

certain reaction and emotion within it’s viewers.

3. This advertisement appeared on TV during the Philadelphia Eagles and Atlanta Falcons

football game. I found this advertisement online as a picture so only other variations of

the picture are what’s surrounding it. However, I don’t think the picture needs anything

surrounding it because it speaks for itself and holds a strong message for it’s viewers.

4. I think depending on your views of the Colin Kaepernick situation, you’ll either be

persuaded or not. If you agree with what he did, then you’ll be more inclined to buy Nike

apparel but if you disagree with what he did, you’ll won’t want to buy Nike apparel.

6. ​Write an Evaluation Argument of a Controversial Subject, p. 368 second column

My controversial topic: Animal Testing

1. Identify:

a. Animal testers would think that the actions within this topic are good but

anti-animal testing groups like P.E.T.A would disagree. This matters because it’s

important to acknowledge both sides of the argument.

2. List:

a. Pros of animal testing

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i. Animal testing has contributed to many life-saving cures and treatments.

ii. There is no adequate alternative to testing on a living, whole-body system.

iii. Animals are appropriate research subjects because they are similar to

human beings in many ways.

iv. Animals must be used in cases when ethical considerations prevent the use

of human subjects.

v. Animals themselves benefit from the results of animal testing.

b. Animal testing cons:

i. Animal testing is cruel and inhumane.

ii. Alternative testing methods now exist that can replace the need for

animals.

iii. Animals are very different from human beings and therefore make poor

test subjects.

iv. Drugs that pass animal tests are not necessarily safe.

v. Animal tests may mislead researchers into ignoring potential cures and

treatments.

c. Although I see the side that’s for it, I’m 100% against animal testing.

3. Analyze:

a. I think they’ll be somewhat familiar with it, everyone has at least a little

knowledge on it.

b. They’ll most likely agree that animal testing is inhumane but also recognize the

other side that’s in support of it.

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4. Write:

a. Animal testing is the “ use of non-human animals in experiments that seek to

control the variables that affect the behavior or biological system under study.”

Animal testing can be seen as a bad thing due to the fact that alternative testing

methods now exist that can replace the need for animals and animals are very

different from human beings and therefore make poor test subjects. However, the

other side sees animal testing as a good thing because animal testing has

contributed to many life-saving cures and treatments and there is no adequate

alternative to testing on a living, whole-body system.