Student Writers Vs. Experienced Writers

   I recently finished reading the article "Revision Strategies of Student Writers and Experienced Adult Writers" by Nancy Sommers.  This article discusses the differences in student writing and experienced adult writing processes.  Sommers conducted a case study in which she found that student writers are brought up learning on a linear writing model; which means "first...then...finally", and when they look to revise their pieces of writing they focus on changing the vocabulary within their piece.  On the other hand, Sommers found that experienced adult writers tend to revise as they move through a piece and to make sure that the meaning is conveyed thoroughly to the audience.
   I agree with the linear model of writing because I was raised learning this way but I disagree with Sommers findings on the differences between student writers and experienced adult writers revision processes.  Based on my own writing experiences I can testify that yes, many other students and myself look to change the words within our writings to make our vocabulary more diverse; but I feel that we also look for sentence structuring, conveying an overall meaning through our explanations and structure of the overall piece.  I find that this tends to be similar to the experienced adult writers.  I would like Sommers to look at her case study and realize that her study was not large enough, she only studied college students and adults in two colleges.  I find that this may be a reason for her findings because every college has different expectations for their students and faculty, therefore I wish Sommers had conducted a larger study before publishing this article.

Close Reading

   According to Patricia Kain, in her article "How to Do a Close Reading," she describes a close reading as taking a passage and observing the facts and details about it.  Kain considers a close reading a small part of the text or the text as a whole.  This idea contradicts with what we have discussed in class because we have focused only on close reading a small passage out of a large text.  Kain gave me this different outlook when she wrote, "Your aim may be to notice all striking features of the text, including rhetorical features, structural elements, cultural references; or, your aim may be to notice only selected features of the text—for instance, oppositions and correspondences, or particular historical references."  I found this interesting and a new perspective for me to look at when close reading (that I have the option of close reading a passage or the whole text).
   One issue that I have had when close reading is where to begin once I have read over the text.  What specifically am I supposed to analyze? Is there a specific way that I am to interpret this?  A website that I found helpful with my confusion is located at the end of this blog.  This website lays out specific questions that would help anyone when close reading.  For example, one question that pertains to imagery helped me to think about the readings in a different way; it reads, "Are there colors, sounds, physical description that appeals to the senses? Does this imagery form a pattern? Why might the author have chosen that color, sound or physical description?"  By having a small list of questions that I can refer to when close reading will seem to have a large impact on the depth of my close reading.

Links!

Patricia Kain Article "How to Do a Close Reading"
http://www.fas.harvard.edu/~wricntr/documents/CloseReading.html

Question List - "Close Reading of a Literary Passage"
https://web.cn.edu/kwheeler/reading_lit.html

Buffalo Bills Game

First off, LETS GO BUFFALO!
   I was watching the Bills game this past sunday (Sep. 18th) and what a game it was.  Continual lead changes kept the game interesting instead of having one team wipe out another. 
   The reason I bring the bills game up in this blog is not only because I want to blog about something different but I found a realtionship to a topic I learned in my sociology class.  Football Sunday has become a "holiday" to many families across the nation.  Following the ten year anniversary of the terrorist attack on September 11th, football seems to have brought everyone together despite the sadness associated with that day.  Football sundays are an example of the sociological perspective of functionalism.  Functionalism is the theory that stresses the interdepence of the patterns of society and their interaction in maintaining social unity, culture and stability.  I found that football seems to connect the nation, no matter what team you are a fan of, everyone is connected through the competitive sport.  It is something that was recently jeopardized by the NFL lockout and many people were unsure if a season would even occur.  Thankfully, it has continued and hopefully will continue to keep unity within a society of many changes (economic, political, educational etc.).

Khan Academy

    I just finished reading the article on the Khan academy and I have mixed views on the topic.  I completely agree with the idea and find it an interesting way to learn.  I believe that it will help students to succeed on topics they may be struggling in a classroom where teachers cannot give the student one-on-one time.  This would be especially helpful in the large lecture halls of universities since the teacher and student do not have one-on-one time (like in previous educational systems).
    I chose to watch one of khan's videos to see for myself how his system works.  I chose to listen to a video on a topic I previously studied which is accounting.  This eleven minute video (in my mind) truly covered the concept of revenue, operating profit, gross profit and cost of goods sold.  Although it was not entirerly in depth I believe it was a good video for an accounting student to use as a review.
   The one negative opinion I have of Khan's videos is that the handwriting tended to be sloppy and sometimes the words would not appear due to his pen usage.  All together though I found the Khan Academy to be a good idea for students to use, but on top of their education in schools and universities (i.e. as a study tool).

The American Scholar--21st Century Emerson

  After finishing the reading by Emerson I have developed a better understanding of the character that Emerson is attempting to describe.  Emerson is discussing an individual that thinks for himself, yet is connected to the rest of the world through a basic similarity.  He discusses how each individual can pave their path for the future based on the knowledge that they obtain.  When thinking about how the twenty-first century Emerson would react to society today I have mixed thoughts. 
  One passage that stood out to me that would prove Emerson disagreeing with society today reads; "I learn immediately from any speaker how much he has already lived, through the poverty or the splendor of his speech. Life lies behind us as the quarry from whence we get tiles and copestones for the masonry of to-day. This is the way to learn grammar. Colleges and books only copy the language which the field and the work-yard made."  Many people in society today have begun to interact with social media at a younger age that their grammer and language has developed similarly.  For example, I have witnessed many individuals write an essay and use the language, "bc, wud, lol, omg, etc.." This is absolutely disgusting to think that despite these advances in technology, the people today are becoming dumber.  I believe that Emerson would be disappointed in this part of society today as well.
  Something that I believe Emerson would be proud of in society today is the social acceptance the world has begun to develop for those who seek different interests in society.  Emerson claims that he is bothered by the old and the new standing side by side, and that there is minimal social acceptance for eccentric minds.  "If there is any period one would desire to be born in,-- is it not the age of Revolution; when the old and the new stand side by side, and admit of being compared; when the energies of all men are searched by fear and by hope; when the historic glories of the old, can be compensated by the rich possibilities of the new era?"  I understand that this passage may mean advances in technology, but when relating it to the twenty-first century, I take it as accepting those who are different.  The world has become less discriminatory towards certain races, classes, genders, sexual preferences and other interests and I believe that Emerson would approve of this.