English 112 Blog: Morgan Montgomery

I have chosen my theme and what I would like to focus on, dealing with technology and its effects on the United States and primarily college life. I am leaning on using an outline of speculating on the causes. With the articles of Diana and Everything Bad is Good, these both fit well with the effects of what technology has done to people college age, and many people beyond college. I am struggling to find how I will bring it all full circle, combining three sources. Technology has certainly been a large part of my generation, and one of the first generations to use it in many different ways. Technology is in use today, and right here by blogging instead of doing school work by paper. The issues open to disputing the effects of technology and its positives and negatives are numerous. One negative that could be brought up is there a negative to such easy, fast ways of doing business.  My interest in this topic is somewhat involving, considering I am a college student and that will  be my audience and focus in my writing of Essay 2. Technology has just of a greater effect on me as it does anyone, with internet, computerizing so much, and television in today’s world, just to name a few examples. My question entering into this paper is, how big of an effect does technology serve on college students in the twenty first century.

The two articles read, about pop culture and the different affects it has today and the internet web blogs and its affect on society have some similarities and differences to them. “Media, Discourse, and the Public Sphere: Electronic Memorials to Diana, Princess of Wales,” differs from “Everything Bad is Good for You: How Today’s Popular Culture is Actually Making Us Smarter” in its primary focus for one. Johnson rarely speaks of the internet, and focuses primarily on the difference between books and video games, and its effects on both. Dissecting both, it can said that they both show the effects of what events, and time can do to people through the media and technology. The connections are for one, how Johnson refers to the drive to stop at nothing when it comes to technology, and no matter how difficult or frustrating it can be, people drive forward. Helmer’s in her article connects with this as with people who will not let the Diana tragedy die, and live on with the event through media to this day. Another connection is the way people connect themselves to mainstream media, through technology and computers to grow with the wave people are moving. The biggest, wide spread connection is obviously the media and technology portion, where people and pop culture are going to. It is a sign of the times and in both articles this is looked at. Johnson does not notably agree with the Helmer’s article, as he believes literacy is still very important, but yet little was mentioned in Helmer’s article dealing with books. Johnson’s article was a much better read, and both have connections in a step back way, but the actual content are far separating.

Essay One was a paper that was not very difficult to write, but needs some revision. I plan on improving my essay by using more examples from the article and connecting that with my point of emphasis. I also know that the basic grammar, punctuation and word choice corrections have to be made. I believe the overall layout and content of the original essay is a good outline for the finished product. Peer review was helpful in how I plan to revise. The peer reviewer gave me some helpful advice in how I should connect my evaluation back to my thesis at the end of my rebuttal. Also some basic corrections, and making sure the entire essay in insync with each other is important. These suggestions were valuable given to me by the peer evaluator. My writing process is normally to good the basic guideline and outline laid out in the rough draft, and then I always go back, writing in my own corrections and adding needed information and corrections. I do this several times until I am happy with the finished product. The rough draft for me is at times no where near the finished essay material. I could change my writing process in that I work harder in the rough draft writing, and prevent as much work after the rough draft. Understanding my writing process and the helpful peer review will help in the real world by being able take advice from others and improving my writing skills. Both these can help in the real world, as writing is important in day to day life, and with peer revision along with my own revision, I believe it will improve my writing ability.

            There have been some instances where I have made a decision based on the support of criterion, or solely on the criteria. One decision I made based on criteria was choosing a school to go to. With several different colleges that I could have went to, I evaluated different viewpoints and criteria in making the decision of coming to Bowling Green. One was the high rating in both fields I was interested in coming in to, that being Sports Management or Construction Management. Based on opinions of others who have and have not came to Bowling Green, and sources on the internet, it was apparent Bowling Green was a good fit in those areas through positive words. I sorted through the listing and descriptions on Bowling Greens web page and through different opinions to come here. I, in the process heard negative things about Bowling Green as well. Negatives were to deal with the size and reputation in certain areas, but I decided there was way more good than bad. I also had the fortunate ability to have two brothers who came here and got to have an idea what Bowling Green State University had to offer. The facts put forward about Bowling Green influenced my decision in a greater way than most others, based on location and the possibilities. I had to make a choice on what to believe and not to believe and I did that through just not my personal opinion, but others thoughts and facts. The criteria in this situation, out weighed all other possible colleges in making my decision in coming here, to BG.

    The article “Media, Discourse, and the Public Sphere: Electronic Memorials to Diana, Princess of Wales” by Marguerite Helmers was a life account and attention driven towards Princess Diana. The article originates from the textbook, From Inquiry to Academic Writing by Stuart Greene and April Lidinsky. The article sticks with a media detailed account of the aftermath of Princess Diana’s death, and the several blogs that scatter the internet dedicated to Diana’s life and her death. The article speaks of so many websites, multiple websites for where Diana herself, long after her death is still mourned. The characters in this article were Princess Diana, who was the object of the writing and the writer, Helmers who told of the countless people who dedicate themselves on the World Wide Web to bloging about Diana. Other characters included were the authors of these blogs. The thesis was to convey people to understand the popularity after Diana’s death, and the connection for people to turn to the internet in showing such emotions. The author can argue that it was a telling article based on Diana, and what it has turned those who never knew her in to becoming huge fans of Princess Diana. The direct points were that several people idolized Diana, connecting with her in a relative way as an average woman. Another point was the idea of the blogs being an outlet for people who still think of Diana as a great role model.

Work Cited

Helmers, Marguerite. “Media, Discourse, and the Public Sphere: Electronic Memorials to Diana, Princess of Wales.”
College English 2001. RPT.in From Inquiry to Academic Writing. Stewart Green and April Lidinsky. New York: Bedford Press, 2008.

English 112 is another step in the academic adventure here at BGSU, and I have several expectations for this course. In English 112, I plan to expand on what I have learned and improved on from English 111. By doing this, I would like to explore beyond what was done in English 111, to further enhance my writing. Continuing to be a solid writer and the essentials that go along with being a solid writer is what I would like to continue with. Learning in English to me is second to practice. With the ideas and guidelines laid out for what good writing entails, I can use those in my writing as I write. In English 111, I feel I did a good job of using the concepts and ideas of the instructor and incorporating them into my writing, and will continue to do that in English 112. With repetition and practice, it becomes a quality of writing to me. The basic concepts of writing, and what is needed to be a good writer is important and I expect to be successful in all the areas, to the best of my ability. I know I will have to continue to work on sentence structure and grammar through English 112, along with making my writing more appealing for the reader. I can do this with practice and focus on that idea. As an instructor, I expect the basic guidelines and helpful ideas to improve my writing. English is more of hands on course, where the writing is what counts and as long as the information needed to be a good writer is laid out, the student writer can then use that to their advantage to expand on their writing. Lecturing and outside information not related to writing or the topic at hand is second to what I feel is important in this course. With the help and ideas from the instructor and hard work on my part, I can accomplish becoming the writing level that is acceptable, and continue on my collegiate career here at BGSU.