Video Remix Reflection

I have to say, I actually really enjoyed creating this video remix. Yes, It took me a lot of work and in the beginning I wanted to write a paper instead of doing this but in the end I'm glad you had us to this project. I like how it allowed for us to really show our creativity and took a different spin on the class that I was not expecting (I came in thinking I would only be writing a whole bunch of different papers). For a while I struggled on choosing which paper I was going to remix and how I was going to make it interesting and also informative, but when it hit me then I knew exactly what I wanted to do.

For my video, I chose to remix my 2nd paper which was on SOPA (stop online piracy act). Which deals with copyright issues, and stop the use of using other peoples material, but it was never passed. I wanted to remix it by talking about how in the 50's a lot of African Americans were creating songs that were being stolen from big name white artists like Elvis Presley and Patrick Boone. The name of my video is "A stolen black culture". I start off by stating when a black artist produced the song and then show a video of them performing it. Then I explain how the white artist sang it after them, and this continues through most of the video.

Then I had a few slides talking about how today you are not able to do this because of copyright laws, and you need to get permission if you are going to use someone else song or beat. But two there are two forms that are not considered "stealing" if you receive permission; sampling and cover song. I define both of these terms and give examples of songs today that use sampling and cover music. My topic is not super broad, but honestly my video could of gone on forever, so I had the hardest time with picking which artist to do, and how long to play the music clips.I was also stuck for a while about how to wrap it up.

In the end, I am really happy with the results of my video and I'm looking forward to presenting it and get the feedback of my peers and also Barb. I really enjoyed my WRA class, really everything about it. Great teacher, enjoyable assignments, and a nice class!

Music Research Project

I enjoyed doing this paper! Music is something that I am into and to be able to research a group that was so influential, not only in changing different styles of hip-hip, rap, and rock but they were the voice to African-Americans who were dealing with the "struggle". In this paper I pretty much took all the different elements of the other two papers and put them together to set up this one. I used r photos, to illustrate the points I was trying to make. I used subtitles, and I tried to put my thesis somewhere different in my paper besides the first paragraph but it ended up being kind of difficult for me.
I felt a little rushed with this assignment (but I understood because of Spring break) so I felt that my paper could of probably been even better If I had more time. But I still feel like its a good piece of work. THe interview got a little messy, just because I had phone technical difficulties, so then I had to do a email interview and then I did not get my answers until the night before the paper was do. So, it left me rushing. Maybe if the interview was optional it would be easier. But then probably no one would do it, lol so nevermind.

The Curious Researcher, Chapter 2

A few things that stood out too me was the use of search engines on the internet. I feel that our generation relies heavily on search engines, I know I do. I am a huge fan of search engines like Google and Yahoo. The book stresses how these search engines are not very effective, and are not he best choice. Ballenger talks about how most likely the information you are getting from these websites are incorrect or out of date. Published books or journals or anything like that will be more factual and give you better information.
I also found the interviewing interesting because of the paper we are doing now in WRA and we are required to have an interview. I do honestly feel that interviewing someone can be the best source because you are getting first hand knowledge. I usually do not like doing interviews because sometimes it seems awkward and I do not know how to start. In the Curious Researcher, Ballenger does discuss this. He says to start with some sort of flattery to break the ice. It is also good to remember that an interview is supposed to be like a conversation not a survey.

Cultural Artifact Reflection

For my cultural artifact I researched "Stop Online Piracy" Act, also known as SOPA.  I felt that this was a cultural artifact because it effected our world and it something that is still going to be present. My research process for this was I used two websites LexisNexis Academic and Proquest. I was limited in my research because this is such a current event topic and became relevant a month ago. These two websites allowed me to search for articles relevant to SOPA in magazines and newspapers.
I really liked how Barb showed us how to use the subtitles and how they lead your paper, those are really helpful and I'm sure I will use those in the future. I set up my paper by presenting a world where there was no freedom of speech. Then for my supporting paragraphs I spoke about the Pros and Cons of Sopa. And for my final paragraphs I wrote about how SOPA will effect me. I enjoyed writing this paper because this topic is so new and relevant and applies to my life.

From Spaghetti and Meatballs through Hawaiian Pizza to Sushi: The Changing Nature of Ethnicity in American Restaurants

The article was introduced by an explanation of how restaurant menus have changed and adapted over the years. Also as you read on it stresses how ethnicity plays a role in cuisine.
-I feel that the intended audience for this article are culinary perspectives and interests in this certain topic of ethnic cuisines.
-The authors main point is how our food has advanced and how menus of cuisine have varied over time to time. Also about the blending of food for example Hawaiian pizza as you see in the title. The writer is stating the information very matter a fact and the writer seems to have a history with the topic. The persuasive techniques that are used like in the article it says " Menu, make therefore, an explicit statement about what is implicitly regarded as proper by modifying all that is different into a similar form".
-What is the situation of the writer is she is knowledgeable of the subject and she uses other people who are knowledgeable to quote them in her paper so her credibility is strong.

I honestly do not think the article is that persuasive. It sounds like tons of facts, that I do believe because its credible but It did not persuade towards anything. I feel like the words that are used are used perfectly to describe the different cuisines and add life to the article.

Football Red and Baseball Green

What is invention?  (What activities did the writer have to engage in to create the text?)
- I feel like the writer must of watched a lot of sports games like football and baseball and also had to study the history of each of the sports.
What is being invented? (What ideas, practices, arguments, etc. are created by the text?)
-The story conveys that baseball and football are the all american sports but it specifically goes into football and describes it as a "heroic" sport. The book also portrays how football relates to the lives we live and how there is a constant worry and problem in our world and we're under great tension.
What is arrangement?  (What is being put in relation to what?)
-What is being compared is baseball and football and baseball is a Leisurely sport compared to football, which is seen as more intense.
What is being arranged? (How are the things being put in relation to one another)
-The arrangement it is it begins with the sport of baseball and how it is a leisure sport and how football in today's age is taking over because it is more relatable and "heroic"
What is revision? (What is the writer trying to change?  For example, what ideas, practices, etc.?)
-The writer wants people to understand and see that baseball and football are complete opposites just like every other sport. One is seen as more calm and relaxed while the other is more pushing and intensity. But both of them play a role in our lives and apart of our norm.
What is being revised?  (What strategies are engaged specifically to help the writer achieve the revisions?)
-The reading seems very persuasive and there is a clear point the author is trying to get across.

Literacy Reflection

For my literacy I wrote about my volleyball injury and how it effected my life and how by going through this process of learning how my body works and how to properly train it. I was also able to help other athletes at my school with their injuries and later consider this as a potential career. I really enjoyed this paper! I was able to  write about something that is important to me and and reflect on an event that greatly effected a large part of high school career. I also didn't expect this type of paper coming into my first english class in college. I thought we would have more of an academic paper but it was nice to deviate from the "norm".
For the arrangement of my paper, I pretty much listed multiple events that led up to my having my rotator cuff surgery. Then the events leading up to my first game senior year after having surgery and going through my six weeks of physical therapy. I thought the revision process for the papers in this class are very helpful. It's nice to have input from the professor and a peer and also have the Letters of Response that gives a lot of input for the paper. All together I felt like this was a nice transitional paper into the academic papers we will have to write in the future and was an interesting topic.