English 2010: Learning Logs

January 15, 2019

“Donald J. Trump, Pope Francis, and the Beef That Defied Space and Time”
Benjamin Soloman
● “In other words, the tool we use to build our society is language. Each of us, every day, is using
language to create this world.”
● Everyone, not only in written word, but in casual conversation, uses words to accomplish
something, whether they realize it or not.
● “Instead, they used intentional, crafted language to take specific actions, to create new meanings,
and to assert their identities in the world. In other words, they used language to do things, make
things, and be things.”
● It is interesting how the Pope and Trump’s tweets may not have even been plausible or correct,
but they used words to do much more than just express themselves.
● Analysis​: The author’s purpose was to prove that language is used by everyone to, essentially,
create our society. The article did that effectively by using examples of very famous people and
how their words may have a deeper meaning than just the surface.

January 17, 2019

“Language Matters: A Rhetorical Look at Writing”
Chris Blankenship and Justin Jory
● “Working with language is difficult and it’s messy. It’s a skill you have to learn and practice;
rhetoric gives you a framework to make that process easier. It’s a method that you can use
systematically as a way of revealing and handling the complexity of language.”
● Thinking rhetorically is a skill that, though not taught often, can increase our comprehension
skills and understanding of any language, which we use all the time.
● “we can see that there is a disconnect between Robbie’s knowledge and the knowledge necessary
to understand this text. Why does this disconnect exist in the first place? Thinking rhetorically
about audience, purpose, and context can give us further insight into this rhetorical problem.”
● Rhetoric can bridge the gap when things are not understood.
● The authors state that language is difficult and messy because it can be interpreted so many
different ways, which is why they believe understanding rhetoric can help audiences understand a
meaning and writers write effectively.

January 22, 2019

“Genre in the Wild: Understanding Genre Within Rhetorical (Eco)Systems”
Lisa Bickmore
● “Thus, genres are both stable and to some degree fluid and evolving, just as human
communication itself is both predictable and unpredictable.”
● Genres can adapt for situations and once you understand them you can change the way you use
them.
● “Knowing about genres, being sensitive to the genres that are a part of a particular situation, and
becoming a capable user of those genres makes you a more flexible and adaptable writer.”
January 24, 2019
“Writing for Community Change”
Elisa Stone
● “This comes not only from concern for the well-being of society, but because studying issues of
social justice delivers skills and a knowledge base that helps students be hired, succeed at their
jobs, and succeed in post-graduate education.”
● Service learning will give students critical skills that put them ahead in life and in their careers.
● “Issues of social justice have become integral parts of the curriculum in many disciplines.”
● It doesn’t matter what you’re studying, service learning can benefit you.
● If money and time were no factors, what service opportunity would you engage in? I would like
to volunteer at the food bank, I would be much more involved with Know Your Neighbor SLC
with their childcare if I had more time. If I had more money, I would love to go on service trips
around the world, teaching children English or volunteering in an orphanage or helping with
disaster relief.

January 28, 2019

“The Elizabeth Smart Case: A Study in Narrativized News”
Clint Johnson
● “Story is the primary way we make meaning from life.”
● Elizabeth’s case was so publicized and so memorable because it followed story structure, which
we naturally more easily remember.
● “Those that do not, sometimes despite their importance, languish untold or are quickly forgotten.”
● People are more interested in stories and retell them, keeping them alive.
● What makes the Elizabeth Smart story so universal and long-lasting? The elements of her
kidnapping made it easy to remember, along with her parents keeping it alive with their money,
made it more memorable.

January 29, 2019

“Writing is Recursive”
Chris Blankenship
● “...they view each part of the process as a valuable way of thinking that can be revisited again and
again until they are confident that the product effectively meets their goals.”
● “...put aside the linear steps and view [the steps] as ways of thinking that can be revisited over
and over again until you accomplish your goal, [and] you will become a more successful writer.”
● Why is the second image a more accurate way for measuring writing? (The recursive way)
Because you can’t just visit each step one time, you keep adding, researching, revising, and
editing until you get it right.

February 1, 2019
“Making Choices in Writing”
Jessie Szalay
 ● “...you’re going to want to pick a topic that really, truly interests you, with which you are excited
to engage, about which you have the resources to learn, and about which you can envision having
something to say.”
● “Your rhetorical situation will largely determine what choices you make, so make sure you
understand it thoroughly.”
● What are five strategic choices that you will make for your open letter? Use the subtopics in the
article to focus your ideas.
○ Word choice: focusing on the most effective, not the most impressive word
○ Choose a tone that will be persuasive for the audience
○ Not all modes of appeal have to be perfectly balanced (pathos, ethos, logos)
○ Figure out how to structure the letter to keep it engaging
○ Include sufficient background information

February 5, 2019
Open Letters
● From Michael Mau’s open letter: “This is a standardized, multiple-choice world. I know that
now.” Mau approaches the entire open letter with a bit of a sarcastic tone and this quote really
proves his point.
● From Veterans Assisting Veterans: “We as an organization are deeply troubled by the continued
lack of prioritization by some prominent elected members of our government.” It clearly states
why they are writing the open letter.
● Both letters took a very authoritative, almost commanding, voice and the reader can feel their
passion about the topic. By the end of the letter it is clear to see the change they want and why.
They are also very persuasive and include a call to action.

February 7, 2019
“Peer Review”
Jim Beatty
● Don’t just focus on grammar and typos
● Look for specific criteria your professor gives
● Take the opportunity to become clearer in your writing
● I feel like peer reviews are worthwhile when they are a balance between constructive criticism or
suggestions and a few positive comments. I always find another reader’s insight useful because
they can see my paper from a point of view that maybe I cannot.

February 11, 2019

“Personal Literacy and Academic Learning”
Marlena Stanford
● “These various literacies are much more than skills; they are practices: observable patterns of
behavior that we enact over time as we work in particular knowledge frameworks and use
particular technologies to communicate.”
● Being literate is more than just reading and writing skills.
 ● “In other words, we make meaning of school content by connecting our personal lives to our
school lives.”
● Create a timeline mapping out your reading or writing history. Include memorable moments from
birth to now that have helped shape you as a reader or writer today.
TIMELINE
● 2004 (age 3): Began reading early reader books and pretending to write
● 2005 (age 4): Started learning to write and reading Little Golden Books and Dr. Seuss
● 2007 (age 6): Wrote daily journals in my first grade classroom
● 2009 (age 8): Started reading one of my favorite series, Harry Potter. In third grade
● 2014 (age 13): Began reading more, found more of my favorite series like Divergent, The
Selection, and The Hunger Games
● 2017 (age 16): Wrote a personal story and won an award in a Scholastic competition
● 2018 (age 17): Won an amazing trip to Washington DC by writing an essay

February 13, 2019

“You Will Never Believe What Happened: Stories We Tell”
Ron Christiansen
● “We are naturally rhetorical beings who attempt to engage those around us through narrative”
● In other words, our lives are stories!
● “You’re both the narrator and the main character of your story . . . That can sometimes be a
revelation—‘Oh, I’m not just living out this story, I am actually in charge of this story.’”
● Explain this quote: “If telling stories makes us human, reading stories seems to put us in touch
with our humanity.” Reading stories can help us introspect and reflect on our lives. We relate the
stories we read to our own lives and in a way conduct research so in the future we can write our
own story as we live our lives.

February 15, 2019

¨Is that a True Story?¨
Ron Christiansen
● ¨Awareness of the decision-making process itself is the core of effective writing.¨
● ¨But this process, as we see above, is not about sticking to the facts. Instead, it is about the overall
emotional truth and getting, as best we can, at the experience of being human.¨
● How is ¨truth¨ complicated? When telling a story, we search for truth when the only real truth is
that we do not have access to it. Every writer tells a story from their perspective and the important
part is that the emotions were communicated. Tiny details are not important.

February 21, 2019

“Adding the Storyteller’s Tools to Your Writer’s Toolbox”
Clint Johnson
● The power of scene: “Can a hypothetical situation written as a scene work as evidence for a claim
you make in an argument?”
 ● The power of experience: “Stories can provide new experiences by which people can make sense
of the claims they encounter. Could this help a reader understand something that may be accurate
even if they have not experienced it themselves, making them more likely to accept your claims?”
● The power of sensory detail: “To describe something using the senses not only gives an additional
texture of reality to the subject, but it can help memory.”
● The power of voice: “Could you find quotes that work similarly, allowing you to draw a reader’s
focus to your opponents’ statements, their voices, without using your own voice?”
● The power of conflict: “Is it possible to understand a social issue as a story, with different parties
serving as characters with their own motivations?”

February 25, 2019

“Memorability: 6 Keys for Success”
Nikki Mantyla
● Simple: Seinfeld flat out said “what’s up with the spotlight?” He didn’t beat around the bush. It
was also very simple.
● Unexpected: The human brain will listen when there’s something new or unexpected, and
Seinfeld’s punch line was unexpected enough but still understandable, when he blurted out his
age.
● Concrete: We would rather experience things with our own senses than hear how someone else
experienced them, which is why we like concrete images so much.
● Credible: Seinfeld has a lot of credibility as a comedian, but even people who aren’t famous can
use credibility by borrowing it.
● Emotional: He voiced everyone’s emotions by expressing his frustration with the spotlight.
People listen more if they are able to relate emotionally.
● Story-based: Seinfeld created a story out of the spotlight. After he made a joke out of it, people
were able to tell a memorable story about it.

February 28, 2019

“Story as Rhetorical: We Can’t Escape the Story No Matter How Hard We Try”
Ron Christiansen
● Record three ironic statements from the essay
○ “Seems writing teachers may be regular people after all.”
○ “Maybe stories are talked about less in writing classes because they are too fun.”
○ “That’s right . . . writing can be exhilarating and liberating when we see our arguments
through the lens of story.”
● How is a story an argument? Most stories have morals, and when we tell a story we are taking a
point-of-view. The steps an author takes to write a story are taken to prove their point.

March 4, 2019
“The Narrative Effect: Story as the Forward Frame”
Lisa Bickmore
● How is a story “underlying all understanding”? Give give specific answers through your reading.
● Aha moment about your memoir/profile from this essay?
March 6, 2019
“Punctuation, Memes, and Choice”
Nikki Mantyla
● What’s new to you? “Therefore, the shorter the paragraph, the more it will stand out.” Paragraph
breaks can be considered punctuation.
● What’s interesting? “Colons are like a drumroll: they loudly announce (with a big, dramatic
pause) that you’re about to provide an explanation hinted at in the preceding statement.” Colons
are more blunt, it’s a stylistic choice.
● What finally makes sense? “This means we only use one em dash instead of two when the
interruption comes at the end [of a sentence].”
● Also this: “One last thing: em dashes give you a random additional choice brought up by the
Futurama meme below—to put a space around them, or not to put a space around them.”

March 8, 2019
¨Peer Review¨
Jim Beatty
● ¨The best writing comes out of a communal effort.¨ I have found that my best writing comes not
when I work through the process solely on my own, but when I include multiple other people in
the editing and rewriting process. It is always important to gain perspective on your writing, and
the best way to do that is by having peers review your writing. Whether it´s my mom, fellow
students, a teacher or a counselor, any comments and suggestions help the process.

English 2010: Style Academy

March 12, 2019

Imitation
Sometimes, according to Edwin Teal, a gall gnat larvae, which does not resemble the adult in the least and
which has certainly not mated, nevertheless produces within its body eggs, live eggs, which then hatch
within its soft tissue.
● Every day, according to the personalities I hear on the radio, the traffic, which consists of mostly
commuters to and from Salt Lake City, backs up, during which red brake lights flare, horns
sound, and tempers rage, along the point of the mountain, a place which I learned the location of
only a few short years ago.

March 14, 2019

Writing Sentences
Myka sang, surprising her mother.
Surprising her mother, Myka sang.
It surprised her mother, but Myka sang.
Myka’s singing surprised her mother.
Though it surprised her mother, Myka sang.
Myka sang, and it surprised her mother.
If Myka sings, it surprises her mother.
Myka’s mother was surprised when Myka sang.
Non-hibakusha employers developed a prejudice against the survivors as word got around that they
were prone to all sorts of ailments​, ​and that even those​, ​like Nakamura-san​, ​who were not cruelly
maimed and had not developed any serious overt symptoms were unreliable workers​, ​since most of them
seemed to suffer​, ​as she did​, ​from the mysterious but real malaise that came to be known as one kind of
lasting A-bomb sickness​: ​a nagging weakness and weariness, dizziness now and then, digestive troubles​,
all aggravated by a feeling of oppression, a sense of doom​, ​for it was said that unspeakable diseases might
at any time plant nasty flowers in the bodies of their victims, and even in those of their descendants.

March 18, 2019

Phrases and Clauses
● Although geopolitical conflicts between nations will always be with us, we don’t need to be
afraid of each other.
● We do not need to be afraid of each other, though geopolitical conflicts between nations will
always be with us.
● Provided that geopolitical conflicts between nations will always exist, we needn’t be afraid of
each other.

March 20, 2019

Manipulating Parts/Imitation
● Putting his own preferences above everything else, Snowden self-indulgently short-circuited the
democratic structures of accountability. (Opener)
● Snowden self-indulgently short-circuited the democratic structures of accountability, putting his
own preferences above everything else. (Closer)
● Snowden, putting his own preferences above everything else, self-indulgently short-circuited the
democratic structures of accountability. (Interrupter)
● Snowden put his own preferences above everything else, self-indulgently short-circuiting the
democratic structures of accountability. (Changing roles, closer)

March 25, 2019

Combining Sentences
● People who become highly creative and productive learn to acknowledge their failures; they
explore and learn from failures, even embracing them.
 ● As the weeks passed, Maurice slowly grew grayer and more wrinkled. He stopped wearing
makeup, his impeccable clothes sometimes spotted, and lost the bounce in his step. One day I
came in earlier than usual to find him in the dining room, running frantically from table to table.
¨Look at this plate!¨ he shouted, holding up a plate, his finger on a long, jagged crack through the
middle of it. He hurled it at the wall, watching it shatter as the tiny shards skittered onto the
carpet. He went to another table, examining the plates and hurling another against the wall. He
proceeded to hurl another plate.

March 27, 2019

Participles and Participial Phrases
● Resting on her crutches, the girl looked into the camera.
● Standing in the road by the side of a car, the girl looked into the camera.
● The girl looked into the camera, resting on her crutches on the side of the road.

April 2, 2019
“Slang Rebels” Research Paper
● There were in-text citations after almost every thought or sentence, and there were a variety of
sources, such as dictionaries.
● One long quote was incorporated very effectively into the paper, providing an analogy for the
English language as an ocean, fluid, which I really liked. Quotes were strategically chosen to
strengthen the main idea and overall paper.
● Followed a really clear progression or flow, moving from an introduction of what slang is to the
arguments against slang, then describing the difference between slang in written word and spoken
word.

April 4, 2019
Appositives
● How to use appositives: identify or rename, explain or give examples, define, summarize
● Drew Gilpin Faust, a historian and the first woman to serve as president of Harvard University,
recently testified before the United States Congress to encourage the government to fund more
scientific research.
● As a historian and the first woman to serve as president of Harvard University, Drew Gilpin Faust
recently testified before the United States Congress to encourage the government to fund more
scientific research.

April 8, 2019
Active and Passive Voice
● We will examine the applicant’s academic record to determine whether they have established a
strong affirmative case in regard to the character of their general education, and their fitness for
graduate work in the proposed subject of study. We will give serious consideration to letters of
 recommendation from persons who are in a position to analyze the candidate’s abilities and to
estimate their promise. We will use the results of the Graduate Record Examination as a
supplementary objective check on the candidate’s aptitudes and knowledge. In the consideration
of applicants, we will also consider character and promise in addition to scholastic attainment. A
personal interview is not required.
● Extra credit: style academy active vs passive combine 9 sentences at the end

April 10, 2019

Semicolons
● In Svalbard, many female polar bears are underweight, and these females have underweight cubs.
● In Svalbard, many female polar bears are underweight; these females have underweight cubs.
● In Svalbard, many female polar bears are underweight. These females have underweight cubs.
● In Svalbard, many female polar bears are underweight; consequently, many polar bear cubs are
also born underweight.
● I like the fourth one, because it combines two related sentences, has a better flow, and that way
the sentences aren’t choppy.