In a situation where communities struggle to make ends meet, good teachers are the solution to the struggles. America has great schools with great opportunities, but not everyone in America has the privilege to attend these schools. An article called, "6 Stories That Prove Good Teachers Might Actually be Magic" by Catherine Pearson argues that good teachers can help children succeed no matter what their background may be. She organizes her article into six different parts, each with a different teacher's story. Each story includes a picture or video and a description of the exceptional efforts the teacher has made, as well as the impact it has made on the students as evidence that good teaching does make a difference. The article would have been more impactful if it had included a conclusion, but the stories and videos were meaningful in and of themselves. The purpose of Pearson's article can be perceived in different ways, but the most straightforward intention was to recognize and encourage creative, caring teaching in America. Reading about teachers who have done the right thing and the benefit this has on children and the future they have in store is refreshing to the audience, who is mostly made up of parents and other teachers. By writing this article, Pearson has promoted actions in the eyes of other teachers such as incorporating music into learning and forming positive relationships with students, which could improve the education system of America and therefore the economy.
One reason the author appeals to the the teachers in her audience is by using a appreciative tone in regards to all teachers: "teachers in the United States put in an average of 52 hours a week, overseeing an average of 20 kids per class. It’s hard work." Pearson comes across as grateful because she recognizes that teaching takes effort. This kind of recognition is achieved with respectful diction, as she exhibits when she says, "It’s Teacher Appreciation Week again, that time of year when we pause to honor the truly awesome work that educators do, and to thank them for showing up for our country’s kids day after day, and week after week." Expressing respect through phrases like "truly awesome" allows teachers to soften up when they read about other teachers who may be doing things they do not agree with; by acknowledging teaching as a difficult profession, those who are struggling feel more open to look at different perspectives. In addition to a consistent theme of appreciation, Pearson's syntax shows consistency: most sentences are long and many of them are complex. For example, she describes, "First grade teacher Katie Blomquist, who teaches in South Carolina, captured national attention in March when she surprised her students with hundreds of custom-made bikes she helped purchase via a viral GoFundMe campaign." She uses long sentences when summarizing teachers' stories to pass as much information as possible in a smooth way. Pearson's argument was effective, credible, and reassuring to the people who need to see some good in the world. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/6-stories-that-prove-good-teachers-might-actually-be-magic_us_5911d0aae4b0a58297df7cf8?section=us_parents
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A lot of people in America are sleep deprived -- 30 percent, in fact. Out of these people, insomniacs and the anxiety-ridden make up a significant portion of sleep deprived Americans. According to Suzy Strutner in her article entitled, "This 25-Pound Blanket Could Help You Sleep Through the Night," there is a solution that has nothing to do with a change of lifestyle. The Gravity Blanket, which weighs 10 percent of the buyer's body weight, has been proven to reduce anxiety and is suspected to improve sleep, as well. To appeal to her audience of sleep deprived people, Strutner uses picturesque diction to describe what it is like to use the blanket: "Take it to bed, and let its heaviness simulate what the company’s founders call 'the feeling of being held or hugged...' until you drift into bliss." By using words like "bliss," the author seems delighted by the product, which is meant to convince the reader that this blanket is the answer to all their sleep problems.
Strutner's tone in her article is the epitome of optimism, especially when she exclaims, "The product has clearly generated excitement, raising more than 77 times its Kickstarter goal in just eight days." She intentionally writes with positivity, listing no drawbacks, to make up for the high price of $279 per blanket. After all, her purpose is to promote and inform about a unique product that is soon to go on the market. There are no real reviews for the Gravity Blanket yet, so it is Strutner's job to write in reviews within her article to achieve the best response. In addition to positive language, another method the author utilizes to achieve her purpose is the inclusion of scientific support, appealing to logos. For example, Strutner states, "Occupational therapists have used weighted blankets for years as a tool to reduce anxiety and stress, especially in kids with sensory disorders like autism." This provides evidence to the audience that the Gravity Blanket has worked for other people and could work for them. The author organized her article in a mostly acceptable fashion, including a video, pictures, and GIFs throughout. However, Strutner's concluding sentence was not much of a conclusion, but rather a warning which could be considered a counter argument; it said that the blanket could negatively impact breathing. Despite the abrupt, negative ending, this article successfully promotes the Gravity Blanket by incorporating credible studies and by using positive language. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/weighted-blanket-sleep_us_590a509fe4b05c3976860878?section=us_science Natural monuments in America have been protected under the Antiquities Act since 1906, but they have recently been put in jeopardy by the President, Donald Trump. This topic is covered in the article by Chris D'Angelo entitled, "Here are the 27 National Monuments Threatened by Trump's Order." D'Angelo's derisive diction in the second sentence of his article reveals his opinion on the matter: "As Trump laid out in his remarks April 26, he’s looking to end “another egregious abuse of federal power,” put “states back in charge” and open up now-protected areas to “tremendously positive things” — whatever that means." D'Angelo points out his disapproval of Trump's vagueness at the end of this sentence , which indicates his emotional dedication to what is being discussed. This sentence also conveys a satirical tone, which continues to be evident throughout the article. For example, D'Angelo drawls, "The [Interior Department] also applauded itself for its decision to allow public participation." The Interior Department is involved in deciding what to do with the 27 national monuments in question, and the author is not impressed with their ironic apparent interest in public opinion.
Throughout the article, the author's utilizes an em dash four times. In one sentence, he states, "the administration’s implication is that the public wasn’t involved in the initial designation process — something stakeholders of numerous monuments dispute." D'Angelo's syntax displays the two opposing views of those on Trump's side and those on nature's side, and these views are separated by the em dash. The intended purpose of his syntax was to oppose the counter argument in an obvious way, and later support this opposition with evidence in the following sentences. Besides syntax, there is another unique aspect of D'Angelo's article — he includes stunning pictures of all 27 national monuments that are being doubted by Trump and the agencies involved. The beautiful photography highlights the purpose of the article: national monuments are an important part of America that should not be tampered with. D'Angelo is doing what he can to save nature by spreading the word about how wrong it would be to go on with Trump's plan to alter the monuments. Using concrete images of the national monuments is an effective way to open people's eyes to the injustice it would be to change or destroy the lovely areas. In addition to this strong evidence, the author includes a video and he packs his article with direct quotes from Trump and the agencies he is working with as well as people defending the national monuments. D'Angelo cites all of his sources and organizes his argument in an easy-to-read fashion; first an introduction to the topic, then an explanation, then further defense on his end of the argument. The article effectively argues that national monuments should be preserved, not changed. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/monument-review-trump-us_us_590ce0c4e4b0d5d9049c8865?section=us_science Full scholarships and degrees do nothing but help college students continue into their future- right? In the case of student athletes, former athlete and current entrepreneur and author Malcolm Lemmons declares that a person's entire future is not worked out simply by obtaining a scholarship and a degree. In his article, "If You're An College Athlete, Your Degree Might Mean Next To Nothing," Lemmons argues to his intended audience of student athletes that they need more than a scholarship to succeed later in life.
Because of the relevance this subject has to him, Lemmons discusses the issue with sober diction: "With the lack of a meaningful degree, it is difficult for many athletes to get a entry-level job once they graduate." He worries that these students are not getting "meaningful degrees" because the athletic system they participate in does not ensure that they put proper effort into their majors. It is clear that Lemmons has credibility because he was a college athlete who had to work through the system in order to be successful in non-athletic careers, and this appeals to ethos. The author includes a short summary of his career and goals at the end of the article in order to prove to the audience that he is informed about the matter at hand and is taking measures to solve the problem. As he pinpoints the errors in the system student athletes are involved in, Lemmons utilizes a critical tone. He injects, "The NCAA seems to pretend like they deeply care about the well-being of these athletes... [it] does receive millions in profit withholding athletes from their cut; furthermore, not allowing them to pursue any means of entrepreneurial or self branding endeavors." The author's tone asserts an impact to the idea that student athletes are not being treated properly- which leads to the purpose of his article: change must happen in the education of college athletes. Lemmons believes that this starts encouraging these students to take measure to ensure their futures. His intention to teach initiative to athletes that do not make the cut is reasonable; if Lemmons discovers a way to convince these young, talented athletes to take initiative then in time, it might be able to make a difference. Lemmons's argument is set up in the traditional way. In his second paragraph he includes a counter argument: from the NCAA's perspective, college athletes have a "'better life than they would have without sports.'" His solution has some holes, though; he does not elucidate much on the measures that must be taken. Besides his solution, Lemmons's grammar has some holes as well- including in the title of the article itself (an college athlete?). It was disappointing to find these flaws because the argument is interesting and relevant, and though it was somewhat effective it could have been much more so if there had been more care put into the writing; in other words, less grammatical errors and more detailed explanations. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/if-youre-an-college-athlete-your-degree-might-mean_us_58e3dfd1e4b09dbd42f3dae8 In a short but interesting article entitled, "Black Cambridge Students Call Out School's Racial Diversity In Compelling Photo," author Zahara Hill elucidates an issue regarding a high quality but mostly white college in the United Kingdom. The article describes a Facebook post that highlights the amount of black men at Cambridge University: 15. It is geared towards young African Americans who have scholarly potential, with the goal of encouraging them to shoot high so that colleges like Cambridge can become more diverse. Hill supports this purpose with a blunt first sentence: "A group of black men who attend Cambridge University posed for a series of photos to send a message to their school Monday: There should be more of us." Her confident, united tone gives the audience a necessary jolt to continue reading, which is what colleges like Cambridge need. By writing this article, the author spreads the idea around that African Americans should start being raised on the vision that they can go to any school they set their mind to.
The diction in Hill's article is informal and unattached: "According to ACS [Cambridge African-Caribbean Society], the inspiration for the photos was a viral post of a group of black men from Yale University who stunted on the ‘gram last week." There was no emotional attachment in any of her diction; just a short address supported by cited facts about the issue. There is a citation in almost every sentence Hill writes in this article, which appeals to ethos for the audience. The author's sources are credible, which makes her credible in turn. This ensures that the audience believe her when she says there is a problem with diversity in some colleges. Hill's article is structured to be as brief as possible in order to pass along the information to the intended audience without the threat of boredom; after all, youth is slowly losing grasp of their attention spans. Hill draws directly from the post more than once to provide evidence: "'In 2015, only 15 black men were accepted to Cambridge as undergrads. They got together to show just how insanely bad that is,' the post read." She also finds on the Cambridge website that only three percent of students at the college are black or mixed-black, which provides more context than the simple original 15 men that the audience of the Facebook post was given. The argument was strong because the material Hill wrote about provided a strong argument, but it would have added to the impact article if she had input some of her own words and opinions. Writing a short article was beneficial for appealing to the intended audience, but Hill had included her additional opinions it would have added to the purpose by providing an assuring anchor: this is not just the opinion of the students of this college but of onlookers, too. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/black-cambridge-students-call-out-schools-racial-diversity-in-compelling-photo_us_590a3ac7e4b02655f843d691?section=us_black-voices Polar bears and the troubles global warming is causing them is explained in the HuffPo article, "A Reminder On International Polar Bear Day" by Dr. Steven Amstrup. Amstrup is a chief scientist of Polar Bears International and in his article he emphasizes the need to reduce global warming. He uses high but familiar diction when discussing the problem: "We cannot control the natural variation in the climate system, but we can control the slope of the rising baseline." This relays that the author is serious about the topic and he wishes to include his audience in the knowledge it takes to understand the issue.
Amstrup's argument is strong in logos after he introduces the problem at hand; he informs that normal greenhouse gas levels keep the earth's temperature at a normal rate because "[natural levels of greenhouse gases], which don’t impede the short-wave radiation coming in, temporarily capture the outgoing long-wave radiation before releasing that energy back into space." He then goes on to say that humans are inputting too much carbon dioxide, which will "prolong retention of the sun’s heat before it escapes back into space." By explaining the real scientific occurrences in the atmosphere, Amstrup makes global warming real to the audience; This article's audience is educated young to old adults, and even in this group many do not know how global warming happens and therefore see it as a faraway fly of an issue that has no effect on them, but by explaining the scientific occurrences in the atmosphere that cause it, Amstrup makes global warming real to the audience. Throughout the article, Amstrup has a clear, earnest tone towards the topic. At one point he exclaims, "Denying that Earth’s average temperature must increase as CO2 levels rise would require a whole new explanation for why we have life on Earth!" This sentence represents his unwavering resolve: the world has a problem and it needs to be fixed. The author's purpose is clear: convince the audience to help reduce global warming by following the "Paris Climate Talks in 2015" or signing the Polar Bears International pledge. The main reason Amstrup's purpose is easy to follow is his bold statements- literally. Whenever he has an important point to make in his argument, he places it at the front of a paragraph and gives it bold letters. For example, he starts his fourth paragraph with a combination of polar bears and global warming: "Because the polar bear’s sea ice habitat literally melts as temperatures rise, the relationship between warmer temperatures and fewer polar bears is straightforward." This sentence is straightforward and easy for any audience to understand and empathize with, and not only does he relay his message well, but it is an important message to relay. Humans are destroying the planet and this is something that needs to be taken seriously. Amstrup's argument organization was flawless: first an introduction, then an explanation, followed by a counterargument, and finished off with a solution and a call to action. The counterargument is that "many people, including our policy leaders, have misled us by suggesting that a cold snap in Cleveland, or snow in Washington DC, is somehow inconsistent with the long-term trend of global warming." The author quells this viewpoint by asserting, "natural fluctuations in weather and climate will continue as always." This article has an effective argument; the only problem is the lack of citations. Amstrup has evidence, and though it is assumed that it came from his own knowledge, he does not cite any information. He is also somewhat obscure when posing solutions: the "Paris Climate Talks in 2015" are never explained. However, "A Reminder On International Polar Bear Day" is an impactful, interesting article and everyone should consider reading it. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/a-reminder-on-international-polar-bear-day_us_58b3465ee4b0e5fdf6197408?section=us_green In the Huffington Post article "Girls Start Doubting Their Own Brilliance As Young As 6, Researchers Say" by Nick Visser, the author discusses the influence that gender roles have on how young children view their intelligence. The article is composed almost entirely of quotes and paraphrasing from Lin Bian -- who is the researcher directing the experiment this article describes -- which is why I will be analyzing Bian's ideas that were put into writing by Visser. The word "urgent" was used more than once to describe the issue that six-year-old girls were underestimating themselves when it came to intellectual ability. The concerned diction related to the topic reveals that Bian believes this is a serious problem which must be fixed soon.
When discussing statistics about how many women currently work in the STEM field, Visser's syntax consists of long sentences with multiple commas. The author's intent with this was to provide as much unfiltered information as he could. There were no fluff words involved; just two sentences that provided all the information necessary for the reader to understand the situation. Going back to the thoughts of Bian: the researcher displays a strong dependency on success for her project as well as a personal, prideful connection to the subject at hand, and she achieves this through her earnest, urgent tone. Her words, "certainly we need to do more... we need to intervene as soon as possible..." show that she and others are dependent on the success of her project, based off of the repeated use of the word "need." I believe the purpose of Visser's article was to raise awareness about a possible issue that has affected women in America and the jobs they choose so that it may become less of a problem in the future. The concluding paragraph especially expresses this goal, emphasizing that there is more to be done and the earlier it is done, the better. The author's purpose could certainly be helpful to their cause -- if the reader acknowledges the goal it is possible that they will find a way to cooperate by donating to the project, informing their peers, or attempting to erase gender roles regarding intelligence and occupation in their own household. Organization played an important part in the goal of the article: throughout the majority of the article, Visser explained Bian's experiments, but near the end the author provided facts that supported the intention of the project being discussed. He appeals to ethos by using statistics that proved the experiment wasn't based on emotion alone: "Women make up just 29 percent of the workforce in [STEM] sectors, according to the National Science Foundation..." The argument provided was strong and well-represented throughout most of the article, but one weak spot that I found was a small amount of repetition -- and not the stylistic kind. Visser could have removed one of the descriptions of the "urgent need" that were stated twice in slightly different ways. Other than that, I felt that the argument was solid and relevant. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/girls-brilliance-young-age_us_5889d550e4b061cf898cdd1c?section=us_science |
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