Final Essay Wednesday, May 2 2007

I was always the person who was content with knowing how to create a word document and the most “impressive” computer application I knew how to perform was sending an email with an attachment. Then during this spring semester I was introduced to the ever popular idea of blogging. For me, at the time, blogging was a new concept in an English course.  So, with some hesitation as to what kind of advanced computer technology I was getting into, I wrote my first assignment as a blog.  To my surprise, I found that blogging was not only easy, but also enjoyable and fun.  Blogging allowed me to write assignments while I was not at my home computer, was quicker than hand writing assignments and was an informative source on current assignments as well as upcoming class events/schedules.

The first aspect of blogging which worked for me was the ability to complete assignments wherever I happened to be that had a computer and Internet access.  For me, these places included my home, of course, but also work and school.  It was really nice to be able to complete and submit an assignment when I was at work because it allowed time when I was at home to complete assignments for other classes.  Blogging was the one thing I could do at work without dragging two or three books out causing my work space to become cluttered. 

The second aspect of blogging which worked for me was that it was quick.  The professors in most of my other classes require assignments to be hand written.  Not only does my hand get cramped from all of this writing, but it takes me almost twice as long to complete a hand written assignment than it does when I type an assignment (Grammar Goal- Run on Sentences).  This aspect was conducive to my learning because it allowed me to complete assignments in a timely manner.

The third aspect of blogging which worked for me was having access to your blog home page to see what assignments were due and to see what was scheduled to be covered in class.  I liked being able to view the specific requirements for each blog assignment just in case I missed something in class.  If ever there was a question about what exactly was due and when, I could always find the answers on your blog.  It is nice to know that I have a resource which provides me with the information I need. Also, on you blog, the posting of the week’s upcoming events allowed me to shift my schedule accordingly to ensure that all of my assignments, in this class and in others, were completed.  This aspect was conducive to my learning because it allowed me to verify assignments and thus make sure they were completed correctly.

The only aspect of the blog that I did not work for me was that other students who might not have completed an assignment could easily view the assignments I had completed and possibly get answers or ideas for answers for their own assignments.  This aspect of blogging did not work for me because, while most blogs were personal opinions/ thoughts, it is in essence cheating.  (It should be noted that while I do not think this occurred in any of the blogs this semester, I can see how it could in the future.)

If I could change one aspect of the blog it would be having more of an explanation as to how to use the various options that are available.  For example, when I look at this page of the blog, there are so many options which I have no idea what they can do or how they work.  Maybe if there was an informational session at the beginning of the semester showing how to use these other options I would have a better understanding.

In the immediate future, I have to honestly say that I do not think that I will continue blogging.  I will be starting a 12 month program down in Houston at MD Anderson this fall and know that the majority of my time will be spent working hard to keep my grades up.  As of yet, I have not heard if any of the class will have assignments as blogs.  But if they are, I am glad to know that I will be somewhat familiar with how it works.  After school, however, I might start to blog again.  I may find that I have extra time and want to keep an on-line journal in the form of a blog.  You never know, this semester has opened my eyes to the world of blogging and I have to say it was enjoyable (Grammar Goal- apostrophes).

One Response »

 

Blog #2 Thursday, Apr 26 2007

1. Is the topic going to be something we have previously discussed or something new?
2. What is the essay topic?

Leave a Response »

 

Blog #1 Tuesday, Apr 24 2007

” your audience for an essay exam is your instructor” (pg 714) 

three unique skills determines by Popken to essay exam writing are:

1. store, access, and translate appropriate knowledge into an organized essay

2. analyze quickly the specific requirements of the question and formulate a response to the requirements

3. learn to deal with time pressure, test anxiety

it seems that the writer must first become comfortable with the test question and what responses could be used as answers… in essence, plan what to write and include by making brief notes/ outline before composing essay.

Leave a Response »

 

Why I Hate Essay Exams Tuesday, Apr 24 2007

I hate essay exams because they usually only give me a chance to discuss one topic from the semester.  I feel that to truly assess what knowledge I have acquired throughout a semester, there should be an exam which is multiple choice.  I feel that essay exams do not allow me to become fully prepared for taking a test because I am entering the test without any of the slightest ideas as to what the topic will be about.  I know that my writing is best when I am given a couple of days to think about the topic and to decide what should be in the essay.  Without adequate time to prepare, I feel that I just ramble on about things that do not necessarily have to deal with the topic and they are written down just to fill space.  When I have had essay exams in the past, I feel the major stress of coming up with a good essay in a short amount of time and sometimes I think that this can hinder my writing skills. 

Leave a Response »

 

Argument and Counterargument Monday, Apr 9 2007

Does stem cell research hold the key to unlocking the mysteries surrounding the cure and prevention of numerous debilitating diseases?  According to the National Institute of Health, the use of stem cells could supply a vast array of information including, “how undifferentiated stem cells become differentiated, how stem cells could be used to test new drugs and new medications and the ability of stem cells to generate cells and tissues that could be used in cell based therapies” (Stem Cell Basics). By using this information, scientists and doctors would have the opportunity to treat patients who have what are now considered incurable diseases.  These incurable diseases include, “Parkinson’s disease, spinal cord injuries, diabetes and the replacement of damaged heart cells” (Gibbs).  Currently, people with these diseases are only being treated symptomatically, they are not being cured. By allowing scientists to research stem cells, an enormous amount of people’s lives will be vastly improved.

Many people who are against stem cell research feel that because stem cells are obtained from embryos, which results in death, it should be considered murder.  Researchers agree with the death of the embryo, however, “many question whether or not it is an embryo, instead of being a zygote, and thus not murder” (Robinson).  A zygote is defined as the fusion of an egg and a sperm and thus considered by stem cell supporters as, “not a human person-hood… (but rather) as having the potential of human life” (Robinson).  Currently, there are over 100,000 frozen zygotes at fertility clinics, most of which will not survive due to accidents, human error, old age and even purposeful disposal.  Why not take advantage of such a surplus (which will be disposed of anyway) and allow stem cell research to reach its full potential?

One Response »

 

Argument, Audience and Fallacies Monday, Apr 2 2007

1. Who is your specific audience?

The specific audience for my argumentative essay is educated people who are either undecided or against stem cell research. 

2. Why did you choose them?

I choose this group of people because I feel that they are the people who are preventing stem cell research from advancing to a point where it can help people with disease such as heart problems, diabetes and Parkinson’s disease.

3. How will your audience affect the argument you intend to present?

Because the audience is educated, I feel that I will not have to go into such minute details when discussing what stems cells are, rather, I can spend more time discussing/ arguing why stem cell research is important and is currently needed.

4. Which fallacies will you need to focus on keeping from your argument? Why are these (individually) important to consider in  your argument?

• Oversimplification: There can be a lot of scientific terms used to describe aspects of stem cells and stem cell research.  If I do not take the time to introduce and explain them properly, I could loose the audience because they might not fully comprehend what I am trying to express/argue.
• False Analogy: A lot of the websites I researched did this (assuming that because one thing resembles another conclusions can be drawn from one and applied to the other) and in doing so they made me question whether or not they fully understood the argument and their credibility.
• Either-or Reasoning: Because stem cell research depends on obtaining stem cells from embryos there is not an official clear cut way of establishing what is “right” and what is “wrong”.  Some people feel that stem cell research is okay only up to a certain point and others might feel that there is a different point in which stem cell research should be okay.  Because of this stem cell research is not a simple two sided argument.
• Appeals to False Authority and Bandwagon Appeals: There are some very credible sources that say stem cell research is either right or wrong, but just because they argue one way or the other does not necessary make their argument correct.  I will need to keep this in mind when I am using such resources because I do not want the audience to feel that I have the opinions I have because of some popularity contest, but rather because I truly believe in what advancements could come about through stem cell research.

Leave a Response »

 

Research Prospectus Tuesday, Mar 27 2007

Research prospectus

Leave a Response »

 

Annotated bibliography Tuesday, Mar 27 2007

Annotated bibliography

Leave a Response »

 

Article Annotations Wednesday, Mar 7 2007

Helping Families Care for the Helpless

1. Summarize the article–I want a one sentence summary for each paragraph.

There have been many advancements in the field of ethicist in determining the proper course of action in regards to people who are receiving health care.

Recently there was a six year old girl who had hormone treatments and a hysterectomy to ensure she would not grow to a point in which her parents could no longer care for her.

At first the author was shocked with this news, but with further investigation and research he began to agree with the parents decision.

The extent of the six year old girl’s health includes severe neurological and cognitive impairment, both of which have no known treatments.

Because the child will not be able to develop properly, she will be dependent on her parents for the rest of her life.  This becomes a problem for her parents when/if she is able to reach full adulthood.

Would these drastic measures have any negative effect on the child’s life? 

This child is severely disabled and similarly like an infant, she will need constant care and a loving environment and by giving the child the hormone she will only gain from her parents.

It is questioned whether or not all of these procedures are really necessary or if they could be considered a form of abuse.

The parents are encouraging the decisions they have made based on what they feel they will need to do and what is best for their daughter.

Arguing whether or not with the hysterectomy, the child would have ever been able to experience dignity because of her current mental state and then questioning whether or not it is right to have a fertile woman who has the mental capacity of a child.

A source, the UK’s Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecology suggest active euthanasia where those children that are born with the most severe disabilities have the option as to whether or not to continue treatments.

Medical treatments for the severely disabled like this child are far off in the future and with the choices the parents are making right now they are doing what is best for them and for the care of their daughter.

2. Judge the article as it relates to potential research on the Ashley X issue. Would this be something that you would consider appropriate for including in a researched essay? Why or why not?

Yes, I would use this article for research essay because the web site where it comes from is legitimate and credible.  I also feel that this article is good in that it introduces a topic and then discusses both sides of the issue.  The article also provides supporting facts which could be further researched along with some of the author’s personal views.

Leave a Response »

 

Narrow topic Tuesday, Mar 6 2007

• what are my interests?

i am very interested in the medical field and the advancements that could come about through research with stem cells.  i, like many people, have members of my family and friends that are living with disease, cancer, illness, that could potentially treated or even cured with the help of stem cell research. 

• what is my major?

my major is medical technology and chemistry

• what is happening in the news today?

some recent news regarding stem cell research was when President Bush made a law which only allowed scientists to conduct research on stem cell lines which were already known and which were obtained from umbilical cords.

• what controversial issues affect my feelings and perk my interests?

stem cell research

• what did I find in my research that interest me?

when researching stem cell research, i found most interesting the amount of potential medical gain that could be obtained from the stem cells.  my father has type 2 diabetes, and in one of the articles it was mentioned that there could be a possible cure or prevention method obtained from the use of stem cells.  not only would this research make my fathers life much easier (no more testing blood sugar with the finger prick, no more constantly watching what he eats, etc) it could also help prevent me from developing diabetes because it seems to run in the family.  a cure for Parkinson’s disease was also mentioned.  cancer, the constant division of cells in the body, could also that the potential to be cured.  again, i like many others, have and have had people in my family that are/ were struggling with not only cancer, but also the side effect of current treatments (chemotherapy).

there are people who are against stem cell research.  these people argue that stem cell research is a form of murder, in that in order to obtain the stem cells they must be collected from embryos which have not developed.  an argument against this is that there are people who undergo in vitro fertilization and those embryos which are not used/implanted into the woman are either left in the freezer for later use, adopted by another couple who is having a hard time conceiving or disposed of.  why not just use these embryos for research.  there is an estimated number of “left over” embryos in the deep freeze, which could be used to make some huge advancements in the medical field, advancements which could help save lives. 

the laws here in america regarding stem cell research are different from those in europe.  it seems that in europe there are more opportunities for stem cell reseach.  because of this, europe has the potential to surpass america in the diagnosis, treatment and prevention of disease.  if america adopted a similar system, we could be responsible for some of these discoveries.

• is there a particular aspect of the topic I can consider and possibly focus my paper around?

for my paper, i think that i am going to focus on how stem cell research would better our lives.  i will start out with what stem cell research is, who is affected with stem cell research and what controversies surround stem cell research. 

One Response »