Journal Blog #5: What is the situation?

This is the most crucial step in the writing process...  thinking of a topic. Like we spoke about in class last week, a topic needs to be specific and focused. Only then will it be meaningful. General and wide is at risk of meaningless. And not to mention: high quality topics get high quality scores.

When working to narrow down to a topic, you need to be thinking of a specific situation. There needs to be something that happened or a particular problem or phenomenon. You need to be able to describe it and introduce the situation to the reader. After that, you naturally move to one of the greatest questions we can ask: "... so, what?" If you can answer that question, then you have a topic.

In this journal blog, describe the "situation" that you're thinking to write about. Be as clear and as focused as you can be. I will give you my feedback on your plan, and yes, probably ask you, "so, what?" in order to find what high quality topics lay within the situation.

Remember to include your ID# in your post. Aj. M

Journal Blog #4: An introduction.

In class, we reviewed introductions about Aung San Suu Kyi, Dave Brubeck, and Barack Obama. Starting an essay is often the hardest thing to do. It is also the most crucial. From your first sentence, you are already taking your reader down a path, so from that moment on, there needs to be a clear direction and a logic to that journey. Every sentences is like a step along the way. If a sentence doesn't fit, it is like your reader stepping into a hole, and from there, it is difficult to get back out.

We are working to discuss Aung San Suu Kyi as a woman leader who is able to soften conflict and bring people together. On the blog, write your best attempt at an introduction: catch the reader's attention, provide the background and context, and lead us to the thesis statement.

Remember to include your ID# in your post. Aj. M

Journal Blog #3: A good topic.

Clearly there are good essay and there are bad essay. Some are interesting. Some are not. Sometimes the quality of the topic depends on the reader's interest. But then other times, a great writer has an ability to make a boring topic amazing.

One thing is for sure: as a writer, you need to care about what you're writing. If you don't care, one... it will be very hard to write, and two... your reader will know that you don't care. Neither is a good thing. As readers, we like to be inspired, and surprised, and informed. This is enjoyable to us.

So the question is, how do we develop, create, and find a good topic to write about? In your opinion, what are the ingredients of a great topic?

Share your ideas on the blog. Remember to include your ID# in your post. Aj. M

Journal Blog #2: Yoga

We have been reading about how yoga can wreck your body. By now, you should be noticing that this essay is quite carefully narrowed. It is a long essay, but the topic is very narrow and precise.

What makes the essay long is its development. We get example after example after example in very clear detail. And when the writer uses academic or biological language that we may not know, he makes sure to explain it to us: where the nerves are, how the arteries flow, why the vertebra flex in the way they do. While this is academic language, it is always supported with ideas that we can see, feel, and hear (pop, pop, pop), making this essay both informative academically, but also in a way, entertaining.

In this journal blog, describe one of the injuries talked about in Section 2 of the essay. Explain in your own words what the injury is, what harm it causes, and how it happened.

Remember to include your ID# in your post. Aj. M

Journal Blog #1: Academic writing is hard...

Writing academically is different from other kinds of writing. It requires a different set of vocabulary. It requires a special kind of tone and voice. It also requires attention to detail and support that makes you sound like an authority on the topic of which you write. Despite new media and new forms of communication, academic writing continues to be the medium of communication in the academic community... and guess what...  you have now joined that community at MUIC.

There are many reasons why you may find academic writing harder than other kinds. You may actually enjoy writing...  writing to a friend, writing poetry, writing creatively... some people find this relaxing, a hobby, or even fun. On the other hand, academic writing tends to instill fear in us because we may not know this kind of language yet.

In this first journal blog, explain what makes academic writing for you. Don't say grammar... because this is typical and everyone struggles with it... and I mean everyone. Think about other things about academic writing that you find particularly intimidating.

Remember to include your ID# in your post. I look forward to reading your thoughts. Aj. M

Journal Blog #7: What happens next?

We're almost there. Now comes the "easy" part: write the essay. You have worked hard to narrow a topic and from that, develop an introduction with a clear point, with a clear thesis statement. From here, the path forward should be clear.

This doesn't mean that it is an easy path, but the direction should at least be logical and reasonable. For the purposes of this final assignment, you should be thinking of 3 ideas that follow clearly from your thesis statement. They may be aspects of your topic. They may be reasons for your opinion. They may be examples of the phenomenon you stated. Make sure that all of the ideas directly relate back to the thesis statement.

In this journal blog, share the 3 ideas that you plan to use for your Body paragraphs. If necessary, explain how they relate to your thesis statement. Remember to include your ID# and Section # in your post. Aj. M

Journal Blog #6: What is your topic Situation?

In class, I presented a sample introduction that referred to Beyonce releasing her single through a Pepsi advertisement. This was one of the first times a major pop star did this, by combining art and business together in such an obvious way. This was a pretty creative marketing campaign for Pepsi that was trying to bring new inspiration into its brand.

I encourage you to consider a real situation to inspire your topic. This will help you to narrow and focus, and moreover... make your topic interesting. Work to avoid general topics about no person in particular, no place in particular, nothing in particular....  zzzzzz.

In this journal blog, explain to me the situation to which you're thinking about for your topic idea. Remember to include your ID# and Section # in your post. Aj. M

Journal Blog #5: What is your area of interest?

We're looking towards the end of the course. In these last 4 weeks, we are writing for a reader. We are narrowing down to an interesting and academic topic that we will research, support, and communicate. The narrowing process is the first, and really the most crucial step. It is this step where you work to understand a particular situation that comes from a particular subject that comes from a particular field or area.

Let's start making the first baby steps. We are all starting from the same place: Innovation and/or Inspiration. The next step is to identify a field or area of interest that you can link to the theme. It may be your major, or it may be another area that we have read about this term. There are no rules at this step. You can go wherever you want, but every step after this must follow from here.

In this journal blog, please explain your area of interest and why. Include your ID# and Section # in your post. Aj. M

Journal Blog #4: The perfect face.

We have thought about how to start an essay with an introduction. Starting is absolutely the hardest part because there is so much that we're trying to do in that paragraph: introduce the topic, provide background and context, state the point of the essay with a thesis statement, and hopefully, catch the reader's attention. This all has to happen with about ten sentences.

We look at the Mona Lisa, and regardless of whether or not you enjoy or appreciate art, there is something about her face that we cannot deny, nor can we quite understand. Artists for generations have studied this face and millions of people per year visit the Louvre museum in Paris, just to catch a glimpse of that cheeky smile.

Try your best introduction for the thesis statement: DaVinci's Mona Lisa has inspired all artists after about how to paint the perfect face.

The best introductions will be reviewed in class. Remember to include your ID# and Section # in your post. Aj. M

Journal Blog #3: In what area will the next most important innovation be in the next 20 years?

Up to now, we have been reading about where ideas come from and how problems inspire innovation. Now, we are going to start looking for our own inspirations for topic ideas that will motivate us to write.

In the last 20 years, I would have to say the innovation of the internet has really been the most important and world-changing technology. It is hard to imagine a world without it now, and what it has done for all areas of life: for business, for society, for politics, for entertainment... the list goes on. There have been other innovations as well, like in  health care and in transportation, but the internet and the wide access it gives has really expanded the opportunities for all of these other fields.

Let's now look forward. What can we expect or predict for the next 20 years? The world is facing global warming, and it seems to be worse than we originally thought. There are constant wars and conflicts in the Middle East and elsewhere. Ebola is breaking out in West Africa and could spread to other places. Cities around the world are over-crowded, and the gap between rich and poor is widening in every society.

From problems comes innovation. In this journal blog, I want you to think about from what area or field will the next big innovation come? Will it be an innovation in health care? In economics? In technology? Another? Make your own prediction and explain why.

Remember to include your Section # and ID # in your post. Aj. M