Over the course of the passed 2 or 3 weeks, we've starting our MLA Research papers and how to go about writing them. How to begin, the right questions to ask, going over strategies in class along with watching a video on reflective writing. Learning about how to write to a MLA Research paper has really helped in figuring out how to go about making this paper a strong argument to show my point of view on the American Prison System. In my post this week, I'll be sharing my process and it was the right way to go about writing the project. Who did you work with to compose your research paper? Was this a good approach? I had another topic for my MLA Research paper and had a rough time trying to get started. My professor suggested picking another topic I felt more passionate about, so Professor Mangini helped in my beginning process of my paper. It definitely was a good approach. I felt discouraged when I had picked my first topic. Feeling frustrated and not really knowing what to do, Professor Mangini's ideas and models really helped out. What rhetorical mode and genre are you using? Argumentation is the rhetorical mode and Research paper is the genre. When did you write this project? Good approach? I began to write my paper after work and at night. It definitely was not a good approach so I'm trying to find other ways to go about it because I am definitely not finding myself to be on task. Where did you write this project? Good approach? I wrote in my living room or in my bedroom. These 2 two are where I've been finding the most comfort lately depending on my mood. I like to be in a comfortable atmosphere so being at home for sure helps. Why did you choose to write about your chosen topic? Good choice? I've had my own personal experiences with someone who was once close with my family. I do believe it's a good approach because committing a crime is a serious deal and in some cases, second chances are an okay thing. Other times? I don’t believe criminals deserve much sympathy. How did it feel to write this argument ("during, after, and since")? Do you have any "if only" moments that can help you revise the draft? I was confident at first. After writing 2 or 3 paragraphs, I got super irritated with an imaginary person telling me that my opinion was wrong so I did have to take tiny breaks in between to settle myself down. How will you revise your argument? Using the TPS model, I learned in class and using the source sandwich on the class website, have been really helpful strategies in getting started and I will continue to use them to help revise. I'm starting to get more eager about writing my MLA Research paper now than when the assignment was first given.
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Moore, Michael, Where To Invade Next 2015
The man who makes the film travels to different parts of Europe to learn what they do different in their cities from what they learned in AMERICA! He starts in Italy to start off his "invasion" and learns that they get a 8 week paid vacation. In France, the school lunches are 5 star meals to teach kids about better nutrition. Some kids even hesitated to try a Coca Cola. Next stop in Finland, they have the highest education rates because all the kids don’t get homework and the teachers believe they need more time to be kids so they spend 3-4 hours in school. In Solvenia they give their college students free college education so they have to live in debt for getting a degree in their field of study. Ever wanted to know what it was to have a 36 hour work week and still get a scheduled break? Talk to Germany because they have all of that. He then travels to Norway to learn about the prison systems where the inmates live like they are free but have a shot at a second chance. Tunisia actually cares about what women have to say. Not saying that America doesn’t care about what women have to say but Tunisia has more women in their government to speak more not just women rights' but about other important matters as well as that. After all his travels, he realizes all of the ideas that Europe has was from America. I thought the whole film was very informative and well played out. Each topic last just as long as it needed too on the big issues we are dealing with here in America. He went with facts and asked all the right questions only to know make his jaw drop but also his audience. Michael Moore struck a topic for me that I feel very strongly about. The prison systems in Norway are extremely shocking to me with how they run their prisons. It honestly blows my mind that they let these inmates roam around like they didn’t lose their freedom. They only lost the chance of family visits. Source 2. Glazer, Sarah. "Sentencing Reform." CQ Researcher, 10 Jan. 2014, pp. 25-48, library.cqpress.com/cqresearcher/cqresrre2014011000. This source tells a story about a man who sold drugs and received a 55 year sentence for also having 2 illegal weapons. It goes deeper in the sentencing systems for our nation and helps the reader understand better how the sentencing process when given to the convicted. Just by reading it I gained a lot of knowledge about Law and Justice to help keep harmful individuals off the streets. I find this source to be extremely reliable in order to complete my assignment. Reading the information, not only gave me answers to some questions but helped me understand the Justice system better when going to trial to be given a sentence for how terrible the crime may have been. It will help my process in putting together a solid argument as why I believe our prison systems are just fine the way they are. Source 3. Katel, Peter. "Solitary Confinement." CQ Researcher, 14 Sept. 2012, pp. 765-88, library.cqpress.com/cqresearcher/cqresrre2012091400 This source goes into detail on Solitary Confinement. It might be beneficial to an audience who don’t quite know the length that some prisons to go to when sending "sane" prisoners in solitary confinement for close to a decade at most times depending on the severity of the crime. This is a HUGE break for me in getting the information I need to learn more about what actually goes on inside the prisons and how the inmates are treated based on the crimes they commited. Source 4. Clemens, Dianne. "Prison: To Punish or Reform" Dec. 16, 2003 http://www.pbs.org/pov/whatiwant/prison-to-punish-or-reform/ This source has real people talk about their experiences about either being in jail and how some people have lost their loved ones to murder. The article is also going off a show that PBS aired. I find this source to be super helpful in my process to writing my assignment. Reading it had me completely focused on how I would to begin wiriting my MLA Research Paper. Source 5. White, Josh. "Talking with Evil: My interviews with a serial killer, rapist, and child molester." February 22, 2013 https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/talking-with-evil-my-interviews-with-a-serial-killer-rapist-and-child-molester/2013/02/22/41d1f0bc-79e1-11e2-a044-676856536b40_story.html?noredirect=on&utm_term=.738113756532 This man speaks with real criminals about their crimes. One is very remorseful, and the rest are just as sick and twisted in 2013 as they were when they committed their god-awful crimes. They speak about their crimes and their sentences. Josh White even asks them questions if the rolls were reversed to find any kind of heart in these cold souls serving almost life sentences. This source helps me prove a point in explaining that criminals do deserve a second chance at society when they are so mentally ill. In the article and the way to speak, it almost sounds like the last two inmates would do it again if they had the chance and one sees nothing wrong in the crime he committed. In class, we recently watched the documentary "Where to Invade Next". As good as the topics were in the documentary, these are the 3 I was drawn to the most. If you wish you read the summary, here is the link to "Where to Invade Next".
Topic: Prison Systems in America Research Question: Should all American prisoners, no matter their crimes, receive the same rehabilitation process? Argument: I'm a firm believer that if you did the crime, you do the time. Why should inmates get special treatment so to speak if they committed a crime as dumb as getting busted breaking into a home to committing murder? Depending on your mental status, you shouldn't have the privilege to take classes to have a new start when you get out. You committed a CRIME!!!!! You effected not only your life but the life of someone else's or someone's family. Sitting in a cell and getting a certain amount of time to see your family is the most those kinds of people should get. Some people won’t get time back with their loved one, or get back that money you stole from them. The only privilege they deserve is getting a 5 minute phone call home and 30 minute family visitation rights. Topic: Free College Education in America Research Question: Should America offer free college education for everybody? Argument: Free education for college students should be free. There are people out there with the potential to make so much of themselves and become the next Bill Gates. How can they though when students, who can or can just barely afford college, apply are basically signing to an agreement to be put debt? Not only would it help current students, but it gives underprivileged citizens a chance to become something of themselves. Our next president could be a homeless man or woman on the street but we wouldn’t know because unlike Solvenia, we don’t offer free college education. Topic: Nutrition classes in Elementary schools Research Question: Should America have a nutrition class in elementary school to help eliminate obesity? Argument: In elementary school, I had a nutrition class. I also received a healthy lunch from home or at school. I believe that a lot of obesity in America has to do with what goes on at home. Parents should encourage healthy eating instead feeding them junk 24/7 to get them out of your hair. I understand that eating disorders are a thing so I can’t really speak on that topic because I don’t have a lot knowledge on it. As kids grow into teenagers, they know by then that maybe they shouldn't be eating pizza from the freezer every night and as teenagers turn into adults, maybe eating take out every night wouldn’t result in a trip to the doctors to find out you have diabetes. So much can be done to eliminate the obesity level for kids of today to live a healthy and longer life. I've always loved documentaries. Even in high school when my teacher would tell the class that we were watching a video, everyone else would roll their while mine lit up like a Christmas tree. The documentary we watched in class this week, Where To Invade Next, Michael Moore travels to different countries to find out about their different life styles that leads them to be the happiest people on earth so to speak. The documentary was enlightening in comparison to how America does things around our neck of the woods. Watching the documentary, my jaw dropped to several of the topics that were being covered.
He visits Italy to start off his "invasion" and right off the bat he visits a couple that has traveled more the average American. Why? Michael interviews business owners and workers only to find out that they get eight weeks paid vacation. They are firm believers in stress sickness so they believe going on vacation and coming back to work fully relaxed is the source to a strong immune system. The next stop on his journey was France. The local schools are given a 5 star restaurant meal. They consider learning good nutrition and having excellent table manners will help in the long run to a successful future. During one of the scenes, Michael whips out a Coca-Cola because a vending machine was not in sight in the cafeteria. He offered a taste to one of the students and I couldn’t help but notice a few children in the background were almost hesitant to even try the carbonated substance. A little girl did take one for the team and try it. He also showed the kids a picture of what American school lunches looked like. In Michael Moore's words: "You know it's bad when the French pity you." In Finland, the kids education is way ahead everybody else in America. The schools in Finland believe giving homework SHOULD'NT be given!!!!! They go to school less and don’t have standardized testing. The teachers want the children to live a life that a child should. Climbing trees, hanging out with family, and going to school less. The max amount of hours children in Finland go to school is 20 hours. If given any homework, it would take them 10 minutes. On average, they spend 3 to 4 hours in a classroom. What about college? Free. Michael travels to Solvenia and talks about debt in America for a college student but the students in Solvenia didn’t even understand what being in debt meant! He spoke to 2 American students going to college in Solvenia because they couldn’t afford the University or even community college anymore!! For a regular American to get by, you need either a very well paid job or work 2-3 jobs. Germany, you work 36 hour work weeks. You could be living the dream making pencils and you still get a scheduled break!! It's against the law in Germany to contact any employee after hours or on vacation. Wouldn't that be nice here? He later traveled to Norway to learn about the prison systems. They give the inmates a chance to turn over a new leaf almost and have them take classes such as culinary, where here in the U.S. you just serve your time and you're lucky if you get a job when you get out the dog house. After traveling to these beautiful destinations, Moore finds that all of these ideas originally came from the Land of the Free and Home of the Brave. God Bless America. |