Thlog Week 4

This week was definitely the most difficult for me so far. Monday’s class felt extremely rushed, and was kind of stressful. I thought I was done with my WP1 and was happy with how it turned out. However, after doing all of the activities, especially the highlighting one, I started to question everything. I felt as if I had so much more work to do on it, but didn't have enough time. Luckily, Zack decided to extend the due date. I took a break from my WP1 the rest of Monday, and returned to it with fresh eyes on Tuesday. I was able to make some additional changes and add in some things I felt I was missing after Monday’s class, which was mainly in-text evidence to support my genre analysis. 

Wednesday’s class was much better than Monday. I thought the paragraph to poem activity was awesome! It really helped me see each complete thought I put into my paragraph. It gave me the ability to see each individual sentence as its own entity, giving me the chance to determine if it fits back into the overall point of my paper. It was a really good way to “de-clutter” the paragraph and really break it down. 

I also really liked the group activity we did. I thought it was super fun getting to add all of the details, and essentially create a story in a specific genre. It was interesting to see how everyone approached the genre they were assigned and the different backgrounds they created for Mark Smith. I thought it was really cool that everyone was able to take the same information and come up with 8 completely different ways of presenting it. Each group was able to convey the facts of the rhetorical situation from different perspectives and styles, which just goes to show how important genre choice is when trying to communicate with people. 

Thlog Week 3

Even though Monday meant no writing class, it was really nice to have a day off because it gave me the chance to finish up my WP1. I was having a hard time writing, so I made the tough decision to switch my topic about half way through my paper. In the end though, it was worth starting over. If I hadn’t, I would have struggled even more and probably would not have written a very good WP1. 

Something that I (and a lot of others in the class) had a hard time with was the argument aspect of the WP1. I didn’t really know what we were supposed to be arguing and how to work that into my thesis. The arguability test activity we did in class was really helpful. I realized that we weren’t necessarily trying to make a persuasive argument in our WP1, but rather take a point of view on an aspect of the genre we chose to analyze.

The peer review session we did was also very helpful. I got a lot of really good feedback from my group members. After talking to them, I think I am in a good spot for the final draft. The only thing that really needs improvement is my intro. Going along with that, the intro paragraph/thesis statement examples we reviewed as a class gave me a lot of suggestions. The two examples were quite different from each other—one being fairly typical and the other being very non-traditional. My current WP1 intro is more on the typical side. I think to improve it I need to add in a little more fabulousness. 

Everything I have learned so far has been incredibly useful not only in Writing 2, but in my other classes as well. I’m excited to be done with WP1 and move on to the next phase of the class.

Thlog Week 2

This week in Writing 2 was interesting. I really liked the process and writing tips Zack talked to us about. I think the process ones will be especially useful with WP1 coming up. It was also helpful going through my annotations and trying to understand how I can most efficiently take notes while reading. Hearing how other classmates annotate gave me some good tips and things to consider in the future. One concept we learned about that really stood out to me was utilizing dashes and hyphens when writing. I have never been one to use dashes, mainly sticking to commas. I never thought they were formal enough for academic papers, but now I understand that they definitely have their place. 

I really enjoyed the argument exercise about favorite restaurants in IV. I think it was a simple way of showing that there are multiple ways to argue a point of view. There isn't necessarily a right or wrong way, but some methods are more effective than others. One thing that I think is really important when using persuasion is having facts or evidence to back up your point. It builds credibility and shows that the writer didn't simply make up what they are arguing. 

I’m really excited to get started on WP1. It’s crazy to think that the 2nd week of the quarter just ended and WP1 is already coming up! This class is moving pretty quickly, but that’s what keeps it interesting. As someone who wants to work in the business industry, I understand how important it is to know how to write, and how to do it well. I’m looking forward to learning more about writing and improving the skills I already have!

PB1B: Brought to you by DJ Crime Shadow and MC E-Zee Menace

Every genre has its own guidelines and conventions that are unique to itself. Genre generator websites use these patterns to create "one click" genres, that can range from novel titles, to research papers, to magic potion recipes. Each website produces works that follows a specific structure depending upon the genre being used. 

The random generator, SCIgen creates computer science research papers in a matter of seconds. Input the name of an author, click the “generate” button, and you have a seemingly flawless research paper. Upon further inspection, they make absolutely no sense. So how does it work? SCIgen uses the patterns and conventions of a typical scientific research paper to design a template. When a paper is generated, the template is randomly filled to create the imposter paper. This genre generator works so well because the conventions of research papers exist heavily in formatting. The website aims to show that the information presented is irrelevant, yet the results will still produce a computer science research paper. Each generated paper has a title, abstract, introduction, conclusion, references, and numerous other sections. From paper to paper, each section is similar in length and location. Along with the sections, there are graphs and charts that “support” the research. For me personally, I took special note of all the titles, such as “The Impact of Event-Driven Technology on Machine Learning.” I have absolutely no clue what that means, or if it is even a legitimate concept. Due to my lack of scientific knowledge, it gives the illusion that the paper covers really advanced stuff. The scholarly sounding title, along with the structure of the paper, makes the random SCIgen research paper quite realistic and believable. 

Another genre generator, Pandyland, aims to do something similar to SCIgen. Instead of creating computer science research papers, they randomly create comic strips. Each strip contains three separate squares, that when put together create a full comic. The comics feature the same two characters, Simon and Finlay and are quite simple in their stories. Sometimes only one of the characters will appear in a box, but for the most part they are pictured together. As I generated multiple comics, I noticed that most boxes repeated themselves. After a while, it was rare that I came across an image I hadn't seen before. I also noticed that when a picture was repeated, it appeared in the same spot as it had before. For example, the second box in each of these comic strips is the same, yet when combined with the other two randomly chosen boxes, the meaning changes completely. 

 A comic strip is used to tell some sort of story. Pandyland kept that in mind when making the comic strip generator. The first box starts the comic off with a statement or questions that is meant to elicit a response. Using the comic strip above as an example, the line “I’m sad…Tell me something nice,” allows for a multitude of responses. The second box continues the story by responding to the first box with a statement or action. Finally, the third box ends the comic in an unexpected or abrupt way. The comics don’t always make sense, but follow this pattern more or less.

Another generator is the meme generator. Memes take popular pictures, people, or characters and add captions to them. The captions are meant to be humorous and often times relatable to the reader. Each meme is different and varies in format. For example, a popular meme featuring the character Boromir from Lord of the Rings always begins with “One does not simply” and then is completed with a type of action.“One does not simply eat just one Oreo” is one of my personal favorites, because I can identify with it. Another popular meme is Bad Luck Brian. This meme displays the caption in the same way as the Boromir meme, but follows a different set of rules in how it is phrased. Each meme has its own specific way of phrasing the caption, and not adhering to the guidelines is a big internet no-no. 

A genre generator that I found was a Rap Name Generator from rap.namegeneratorfun.com. The website gives users the option of choosing a male, female, or neutral rapper name. When testing it out, there seemed to be no rhyme or reason to the names being given. The Notorious Bad Bass, Flava Whooligan, DJ Crime Shadow, MC E-Zee Menace, the list goes on. Most names began with DJ, MC, or The Notorious, and were followed by a combination of adjectives and nouns. These prefixes are what characterize the names as rapper names. Without them, there is no context for the rest of the name, and it ends up sounding like a string of random words. Names that were considered female used nouns and adjectives typically used to describe girls, such as missy, foxy, queen, etc. The male and neutral options were essentially the same, utilizing more masculine sounding nouns and adjectives. 

Genre generator websites help demonstrate the idea that genres follow a set of guidelines and patterns, called conventions. These conventions are what make that genre, that genre. However, according to Dirk in Navigating Genres, "Genres require more effort than simply following the rules. The rules change as the genre changes, and no rules apply to all genres." So while genre generator websites are a good starting point for understanding the basis behind genre and genre theory, there are many more things that must be taken into consideration.

PB1A: In the (Dystopian) Future, I Predict...

Dystopian future novels have gained quite a lot of popularity since the release of the first Hunger Games movie in 2012. I have long been a fan of these types of books and have read my fair share of them. While each one has its obvious differences, they all have, more or less, the same central idea; The future is a disaster full of destruction, hate, death, oppression, and survival. I started to notice these similarities between the different series and could even predict what was going to happen in one book, based off of others I had read.

Most, if not all, dystopian future novels have an overly brave and gutsy teen protagonist. Their bravery (and stupid decisions) somehow allow them to save their collapsing society from the corrupted and oppressive government. I use the Hunger Games as an example because most people are familiar with the books, or at least have seen the movies. Katniss, the main protagonist, is only 17 years old while the series is taking place. Her actions destroy the Capitol and bring an end to a government that has ruled for over 75 years. That’s a pretty big deal for someone so young, and is also pretty unrealistic. However, there’s a reason Katniss was written to be this age. The Hunger Games, as well as many other dystopian future novels, are written for teens and young adults. Young characters are created as a way for readers to relate more closely to the stories and characters. Another convention of dystopian novels is a group of rebels that goes against authority and disregards the rules. These rebels act as allies to the main character and also give the readers a cause to support as they progress through the novel.

Many dystopian novels also touch on the concept of “Us” vs “Them”. They divide the population into groups in some way or another. Districts, factions, castes, call them what you will. Each is the same in principle and is used to show a hierarchy within the society. The whole point for writing a dystopian novel is to create a story that appeals to the target audience. I think the extreme portrayals of “Us” vs “Them” that is seen in many of these novels is appealing to readers because it is so unlike their daily life and it can be fun to imagine what living in a different world would be like. And finally, mixed in with all of the action, danger, and survival is a love story. A love story, could be a genre on its own, but it holds certain characteristic as a convention of dystopian future novels. Typically the 2 characters are thrown together under horrible circumstances. They must deal with the ups and downs of their relationship all while fighting for their life. 

There are dozens of other conventions of dystopian future novels. Rebel forces, near death experiences, the death of important characters, and even that they get turned into movie franchises. Not every dystopian future novel contains every convention discussed, however some appear more often than others. The reason these certain characteristics are so frequently used is because they appeal to readers and allow them to connect more deeply with the story.

	The Hunger Games	Diverget	The Maze Runner	The Selection
Overly brave/gutsy teen protagonist	X	X	X	X
Destroyed or collapsed earth/society	X	X	X	NO
Division of population into separate groups (Us vs Them)	X	X	~	X
Rebel group	X	X	X	X
Love Interest	X	X	X	X
Near Death Experience	X	X	X	X
Death of important characters	X	X	X	X
Corrupted governmental figure	X	X	X	~
Survival	X	X	X	X
Resulting Movie Franchise	X	X	X	NO

"Thlog Thursday" Take One

Week one of classes and I’m already stressed to the max. The only bright light is writing 2. Okay, so not really, but it is my favorite class I’m taking this quarter. After doing all the readings for this week (for once) I feel pretty good about this class. I found the reading by Dirk, Navigating Genres, really interesting. I had always known what a genre was, but never thought about it any further than being a basic and broad umbrella to categorize movies and books. As I was reading this passage, I kept associating ideas Dirk said with things I learned in my Communication theory class. Dirk quotes Lloyd Bitzer and says, “comparable situations occur, prompting comparable responses; hence rhetorical forms are born and special vocabulary, grammar, and style are established.” This reminds me a lot of Social Learning Theory. Social Learning Theory is considered a media theory, and the concept is kind of similar to what Bitzer said. It assumes that people remember behaviors enacted by others and act upon them when they perceive some sort of reward. We can apply that to genre theory by saying that people model their writing, vocabulary, grammar, etc. based off of what others have done in the past. Making connections between the reading and things I am already familiar with, in this case communication theories, really helped me grasp a clear understanding of the concept. 

Something else I really liked reading about was how two texts that are in the same genre could look completely different. The example with the ransom notes really helped demonstrate this idea. It made me consider research papers, having had to write many of them throughout my academic career. Each one required something slightly different, but they were still the same genre. If I had known what I now know about genre, I think I would have taken a different approach in writing many of my papers.

 I am excited to see what the rest of the class has in store and how my writing will improve over time!

All About Me: Alexandra

I grew up in Fresno, California, which in 2012 Forbes named the dirtiest city in America. Fresno has terrible air quality, really hot summers, really cold winters, and basically nothing to do. Despite this, I loved where I grew up. My older sister, Jordan, and I have always been really close. She’s my best friend and biggest supporter. Even though we are both away at school, we are in constant communication, whether it be through text, call, or Snapchat. Currently, I’m a 2nd year communication major with hopes to end up somewhere in the business and marketing field. I’ve always been really creative, but never thought pursuing it was practical. It wasn’t until high school that I discovered marketing as a way to incorporate all of my passions and goals into one.

All my life I have had a major travel bug. I love going to different places and experiencing different cultures. So far, I have been to Greece and Argentina, and plan to study abroad in England next Fall, where I will hopefully be able to travel through Europe in my spare time. Besides traveling I love to read, spend time with family and friends, and bake. I am an expert in Netflix and I absolutely hate cheese (except on pizza). I eat enough avocado to supply a small country, procrastinate way too much, and know how to juggle. My family and friends are what drive me to succeed in life, and I would not be where I am today without them. In a nutshell, I’m just a soon-to-be 20 year old navigating haphazardly through young adulthood in the pursuit of actualization.