APA VS MLA

The two papers are alike in regards to the basic fact that they both site every source they use, and quote. they both cite their sources in one spot at the end of the paper. they both use in text citations as well. the differences in the two are the fact that in MLA quotes over four lines are their own indented paragraph, where as in APA quotes over 40 words are given their own indented paragraph. the end page of an MLA piece is labeled "works cited", while the end page of APA is labeled "references". also in APA years are not always cited at the end of a source, but sometimes cited throughout. also the author name is sometimes listed in the sentence not in the parenthesis at the end of the citation. overall the differences are minor.

Research paper ideas

Should high school students be provided with a tablet/laptop??

side 1 - yes because easier to take notes send homework and such. other benefits.
 SOURCES

side 2 - no. makes cheating easier. not all schools can afford it, making education more separated and unfair. easier for students to lose focus during school with internet access. religious views, money issues if students were required instead of given a tablet.
SOURCES

I think they should not be provided.



or

Are test scores a good indication of a school's competency?

Is the cost of college too high?

Analysis on Johnson article

A.) Johnson cited 8 sources

B.) Because they have several authors and are listed with academies, associations names and research names. This makes them more credible.

C.) She uses the several different sources to back her own opinions and statements in the piece.

Reflection of IR

Brian Radcliff

Reflection

            Our first major assignment was to write an informational report on writing, both academic and non-academic, in our chosen career field. Through researching for this assignment and writing I learned about the several different types of writing in my field, Education. I learned that teachers use writing in their everyday life a very significant amount. Teachers have to write emails, notes, and lesson plans almost every day. My assumptions about writing in my field were pretty much confirmed by the research I did for this paper. I already had a good idea of the kinds of writing used in my field; this paper just helped me see a few more examples. My research fully supported my prior knowledge in the subject area.

            The biggest challenge in the process of writing this paper was differentiating between academic and non-academic sources, and finding the sources. The description of academic and non-academic was very confusing, and this made it hard to identify which source was which. Also finding a good source was hard. I had to read through several different sources in order to find one with a good substance, instead of just choosing the first one I saw. Also writing in an informational format was a challenge for me since I do not strive in this type of writing, nor do I enjoy reading it at all. I had to continuously remember that this was not a descriptive paper or an argumentative paper; rather it was supposed to be more cut and dry. I am certainly not this kind of writer.  I learned that I do not do well with informational pieces, I am much better when writing has more room for elaboration and personal expression.

            I found group conferences helpful when it came to learning how to improve my paper. But I think individual conferences would be a little bit better. This way each student can just focus on his or her own paper for the allotted time. And also everyone would get the same amount of time this way. Whereas in a group conference, one paper may be talked about a lot more than the other, and then we run out of time.

 

Analysis of "Organs Will Save Lives"

The author's thesis states "governments should not ban the sale of human organs, they should regulate it. Lives should not be wasted, they should be saved". He then gives a brief background over the complications and downfalls of other procedures provided to people in need of organs. He states why these methods are poorly executed and also only short term solutions. He then tells us why there is no good reason to outlaw kidney sales. And states his opinion on why it is relatively safe and a much better option than other treatment. He says there are thousands of people willing to donate their organs for money, so why would we not use them? He also says that a live organ donor will experience little to no complications and a live kidney can last a person an entire lifetime, unlike a dead mans kidney which will only last about ten years. Then the author brings up an opposing view, given by Pope John Paul II. it states that the sale of organs is against moral standards and should not be legal or regulated. The author counters this by saying it isn't the popes job to tell the whole world what is right and wrong and that his idea of moral standards are not proven absolute facts, but rather opinions. He then sums up his point in a short paragraph and restates his thesis in the conclusion.

First Draft IR

Brian Radcliff

Hem Paudel

English 102

1/29/15

Writing in Education

            For most people choosing a major will be the biggest decision of their life up until that point. There are hundreds of options with different variations and minors in each field. I myself am a Secondary Education Major, with a specific focus in English. This means I will get a degree allowing me to teach English courses in any age group from eighth grade through all levels of high school. Although mine is probably a much better example than most, nearly every major has something in common, writing. No matter what you choose to do, writing will be a part of your occupation in some way, whether it is formal or informal, academic or non-academic. It just so happens that English education is a great example of all of the above.

            In order to further my knowledge on writing in my field, I interviewed two people who are currently employed as English teachers. The first person I interviewed was Jessica Ruth, a high school English teacher of over 30 years. When I asked Mrs. Ruth if she considered writing to be a large part of her career as an English teacher she gave me the much-expected answer, yes. But she also added, looking from another perspective, that part of her job was “getting [her] students to communicate efficiently through writing.” I enjoyed this answer because I did not expect it. Not only is writing a part of her job and everyday life, but it is also her job to teach others how to write effectively. When asked how often she uses writing of any kind, Jessica responded by saying she used writing “every hour of the day.” English teachers, and all teachers for that matter, spend a large portion of their day writing lesson plans, emails, announcements, and so on and so forth. The final question I asked Mrs. Ruth was how important she considered writing (hers or others) to be in her profession and she responded by saying, “Writing is important in every career . . . even she shortest report takes some amount of skill in communicating your end result, and that is what writing is all about.” She portrayed this answer perfectly; my own words cannot do it any more justice. Without writing, every occupation would be at a stand still, no one could efficiently communicate. And communication is the key to success.

            The second person I interviewed, Brian Dotsey, is also an English teacher, but is brand new to the profession. I thought he could give a different perspective on a few questions. I asked Mr. Dotsey how important writing was in regards to gaining his degree (something it may be nice to know if you decide to pursue education) and said, “Writing was very important in getting my degree . . . many of my education classes incorporated writing units and writing development for our own sake, and for the sake of our future students. For example, I took a class entitled “Teaching Writing”, in order to determine the different types and approaches of writing, and the importance of it. The fact that there was a whole class about writing hints that it is of the utmost importance within a students’ education.” His response to this question pretty tells you everything you need to know about writing in education, it is everything. I also asked Mr. Dotsey what the main form of writing he used on an every day basis was and responded by telling me that “the main form of writing [he] uses is personal reflection, from recounting instances from various class periods to making notes of what worked and what didn’t in class instruction.” Mr. Dotsey jots down notes after each class or at the end of the day each and every day. Further proving that writing is a large part of the education field.

            Next I indulged into several pieces of writing related to and written by people in my chosen career. In one informational report about teacher education and the new developing processes within the program written by a teacher himself, Peter Rennert-Ariev, he exclaims that “during the first semesters, students completed five methods courses and a two-day-a-week in school-based field experience. During the second semester, students completed a full-time in-school student teaching internship. The field placement during both semesters involved an initial, midterm, and final conference.” Rennert-Ariev is simply describing the new system that is in place at a certain university involving field placements in teacher education. This is one of few academic sources I could find when it comes to the teaching profession.

            Another academic source I found very interesting, written by a teacher, William Ayers, for teachers titled To Teach: the journey of a teacher. Which is the very definition of an academic source. Ayers writes about the journey of becoming a teacher in todays generation. He gives great insightful knowledge into the teaching profession. During his novel in regards to becoming a great teacher Ayers says, “Outstanding teaching is built on a base of knowledge about students.” He also explains that “standardized testing separates kids into winners and losers at a very young age.” Ayers is strongly against standardized testing for both the students and the teachers saying they set “unrealistic expectations”. The novel as a whole is a great example of academic writing in the teaching profession.  In the English department one will also read and write an abundance of nonacademic sources such as poems, papers, short stories, or any other type of creative writing. This is when you are free to write whatever you feel; however you want to. The beauty of these works is also one of the many reasons people are drawn to English.

After reviewing several sources and conducting interviews with professionals in my field I have discovered that writing is everywhere when it comes to education, specifically in the English department. A teacher will use writing in every waking moment of the day, and even when he or she comes home from work to make lesson plans or write grade reports. If writing is something you despise, I would not suggest a career in English education. But if writing is something that inspires you, English is the way to go.

Works Cited

Rennert- Ariev, Peter. "The Hidden Curriculum of Performance-Based Teacher Education." TCRecord: Article. N.p., n.d. Web. 29 Jan. 2015.

Ayers, William. To Teach: The Journey of a Teacher. New York: Teachers College, 1993. Print.

E-mail interview. 21 Jan. 2015. (Ruth)

E-mail interview. 23 Jan. 2015. (Dotsey)