Group items tagged

I wouldn't go as far to say that I am particularly "good" at cooking but it is something that I enjoy. I did an internship during my senior year in high school at Publix Supermarkets in their photography studio where we shot all of the photos for the weekly sales ad that they produce. It was really interesting to see how much work goes into preparing the different meals for photographing. They brought in a food stylist to "style" the food to make it look the best it could for the shot. Ever since then when I cook I almost worry more about the presentation than anything which, often leads to sacrifice in taste.

A food stylist. There's a job I never knew existed. Cool.

I don't seem to be passionate about much, but cooking is definitely one of them. I watch the Food Network Channel almost religiously. I use cooking as an escape from regular life because it is one thing that I can really control. I like knowing that not only are there concrete ways to make something, it's okay to stray away and do your own thing. I started cooking because in my family, girls are expected to start making food early. I just got lucky that I really liked the idea of cooking. I've taken a few baking classes and really wanted to major in culinary arts, but science just seemed more practical. Food is one thing that I can easily move from culture to culture and have now learned what spices go with what places. I'm glad that I have grown up with Indian food all my life because I find that starting to cook Indian has made it easier for me to cook other types of food. It also gives me something to connect to with the women of my family because sharing recipes is something I can finally be a part of. Cooking is something that comes in handy with many things and my passion for it keeps building with every new thing I make. I realized that if I could be anything, it would be a host on my own cooking show, but since I feel better on the other side of the screen, a hobby is all it will be.

Cooking is a pretty big deal in my family. Pretty much everyone in my family is an excellant cook, including both of my parents, grandparents and all of my aunts and uncles. This is more than likely due to the fact that my heritage is predominantly Italian and Italian people historically love to cook and eat as well. Nonetheless, cooking is something I consider myself very good at and apparently others do as well, as I have received numerous compliments on my cooking. As in a restaurant, where customer satisfaction is all that matters, your main objective as a cook is for whoever you're cooking for to be completely satisfied with the meal that you've prepared. It feels good and satisfying to know that your cooking was enjoyed and appreciated. Even though I really enjoy cooking, a hobby is all it will ever be. I don't plan on making a career out of it. In fact, I only started to cook almost out of necessity. Both of my parents, who are now seperated, work for the airlines, with my dad being a pilot and my mom being a flight attendant. Me and my younger brother live at home with my dad, so while my dad is out of town flying, which is usually for about five days out of the week, I've taken on the responsibility of cooking for my brother and whatever friends he has over. Not only does home cooking save a bunch of money, but if you learn how to do it right, you don't need to sacrifice the quality of the food by not eating out. There's also a freedom about cooking that I enjoy. When you go to a restaurant theres specific things to chose from, but when you cook at home, you're menu is limitless. Cooking also gives me a chance to put my own twist on classic meals and make them to better suit my own taste and the other people who i'm cooking for as well.

I'm pretty sure I have ADD because I am the man at this. Whether it's in class, at work, or studying my mind is never where it should be. I always find myself losing focus on what I'm working on. One of my favorite things to wonder about is business ideas. I never seem to have enough money so; I'm always trying to think of new ways to produce a little extra cash flow. Nothing has ever followed through, unfortunately, although I have had some good ones

Its strange that of all the words listed i would pick wondering, but its the one that applies to me the most. I grew up as an only child and as such I had to invent ways to keep myself entertained. I love reading and watching movies but i can spend hours just daydreaming.

I think I am equally as good at laughing as I am at offending. I think the two go hand in hand. I don't really know how one can be good at laughing, it just sort of happens. It's the sense of humor that makes it happen. In my opinion if you can dish it out you better be able to take it. My personality involves a lot of laughing; not at other people's expense per se, but I definitely find a lot of things funny in my everyday life. Keeping a good sense of humor about you allows you to not take life so seriously. There tends to be a lot of ironic circumstances in life that are just too peculiar not to laugh at. However, with that comes the occasional offending comment. Some people do not understand my offhand sarcasm. Or my witty banter. I would also include that one of my favorite things to say online or in texting is LOL. Or Hahaha. But this is not granted so easily. I am not the type of person that finds everything funny, because it would devalue the truly hilarious things in life. I am not easily offended, but I can tell when a joke contains an offensive truth. Unfortunately, I do find myself taking it too far or not understanding why a person gets upset, because I'm so used to being easygoing about these things. There are a lot of times when I have to say "Aww, come on, you know I'm just kidding…".

When I looked at this list of words the one that jumped out at me the most was laughing. I have a great sense of humor; I love to laugh and to make other people laugh. I would say that I'm really good at cheering up my friends and family whenever they are upset about something. I believe that people really like that about me. Life would be way too serious without a good laugh wherever you can find one! Sarcasm is one of my favorite types of humor. I am very sarcastic about a lot of things. Many times people are amused by it but sometimes they can get offended! Most people understand though and know I'm just kidding! I also love watching comedians like Mitch Hedberg or Dane Cook. They always give me a good laugh!

When looking at this assignment, the word "instructing" stood out to me above all others. It's a weird thing to claim to be good at, but I believe that I am great at instructing. It's not that I'm a bossy person; I just tend to be a huge perfectionist. Usually in group situations I would rather be the leader than a follower because I like giving out orders and instructing people to complete certain tasks. When I took cooking classes with my friends and older sister I unintentionally was always the one giving people their jobs for the day. Maybe I have a slight OCD problem but it just bothers me if things are not organized to my liking so I would rather delegate and make sure things go according to plan. Instructing can also be used in terms of teaching, which I am equally good at. I usually can break material down into simpler and more understanding terms and teach it to someone who is having difficulty grasping those particular concepts. When I took chemistry my sophomore year of high school, my best friend at the time, was struggling every class period and couldn't understand the concepts the way our professor would teach them. Because I did, I was able to break down the lessons and teach it to her in a way that she had no problem comprehending. I guess in certain ways, instructing is one of my best qualities as well as my worst. It makes me an excellent tutor but also a slightly controlling team member. I think I just need to realize everything doesn't have to be perfect.

I believe that I am good at listening. Whenever a friend or anyone in general needs to vent about someone or something, I always try my best to be available. I actually listen and for the most part, if I am not overwhelmed with occurences in my life, I genuinely care. I offer advice when I feel it is necessary. Even if I give bad advice, or even if they do not take it, I still offer it just in case they decide to use it. Having someone that is able and willing to listen to you, whether good or bad news, helps to release stress. Although I think I am a good listener, I am horrible at talking. I do not like to share my feelings with many people. The only emotions I do show are when I am happy or excited. When I am sad or unhappy I do not like to share those feelings with anyone because I do not want to burden other people with my troubles. Even though I feel like sharing my troubles with my friends produces stress for them, I have been told that not talking to them stresses them out more than if I had just talked to them in the first place. So for anyone who is listening and cares to take it, my advice is don't keep your feelings to yourself because it just brings more stress to everyone involved! Let your friends and family know what is going on in your life and both you and them will be less stressed.

I believe that I am a pretty social person, considering that I am good at both listening and talking. I try my best to listen to people's problems when they need to talk, and I appreciate when they do the same for me. I believe that I have always been good at this, especially through all the high school "drama" with boys, stresses, and fights. All of my friends, especially my best friends, know that they can come to me whenever they have any issue that they need advice on or they just need to get something off their chests. They all know that I won't judge them, I will only listen and give my honest input when I feel that it is needed. I think that good listening skills are a very important trait to have.

I would have to say that writing on an interesting topic is one of my favorite things to do. I enjoy all sorts of writing. In writing you either do research and learn allot about a particular topic. Writing is also a means of expressing oneself. One is able to express who one is or where one has been. How much history would we know if our ancestors did not write it down? If Lewis and Clark never wrote in a journal we would know nothing of their travels into the West. I enjoy writing and am fairly good at it because I understand its importance. Many papers that I have written have described my most memorable experiences. Many others have described who I am and what my life has been like. Writing is a way to never be forgotten. Someone may read one of my papers one hundred years from now and know much more about me than a classmate which I never speak with. I am good at writing and enjoy it very much because I think it is one of the best ways in expressing oneself to the world around us. The one thing that I dont enjoy is writing about uninteresting topics. I love writing about history or people. One topic that I dont think I would enjoy writing about would be Physics or Chemistry. I enjoy and am good at writing if it is a topic that I am interested in.

I feel that I am good at writing. It may not even be that I am good at writing, or just that I feel good when I am writing. It doesn't matter if I am writing a poem, lyrics to a song, or writing a novel that I hope one day to finish- when I'm writing, I am at peace. I feel so in control when I write, and at the same time, I feel so helpless how the words just pour from my fingers so effortlessly. I suppose it's only fitting that I would be a writer. Both my parents have an amazing way with words. The first time I came home from spending time with my dad at the age of 16, the letter he gave me to read on the plane ride home brought tears to my eyes. And the sheer passion I see in my mother's eyes when I see her teaching her journalism class tells me that had she made different choices earlier in life, she would be a fearless journalist, desperately seeking the true story behind a political scandal, or a famous novelist like the great authors she looks up to with such high regard. Yes, there is no question that part of my writing abilities comes from both my parents, but the way I write is my own. Whether I am angrily blogging, or happily jotting down haikus, I feel the most like myself when I have a pen in one hand and a notebook propped by my knees cradling my left hand as it scrawls across the pages, or at my computer with a blank screen yearning to be filled with thoughts.

Reading is something I really enjoy. My mom and dad both read a lot and since I was little they always encouraged me to do the same. I'm not very good at writing but I appreciate others' talents. One of my favorite authors is Chuck Palahniuk. I have read many of his books and find the way he tells the story to be very interesting and unique. I wish I could write like that! I regret that I don't read as often as I used to but since I started college I've been pretty busy reading textbooks instead of novels!

Talking is one of my favorite things to do. However, it can also be one of my least favorite when the person is not interesting. Striking up an inteligent, interesting, and witty conversation can really be quite pleasurable. I like talking because you meet alot of very interesting people that many times have something worth saying. For instance; I was in the airport about a month ago on my way back from Yellowstone and Glacier National Park just kiling time; when I found myself in a great conversation. The man I talked to was older with a son beginning college this semester, just so happened they were going to be around Yellowstone on one last pre-college family vacation. Of course this immediately warranted some talking. I found myself telling them the few places they absolutely could not miss, along with some that respectfully could be. This, believe it or not, brought alot of joy to me. I knew that they were also, like me, going to experience a moment that really cannot be fully explained through talking alone. Something you really "had to see to believe!" Now that I am home, I realize that I learned so many interesting and wonderful things that really should be talked about. On the flip side, talking can really be annoying and quite unpleasurable. When discussing things that are really your own business like grades, yet everyone and their grandmother has to know. At times when you are in a hurry and need to be somewhere, but you feel bad just turning away from a conversation that many times you don't feel to be very pleasurable. So talking most times is fun, but can also be boring and drawn out. So if you have something to talk about spit it out, and let it be heard.

Talking is another trait that I am good at. Although I don't particularly like talking in front of large groups of people, I love just talking to friends separately or in a group. Sometimes I find that I even talk too much, but my friends get used to that after knowing me for a while. I work in an environment in which it is required to be able to go up to people I may not know and start up a conversation. I may not always have been good at talking to people I don't know, but my job has persuaded me to actually like talking to people I'm not familiar with. I don't mind telling people how I feel, especially when I am upset about something-I can never keep anything inside for too long.

When it is all said and done, coaching is something that I have always wanted to pursue. I look at coaching as a way to help kids of any age get through obstacles that may come at them. Coaches are always telling us to never let up on that last lap, always run your hardest and touch the line. Never tell yourself that you can't do it or that something is too hard. You can take the most common used phrases in the gym and put them in life like scenarios. Life throws things at you left and right, if you gave up on the very first try, then how are you ever going to be successful in anything you do. It is very hard to do anything half speed, and if you never put forth your best effort how are you going to know what your potential is? A lot of people often do not even attempt a task because they psyche themselves out before they even try it. Sometimes it is just automatic for one to think that it is too hard, or there is no way one can do that. I want to be that coach or that person that helped someone succeed in the gym and then that person use those very simple lessons in life. A lot of coaches will coach to win games. But the best coaches are the ones who coach to help young kids become better people. Sure, it is a lot more fun when you win, but at the end of the day if you can't take anything home from it then what is the point.

Although I am no Ernest Hemmingway I would venture to say that I have a certain propensity for writing. I believe that this stems from my childhood; I would find myself dozing off in the shower where I was suddenly interrupted by my father who had unexpectedly walked in to the bathroom and then began to quiz me on spelling terms. While this may appear weird or bizarre at first glance, it helped me realize the power that words have. Standing there, I would wonder, "Why is he doing this? All I want to do is try to reminisce on the dream that was so rudely interrupted." But no, he was in there every Wednesday morning preparing me for the spelling pretest that was to come later that day. It wasn't until I had grown to the ripe age of a middle schooler that I realized how important writing was, not only could you tell fascinating stories but you could convey a message that would carry a deeper symbolism. During my seventh grade year two of my essays were entered into contests, both placed 1st or 2nd in their respective contests. These results inspired and encouraged me to continue my writing. As senior year of high school arrived I worked diligently to receive as much financial aid as I could. At the end of the year I had received over $15,000 in scholarship money. My first year of college was paid for and with this I was paid handsomely to attend. These events are why I consider myself a writer.

As I looked through the list of words on this page, it occurred to me that nothing really stood out as an actual strength of mine. I mean, I guess I do a good job of listening, talking, laughing, and even complaining, but how can you be good at something everyone else can do? It was the word "composing" that really caught my attention. For as long as I can remember, I have always enjoyed listening to music. I'm not sure why, but there is an indescribable feeling that comes over me when I hear a song I really enjoy. I guess it's something of a natural high for me. But as great as it is to listen to one of your favorite songs, it can't quite compare to playing one of your own tunes under the heat of stage lighting, in front of a crowd of cheering fans. Before moving to Tampa for college, I played the guitar for a band called South Atlantic. We never really experienced any major success, but we did play shows across the state of Florida. Now, nearly two years after our departure, I still have the desire to continue where the band left off. Unfortunately, composing a hit song has proved to be one of the greatest challenges of my life. I guess there is a reason why it's so difficult to get recognized by major record labels. I don't think that the art of creating a musical masterpiece can be taught. I believe it's one of those talents you either have, or you don't. So I guess what I'm really trying to say is, if I could choose one word from the list to help describe something I wish I were good at, it would definitely be composing.

This is a good way to look at rhetoric. It gives me a new perspective on it.

I think this is one of the best explanations of rhetoric i have seen so far.

Using rhetoric to persuade each other is an excellent idea because it helps make an answer to a question more objective and it reduces any biases.

I never thought of rhetoric being used by animals but now that is explained to me, I guess I could see where it is possible!

I would have never thought about animals using rhetoric. I found it very interesting that they would use it in such a simple way. They convey what they need throught their sounds and actions.

Wow, i never thought of an animal using rhetoric to make sense. My dog will get his leashe when he has to go out or when hes hungry he will put his head on my leg while i am sitting down. Also he eats around the same time everyday and he will start following me around and pacing back and forth till i get him his food.

My dog does many of the same things. So really, rhetoric is communication. If we did not have a need to express different ideas we would not need language.

When I read the line above that states "rhetoric is manifext in all animal life..." I thought that sounded ridiculous. But by reading this line, I now understand what they are talking about and, in fact, it seems very true.

Thinking about this comment, I reflect back to when I speak to my friends and pretty much anyone and I realize that in some way or another I am always trying to persuade them of something. Even when I don't realize it!

Yes. And I'd like you to carry this idea to the papers you write for this class. You'll want to pay careful attention to whom the intended audience is, and then make your own rhetorical writing decisions based on what you know about that audience's expectations.

This is so true! If you are trying to persuade someone to be on your team, but they are already on your team, then why are you trying to persaude them?

This statement solidifies the importance of the audience when it comes to rhetoric. You could have the best argument in the world, but without the right audience it could be meaningless.

I never knew this. Interesting fact!

I had no idea. Must be tough!

you don't really think of rhetoric as being any different from any other language or culture. I guess it's all relative.

I couldn't imagine going to study in China and having to write like that. Hats off to the students over here.

This is an awesome paragraph and really helps to describe what its like being immersed in something you don't know and how we still use what we learn after we are not involved in it anymore!

These two paragraphs help me with understanding alot about rhetoric and how to use it!

This entire section of the work makes it more clear how everyone uses rhetoric. When I think of rhetoric, I just think of advertisers and authors who use it to persuade their audiences, but I really didn't realize how much we use rhetoric until you see an example like the dog and cat example in the sixth paragraph.

It's kind of exhausting when we think about all the rhetoric we see on a daily basis. Especially in advertisiing!!!

This is an excellent title for a section because, while most of us do not realize it, we all do practice rhetoric on a daily basis. Because its such a broad topic, people dont realize how often it is used.

I like this metaphor. It makes the story a little bit more interesting. I don't feel like I'm just reading something out of a textbook when I read this. It makes me want to read further to understand exactly what they are trying to say.

I agree with Angela about liking this metaphor. So many people think that rhetoric is a "trick..meant to decieve" but really they probably use it all the time without even noticing.

Yeah i really like this metaphor also, and i agree with the second comment i dont think alot of people realize how often they use it.

I think this comment is very accurate. Sure, people may not realize how often they use this technique, but when in use, rhetoric helps to steer the listeners opinions in the speakers direction.

I really like the way this was put-it makes me think further into what he means.

I love this. It's such a huge statement on the basis of the world, and in philosophy. Talking about energy and the way it comes through people is another subject altogether.

I like the way that he put this-it really makes me tihnk further into what he's saying.

It would be nice if that could always work and we could avoid wars and other conflicts!

Yeah i agree, wouldn't it be nice to bring some troops home or had a couple of wars and such avoided?

Wow. If we could work stuff out by just using words, wouldn't the world be quite a different place!! There's only one requirement though, everyone would have to be educated and intelligent. So until then, if we're gonna be dumb we gotta be tough.

I wish the world would work like this. I feel that people today are so concerned with being "right" that they forget to try look at all of the angles my self included. Many of are just so stubburn that we will never be able to think this way.

I think this is very true because we use rhetoric in papers we right in school to convince the readers of what we are discussing. Faculty uses rhetoric to persuade their colleagues and students almost every day.

I think at some point everyone uses rhetoric probably once a day if not once a week to try and get something across.

Again, I have to agree with this statement. As college students, we use rhetoric everyday to try and prove ourselves. More specifically, logos is used almost everyday at the university level.

I liked this paragraph because I think it is very true, when we practice rhetoric we are making a decision about what we want to convince our audience of and how to do it. At the same time the audience makes the desision of how to take the information and accept it or not. This is really evident in a debate, because you as the speaker make the decision of how to convince your audience and they in return decide how they will respond to it.

Hitler was indeed a truly evil person with a hidden agenda who exterminated over 6 million people. Unfortuantely, as many people realized he was a very skilled public speaker. He was popular for a reason. He was extremely good at persuasion and making people think what he was accomplishing was good for the nation as a whole. This is where the danger lies. One always has to think critically and see beyond the rhetoric.

I agree with Cybil. Rhetoric is, as Hitler has proven, a powerful form of persuasion. We must always remember, however, that it is just that--a method of persuasion.

A mind-set that many people should change. It's never about being right or winning for the sake of winning.

So philosophical and deep. I could debate on this for hours!

This is a very interesting statement. It seems very possible that it could, in fact be true. If we accepted everything we were told, there would be no reason to respond when spoken to, except for a gesture of acceptance.

Because i often confuse ethos, pathos and logos, these questions are great examples to distinguish one from the others. It is especially useful because these are questions we (the students) constantly ask ourselves.

I agree that these examples of the types of rhetoric helped me distinguish between the three! Every time I write a paper or just an informal writing assignment I ask myself many of these same questions.

Yes i also often get the three confused but these examples helped out big time!

very good quote. Sad but true. Just because your speaking the truth doesn't mean there isn't someone else with a better argument.

This is important because rhetoric is only as trustworthy as the speaker.

I think that this is looking at rhetoric from one perspective, however I think that rhetoric can also be used as a good thing. Helping people make the right decisions, not necesarilly a "trick with mirrors"

very true, rhetoric can be used to just inform. It's not always used to just trick or persuade. Its a good way to pass on information.

This is a good observation applying the notion of rhetoric not only to humans but to all living things. Wolves for example have a very strict hierarchy that is strictly regulated. The leaders in these poeitions utilize body language and strength, along with experience. Which is all a part of rhetoric.

Great comparison, Alex. Thanks.

This statement clarifies that rhetoric can and does get used in situations when the authors not necessarily right. As stated before with the hitler reference, someone with a good understanding of their audience and rhetoric can do some harmful things.

This is undoubtedly true. To give another example like the one listed below here. Being a sign language interpreting major, here is a cultural barrier problem I have seen. In Deaf culture, Deaf and hard of hearing individuals value directness and being blunt about subjects. If you have put on a little weight, it is nothing for a Deaf person to sign HEY YOU LOOK DIFFERENT, BEFORE THIN NOW FAT HAPPEN? (cultural note, that is ASL syntax, i couldn't really add the facial grammar glosses- but that would be the basic sign order. Prepositions and conjuctions are usually implied) This may be very difficult to accept for a person who is not associated or well-versed with the Deaf community because one may think they are being rude, when really that is how the cultural as a whole is. I have noticed sometimes Deaf and hard of hearing people get frustrated sometimes with people who beat around the bush because they feel that the person that they are communicating with is trying to hide something. This sometimes causes problems, especially if the interpreter forgets to interpret the cultural differences (which happens upon occassion).

An absolutely fascinating comment, Dena. Those of us who are not hearing impaired know that without body language it is often difficult to communicate clearly. For people who depend wholly on body language, it is even more important. Thanks for sharing.

I think you made a really good point with your example. When I think of different cultures, I think of someone who maybe lives in Europe compared to the United States, but your example opened my eyes to a differnt way in looking at cultures. :)

This is a very true statement. Culture affects many different aspects of our lives, so I can definitely see that it would affect how rhetoric is viewed. Even someone from a different culture today may not see the same rhetoric as we see.

I find it interesting how this statement suggests our form of rhetoric is different from the Greek and Roman forms, when we still classify rhetoric based on Aristotle's three appeals.

I really like this phrase and it's explaination, a lot. I've learned about culture shock in many of my classes, but seeing it in this way makes it so much more clear to me how difficult it must be for a person coming from one culture to enter into a competely different culture and have to adjust to the customs of the new culture without knowing basically anything about the culture ahead of time. One of the things they have to adjust to is the rhetoric of the culture.

This really is an interesting way of puting that cultural barrier into perspective for those of us who have never been forced to experiance is.

This part, to me, goes with the fact that culture changes all the time. When the person enters the conversation, it is impossible for them to catch up in every single bit of the discussion, and when they leave, the discussion is still going on, making it impossible to know the entire rest of the conversation. It is, in a way, saying that it's impossible to know every single bit of a culture because it is ever-changing.

Such is life.

Before reading this sentence, I only thought of a person being entered into a new culture from a differnt country, but now I know that it can mean many different tihngs.

I also interpreted it as say going to a new country for the first time but it is now easy to understand how it can mean different things.

This is another example of how rhetoric can be used in every day life.

I think we are rhetoricians all the time; when we speak to someone else that is. I don't think we can be rhetorical to ourselves.

I said it earlier and this makes sense to me also, i think people especially teenagers use rhetoric everday.

rhetoric is definatley everywhere. It's used from trying to decide where to eat dinner to matters of national security. Rhetoric is a skill set that can help anyone in life.

This is definatly something that has happened to me before! Whether it's a new subject in school or just something I happen to be interested in, the first few times I look into it I have no idea what they are talking about but later on it seems so easy!

I could be completely misinterpreting this, but I think that it would be the content of what is being discussed that causes the confusion, not rhetoric. I understand that there are many forms of rhetoric, but don't they all have the same purpose? In some way or another, rhetoric persuades and informs. Again, I could be looking at this the wrong way. I'm interested in seeing other thoughts on this topic.

When someone thinks to hard about anything they make it more complicated that it is. Creativity and clarity usually comes when you least expect it, or when you are not thinking, and this should be applied to everything. Quietness of mind.

This is interesting to think about. Instead of us being able to write and re-write something to make it more rhetorically sound, ancient Greeks only had one opportunity, while speaking, to get it right.

This is interesting, as I discussed last week anything that stays around for a while has to evolve, and adapt to the times.

I've learned that this is very true. It goes back to the old saying that not everything is in black and white. We often find ourselves in the gray area.

This line caught my eye because many of these stories, such as Zeus, Odysseus and Achilles, were taught to us when we were younger and, at the time, we never knew that rhetoric was being used.

I think this assumption is often made because it is such a broad topic that most people do not understand what is considered rhetoric.

This is a good example of how the simplest writing, such as a list, uses rhetoric.

I don't know why but some things seem to get alot more complicated when you start thinking rhetorically.

American's are very to the point when looking at accomplishing goals. Sometimes a little bit to much and it hurts us. However this also why we are number 1. Rhetoric is definitely a clutural aspect as it fluctuates. Rhetoric really is devided into many different ways, depending on who is trying to be convinced. Rhetoric is constantly changing and must be in order to be used effectively.

This is a great example. Teachers are people that we look up to, and expect to understand the topic at hand. We put our faith in their history, and knowledge in that specific topic to help us understand better.

This is exactly what rhetoric is compacted in one sentance. Very good brief description I think.

I agree, great wording. It helps cement the face that rhetoric isn't just some overblown academic technique, but a instinctual ability that you've been honing since childhood.

I think it is interesting to see how how writing and speech have been viewed throughout history. From the Ancients to current day Rhetoric has been looked at in many ways. I dont agree with most rhetoricians today who argue that most speech today is Rhetorical. The main purpose of a speech in my opinion is not to persuade but to motivate.

If a person wants to be good at anything the key word is practice. The student referred to in this paragraph was completely lost in the beginning but soon the tasks ahead of him became simple. This is because of his dedication and practice. The same can be applied to rhetoric. In order to give a good persuasive speech one must practice practice and practice some more. Rhetoric is more than just language its a art.

practice is definatley important. The more you practice rhetoric no matter how foreign it may seem at first, the better you become. And the better you become the more persuasive or informative your argument can be.

Once again I dont think all writing should be looked at as rhetoric. Most writing should not be rhetoric in my opinion.

It is interesting to see how the view of rhetoric changes with the changing of culture.

This is very true (I accidentally read too far last week so now I'm switching since I wrote on the latter half last assignment). Rhetoric is about choices for both parties. The speaker/writer chooses the direction they wish to persuade their audience to feel, and hope that they choose to accept that direction. This is seen everywhere, but as the Presidential Debates are going on as I write this in the background, we will use this an example. McCain and Obama are both posing their choices tonight. They are posing their strategies which choices should be made about our country. Each of them discuss their point of view, and why it is important to them why do carry things out in such a way. We, as the audience, whether watching on TV or at the debates- will make a choice after the are finished (or maybe even before they are finished). Those choices could be to support Obama, McCain, or we can choose to support neither and simply not vote as neither, one may feel, is truly qualified. Even if you don't want to make a choice, eventually you will. And the beauty of this great country is that you're free to choose any of these options. In countries where freedom of speech or choice of how you will place your vote is obsolete- there really is no use for rhetoric, because you lack the power to respond to the messages they give. We might as well put the two names in a hat and draw for President without the power to respond. This is why I'm glad I live in America. We have the choice to respond to rhetoric. We still have most of our liberties that allow us a voice, a number of countries in the world don't have as they under communist rule.

Right, which means that having a keen awareness of the audience to whom you are writing or speaking is of paramount importance. The concept of "audience" will be an important one this semester. I will often ask you to cater your writings to their intended audiences. And the reality is, even though you may not think about it, in most cases you do this automatically. For instance, in this discussion forum, you are probably writing in a style that you feel is appropriate for an audience of mostly freshmen college students.

Advertising is LOADED with rhetoric, and it's usually not all that subtle. Have you ever seen an Axe bodywash commercial? How about Cialis? In politics, generally rhetoric can be a bit more tricky. Fortunately, we're in prime season for political rhetoric and we will have a project that focuses on how the candidates each approach "being rhetorical."

Two thumbs-up for being concise AND covering a lot of ground. Also, good work digging up a good academic resource from RPI. I have used that exact source before in previous classes and may very well use it again this semester.

This is crucial, and I am pleased that you raised this point. We are ALWAYS acting rhetorically, even when we aren't writing college papers or giving oral presentations.

Convention- Incorrect spelling

Convention- wrongly capitalized

Convention- order would make more sense here

Convention- sentense doesn't make sense

Convention-sentence doesn't make sense

Convention- sentence doesn't make sense

Convention- and/or

Convention- commas are needed around "although not acceptable in today's society"

Convention- doesn't make sense

Convention- should just be Levin

Convention- should be "and of making a choice"

Convention- Levin

Convention-Levin

Convention- Levin

Convention- Levin

Convention- sentence doesn't make sense

Convention- This is wrong. The mother said she would want to administer the torture not just watch.

Convention- Levin

Convention- Levin

Convention- doens't make sense

Convention- parts of sentence don't make sense, wrong tense used for reason

Convention- commas needed around "when needed", need to specify who has no knowledge

Convention- sentence changes tense

Convention- should be "and is considered Lincoln's"

Convention- sentence doesn't make sense

Convention- doesn't make sense

Convention- This is wrong. Foner is just citing "sentiments that are likely to be with us for some time to come." The article is actually about how he thinks "the most patriotic act of all is the unyielding defense of civil liberties."

Convention- commas are also needed around the quote

Convention- doesn't make sense

Convention- the authors have a similar style of writing not the magazine

Convention- Levin

Convention- This is wrong. As I stated earlier Foner completely disagrees with these actions and McCullagh never even says that he agress with the actions taken by our government.

Convention- doesn't make sense

Organization- The closing doesn't really relate to the rest of the paper. Ethics is only mentioned one time before this.

Organization- There is no opening to the paper. You go right into discussing your first article instead of introducing your main idea.

Convention- Ursula

Convention- Levin

Convention- Levin

Assignment Parameters- The paper does not really reflect the idea that was assigned. There is only one reference to rhetorical basis and style (pathos, logos, or ethos). You didn't always state whether the author was for or against torture. You also didn't really mention anything about the credentials or authority of any authors or sources so there was nothing about how this affects the success of the message. You also did not research any additional articles on torture so there was obviously no discussion about their specific claims or how they use situation and fact.

Organization- There are a lot of good details used in the paragraphs about LeGuin's story but many of the things talked about do not relate to the topic. The first two paragraphs are good discussion on the story but don't relate to the subject of torture and there is no mention about how this author uses rhetorical strategies.

You use a lot of good details and quotes throughout the paper but the fact that you have incorrect references and have the whole idea of Foner's article wrong might make your paper look unreliable.

The paper doesn't tie together very well. For one of the authors you talked about rhetoric, for one you talked about different aspects of the plot and for some you gave too much review of the information in the article and not enough about the message they were trying to portray and the writing style they used to get it across to the readers.

The paragraphs about Levin are good. You use details that help develop your ideas and also state what kind of rhetoric style he uses to persuade his readers.

The paragraphs about McCullagh have too much review and not enough of your ideas on his writing style, message or credentials.

The paragraph about Foner's article is really confusing to me. Not only are your references not accurate with his article but I don't understand that sentence about how he claims "his views on terrorism by bringing people right of speech"?

Your bibliography page is also supposed to be in MLA format, not just the link to the website.

I like how the author responded to this concern by citing examples from other childrens books and also giving logical reasons why these issues are addressed in childrens books.

In this sentence we see that the defender has a clear understanding about what the argument is

The author makes a good arguement here and supports his point very well. The fact that he wrote a book on the subject makes you believe that he knows alot about the topic and that his views about preserving our individual liberties are correct.

Basically saying "I know more, if not as much as you do. So I'm probably right." Haha

Yes i agree with Cybil, he basically just said that he knows his stuff in this subject matter.

This small statement is a way of persuading the reader. Without this piece of information, the reader may not trust the Board of Trustees or care about them.

I agree, this statement provides an understanding of the authority of the Board of Trustees.

This statement shows the reader that they will make an informed decision and not a biased one.

After stating that children's books deal with many different things, she went on to provide examples. This is important in persuading the reader to believe what she is saying.

I like the way Mr. Larue stated that children's books can deal with anything and everything, even things that may be inappropriate because it is relevant to the situation that those books are allowed at the library.

By showing that other children's books deal with issues about anything and everything it shows that all childrens books aren't always happy.

I dont think that this paragraph is defended well at all. I am absolutely not convinced in this paragraph. Just because there are many disturbing childrens books does not make them right.

Again, she's providing specific examples--very effective. I thought it was interesting that she used an exclamation point instead of a simple period to end this statement. I think the point of it is to persuade the reader even more to listen to her. It's kind of like saying "hey, listen to this statement, it's important, and I'm completely right!"

I love the part about the children's stories, it's so true! A great reminder to the reader to help get their point across.

I agree with Angela. By stating these examples, he is more likely to persuade.

This is important in persuading the reader. She is going on further to prove her point.

Whoops, I mean he!

Yes i agree, this was a good way to further persuade the reader.

Nice comment!

This is good that they explained what actually defines the children's book since earlier on in the piece they said that the topic wasn't what defined it.

Ethos! He wrote a book on the topic, making the reader think that he knows what he's talking about and that he is trustworthy.