Blog Assignment #3
In Kant’z’s article she extrapolates on the idea of what a good reader and writer entails. She makes it a point that a good reader and writer will gather sources in order to create original thought. It is not the point of the sources to simply restate or paraphrase what is already stated, but to create another thought, opinion etc based off your source to create an original concept. It is important to make sources converse and work all of them togther throughout the entire paper rather than paraphrase each source on order. We must pull small pieces of each source in order to create our own opinion, perspective, or voice. Also we can apply original concepts of one source to another concept in your appear. As a writer we must be aware of our own weaknesses and what we naturally tend to do when writing your basic essay. We must make our paper interesting for the reader, and leave the reader questioning your topic. A key part in writing a good paper is the ability to pick out good sources that suits your topic and will create a well written paper. We need to pick sources that will help support your ideas but also challenges your ideas in your paper—also called conversing the sources. Again we need to intruigde the reader, sustain their attention, and leave them questioning your topic. As far as the sources go, we shouldn’t expect all sources to tell the truth. We can’t take the facts out of a source and expect it to be 100% factual at all times such as a history book. We must look at the rhetorical situation in which the source was written-the author, the time period, what was going on in the time period that would influence their perspective. This creates ethos or credibility for our paper. A lot of times sources are merely just opinions of someone, not facts. We can also make our paper interesting and well organized by using the basic organizing patterns, such as cause and effect.
In my sustained research topic I will gather sources in which are credible. I will do brief background searches about the authors and the rhetorical situation in which the source was written. This is something that Kantz believes in but also Said agrees about. Said states that we must be able to see as the experts see in order to truly create the situation for ourselves. We must put ourselves in the experts shoes to get a true experience of the situation. It is also stated in Said’s video that experiences create perceptions. We must be able to understand that situation and experience the situation in order have an opinion or a perception on the subject. In my case I can’t truly put myself in Iraq war soliders shoes but I can’t do a lot of research to come close. I will research and find sources that were written about experts, and first hand accounts of those who have or are currently facing the situation. This will give my essay more credibility and ethos. I hope when I write my paper I have created enough “experience” to write freely about the subject–the pros and cons, and positive and negative perceptions about the situation. As for obstacles, I can see myself having trouble creating a first hand experience or sound like I have a true understanding of the situation for the reader.
Your illuminated the excellent point that just becuase something is used as a fact doesn’t mean it is 1005 factual. All facts are can be debated as being marked by cuktural construction. I so please to see another fellow writer/student pick up on that. I also like how you show that credibility doesn’t come from personal experience but the exopericne of researching your topic. you make the claim that a well research topic that is presented with a balance of multiple sources tend to be credible and persuasive works. i couldn’t agree more. Can’t wait to see how this will influence your next blog and paper!
I agree with Michelle in that you seemed to have had some very important realizations while reading Kantz’s article. What is also important to realize is that when you make claims in your own essay, your readers will be judging those claims to be facts or opinions. As they read your claims, in other words, they will be asking “why should I believe that to be true?” If you can provide sound arguments and evidence to back up your claims and make logical or emotional appeals that are persuasive, they will more likely accept your claims and deem your own ethos to be credible. Doing as much homework as you can about your topic so that you present yourself as knowledgeable about all sides of the current conversations and have informed, sound insights to offer the scholars who you are conversing with is another way in which to establish your ethos.
When I write, it is helpful for me to write to those scholars whom I am conversing with. When I write, I try to show those scholars that I am aware of the ongoing conversation and then I enter it by offering my own insights, agreeing with some, disagreeing with others, extending somebody else points, or complicating them, and/or challenging scholars to look at it from a different perspective. My hope is that those scholars I am conversing with on the page (whether or not they actually ever read my work) will realize something as they read my work or consider what insights I have to offer.
I want you to write with that same intention. To write intentionally, you have to have the confidence to do so. This confidence can only come from deep, well rounded research and from really thinking deeply about the issue at hand…