ARCS p.230 1,2,6

Find a half dozen short pieces of professional writing. How do the authors establish ethos? How do they convince you that they are intelligent and well-informed?

Character is very important for a person to be influential. Text is not the only door for discovering a person character. This requires more than simply analyzing text, but is equally important all the same. It is a country's hope when electing a leader, he/she acts on what he/she says. This is how I have come to determine good character.

"I Have a Dream..." by Martin Luther King Jr.

One of the greatest Americans who ever lived was Martin Luther King Jr. He connected with people through his words of peace and unity. Being the figure head of the Civil Rights Movement meant have incredible character. This speech was meant to reflect on the hopes and dreams of the black community across America.

"And there will be neither rest nor tranquility in America until the Negro is granted his citizenship rights." King's ethos is established here. He knows that until the laws separating people by race are completely gone, then peace is only word without meaning. "The marvelous new militancy which has engulfed the Negro community must not lead us to a distrust of all white people," This proves his intelligence, because he fully understands the core problem. Equality means co-existence with one another peacefully. Blacks and Whites can't gain equality by means of deterrence alone. Those ideals created the Cold War resulting in the Cuban Missile Crisis.

"I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: 'We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal.'" King is spelling out his hopes as simple as possible during this part of his speech. His is addressing the whole nation by directly quoting the Declaration of Independence and speaking louder and clearer then before. He is reinforcing his character as a good American to express goodwill towards his audience—The USA.

"Moved to Cheer" by Hannah C. Feldman

This is an editor's note in the September 08 issue of Imbible, a magazine dedicated to beer. The editor is commenting on the attitude of the co-workers when selecting 100 best places to drink beer in america for the cover story by the same name. The editor is remembering an old bar saying, "Like an old friend, it becomes irreplaceable." By establishing the dedication of the magazine to treat beer as a friend, the editor reassures the reader that this top 100 was selected for the beer first and the bar second. Beer quality is the editor's ethos, which is confirmed by saying, "It's an exciting time to work a a magazine like Imbibe," due to the rise in quality microbreweries.

People tend to respect the opinion of a person they feel is dedicated to their job. Looking at the cover article, we see that the top 100 is divided into section with no particular order. They are not saying one beer bar is better than the other. I understand this strategy because is shows they respect the fact everyone has unique sense of taste. This furthers Feldman's character, because he understand his audience. Many of the bars in the main article include 'Reader Pick.' However, when the editor comments, "I still smetines miss Brewer's and its rich and potent Resurrection Ale," the editor risks lossing the attention of anyone who hates or never had that ale before. It's a small matter, because the article is more opinon based.

"The Double Life of Christian Slater" by Marc Spitz

This article is a preview of a new NBC trill ride called 'My Own Worst Enemy.' Marc Spitz is examining why it is good for Christian Slater to play the role of a killer with a split personality. Spitz feels it is appropriate for Slater to play both good and bad due to his past run-ins with the law. The article examines closely the plot of the show and the life of Slater. By doing this the reader senses that Spitz is well-educated on both topics of the article.

Spitz ethos is not clearly stated. Spitz's analysis of Slater's life to the TV character implies that he supports NBC's choice, but never says anything along the lines of 'Christian Slater is perfect.' I feel not clearly stating this hurts his character. At least Feldman gave us an idea of his taste by stating a favored beer. I find the best way to develop character is being straight foward in one's opinion and elegant in his/her reasoning. It is as if Spitz is simply justifying NBC's choice of Slater for the role.

Now analyze the pieces in terms of the rhetorical distance created by their authors' voices. Do the authors assume they know readers will or do they establish a formal distance? How do they achieve this distance?

In the case of Dr. King's speech, he is able to keep an intimate distance to the audience. I feel this way when King uses the simile of the bank of injustice. Everyone goes to the bank. Also, King's past marches and demonstrations have been seen by wide margin of people who support his courage. In Feldman editor's note he too keeps and intimate distance. He opens the article with a story of him an a friend in a bar. He is lowering himself to an average level. He is not in the bar to judge it, but to enjoy it. It is also reflected in Feldman's tone. Spitz's article has a more formal distance to it. He is not talking about himself in anyway or giving his opinion. He is playing the middle man by stating why Slater was NBC's logical choice. When appealing to a persons logic, you must check emotions at the door. Spitz does this by sticking to the facts of the show and Slater's life.

Write a letter in the voice of soneone else. Before you can doe this successfully, you may have to watch and listen awhile to the persons whoes ethos you plan on imitating.

Nation... we are at a pinccinale moment in the election. Now John McCain may be down in the polls, but not to fear. This was his plan all along. You see, you can't captin the ship that is the free world with all these conservatives giving you navagation points. So McCain slowed the ship down and screamed ice berg. Now all those right-wing intelleicuals will swim to Barrack Obama's ship and overload it with advice and apologies. That leaves McCain at the helm to command the nation... at least until 6 o'clock because then it's time for his nap.

Now That you Have the Data...

• Analysis is making sense of your data from writing, observations, and interviews.

Ways to analysis:

• Compare and Contrast (intertextuality) (Bazerman/Selzer).
• +++++ direct/indirect quotation. mentioning another document. comments on another text. using recognizable phrasing.

• Perspective (social, textual) (Faigley).
• +++++ Coding data--teaching all the collected data, looking for patterns, themes, similarities/differences to emerge.

• "Tracing Writing Process" (Paul Prior).
• +++++ analyzing text. same as drafts (underline). slightly revised (double underline). ADDED. [deleted].
• +++++ Thinking aloud. Differentiating the various types of comments
  

• Influence of Workplace. Culture on writing. Editorial comments.
• +++++ Kleimann's four categories of revision comments

• Analyzing genres.
• +++++ Prominent linguistic features. using active verbs. presents concrete details. rhetorical features (argument). organizational features (time-line).
  

• Speaking/writing connection.

• Rhetorical theory.
• +++++Definition/concepts can serve as lenses to analyze what's happening in text.

Applying to my subject.

I have interviewed my subject to analysis how he/she has come to understand the client. When working outside of a normal understanding of a publisher, the level of interaction with an editor and author deals on a more personal level. In his/her case, the author is using their own funds to publish a book. This is a huge investment on behalf of the client and my subject must convince him/her is worth the investment. My subject will only edit to the extent the client/author pays for, but is willing to share information about other problematic areas of the text.
This interview was important to build a foundation of what shapes my subject's ethics.

Applying to SEEN.

Hierarchical relationship shapes decision-making because of language use between two. SEEN is also answering the questions and never asks. He is the only one with a clear idea of the outcome/interpretation.

Activity 4 ARCS p. 153

Use Aristotle's common topics to analyze some issue that you want to understand better. Ask each of the questions listed in this chapter under conjecture, degree, and possibility. Take your time, and write down all of the answers that come to you. Remember, the point of heuristic is to help you find all of the available arguments. If you are thorough, systematic use of the topics should turn up more arguments than you need.

One issue that I want to understand better is the future of the economy. This is an issue that not only effects myself, but my family, friends, and nearly every American I have not personally met (which is a lot). My focus will be on Obama's plan.

Conjecture:

• What exists is a heavy drop in the stock market after banking firms pressured people to pay money they did not have. This caused many people's homes, stocks, and retirement plans to be lost or may be lost in the future. Now the banking companies are asking for $700 billion dollars from the government that will trickle down to every American tax payer. This is the largest bail-out since the depression of the 1930's.
• What doesn't exists is plans to withhold that money and let the American's practice of a free-market economy save people from the current crisis.
• In the past, during the 1930's, unemployment was higher then it has ever been thanks to a surge of WWI soldier's employers denying them their old jobs and the Smoot-Hawley Tariff Act enacted in 1930. The government responded with $140 billion dollars to buy failing businesses. What brought America out of its depression was the transition to a war-economy during WWII.
• The future is unclear at this point because this crisis and bail-out plan are still in its infant stages. It took three years after the Smoot-Hawley Tariff Act for unemployment to reach its high of 25%. It is especially hard to predict how the economy will do now that we are at the end of an election season. We see two opinions; Obama and McCain.

Degree:

• These two political party representatives need their plans to be judged by goodness, justness, honor, and expediency. Obama wants to provide a $1,000 a year permanent tax relief and giving $500 tax credit for working families. This will increase government spending, but the focus will be with the middle to lower class and not the banking companies that caused the current crisis. Obama has also proposed similar flat taxes so Americans can quickly understand what is owed and why. Public services across America, such as hospital, police, and fire will be expediently divide $25 billion dollars to stay open.
• Who Benefits is the lower and middle class families who make less than six figures a year. Obama's plan will keep American's working and not spending needless hours on tax forms. That time is better spent with one's family.
• The time line Obama hopes to reach his goals in his first year in office, during tax time. I do respect the fact that we are STILL fighting a war and Obama wants our troops home and safe too. These two dominate issues in America may conflict with each other, but Obama understands this. He proposed a steady solution of troop withdrawal over time. This will bring our fighting men and women home and give Obama time to handle the current economy problem.

Possibility:

• What is possible is giving Americans tax relief without pushing the stock market further down into a hole. We can't so willing turn over $700 billion dollars to the companies causing homelessness and finance woos. It is possible that the free market will create mutual trust between companies and investors to bring faith back to the economy, including the banks.
• What is impossible is trusting the current greedy banking firms various CEOs to stop being greedy. Even if the government's money creates strong regulations, they are still leaving propriety spending of the $700 billion up to the CEOs. If these CEOs are anything like me, then they will cover their own losses before anyone else's.
  

The Commons and Aristotle

Common Topics:

• Set of questions we can ask and answer in order to begin generating arguments on any topic/any situation.
  
• If something has or has not happened.

Conjecture:

• What exists?
• What doesn't exists?
• How were things in the past?
• How will thing be in the future?

Degree (greater/lesser):

• Goodness, justness, honor, expediency.
• Who benefits?
• How much time do you need?

Possibility:

• What is possible?
• What is impossible?

*Examples*

1. Look at Dr. Wible's Blog.

(p.130) Common Places:

• Ideology = belidrs, attitudes, and values. Think back to your PR class.
• Bumpers Stickers:

• Obama vs. McCain.
  

Abstract of Proposal

Writing my 1st abstract draft

An editor is a like a second author. They make changes and suggestions that can make or break a manuscript. My ethnographic research project is going to focus how a relationship with an author can influence an editor. This research will help people understand how to become and effect editor when dealing with different kinds of authors. First I need to know how my subject understands the requirements of an editor. I feel it is important to note that my subject is co-owner of a publishing company. This divides my subject duties. I will also learn about how this added responsibility affects the editing process.

I hope to learn the similarities and differences in the editing process when dealing with an author. In order to do this, I will need to examine my subject's comments and learn about the author's goals for their work. I am relying on my subject for the author's goals, because I will not have any contact with the author personally. In my conclusion, I will state the major similarities and differences of my subjects editing process with the various influences and responsibilities my subject faces.

Interviewing

3 Types of Interviews:

• Don't put them on the defensive.
• Stress positive things.
• Understanding, not telling.
  

1. Semi-Structured interview

• Purpose = Gaining insight on writer's thinking/problem solving strategies.
• More of a conversation.
• Learning about writer's decision making.
  
• "What do you add to the education of a client?"
• "How do you stay motivated?"
  

2. Stimulated Elicitation ("Prop")

• Prop could be a draft.
• Used for more specific details.
• Exact comments.
• "Why did you include/exclude/elaborate on X?"
  

3. Discourse-Based Interview

• Have the text and presenting alternatives.
• Mary Beth Debs: "What do you favor and why?"
  

Subject Matter

Noting the similarities and differences in the Progress reports by other students two years ago can be helpful in my own research. They help create a professional tone while still creating a level ground between reader and writer.