Monday, February 27, 2012

Similarities/Differences Between MLA and APA

The essays entitled “Against the Odds: Harry S. Truman and the Election of 1948”, by Dylan Borchers’, and “It’s in Our Genes: The Biological Basis of Human Mating Behavior”, by Carolyn Stonehill, have many similarities even though they are written in two different formats. Borchers’ essay is in MLA format while Stonehill’s essay is in APA format. One similarity in their quoting and citation is that both use parenthesis to cite quotations. Also, block quotations are the same in both formats; both are indented one inch away from the margin and have the citation at the end of the quote. Lastly, the format of their work cited page (MLA format) and Reference (APA format) page are the same. The heading is centered and each citation is in alphabetical order with all lines after the first line of each entry indented.
Even though Borchers’ and Stonehill’s essays have similarities, there are many differences. One difference between the two is the placement of the citations. In MLA format, the citation is at the end of a sentence while in APA format the citation is right after the quote. Although both use parenthesis, as stated in the previous paragraph, the information inside the parenthesis is different. In Borchers essay, most citations included page numbers and last names. In Stonehill’s essay, mostly dates or page numbers were used to cite information. One last difference is the last page of each essay. The essay formatted in MLA has a “Works Cited” page while the APA formatted essay has a “Reference” page.

Thursday, February 23, 2012

Analysis of "Organ Sales Will Save Lives"

                In the essay “Organ Sales Will Save Lives” by Joanna MacKay, kidney failure is the main topic. In her thesis, MacKay states that, “Governments should not ban the sale of human organs; they should regulate it.” This thesis is supported by one main reason: it will save lives. MacKay also states that with the legal selling of organs, more people will be willing to give up their kidneys. This is one way the selling of organs will save lives. People in third world countries are extremely willing to sell their kidneys because they need the money. MacKay points out that there is a black market for selling kidneys because it is illegal to sell organs in many countries. The broker who arranges the sale, takes advantage of uneducated poor people who are in desperate need of money, only paying them around $,1,000 for a kidney.
                MacKay’s essay is well written and organized. She clearly states her thesis in the beginning of her essay and gives valid reasons to support her opinion with sources in the body paragraphs. The essay also includes opposing views; for example, this quote from Pope John Paul II: “the selling of organs is morally wrong and violates ‘the dignity of the human person’.” MacKay defends this idea by saying that “We have a responsibility to protect and help those less fortunate…” In MacKay’s conclusion, she restates her thesis and asks a rhetorical question: “Is it moral to sentence thousands to unnecessary death?”

Wednesday, February 22, 2012

Peer Review for Stephanie Blough

Peer Review Guidelines for Synthesis
  1. Does the introduction give you enough background to understand the topic and the controversy? Does it provide some hints about how the sources are organized? Offer your suggestions for improving the introduction? I think your introduction is great. You give good background info. Just fix minor grammar errors and clear up fourth sentence
  2.  How many sources are used? 7
  3.  Does the writer provide succinct and clear summary of the sources and connect the summary to the problem? yes
  4.    Do you see a logical transition from one source to the other? How many sources are used in each paragraph?  yes; there is a logical transition. there are about 2-3 sources in each paragraph
  5.   Does the writer incorporate the quotes with her/his own writing in an effective manner and cite the sources correctly? Are there places where the sources seem to take the writer off-track?
    • I think that some quotes could be explained more clearly
    • most are cited correctly
    • I feel like the third paragraph gets off track
  6.     Does the writer make succinct and precise conclusion based on the review? Does the conclusion have a clear hypothesis or research question(s)? Is the hypothesis/research question based on the review? yes
  7.   Does each paragraph adhere to a single main idea? Note any paragraphs that seem to have multiple topics competing for attention.
    • second paragraph: your topic sentence is different from the rest -- make a connection between the tests and ADI
    • third paragraph: maybe spend less time on BMI and obesity
  8.  Are paragraphs connected with transitions?  Identify any places where transitions between paragraphs can be improved. good transitions
  9.  Do paragraphs make good use of repetition of key ideas?  Note any places where the writer might improve coherence by repeating a key term or synonym. yes
  10.  Is the overall order of paragraphs in the paper logical? yes
  11. Does the writer include a correctly documented works cited page? yes
  12. What are the four most significant changes the writer could make to improve this paper?
    • explain quotes better
    • put periods in correct places
    • clear up few confusing sentences
    • fix grammar mistakes


Peer Review for Ieisha D.

Peer Review Guidelines for Synthesis

1.  Does the introduction give you enough background to understand the topic and the controversy?Does it provide some hints about how the sources are organized? Offer your suggestions for improving the introduction?
     good, clear up a few sentences 


2.   How many sources are used? Does the writer provide succinct and clear summary of the sources and connect the summary to the problem?
     5

3. Do you see a logical transition from one source to the other? How many sources are used in each paragraph?
         yes  


4.    Does the writer incorporate the quotes with her/his own writing in an effective manner and cite the sources correctly? Are there places where the sources seem to take the writer off-track?
         yes

5.    Does the writer make succinct and precise conclusion based on the review? Does the conclusion have a clear hypothesis or research question(s)? Is the hypothesis/research question based on the review?
          make sure to capitialize sources


6.    Does each paragraph adhere to a single main idea? Note any paragraphs that seem to have multiple topics competing for attention.
          yes, great conclusion


7.    Are paragraphs connected with transitions?  Identify any places where transitions between paragraphs can be improved.
         third paragraph: maybe change topic sentence
         fifth paragraph: explain quote and write more about topic

8.    Do paragraphs make good use of repetition of key ideas?  Note any places where the writer might improve coherence by repeating a key term or synonym.
            make sure all topic sentences are transitions 

9.  Is the overall order of paragraphs in the paper logical?
         yes 

10. Does the writer include a correctly documented works cited page?
         yes 


11.  What are the four most significant changes the writer could make to improve this paper?
       make sure you have correct transition sentences
             make the controversy more clear
             cite sources correctly
             fix long quote in the 5th paragraph (p.434 in book)  

Thursday, February 16, 2012

Summary of Sources for Synthesis Essay


Embryo Stem Cell Research: Ten Years of Controversy by John A. Roberston
This source is an article concerned with the many controversies surrounding embryo stem cell research. There are seven main topics mentioned: why ESCs are controversial, legal and constitutional issues, funding issues, regulatory issues, translation into the clinic, future issues, and ethical conflict and the pace of innovation. The author seems to support embryo stem cell research because he is stating all of the obstacles that this scientific development has to go through to succeed. He states that “law and policy affect scientific innovation.” Over the last ten years, funding issues has been the main problem. There are also ethical issues because some people consider embryo’s human life and doing stem cell research is destroying life.

Ethics and Embryonic Stem Cell Research: Altered Nuclear Transfer as a Way Forward by William B. Hurlbut
This source is an article that is concerned with an alternative to embryonic stem cell research. The author mentions that embryos are early forms of human life and should not be experimented upon. Hurlbut also mentions the Dickey Amendment which “effectively prohibits the use of federal funds to support any research that endangers or destroys human embryos.” His alternative is altered nuclear transfer which “employs the technique of somatic cell nuclear transfer, but the somatic cell nucleus or cytoplasm (or both) are first altered before the somatic cell nucleus  is transferred into the oocyte.” This method produces ‘biological artifacts’ “capable of forming pluripotent stem cells without the creation and destruction of human embryos.” Hurlbut believes this method would satisfy both scientist and people’s moral and ethical values.

Debating restrictions on embryonic stem cell research by Colleen McClain
This source is an online experimental study. College students were asked to discuss the new restrictions on human embryonic stem cell research. Their emotions were evaluated because this is such a controversial topic. Opinions varied; some people thought that stem cell research is a good thing and would help save lives while others thought of it as murder. There isn’t really an outcome to the experiment because there is no right or wrong answer, just opinions. The political controversy was also discussed in the beginning of the article. Obama released restrictions on research after Bush had limited federal finances on embryonic stem cell research. 

Wednesday, February 15, 2012

Library Reflection

Three important things that I learned during our class time at the library was:
  1. Google Scholar; this is something that I didn't know about previously and I believe it will be helpful in the future.
  2. The difference between scholarly and non-scholarly articles.
  3. The advantages of using EBSCO over google search engine.

Thursday, February 9, 2012

Assignment for Feb. 9, 2012

                In the article entitled “Balanced Reading Instruction: A Review of Literature” by Debra Johnson, an analysis of reading and writing is discussed. Johnson cites eight sources in her essay. These sources seem credible because she uses them to back up her claim, kind of like evidence in a crime scene. Johnson states her ideas and uses the sources as support, not her main arguments. The information in the essay is evenly distributed between evidence and Johnsons own ideas. She explains herself very well making the essay easy for the audience to understand.

Thursday, February 2, 2012

Three Changes for Stephanie Blough

  1. Make some of the sentences more clear.
  2. Make sure the most important information is being disscused in the paragraphs.
  3. Make conclusion more interesting.
Over all, your paper is GREAT!

Three Questions to Ask my Group About my Paper

  1. Is there any other type (genre) of writing that you think I should include in my paper?
  2. How can I make my thesis more clear?
  3. What are ways that I can make my main points more clear?