One More Concept

A concept that I would like to highlight with my last post this semester is mass media in the United States. I thought this section was really interesting and sort of eye opening. It is important as members of this society that we are capable of analyzing information that we are presented with. If we simply believe everything we are told we could be in danger of being exposed to false information. Many news organizations are driven by their sponsors that “push” their agendas. We have to be sure that the news coverage is credible. The concept that America is fascinated with sensational news stories which causes some news organizations use more air time on these stories rather than political or national news stories is sort of disappointing. It is sad to know that these news organizations are responsible for using stereotypes and racism in their news stories. Lastly, I was shocked to read that some news organizations don’t really use credible scientific reports due to time constraints and money.

What I've Learned

In my opinion one of the more important things that were learned over the course of this semester is the value of critical thinking and how to make strong arguments. It is really important to have the capability to think critically and evaluate arguments. These are skills that I think will be helpful as we go out to the work place. Learning how to identify fallacies within arguments and false evidence are important skills that were taught this semester. Having the ability to make a strong argument is important. I think that this skill helps us to be more credible. A lot of the concepts that were taught in this class and within the Boss textbook are relatable in real life. One of the most interesting things that I learned this semester was about marketing and advertising. It was interesting learning how companies determine their target audience. It made me want to learn more about marketing.

Favorite and Least Favorite Things

Overall, I really enjoyed the fact that the concepts we learned in Comm 41 were relatable to real life experiences and skills. That's what I like most about communication classes in general! I have learned a lot this semester that I think I can apply to my life now and after I graduate and begin working within my field. The section that was my favorite from the Boss textbook was marketing. I think marketing is a fascinating field (I wish I had chosen it for my minor). The Boss textbook highlights information that is useful and applicable. One thing that I didn't care for was the three group projects. It was really difficult to get five students from an online class together. With both groups, I found it tough to find a day and time that everyone was free to have a group meeting. I know at most of us are juggling classes and work, so it made it a challenge to come together. 

Websites

I found the Casual Argument Website was pretty helpful. I though it did a good job of illustrating a sample argument that was easy for just about anybody to relate to. The site was organized well. I also really liked the Exercises for Casual Arguments. I think that showing by example is a great way to teach. The interactive portion of the site is a nice way to get the students involved in the learning process. I didn’t like the Mission Critical Website as much. It has a lot of information and, in my opinion, seemed overwhelming. I think it could be better if the site had a different organization strategy. It did have a lot of good information and the interactive portion is also a helpful learning tool. Overall, I think that both of these sites could be helpful to students that are studying these topics. I would highly recommend the interactive portions.

Horoscope

A member of your household could be going through some rough times, Cancer, and as a result might become overly dependent on your moral and emotional support. This is flattering, but it could also be a drain on your energy. Carefully consider what you really need to say to your friend. Sometimes you have to hit a person over the head with the truth (figuratively speaking) in order to wake them up.

I looked up my horoscope on the internet today, which I never do. I don’t really believe in horoscopes or the prediction of the future. My household consists of myself and my fiancé. He isn’t going through a rough time, so the horoscope is falsifiable. There wasn’t a whole lot of information other than this in my horoscope today. I do think that these horoscope “readings” put out information that could very easily fit many people’s lives. I am sure there are many people out there that have a household member that is struggling with something; and possible depending on them emotionally. Like I mentioned I don’t really believe in the prediction of the future, but I have noticed that I do fit the “characteristics” of a cancer (my zodiac sign). I have a friend that reads her horoscope on a daily basis. I think she believes in readings. Maybe there is a manifestation that happens from reading the horoscopes and believing.

There have been many times throughout my life that I can look back on and think I misjudged a situation or person. I try not to judge people, but I think it is part of human nature to form our own initial opinions. Years ago I transferred to another office within the company I worked for. The people in the office were all very welcoming, except one female. She and I were close in age and had similar physical features. I felt uneasy around her, and I was pretty sure the feeling was mutual. Her and I never spoke to each other or tried to get to know one another. Based on my initial observations I had decided she was stuck up. But over time she and I began to have casual conversations that eventually grew to us going out for lunches together. I decided that I had misjudged her. She and I actually had a lot in common and got along really well. We began to form a bond which grew exponentially over time. We have remained close friends over the years. I was even her maid of honor in her wedding.    

Plagiarism

With so much information available at our fingertips many college students are tempted to commit internet plagiarism. It's as easy as cut and pasting. This is why many college professors use software such as turnitin.com to help them detect plagiarism in student's papers. I definitely agree with Sadler that plagiarism is a serious offense and the offender should be penalized. Hunt, on the other hand, is in favor of plagiarism. Plagiarism is stealing someone else's thoughts and ideas. How is that okay? Part of being in school is to learn to think and create things from our own thoughts and ideas. Sadler views plagiarism as stealing, which it is. Working through assignments teaches students to think and struggle through their own material. Sadler argues that plagiarisms is not only bad for the individual but society as well. As students, we must have the ability to analyze and construct arguments. Plagiarizing teaches the student nothing. Bottom line is, if plagiarism was okay it wouldn't be banned from schools and carry such heavy consequences for offenders.