Midterm Assignment

Dear Stefani,
How have you been? I have so much news to tell you about my ENGL 1102 class I'm taking this semester and all that I've learned since it began. You'll be surprised to know, that I, a very steadfast journal writer, have managed to write different kinds of writing and learned to take criticism as well. As you know, I take my writing very seriously and although I don't plan to be famous for it at all any time soon, it is nice to know that I can relax around people for the first time who read through my work. I've learned to value activities like group work and revision for their positive outcomes, and above all, how helpful writing books can be when you actually take the time to read them! Even more so, as we work further into our current assignment, a research paper, I've learned to appreciate the knowledge that comes with such assignments when done properly.In my past, I used to label such projects as "useless" and "dumb," yet, I realize now that I failed to understand the importance of forcing yourself to do such work in order to improve your understanding of both a topic, and yourself as the writer. So many of these things are important because they teach you that their is always room for improvement when it comes to any assignment. I know that with such assignments in class, such skills become useful in the future when trying to argue something that you believe in. Of course, that could be in your writing or in a conversation with someone face to face. Everyone needs to realize that its okay to make mistakes and put yourself out there, because that is when you learn the most, if you only allow yourself to do so! Before I came to college, I never thought of anything in an english class as being actually useful. It was always the "do it and get it done" attitude. Yet, now, having a teacher who makes herself available as a resource to you, and in an environment that is actually teaching me something, I can finally relax in knowing that such things really do help!
Love,
Savanah



In the annotated bibliography we recently turned in, I chose to do research on the environmental asthma, and what factors cause it. After debating it for some time, I finally settled on this topic because being a genetic asthmatic myself, I have always wondered why some people get asthma from family genes, and some don't! More specifically, I had always wondered how such people could struggle with it as badly as I do if they don't have a family background in it. Sitting in the library for around five hours, I got my ideas about this topic from "googling" questions on the computer and then looking up books that related in one way or another. I think the audience of such an assignment (the future research paper) would consist of parents with or without asthma, people currently working in bad environments, and our society as a whole. As we know, there are so many different problems with our environment today, and its time to finally realize that we, as individuals, need to do our part to protect ourselves as best as we can. My audience was a real drive for me in this topic for such reasons. Such "skills" in this assignment consisted of accurate information/research, and being a caring person. I think caring alone is drive enough to be successful in such an assignment.This piece was not as easy as it looked because while I continued to search for more answers, the "dynamics" of my actual research question kept my research at a minimum. I think with such topics that involve environmental factors only have but so many answers/outcomes, and it showed after about the third source. Although I did not take too many risks in the bibliography itself, I did try different things with my research in order to come up with the best information I could. And when it came to revisions, I had a ton dealing with the citations. Plus, I really wanted to ensure that my descriptions of each source were valid and descriptive so I went back over them a few times. I think all the things I read through influenced my writing because they equaled out each other when the bibliography was done. Apart from the research itself, I learned that like it or not, writing needs to be structured. As probably one of the most structured/organized writing assignments of all, the annotated bibliography taught me that when information is organized in such a way that one can easily read through it, writing the paper becomes twice as easy as before! With my topic I learned that despite what I thought, indoor pollution affects/causes asthma more so than outdoor pollution. I also learned that like it or not, when put in a situation that needs to be done for a class, I get it done! I hope that a reader of my annotated bibliography and blogger will be able to say that I knew what I was talking about and learn to take better care of themselves, especially if already diagnosed with asthma. I think after looking through my blogs, I may revise the summaries a bit.

Peace,Butter and Jelly was a very relaxed, sweet read. I recently had lunch with David after he recognized me in Fretwell, and he is really a very caring, genuine person. Yet, as a person who never fully understood the whole concept of poems/poetry, I think some of the poems in the book threw me off a bit. Yet I like the receipes and I enjoyed reading about the history of his family.

Blogs and journaling
the assignments are so broad
lets try something new!

Blog Assignment Number 4

What do I have to say about blogging?? Hmm...well I must admit, as all of you can surely see, no matter how much I use the internet to communicate, I still haven't gotten used to the fact of using it for schoolwork. Take for instance the very fact that this will have been the SECOND blog assignment I am at least one day late for! How easy an assignment it could have been and yet, how ridiculously I have managed to screw that very thing little thing up!

Moving on, I think blog assignments teach you how to be a better communicator to the world its self! As people of the 21st century, we have gotten so accustomed to texting, and talking with incorrect grammar, and because of this, we hardly ever have any clue what we mean! Sure, it can be easy to carry on a conversation with someone: Act interested, nod, use emotion, change your tone, etc...but do we actually even know what point(s) we are trying to get across? Most of the time the answer to that question is NO :) Blogging helps us write down our ideas in our head so that we are able to review them and bring meaning to them.

While journaling may seem like a terrific idea for getting ideas across to US, no one actually gets to see how we have evolved as people like you do with a blog or a website. Plus, it gives you a free audience to try and prove your thoughts and opinions to people all over; or at least share with them a new aspect of an idea that maybe no one else has even ever thought about. I think I've realized this most in my research, because while in my past I've done these projects before, I don't think I've ever actually gotten the full grasp of the concept or even understood the full point of doing the project itself. Its usually the same step-process every single time: Get the project, do it/get it done, and turn it in for the best grade possible. Yet, as I've moved on to college I've found that thinking about my projects in the process of them all is the whole point of the project itself! It teaches you something, if done correctly!

Third Blog Assignment

1) I will be writing to an audience that consists of parents of children and people who want to be in charge of their health in order to prevent the risk of obtaining asthma. I now have a better understanding as to why my topic is a timely one to be aware of: Everyone who may either have a family background of asthma or is afraid of environmental effects on people as well as prevention of asthma and it spreading across the world, especially with children. I am very invested in this topic because I, for one, have asthma and was confused as to why people without a family background in it (genetics) could get the same thing I have...even sometimes with worse effects. I think high school teachers were just interested in the assignment itself: to see that we could write a supportive essay that explained something. College teachers want you to benefit from your writing and care that you have learned something.
2) I am actually seeing a minimal amount of differences in viewpoints concerning my topic. They are all fairly consistant : indoor pollution (mold, animal dander, dust mites) the same stuff everywhere I look...thenagain, it is based solely on environmental factors.
3)I never knew that environmental factors would ever concern indoor factors...especially concerning asthma. I knew that there were things everywhere that affected it and made it worse, but never actually thought that it could be caused by a factor in and indoor climate.
4)I commented on Sarah Hudson's blog post number 2 about how pets have a positive influence on humans

2nd Blog post (oopsies i forgot)

SO far the most interesting source that I've found (even though its apart from my main question: "What Environmental Factors Affect/Cause Asthma?")is an NC document study covering breastfeeding and childhood asthma. Apparently in 2005, The NC Child Health Assessment and Monitoring Program (CHAMP) did a follow-up survey to show how breastfed children are less likely to have childhood asthma. This of course was aside from the fact of environmental factors of asthma. I don't think it necessarily altered my question, it just made me want to do research on breastfeeding and its effects on a child's health and growth as a whole.
I think the biggest challenges I'm facing right now are finding different sources with other interesting facts. I'm afraid that the only "known" environmental factors dealing with asthma that are out there for the public, are the ones that everyone already knows about....lets get interesting ppl!

My Research Topic :)

Hello all! I'm so psyched about finally being able to "speak" without writing down words on a paper! Blogging is so much more down to earth and friendly, and I can't wait to finally have the time to think things through.

For my research topic, I chose Asthma and the leading factors that make it so popular, as well comparing that research to people who are born with it! In other words, I want to know the difference. Why is it that some people are born with Asthma, and other people get it later in life? I was especially interested in this topic because...I was born with Asthma and have met others who have just recently gotten it.
This topic is timely because there are so many things dealing with Asthma alone and there are tons of new books being written about it every day. I think it is important to know about the leading factors that cause Asthma because we need to start taking better care of ourselves. As a person who has had it all of her life, I for one can't really say I know what its like to live without Asthma, but if I could...I would!
I think there will be tons of information! There are so many environmental problems and I can't wait to "breakdown" that info. Plus, they are just now starting to come out with better inhalers!
After following certain scholars, I have learned that while many would agree that Asthma is caused by environmental factors, some say it deals with genetics. Apparently there is still much to learn! I would agree that Asthma is caused by genetics partially, because my brother had it as well as my great grandfather, yet have known people in their later years who seemed to get it randomly. Why?! And is this Asthma that they have as bad as mine? I've had it forever yet, can't imagine it being worse for people based off of the enviroment. For if so, what kind of place is this earth we so easily call home?

More to come