Compare and Contrast

 Today, we need to discuss where you are in your essays, and you should begin your "Compare and Contrast" essay. If you need examples to look at please refer to the river reader

COMPARISON AND CONTRAST
Points to Remember

1. Decide whether you want the pattern of your comparison to focus on the complete units (divided) or specific features (alternating).

2. Consider the possibility of combining the two patterns.

3. Determine which subject should be placed in the first position and why.

4. Arrange the points of your comparison in a logical balanced, and dramatic sequence.

5. Make sure you introduce and clarify the reasons for making your comparison. 

 Al Weber's "Compare and Contrast" essay.

A Balanced Diet

 “3 cups of flour” my mom uttered to herself as she began setting the ingredients out for the apple pie. The first use of flour was 30,000 years ago and today most meals still use it as a thickening agent. However, lately, there has been gluten free craze traveling around the world. Should we actually avoid all gluten though? There is a stark difference in the health benefits and withdrawals between different types of flour, and it is our responsibility to be educated on what we decide to put into our body.

            During Christmas vacation I traveled to Florida to visit my gluten free family and found it unnaturally difficult to cook meals for all of my kin.  None of them were actually allergic to gluten, but rather felt that it was healthier to avoid wheat altogether. Countless people like my family in Florida argue that white flour, being processed, is not healthy for consumption. While they are accurate that the handling of white flour removes much of its nutrients it also has some benefits and has a history of successful use. White flour contains only the starchy endosperm of the grain which makes it easy to digest if one has a compromised digestive system. Numerous cultures have survived on high diets in starch and their populations have been extremely healthy. Like the Okinawans, who traditionally obtained 85% of their calories from starch. or the Tukisenta in Papua New Guinea who consumed 94.6% starchy carbohydrates in the 1960s. Cultures like these were shown to have exceptionally long lifespans and a virtual non-existence of modern illness such as heart disease. Furthermore, white flour can be kept for a very long time which makes it more economical. The issues with processed flour, however, is that it contains chemical residue left over from the bleaching of it to turn it stark white. Certain proteins in the flour produce an oxidizing chemical reaction with the chlorine gas which forms a very toxic byproduct known as Alloxan. Alloxan has been used to induce diabetes in lab rats. With these scary names of chemicals and diseases surrounding white flour in an enigma many people attempt to avoid it altogether. It should not be this difficult to have family reunions due to dinner time, white flour in moderation can be consumed without extreme worry for your health.

            When I was five I asked my dad for “real” bread on my grilled cheese. By this, I meant that white fluffy goodness that comes in white flour bread loaf. My father, instantly grew defensive over his healthy and nutritious wheat bread that I snubbed. In contrast with the high-risk white flour, wheat flour has many more benefits in nutrition and health. In fact, The 2010 U.S. Dietary Guidelines recommend that at least half of your daily grain intake come from whole grains. One of the primary nutritional differences between whole-wheat and white flour is the food’s fiber content. Dietary fiber has a number of health benefits -- it prevents constipation, lowers blood cholesterol and might help you lose weight, according to Colorado State University. The refining process associated with making white flour separates the fiber-rich brain from the rest of the grain, so white flour typically contains less fiber than its whole-grain counterpart. For example, 1/2 cup of white flour contains 1.3 grams of fiber, while an equal serving of whole-wheat flour contains 6.4 grams. As a result, selecting foods that contain wheat flour helps you reach your dietary fiber intake goal -- 28 grams daily if you follow a 2,000-calorie diet, according to Colorado State University. Numerous other benefits include reduced risk of stroke, asthma, colorectal cancer, and healthier blood pressure level.

            The gluten free craze is just that, a craze. By watching what we put into our bodies we can successfully remain healthy while still enjoying the food that we eat. If your grandma makes you chocolate chip cookies, feel free to take one or maybe even three. You are required, however, for the health of your body, to keep a well balanced diet and minimize the toxins that you put in it.

 

Friday

 This week you should be working on your Process Analysis essay. If you need examples please look in the river reader in chapter 2. You can also watch the video below and I'll also post Al Weber's process analysis below.

Please send me your drafts when you start. You should also have your narration essays (draft 1) done. 

Here is Al Weber's Process Analysis:

How to be a Successful Salesperson

There are two types of people in this world: followers and leaders. As a salesperson it is your job to be a leader. If you are a master at sales you should be able to read your customer and weave a story about your product to fit their amusement so enticing that they believe it was their personal idea and they cannot live without that product. As Lau Tzu, an ancient Chinese philosopher of Taoism, stated “The best leaders are those their people hardly know exist.”.

            To bring the sale to a close and have a enjoyable experience for both you and your customer you must do five simple steps.

Dress Appropriately. This is common sense for most people, but others will struggle with this idea. Here is some motivation: according to Business Insider first impressions are formed within seven to seventeen seconds of meeting someone and fifty five percent of a person’s opinion is determined by physical appearance. The way you dress could well be the deal breaker between the two thousand dollar sale and a walk out the door.

Have good body posture. If you are slouching over a display case or slinking around the floor you will not exude confidence. Customers will catch onto this and will be less likely to follow you or trust you. During face to face meetings, 93% of people's judgments of others are based on non-verbal input like body language. How you stand, sit, and shake hands communicates a lot more than what you say. Eye contact is included in this. To build a trusting relationship with another person your eyes should connect about 70 to 80% of the time. This shows your customer two things. First: that you are listening to their story and what they wish. Second: that you like them. While you should make eye contact, do not stare, or excessively blink. Too much blinking is suspicious. Adults normally blink around 15 to 20 times per minute. When under pressure, or stressed, blinking increases (Bill Clinton’s blink rate during his deposition was at 92 blinks per minute)

Greet and read the customer. In order to welcome the client a general “Hello” or “Welcome to (enter store name here)” will suffice. This instantly tells the purchaser that you are there to help them. You are essentially their waiter/host while they are in the gallery. Next, figure out for whom they are shopping for by asking leading questions such as “what brings you to Kirmse’s?” or more directly “Who are you shopping for and how can I help?” By asking questions such as these you learn what type of customer they are. There are essentially four different types of purchasers.

The first, buys for others. If they are shopping for their ten year old daughter who is likely to lose her bracelet in a couple of weeks then gain their trust by steering them to a less expensive item so that they are more willing to buy it. If a customer is shopping for their significant other you can deliver your own expert advice about pricier pieces: this added knowledge will often sway their opinions about the product. There has been many a time that I have been forced to choose a necklace to surprise someone’s fiancé.

The second, buys for themselves. These people are some of the easiest to sell to because they know their taste and they know their budget. All you have to do is wait it out, present all of the pieces, listen, and be pleasant. Remember though that customers usually lie about their budget and will typically spend a bit more than they state if they are taken by the piece.

The third, waits for others who are shopping. If you get stuck with the elderly gentleman that simply wants to know your life story as his wife shops find him a stool and like an ex-couple politely, but firmly, move on. You do not need to babysit him. In fact he will probably be happier now that he can simply sit and wait rather than have to maintain conversation. UNLESS you have no other customers to attend to…..  then keep him happy so his wife is comfortable shopping for a long time, knowing that he is engaged and content) It’s a truly skilled saleswoman who manages to take coin from the waiting husband.   

The fourth, “just looking”. There is no “just looking” person. They entered your store for a reason. Subconsciously they are there to buy something. It is your job to continue to ask leading questions until you find that one person they forgot to get a gift for, or the birthday that they forgot.

Present the product. In order to give off all of the superb qualities of your product you must truly believe in it. Make sure that you believe 100% in your product. People either follow leaders or are leaders. Make sure that they are following you. If there is any hesitancy or dishonesty in your sales pitch customers will sniff it out like a dog to meat and will instantly jump off your bandwagon. Furthermore, The customer is NOT always right. Often times customers will tell you that they know everything there is to know about your product and that you are selling something fake or too expensive. Although they may be an expert on that type of thing; you are an expert on your merchandise. One time I was taking care of a lady who was trying on a pair of Amber earrings. She clearly adored them, and also clearly wished for a discount. After several hours of requesting for a cut in the price I finally gave her the last NO. She went on to say that, as an avid Amber collector, she recognized these earrings as pseudo-Amber and again demanded a discount. I remained calm and professional, and held my ground that they were true Amber, and eventually she bought them at full price. 

Take it to the cash register. Once your client has found a couple of items that they like begin to lead them to a “close”. You might say “would you like me to set these over by the counter as you continue to look around?” or “Will you be paying cash or using a credit card?” this brings up the idea that they will actually be making the purchase rather than just ogling and drooling over the items.  

            If done correctly, you and the customer should have an enjoyable experience. No one should have to feel bullied or bullied into a sale. In the end customers  will be appreciative of your expert guidance and the knowledge they’ve gained. They will then leave your store with their purchase, and good words on their lips to spread your excellent reputation

 

Monday

 This week you should be working on your Process Analysis essay. If you need examples please look in the river reader in chapter 2. You can also watch the video below and I'll also post Al Weber's process analysis below.

Please send me your drafts when you start. You should also have your narration essays (draft 1) done. 

Here is Al Weber's Process Analysis:

How to be a Successful Salesperson

There are two types of people in this world: followers and leaders. As a salesperson it is your job to be a leader. If you are a master at sales you should be able to read your customer and weave a story about your product to fit their amusement so enticing that they believe it was their personal idea and they cannot live without that product. As Lau Tzu, an ancient Chinese philosopher of Taoism, stated “The best leaders are those their people hardly know exist.”.

            To bring the sale to a close and have a enjoyable experience for both you and your customer you must do five simple steps.

Dress Appropriately. This is common sense for most people, but others will struggle with this idea. Here is some motivation: according to Business Insider first impressions are formed within seven to seventeen seconds of meeting someone and fifty five percent of a person’s opinion is determined by physical appearance. The way you dress could well be the deal breaker between the two thousand dollar sale and a walk out the door.

Have good body posture. If you are slouching over a display case or slinking around the floor you will not exude confidence. Customers will catch onto this and will be less likely to follow you or trust you. During face to face meetings, 93% of people's judgments of others are based on non-verbal input like body language. How you stand, sit, and shake hands communicates a lot more than what you say. Eye contact is included in this. To build a trusting relationship with another person your eyes should connect about 70 to 80% of the time. This shows your customer two things. First: that you are listening to their story and what they wish. Second: that you like them. While you should make eye contact, do not stare, or excessively blink. Too much blinking is suspicious. Adults normally blink around 15 to 20 times per minute. When under pressure, or stressed, blinking increases (Bill Clinton’s blink rate during his deposition was at 92 blinks per minute)

Greet and read the customer. In order to welcome the client a general “Hello” or “Welcome to (enter store name here)” will suffice. This instantly tells the purchaser that you are there to help them. You are essentially their waiter/host while they are in the gallery. Next, figure out for whom they are shopping for by asking leading questions such as “what brings you to Kirmse’s?” or more directly “Who are you shopping for and how can I help?” By asking questions such as these you learn what type of customer they are. There are essentially four different types of purchasers.

The first, buys for others. If they are shopping for their ten year old daughter who is likely to lose her bracelet in a couple of weeks then gain their trust by steering them to a less expensive item so that they are more willing to buy it. If a customer is shopping for their significant other you can deliver your own expert advice about pricier pieces: this added knowledge will often sway their opinions about the product. There has been many a time that I have been forced to choose a necklace to surprise someone’s fiancé.

The second, buys for themselves. These people are some of the easiest to sell to because they know their taste and they know their budget. All you have to do is wait it out, present all of the pieces, listen, and be pleasant. Remember though that customers usually lie about their budget and will typically spend a bit more than they state if they are taken by the piece.

The third, waits for others who are shopping. If you get stuck with the elderly gentleman that simply wants to know your life story as his wife shops find him a stool and like an ex-couple politely, but firmly, move on. You do not need to babysit him. In fact he will probably be happier now that he can simply sit and wait rather than have to maintain conversation. UNLESS you have no other customers to attend to…..  then keep him happy so his wife is comfortable shopping for a long time, knowing that he is engaged and content) It’s a truly skilled saleswoman who manages to take coin from the waiting husband.   

The fourth, “just looking”. There is no “just looking” person. They entered your store for a reason. Subconsciously they are there to buy something. It is your job to continue to ask leading questions until you find that one person they forgot to get a gift for, or the birthday that they forgot.

Present the product. In order to give off all of the superb qualities of your product you must truly believe in it. Make sure that you believe 100% in your product. People either follow leaders or are leaders. Make sure that they are following you. If there is any hesitancy or dishonesty in your sales pitch customers will sniff it out like a dog to meat and will instantly jump off your bandwagon. Furthermore, The customer is NOT always right. Often times customers will tell you that they know everything there is to know about your product and that you are selling something fake or too expensive. Although they may be an expert on that type of thing; you are an expert on your merchandise. One time I was taking care of a lady who was trying on a pair of Amber earrings. She clearly adored them, and also clearly wished for a discount. After several hours of requesting for a cut in the price I finally gave her the last NO. She went on to say that, as an avid Amber collector, she recognized these earrings as pseudo-Amber and again demanded a discount. I remained calm and professional, and held my ground that they were true Amber, and eventually she bought them at full price. 

Take it to the cash register. Once your client has found a couple of items that they like begin to lead them to a “close”. You might say “would you like me to set these over by the counter as you continue to look around?” or “Will you be paying cash or using a credit card?” this brings up the idea that they will actually be making the purchase rather than just ogling and drooling over the items.  

            If done correctly, you and the customer should have an enjoyable experience. No one should have to feel bullied or bullied into a sale. In the end customers  will be appreciative of your expert guidance and the knowledge they’ve gained. They will then leave your store with their purchase, and good words on their lips to spread your excellent reputation

Tuesday

 This week you need to read chapter 8 of the river reader and write the first draft of your narration essay.

Good luck!

Thursday

 Today, we are going to look at "Division and Classification" essays and give you some time to work on your narration essay. 

Make sure you have a topic that you can use on all 7 essays and make sure you have an idea about how each essay works.

Wednesday

 Today we are going to look at the "Compare and Contrast" chapter of the "river reader" and begin to outline your narration essay.

Good luck!

Tuesday

 Today, we will look at "Process Analysis" in the river reader.  We will also discuss the list of ideas you came up with for the "Modes of Writing" project, and finally work on your narration essay (this is the first essay for the project):

NARRATION AND DESCRIPTION Points to Remember

1. Focus your narrative on the “story” in your story— that is, focus on the conflict that defines the plot.
2. Vary the pace of your narrative so that you can summarize some events quickly and render others as fully realized scenes.
3. Supply evocative details to help your readers experience the dramatic development of your narrative.
4. Establish a consistent point of view so that your readers know how you have positioned yourself in you story.
5. Represent the events in you narrative so that you story makes its point.

PROJECT

Today we are going to discuss ideas for your PROJECT, look at some previous examples, and read from the "Narration" chapter in the river reader.

 PROJECT OVERVIEW

1)   Student will read “Resources for Writing” (Thematic Unit – Survival) in their Riverside Reader pages 493 – 563.

 

The purpose of this aspect of the assignment is to further their understanding of seven different rhetorical modes of development and to show them a model for the writing project that they will be doing.  Reading the selections, which are all on the same topic, but which utilize the various “modes of development”.

2)    

Read an additional essay of their choice of each mode and write a précis (posted on their blog) for each.  These readings should come from The Riverside Reader.  While students are doing this aspect of the project the class will be studying and working with various modes in class.

3)   Write six papers on the same topic, each in a different mode. 

 

Each paper should clearly demonstrate the distinct characteristics of the mode.  Before writing the student should review the different chapters for tips on purpose, audience, strategies, and in some cases, potential pitfalls.  Especially important will be the “Points to Remember” charts handed out during the writing.

Students will choose a topic that is well known and interesting to them and broad enough that they can readily adapt it to six different treatments:  1) narration, 2) analysis, 3) compare and contrast, 4) classification, 5) definition, 6) cause and effect and 7) persuasion

 

Topics that have be suggested include: shopping, a favorite sport, school, friends, teenagers, grades, parents, teacher, TV, movies, reading, dating, music, holidays, fashion, presidential elections, politics, religion, vegetarianism, health, food or cooking, nature,  etc.

Each paper should be approximately 500-1000 words, labeled with the mode of development, double-spaced, typed, have a creative title, and a word count at the end.

Total project should be approximately 3500-6000 words.

Each paper will go through at least two drafts and maybe workshopped.

PROJECT will be due at SPRING BREAK.  

Other Due dates: Thematic Unit read ("Survival") by 1/23.  Quiz on 1/24.

Narration Essay (draft) due 1/30

Process Analysis (draft) due 2/6

Compare and Contrast (draft) due 2/13

Division and Classification (draft) due 2/20

Definition (draft) due 2/27

Cause and Effect due 3/6

Persuasion (draft) due 3/13

FINAL drafts (all revisions done) due 3/22

 

 1st TWO ESSAYS - overview:

 

NARRATION AND DESCRIPTION Points to Remember

1. Focus your narrative on the “story” in your story— that is, focus on the conflict that defines the plot.
2. Vary the pace of your narrative so that you can summarize some events quickly and render others as fully realized scenes.
3. Supply evocative details to help your readers experience the dramatic development of your narrative.
4. Establish a consistent point of view so that your readers know how you have positioned yourself in you story.
5. Represent the events in you narrative so that you story makes its point.


PROCESS ANALYSIS

Points to Remember

1. Arrange the steps in your process in an orderly sequence.
2. Identify and explain the purpose of each of the steps in the process.
3. Describe the special tools, terms, and tasks needed to complete the process.
4. Provide warnings, where appropriate, about the consequences of omitting, reversing, or overlooking certain steps.
5. Supply illustrations and personal anecdotes to help clarify aspects of the process.