I commented on "Welcome to Renae's thoughts"

My take on this ENG101 class was the purpose of learning how to think “outside the box” of standard English writing procedures.  We were told to focus on looking beyond “grammatical snobbery” (GRWJ article) to studying the different types of genres.  We also learned to see every form of writing as a different type of genre.  Society has placed socially construed constraints on every genre from text messaging to sidewalk chalk messages to novels. (Unit One) We discussed the wedding toast’s characteristics as the example for this. The wedding toast has a certain time during the reception that it occurs, it is usually done by a specific group of people in attendance, it is usually spoken –but has thoughts written on notecards to help with the giving of the speech, as well as many other characteristics like these.  Even though there is a standard make-up to each genre and a specific method that is used to send the message (i.e.: phone, computer, speaker, paper, etc.) there can always be exceptions.  Exceptions must have logical and justifiable reasons in why they are straying from the typical method or format.” (My UNIT 1 half-way blog)  Also in Unit1, we learned how to write a rubric for and then create a newspaper article.  I learned to see the grammatical and visual elements that make up articles. (“With the rubric, I did a good job at dissecting all the different parts of visual and grammatical characteristics that made up the genre of newspaper articles.” (Unit1 final blog)  Peer reviews were also experienced in this unit, and we learned how to make constructive criticism that wasn’t too generalized.

Since we learned how to see each form of writing as a different genre in UNIT1 with socially construed characteristics, we did a project on manipulating a genre in UNIT2.  The purpose of manipulating the genre was to see how people would react to the change.  My biggest take away from UNIT 2 is as follows: “The project gave the results that I expected- that people would have a reaction to the genre when it was in a different context. I did come to realize though that we are able to assume that because people had such an adverse reaction to our one altered genre, that they may react to any genre that is altered.  However, we are not able to generalize that finding as a fact - due to the fact that we do not have enough research to back it up.”  (Unit2 final blog) I also learned the following: “I actually see all writing as writing genres, and I am able to contemplate their construed constraints. Before this unit, I only saw school work or book and poems as genres.” (Unit2 final blog)

In Unit3 we had to discuss our process of learning a genre based on what we had learned the last two units. I wrote about Audio Descriptions.  I described my learning process while trying to create my own creation of this genre.  It was interesting reading others paper s in the peer review sessions to see what kind of struggles they had.  The purpose of this was to fit the GRWJ format.  So, we had to study the other articles in order how to write our own.  We as a class made up a general rubric for the “GRWJ article” Then we wrote our own papers fitting this format.

I learned this semester how to see all forms of writing as different genres with socially construed characteristics.  I also learned how there is a time and a place for grammatical snobbery – many times there are more important things in the writing that focusing on that.

Proposal: write on the topic of writing a resume. I will discuss my personal struggles as well as common mistakes or issues with resumes. I will also discuss what makes the most successful resume.

10 things
1. formal
2. structured in an organized format
3. can have subtitles for the different sections
4. must have references at the end of the article
5. must have a discription of the author
6. can contain graphs or charts or pictures to support article.
7.usually biographal in structure
8. research usually sometimes based on experience then expounded upon
9. must have a title
10. avg between 7-14pages long

ENG101 Unit 2 Final Blog

UNIT 2 Final Blog


Since the half way blog I have not learned anything new per say. The project gave the results that I expected- that people would have a reaction to the genre when it was in a different context. I did come to realize though that we are able to assume that because people had such an adverse reaction to our one altered genre, that they may react to any genre that is altered.  However, we are not able to generalize that finding as a fact - due to the fact that we do not have enough research to back it up. 
The only thing I'm currently struggling with in this class is the Final Blogs. I never know what to write because I feel as if I have written everything I have learned in the half way blog.
One thing I was a little worried about at the beginning of the unit was having to work in a group.  Group work - esp in Gen Ed classes - does not always get evenly shared.  Usually only one or two of the group members end up doing all of the work.


The biggest take-away for me was already stated in my half-way blog. But, it is that now I actually see all writing as writing genres, and I am able to contemplate their construed constraints. Before this unit, I only saw school work or book and poems as genres.


I really enjoyed our project! I thought it was creative, hands-on, and really taught us something that is applicable to every day life! And, I am excited to see what others did for their projects. So, I am glad that you are having us all share in front of the class about our projects and our findings.


(For my comment on another blog, I commented on "Welcome to Renae's Thoughts.")

ENG101 UNIT2 Halfway Learning Blog

ENG101 UNIT2 Halfway Learning Blog

       Thousands of kinds of genres are a part of our daily life.   Each genre consists of a set of socially construed characteristics.  These characteristics make up the format, design, intended audience, and location of the genre.  Over time, society decided what characteristics apply to each genre, and these characteristics have been accepted “like gospel” in the majority of American Society. Most of us do not consciously consider the specific characteristics of each genre.  We merely treat them like an involuntary body function –not really noticing they are there but just taking them for granted.  Unit Two, English 101, is teaching us to notice those specific characteristics, and it is teaching us to realize how deeply engrained as undisputed facts the decided characteristics of genres are in the average person’s mind. 

            These characteristics are widely accepted almost as if they were absolute truth, but are only based the relativity factor of what society deemed as proper over time.  We accept these characteristics without question, and apply them to genres we create and expect them of genres we encounter.  How many things do we accept at face value without question because the general public, or more specifically our peers, deemed them as correct, normal, and/or proper.  The issue of accepting genre socially construed characteristics is small compared to a society that accepted without question, the idea of extinguishing another race.  But, if we are willing to start with the small things, how many other things will we continue to accept without question before the line of “how far is too far” becomes blurry? This may seem like a long stretch for an analogy, but maybe it will get people to think about things in a different light.  Maybe, it will help people to think before jumping on a bandwagon for any issues from the seeming small topic of genre characteristics to larger issues such as how and why we judge or treat people a certain way.   How much will we subconsciously allow society to dictate our actions and views? Stephen Fry discusses, in the Grassroots article “Breaking Down Grammatical Snobbery…” about what really is “good” English.  He addresses the fact that what society deems as “good” English is not always fitting or the best use for different situations.  He also talks about how just because someone does not follow society’s characteristics, does not make them necessarily a bad writer.

            I also had never realized the amount of characteristics that apply to each genre.  I never considered that these characteristics were relative, and I have realized with this study, how deeply engrained these ideas of society are engrained in my own thought process.   I enjoyed reading the pre-mentioned Grassroots article because I never thought about things from Stephen Fry’s perspective.  Growing up, I was always in the honors English classes, and I tried to follow the laws that society has placed on what I have been taught is “proper writing.”  When I proof read/ peer review others’ papers, I usually expect and hold the authors to also follow the typical guidelines for writing.  Even now as I see this different perspective, it is still hard for me to look at another’s paper with what I see as “poor writing skills” and not expect or demand that they improve their writing to meet the standards that I have been taught as unquestionable truth. (I must note that… I know that I often make mistakes in my own writing, but I at least expect others to have the same goal as me--to try to get as close to the “standard” as possible.)  I now realize how much society’s idea of “good writing” has been deeply engrained into my world view.  

            By all of this, I am not saying that everything that society decides as a whole is bad/wrong.  I am just saying that we should question why we follow it, or see it as truth before we subconsciously follow or accept.  I do personally feel that what society has deemed as “good writing” is a good thing in many ways.  I believe that we do need a standard in our society to follow, in order to be graded and to have a standard for what professionalism is in writing.  We also need these standards to have a basis for how our language works and functions.  How else would you teach someone the language of English if we did not have some set rules?  These rules keep our language somewhat universal.  If change the characteristics of how we write or communicate (this mostly applies to international business)the issue of local dialects may become an issue in our writing too.  With certain rules it is easier for international relations and even from one part of our country to another to translate and or conceptualize what we are trying to communicate.  However, I do agree that this idea of “good writing” has become generalized to more areas than what it should.  There should be some freedom of writing in many genres outside of professional work related genres.  This is because it allows people to be more creative, and many times can give a more personal level to the individual’s work.  It is possible to express yourself in standard writing characteristics, but one has to be proficient at writing in that style before he or she can really make his or her writing have a personality and stand out from others.

            I do not have any questions at this time, and I understand what we are discussing.  However, like I stated before, I enjoy the perspective that has been presented on this topic, but I do not agree as far as Stephen Fry takes it.  He does begrudgingly admit that there are times that society’s characteristics still need to apply (like a classroom), but he seems as if he would rather that not even to have to be the case.  In my opinion, I think that there is a good and proper place for society’s rules on writing (certain classroom, work, resume’s, other professional outputs). In my opinion, it is an obvious indicator to employers of who (based on the average person) has had a “good” education and who worked hard in school. The employer usually looks at the writing before they get to meet the applicant, so the writing has to be in a format that says something about the applicant’s level of professionalism.

            I think that I understand the material well, and have thought up a good life application/ life lesson from this material.  That is the goal of General Education courses for me.  I have to take them, so I might as well get as much as I can out of them by figuring out ways to apply what I learn to more than just the specific subject matter.  

Sources: Grassroots Journal, Class discussions, and ENG101 class blog

27FEB12
genre project:
ideas: personal to-do list- put on post-it notes and posted around out in public, post it on one of those flyers w/ tear off papers
decided on flyers w/ papers. we will put "TO DO LIST FOR TODAY" as description and on little papers put things like -- "brush teeth, take a shower, go to the store, go to the bathroom, walk the dog, call mom...."
testing the project: we each have a building that we go to often during the day and we will each hang up flyers in our perspective buildings and observe and record reactions.