Journal #15: Analyzing an argument

Ehrlich, A. (2010, April 14). Shades of green: green dog food. Daily Titan. Retrieved April 20, 2010 from http://www.dailytitan.com/2010/04/14/shades-of-green-green-dog-food/

In this article, Erhlich states the reason why we should feed our dogs with “greener” dog food (par.3). It’s also a claim of cause and the idea that we should let our pets eat greener pet food is a claim of cause and also a claim of policy. In paragraph 11, she lists some features of green pet food which is a claim of value. The statistics she uses in the article (claim of cause) is appealing to both reason and emotion. To reach the conclusion, she uses a statistics of dogs dying from acute renal failure. In my opinion, this is a strong argument article because the writer uses different approaches to make the article appealing to the readers. She uses a lot of statistics and evidence that make her argument a lot stronger than those of the opposite viewers.

#14: Anticipating parent's objection

Dear Mom and Dad,

Up to now it's been 5 months since I left Vietnam. It seems like time goes by really fast here. For the past months, I made you worried a lot because everything here is completely strange to me, from the culture, life style to the people. I know that in Vietnam, I just needed to concentrate on studying, and left the rest to you. I admit that I'm not an active and outgoing person and it took me a long time to get used to the way of life here, but please believe in me.

Since I came here, I have experienced many things, both good and bad. I also learned a lot, sometimes it's bitter but it's all good for me now and then. I started to do things on my own and forgot the habit of relying on you. I'm already an adult and I'm responsible for what I say and do.

After all, everything works smoothly now. I know what I will study, I settle myself without asking for monthly allowance, I find life is enjoyable here if I do my best. I promise that I won't make you disappointed. Please take care of yourself. Hopefully, I'll see you during summer.

Quynh

#13: Summarize/Paraphrase Practise

What we experienced lately is not a joke. According to DiMassa (2010), we have observed more and more earthquakes this year, as of 70 were reported until April (par. 2). However, these unfortunate events are unable to be explained completely, due to its fluctuating frequency (par. 3). It is predicted that more and more earthquake will happen. DiMassa mentions that more than 1000 aftershocks were reported, of which 12 is higher than 5.0 (par. 8). She also points out some major earthquakes including the Mexicali, the Landers,the Whittier Narrows, and the Northridge earthquake - which caused the most serious damage (par. 10). It is believed that since the beginning of the last decade, earthquake frequency has been pretty random (par. 11). Although scientists state that more destructive earthquake will not happen, what happened recently in Haiti and Chile make people concerned about the threat (par. 17). For this year, it is claimed that a large quake will result in several "seismic activity" (par. 22). Let's hope that no serious earthquake will happen within the end of this year.

Link: http://articles.latimes.com/2010/apr/12/local/la-me-quake13-2010apr13


DiMassa, Cara. (2010, April 12). More moving and shaking, but why? Los Angeles Times. Retrieved April 14 , 2010, from http://articles.latimes.com/2010/apr/12/local/la-me-quake13-2010apr13

My first research sources

Andrew F. Smith, John U. Rees, Rachelle E. Friedman, Alison Tozzi, Kara Newman, Anne Mendelson, Amy Bentley, Sylvia Lovegren "Historical Overview" The Oxford Encyclopedia of Food and Drink in America. Ed. Gordon Campbell. Oxford University Press, 2003. California State University Fullerton. 27 March 2010

My research topic is How the American eating in mid-nineteenth century influences the American diet nowadays. This short entry covers what American soldiers and civilians ate during the Civil War. It also mentions an important invention in food industry at that time - canned goods and meat packing - which still has a great impact nowadays. This short entry gives me an overview of the American diet at that time, and helps me limit my research information range. However, more detailed information is needed as this entry just provides some basic ideas.

I read Bomy's and Vivian's post.

Advice

Talking about advice, whenever I do something important, I always seek advice from my parents and my friends. In Vietnamese, we have a saying: " An outsider has a clearer mind". The truth is that most of the time, the advice I got prove to be useful. At the beginning, they make me think like I cannot rely on myself, for some of my decisions are based on what other people suggest. As time goes by, I realize that it is good to seek advice from everybody, at least for me. I'm the type of person who never thinks deeply before doing something. It's like I'm not patient enough to spend time thinking, thinking and thinking about the problem, like what is the best solution. Every time I struggle something, I always find the first solution coming to my mind, without considering its pros and cons, and end up getting stuck. Now that I got the lesson, whenever I do something important, I ask for my parent's and friend's advice before considering them with my own ideas.

On the contrary, I'm not good at giving advice. What I'm afraid the most is that when people tell me their problems and ask for advice. That's their biggest mistake. I'm a good listener, but I'm not a good adviser, especially romantic problems. I can share and console their emotional pain, but please don't ask me for advice, if you don't want to end up breaking up. Other than that, I can give some fairly so-so advice on other problems.

I read Wendy's and Sherry's posts.

Research Questions

Back in Vietnam, my major was Hospitality Management and I have a great interest in food industry; therefore, most of my writing topics are related to food and diets. American cuisine, with traditional dishes such as meat loaf, mashed potatoes, cheese cakes, apple pie, etc. is my all time favorite, regarding its development history and the influence from British and French cooking. After reading a book about American eating habits in post Civil War and the Wild West time, the impressive advance in food industry and the dining etiquette at that time attracted me. I was curious on how they influence not only the American diets but also the global food industry nowadays. For this research paper, I would like to write about the American eating habits in mid nineteenth century. Three research questions that may help me develop my research paper are:

1. How the American eating habits in mid nineteenth century influence the American diet nowadays.

2. The similarities and differences between the American eating habits in mid nineteenth century and the American diet nowadays.

3. Although with advance technology, is the American eating habit nowadays a back step of the way it used to be during Post Civil War?

I read Meka and Tara's posts.

Yummy traditional American food

Before coming to America, I had no idea what traditional American food was, besides the short lesson about American cuisine I studied in university a long long time ago. At that time, American food to me was plainly fastfood like hamburger, hot dog, fried chicken. I didn't have the chance to taste traditional American food in my home country because it is not popular as Japanese or Chinese cuisine, until I study in America. My first impression is the unbelievable popularity of fast food here. Well, fast food is tasty, at least in my opinion, it's cheap and well, I can find it anywhere at any time. "No wonder Americans like it", I once thought. However, I changed my mind completely when I tasted my very first American dishes during Thanks Giving. I love pumpkin, I love the way Americans make their pumpkin pies. Not to mention other yummy pies: Blueberry pie, peach pie, apple pie, lemon pie, etc. I admit I love sweets but there are other delicious dishes too. Meat loaf is super especially when it is garnished with marshed potatoes and steamed asparagus. Blueberry muffin and pancakes are my all time favorites for breakfast. Creamy clam chowder and salad with Thousand Island Dressing are good starters. Beef stew and fillet mignon, chicken pot pie and club chicken sandwiches, these dishes make me wonder why some Americans prefer to eat fast food rather than enjoying these tasty food. Before coming to America, my friend in California once warned me, "Believe me, you won't be able to eat American food. It's completely different from Vietnamese food." Well, I admit these two cuisines are different,but I do enjoy this country's cooking, as long as I study in America.

I read Tara's and Abdullah's post.