Draft Cover Letter

Dear Portfolio Reader,

At the beginning of the course this semester, I do not really like writing myself. One of my biggest weakness is that I cannot write the essay with several pages long. I will always find myself have nothing to write. Surprisingly, I found that I am no longer afraid of the length, I can also write ten pages essay without facing as much difficulties as I did before. I believe this is one of my biggest improvement by taking WRT102 this semester.

To be honest, I have never write rhetorical analysis before, I have never even read essay like that. So I feel totally lost in the progress of writing the first essay. After I read several examples of rhetorical analysis, things are becoming much easier. I also learned how the use of logos, ethos and pathos make essay persuasive, which also helps me in the writing of research argument. So far, my research argument is the longest essay I have ever written.

Everything I have learned in this course will help me a lot no matter in the further study of college or in the job finding. For example, it will help in writing of the upper division essay or personal statement, the skill I learned helps making my essay persuasive. No matter where my future will be, writing is always a good skill to have.

Revision Progress

So far my essay 3 revision goes well, I am mainly use the professor’s version of comments as a guide line and student’s peer review version as add-up to correct what I lack for. What I concern most is the credibility of my sources of citation. Since on the assignment sheet, it asks us to use the sources from the credible sources, and one of them must come from the magazine, and another one must come from the newspaper. But for me, some of the them are the sources I have never heard before. So looking for new source for citation could be one of my major concern during the further revision.

Problems.

So far, the process of drafting my research argument is good. However, there are still some problems exist. The using of citation source is one of the problems. Since the topic I write is mainly about the issue in China, which the essay that wrote by Chinese would be somehow more authentic. But it is hard for others who read my essay to search and understand what my citation is talking about since it is writing in Chinese.  The good thing is, it does not bother me anymore, it can be solved easily after I know what citation I want. It is not that hard to find a authentic citation that is wrote in English. The second one is my most concerned one, that my response to those counter-arguments are not somehow really the solutions to those problems. I try to make those who hold opposite views from me to think the problems in another way, to show them that the problems they have will not have solution, and at meanwhile, it will even make thing worse. I worry about that since I do not know if the way of response is strong enough.

Resource Annotation

Citation: Jianyong Yue. (2012) “Why does globalization mean for China’s Economic Development ?” on website, “Global Policy”.

Summary: The essay simply give the developing of China in recent 10 to 20 years as an example to show us how Globalization affect a developing world. It says that China’s accession to the World Trade Organization (WTO) in 2001 was a momentous decision made by the top leadership, and also it is a sign of opening economy to the worldwide. After doing this, China start to experience the  high GDP growth, the Chinese companies are getting bigger and stronger and even China is rapidly industrializing itself into an economic superpower as result. However, the essay challenges this prevalent view on the ground that globalization has produced a double effect. The one the author mentioned is it locked China at the low end of the global value chain.

Using: I am going to use the citation as evidence of supporting both the positive side of view and negative side. The high growth of GDP and Chinese companies are getting bigger and stronger as the evidence of positive side;  locking China up at the low end of the global value chain as negative side. Then express them to the data-supported evidence of my opinion.

Research Proposal

Introduction: My subject of essay 3 is about economic globalization. Globalization is a wide

topic which is relatively hard to explain and to write about. So I mainly focus on the economy

side of globalization. For example, the global trade, the open economy to world wide. My

purpose of writing is to let people know what economic globalization really is and how it will

affect my life, than proving it will benefit people, especially those in third world countries,

instead of harming people more. My audience will be those who hold the opposite opinions

from me and those who have no idea about what economic globalization is. The timing will

be recent 20 years.

Rationale: The reasons why this topic is important to us all, that almost everyone in the

society will affect by that, is economic globalization appear in every cornor in our life.

The groceries we buy, the cars we drive, the clothes we are wearing and even the reason

why I need to write this essay is the product of economic globalization (as international

student). For example, the label with “Made in China” on the product is a typically example

of economic globalization, with refering to the global trade side. Without the economic

globalization, our life can be much different from now. For myself, not only the status of

international student, the cellphone I use is from America; the clothes I am wearing is made

in Tailand; the car I drive is from Japan and my furnitures are from Sweden, and I am not the

only one enjoys the benefits from economic globalization. That is why it matters not just me,

but everyone.

Research Plan: What I have already know is that Economic globalization is the increasing

economic interdependence of national economies across the world through a rapid increase

in cross-border movement of goods, service, technology, and capital. Whereas globalization

is centered on the rapid development of science and technology and increasing cross-border

division of labor, economic globalization is propelled by the rapid growing significance of

information in all types of productive activities and marketization, and the advance of science

and technologies. Depending on the paradigm, economic globalization can be viewed as

either a positive or a negative phenomenon. (Wikipedia). There are people argue about that

since the day the concept was came out. I have searched for many benefits and drawbacks it

will bring us and I know most people argue that since it somehow benefits more in developed

countries rather than needy countries. What I still remain unknow or still need more research

is the way to solve those problems the economic globalization will bring us. On the other

word, to prove that the drawbacks it will bring us is not the reason we stop economic

globalization. His benefits are much more than disadvantages.

Implications: As I have mentioned before in the Rationale section, the issue does not

only matter to me, but everyone lives in the society, on this earth. Once we successfully

solve the problems that economic globalization will bring to us, or find the way to fix

those disadvantages less worse, a even better world will be waiting. We are not just argue

for ourselves, but for whole world, for whole world’s future. On the other hand, even the

drawbacks still remain nowadays, but it does not really affect countries to implement the

policies to remain open and keep trading. So the economic globalization is somehow the

tendency we are experiencing now but not just the policies we discuss whether to implement

or not.

Pro/Con Exercise

My topic of essay 3 is about economic globalization. Globalization is a wide topic which is relatively hard to explain and to write about. So I mainly focus on the economy side of globalization. For example, the global trade, the open economy to world wide. I am writing this to let people know what economic globalization really is and how it will affect my life, than proving it will benefit people, especially those in third world countries, instead of harming them more.

The tentative question that guide my research will be what disadvantages that economic globalization really have that will make those who disagree with that to ignore the benefits it has to refuse it.

My tentative argument is economic globalization should be implemented among the countries.

Evidence that support this claim:

1. Give examples and specific statistics about some countries before economic globalization and after the economic globalization.

2. They create job opportunities. (specific data with employment rate that create by multinational corporation.)

3. Competition help make progress. (Give examples about how it works)

Evidence for counterclaim:

1. Give example on financial crisis that happened in 2008 to show how economic globalization affect other countries that supposed to have no relationship to that originally.

2. Show how multinational corporation exploit labor force in third world countries.

3. Give specific data to show how economic globalization makes rich countries richer and making poor countries even poorer.

Blog Post 2: Monster and Marvel

After visiting the Monsters and Marvels exhibit in Wang Center of Stony Brook, I feel the stereotype that caused by lack of touching and learning for Asians. People can almost only know how people on the other side of the earth are like. The exhibit divided into several parts with different theme. For example, the manipulator, the temptress, the brute and the brain, etc. But all these are hardly truth for Asian.

For example, in part of The Brain. Asian are defined as hyper intelligent mind without a body; sexless, heartless, friendless, a self-hating prodigy more comfortable interacting with machines than people. On the other hand, the way of drawing is somehow not that “good”. The result is that now Asian are see as people with  hyper intelligent but nothing else.

For the most important reason why Asian would be treat like this is the result of media’s  misreporting. Most of them will only report those will draw a lot of people’s attention and interest to see. They do not try to find to reason behind all these “characteristics” of Asian.

Blog post 1: Topics of Essay 3

1. Economic Science: Global Trade. I chose the issue that related to the economic science since I major in that and I really interested in economics. Global Trade is an appearance of Globalization. People argue for that since the issue was came out. However, no matter how people agree or disagree about it, it is being used for a long period. I need to find out how Global Trade really is and how it benefits people around or why it is harmful to some extent. The exact data and the truth will be needed to show all these. People disagree about that since somehow it is harmful, especially for third world countries. Global Trade does not work in the way for those who against expected. It makes poor countries poorer, rich countries richer when it originally should make countries even. For my audience, I would say for those who does not know much about Global Trade, and those who disagree with my point of view could be my potential audience. It is possible for those who disagree with me would somehow moved by my reasons for supporting it. And those who do not know much about that could support my opinions after reading this. Beside this, Global Trade is really the issue that related to anyone of us, as long as you buy things.

2. Development first, or conservation first. The topic itself looks like really easy to make choice. But sometimes, it really confused people if we calm down to see if the Development first is reasonable. For how it will affect us, it is obvious. Both of them strongly affect our life, no matter environment or development. I have already know even that almost all the society regard environment protection as the most important issue, at least they make claim in this way to public, but some of them still exchange environment for development like higher technology or beautiful  building. I need to find what most country say when talking about this issue and what they really do. I will also try to make it accountable when checking if the damage of the environment worth for what they sacrifice for. I believe most people agree with the point that conservation first policy is because this is how they think ethically and what they are taught when growing up. I will think about the issue economically, try to make the cost the lowest. My potential audience could be anyone who concern about the issue and feel sometimes the sacrifice of environment could be worth for exchange of development.

Comparative analysis on Saving Ethiopia’s “Church Forests” and “Man discovers a new life-form at a South African truck stop”

After reading the Saving Ethiopia’s “Church Forests” and “Man discovers a new life-form at a South African truck stop”, they are basically talking about the similar topics, but differs in some of the way of writing.

“Saving Ethiopia’s “Church Forests”” is written in the mode of modes of Description and Problem-and-solution. The whole essay is describing the forests the surrounding the church in Ethiopia and asking people to protect the forests. In the middle paragraph of the essay, the author illustrate the biggest threats to there forests, which is the church members and clergy who use the forests for firewood. Then in the later paragraphs, the author gives the solution which is raising the productivity and establish the infrastructures in the forests. For the essay “Man discovers a new life-form at a South African truck stop”, the author uses Description and a little bit Biography. The essay describes how the German biologist Oliver Zompro find the unknown order of species and encourage people to learn something from the experience of Zompro and try to pay more attention to the life’s detail around us. The main purpose of Saving Ethiopia’s “Church Forests” is to educate, enlighten and persuade. The author try to persuade us to protect the forests and educate people there how to protect it and the enlighten them the way that they damage the forest which they do not even realize. For essay  “Man discovers a new life-form at a South African truck stop”, the main purpose is to enlighten people to learn the way of discovering new order of insects and persuade people to do what people in the essay do.

For the Knowledge gap, both essay give many background information for audience to know what the author is talking about. For most obviously, they give images and videos during the text to show us what they are talking about. For the language part, instead of professional language, they use the simple word to describe what they are trying to say. For example, in the essay “Man discovers a new life-form at a South African truck stop”, author says “”Man discovers a new life-form at a South African truck stop””. He typically gives a simple version of explanation in order for audience to understand.

In order to raise the interest of audience, the easy-understand language, the images, the videos and the length of the essay can all help.

Appeal also used in both articles. First, the logos are used in essay. In Saving Ethiopia’s “Church Forests”, the describing specific number of surrounding forests of churches, the biggest reason that threats the forests are all examples of logos. For  “Man discovers a new life-form at a South African truck stop”, the experience of the German biologist Oliver Zompro is logos, they provide the truth of process of finding new species. For ethos, as biologist, Oliver Zompro is authority of the insects. What is more, during the journal of discovering, the funding organization, Conservation International is another authority. In  Saving Ethiopia’s “Church Forests”, the use of multimedia also makes essay persuasive. For pathos, at the end of “Man discovers a new life-form at a South African truck stop”, he says “”Man discovers a new life-form at a South African truck stop”, the humor really make people relax and willing to do what he persuade us to do.

The application of wonder appeal is that both essay make us feel that we can all be the one who discover the new species and become the one who save our forests. The humor language and the interesting videos all make us find interesting to read the essays. Moreover, the solution he gives in the Saving Ethiopia’s “Church Forests” teach us how to save our forests at the same time, which provides the practical value to the essay we read.

Analysis on the differences between essays by Michelle Nijhuis

After reading both essay wrote by  Michelle Nijhuis on the same topic, it is easily to distinguish the rhetorical differences between those two essays. The first one, “Conservation Triage” was published on the website with colored picture with it, which reminds us of popular science. The potential reader for this kind of essay will be those who have almost no knowledge or a little knowledge about what the author is trying to explain. So Nijhuis gives the new word, “Conservation Triage” as topic to make people feel fresh about the topic and wonder what Conservation Triage is, which makes them have desire to keep reading. Then, he starts the essay with easy-understand example to tell the audience what this essay is going to talk about. He replaces all the scientific words to simple word for audience to understand and he gives example that is normal in our daily life to explain all the science related events. What is more, the length of the essay is also suitable for normal audience to read. Usually readers with no background knowledge will hardly have interest to read several pages long essay and even they can, it is hard to them to understand.

However, the essay “Which Species Will Live” is more professional in comparison. The topic of the essay directly point out what the essay is going to talking about and the audience is obviously those with enough background knowledge and have been study specifically with. Also the length, the word the essay use, and even the picture which have specific explanation with are all the evidence of the professional reading. The sub-topic of the essay is another difference that differs from the popular science and the professional science.  “Which Species Will Live” focuses more on detail, but “Conservation Triage” focuses more on what the problems are. So for me, there are the main differences.