Category Archives: Blog post #1

Blog Post #1 | Cherilene Guzman

Using Gerald Graff and Cathy Birkenstein’s model of “entering the conversation” in your writing has two insightful advantages. This model makes it easier for writers (especially beginners) to enter the world of argumentative writing by providing templates that are simple to use and effectively format the argument that they are trying to make. Secondly, through this model, writers will be able to create more engaging writing. Birkenstein and Graff stress the importance of finding “a way of entering a conversation with others’ views- with something ‘they say'”. (4) By doing so, you will be able to relate to a wider group of readers, thus making your writing more impactful.

I agree with the fact that learning to look at artwork can help us analyze other situations. Being able to study art thoroughly trains you to investigate. Once you have become accustomed to looking at every detail in a piece of artwork and can formulate questions about the inconsistencies you find, that will be able to translate into your everyday life. Other situations or jobs where you need to be extremely detailed oriented will come easier to you since you have already developed core those skills.

Blog post #1

  1. According to Gerald Graff and Cathy Birkenstein’s book, there are some advantages about writers use the model of “entering their conversation” in their writing. First, the writers can engage argumentation writing when no reason to argue. Secondly, the writers will clearly let readers know their creative motivation. Third, they can express their position simply and clearly through entering their conversation. What’s more, argumentation writings should be avoid controversy, this move can avoid writers too one-sided thinking. Last but not least, this method can promote writers to listen more voices and ideas around them. It will be better to develop their critical thinking.
  1. From the smarthistory videos of “How art can help you analyze” and “The Power to Look”, the view is that we learn to look artworks closely can help us improve analytical ability to solve other complicated situations. I strongly agree this point. According to the video of “The Power to Look”, author analyzes three artworks carefully for us. We can know many details that we never consider through following the author to observe. Therefore, even though one artwork, we can look closely to know many details from it. In addition, the artworks are designed and completed carefully by artists, and they are made up of many details. In real life, many professions require strong analytical skills like art masters, such as police officers, lawyers and doctors. They often need to analyze some details to solve complex situations. I still maintain that careful observation is important for improving analytical skills. From this perspective, learning to look at artwork can help us analyze other situations.

Blog Post #1 | Jose Jimenez

 

  • According to Gerald Graff and Cathy Birkenstein, writers should use the model of “entering the conversation” in their writing. What are the advantages of this model? 

According to the reading, “The best academic writing has one underlying feature: it is deeply engaged with other people’s views”. This model makes it easy to do so. The main focus of the model is to provide a way to make writing more efficient, while also giving students a template that invokes more conscious, creative thinking. This gives students many advantages, like the ability to form thoughts and engage in argumentative writing correctly.

  • The smarthistory videos on the schedule this week discuss how learning to look at artwork help us analyze other situations. Do you agree or disagree? Why?

After reviewing both videos, I certainly agree that analyzing & studying artwork can certainly have real-world applications. As the video stated, most essential jobs in the country are very detail oriented. Paying extra attention to the small details in a painting can influence how people interpret it, just like different variables in certain  real-world situations can affect their outcome. It can really be applied to anything from reading a book to watching your favorite tv shows. It’s an important skill that we start honing since young, curiosity helps us survive.

Blog 1- Alfonso

According to Gerald Graff and Cathy Birkenstein, writer should use the model of “entering the conversation” in their writing because to be able to become a strong writer you got to be able to listen to others points of views. The model “I say…..They say” , is important because that will help you understand the other person point of view, making it easier to have a stronger arguments. The advantage of using this model are that the writer will have a stronger understanding of their own opinion and the other person opinion. Knowing what the other person going to say is an advantage because you can provided more evidence in why you disagree with the other person. Disagreeing with a person is easy but backing it up it is hard and this model helps alot.

I agree looking at artwork will help you analyze other situation by thinking outside the box, showing you more details to figuring out a solution. For example in the video it showed that there was a crime and the police officers were gathering information about the crime scene by looking at picture and drawing of the crime. For example I am a visual learner I have to look at thing to be able to understand the situation. If I do not have a physical image presented I will not understand the situation. Artwork help complex situation by being able to provide more details. Lastly artwork is fun to look at.

Blog Post #1

In Gerald Graff and Cathy Birkenstein “Entering the conversation, they suggest using certain templates in order for the writer to get more out of their audience. Beginning writers tend to focus mainly on their views, however being able to implement this model we can understand the true meaning of understanding a conversation. The templates force us to not only open our eyes to the opposite viewpoint of an individual but also open the conversation to a wider range giving anyone a chance to join the conversation. Using the models also allows you, as the writer,  ” immediate sense of how to engage in the kinds of critical thinking you are required to do at the college level and in the vocational and public spheres beyond“. page 2. The templates gives us many advantages, and though like the articles states how some people feel it cuts off their creativity. It actually gives you a chance to challenge your readers in your own creative way.

Some people may not think learning the fundamentals of analyzing artwork as a skill that can help you in your everyday life, I on the other hand think that learning to analyze artwork by seeing the picture in full detail can be used in many aspects of someone’s life. Even if your not an artist, the technique of searching for more in a piece of art can train your mind to use this skill in all aspects of your life. Once your mind is used to looking for more in artwork, it will then begin to process other things in a more in depth way. Looking at all situations in a more detailed form. Looking for not only what is in front of you but the cause and effects of the situation in front of you. 

 

Blog Post #1

According to Gerald Graff and Cathy Birkenstein, writers should try to use the model of “entering a conversation” while writing. This idea benefits less experienced writers, by showing them that their writing, at the very least and argumentative writing, should not be static. Your thoughts and opinions need to go somewhere or interact with others. No other analogy is needed than imagine that you are in a conversation, listening and responding to others with differing opinions, defending your beliefs, backing up others who agree with you but being able to call them out on matters you disagree with. This gives your writing a lot more dimension than just writing as though your readers won’t give your paper a second thought.

After watching the two art history videos, I do believe that observing artwork can help with someone’s skills of analysis. Something I really hold important is trying to understand the perspective of others. The same type of analysis can be applied to the external aspects of our lives. You can observe someone’s body language, their physical characteristics, their tone of voice. The ability to analyze people’s behaviors and actions gives you the ability to read or understand their thoughts without having to hear or read them yourself. Expressing things through art can be as powerful as expression yourself through writing/literature.

 

 

post #1

In the reading of Gerald Graff and Cathy Birkenstein of “entering the conservation” . The advantage of this model is that it can help us to make thing that can make you successful person in either field of art and others. as said in the 2nd page “Perhaps the most distinctive feature of this book is its presentation of many such templates, designed to help you successfully enter not only the world of academic thinking and writing, but also the wider worlds of civic discourse and work.” (paragraph 3 line 4-7) if people have this skill people can hone in their skills of creativity of writing and thinking skills.

I agree withe the videos that art can make us more focused in any details in a art work. When you see a detail in a art work your mind goes what made the artist do that in the first place and also think that that little detail can also give reasons of why and makes us imagine in the shoes of the artist or other perspectives. But in general art can make your eyes more sensitive of every missing detail from a homicide or others such as the medical field and even other artist.

#1

As Gerald Graff and Cathy Birkenstein, said writers should use the model of “entering the conversation” in their writing. The advantage of this model is it’s easier to relate to us readers and makes us more interested in the book or article we are reading. As it was said on 1st page “What makes writers masters of their trade is not only their ability to express interesting thoughts but their mastery of an inventory of basic moves that they probably picked up by reading a wide range of other accomplished writers.”( 2nd paragraph 3rd line) with this skill writers have been able to make readers more connected with the writing.

i agree with the fact that artwork help us analyze other situations and makes us more focused on little details. With each art there are countless details and meaning to it. When we look at the art everyone have their own reason to find something unique and different perspective. As it said in the video “doctors, nurses, and law enforcement agents can use painting, sculpture, and photography as tools to improve their visual acuity, and communication skills…” as it was said it helps us better at explaining what we saw in more detail and look thoroughly.

 

Blog Post #1

Please write a brief blog post that responds to the two questions below. Remember to also respond to at least one classmate:

  1. According to Gerald Graff and Cathy Birkenstein, writers should use the model of “entering the conversation” in their writing. What are the advantages of this model?
  2. The smarthistory videos on the schedule this week discuss how learning to look at artwork help us analyze other situations. Do you agree or disagree? Why?