Readers Review focus

Okay, so for the reader's review it would be great if I could get feedback on the essay as a whole. There are some specific areas where I want feedback, but I really want to know how my essay is in general. The two areas I would really like a focus on is the analysis of my blog and my relation to West's article. With my analysis I want to know how strong you think it is, and whether you feel I need to go further in-depth or more analysis overall. Then, with my relation to West's article I want to know if it's strong, how it sounds, and if you think that it is sufficient or I need more.

Where do I plan to go with my essay? (A little late)

I have already began the writing process of my essay, in fact I was already two pages in before we discussed and worked on it in class. I am going with the first option, analyzing my own blog the identity that I present. Initially it seemed like a difficult task, but with some help with analysis from the groups we had a week or tow ago I have a much better handle on it. From this analysis I plan to bring in and relate the article from Kathleen C. West and the article that I found, Desperately seeking Sameness. I will relate Desperately Seeking Sameness to some of my blog analysis, because I find myself relatable in my writing and the article is about the readers of diary blogs reasons for reading diary blogs. I will relate West's article through the fact that I am in a similar position as West in analyzing a student blog, although a key difference is that I am analyzing my own rather than someone else's, which adds another element to the analysis.

Where do I plan to go with my essay? (A little late)

I have already began the writing process of my essay, in fact I was already two pages in before we discussed and worked on it in class. I am going with the first option, analyzing my own blog the identity that I present. Initially it seemed like a difficult task, but with some help with analysis from the groups we had a week or tow ago I have a much better handle on it. From this analysis I plan to bring in and relate the article from Kathleen C. West and the article that I found, Desperately seeking Sameness. I will relate Desperately Seeking Sameness to some of my blog analysis, because I find myself relatable in my writing and the article is about the readers of diary blogs reasons for reading diary blogs. I will relate West's article through the fact that I am in a similar position as West in analyzing a student blog, although a key difference is that I am analyzing my own rather than someone else's, which adds another element to the analysis.

Selected Article Annotated Bibliography

Karlsson, Lena. "Desperately Seeking Sameness." Feminist Media Studies 7.2 (2007): 137-153. Academic Search Complete. EBSCO. Web. 14 Nov 2010.

In her article, Karlsson studies and looks at the audience of diary blogs. She looks at the reasons why people follow diary blogs and comes to the conclusion that they are looking for sameness and to identify with the writer.

Karlsson supports her conclusions through her research. Specifically, she constructs an online survey, focused on four specific blogs. From the responses to this survey, she drew statistic’s to held her draw her conclusions.

This article connects to my own research through it’s focus on the idea that readers of diary blogs often follow those blogs looking to identify with the write, as the title of the article says they seek sameness. This applies to my own research through the analysis of my blog. I found that I was relatable; I opened up and made references in my blog that any of my readers could connect and identify with. 

Relating West's essay with my own

In her essay, West analyzes three different blog posts and the three different identities that were presented in those posts by the students who posted them. Relation between my essay and her own comes through the analysis of blog posts for the identity represented within. That is exactly what I will be doing with my own blog posts. I will be looking through my own blog and looking for what sort of identity I present in my writing. I can apply West's essay to mine through that relation and through her discussion of the co-representation of the serious, literate side and the laid back, casual side of the student.

Weblogs and Literary Response

In this article the author, Kathleen C. West, explores literary response through blogs and how the identity that the student uses in the blog effects that response. To do this, she takes a look at three specific students and one of their blog posts and analyzes the identity represented by the student within. The author supports here main question and argument through looking at and analyzing these blog posts. Each one provides a different identity and something more to analyze providing plenty of evidence. This article connects to my own research through the fact that the author is looking at a blog (in this case blogs) and scrutinizing and analyzing them, looking for identity represented by the student blogger within.

A part of West's article that really stuck out at me is her detailed look at and analysis of her student's blogs. She goes into real depth in looking at the students use of casual, web language while sticking to desired literary tendencies. This really motivates me into going deeper in the analysis of my own blog, and just taking a good hard look at everything.

In-Class Essay Reflection

Writing the first essay, I definitely learned about my writing process. I feel what I learned is especially evident after reading They Say, I Say, which allowed even further insight into my own writing process and how it is that I write. I feel that how I write, how I form my arguments and the structure of my essays has been deeply effected by my prior school experiences. While AP Lit in my senior year helped release me of some of it (primarily the issue of the five paragraph format), I still need to break free of this. I feel that I don't quite form and make my arguments as I should, prior I didn't know to make my own argument in response to someone else's argument...to write as if I am entering a conversation. Another thing worth noting is usage of quotes in my essays. Before I had trouble well integrating them into my essay, they often stuck out and I failed to transition into them. Surprisingly, once I had read They Say, I Say and looked back through my essay at the quotes I had used, they were well integrated, they didn't just float in my essay. Overall, I guess I really didn't know the fundamentals and how to make my argument, and thus my essay, stronger.

Reflection of Essay 1

Considering the prompt, there isn't too much that comes to mind that my essay informed me of my writing process. The only thing worth mentioning is that enforced rituals and formats of high school have dulled my writing a little. My writing began to open up a little senior year thanks to AP Lit but I still have a ways to go. In high school we had the whole "five paragraph essay" thing drilled into our heads, while that largely does not effect me it still resonates.

I've never really taken much notice of my writing habits and rituals, but when I consider it, I definitely have my own. I like to just go into my room and put on some music. When I run into some trouble, I just take a break and think it over and I can usually come back with something to write. In terms of how I write, I just get straight into it and write. Occasionally I bring a list together of my points and what I am going to write about to bring my thoughts together, but I've never been one to do any sort of pre-write exercise on my own. I certainly see the value and merit in them, but largely I can do without. Looking through my habits and rituals, I guess the one thing to tune into to improve myself as a writer is the fact that when I get stuck on something I just take a break, walk away and let it sit. This is important in alleviating any frustrations and getting the ideas to flow and I really need to utilize it.

I find value in the entire process that we went through in writing the essay. The precis, the writing conference, the presentation and the multiple revisions. All of this helped me to really hone and shape my thesis and arguments and I can really learn from all of it. If I were forced to choose just a couple, I would have to go with the writing conference and the multiple revisions. The writing conference really helped me consider and build upon my argument and the multiple revisions helped me improve my writing overall and how I presented my arguments.