COMM201

BLOG TEN: College tuition should be free for students who finish high school with at least an 80% average”. As you write your blog post, try to use all three of the following methods of persuasion. 1) Appeal primarily to the reader’s emotions and values. 2) Appeal primarily to the reader’s logic and reasoning. 3) Appeal to the reader by presenting yourself as a reliable authority on the subject.

Whether college tuition fees should be eliminated, has always been a controversial topic.

According to CBC, post-secondary tuition fees for Canadian students have surged 3.1% for 2017-2018 academic year, going from $6,375 to $6,571 compared to previous years on average; while International student undergraduate programs increased by 6.3% (Harris, 2017). A report reveals Canada’s total student loan debt hit approximately $22B (Mitchell, 2014). This means, millions of students are in serious debt before they even graduate and could make any income. The graduates, upon leaving university or college, faced an extremely competitive job market with “precarious employment, undesirable contract jobs, a closed housing market and a legacy of student debt that’s higher than ever” (Biss, 2017). Additionally, a report stated it would take 14 years on average for students to pay back their debt of approximately $28,000 with a starting salary of $39,523 (Financial Post, 2012). Charlotte Kiddell, deputy chair of the Canadian Federation of Students, told CBC News that “post-secondary education is essential to pursue a decent quality of life, and people should not be denied that opportunity based on costs” (Harris, 2017).

By eliminating college tuition fees, the country’s budget would face a substantial loss of revenue. A solution has been brought up for debate of whether college tuition should be scrapped for high school students who graduated with a minimum of 80% average. This measure would encourage students to work hard in order to achieve high results, lead to better chances of employment, and in return, would produce skilled workforce for the nation. Skilled workers could earn a substantial amount that results in higher quality of life, and higher tax could be implemented to increase national’s budget.

Overall, this issue remains an on-going debate in congress despite petitions from students and the public.

(296 words)

References:

Biss, M. (2017, Sep 19). Canada Is Nowhere Close To Ending The Student Debt Crisis. Retrieved from Huff Post: https://www.huffingtonpost.ca/michele-biss/canada-is-nowhere-close-to-ending-the-crisis-of-student-debt_a_23211011/

Financial Post. (2012, Sep 04). Student debt: Average payback takes 14 years. Retrieved from Financial Post: http://business.financialpost.com/personal-finance/student-debt-average-payback-takes-14-years

Harris, K. (2017, Sep 06). University tuition fees in Canada jump 3.1% on average, StatsCan reports. Retrieved from CBC: http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/statscan-university-tuition-1.4276740

Mitchell, J. (2014). How Big is Canada’s Student Debt Today? Retrieved from Student Finance 101: http://www.debt101.ca/news/how-big-is-canadas-student-debt-today

BLOG NINE: As we explore the art of persuasion this week, we want you to think about how you would argue for or against a controversial topic. For this week’s blog post, choose ONE of the topics below. Then provide 3 reasons to justify your answer. Make sure to provide sufficient detail. (7. Your choice – Banned smoking in public).

For many years, scientists have continued to prove the negative impact of smoking. Not only would it affect the smoker themselves, but also the people around them. Mothers were warned not to smoke during pregnancy as it could affect the development of the fetus and the baby could be at risk of certain birth defect. Smoking is known for causing cancer as it contains carcinogens – substances that caused cancer (Mayo Clinic, n.d.). So with all the negatives, should smoking be banned completely in public?

As a non-smoker, I find it extremely offensive when sharing the same environment with a smoker. Not only the smell causes annoyance, but inhaling the secondhand smoke could increased the risks of getting cancer, as it has been proven that secondhand smoke has the same harmful chemicals and effect as firsthand smoke (The American Cancer Society , 2015).

By smoking in public, the smokers themselves have portrayed a bad example for children and young adults. The younger generation is easily influenced in their growing stages. Some teenager’s associate smoking with adulthood and maturity, hence more teenagers would perceive this action as something “cool” and imitating the adults.

Banning smoking in public would promote a healthier lifestyle. It would give a good impression as government concerns about its citizens. The smokers themselves would be forced to smoke less due to the regulation as they can no longer smoke anywhere else but their own homes. In the long run, this would help to save them money, to quit smoking and quite possibly, helped saving their lives.

Overall, smoking is a bad habit and it should be eliminated completely. By implementing the ban, the government would certainly improve its citizen’s wealth, health, and their lifestyle.

(286 words)

References:

Mayo Clinic. (n.d.). Lung Cancer. Retrieved 03 20, 2018, from Mayo Clinic: https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/lung-cancer/symptoms-causes/syc-20374620

The American Cancer Society . (2015, 11 13). Health Risks of Secondhand Smoke. Retrieved 03 20, 2018, from American Cancer Society : https://www.cancer.org/cancer/cancer-causes/tobacco-and-cancer/secondhand-smoke.html

BLOG EIGHT: Think of a recent time when you persuaded someone to think your way or do something you wanted (or someone persuaded you). What strategies did you (or the other person) use? Why was the persuasion successful? Did you (or the other person) rely on emotion, logic, facts, charm, or something else?

Hannah is a very close friend of mine who was once married to her ex-husband, Justin. They met each other back in high school and were dated for 10 years before Justin proposed to her, followed by a wonderful wedding. Justin was the branch manager of a major financial company and Hannah was a news reporter. They had a daughter and were extremely happy together.

Everything was wonderful until Justin got promoted. He often works late and goes on business trips away from home. They started having problems and argued a lot. Eventually, Hannah found out Justin had been cheating on her with his new secretary. She was heart broken and decided to move out with their daughter. A few months later, their daughter Christina, had a serious accident and passed away. Hannah was completely devastated and shattered.

I tried to be there for her but she closed herself up and wouldn’t talk to anyone. She started drinking a lot and took antidepressant. One day, I came to Hannah’s house and found her in a bathtub with her wrist slit opened. I rushed her to the hospital. It took a major operation and a week later for Hannah to recover. I was there with her throughout this whole time. Perhaps the “near death” experience had changed her mind. We talked about everything that had happened. I listened to what she says and advised her to seek professional help. I suggested activities or classes that she could join once she gets out of the hospital and fully recovered. I told her how much her friends and family care about her and how much life still has to offer. I told her she needs to be strong, to get over this difficult period and that we would all be there for her. I told her to live better so Justin can see he had made a terrible mistake by letting her go…

It has been two years since that incident happened. Hannah is now divorced and moved on with her life. She relocated to another city and found her new happiness there. We met several times a year to celebrate birthdays, Christmas or to keep each other updated. We never speak again about what had happened but she knows I will always be there for her, as she would be for me.

(390 words)

BLOG SIX: You will be asked to do a bit of your own research on your assigned species. Using the highly sophisticated research skills gained during your time in lab with Justin Johnston, locate a source that you are considering for your Profile and complete the following: 1) provide a short summary of the source (what types of information does it contain? What makes it a reliable source? Does it pass the CRAAP test?) 2) provide a complete, detailed APA reference for your source.

The profile published on Canadian Wildlife Federation (CWF) about the Monarch Butterfly contained a substantial amount of information in regards to their habitat, diet, life cycle, the risks they’re facing, and what action needs to be taken to protect this species.

The Monarch Butterfly often found in open woodlands, fields and meadows, marshes, roadsides, and gardens. Their migration route starts from the end of August to October, from Canada to California and Mexico while live off the fats they stored in autumn. By spring, they begin to feed, travel north and breed as they go.

Their distinctive features are orange wings with black veins, and double row of white spots with thick black border on forewings and hind. The adult butterflies feed on flower nectar while the young eat milkweeds (Asclepia syriaca).

Their number is declining due to loss of habitat (pesticide use, invasive species, housing and commercial development etc.). In order to protect the Monarch Butterfly, the article ended with suggestion of growing milkweed species.

There is no indication on when the content was published. However, it was last verified in February 2014 by two assessment organisations: COSEWIC and NatureServe. The information provided is relevance as it summarises facts and figures about this specific breed. The audience ranges from professionals to ordinary people, and therefore, the content was well written, yet remained simple but informative and comprehensible.

The source was obtained from CWF website, a reputable government organisation that aims to conserve and increase awareness for the welfare of wildlife in Canada. Due to the nature of the organisation, all data enlisted on CWF website is accurate, referenced, and supported by evidence; they are also free of spelling, grammars and typographical errors. All content was written in a professional academic manner with emotion free.

Overall, the source is accurate, reliable and can be used for research purposes.

(330 words)

Reference:

Canadian Wildlife Fedration. (2014, Feb 10). Monarch Butterfly. Retrieved Feb 25, 2018, from Canadian Wildlife Federation: http://cwf-fcf.org/en/resources/encyclopedias/fauna/insects/monarch-butterfly-sp.html

BLOG FIVE: What audience do you think this profile was intended for? Was the information contained in the profile useful and functional? How relevant was the information and was it current? Who wrote it, and were they a credible source? Could the profile have been improved in any way?

Polar bear has been described as a distinct species back in 1774 by Constantine John Phipps, and was first listed on ICUN Red List as “Vulnerable” in 1982[1]. This source of information is exceptionally reliable as “The International Union for Conservation of Nature (ICUN) is a union composed of both government and civil society organisations, providing the knowledge and tools that enable human progress, economic development and nature conservation to take place”[2].

Due to the nature of the organisation, all the data listed on ICUN website is current and accurate. It is an open source of information for the public to access with the intention of educating and raising awareness. The audience ranges from professionals to ordinary people, and therefore, the content should be well written, yet remained simple but informative and comprehensible.

The profile of each species – in particular, Ursus maritimus (Polar Bear) – has been thoroughly explained regarding their history, taxonomy, population and habitat; along with their impact on the ecology, as well as potential threats to the species and conservation actions taken. These resources are extremely useful and valuable for research purposes.

Not only the profile consists of information, but also, other helpful materials including Bibliography, and Images & External Links regarding that species. The website has several functions e.g. calling for Donations, list of Sponsors, Feedback, Translate etc.

Overall, profiling is extremely important for protecting and conserving endangered species, which relatedly, lead to a balanced sustainable ecosystem.

(288 words)

References:

[1] Wiig, Ø., Amstrup, S., Atwood, T., Laidre, K., Lunn, N., Obbard, M., Regehr, E. & Thiemann, G. 2015.  Ursus maritimus. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2015: e.T22823A14871490. Retrieved from http://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2015-4.RLTS.T22823A14871490.en.

[2] International Union for Conservation of Nature (ICUN). (n.d.). About. Retrieved from https://www.iucn.org/about.

BLOG FOUR: This Globe And Mail article discusses the importance of documenting and profiling species in order to protect those at risk. Using your emerging knowledge on the issue, discuss the role of profiling and creating inventories of species. Are we doing enough to protect species at risk? Could we be doing more? If so, how?

Global warming is happening at an alarming rate. It is slowly but surely changing and destroying the natural environment. Many wildlife animals and vegetation are extinct, and there are no doubts that human beings have massively contributed to this matter. However, we have now been aware and are starting to take actions in preserving and restoring our planet.

A crucial measure is to identify, document and register endangered species. This would help scientist to discover and study about those species, as well as their behaviour and their impact on our ecosystem. There are several types of plants and animals in which their population has been decreased severely over the years down to a few individuals. This requires them to be put in conservation areas in order to be monitored and reproduce.

Rare species among with the diversity of organisms play a crucial role in the health of our ecosystem. A rapid reduction in number of these species could raise an alarm on the overall heath of various habitats that may possibly be negatively impacted, and as a result, human would be equally affected.

Despite actions are being taken to protect those species at risk, there are other deeds that could be done to maximise the chances of living for those that are vulnerable; Eliminating red tapes and politics when it comes to protecting our environment; More investment on education and research; Banned zoos, tourist attractions and circus where endangered animals are being abused for profits; Monitoring and executing organisations or individuals for illegal hunting, trafficking and selling endangered animals or their parts; and last but not least, educating and raising public awareness would enhance those chances.

In the end, planet Earth is our home and it is our responsibility to protect it.

(292 words)

BLOG THREE: What role does Wikipedia play in your digital life? When are you likely to use Wikipedia and when are you more likely to choose a different source of information? What have you heard from your teachers about using Wikipedia as a source, and do you agree?

What is Wikipedia? “Wikipedia is a free online encyclopedia with the mission of allowing anyone to create or edit articles. It is the largest and most popular general reference work on the Internet, and is ranked the fifth-most popular website”.

We all know what it is and we are most certainly have used it at least once in our lives. Where would you go to find information? By asking around your family members, friends, teachers…? Where would you go to find references for your essay? What if all the books are just not enough? What if you want a quick answer and do not want to spend hours to look through piles of physical reading material?

In this digital life and age, time and information is key, and Wikipedia has certainly makes information much more accessible just via a click. What’s great about it? It is written collaboratively by the people who uses it, which means anyone who has online access can share information. It is an open book full of resources. However, the controversial continues about whether the sources are reliable. One of the negative side of having volunteers to write contents, from a high-school student to a professor or even a specialist, is the information provided are not always accurate. It is true to say that Wikipedia is best used for brief understanding of a concept or idea for someone who has no knowledge of that concept or idea. Therefore, it has been advised that people should not be relying on Wikipedia as a source for citation and should only be using it as a reference for academic research purposes, particularly students and researchers.

Overall, Wikipedia can be very useful and help to navigate information quickly although people should follow the references to find a more reliable source.

(300 words)

BLOG TWO: How does “Shitty First Drafts” help you understand your own writing process?

According to Anne Lamott, an American novelist and non-fiction writer, the “Shitty First Draft” is the “child’s draft”. It is where you’d put down all the thoughts and every bits of information that was gathered on chosen topic. These could be bullet points and diagrams to help connecting all the ideas together. It could also be an endless sentence that makes no sense to anyone else but you. Or, with a pen and paper, start drawing circles or anything that may help you to form sentences. Your head may be blank and you may start panicking… But remember, whatever you put down on that first piece of paper will be the start of your writing process.

Once you have the foundation, the pieces that come after would fall into place, and everything else will follow. You look through the draft and elaborate on those bullet points that were noted. You starting to get a better idea of how you want to organised your writing, what language to use, how it can be presented and to what audience. Sentences will start flowing as you go along. By the end of the second draft, you will have a full picture of an almost-completed work piece.

The final draft is just the icing on the cake. You’d go through everything one more time and correct every last little mistakes like punctuation, grammar, or spelling. You will rephrase your sentences so that it makes more sense to the audience, or space out between the lines, put in a few indents, bold your headlines or replacing a few repetitive words with their synonym… By the end of this process, you would have a complete piece of work.

Writing is not a “piece of cake”, neither is it rocket science. It just requires a little patience and the courage to pick up your pen, scribbling it down on paper and let your imagination grow.

(318 words)

BLOG ONE: Respond to the reading by choosing the reason(s) that most make sense to you. How do you feel about blogging?

Blogging is a way to communicate, to release your inner soul and to show your personality. Each and every person has a unique character, a unique way of doing things, and different ways of thinking and writing.

Just like any other forms of communication, it will get better over time the more you practice. Your writing skills will be improved, you’d be able to organised your thoughts and put them into words. This would help you along the line when it comes to writing your letters, assignments, CV’s, reports etc., and by putting your thoughts across in a professional manner, your success rate will be increased. For people whose English is a second language, developing writing skills would also help to improved their vocabulary and grammar.

Blogging is a therapeutic way to express yourself, to show your feelings and share your passion. You could be creative with great imagination and write a futuristic fiction novel, or be emotional and write a soap opera. You could be a fictional character and write in their tone of voice or in their language. You could write about certain characters or individuals, to put yourself in their shoes and to understand how they feel, or to express your point of view about certain events. Through words, you can do whatever you want to do, or be anyone you want to be.

You’ll develop an eye for meaningful things. Life suddenly becomes a colourful book where every day is a new page, every page is a new adventure, every adventure there are new stories and behind every stories, there are new experiences. Every experience will be memorised, every special moment will be recorded and every thoughts will be noted.

You’ll meet new people along the way, people who help you with valuable information for your blogs or simply share your passions. You will gain “followers”, the audience that interested in your writing thus broaden your network, creating new relationships.

There are hundreds of reasons why you should blog and the benefit it brings, so why not start your adventure today?

(345 words)