My Thoughts on Comments

Comments on the article "Revolt against high-stakes standardized testing growing-and so does its impact"

Credible:

Not Pictured: Further listing of organizations and a link to edtrust.org

This commenter seems composed and knowledgable. Their are neither fearful nor fantasizing the issue they have and present their opinion in a very direct way. It is because of this knowledge and composure that it can be assumed this commenter feels passionate about both defending the group mentioned in the quote, as well as representing all the listed organization to support their claim.

This commenter is credible for three outstanding reasons: their composure, their knowledge, and their forwardness.  They are not driven by emotion in their logic, but are evidently passionate about the subject; a very fine line to walk and remain objective. They are clearly knowledgable of how to rebut the comment they found false and demonstrate that knowledge very methodically with a rather intimidating and lengthy list. Finally, their forwardness in both their language and web sight link demonstrates a confidence that furthers their credibility. They sarcastically acknowledge the quote and then go on to specifically list the organizations that prove the quote wrong and goes on to include a link to a source. It is there three characteristics that make this specific comment credible.

The author of this comment, like the above comment, is collected and knowledgable. They do not seem driven by uncontrolled emotion nor disillusioned by a false hope. This commenter does seem to value the topic, but also respecting others on the web sight. Their acknowledgment of the other commenter comes off as neither judgmental nor disrespectful. They clarify what they are talking about and value understanding based on how they present their ideas in a numbered list. 

This comment, written in response to another (not pictured), is an additional credible comment due to its respectful tone, understandable phrasing, and use of links. Any use of link can be demonstrative of a credible comment because it shows awareness of the topic and investment in it. Their language and format make their points understandable, even for someone not exposed to the information, meaning they are mindful of readers; a vital quality for a credible comment. And their level tone and respectful nature make them a credible source based on professionalism. 

Non-Credible:

Like the previous comments I've looked at, this commenter does not seem fearful or anxious. The do, however, seem to be fantasizing about the effectiveness of the program they mentioned. You can tell because of their confidence in their comment with the lack of any support. They use one sentence to declare a solution to a problem that is clearly more complex then they are letting on. They believe in a quick, effective solutions and have a very sure-of-their-solution mentality based on the briskness of their comment. 

This comment is lacking in credibility because of its false confidence. This is the combination of an over-exagerated comment with a lack of any support whatsoever. The commenter, though they possess an air of confidence, does not present an argument. They make a monuments claim and leave it at that. A credible source would, at least, present some form of reason behind a powerful claim like the one made by this commenter. 

This comment is refuting the use of the Gate Foundation link provided by the commenter Virginia SGP (look above). This commenter values looking at all perspectives, based on the fact that it is refuting the use of a source because of a one-sided perspective. They are not anxious, nor irrationally hopeful.

This comment lacks credibility because, while it makes a rational statement, it does not follow through with any reason. It challenges the use of a well-discussed source and give no evidence as to why it is not a credible source. It fails to provide an alternate source, which makes it even less credible in comparison to the comment it is refuting. It's relaxed phrasing also makes it less credible again in comparison to the comment it is challenging, which contains professional language and solid evidence. 

REFLECTION:

After reading through the comment analysis of Laurence and Isaak, I found that sometimes it's beneficial to format brief analysi like these comment evaluations in a format that is quick and understandable like Laurence's and direct and to the point like Isaak. After reading some of Isaak's evaluations, though, I felt the importance is remaining objective when evaluating the opinions of others (as well as remaining level headed while commenting, but that's a given at this point). His phrasing was critical, but articulate and communicated an opinion, which made me interested in reading what he had to say, but a little nervous as to his objectivity. Luckily, he remained collected, even talking about a behavior that bothered him (unnecessary childish comments).  

My Controversy

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/answer-sheet/wp/2015/03/19/revolt-against-high-stakes-standardized-testing-growing-and-so-does-its-impact/

In this Washington Post article, entitled "Revolt against high-stakes standardized testing growing-and so does its impact" walks the reader through the ongoing movement to challenge the enforcement of federally mandated tests. The article addresses the spread of the "revolution", progressing from specific high school incidences of walk-outs to the challenging of school boards in several different states. It looks into states reactions and how drastically Common Core testing has dropped and the expected response of Congress. The article also briefly addresses the overall application of standardized tasting scores and their misplaced use in rating students and teachers. This article, found on the Washington Post, peques my interest because I'm incrusted in education and value a diverse curriculum. My senior english final was a paper analyzing the importance of a diverse curriculum and just how detrimental standardized testing can be for a variety of reasons. I'm passionate about education and have a strong standpoint on standardized tests, thus why I chose this topic.

Calender Relection

The workload for this class will be a priority in terms of my studies because I feel like it will be the most beneficial to developing time management and prioritizing. I'm declared as an English major and I can already tell that this class will help prepare me for other classes and their demands in terms of workload. I'm going to dedicate my Tuesday and Thursday early afternoons to this class because I have a lot of free time for both those days. However, I have to be mindful of my schedule because I have an unpredictable off-campus job that can demand my attention very quickly. If that often happens to be the case (as it did this week) I will reserve Thursday evenings and Saturday afternoons for completing the work. To actually complete the work, I work best when I sit down at finish several tasks all at once. I may be working on three or four different objectives at once, simply because it is the pattern I've set for myself to feel I've done large portions of work. It has been an efficient method for me completing my work and I hope to be able to apply it for this class.

REFLECTION:

Now that I've read over the scheduling plans of my fellow classmates, I've realized that it's vital to not get stuck in a study rut. What I mean by that is being flexible and adaptable to a changing schedule. After reading through Elliot's plan to work between classes, I understood that I may very well have to do the same. Even though it is an approach I am not familiar with, I should be open to the idea of doing work when the situation calls for it, rather than being reliant on the time I have planned because things can always change suddenly. William's comment that time is money and we are spending a whole lot of it on our education, so that means it will demand a lot of time really put the importance of time management into perspective. I've learned my lesson with this assignment already that I shouldn't put things off and it's time to manage my work better. I'm spending a lot of money to get an education, that means I should put a lot of time into it to, and I've come to accept that. 

My Writing Process

I'm a passionate writer and love (and often hate) the process in which I write any piece. Of the four mentioned writing processes, I define myself as a heavy reviser. My ideas start small and unstructured but develop into clearer and stronger ideas and execution through revision, with a clear goal running throughout the piece.

Yan Qin Weng,
"Gulls by the Shore, Stories by the Sea"
6/11/14 via tumblr Public Domain
Dedication License  

While I do most of my work in a a revision stage, I do find myself acting as a heavy planner on occasion when I approach a topic I am particularly interested in or passionate about. This, however, is not a very frequent practice, simply because I do write stronger through the heavy revision approach.

My approach to writing tends to be an efficient and effective, especially with my writing style. When I plan too heavily, I write with a lot of what I call fluff. My writing becomes cushioned by unnecessarily wordy descriptions and repetitive sentences. It is through my revision that I trim down this fluff and structure a more direct piece of writing. I write in a style that relies on a clear progression of logic, and writing it out all in one go then revising heavily helps me to sort out the ideas and elaborate where they may be lacking. However, this approach doesn't always work in the long run because if I do fall short in the revision area, the piece can come across as scattered, disorganized, and wordy. It is because I have fallen into that trap before, I'm focused on the revision process.

In regards to approaching writing differently, I may want to try a sequential composure method of structuring my ideas before writing. It won't be as dense and wordy as it would be if I were to plan heavily, but simply help me organize my ideas before the revision process.

REFLECTION:

After reading through the posts of Michael Gregory Fisher and Laurence Wolf I came to understand just how different everyone is when it comes to approaching writing and how they feel about their own styles. I have always loved writing and reading through the posts of my classmates, its refreshing to know that other people do as well. It's a much different environment than a high school english class where a good two thirds of the students hate to topic. I found reliability in Laurence's style and process, seeing that we're both heavy revisor. In Michaels post, I found a lot of insight as to how someone with a different writing style thinks and progresses through their writing. Both posts opened my eyes to just how aware people are of their own writing and their feelings toward it.