Class Notes

Final Evaluation for Eng lll

Andrew Serafim

English lll

29 April 2013

Evaluation

     In English lll I have come to be familiar with many topics, some previously known and some new. We have discussed the importance of rhetoric, the writing process, critical thinking, reading, oral communication, and digital technologies. Throughout this semester the class, my group and myself as an individual have been challenged to use these topics to become better at writing.

     How can you even talk about English without thinking of the writing process? In this semester we have delved deeper into just what the writing process is comprised of and used it to pull our ideas from imagination and put into text form. The writing process begins with the six core steps pre-writing, drafting, revising, proofreading, publishing and reviewing. Here is a mind map I developed to go into more details about the writing process. Within these steps there are many other sub categories but they all work towards the goal of “what do you want to communicate”. Without this question there would be no need to writing at all. Communication is the foundation of interactions with each other as humans, as cultures, and just about any successful relationship.

     Anyone looking to help there communication skills should look into the process of writing, just knowing the steps will help you in more ways than “just writing a paper”. This ties in with critical thinking. Critical thinking is basically the writing process in your mind. Going through the processes of evaluating how something should be said or how to interpret an idea all fall under critical thinking. Here is an example of critical thinking being implemented to come up with a draft for a paper my group and I composed this semester. These two steps will vastly enhance your communication skills if you grasp them and can help in a broad spectrum of instances in your life. Another topic that can enhance your critical thinking and writing processing skills is rhetoric.

     Knowing about rhetoric has changed my life. Before this English class I had heard of the term but was not familiar with just how much I interact with rhetoric in my daily life. Now whenever I see a commercial or view an article I can pick up on the subtle, or sometimes not subtle, use of rhetoric. It gives me a feel of almost being “in the know” and helps me understand some points people are trying to make. An easy way to help remember rhetoric is the Rhetorical Triangle. This is a simple process of knowing who the author is, what their message is and what audience they are trying to connect with. Those three things pave the way to really helping you know how to pick the rhetoric out of certain situations, or media. Rhetoric is used today in many forms and one form we looked closely at was in digital technologies.

     With digital technologies rhetoric can be incorporated seamlessly. Not sure what I mean by that? Just turn on the TV and wait for a commercial. All commercials follow the rhetorical triangle, otherwise there would be no use for them. Commercials are trying to sell an idea, there is an author/ company that is trying to influence an audience/ consumer. It is easy when you know what words are substituted (like consumer) then you can pick out the rhetoric easily. Digital technologies are everywhere, the internet is full of reviews and ideas people have shared. Smartphones allow you to have access to almost anything and with that you get people’s opinions, reviews and ideas. All of these things are a part of communication and even if the person putting them out on the internet doesn't know it, they are using forms of the writing process, critical thinking and rhetoric.

     Or course with the increase in technology focused in the digital world some people, it seems, have lost the ability to communicate orally. Oral communication is another topic we covered in this semester. We use digital devices to communicate so often that sometimes people lack the skills it takes to hold a conversation or they become nervous when speaking in front of others. Learning techniques like deep breathing and anxiety relaxation can really help improve your oral communications skills. Deep breathing also allows you to take time to evaluate what you have just heard/ seen and focus your attention on the topic at hand. The benefits of deep breathing cross all boundaries in life and help reduce health as well as in oral communication.

     I feel that I have some strengths and weaknesses in the topics we covered this semester. I feel that I excel in conceiving the ideas that I would like to share with others but sometimes have difficulty in wording them in the most efficient way. That is why I value all the topics that we have covered and look forward to expanding more upon each of them now that I am aware of what the basics of the topics consist of. I sometimes struggle with oral communication due to frustration of not being understood or lack of knowing how to convey myself in certain situations. I will continue to use the ideas and techniques gained from our class discussion on this topic. I also feel that my writing skills have improved from learning the correct process of steps to go through before finishing a paper. Drafting a paper and then coming back to proofread and edit the paper really helps me catch any flaws or unwanted information before I turn it in or publish it. Overall I feel that I have changed my perspective on certain topics because of some of the ideas that were introduced to me in this class and I enjoy the new outlook that has come with those changes.

iPhone 5 Review

iPhone 5 is the best "smartphone" on the market. The Apple brand not only brings a professional quality to your life but also provides numerous outlets for support while allowing you to protect your information with free software updates and virus protection. The iPhone 5 has become one of the most well known phones and has made an impact, not only on the smartphone market, but also on everyday consumers that have purchased one. Once you have tried using the iPhone 5 it is easy to see why it has an edge on all of the other competitors. The numerous reasons why the iPhone 5 is so popular and common is because of the user friendly software and unique features that are preinstalled and the availability of almost anything your mind can imagine.

The iCloud is a great feature included with the iPhone 5. The iCloud feature is part of the iOS software system that comes with your iPhone 5. You are able to also download iCloud on other Apple devices you own and can save and access any data uploaded to the Cloud from any of your devices. With iCloud your files are saved on Apple's servers which are similar to using an online e-mail, only you can save so much more than text documents. If you are using iCloud with your Apple devices then your information is automatically saved when you are in range of wi-fi services. The reason this is important is because if you accidentally delete a file you need you can go into iCloud and retrieve the file. This makes sure you don't have to worry about losing the information on your phone. With iCloud you can now save time and space on your devices without having to worry about tedious file transfers between your phone and your computer. Another option with iCloud is being able to have your music with you whenever you need it, no matter what Apple device you are currently on. When deciding if the Iphone 5 is the smart-phone for you iCloud is just one of the features that makes that decision easier.

Another fantastic option the iPhone 5 offers is its panorama feature in the camera setting. Panorama is defined in many phrases such as, unbroken view, whole region, and wide view. It now allows the user to take multiple pictures and the iPhone will put it all together into one larger scaled photo. For example if you are taking a picture of a bridge and you want to capture the entire architecture, you can. When you open the camera application on the phone, select options and tap on "Panorama", once the setting has been applied you can take the entire picture. The option allows for you to scroll the phone left to right and as you do so the iPhone is taking multiple pictures and combining them into one large image.

FaceTime is an amazing feature that is preinstalled on your iPhone 5, no need to set up a special account or screen name, which saves you time right from the beginning. The Facetime feature allows you to make video calls with anyone you choose and the iPhone's front facing camera allows for your friends and family to see you while you chat with them. Apple's software makes using the Facetime feature flow seamlessly with calls by allowing you to just tap a button while in a phone call and switching to Facetime. This feature can even be utilized in the corporate environment with conference calls, saving your company time and money. And now Facetime can be used anywhere, with Apple updating the app so that you can stream your video calls over your cellular service and are not limited to just using wi-fi. Features like Facetime can help add the finishing touch to your decision on purchasing an iPhone.

In today's market there are so many choices with smartphones that it can be difficult to make a decision. When doing research on the top selling phones on the market the iPhone 5 stands out with more apps, features and overall performance. Other phones like the iPhone's leading competitor, the Samsung Galaxy S3 have some features that are not included with the Iphone 5. For starters, the Galaxy S3 has different software and therefore doesn't make you conform to Apple's unique methods of use. Also, some features, like the popular "S-beam", allows you to transfer files with the tap of your Galaxy S3 phone to another Galaxy S3 phone, which brings file sharing to a whole new level. While you can get this feature on your iPhone 5 with an app created to do this, some people like the convenience of having it pre-set and not having to worry about downloading an app. Another feature that can be troublesome with the iPhone 5 is that the battery cannot be easily changed out for a new one when it does not hold a charge as well as it once did (and changing the battery voids your warranty). Phones like the Galaxy S3 do allow for the capability to change out their batteries so you can have consistent battery power when you need it. The pros of the iPhone 5 seem to outweigh the cons of the Galaxy S3 but it all depends on what you want in a phone.

Evaluation Draft

Evaluation

Andrew Serafim

English lll

                In English lll I have come to be familiar with many topics, some previously known and some new. We have discussed the importance of rhetoric, the writing process, critical thinking, reading, oral communication, and digital technologies. Throughout this semester the class, my group and myself as an individual have been challenged to use these topics to become better at writing.

                How can you even talk about English without thinking of the writing process? In this semester we have delved deeper into just what the writing process is comprised of and used it to pull our ideas from imagination into text form. The writing process begins with the six core steps pre-writing, drafting, revising, proofreading, publishing and reviewing. Within these steps there are many other sub categories but they all work towards the goal of “what do you want to communicate”. This pretty much sums up the writing process, without this question there would be no need to writing at all. Communication is the foundation of interactions with each other as humans, as cultures, and just about any successful relationship.

Anyone looking to help there communication skills should look into the process of writing, just knowing the steps will help you in more ways than “just writing a paper”. This ties in with critical thinking. Critical thinking is basically the writing process in your mind. Going through the processes of evaluating how something should be said or how to interpret an idea all fall under critical thinking. These two steps will vastly enhance your communication skills if you grasp them and can help in a broad spectrum of instances in your life. Another topic that can enhance your critical thinking and writing processing skills is rhetoric.

Knowing about rhetoric has changed my life. Before this English class I had heard of the term but was not familiar with just how much I interact with rhetoric in my daily life. Now whenever I see a commercial or view an article I can pick up on the subtle, or sometimes not subtle, use of rhetoric. It gives me a feel of almost being “in the know” and helps me understand some points people are trying to make. An easy way to help remember rhetoric is the Rhetorical Triangle. This is a simple process of knowing who the author is, what their message is and what audience they are trying to connect with. Those three things pave the way to really helping you know how to pick the rhetoric out of certain situations, or media. Rhetoric is used today in many forms and one form we looked closely at was in digital technologies.

With digital technologies rhetoric can be incorporated seamlessly. Not sure what I mean by that? Just turn on the TV and wait for a commercial. All commercials follow the rhetorical triangle, otherwise they would be no use for them. Commercials are trying to sell an idea, there is an author/ company that is trying to influence and audience/ consumer. It is easy when you know what words are substituted (like consumer) then you can pick out the rhetoric easily. Digital technologies are everywhere, the internet is full of reviews and ideas people have shared. Smartphones allow you to have access to almost anything and with that you get people’s opinions, reviews and ideas. All of these things are apart of communication and even if the person putting them out there doesn't know it, they are using forms of the writing process, critical thinking and rhetoric.

Or course with the increase in technology focused in the digital world some people, it seems, have lost the ability to communicate orally. Oral communication is another topic we covered in this semester. We use digital devices to communicate so often that sometimes people lack the skills it takes to hold a conversation or become nervous when speaking in front of others. Learning techniques like deep breathing and anxiety relaxation can really help improve your oral communications skills. Deep breathing also allows you to take time to evaluate what you have just heard/ seen and focus your attention on the topic at hand. The benefits of deep breathing cross all boundaries in life and help reduce health as well as in oral communication.

I feel that I have some strengths and weaknesses in the topics we covered this semester. I feel that I excel in conceiving the ideas that I would like to share with others but sometimes have difficulty in wording them in the most efficient way. That is why I value all the topics that we have covered and look forward to expanding more upon each of them now that I am aware of what the basics of the topics consist of. I sometimes struggle with oral communication due to frustration of not being understood or lack of knowing how to convey myself in certain situations. I will continue to use the ideas and techniques gained from our class discussion on this topic. I also feel that my writing skills have improved from learning the correct process of steps to go through before finishing a paper. Drafting a paper and then coming back to proofread and edit the paper really helps me catch any flaws or unwanted information before I turn it in or publish it. Overall I feel that I have changed my perspective on certain topics because of some of the ideas that were introduced to me in this class and I enjoy the new outlook that has come with those changes.

Oral Communication mind map

Mind Maps

Learned in English 111