Prep Blog #5

     The most important part of writing my IMRAD paper was analyzing the research and understanding the differences between cultures and the way they write. I made the decision to only interview ten people. Looking back I believe if I would have interviewed upward of one hundred the results probably would have been the same but the survey method instead of the interview method may have been simplier. The issue of cultural diversity exist in every aspect of life. With my research I did discover that it existed not so much beacuse of a race or gender but because of the discourse community you belong too. That had more of a bearing than anything else. While each language has it's own rules when writing, our surroundings and generational upbringing played just as big of an influence.
    The audience response was what I expected. When we speak of cultural diversity we automatically assume it is geared towards race. Instead of thinking out of the box and looking at what other reasons a writing could be different we assume language or vocabulary are the biggest differences. One of the biggest differences in writing wasnt the vocabulary, it was the style of writing. Americans generally wrote with conviction and freely expressed thoughts, while other languages did not because of upbringing or religious beliefs. I stand behind the choice I made in writing about more than just a language barrier. I wanted the reader to understand that diversity is created in more ways than just where we were born

Semester Blog Entry # 4 (Report & Analyze Primary Research)

    

 

     Old Dominion University is a melting pot for cultural diversity. The campus community consist of students from all over the world with different religious backgrounds, socioeconomic backgrounds and different ethnicity. My research shows we all share some common factors but are all at Old Dominion University in search of furthering and reaching a higher level of education. With over twenty five thousand students on register, my research question was " Does cultural diversity exist in writing?"

     Using the interview method, I questioned ten current students, alumni and staff members of Old Dominion University. Within the ten participants my first step was to determine who would be interviewed. I  randomly chose a diverse group that consisted of African American, Caucasian, Asian,  and Latino participants. Using the help of clubs and on campus organizationsI was able to find participants who spoke more than one language.

Participants

     The participants included three males, six female and one who wished to remain anonymous when disclosing gender. Of the six females, two classified themselves as Caucasian, one African America, zero Middle Eastern, one Asian, one Latino and one wished to remain anonymous. The male participants consisted of zero Middle Eastern, zero Asian, one Caucasian and two African Americans. Each participant was asked to fill in a yes, no or undecided response to five questions and give a brief description of their race, social class and gender for informational purposes. Participants that practiced different religious beliefs and spoke more than one language. 

Results

     The first question in the research process was, "Do you believe cultural differences existed in writing?" Eighty percent of the participants thought that culture differences do exist in writing. Twenty percent said they did not think there was a difference in writing between cultures.The second question in the research process was, "Do you believe vocabulary is the biggest difference between cultures when writing?"  Six percent of those asked thought use of vocabulary is the biggest difference in between cultures. The third question in the process asked " Do you believe it is important to have a universal style of writing instead of each culture having their own?" Seventy percent said yes, followed but thirty percent who said no. The fourth question in the interview process was " Do you think English should be the universal language taught in all countries when it pertains to speaking and writing?" Forty percent said yes, fifty percent said no and one participant was undecided. My final question was "Have you ever had trouble reading or comprehending a paper, essay, or writing written by someone of a different cultures?" Thirty percent said yes, they had trouble understanding the writings of someone of a different culture. Twenty percent said no and fifty percent said they had never read the writings of someone from another culture.

From the research I have concluded that each culture does write differently. Each brings a something special but different. Students believe vocabulary is the difference barrier in cultures and teachers seem to believe that it is more the style in which the paper is writen. As English writers we are encourgaed to write with our words and voice a clear thought. Other cultures, such as Chinese leave that open to interpretation. While the idea of a universal written language sounds appealing, logistically it would be hard to accomplish with the culture differences that do exist in todays writers.

 

           

 

 

 

 

 

 
  

Research Blog #5 (Academic Source)

  

For the final research blog entry, I read " The Diversity of Writing." This article was published in the National Writing Project and written by Charles Bazerman.  The author is an expert in writing in the academic community. Mr. Bazerman states in his opening sentence that " Americans are concerned about the state of literacy education." He explains that personal growth in writing comes  from being motivated. I agree with the author when he stated that " writing and reading involve constant, multidimensional problem solving."  In order to be that problem solver or write more freely we have embrace all cultures and writing styles around us. If every student is taught to simply write in a generalized format, there would be no growth in the writing discourse communities. Bazerman also believed that if students learned to write in expressive genres they would be able to write in all forms.  He also believes that literacy programs are the core of all learning in the education system.  The one key point I took away from this article  and  can directly apply to my research is that, is there is so much diversity in the literacy. There is room for interpretation  and personal growth no matter what language you speak or write in. When students from multiple cultures, religious backgrounds and socioeconomic  classes come together in a learning environment there is so much room for expanding our own personal style.

The author clearly states the pro's of expanding your mind and writing skills to involve into better more open minded writers. If we surround ourselves with people who have different opinions or challenge us to see things from another cultural standpoint, then it will only improve the writing of this generation and future generations to come.

Bazerman, Charles. " The Diversity of Writing". National Writing Project. Spring 2002

Research Blog 4 (Academic Source)

For the forth blog based on an academic source I read, " How to overcome cultural differences in ESL writing." This article was published in the Oxford University Press, August 2011 edition and written by Samantha Stroh.  The author talks about the differences and challenges that many students face when writing a paper for college if English is their second language. For college students writing papers is part of just about every class. The difference in grammar and style differ from culture to culture and this causes challenges  when trying to communicate by writing. The most important concept to remember is all cultures write differently.  In the authors opinion she believes that people who speak English as a primary language are more reserved. She states "Sentences are often short and simple, and it's the writer's responsibility to be understood by the reader." In general,  English speaking college students write more to the point. Research has shown that Spanish speakers write with passion and fiery.  Asian writing is more vertical than horizontal and lead to choppy sentences. The use of transition words helps link those words together and creates a more free flowing thought.

The author's is trying to get the reader to understand that writing is hard.  When you factor in writing in a second language you encounter an entirely different set of problems because of cultural differences. While these mistakes are common, the author suggests keeping error logs and participating in creative writing exercises  to increase and enhance your writing ability.

I believe the author, Samantha Stroh, is using her experiences from being a teacher to make a educated conclusion on the differences in writing between cultures. She is using her own observations to speak on a topic she is familiar with.  While I agree with what she is saying, I don't agree that writers should change their style of writing to conform to what English writers use. Those cultural differences that Asian and Hispanic writers  practice bring a flare and style to writing. There is no set universal writing requirement so who are we to say it has to be done in that way. Writing is about creating or expressing free flowing thoughts or emotions.

 

Stroh, Samantha. "How to overcome cultural differences in ESL writing". Oxford University Press. 2011 August

Research Blog # 3

   

For the third research blog I read "Culture for Writing for ELLs in the CCSS" written by Diane Staehr Fenner and published on www.dsfconsulting.net. This article was written in regards to common core state standards when it comes to writing and the ability to understand other cultures. Which the author explains is an important part of college and career preparations.  Ms. Staehr explains that " writings are influenced by their home culture and carry this " cultural suitcase" with them to school." These cultural differences carry over to the classroom and affect students ability to learn to write. She explains that teachers can spot  these differences in word choice, grammatical sentence structure and organizational patterns. But once its spotted how is it correctly and why would you want to take away that students ability to write in their native language. If we strip away our students individuality in writing we are taking away their way of creative thinking just to have them conform to our way of writing.

The author also explains that some of the early research studies regarding cultural differences in writing first took place in the 1960's and were lead by Robert Kaplan. His study was based on thought patterns and he wanted to understand  similarities and differences between writers from different countries or culture backgrounds. One of the languages currently being studied is Arabic. Arabic is the 7th most popular speaking language in America. The study showed Arab writers normally write to argue the presentation. According to Staehr, Arab writers  present the argument, paraphrase them and repeat them.

The author does a good job explaining the results from the study but I would have liked to have seen more results from different languages. I do agree that in order to be more career ready we have to understand different cultures and they way they write and think.

 

Fenner, Diane Staehr." Culture for Writing for ELLS in the CCS" . DSFconsulting.com.Web. 2013 June

 

 

 

Research Blog # 2

     My second research blog entry was written after reading "Student Perceptions of Campus Cultural Climate by Race." The authors state that because of recent admissions policy changes on most college campuses there has been an increase of African American, Asian and Latino students applying to larger universities. The author suggests that the majority of  these students do not go through the same experiences as Caucasian students on campus because they feel unwelcome or lack support. While most of the authors research was based on student or faculty perceptions, the author does state "Differences in students' experiences of the campus cultural climate is necessary for developing and implementing ethical responsive interventions."

     This article was written after a study was performed by a campus diversity evaluation committee and took place over the time period of several years. The author also states that African American students reported more negative campus experiences than any other race. Complaints included: stereotyping, racial hostility and different treatment from professors or on campus faculty.

     While I think the authors have a reasonable argument, I personally do not agree with the findings of the study. Since my arrival at Old Dominion University I haven't once witnessed unfair treatment of a student based on race. What I did witness was several students being spoken to firmly for not turning in assignments or putting forth the effort that the rest of the class did. Those students were not singled out because of race or gender but because they failed to do their part of an assignment. The survey was based off of perception and not specific incidents on this particular college campus. Basing a survey or study on someones perspective is like judging a certain group based on the opinions of other people. No group, race or gender wants to be judged or given special treatment based on the perceptions of others. As humans we all want the same equal treatment.


Ancis Julie, Sedlack William, and Mohor Jonathon. "Student Perceptions of Campus Cultural Climate by Race." Journal of Counseling and Development Spring 2008.

Research Blog #1

         For my research blog entry # 1, I read the article " Why Does Diversity Matter at College Anyway." This article was featured on usnews.com's Professors Guide and written by Jeremy S. Hyman and Lynn Jacobs with the help of Aaron Thompson, a professor at Eastern Kentucky University and author of "Diversity and the College Experience". At first glance after reading the headline I thought the author would try to justify that cultural acceptance at a large university was something irrelevant in today's world. I was pleasantly surprised at the approach to not only recognize diversity in race, ethnicity and gender but also adding the importance of accepting those with different religious, social, and sexual orientation than ourselves.
        The authors point out eight important benefits to promoting cultural acceptance on campus:

• "Diversity expands worldliness"
• "Diversity enhances social development"
• "Diversity prepares students for future career success"
• "Diversity prepares students for work in global society"
• "Increase our knowledge base"
• "Diversity promotes creative thinking"
• "Diversity enhances self awareness"
• "Enriches multiple perspectives"

        The author states that for most students, entering college is the first time they will have interaction with so many different groups of people. A college campus is a melting pot of cultural diversity and can be overwhelming for a student who came from a small town or hasn't been exposed to people outside of the discourse community, school or church. Another great point the author makes is that without diversity the world would be so boring if we all were the same and you only associated yourself with people that were carbon copies of yourself. My favorite point of the article states that with learning diversity before starting your professional career, you also become sensitive to human differences and accepting of others beliefs or preferences. As a dance major at Old Dominion University, I have been lucky enough to meet some of the most wonder dancers from all over the United States and while some of them share a different sexual orientation or religious belief than me, our appreciation of dance and cultural has brought us together in a healthy friendship. This relates to the authors statement about the professional workplace and diversity. They state that no matter what you decide to pursue as a professional, you will be surrounded by employers, coworkers and clients with different backgrounds. Another career related point the authors address is the clear view you will achieve in problem solving, angles, and vantage points by expanding your mind. In closing the article, the author clearly summarizes my the importance of embracing diversity on campus in saying "You gain a panoramic perspective of the world around you and a more complete view of your place in it"

Hyman, Jeremey and Jacobs, Lynn. Why Does Diversity Matter at College Anyway. US News 2009. 12 August 2009.

Library Research Blog # 3

On a rainy Wednesday afternoon, I entered the Old Dominion University Perry Library to begin my research process. As I approached the information desk, I was greeted by a helpful staff. The librarian asked for the title of what I was searching for, typed it in, then gave me directions to the fourth floor. Using the decimal system I was able to locate the book. I did however notice the author was different. The author I noticed was different than what was listed. Candace Spigelman's "The Dialects of Textual Ownership" was the name of the original writing but the library had the "Textual Ownership in Writing Groups."

The next selection was Kenneth A. Bruffee "Collaborative Learning and the 'Conversation of Mankind'". That proved to be a little more of a challenge to find at the library so I opted to look online for it at the Perry Library. Again the staff was most helpful in my search and directed me to the appropriate site. The technolgy that Old Dominion offers is first rate and combined with the library staff, it made my first visit to the Perry Library very pleasant overall.

 

Virginia is known for it's vast amount of colleges and international studies programs in this region. For the last part of the assigment, I took to the web for facts about statistics relating to how many students are in Virginia studying internationally. Personally I have met three within the past month for are studying abroad here and I know the numbers constantly change. The opportunity to experince American culture and social opportunities attracts vast amounts of students looking to continue their education.

English 110 Discourse Communities 9-18-13 Semester Blog # 2

Discourse communities consist of a group of people that share a common goal, pattern, or certain expertise. Over the years I have belonged to several groups and organizations that fall under those guidelines. The largest discourse community I have been a part of is the Miss Virginia Organization. A franchise of the Miss America Pageant. Each year over 30,000 women under the age of 24 compete on a local, state and national level trying to earn scholarship money to further their educational goals. The Miss America Organization is the largest provider of scholarship money to women nationwide. I personally know this because a portion of my college tuition was paid for when I was crowned Teen Virginia in 2011. The organization consists of several different layers of membership. You have girls that are competitors, local directors, state directors, board members, volunteers, mentors and judges.

As part of the community service aspect of the Miss Virginia Organization, members often engage in community service groups. Five years ago, I started a service organization called H.U.G.S. ( Helping Underprivileged Girls Succeed) With the help of members statewide we set a common goal of empowering girls in need of mentoring by providing positive peer role models and giving them school supplies.  As active members we collected school supplies to distribute, spoke about the importance of making healthy life choices and leading by example. As the founder of the service organization, I relied heavily on support from fellow members and the community. The common goal of reaching girls in need brought us together.

As I continue to expand my involvement with campus life, I'd like to be a part of the Old Dominion University Student Government Association. As with most organized involvement communities, there are levels of leadership in place. Meetings and social gathers give students a chance to voice concerns about issues they find concerning in their community or campus. Most members all share the goal of improving student relations and come to the group with their own level of expertise.

One of the mostly highly recognized sports programs in the NFL, the Washing Redskins, stakes a claim to a discourse community.  Fans of all ages pack into the stadium to cheer on their team to victory. Most football enthusiast use certain terms to discuss plays and on field procedures. In April, my goal is to audition to become part of this well known organization as a member of the Redskins Cheerleading program. Current members serve as ambassadors to the public, make appearances and recruit new fans of all ages.

Discourse communities have existed for hundreds of years. Some people refer to them as clubs, organizations, sports groups or religious communities. They all share common goals, require you to be productive members and give you a sense of belonging no matter what the end goal may be.

 

 

 

English 110 Writing Blog #1

During Eliza's first year at college her reading skill levels are centered around preparing and memorizing information to take a test instead of understanding and extracting information. As she grew into her sophomore year of college she began to understand the point of view of the author and her work improved. She learning different techniques such as skimming and selective reading. At the end of her senior year she was able to draw conclusion and had a better understanding of the text. Her critical thinking skills improved and she was able to form a connection to the texts she was reading.

According to Haas, these changes happened because most incoming freshman look at text as autonomous. As time progressed and she took different courses of she was able to develop a different skill set that improved her thinking outside of the box.

My previous writing instructions encouraged blog and journal writing as an outlet to express thoughts and clear of minds in hopes allowing us the opportunity to go back read what we felt at a certain point in our lives. Unfortunately in most public school systems, English classes focus on standardized testing and not creative thinking. Which causes students, like myself to focus on passing a test instead of truly understanding what we have read. In any career, comprehensive reading skills and understanding are more essential that cramming for a test and forgetting the material.

My chosen major is a Bachelor of Arts Degree with a concentration in dance. Understanding and comprehending what you have read plays a large part in the theater world of dance but most students studying dance plan on either teaching it or performing professionally. The critcial thinking skills will help me develop as a dance teacher but only provide a limited amount of help if I am professionally dancing. As a dancer we are know to use are body more than mind but with the short career span of a dancer, it's almost a necessity to have a backup career or be able to perform some other type of job training in order to be successful.