Writer's Blog: Chapter 16

Chapter 16 in The Bedford Researcher is titled "Writing with Style" and is a sub-chapter of the part of the book that is titled "Writing Your Document". How can you being to write with style? First you want to understand your writing situation. No matter what writing situation you are in or what issue are addressing, it is almost always appropriate to "write concisely, use active voice and passive voice effectively, adopt a consistent point of view, vary the structure of your sentences, and choose your words carefully." (264) Writing concisely is important because it makes it clearer and easier for the writer to read. One thing you can do to write concisely is write using only words and phrases that you need. You do not want a bunch of extra words and phrases that don't mean anything. First, remove unnecessary modifiers, which are words that do not provide information to the reader and include words like "many", "lots", "really", and "very". Next, remove introductory phrases that are not necessary. Just state the point you are trying to make without prefacing it with a phrase such as "It is obvious that...". The last tip that this chapter gives to write concisely is to eliminate stock phrases. A stock phrase is a phrase that can be replaced with one or two words and still convey the same message. For example, you can change the stock phrase "because of the fact that" to just the word "because". The next thing that you will do to write with style is use active and passive voice effectively. An active voice specifies a person or a thing that has done an action and a passive voice is used to indicate that something was done, but does not tell the reader who or what did that action. According to the book, "sentences that are written in active voice are easier to understand." (267) passive voice is effective when you do not wish to add unnecessary information of who/what did the action.  The third tip in this chapter on how to write with style is to adopt a consistent point of view. A point of view can be first person (I, we), second person (you), or third person (she, he, they...). An important thing to remember is to keep the same point of view for the whole paper!!!! You will confuse your readers if you change your point of view from third person to first person or second person to third person, etc. The last thing that you can do to begin writing with style is choose your words carefully. Pay attention to the formality of your writing and make sure it is appropriate for the topic and type of document you are writing. Also pay attention to the specialized language, or jargon, that you can use. Only use it if your readers will understand the terms. For example, do not write your paper using words that only someone who has studied biochemistry would understand. Lastly, when choosing your words, make sure to add some variety. Do not repeat the same word four times in one sentence. Try to mix it up!

The next part of this chapter is how to polish your style once you have already begin writing with style. The first thing you can do is vary the structures of your sentences. You can use statements, questions, commands and exclamations. Also make sure to vary between independent and dependent clauses. If you keep your sentence type and structure the same throughout the whole paper, your readers may get bored and lose interest. Another way to polish your style is to create effective transitions. Transitional words and phrases include "first, second, third...", "however", "on one hand...on the other hand", and "as a result". You can also use transitional paragraphs and sentences. Transitions help the reader's eye move along the sentence or paragraph smoothly. Introducing other authors in creative ways is another tip to polish your style. Instead of using a phrase such as "The author wrote...." to introduce an author from a source, use a phrase such as "In response, the author observed that...." A fourth way to polish your style is to avoid sexist language. Technically it is correct to use male pronouns to when a gender is not specified (he, his, him), but many people would consider this sexist. To avoid this, make your sentences plural so that you do not have to specify the gender. Use "they" instead "he" or "she". Two other tips to polish your writing style are consult a good handbook and read widely or as often as you can. The advice given in this chapter will be very helpful while I am writing my paper!

Research Proposal

Jocelynn Wright

April 30, 2013

English 102

Research Proposal

Introduction: For many decades, people have sought out weight loss strategies including special low-carb or low-fat diets, diet pills, and juice cleanses. This paper will look at the pros and cons of these popular fad diets in conjunction with other ways of losing weight and/or staying healthy through the use of exercise and clean eating. Do these diets really work? What are the longterm affects they have on people who use them? What is a better way to lose weight? My purpose is to persuade my readers that these diets are not very safe for you and that the best way to lead a healthy lifestyle is to eat whole foods and exercise. I will do so by using statistics, data, and studies.

Review of Literature: Sources reviewed so far include "Popular Diets, Body Weight And Health:What Is Scientifically Documented?" by Susanne Bryngelsson and Nils-George Asp. From a 2005 issue of Scandinavian Journal of Nutrition. It talks about three popular diets known to many people these days. Another source used was “The Return of Rainbow Diet Pills” by Peter A. Cohen published in the American Journal of Public Health in 2012 and it is basically all about the pros and cons of diet pills. "Cognitive And Motivational Consequences Of Dieting." by Jane Ogden published in 1995 by European Eating Disorders Review is a review of a survey that was done on people who used diets and compared how they felt and changed. Dana Angelo White wrote “Are Healthy Detox Diets Safe?” in 2010 and it backs up my argument that diets, such as detox diets, can be unsafe. Another article used was "Dieting, Weight, And Health: Reconceptualizing Research And Policy." by Jeanine C. Cogen in 1999 in The Journal of Social Issues and discusses the unsafe benefits of fad dieting. A fifth source from a peer reviewed scholarly journal was by Yvonne Tapper-Gardzina titled “Should You Recommend a Low-Carb, High-Protein Diet?” and published in 2002 by the Southern Medical Journal. This article supports the kind of “diet” that I think is better than a fad diet. Other sources I found on the web included “Basics of a Proper Diet” by Patrick McDowell, "Diet Pills Are Right For Few Patients." By Michael McCarthy, “Weight Management published by the United States Department of Agriculture, and “The Eat Clean Diet: Diet Review” by Kathleen Zelman. The scholarly articles were the most useful between those and the websites that I found and used.

Plan to Collect Information: In addition to the valuable sources I have found so far, I will be using the school library to see if there are any books I can use for my paper. I am also hoping to find statistics and graphs through the Google search engine or a book from the library. Graphs and charts are always useful for evidence and support. I will interview two people – one person who has used fad diets to aid in his/her weightloss, and one person who has used exercise and wholesome/clean eating. If time permits, I would also like to meet with a nutritionist or weight loss specialist at the local YMCA where I exercise to see what his/her views are on fad diets.

Project Timeline: This week I will spend a lot of time reviewing my sources, especially my online databases, to organize the important information I can use from each one. I will also compile annotations for each source since that is due next week in class on May 7th. The following week, I plan to interview a friend who has recently begun losing a significant amount of weight using exercising and whole foods/clean eating. She will be support for my argument. The same week, I also plan to interview someone in my family that used a fad diet and did not have great success. The week I do interviews will also be the week I check the library for any sources that can help my paper. By May 14^th I will have my review of literature completed for class.  This puts me in a great position to begin my first draft of my paper, which will be due May 21^st. Using the first draft, I will complete my final paper by June 4^th. If I follow all my steps in a timely manner, finishing my final paper should not be too difficult.

Works Cited

Angelo White, Dana. "Healthy Debate: Are Detox Diets Safe?" Food Networks. N.p., 29

Nov. 2010. Web. 16 Apr. 2013.

Ansel, Karen. "Is Gluten Bad for Your Body?" Women's Health: Health, Fitness, Weight

Loss, Healthy Recipes & Beauty. N.p., n.d. Web. 16 Apr. 2013.

"Atkins And Other Low-Carbohydrate Diets: Hoax Or An Effective Tool For Weight

Loss?." Lancet 364.9437 (2004): 897-899. Academic Search Premier. Web. 16 Apr. 2013.

Bryngelsson, Susanne, and Nils-Georg Asp. "Popular Diets, Body Weight And Health:

What Is Scientifically Documented?." Scandinavian Journal Of Nutrition 49.1 (2005): 15-20. Academic Search Premier. Web. 16 Apr. 2013.

Chobdee, Julie. "Danger Signs of a Fad Diet." UC Riverside Wellness Program. UC

Riverside, n.d. Web. 16 Apr. 2013.

Cogan, Jeanine C., and Paul Ernsberger. "Dieting, Weight, And Health:

Reconceptualizing Research And Policy." Journal Of Social Issues 55.2 (1999): 187-205. Academic Search Premier. Web. 23 Apr. 2013.

Cohen, Pieter A., Alberto Goday, and John P. Swann. "The Return Of Rainbow Diet

Pills." American Journal Of Public Health 102.9 (2012): 1676-1686. Academic Search Premier. Web. 16 Apr. 2013.

Deen, JC. "Clean Eating is a Scam and Why You Should Abandon It." JCD Fitness — A

No BS Approach To Looking Great Naked. N.p., 13 Sept. 2010. Web. 30 Apr. 2013.

"Eat Right to Maintain a Healthy Weight, Eat Right, NHLBI, NIH." NIH Heart, Lung

and Blood Institute. N.p., 13 Feb. 2013. Web. 30 Apr. 2013.

Jegtvig, Shareen. "Weight Management: Why Are Fad Diets Bad?." About.com

Nutrition. N.p., 11 Mar. 2013. Web. 16 Apr. 2013.

Kreider, Richard B., et al. "Changes In Weight Loss, Body Composition And

Cardiovascular Disease Risk After Altering Macronutrient Distributions During A Regular Exercise Program In Obese Women." Nutrition Journal 9.(2010): 59-77. Academic Search Premier. Web. 23 Apr. 2013.

McCarthy, Michael. "Diet Pills Are Right For Few Patients." Lancet 348.9043 (1996):

1724. Academic Search Premier. Web. 23 Apr. 2013.

McDowell, Patrick . "Basics of a Proper Diet." Enjoy Healthy Living, Live a Healthy

Life, Sustain Good Health. N.p., n.d. Web. 16 Apr. 2013.

"MORE ON HEART DISEASE AND DIET PILLS. (Cover Story)." Harvard Heart Letter

10.11 (2000): 5. Academic Search Premier. Web. 16 Apr. 2013.

Ogden, Jane. "Cognitive And Motivational Consequences Of Dieting." European

Eating Disorders Review 3.4 (1995): 228-241. Academic Search Premier. Web. 23 Apr. 2013.

Tapper-Gardzina, Yvonne, Nancy Cotugna, and Connie E. Vickery. "Should You

Recommend A Low-Carb, High-Protein Diet?." Nurse Practitioner 27.4 (2002): 1. Academic Search Premier. Web. 16 Apr. 2013.

Tobias, Joseph D., et al. "Psychologic And Physiologic Effects Of Dieting In

Adolescents." Southern Medical Journal 95.9 (2002): 1032-1041. Academic Search Premier. Web. 23 Apr. 2013.

"Weight Management." ChooseMyPlate.gov. United States Department of Agriculture,

n.d. Web. 30 Apr. 2013.

Ylisela, Mary. "The Best Way to Get Fit in Two Months.” Healthy Living –

azcentral.com. N.p., Web. 16 Apr. 2013.

Zelman, Kathleen M. . "The Eat-Clean Diet: Diet Review." WebMD – Better

information. Better health. N.p., n.d. Web. 30 Apr. 2013.

Writer's Blog: Chapter 12

In Chapter 11, we learned how to develop our thesis statement for the paper and now in chapter 12 we will learn how to develop our argument for the paper. Your argument is what you want others to understand or how you want them to act. It will support your thesis statement.The first thing you will do, according to the book, to develop your argument is choose reasons to support the thesis statement you have decided to use. You can choose reasons by brainstorming, looping, freewriting, etc. For an informative document, like we are writing for this class, we need to ask what we want to convey to the readers and what they will want to know about the topic when we are thinking up reasons for our argument. The next step that is done to support your thesis statement and create your argument is to select evidence that will support the reasons that you just came up with in step one. Evidence will include "details, facts, personal observations, and expert opinions" (211). The evidence will "back up your assertions and help your readers understand your ideas" (211). The last step to support your thesis statement is to decide how you are going to appeal to your readers. You will make sure to appeal to authority, emotion, principles, values and beliefs, character, and logic. Two important things to consider when using logical appeals is deduction and induction. "Deduction is a form of logical reasoning that moves from general principles to a conclusion. It usually involves two propositions and a conclusion" (214). It is normally used for arguments regarding ethical and moral issues. "Induction is a form of logical reasoning that moves from specific observations to general conclusions, often drawing on numerical data to reveal patterns" (214).

The next part of this chapter is about assessing the integrity in your argument. A lack of integrity means a lack of respect towards your readers. If a reader notices an error in your reasoning, they may very well reject an argument. One thing to do is check for fallacies based on distraction. They include "a red herring", which is an irrelevant and distracting point, "ad hominem attacks" which which attempts to discredit an argument by suggesting the person associated with it should not be trusted, and "irrelevant history" which is also a distraction (216). You will also look for fallacies based on questionable assumptions which includes generalizations, oversimplification of other people's arguments, citing inappropriate authorities (non experts, sources with strong bias, etc.), and jumping on a bandwagon. Jumping on a band wagon is just saying that if enough people believe something, it HAS to be true. The next type of fallacies you will search for are ones based on misrepresentation. They include only presenting one side of an argument (only your side), base-rate fallacies based on statistics, and false analogies that make inappropriate comparisons. The last fallacy to check for in your argument is fallacies based on careless reasoning including arguing something happened because something else happened first, slippery slope arguments, arguments that present two choices one of which is not desirable, statements that don't follow logically what has been presented, and lastly circular reasoning. To find more information about the specific types of fallacies to look for in your research argument, you may look on pages 215 to 217. Configuring an argument is very important to this paper and it will identify reasons why people should accept your thesis statement!

Working Bibliography (20 sources)

Working Bibliography

From EBSCO:

1. Bryngelsson, Susanne, and Nils-Georg Asp. "Popular Diets, Body Weight And Health: What Is Scientifically Documented?." Scandinavian Journal Of Nutrition 49.1 (2005): 15-20. Academic Search Premier. Web. 16 Apr. 2013.

Although this article is about 8 years old, it seems very reliable and helpful to my research. It talks about three different popular diets and how they compare to the official dietary recommendations.

2. "Atkins And Other Low-Carbohydrate Diets: Hoax Or An Effective Tool For Weight Loss?." Lancet 364.9437 (2004): 897-899. Academic Search Premier. Web. 16 Apr. 2013.

This article discusses the popular fad diet – the Atkis diet – and whether or not lowering carbohydrates really helps lose weight.

 3. Tapper-Gardzina, Yvonne, Nancy Cotugna, and Connie E. Vickery. "Should You Recommend A Low-Carb, High-Protein Diet?." Nurse Practitioner 27.4 (2002): 1. Academic Search Premier. Web. 16 Apr. 2013.

This article sparks my interest because it talks about low-carb, high-protein diets. I’ve been taught that high protein is good for you and would like to find out more information on this using this source.

 4. Cohen, Pieter A., Alberto Goday, and John P. Swann. "The Return Of Rainbow Diet Pills." American Journal Of Public Health 102.9 (2012): 1676-1686. Academic Search Premier. Web. 16 Apr. 2013.

This source is all abut diet pills!

5. "MORE ON HEART DISEASE AND DIET PILLS. (Cover Story)." Harvard Heart Letter 10.11 (2000): 5. Academic Search Premier. Web. 16 Apr. 2013.

This source is also about diet pills and how they are not good. This supports my side of the argument for my topic! J

6. Cogan, Jeanine C., and Paul Ernsberger. "Dieting, Weight, And Health: Reconceptualizing Research And Policy." Journal Of Social Issues 55.2 (1999): 187-205. Academic Search Premier. Web. 23 Apr. 2013.

When reading the overview of this article it looks very promising for my paper because it supports my stance on the issue of dieting. It gives support for why dieting can be unsafe, which is exactly what I need.

7. Ogden, Jane. "Cognitive And Motivational Consequences Of Dieting." European Eating Disorders Review 3.4 (1995): 228-241. Academic Search Premier. Web. 23 Apr. 2013.

This source is great because it uses a study as the base behind the article. They did surveys of people who dieted and who did not diet and compared how they felt and what changes they experienced.

8. Joseph D. Tobias, et al. "Psychologic And Physiologic Effects Of Dieting In Adolescents." Southern Medical Journal 95.9 (2002): 1032-1041. Academic Search Premier. Web. 23 Apr. 2013.

This source is about the negative side effects of dieting especially in teenagers or young adults.

9. Richard B. Kreider, et al. "Changes In Weight Loss, Body Composition And Cardiovascular Disease Risk After Altering Macronutrient Distributions During A Regular Exercise Program In Obese Women." Nutrition Journal 9.(2010): 59-77. Academic Search Premier. Web. 23 Apr. 2013.

Love this academic journal source because it talks about the positive effects of the macronutrients. Not only do I think these are important, but it’s great support for my paper.

10. McCarthy, Michael. "Diet Pills Are Right For Few Patients." Lancet 348.9043 (1996): 1724. Academic Search Premier. Web. 23 Apr. 2013.

This article is about how diet pills are not all cracked up as they are made to be. This will be good support for why dieting certain ways are not healthy.

From Google:

1.    Angelo White, Dana. "Healthy Debate: Are Detox Diets Safe? | Healthy Eats – Food Network Healthy Living Blog." Food Networks. N.p., 29 Nov. 2010. Web. 16 Apr. 2013. <http://blog.foodnetwork.com/healthyeats/2010/11/29/healthy-debate-are-detox-diets-safe/>.

I like this article because it backs up my argument that diets can be unsafe. The author seems to know what she is talking about.

2.    Ylisela, Mary. "The Best Way to Get Fit in Two Months | Healthy Living - azcentral.com." Healthy Living - azcentral.com. N.p., n.d. Web. 16 Apr. 2013. <http://healthyliving.azcentral.com/way-fit-two-months-10423.html>.

This source doesn’t seem to be too helpful. It is a very short article and I don’t know that it necessarily pertains to my topic. But it does however stand on my side of the argument.

3.    McDowell, Patrick . "Basics of a Proper Diet | Healthy Life Journal." Enjoy Healthy Living, Live a Healthy Life, Sustain Good Health. N.p., n.d. Web. 16 Apr. 2013. <http://healthylifejournal.org/articles/basics-of-a-proper-diet/>.

I think this journal article will really support my side of the argument. It advocates for a healthy lifestyle of living instead of hardcore dieting. Unfortunately there is no publication date!

4.    Jegtvig, Shareen. "Weight Management: Why Are Fad Diets Bad?." About.com Nutrition. N.p., 11 Mar. 2013. Web. 16 Apr. 2013. <http://nutrition.about.com/od/diets/a/fad_

The reason I like this source is because it was recently updated and goes along with my topic.

5.    Ansel, Karen. "Is Gluten Bad for Your Body? | Women's Health Magazine." Women's Health: Health, Fitness, Weight Loss, Healthy Recipes & Beauty. N.p., n.d. Web. 16 Apr. 2013. <http://www.womenshealthmag.com/health/gluten-free-diet>.

I am not sure how good this source will be, but I think that the publisher and author are credible.

6. http://www.choosemyplate.gov/weight-management-calories/weight-management.html

This website is great! It isn’t just one article, but it is a whole website about being healthy and how to eat a balanced diet. It has links to many other articles and information.

7. http://wellness.ucr.edu/Danger%20Signs%20of%20a%20Fad%20Diet.pdf

This source is from a college and basically lists the dangers to look for in “fad-diets”. I like this a lot but I am not sure that it will be too reliable or something significant enough to use for my research.

8. http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health//public/heart/obesity/wecan/eat-right/index.htm

The National Heat, Lung, and Blood Institute published this article and I trust it very much. It is about the basics of eating a healthy diet…not promoting dangerous diets. It also has links to other sources!

9. http://www.webmd.com/diet/features/eat-clean-diet-review

This article is published on Webmd’s website and I believe that it is very reliable. It is about losing weight by eating clean foods, which is exactly what I support!

10. http://www.jcdfitness.com/2010/09/clean-eating-is-a-scam-and-why-you-should-abandon-it/

This article is going to be very useful for my paper because it supports the opposite side of what I want to support. It is very good to have other opinions and views in your paper so you recognize all sides.

Writer's Blog: Chapter 11

Chapter 11 marks the beginning of writing our research paper. All the things before helped us gather information for our research paper, but now we will learn how to begin constructing our paper. In order to start, we need to create a thesis statement, which is exactly what the chapter is all about! A thesis statement "provides a clear, focused expression of the main point you want to make. It is, in a nutshell, the most important idea or argument you want to convey to your readers." (203-204) Some things you can do before crafting your thesis statement is review your position statement, review your notes, consider your purpose, and reflect on your readers. Reviewing your position statement kind of speaks for itself....just look over what your position on the issue is. To review your notes, find information or ideas that you have thought of as important. Make sure that the ideas or information that you have found will help you meet yours and your professors goal for this paper. Also, review what thoughts you have come up with on your own about the topic. To consider your purpose and role, you can follow some questions outlined in the book:

• Have the purposes, or reasons, for working on this paper changed since the beginning?
• Has your role as a writer changed since the beginning? You may have seen yourself as an informer in the beginning, but now you see yourself as a persuader. 

You also should reflect on your readers and make sure that the main point of your paper helps your readers' needs, purposes, and concerns. If your purpose or role has changed, if your position statement doesn't seem to match up with the main point you want to make, or if you are not meeting your reader's concerns, you can change your position statement. 

When you've done all of your reviewing, you can actually draft your thesis statement. First identify important information, ideas, and key phrases or words that you have used in your notes or other materials. Then you can draft some alternatives. Alternatives are different approaches you use with your reader. You can "invite your readers to learn something new, suggest that they change their attitudes or beliefs, or argue they should take action of some kind." (206) Also, make sure that you consider what kind of document, or genre, you are planning to write. In this case, it is a persuasive paper. Now you will focus your thesis statement so that it is not too broad. Be more specific. What do you want your readers to know about the subject, how should they feel about it, what actions should they take?? Also keep in mind any arguments or objections that a reader might have to your thesis statement and attempt to head it off before they can do so. To see examples of how writer's moved from their research question to position statement and then to their thesis statement you can look on page 208 of the chapter. 

Writer's Blog: Chapter 10

In chapter 10, we will continue gathering information on how to collect information just like we did in chapter 8. In this chapter however, we will learn how to search for information using field research methods. A field research is a primary source because you aren't using other people's interpretations or observations, you are creating your own. Field search methods can include interviews, direct observations, and surveys. You can use field research methods if published sources you have found do not look at your issue in the way you find helpful or in the same perspective, if the issue is considered "finalized" by most people, if you are considering a part of an issue that hasn't been dealt with yet, or if you need to strengthen your argument.

Using an interview to collect information is one method of field research. Some people do interviews because they need another point of view and some people do interviews to add another source to their paper. You must first decide who you are going to interview. it can be a professor, government official, someone affected by your issue, or someone who is involved with your issue. Once you figure out who to interview, decide when and where to interview and how you will interview. Will it be a face-to-face interview, a phone interview, or an exchange of emails. Also, will you take notes or use a recorder during the interview? Also prepare by figuring out what kind of questions you will ask. Will you be asking for facts or opinions? Ask more elaborate questions than just yes or no questions and also come up with some follow-up questions. Next, you will conduct the interview. Make sure you thank he or she with a thank you note or message. Lastly, analyze your results by looking for new information or ideas, statements that can support your side, any contradictions in the interview, ask if the person interviewed seemed as knowledgable as you thought, and any other statements you find helpful.

Another method in field research is an observation. After deciding that you indeed want to observe an event or setting, plan your observation. Where will you make your observations? You may consider making observations at more than one place. For example if you are making observations of elderly in a nursing home you may find it useful to observe more than one nursing home. Make sure you know what you are looking for or wanting to gain in your observation so that you can focus on one thing. before making observations, find out if you need permission (some places require permission). Next, you will actually do the observation. Here is a checklist that the book gives you when conducting an observation:

• Arrive early
• Look over your planning notes
• introduce yourself if you have chose to observe somewhere you need permission
• set up recording equipment (pen, paper, video camera, etc)
• Take notes
• leave contact info and make sure to send thank you notes if you have asked permission

To analyze your results of an observation use them just as you would when analyzing other sources. Identify key ideas or information that will help you, any problems you find, anything new you didn't know before, patterns, and make sure you are "confident enough about the results of your analysis" (192) to help you with your paper. 

Surveys are another method used in field research. They are usually used to find out beliefs or attitudes from groups of people to answer "what" or "why" questions. When planning your survey, determine who you are going to survey. You may choose representatives of a larger group and pick those representatives randomly. Next, you will figure out what to ask and how to ask it. make sure not to influence the surveyors answers somehow in your survey questions. Also make sure that your question(s) makes sense. Then, you can distribute your surveys. Online-based surveys are popular because they are easy to conduct, but a lot of times, only a certain group of people - those interested in the topic - will partake in the survey. paper surveys are very useful if you are in a position where you can bring them somewhere to be distributed. Phone surveys are not reliable because not many people respond to them and sometimes they are even prohibited by laws. Conduct your survey and then analyze the results. The easiest way to do this is to create a spreadsheet, according to this book. Look for trends or patterns, similarities, and surprising results in your data. 

Another method for field research discussed in this chapter is correspondence. "Correspondence includes any textual communication, such as letters, faxes, and email....[as well as on] social networking sites such as Facebook." (197) Correspondence can be very helpful when done with experts on your issue, but it can also be done with other people, such as people who are involved in your issue. When corresponding, introduce yourself, ask clear questions, and thank your reader/replier. 

The last method used in this chapter for field research is public events and broadcast media. It can include lectures, conferences, meetings, hearings, radio, and television. You can use video recording devices and take notes when collecting information from these sources.

This chapter will help me when I need more sources or information for my paper. It was interesting to read all of the different methods there are in field research and I will definitely be using some of the suggestions.   

Writer's Blog: Chapter 7

Chapter 7 in The Bedford Researcher is all about PLAGIARISM, and how not to commit the act of plagiarizing. First off, the book defines plagiarism as "either unintentionally using someone else's work without properly acknowledging where the ideas or information came from...or intentionally passing off someone else's work as your own." (121) If I had not used quotation marks around that definition nor cited what page number I found the information in the book, I would be plagiarizing because they are not my words. Unintentional plagiarizing is the most common and can result in lack of taking good notes. Although it is not done on purpose, it can still have consequences. Some things that are considered unintentional plagiarizing are:

• quoting a passage in your notes but then when using it in your paper you don't use quotation marks because you forgot to note that it was from someone else
• using a paraphrase that is almost exactly like the original quote
• not differentiating your idea from the sources idea
• forget to list the source

Intentional plagiarizing is more serious and can result in even being expelled from a school. This type of plagiarism can include:

• "patchwork writing" where you put a few passages from different sources together and you do not quote or cite it
• using fake citations
• direct copying or very closely paraphrasing a passage, etc. without quoting or citing
• buying a document, essay, or paper that has been written and using it as your own

When working in groups, questions about plagiarize are often asked such as, "can I use notes or changes that they made to my papers without citing them?", "Do i have to identify which group member contributed a certain idea?"There is not one answer for this but usually you do not need to cite someone if they just helped edit your paper and made suggestions. You can always acknowledge them if you feel that it helped you significantly. If working in a group, list every author. Also ask your instructor what they would specifically like. 

One thing that all good writer's and researcher's must practice is good research ethics, which are three rules to research. The first rule is to acknowledge you source's information and ideas so that you show them respect. The next rule is to keep the sources information and ideas true and fair because you don't want to convey to your reader's something that your source didn't mean. The third rule is to use citations for the sources that you have used. 

You may be thinking, "My whole paper is going to be quotes and information I have gathered from other people." In fact, you do not need to document every single piece of information that you find on your topic. If it is common knowledge, which the book defines as "information that is widely known, such as the fact that the Declaration of Independence was signed in 1776" (124) than you will not need to cite it. If you are not sure if something is common knowledge or not, you can check to see how many sources use the same information as well as double check with an instructor. Another thing that you may be wondering is if you have to ask permission from a sources author to use a quote or passage, The general rule is that you do not unless you will be publishing your document. 

Avoiding plagiarism is the biggest topic in this chapter and it is the most important to understand so that you do not find yourself in trouble. The book says in order to avoid unintentional plagiarism you must learn to "conduct a knowledge survey, take notes carefully, distinguish between your ideas and those drawn from your sources, cite sources in the text and in a works cited or reference list, recognize misconceptions about intentional plagiarism." To conduct a knowledge survey, which will make sure you understand your issue, ask yourself three questions about the issue you have decided to address. Ask, "What do you already know about the issue, what don't you know, and what do you want to know." The next thing you must do is take notes carefully, which can be done by using quotation marks around every quote, make sure that your paraphrase is different in word choice and structure, do not make a patchwork summary about a source, use publication info about the source and where you found a certain quote or phrase in the source, and double check your notes. In order to distinguish your ideas from a source's ideas, look at the writing style of your notes. If it doesn't look like something you would write, than double check it. Also use phrases such as '"according to Jessica Richards..."' (129), which attributes information to the source's author. Citing your sources is probably the most important thing in order to avoid unintentional plagiarism. You must include an in-text citation, which is the page number and author, and comes write after the quote or phrase that you have borrowed, as well as a complete citation in the works cited list. We will use MLA style and the book provides examples on how to do in-text citations on page 132 and how to make a correct citation in the works cited page in another chapter. The last thing to do to avoid plagiarism is to understand why writer's plagiarize. The most common excuses or reasons why people say they plagiarize are "It's easier to plagiarize", "I ran out of time", "I couldn't care less about this assignment", "I'm no good at writing", "I didn't think I would get caught", "Everybody cheats", and "This course is a waste of my time". DO NOT consider any of these when considering whether you should plagiarize or not. Plagiarizing is illegal. End of story. If you are accused of plagiarizing make sure to double check your work again, collect all the materials you used for research, and talk with your professor about what you can do to fix it or what punishments you will face. 

Source Evaluation

Jocelynn Wright

April 16, 2013

English 102

Source Evaluation

1.    Angelo White, Dana. "Healthy Debate: Are Detox Diets Safe? | Healthy Eats – Food Network Healthy Living Blog." Food Networks. N.p., 29 Nov. 2010. Web. 16 Apr. 2013. <http://blog.foodnetwork.com/healthyeats/2010/11/29/healthy-debate-are-detox-diets-safe/>.

I like this article because it backs up my argument that diets can be unsafe. The author seems to know what she is talking about.

2.    Ylisela, Mary. "The Best Way to Get Fit in Two Months | Healthy Living - azcentral.com." Healthy Living - azcentral.com. N.p., n.d. Web. 16 Apr. 2013. <http://healthyliving.azcentral.com/way-fit-two-months-10423.html>.

This source doesn’t seem to be too helpful. It is a very short article and I don’t know that it necessarily pertains to my topic. But it does however stand on my side of the argument.

3.    McDowell, Patrick . "Basics of a Proper Diet | Healthy Life Journal." Enjoy Healthy Living, Live a Healthy Life, Sustain Good Health. N.p., n.d. Web. 16 Apr. 2013. <http://healthylifejournal.org/articles/basics-of-a-proper-diet/>.

I think this journal article will really support my side of the argument. It advocates for a healthy lifestyle of living instead of hardcore dieting. Unfortunately there is no publication date!

4.    Jegtvig, Shareen. "Weight Management: Why Are Fad Diets Bad?." About.com Nutrition. N.p., 11 Mar. 2013. Web. 16 Apr. 2013. <http://nutrition.about.com/od/diets/a/fad_

The reason I like this source is because it was recently updated and goes along with my topic.

5.    Ansel, Karen. "Is Gluten Bad for Your Body? | Women's Health Magazine." Women's Health: Health, Fitness, Weight Loss, Healthy Recipes & Beauty. N.p., n.d. Web. 16 Apr. 2013. <http://www.womenshealthmag.com/health/gluten-free-diet>.

I am not sure how good this source will be, but I think that the publisher and author are credible.