Commonplace Blog

http://www.mhlearningsolutions.com/commonplace/

For this blog assignment, you will need to follow the above link and select a single Commonplace article. You should then post a comment to this blog entry with a link to said article commenting on how that article is either similar or different from the ARP style of writing. To do so, be certain to call attention to specific elements of your selected article, such as language, sources, topic matter, etc.

Where is the Love?

http://www.mhlearningsolutions.com/commonplace/index.php?q=node/5513

For this post, read the above essay from Commonplace. After you have done so, post a response to this post that can answer any of the following: what is the primary argument here? How is that argument conveyed? What about his format is similar to the ARP? Different? How effective is this essay?

ARP Thesis Statements

For Monday's blog post, we will follow the same format as the research question post in order to post your thesis statements for your ARP rough drafts. To do this, you will need to supply two comments. Your first comment, due before class, will be the thesis statement you are currently working with for your ARP. After class, you will need to come back and comment on one of your classmate's thesis statements, providing feedback on how to make it more effective. You will be aided in this process by following the reading for Monday from Writing Analytically, specifically paying attention to the section on weak thesis statements (255-64).

Boondocks: Guess Ho's Coming to Dinner

This video is an excerpt from an episode of the Boondocks. This show often tackles heavily satirical topics, and this excerpt is no exception. What are the issues of gender and sexuality that are being raised here? How do they intersect with the racial dynamics of the video? If this is satire, what is the message the episode is aiming at? What is it trying to say about sex and gender?

Research Questions

For this blog post, use the comments to post possible research questions based on your primary source as we discussed in class on Tuesday. Remember, strong research questions lead to further research and exploration while weak research questions are those that can be quickly answered, causing an end to any further investigation.

In addition to posting your questions, you should also offer advice and/or suggestions on other people's research questions in a second comment that can be posted later. The goal here is to help your classmates, so comments such as "your questions are good" don't offer a lot in regards to constructive criticism.

Guiness Banned Advertisement

For this video, consider first the specifics of the video itself. What is this video saying about sex and sexuality? What are the gender dynamics being performed here, explicitly or implicitly? How does this sell the product and what message is being pushed here?

Furthermore, you should also consider this video in light of the advertisment of alcoholic beverages in general. Is there a trend of alchol advertisements using sex, and if so how does this video fit in with that tradition? Does this video follow the usual format or does it push beyond the usual boundaries? This commercial was banned in some countries, including the U.S.; what about this video makes it beyond the norm for American television? If you have experience with beer and alcohol advertisements from other countries, how does this compare to other culturally specific advertisement campaigns?