Take What You Learned and Run With It

We have reached the end of our journey, classmates. This semester seems like it's flown by, but now it's time to buckle down, take our few remaining finals, and prepare for the next one looming on the horizon. I don't know about the rest of you, but I feel I have definitely learned quite a lot about not only my writing style, but writing in general. I never thought things I would take away from a semester of English would be PEE value and the proper use of CRAP.

Unless many of us are pursuing a degree in English, this is probably one of the few English classes we will be taking in our college careers. For that reason, it is all the more important for us to take from this as much as we can to assist us in the remainder of our college career and our future job markets. What we learn here will help us in the many papers we will have to write for classes in our future, and even in our applications to graduate schools, and jobs.Where do we go from here? How do we apply what we've learned here? Honestly, I have no more of an idea than many of you. I do know I feel considerably more prepared for our future writing assignments and have learned how to now make my writing more organized and attention getting. Hopefully we can all Learn, Practice, and Apply what we've learned here, and it can make us better prepared for our futures.

To Say or Nay To Say

Here we are folks, our final paper of the semester. Is this one better than my first? Have I improved on my writing? After completing my self review, I realized, it's not the technical aspect of the paper I am having trouble with. My last few papers have diminished my bravado concerning my writing style and replaced it with a myriad of questions of insecurity. Is this a proper Rogerian Argument? Am I introducing my naysayers properly? Is my persuasion of my audience convincing enough? These are the questions I keep challenging myself with tonight. After convincing myself to not start over on this paper for the third time in these final hours, I can help but wonder, is this the paper I want it to be? I look down the list one more time, thesis, check, catchy title, check, introduction and conclusion, check; but I can't help but hear those nagging questions of what ifs in the back of my mind.

It's been a long day and I have reviewed this paper more than I have read many of my favorite books and still I can't say with certainty this is a GOOD paper. I think this is the time to use the lifelines made available to us by the university. Again tomorrow I will journey to the writing center and talk with someone who knows more about this style of writing than I so. I think from their knowledge I can find the confidence needed to revise my paper one final time into the absolute best I can make it. .

Herbal Remedies or Happy Pills

My research paper was on Psychological treatments throughout history. It is hard to find an argument within that field so decided that I would focus on one particular treatment, Psychotropic drugs, which has become very commonly used in our day and age. The primary naysayer to psychotropic drugs would be someone who favors a more natural approach to mental health such as with the use of herbs. In recent years the popularity of common herbal remedies such as lavender, st. johns wort, and chamomile has exploded as an alternative to the use of psychotropic drugs such as anti-anxiety drugs and anti-depressants. These natural advocates would exaggerate the possible side effects of certain drugs and their commonality and use this as a reason to not take any psychoactive drugs at all. Since very little study has been done concerning the empirical results of herbal treatments for mental disorders, there is a large area for debate over which of these two options would be more effect overall in their use as a treatment. Apothecary uses of herbs instead of mainstream drugs have been done long before and consistently after the introduction of psychotropic drugs such as lithium and valium. Because this treatment is believed safer and less invasive than newer drugs on the market, many would choose them as a preferred treatment. 

Mr. Rogerian's Neighborhood

It's a beautiful day in the neighborhood, a beautiful day for.... Wait that's not where this is suppose to be going. It seems the clock has spun around a few more times and again we find ourselves in the predawn of another writing assignment. Lucky for us this writing assignment will be using the same topic as our previous Research Paper's we have hopefully all finished up by now. Rogerian Argument, what is this, how does it work, and how do we go about making one? Hopefully by the end of reading this all these questions will be answered.

A Rogerian argument is named after Carl Rogers, who would try to see a debatable topic from various different viewpoints before deciding which viewpoint was correct and arguing it using information or rhetoric. A way to do this is through the use of a naysayer. A naysayer is a person who's viewpoint is contrary to your own or who objects to your viewpoint or argument to support that viewpoint. The details of this paper are: a minimum of 2000 words, at least 8 sources, and MLA format. These facts aside, the important information to keep in mind is the introduction of the naysayer and their opinion, and the subsequent rhetoric showing why your viewpoint is superior to theirs.

Psychopharmacology - Will Happy Pills be the Daily Vitamins of the Future?

Although the use of drugs to treat mental illness has been done since the 1800s, it was only after the introduction of Lithium by Australian psychiatrist J.F.J Cade that psychopharmacology became popularized. Current studies have found that one in ten Americans excluding those institutionalized are prescribes psychotropic drugs. IMS reports that antidepressant prescriptions grew by 12%, anxiety medications by 16%, antipsychotics by 35%, and drugs used to treat attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder by 37% between the years of 2002 and 2006. (Munsey 52) This merits the question, How far will this trend continue? In the 1960's as a large increase of psychotropic drugs began being used in institutions to treat mental illness, society developed the idea that these drugs were the answer to all mental disorders. This introduced a whole new issue in the field of treatment of mental disorders. The use of pychotropic drugs allows a person to avoid directly addressing mental disorder through psychotherapy. Through the use of psychotropic drugs many have avoided the shame associated with their illness in places where it is still stigmatized. This avoidance of the underlying problem and only medicating the symptoms means the patient will continue the use of their medication indefinitely. Through psychotherapy a patient can address the symptoms through supportive counseling. Cognitive therapy helps in the differentiation between major and minor issues in life and the changing of pessimistic ideas, unrealistic expectations, and critical self evaluations. Problem solving therapy helps the patient to change the areas of their life that act as stressors for their mental disorder and the development of better coping skills to handle these stresses. (Franklin) Through these uses of psychotherapy a patient would be able to in many cases minimize or even eliminate the use of many medications currently prescribed. 

Works Cited

Franklin, D. J.. N.p.. Web. 20 Nov 2013. <http://www.psychologyinfo.com/depression/treatment.htm>.

Munsey, C. "At least one in 10 Americans are prescribed psychotropics." American Psychological Association. 39.2 (2008): 52.

Is This C.R.A.P or just Crap

The Acronym C.R.A.P represents as seen above, contrast, repetition, alignment, and proximity. These four elements determine the difference between an easily understood and navigated website and a difficult and confusing website. Contrast is making differing points very different in appearance to distinguish them from each other. Repetition is repeating the same style through out the page for ease of navigation. Alignment is the connection of all elements to another element to avoid things standing out alone. Proximity is the grouping together of like things and leaving space between dissimilar items to show their differences.

Through the use of these four design factors, a website is easier to navigate for everyone from the network administrator to the first time visitor. I'm sure all of us have happened onto websites that are hard to understand how to get to where we want to go or hard to find the information we are looking for. Websites such as these can deter us from using them again and encourage us to find other sources for the information we are seeking if available. On the other hand properly designed pages encourage us to use them again because of the ease it takes to navigate to our desired area or information. Through the proper use of the four above mentioned aspects in website design, the designer greatly effects the reaction of the visitors to his site in the future.  So always remember, use C.R.A.P if you want people to enjoy your websites in the future.

He Had a Dream That Lives on Even Today

I had a dream... these words rang out on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial. They revealed the injustice being perpetrated against the Black community of their day. Dr. King in his own words said, "America has given the Negro people a bad check, a check which has come back marked "insufficient funds. " The message contained in this speech is probably obvious to every reader by now. Dr. King was striving for equality, not equality for blacks, or equality for Chinese, Equality for ALL AMERICANS! He wasn't asking for special treatment, he wasn't asking for government action to make reparations for the decades upon decades of mistreatment at the hands of the very people who ran the government of this great nation. This message wasn't as much persuasive as it was revealing of what has to be done. He was revealing to all that would listen that love was the only answer to the hate and prejudice perpetrated by both sides on the issue. As he said, Darkness cannot drive out darkness, only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate, only love can do that. His use of all three styles of rhetoric throughout his speech displayed his excellent ability to share his ideas with his listeners through a peaceful logical means. He was an expert on the prejudice treatment of his people, because he seen it everyday. He used logic through out his speech by showing the white audience that if the situation was changed they would feel mistreated, and he made an emotional appeal by bringing to light the real treatment blacks were still receiving well after the signing of the emancipation proclamation. It would be hard to not be persuaded by this moving speech, but from the fact that prejudicial treatment is still an issue today, it would seem some were not.