Presentation Data

Presentation Outline

Speech topic: Contemporary Postmodernism

Purpose: To explore and explain postmodernism as a credible art form; discussing it’s usefulness in the art industry.

I. Introduction:

A. Statement of Topic: Of all the periods in art, the one we are currently in provides the most questionable and least liked of all artwork every produced. Why then are artist still sticking with it? And what does this mean for everyone else?

B. Signpost/Preview

a. Transition: The following three points help to explain why postmodernism is so highly misunderstood, how it effects everyone, and why artists are maintaining their hold on this paradoxical concept.

II. Body:

A. First Main Point: Postmodernism definition

i. Webster: “a late 20^th century style and concept in the arts, architecture, and criticism that represents a departure from modernism and has at its heart a general distrust of grand theories and ideologies as well as a problematic relationship with any notion of ‘art’.”

a. Transition: by definition, postmodernism is in a sense the “anti-art” in response to the exploration that took place during the modernist period. The idea that art is everything and everything is art, crosses art into advertisements, the media, and virtually everything that surrounds us.

B. Second Main Point: Postmodernism is the spawn of design

Elements and principle of design discussion & abstraction

i. Interview data from professors as evidence

ii. “Product Placement” – Christopher Townsend

a. Transition: Due to the design elements which fuel postmodernism, traditional visual artists (painters, drawers, sculptors, photographers) gain greater insight and practice into their craft.

C. Third Main Point: Postmodernistic/contemporary practices by artists help them to develop their skills.

i. Personal experience- provide visuals of my work to demonstrate this idea

ii. Interview data from professors as evidence

Transition: With these points in mind, (continue on to conclusion)

III. Conclusion:

[and] in spite of its seemingly paradoxical nature, postmodernism has its advantages and is no doubt leaving its mark upon the world. (summarize previous points and re-explain why this is good for contemporary artists)

My research into this subject is primarily via what I have learned by way of interview from my professors, and the experience that I have personally gained by taking part in the postmodernist era for art. I plan to use these experiences in the speech and provide examples of my own work to help demonstrate how this strange, "non conformist" era is a help to artists in mastering style and aesthetics. I also have quotes from professors and some scholarly information that I plan to use to back up my claims.

"Blunders"

Having been raised as a Latter Day Saint for the entirety of my life, I've experienced all sorts of "blunders," both on the receiving and dishing out end. It was especially difficult when I was younger, particularly my late elementary years. At a very young age, mormon children are taught to stand up for what they believe in, and unfortunately perhaps without the tactfulness gained with experience in sharing religious views. I had the unfortunate mishap of offending one of my Catholic friends by denouncing her beliefs, trying desperately to explain my own. It had not occurred to me until after she broke out in tears and would no longer talk to me, that I had handled the situation poorly. We were able to overcome the problem, resolving it over a game of lightning at the park, and I learned the dangers of imposing religious views on others very early. Since then I have tried to open minded, and less easily upset by the beliefs of others.

The most recent blunder provided in a public sphere that really comes to mind is the incident in which the Ohio Republicans cracked "birther" jokes about President Obama, questioning his citizenship status. Simply because he is black -- and a Democrat at that -- automatically puts Obama in question with a lot of people. As such a prominent figure with a great deal of power, Obama is subject to all sorts of objections and snide remarks, however I think that it's disgusting and unfair to judge a man and his citizenship based on the color of his skin and his ideology. Which brings about an interesting but not new type of discrimination, based upon one's chosen ideology. Grand assumptions are made about members of both parties, and those who declare independent take criticisms from both sides. The political war has been waging since parties emerged, and every party has had a number of stereotypes over the years. I find it interesting that when covering stereotypes that should be avoided (gender, ethnicity, age, etc.), political views are not included in the list. Perhaps political parties exist simply to alienate each other? Or maybe for many it doesn't read as discriminatory. However I've witnessed the rift it's caused in my own family, and I feel that politics is something that ought to be approached as tactfully as religion is.

Advertisements: Not so Effective

Although the images uses repetition of color, as well as the complimentary blue/orange from effect, the advertisement itself is lacking in communication of purpose. The implication exists, but the ad would be more effective with some kind of catchy heading about what Gatorade does for the body, or how it helps with athleticism. As it right now, the add seems to be more like a spoof than a serious selling point.

Whoever designed this sunglasses ad had too much fun with photoshop. The purple wash/monochrome style masks the sunglasses in the image, making them not as prominent as the heart and polka-dot pattern. The hierarchy of purpose is therefore destroyed.

Also, the very little text that appears here -being the only contributing acknowledgement that it is in fact a sunglasses advertisement- is difficult to understand. Once again, the hierarchy is not prominent enough to determine which part of the text should be read first.

It would be more effective if it either read in a standard left to right, or if the "50% Off" stood out and was the first thing the viewer noticed.

Advertisements: Effective

Of all advertisements, Apple has some of the most vibrant, and most understated yet effective ones. The unmistakable iPod dancing silhouettes epitomize this fact, as the imagery says it all. Plug in and prepare for fun. Their vibrant color against the black makes them pop, adding to the meaning they convey. They are unmistakable and easily relatable as almost everyone has some generation of the iPod. It's popularity therefore contributes to it's success.

In this advertisement, Windows implies their breakthrough against barriers with a bold headline and a strong visual to match. Color plays it's part in the add, giving off a stark contrast between the black and white. The only color appears through the "window" symbol in the visual, implying it's escape from the mundane grey of the room.

This iPhone advertisement sticks with Apple's usual tactic of imagery over text. However, it maintains it's effectiveness, providing a primary image, the purpose of which is backed up by an appropriately connected text concept. "Touching is believing" compliments the large image used to draw in the viewer.

Real World Parallelism example

STUDENT LOAN MODIFICATION PROGRAM

Student Loan Modification Program Can Help You Reduce Your Student Loan Cost.
We Can Help You With Your Student Loan Modification Today.

STUDENT LOAN MODIFICATION PROGRAM

Student Loan Modification Program Can Help You Reduce Your Student Loan Cost.
We Can Help You With Your Student Loan Modification Today.

• Reduce your Interest Rate on your Student Loan

• Extend the Terms of Your Student Loan

• Having the Terms of Your Student Loan Modified

  
  

  
  

  Although the Parallelism for the add itself is correct, the listing beneath the add is not parallel. The bulleted information fails in being parallel because of the tenses of the opening words. They should all either end in "ing" as in "having" in the last bullet, or the final bullet should read as "Have the Terms of Your Student Loan Modified".

Parallelism

The Crocker Science House advertisement fails to use parallelism in its listing of accommodations and historical facts. It is most likely that they are written incorrectly because the writer hadn't considered the possible unity that could have been achieved through parallelism, even in a list form. The problem with the list, is the occasional referral to the Crocker House. It would be more appropriate to omit the Crocker House as the subject as it was already previously referred to in the add. In other words, everyone already knows that the accommodations and histories list is talking about the Crocker House and therefore the subject does not need to be double stated.

It is possible that because they were discussing two aspects of the Crocker House (accommodations and history) that they thought it necessary to refer back to it. However even if this were the case, it would make most sense to divide the list according to accommodations and then provide the historical facts, both of which should be presented without mentioning the name of the residency over again. Another possibility is that they wanted to use repetition of the subject in order to drill it into the minds of the readers. If this were the case, the subject ought to have been mentioned in each bullet.

In Peers Educating to End Rape, the bulleted list loses its parallelism when it simply lists the www for their website. All the other bullets begin with a verb, making them unified in intent. That is, they want people to take action. Therefore, "visit us at" would have been an appropriate introduction to the website information as it would have continued that unification.

This may have been a derealized list by the writer, not realizing that each of the other bullets began with a verb. However, more likely is that they wanted the website information to stand away from the rest of the list. Without a verb at the beginning, the website "doesn't belong" like playing the elementary game "one of these things is not like the other" with your subconscious.

Possessive Practice Questions

Possessives:

1) sons'-in-law houses

2) Arkansas' rivers

3) Jim and Joan's house

4) Ph.D.s' research

5) McGraw-Hill's Inc advertising

6) electrician Fred's estimate

7) anyone else's ideas

8) witnesses' depositions

9) the airport's upper level

10) one of my friend's daughters

1) The tree surgeon could not save the spruce's limb.

2) The user's manual for the new software package was so confusing that most consumers returned it to the company.

3) Windows' intuitive commands make it easy for users to move from one application to another.

4) I will be in Hawaii on Mother's Day, New Mexico on April Fools Day, and California on Veteran's Day.

5) Grover Cleveland was the peoples' choice.

6) Each participant filled out the Readers' Comment Form.

7) Now that he has his bachelor's degree, he plans to get his master's, and possible his doctorate.

8) The National Secretaries' Conference will be held in Houston this year.

9) For the sake of appearance, the feuding vice presidents kept their differences to themselves during the monthly staff meeting.

10) My brothers'-in-law idea was to have the family reunion at a spa.

11) We have been invited to a holiday party at the Roth's.

12) The telephone company president's idea was to offer discount rates to seniors.

The Craft of Research Summaries

1) Asking Questions, Finding Answers

It is important to write about things that interest you. However, it is also important that it is presented in a way in which others will also care about all the research you have done. After developing a topic that you like, the best way to begin writing is to prepare questions relevant to your subject. Outlining is a helpful tool as it can direct your questions into being most useful toward your main claim. Asking these questions will help you to define the problem and in turn help you solve it for yourself and others. Once the problem has been defined, seeking sources becomes necessary in order to back up your claims. Sources may come from the stacks at the library, library databases, online, or from general or specialized references. When selecting sources, it is crucial to know of their relevance, understand their context, and to use and cite them properly.

2) Making a Claim and Supporting It

By making a claim, you are creating an argument. These arguments, order to be successful, need to engage the reader. they also need to be supported by reasons and evidence, which may come from sources or personal experience. As with everything else in writing, you must provide for why your reasoning is relevant - emphasizing the "how and why" questions of your writing. The thicker your argument, the more credible your claim will become. Remember that claims are audience specific and should be evaluated that way. It is also important to read your writing objectively and include the counter arguments to your writing because this will further establish your ethos. Warrants need to be handled carefully as they can be too hastily generalized, while others need little explaining at all. This tends to be related to the assumptions between the writer and reader.

3) Planning, Drafting, and Revising

For organizing, do not treat your research paper as a narrative, do not assemble it as a patchwork of your sources, and do not echo the language that was used to present the assignment to you in the first place. There are many ways to handle the body of a report, so choose one that makes sense with your subject and tone. Plan according to section and subsection, so as not to confuse your thoughts. Drafting should be done in the way that is most comfortable and flows best for you. Use key words or phrases, integrate quotations and paraphrasing to maintaining your ethos. Cite your sources! Do not plagiarize in any way. It's best to not procrastinate as writer's block does happen; provide yourself with plenty of time to avoid desperation that can lead to plagiarism or poor/forced writing. When revising, think like the reader. Do not be overly attached to your writing. Make sure that your flow is continuous and that each part of your paper (introduction, body, and conclusion) are differentiable. Use transitions to get you from one idea to the next. Finally, give yourself time to walk away from your draft; what reads well when you write it, may not the day after.

Using Sources: The Grand How-To

Introduction

“Sources,” are not the invention of an argument developed. They are only meant to support claims. There are primary and secondary sources in paper writing. Primary refers to a source in which the data goes uninterrupted; these are the sources you must interpret on your own for your purposes. On the other hand, secondary sources have already developed concepts for your claims.

Citing sources is important as it increases your credibility and makes your arguments stronger. It also is generous as it credits the original writer, and provides your readers with documentation if they feel they can reuse it. Thus it is “an obligation, a service, and an advantage.”

Integrating Sources

1.1 Three Basic Principles:

a- Use sources concisely, such that your voice remains distinctly yours.

b- Always differentiate between your language and your sources so that your readers know which is which.

c- Clearly explain how your source is related to your argument.

1.2 Rules for Quoting

a- General Principles

1. Quote only what is strongly significant.

2. Embed quotations; frame them with your own sentence to maintain flow.

3. Announce the quotation before it appears, crediting the original writer if possible.

4. Use accurate verbs for your introduction of the quote.

b- Technical Rules

1. Don’t automatically put a comma before the quote

2. Punctuation goes inside the quotation marks on a quote

3. Use a forward slash to indicate a line break in poetry

4. Punctuate a quote at the end of your sentence the way you would punctuate the sentence in which it appears.

5. Quote verbatim, using ellipsis to omit segments of the quotation.

1.3 Quoting blocks

Five lines of prose or two verses of poetry must be presented in block form.

a- Indent all lines in the block ten spaces from the left margin

b- Indenting a block replaces quotation marks

c- Inform readers in advance whom you are quoting and what to be looking for in the block quote

d- Lead in sentence needs to start with a colon

e- Follow up the block with a valid explanation of why the quote is significant to your claim

f- When using an in-text parenthetic citation, put the citation outside the period at the end of the last sentence quoted.

1.4 Using Discursive Notes

(footnotes and endnotes)

a- Draw on the implications of your argument

b- Announce nonstandard additions or personal translations

c- Direct the reader toward further readings of close relation to what you are writing about

d- Explain your citing system, use of term, or meaning of acronyms or abbreviations

Citing Sources

2.1 When to Cite

a- Whenever factual information from a cite is used

b- Whenever you quote verbatim

c- Whenever you summarize or paraphrase the ideas of others

d- Whenever you use a passage’s distinct structure or method of organization

e- Whenever you make use of someone else’s work, even in passing

2.2 When Not to Cite

a- When the source and page location are obvious

b- When dealing with what is considered common knowledge

c- When using common “everyday” phrases

d- When referring to realizations made in verbal conversations

2.3 Methods of Citing

a- Sequential Notes – using raised numbers or other raised notations to indicate a footnote or endnote

b- In-text Citing – includes the author and page number, usually in parentheses

c-Coding – using a symbol or numeral to indicate a reference which in turn relates to a reference page

2.4 Acknowledging Uncited Sources

References outside help away from sources where knowledge was drawn from, such as teachers, friends, or other peers. This is done in a footnote or endnote of acknowledgement.

Misuse of Sources

3.1 Plagiarism

Passing off source information as your own; not giving credit where credit is due to other writers. Most common is mosaic plagiarism, where a student surrounds an idea that is not their own with their own language without due credit.

a- Uncited information or date from a source

b- An uncited idea

c- A verbatim phrase or passage that isn’t quoted

d- An uncited method of organizing a paper or style of another writer

3.2 Other Ways of Misusing Sources

a- Misrepresenting Evidence- twisting the purpose of the quotation to fit your own; destruction of context

b- Improper Collaboration – where two students present close to the same paper that they have worked together on

c- Dual or Overlapping Submissions – Using the same paper, or close to the same paper for multiple classes/purposes

d- Abetting Plagiarism – helping others plagiarize their papers

3.3 Special Hazards of Electronic Sources

It is easy to lose track of where sources/information came from, so it’s important to keep your information neat and organized, keeping track of all your information via bookmarks and copying and pasting author and cite information right away.

It is also important to read through the information all the way in order to maintain the context of the information you are citing. Printing hard copies of your sources can help you keep track of that as you read. You also must make sure that your information is sound. The Internet is open to everyone, and thusly to noncredible sources or faulty information. Buying papers from Internet cites is also considered plagiarism as it is representing the ideas of others as your own.

3.4 Disciplinary Consequences

Those found guilty of plagiarism suffer severe penalties ranging from failing a course, to court charges. Furthermore plagiarism leaves a permanent mark on transcripts and effects ability to earn scholarships.

3.5 How to Avoid High-Risk Situations

a- Don’t put off writing papers until the last second

b- Don’t use secondary sources unless you have to

c- Don’t rely on a single secondary source

d- When taking notes, make sure you know the difference between your words and the words of others.

e- Take active notes

f- Don’t use language that is unnatural for you

g- Inform the instructor in cases of emergencies or time crunch problems

h- Don’t ask to see examples from your peers

i- Don’t use borrowed notes in your papers

j- Don’t collaborate on writing papers with other students

k- Don’t submit the same paper to multiple classes

l- Save regularly and have hard copies of your work

Styles of Documentation

4.1Placing Citations in the Paper

a- footnote/endnote style – place footnote or endnote marker at the end of a sentence whenever possible to keep things clear

Special cases: artworks, illustrations, charts or other visual aids must be cited both in the endnote/footnote and immediately after the visual. Literary work may need to reference an actual line. Online sources need to include the URL and the date you accessed the document.

b- In-Text Style for Humanities

MLA format includes the author as part of your framing, and the page number at the end in parentheses. Parentheses may be placed mid sentence to differentiate between sources.

Special Cases: Several Volumes: give the volume number then a colon, then the page number. If a source has 2-3 authors, include all of them in the citation, if there are more than 3, list the first name followed up by “et al”. If there is no author, use an abbreviation of the title. Use “qtd in” when quoting a scholar who is quoting. Use section, line or paragraph number for online cites with no pages.

c- In-Text Styles for Social Sciences and Sciences

APA citing is author-and-year citing.

Special Cases: 2-3 authors, list all authors. 3-5, site with all the first time, then further citations by the same group of people, use only the first name. Don’t include references for personal interviews, letters, or emails unless it can be accessed by others.

4.2 Listing your References

List your References on a new page. Create keys and lists for your references. Can be titled as a Bibliography for MLA or APA formats.

"They Say, I Say"

Chapter 1 “They Say”

All writing needs to develop a clear thesis, or point, in order to be effective. Without this thesis, the writing becomes an extensive rambling in which no one is sure what is really going on. Thusly the claim needs to be made early in order to ensure your audience is following. Introducing the ideas of others, challenging widely held beliefs, presenting ideas as your own, stating implications, presenting both sides of the argument (such as in a debate), and reminding your audience what you’re referring to all aid in keeping clear what your thesis is about.

Chapter 2 “Her Point Is”

There is a fine line between not enough summary and too much. Good summarization requires balancing what the original author says with the new writer’s focus. Summaries must be presented as unbiased otherwise it could jeopardize credibility. However, it is important to maintain your agenda while still being true about the text being referenced. Satirical summaries aim to point out glaring absurdity by putting a specific spin on the idea, emphasizing the weak points of the argument. It is important in introducing an idea that the verb matches the original author’s views. This will help maintain your flow and keep the true meaning of the referenced material in light.

Chapter 3 “As He Himself Puts It”

Quoting serves as an establishment of credibility. Once again, there is a fine line between quoting too little and quoting too much. A quote never stands alone; they need to be backed up in the context of the writing. Also, they need to be relevant to the view of the writer and they must be presented in a way that makes their relevance clear. In other words, there needs to be an introduction, demonstrating the ethos of the source the quote came from, and a follow up as to how it fits your claim. It is also better to be overly explicit in your explanation than to under represent it and leave the quotation dangling.

Chapter 4 “Yes/No/Okay, But”

This chapter discusses the three ways to write responses: agreeing, disagreeing, or a combination of both. It is critical to determine the position the writer is responding to, as well as the position of the writer. It is not enough to simply agree or disagree with a writer; you have to be able to back it up effectively. Furthermore, you need to add something new to the argument. Fresh perspectives are the fuel of writing. Simultaneous agreement and disagreement allows you to accept or decline part of the presented thesis, but refute the other half at the same time. This demonstrates that “you are not easily satisfied” with taking sides on complex subject matter that may not be well viewed in simple black and white.

Chapter 5 “And Yet”

Throughout a paper, it is important to differentiate between what others are saying vs. what the writer is saying. Transitions can serve as strong signals in clearing up whose ideas belong to whom, as can the presentation of ideas through personal voice. Therefore, the use of the word “I” is not always a terrible thing in writing as it often helps to separate what the writer believes from the opinions of others. Embedding references is another effective way of showing other views, however, it doesn’t interrupt flow.

Chapter 6 “Skeptics May Object”

It is crucial in writing to anticipate the objections of the audience or critics, and be able to refute those criticisms. Not only does this enhance your credibility, it gives more substance to your writing. Refutations ought to be carried out seriously; hasty generalizations and mockery tend to be counterproductive as they alienate the readers whom you are trying to persuade. Answers to objections need to be clear, concise, and thorough in order to maintain your ethos as a writer.

Chapter 7 “So What? Who Cares?”

A thesis does not explain why others should care about what you’re writing about. Instead, it is the body of the text that aims to describe “who cares” and the “so what” aspects of the writing. “Who cares?” targets a specific group or person, while “so what?” is concerned with real-world applications — both of which are important to address early so that others don’t lose interest in what you have to say, and are aware of how it effects them. Linking this to something the targeted group already finds important is most effective at getting and maintaining their attention. The length to which you must explain the “who cares?” and “so what?” is dependant upon who the targeted audience is. If their knowledge is extensive, more can be assumed about what they already know, and fewer of the basic details have to be covered.

Chapter 8 “As a Result”

Good sentence structure has a developed relationship with the sentences around it. Sentences should flow out of one another. Thus it becomes necessary to converse with not only your audience, but also with yourself as you write. Tools to help maintain flow in your paper include: using transitions, adding pointing words, using key words or terms throughout the text, and repetition of ideas. Transitional words serve as a road map to where you are taking your writing. Pointing words refer back to a previously (and recently) mentioned concept. Key terms and repetition serve as reminders as to what the topic is and provides unity to your writing.

Chapter 9 “Ain’t So/Is Not”

Writing, much like speaking, ought to flow naturally. It does not have to contain complicated language in order to be impressive. Personal voice makes for generally easier and more free writing and can effectively communicate a point while adding color to your writing. This is not to say that academic writing should be tossed aside; the level of desired academic writing is more directly effected by the intended audience and purpose of the writing.

Chapter 10 “In Other Words”

Metacommentary is the art of informing readers how, or sometimes how not, to respond to what you’re about to tell, or have told, your audience. Incorporating metacommentary is therefore like having two texts conjoined. One operates in making the argument, while the other serves to credit your ideas and justify your claims. Both parts of the text are necessary for the sake of clarity and the ability to elaborate on the subject. Titles, subtitles, entertaining objections, adding transitions, framing quotations, and answering “so what?” and “who cares?” all function as metacommentary and require careful consideration as they force the writer away from the text and places them in an objective mode of critiquing their own work.

The Writing Life

1) I’ve found that working myself up only causes me to become irritable and distracted when I write. Working myself into it, I usually begin with whatever drawing or painting homework also has to be accomplished. I set my ipod to shuffle, and go to town on my art. As I work, I allow myself to contemplate the subject, and my subconscious does all the walking for the information that I want. When something strikes me as exceptional or profound, I jot it down on whatever available paper there is, or in the moments where I lack paper, I’ll write it directly onto my art table. As you can imagine, there are now a considerable number of incomplete thoughts, quotes, and ideas scribbled across my table, over and under lapping various paint and ink splotches.

2) It seems wrong to take away from my original structure, after I worked so hard to obtain it and spattered my desk with the ideas for it. However I have been known on occasion to revise an idea, or negate it completely. The limitations for keeping and discarding subject matter are entirely up to the writer. Attachment associated with the structure may be influence by either the writer’s personal attachment or by social ties, depending on what they think the audience wants to hear.

3) Dillard’s inchworm metaphor most accurately describes my attachment to my writing. It made me laugh to read that passage, because I could completely relate to the clinging and flailing she describes. I find that a lot of the time, and idea that I particularly like causes a block for me in that I can’t get away from where I am and it all seems to be going nowhere. I hadn’t ever before considered metaphors for writing style, but hers definitely apply and are significant, and thus are effective for the description.

4) There are occasions when I feel my writing is mystical. I wish it hit more often, but when I get an idea that I can really run with, it’s amazing the results that come from it. It’s incredibly gratifying to process descriptions and lay them out in language; kind of like spreading color on a blank canvas. There’s a charge or a buzz that comes out of it that represents the upmost satisfaction.

5) Writing is personal. It represents something different for everyone, and so when Dillard describes her experience, she’s telling a story. It’s not her goal to create a how to on writing. Her writing style and experiences are inspiring, and I believe there are designed to be that way. They are thought provoking and induce personal introspection and examination.

Practice Grammar Questions

Practice Questions

1. The flooding was worst at the point where New Jersey, New York, and Pennsylvania meet.

2. Because he loved to read, to write, and to edit, Mr. Diamond was considering a career in library work, marketing, or publishing.

3. Salinger’s first novel, The Catcher in the Rye, captures the language and thoughts of teenagers.

4. He has only one ambition: to produce a Broadway musical.

5. If you blow out all your candles your wish will come true. (no change)

6. The district managers represent four regions: Terry Smith, Rochester, NY; Christ Adler, Superior, WI; Kim Young, Chimayo, NM; and Pat Golden, Tallahassee, FL.

7. The weather report predicted high winds, freezing rain, and show the highway patrol advised caution when driving; yet the storm blew out to sea.

8. My boss, who wears bright colors, is a cheerful person.

9. He hires people who are energetic, efficient, and polite.

10. When asked what she wanted to be later in life she replied, “An Olympic swimmer.”

11. The governor issued this statement: “I have done nothing wrong; the IRS will find that my tax returns are all in order.”

12. Scientists spotted large numbers of dolphins, nurse, and great white sharks; and blue gray, and humpback whales near the offshore station.

13. She loves her car, a red Toyota.

14. If you drop by the doctor’s office without an appointment, you can be sure of one thing: an icy reception.

15. His dog, a big Labrador retriever, is afraid of mice.

16. His recent painting, which is hanging in our local restaurant, shows dogs in various disguises.

17. His recent painting that is hanging in our local restaurant shows dogs in various disguises. (no change)

"Real World" Grammar

After looking at the "real world" grammar examples, it seems to me that there are cases of both intentional and unintentional misuse of the commas, semicolons and colons.

In the Jack and Coke add, the writer used a comma where a new thought was taking place. A semicolon or period would have been more grammatically correct. Whoever wrote up the Cabela's add got comma happy separating dates and locations. Separating them that way makes the sentence choppy and confusing. A re-phrasing of ideas, such as breaking it down to "May 17-28 Only" like they do on other adds would have been more effective. The Training table add also overuses its commas. In this case however, it seems to emphasize each condiment, forcing the reader to linger on individual parts of the sandwich and therefore seems like a more intentional mistake than the other two comma examples.

The earn while you learn add misuses the semicolon as it breaks up one complete thought into two fragments. The writer for this add may have been attempting to break up the thought to make it easy to remember, or may not have known they were breaking a complete thought and wanted to emphasize each half of the sentence separately.

Marie Calendar's add would have used that colon correctly if they'd have stuck to the list they were making. However because they added another clause to the end, the colon should have been a comma; the list would serve as a break in the clause.

The Problem With the Artist Discourse

The greatest contradiction in being a Fine Art's Major is developing personal style and orchestrating creativity, while maintaining the approval of the professors. Catering to a specific audience tends to limit ideas and production. This was what I found most intriguing about "Inventing the University". It is, for whatever psychological reason, a natural process to write as one believes is necessary to be approved of by those already belonging to the discourse. I know that I do this in my writing, and I find it intensely frustrating when I am unfamiliar with the way in which I believe a subject needs to be presented in order to find favor with my audience.

Bartholomae stated that "Learning, at least as it is defined in the liberal arts curriculum, becomes more a matter of imitation or parody than a matter of invention and discovery." I recently caught myself doing this in one of my drawing classes. After doing poorly on consecutive projects, I found myself wondering how I could make my style more like my professor's in order to gain his favor as an insider, and in turn improve my grade. After discovering he favored illusionistic compositions, I began working more into the details of my design, aiming for more realistic representations. The oddity came as I found that this felt more natural to me than the work I had done previously, and I liked that I could take what I knew was expected, and twist it ever so slightly to make it my own. Success was measured in my satisfaction of the work, and my ability to anticipate the reaction of my audience. Thus is the balance of belonging to any discourse. One must believe that you are already an insider, convince others that you are, but bring something new to the table to establish your own ethos.