Blog Due--All Classes, Cinco de Mayo!

For this blog, discuss something from hispanic culture and how it relates to communication for us here in the US--think influences and cultural links--Happy Cinco de Mayo Amigos!!!!--S

Debates, due May 2nd Coms 2 and 5

Hi There--The sun is out --hooray! For this blog, describe an on-going debate you have with some one close in your life and something from the class that relates to this issue, (4 lines minimum for credit). I'll go first! My dad and I always debate about creation versus evolution and various possible combinations...It relates to concepts such as persuasion in Coms 5 and the ability to convince one to "change" or open their mind, on either side of an issue, we both think we are "right!" --It also relates to Coms 5 is that our debates are performances of our family dynamic, a way we strengthen our roles and personas within the family. Whose next?????--S

Post Due by Fri 4/21: Coms 2 and Coms 5

Hi Gang--Both classes are approaching our final speeches and presentations for the semester...time to start those outlines. Remember, when outlining, all citations should be included with complete urls or references according to APA or MLA --See http://www.apastyle.org/ for tips and get ORGANIZED! Citations build your "ethos" or speaker credibility! Now, for this BLOG--go visit this site: http://apnews.myway.com//article/20060414/D8GVOOK00.html
and refer to the article in a sentence, correctly making one citation with quotation marks, quotes and website location according to APA Style. Hint: According to Wheeler (2006), "Following these directions for the blog is not only neccessary, but outrageously fun too!" (comstwo.blogspot.com).
Citations Rule!--Bloghead

What Bugs YOU?: Post Due 4/14 Coms 2 and Coms 5

Hi There! With all this rain, it is hard to really focus on spring, but we only have 5 weeks left, can you believe it??? For this blog, please respond to the following question in five sentences or so, incorporating in concepts from either interviews and resumes (coms 5) or persona and voice (coms 2).

WHAT REALLY GETS ON YOUR NERVES??????????????????????
Peace-Out,
Homie-blogger Sandra

Post due Wed 4/8: Coms 2 and Coms 5

Hey hey hey!!!!! It is almost April, summer is coming! Let's get a sunny blog going to help dry out all this rainy gloom! Opinion, strong opinions are important in effective arguments...For this blog, in 2 parts,
1. Tell me one thing you have a super strong opinion about (appropriate topics please).
2. Make a three or four sentance argument for the opposite side of your opinion (as though arguing against yourself).

WHY you ask??? BECAUSE The best way to debate an issue is to understand and gain empathy for the other side you plan to argue against most effectively, believe it or not...try it! Sandra The Blogger, out...

This post Due Wed 3/29: Coms 2 and Coms 5

Persuasion is an important aspect of rhetorical argument. How does persuasion operate in the NBA and especially the organization of the Kings here in town. Visit http://www.nba.com/kings/ and find a good example from the Kings' official site. Five lines minimum for credit--S

COMS 2 and Coms 5: This blog due 3/22 at midnight

OKAY--Blog 5 sentences or more here on the following video of Jason McElwan and his on and only--amazing high school basketball game. Watch this: http://www.metacafe.com/watch/79325/scored_20_in_4_minutes/

WHAT DOES THIS STORY ARGUE ABOUT (DIS)ABILITES?

Coms 2/Coms 5: Pre-Spring Break Blog-o-Rama

Okay Coms 2 Students: for this blog, make a simple cause and effect argument about your upcoming plans for spring break, (using appropriate language, but some humor is cool)describing the group you will be hangin' with and why
.....Then, enter the critical Coms 5 students: Using appropriate language, but a bit of humor is ok, use a small groups vocab word to comment on anyone in coms 2 and their spring break posse.

I, as your unofficial blog-master and fellow communication scholar will be monitoring these comments and watching for:

1. Possible 10 points extra credit for really fun, creative and interactive bloggers.
2. Multiple postings.
3. Good times. Yeah, good times.......(cut to dream sequence):
...Why, I remember one spring break back in '85.......(drifts off)

CRASH: Extra Credit Post

Post your CRASH extra credit assignments here and congrats for going above and beyond! Hope you enjoyed the film!--Sandra

Coms 2 and Coms 5: Blog Assigment #3

Okay, this is an all class post. Hello to you all from the Western Communication Conference in Palm Springs California. It is freezing down here! I showed my movie to a group of performance studies scholars today, I was very nervous. I got some good laughs, though!

Current Events: Regarding the recent landslide disaster in the Philipine Islands, tell me what it means to communication scholars. How can we help? What does our discipline have to offer in order to address natural disasters? Can you suggest a charity we should associate with if we want to contribute as a class or group? As students, what is our social responsibility? I am open to extra credit for ideas that can actually move our classes to action or those of you that are motivated to ACT in the face of the recent disaster. Think outside the box/act outside the classroom/make an active difference!--Sandra

Second Blog for My Coms 5 Posse

Hi Team! Hope you enjoyed the Superbowl and are ready for the olympics! Check out the two images below in the Coms 2 post and based on your What is Communication Paper, tell me what the idea of a mascot communicates and how your personal opinion of Communication as a discipline can help to explain this odd sports phenomenon. Please type up at least five sentences and whenever possible, connnect with a classmate's comment in some way. Good luck!--Slogger

Blog #2 For My COMS 2 Peeps

Hi fellow arguers! Now that you have your first speech in the bag, you are officially "argumentative." Or something like that....anyway, I want to know...what's up with mascots? Neve and Gliz are the goofy mascots for Torino's Winter Games on your right and for the Superbowl, we have a Seahawk named Blitz to your left....uh, well The Steelers don't have a mascot....they used to have some longshoreman dress up like an I-Beam in the eighties, but now, they just have bath towels...hmmm...An argument in its most simple for consists of data and claim...and a mascot is a visual argument...search the web a bit and make a claim here backed up by data (examples, stats, effects, evidence) that you can use it when you write your position paper (see p. 69) about mascots in general --or any of these mascots in particular or even the Steeler's lack of a Mascot, which is also a rhetorical statement.

Ask yourselves:
1. What does a mascot do? What is it for? (This is teleological question for you A students, fyi)
2. Who is the mascot's audience, really?
3. Whose point of view are the characters seen from? (p. 57 in our book)
4. What ethnicity or gender are these mascots if any? Why?

Experiment with voice and take a strong rhetorical stance in your comments and respond to the questions above...backing your claims with data. Have fun with this and PUSH your critical thinking. Try to use vocabulary from our class in your response!
PS: Speaking of mascots, I think Hornets are scary, especially that gigantic two-story- one that gets tied to the library during Homecoming!

Welcome CSUS Coms Two and Coms Five Students!

Hello and glad to have you all here! For your first blog, do the following. Respond using the comments prompt below to the following three questions, and number them please. #1. What is your first name and last initial/are you coms 2 OR 5? #2. What is you favorite movie? #3. If you were an animal, what would you be and why? #4. On a scale of 1 to 5, "1" for scared /angry enough to puke/punch something and "5" for EZ street dawg, I could do it with one hand tied behind my back, rate your feeling going into this class . #5. Respond constructively to someone else's posting. Whoever goes first can respond to me or my syllabus. No profanity please!
--Sandra

Final Tips and Resources: Target as an Argument

Hey Rhetorical Critics!

Thanks for joining us today in the trenches of Holiday Retail Hypnosis!!!! To add to your experience, you may want to visit http://www.target.com/gp/homepage.html/601-8364409-2468921 for more Target info and ideas.

"Rhetoric's definition: the art of persuasion, suggests power [at play]. So much of what we recieve from others--from family to friends to 30 second blurbs on TV--is intended to persuade. Recognizing how this is done gives greater power to choose." (Villanueva Jr, in 'Envision' by Alfano and Obrian, 2005, p. 3).

How do the bullseye design and the Target Dog make an argument? What is the argument?

What type of reasoning (rhetorical strategy) does the advertising you observed on our lil' field trip employ? Narrative, or a story which sells?
What about comparison/contrast?
Or examples and illustrations to show how products can be used or make the buyer feel?
Or definitions?
Or analogies?
Or cause and effect?

Did you see appeals made to logic (facts), emotion, including language and/or humor, and/or appeals to authority and/or character?

Who is Target's ""TARGET"" customer? How do you know? What did you see in the store, on TV and/or on the web that tells you who the Target customer is. Who is left out of Target's customer appeals, be they visual, written and/or marketing tactics? Consider gender, race and/or (dis)ability as well as age and income levels.

Please post your questions and comments about this final, (due on 12/15 by 1130am at the very latest) below so we can all learn from each others challenges and concerns for clarification and insight. Students are encouraged to help give input on each others postings and enrich the unique learning community I have so enjoyed participating in with all of you over the course of this semester! It has been a real pleasure to get to know you all and explore unusual paths of learning. Keep in touch and please take this from our time together: Learn the rules in order to break them intelligently and don't EVER settle for boredom, don't produce it or accept it either!

OUR HERO, ALL HAIL THE KING DEBATER (Crowd Cheers in the Background)

IN HONOR OF THE CHAMPION OF THE LOS RIOS DEABATE TOURNAMENT, (MORE APPLAUSE) YOUR FINAL BLOG, "THE TURKEYNATOR" ASSIGNMENT WILL BE TO, USING ALL CAPS IN HONOR OF ALEX'S "UNIQUE" EMAIL PERSONA, POST A COMPARISON OR ANALOGY WHICH ESTABLISHES CONNECTIONS BETWEEN ALEX'S DEBATE STYLE AND THE BIRD OF THE HOUR: THE TURKEY.

WHAT AN HONOR, TO BE COMPARED TO THIS VALIANT, BRAVE BIRD WHICH OFFERS ITS LIFE SO WE CAN OVER EAT AND SIT AROUND WITH PEOPLE WE AREN'T CRAZY ABOUT YET ARE RELATED TO, ON A SPECIAL THURSDAY EVERY YEAR .

TIPS: THINK STRATEGY, WINGS, CLAIMS, FEATHERS, PILGRIMS, WARRANTS, GIBLETS, STUFFING, DATA, CLAIMS...HOW DO THEY ALL MEET UP IN THE CHARACTER OF THIS FINE EXAMPLE, OUR CHAMPION DEBATER AND CLASSMATE, ALEX PAGAN?

Mark's Van and The Feild Trip of a Lifetime

Some people travel to Paris, others, New York, but you--YES YOU my debating masters, you will join us for the special exotic get away to South Sacramento, home of the Land Park Zoo and Radio Shack! Why do a final term paper when you can have the trip of a lifetime? Limos are so "last year," vans are what the cool peeps roll in these days, so once you arrive at CRC's parking lot around noon (the front lot) You will board Mark's "Pimp-mobile" adorned with plush man-made material -lined seats and your own plastic cup holder, you'll enjoy a delicious, icy half a soda and a power bar, served by Mark's personal assistant "Cherry." As if that wasn't enough, as part of Mark's posse, you will then be escorted down scenic Highway 99 to the beautiful, Sac City campus, currently flanked by colorful plastic "under construction" signage and yellow caution tape. Breathless! Mark will immediately help you out of the van while Cherry belly dances on a beach towel in the parking lot to announce your arrival. Next--You'll be handed a breath mint and the magic will begin! (Well, actually first you will have to hike five miles because there is no close parking at SC right now, but it will be a lovely stroll!) Anyhow, you will be directed to the debate by a plush red carpet (or paper hand made signs) and check in at the large information board to find your your debate number, name, resolution topic and room number assignment for the first round. For each of the two rounds you will get about 15 minutes to prepare, topics will be general current events. For just $5, you will recieve gourmet pizza and soda on the rocks served on lovely paper plates before a final exciting awards round and the awards ceremony. The glamorous debate is from 12pm-6pm and if you don't go in the van with us, call my cell to find us there: 799-7930. Dress to impress, no tuxedos and ball gowns.--Your Fearless Leader
PS: Post your own rediculously exagerated blog here to get credit for the final humor posting. Double points if you use photos or images to make a humorous argument and triple points if you post over Thanksgiving Break to my action packed Turkeynator Blog coming up next week!!

Tiffany's Special, One Time Page Reduction Blog

Well, let's all thank Tiffany for the fabulous idea to shorten the Blog Paper (or skip it if you just go to the SC debate next Friday in Mark's Pimp-Mobile!)...You can do a 5-7 page paper (instead of 6-8) if you respond with at least 5 sentences below identifying how the clip we watched from Stuck on You (the greatest film ever created in the history of the world) works as an argument. Use some Toulmin or something, would ya? The Farrelly Brothers, who created the film, as well as Fargo and Something About Mary, use humor in a different way then the common, guy trips on a banana peel and bangs his head into the wall kinda way...What did the scene we watched together in class say about "freaks?" Do you think it is possible for humor to heal differences? Was the clip encouraging us to make fun of anyone? Feel free to include references to the other movies mentioned above as well as the clip from today. Visit this site: http://www.stuckonyoumovie.com/index.php for more laughs and a trailer from Stuck on You. Let's explore the "subversive" nature of dark humor...(its ability to promote change and empowerment).
CON JOBBIE LIVES!!!!!!!!!!!!!

WHICH WAY IS UP FOR THE CON JOBBIE? 

The Con Position Paper: Dum dee dum dum dum..........

Hello fellow argumentation bloggers. I hope this finds you well. After you finish your pro position paper...it is time for the Con-Jobbie!!! Sounds like a detective invetigating a scam of some sort....a con, a wise guy.....see what I mean?

In a page and a half or so, create a detailed outline, brief description or draw out a mind map or sketch pictures with words below, whatever, get creative, but give me your resolution and show me how you would argue against change (opposition) and try to point out that there is no prima facie case, the grounds of presuposition should remain intact, status quo should continue...IF IT AINT BROKE, don't fix it.....get my drift? The opposition needs to have an alternative plan in mind, so they should guess what they Gov'ts plan may be and oppose that with a better way to "improve" what is already in place...plus, clash like a color blind designer at Fashion Week baby! CLASH!!! Guess how you might clash with definitional terms in the resolution, any stock issues you know for sure they will present as "contentions" or sub-arguments...Highlight the "dis-ads" or the problematics that come with the government's plan to change things...disadvantages, if you will....emphasize the greater harm that will prevail if the govt changes the status quo with their resolution...show how this is worse than the mild down side of the current system as is...what visual aid would you use to strengthen your argument? When would you put it up? What fallacies will you call the govt on if they make them? How will you summarize creatively and reiterate a strong argument during the rebuttal? Don't forget that even though the Govt begins the case, the leader of the opposition should have some opening comments and a brief introduction prepared as well...stylize your persuasive speaking tactics. rEMEMBER, THIS is not AN ESSAY...Good luck and watch for the humor blog coming next, in audio format for your listening pleasure! PEACE OUT HOME SLICES.

No Monkey Business! What's my fallacy kids?