Last Week Discussion #3

One concept that I feel can use further discussion is the section on fallacies. I understand the general concepts of each one, however, I do think that there should have been more time and exercises spent on using and critiquing these fallacies. Moreover, I am not confident in defining each fallacy on my own. I would most likely need to look up the definition in order to recall what the term means. I feel like fallacies are essential in arguments because people typically use them, even if they do not realize that they are using them. Either way, fallacies make a person look foolish and people should have more practice in avoiding them. For instance, many people use the bad appeal to common belief or practice to convince someone to conform or to believe in a certain religion. If people do not realize that they are using these fallacies, they will continue to make unreasonable premises that often lead to invalid and weak conclusions.

Last Week Discussion #2

My favorite thing about this class was the fact that it was an online class. It was easy to fit in my schedule because I could write my assignments in school or at home. The accessibility of this class is very important for me because I have seven classes and I work. My least favorite thing about this class was the time frame for the posts such as waiting 12 hours between posts. It was difficult trying to figure out whether or not it has been 12 hours and if I could put up another post. However, I do understand the time frame is important because it gives people chances to comment earlier on in the week. Without the 12 hour gaps, people might put up all their posts last minute, leaving the comment portion to be delayed. This class can be improved by having the end period be Sunday 11:59pm rather than Saturday 11:59pm. Usually, this is the time period people think of when submitting assignments. Also, since most people go to school every day, the extra day on the weekend would help those people.

Last Week Discussion #1

I have learned that an argument is not as simple as I once thought it was. I never took into consideration how much effort and thought should be put into an argument. For instance, one must look for validity, strength, and whether or not the argument violates fallacies and appeal to emotion. Fallacies and appeal to emotion can weaken one’s argument and ultimately make the writer or speaker seem less credible because of the manipulation he or she may use for the audience to side with his or her argument. After taking this class, I have been able to strengthen my writing because my arguments have been more specific and more difficult to critique. I now understand that in order to get my point across, every word needs to count. Last, but not least, I have learned the importance of teamwork. Completing three different assignments with people I have never met was nerve wrecking. However, by reading the book on group communication, I have learned how to function effectively in a group such as setting group norms and making each member feel like they have an important role in the group process.

Week 12 Discussion #3

In chapter 15, cause and effect was discussed. I found the general cause and effect portion of the section to be most interesting. This type of claim is when several cause and effects must be true for the statement to be true. The example the book gave is as follows: Very loud barking by someone’s dog near him when he is sleeping causes him to wake, if he’s not deaf. The statement gives various conditions such as loudness, distance, and capabilities (deaf). Each factor is essential in the statement because it answers any possible question that may arise if the claim was simple such as: Spot barked and woke me up. This statement is not strong because it does not describe the situation thoroughly enough for the audience to understand the situation clearly. Furthermore, by stating the general cause and effect claim rather than the specific instance of Spot barking, the claim can be used by others.

Week 12 Discussion #2

The Mission Critical website was useful because it seemed to resemble the textbook for the class. It bolded important terms and gave a few examples to back up the concept being discussed. I felt that the website was just an e-book type for the course textbook. This method is possibly better for most people because it can link you to topics quickly instead of rummaging through hundreds of pages. Furthermore, I found the exercises to be most useful in this website. I generally do not even attempt to look at exercises in the books mainly because they either do not have an answer to them or they do not explain why one answer is better than another. However, in this website, the exercises were helpful because it told me why one answer was a better choice than the rest. This further helped me understand certain concepts because it eliminates any doubts and questions I have.

Week 12 Discussion #1

I found the Cause and Effect website reading and exercises to be extremely helpful in understanding causal arguments. The website gave a clear example of the truck and bicyclist as both an inductive and causal argument. For instance, the causal method of the argument was that one thing caused another such as the bicyclist swerving due to the illegally parked truck and the first driver braking quickly. A causal argument is different from an inductive argument primarily because in a causal argument, there is only one significance difference. For example, the truck driver did not affect the first driver because the bicyclist is the bridge between the two factors.

Moreover, I felt that the exercises helped me greatly in understanding this concept. Being able to identify how different factors can influence one another is important, especially if one is trying to find the root cause of the entire situation. For example, the exercise questioned the audience how we knew it was the potato salad that was causing the illness to a certain group of people and why other people were not affected.

Week 11 Discussion #3

In this week’s reading, I found the inductive reasoning to be most useful. Inductive reasoning is when one uses previous observations and experiences to make a conclusion. I find that personal experiences are most reliable when coming up with an argument because one has already seen and gone through whatever one wants the argument to be. Personal experiences and observations are valid evidence to make a valid statement, and even a strong argument.

Example: I had an allergic reaction when I ate peanuts at the age of five. Now being 19, I will most likely have an allergic reaction if I eat peanuts again.

Since I had an experience when I was younger, I can use that experience to predict the present and future possible outcomes. Inductive reasoning incorporates the idea of one needing to learn from one’s mistakes or of one using the past to improve the future. The past, our experiences and observations, are the realest things we have.

Week 11 Discussion #2

The most difficult reasoning for me was sign reasoning. For some reason, I could not grapple with the idea of having two things that are closely related in an argument. I feel as if I am stating the obvious when I do that. Usually, I try not to state the obvious because I do not want to give extra information that the audience should already know. For example, sign reasoning would be something like, “there is a fire, so there is smoke.” Well, obviously there would be smoke if there is fire, one does not need to state it. However, I did some research on the topic and realized it is an effect-to-cause reasoning instead of a cause-to-effect reasoning. This is important to know because it shows how the premise is only possible if the conclusion is true. However, if the conclusion is true, it does not necessarily mean the premise is true. Take for instance the fire example, fire needs to produce smoke but smoke does not necessarily mean there is a fire.

Source: http%3a//commfaculty.fullerton.edu/rgass/235%2520Spring%25202009/Sign%2520reasoning.ppt

Week 11 Discussion #1

1). Reasoning by Analogy: For this reasoning, one comparison draws to a conclusion, and the other side concludes the same conclusion.
- Exercising on a daily basis prevents obesity. If Americans exercised more often, people will have a less likelihood of becoming obese.

2). Sign Reasoning: This reasoning is when two things are closely related to one another to show that one cannot exist without the other.
- Where there’s Tumblr, there is Internet connection.

3). Causal Reasoning: This is the cause and effect reasoning. One factor affected the outcome.
- I did not study for my midterm. Therefore, I earned a poor grade on my test.

4). Reasoning by Criteria: One must state the criteria that is being judged, and then decide what is the best decision. This is somewhat like a problem-solution method.
- I don’t get enough sleep at night because of school and work. I will take naps throughout my day to get the rest I need.

5). Reasoning by Example: An example is provided in the reasoning.
- You should buy Call of Duty MW3. All my friends can’t stop talking about how fun it is and that one would be missing out if he/she didn’t buy it.

6). Inductive: This is the use of previous observations to reason or make a conclusion.
- There were several hurricanes on the East coast of the United States last summer. Therefore, there will be several hurricanes in the East coast next summer.

7). Deductive: This reasoning is when the conclusion must be true if the premise is true.
- In order to have a credit score, one must have a credit card. I have a credit card, so I have a credit score.

Week 10 Discussion #3

One concept from this week’s reading that I found interesting was the appeal to spite. This is an appeal that incorporates revenge. For instance, if someone asks you to help him or her with something, but you remember that the person did not help you in the past, you may argue that it is only fair not to help that person since they did not help you. I find this appeal to be somewhat hilarious because it is basically implying that one needs to receive in order to give. An example of this appeal is in the following:

Boyfriend: Can I borrow $10?
Girlfriend: No because you didn’t buy me that diamond necklace last week.

Obviously, this is not a good argument because the argument simply seems absurd. However, if the favor was equal to the previous favor such as “since you did not go to my graduation, I will not go to your birthday party,” then the appeal to spite seems somewhat better.

Week 10 Discussion #2

2) Find an advertisement that uses apple polishing. Is it a good argument?

Apple polishing is an appeal to vanity. This type of appeal is one that motivates a person to do something to enhance one’s self-esteem. Many advertisements use this approach in order to sell the maximum amount of a certain product. By making the advertisement seem enviable, people would more than likely buy the product to become like the advertisement.

In this example, Maybelline is advertising their mascara, Falsies, worn by a beautiful woman. Falsies’ description states, “corner-to-corner volume for 300% more visible lashes” (Maybelline.com). In the advertisement, the model has dramatic, full, long lashes that enhance the beauty of her eyes. If one buys this product, Maybelline is implicitly implying that the longer and fuller lashes will help make one seem beautiful such as the woman. Maybelline’s unstated premise may sound something like the following: If you buy Maybelline’s Falsies mascara, you will have full volume lashes that will make you look beautiful and sexy.

Week 10 Discussion #1

An appeal to emotion is an argument that states you should agree and act upon something based on the way you feel about the subject. One appeal that strikes me the most is the appeal to pity. I find this kind of appeal to be most used when trying to convince an audience because many people often act upon a choice and decision when they are negatively affected, specifically in a sad way. For instance, the commercials on television that speak about the abused animals have a great amount of usage of the appeal to pity. The commercial is able to do this because of the vivid imagery of the hurt pet and the diction the speaker often uses such as “help this poor kitten in need.” Furthermore, appeal to pity can be used on the streets at any moment. Many homeless people often use this tactic in order to get money from pedestrians and even drivers. The homeless people’s reasons such as needing money to buy food and water makes a person sympathize with them, resulting in some sort of charity.

Week 9 Discussion #3

One thing I found interesting and useful in Chapter 8 was the usage of checking for validity with diagrams. I never thought of seeing whether a claim is valid by making a diagram, probably because I’m not that creative to come up with different methods of learning. Instead, I would always try to figure it out in my head, which sometimes made it a bit difficult to check whether or not the conclusion was true.

A few key factors in checking for validity with diagrams:
- An enclosed area is a collection (similarities, connections).
- If different areas overlap each other, they are in one collection (like in a Venn diagram).
- If neither diagrams overlap, there are no similarities with the two.

Knowing how to figure out the statement’s validity will be easier to decide upon due to tools such as these, especially for visual learners. This method lets the student go through the problem step by step through writing and seeing the premises and conclusion.

Week 9 Discussion #1

In Chapter 8, I found the distinction between the terms “all” and “some” to be useful. All is to be seen as every single one, while some is to be seen as at least one. “Some” statements can have exclusions, but “all” statements include every thing. I find that many people, including myself, use the word “all” in invalid statements on a daily basis to make an exaggerated point.

Example:
Me: All men get too comfortable at the end of the relationship. They stop being thoughtful and end up lacking effort.

I generally make “all” statements based on my experiences. However, I do understand that not all men are of this nature. I cannot say all men are a certain way because not one person is the same as another, obviously. I cannot generalize a behavior for a certain gender or sex. Instead, I should have stated that all the men in my past are of this nature, instead of including every man such as the ones that I do not know personally. Furthermore, I cannot say “all” because the statement above is subjective, causing it to be more of an opinion rather than a fact.

Week 9 Discussion #2

The first major course assignment was useful because it forced students to look into current issues in the news. I, and I’m sure many other students, do not keep up with the news on a daily basis. By doing this project, I was introduced to news that I have not been following that I should have been following. Even more importantly, the assignment forced students to decide how an issue is being portrayed and whether or not it is reliable. This is important to understand because many articles can be bias towards a certain situation.

For my group, we discussed the Knox trial. At first, I honestly did not even know what the Knox trial was. However, looking more into it, I discovered it was about a young woman being accused of murdering her roommate. The article that we had read was reliable because the author merely stated the facts and events of the trial. After doing this project, I noticed the importance of the trial. All the magazines and news channels covered the Knox trial extensively. If I had not done this project, I probably would have not even noticed all these media attention on Knox, causing me to miss out on a well-publicized issue.

Week 7 Discussion #3

The section of necessary and sufficient conditions in chapter 6 was interesting to me. This states, “we say that two claims are equivalent if each is true exactly when the other is” (124). In other words, necessary and sufficient conditions can be compared to a cause and effect statement because one must be true in order for the other to be true. If one is false, the other premise must be false, causing a weak and an invalid argument.

Example:
If people are unable to receive a sufficient income, then they will be incapable of living a quality standard of life.
Contrapositive:
If people are able to live a quality standard of life, then they are receiving a sufficient amount of income.

The contrapositive reinforces the idea that the two claims are related to one another and that both must be true. In order to have a life that has the basic needs such as shelter, food, and clothing, one must have the income to provide those needs.

Week 7 Discussion #2

In chapter 7, I found the section about raising objections useful. These objections show whether an argument is weak or bad.

Example:
Me: We should go shopping tomorrow again. (objection: we already went today)
Friend: You didn’t find anything today?
Me: I did, but I want to go again in case there’s something new so I can find my Vegas outfit. (objection: retail stores may not get inventory every day)
Friend: Tomorrow won’t make a difference.
Me: Well, it might. Some stores and department stores do get new clothing every day. Also, someone might do a return today or tomorrow, and maybe that would be my Vegas outfit. I won’t know until I go again. Besides, we have nothing else to do tomorrow. (answer).

In this example, my friend’s objections were: 1) we already went shopping. 2) the clothes we see tomorrow won’t be different from today. As a result, by strengthening my argument, I gave reasons to these objections such as: 1) some stores do get new clothing on a daily basis. 2) someone might return a potential Vegas outfit. 3) we have no plans tomorrow. Although objections show if an argument is bad, it is important to respond to these objections to show that the argument can be strong.

A second topic that I found useful in chapter 7 was the section about refuting an argument. In order to refute an argument directly, you must show that the premise is doubtful; that the argument is invalid or weak; that the conclusion is false. It is important to do these in order to show that the argument has is false and has an error in its reasoning.

Week 7 Discussion #1

In chapter 6, I learned about compound claims. This is a claim that consists of more than one claim, but is viewed as one claim. Although it has two claims, it is considered as one because the two claims correspond to one another.

Example: Either you will win or I will win the grand prize.

This compound claim states that one or the other will happen. By saying this, the claim gives more of a likelihood of being true since there are two claims contained in one claim.

Another topic that I learned in chapter 6 was the contradictory of a claim. This is where a claim “has the opposite truth-value in all possible circumstances.”

Example:
Claim: Either you will or I will win the grand prize.
Contradictory: Neither you nor I will win the grand prize.

This contradictory of a claim is one most people state incorrectly because they are unaware of how to make the claim negative. In any case of an “either-or” claim, one must change the two terms to “neither-nor” in order to come up with the contradiction of the initial claim.

Week 5 Discussion #3

In chapter four, I found that the unrepairable argument section was useful to me. Unrepairable arguments include the following:

-No argument there.
-Lack of coherence and there’s nothing to add.
-Premise is false.
-The two premises are contradictory.
-Adding the obvious premise would weaken the argument.
-Adding the obvious premise to make the argument strong is false.
-False conclusion.

It is important to remember these factors in trying to repair arguments because if there is nothing to repair, one should not try to repair it. Most of the time, we do try to fix the problem, but sometimes the best answer is to discard the argument altogether. There is no reason in trying to fix something that cannot be fixed. Furthermore, by understanding these unrepairable elements, one can understand that the argument is no good at all. The elements listed above are clear reasons for weak, invalid arguments that emphasize a lack of understanding, cohesiveness, and validity.

Week 5 Discussion #1

Argument that needs repairing:
McDonalds has a dollar menu. The McChicken is a dollar.

This argument needs repairing because there is no connection between the dollar menu and a McChicken. The audience is not aware of the fact that a McChicken is part of the McDonalds’ one-dollar menu. A person that is not familiar with McDonalds’ menu may think that it is strange for the second sentence to be stated. Moreover, the argument abruptly introduces the McChicken without stating its purpose in the sentence. In order to repair this broken argument, one must state why it is a dollar before stating its worth.

Repaired argument:
McDonalds has a dollar menu. The McChicken is on the dollar menu. The McChicken is a dollar.

This argument is valid because it states what the menu is, what is in the menu, and the outcome of having that item in the menu. It is important to be explicit in explanations and arguments because it leaves little or no room for misunderstandings and confusion.

Week 5 Discussion #2

In this advertisement from Nike, a young, fit man is wearing Nike’s latest shoe: Lunarguide +3. To the side of him, Nike’s typical marketing strategy is to have their text in large, bold print to catch the customer’s attention. In this case, the text says “HIT THE ROAD NOT THE WALL” and underneath in smaller, but visible print, “NIKE LUNARGUIDE +3.” Although not many words, the text and athlete are of equal balance in the advertisement, which emphasizes the importance of the slogan. Moreover, by having a fit man instead of an overly muscular man, Nike is able to have customers feel like the man is somewhat relatable.

Nike being a reputable source for athletic wear, it is fair to say that this advertisement is strong due to my personal experience with Nike. I have always relied to going to the Nike store to buy running shoes and other equipment because I know its supplies are of great quality. Since Nike is a big business, it is unlikely that Nike would advertise poor quality running shoes because it does not want to lose its loyal customers. So far, I have not been disappointed by my purchases from Nike.

Overall, I do believe that this advertisement is effective. The layout of the ad is professional, which shows that Nike is experienced and has the money to have good advertising. Having money for advertising is important because obviously that money came from the profit of the sales the company has had in the past.

Week 4 Discussion #1

Exercise on the structure of arguments #2:
1) I’m on my way to school. 2) I left five minutes late. 3) Traffic is heavy. 4) Therefore, I’ll be late for class. 5) So I might as well stop and get breakfast.

Argument: Yes.
Conclusion: I’ll be late for class, so I’ll stop and get breakfast.
Additional premises needed: I left for school five minutes late and traffic would make me even later. I’m going to miss most of my first class, so I might as well get breakfast to help energize me for the rest of my classes.
Identify any subargument: 1-3 support 4. 4 supports 5.
Good argument: This is not a good argument because the premises are vague. If the statement included how bad traffic was, how late the person would be to class, and how breakfast can benefit the rest of the day, then this argument can be stronger. Furthermore, this argument would be bad if the person would be late only five minutes because the person would most likely be able to catch up during class since five minutes is not that long of a time.

This exercise was particularly useful to me because I always make this argument. The way I look at it is: if I’m going to be late, then I’d rather be really late instead of sort of late. Obviously, this is not a good argument because being late is not the only factor in this argument, but rather other components such as the content of the class that I will miss. This exercise has shown me the importance of being specific and adding strong premises to strengthen my conclusion and argument overall.

Week 4 Discussion #2

A fallacy is an argument with a doubtful premise, which also does not support the conclusion (201). As a result, using a fallacy can cause a weak and an invalid argument. One fallacy that I found most interesting was the appeal to emotion. An appeal to emotion provokes the audience to feel emotions such as pity, happiness, and fear. Using persuasive language in the statement provokes these emotions. This tactic is very important because many people often rely on their feelings toward a subject. If they feel that the argument makes them feel upset, they will often not support the argument.

An example of an appeal to emotion that I have heard frequently is: abortion is murder. Although only three words, this statement can make a person feel various emotions such as sadness and fear. The key term that evokes this feeling is “murder.” Most people associate murder with a negative connotation, which is why pro-life activists continue to use this slogan. As a result, people may feel that they are murderers if they support abortion. Abortion, of course, is not that easy of a topic to consider if it is right or wrong. It is crucial for speakers to avoid using the appeal to emotion because it is more important to consider the reason and logic behind abortion such as considering the “future like ours” argument for the baby AND the mother.

Week 4 Discussion #3

The topic that I found most interesting and useful in The Essential Guide to Group Communication was “Master Communication Technology” which include pagers, telephones, teleconferencing, e-mail, and the Internet. This is most relatable today because practically all our communication is through or involves technology. For instance, many business meetings occur with a board of directors in a room and a person on a screen via web cam. This allows important participants to be included in the discussion without the person being physically there. Another example of the importance of technology is the easy access to the Internet. Since everyone is able to use the Internet at any time of the day, people are often on the Internet. Having said so, businesses have learned to advertise their product and service via Internet to broaden their audience. A third example of the effectiveness of the Internet would be online classes such as COMM41. Since this course is taken online, I am able to do it at my pace, my time, and at my desired place. I do not have to travel an hour to SJSU to take this one class. Overall, technology has made it easier to communicate with one another because of the accessibility and advancement it has achieved. No longer do individuals have to spend time traveling to a meeting or rummaging through the newspaper for current events. These individuals are able to do and find pretty much anything online in a matter of seconds. Clearly, technology is important in communication.

Week 3 Discussion #3

One topic I found useful in The Essential Guide to Group Communication was the process of decision making in groups and teams. The process is as follows:

-Identify the problem (what is it?).
-Conduct research (what is the background and details of this problem?).
-Establish guidelines and criteria (what should the possible solutions contain?).
-Generate alternatives (brainstorm possible solutions).
-Evaluate alternatives (are these solutions reasonable?).
-Select the best alternative (which will be most effective and practical?).
-Implement the solution (take action).
-Evaluate the result (how did the solution affect the problem?).

An example of this would be:

-What should we eat for lunch?
-We can eat any genre of food. We have not eaten all day.
-We can spend up to $20 per person. We must eat a big meal in order to feel like we spent our money well.
-We can eat Philly cheesesteaks, Cheesecake Factory, Chili’s, or Hometown Buffett.
-If we eat Philly cheesesteaks, we will only get a sandwich and fries for $10. If we eat at the Cheesecake Factory, we can get large portions. We could eat at Chili’s because we haven’t eaten there in a while. If we eat at Hometown Buffett, we will get all sorts of food, dessert, and drinks for under $10.
-We will eat at Hometown Buffett.
-*Eats at Hometown Buffett (pasta, fish, meat, fries, chicken, mashed potatoes, cake, yogurt).
-We made the right choice eating at Hometown Buffett because we were able to eat various items at a low cost.

As with all group work, there is bound to be a problem that the group is unable to solve. Being able to work through the problem effectively and efficiently are key in teamwork. There must be structure or a procedure to go about solving these problems like the one listed above. Looking back at the groups I have been in, I now can see that the assignments went more smoothly when we were organized. This is primarily because all the group members were on the same page and we were not jumping from one idea to another randomly.

Week 3 Discussion #2

An argument is a statement that tries to convince yourself and others that a conclusion is true. However, it is important to note that a strong argument is different from a valid one.

A strong argument is one that can be true or false and makes others believe in the claim because of the extensive information given. An example of a strong argument can be: As an infant, I was exposed to secondhand smoke. Soon after, doctors told me I had Asthma. Secondhand smoke can cause lung problems. This is a strong argument because I used a personal experience to back up my claim. Instead of using a generic premise, I presented real evidence to show a cause and affect relationship between smoking and lung problems.

A valid argument is primarily factual to show that the premise and conclusion are true. A valid argument is less persuasive than a strong argument. An example of a valid argument can be: Smoking can cause lung cancer. Therefore, a smoker can get lung cancer. Not all smokers get lung cancer, but there is a high-risk that they will. It is valid not only because it is true, but also because it begs the question too. It does not give any background knowledge, evidence, or any kind of elaboration to convince the audience how strong the argument is.

Week 3 Discussion #1

In order for an argument to be considered good, there are three tests. These tests include checking if the premises are plausible, checking if the premises are more plausible than the conclusion, and considering the validity or strength of an argument. Although there are three tests, each test is independent from each other. If one fails to pass and the others hold true, an argument can still be considered good.

Example:

Eating 2,000-2,600 calories a day is healthy.

Katherine eats 2,100 calories on a daily basis.

Therefore, Katherine is healthy.

In this argument, the premises can be plausible. Though the average amount of calories one consumes may be true to many people, it does not mean it holds true for everyone. Each person has a different metabolism rate and a different exercise routine. For instance, Michael Phelps, a gold medal Olympian, consumes about 12,000 calories a day. This does not mean he is unhealthy because he burns off those calories while he trains for swimming. As for Katherine, she may have the same regimen as Michael Phelps and would need about 10,000 calories in order to avoid malnutrition.

The conclusion is valid IF the definition of healthy is based on the average daily intake of calories. However, there are many factors that play into being healthy such as diet and exercise, not only the amount of calories. Furthermore, if Katherine eats more or less on some days, does that mean she is healthy only on a few occasions? As a result, the premises are incorrect, making the conclusion invalid. This argument is bad.

This argument is invalid and weak because it fails to consider other aspects that contribute to a healthy lifestyle. If a person does not exercise and eats 2,000-2,600 calories a day, that person is not healthy. There should be a ratio between exercise and calorie intake. We do not know Katherine’s daily routine, so therefore we do not know if she is healthy or not.

Discussion Question #3: Lack of Self-Esteem

One concept that I found interesting in The Essential Guide to Group Communication is the lack of self-esteem members have in groups. When students lack self-esteem, students are not confident in their work, thoughts, or input. This may be due to a student’s environment, or simply because the student is naturally unsure about his quality of work. This usually happens when students worry about what his peers think and is afraid to be seen as less than expected if what he says is not of quality. Thus, a student’s ideas may be ignored or considered little by the other group members making him feel rejected or of little worth. Being a minority in a dominant Caucasian high school, I typically had doubts of my say in group projects. I always had the presumption that my peers were always right or had better comments and ideas. As a result, I rarely voiced out my opinion and often agreed with what was said previously. However, one piece of advice that changed my position in group work was when my Government teacher said, “by not participating and not saying what’s on your mind, you are only cheating everyone else in your group by depriving them of such knowledge.” Since then, I have tried to contribute more in group work because I do not want to deprive anyone of anything, especially of knowledge. Furthermore, by doing so, I realized that I do have thoughts and opinions that are valuable to others.

Discussion Question #2: Vague Sentences

A vague sentence is a phrase that is too general for one specific topic. Various people usually interpret these phrases differently because it does not give everybody a specific topic to respond to. My cousin and I always ask each other vague questions whenever we get a chance to talk. Take for example the other day, he asked me in the car, “what do you want?” This question is fairly broad to answer in a few sentences. I did not know whether he wanted an answer concerning family, wealth, success, careers, happiness, or relationships. Moreover, he might have been referring to what I wanted to eat or do on that day. I was not quite sure. Thus, my cousin’s question was too vague to answer because I did not know what he specifically wanted. Yet, knowing him from previous conversations, I assumed he was asking what I wanted out of life. I took the challenge of deciding what was most important to me in my life by weighing out my values. I responded to his question by saying, “I want a healthy, loving, and supporting husband and four kids. I don’t care what I do, as long as I can help others out in some way, shape, or form.”

Discussion Question #1: Subjective VS Objective

While subjective claims are based upon a personal opinion, objective claims are based upon impartiality. For instance, a couple of moments ago, I said that I am having a bad day. This is subjective because I, personally, have these feelings. The events of my day, such as waking up late and losing my money, brought me to claim that my day is bad. However, if I were to say that today is a bad day, this would imply that today is merely a bad day regardless of my personal experience. An example of an objective claim that I recently heard was that “college life is fun.” This is objective because it is a general statement. College life may be fun for one person, but not another. The claim is not implying that her college life is fun, but rather that all college life is fun. This, of course, is not entirely true because everyone has different standards for their idea of fun.