User:Kyellebrodie

=English Composition=

Statement of Intent
Statement of Intent

Overview I would like to experiment with different writing styles over the quarter. I want to focus on persuasive essays and various forms of creative writing. For the persuasive essays, I plan to cover a variety of topics that I feel passionate about. These topics would likely include changing the drinking age, testing of products on animals, legalization of marijuana, and weapon rights. These are all very controversial topics that would be beneficial for me to research and use to practice my skills in persuasive writing. I would also like to work on a couple types of more creative writing styles. I plan on writing one short, fictional story and one poem.

Rationale

I have always enjoyed persuasive writing but have not always been the best at conveying my passion on to the paper. There are a lot of opportunities where the art of persuasion will come in handy later in life and I would like to master it, both through the ability to find qualitative research and to effectively send my message. Creative writing is not an area of writing I have looked into or practiced very much. I am hoping that writing a short story and a poem for this class will open my eyes to new variations of expression.

Publication/Presentation

I would like to have a public recording of one of my persuasive essays posted to the internet. This is something that would be posted on websites such as youtube. I would like to have my essay recorded and played during a dramatic video of events corresponding with the topic. I would like to have this posted by the end of the quarter, however due to my lack of knowledge in technology may take longer.

Schedule

week 2- outlines of persuasive essays, gather research week 3- 3-4 page drinking testing essay, edit/revise week 4- 3-4 page animal testing essay, edit/revise week 5- start short story (5 (+ -) pages) week 6- finish and edit/revise story week 7- write and edit poem week 8- 3-4 page marijuana essay week 9- Edit and revise/ review all work week 10- make changes and perfect work

Anticipated Problems

Some anticipated problems with my project could be the research used for my persuasive essays. If I am unable to find sufficient and credible information on my topics it would be very difficult to write them.

Week 6 Project Review


So far, I believe my project is coming along pretty well. I do think that it is a possibility that I may have incorrectly judged the amount of work I assigned for myself. I plan, however, to continue with the same goals that I set during the beginning of the quarter. The persuasive essays have been taking longer to develop than I expected. I plan to continue working on and developing these throughout the quarter. It is taking me longer to finalize the individual essays and stories but I will complete them all by the end of the project. Since certain parts of the project are requiring more time than I had calculated, it has been difficult to write quality essays in the allotted time frame. I hope to be able to finalize, perfect, and revise these documents before the end of the quarter. While my schedule for my project has been off, I still plan on completing all parts of the given project. I have learned a lot while researching my various topics for my persuasive essays through research of actual topics, as well as other previously written persuasive documents. I look forward to expanding my writing horizon by writing my short story and poem in the coming weeks.

Reader's Report
I read the twilight saga, all four books. I was peer pressured into reading them at first. They did not seem like my kind of books. After reading the first book, against my will, I became hooked. I read all four books in about two weeks. I could not stop reading them. I ended up really enjoying these books. I had a lot of fun reading them and hope to find another book series that I love as much as loved these four books. The books were important to me because I found a joy in reading that I had not experienced before. THere have been other books that I enjoyed but not so much that I could never put them down. Reading something like this has also left me more open to try new types of books. These were books I didn't expect to like and it leaves me wondering what else I could be missing. I really think Twilight has made me curious about what else is other there and created a new love for reading.

Project
 Project as of week 3 ( Persuasive essay outlines and research)-

Persuasive Essay Outlines

Drinking Age

Research: http://www.indiana.edu/~engs/articles/cqoped.html http://www.indiana.edu/~engs/articles/fruit.html http://www.angelfire.com/on4/buckwild1585/main.html http://drinkingage.procon.org/ http://www.talkleft.com/story/2005/04/12/890/23979

Essay subtopics (bullet points): •	Age 18 you can marry, vote, considered adult •	Age 18 you can go to war- life of death •	Countries with lower drinking ages have fewer alcohol related problems •	Less taboo •	Sends message that drinking represents maturity causing a further want to consume alcohol •	Prohibition failed showing that regulation is counterproductive •	Drinking in moderation is good for health •	Enforcement of 21 law is expensive and “inefficient”- most minors can still acquire alcohol in often unsafe ways

Animal Testing

Research: http://www.liberalroad.com/2007/03/24/5-reasons-to-ban-animal-testing/ http://www.gan.ca/lifestyle/animal+testing/index.en.html http://www.drhadwentrust.org/non-animal-research/whats-wrong-with-animal-testing http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/236899/animal_testing_in_research_right_or.html?cat=47 http://animalrights.about.com/od/vivisection/a/VivisectionFAQ.htm http://www.aboutmyplanet.com/science-technology/animal-testing/

Essay subtopics: •	Animals have rights too/ protection laws •	Humans are animals •	Cruel- many of the animals are tortured and killed •	Test animals are so different from humans that tests are not even accurate •	96% of animal testing is for superficial products such as cosmetics •	Not required to test products on animals •	Many places have already phased out animal testing. Why cant we? •	They cant defend themselves-helpless

Legalizing Marijuana

Research: http://www.alternet.org/drugreporter/60959/ http://economics.about.com/od/incometaxestaxcuts/a/marijuana.htm http://www.edubook.com/why-marijuana-should-be-legal/8254/ http://www.balancedpolitics.org/marijuana_legalization.htm

Essay subtopics: •	If used in moderation is less harmful than alcohol and tobacco products •	Related crimes would be greatly reduced •	Source of additional tax revenues- government would benefit •	People do it anyways, making it legal would make the selling, buying, and use much safer •	FDA would be able to regulate the drug •	Police and court resources would be available for more serious crimes

Project as of week Four- Drinking age Essay PERSUASIVE DRINKING AGE ESSAY The drinking age in the United States tends to be one of the more controversial topics we discuss. Should it be 18 years old, when children legally become adults? Or should drinking be allowed at age 21, when children are thought to have matured more fully? While there are some benefits to an older legal drinking age, I believe the reasons for lowering it to 18 outweigh them significantly.

There is one major reason the drinking age should be lowered, that stands out from the rest. The reason is that in the United States, at 18 years old, a person is considered an adult. To me it seems if the drinking age cannot be lowered to 18, then the age one becomes an adult should be raised to 21. It does not make sense, that an adult would not be allowed to make his or her own decisions when it comes to consuming alcoholic beverages.

On a person’s eighteenth birthday, they are awarded with an abundance of new privileges, as well as responsibilities. At age 18, a person is suddenly an adult in the eyes of the court and legal systems. While this does offer some new opportunities, it also comes with consequences. On the day a person turns 18 they are suddenly held accountable for what they do. If a crime is committed, the person will be tried and charged as an adult. This seems reason enough to allow 18 year olds to drink alcohol. If they do not behave responsibly, they can and should be held accountable. Another thing that comes with turning 18 is the chance of joining the military and armed forces, as a volunteer or a draftee. It does not seem right that at 18 years old, a person is mature enough to leave their family and their country for a dangerous warzone. In war, these young adults are sent far from home to kill and be killed. How is it possible that one is mature enough, at just 18, to give their life for their country but not mature enough to have a glass of wine or a beer?

When one turns 18 they are legally considered an adult and they can be drafted for war-purposes. They can also make other very important decisions such as vote and get married. These are very serious decisions that people make in their lives. I find it hard to believe that making the decision to drink a couple of beers with friends could be a more important decision than deciding who you are to spend the rest of your life with or who will be president.

For many young people, under the age of 18, alcohol is seen as the forbidden fruit. Many people tend to want what they can’t or are not supposed to have. The years between 18 and 21 are a very crucial time in people’s lives. This is a time when people are changing drastically and figuring out who they are and who they want to become. Often times, people in this age group are enrolled in college. College is a time to learn, grow, develop, and of course, socialize. Socializing in a college atmosphere, always has, and continues to frequently involve alcohol. For many, college is the first time when ages collide. Suddenly 18 year olds are hanging out and having classes with people much older than them. It is almost as if age tends to lose its meaning. During this time of change, 18, 19, and 20 year olds often feel just as mature as their older classmates. They are expected to act as adults and be mature, but they cannot legally enjoy a drink. Drinking is directly related to maturity. I believe this causes a strong desire to feel mature, and therefore another reason to want to drink. This topic leads directly into the next, getting the alcohol.

It is obvious that many underage teenagers continue to drink illegally. When teens drink, illegally, they are forced to hide it. This often involves lying to parents, teachers, police, and all authority put in place to keep them safe. This then separates these teenagers from their safety nets. Kids will often participate in risky and unsafe behaviors to receive alcohol. When kids and teens are forced to sneak around, they frequently put themselves in very dangerous situations that could easily be avoided if they were allowed to consume alcohol legally. Drinking related accidents and problems are much less frequent in countries with lower drinking ages.

Countries with lower drinking ages have far less drinking problems and children are taught at a young age how to drink responsibly. It is not uncommon in many places around the world for families, including young children, to have a glass of wine or beer with their meals. In these countries children do not look at alcohol as the forbidden fruit. They have always had access to it and always will. These countries also tend to have less people who suffer from alcoholism and binge drinking, especially at young ages. According to the WHO Global Status Report on Alcohol from 2004, 10.7 percent of the youth population in the United States was considered heavy episodic drinkers, or binge drinkers.

I believe the law limiting consumption of alcohol to those over the age of 21 has good intents, however I believe the statistics show otherwise. It is a waste of government time and money to be maintaining this law. I do not think that the law makes sense at all. Young people will find ways to get alcohol no matter what the age is. Eighteen to 21 year olds are being arrested and charged for ridiculous charges while the real criminals are running around. Underage drinkers and adult heavy drinkers combined consume 61 percent of the alcohol sold in the U.S. This law is “expensive and inefficient” since most minors have access to and will acquire alcohol in other often unsafe ways.

There are so many reasons why the drinking age in the United States of America should be lowered to 18. At age 18 it seems one can do almost everything else legally, except drink alcohol. At 18 a person is considered an adult. They can legally vote, get married, and be drafted into war. There is significant proof showing America has more problems with alcoholism, binge drinking, and alcohol-related accidents than many countries with lower drinking ages. The law does little but cause teens to want alcohol even more, but push them to acquire it in dangerous ways. There are so many reasons as to why the drinking age in the U.S should be lowered.

Project as of week 5 Animal Testing Persuasive Essay

Animal testing is a huge problem in the United States. Animals should not be experimented on, tortured, or killed for the testing of human products. It is unfair that humans should have the right to make decisions for the helpless animals. There are so many reasons as to why animal testing is not okay. Animal testing is wrong and should be banned completely in the United States of America and around the rest of the world.

Animals have rights too. More protection laws should be put in place to protect innocent animals. These laws should ban all testing on animals and enforce the law upon those who disobey. “Animals have rights as well and they shouldn’t be violated. Human beings are just another species of animals. Most of us wouldn’t accept that 100 million people would be submitted every year to non-voluntary tests (many leading to pain or death). Why do we allow it with animals? Animals are non-volunteers in tests when tests could be done with alternative methods.” In addition to this, the majority of animal testing is useless. Test animals, even our close relative the chimpanzee, are so different from humans that tests are not even accurate. We are sitting by while innocent animal lives are wasted to help people feel better about their purchases. By using animals to conduct experiments with inaccurate results we are doing nothing but help ignorant and selfish people feel more confident about their new wrinkle cream or hair growth treatment.

You may justify animal testing, thinking the tests are being done for serious experiments needed for something significant. You may think it’s okay because you believe the testing is done only to dirty rats. None of this is true. 96% of all experiments, which use animal testing, are for superficial products such as cosmetics. And while 80% of test animals are mice, rats, and birds, many other animals are tested on as well. Animals such as cats, dogs, rabbits, and monkeys are also regularly used in test facilities. The only law providing an limit to this cruelty is an FDA regulation requiring that the number of animals used in testing be recorded and submitted. This law, however, makes an exception for the most commonly used animals: rats, mice, and birds. It should not be okay to test these animals. They are helpless and have no ways to defend themselves.

There is no law, rule, regulation, or guideline of any sort that requires or encourages animal testing so why do these superficial companies find it necessary to abuse these animals? Many countries do not even use animal testing anymore, as there is no reason to. If it is possible to clone human skin cells, it seems strange that companies and scientists would continue to test on animals. Why would a scientist test a new lotion on a mouse, when it can be tested on human skin without causing injury or stress to a mouse or a human? Many of the cosmetic products tested on animals could be tested using the human skin model tests are now in use, including the validated EpiDerm™ test, which has been accepted almost universally as a total replacement for skin corrosion studies usually done on rabbits. Skin removed during human surgical procedures can also be used for various chemical testing. There are so many questions that could be asked and so many answers left unknown.

In addition to the reasons why animal testing is wrong on an ethical level, there are also other reasons why animal testing should not be done. There are other alternatives that could be used to conduct the same experiments and receive the same or even better, more accurate results. There are many alternatives to animal testing including using human skin. Human skin seems to be a better testing item for products that will actually be used on human skin and not animal.

There is a never-ending list of reasons as to why animal testing should be banned. I have shared only a few of these reasons. Some factors supporting a world without animal testing include the fact that these animals are helpless and cannot defend themselves, animal tests are frequently inaccurate, most tests using animal subjects are strictly cosmetic, it is not required by laws of any sort, and there are plenty of other alternatives to animal testing. In general people do not support animal abuse in the home or on the street, so why would it be okay in a lab? These labs treat the animals with cruelty. The facts are here and the only question left is whether or not a new wrinkle cream or mascara really justification for the life of an animal.

Project as of Week 8 Cancer Story Part One

Part One

I could never be sure as to why this path was chosen for me but after months of feeling sorry myself I began to piece my life back together. Six months ago I had been made aware of my condition. I was not going to be okay. I had had my entire life planned out for me before this. I always knew the next step, what I was going to do next, and where it would take me. I was nineteen years old, halfway through my freshmen year of college when I found out. I had always done well in school but it wasn’t always my priority. I didn’t have many friends and school was my outlet. I always enjoyed my classes and wished they would never end. My professors became my friends; I could talk to them.

Things used to be different, though. Teachers didn’t used to be my only friends. I was popular when I was in high school, an athlete. I had been on the soccer team at Westwood High. Life was different then, it was fun. I found out shortly after starting my first year at college that I had cancer. I told no one. I didn’t need to be pitied. Life for me continued somewhat normally for a while, at least it appeared that way on the outside. I decided I would continue my first year of college, as to not cause immediate suspicion for my father. Even he was unaware of my secret battle. There was no need in worrying him yet.

My cancer was terminal and I knew I would die. I had suspected cancer for some time and I knew the symptoms. I had seen my mother slowly die of cancer years before. She died from lung cancer after years of smoking. For me, it was different. I had been aware of the possibilities of cancer and had spent my life avoiding various things believed to lead to cancer. I was even enrolled in medical school to study epidemiology- the branch of medical science dealing with the transmission and control of disease. I wanted to find a cure. Ironic.

They discovered the cancer in my lung, though it was not lung cancer. I had a tumor. It took several weeks for the doctors to figure out what, exactly, it was that I had. There had only been 67 people on in recorded history that had been diagnosed with what I had. All 67 had died as a result. I had been sick for a while. It hurt to breathe, but it wasn’t until I started coughing up blood that I saw medical help. They gave me an estimated three years to live.

Sometimes I wondered why I wasted the short time I had left in school, and then I remembered my father. Even though, I was attending school on the opposite side of the country, I was all he had left. Losing my mom had ruined him and I worried of his own health if I were to tell him about my suffering. He knew of my passion in school and would be worried if I were to suddenly withdraw. This is why I am determined to complete my first year of school, before telling my father I would to take some time off from school to experience the world and travel. This would not be a lie for I had always yearned for a life of excitement and wonder.

You may wonder my feelings about my disease, if I am scared, but the truth is I am content. I wasn’t always okay, knowing I would barely make it passed the age of 21. Most kids spend their lives waiting for their twenty-first birthday; I dreaded the thought. Time was my enemy. Six months ago, when the doctors informed me of the news, I went into a depression. I was selfish, wondering why this had to happen to me. I now realize how sick it was of me to feel that way, how I could wish my suffering upon another person. I had accepted my fate. Now I try to look at the positive side. I consider myself lucky to have been given three years. My mother had but two short months after she found out. I am thankful that I was given a timeline. At least I will have the opportunity to seek out my dreams, to travel, and say goodbye to my loving father, to let him know how much I care. Like I said, I told no one about this disease-and I mean literally not a person. The people at school don’t know and it will continue this way until I die. I am certain they think I am crazy after seeing me fly out of class on various occasions, not knowing why. They have seen the pain and agony on my face. They wonder why I don’t talk to anyone and why I am always alone. It’s entertaining, really, to see the way they look at me when I walk into the large lecture room.

I am not treating my cancer. It is terminal either way. Doctors tell me chemo could buy me some time, but even they don’t know. They also tell me, it could speed up time, make me sicker, but I knew this already. There was little they could tell me that I didn’t already know.

Project as of Week 9- Cancer Story part 2

Part Two

I made the decision to carry on with my life, or at least what I had left of my life. For no longer would I be this sad, sick boy. I mean, I guess, I’d still be sick-but no longer sad. I was going to continue my last semester at UP, or University of Pennsylvania. There were only a couple short months left and then I would be free to live out my other, short-term dreams.

For now, I was still relatively healthy, considering, but I knew it was only a matter of time before more of the symptoms really kicked in. Because there had only been 67 people diagnosed with what I had, it was impossible to be certain as to what would happen to me. Most of the 67 lived fairly normally up until about the last month or two, when the disease released its fury at full force. I knew almost all one could know about cancer. Most of it I learned on my own. After my mom had died, I found myself spending my free time at the library, studying the disease. Some of it, though, I also learned in school.

Try to think of a type of cancer. Any kind. I guarantee I could give you its medical name, the symptoms, treatment options, and an estimated timeline. I knew everything about cancer, but little about my specific type. The problem with what I have is that it is so new and so uncommon that it hasn’t even been given a name. I’m sure you could guess that for a cancer with no name, there is also no information. All the doctors know is that I had an estimated three years to live, about two and a half now, but even that can’t be known for sure. They only know what they have seen from the past 67.