Today's portfolio work...

I've decided that the best way to organize my paper for right now is into categories of introduction, the insider's debate, text vs. discussion, my synthesis, and conclusion. When I reach that point, however, I may decide to put my synthesis and conclusion together if the ideas overlap too much. So far, I have a working introduction, I wrote out the insider's debate, and am almost through the text vs. discussion part, but I still want to incorporate two sources. I may further divide that section into a sort of "what the experts say" and "what the professors/students say." That is one issue I am facing right now.

Today, I will finish the text vs. discussion portion, and before I go any further, I want to print a copy and read through it altogether for coherence. After that, I will continue to synthesize my own ideas and perspective on the issue, probably into a very rough outline of ideas and use that to follow for the last two sections of my portfolio.

still working on the paper...

I got a lot written today, but I need to go back into Elbow's argument and really figure out how it works with my other points. I plan to do that by Friday. Then, I want to go back and make sure everything is really highlighted the way I want it to be.

Working on the paper...

Today I worked on the part of my paper concerning Bartholomae's and Lamott's arguments. I got through that part, incorporating quotes into it as well. Now I want to go back and review Royster's argument before I go into that part of the paper. After I get all three written out, I will go back and add more of my own conclusions based on the three synthesized arguments. After that, I will move on and work with my other sources and on the other side of my argument. I did get a lot of work done today, but I know that I am going to have to go back over my argument several times as I lay it all out, in order to make sure I have not overlooked anything, and that it is cohesive.

Annotated Bibliography Revisions

After looking over my annotated bibliography, and the comments about my bibliography, I want to definitely try to re-organize my sources into more clear classifications that show which sources add to which side of the argument. I may even find it beneficial to use three different classifications. I also want to look at my introduction again and make sure that I have fulfilled all of the requirements and that it is clear where my paper is going. Overall, I want to look at what the best organization for my paper will be, and from there decide how to best organize all of my sources and possibly look into even more sources.

Inquiry Contract

Inquiry Contract

Developing Your Own Voice

1. The issue I am thinking about researching is that of voice; specifically the implications and results of people oftentimes having to assume authority in situations in which they cannot or do not actually have that authority. What I want to know about this topic is how voice is developed and how it can be used in the most beneficial manner possible. The motivating factor for me to know more about this topic is that I think voice is the key to writing. It gives it style and personality, but when someone takes on a voice that is not theirs to assume, I believe many communication errors occur and that creates dissonance between the writer and audience. I want to look at the repercussions of doing just that. How does one feel when they must assume a voice in a certain discourse community that is not particularly their own, and how do the people of that community feel as a result? I also want to try to decide whether this is unnecessary, or a necessary part of the learning process. On a more general level, I want to look at how writers start to develop their own voice, given that they oftentimes have to mock another’s voice in the beginning stages of writing.

2. I think that when someone assumes a role that is not theirs already, they end up coming to conclusions based upon stereotypes and generalizations because we tend to fill in the unknown with our own perceptions based on past experiences. Therefore, everyone’s view is uniquely their own and might be based upon or influenced by misconceptions. Based upon my own past experiences in classroom settings, I know that when someone makes a comment which is not the majority view of the rest of the class, it oftentimes tends to create a lot of tension within the classroom and some people feel provoked to talk and defend their own views, while others become quiet and do not want to communicate their feelings with the rest of the class, even though they may have strong opinions, nonetheless. Furthermore, I believe that we are constantly asked to assume another’s voice, as students, trying to fit into an academic discourse community in which we might not feel as accustomed to. I think that in writing, however, some people feel more open to communicate their views than they would in an open discussion. Still, others might be more worried about their audience when writing than when the audience is a classroom of peers. Oftentimes, too, classroom discussion provides a springboard for writing.

3. Two questions I would like to answer in my paper include: When one assumes authority of a discourse community (in discussion or writing) in which they are not a part, does it create unnecessary tension, or is it a necessary part of the learning process? Also, how does one really develop his or her own voice, given that we are asked to assume the position of another so often in the learning process?

**Possible Sources include: Royster’s essay in Cross Talk, Bartholomae’s essay in Cross Talk, Journals printed from J-Stor (I have a few printed but will look into more as well), books concerning the topic of voice and developing voice in writing, and even possibly interviews with students or teachers about classroom situations. I know that I could interview students in my honors capstone course because we often have heated discussions that prompt us to assume a role in which we could not actually have (i.e. that of an African American experiencing racism, or a minority feeling stereotyped). I think another valuable source might be to talk to our instructors for that course and see their point of view, as they generally facilitate the discussion and then see how it relates to our writing since they are the only two who read what the entire class writes in their papers.

Brodkey's "On the Subject of Class and Gender in 'The Literacy Letters'"

I chose to read this essay, hoping that it would relate well to my topic. While it does look at the issue of voice, it really looks at it more from a teacher's perspective. Brodkey discusses the anger students must feel when they think a writing assignment has limitless possibilities, but the evaluation notes only value their limitations. While I could identify with this idea, it is not exactly what I had in mind for where I wanted to go with my research. Still, I guess this is an example of asking a writer to conform, and therefore limiting the voice they are trying to develop. According to Brodkey, "each institutionalized discourse privileges some people and not others by generating uneven and unequal subject positions as various as stereotypes and agents" (679). The idea that some people are given more privilege in discourse was interesting to explore, yet somewhat confusing. Still, I agree that some people are more privileged in their subject position, depending on the topic at hand.

Brodkey looked at several examples of classroom situations and student/teacher relationships. I didn't really get as much from those as I had hoped. I want to discuss how students develop their own voice, the problems they face, and what happens when they must assume a voice that is not their own, as many classroom situations will ask you to do. Brodkey explored the extent of classism, racism, and sexism that schools legitimate while asserting that they are trying to eliminate it.

One thing I think will relate to my topic, is the idea that the ideology that class, race, and gender differences are present in American society and the assertion that they are absent in the classroom is being challenged.

Overall, I hope to get a variety of sources which explore this idea so that I can synthesize them and come to my own conclusions based upon the mixture of arguments that I am able to find about how voice is formed, developed, and even possibly mimicked. I think that we have already read a few essays that might prove more helpful than this one that I chose to read. Particularly, I want to take another look at Bartholomae and Royster in this context.

Class Questions about my Inquiry Topic

When the general public considers my topic, issues they might think are important to discuss could include how people take into account other peoples’ voices when writing and even in discussion and more specifically, when trying to develop their own voice. I think the scholarly discourse community would probably have similar questions.

Some of the status quo assumptions might be that everyone has their own voice and they develop that voice in writing through practice and learning from others.

I think that texts about my subject expect people to realize that they create their own voice and to be more aware of the voice they develop through their experiences. They take different approaches to how voice is developed, but all get readers to really analyze their own voice in writing. I think writers about the subject of voice expect readers to at least consider their approach, even if they may not agree with the author’s assertions.