*Delivery: Important Aspect of Oratory* ARCS #4, 5, and 7

"I would not hesitate to assert that a mediocre speech supported by all the power of delivery will be more impressive than the best speech unaccompanied by such power,"--Quintilian.

Delivery is concerned with two things--voice and gesture.

"One must remember good delivery ensures that what the orator is saying seems to come from the heart". 

#4. The use of fonts can help reveal a writer's ethos. The use of sans seriff portrays a clean, objective, and direct type, while seriff appears more graceful. #4.  The cover of the magazine Redbook uses like five different colors for the headings spread across the page. Upon first glance, a reader is not drawn to the title of the magazine, as it is partially covered up, but one is drawn to the actress adorning the page.  The main article in the page is on the actress, Heidi Klum-- whose also on the front cover, and appears to be in size 8 font, which is while small size font, a good idea because the story is so big.  Her interview is written on the right-hand side of the page and the questions are bolded to separate Q. and A.   Her quote is in the middle of the page embedded in the story. This allows for a reader to decide whether he or she would rather read the interview or the story or both. The quote helps establish the ethos of the actress, which leads a person to want to read more, by becoming interested in the character. Throughout the magazine the font is often colorful displayed which signifies the publishers value fashion and design and excitement. The magazine appeals to women for those sort of reasons.

#5. The website "Television Without Pity" which is a site devoted to reviews and news stories on the major televison networks, has "a lot going on". It is in a sense pretty cluttered, but it does have some sense of organization with its mass of information. The purpose of the site is evidently to be a resource for television buffs on the latest shows and provide recaps for shows that were missed. I picture the site creators are a group of individuals that are value technology and materialistic things. I say that because T.V. shows are pretty materialistic most of the time. Each story has a picture which helps facilitate communcation through exciting the reader to read the story about the show. The site fosters a very busy, popular, gossipy movement.

#7. The argument I made in an earlier blog that dealt with the issue of helping support to find the cure for breast cancer could easily be incorporated into a website. The background color could be either pink or white. If it was white, then I would display the pink ribbons that are symbolic in helping fight breast cancer. Putting a picture of a mother surrounded by her grandchildren and children would create a vivid scene in the reader's mind, as if they were there embracing their mother after she put up a fight with breast cancer. Also, links I could use could consist of testimonials of women who had or were in the process of fighting breast cancer. The visual would play into my essay by creating pathos--evoking strong, compassionate feelings from the reader.

*Extrinsic Proofs* ARCS p.293 #2 and #4

Evidence of the senses can be reliable in certain instances, but you have to take into account that person's motives as well.#1. For example, the book "Monster" which is about an African-American boy accused of participating in a robbery of a gas station, which resulted in the murder of the owner of the store.  One man that testified against the boy, whose name was Steve Harmon, had clear ulterior motives that biased his testomony. The jury seemingly took this into consideration and found Steve Harmon innocent, even though there was definately racial tension present among the all-white jury.  The man had been in jail for a while, and obviously thought that helping to convict another person in a homicide would deduce his sentence and get him out of jail early.  He would be considered a proximate authority, because he was definately not a well-respected community authority, that based his testimony on the senses of seeing and hearing.#4. The man did not pass the tests of reliability; therefore, he was not a credible witness to testify against Steve Harmon.  It also hurt him that he was in jail, which further deterioated his reputation. Another woman, who testified against Harmon, was shopping in the store when she witnessed the robbery. Some argued that she was distracted and wasn't in the right "state of mind" to perceive the events credibly.  While, these arguments were downplayed, the jury took all these things into account when figuring out Steve's verdict. 

*Pathos Appeals* ARCS. p.263 # 1, 4, and 6

Notes from reading: Pathos-human emotion.(Ex.sympathy, empathy, anger/calm, envy/emulation, joy and hope). People respond emotionally when their or a loved one's values are praised or threatened. The force of emotional appeals in rhetoric lies in the fact that people hold values with different levels of intensity. Emotions can move people to action! Emotional responses, by changing a person's state of mind, can help people change their minds about an issue.

#1. One issue would be to support finding the cure for breast cancer and the audience would be comprised of college students. Their attitudes would likely be that they they know someone that has had or currently has breast cancer, since it is so common in today's society. Therefore, they could relate to the issue which would allow them to be open and responsive to the argument for supporting the fight against breast cancer.

I'm sure many of you know someone battling breast cancer. Some of you know women who have gone through chemotherapy and been successful survivors, whereas some of you know of other tragic cases where breast cancer sadly took their life. I bet there is not one person in this room that cannot raise their hand, if I asked them if they knew someone that was a breast cancer patient. It is sad but true. I came here to tell you that just like we can help the feed the hungry people in 3rd world countries or find the cure for AIDS, we can strive to find the cure for cancer. We can help by donating money to their cause, or simply by purchasing pink-ribbon items in stores whose funds go towards breast cancer research. It is worth your effort and time to help. Looking at the experession on a loved one's face once once they know their mother or sister will survive to see her grandchildren grow up would prove to you that your time and support is priceless. You can put a price on a pair of designer jeans or a Chanel purse, but you can't put a price on a life.

#4. The ad selling a pink watch in support of breast cancer says "Time to fight". This message gives hope to the audience that the fight can be won.

An ad selling Infinite Circulon cooking pans lists consumer problems with other brands of nonstick pans at the top of the pages. One problem was that the the food didn't cook evenly, and the other problem was that the pans constantly needed replacing. Attention made to these problems arouse a sense of dread to the cook reading this ad, because chances are they have encountered these problems as well. The message implies that this certain brand will solve these problems, and it leads a person to read further to find out more.

An ad that evokes fear in an audience is one that brings up certain situations in one's mind that they don't want to experience. The magazine I've been looking through has mostly perfume ads and beauty tips, but there was an ad that featured the toothpaste,Pronamel. I would be considered a target audience, because apparently the dentist informed me that I have sensitive teeth and signs of acidic wear on my teeth. So, when I saw a picture of a person's teeth that had really thin tooth enamel as a result of acid wear, it made me want to buy the toothpaste. In fact, if if it is really that good I should I probably just go out and get a year's supply. It's too bad the ad doesn't talk about how much more expensive it is than your average toothpaste. The ad talks about serious dental problems and irreversible damage, which evokes fear (in myself) that without Pronamel --that could happen to you!

#6. Honorific-respectful language. Pejorative-disparage people/derogatory language. One example of a reading that uses honorific language is a movie review on Role Models: Paul Rudd is one of the modern cinema's great under-appreciated funnymen. The reviewer called it a significant improvement over the director's last feature. He used the term "unspeakable bravery" to actually include things in a movie that could actually happen and weren't so far-fetched. "Genuinely effective comic actor" describes Sean William Scott. Rudd was a "delight". An movie review with pejorative language is seen in the review of the movie Twilight: It starts out by saying "Let's get real here people. Not a single person (with few exceptions) knew what the Twilight series was. He calls it a "cliché, clunky mess of a story". He said he was "bored out of his brain" and the movie was "a hefty two hours" with "bland dialogue" and "boring characters".

ARCS. p. 230 # 1 , 2, & 6 --Establishing Ethos

After reading this section on ethos, I have discovered that the three main things that are critical in establishing ethos are: intelligence and being well-informed, good characater, and goodwill.

#1. The first piece of writing I analyzed was actually written by Daniel Taylor--my research subject for my ethnographic project. Interestingly enough, he is a graduate from Harvard University who is the founder of Future Generations, a local non-profit organization. One of his major publications "Something Hidden Behind the Ranges" (actually a very good book on discovering the "yeti") includes an introduction which establishes his ethos.

Intro
He establishes his experience in the opening sentence. "In the course of my life in the Himalaya I ran a river..." He goes on by saying that his expedition was the first successful one of many that had failed in trying to find the Abominable Snowman. He establishes that he is experienced and he was present first-hand.

The second paragraph (and third) details the geography of the Himalaya and the rivers that intersect it. It specically names the region where the most yeti footprints have been seen. This text serves to show the audience the author's intelligence of the area.

He explains why he is interested in searching for the yeti, in the first place. He says that "The Himalaya of my youth became the background for comprehanding the yeti story that had so fascinated me...It also first made me think about biological resilence, in species and even ecosystems, and especially the resilience of the human species." This tells the audience he is not just another one of those people trying to write a book on the infamous Abominable Snowman to gain fame or money. It establishes his curiosity and concern for the environment, which strengthens his good character and goodwill.

Throughout the introduction, he talks about his respect for his fellow passengers on the boat, espeically after one saved his life. He states "Such gifts form friends". This helps his character by sustaining that he is a thoughtful and thankful person that values friendship (that might be irrelevant to the point, but I think it is relevant to state any quaility that would strengthen the author's character; thereby establishing good overall ethos.

#2. The author uses the first-person voice, using words like "I" and "We". This helps the readers feel as if they were experiencing the journey with alongside the author. He employs the use of qualifiers fairly often with phrases like: virtually all of the reports, most of the yeti. While the word size is not overly complex, the tone is still conveyed through use of colorful adjectives and well-written sentences to be targeted to a wide range of readers. This creates a very suitable informal tone, which allows anyone from an educated proffesor to a high school student to be able to read it. He uses the active voice predominately.



#1. The second text I analyzed was a NY Times article by Andrew Revkin on "Global Warming" (Summer 2007). The opening paragraph establishes that he was, in fact, there at the very location at the heart of the global warming concerns--the Artic Islands. He is standing there with an acclaimed snow scientist, who is telling him about his concerns and work throughout his life. This establishes his credentials as a proximate witness and someone who's obviously very interested in the subject. The reporter demonstrates his intelligence by "doing the homework" as described in the reading.

Goodwill is established through the concern for future generations that would be affected by global warming. By acknowledging his own generation would not be affected, Rifkin tells the audience (indirectly) that he is a caring, thoughtful, unselfish person.

#2. Rifkin uses words like alternately, could, most, for 20 years, and enormously to connect with the audience the devasting implications that could arise through global warming.
"McConnell, 49, an expert on the world’s frozen places, is from—of all places—the Desert Research Institute in Reno, Nevada." The use of the dash sets the phrase off to make it sound like a midthught, or possibly afterthought." It is written in first-person with using the word "I" frequently.


#1. The third text was another part of the Global Warming article and this time Revkin was reporting from Pasadena, California. As in the previous article in the Artic Islands, he states that he is "standing in a lab at California Institute of Technology." He is watching them try to create solor power. This establishes that he is witnessing the scene first-hand and that he's very interested in the subject area.


He establishes his good moral standing, by referencing top, experienced scientists and their thought's on the progress toward alternative energy sources. He doesn't just state that the government has not been consistent or generous enough in funding the research for energy alternatives. He backs his claims up by citing the specific years funding was in the proposed budgeted plan vs. the realites of the funding that actually came through. Instead of 30 million dollars, only 8 million was approbated.

#2. The voice is first-person with the use of "I and we". "The challenge of shifting to new energy options is made vastly more difficult..." Vastly serves a good qualifier because it creates more emphasis on the problem. Mostly the active voice is used, but the passive voice can be seen in certain sentences, "in the end, only $8 million was authorized by Congress in 2007".


#6. Here is an example of a letter that would be used from a teacher to her students in the 1st and 2nd person voice. The 2nd person voice is essential because her primary goal is to instruct her students what to do.

Dear Students,

We will be meeting to discuss revisions of our research papers on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday of next week--11/23. E-mail me to set up a time for an appointment. The finals revisions will be due during Dec. 8th at 5:00 p.m.

Thank you,
Sandy Smith

ARCS p186 Q. 1 & 3

1). Maxim-wise sayings or proverbs that are generally accepted by the community of the rhetor. Example "Better late than never". (On the humorous side of things, I am ironically actually employing this saying writing this blog).

Enthymemes-premises used in contructing rehtorical proofs. Example: Think different Apple is different. Think Apple.

Signs-physical facts or real events that usually accompany some other state of affairs. Ex: A kid plays practices basketball everyday. That is a sign that the kid will probably improve his skills.

Since I am tired of hearing about the elections and its continued post-political discourse, I decided to use an article that was nonpolitical. The article "Just Saying, Is All. The problem with the Rays" (even though I am always finding myself referring back to their old name--the Devil Rays) uses many different signs, maxims, and enthymemes. The quote "optimism is contagious" is great maxim that people generally know and accept. Essentially, the article is making the point that one season of success does not necessarily mean future success like this year. "When a choice is between defeat on one hand and delusion on another, only a fan or fool lays his money on the long shot." This is a good enthymeme premise that helps the argument. The conclusive ethymeme is "For the league's most forlorn franchise, Tampa's turnaround offers nothing more than an empty promise of better things to come". The author uses a Tom Petty lyric "Even the losers get lucky sometimes", which serves as a good maxim to stregnthen his point. The author made effective use of all three for effectiveness in his article.

3). "Elvis has left the building". Other ways to articulate premise would be Elvis is done performing. Elvis is no longer here.

Arrangement Strategies

Arrangement strategies should be based on the rhetorical situation. The ancients' tell us that a writer should arrange the introduction and other parts of the writing with clear thought about how the audience will use it.

Refutation-the act of proving a person to be in error.

Steps to take to gain insight into Research Q.--In class blog

Research Q. What does the graffiti artists' composing process look like?
Step #1--create your thesis
Step #2-Locate a moment. Regather the date/evidence and then describe what happened in detail. (thick description). sensory details , multiple data streams
Step #3--Intrepret the data, make sense of it for readers. what do they want us to notice?
Step #4-Identifying "testimony" that comfirms our analysis.

How I'm Going to Analyze My Data

I plan on taking fieldnotes along with a tape recorder as backup if I am finding that that would be useful to employ during my session with the writer. I plan on looking for documents that came from the donor or organization that is funding money in order to see initiating texts that prompted the writer to write a certain way. I will look at any comments from the other writers at Future Generations, since I mainly plan on researching one writer in the org. ( the one that does the main work on grant proposals). This goes along in part with the influence of the workplace on writing. Kliemann's four levels of comments will help me analyze that data effectively. I want to analyze the drafts by seeing what key vocabulary changes and structure of sentence level alters as the drafts progress into the final one.I will use triangulation of data--by observing the writer and then applying it to the text. This method does not involve taking their thoughts on their revision process at face value. So, I will look for evidence that they had strong revisions, instead of just listening them say how much time they spent revising the document.

ARCS p. 153 Activity 4: Aristotle

Conjecture Common Topics:
what exists?
what does not exist?
what is the size or extent of what exists
did it exist in the past
will it exist in the future

what exists: Problem: abortion
Pro-life vs. pro-choice
differing state laws in regards to the issue
what does not exist: agreement on the issue
what is the size/extent: big, controversial issue
did it exist in the past: yes
will it exist in future: yes, inevitably




Degree:
what is greater than the mean or norm?
what is lesser than the mean or norm>
what is relatively greater than something else?
what is relatively lesser tha something else?

what is good, just, beautiful, honorable, enjoyable, etc.? depends on a person's values prochoice-would say the right to choose. prolife-would say the right to live.

What is better, more just, etc.


Possibility:
what is possible? uniform standard in all states
What is impossible? to make everyone happy
what is more or less possible? uniform standard
What is possible in the future? better laws
what is impossibe in the future?

Research for Ethnographic Project Proposal

What methods do grant writers in a non-profit organization use most commonly to write a grant proposal?

It is essential for the group to receive new funding via a grant proposal.The incentive for groups to allocate funding is that the federal government gives large tax breaks to foundations for donating money to nonprofit. Therefore, how does the group know how to write an effective proposal with the proper content? Is there a designated format? What considerations must the group consider about the specific grant they are going after?

Who gives grants?
-private donors or organizations/foundations.

Considerations for acquiring the grant.
There are two different ways of going after grants.
1)Loan it to different organizations. (ex. Bill Gates or a wealthy individual offers a certain sum of money to a certain number of non-profit organizations.)
2) Look for grants that are already being offered (Group members look within their program's criteria to see if their organization qualifies for grant.)

Foundations issue different types of grants.
1) pre-allocated (specific places) money must be used for certain things in your non-profit organization.
2) open-ended. organization can use the money once they get it for whatever purpose they deem fit.

Size of grants:
Small-5, 50,000.
Large-50,000-150,000.

Argument in grant needs to be informative and highly persuasive.
informative because the company that is giving the grant, will want to know what kind of organization they are loaning money to.

Discussing Genres within the realm of Intertextuality

I think that knowing the type of writing will help a reader decide what the writer aims to do with his work, whether it be a progress report or a proposal.

One way to analyze the genre is to discuss the different features. Then discuss why those features are present in the piece of work.

WWD Activity 3: Intertextuality

For my Non-Western World Literature class this semester, we are required to write Issue Frames (one page paper) for each novel that we read. These papers must include a thesis and support two claims or points that we want to make. One paper that I wrote was based on a play and the play's movie version. My main resources were made up of the play itself, the movie, class lecture notes, class debates, and an article review of the play. The way I created something "novel" and something original was basically by analyzing my rescources and giving my opinion on the text after intrepreting those resources.

I think my teacher was mainly concerned with my ability to generate a substantial thesis and follow the guidelines specified in the syllabus. He was very much interested in my opinion, but at the same time he wanted me to give specific support from the intertextual sources that were available that led me to my opinion.

I think the article review was the main intertextual resource that I used. I found that the author's points of view were very helpful in giving me ideas in which to generate my thesis. Also, my professor suggested we use direct references from the book whenever possible. I used direct quotes and indirect qotes, which are the most explicit expressions and forms of intertextuality.

Freewrite: What Works Well in the Actual Observation Process

I observed two of my English 301 classmates write a letter to a potential WVU student who wanted to know more about the Professional Writing and Editing program. As I was doing this, I realized there were many more details to be alert and attentive to while I was observing and taking notes. I noted their specific jobs and roles they designated in order to effectively colloborate with their partner. One writer decided he would type, while the other one would give insightful input. The typist would refer back to the question frequently to make sure the information they were coming up with was actually relevant to the question. They both sort of "brainstormed" to achieve the correct phrasing of what they planned on writing. One partner would thoughtfully say aloud a sentence, while the other would verify agreement or a better term he had in mind. Also, I noticed they would always confer with one another after clarifying an important point. My placement affected the data I collected because my close proximity allowed me to observe every minute detail worth paying attention to. If my placement had been farther away and less convenient, then their discourse would have been less audible; thus prohibiting my observation. As the activity evolved, my data collection shifted in a postive way. By familiarizing myself with their discourse and methods to achieve the final written work, I felt like I could zone in on the most important details that led them to create the work.

Freewriting: Writing the Research Proposal

2 types of interviews: discourse-based and stimulated elicitation interviewing.

What kinds of questions can I ask in my discourse-based interview with the organization I research? Do I have to present them an alternative of mine that I create or other alternatives that they had thought about incorporating into their writing? Would I be asking them what led them to alter certain parts of the texts while leaving certain parts the way they were?

In my stimulated elicitation interview I need to decide what kind of props (such as which texts or external stimuli) I should use.

Rhetorical Activity 3 ARCS p.113

The Daily Athenaeum featured an article by Eugene Kim that generated ideas to fix one of America's greatest health problem of obesity. The helpful solution Kim proposes is that Washington to issue a tax credit to Americans who stay fit and at a a healthy weight. He proposes that Americans who maintain their BMIs between 18.5 and 25 should qualify to receive a 1,000$ tax credit. Adults could check their BMI during their annual checkup to the doctor.

The writer does a fantastic job of providing evidence early in his argument that obesity is a major health problem whose hidden costs affect a great number of the American people. Conjecture is established, therefore the first question of stasis theory is confirmed. Kim argues what constitutes obesity by stating healthy BMI levels, which defines the obese population. This confirms the second question of definition for stasis theory. The question of quality has substantial evidence throughout the article by invoking that obesity is obviously a bad thing that should be avoided due to major diseases such as heart disease. The argument seems to lie at the question of policy by proposing that the federal government act by issuing a tax credit to those who qualify. The position that Kim seems to be arguing against is the inaction of the government to reward those healthy Americans who are not such a burden on the economy. He argues that while the government provides tax cuts to Americans in other ways such as through child tax credits or Earned Income Tax Credit, there has not been much done (as far as money incentives) to deter Americans from essentially, becoming fat. The position he is arguing against is the position to remain idle and watch while our economy is burdened with extreme health care costs. Kim's argument follows the four questions of stasis, therefore I conclude that he can achieve stasis with the opponent.

Freewriting exercise: Analyzing Job Application

After analyzing the job skills freewrite on p 21, certain goals of the writer came to mind.
By listing all their acquired skills they can choose the best ones to pick to list for the resume. By Looking at the experience section: this gives a reader a sense of what kinds of experiences the writer felt were worth mentioning.

Writer's Audience Freewrite p23:
This gives us insight into the background of the company and allows the writer to decide what the company's interests are. It allows the writer to gain a new perspective on the company and what kind of document they want to write.

Rhetorical Activities Q. 2: Theatrical Argument Vs. Rhetoric

People engaged in theatrical arguments are not that interested in listening to a rhetor's argument with the possibility of being persuaded to change their mind on a specific point. Popular forms of theatrical argument such as Crossfire feature the people shouting at each other and not giving the ohter person's argument time to sink in before they begin shouting their opinion. While shows like these are entertaining, it is not really true rhetoric and it mainly just defeats the purpose of why arguing can be a good thing. Arguing in the rhetorical sense is meant to listen to another person's argument and to respond in a logical manner, with the awareness that beliefs can change without any moral defeat being given to the person who changed their mind. However, in a show like Crossfire how many times would a viewer expect to find the hosts of the show truly behaving like this and changing their mind? This wouldn't happen mainly because then the audience might view them as intellectually weak. Another show that comes to mind as a form of theatrical entertainment is the ESPN show "Pardon the Interruption". PTI features two guys usually shouting at each other, but it proves to be quite entertaining but yet no persuasion usually happens. However, PTI probably would go off the air if it featured the guys just passively listening to each other and being easily persuaded. So, in a way I think theatrical argument has its place on television but with the world of sports that goes along well since sports are a form of entertainment. As far as political shows like Crossfire goes, Stewart had a very valid point that in regards to more serious matters arguing "for the sake of arguing" doesn't get anything done and wastes time for the American people.

Rhetorical Activities Q.#4

Congress has been debating federal regulation of guns since 1934. Advocates of gun control argue that by controlling the public's access to firearms, crime and fatalities caused by juveniles and criminals in schools and other public places will decrease. There has been much speculation after the school shooting at Virginia Tech. about whether a tighter reluation by federal government on guns could have prevented the deadliest mass shooting in America. It is a tragic fact that a mother would have to worry about sending her kid out to school or a kid would have to feel uneasy sitting in a classroom, but the fact of the matter is the threat is real. Opponents of gun control say the real issue that needs to be addressed is the fact that some kids feel left out and are "victimized" which leads them to lash out at innocent people. It is unfortunate that while we are arguing between how much regulation should the government have over guns, tragic events such as the Va. Tech shooting take place. Hopefully, America can find some middle ground so that families don't have to feel ill at ease when sending their kids out to school.

Rhetorical Activities Q.#1

A 2005 USA Today article on abortion basically states that abortion has and will continue to be a huge issue that divides Democrats and Republicans. Complexity of the issue is evident through the fact that most people take the middle ground when it comes to abortion, instead of objectively deciding a clearcut yes or no. The importance of the the issue of abortion is a known fact with the general public, with it being a deciding factor with individuals in determining their political party. Hoewever, the issue repeatedly states cases in the past where abortion has been an issue. It talks about past elections where party leader's stands on abortion affected whether they won or lost in that particular year. It talks about how politics are constantly changing and are always pertinent in today's society. Instances that create kairos to the audience are shown through recent news conferences between the party leaders. The article draws on kairos in that way. Also, at the end of the article there's a section devoted to showing how gun control is a similar issue that divides the political parties.

The next article discusses the controversy over the Catholic's pro-life stance on abortion and some of their religious member's (e.g Sen. Joe Biden) decisions to make a stance for abortion rights. Since a reader might not understand why the issue is so urgent, it establishes relevance through stating that Joe Biden could be a link between Catholics and abortion rights. It creates kairos through the dramatic opposition shown through public comments made by more conservative Catholics. It leads the reader to wonder if other Catholics will decide to become more lenient on the subject of abortion. The article doesn't delve into any other related subjects as the USA Today article did, mainly because it seemed to want to focus its audience on the drama between the Senator and the Catholic community.

Taking Stock

Discourse Communities

These communities have a certain ideology.
The Social, individual, and textual perspectives analyze very different parts of a writer's process in creating a document.

Question: What groups exactly comprise discourse communities?

Persuasion

I think persuasion is brought on largely through peer pressure and the desire of the general person's want to conform to the majority of everyday society. However, persuading some people is harder than others, which leads me to believe that persuasion affects individuals at different levels and intensity. I would assess that I'm fairly easy to persuade on many things based on my personality and temparament. When people go about changing something as monumental as their religion, I think events play a greater role than peer pressure. It seems that peer pressure and events go hand in hand to change people's mind about certain issues or situations. A person might quit smoking because one of their family members argued such a good case against it that they felt compelled to kick the habit. Likewise, a person might quit after a devastating death of a loved one from lung cancer. So basically what I'm trying to say is that it with every given situation, it just depends! Someone might become racist after growing up in a secluded, rural environment where they see a handful of people that are just like themselves. They might eventually change their racists beliefs and actions after moving away from that area and interacting with others of different races. For example, they might become friends with a roomate that has a boyfriend/girlfriend of a different race which could lead them to accept people for who they are and not be so judgemental.

Selzer's Research

Selzer wished to study the writing process of engineers because very little studies had existed on "how" engineers and similar writers in the workplace actually plan, arrange, write, and revise. By learning how their thought processes worked when writing a technical document; teachers can help their students with their technical writing and teach them how to do this type of writing.

He found that the biggest portion of time Nelson spent in his technical writing was on the outline. I found it very interesting that after Nelson created his general outline; his revisions ususally involved editing and grammar corrections and not the inclusion of new material. He didn't go back and make huge changes and produced his documents in a more linear method than recursively as do most technical writers. Another interesting point was that Nelson made effective use of past documents he had written when he was creating a new one.

He found this was true by examining Nelson's methods of writing and planning each document first hand. He asked Nelson questions before and after he wrote a document concerning his methods. He used follow up interviews that allowed Nelson to talk about his writing choices, and he gathered every document Nelson wrote so as to know what changes he made along the way.
He used the process of triangulation to discover and convince the reader that his results were valid.