Writing Journal Assignment #3

Hello Everyone,

For your third Writing Journal assignment, please read the following article: “Compassion Compulsion and the Mentally Ill" by E. Fuller Torrey, Wall Street Journal. (Eastern Edition). New York, N.Y.: Jun 9, 2008. p. A.17

- From Falvey Library's homepage (on the left side), choose "Databases A-Z."
- Then choose "ABI/INFORM Global (ProQuest)."
- Next, click on the "Publications" tab.
- Choose Wall Street Journal: Eastern Edition.
- Write the article’s title or author in the “Search for articles . . .” data field, and perform your search.

You’re welcome to respond to the article however you wish. I do encourage you, though, to consider the following:

Do you think the ideas discussed in the article need to be treated as a homelessness issue, a mental health issue, or something else? Why?

Consider the arguments both for and against keeping people with severe mental illnesses confined to institutions. Which arguments do you find to be persuasive? Why? Which arguments are weak? Why?

Suppose the medical community determines that a person must take medication, otherwise he may become a danger to himself and others. What can or should be done if he refuses? Do such patients have a right to refuse treatment?

Please include the following information as a heading on your work:
Your name
Eng1050 – 20
Writing Journal Assignment #3

Please post your Writing Journal response to this article (200 - 250 words) by Thursday, October 1, 2009.

Have a good day.

Mr. Dierkes

Writing Journal Assignment #1

Daniel Irizarry

Eng. 1050 - 20

Writing Journal Assignment 1

After reading Monica Hesse's article, I realized that I fall into these groups of people that she talks about. For school work i usually dont use wiki articles because my teachers tell me not to, but if i am researching something for personal knowledge i find myself always looking at wikipedia. It contains most of the information I am looking for and is the fastest way to find it. I cannot tell how much of the information that I have read from these wiki sites is wrong, yet i find myself believing everything it says. Sometimes the information given fits the answer i am looking for and I end up being biased towards these articles. Even if something may be wrong, it supports my opinion and I end up not checking if it is true or not. The only times that students like me really check many sources to support all the information found is when a teacher asks him or her to do so.

We come to believe what is told to us in most frequency. If something is repeated over and over, even though it might not be true, we end up believing it. Once we believe this information to be true, we do not bother to look for other answers. There is so much information out there that people end up looking for the fastest answers and the easiest to find.

Writing Journal Assignment #2

Hello Everyone,

For your second Writing Journal assignment, please read the following article: “You Have Too Much Mail" by Christopher F. Chabris, Wall Street Journal. (Eastern Edition). New York, N.Y.: Dec 15, 2008. p. A.17

- From Falvey Library's homepage (on the left side), choose "Databases A-Z."
- Then choose "ABI/INFORM Global (ProQuest)."
- Next, click on the "Publications" tab.
- Choose Wall Street Journal: Eastern Edition.
- Write the article’s title or author in the “Search for articles . . .” data field, and perform your search.

You’re welcome to respond to the article however you wish. I do encourage you, though, to consider the following:

Consider the situation described in the first paragraph. How does it compare to your own experience?

Do you accept the writer’s ideas about technology’s affect on productivity? why or why not?
Do you agree with the writer’s ideas about multi-tasking and our brains’ limits when paying careful attention? why or why not?

Are the writer’s ideas about the “mismatch between our modern lives and ancient brains” persuasive? why or why not?

Please include the following information as a heading on your work:

Your name
Eng1050 – 20
Writing Journal Assignment #2

Please post your Writing Journal response to this article (200 - 250 words) by Thursday, September 24, 2009.

Have a good day.

Mr. Dierkes

Writing Journal Assignment #1

Hello Everyone,

For your first Writing Journal assignment, please read the following article: “Truth: Can You Handle It?" by Monica Hesse, washingtonpost.com April 27, 2008. p. M01

- Go to the website for washingtonpost.com
- Then choose " Web: Results by Google" (next to the SEARCH: data field).
- Next, Type the article’s title in the SEARCH: data field, and perform your search.

You’re welcome to respond to the article however you wish. I do encourage you, though, to consider the following:

Consider Monica Hesse’s points. How does your own experience confirm or disprove what she says about conducting research in the current information age?

Considering the author’s explanation of “wikiality,” what (if anything) can students do to avoid that trap? What are some possible consequences of this phenomenon?

The author mentions the notion of discerning fact from opinion. How do you yourself tell the difference (in your sources for news, for instance)?

What do you think about the amount of time the one student, Hillary Swain, is willing to spend “to track down an answer before giving up”? How much time do you think is reasonable?

What can be done to encourage students to use research as an opportunity to educate themselves and deepen their knowledge rather than a chance to reinforce their own beliefs?

Please include the following information as a heading on your work:

Your name
Eng1050 – 20
Writing Journal Assignment #1

Please post your Writing Journal response to this article (200 - 250 words) by Thursday, September 17, 2009.

Have a good day.

Mr. Dierkes