COP 22 in Marrakech and the Future of Our Planet

Last week in Marrakech, there was an international convention, the Conference of Parties (COP) 22, to discuss the Paris Argument and start the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change.

The goal of this convention, as stated on the convention's website, was to be an "opportunity to make the voices of the most vulnerable countries to climate change heard, in particular African countries and island states. It is urgent to act on these issues linked to stability and security,” as stated by Salaheddine Mezouar, President of COP22. 

For this blog, I want you to write what you think the most critical, pressing issue of climate change.  In your blog post, tell me why you think this issue is the most important, and what are some ways you can take steps in your own life to stop the progression of this critical issue. 

For example, I believe the most pressing issue in regards to climate change is the limited supply of fresh, potable water available.  Ways I think I can help is by conserving water in my home when I'm cooking, bathing, and cleaning and recycling or buying recycled products to limit the amount of water that needs to be used to make new items.

Please respond with your position in a blog post that is at least a paragraph (8-10 sentences) long and has proper vocabulary, grammar, sentence structures, capitalization, and punctuation. If you do not write at least 8-10 sentences, I will deduct points from your blog assignment.  Your blog post is due by midnight, Wednesday, November 23rd.

Who I Am? Visual DNA Quiz

For this blog post, I would like you to take Visual DNA's Who Am I? Quiz.  Once you've finished taking the quiz, read all of the results.  What parts of the results do you agree with?  What parts of the results do you disagree with?  What questions did you think were strange? Do you think Visual DNA's test is accurate?

 Post your response in the comments section of this blog by midnight, this Friday, November 11th.  Please make sure that your blog post has good sentence structure, grammar, punctuation, capitalization and vocabulary and contains at least 6-8 sentences.

I Wish That I Knew What I Know Now, When I Was Younger

Imagine that you’ve been given one-time access to a time machine to visit your younger self. After a brief pause, you decide which age and what time period to go to, hop in the time machine, and take off. When you arrive at your chosen age and time, you chat with your younger self, and offer one piece of advice to him/her that you hope will change his/her future for the better. Start with your arrival in the time machine (explain what age and time period did you choose) and end with your arrival in the future noticing something that has changed.

Post your response in a paragraph (8-10 sentences) in the comments below. Write with good vocabulary, grammar, and punctuation.  Your response is due by midnight tonight, Oct. 26^th. 

You've Got Mail

Prompt:  Imagine you are lying asleep in bed.  Then, suddenly, the doorbell rings. You check the clock on your phone and notice it’s way too early for someone to be visiting. You climb out of the warm bed and scuffle to the front door. You open the door and no one is there. However, when you look down, you see an unmarked package on the step. A strange sound is coming from inside, so you decide to open the package and investigate. What do you find in the box, and who left this for you?

Post your response (in a paragraph of 6-8 sentences) in the comments below. Your response should be creative but grammatically correct.  Submit your blog response by midnight on Wednesday, Oct. 12^th. Late submissions will not be counted for credit.

What Career Should You Actually Have?

First, take this Buzzfeed Quiz: What Career Should You Actually Have?

Look at the results.  As many of you  (if not all of you) are freshman students, it's not too late to change your major.

Then, write a blog post (8-10 sentences) telling me if your results.  Then, continue to write whether you agree or disagree with the results of the Buzzfeed quiz.  If you agree, what interests or personality characteristics would make you good at this job?  If you disagree, why do you disagree?  What career would you prefer to have instead?

Publish your blog post in the comments section of today's blog.  This is an academic writing course, so please use proper grammar, punctuation, and vocabulary.  Your blog post is due by midnight Wednesday, Sept 28th; no-responses will be credited with a zero.

Merhaba to the Fall 2016 Academic Writing 2 Class Blog!

Welcome to the AWT1002-09 blog website.  Each week, I will post a blog prompt during your MML period (Wednesdays in MML building 4), You must write a response to the prompt in the "Comments" section of the blog prompt. I expect you to use your MML period to write your blog post (although you may finish your blog post for homework).  The intention of this blog site is to encourage creative writing and creative thinking. However, I still expect you to use academic writing in your post, such as correct capitalization, punctuation, grammar, and vocabulary. Your blog post should be a paragraph (8-10 sentences) minimum length. 

Blog prompt:  Today is the International Day of Peace and NoVA: Non-Violence Awareness Day. When we think of peace, we think of the absence of violence. However, one type of violence that we often overlook is self-harm and self-violence. This includes all the negative, mean, and disparaging self-talk we declare about ourselves (I'm too fat; I'm too short; I'm not strength enough; I'm not good-looking enough; I'm not friendly enough, etc.). When we say negative and violent things about ourselves over and over again, we create internal violence. How we think of ourselves and treat ourselves is often related to the way we think about and treat other people. So, if we want peace in the world, we have to start having peace within our own minds and bodies.

I want you to think about one way that you are not at peace with yourself. Then, write a blog post (1 paragraph, 8-10 sentences) about this one way you are not at peace with yourself and a few ways or solutions that you can start today to begin being gentler, nicer, kinder, and more at peace with yourself. As M. Gandhi said, "Be the change you want to see in the world." Write your blog post about how you can start your inner peace revolution today!

Your blog post is due today, Wednesday, Sept. 1st at midnight.  Late submissions will not be accepted.

What Hogwarts House Are You?

The Harry Potter series has charmed generations of children and adults for over twenty years.  If you have ever seen the movies or read the books, you know it's almost impossible not to imagine a life of wizarding at Hogwart's.  Today is the day that you will found which house of Hogwarts the Sorting Hat has chosen for you.  Please take this Buzzfeed quiz and the write a blog post about your results. Tell me if you agree with what house you have been sorted into, why or why not, or if you disagree, what house you believe you should have been sorted into.  If you are not a Harry Potter fan, please tell me why and explain your reasons. 

You blog post should be a proper paragraph, with 8-10 sentences, a topic sentence, and good ideas of support.  You blog post is due on the blog site by tonight, Wednesday, April 20 at midnight.  Any late submission with be deduced by 50%.