SLR in Criminal Justice

Engl 165-04 Fall '22

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I would like to pursue a career in the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Working for the FBI and other government security agengies falls into the Criminal Justice field. The criminal justice field uses the ALA format and this is because ALA is most commonly used in social science fields. ALA is used as a research structure when citing sources for their documents, articles, and reports. When writing these things it is important for them to be precise, punctual, and directed to the correct professional audience. Punctuality is important do to the fast pace, ever-changing nature in this field. While preciseness and audience is important because precise accurate information when proceeding court cases and criminal involvement is highly important. Missed judgments and false imprisonment are all products of miss interpretation of evidence and supports. Lastly, audience is important because dealing with co-workers, judges, families of a criminal, and others in the criminal justice field are all vastly different audiences. Hints the importance of addressing the correct audience not only in the beginning of your writing but throughout the entirety of the writing piece.

Learning these things before entering this field is highly important. You should be educated in what is expected of you when you enter your career path. Things like structure, organization, format, and tone and voice are all equally important when writing in your career. Managers, bosses, and all higher-ups are looking for the best in the position to perform and exceed their expectations. Having a strong knowledge in typical formatting and structure needed to know in your field is something all professionals will be looking for to differentiate between candidates for promotions and other jobs.

To find this information out about your career path In specific. You can research these things through scholarly articles, .gov sources, and other reliable sources. You can also ask other individuals in your specific field. These things will help to better inform you on what is important for you to know about SLR regarding what your specific career or field that you are interesting in pursuing.

 

SLR in Communication Studies and Public Relations

Engl 165-04 Fall '22

To start off, I recently declared my major to Communication Studies with a concentration in Public Relations. The purpose of Public Relations is to communicate with different organizations in addition to the public. So far, I have not taken any classes required for this major so I am not entirely sure about all of the structure, language, and reference involved with this major. In my opinion, I would think that structure, language, and reference are all involved in Communication Studies. I believe this because with the job I want in the NFL, I think that I will have to have all of my press releases, for example, structured and organized neatly, have appropriate language to be heard during conferences, and have credible references to find all of the information needed for me to talk about. The structure for Communication Studies and Public Relations would consist of me writing a story that draws the target audience in so they would be engaged during press releases. Also, the language used in Communication Studies and Public Relations would be the same where I can target my intended audience to experience what I want them to experience whether this is in press releases, social media, blog posts, and business events. For references, I can see myself either using MLA or APA citations for the sources that I find and use. All of this information will most definitely help me succeed in this career path because I will have to be able to use the correct structure, language, and reference in order to write and present specific press releases, social media posts, and business organization meetings which will change depending on who my audience is. More specifically, I will have to learn the APA style of formatting and citing my credible sources because I have never had to use APA style and MLA 8 style is the only style I am familiar with.

 
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structure language and reference blog- blair

Engl 165-04 Fall '22

This weeks blog post is a bit different. Today I will be going over Structure, Language, and Reference in academic writing. When thinking about structure language and reference in academic writing what comes to mind is a set of rules or foundations used to help make your work readable and enjoyable and professional. Structure in academic writing is the format in which you write. It is also the guidelines, the rubric, the small details in a writing that keep it organized and readable. For example when you make you Introduction, Body Paragraphs, and your Conclusion, you are practicing structure in academic writing. Academic writing is usually objective and technical. Language in academic writing is basically the level of formality, tone, emotions, and the message in a writing. The four types of language are academic writing is descriptive, analytical, persuasive, and critical. Each type has specific rules and purposes. Reference in academic writing is acknowledging the contribution of other writers or researchers in your work. Referencing gives that person credit for the work they did. Referencing can even make the difference in a plagiarized paper. Referencing also helps validate your argument by introduces credible sources of information and not just from your own research. As an Art major focusing on graphic animation and design we use formal language, when presenting our work we wear business casual clothing to compliment the professionalism of our work. We use APA style citations for referencing. The structure of GAND can vary depending on the class or assignment but it usually revolves around a set rubric you must follow. Similar to an English 165 rubric. It is important for me to learn all of this information because I need it to get through college, it can help me become better educated, and it will become second nature.

 

SLR and Education in the Social Science Field

Engl 165-04 Fall '22

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See the source image

Education majors fall under the social science umbrella. This is also true of majors like psychology, communication, social work, and museology. Thus, I’d need to use the IMRaD format when writing papers, especially research papers. In fact, I’ve already written a research paper using IMRaD format for my EDUC 245 class; my researched question involved ADHD. As someone with ADHD siblings, it was the most natural topic for me.

IMRaD papers, in case you’ve forgotten from the readings, has different sections for the introduction (or abstract), methods, results, and discussion. So, the ‘a’ in IMRaD comes from ‘and.’ While writing my paper, I found that the style of IMRaD papers flows well and divvies up the information into digestible quantities.

As far as language goes, I have found it’s a good idea to use qualifiers, like the book mentions. Words like ‘might,’ ‘could,’ and ‘likely’ fit into this. In general, social science papers should be concise and formal. This means broad adjectives, like ‘super’ and ‘very,’ should be avoided since they are not specific or precise enough to be presented as factual. It’s easy for the mind to drift away from precision; I often find that the longer I try to focus, the more my paragraphs look like my unfiltered train of thought threw up on the Google Doc. So, I know it’s important to know what words to avoid, so when I edit my papers, I know what words to swap out, or trash altogether.

 

Regarding types of reference, education majors should end up using APA in the classes for their specific majors. APA applies to many of the social sciences.

It’s very important for college students to understand how the different parts of SLR applies to them personally. We’ll all be taking more and more classes for our specific majors as time goes on and will need to know how to write appropriate papers for our fields of study. Researching that information now is best because by the time we’re consistently writing papers of our field’s style, we should already be familiar with the structure, language, and reference will need to use.

These are the websites I looked at to figure out what field education falls under and more about writing under the social science umbrella: https://guides.lib.uw.edu/research/citations/citationwhich. https://libguides.usc.edu/writingguide/academicwriting#:~:text=IV.%20Language%20The%20investigation%20of%20research%20problems%20in,to%20follow%20your%20line%20of%20thinking%20without%20difficulty.

The images are from educationcareerarticles.com/education-articles/majors-overview/information-on-masters-degree-programs-in-social-science/ and https://trends-worldwide16.blogspot.com/2021/04/format-of-imrad-thesis-example-of.html.

 
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“Let Freedom Ring”

Engl 165-04 Fall '22

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“March: Book 2” had some unsettling images, to say the least. The horrific events escalated to become even more disgusting and heinous as the time went on. The actions and lengths taken to ensure the African American minority did not have access to equal public transportation were completely unnecessary and, a smack in the face to the religion, most of the attackers claimed to worship.

The phrase “Let Freedom Ring” means to be released from the shackles that have held a person for so long. These shackles can be literal, like prison, or metaphorical like, oppression, an abusive relationship, depression, or the anxiety eating away at a person’s mental state. This can take form in many ways in anybody’s life. This not only applies to minorities, but every single person has something holding them back from being taken as an equal amongst society. Every person yearns to break free from the barriers that make them feel “less” than the other members, at school, at work, or even in the world.

I see myself in the text, when I think back to when I wanted something for myself, but every time I was close to the goal, some barrier made that goal feel so far out of reach. Many of us take for granted the access to the things that others wish they had the opportunity to obtain. When I was in my freshman year of college, I wanted to be student body president. When Election Day came, I had more than 60% of the votes. I was denied the position, because the area where I was from lacked urbanization. They said I would not be able to connect with the students from urban areas, up north. This was not so, I was denied because of the color of my skin. This was a barrier set in place to defer me from the position. I understand what it means to not be given the same opportunities a white man would receive.

I would take lengths to make sure I am seen as an equal today. My lengths would be non-violent and perfectly legal. I would protest and make sure every person heard my voice , through social media. Every public event where I could have my voice heard , I will be in attendance loud and proud. Most importantly, I will not stop until my voice is heard.

 

Let Freedom Ring! The Freedom Rides and Their Influence Seen Today. (March: Book Two)

Engl 165-04 Fall '22

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The phrase “Let Freedom Ring” evokes the ideals of America. The ideal evoked in March is that every man is equal without regard to race, and that’s what the Freedom Rides were ensuring within southern states. John Lewis, a proponent of the Civil Rights Movement, and the author of March took part in the Freedom Rides in an effort to cement the ruling of Boynton v. Virginia which ended segregation on buses.

The Fight for Freedom Taken

The freedom that we take for granted today is almost inconceivable and incomparable to the people that grew up just a century ago. If that freedom were to be taken away at the drop of a hat tomorrow, I think most people would be in shock. They wouldn’t be able to wrap their head around it and they’d be angry. Angry enough to fight about it, and I’d be right there with them. Just like during the Civil Rights Movement, there would be different groups with different goals. Some groups would be willing to fight and kill for their freedom, while others like Dr. King’s movement and the Freedom Rides would fight with words and nonviolence. With that said, I don’t think that a group like Dr. King’s would be nearly as effective today because people have become used to their freedom, and taking a beating is less than appealing.

The Fight for Freedom Yesterday, Today

The Civil Rights Movement was a war for freedom and the Freedom Rides were an effort to cement the results of that war. The influence of that war, and the war itself can still be seen today. When you look at the news, almost every week there is a murder or an effort forming in response to a murder. Certainly, the Civil Rights Movement made waves in the politics of the nation, but the nature of the people in the nation didn’t change. The nature of men can’t be changed by other men, and it never will. The Civil Rights Movement itself is a testament to that fact. African Americans fought against their oppressors, men who tried to change their nature.

 

March Book 2

Engl 165-04 Fall '22

As soon as the freedom riders arrived in Montgomery, Alabama they were ambushed by a racist mob who attacked everyone involved with the freedom movement, not only the freedom riders themselves. The mob had attacked the freedom riders, cameramen, and even a federal agent. They had the intent to kill the people and the spirit of the movement right there and then, but were saved by Floyd Mann the public safety director of Alabama. The violence continued soon after at the baptist church where the freedom riders were gathered once they found out about the warrants out for their arrests. The mob grew outside while discussions about the next move were discussed on the inside. The pure hate and aggression the freedom riders and supporters of the equality movement faced shows just how bad our country was, I know we still have a ways to go until we can completely eradicate discrimination and bias. However I do believe we have come a long way since the events that John Lewis has portrayed in this book, I also believe we can make it to the goal of freedom and equality for all once we can get through to the people who are currently too stubborn to change from old viewpoints by showing the way to move forward in the most positive and beneficial way is to look at everyone around us and see nothing but potential for greatness. John Lewis and his group of supporters showed everyone he is willing to risk his life for a safer and more positive country for everyone. He also enlightened the readers of this book to his journey, struggles, and saddening events that he was put through while only trying to help everyone. A big problem that I see in the book as well as current day is giving a position of power to people who are willing to abuse that power and inflict suffering on those they believe deserve it, not using their power to better the place we call “Free and Equal”.

 
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March Book 2: Let Freedom Ring, Forever

Engl 165-04 Fall '22

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Today in labor history: Freedom Riders attacked in AlabamaAretha Franklin through the years

In March Book Two pages 62 to 123, the audience gets to take a look at what it was like for the freedom riders of the time. The section starts when Lewis and a bunch of other freedom riders take a trip down to Montgomery, Georgia. The freedom riders were a group of civil rights activists, both whites and colored people, who took trips through the south on buses to protest against segregation, but most importantly, segregation on buses and other means of transportation. The images shown in the book of the freedom riders’ trip were quite hard to look at. There were a series of images that showed the freedom riders getting attacked by the citizens of Alabama. 

When the beating was over, the story cut to the future where it illustrated Aretha Franklin singing “Let Freedom Ring”. I looked up the video of her singing it on YouTube, and it was very powerful. It was sung in DC in 2009, the day that President Barack Obama was first inaugurated. The phrase “let freedom ring” is defined as “a statement that the ideals of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness should be spread across the Earth and allowed to flourish”. This was the message that was spread by Lewis and other civil rights activists through the period of segregation. They wanted everyone to be equal. I think that the song was a perfect fit because Obama, the first elected black president being inaugurated, shows how far society has come. 

I think a lot of people take freedom for granted. My family wasn’t negatively affected by segregation, but I’m sure if they were, they would have fought for their freedom, and I’m sure most people would have done the same. If no one would have stepped up, nothing would have ever happened, and that’s crazy to think. It’s hard for the generation, myself included, to try and imagine what it was like for people fighting for their freedom at the time. We’re used to an accepting society. I would hope people nowadays would be willing to fight for their freedom as people did back then, but it’s not an easy task whatsoever, so it’s hard to predict if they would or not. 

I’ve been thinking since the book was first brought to our attention that it’s a good thing to be reading. Society has definitely improved a lot, but it’s still far from perfect. I feel like certain events in the last few years have really shown that we still have a ways to go. However, society has recognized this, and we’re getting there, we just need more time. This book makes me, and hopefully everyone else reading this, realize how lucky we are and how much we owe it to civil rights activists. Even with society against them, they risked their lives fighting for what was right. We as a society need to keep carrying out the message that they carried out back then: let freedom ring.

 

John Lewis & Social Gospel

Engl 165-04 Fall '22, Engl 165-07 Fall '20

After reading March Book One pages 62-122 I now know a bit more details about what really went on during the time of Martin Luther King Jr, John Lewis, and Thurgood Marshall. Social Gospel was a social movement within Protestantism. In my opinion Social Gospel is the use of Christian principles to social problems. An example of the impact of Social Gospel can be the change to labour reforms of the 1930s where child labour, shorter work weeks, and factory regulation issues were resolved. These were just a few of the peoples concerns. Social Gospel relates to Book One of March because of the social injustice, economic inequality, and poverty. In March Book One it explains how John Lewis couldn’t stop thinking about the Social Gospel where he took the path of non-violence to make a change for not just personal reform but for social reform. My definition of Social Gospel relates to my life when my mother uses her faith in Christ for strength to help her through the rough times. Another example can be my father using the word of God to calm his mind and soul to keep his social issues in line. Social Gospel relates to the world we live in now how people pray and protest under Christianity for changes in women’s right, changes in police brutality, or even stopping the spread of hate by loving Jesus. I feel as though I am literate in Social Gospel but I don’t necessarily apply it to my everyday life. This is honestly just from growing up and only being shown Christianity so when I was able to make my own opinions on religion I felt different than most Christians. In my opinion Social Gospel can be have many different meanings it just depends on the individuals perception. #themarathoncontinues

 

African American and Black protesters buying movie tickets

Engl 165-04 Fall '22, March Blog Prompt

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The book discusses dramatizes the struggles of the freedom riders who traveled through the American South in the early ’60s. The narrative spotlights pivotal moments in the civil rights movement and shows some of the progress made in the intervening decades. The book also emphasizes the power of nonviolent protest. The black and white protesters risked life and limb for what was right. In Book Two, Lewis’s story continues with the events that took place on November 10, 1960, in Nashville, Tennessee, as “…our young organization had successfully ended segregation at the lunch counters downtown and turned its attention to fast-food restaurants and cafeterias using the same strategy.” It then continues with events that took place in the South between 1960 -1963, culminating with the March on Washington on August 28, 1963. The tension in the South and in Washington as events unfold. Finally, while Lewis introduces us to the giants of the Civil Rights Movement, he never loses touch with the fact that the real heroes were those who sacrificed their goals, their times, and sometimes their lives to advance civil rights. Furthermore, while Lewis was a key player, he modestly downplays his own role in the events. As Lewis’s life unfolds, we learn that with the success of the nonviolent protests at the Nashville lunch counters, the SNCC decides to expand their protests to fast food restaurants and cafeterias and then on to movie theaters. We see that their use of nonviolence is met with increasing uses of violence  from brutal beatings to being subjected to fumigation “used only for killing pests.” And we learn that after a march at a local movie theater, Lewis along with 25 others spent his 21st birthday on February 21, 1961, in jail.

I feel like we could stop the BLM protests if everyone agreed and got along with everyone. It is also putting the police officers in jeopardy because police should focus on effective management during the protest to contribute to keeping protests peaceful. One of the things that really hit home for me is having all these protests so close to my house and feeling like I can’t go anywhere or anything because I don’t want to be harmed. During one of the protests in my area, the protesters got very aggressive towards the police officers and started to destroy buildings, run a car through the local Walmart. The protesters were very angry and brutal to the officers.  I hate seeing the killings of police officers it hurts my heart. Especially the school shootings like the one at Bridgewater college. One of the police officers graduated from one of the local high schools in my area. Seeing a protest break my heart and I never join in the protest because I don’t want to be hurt personally.

https://www.insidenova.com/headlines/five-arrests-seven-officers-hurt-in-manassas-protest-local-leaders-question-use-of-force/article_a4c58560-a361-11ea-a534-97a1024a5189.html

https://www.washingtonpost.com/dc-md-va/2022/02/09/bridgewater-officers-shooting-memorial/

 

 
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