Taylore's Tutorials

Since my major is Criminal Justice, I decided to write the exploratory issue essay about a topic that is very close to the criminal justice world.  The topic of gun control is a very hot topic right now.  This paper helped to better my research skills and my writing skills.  Doing citations aren't really that difficult for me, but what is, is the fact that I had to convey both sides of the argument when I am totally passionate about only one side. I felt like I did a pretty good job at trying to sound like I was neutral on the issue, but I really struggled.

I felt like this assignment demonstrated my knowledge of the SLCC learning goals, because I had to communicate my research that I had discovered about gun control and at the very end, express my thoughts about it. I was amazed on how confused the research actually made me. Reading all of the pro-gun control articles made me actually question my position on the issue. I actually started to believe people when they said that the background checks wouldn't affect law-abiding citizens that much. Even after my paper was complete I still talked to some people to get their thoughts on the subject, and in the end I went with my initial position. Even though my paper didn't sway my position very much, I now feel like I know more about the subject and could carry on a conversation with someone about it.

This class has taught me to look at things critically and find out what people's motives are for designing advertisements or making public statements.  Now, when I hear or see something on TV, or the radio, or in a magazine, I ask myself, "What they are trying to emphasize and what they are trying to hide?"   Doing the rhetorical analysis of an advertisement, even though I found it to be quite tedious, was in fact beneficial in the long run. I learned how to try and get the story out of the ad and to see the different tactics advertising agencies use to get products or ideas sold. This class has been a great learning experience and one I’m never going to forget because it taught me skills that I will use for the rest of my life