ARGUMENT ESSAY RHETORICAL REFLECTION. Research in English 1010

Transcription

1 ARGUMENT ESSAY RHETORICAL REFLECTION Research in English Describe your writing process for the Argument paper. Look back at the process work you did and trace your thinking about your topic and about your writing. When writing my Argument paper, I began with an outline that gave me an idea of what my main points were to be, and the ideas I wanted to cover within each main point. I first wrote my introduction that contained my own knowledge of the topic on How Food Affects Our Mood. Then, I began my research. When looking through the countless articles online about my topic, I would find research or facts that I felt were important, I saved them as a tab, and put each tab in order of what paragraph the information would go to. I continued writing my essay and included citations throughout each paragraph, and ended by writing a conclusion. The conclusion is usually rushed and a last minute idea, but I wanted to make sure I left the reader with something to think about, thus my argument ended with Instead of being swallowed by a bad day and feeling guilty for eating to find consolation, find a food that will not bring self-reproach, but could stimulate your mood in a healthy and efficient manner.. The sentence wrapped up the whole topic of the paper and even if the reader didn t recall the facts given to them throughout the entire essay, they would remember that all-inall, food does affect our moods, and they can control it. When rereading my paper, I noticed that I included all the facts and my own ideas on the topic, but I was missing my naysayer. Between two paragraphs, I added a naysayer paragraph, and then included transitions in order to avoid making the paper sound choppy. It was quite a bit

2 of work, and even more research, but once my outline was completed, I felt that my thoughts came naturally and was able to make a strong argument. 2. Describe the rhetorical situation as you see it for your argument essay. How were you able to incorporate the four rhetorical appeals (ethos, pathos, logos, kairos) in your paper? Be specific. ( Rhetorical Situation = ability to communicate and/or persuade effectively.) The rhetorical situation in my argument essay was well done and not both informative and persuasive. I was able to easily incorporate all four rhetorical appeals in an obvious, yet convincing manner. Ethos, or the credibility of my argument, is that I am a human, and I find happiness in eating, as does everyone else. Comfort foods are something we all have, whether we know it or not, and I researched my topic of it because I am guilty of eating when feeling upset or depressed. Pathos, the appeal to emotion, is found throughout the entire Argument paper because the topic is encompassed in how to make ourselves feel better when we have a bad day unfortunately, we all have bad days, and we can all relate to each other. Logically, or the logos appeal, should, if not is, found in all argument papers (including mine) because in order to persuade your audience of an idea, you must have logic or credible sources, thus you will find sources cited and a citation page at the end of the essay itself. Lastly, kairos, referring to speaking to an audience at the right time, such as Martin Luther King, Jr. did when he gave the I Had a Dream speech, is found deeper throughout my argument paper. I mention a few paragraphs in about PMS, and how PMS affects what we eat. This piece of information is given at just the right time to apply the information absorbed before

3 hand into a real- life situation. Not only is this piece of information helpful to women, but to men, also. 3. Describe the revisions you made in your essay, and discuss why you made those revisions. Discuss your use of the They Say/I Say text. Did the templates help you? Did the guidelines help you write your essay? Why or why not? Revisions I made in my essay began with quoting from sources. I found it really helpful to use the They Say/ I Say quotation sandwich to introduce and paraphrase information from a direct source. Besides that, I took advantage of the Writing Center at SLCC and when receiving feedback, I found that a couple parts of my argument were skeptical, and didn t make sense to the audience. By having someone else read my paper, they found something I wouldn t have, and I was able to make my paper stronger than ever before. To continue making my argument as strong as possible, I incorporated the guidelines of a naysayer from the They Say/ I Say book, to ultimately persuade my audience that although they might hear one thing, I am here to give them a logical explanation to how that is wrong. 4. What did you learn about research and about the writing process from this paper? I learned through writing this Argument paper that researching can be very time consuming and confusing. Because there is so much information on the internet, I couldn t decide what sources were better than others and when two facts were clashing, which one was right. I had to do many website evaluations and had to turn down many websites that I once thought were reliable. The writing process was even harder because I wasn t sure how to incorporate all the information I found to be important into my essay in an organized manner. I

4 have written many argument papers before, but I believe this is my strongest thus far because of the in-depth research and writing process I was able to complete. 5. Any other thoughts or comments? I found that writing an argument essay about something food related was very intriguing and easier said than done. Although eating is something we all have in common, I have come to the realization that we are all very uninformed, thus there is a plethora of background information that must be including to make sense of the interesting and new information found. I am excited to have learned something about how food affects our mood, and being able to share it with others in a solid argument paper.

5 Salt Lake Community College The Food Affect Lyndee Labrum English 1010 Professor Lisa Packer 30 July 2014

6 Labrum 6 Lyndee Labrum Professor Lisa Packer English July 2014 The Food Affect Comfort foods : reassures those that feel so unsure, brings love to the most unlikable days, and gives peace and relaxation to all people. Unfortunately, these comfort foods that we so heavily rely on to console our feelings of grief and distress may be doing more harm than good. While it is common understanding that the way we feel can influence what we eat, we must concern ourselves with the idea that what we are eating is affecting our ever-changing moods. Not only should we focus on the chemical and biological affects of hormones and acids that are affluent in prescribing an emotional diet for ourselves, we must identify what types of food that theoretically will, and will not benefit a distasteful mood, along with evidence such as pre-menstrual syndrome that gives validity to the argument at hand. Brain research has shown that mood is affected by brain chemicals called neurotransmitters (Taber). Among the important transmitters is serotonin, biochemically derived from tryptophan, and includes functions of regulating of sleep and appetite (Hopf). Most often, serotonin has been nicknamed the happiness hormone. Unfortunately, this neurotransmitter that is in such high demand by our bodies, it is unable to produce without tryptophan, an essential amino acid, as mentioned above. Tryptophan is only one in many amino acids found in proteins, and is considered a weak opponent to those with brain as the destination. Because it is present in relatively small

7 Labrum 7 quantities, it is unable to successfully compare with the other amino acids (Greger). Thus, tryptophan, and the synthesized serotonin that will come of it, is inadequate in providing our bodies with the happiness hormone it is said to be. Luckily, Richard and Judith Wurtman, researchers for Scientific America (1989), developed a theory that suggests, a diet rich in carbohydrates can relieve depression and elevate mood in disorders such as carbohydrate craving obesity, pre-menstrual syndrome, and seasonal affective disorder (Hopf). Wurtman and Wurtman state that carbohydrate intake, instead of protein intake, will increase serotonin synthesis by allowing tryptophan to transport more effectively across the blood-brain barrier (Wurtman). As Wurtman and Wurtman (1989) touched upon, the intake of carbohydrates can liven emotions in mood disorders such as Pre-Menstrual Syndrome. PMS can be defined as the physical, emotional, and behavioral systems that occur 1 to 2 weeks before a women s menstruation period ( Premenstrual ). Physically, the symptoms may include increased appetite and food cravings, while emotionally, a woman may feel depressed, have anxiety, or suffer from mood swings. It is factual that the chemicals in the brain, such as serotonin, fluctuate during the menstrual cycle, causing the mood swings, depression, and anxiety ( Premenstrual (PMS) ). If women can fight the need to gorge on the comfort food that seems to give resolution to their cravings while suffering from PMS, and instead direct themselves to tryptophan infused foods, the distasteful suffering of mood disorders will be lessened, and even halted. It follows then, we must elaborate on what foods are of benefit to our moods, and are found to be suffused with tryptophan. It was, until recently, common knowledge that the Turkey eaten on Thanksgiving is packed with the happiness hormone, but in fact, we are wrong. The

8 Labrum 8 happiness and sleepiness we feel after being well fed with Turkey and potatoes is caused by the increased blood flow to our stomaches, instead of our head (Dowshen). Factually, what exactly we should eat to increase happiness is unknown, and only theories can direct us. Theoretically, it is still commonly believed that protein is the highest source of tryptophan, or what will become serotonin, and can be found in the largest amounts in the kidney of a sea lion (2,580 mg), raw seaweed (739 mg), and cooked oat bran (285 mg) ( Foods ). Ideally, in order to increase the serotonin levels, we should choose foods with a high tryptophan to total protein ratio, such as seeds, and other carbohydrates (Greger) as the Wurtman s suggested. If we are able to gain tryptophan, or serotonin, from food, why is it that we are pressured into buying serotonin supplements such as 5-HTP (5-hydroxy-L-tryptophan)? Promoters of this dietary supplement claim that 5-HTP is more effective than tryptophan in relieving depression and sleeping problems (Weil). Andrew Weil, M.D., states have seen no scientific evidence demonstrating that it works as advertised and stands by the fact that high carbohydrate meals will increase serotonin levels. Although GNC vitamin company, and others, will advertise that 5- HTP is the easier way to gain the happiness hormone, it has been found to have major side effects including nausea, constipation, drowsiness and reduced sex drive, and in higher doses, even liver problems (Weil). Clearly, if a physician is advising to avoid such supplements, it is important we find alternate methods, such as carbohydrate foods, to partake of instead of a swallowing pill. To summarize, what we eat has been chemically and biologically proven to affect the moods of all people, and especially woman who suffer from a mood disorder such as Pre- Menstrual Syndrome. Tryptophan, an amino acid that is synthesized to make the happiness

9 Labrum 9 hormone, or neurotransmitter of serotonin, has been theorized as more accessible through the consumption of carbohydrates rather than proteins, as it is commonly known to be (Wurtman). This knowledge is extremely important to those peoples who rely on comfort foods or more serious medications to increase happiness and relaxation on a day-to-day basis, or if a woman, while menstruating. Instead of being swallowed by a bad day and feeling guilty for eating to find consolation, find a food that will not bring self-reproach, but could stimulate your mood in a healthy and efficient manner.

10 Labrum 10 Works Cited Dowshen, Steven. "Does Eating Turkey Make Me Sleepy?." KidsHealth - the Web's most visited site about children's health. The Nemours Foundation, 1 Nov Web. 23 July < "Foods Highest in Tryptophan." Foods highest in Tryptophan. Self Nutrition Data, n.d. Web. 23 July < Greger, Michael. "How To Boost Serotonin Naturally NutritionFacts.org." NutritionFactsorg. Nutrition Facts.org, 15 Nov Web. 23 July < 2012/11/15/boost-serotonin-naturally/>. Hopf, Sarah-Marie. "You Are What You Eat: How Food Affects Your Mood." DUJS Online. Dartmouth Undergraduate Journal of Science, 3 Feb Web. 23 July < dujs.dartmouth.edu/fall-2010/you-are-what-you-eat-how-food-affects-yourmood#.u88s-9xh1fi>. "Premenstrual syndrome." University of Maryland Medical Center. University of Maryland Medical Center, n.d. Web. 23 July < articles/premenstrual-syndrome>. "Premenstrual Syndrome(PMS).". Women's Health Concern, n.d. Web. 23 July < Taber, Bobbe. "Boost your mood by going to the source: brain chemicals." Be Healthy. MLive, 6 Dec Web. 23 July < boost_your_mood_by_going_to_th.html>.

11 Labrum 11 Weil, Andrew. "A Supplement to Boost Serotonin?." A Supplement to Boost Serotonin?. Weil, 22 July Web. 23 July < Wurtman, Richard J., and Judith J. Wurtman. "Carbohydrates and Depression.". Scientific American, 1 Jan Web. 23 July < 649.pdf>.