Kantz

Getting Ready to Read

It is so easy to fall into an argument when you take two or more people who do not necessarily see eye to eye on most things. One major example that recently happened to me was a debate I had with someone when Barak Obama was brought up. I have always been a supporter of his yet it is very easy to find someone who does not see it the same way as I do. While I used my knowledge of politics and the limited understanding I have of the government, it was very frustrating to say the least, especially when facts were being thrown out which had very little to do with the actual topic. No matter what the argument is, many times people will just spit out facts that have nothing to do with what is being discussed, but instead the facts are just being used to make their argument sound stronger and more well thought out. Instead of letting the argument about the president escalate, I decided to drop it for I know that once I start arguing with what I know, things could get ugly.

Questions for Discussion and Journalling

1. Kantz says time and time again that facts, opinions, and arguments are all claims that can either be agreed with or disagreed with. When someone states a fact, it can only be regarded as a claim that mostly everyone agrees is true because enough proof has been presented for them to believe it. There are differences between these three things however they all relate to each other based on the fact that they are all claims. The differences stem from the amount of people that end up believe the given information and agree with it.
2. List of things that Kantz frequently sees in students who have not achieved a "sophisticated" writing style:

• Misunderstanding sources because they read them as stories
• Expecting sources to be telling the truth
• Not understanding that facts are claims

The three above were all listed on page 72, below are other instances in where students seem to be slacking in writing their papers.

• Writing original papers with textual sources
• Writing and expository analysis as a narrative

Looking at what she wrote and comparing it to my own work, I think I agree with her for the most part. She brings up very big points especially about the facts being claims. It is hard to question whether or not a text book may not be completely telling the truth, especially after being taught to follow the text book all throughout ones schooling. I agree that students tend to read something, believe what they read based on the source and whether they can trust it, and then read something that contradicts what they just read. I feel that I definitely understand the first three bullet points much better now. I have always questioned how accurate the information is when I hear or read it, and want to know just exactly how the source obtained this information before I believe it for myself.

Applying and Exploring Ideas

2. Someone cannot sit down to write a research paper without having a goal of being creative. If creativity is not used, not only will the paper be dry and hard to read, it will also be lacking information from lack of interest. Likewise, in the article, this is what stops a writer from achieving a sophisticated level and leaving a paper to be mediocre. Once the student learns to incorporate creativity into their research, students will become and proficient within their writing. I agree with Kantz on all the points she made in this section of the text. I feel that one needs to use both creativity and research together in order to achieve a great paper.

Meta Moment

Kantz is trying to analyze the fact that facts and opinions all fact back on basis that they are claims. Much of the text focuses on this one point. Research can be a very frustrating thing, especially when different sources are presenting a student with different information. By following what Kantz is saying, it shows that both sources can actually be correct, and one must remember that all text can be biased in a way.

Synthesis

Kantz focuses on different ways that a student can better a research paper. Just like the "hunter" and "gatherer" approach that was listed in Kleine's text, Kantz brings up the use of a triangle and labeling one point Encoder, the next Decoder, and finally Reality.

Summary

Kantz describes in her text the difference between a mediocre student and a "sophisticated" student by taking a girl by the name of Shirley and using her as an example throughout the whole text. By acting as if she is talking to a room full of teachers and teaching in a way that these teachers can take the information and pass it forward to their students.

Thoughts

I feel that the information in the text was very beneficial. I did at times find that Kantz was rather pessimistic and acted as if it was a crime that at times a student may not produce one of the most intriguing papers of all time. I agreed with much of what she did say however, especially when it came to understanding information and how at times certain texts, although presenting facts, still is a bit biased.