Response and Exercises Feb. 8

Response

As digital media has risen, so has do-it-yourself publishing. A wealth of information waits on the Internet if you’re willing to look. Unfortunately, you might not stumble across something usable.

A good writer knows how to look for clues that point to an article’s credibility. In order to maintain an engaged audience, a writer must earn their trust by using valid sources. An article by George Mason University outlines some tips to gather appropriate information.

One of the most important things to look for is an author’s bias. This is listed as point number four in the article. An author’s lack of objectivity could taint otherwise useful information.

Bias is not always apparent, but a discerning reader will still analyze to determine an author’s stance. If no stance is found, the source is more credible.

Point number five directs writers to determine if the information on the website is current. If the website doesn’t seem to be functioning, that can point to older data.

Finally, point number seven asks an important question — will the writer need to supplement a topic with non-Web sources? Not all topics have enough scholarly research available on the web. In order to get well-rounded sources, a writer may need to utilize resources other than the Web.

Exercise 3.7

1. The 25-year-old wept as he left Hattiesburg, Mississippi.
2. Nov. 10 will mark our anniversary.
3. Don’t park on Rodeo Drive. Instead, park it at 12 Davies St.
4. They spent $130 on a set of nose rings.
5. Smoots moved North because the people there are so nice.
6. At 7 p.m., the rodeo will begin in the town square.
7. Yesterday, terrorists blew up their home at 123 Melrose St.
8. Twenty-two seamstresses mended the prom dresses.
9. About five percent of the professors have lost their hair.
10. Jane Smith bet her $50 that her brother weighed more than a 1964 Chevrolet.
11. Gov. John Smith of California set his trailer on fire Sept. 1.
12. A fire began at 3325 McDonald Drive when an over full of rutabagas exploded.
13. During the 1970s, everyone wore bell-bottom jeans to church.

Exercise 3.8

1. In August 1985, Davies rented a rutabaga stand in Augusta.
2. Pomerantz tied the beehive to Sen. Gramm’s cowboy hat.
3. About 1,200 Easter rabbits were killed in the big explosion at Big Dave’s Bunny Warehouse, located at 2525 Hackensack Drive.
4. In the 1980s, Davis left the Midwest and moved to the Loire Valley in France.
5. Smoots brought two cups of coffee to the governor.
6. About eight percent of the cantaloupes has been stuffed with rutabagas.
7. Jones bet $40 that his roommate hid the sandwich.
8. The three university professors share a house at 613 25th Ave.
9. After 2 feet of snow fell at his home in Columbus, Davies decided to leave the Midwest and move to the South.
10. On Dec. 11, all classes will be canceled.
11. Yesterday morning, the mayor skipped her aerobics class.
12. Davies drove the two million miles in his old Toyota Corolla before it blew up.
13. Dr. Kildare said he filed a malpractice suit against Marcus Welby.
14. At 8p.m, Gov. Jim Tucker of Arkansas will give a short speech in front of the Gorgas Library.

Exercise 3.9

1. Estalene Smoots dropped her French class the first day of school.
2. Sadie Hoots won $3,200,000 on Wheel of Fortune.
3. Frustrated that their professor required them to eat fried rutabagas, the students walked out of class at 9 a.m.
4. The office manager had 21 plants, 62 cats and two puppies.
5. Pres. Aubrey Lucas is originally from Compton, California.
6. On Oct. 25, Ruth Bobetski will turn 41.
7. Goober Hicks lives at 10 West Hardy St. He used to live in a run-down shack at 2803 Williamsburg Road.
8. Abby gave birth to a 9 lb. baby boy.
9. The president invited me to dinner at the White House, but I could not fit it in to my schedule.
10. Sen. Davies said his earnings had increased by 10 percent in the 1980s.
11. Barney the Dinosaur will be executed Tuesday Nov. 2.
12. Twenty-five vagabonds attacked me from behind in front of the hub.
13. Jessica Snarkle found a 10 in. bug crawling in her spaghetti. “Great! Now I won’t need seconds!” she screamed.
14. All the men in the ROTC chapter wore red, white and blue pantyhose to class in January 1991.
15. The Bay City baseball team lost their final game 2–1 and climbed dejectedly back onto their bus.