daniellemefferd-blog1

[daniellemefferd-blog1]

Vignette: The End of the Beginning

Hi, my name is Johnny Knoxville and welcome to jack***.

Just kidding, my name is Danielle Mefferd and although this research journey was wild, it was not jack*** worthy. This quarter has been an adventure to discover what genuine happiness is and how DU undergrads can achieve it more often. These last 10 weeks have been both enlightening and frightening. It was a crazy ride, but I have made it to the end, and this portfolio exists to show what I have learned about happiness and how research has impacted my quarter.

I began this journey with an idea of what I wanted to answer. I thought, at first, that I wanted to figure out why people are so pressured to fake happiness sometimes. However, as all stories do, mine took many twists and turns and I ended up much more interested in how to be genuinely happy. In the past I have struggled with being true to myself and allowing myself to find my genuine happiness (I know, with and intro like that, who would have guessed?). The following 626 words of this intro is a quick synopsis of my journey to answers and my journey to being truer to who I am. Please, enjoy.

My research started off with generalized questions. What is the definition of happiness? How does one differentiate different types of happiness? What things make people feel happier than others? When I finally settled on my question of genuine happiness for DU students, I was able to develop my survey, interviews, and observational plans.

Developing my survey was the easy part. Getting people to take it was like asking them to walk across a bed of hot coals like in Iron Age India all to just get slapped across the face at the end of it. Okay, maybe not that dramatic, but it was pretty hard. I was able to reach my quota of 100 respondents just hours before the due date, which if that doesn’t give you anxiety then I don’t know what will. Thankfully, all that hard work was very worth it when my survey provided baseline data for my ending conclusion that happiness is subjective. From the variant definitions of happiness to the belief in whether or not genuine happiness exists, the answers were diverse. However, not all of my methods were as difficult to carry out as my survey. My interviews were by far the easiest.

I interviewed a close friend and an acquaintance, so they were extremely nice and willing to meet up. I got incredible answers from both of them and it was completely painless. No hot coals present. They were able to provide opinions on how students can be happier, and how they find their genuine happiness. I also gathered direct quotes that supported the complexity of happiness. Both interviewees defined genuine happiness and believed in it, which supported my end goal: to identify it.

My observation, however, was very hot coal-like. It was nearly 90 degrees and I was sitting outside, in the dead heat, and felt like death. The objective of my observation was to record how the different types of happiness were being displayed. This became a little difficult when I realized I had no clue who was happy and who wasn’t. I couldn’t tell by just body language if people were truly enjoying themselves. This sucked at the time but became one of my most telling discoveries. By not being able to observe happiness, it added fuel to the idea that happiness is different depending on every person. Also, it helped open a new discovery. That you can’t tell if someone is happy by looking at them unless you are close to them. This was supported by my interview as well. When I talked to my close friend I was able to guess what made her genuinely happy because I know her well. However, I was not able to for my acquaintance.

All of this tooth-pulling research lead to my incredible overall discovery; happiness is subjective. It is complex, everchanging, and dependent on every person and their lives. This was definitely not the answer I was expecting, nor was it the one I wanted. I was hoping to be able to give solid and clear answers as to how to become more genuinely happy. In the end, my research has left me with more questions than I have answers. However, I am beginning to think that may be the case with all research. If I do not answer these questions, I am sure that someone else will. Thank you for listening to my story and my hot coal references. I hope you enjoy my research and conclusions as much as I did my intro to this piece, and my time in Dr.Kt’s writing courses.

Long live the common curriculum.

-          Danielle

[daniellemefferd-blog1]

Literature Review

The literature surrounding the study of genuine happiness tends to focus on three main topics. These are that areas of your life affect happiness, happiness affects other areas of your life, and finally, the definition of happiness. It is through these main sections of research that we may begin to ask questions about the different types of happiness, and furthermore concentrate on how students at the University of Denver can achieve genuine happiness more frequently.

In the research there have been shortcomings that have led me to need to fill gaps with my own research. As a whole, the literature on happiness really focuses on what makes people happy. This is essential to my research. However, in these studies the authors rarely define what kind of happiness they are dealing with, or if there are even variations of happiness to begin with. The research is also lacking observational studies on happiness. There are massive amounts of surveys, a few less interviews, and observations are nearly nonexistent. This leads the field to not know what genuine happiness really looks like and how to spot it in a crowd. With more information on genuine happiness from afar researchers would be able to expand that topic to what destinations, activities, company, and time of day people seem to be the happiest.

 Areas of Your Life Affect Happiness:

Happiness is the product of multiple areas of your life. In other words, the elements of life such as academics, family, and work influence how happy you are. This is important when researching genuine happiness because knowing how one becomes happy is part of the process of finding genuine happiness. Also, knowing the complicated makeup of happiness is important when studying it.

Happiness is multidimensional. It is necessary to know that, and comprehend it, in order to know how happiness is achieved. The article A Multi-Study Examination of Well-Being Theory in College and Community Samples explores the Well-Being theories five indicators of well-being. The result of this study was that people who experienced these 5 indicators (positive emotion, engagement, relationships, meaning, and achievement) were in fact more “well” than others. This type of correlation was also seen in The College Student Subjective Wellbeing Questionnaire. This study shows that feeling good and flourishing is made up of many sections just as happiness is. Furthermore, well-being can actually become a subset of happiness itself. You cannot have happiness without well-being (Sundem, 2015).

Positive and optimistic feelings as a whole can lead to happiness. The study detailed in The College Student Subjective Wellbeing Questionnaire: A Brief Multidimensional Measure of Undergraduate’s Covitality, focused on mental health and how academic efficiency, college gratitude, school connectedness, and academic satisfaction influenced undergraduate students mental state. Higher scores in these four areas proved better for mental health, which is considered a subcategory of happiness. The pattern starts to emerge where positive experiences and feeling in many areas of life show a positive correlation with happiness. Aristotle’s “theory of happiness” claims that to be happy is the end goal of all humans, and that smaller goal like fame or wealth are meant to achieve happiness (Begum, Jabeen & Awan 2014), (also see Moore 2018). In the different areas of peoples lives there are virtues, or things in which people pursue, and if one spends their life trying to achieve said virtues they will be happy. This explains why, when undergraduates scored positive in areas of their lives, they had higher levels of well-being. For example, the article Determinants of Happiness in Undergraduate University Students shows that the happiness of students is most affected by academic success, self-esteem, and financial security. These are virtues that students may be aiming to achieve, and when they feel as though they are achieving them there is a higher possibility of them to be happy.

 Happiness Affects Areas of Your Life:

Life doesn’t always affect a person’s happiness. Sometimes, that claim can be reversed and one’s emotions can affect the elements of their life as well. The article A Multi-Study of Well-Being Theory in College and Community Samples states that positive emotions are an indicator of well-being. It also explains that experiencing positive emotions is the main goal for individuals around the world (also see Begum, et all 2014). Another example of this would be when student’s moods affect their GPA’s (Barker, E. T., Galambos, N. L., Howard, A. L., & Wrosch, C. 2016). The more negative a student feels, the more likely it is that they will experience lower grades as well as frequent grade declines through semesters. On the other hand, students with positive moods experience the exact opposite.

Aristotle’s theory of happiness is also an example of how happiness can affect the lives of DU undergraduate students (Begum, et all 2014). He claims that the true purpose to every human’s life is to find happiness. In order to do this one must identify virtues and morals that one must devote time to. This is the true way in which people can reach happiness. With this example it is shown that the virtues of one’s life lead someone to happiness. However, it is also the happy devotion of time that can lead one to these virtues.

 The Definition of Happiness:

The definition of the topic is often the most important piece of this field. For happiness, a solid definition allows researchers to have context while conducting studies. In other words, the definition of happiness would allow one to know when one has reached happiness and how they managed to get there. However, gathering a clear definition of happiness has proved difficult.

Researchers have had a hard time pinpointing a universal definition for happiness because the topic of happiness is extremely subjective (Sharma, P., & Patra, S. 2014). It is also, as stated in the article by Bonanno, that the study of measuring human happiness “…comes across as pretty silly.”  

The most crucial information to take away from the defining of happiness is that there are countless ways and fields in which to do it. Scientifically you can critique body language and eye movements. If, when a person smiles, crow’s feet appear then they are genuinely happy (Bonanno, G. 2009) There is also the psychological approach which centers on well-being, joy, satisfaction, and pleasure (Begum, et all 2014). In the end it is the persons view of their own happiness that truly defines their happiness. It is often how one contextualizes happiness that leads to this definition (Sharma, P., & Patra, S. 2014).

Happiness could be an entirely different word to many. Well-being, for example, can mean the same thing as being happy. When someone is living a good life and feel content, they can be described as well and happy (A Multi-Study Examination of Well-Being Theory in College and Community Samples). As stated in The Science of Happiness, Well-Being and Twinkies, happiness cannot solely be defined by how many times a day you are happy and how many you are not. It is made up of many different words, phrases, and feelings that combine into a multi-layered definition of happiness.

 Conclusion:

As discussed, happiness is complex. Its definition, the elements that influence it, and the affect it has on life is what makes it so intriguing to research. The lack of studies on genuine happiness, and observational studies, leave holes in the research. However, the plethora of surveys help provide a baseline to build from when conducting personal research.

In order to fill these gaps in the research I will be conducting, multiple observations, and introducing the concept of genuine verse fake happiness to the field. With my primary research I will expand the field and open the door for more studies to be conducted in its wake.

References

 Barker, E. T., Galambos, N. L., Howard, A. L., & Wrosch, C. (2016). Tracking Affect and Academic Success Across University: Happy Students Benefit From Bouts of Negative Mood. Developmental Psychology, 52(12), 2022-2030. doi:10.1037/dev0000231

Begum, S., Jabeen, S., & Awan, A. B. (2014). Happiness: A Psycho-Philosophical Appraisal. Dialogue (1819-6462), 9(3), 313-325.

Bonanno, G. (2009, 11, 16) Genuine happiness: It’s literally right in front of our face. Retrieved from       https://www.psychologytoday.com

Coffey, J., Wray-Lake, L., Mashek, D., & Branand, B. (2016). A Multi-Study Examination of Well-Being Theory in College and Community Samples. Journal Of Happiness Studies, 17(1), 187-211. doi:10.1007/s10902-014-9590-

Furr, R. M. (2005). Differentiating Happiness and Self-esteem. Individual Differences Research, 3(2), 105-127.

H. Sherrie (2017, 10, 8) 7 Ways Authentic Happiness Differs from the Fake Version. Retrieved From https://www.lifeadvancer.com

Moore, A. (2018, 3, 28) Happiness 101: Psychology course strikes chord with Yale students. Retrieved from https://www.reuters.com

Renshaw, T., & Bolognino, S. (2016). The College Student Subjective Wellbeing Questionnaire: A Brief, Multidimensional Measure of Undergraduate's Covitality. Journal Of Happiness Studies, 17(2), 463-484. doi:10.1007/s10902-014-9606-4

Sharma, P., & Patra, S. (2014). Exploring college student's conception of happiness. Indian Journal Of Positive Psychology, 5(4), 393-397.

Sundem, G (2015, 9, 29) The Science of Happiness, Well-Being and Twinkies. Retrieved from  https://www.psychologytoday.com

[daniellemefferd-blog1]

Research Essay

Danielle Mefferd

Research essay

Writ 1133

Dr. Kara Taczak

 Introduction

What is the key to happiness? Some would say money, others believe it is fame, some consider it to come from family and friends. This question and answer scenario has been played out time and time again in academic scenarios, friendly conversations, and in our own heads. However, the question of whether all happiness is real, and if all the keys open all the doors are up in the air. Especially on college campuses, the hunt for happiness is ever present, and with more peer pressure than ever before, how sure can one be that all the happiness they are experiencing is genuine? Do to the lack of research on this topic, and the prevalence of its answer to the University of Denver undergraduate population, I decided to ask the question; What is genuine happiness and how can it be achieved more frequently for college students?

The existing research done on happiness focuses on three main areas; the definition of happiness, the areas of life that affect happiness, and how, in turn, happiness affects these said areas. The research on these areas provides a blanket of information on how happiness has been studied in the past. By simple surveys that provide simple information, to the theorizing of happiness and how it affects our every move, the field of happiness is vast and ever growing. In order to see where I needed to focus my research, and what was truly lacking from the enormous field, I reviewed literature of all kinds. From this reviewing is where I discovered that three overlapping ideas of existing happiness research and exactly what needed to come from my research.  

The first idea that is ever present in happiness research is the question of what it is. What is the real definition of happiness? It is extremely difficult to pinpoint a universal definition because the topic is extremely subjective (Sharma, P., & Patra, S. 2014). It also, according to Bonanno, the study of measuring happiness “…comes across as pretty silly.” However, the most difficult part about defining happiness is that there are many different ways in which to do it.

The scientific side of happiness can define it by body language and eye movements. For example, if a person smiles and crow feet appear then that means they are genuinely happy (Bonanno, G. 2009). The psychological approach focuses more on the feeling of wellbeing, joy, and satisfaction (Begum, et all 2014). There is also the issue with happiness and how there are many synonyms for it. In a way, happiness could be an entirely different word for many. When someone would describe themselves as feeling content and living a good life, they could also be described as well and happy (A Multi-Study Examination of Well-Being Theory in College and Community Samples). As the article The Science of Happiness, Well-Being and Twinkies says, happiness cannot solely be defined by how many times a day you are happy and how many times you are not. It is much more complex and is everchanging for every person.

In the end, due to this array of possible defining factors, the way one views their own happiness is what contextualizes it and defines it for them (Sharma, P., & Patra, S. 2014). This claim is what lead me into the idea that perhaps happiness is not universal. Perhaps it is dependent on every person and how they see it. Noticing this possibility lead me to focus a portion of my research on this. To find out just how varied and subjective the definition of happiness was.

Aside from simply defining happiness, there are also questions as to what areas, activities, and successes affect one’s happiness the most. The point that makes this difficult is that happiness is multidimensional. There are countless things that go into making a person happy. However, the existing research recognizes some areas in which their subjects displayed the most happiness.

In my primary research there were a total of 12 indicators of happiness. The article A Multi-Study Examination of Well-Being Theory in College and Community Samples pinpoints five areas of well-being which are positive emotion, engagement, relationships, meaning, and achievement. The study in The College Student Subjective Wellbeing Questionnaire: A Brief Multidimensional Measure of Undergraduate’s Covitality focused on how academic efficiency, college gratitude, school connectedness, and academic satisfaction influenced undergraduate students mental state. Lastly, the article Determinants of Happiness in Undergraduate University Students shows that the happiness of students is most affected by academic success, self-esteem, and financial security. The variant targeted goals of these studies as well as the areas that effect happiness are indicators as to just how subjective happiness is.

As well as complex areas that affect happiness, simply positive and optimistic thinking can also lead to happiness (The College Student Subjective Wellbeing Questionnaire). Likewise, there are many things that are stepping stones to reaching happiness. For example, Aristotle’s “theory of happiness” claims that happiness is the end goal of humans and things like money and fame are only baby steps at trying to reach that (Begum, Jabeen & Awan 2014).

The areas in which produce happiness appear to vary for every study done. Perhaps these areas are the most prevalent throughout the population or their targeted audience. However, there is also the possibility that this variance is evidence of a bigger idea altogether. The case may be that, just as the definition of happiness may depend on each person, the things that make one happy could do the same.

The last section of research focuses on how happiness affects people. Why do humans try so hard to achieve happiness? What can it provide for them? For one, happiness and a positive attitude have positive effects on student GPA’s (Barker, E. T., Galambos, N. L., Howard, A. L., & Wrosch, C. 2016). We can also relate back to Aristotle’s theory of happiness to explain why achieving happiness is important. If it is the main goal of all people, then one will spend immense amounts of time to get it. It basically consumes to activities of every person (Begum, et all 2014).

In this research there is, again, much variation in the things that happiness effects. This theme becomes one that is present through my work as well, and ends in one of my most telling conclusions. There is also a large gap in this research when it comes to the different types of happiness. Scholars have asked what makes people happy, but not what things make people genuinely happy. In my study I will reveal the reason as to why the things that make people happy vary so much and more as to what genuine happiness is and how it differs from fake happiness.

 Methods

The purpose of my research was to fill the holes that exist. My main goal was to explain what the different type of happiness look like and how people achieve their own genuine happiness. I did this through a survey, two interviews, and an observation.

My survey was intended to be used as a baseline for people’s definition of happiness and whether they believe there is real or fake happiness. The survey asked a series of 8 questions and took place for 13 days. I gathered a total of 100 respondents, all of whom are DU undergraduate students.

My observation took place outside at Driscoll Green on the University of Denver campus. It was May 10th at 11:40 and it lasted for an hour. The temperature outside was 85 degrees and it was extremely sunny. My objective during this time was to attempt to distinguish different types of moods and happiness by just observing. If one could witness genuine happiness, and differentiate it from someone faking happiness, then it shows genuine happiness is easy to distinguish and not hidden from plain sight.

My interviews consisted of in person meetings with a close friend of mine and an acquaintance. I chose these people because I decided I wanted to know more than just their answers to my questions. I wanted to test if I knew these people’s happiness as well as I know them. I would expect to know what makes my close friend genuinely happy. If my guess was wrong, then it would show that genuine happiness is extremely hidden and guarded. If I could guess, then it shows we open up to those we are close to. For my acquaintance, if I could guess her secrets to genuine happiness, that would mean that the keys to our meaningful happiness are displayed to many people. If I could not guess them, then that shows genuine happiness is, once again, deep within us.

 Results and Discussion:

My research has produced three main areas of results. The first is that there are different kind of happiness and the majority of the population believes in this. Genuine verse fake happiness is the most upfront and obvious example of these varying types. The second result from my research is evidence that happiness is subjective and the way one shows it, achieves it, and genuinely feels it changes for every person. Lastly, my research has shown that the different kinds of happiness cannot simply be observed. You must be close to the person you are observing in order to know when they are genuinely happy, and even then, it is still difficult to be sure.

Different Types of Happiness:

The conclusion about different kinds of happiness and people believing in genuine and fake happiness primarily comes from my survey. 79 out of 100 respondents replied yes to the question “Do you believe there are such things as genuine or fake happiness?” Of those that answered no, just under 50% answered that they did not understand what fake or genuine happiness means. With this in mind, it can be assumed that more respondents would have answered yes if they had been informed as to what genuine and fake happiness were.

In line with this, my interview respondents both agreed that there are genuine and fake happiness. Respondent 2 replied, “I feel like some people trick themselves into thinking they are happy, when they really aren’t.” This evidence expands the idea of there being variances in happiness by pinpointing the battle between genuine and fake happiness. When the majority of survey respondents decided that they believed in the two, and my interviewee elaborated more on the subject on exactly what she believed fake happiness to be, the foundation was laid for a stable argument to be made for the differences.

When I was observing at Driscoll Green I ran into what I thought was a failure at first. I was unable to decide if the people I was watching were genuinely happy or faking it. This was not a failure, however, because I was able to realize what made the decision so hard. I was not unable to observe different types of happiness because they weren’t present, but because they were so present. What made the encounter confusing was that I couldn’t tell which person was faking happiness, who was indifferent, nor who was genuinely happy. Many people were laughing or smiling but I had no idea how they were really feeling. This leads into the evidence that happiness is also subjective.

The anomaly that came out of this research conclusion was the 50% of respondents disbelieving there is fake or genuine happiness because they didn’t understand what it meant. This response was extremely interesting because it showed that just because people didn’t understand genuine happiness, they were inclined to believe it didn’t exist. This shows a distrust when it comes to talking about happiness. It is as if people refuse to accept that they may not be happy all the time. Or, that they refuse to admit they have faked being happy before. In the article by H. Sherrie, it is said that people may get tricked by how intense fake happiness can feel. Perhaps these respondents didn’t understand what fake happiness was because they were having trouble disassociating it.

This could be the disconnect that is to blame for the diversity that is shown in my research. Perhaps, if respondents were more open and in touch with their happiness, there would be more similarities among results. People may have answered differently about what makes them truly happy if they thought no one was watching.

 Happiness is Subjective:

Not only was it hard to identify the different types of happiness, but it was hard to identify these on each person I was watching. I realized that I had no knowledge on how each person would look or act in the different feelings of happiness. This also touches on the idea that one can only tell when someone is genuinely happy if they are close to them. However, the focus of this conclusion was that it was impossible to tell who was what level of happiness. Every person I watched seemed to have their own way of expressing themselves. Perhaps this was learned behavior or dependent upon a person’s true nature. Either way, these variations in the displays of emotions shows that happiness itself varies.

In my secondary research there were claims that authentic happiness can’t be measured (Sherrie 2017). This was deemed true by my research. The evidence towards subjective happiness came from more than simply my observation. My interviews were extremely telling in this respect. When I asked the question “How do they [students] go about it [striving to be happy]?” my interviewees started off with different answers but ended in the same conclusion. Interviewee 1 responded “It differs from person to person.” And interviewee 2 answered “Happiness is internal.” This shows that it cant be measured because it is too variant.

Not only were their voiced opinions on the matter evidence, but also the differences in their responses on what makes them genuinely happy. Interviewee one preferred to spend times outdoors and with family and friends while respondent 2 felt most genuinely happy while spending time with her boyfriend.

These coincide well with what is said in Happiness 101, the Psychology course at Yale University that teaches student ways to lead happier lives. It gives overviews of ways to reach this, such as spending more time with people and meditation. However, the overall message is spending time on things you truly want and enjoy. Those will be the things that give you happiness. This is the result that I also found in my research.

My survey respondents also had very differing answers to this type of question. When I asked what their definition of happiness was and gave them four choices (not including “other”), I received a range of 15-33% for each response (see figure 1). I would not consider 33% to be a majority. Therefore, the responses were surprisingly level. On this same page, the respondents answered just as widely to how fake and genuine happiness differ. This variance shows that not only do peoples overall definitions vary, but also how their definitions for the varying types of happiness differ.

All of this is evidence toward happiness being a different definition and feeling for every person. In my primary research it was difficult to nail down an all-encompassing definition of happiness. There, I theorized about whether or not happiness was not all-encompassing. Now, due to my research, I have evidence to prove that it is not. That every person has their own ways of becoming happy, especially when it comes to being genuinely happy.

Happiness is not Observational:

As mentioned before, my observation showed that, since I was not familiar with the people I was seeing, I could not decide if they were genuinely happy. Their smiles could have been either fake or genuine, and their silence could have been content or sadness. There were claims of physical proofs of happiness in human faces in my secondary research. They claimed that crows-feet appear around a person’s eyes when they are genuinely happy (Bonanno 2009). However, I saw no displays of this and found it difficult to even see a person’s eyes from far away. In order to know a person’s physical displays of happiness, one must spend time around that person. A deeper example of this came with my interviews. I had purposely chosen a close friend and an acquaintance so that I would be able to compare their results and see how much of their genuine happiness I could guess before we started.

When it came to interview 2 I could have guessed the things that made her happy. She liked to work on cars and go hunting and spend time outside. However, I was not able to guess that she loved spending time with her boyfriend and that time was usually the highlight of her day.

However, when I interviewed my close friend I knew she cherished her family and her friends and loved the outdoors. I knew this beforehand. When I asked what makes her genuinely happy, she responded, “Just like being outside, being with people I care about…” This response was exactly what I had expected. From this I am concluding that people keep their happiness close until they trust someone. Once a person knows what makes you happy, they have ways to make you unhappy. It is safer for people to keep it to themselves until they know that someone’s intentions could not turn malicious.

This type of conclusion ties back into happiness being subjective. Since it is so diverse and unique for every person, it is necessary for people to know one another before they can know their true happiness. You must learn a person’s history and the reasons they enjoy things in order to understand what type of happiness they are emanating. The interview with my close friend showed her love of the outdoors and spending time with her family. I knew these things made her happy because I have been to her house and seen her interact with her loved ones. I have also seen her outdoors playing the sports she enjoys. I’ve been able to witness her in these displays of genuine happiness because she expressed these activities to me when we began to grow close. It is through the combination of observation and one on one conversation that one can know how a person displays their different types of happiness.

We may also keep our genuine happiness close because we don’t realize it is separate from our overall happiness. For both of my interviews I had to explain slightly what I meant by genuine happiness. Also, as previously stated, 50% of survey respondents who answered no to believing in genuine happiness simply were not certain as to what I meant by the question. This confusion could be why we guard our genuine happiness so close. We are not aware that it is there.

Perhaps, this sort of self-ignorance is what causes people to be unhappy. There is a chance that DU undergraduate students don’t feel genuine happiness enough because they don’t know how to get there. They may have felt it before, but never put a label on it or knew how to reach it again. This could also be due to the activities that make people happy changing all the time. My interview number 1 stated “not every time in outside I’m happy or every time I am with friends and family I’m happy, those are just the times when I am most likely to be happy. Sometimes it doesn’t happen and other times it does and that’s okay.” This is an incredible important statement. It shows that another reason we may not be able to understand our own genuine happiness is because we can’t pinpoint what makes us happy because it is always changing.

Another comment made by the same interviewee was “Some people may not know what makes them happy or some people may see what makes other people happy and try that.” This comment opens up an interesting theory. Perhaps people don’t fake happiness on purpose. Maybe they are simply trying to find genuine happiness that they have seen in others by doing the same things. This is an issue with observing happiness. If you do not know someone well and believe an activity is making a person genuinely happy you may try it attempting to feel the same. However, that person may not even be happy with what they are doing since you do not know them well. Also, something that makes another person happy is not guaranteed to have that effect on you

Say someone does know this person well. They know that an activity makes them extremely happy and is very rewarding for them emotionally. This is not a guarantee that the activity will do the same for you. Simply observing happiness in action does not mean that putting yourself in those shoes will give you the same reward.

Conclusions:

My research had many limitations that makes it difficult to fully determine if my results are accurate. My research only spanned approximately three weeks and that limited amount of time made it difficult to collect responses. This was extremely hurtful to my survey and the amount of serious responses I could get and also caused me to only do one observation. Perhaps, if more observations were done, I would have discovered that happiness can be spotted and recognized from afar.

There was also extremely limited research on genuine happiness and people faking happiness. I only used one article on genuine happiness, which was a pop-culture article, because it was all I could find that was extremely informational (Sherrie 2017). I was unable to find any academic sources that held much in terms of that.  I had to go into my research with little background making it somewhat superficial. Despite these limitations, I do believe that my research is a good start to what can be an entirely new subsection on the study of happiness. By opening more questions at the end of my study I believe that I have left room for more scholars to become interested in genuine happiness just as I have.

In the future I would ask about what creates our unique sense of happiness and when we begin to develop it. I would also like to discover when our definition of genuine happiness is more diverse and complex. Perhaps this is research that I or others can do in the following years.

My study produced more than just questions. The first conclusion is that there are different levels and kinds of happiness, and that a large portion of the population believes this as well. The next product is that happiness is very subjective. This came from a mix of primary and secondary research and explains why definitions of happiness vary so often. Lastly, happiness cannot be observed, especially when it comes to the variances in happiness. These things are hidden inside of us and only the people closest to us can truly know them.

Out of all of this I have found the answers to my original question; What is genuine happiness and how can it be achieved more by DU Undergraduate Students. My study has revealed that genuine happiness is deeper within us and is a happiness that is effortless and comfortable. It can be achieved more by DU Undergraduates by allowing them to spend more time on themselves and on what they believe makes them happy. This conclusion is not a universal key to genuine happiness that is helpful for all. It is, instead, that there are separate keys for every person and each individual must find that for themselves.

            Appendices A.

Survey questions

1. What best describes your definition of happiness?

Feeling content and comfortable, Feeling joyful and elated, Feeling well and like you are flourishing, Feeling positive and optimistic, Other 

2. What makes you happy most of the time?

Friends, Family, Having lots to do, Having free time, Being with others, Having alone time, Being at home/ dorm, Getting out of the house/ dorm, Other (please specify)

3. Do you believe there are such things as genuine or fake happiness? 

Yes, No

4. If yes, why?

I have experienced fake happiness, I have experienced genuine happiness, I believe there are different types of happiness, Other (please specify)

5. If no, why?

I have never experienced fake happiness, I have never experienced real happiness, I don’t believe there is a difference, I don’t understand what fake or genuine happiness means, Other (please specify)

6. If yes, do all of the things that make you happy make you genuinely happy?

Yes, No

7. If yes, how would genuine happiness and fake happiness differ?

The way you smile, How comfortable you feel, The people you are with, The activity you are doing, The amount of energy you have, How busy you are, Other (please specify)

8. What can DU Undergraduate students do to achieve happiness more frequently?

Be more social, Enjoy their alone time, Procrastinate less, Live in the moment, Take less classes, Join more groups and clubs, Be true to themselves, Aspire to change themselves for the better, Focus on themselves, Do more for others, Other (please specify)

   Appendices B.

Interview Questions:

Interview 1:

Friend, familiar: Marie Neegard

1)      What is your definition of happiness?

I don’t know. Its definitely a feeling. Its one of those things where you are happy but you don’t say im happy, you just kind of realize you’re not unhappy and that you’re enjoying yourself.

2)      Do you think there are such things as fake and genuine happiness?

Yes

3)      What are some moments you can tell me where you felt genuinely happy?

Just like being outside, um being with people I care about, meeting new people that are people I want to know.

4)      What made these moments feel genuine?

It is kind of like I wasn’t making a conscious effort to enjoy myself or forcing myself to have fun, it just is fun for me

5)      What are some moments where you felt like you were faking your enjoyment?

I think that there are moments where you are doing something that is supposed to be fun and you know everyone wants you to be enjoying yourself so you fake it and convince yourself that you are even if you aren’t

6)      What made these moments feel forced?

Like the expectation put by yourself and other people to have fun. I think when I realize I’m not genuinely happy there is a moment where I realize I don’t really like what I am doing

7)      Why do you think people fake happiness sometimes?

For a lot of people, we all want to know what we are here for and people are just trying to find their happiness. You think if you try hard enough and do the things that people say are happy then you will be happy. And it is okay to not be happy. But people always want to be happy and that is when fake happiness occurs.

8)      Would you define genuine happiness differently than your original definition of happiness in general?

I think in some cases it is the same but like I said not every time in outside I’m happy or every time I am with friends and family I’m happy, those are just the times when I am most likely to be happy. Sometimes it doesn’t happen and other times it does and that’s okay. In a broader sense if someone has a happy perspective on life or is a happy person that doesn’t mean they are always happy they may just look at the world in a positive way.

9)      How do you achieve genuine happiness?

I think it is like for mean allowing myself to be spur of the moment kind of I don’t always have to plan things. I think I have the most fun when I don’t put expectations into what I a m going to do. It is also very fulfilling to put effort into relationships with people and to know that I have a solid foundation with the people I care about.

10)   Why do you think people constantly strive to be happy?

For a lot of people, it is the ultimate goal. And also, the more you want to be happy the less likely youa re, at least in my experience.

11)   How do they go about it?

It differs form person to person. For me I know in the past what has made me happy and I repeat those things. Some people may not know what makes them happy or some people may see what makes other people happy and try that

An example from my life is I see happy couples and think wow id be so happy in a relationship like that but that’s not always the case.

 Interview 2 Hanna Rupp

1)      What is your definition of happiness?

Being happy with where you are at and not the future or anything. Being comfortable with where you are in life.

2)      Do you think there are such things as fake and genuine happiness?

Yeah. I feel like some people trick themselves into thinking they are happy, when they really aren’t.

 3)      What are some moments you can tell me where you felt genuinely happy?

Probably just like being up in the mountains with my dad and walking my dog. And knowing that you have it all and that life is really simple.

And when I was on the second date with my bf I didn’t stop smiling the whole time.

4)      What made these moments feel genuine?

They were so simple, there was really nothing to them. Life wasn’t complicated at that moment.

5)      What are some moments where you felt like you were faking your enjoyment?

When I had to start out anywhere new, I had to at like it was all okay when I was miserable.

6)      What made these moments feel forced?

Just everyone put a lot of pressure on me that this was gonna be great and awesome and reality sucked everything wasn’t awesome

7)      Why do you think people fake happiness sometimes?

Pretty much just either people just say that they are happy because it is easier, or they’d rather tell themselves they are happy so they “feel happy”.

8)      Would you define genuine happiness differently than your original definition of happiness in general?

Same

9)      How do you achieve genuine happiness?

Try not to look too much int the past and future and focus on right now… I will survive and be okay in the end. Living simple with what I have right now.

10)   Why do you think people constantly strive to be happy?

Because it takes a tole on you not to be happy. It is easier to be happy. Everyone has stressful days but, in the end, why would you want to stay like that?

11)   How do they go about it?

I think a lot of people try to find happiness in others which isn’t how it works you have to find happiness within yourself. You can be happy with another person, but they aren’t going to create it. Happiness is internal.

             Appendices C.

Observational Notes:

Driscoll Green Thursday 11:40-12:40 85 degrees

-          # of people approximately:

-          4 people on green

-          Lots of people walking to class

-          2 tables advertising (1 Greek life, 1 ice skating show)

-          8 tables of people doing homework (2 pairs, 4 singles) (red tables outside strum and driscoll)

-          Weather: 85 degrees, very hot and shiny

-          Activities people are doing: Walking to class, Advertising, Working on laptops, Riding bikes

-          Age of people: College students, Couple of Sodexo employees

Level of happiness

-          The heat is bringing some levels down because people are sweaty and hot

-          The sunshine is good though and everyone dressed pretty cute and fashionable today

-          The people with friends or in pairs seem to be happier than those alone

             References

Barker, E. T., Galambos, N. L., Howard, A. L., & Wrosch, C. (2016). Tracking Affect and Academic Success Across University: Happy Students Benefit From Bouts of Negative Mood. Developmental Psychology, 52(12), 2022-2030. doi:10.1037/dev0000231

Begum, S., Jabeen, S., & Awan, A. B. (2014). Happiness: A Psycho-Philosophical Appraisal. Dialogue (1819-6462), 9(3), 313-325.

Bonanno, G. (2009, 11, 16) Genuine happiness: It’s literally right in front of our face. Retrieved from       https://www.psychologytoday.com

Coffey, J., Wray-Lake, L., Mashek, D., & Branand, B. (2016). A Multi-Study Examination of Well-Being Theory in College and Community Samples. Journal Of Happiness Studies, 17(1), 187-211. doi:10.1007/s10902-014-9590-

Furr, R. M. (2005). Differentiating Happiness and Self-esteem. Individual Differences Research, 3(2), 105-127.

H. Sherrie (2017, 10, 8) 7 Ways Authentic Happiness Differs from the Fake Version. Retrieved From https://www.lifeadvancer.com

Moore, A. (2018, 3, 28) Happiness 101: Psychology course strikes chord with Yale students. Retrieved from https://www.reuters.com

Renshaw, T., & Bolognino, S. (2016). The College Student Subjective Wellbeing Questionnaire: A Brief, Multidimensional Measure of Undergraduate's Covitality. Journal Of Happiness Studies, 17(2), 463-484. doi:10.1007/s10902-014-9606-4

Sharma, P., & Patra, S. (2014). Exploring college student's conception of happiness. Indian Journal Of Positive Psychology, 5(4), 393-397.

Sundem, G (2015, 9, 29) The Science of Happiness, Well-Being and Twinkies. Retrieved from  https://www.psychologytoday.com

[daniellemefferd-blog1]

My Final Theory of Writing

My theory may be getting sick of me. After two quarters of throwing it around and making it do things, I have finally figured out its true purpose. It is to… wait for it… theorize my writing. I know I know, please hold your applause until the end.

In all seriousness, I mean it. I have figured out that my theory is the looking glass through which I approach all my writing. It is the phrase I tell myself before starting a piece, while creating a piece, and when looking back on a piece. So basically, it puts all my writing into perspective. It gives it meaning and makes sure I don’t forget any essential parts that make my writing effective.

It has taken me two very long and brutal quarters to unearth my theory, and it truly shows in my maps. Over these past 20 weeks we have developed 5 maps that beautifully represent my journey to myself and my truest writing form.

Here, we have my first map ever done. Let’s dissect it shall we. Number one is very road map like. Looking back at this now I can tell that I meant it as a step by step process. Like a checklist as you are writing or reviewing. This would change drastically through the next 15+ weeks. I also have different words in this draft, but we can just ignore that because I can’t even remember what I was thinking. I mean grammar? How boring is that.

Down here is my second map. For this assignment we were supposed to take pictures of landmarks that represented each part of our theory. I have to be honest, I don’t think the landmarks were that influential to my theory. However, we were not just supposed to take pictures of our landmarks, but also the walking in between. It was because of this that I began realizing that my theory wasn’t just a collage of landmark words that got me through writing. It was just as much about what happened in between these words that mattered.  

Now we begin getting into the maps we did this quarter. We began with doodling. This, I must say, was more fun than walking around campus in the cold. We were to chose one word that we thought was important and doodle around it. I chose the word “you”. I did this because I felt like your writing was only important because it comes from you. When doodling around it my mind definitely wandered. I thought about my word choice and how it could relate to my theory. At this point I had changed my theory key words to what they are now, which is genre, voice, metacognition and reflection. “You” really resonated with voice. This was when I realized how important voice was to me and my theory.

In maps take 4 I defined my theory as “Your voice, metacognition, the use of correct genre and reflection are all used when writing.” I used the metaphor of a bird and how all of its parts are working together to make the bird function. However, even at this point I do not believe my theory was finalized. I was beginning to understand what my theory could do, but not fully. I wasn’t aware that the bird was my writing, and my theory was what was constructing it. I simply thought the bird was my theory, and that writing was the air it was flying through.

It wasn’t until I did the maps take 5 that I realized what my theory needed to be. A coherent sentence with all of its parts strung together in a way that made them intertwine and work towards one goal. On my map, with the help of magazine clippings, I finalized my theory. It reads; “Writing for the appropriate genre and using you voice and using your metacognition during reflection makes writing meaningful.”

In this finalized version of my theory I truly believe I have reached my goal. I have figured out a saying, a solid foundation in which to spring all of my writing from. I can pinpoint times in the past when this theory has been present in my writing. In my FSEM essay of Richard III and my analysis of his character I remember wondering how to write for such an academic source and wondering what exactly I was gaining from it. I would write “Richard’s humanity makes him far too complicated of a character to simply be labeled a monster. He portrays insecurity, deceitfulness, and doubt; all elements of mankind that would never be found in a monster”, but really want to say, “Richard is bat shit crazy.” But I didn’t, because that wouldn’t be professional. Even in this moment I was reflecting and focusing on the appropriate genre, even though I wasn’t sure why.

In all honesty, I had no idea what a theory of writing was until Dr.Kt said it is something you think about and base all of your writing off of. After that I knew that it wasn’t just a set of key terms or a framework for success, it was an actual thought process that has been produced and practiced time and time again. I was able to look at things like my Richard III essay and see how my theory played out before I even knew it existed. From there, using and understanding my theory was second nature.

Coming into this knew knowledge reminded me of an interesting article we read in class this quarter. It was about knowledge communities by Henry Jenkins. It explained what they were and how people are bonded when it comes to the sharing of knowledge and common ideas. I am part of a knowledge community now with my theory and my writ 1133 class.

We all have worked towards this end goal of our theories. I know that my theory will follow me. It will be in everything I write, and it will join me in every class after this. I have found my voice, discovered genres, and learned to reflect deeply and meaningfully while using my metacognition. All of this has made me into a multidimensional writer, and person. That is the true meaning of an education, and one I am very grateful for.

Goodbye for now.

[daniellemefferd-blog1]

E-Portfolio

https://daniellemefferdportfolio.tumblr.com/ 

[daniellemefferd-blog1]

Sunday Something Week 9: Late as hell, totally blanked. Couldn’t make it past week 8 so I am signing out and taking the loss. 

[daniellemefferd-blog1]

Argument 1 Draft 3 

[daniellemefferd-blog1]

Danielle and Sterling pitch video 

[daniellemefferd-blog1]

Sunday Something Week 8

[daniellemefferd-blog1]

The Unveiling of a Writer

Eulogy of Danielle Mefferd: 

We have gathered here today to mourn the loss of a person near and dear to all of our hearts. She was a daughter, a sister, a girlfriend, and a friend. Her sarcasm was a personality trait, and her whit was not always well timed, but constantly present. She would want us to remember her for who she was. An influencer, a creative soul, a persuasive scholar, and an idea generator. She was stubborn, a bit political, and always had a ridiculous energy rush at 9:00 pm and was incredibly obnoxious. Her life was a series of adventures and chick-fil-a stops, and her writing was ever-improving. Her dad jokes made life interesting, and that is why we can forgive her for her bizarre music tastes that range from Piano Man by Billy Joel to the Moana sound track. In light of this tragic event, we can reminisce on the good times and keep her memory, and writing, alive for generations. Take comfort in each other, share your stories, and take time to mourn. When the time comes, the memory will no longer hurt, but be a beautiful reminder. In honor of her and her favorite quote, I close this with the one and only, “that’s what she said”. 

Reflection: 

I picked the characteristics of “an influencer, a creative soul, a persuasive scholar, and an idea generator” because I felt that those are my favorite types of writing. I love to influence and persuade, it feels powerful and worthwhile. I also love being creative because it lets me express myself, and my creativity helps me generate these ideas. The one writing experience I keep coming back to is from my FSEM, and where we had to write 3 academic essays throughout the quarter. I got a horrible grade on my first on, but I improved throughout the other two. However, I decided that although I could write extremely formal and improved at it, maybe it wasn’t my favorite. So that experience helped me narrow down what kind of writer I am by letting me know what I disliked. 

[daniellemefferd-blog1]

Theory of Writing 2

For my first theory of writing I said that it was expressing yourself through words, using your metacognition, and making writing useful and diverse. For my new theory, I’m going to change a few things. Instead of expressing yourself through words I think my theory is using your voice in everything you do. This encompasses expression, but adds on stuff like word choice, tone, and your personal touch. I think my point about writing needing to use your metacognition is still accurate for me. Especially as a part of reflecting, I have completely adopted to idea that you have to think about what you were thinking in order for it to be effective. Lastly, I want to simplify my “writing should be useful and diverse” to just writing should apply to it’s genre. So if you are writing to grandma, it sounds like it. If you are writing to your professor, it should sound different than your grandmas. Applying your writing to the appropriate genre is making it useful and diverse, so I feel like this is a better wording for pretty much the same idea.

My formal new theory:

My theory of writing begins with the extensive use of your voice through all of your work. This means that no matter what type of writing you are doing, it should sound like you. The way to do this could be word choice, tone, phrasing, topics, etc. I’d say the best example of this from my own writing would be the columns we are currently working on. In those I really made it sound like me through the little side jokes and run on sentences I wrote, which is pretty much the way I talk in real life. It was one of the most fun activities we’ve done. The second element to my theory is the use of your metacognition throughout your writing. By thinking about what you are writing deeply and thoroughly you can get the most meaning out of every project. This also applies to reflection and how that process should use your metacognition. If you reflect on why you wrote what you did, it makes your writing worth it. You should reflect as you write, not just at the end, so you are learning along the way. The last part of my theory is applying your work to the appropriate genre. In order to make your writing diverse, you should attempt to write in multiple genres. This breaks you of any robotic writing habits. Also, it makes what you are writing useful to you. If you write like you are writing a tweet, but it is for an essay, your writing is not going to be effective.  

[daniellemefferd-blog1]

Maps Take 2

My four main locations are the Writing Center in the library, the free speech wall, the art building, and the DU sign. My four points of good writing are grammar, voice, creativity, and main idea. These all relate because I believe the writing center symbolizes grammar and improvement because that is a big part of what they do. The free speech wall is voice because it is a place where students can say what they are passionate about and portray their personality. The art center is creativity because I felt like that was the place where the most creativity takes place, at least the most obvious forms of it. Last but not least, I chose the DU sign because that is the main theme of the campus, DU! I feel like all of this relates to the rhetoric in practice discussions and readings we did with MLK. Not only because that was also a walk around and take pictures activity but because for this exercise we have to put our terms into practice. 

In both map 1 and 2 I decided to stick with my same 4 points because I felt that they were still true. The first map was very theoretical and my points were in a specific order from least important to most. Now, in map 2, I feel that they are all on equal ground and I could connect them to physical things. Map 1 represents more of the beginning process of writing, with the planning and brainstorming. Then map 2 is about the act of writing and how the terms come into play as you write. 

The conclusion I draw with this map is kind of like rhetoric is everywhere. The walking around and finding symbols of my points helped them relate to the world more and made them pretty versatile. Which I will need when writing in different genres. 

[daniellemefferd-blog1]

Let’s Have a Moment

The first time I had a real “aha” moment was when I wrote my post about entrenchment. I talked about how even though I still had a crap ton of stuff to do, I could still find a way to enjoy what I was writing and not make it just one more thing on my to do list. So to do that, I wrote about how busy I was and how doing the assignment was not what I wanted to do. And how expressing my feelings of sleepiness and frustration, the writing had a purpose. That post was actually really therapeutic and made my feel a lot better when I was done. This is when I began to understand that enjoying writing doesn’t mean enjoying every writing assignment you get or bursting out in sing every time your pen hits the paper your your fingers tap the keys. It means that you’re able to find meaning in every piece you do and that even if you aren’t enjoying all of the assignment, you can still pick out at least something that can make it worthwhile. 

The next moment comes from our discussions about where good ideas come from. Now, I have always had the belief that good ideas stem from a combination of many different things. They aren’t a product of one miraculous thought, it is a series of ideas, failures, memories, knowledge, and so much more. However, the reading from Johnson really put it in perspective. If good ideas come from experience and chance and hard work all at the same time, then why are we focusing so hard on getting it right the first time. In order to work towards a success there has to be some “oopsie” moments along the way. It’s like with writing, sometimes I totally skip the outline and do what I like to call “throwing up on the page”. Just spew out everything I am thinking and worry about fixing it later. I do this a lot when I really have no idea what to write or how my ideas could ever fit together. It is really cool because I feel like I get to my end point after typing/writing through it. That is how I have connected the good ideas discussion to my personal writing. I know it is okay to not have an idea when starting something, but by working through it and drawing other resources in, I can always come up with a unique and intriguing idea in my writing. 

Last but not least, my third moment comes not from a specific post, but more from a general idea. I feel like this class has really focused on writing for yourself. Which was hard to get use to at first, because I know I didn’t expect my first year writing course homework to be done on tumblr with rainbow throw up gifs. However, through this ever exciting adventure I have learned that writing is more that just for a grade or for a 5 paragraph essay. Yes, emails are writing. Yes, twitter posts are writing. Yes, literary reviews are writing. It’s freakin everywhere. So in order to stay sane and make the most of writing, it’s important to do it for yourself. Sometimes I may have to write for a grade and not enjoy it as much. But writing in itself is a form of expression and therefor your voice is a tool in which to make everything you do yours, including that assignment done for a grade. Learning to utilize that in this class and really being able to run with it showed me that there is so much more out there with writing than just the 5 paragraph essay. And it makes me excited to experiment with it further. 

[daniellemefferd-blog1]

Murder! Rhetorically Speaking

Mark Smith, Murdered, Parking Garage, June 6, 2010; 10:37 pm, Multiple stab wounds. 

Detective: At 6:15 on the morning of June 7th I received a phone call from the director. They had received reports of a body found in a parking lot on High street and what me to be the first on the scene. Once I arrive at the garage it took me a while to locate the body, it was hidden in the back between two cars, my first assumption was that that spot was where the murder took place. However, upon closer examination, the blood from the wounds was smeared and traces were found in the center of the lot, leading to the conclusion that the murder took place in the center and the murderer moves the body in an attempt to cover their tracks. I examine the body and count a total of 5 surface stab wounds, although I couldn't see the front side because I couldn't disrupt the scene before forensics got there. I am able to find the victims wallet and I identified him at 28 year old Mark Smith from Denver, Colorado. His home address is no more than ten minutes away from the murder location. Once forensics get to the scene we are able to pinpoint time of death at 10:37 pm June 6th. 

Coroner: June 7th, 2010, 11:30 am. Subject in a white male, 6′2′’, 160 pounds. Death by stab wounds, total of 8, 5 posterior, 3 anterior. Weapon was a 5 by 1 inch kitchen knife. Time of death was 10:37 pm June 6th. The woulds were afflicted in this order: 1 to the back, 3 to the front (2 chest 1 abdomen), 4 back (2 shoulder, 1 middle back, 1 lower back). Death was caused be bleeding out from these wounds, took approximately 20 seconds. 

Eulogy: Today we gather here to mourn the poor untimely death of Mike Robert Smith. Known as Mikey to his friends and family, his life was cut too short too soon. Today, we remember Mikey for the lively and loving person that he was. We remember his sarcastic humor, toothy grin, and the way he could never pronounce “bag” correctly. The loss of Mike will leave a hole that may never be filled, but together we can keep his memory alive and help soften to edges. As the family and friends mourn lets remember to give space, but make our presence known. Even though Mikey is gone, that doesn’t mean all love must be. 

Lawyer: Dear ladies and gentlemen of the jury. Today we are here to put a murderer away. A murderer who took someones son, brother, nephew, and friend away. Mike was a good man with a clean record, not so much as even a traffic ticket on it. He was violently and mindlessly murdered in the dead of night, all for what? The keys to his new BMW 330XI, which he earned from working long nights and weeks. This criminal does not deserve to go free when Mike can never see his family again. The evidence is overwhelming and the law would require no less. Thank you. 

Discussion: 

1) Which of the exercises did you find easiest to write? Why?

I found the detective one the easiest to write because I feel like I had the most background for it from shows and books. I felt like I knew lots of the jargon and the context for which I needed to write. 

2) Which of the exercises did you find the hardest? Why?

The coroner was the hardest for me because I don’t think I have ever read a coroners report. I had to do a lot of guessing about how I should write and that is what made it difficult. 

3) What does the rhetorical situation of academic writing demand? Who is the audience? What tone is appropriate? What jargon might be needed? What information might be included and/or rejected in an academic paper? 

For academic writing I think the rhetorical situation demands you to provide a logical and concise argument or answer for whatever you are writing. Unless specified otherwise, academic writing is formal and should be about learning. The audience is normally the professor or teacher who is grading the piece. However, you may be asked to write for a different audience like your class or an outside group. The use of jargon would have to apply to whatever type of writing. If it was persuasive, then jargon about opinions and logic would be used. If it was a literature review, jargon about the piece you are reviewing can be used. Whatever information helps your paper should be included. Especially when you are being persuasive, it is better to only include points that support your side. If you are being academic and informative, adding facts from all sides can work the best. 

[daniellemefferd-blog1]

Sunday Something: Week 7

After talking about transferring learning I’ve been thinking about how I can make that happen more. So in order to make this post funny, and tie in my Argument 1 Draft 2 with the digital media, I give you a gif (I couldn’t figure put how to put a vine in here) that explains how last week treated me and how this upcoming week feels. 

[daniellemefferd-blog1]

Peer Review

For Alex, Argument 1 Draft 2: 

1) Technology is good for the classroom 

2) ethos and logos- in the surveys, pathos- the funny gifs 

3) I do because of the surveys, and once there is data in them it’ll work even more

4) She reaches her audience through social media since they are adolescents.

5) Revision- add data in the surveys, maybe add more funny gifs because they were awesome 

Working Well- Using twitter for the age group, working the surveys in as ethos and logos

Argument 2 Draft 1: 

1) Technology is bad for the classroom 

2) ethos- personal story of cousin, pathos- all the jokes and fun language, logos- the accounts of using technology in the classroom 

3) Yes because she had so many personal stories and it made it really easy to be persuaded 

4) She reaches her audience by making her information and opinions accessible and easy to read 

5) Revision- A few sentences and spacing of the column 

Working Well- The fun language and the stories are awesome 

[daniellemefferd-blog1]

First-year Writing and Learning

Transferring your learning is what makes going to school useful. To me, a transfer of learning is being able to take what you’ve been taught in a classroom and either apply it to another classroom or apply it to a situation outside of the classroom. 

For example, if I learn in elementary school art class that red and blue makes purple, then I should be able to use that in a variety of situations. If I were to get to geography class and my task is to make a map, and the state of Ohio has to be purple, and my purple crayon just disintegrated and I’m only left with blue and red, I shouldn’t be completely helpless. 

In order for a transfer of knowledge to work you have to understand that what you are learning in a situation is applicable outside of that moment. If you think it is stupid, or as the students in Bergmann and Zepernick’s article described writing courses, “b.s.” and “flowery”, then you probably won’t get a lot out of it. You have to have some thought process of wow this could be useful, otherwise you’re going to daydream the material away.

With all of us being on our first year of college, transferring knowledge is the most important relation between ourselves now and who we were a year ago. High school is suppose to prepare you for college or the real world, so we have to transfer some of what we learned in order to be prepared for our next steps in life.