Today I finished about 3 paragraphs.
Tomorrow evening I will continue to work on my paper.

Goals

Today my goal was to finish up my background section of my paper. I did in fact finish it, and moved on to my "what the government is doing" section. My next step will be to add in my naysayer about "what the government isn't doing".

Outline

Outline:

I. Introduction
A. How the government is handling combat veterans suffering from PTSD.
B. Stating therapy options
II. Background
A. What is PTSD
B. Background statistics
C. Define terms
D. History of treatment ex: Vietam
III. Current government programs
A. What should the government be doing
B. What is and can be done
C. What are some problems with what is being done
IV. Effectiveness/ Who does it effect
A. Of different treatment methods
B. Impact of PTSD on family members/friends/work
V. Conclusion
A. Is what is being done enough

Annotated Bibliography #3

Hoge, Charles. Mental Health Problems, Use of Mental Health Services, and Attrition From Military Service After Returning From Deployment to Iraq and Afghanistan. Journal of the American Medical Association, March 2006.

This article focuses on the population-level screening for mental health problems among all service members returning from Iraq, Afghanistan, and other locations. Army soldiers and Marines are the participants of this experiment. They screen them for PTSD, and other mental health problems. All returning military personal were required to complete a brief Post Deployment Health Assessment. I will look at the results of these tests, as well as their efficiency. This article also gives referral to mental health care and rates of utilization of mental health services. I will also use these statistics in my paper.

Annotated Bib

Friedman, Matthew. Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Among Military Returnees From Afghanistan and Iraq. The American Journal of Psychiatry, April 2006.
Friedman states that a majority of military personal returning from duty, will not successfully readjust to life at home. These men and women are at high risk of developing PTSD or some other psychiatric disorder. These returnees should be routinely tested for symptoms of these diseases, so that treatment can be started as soon as possible. The author looks at different subjects who are returning veterans, and analyzes their symptoms. I will look at these symptoms and the treatment for them. Risk factors of PTSD are also discussed in this article, and I will look at who is at risk, and other dangers.
Kingsley, George. Contemporary Group Treatment of Combat-Related Posttraumatic Stress Disorder. Journal of The American Academy of Psychoanalysis and Dynamic Psychiatry. 2007.
Methods of treatment of PTSD are the main focus of this article. Kingsley looks at treatment of WWII and Vietnam veterans. He looks at group and individual treatments. Additional psychosocial problems and symptoms that accompany PTSD are also discussed. I will use this article to look into the different treatment plans.

Roles

I think that my research topic has two roles. I haven’t quite decided what view on my topic I would like to take yet. It would either fall into Problem-Solving Detective or Critical Analyst, or Analyzer and Evaluator of a Controversy. If my research question is, Should the government be required to financially support counseling for war victims suffering from post traumatic stress disorder, then I think that it is the Problem-Solving Detective or Critical Analyst. If my research question is, Is the government providing adequate support for combat veterans suffering from PTSD, I believe the role is Analyzer and Evaluator of a Controversy.

So far I have learned about the background of PTSD. I have learned who is the most susceptible to suffering from PTSD. I’ve learned the negative effects of this disease, and treatment/medication options. I still need to know more specific examples of PTSD in combat veterans. Now that I know the background of the disease I need to narrow down my searches and focus more on my direct topic. I will be looking for articles and information on Post Traumatic Stress Disorder in live combat veterans.

Sources

Potential Sources:
http://www.ncptsd.va.gov/ncmain/information/
http://www.anxieties.com/ptsd.php
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Post-traumatic_stress_disorder
http://www1.va.gov/opa/fact/ptsd.asp
http://www.vva.org/Benefits/ptsd.htm

Audience & To Do Plans

The audience for my paper is anyone who could make the change I feel is necessary regarding veterans medical treatment. This audience could include activists or even government officials. Another audience could be students (any level) who are willing to spread the word about this unjust treatment, and contribute to the necessary change.

My plans ‘to do’ include educating my audience about the neglect of veterans suffering from PTSD. I believe that my audience should be very aware of what is going on in America. Even adding research on how this came about, and how it can change. This way, readers can know how to help change. Even if they don’t want to help change, they can still educate others. I’d argue that since these men and women served our country they deserve better treatment than what they are receiving. Also since it was during their time serving that most developed this condition, it should defiantly be treated my the government.

Part I: Exploration1. Identify the issue or problem that you plan to focus on in your research project.

The issue/problem I plan on focusing on is weather or not the government should financially support war veterans suffering from post traumatic stress disorder.
2. What is your personal connection to and interest in this topic?

I am interested in this topic since post traumatic stress disorder is so common in war veterans. I believe it is a major problem that the government should not just turn its back on. It is also an issue that psychologists would look at, and I wanted to research a topic that corresponds with my major (psychology).
3. What opinions do you already hold about this topic?

I already believe that the government should be fully responsible for the treatment of these veterans. Since they were brave enough to serve for the country, the country and the government should help them in return.
4. What knowledge do you already have about this topic. What are your main questions about this topic? What are you most curious about?

I already know a little about the background of post traumatic stress disorder. I know what the condition is, why it is caused, and treatment options. My main questions are mainly about time and cost of rehabilitation. I am curious about how much the government is actually doing about this problem.

6. Within what scholarly discipline (such as history, biology, psychology) do you expect to do most of your research? How does this discipline approach or study this topic?

I expect to do most of my research through psychology. This looks at the condition, how it is caused, and how to treat it. I also looks into the background to where in history it first started becoming a problem.
7. How could you research this topic outside the library (for example, through interviews and/or observations)?

I could interview a war veteran who is/has suffered from PTSD.Part II: Focusing Write an initial claim, or an open-ended question, to guide your research on this topic. Make it specific but exploratory. Remember that a good claim opens up an area of inquiry about a topic; a claim should invite evidence, support, and debate.

Should the United States government be responsible for finically supporting counseling for war veterans suffering from post traumatic stress disorder?

3 Research Questions

Topic:

Post traumatic stress disorder in war victims.

3 questions:

Should the government be required to financially support counseling for war victims suffering from post traumatic stress disorder?

Should the new stimulation to lessen war trauma be required for all recently released war veterans?

How have views changed on post traumatic stress disorder from before, and then after Vietnam War?

Article Summary

Samantha Barbas article, ‘Weighty Issues’, brings up many important points regarding the popular strive for beauty. People striving for this beautiful image, are often having numerous plastic surgeries performed to fit in with society. Barbas states that this physical sculpting has become the norm.
Barbas asks readers a tough question, “What are the possibilities for individual agency within existing cultural systems of physical coercion and regulation?” So many social aspects have made physical appearance one of the main criteria of individual identity and worth. These problems with beauty and society date back to 1880 and 1920 when cultural symbolism of fatness and thinness reversed. (American Quarterly) When Americans started becoming more aware and educated on nutrition, weight started becoming an social issue. According to Barbas, “A think body represented not only superior knowledge of the new off science, but one’s ability to purchase such costly foods as vegetables and lean meats, rather an the cheap, starchy staples associated with the immigrant poor”. The relationship between cosmetic surgery and celebrity culture, both started in the early twentieth century. This fad will continue to rise, with national consumer culture, popularization of commercial entertainment, and increasing influence of the media. Barbas goes into many other authors opinions of this topic, always going back to how it is effecting the rise of plastic surgery. She talks about Virginia Blums theory that once you have plastic surgery you will either want or have it again. This obsession with plastic surgery to maintain or achieve beauty, is one of the main reasons for the increase of plastic surgery.

Source Links

http://www.brockport.edu/~library5/celebrationofwriting/PlasticSurgeryObsession.pdf

http://muse.jhu.edu/journals/american_quarterly/v056/56.4barbas.pdf

http://medicine.plosjournals.org/perlserv/request=index-html?request=get-document&doi=10.1371/journal.pmed.0010052

Metacommentary

When reading over my essay I realized that I did not have much metacommentary. My title was unoriginal, and did not have any metacommentary. I can revise my opinion in my paper, and use templates such as: " In other words ____" and "My point is ____". That will help me express more of my own ideas. I will also add in more transitions. My text was not long enough, and I believe that metacommentary will help me fill it out.

Synthesis Activity 2

Technology, an important part of society, has been slowly replacing teachers, and taking over education. Richard Ohmann and Clifford Stoll both express their concern for the increase of dependence on computers. .”…it’s easy to get the impression that computers can save U.S. education. Colleges and universities as well as public school districts have been acting as if that were so, with schools budgeting three times as much on technology in 2000 as in 1992.” (Stoll) These days it’s possible and sadly common to take on online course, and never even meet the teacher. “Perhaps a couple of million students are taking courses online, but the distance learning spin-offs that may colleges and universities looked to as an easy source of income remain dicey propositions.“ (Ohmann) Computers are distancing students from teachers. Both authors agree that computers are becoming a negative part of education.
There are some positive effects of computers and education which Ohmann recognizes. Ohmann states that ”…this technology does speed us toward some fulfillments and pleasures. It eases some work that we choose to do; enables some to do work they could not otherwise do at all; allows fast communication among student; facilitates some kinds of liberatory teaching…” (Ohmann) Stoll however states that, “For all the claims of education technologists, a child in from of a computer is like a child in front of a TV set.” This quote contributes to Stoll’s extreme dislike for computers and education.
Creativity and plagiarism are also on the rise since computers have become so important in education. “Rather than encouraging creative writing, network computers promote a copy and paste attitude that promotes plagiarism and denigrates scholarship.” (Stoll) If there were no computers, or internet websites to take information from plagiarism would be much less prevalent.
The articles ‘Computers and Technology’ and ‘Who Needs Computers’ both disagree with using computer and the internet for education. They believe that Americans are depending on this technology to much, and therefore are missing out on true education.

Synthesis Activity

Statement:
The relationship between the two articles is that both authors believe that computers and technology should not replace teachers in the classroom.

Outline:
Compare how computers positively effect education
Compare how computers negatively effect education
Compare statistics
Look at the future of technology and education.
Compare the similarities of the articles

Computers and Technology Summary

In the article ‘Computers and Technology’, Richard Ohmann expresses his concern for the growing dependency on technology in education and the workplace. He starts off by stating that schools are using three times as much technology in 2000 than in 1992. High schools and colleges are more and more depending on computers and the internet to raise test scores, and educate students. Studies in Ohmanns essay support this dependency. One school where students all had laptops had exceptional test scores. I think this is why Ohmann is concerned, because people are thinking that it is okay for technology to get the best of people, and it makes them think that just because good test scores are the possible result of receiving technology.
Although this increase in technology does help students, if is also harming their learning process. Some professors are now having to put a ‘kill switches’ into effect. These ‘kill switches’ are to prevent students from tuning out their professors, to the distractions of e-mails, instant messaging, and other internet annoyances. Ohmann believes that since the increase in technology in education, students are not being prepared for the workplace.
Ohmann does not argue that there are some positives in technology such as learning from computers and video games. Overall I think he is disappointed that the negatives of technology overweigh the negatives.

Hidden Intellectualism

Summary:
In the essay ‘Hidden Intellectualism’, Gerald Graff expresses his concern for students who do not appear to be academically intelligent but succeed in other nonacademic fields. Since society has such a closed-minded view of intelligence, we don’t consider cars, dating, or TV as factors of intelligence. The author believes that students should pursue their nonacademic interests, in an academic way. Graff argues that schools and colleges are missing an opportunity to help students succeed, by pushing away theses nonacademic interests that could benefit the students. He believes, “Making students’ nonacademic interests an object of academic study is useful, then, for getting students’ attentions and overcoming their boredom and alienation…” Overall schools have a stereotypical view of intelligence, but need to realize that intelligence is not limited to book smarts.

Questions:
We used the template on page 14 to help us outline our summary. It seemed to work well, by keeping our thoughts organized. No we did not shift our strategy. Another strategy we could have used would be not to use a template. Two alternate purposes would be to agree or disagree. If we were to agree with Graff we wouldn’t have to revise the summary. To disagree we would have to state the summary and reasons why we disagree, backed up by examples.

'Dont Blame the Eater' Response

Response 1
When you go to McDonalds you can order something cheap, get it fast, and unknowingly consume hundreds of calories. You can also just go to grocery store and get a healthy snack like a piece of fruit, for close to the same price, and nowhere near the amount of calories. The only difference is that when you go to that local grocery store you actually have to get out of the car and walk inside, instead of just going to a drive through. Fast food is not for people who want something quick and easy. It is for extremely lazy people who want something fast and easy. There are so many other healthier and inexpensive places to get food besides McDonalds and Burger King. Finding these places are not hard. Places that sell healthy food are not hiding, they can be found just as easily as finding a McDonalds.
Blaming the fact that McDonalds is cheap, and fast is not an excuse for these unhealthy eating habits. Plus eating healthy should be more important than prices. If McDonalds were expensive it would not be near as popular. So next time you know you are going to be pressed on time bring a healthy meal from home, instead of stopping at a fast food restaurant.
Response 2
Suing a fast food restaurant for making you fat? Seems like a stretch. These days suing people and companies is very common, and McDonalds could not go unnoticed. True fast food is convenient and cheap, but they aren’t doing anything illegal by packing a burger with calories, therefore they should not be being sued. These restaurants, combined with time, money and accessibility are making people obese. It is not just the restaurants alone that are the problem. They are a major cause of obesity in America though, and even though they should not be being sued, they should be required to help the customer make a healthier decision when they purchase food. Posing nutrition facts, having healthy menus and cutting back on the advertisement of unhealthy foods would be a start to helping America fight obesity.

English 106 Response

(Alternate Assignment)

http://ilovetocheatdiet.com/blog/nutrition-education-has-little-impact-on-kids/#more-143

The article Nutrition Education Has Little Impact On Kids is only an 'I say' article. The author only presents one side of their argument. They state that nutrtional education is not going to help children with their poor eating habbits. However unstead of blaming McDonalds or other fast food restaurants like many do,they blame parents for not watching what their children eat. Realizing that children are going to usually choose junk food unstead of fruit and veggies when their parents are not around, the insist that when the parents are around the must demand healthy eating habbits. Nowhere in the article are the positive effects of nutrition education listed. It is only about the negative, and unsuccessful results of nutrition education, which makes this article very one-sided.