Quick Write

I really don't like group projects. I usually end up doing all the work because other team members don't do it or they don't do it right. I think I am usually really good at delegating tasks and organizing everyone, including deadlines. I like making presentations and speaking in front of people, especially if it is in a casual setting and it is something I am familiar with to talk about. I also am comfortable doing the grunt work as well and pulling together all thoughts and getting the information together. I am fairly flexible with what my roll will be.

Topic Choice

I think I will be writing about the new curfew that has been imposed on Dallas students. There will be a curfew imposed that ranges the time frame from 9:00 am to 2:30 pm in order to hopefully cut down on the number of students who "skip" or "cut" classes. Those included in this curfew are juveniles, anyone under 17 years of age. If juveniles are seen by a police officer during these hours, on the street, Monday-Friday, they could get a warning, a fine up to $500.00 or even a ride in a police cruiser down to a station where there parents would have to come pick them up.
This is very controversial in Dallas seeing as there is a scheduled protest for later this week that both parents and students will attend to try and over turn the decision of Dallas City Hall. It is believed that the opinion of the public is split 50/50 when trying to determine whether or not this is a good law to impose.

Research

1. 2-4 Overall concerns about research at this stage in the process:

• At first, I had problems finding primary resources because a lot of the information out there is in news-article format and most of those writing have done minimal research or interview those with opinions about it, but no hard facts.
• I think it is also hard to distinguish which source I should primarily draw from because now that I have found 4 really great and informative sources they are contradictory, so I need to figure out how to link them together.

2. Source 1: Mexico Travel Safety

• This source is a primary source because it is written by a woman who is a regulated tour guide by the Mexican Secretary of Tourism. She also lives in Mexico so she has first hand experience when witnessing items that she speaks about.
• I chose this source because it offers a more comforting or positive view on the subject, instead of discouraging all travel to Mexico, she tells readers what they should do to protect themselves and reassures them that it is safe when following those guidelines.
• The source is about what precautions travelers to Mexico should take when trying to avoid robberies, kidnappings and the Mexican drug cartels.
• The author uses her ethos or credibility by stating that she lives there and has not been involved in the issues being discussed in the news. She also uses pathos by keying into peoples senses when in the first paragraph she describes what Mexico has to offer.

3. Source 2: Travel Alert

• This source is a primary source because is is written by The United States Government in a Travel Alert format in which is presented by the US Department of Affairs by the Bureau of Consulate Affairs.
• I chose this source because of its recency (Feb. 20th) and because it offers a political standpoint by The United States Government. It address the topic as an incidence that should be taken very seriously.
• The source is informing United States citizens about that dangers and issues that Mexico is facing right now and what should be avoided if one does chose to travel to Mexico.
• The source uses strictly logos. They present hard facts, which are difficult to dispute as well as specific claims. It also has been recently updated meaning that the US' credibility is fairly strong when it comes to informing their citizens. They also use their authority to manipulate individual views of the country.

4. Source 3: Q&A: The Drug War

• The source qualifies as a primary source because it is a personal interview with an expert on the subject, Sam Quinones who is a staff writer with the Los Angeles Times.
• I chose this source because it was a different form of argument presented in a verbal way. It address the topic in a fairly objective, but urgent manner. I liked this source because it was easy to understand when it feels like the expert is speaking directly to you and answering questions.
• The source is about the drug cartels in Mexico and whether or not it is safe to travel there.
• The rhetorical strategies I noticed are the way the speaker or authors changes the pitch and tone in his voice to imply the urgency and importance of the facts that he is making. He uses his credibility of being a resident of Mexico for 10 years and as an author of two books on the country to show readers that he is a credible source. I also liked that if you typed in questions he would answer you in a blog format which I think is very original.

5. Source 4: Mexico: The Third War

• I chose this source because it comes from a primary intelligence agency that has specific information available.
• This source addresses the specifics of the drug war and kidnappings as well as defines a lot of information for a reader if they do not understand the subject.
• The motive of this author is to inform the general public or those traveling to Mexico in the future about the security issues and safety problems that may arise as a result.
• I thought it was interesting that the author didn't come right out say that there are hard facts. He makes it easy to rely on him as a source because he does not present himself as the "know-all" of the topic.