End of Semester

Well, it is finished I have turned in my college writing paper and e-portfolio some of the stress from that is gone now. It is now time to finish two other essays get them turned in study for a final and then I am done for this semester and done with my time here at Lewis University. This semester went by really fast it feels like yesterday I was just coming back from summer break. I can't wait to see how my new life at a different college goes and I am really excited for the change.

My paper

Been getting pretty nervous about tomorrow hoping that my paper is really good I have been working really hard on it. My paper has definitely changed from the first draft my first draft was pretty rough I'm just hoping it has been revised enough I think I did a pretty good job and I feel pretty confident about it but still a little nervous. 

E-portfolio

Dear, past self

If only you could see what the benefit of writing is. At the beginning of this semester you hated writing and didn’t think you would ever really learn how to develop your writing skills, and I think this is why we hated writing because we never thought we were good at it or would ever approve. With the help and guidance, this would all change this semester you really learned rhetorical knowledge. At the beginning of this semester, I had almost no clue on how to really use source information to strengthen my argument or the summary to make sense. You also really learned how to start writing early so that someone could read it and tell you when something may need to be looked at and revised because of information being in the wrong spot or not needing to be there at all because there was too much information in a spot.

               The complex thinking was a big thing you learned this semester if you were told that you were going to write a rational argument at the beginning of this semester as your first paper you would have never been able to write it. Over the learning curves that hit you this semester you learned how to take specific ideas from an article or writing and learned to use the quote of the author while also being able to take that quote and expand on it and make your own rational thought on it while not putting your bias opinion into it and at the beginning of the semester you would have written all your papers with little to no ration thinking behind it at almost completely biased point of view but now you know how to take the authors ideas and turn them into your own words and how to read an article and summarize using your own ideas about it while staying away from a biased opinion.

               A big thing you learned was how to focus your ideas on each separate paragraph while also reminding the reader about what they read in the previous paragraph with information. You know about this problem of mixing all the ideas in each paragraph and never being able to focus your ideas in a paragraph you would be happy to know that you can actually do this now and are able to make sense in each paragraph. Your ideas now flow into each sentence and paragraph and have one central idea in each paragraph.

               You finally learned critical and creative thinking to it is still a little rough but you are coming along ok with continued practice this skill will continue to grow. You are now pretty capable of reading an article and able to summarize it and take the authors ideas and analyze them and see what they apply to and are able to make a rational argument out of it.

               All of these skills you have learned this semester will continue to help you in the future and to my future self don’t ever give up on writing because you don’t think you are good enough. The only way to get better is “write early revise often” (Kyburz). Continue to refine your writing abilities they can only improve you have the rough skills now you are like an engine with constant work and tweaking you can become a well-tuned machine or also a well-rounded writer.

Sincerely,

                                     Past John

grades

As grades come in for each class I'm taking this semester my stress I getting less and less. This means I can focus more of my time towards some of the last papers I have due this semester. One of the papers in my college writing paper and the one I am really stressed about is my British literature final exam paper and I am super stressing over it because I really don't understand the whole idea behind the paper but I hope I do ok on this paper.

help on paper

I have learned some of the best help on papers can actually come from an outside peer not one in the class but someone from the outside. I have recently enacted the help from my good friend Jeff. I have handed him the rubric for my recent papers or explained to him the idea the papers are supposed to prove. He then takes my paper and doesn' t only look to see if the information is there but also that it makes sense and that it doesn't have grammatical and puncuational errors he doesn't come out and tell me what is wrong he tells me hey John look at page three line 25 will say and says what is the issue there and he will almost never tell me whats wrong he waits till I figure it out and this has really helped me this semster. So my personal advice is find yourself a person like Jeff that doesn't tell you whats wrong but helps you figure out what is wrong so that you can learn from what you do wrong.

How this class has helped me in other classes

Just this last paper I had to write I was able to use the knowledge from it to help me have a rational argument in my brit lit class and it really helped my papers grade because most of this semester I was getting 70's on my papers. After I made the connection because of how Dr. Kyburz taught the class and what she explained to me in our meeting I was able to strengthen my paper and I got a 95 on my brit lit class paper and I was really happy about it. 

Stress of the semester ending

This week has been a very difficult week with stuff going on at home still having some paperwork to finish for me to transfer to Olivet. Also having to go to work and all the stuff being assigned by professors. This rational argument paper though has been getting easier as I write it and that kinda scares me because I don't know if my paper is good or bad I know I have the basic idea of the paper down I just really hope it is good. I am really thankful though on how Dr. Kyburz has been so understanding with my situation that has been going on this semester. 

Paper update

I have finally found some sources that will definitely fit into my paper. These sources will help defend my argument against trophy hunting and how it is destroying the populations in Africa now I can realize it is really strange to hear that coming from a big hunting advocate like myself always looking for the next big buck but how I hunt is a way that will preserve a heard and make sure the population of deer grow. The problem in Africa is that lion populations are really low and unfair tactics are being used to hunt these big cats. 

great news

Well, today I can finally relieve a lot of my stress that has been on me all semester the stress of knowing what school I'm transferring to and if I can afford it. I finally signed up for classes at Olivet Nazarene University and will be able to pursue my calling into full-time youth ministry. I can now go back to dedicating my full time to my school work and papers for this semester it is a blessing from God.

Update on paper

So I was able to spend a good hour and a half today trying to find some supporting arguments on my paper and I found a few that I really like. I now have to figure out how to integrate them into my paper so it helps me have a stronger argument and to get the articles point across.

Argument paper

Finding other articles that support my argument I have come to notice can be sort of difficult in a way because some supporting articles don't say what I want them to say in order that my paper makes sense so if anyone has some suggestions on how to better research a topic I would greatly appreciate that

whats going on

This semester is really flying by with all the troubles I have going on in this time in my life this semester so far has been a real blur I am starting to realize I wasn't really able to focus much at all this semester on my tasks and I have always been the one to say no excuse is a good excuse but I have really learned this semester that I have had excuse after excuse and they have all been valid excuses but I think at some points I probably could have tried harder to beat the advisories that caused me to have these excuses but I have also learned that somethings are just out of the control of any person I have really had to lean on my faith in this difficult time with my grandmother rapidly dying right in front of me and knowing I have no control over the outcome but I have come to realize that everything is part of God's ultimate plan this will be the second mother figure I have lost in my life. The first was my mother my freshman year of high school.

this past week

So I have finally caught up on everything in my classes which is amazing. But it is a new week and I have more things due but now that I'm caught up I'm not feeling as stressed out about things. Midterms are upon us and I have done a couple and have done well so I'm glad for that after midterms, I will definitely be almost stress-free then I will just be getting ready for finals and finishing up all my paperwork so that I can transfer to moody bible institute

summary

Hunting Reservations

            Alyssa Falk alumni of University of Illinois graduating with a bachelor degree wrote this research paper in 2015 with the encouragement from her professor on the benefits of hunting reservations. In Falk’s paper she talks about the history of hunting reservations and were they found their start. Falk also talks about how this style of hunting is often misunderstood. Falk gives multiple examples in the writing about how this works socially and economically.

            In Falk’s first appendix she gives a brief background on what hunting reservations are. She starts by telling us that for the past fifty years or so many have been stocking their lands in order to increase their wildlife populations they have. This does not only increase their population but also increases surrounding areas because they have so much they are able to open their land up to be hunted and make a profit off of it this would be a case of helping the economy. The reason this helps surrounding areas is because people will start to hunt this land which will then let the normal population rise back up to a regulated level which is good for both the hunter and the animal. Falk brings up the term canned hunting and when someone hears this they automatically assume the term applies to hunting reservations but Falk then gives the definition of canned hunting which is hunting a animal in a confined space smaller then its usual habitat or using unfair tactics in order to take the animal.  Falk tells us that this isn’t the case when it comes to hunting reservations because hunting reservations are large land areas that are made to simulate the animals normal habitat, hunting reservations would also have many regulations put on them in order that no unfair tactics could be used to take the animal. Falk also talks about how  privately  owned hunting reservations is like owning the animal but this isn’t the case because the animals are confined but they are kept on properties that would be the size of their migrating patterns or larger.

            Falk in her next major section tells us about the history of private hunting lands in America and how they were regulated. Falk says that Native American tribes had specific hunting areas in which they could only hunt a specific species in order to preserve the species number. The natives also set strict rules in place that would only allow their tribe’s people to hunt them during a certain time of year and also that each tribe had their own select area and other tribes could not hunt those other areas this is some of the first cases of private hunting land in America and during this time populations of animal species flourished. This point argues a great point on how this would help the current populations of wildlife in Illinois and the rest of the United States. Falk then talks about a dispute that happened over a fox being killed one man was pursuing a fox when another killed it and it went to court the United states government then put in to effect that no one owns and animal till they take it into their own possession so when someone owns privately owned hunting grounds they do not own the animals because they have not taken it into their possession.  Because most of the land after the colonial times was public land their were few regulations on it meaning they began to be over hunted because Americans only thought that animals either need to be eaten or turned into cloths they didn’t need to be messing around in the wild.

Falk talks about how when some think of hunting reservations they think of Africa and this is a good example of how they are good thing to have because this helps regulate how many game animals are taken in a certain year. Falk then talks about how in the late twentieth century hunting reservations began to take root in America this allowed property owners to regulate their land and bring in exotic animals or animals that are leaving their area from over hunting. Falk say that Illinois Representative Kelly burkes proposed a bill that would ban canned hunting in Illinois but how she defined it was too broad so it died at the end of the session in 2014. When she defined she defined it as enclosing an animal in any way which would then take private hunting lands out of the equation because they do have a fence around them. She then lets us know again that canned hunting areas usually have foods planted in specific areas in order that the hunter will know where the animal is at, at all times, but on the contrary private hunting lands do not plant any food anywhere on their property this is to make sure the animal follows its normal trends as it would in the wild and this would make sure that no one could unfairly kill the animal.

Falk says that many argue the point that privately owned lands own the animals on them meaning that they are domesticated. This is not the case though, because like Illinois many states define that any animal that is wild by nature or that is not cared for by man is owned by the state and will remain wild and not owned by anyone. So when someone begins to feed the animal then it becomes the case of being a farm which will then turn it into becoming a canned hunting area so this is where we need laws prohibiting canned hunting to stop this because there are cases of people doing this on public land. So when someone owns private hunting reservations they have to obey all the laws and regulations of the rest of the state and can include their own as long as they benefit the animal and stop the unfair taking of the animal.

Falk says that some of the benefits private hunting reservations are that since the number one regulator of conservation are the department of natural resources and they can not see what everyone is doing all the time meaning that many species are being killed with out anyone knowing and this is a big problem. So if you allow people to own hunting reservations the private owner could help regulate the amount of animals being taken. This would also allow these hunting reservations to charge a fee and part of that fee would then go to the government in order to add to funds for further need to research conservations and how we could improve are lands in the cause to make it last for future generations to enjoy. This would also promote the idea of fair chase meaning that every hunter would learn and know how to take an animal correctly in order that they are not making it unfair in any way that the animal has a chance to escape. Meaning there would not be any form of baiting of the animal allowed. Falk also says that this could be a great option for an endangered species recovery program because the land owner could start to bring the population back and not allow anyone to hunt them meaning the population could flourish then be released in other areas.

Falk then talks about the economic benefits of having private hunting property. Falk states a fact that 13.7 million people over the age of 16 went hunting in 2011. That is about 6% of the population. This brings in large revenue for the state and contrary to what many people believe about people not needing a license and tags on privately owned land this is not the case at all people still need to purchase both things. Hunters spent around 38.6 billion dollars in 2011 alone 796 million dollars of that was for tags and licenses and another 7.2 billion dollars came in on taxes on firearms and ammunitions to meaning all of that money went to the state and federal government to help further efforts of conservation and as revenue for both. Falk argues why not capitalize on this large population of people hunting and allow private hunting reservations and tax them this would in turn bring in tax dollars. If these numbers were brought forward Falk believes that this would mostly go unopposed because all of the revenue that this would bring in for the state and the United states as a whole.

Falk then talks about how Illinois should truly view private hunting reservations and should consider making them more of a reality in Illinois. Falk says that Illinois needs to look at multiple African countries so that they know how to draft a form of legislation on how to encourage private hunting land and how to have them ran in order that it benefits the state and the animals as a whole. The state also needs to make sure when they write this legislation that they make it clear that they will not allow canned hunting in any way and that all private hunting lands need to be completely natural. When Illinois proposes a bill in the future they need to make everyone aware of the major difference of canned hunting and private hunting reservations and they need to protect the private land owners in order to benefit everyone. Falk also says that Illinois needs to make sure that each private land needs to have a minimum amount of acreage so that it cannot be considered canned hunting. Also the animals on the property have minimal amount of interaction with human beings in order that they do not become accustomed to humankind and are not afraid of human kind. Falk also proposes that each private reservations needs to enforce the fair chase theory and that people have to track animals and chase them in a semi primitive way. Each land owner would have to prove they are not a canned hunting facility before they are allowed to be a hunting reservation.

Falk concludes her article by restating all the benefits of private hunting reservations. Falk also restates the fact that many will oppose this because they believe the animals are being raised for the simple fact to turn a profit. Falk finishes it all off by saying that this isn’t the only way for conservation to happen but it is a step in the right direction. 

Rhetorical Analysis

So the rhetorical analysis and summary paper I'm writing has been somewhat difficult but as I keep revising it and looking at examples it has been improving writing the summary separate actually made it more difficult to combine so I decided to write them together and it made the whole paper so much easier

This past week

So this past week of classes I would have to say has been my most difficult one for personal things going on and also most things due in classes multiple times I have fallen behind this past week or forgot things all together hoping this next week is not as rough.

recent new events

So recently we all know that North Korea and The United States is not on the best of terms and if you didn't know you must have been under a rock for a pretty long time but in this past week The US and North Korea have exchanged threats as Americans should we be alarmed I would beg to say no right now these are all just threats I really don't see this becoming something we need to be in constant fear of if anything it will be like another Cold war situation so as of now I think we need to just Trust our president and his executives because they know what they are doing

what my micro theme taught me

So my recent microtheme that I wrote helped me a lot because it helped me start to get ideas down on paper while also making want to write. It also let me write as a person, not just a student which I really enjoyed.