Source: http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/11/27/us-usa-holidays-store-tours-idUSBRE9AQ05Y20131127
This article discusses the change(s) to be expected, or already in place, in the discounts retail stores are offering during the holiday season. Since people are beginning to be more careful aout their money, retail stores will be obliged to offer higher/more sales than previous years to attract customers. Another factor that is making retail stores have to change their methods this year is the availability of electronics and online shopping to consumers. The article also goes on to examine two up-and-coming trends that are expected to feature prominently in this year's holiday shopping: "ugly sweaters" and X-Box, Playstation, and other electronics.
In this article, Kevork Djansezian uses analysis of current and past conditions to explain to his audience how prices/discounts are expected to fluctuate during this holiday season, and why.
The article begins with Djansezian explaining factors of why this looks to feature, "for many retailers, even uglier discounts." According to him, there is online competition, weak consumer confidence in retail stores, and no to-die-fashion items that all force retailers to introduce more discounts in order to attract consumers. He also gives reasons why consumers are being more careful with their money, namely because, "...taxes have risen, unemployment has remained stubbornly high, and confidence has taken a hit from the recent government shutdown and uncertainty over the introduction of President Barack Obama's healthcare reforms." These analysis of causes and contributing factors help Djansezian explain why retail stores will be forced to lower prices this holiday season more than in previous years.
The article then moves to analying two key trends expected to play a large part in consumers' shopping this season: "...trendy sweaters featuring cutesy animals, phrases such as 'totes amaze' (slang for totally amazing) in curly cursive, and 'fair isle' patterns," and, "New must-have gadgets such as Sony Corp's PlayStation 4 and Microsoft Corp's Xbox One gaming consoles and Apple Inc's latest iPhones and iPads..." These two items are expected to feature prominently among the items that consumers purchase. These items will be especially popular among teens, and for that reason, it is expected that teen-geared retail stores will be offering bigger deals than before closer to Christmas. After this analyzation, the article discusses different retail stores/companies, and how they are responding to the changing consumer attitude.
All the different explanations/analyzations Djansezian uses contribute to his overall purpose of providing an answer to the "why" for why retail stores can be expected to make less profits this year, and consumers can be expected to make bigger savings. I believe he achieved his purpose as well as making the article clear and concise for the reader, making it very effective.
Wednesday, November 27, 2013
Sunday, November 17, 2013
Intro to IRB #2-Caitlin Moran
My second IRB selections is How to Be a Woman by Caitlin Moran. In this book, Moran addresses some of the issues and uncertainties facing women today, and answers/analyzes questions pertaining to women. The book, "...lays bare the reasons why female rights and empowerment are essential issues not only for women today but for society itself." (http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/how-to-be-a-woman-caitlin-moran/1106580269?ean=9780062124296#product-commentaries-1)
Monday, November 4, 2013
TOW #9-Visual/Video-"I Was Engaged When I Was Five"
Source: http://video.nationalgeographic.com/video/news/culture-places-news/kakenya-ntaiya-vin/
This video addresses the recent conditions of young girls in Kenya. They would be engaged at a very young age, and married a few years later. From the time they could walk, they performed tasks such as making food, gathering water, taking care of other sibling, and generally everything that would prepare them for motherhood. Most girls would be married by the age of 15. In Kenya, if a girl did not go through the ritual of physical mutilation, she and her family would face a "stigma" in society. This is a problem in many third-world, and even more-advanced nations: the arranged marriages, virtual-slavery of the girls, and the physical "mutilation" that girls have to go through in certain cultures.
The primary speaker is Kakenya Ntaiya, who was selected to be a child bride herself. She relates the story of conditions for girls in Kenya, using personal recollections and visual aids to bring attention to the harsh conditions for women in her native country.
Ntaiya's personal recollections in the video establish her appeal to ethos. By showing that she herself knows the reality of things in Kenya, she is recognized as a primary source/reliable source of information. The video itself gains an appeal to ethos in being released in on a distinguished website known by many: National Geographic. Her personal recollections also help her to gain sympathy from the viewers, and by extent, for the girls in Kenya (her appeal to the pathos of her audience). The wording Ntaiya uses in her recollections hit the viewer hard with what Kenyan girls have to go through.
The visuals selected for use in this video are chosen to show the normal, everyday occurrences in a Kenyan village. They give the viewers a sense of reality when watching the video. The viewers can almost imagine themselves as one of the girls depicted in the visuals, and perhaps gain a better understanding of the harshness of their lives. Since the girls in the video are so young, most viewers would immediately get a sense of protectiveness, and be outraged at some of the things they hear are being done to these little girls. Shocking news, like mutilations being done to little girls, gains the attention of the world very quickly.
The speaker very effectively achieved her purpose in bringing attention to the plight of girls in Kenya. Her own voice, coupled with the scenes of everyday life in the country, create a fuller picture of what those girls have to go through. The shock of hearing what girls as young as 5 have to go through, no doubt grabs the attention of many viewers.
This video addresses the recent conditions of young girls in Kenya. They would be engaged at a very young age, and married a few years later. From the time they could walk, they performed tasks such as making food, gathering water, taking care of other sibling, and generally everything that would prepare them for motherhood. Most girls would be married by the age of 15. In Kenya, if a girl did not go through the ritual of physical mutilation, she and her family would face a "stigma" in society. This is a problem in many third-world, and even more-advanced nations: the arranged marriages, virtual-slavery of the girls, and the physical "mutilation" that girls have to go through in certain cultures.
The primary speaker is Kakenya Ntaiya, who was selected to be a child bride herself. She relates the story of conditions for girls in Kenya, using personal recollections and visual aids to bring attention to the harsh conditions for women in her native country.
Ntaiya's personal recollections in the video establish her appeal to ethos. By showing that she herself knows the reality of things in Kenya, she is recognized as a primary source/reliable source of information. The video itself gains an appeal to ethos in being released in on a distinguished website known by many: National Geographic. Her personal recollections also help her to gain sympathy from the viewers, and by extent, for the girls in Kenya (her appeal to the pathos of her audience). The wording Ntaiya uses in her recollections hit the viewer hard with what Kenyan girls have to go through.
The visuals selected for use in this video are chosen to show the normal, everyday occurrences in a Kenyan village. They give the viewers a sense of reality when watching the video. The viewers can almost imagine themselves as one of the girls depicted in the visuals, and perhaps gain a better understanding of the harshness of their lives. Since the girls in the video are so young, most viewers would immediately get a sense of protectiveness, and be outraged at some of the things they hear are being done to these little girls. Shocking news, like mutilations being done to little girls, gains the attention of the world very quickly.
The speaker very effectively achieved her purpose in bringing attention to the plight of girls in Kenya. Her own voice, coupled with the scenes of everyday life in the country, create a fuller picture of what those girls have to go through. The shock of hearing what girls as young as 5 have to go through, no doubt grabs the attention of many viewers.
TOW #8-Global Warming
Source: http://www.foxnews.com/us/2013/11/03/report-says-global-warming-likely-to-make-starvation-poverty-and-other-problems/
This article is solidly based upon a "leaked draft of an international scientific report" for its information. It uses the report to illustrate the possible harmful effects of global warming upon the world. In the article, the Associated Press uses repetition, listing of facts, and numerous quotations to show people the highly possible harmful effects of global warming.
The article uses the phrase, "the report says" many times to relate the reader back to the original source of the facts presented. This reminds the audience that the article is based on a credible source. This particular repetition, partnered with the author(s) of the text, the Associated Press, and the place of the article's publication, the Fox News website, gives the article its credibility and appeal to ethos. Repetition also makes sure that the idea that is being repeated is solidly embedded into the reader's mind, and stays with him/her as she/he reads the text.
In the middle of the article is a list of "certain 'key risks'" of global warming on the world. This listing of facts presents solid proof of the thesis of the article, namely that global warming will have ill effects on the entire world. Some of these effects include famine, failing infrastructures, and dangerous/deadly heat waves. The simple listing of provides readers with a clear understanding of the consequences of global warming on an easily comprehensible scale, and shows them the possible results of global warming.
Throughout the text are sprinkled quotes from the leaked report. These quotes represent evidence on the article's claim, and support that claim. They also show that the article is not based on the author's personal speculations, but on an actual scientific, researched report. The quotes give the article its academic tone, making the text a fact-based, intellectual work with little in the realm of an appeal to pathos, besides the feelings of worry and perhaps even alarm in readers as they survey the possible consequences of global warming.
The article did a good job of completing its task, namely to make readers aware of the various possible outcomes of global warming. Perhaps its most effective rhetorical device it uses is the list of "'key risks'" which simplify the hazards of global warming to be easily understood and comprehended.
This article is solidly based upon a "leaked draft of an international scientific report" for its information. It uses the report to illustrate the possible harmful effects of global warming upon the world. In the article, the Associated Press uses repetition, listing of facts, and numerous quotations to show people the highly possible harmful effects of global warming.
The article uses the phrase, "the report says" many times to relate the reader back to the original source of the facts presented. This reminds the audience that the article is based on a credible source. This particular repetition, partnered with the author(s) of the text, the Associated Press, and the place of the article's publication, the Fox News website, gives the article its credibility and appeal to ethos. Repetition also makes sure that the idea that is being repeated is solidly embedded into the reader's mind, and stays with him/her as she/he reads the text.
In the middle of the article is a list of "certain 'key risks'" of global warming on the world. This listing of facts presents solid proof of the thesis of the article, namely that global warming will have ill effects on the entire world. Some of these effects include famine, failing infrastructures, and dangerous/deadly heat waves. The simple listing of provides readers with a clear understanding of the consequences of global warming on an easily comprehensible scale, and shows them the possible results of global warming.
Throughout the text are sprinkled quotes from the leaked report. These quotes represent evidence on the article's claim, and support that claim. They also show that the article is not based on the author's personal speculations, but on an actual scientific, researched report. The quotes give the article its academic tone, making the text a fact-based, intellectual work with little in the realm of an appeal to pathos, besides the feelings of worry and perhaps even alarm in readers as they survey the possible consequences of global warming.
The article did a good job of completing its task, namely to make readers aware of the various possible outcomes of global warming. Perhaps its most effective rhetorical device it uses is the list of "'key risks'" which simplify the hazards of global warming to be easily understood and comprehended.
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