Reflective Entry- Week 7

During the duration of week seven, I have learned the difficulties of finding someone who is already living my goal who would participate in an interview from my research in WP3. I did not know searching for someone and getting ahold of them thought contacts provided would be as difficult as it was. I searched multiple universities trying to find someone who is in the Biomedical Engineering field who would be willing to help me first hand particularly about being in the field. The purpose of the interview is to gain knowledge about the field and learn how others experiences are. Also, to learn about how others enjoy being in the field; their likes and dislikes as well as the advantages and disadvantages. Basically, the main focus was to investigate their lives; observe the steps in education that they took; and the types of research and experiments that they encounter and get to be involved in. After talking to my classmates, I found that they were having the same problems I was. Ashley, in particular told me that a reason that many of us are having difficulty is because some people that are in our fields may not be happy with their jobs and wouldn’t want to be interviewed while Jerome on the other hand, pointed out that they may not have time.

            Finding interviews wasn’t the only thing I had difficulty with, I also encountered difficulty with finding credible material about my career as a Biomedical Engineer. Within the paper, you will see that my searches for materials that are credible are limited due to websites not meeting certain requirements. These requirements consists of relating to information that I am looking for specifically, being either .edu or .gov, not consisting of advertisements or non-professional graphics, and the information can’t be specifically for one college. These were the two difficulties that I had during week seven and they are slowly progressing.

"They Say, I Say" -Exercise 1 page. 50

The writer integrates multiple quotations into their own writing by first stating their position, then the quote, then the person’s name that their quoting, and lastly, their position. The first quote that the writer states is made by Katharina Jäger, a worker from the human-resources department of Baxter. To introduce her statement, the writer first states what they’re going to be talking/ writing about which is how new institutions and organizations are gaining a lot of press, but is not providing many biomedical engineering jobs. They elaborate on their position by providing statistics and examples. After two brief paragraphs of introducing the topic, they then begins the third paragraph with the quote using a comma and the word “says” to conjoin Katharina’s name and position. Particularly, the writer quotes Katharina twice and that’s how he ended the third paragraph. The writer uses Katharina’s statements to support his position and to direct his thoughts in another direction. Based on what I read in the third chapter of “They Say, I Say,” I would change the way he has another quote following the third paragraph and introducing the fourth.

Biomedical Engineering- Looking Ahead

According to this article, Biomedical Engineering has grown over the last past 10 years. It has undergone many qualitative changes that have made it the field that it is today. Although it has experienced many changes that has transformed its meaning, education, and growth, many people interested in this field is concerned about the future of this field. Due to The Whitaker Foundation no longer existing, biomedical engineers may face some serious competition with other engineers in other fields. The Whitaker Foundation was established in 1976 and has dedicated itself to enhancing human health through the support of biomedical engineering. It has spent more than $710 million on biomedical engineering during the Foundation’s 30-year existence. This foundation has made biomedical engineering well established, so there is little reason for serious concerns. Though what people aren’t realizing is that a serious issue is among them; the funding for young students current research maybe in jeapordy because the closing of The Whitaker Foundation just so happened to correspond with a leveing off the National Institute of Health support in the USA.

Biomedical Engineering: Principles and Challenges

After reading this article, I have concluded that becoming a Biomedical Engineer is hard work. I really have to be about my work if I want to succeed. This article provides valid information about the research and challenges that goes along with building prosthetics. The article manifested a thorough understanding of the large fields that cover biomedical engineering, which in the article is known as a multidisciplinary field that forces people from different fields to collaborate to solve problems. Before reading this article, I had no idea that I would be introduced to a diverse amount of procedure to solve problems for more successful outcomes.

Reflection for Week 6

      As I advance in the different levels of understanding how to become a better writer, I am gaining many skills that I could take with me through the rest of my life. During week 6 of learning more about literature, reading, and writing, I have learned how to write professionally with using specific formats of writing that will connect with my audience. I could honestly say that the most important thing in week 6 that I have learned would be the correct way to cite. Plagiarism is amongst many people who take risks for consequences they know they are not capable of handling. I for instance am not the type of student who likes to plagiarize; I like to be original in everything I do. Though many people do not purposely plagiarize, they are still amongst the same consequences. These consequences for most colleges are a failing grade, suspension, and/ or expulsion. From the lectures this week, I know how important citing another’s work is because I can’t be held accountable for the consequences of plagiarism. I also learned that there are many formatting styles that different fields use; the most common two are MLA and APA. These styles are basically developed to connect better with the audience that is within that specific field. For instance, MLA is a format used for Foreign Languages, English, and Humanities while APA is used for Social Sciences, History, and Psychology. I know now from this lecture how critical it is to give an author credibility for their work.

Reflective Entry- Week 5

     When it comes to reading, writing, and language, there are many things that need to be known and considered. According to my opinion, Language Arts is a subject where I think my strongest strengths are because I have proven to be an excellent writer. I try my best to be the best writer that I could be because it is my way of expressing my self and venting. The most important new thing that I learned was the different ways of transitioning and organizing my work. Since I was young, I’ve always thought my work had to be phrased a specific way or it wouldn’t sound right. After reading the book “They Say/I Say: The Moves That Matter in Academic Writing,” I have a new vision on how I look at how effective details, organization, and credibility has an effect on the story. This book explains why details are very effective because it helps the reader to understand how the writer felt at that moment or how the reader could be put into the authors shoes. The more details an author provide, the more vividly their audience would be able to comprehend and give feedback on how well the book was.

     Also, this book expresses how the organization and credibility is very important to audience because it determines whether the writing prompt flow and is not just opinions. Organization decides how the writing prompt sounds; if it wasn’t for organization, most writing today would be choppy. There are different types of organization; one example is chronological order. Not only does organization and details matter, but credibility as well. When I say credibility, I mean giving another author props for their opinion, facts, and words of encouragement. Without credibility, the work will be known as plagiarism or just a prompt stating a simple opinion. They Say/ I Say is a very informative, helpful book that I am looking forward to continuing reading in order to find new skill that could strengthen or even create others.

Chapter 2: Her POint Is in They Say, I Say

Propose

There are many causes that contribute to the epidemic of obesity. Obesity statistics have doubled in today’s society throughout many children and adults. According to David Zinczeno’s article “Don’t Blame the Eater,” the industries have a huge contribution to why the statistics for obesity have doubled. David states that some causes of obesity are due to a lack of access to healthier foods, food management, expense, and not monitoring what is being consumed. He argues that children are left alone to eat at fast food restaurants because their single parents are not home to cook. He implies that industries are making a fortune trying to supply the needs of children; the only thing wrong with them providing for children is that their doing it in an unhealthy way.

I agree with David’s position because fast food industries should advertise the amount of calories that one consumes from eating their food. I would also recommend that industries could do is create a stand filled only with nutrition fact cards. By doing so, it is the costumer’s responsibility to find out what they are consuming, as long as the nutrition fact cards are being provided, lawsuits will no longer be applicable. Although, industries are trying to fulfill the empty void that the parents are too busy to fill, they could at least think of the effect that their products are doing to society. Being obese is life changing; those who are obese or on the verge of becoming obese are at risk for obtaining many diseases that could determine the outcome of their life. In order to help solve this epidemic, parents need to be more aware of what their children consume and industries need to be aware of what they are supplying to society.

Oppose

In the article, “Don’t Blame the Eater,” industries are subjected to playing a huge part in the obesity epidemic. The author David Zinczeno implies that industries are supplying unhealthy foods to those who are unfortunate to have cooked food at home. He indicates that it’s the industries responsibility to monitor what they supply to its customers. Industries have contributed to a large part of the obesity epidemic because the food is cheap; we have easier access to it, and quick service. Even though industries should supply information on what their serving, it is still the responsibility of the parent to monitor what their children eat.

I contradict David’s statement that industries should take on the responsibility on monitoring what they serve to the community. It is the parent’s responsibility to monitor what they children consume if they are going to have a say so in the outcome of their children. I understand that single parents have to work to provide for their family, but they still have children to look after which is an even larger responsibility. Even if the parent could not cook for their children, they should at least make sure the person or people looking after their children know the limitations on their child’s eating preferences. Parents should be more responsible and knowledgeable about the dangers that their children are exposed to. The dangers that are in society is not just being physical with others, but it is the little things, such as consuming fast foods more than twice a day, that could have a long term effect on a child especially as an adult. Things that a parent should consider, that most fail to do, is monitoring their children as well as themselves body mass index (BMI) to keep track of their weight. Doing so will not only help them keep track of their weight, but it will tell them where they are at on the obesity chart. The Center for Disease Control and Prevention states that this chart consists of four categories: underweight, healthy, obese, and overweight. Each has a specific range that you would fall into after calculating your BMI which is found by dividing your weight (lbs.) by your height (inch) squared and then multiplied by 703. I agree that industries play a huge part in the obesity epidemic but parents play an even larger responsibility in which their children are involved. Parents should not be abler to sure a restaurant when they are part of the supplier. If it wasn’t for the parents as well, then the children would not have a way to buy the food. I say, “Don’t blame the industry, blame the parents.”