Response #3

Sean Demme

9.5.2012

English 1510

Margaret Kantz

QDJ

#1 Kantz is giving a simple definition of facts, opinion, and argument. By that I mean this is what we learned at a younger writing level of what these things are. First she says facts are what we learn from texts books – like Shirley said, she got different numbers from different text books and she did not take into consideration the bias from both viewpoints. “Opinions are what we have about clothes…” she says this because, again, this is what we were thought. An opinion though can be any personal belief or judgment on any grounds. Lastly, arguments “are what you have with your mother when you want to stay out late at night” which is again a misconception. Arguments are often found in writings and can be more subtle than we know. In general, Kantz was trying to display the things some freshman writers tend to misunderstand.

#2 Some things that Kantz explains that younger writers misunderstand include: Bias, ‘fact and claims’, research, and research writings. She is right in all of these except one. I think that writers, since about senior year of high school, have known that research papers we write are monotonous; we’ve just never really known how to get to the bottom of our papers and change them. One thing I still don’t understand is just that, how do I make a research paper more interesting than an encyclopedia does?

AEI

#2 I agree with Kantz. Like I said, I can honestly say I don’t know how to write a research paper other that regurgitating facts to my professor or teacher. I think that is a hard concept to grasp, it’s like having to explain a super complicated math equation – but having to do it in a different language. The thing is I know I am capable of both writing creatively and writing a research paper, it’s just that I need to figure out the hybrid of the two. Lastly I think Kantz’ influence is a solid one and I think her thoughts will help me turn my research ‘Kantz’ into research ‘Kanz”.