Rebuttal Exercise

Dear Dr. Walter Williams

Can you find a similarity between Nazis and Anti-smokers? Yes you can. As the writer of “Nazi Tactics”, you believe this to be true. In 2002 you write in Ideas on Liberty that in today’s society and government that there is intolerance against smokers, making a wild comparison that the government who is try to ban smoking are acting as the Nazis did during the Holocaust. You claim that almost 40 million American smoke cigarettes, and my question is, how many have quit (par. 4). As stated by you, “there has been widely successful vilification of cigarette smokers and tobacco manufacturers,” and all this is due to the health effects and health-care costs (par. 5). Don’t you think that there is a legitimate reason as to why these officials are making these claims? Officials are not trying to rid of people or making them seem like villains, but trying to gear towards a healthier lifestyle and only ridding them of their bad habit. Though it may seem that officials have, “arisen one day and then decided to tyrannize no more,” this is still an issue that is at hand that is closely followed and fought over.

Reflection 1.2

One thing that came up the most in my feedback earlier was my introduction. My group stated that it was a little confusing and unclear of what my point was. While going over my draft to create my second draft, my introduction was my main focus. Getting that down pact would create the building blocks for the rest of my paper, an important aspect to my paper. From there I also took in one feedback from a group member who stated that I should try to make my transitions flow better. I knew what I had to do, but I feel as if I didn't get enough specifics such as certain phrases that might have been confusing or awkward. In order to have gone further in my paper I went to the Writting Center in Huffman Hall and asked on friend who is a teaching major, to critique my paper. From there I got feedback which helped me more. I personally would rather have someone "tear" my paper apart in giving feedback rather than say its good.

Essay 1.2 (rebuttal)

In the L.A. Times Editorial section you will find that there is a post bringing light to the gender gap in colleges and universities all across America. Many wonder as to why this is, and see this as a growing issue. Females are now being admitted at a higher rate, which is an accomplishment in itself, but the males are being admitted with a slight boost to keep diversity, yet the numbers of males remain lower. In the editorial the author brings in certain speculations as to why this is such. Some hypothesize that males need special attention based on how they take in information. Race and ethnicity have even been included into factoring into this rising problem. However these factors may excuse a small percentage of males, it does not excuse all males from lagging behind.

Some may ask the question, “What is happening with the education of males in this country?” In USA Today, Mary Beth Marklein speculates that the, “female majority may be higher education’s new normal.” In the editorial the author (also states) that at the University of California’s UCLA campus, more women apply than men. In order to maintain equality in the admissions process, the university admits an equal percentage of each gender from those who apply. As a result, a wider gender gap has been created.

As the author in the L.A. Times article mentioned, there are different types of learning styles for both male and females. This author mentioned that males are more likely to learn by using senses; visual or working with their hands, and that schools should accommodate to these needs. The question is, “do colleges need to change all the time for every single type of student?” The answer would be no. Linda Sax, a scholar in gender issues, writes in Her College Experience Is Not His that both male and females have to overcome their own challenges in order to obtain a good college education. She continues to say that women put a greater emphasis on the value of education, devoting more time to school work than men do, and achieve higher in academics, creating a larger gap. Sax and the author of the editorial both agree, “…colleges need to consider strategies for encouraging greater academic engagement among male students” (Sax 16). Is this really the best solution? Valeria E. Lee and David T. Burkam, authors of Inequality at the Starting Line, may disagree and believe that this issue begins at a much earlier stage.

In Lee and Burkam’s book, they state that the inequalities of children’s mental aptitude begin at the ‘starting gate’. The ‘starting gate’ refers to the notion that not all children start off as equals going into Kindergarten. The main factor that is observed in measuring the “inequality” of students is the socioeconomic status (SES) of the child and family. The National Center for Education Statistics defines SES as a measure of an individual or family’s relative economic and social ranking (The Condition of Education). From there, schooling can magnify those inequalities due to low resources and funding. Along with schooling, family and social backgrounds can influence the success or failure of a child’s potential to achieve a good education; these factors include race and ethnicity, poverty, parenting structure, and the education level of the parent(s). Today it is becoming harder to keep up with education without the proper tools. Most schooling now involves computer usage, but if a family is low on income then a computer may not be easily accessible. Good child care is can also burn a hole in your pockets, and studies show that early childhood development is key to getting a good start in school (Lee and Burkam).

With race being stated, there is another gap within races in education. Statistics from Inequality at the Starting Gate shows that there are “substantial differences by race and ethnicity in children’s test scores at they begin kindergarten”. SES and race are interconnected. Lee and Burkam noted that on average, that the lowest scores are produced by 34% Black children, 29% Hispanic, and only 9% of White children. The actual race and gender of a child is not what makes the gap, but the SES of the general population of a specific race.

With this being said, there is more to academic success rate than simply the gender of a child. Yes, males and females minds are wired differently, affecting how they work, but there is more to it than genetics. There are always going to be challenges that each gender must overcome. The family life based on socioeconomic status and even race need to be factored into this equation in order to gain a “deeper understanding of the nuances and implications of the gender gap in college” (Sax). For years colleges have done what they can for their students, but it takes two to tango. Students also have to learn to adapt to the new college life and learning; it is part of the whole experience of growing up, overcoming obstacle to reach your goal.

Reflection 1.1

I like that people see my essay well. I would however like more feedback so I can improve it more. Ashley did say that I should reword my introduction so that is something that I can work on. I don't take compliments as well as I do with critiques. I can't always see what is wrong so I rely on others to help out, making Ashley’s comment very useful to me so that I can better my essay. My process is mind-boggling. I keep going back and forth wondering if I should switch this sentence or move the first paragraph to the second. In my next draft I hope make my introduction captivating and organized so that the reader is intrigued and wants to continue reading. Along with the introduction, I was to make my evidence along with the rebuttal more persuasive so that the reader can think, “She is right!”.

Essay 1.1 (Rebuttal)

In the L.A. Times Editorial section you will find that there is a post bringing light to the gender gap in colleges and universities all across America. Many wonder as to why this is, and see this as a growing issue. Females are now being admitted at higher a rate, which is an accomplishment in itself, but the males are being admitted with a slight boost to keep diversity. In the editorial the authors brings in certain speculations as to why this is such as males needing special attention, how they take in information and even race/ethnicity. However these factors may excuse a small percentage of males, it does not excuse all males.

Some may ask the question; what is happening with the education of males in this country? In USA Today, Mary Beth Marklein speculates, “…female majority may be higher education’s new normal.” In the editorial the author mentions that the University of California’s UCLA campus admits an equal percentage of female and male applicants, resulting in 800 more women than men. As the author in the L.A. Times article mentioned, there are different types of learning styles for both male and females. This author mentioned that males are more likely to learn by using senses; visual or working with their hands, and that schools should accommodate to these needs.

The question is do colleges need to change all the time for every single type of student? The answer would have to be no. Linda Sax, a scholar in gender issues, writes in Her College Experience Is Not His that both male and females have to overcome their own challenges in order to obtain a good college education. She continues to say that women put a greater emphasis on the value of education, devoting more time to school work than men do and achieve higher in academics, creating a larger gap. Sax and the author of the editorial both agree, “…colleges need to consider strategies for encouraging greater academic engagement among male students”. Is this really the best solution? Valeria E. Lee and David T. Burkam, authors of Inequality at the Starting Line, may disagree.

In Lee and Burkam’s book, they state that the inequalities of children’s mental aptitude begin at the “starting gate”. This refers to the notion that not all children start off as equals going into Kindergarten. The main factor that is observed in measuring the “inequality” of students is the socioeconomic status (SES) of the child and family. The National Center for Education Statistics defines SES as a measure of an individual or family’s relative economic and social ranking. From there, schooling can magnify those inequalities due to low resources and funding. Along with schooling, family and social backgrounds can influence the success or failure of a child’s potential to achieve a good education; these factors include race and ethnicity, poverty, parenting structure, and the education level of the parent(s) (Lee and Burkam).

With race being stated, there is another gap within races in education. Statistics from Inequality at the Starting Gate shows that there are “substantial differences by race and ethnicity in children’s test scores at they begin kindergarten”. SES and race are interconnected. An example given by Lee and Burkam is the 34% of Black children and 29% Hispanic children are the lowest scoring, while only 9% of White children fall within that range.

With this being said, there is more to than just being a male that affects the academic success of an individual. Yes males and females minds are wired differently, affecting how they work, but there is more to the genetics. There are always going to be challenges that each gender must overcome. The family life based on socioeconomic status and even race need to be factored into this equation in order to gain a “deeper understanding of the nuances and implications of the gender gap in college” (Sax).

Works Cited

"College's Gender Gap: Women Now Out Number Men in Both Applying to Schools and Earning Degrees." L.A. Times 15 Jan 2010, Web.

"The Condition of Education." IES:National Center for Education Statistics. IES, Web. 5 Feb 2010.

Lee, Valerie E, and David T Burkam. Inequality at the Starting Gate: Social Background Differences in Achievement as Children Begin School. Economic Policy Institute, 2002. Summary. Web.

Marklein, Mary Beth. "College Gender Gap is Stable." USA Today 01 Jan 2010: n. pag. Web. 6 Feb 2010.

Sax, Linda. "Her College Experience Is Not His." Chronicle of Higher Education 55.5 (2008): 32-33. Web. 6 Feb 2010.

Rhetorical Analysis Rewrite

In the Los Angeles Times, an editorial was posted on the admissions process for new and upcoming students in several universities, and on major outcome was that there is a gender gap. More females are being admitted and fewer males. A concern is brought up; is there discrimination against females and are males getting a small boost into college in order to keep the status quo? These types of questions have been raised over that past 17 years due to that females now have more opportunities at a higher education.

The author claims that there is discrimination in the admissions process. They are able to make this claim due to statistical evidence provided by many universities and the U.S. News & World Report. There is enough evidence and claim that even the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights is investigating whether this type of discrimination is true.

However most readers want to know why such biased decisions are being made. Several colleges and universities claim that they admit males easier in order to maintain a decent male population among their school. There are some schools that the author mentions that differ from this such as UCLA, who admit about the same percentage of males and females out of those to apply. There was also a quote by the dean of admissions at Kenyon College, a once all-male school, that states that a message is being sent to young women to think that they have to go far above and beyond to compete with lower achieving males.

This editorial is specifically appeals to young women, especially those applying to college and those already attending college. The author uses the word “discrimination” rather than “bias”, which creates a stronger emotion. They give statistical evidence that is hard to refute which validities their claim, making young women more skeptical about applying.

Rhetorical Analysis

As most college students that attend James Madison University, there is a larger population of females, and a lower population of males. Most wonder why this is, but an even bigger question is how? In the Los Angeles Times, an editorial was posted on the admissions process for new and upcoming students in several universities, and on major outcome was that there is a gender gap. More females are being admitted and fewer males. A concern is brought up; is there discrimination against females and are males getting a small boost into college in order to keep the status quo? These types of questions have been raised over that past 17 years due to that females now have more opportunities at a higher education.

The author claims that there is clearly a gender gap. Universities are admitting a higher percentage of the male population that applies to college, while females have a lower acceptance rate out of their population. Statistical evidence from several universities have proven that there is a flaw in the admissions process. One Virginia university, William & Mary is one of the accused discriminatory schools, “76,652 women applied for this year’s freshman class, compared with 4,457 male applicants…the college accepted 45% of the men and only 27% of the women”. Many other university and college boards have claimed that they do indeed give men a slight advantage in keep balance among the campus.

The author however does mention UCLA, a branch of University of California, has admitted almost the same percentage of each gender, yet there still were about 800 more women than men. That still does not compensate for other universities. The authors begins to state that theories have come to say that boys are “more active and thus less able to sit still for periods – and as a result, more likely to categorized as having attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder or needing special education”. This may be the case for a select few, but this does not excuse every boy from getting a better education. From what I can see out of this, is that times have changed and there are different expectations and family life. Over 20 years ago most that attended college where a white young male, the family style was different, and women did not go to school often. Now it is stated in this editorial that the gender gap is increased in African American and Latino students. This can be accounted for in the fact that most ethnical groups have their own way being raised. A Latino family and a Caucasian family’s values are not always going to be at the same level.

The gist is this; colleges and universities are accepting more women and the men who are accepted are more likely to have had help due to their gender. Women now have to work even harder to get into school because they have to compete against lower achieving males. This concerns many people including the dean of admissions at Kenyon College in Ohio (a once all-male school), “What messages are we sending young women that they must…be even more accomplished than men to gain admission to the nation’s top colleges?” We can not blame AHDH or learning styles for women being able to accomplish more than men