Blogging Rhetorically #2

Both "Tattoo Crazy" and "We Proudly Brew Starbucks Coffee" were very informative and entertaining stories. As I started reading, I did not think much about the topic of essay number two, therefore I did not think about what these stories would be about. I read "Tattoo Crazy" first and as I started reading I realized that it was a research paper. The way the story started made me think that it was just a normal narrative, with some facts, but overall it was nothing like any other research paper that I have ever written or read. I thought there was just enough facts in both papers to make it not just fact after fact. The facts never made me bored while reading the papers, even though I think most research papers are extremely boring. There was interesting details about the writer that kept the research more personal, so it was not just boring research.

In "Tattoo Crazy" I liked how the writer develops her story by starting with facts from the research she found, to her analysis/opinion of the facts, to show the research has influenced her decision of getting a tattoo. The author does not just state facts, she states her personal opinion as to what she thinks of the facts. This kept me entertained, because I could develop my own opinion and relate to the author. Also, tattoos are popular in my generation, so the research was an interesting topic that I could apply to my life.

In "We Proudly Brew Starbucks Coffee" I loved how the beginning of the story just seemend like a narrative, then in the second paragraph, the author gives facts about how the 'phenomenon of Starbucks began' to how it has thrived among consumers today. Starbucks was a good topic to research, because a lot of people can relate to loving starbucks as much as the reader does. With my personal interest in Starbucks, it was interesting for me to read about the facts behind what really goes into each one of my drinks. It was interesting comparing my thoughts after reading this paper to the authors. In the conclusion of the paper when the author says, "I believe that the cup represents more to me now. I will still see me and my dad at the table, but the corporation of stuffy businessmen will always be in the cup I hold." This ending sentence was a great way for the author to end. She recreates the image of her and her dad, but also shows how her research about the 'behind the scenes' facts of Starbucks that consumers don't know has impacted her. The author does not try to persuade anyone, she simply says how she has the researcher has been effected by the facts she has found.

Both readers show their progress of how the research has changed their view on both tattoos and Starbucks. There were enough facts in both papers to make them a research paper, but there weren't too many facts that made the papers boring. I liked how "We Proudly Brew Starbucks Coffee" started out more as a narrative and faded into a research paper as the author started stating facts. The beginning made me interested to keep reading the paper, and the facts made me think, and the paper had inquiry. These papers helped me understand how to write a research paper, without it being the usual boring fact after fact paper that I am used to writing.