Author's Note Unit 3 Portfolio

I initially chose the Barnett Shale as my topic because it seems to affect so many people in Fort Worth from the wealthiest all the way down to the poorest. Also, I know quite a few people who have had their share of dealings with the gas companies-- good and bad. For the most part, I have learned from my research that the Barnett Shale dealings can be deceiving and detrimental even though some people may be making a profit-- mostly those who profit in any business situation. That is why I chose Daniel Plainview as the focus for my humorous piece. The whole There Will Be Blood them seemed to parallel what has taken place between the gas companies and the average citizens. When I first selected the topic I thought it would be interesting, but I feared it could potentially become boring and pose problems when it came time to do the humorous piece; however, my fear were dispelled. Note: I emailed all of my portfolio except my humorous piece which I turned in a hard copy of.

Humorous Piece Author's Note

This is my first draft of the piece. I chose to do a political cartoon that draws on parallels between what citizens are currently faced with in their dealings with the Barnett Shale and the themes of There Will Be Blood, based on Upton Sinclair's Oil which was a muckraking piece criticizing early 20th century oil tycoons. I think the humor comes across well but my only concern is that the piece might not connect with those who have not seen the film There Will Be Blood

Humorous Argument

My example came from the comic strip B.C. The cartoon comments on one of the main criticisms that people have with natural gas drilling which is building too close to citizen's homes. The cartoon substitutes ants for people (source of the humor) and shows a gas drill being inserted into earth and the ants home. One of the ants then says "Guess it's time to move." This echoes the response of many who have seen unsightly gas rigs erected near their homes.

Op-ed Author's Note

1. This is the first draft of my op-ed piece.

2. I think this piece expresses my feelings about the Barnett Shale and its implications to future generations. Also, I like the organization of the thoughts as well as the conclusion as it ties in to what I’ve previously said. I hope that it doesn’t go too far out on a limb and sticks to my point throughout the whole piece.

3. Please note any grammatical errors. Also, please note if I took a wrong direction or got off course in my journey. Lastly and because this is opinion based, please note if there are any places that seem too harsh or offensive.

LTTE Rough Draft

To the Editor:

Jim Fuquay’s article on March 29 regarding “investors offering to buy mineral rights for future royalties” makes several interesting points, including the shady practices of the gas and oil companies. Mark Gresham states in the article, “I can count the number of honest royalty buyers on the fingers of both hands – and I’m not sure I’d use all my fingers.” That statement should immediately send up a red flag to anyone approached by the opportunistic royalty buyers knocking on the doors of Ft. Worth citizens. Their formula is simple: put up some eye-catching billboards (complete with celebrity endorsements), have a few meet-and-greet get-togethers to “clear the air” of any questions (of which no “regular Joe” has any expertise in which to even base a question), then offer a lump sum (which – if lucky – equals a whopping $5,000 in exchange for all the mineral rights once belonging to you and to future generations). Where are the experts looking out for our best interests? Where is the detailed planning and explanations of fine print? As the article points out, no one – not even the gas and oil companies themselves – really have a formula in which to formulate the royalties. While there may be no crystal ball, it certainly seems as if a carnival atmosphere has come to town.
Also, Mr. Fuquay’s article makes a point to remind the reader of the economic recession and its possible impact with regard to selling mineral rights. In this economy, the average person has the opportunity to participate in little more than taxes, code compliance, and regulations. All of the sudden, with a wave of hand and tap of a wand, a “one-time, lump-sum payment” appears. Should we take the bait? The average person may view this opportunity as economic expediency; however, the San Antonio gentlemen mentioned in the article reminds others in the same situation not to be dazzled by a check for $350,000. Sure, it sounds like a fortune to you or me, especially during hard times; but to the higher ups at the top-name gas companies, it is merely a pittance.
In addition, the article reminds the reader to consult with accountants or lawyers and to do the necessary research to avoid a fleecing. We mustn’t forget for one moment that the buyers of royalties are experts in their own fields and can easily pummel the seller who has not done his or her research. Unfortunately, the article does not mention a possible source that could give great insight into this situation: the generational, large land owners of Ft. Worth. These families have been dealing with the oil and gas companies for years – more than the average citizen can ever imagine. Their dealings have most certainly taught them one valuable lesson: you never sell your mineral rights. Once they’re gone, so is your bargaining tool. Large land owners are leasers, not sellers, and their advice is advice you can take to the bank – just ask their accountants.
So in the end, forget the old adage, “Buyer, beware.” In this day and age, the new cry is, “Seller, be careful!”

Garrett Vandergriff
Texas Christian University
g.d.vandergriff@tcu.edu

Author's note
This is the first draft of my letter. I think I did a good job of addressing the article's strengths and pointing out what the author failed to address in the article, and then using that to help make my argument. I feel that I might be ranting a little too much in some places so let me know if that is the case.

Article

The current economic recession has created a dilemma for mineral right owners in Tarrant County. Drilling projects are being pushed back, and natural gas prices have plummeted from last year's highs; the decision of whether to lease their rights has become increasingly difficult with many feeling the crunch. Investors are now offering one-time lump-sum payments in exchange for the rights to all future monthly payments. The author presents the perspectives of all parties involved in the issue royalty purchasers, mineral right owners, and lawyers representing both sides.

Unit 3 topic

I am considering focusing on the impact the Barnett Shale has on the Greater Fort Worth area during the current economic crisis. Natural gas drilling has received its fair share of support and criticism over the past five years in the area so I thought it might be interesting to see how public perception of the issue has changed with the economic downturn. This topic caught my eye because there has been a drilling site erected next to my home, and I'm constantly passing by or stuck behind eighteen-wheelers carrying equipment to and from the site.

Author's Note Final Draft

This is the final draft of my paper. I like this draft because of the way the the analysis of each article builds on the next. The analysis covers and builds on all appeals (logos, ethos, and pathos) and is thorough. This draft is the result of the progression from thorough research to the selection of good sources and making sure they support the controlling argument of the case study to the development to expanding on this argument through the analysis of the rhetoric used in the sources. Overall I feel this is a solid draft and I hope reading it proves to be informative.

Author's Note

Author’s Note

1. This is the third draft of this paper.

2. I like this piece because it deals with a topic that interests me a great deal. I am worried about this piece because I don’t want it to sound too much like a research paper and not like a rhetorical analysis.

3. Please note if the transitions between sources are not smooth.

Development of Rhetorical Case Study

This draft is definitely more in-depth than the previous drafts. There is more explanation of each article and parenthetical citation as needed for these explanations. Also, this draft contains a great deal more analysis of each source and identification of the rhetorical devices used by each writer. Now, it reads – I hope – more like a rhetorical analysis and less like a research paper.

Also, it was necessary to dig for the correct ways to cite my electronic sources – especially the interview. MLA is constantly updating itself; however, sometimes the updates answers how to cite the source in the bibliography and not in the paper itself, or visa versa. It’s all a bit tedious and time consuming, sometimes more than writing the paper itself.

The effect of the record industry's decline on the local community

The record industry's old model collapsing impacts TCU students and Fort Worth residents in several ways. Due to the sharp decline in record sales and profits record labels are reticent to sign and develop new talent which is obviously detrimental to local musicians. However, musicians are not the only ones feeling the effects of falling album sales; local music retailers are suffering and in many cases barely staying afloat. Both major chains and mom and pop stores are having a hard time selling music in a format (CDs)that is quickly becoming irrelevant to our generation. In some cases stores are forced to close their doors which affects college students who work at these stores. There is another issue that correlates with the industry's decline that hits close to home with college students, piracy. The collapse of the record industry's collapse is tied directly to piracy, and a large portion of the music pirated is pirated by college students. If the record industry does not find some way to fight this then it is only a matter of time before the coming of the end.

Author's Note rhetorical case study

This is the first draft of my rhetorical case study. I know there are a few places where things need to be clarified, and that I need more analysis to go with the examples given. I am mostly concerned with my citations and whether they were done correctly, but the ratio of analysis to summary is also a concern.

Preparation of body sections

When writing my body sections and analyzing the rhetorical strategies used by the authors, the first thing that caught my attention was the differences in strategies employed by the authors who focused on the topic from the industries' perspective and those focused on the artists' perspective. The most obvious difference was that the authors focused on the industry tended to us pathos and logos to persuade the reader and the authors focused on the artists tended to focus mostly on ethos. This reinforces what I expected to find when researching the topic most music journalists look at the issue as record company bad, musicians good.

How my perspective on this topic has delveloped through researching and analyzing my sources

Prior to researching and analyzing my topic, I already had a solid understanding of my subject; however up until now I never quite realized how far album sales of have dropped. Through analyzing my sources I have come to look at the subject from other angles other than: record company bad, musicians good. When looking at the topic from the perspective of those in the industry you start to think about how many salaries are being paid through album sales (it's not just those execs who are dependent on the success of the products they are putting out) which in turn makes you think about all the music that is being pirated. More importantly through the analysis of my sources I have been able to find strong common threads running through all the sources despite the different angles the sources are coming from.

Research Experience

After extensive research on the library databases and the interweb I was able to find some good primary resources for paper. My topic is the collapse of the record industry and it's effects on musicians and record store owners. At first I was going to focus my paper solely on the effects it had on local musicians and store owners; however, I soon realized that if narrowed my topic to that extent I would mostly be relying on dated articles and personal interviews. So naturally I decided to focus on the effects the collapse is having on larger bands and major record chains as well as those closer to home.

My sources cover the topic from two perspectives. One perspective is that of the industry insiders and the other from the musicians or record store owners. Most of the sources present both perspectives at some point in the article which is emphasized depends on the source. The sources that are national publications tend to focus on the industry first and those effected second whereas the sources from local media outlets tend to focus mostly on those effected.

Final Draft Author's Note

1. This is my final draft of my analysis of a public space.

2. The suggestions and changes concerning word choice and vague pronouns definitely strengthen the piece. The piece comes across as more clear and focused for the reader, strengthening the argument.

3. I hope my argument makes you ponder that which is truly “Zeke’s” and makes you smile in the process.

Rhetorical Analysis Proposal

My proposal for my rhetorical analysis will deal with the collapse of the traditional record industry. The effects of downloading music and its easy access online have had a negative effect on the traditional model of how the record industry functions.

I plan on developing my ideas through the evaluation of interviews with store owners, local bands, and current record sales statistics as primary sources. In addition, I will be able to utilize current articles and reviews as secondary sources.

This subject interests me because I’ve always had an interest and knowledge of music, and I’ve never looked at this subject within my own community. Major chains are always closing, but you never hear about the effects on our local “Mom and Pop” stores or the bands in this area. I hope to broaden my perspective and perhaps shed some light on an important issue stemming from these tough economic times.

First Draft Author's Note

1. This is a first draft of my analysis of a public space.

2. I like this piece because – while it was academically driven – it was also personal. I am worried about this piece because it definitely steps out of the type of writing to which I am accustomed as a film major (which is far less formal and structured completely differently) and as history minor (more formal and rigid).

3. Please mark at least three things that you like and at least three things I really need to work on.

Meaning of Space for Local Community

Zeke’s is there for the neighborhood. It gives the locals a place to go where they won’t be disturbed when they don’t want to eat at home. No one bothers you; someone may just say “hey,” but that’s the extent. If you talk, it’s to the waitresses. One waitress in particular has been there a long time. She’s the anchor; she’s the person who makes it all happen in an orchestrated way.

Zeke’s is also there for comfort – food and familiarity. The fish is fried and so are the fries and hush puppies and everything else. You definitely aren’t going there for a healthy experience. It’s just to feel good. Everyone seems to know what they want without giving it much thought. That’s way makes it comfortable – people know they can get what they want.

Observation Experiences

My experience at Zeke’s was not out of the ordinary. I always order the same food, and the same waitress was on duty. However, I must say that it was interesting to look at a place that I’ve been to thousands of times in an analytical way. I had never noticed how dated everything seemed to be. The paint was fresh, but the décor was definitely classic time period stuff. I’ve also never looked at the people quite so closely. Zeke’s is the type of place you go because you know everyone there has been there as many times as you have, so you don’t look around. The ages varied as well as their backgrounds. People there look like they were eating at home – reading the paper, a few cuss words flying, and couples ignoring each other. However, I did spend a bit more time in the area where you place your order. It’s like a circus tent before the audience gets there – lots of characters and decorations and laid back happenings.

Public Space Analysis Proposal

The public space I am choosing is Zeke’s Fish ‘n Chips located off Camp Bowie and Bryant Irvin. I decided on this space for several reasons. First, I have been eating there for quite a while with my family. We moved to the Ft. Worth area about 12 years ago, and we’ve been customers from the beginning. Second, I lived in that area for a couple of years, so I also spent time there with friends. Everyone seems to like it. Because of the amount of time I’ve spent there, I think I can develop a strong argument.

I plan to observe the space either Tuesday, February 10, or Thursday, February 12. I sometimes meet my family on Thursday nights for dinner, so perhaps this date will be best. I plan on being there for the dinner crowd as it seems more varied.

I’ve never looked at Zeke’s analytically, so I’m sure I’ll be surprised at my observation. Sometimes it’s best if you don’t look too closely, so I hope I’m not turned-off to the place after this. I know I’ll probably touch on the location and the building. Most of the people I know are aware of Zeke’s because of its sign on top of the building. It’s a Ft. Worth landmark.

Intro

My name is Garrett Vandergriff. I hail from Aledo, TX a small town just west of Fort Worth and Benbrook. I am a senior planning on graduating in May with a degree in Radio-TV-Film and History. I enjoy music and play and collect guitars (I just recently added a '65 Epiphone Casino to the collection). My other love is writing (short stories and screenplays not necessarily term papers).

I am taking this course to fulfill my graduation requirements. Despite the fact that I am taking the class to graduate in the fall, one always hopes to improve as writer with practice.

Being a history major as well as a RTVF major most of the writing I do when school is in session consists of term papers and essay tests. Then of course there is the everyday writing that we all do constantly sending emails and text messages to stay connected with friends, family, professors, etc., etc. I feel that I am strong writer when my subject interests me; however, if I find the subject the least bit mundane or pointless I have a tendency to meet my assignment with indifference and just wing them which sometimes leads to lapses in organization, style, and structure.

Coming from a small, tight-knit town such as Aledo has without a doubt shaped my identity. When you tell someone that "I am from Aledo" you are usually met with "Where is that?" or "Never heard of it?" Or even if someone knows of it they tend to have their own assumptions about you, usually that you are a football fan or a cowboy. However when I say "I come from Aledo," I think of a tight knit community of people who have known each other for as long as they can remember.