Blog Post 14.3, Production Report 1

Outline Item: Opening Section

Outline Adaption:

Conscious: "Good evening, loyal listeners, this is Joshua's conscious mind. Today we will be looking at the work done by Joshua during his Freshman year English class at the University of Arizona. Oh; and there here is! He's coming into the call now. How are you doing there, Joshua?"

Me: "Well, Conscious, it's been a pretty rough semester. Back and forth, to be honest. There have been a lot of ups and downs and my English class was certainly no exception to that".

Conscious: "Well as your Conscious I'm certainly sorry to hear that. Did you at least learn anything in English this semester?"

Me: "Oh, Conscious Mind, lemme tell you. I learned how to use video editing software for the first time for English. I learned how to set an effective schedule for myself. I learned several new ways of citing images and evidence and quotes. Obviously, I learned much more; but we'll delve in to that later on as we go through the podcast.

Conscious: "One final question, Joshua, before we delve into your projects: Do you feel like you've progressed quite a bit this semester?"

Me: "Oh yes, Conscious, definitely. I got an 83% on First Project, minus the process work, and then on my Second Project I got an 89% so there has definitely been a forward progress with my Projects".

Blog Post 14.2, Production Schedule

For all of these sections, I will need my microphone to record my voice for the podcast. The location will be my dorm room (no need to film or record elsewhere).

Wednesday, April 27th:

Complete the Content Outline, Production Schedule, and first Production Report.

Complete the Opening Statement for my podcast.

Thursday, April 28th:

Complete the second Production Report. Search classmate blogs and see if a Peer Review is possible.

Try to complete both the first and second body sections if possible.

Sunday, May 1st:

(I will be gone on a field trip for my Geology class until Sunday night, so my Rough Cut will be pushed back a bit)

Complete the third body section of my podcast.

Complete the Peer Review (if not done already).

Monday, May 2nd:

Complete the closing section of the podcast.

Upload the Rough Cut to my blog.

Blog Post 14.1, Content Outline

I plan on doing a Podcast Segment for my final project. Luckily, in terms of evidence, I don't really need to research much. I simply need to look at my old writing.

Opening Section:

• Talk about how the semester has been thus far for me. Discuss what I've learned overall as a writer and how I'll go into more detail in the body sections.

Attention Grabber:

• Talk about my grade progression through the semester. This will show how my writing has progressed over time.

Body Section 1:

• Talk about Project 1 and the Video Essay. Discuss what I did well and what I did not so well. Talk about how my experience helped me later.

Evidence:

• Mostly still imagery used. Proves that I wasn't that adapt at using video media. This is important because I did not do that well on this project.
• Used a lot of sources in my work. Proves that I thoroughly researched my topic. Important because I would use this to aid my work later.

Body Section 2:

• Project 2 and the QRG. Talk about what was different this time than what I did in Project 1. Investigate what worked well for me and what didn't.

Evidence:

• Used a lot of images in my QRG. Proves that I followed the format for QRG correctly. Important because conventions was something lacking in Project 1 that I improved upon in Project 2.
• Large blocks of text still present despite edits. Shows that editing wasn't always effective. Important because it would force me to carefully edit my future work.

Body Section 3:

• Project 3 and the College Essay. Discuss how doing the QRG prepared me for this project. Talk about the controversy and why it was important to me. Explain what was good/not good.

Evidence:

• Variety of sources used. Proves that many different sides of the controversy were introduced. Important because I had to show that a good idea was great and try and prove the naysayers somewhat wrong; but I still had to provide their opinions.
• Paper was somewhat short. Proves that maybe not enough work was put into the project. Important because it shows that I could've maybe done more.

Closing Section:

• Talk about the end of the class and how the journey has been interesting. Finish up by stating that my work has truly improved for the better. 

Closing (Significance): 

• Quote from Winston Churchill: "Success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts".

Blog Post 13.6, Editorial Report 13b

Selection from Fine-Cut:

Closing Statement:

Fracking, in its current form, is incredibly controversial and has serious drawbacks. There are concerns about environmental and human health damage caused by spills, release of chemicals, etc. However, the industry also provides a huge amount of oil and natural gas; enough to take the United States one step closer to energy independence. Changes do need to be made, however. The suggested ideas discussed above: waterless fracking, the use of recycled water and a complete chemical overhaul, are all great ideas. They all reduce the amount of toxic waste that could potentially be created. As well, they all reduce the negative impacts that fracking has had on some populations. Although opposition to fracking will remain high, it is hoped that these new ideas could truly make the industry a safer and more efficient form of energy production. Perhaps new innovations will show those opposed to fracking that the industry can be a more environmentally friendly one; if enough work is done to make it so.

Re-Edited Selection:

Closing Statement:

Fracking, in its current form, is incredibly controversial and has serious drawbacks for both the environment and human health. There are concerns about damage caused by spills, release of chemicals, etc. However, the industry also provides a huge amount of oil and natural gas; enough to take the United States one step closer to energy independence. Changes must be made, however. The suggested ideas discussed above: waterless fracking, the use of recycled water and a complete chemical overhaul, are all fantastic ideas. They all reduce the amount of toxic waste that could potentially be created by fracking. As well, they all reduce the negative impacts that fracking has had on some populations. Although opposition to fracking will remain high, it is hoped that these new ideas could truly make the industry a safer and more efficient form of energy production. Perhaps new innovations will show those opposed to fracking that the industry can be a more environmentally friendly one; if enough work is done to make it so.

Blog Post 13.5, Editorial Report 13a

Selection from Fine-Cut:

What is Fracking?

Hydraulic fracturing, or “fracking”, is a mining process used to extract natural gas and crude oil trapped within shale rock formations. First, a rig is setup to drill into the shale rock. After the drilling is complete, a highly pressurized mixture of water, sand, and chemicals is used to break apart the rock along the sides of the drill hole. The gas and oil contained within the rocks is then free to come up through the drill hole and be collected (BBC News, “What is fracking and why is it controversial?).

Recently, the United States has experienced a boom in fracking. Thousands of new wells have sprung up in Texas, Oklahoma, North Dakota and other Great Plains/Rocky Mountain states such as Nebraska and Colorado. The boom has led to a massive increase in oil production in the United States. Indeed, CNN states that, “Fracking now accounts for more than half of all U.S. oil output, according to the Energy Information Administration” (CNN, “Fracking now fuels half of U.S energy output). As well, BBC also claims that, “In the United States, it is estimated that fracking will provide gas security for the next one hundred years!” (BBC News, “Fracking: The pros and cons of extracting shale gas”). If the government of the United States truly wants to obtain a higher level of energy independence, fracking may be an effective solution.

Fracking, however, also has significant drawbacks that must be concerned. For one, the fracking process can lead to significant pollution of local groundwater supplies. Tracy Carluccio, the deputy director of the Delaware Riverkeeper Network, is quoted as saying, “Fracking disturbs, distributes, and carries upward with the fracked gas ‘produced waters’ containing radioactive materials, heavy metals, hydrocarbons such as BTEX (benzene, toluene, ethyl benzene, and toluene), bromide, highly concentrated salts, and many other organic and inorganic compounds that, when exposed to our environment, are dangerous health hazards” (U.S.News. “Fracking is Destroying Our Groundwater”). This consequences of fracking, while not seen in every well or every community, is still enough to convince some towns to ban fracking entirely. As well, fracking is being blamed by some for being the cause of minor earthquakes and tremors. Before fracking is expanded further, the safety and environmental concerns over the industry must be talked about. There are several new technologies being proposed to lessen the impact of fracking on the environment. Three possible improvements are: waterless fracking, using recycled water in the fracturing process, and changing the chemicals used.

Re-edited Selection:

What is Fracking?

Hydraulic fracturing, or “fracking”, is a mining process used to extract natural gas and crude oil trapped within shale rock formations. First, a rig is setup to drill into the shale rock. After the drilling is complete, a highly pressurized mixture of water, sand, and chemicals is used to break apart the rock along the sides of the drill hole. The gas and oil contained within the rocks is then free to come up through the drill hole and be collected (BBC News, “What is fracking and why is it controversial?).

Recently, the United States has experienced a boom in fracking. Thousands of new wells have sprung up in Texas, Oklahoma, North Dakota and other Great Plains/Rocky Mountain states such as Nebraska and Colorado. The boom has led to a massive increase in oil production in the United States. Indeed, CNN states that, “Fracking now accounts for more than half of all U.S. oil output, according to the Energy Information Administration” (CNN, “Fracking now fuels half of U.S energy output). As well, the BBC claims that, “In the United States, it is estimated that fracking will provide gas security for the next one hundred years!” (BBC News, “Fracking: The pros and cons of extracting shale gas”). If the government of the United States truly wants to obtain a higher level of energy independence, fracking may be an effective solution.

Fracking, however, also has significant drawbacks that must be considered. For one, the fracking process can lead to significant pollution of local groundwater supplies. Tracy Carluccio, the deputy director of the Delaware Riverkeeper Network, is quoted as saying, “Fracking disturbs, distributes, and carries upward with the fracked gas ‘produced waters’ containing radioactive materials, heavy metals, hydrocarbons such as BTEX (benzene, toluene, ethyl benzene, and toluene), bromide, highly concentrated salts, and many other organic and inorganic compounds that, when exposed to our environment, are dangerous health hazards” (U.S.News. “Fracking is Destroying Our Groundwater”). This consequences of fracking, while not seen in every well or community, is still enough to convince some towns to ban fracking entirely. As well, fracking is being blamed by some environmentalists for being the cause of minor earthquakes and tremors. Before fracking is expanded further, the safety and environmental concerns over the industry must be talked about and solutions proposed. There are several new technologies being researched to lessen the impact of fracking on the environment. Three possible improvements are: waterless fracking, using recycled water in the fracturing process, and changing the chemicals used.

Blog Post 13.4, Reflection On Local Revision Process

• What were some of the successes (or, things that went right) during this week’s process work? Explain, with evidence.

I was able to complete the global and local revisions as needed. My essay is practically ready to turn in!

• What were some of the challenges (or, things that went wrong) during this week’s process work? Explain, with evidence.

Again, completing Peer Review was a bit difficult. I ended up commenting on a Research Report this week even though the time has long past for Peer Review on that selection to be very effective.

• How do you think next week will go, based on your experiences this week?

Next week will be a nice break from editing and revising. However, i will also need to double down on work for my final project.

• How are you feeling about the project overall at this point?

I am feeling great about the project. I feel as if I stated my argument and evidence well and that I will continue to have success in the class overall before we complete our final project.

Blog Post 13.3, Peer Review 13b

For this Peer Review, I looked at the Research Report done by Chandler Gillette. Although the project is almost done, I think that a last second review of the research will be beneficial to Chandler.

All in all, Chandler did an excellent job finding relevant information for his project. He went into exceptional detail talking about the source, it's author, the material within, the credibility of the source, etc.

I will, however, make a Research Recommendation:

The level of detail in this report was incredible. You spared no expense in your report. Credibility, context, target audience; all were touched upon.

The credibility for most articles is sound. However, some of your readers may question the fact that you put several quotes and information from Apple websites or employees. This could constitute a bit of a bias, though, the report you are compiling does have some inherent bias.

There was a great diversity of sources, as well. News sites such as Fox and CNN were included; as well as quotes from Apple employees and independent authors.

One minor detail: the cursing. While I myself don't mind and think it's actually a humorous way to get the point across sometimes, it could unprofessional in some minds.

Blog Post 13.2, Peer Review 13a

For this Peer Review, I looked at the Rough Cut done by Ryan Wolfe. 

Overall, the rough draft of Ryan's essay looks well done. He has a great deal of sources and information and manages to take a stance on a rather unpopular topic and defend it expertly. I will, however, make a content suggestion:

• You certainly match the requirements put forth by the Project 3 guidelines. You brought up what you claim is a great idea and explain why it is so great. 
• Some minor grammatical fixes should be done (E.g. capitalize MSNBC fully).
• Don't forget to take into account counter arguments to your piece. For example, your section talking about whether illegal immigration is a problem or not, one rebuttal could be that illegal immigration has slowed and that we are deporting more aliens than are coming in successfully.
• You did use information from Trump's own website; a great deal of bias could be present. However, I believe that in the context that it was being used in, you did well.
• Overall, you used a great deal of sources in your piece. Make sure there's a comprehensive Works Cited!

Blog Post 13.1, Fine Cut of my College Essay

Fine Cut

Blog Post 12.6, Editorial Report 12b

Selection from Rough Cut:

The Proposed Ideas:

One idea that has sprung up is the idea of “waterless fracking”. The idea, admittedly, sounds a bit odd when one thinks about fracking. Just about every description of fracking states that pressurized water is necessary to break apart the shale rock containing oil and gas. However, several companies, including Snyder Farm Group in New York state, are currently experimenting with a propane gel and sand mixture that would be injected into the drill site as a replacement for pressurized water (Fox News. “Can waterless fracking in New York side-step Cuomo’s ban?”). Such an innovation would eliminate the need for water to not only be trucked in from elsewhere, but from being used at all.

However, not all companies may adopt waterless fracking. Although, a second proposal would be to simply use recycled water for the fracking process. Critics of fracking often point out that the industry uses large amounts of fresh water. Such water, they argue, is incredibly precious to the environment and human well being. However, a solution may very well be on the way. According to National Geographic Magazine, “(Oil and gas) industry researchers have worked to perfect friction-reducing additives that would allow operators to use recycled "gray" water or brine pumped from underground” (National Geographic. “Green Fracking?”).

Finally, the chemicals being used in the fracking process could be changed altogether. Critics of fracking argue that the industry uses toxic chemicals in the drilling and harvesting process. New chemical discoveries, however, could eliminate such harmful agents. Patricia Waldron of Inside Science reports that, “Halliburton, a prominent producer of fracking fluids, presented a product called CleanStim. The product contains chemicals approved for use in the food industry, such as an enzyme found in soybeans and partially hydrogenated vegetable oil.” (Inside Science. “In Search of Greener Fracking for Natural Gas”). If products like CleanStim could be implemented throughout the industry, the use of traditional, less environmentally friendly chemicals could be cut down substantially.

Re-Edited Selection:

The Proposed Ideas:

One idea that has sprung up is the idea of “waterless fracking”. The idea, admittedly, sounds a bit odd when one thinks about fracking. Just about every description of fracking states that pressurized water is necessary to break apart the shale rock containing oil and gas. However, several companies, including Snyder Farm Group in New York state, are currently experimenting with a propane gel and sand mixture that would be injected into the drill site as a replacement for pressurized water (Fox News. “Can waterless fracking in New York side-step Cuomo’s ban?”). Such an innovation would eliminate the need for water to not only be trucked in from elsewhere, but from being used at all. This means that operators will not need to spend large sums of money to obtain the millions of gallons necessary to operate a well. As well, groundwater supplies will not be drained to the extent that they have been.

However, not all companies may adopt waterless fracking. Although, a second proposal would be to simply use recycled water for the fracking process. Critics of fracking often point out that the industry uses large amounts of fresh water. Such water, they argue, is incredibly precious to the environment and human well being. However, a solution may very well be on the way. According to National Geographic Magazine, “(Oil and gas) industry researchers have worked to perfect friction-reducing additives that would allow operators to use recycled "gray" water or brine pumped from underground” (National Geographic. “Green Fracking?”). This innovation, much like waterless fracking, would cut down significantly on operating costs and impact to local water supplies.

Finally, the chemicals being used in the fracking process could be changed altogether. Critics of fracking argue that the industry uses toxic chemicals in the drilling and harvesting process. New chemical discoveries, however, could eliminate such harmful agents. Patricia Waldron of Inside Science reports that, “Halliburton, a prominent producer of fracking fluids, presented a product called CleanStim. The product contains chemicals approved for use in the food industry, such as an enzyme found in soybeans and partially hydrogenated vegetable oil.” (Inside Science. “In Search of Greener Fracking for Natural Gas”). If products like CleanStim could be implemented throughout the industry, the use of traditional, less environmentally friendly chemicals could be cut down substantially. This would lead to significant environmental improvements and eliminate the potential for toxic chemical spills both at the surface level and in underground aquifers near the drill site.

• How did the content change (even slightly - details matter!) when you re-edited it? Why do you think the content is being communicated more effectively in the re-edited version?

The content changed significantly. One of the main suggestions in peer review was that I expand upon my direct quote explanations. When I did this, I found that my argument was strengthened overall. Instead of just quoting the innovations being discussed, I tried to explain them somewhat before my third body section (where I explain WHY they are so great).

• How did the form change (even slightly - details matter!) when you re-edited it? Why do you think the form is presenting the content more effectively in the re-edited version?

The essay was made just a tad longer by this edit. However, when I edit the rest of my essay, it could be substantially longer; perhaps a half a page to a page longer. As well, the quote explanations worked to solidify my body sections main point: the proposed ideas and what they are.

Blog Post 12.5, Editorial Report 12a

As with the last project I did, I put off finishing my works cited until during the editing process. In the Rough Cut, I simply had the title for the section:

            Selection From Rough Cut:

Works Cited:

During this week, I filled in the section with the sources that I gleaned information from.

Re-Edited Selection:

Works Cited:

ABC (Australia) News. “Fracking Fact-Finding Trip…” Australian Broadcasting Corporation. June 28th, 2015. Web. April 3rd, 2016.

BBC News. “Fracking: The Pros and Cons of Extracting Shale Gas”. The BBC. June 23rd, 2015. Web. April 2nd, 2016.

BBC News. “What Is Fracking and Why Is It Controversial?”. The BBC. December 16th, 2015. Web. April 2nd, 2016.

Carluccio, Tracy. “Fracking Is Destroying Our Groundwater”. U.S.News. November 28th, 2011.  Web. April 2nd, 2016.

Egan, Matt. “Fracking Fallout”. CNN Money. March 29th, 2016. Web. April 3rd, 2016.

Egan, Matt. “Fracking Now Fuels Half of U.S Output”. CNN Money. March 24th, 2016. Web. April 3rd, 2016.

Hinchey, Maurice (D-NY). “Fracking Industry Needs to Follow Laws, Too”. U.S.News. November 28th, 2011. Web. April 2nd, 2016.

Kiger, Patrick J. “Green Fracking? 5 Technologies for Cleaner Shale Energy”. National Geographic Magazine. March 21st, 2014. Web. April 3rd, 2016.

Magill, Bobby. “Water Use Rises as Fracking Expands”. Scientific American. July 1st, 2015. Web. April 3rd, 2016.

Nikolewski, Rob. “Can ‘Waterless Fracking’ in New York Sidestep Cuomo’s Ban?”. Fox News. October 12th, 2015. Web. April 2nd, 2016.

*Nikolewski, Rob. “Can ‘Waterless Fracking’ in New York Sidestep Cuomo’s Ban?”. Watchdog. October 12th, 2015. Web. April 2nd, 2016.

Swift, Art. “Americans Split on Support for Fracking in Oil, Natural Gas”. Gallup. March 23rd, 2015. Web. April 4th, 2016.

Waldron, Patricia. “In Search Of Greener Fracking For Natural Gas”. Inside Science. July 16th, 2014. Web. April 3rd, 2016.

*This source contributed to the Fox News article.

• How did the content change (even slightly - details matter!) when you re-edited it? Why do you think the content is being communicated more effectively in the re-edited version?

The content did not change much but my credibility for the paper increased significantly. A works cited is absolutely critical for a paper to be backed up and trustworthy.

• How did the form change (even slightly - details matter!) when you re-edited it? Why do you think the form is presenting the content more effectively in the re-edited version?

The form of my paper changed significantly. Rather than being an unbacked, unsourced paper (A serious offense!), my paper now has sources to back up the claims made within.

Blog Post 12.4, Reflection on Global Revision Process

• What were some of the successes (or, things that went right) during this week’s process work? Explain, with evidence.

I was able to complete my rough draft and get started on the revision process. I wanted to ensure that I did not procrastinate on this project and I feel as if I got the job done.

• What were some of the challenges (or, things that went wrong) during this week’s process work? Explain, with evidence.

Finding posts to peer review. There was not a huge amount of new information by others to peer review sometimes. I unfortunately had to go and peer review content outlines and research reports. Peer reviewing those posts at this point in the project seems like it will not help that much.

• How do you think next week will go, based on your experiences this week?

I think that next week will go well and that I will be able to finish my editing. My Essay might not be incredibly strong, but the comments I am getting through peer review seem to be telling me that my Essay is solid.

• How are you feeling about the project overall at this point?

As the semester winds down to a close, I feel like I want the project to just be over! I've done a great deal of hard work thus far and the semester is almost done. There is still work to be done, however.

Blog Post 12.3, Peer Review 12b

For this Peer Review, I studied the Research Report done by Sofia Haserot.

Sofia did an excellent job at finding a great deal of research for Project 3. I will, however, make a research recommendation:

You put an incredible amount of detail into your report. Not only was the information summarized, you found information on the authors, their credibility, the source, etc. My research report lacked these sections and I feel as if I really should have put them in.

The sources listed are defined as credible and are backed up with evidence of WHY they are credible. However, you also did mention that some articles or stories definitely have a bias. This may make the source a bit less credible overall.

My largest critique is over the diversity of sources in your report. Most of them appear to come from Fox News. While this might not hurt the project overall, it might help to find other sources that are stating the same information. This will prove to the audience that there is more than one news agency breaking the story or reporting.

Blog Post 12.2, Peer Review 12a

For this Peer Review, I looked at the Content Outline done by James Fusaro.

Overall, James did a great job giving us a general view of what his first body section will look like. I will make an outlining suggestion for him.

To begin, the use of evidence was superb. While links might not be present, you have a good idea of where to find information for your project.

You explained that your outline was part of an argumentative essay. This is an excellent piece of information to include as it establishes the rhetorical situation of your piece.

One suggestion, however: the adaption seems a bit short. One paragraph for a body section might not be enough to cover all of the information that you wish to present. In my own college essay, I used about 2-3 paragraphs for each body section.

Blog Post 12.1, Rough Cut of Project 3

Rough Draft of College Essay

Works Cited is missing for now; will add in later.

Blog Post 11.5, Production Peer Review 2

For this Peer Review I looked at the Production Schedule done by Chandler Gillette.

Although the schedule was a bit short, it conveyed it's main point: tell the blog audience how the Project will be completed. As well, Chandler included dates for global and local recommendations; something that I did not do and will have to take into account! I do have some recommendations, however:

Resource Recommendation:

Luckily, it sounds like you can get everything done without the use of rented materials. However, keep the equipment rental desk in mind in case your equipment breaks, has issues, etc.

Also, if you are working with video, try to make a short starter video to familiarize yourself with the software. Same idea with the podcast. YouTube videos on audio/video recording software could also go a long way.

Finally, make sure you fully understand what kind of writer you are (Page 39 of the Student's Guide To First-Year Writing) as you complete items on your schedule. Making a schedule helps fight procrastination. However, if you find that being on a rush to complete work actually helps you out, maybe re-work the schedule a bit. Or, if you need to find your procrastination (if you have any), check your schedule daily to remind yourself what needs to be done (Be a Heavy Planner!).

Blog Post 11.4, Production Peer Review 1

For this Peer Review, I looked at the Content Outline done by Marvin Chaires.

Overall, Marvin did a great job outlining his information and organized it effectively. However, I do have some recommendations for him:

Outlining Suggestion:

The content outline guidelines asked you to provide a piece of interesting information or a "hook" to the intro and a piece in the conclusion to wrap up the piece overall. In your outline, I did not see those two important pieces. Perhaps go back and add them in so that your outline is more complete and provides a better framework for your rough draft.

As well, I did not see specific sources for your information. While the outline is just a rough template to get you started on your rough draft, a few hyperlinks to some of your pieces of evidence would go a long way towards helping you organize your research.

Speaking of research, a quick look at the Research Checklist on page 98 of the Student's Guide to First-Year Writing couldn't hurt.

Good luck with Project 3!

Blog Post 11.3, Production Reflection

Overall, the production week went smoothly and was mostly stress free. Some problems did occur, however.

• What were some of the successes (or, things that went right) during this week’s process work? Explain, with evidence.

I managed to get a lot of my College Essay done this week. Considering that this genre typically involves the most writing, I was rather proud that I got a lot of it done.

• What were some of the challenges (or, things that went wrong) during this week’s process work? Explain, with evidence.

Unfortunately, I still need to finish up the Conclusions and Works Cited section of my Essay. Procrastination did occur and I need to work on that.

• How do you think next week will go, based on your experiences this week?

I think that I will be able to get my Essay posted by Tuesday for Revision and that Project 3 will be back on track.

• How are you feeling about the project overall at this point?

I feel like I've done an adequate job so far. The Essay is, in my opinion, far from great. However, I think it explains the controversy and the great ideas that can be used to resolve it rather well.

Blog Post 11.2, Production Report 2

Outline Item:


New technologies are being researched and developed to make fracking safer.

Talk about three: Waterless fracking, using recycled water or brine for the injection well, and changing the chemical use.

The three pieces of evidence above prove that measures are being undertaken to make fracking a safer, more environmentally friendly practice.

This evidence is important for my essay because the essay is entirely about new fracking methods.


Adaption of Outline Item:

One idea that has sprung up is the idea of “waterless fracking”. The idea, admittedly, sounds a bit odd when one thinks about fracking. Just about every description of fracking states that pressurized water is necessary to break apart the shale rock containing oil and gas. However, several companies, including Snyder Farm Group in New York state, are currently experimenting with a propane gel and sand mixture that would be injected into the drill site as a replacement for pressurized water (Fox News. “Can waterless fracking in New York side-step Cuomo’s ban?”). Such an innovation would eliminate the need for water to not only be trucked in from elsewhere, but from being used at all.

However, not all companies may adopt waterless fracking. Although, a second proposal would be to simply use recycled water for the fracking process. Critics of fracking often point out that the industry uses large amounts of fresh water. Such water, they argue, is incredibly precious to the environment and human well being. However, a solution may very well be on the way. According to National Geographic Magazine, “(Oil and gas) industry researchers have worked to perfect friction-reducing additives that would allow operators to use recycled "gray" water or brine pumped from underground” (National Geographic. “Green Fracking?”).

Finally, the chemicals being used in the fracking process could be changed altogether. Critics of 

fracking argue that the industry uses toxic chemicals in the drilling and harvesting process. New 

chemical discoveries, however, could eliminate such harmful agents. Patricia Waldron of Inside 

Science reports that, “Halliburton, a prominent producer of fracking fluids, presented a product 

called CleanStim. The product contains chemicals approved for use in the food industry, such as an 

enzyme found in soybeans and partially hydrogenated vegetable oil.” (Inside Science. “In Search of 

Greener Fracking for Natural Gas”). If products like CleanStim could be implemented throughout 

the industry, the use of traditional, less environmentally friendly chemicals could be cut down 

substantially.

Blog Post 11.1, Production Report 1

Outline Item:


Opening:

Explain the basics of hydraulic fracturing (fracking) and it's rise to current popularity. Introduce some pros and cons of fracking (BBC). Finish by introducing the great idea(s): safer and greener fracking technologies.

Attention Grabber:

State an interesting fact about fracking (From BBC Article, especially).


Adaption of Outline Item:

Hydraulic fracturing, or “fracking”, is a mining process used to extract natural gas and crude oil trapped within shale rock. First, a rig is setup to drill into the shale rock. After the drilling is complete, a highly pressurized mixture of water, sand, and chemicals is used to break apart the rock along the sides of the drill hole. The gas and oil contained within the rocks is then free to come up through the drill hole and be collected (BBC News, “What is fracking and why is it controversial?).

Recently, the United States has experienced a boom in fracking. Thousands of new wells have sprung up in Texas, Oklahoma, North Dakota and other Great Plains/Rocky Mountain states such as Nebraska and Colorado. The boom has led to a massive increase in oil production in the United States. Indeed, CNN states that, “Fracking now accounts for more than half of all U.S. oil output, according to the Energy Information Administration” (CNN, “Fracking now fuels half of U.S energy output). As well, BBC also claims that, “In the United States, it is estimated that fracking will provide gas security for the next one hundred years!” (BBC News, “Fracking: The pros and cons of extracting shale gas”). If the government of the United States truly wants to obtain a higher level of energy independence, fracking may be an effective solution.

 
Fracking, however, also has significant drawbacks that must be concerned. For one, the 

fracking process can lead to significant pollution of local groundwater supplies. Tracy Carluccio, the 

deputy director of the Delaware Riverkeeper Network, is quoted as saying, “Fracking disturbs, 

distributes, and carries upward with the fracked gas ‘produced waters’ containing radioactive 

materials, heavy metals, hydrocarbons such as BTEX (benzene, toluene, ethyl benzene, and toluene), 

bromide, highly concentrated salts, and many other organic and inorganic compounds that, when 

exposed to our environment, are dangerous health hazards” (US News. “Fracking is Destroying Our 

Groundwater”). This consequence of fracking, while not seen in every well or every community, is 

still enough to convince some towns to ban fracking entirely. As well, fracking is being blamed by 

some for being the cause of minor earthquakes and tremors. Before fracking is expanded further, the 

safety and environmental concerns over the industry must be talked about. There are several new 

technologies being proposed to lessen the impact of fracking on the environment. Three possible 

improvements are: waterless fracking, using recycled water in the fracturing process, and changing 

the chemicals used.

Blog Post 10.7, Reflection on Pre-Production

Overall, Pre-Production went well. i was able to find an interesting topic and gather a significant amount of research for it. As well, I was able to narrow my topic down considerably.

• What were some of the successes (or, things that went right) during this week’s process work? Explain, with evidence.

I was able to obtain good evidence for my project. Finding 10 sources for some narrowed-down, specific topics is not easy. However, I found 10 sources easily and could easily find many more. Fracking is a controversial topic; so it was no surprise to me that there was a plethora of information and opinion out on the web.

• What were some of the challenges (or, things that went wrong) during this week’s process work? Explain, with evidence.

I was a little bit delayed in finishing up the Pre-Production section. This Reflection was completed on Monday, April 4th, 2016; one day after it should have been. As a result, my actually Production schedule may have to be tweaked somewhat.

• How do you think next week will go, based on your experiences this week?

I think that I will be able to get a good draft going. My only concerns are over conventions for the College Essay (are headings for body sections appropriate?) and how long my Essay will be.

• How are you feeling about the project overall at this point?

I am feeling just ok about the Project. Part of me realizes that Summer Break is just around the corner and I want to get there. However, there is still work that needs to be done. I will need to cut down on the procrastination.

Blog Post 10.6, Research Report

I plan on doing a College Essay for Project 3. As a result, I will need to gather a copious amount of evidence to support my various claims. Since fracking is such a hot button issue right now, finding 10 sources was not too difficult:

1. Waterless Fracking, Fox News

This story discusses how the use of conventional fracking techniques may allow companies to start fracking in New York state. It mentions that New York's governor, Andrew Cuomo, is strongly opposed to the industry. However, the fracking being used does not use water to break up the shale rock where the oil and gas is contained. Instead, a propane gel is used. It is hoped that by not using water, the fracking process will be much cleaner and safer.

2. Green Fracking, Nat. Geo

The article discusses several innovations or procedures that could potentially make fracking a greener industry. Such improvements include using recycled water or brine instead of freshwater, treating the waste water generated by fracking, and eliminating diesel equipment from drill sites.

3. In Search of Greener Fracking, Inside Science

This article is similar to the Nat. Geo article in that it discusses a way to make fracking a more environmentally friendly process. In specific, the author talks about how some companies are changing the chemicals used in the fracking process to changing the form that chemicals come in (powdered chemicals over liquid ones. Liquid chemcials used in the process can create toxic solvents).

4. Fracking Is Destroying Our Groundwater, US News

This Op-Ed makes its views clear in the title: Fracking is a plague upon groundwater. The author states that the process releases dangerous chemicals and materials stored deep within the oil and gas rich shales that are being drilled. These chemicals pollute local groundwater. This information makes fracking appear incredibly risky and dangerous.

5. Fracking Fallout, CNN

This story states that millions of people in the Great Plains and Rocky Mountain states are at risk for earthquakes. A study by government scientists states that fluid injection could be creating light tremors. Fluid injection is a mjaor part of the fracking process. However, there is some controversy. The study was conducted by government funded scientists while another group of scientists funded by research industry companies pointed out that the government group did not directly reference fracking as a cause.

6. Americans Split on Support for Fracking, Gallup

This is a poll conducted by Gallup to research the opinion of U.S citizens on fracking. The poll found that 40% of Americans support fracking while 40% oppose it. Incredibly, 19% of those polled do not have an opinion on the matter.

The poll is later broken up into support for fracking amongst Republicans, Democrats, and Independents. A very partisan divide is evident: 66% of Republicans approve while 54% of Democrats disapprove of fracking.

7. Fracking Industry Needs to Follow Laws, US News

Much like Source #4, this is an Op-Ed expressing concerns over fracking. The author believes that the fracking industry needs to be held more accountable for its actions and legislation must be implemented to ensure that fracking is done safely and ethically.

8. Fracking: The Pros and Cons, BBC

The story focuses on fracking in the English county of Lancashire. The video states several pros and cons about fracking and how it may affect the region. Overall, the same pros and cons can be transcribed to the U.S controversy.

9. Fracking Fact Finding Trip, Australian Broadcasting Corporation 

Like Source #8, this article focuses on both the benefits and drawbacks of fracking in South Australia. On one hand, there were reports of groundwater leaks. On the other hand, incidents were mostly isolated and it is believed that fracking could provide a boost to the economy.

10. Oil Milestone, CNN

This article shares the startling new information that half of the oil produced in the U.S comes from shale oil (fracking). This story claims that the oil boom is still growing strong despite a few years of environmental concerns.

Blog Post 10.5, Peer Review 10b

For this Peer Review, I looked at the Production Schedule done by Jason Boley.

Overall, Jason did a great job of planning his project out. His planner is well spaced and gives him plenty of time to get his work done.

Since I am doing a review of his Schedule, I will make a Resource Recommendation:

In terms of assistance with writing, there are a few places on the University of Arizona campus that could help him out. ThinkTank is an excellent choice.

As well, talking Professor Bottai himself would be helpful. If he is unavailable, he could probably send contact info for another English teacher that will be able to help with the writing process.

Keep these resources in mind if trouble or frustration with writing sets in.

Blog Post 10.4, Peer Review 10a

For this Peer Review, I looked at the Rhetorical Analysis of Project 3 done by Ben Meyer.

Since I am reviewing his Rhetorical Analysis, I will make a Brainstorming Suggestion:

Since a QRG is being made, a web diagram or something similar to it should be made. Web diagrams are good for brainstorming ideas because most of the bubbles in the diagram have short amounts of writing in them instead of longer sentences. This brainstorming activity will be good preperation for writing short, concise passages in a QRG.

A good example of a web diagram used for aiding the writing process can be found on page 45 of A Student's Guide to First Year Writing.

As well, try to find other QRGs either on the class blog page or on news sites to better understand what a QRG looks like.

I think I can learn a lot from Ben's discussion of his Audience in his Rhetorical Analysis. He explained that section in great detail and made me realize that I should probably put a great deal of work into identifying and writing for my own audience.

Blog Post 10.3, Content Outline

Since Project 3 is going to be a College Essay and require a great deal of research to be done, I think it would be best to first complete an outline of the rough draft. This will allow me to get a basic understanding of my topic and what I want to do with it.


Opening:

Explain the basics of hydraulic fracturing (fracking) and it's rise to current popularity. Introduce some pros and cons of fracking (BBC). Finish by introducing the great idea(s): safer and greener fracking technologies.

Attention Grabber:

State an interesting fact about fracking (From BBC Article, especially).


Body Section 1:

New technologies are being researched and developed to make fracking safer.

Talk about three: Waterless fracking, using recycled water or brine for the injection well, and changing the chemical use.

The three pieces of evidence above prove that measures are being undertaken to make fracking a safer, more environmentally friendly practice.

This evidence is important for my essay because the essay is entirely about new fracking methods.

Body Section 2:

These new technologies are great ideas because they make fracking a much more environmentally friendly and safer practice. Explain the kinds of dangers that could be mitigated by new technology:

Groundwater pollution

Earthquakes (though, there is controversy as to whether fracking causes quakes)

This evidence shows that fracking, in it's current form, is a very controversial and, often times, polluting industry.

That is important to take note of because these news technologies, it is hoped, will work to elimanate those problems.

Overall, the idea is great because it will make situations that arise in the pieces of evidence a thing of the past.


Body Section 3:

Despite these new and great advances in technology, there will still be some opposition to fracking.

Gallup Poll on support for fracking

Congressional opposition

This evidence illustrates that fracking is still a hot button topic in the United States right now.

It is important because even great ideas have some opposition and it is important to note the concerns and try to show both sides' viewpoints.


Conclusion:

Reiterate the pros and cons of fracking as it stands. Assert that with new technologies, the cons will be greatly reduced and fracking will be a viable form of energy collection, despite the opposition.

Larger Significance:

Talk about how important it is to many groups that the U.S become energy independent. Finish off by stating that fracking, with safer and greener technologies, will be a pathway towards energy independence.