Journal 1 - Matthew Schmeltzer

• What is writing—the definitions, ideas, thoughts, expressions, etc.—that you associate with writing?
Writing is the most simple, yet also the most complicated form of communication.  The dictionary defines writing as putting words on paper, but it is so much more than that. Writing is not only putting words to paper, it is stringing those words together in a way that can be so powerful and used in so many different methods to where there is unlimited potential.
• What defines successful writing for you?
Successful writing is any writing that gets the message across in a way to where the reader can understand what the author is trying to say.  Regardless of if the reader agrees with the intended message does not have an impact on whether or not the writing is considered successful.
• What type of writer do you see yourself as, and why?
I see myself as a creative writer, because I tend to do well and enjoy when I am writing something that is more towards the creative side, such as persuasive piece. However this being said all writing uses some form of creativity.
• Create a list of 5-8 key terms that define writing.
Expression, Creativity,, Complex, Art, Unique
• What is the major argument that you see these authors making?
The major argument is that instead of being so hard on plagiarism, allow students to derive work from other sources and remix them in their own way, so instead of the students trying so hard to hide that they have things from another source, they are instead able to cite the source and enhance their work.
• What did you learn about writing from this text?
I learned from this text that it is acceptable and beneficial for a writer to base their work off of the work of others, as long as they give the original author some credit for it.
• Is this article “successful” according to the criteria you defined earlier? If so, how? If not, why not?
Yes this article is very successful according to my criteria. It is successful because the message that they tried to get across is clearly delivered and I, the reader, was able to learn what the writer wanted to inform me about.
• Has your understanding of writing changed as a result of engaging with Johnson-Eilola and Selber's article? Why or why not?
My understanding  of writing has changed slightly. I always believed that it should be okay to derive work from other sources but now I know that I am not the only person with that opinion.
• Do you want to revise your list of key terms based on this reading? Explain what you would revise (or not) and why (not).
I would like to revise my list and add the word sharing. I would like to add this because after reading this article I decided that writing is a community, and everyone in the community should be willing to share their ideas and work with others.