Week 3: In her TED talk, Adichie advises us not to only see one version of a story but to explore all sides. By doing this, we can better understand the people involved and learn about different cultures and beliefs. She also emphasizes being aware of stereotypes. Stereotypes can be harmful because they may lead us to believe false things about others, often based on unfair assumptions. I plan to use her advice this semester by trying to understand everyone’s point of view and avoiding bias when I write. I will also be careful not to reinforce stereotypes, since that can cause misunderstandings or problems.
Week 4: The readings about cultures and subcultures focused on Korean immigrant culture in Lee’s story and Chinese immigrant culture in Tan’s. Both talk about immigration and being part of Asian-American communities. Tan’s story shows more about academic culture, while Lee’s focuses on language. Both mention language barriers and a subculture of silence among immigrants, where many are forced to stay silent because of their situation. The outsiders’ and insiders’ perspectives are shown through the authors’ experiences and their feelings about their mothers’ experiences in a new country with a different language. Outside perspectives sometimes judge the mothers as uneducated or incapable because they don’t speak English well, which can make them feel ashamed. I wish the authors had compared how their mothers were treated in their home countries versus in the U.S., as that might have made readers think more. For my transcultural interview, I will ask about background and personal questions to get deeper answers.
Week 6: From my observations, I learned that noticing patterns and themes in a group of people can tell you a lot. Seeing from outside allows you to pick up on small details you might miss otherwise. I also realized I could write many notes about people just living their lives, which I initially found a bit creepy. But now I understand why it’s done and see its value.
Week 7: Gloria Naylor’s “Mama’s Day” is about a woman who kills her slave owner and saves her people. The story includes a symbolic number representing the island’s history and power. Outsiders like Reema often miss the deeper meaning and focus on surface theories. The community keeps its history alive through storytelling and shared experiences. I haven’t read or watched anything quite like this story, so I find it unique. I’d describe Naylor’s style as blending magic with realism, using repetition and rhythm to create a vivid, detailed narrative—even though it’s nonfiction. When I reread it, I understood better what “18 & 23” meant. The culture in the story shows how outsiders often misunderstand and stereotype different cultures without knowing the full truth.
Week 8: In Wehle’s essay, I saw she used self-observation, real experience, reflection, and memory to tell her story about losing her parents. These elements made her writing heartfelt and detailed, helping readers feel her pain. She also reflected on what her parents’ bed meant to her, analyzing its symbolism. I plan to use reflection in my own observation essay by thinking about what I saw in the online community and analyzing how people behave and speak to better understand them.
Week 9: Baldwin’s essay discusses Black people’s experiences with the police in Harlem. To learn more about this culture, a field worker might ask, “How often do police cause problems here?” or “What kinds of issues do residents face?” Researching Black history and Harlem’s background can also help understand the insider perspective. I think, over time, these experiences remain similar—police stereotypes and misconduct continue to affect Black communities today. The next step is for people to learn from these stories. I would add to this by exploring why police officers act this way and how they justify their behavior, especially if they feel disrespected.
Week 10: One thing I worked on this semester was improving my teamwork and social skills in writing. I used others’ feedback on my drafts to see what needed fixing or adding. I’ve also gotten better at giving helpful feedback to others, overcoming my fear of offending. I now see feedback as a way to improve, not to criticize.
Week 13: I see a literature review in social sciences as a way to gather current, relevant research on a topic. It helps support your work with credible sources and informs others about a subject in an unbiased way. For my project, I’ve used articles similar to a literature review to support my points. My main focus is on the gender pay gap—how women often get paid less than men for doing the same work. It’s a big issue, but not talked about enough today. I want my review to raise awareness about gender discrimination at work, especially since many people still believe it’s not a problem anymore. I want to show that there’s still much work to do for equality.
Week 14: Writing a reverse outline helped me stay focused on one main idea per paragraph and prevented me from drifting off-topic. It also made it easier to identify key points for my multimedia presentation. I plan to use reverse outlines again in the future, maybe to simplify my essays or check that all necessary information is included and well-organized.
Week 15: The most helpful thing I learned for my writing was creating a detailed outline before starting to write. I had never broken down my plan like this before, but it made starting my essay much easier. Having a clear plan helped me stay organized and focused on what to include. I will definitely use this method for future essays to make the writing process smoother.
