AVERYDAY BLOG

For this assignment, I decided to analyze an article by Jennifer Casa-Todd called, “New Research: Social Media Has (Maybe Not) Destroyed a Generation.” In the article, Casa-Todd argues that many fears about social media harming young people may be exaggerated. She uses several research studies to support her point. While the article makes strong arguments, there are a few possible fallacies we can see using ideas from Crusius and Channell (2016).  One example is hasty generalization. The author shares studies that show social media does not strongly harm teens' well-being and may even have benefits. While these studies show positive or neutral effects, it’s possible that some teens are still negatively affected, so the conclusion may not apply to everyone. Therefore, the evidence cannot fully support such a broad statement about an entire generation.  Another fallacy is either/or (false dilemma). The article suggests that if we blame social media, we miss the chance to support...

For my blog post, I wanted to choose an argument I could relate to and understand from a personal perspective. For my weekly blog, I chose the argument of school start times because I’ve heard a lot of back and forth from both sides. I also haven’t been on Reddit before, so this was a whole new experience for me, trying to find an argument about this. However, I chose this Reddit thread because the topic is relatable to almost everyone, and they also question why schools start so early if research suggests a later start time. As someone who used to and still struggles to wake up for school, I was interested to see what people thought. This discussion quickly turns into a debate, with commenters sharing strong opinions, personal stories, and frustrations.  One concern I noticed is that a lot of comments would say opinions as facts without citing any research. Also, the original post mentions that it’s “proven” to be harmful, but very few responses include credible sources. Another i...

When thinking of companies to research and observe their online communication, Nike came straight to mind. It has a strong online presence that feels clear and intentional, and has a great balance in its marketing. After looking through its website and social media, it's obvious that the company knows who they are talking to and what message they want to send. In The Rhetorical Act, Campbell, Huxman, and Burkholder explain that communication always has a purpose and is shaped by the audience it's trying to reach (2014). Nike's online platforms show that idea in a real-world way.  At the top of Nike's homepage, you can see simple tabs for navigation like Men, Women, Kids, and Sport. This makes it easy to find what you're looking for right away. The middle of the page features new releases and collections with visuals and short phrases. It's not crowded with text, which keeps it easy to scroll and not get overwhelmed. At the bottom, there are links for customer se...

I am a regular listener of Emma Chamberlain’s podcasts, and I hadn’t yet heard her episode “You Won’t Be Liked by Everyone,” before. I really enjoy listening to her because her content is fun, relatable, and completely real, and I was interested to see how this episode shared unique advice, like her other advice sessions. One of the most noticeable aspects of her podcast, I think, is her conversational style. She speaks naturally and sometimes quickly, but when she wants to highlight a point, she will slow down. For example, when she says, “Not everyone is going to like you,” she pauses and gives listeners time to think about what she just said. Her pitch changes in an expressive way, which keeps the listeners engaged, and her volume is steady. These aspects make her advice feel very personal and trustworthy, which is like what Griffin, Ledbetter, and Sparks (2019) explain about how effective communication delivery can shape how messages are perceived.  The intended audience for ...