About Me

My name is Marcus Irwin, and I am from Johnstown, a small town in western Pennsylvania. I loved playing soccer growing up, and now some of my favorite activities include binging Netflix (specifically The Office) and serving the community in whatever way I can. My favorite hobby is traveling, and New York City in particular is my favorite city. Notre Dame has always been my dream school, and I am beyond excited to actually be able to live out that dream. I currently reside in Carroll Hall, which happens to be the only dorm off-campus. However, I love the dorm despite the long walks to class everyday. I am majoring in Finance and hope to one day have a successful career in business.

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Rhetorical Strategies and Ethical Boundaries

Nothing screams “controversial” more than a close-up of a bloody, crying child. Some may think the photograph is necessary to convey to the public the harsh reality of a situation, while others see it as crossing an ethical line and going too far. According to “The 3 Most Controversial TIME Covers of the 21st Century” from Study Breaks, this debate is exactly what arose after the publication of the image pictured above in the May 2013 issue of TIME Magazine. The “Tragedy in Boston” special report, which used the picture on the front cover, came after the bombing of the Boston Marathon in April 2013 and immediately became the center of controversy.

However, the picture does employ visual rhetorical strategies, and there are two in particular that are most prominent. First and foremost, pathos is used to instill a strong and immediate emotional reaction in the viewer. Children have such a presumed innocence to them that makes almost everyone feel extremely sad and disheartened to see one in distress, especially injured and bloody. The image therefore catches the eye of people walking through supermarkets or convenience stores due to the emotional connection consumers would have to the picture and ultimately makes them intrigued to read more into the story.

Along with pathos, kairos is another rhetorical strategy the visual uses. The bombing occurred in April 2013, and this image came out in May 2013, when the topic was still circulating in the media and a major conversation piece among people. Therefore, the publication of the image occurred at the perfect time to still catch the attention of the public. Additionally, the timing of the image was crucial in the fact that the controversy surrounding the picture brought more attention and potential buyers to the magazine.

Personally, if I were in charge, I would have published the image without making any changes. I think truth in the media is immensely important, and this image captures the gruesome reality of what happened during the Boston Marathon Bombing. Although it may be difficult to look at, it shows the honest struggles that the attendees of the marathon faced during the bombing. I would prefer to know for sure that the child and his family recovered from the tragedy and that the parents of the child were not against the publication. However, I would still publish the image either way because of the importance of helping others connect to the victims of the bombing.

I believe that the publication did have a significant public impact. The picture helped the public feel a personal connection to the tragedy and made the victims relatable. Therefore, it had the potential to raise awareness and money to assist the victims of the bombing. Overall, the rhetorical strategies used in the image definitely makes it one that some people will never forget.

How Social Media Affects Discussion

Ethos, Logos, Pathos, and Khalid

When I was a sophomore in high school, I discovered a new artist on the rise, Khalid. I instantly became attached to his music after I heard his most popular song at the time, “Location.” I showed his music to my friends, and my one friend Andrea also became infatuated with his unprecedented style. We listened to him every time we drove in the car together, while hanging out with friends, and even in between classes. Then, we discovered he was going on tour and immediately knew we had to secure tickets. However, there was one problem: we lived near Pittsburgh and the closest stop on his tour was in Philadelphia. I knew that it would take some serious arguing to convince my parents let their 16-year-old son go to Philadelphia with just his high school friend.

My first instinct was to take the pathos route. I tried to describe how much it would mean to me if they would let me go, tugging at their hearts and trying to make them feel guilty if they turned me down. They denied my plea. I then used the classic “I am only young once you have to let me go,” line in an attempt to target their nostalgia, but they still did not budge. I realized it was time to change tactics, so I switched to using ethos. I played his songs for them on repeat and continued to reinforce how he was my absolute favorite artist, all in hopes to establish my credibility has a huge fan. However, when I was still told no, I knew logos was my last resort. I laid down all the facts for them, showing them the schedule of our day, the driving plans, where we would sleep, and promised them I would keep in touch throughout the whole journey. Finally, the combination of my credentials as his biggest fan with the emotional and logistical pleas convinced them to let me go to the concert.

Overall, I was successful because of my use of rhetorical strategies. I pulled out any argument I had, and I do not think I could have been more persuasive. I knew how my parents thought, so I understood which arguments would work for my situation. In the end, I attended Khalid’s concert and had one of the best times of my life.

The Importance of Identity Diversity

The summer after my junior year of high school I traveled to Harvard College for a summer program, expecting to learn about Constitutional Law, Civil Rights, and Civil Liberties. However, what I did not expect to gain was a deep insight into diversity and the importance of having a variety of identities plays in society as a whole and on a college campus specifically. Coming from a small town in the suburbs, the racial makeup of my school was about 98% white. Therefore, when I found my group of friends, it was a new and enlightening experience being the only white male in the group.

Sharing our different backgrounds, I truly learned how big of an impact identity plays in shaping one’s life. My experiences varied greatly from my African American friend Travis, whose experiences were extremely different from our Asian American friend Jen. We discussed our beliefs and viewpoints, and although politics can be an extremely tricky topic to navigate, we were all able to respect each other’s opinions after coming to understand why they were formed. Our differing identities could have easily separated us, but instead they brought us together and allowed each of us to learn from each other.

Throughout the two weeks during the program, our group of friends grew such a solid bond, leaving us devastated when we had to go our separate ways. I missed my friends and family from home, but I was not ready to back to the uniformity of my small town. On the whole ride home, I reflected on the significance of identity. It is much easier to relate to those who have a similar background and set of beliefs as me, but I discovered I did not enjoy that sameness. I prefer for my views to be challenged, as that challenge helps me open my mind and see a topic from different perspectives. I enjoy constantly learning through every conversation and interaction. Overall, these realizations helped me decide that I wanted to go to a big school far from home, and that decision is one that I will never regret.

The Key Factor in Establishing Credibility: Appearance

The Credible Communicator discusses the effect that character has in the art of persuasion. In particular, those with “good character” as Aristotle put it, or credibility as it is now recognized, tend to be much more effective in persuading others. What classifies someone as credible is subjective, but it usually involves that person’s past experiences, personality, job, and many other character traits. However, something that has proven to be one of the most important factors of one’s credibility is appearance. Skin color, clothing, attractiveness, and other parts of appearance all can be critical in establishing one’s credibility. However, as podcasts are strictly audio, they eliminate letting the audience judge credibility based on looks. Therefore, for the podcast I am creating, I am going to have to be much more conscious about the information I am using and the sources in which it comes from. With appearance being eliminated from the equation, the audience is going to focus much more on the information and its sources when deciding whether or not to believe what is being said. Therefore, I am going to have be even more careful in the words that I use in order to make sure that my listeners believe what I am saying.

However, when I am a professional in the career that I pursue, appearance will come back into the equation. Therefore, I am going to have to make sure I look professional in my future job, especially in interviews, to help make sure that those in the higher positions establish me as credible and believe what I say. Although I will still have to do research and be articulate about what I say, ensuring I look a certain way will be a major aid in convincing my employers that I am credible. Then, once I get the job, I will have to continue to follow this same process when meeting with clients and customers, as long as society’s view on credibility remains the same. Overall, appearance plays a major role in the art of persuasion, and I am going to have to keep that fact in mind for my project, future career, and whatever else I take on in life.  

The Best Strategies to Use When Writing a Research Paper

People can use many different strategies while writing a research paper in order to try to perfect their writing. One of the most important ones is making sure to write in the active voice rather than the passive voice. The subject does the action in the active voice, while it receives the action in the passive voice. Using the active voice usually makes the sentence more clear and concise. On the other hand, the passive voice results in long, vague, and, often times. confusing sentences. Research papers can cover complicated and lengthy subjects, so it is extremely important to make the writing as clear and easy to follow as possible. My topic, the effects of the Australian wildfires, can range from discussing ecological to economic issues, so using the active voice will allow my readers to easily follow my train of thought and better comprehend the points that I make. Although there are some cases where it is appropriate to use the passive voice, using the active voice is usually the better option.

Along with using the active voice, it is immensely important for a writer to connect their ideas by using transitions. Transitions make the research paper one cohesive piece of writing, rather than a collection of choppy thoughts. Without them, the reader would most likely have a much harder time connecting and understanding the points made. Transitions ultimately create relationships between ideas. They may help readers better comprehend subjects that the readers may not be familiar with by showing the relationship or similarities between that topic and one they know well. On the other hand, transitions can also be used to show contrast between two things. As previously mentioned, my topic has a variety of subjects to cover, so I am going to have to carefully use transitions to ensure that my claims are all connected. The transitions will connect the effects on the economy, the environment, and other impacts to the overall topic of the Australian wildfires. Overall, using both the active voice and transitions will lead to a more cohesive and well-crafted research paper.

Examples

Active vs. Passive Voice

(1) Active: Sheila won the award because the other contestants quit.
Passive: Due to the fact that the other contestants quit, the award was given to Sheila.

(2) Active: Tommy brought the salad to the luncheon.
Passive: The salad that was at the luncheon was brought by Tommy.

(3) Active: The crowd demanded for the band to play another set.
Passive: It was demanded by the crowd that the band play another set.

Contrast-Connecting Two Things by Focusing on Their Differences

(4) Although Starbucks and Dunkin both sell coffee, the rich and bold flavor from Starbucks make their coffee truly stand out.

(5) While the yellow sand and blue water makes Virginia Beach an enjoyable spot to relax, vacationers heavily prefer the cleanliness of Myrtle Beach in South Carolina.

Similarity- Connecting Two Things by Suggesting that They are in Some Way Alike

(6) Just as California has been devastated by wildfires in the past, Australia has recently become severely damaged by the same type of natural disaster.

Why a Forced Year of National Service Would do More Harm than Good

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