In Class: First Paragraph

Standing on the the wooden floors I looked around at the public space I chose, Starbucks and noticed the obvious appeals that highlighted this worldwide famous coffee shop. The walls were a light brown and the shop had several different comfortable pieces of furniture that encouraged customers to see the shop as a comfortable place to relax and enjoy their product. Throughout the shop many designs were aimed at what appeared to be their intended audience. The place was clean, artistic yet modern and professional all at the same time. The furniture was modern and trendy, as was many of the workers who often combined the business professional theme and applied their own trendy fashions.

In Class: Previous Experiences

While I don't enjoy a peer reading my paper/essay and critiquing it, it is a useful tool in assisting the writer. I've noticed that as a writer my perspective can be much different then other students and this alone can provide helpful content. When I was attending LCC in Hawaii we did something similar with our history papers. The professor believed that due to the length of the paper 3 pages and the amount of material we were to cover, students would summarize their opinions well enough and would miss critical information. When my paper was reviewed I would have missed one minor thing that would have probably lost me a few points. Instead, I was able to change the paper and turn it in and I believe I got a high A.

What's also excellent about reviewing these types of papers is that it allows you to interpret things in ways you didn't think of. Even if you think the paper you were reading was written by the worst student in the class, it still presents an opportunity to see a different perspective. Say for example you're looking at logos and the writer presents a new way in seeing how something is logical, it might assist you in doing the same.

In Class: Getting Ideas from fellow Students

One thing that both responses to my observations had in common were that I didn't highlight enough of the actual encounters between the workers and customers. I observed and noted the act, but didn't go into enough detail to answer a question such as, "How well did the worker respond to the unwanted drink". I think when I go again this Friday, I need to highlight these reactions because they are certainly rhetorical appeals.

I noted that one person was unsatisfied with their drink they ordered yet didn't include each other person who placed an order because I assumed it was correct. Next time I think I'm going to note the expression of each person to gather whether they are satisfied with the product rather then assuming that because they didn't complain it must be good.

I also should have included more observations of the actual premises such as the walls, decorations, etc. I had planned this visit to observe the people, the establishment as a whole and the employees and could have included more info. To the viewers who check my notes, they might not be able to paint a full picture because I didn't concentrate on that.

I think a large emphasis could be placed on the actual orders of people next time as well. If more people were to buy food rather then coffee it could be a interesting appeal to logos as their main product is coffee and their advertising rarely highlights the food they have.

As a whole the service of the workers was well noted but still could have used a few more fine details. As I discussed the tables were dirty yet I didn't include that they stayed dirty the entire time even as I sat at them. This also goes back to the actual exchanges between each employee and customers as the service is a whole not just a few acts.

In Class: Observation

The process of observing Starbucks felt really awkward for me. I almost felt like a stalker as I gathered data on the establishment and each person coming in. To the untrained eye though I just looked like a normal person maybe doing my Math homework since I brought my Math book with me. In all I was extremely surprised to see what I saw as if you aren't closely watching you may not notice some of the discrepancies that I noted.

First and foremost, the whole business/professional theme holds true. Many of the people who came in (even on a Sunday) were wearing what I'd consider to be professional attire. What I was unsure of was whether it was because it was perhaps a Sunday and people were only wearing that because of church. With that, the employees behind the counter (all women) were wearing nice looking jeans with black dress shirts.

What was surprising to me was how the place was taken care of. The tables were dirty and were not wiped down even as I sat at them, the trash was close overfilling, napkins and straws were laying outside the trash. While the business/professional theme held true it was extremely messy which counted against the theme Starbucks attempted to foster.

Even the food and drink was subpar. I ordered just a Banana Chocolate Chip cake thing and it was terrible. Out of the 25 people who entered while I was there there was a complaint about the coffee one ordered (gave him vanilla and he ordered some hazelnut thing).  They did however hold true to what one of the chalkboards said about if the coffee isn't perfect they'll make it right.

All in all I was a bit surprised as this establishment seemed to lack the cleanliness and order and impeccable service that i'm used to. While it wasn't extremely busy by any means the employees seemed to be a bit lazy and didn't do what they were supposed to.

The Ethos, Pathos and Logos of Public Spaces

Our essays are going to emcompass many aspects related to ethos, pathos, and logos. The public space I chose, Starbucks, encompasses each in different ways. Identifying many of the appeals to emotion, character and logic can be noted to promote why the business has been so successful. Starbucks does a great job of catering to each as I will point out below.

Ethos
Starbucks appeals to pathos by transforming many of the themes inside the shop with a replication of it's customers. When you walk in you'll notice that the workers look professional, sometimes wearing dress shirts, polos or button ups. While this may not be noticable to a person who is looking for it, when observing and making inferences it's apparent the effect this would have on the typical customer. Many (but not all) of the customers are professionals and it in most cases unknowlingly gives them a sense of comfort to see fellow professionals making their coffee/beverages/food. If you were to compare this theme to lets say Mcdonalds, would you say that the inside theme, dress of employees reinforces your opinion of professionalism? If anything, Mcdonalds in many cases can lower your self esteem because it's cheap and makes you feel like you're eating at a place beneath you.

Pathos
Like Starbucks appeal to ethos, Starbucks effectively appeals to your emotion by guaranteeing a product. Signs stating "If your drink is not perfect everytime, let us know and we'll make it right". While this may seem like a minor thing, Starbucks targets your emotion by comforting you to know that they'll deliver what you expect. Another minor thing that may go unnoticed (that I picked up through observation) was that when you order lets say a Mocha Frap, the employee will ask your name, write it on the cup and call you by name later. A comparable example is at a Mcdonalds when waiting for your order they'll refer to you and your order by your receipt number. In Starbucks they make it a personal experience by treating you like a person. It is also very common to find business accessories in Starbucks such as the Wall Street Journal or a local business paper. They cater to professionals and promote this theme to further their image.

Logos
Starbucks appeals to logic are quite obvious. Something simple like their logo (a circle with a green inside and white character with a star on its head) is a cultural icon and lets you know from the outside the quality they deliver. When you see a generic "Coffee shop" you may ponder to yourself "I wonder if their coffee is any good". When noticing this icon/logo you know their success in business speaks for theirselves and are famous for making great coffee.

In Class: Logos Artifact

My logos artifact is a picture of my acceptance letter into Texas Christian University. While this acceptance letter may at first seem like it doesn't appeal to logos, I would disagree. Throughout the history of my family, not a single person has ever been accepted into a top university, let alone received a degree. The artifact itself doesn't tell the whole story, however, with a bit of explanation it can be noted that being the first in a huge family, I knew the tough facts to get into the school, can provide the evidence and explain the reasoning.

My mothers family alone consists of 9 girls all of which have either dropped out of High School or dropped out of college. Growing up, I knew that I couldn't have the same type of attitude and work ethic if I wanted to get into a professional career via a degree. I also knew that to get into that career a degree from the University of Phoenix wouldn't work out too well. So during my time in the Army I worked extra hard, disregarded the naysayers in my family who aren't big advocates of education and did what needed to be done.

The letter of acceptance shows that I'm on a different path then the Brown/Rollins family and I have the knowledge of facts to motivate and assist me on this path so I don't stray. While it does not prove that I will graduate, it provides the evidence that I am on the right path not commonly found within my family.

Unit 1 Proposal

The space I plan to observe is a Starbucks in Fort Worth. While this is a bit generic as it was mentioned in the suggestions, I think this coffee shop is the perfect place as it invites all types of different people and sends several different messages. The messages it sends can relate to many of the desires a person may have. A woman wearing a spiffy business suit may feel like she's missing something if she doesn't have her morning coffee. In some places, Starbucks can be considered a meeting ground for singles. How many times have you entered a Starbucks and seen a girl/guy who really attracted you, sitting in the corner on a laptop?

I expect to find different things at different times. On a Saturday night I expect to find less of a business sense, and more of a casual social theme. On Monday mornings though I am fully expecting for the business sense to be the majority.While I've been in Starbucks many times and call myself a customer, I wouldn't say that i've gained the ability to actually assume what type of people Starbucks attracts. 

One of the pre-conceived notions that I carry is that Starbucks is mostly popular with the White middle and high class. I'm hoping that this notion can be shown to be wrong by observation. Perhaps certain races only go to the coffee shop at certain times, perhaps they don't go at all. I'm excited to see what results this observation will produce.

In Class: Ethos Artifact

The artifact I received I actually no longer own. This artifact was given to me by my old Commander, Captain Jones. During a training exercise at Fort Hunter Ligget, California, I was preparing for my acceptance of a commission and was working directly for Captain Jones as the Assistant Battle Captain. Through this monthly training event I was tossed into the fire and had to constantly make ethical decisions that effected hundreds to thousands of Soldiers.Many times, I was by myself working as the Battle Captain and was responsible for three FOBs (Forward Operating Bases) and as the Battle Captain I was responsible for all major logistical support for these bases and their Soldiers.

When I first got to Fort Hunter Ligget to work under Captain Jones, he mentioned that he was going to "work the dog**** out of me" and would test me character. Throughout the exercise he learned my character and rewarded me. My Brigade Commander and Captain Jones went to go see the Commanding General at Fort Hunter Ligget to discuss the exercise and he was awarded a coin by the Deputy Commander. When we got outside he gave me the coin and told me that I had "busted my ***", "shown my character" and I was the reason he got the coin. The coin itself holds little value to me as I did the same and gave it to one of my NCO's that was working for me. The NCO performed similar to how I did yet received little recognition from the higher ups. The coin meant alot to him and i'm sure it motivated him for the future.

In Class: Understanding Appeal for Emotion

Understanding of Pathos might assist the writer in describing the emotions of a place by giving different views. When walking into a starbucks on a Monday morning you'll notice people who seem serious, possibly in a rush and usually dressed for a certain position they hold. However, if you were to analyze the space on a Saturday night you may see less of a business Pathos and more of a casual, social distinction.

It's important to understand Pathos as it can lead you to develop differing views on a subject as noted above. While Starbucks might be the same place every day of the week, no matter the time, outside influences certainly influence the Pathos on the inside. In many cases you'll find that that the Pathos can result in a different sense of feeling for the individual as well. Going to a starbucks early in the morning might have you feeling well prepared and more serious as opposed to a Saturday night, drinking a Latte might direct your thoughts to something else such as the two single girls sitting in a corner.

In Class: Pathos Artifact

My pathos artifact differs from what most objects people would bring. It's not something that I can take off, pass around as it's permantely affixed to my body. I am referring to my tattoo that I had done when I called Hawaii my home. The tattoo I have is a based off an classical Polyensian style. This tattoo design might be common to see in Hawaiian Islands but here at Texas Christian University, it's probably the only one.

When I called Hawaii my home I wanted to get a tattoo for some time. I initially looked online to find several designs however decided against so when I realized that they were fadish and would I be happy with a leprechaun with a pot of gold tattoo, or a grim reaper tattoo in 15 years? My background is a bit different as i've experienced many different cultures and my adulthood has been filled with out of the ordinary experiences. I believed getting the Polyenesian tattoo resembled a diverse background that I fall into and would always remain "in style" and wouldn't fill me with memories of regret like most other tattoos.

Analyzing Arguments in the Media

BP's failure to monitor their business resulted in a large scale disaster in the Gulf as everyone know. BP, being a global business power relies on the people and thus it must appeal to them through argument. A BP represenative can be seen walking through the video looking like shes running for president and she tries to apologize for the actions of her company and set things right.

The "Rogerrian Argument" was easy to point out. The basic idea of the Rogerrian Argument is to find common ground with the people their talking with.It was clear that she was trying to relate to people who would have suffered from the incident like fishermen. Clearly she believes that the image of her reaching out to the people who this has effected would results in the belief BP is doing its part to assist in the cleanup.

The "Arguments to Inform" appeared many times throughout the commercial. She states clear facts such as their financial commitment to the cleaup when noting that BP has donated 20 billion dollars. Contrary to the Rogerrian Argument, this attempt of an argument actually shows action rather then just the appearance of caring.

The "Invitational Argument" was a bit more difficult to point out but it was there. The phone number was listed in the commercial and while I don't see this as a direct "Invitational Argument", people are "invited to argue" while calling their designated phone number. The commercial didn't actually show her asking questions though.

The "Arguments about the Past, Present, and Future" was apparent as she pointed out their present actions supporting the oil spill such as the 20 billion mentioned earlier. The number was also given which indicates that in the future they anticipate receiving more phone calls regarding the situation.

The "Argument to Convince" could be said to have included the other 4 forms of argument. Each of these four arguments supports the "Argument to Convince" and BP wants to seem like they are actively fixing the situation. The statement "no oil flow has entered the gulf for weeks" further shows the overall message BP is trying to convey.