D#11 HW#3 Develop Evaluative Resources

1. My audience for this project is my professor, fellow classmates, tribal members, officials, and anyone interested in tribal casinos. I think that my audience would want to know the information that supports my answer to my research question. I believe that casinos are good for tribes and for their surrounding communities and I plan on providing supporting documentation and information stating the benefits of them. My audience needs to know of these benefits and the positive impact they have and then they can decide for themselves if they agree with me or not.

2. The purpose is to educate my audience on the positives of tribal casinos. I think that statistical information is what is going to achieve my purpose the most.

3. Casinos are fairly new to most tribes but there are a few that have been around for a long while. I have gathered information from the beginning to the present to have the most detailed information possible. This timeline gives me the chance to discuss the major differences between then and now and how the “older” casinos have made an impact and have paved the way for the “newer” casinos. The history of Native Americans plays an integral role in my research as this history is what makes the tribal casinos possible. My information must also be recent to show the changes that have been made since the beginning of tribal casinos.

4. I really didn’t have to narrow down my research question. I have found plenty of information to answer my question sufficiently and so far I don’t think that any of my research in tangentially relevant. I think everything I have fits into my paper “puzzle” in one way or another, big or small.

5. I do have the flip side of this issue. I have gathered information regarding the negative effects of tribal casinos as I know that this needs to be addressed as well. It is something that each tribe has to deal with and I can give more information as to how they are handling these issues.

6. How they are comparable to non-native casinos. I think it’s been interesting to read about how they are comparing to Las Vegas and Atlantic City. Although I could probably work it into my paper somehow I don’t think that it’s as relevant as stating the positive impact that tribal casinos have on their communities versus stating facts about competing casinos.

D#10 HW#15 Reflection

Well this deadline kind of confused me even more but from what I've been told, if I'm not overwhelmed I'm not doing something right in this research process haha...So, I did great at getting more confused! I do have everything organized though and I'm trying to piece together all the information I have into some sort of order but I know it's going to take me a little bit longer to figure out exactly how I want it to be. This is helping me towards my personal goals as well as the course goals. Slowly but surely I'm getting there, few major bumps in this road but I think I'm going to be ok :)

D#10 HW#14 WP Reflection

The biggest step for me in this writing project was getting everything organized!! I’m not too sure about if I completed everything the right way but I’m glad that I was able to complete it at all. I’m also not sure what I would do different the next time around because I just don’t understand bibliographies. I know what they are for but I don’t know how to write them down. Like I said, I’m just proud to have completed this project. With all I have been through this past month I’m very happy to be sitting here at my computer being able to type my thoughts and feelings. But what I was most concerned with on this paper is the correct way to cite my resources. I know that even with more time I won’t understand how to cite them correctly without some professional help! My reports on Turnitin.com states that I’m not allowed to view the originality report so I guess that’s a good thing I haven’t heard anything from the Professor. In terms of learning about this writing, I worked on describing my resources much better and being able to give an overview of how it would relate to my topic. I do feel that I have improved on that area greatly! The outcome I was working towards was just to basically finish it at all haha…it’s been a long, long month for me and hopefully I can finish this course. Although I’m not too keen on this project I am looking forward to writing the next paper. I hope everything will come together nicely. I feel that I should be able to write a decent paper.

D#10 HW#12 Editing Strategies

I read them all just like I did the last time and I find that Owl is what I like the best. It's hard to proofread and edit when you don't know what you're doing. It seems to make me 3rd and 4th guess everything I wrote so I don't think I would change anything right now as I'm still confused with it. I'll just have to wait and see what happens. UGH!

D#10 HW#9 Construct An Argument

Should Native Americans be allowed to own and operate casinos?
Native American tribes across the United States should be allowed to own and operate casinos because it provides a way for them to become more self-sufficient and it would also lessen the dependency on the federal government for financial assistance.

Ethos:
I believe that I have credibility as a member of a tribe that runs casinos. I know firsthand the benefits of them and can give genuine knowledge as to the improvements in my own life.

Pathos:
History will be a huge part in arguing the pathos of this issue. The history of mistreatment of Natives for centuries will play to my audience’s emotions and maybe they will learn something that they didn’t know before.

Logos:
Logos will complete my ethos and pathos. The research I have found so far is based on stats, expert opinions, personal experience, as well as observations when one drives through a reservation and can see improvements slowly being made possible because of the casinos.

D#10 HW#10 Understand Your Warrants

1. Yes I believe so.
2. Yes I think it does.
3. Yes they should.
The person who read my thesis statement said that it provided a reason for my claim and that the warrant provided connected with my reason.

D#10 HW#8 Develop Emotional Arguments

- I feel like I need to defend my ancestors. People need to know and realize the effects of the past and how it's affecting Native communities across this country. Although mose people support casinos there are people who oppose them and don't understand the reasons behind their necessity. These people are who keep me motivated; I'd like to educate and expand the horizons of these opponents. I want them to try to understand as I know it might not necessarily change their mind and their views on this topic.
- This affects every citizen whether they know it or not because their tax dollars end up on reservations in the form of federal assistance to help run the programs on them. On the other hand, when the money being profited from the casinos is kept on the reservations and/or given back to the tribal members, they put this money right back into the local community. Casinos might affect my audience's families/friends by association or word of mouth. They also might find that they would like to be employed by a tribal casino.