Final Portfolio

http://zcruz.weebly.com/

Writing 2 has allowed me the opportunity improve my writing technique as well as given me a means to showcase my work to a public audience. Revising my essays allowed me the oportunity to fine toon my paper gramatically, changing scentence structure and rearanging fragments so they made more sense ans flowed smoother. This class has helped me build on the skills I developed last semseter in Writing 1 to improve my overall writing technique and focus, and I believe it shows in my work. As a writer I am constantly editing and revising my writing so I value the opportunity to improve my writing skills and class grade.

Interviews

This weeks section of reading was on good strategies and techniques on how to properly conduct an interview. I learned how to ask open questions that allow the interviewee to elaborate on certain topics. Not all your questions can be pre-determined, and sometimes you have to improvise. In order to ask more indepth questions its important to first be a good listener. This allows you to develope the conversation, gather more information, and formulate new questions. Much of these readings helped me during my ethnography study in the field gathering and analying the data that helped me write an informed essay.

This paper displays good research methods, opening up with descriptive backgriound information on the origins of bowling and how it has proigressed throughout the years. It gives an indeopth procedure on how to play the game, various rules, and the different cultures who made it famous. The paper then smoothly transitions to a single bowling alley observation in Hanover. The area is described in detail from the outside view, to the lanes, snack counter and decoprations inside. The papwer goes on to talk about the various people who visit the site, from the young children running about, to an interesting old lady observed and described in detail. The paper goes on to explain the great times the author remember sharing at this loacation with her friends and family.

Bears Den

Earlier this week I spent time at my fieldworking site sketching blue prints of the basic layout and map of my site aw well as drawings of the dining and food court area. I alson was able to talk to some customers both young and old and their insight helped me formulate a better understanding of customer satisfaction and overall dining experience.

............

Today I was fortunate enough to visit my ethnography site again for the first time in a week. This particular visit I stayed later than I have before getting to see hnow Bear's Den operates late night and what happens during closing time. I continue taking notes because I've seen this proves very valuable later on. This helped me espescially in writing the last essay so I copuld draw from my memory vivid details about my visit later on when trying to jot everything down.

Midterm Portfolio

http://www.weebly.com/weebly/main.php

bears den

The dining room hums with the buzz of conversation.  The sharp smell of fresh brewed coffee spills over into the dining area.  My stomach churns as the aroma of foods cooking blend together to permeate the food court.  The grill spits as burgers and other foods are tossed onto the heated burner, while the deep fryer bubbles like a volcano waiting to erupt as the french fries cook to temperature.  The different smells melt together, and with the variety so various, it’s difficult to determine their true source.  Instead the many scents take on one overall aroma that lingers with me until I leave the building later that day.  The constant hustle and bustle of people constantly coming and going creates a dull murmur that fades into the background noise.

fieldworking

So far this week, I've been able to visit my site three times already. Each time I've brought a notbook to take notes and record my observations. I made sure to describe important characteristics in great detail to help me later on when I write my paper. I tried to split up my fieldworking site into sections and record each data set seperatly.( i.e. The outside grounds, floorplan, colorscheme, sights and smells, decoration, dining area, food court, and the kitchen.) After each visit it helps to type out the basic framework i hope to incorperate into my paper. And this helps later on when it's time to bring them all together and revise and edit as well.

In the next two weeks, I hope to visit my fieldworking site atleast three times in the next two weeks, in order to attain enough information to begin drafting a rough copy and layout for the next essay. In each visit I will focus on a different aspect of the resturaunt; dining room, food service lines, and the kitchen to encorperate all aspects of the operation into my observation.

............

For my ephnography topic I chose to study the culture of resturaunt operation, and more specifically Sodexo food company. I know that Sodexo is a wide spread organization with resturaunt locations all across
Massachusetts. They employ a large amount of students and community members from diverse backgrounds with many diufferent responsibilities. There are many positions available in food service; from dishwashing, serving, cooking, cleaning, and baking to supervising and manageing.

I have many questions about resturaunt culture, do they have unions? whats the employees attitude about their employers? as well as customer satisfaction and opinions. I wonder if they pay above minimum wage? give employees work breaks? benefits? or vacation time. or if they allow them to eat during their shifts for free. What is the dining atmosphere like? mood, sounds, music, smells, and sights. I also wonder how members of the staff work together to allow a smooth enjoyable dining experience.

This paper made me think a great deal about ephnogrophy, and how their are so many different behaviors and cultures all around us interacting together, even while some are so unfamiliar to us. The author goes into great detail to describe her young life and how she progressed. I could relate to this to a certain degree because some of it reminded me of my own life yet it is all open to interpretation. Many people differ greatly just in regards from how their family sees them, and inversly the outside worlds opinion. This interested me most because of the good use of visual imagery and descriptive details. The author does a gereat job incorperating these and using the five senses to show the reader rather than just tellling.

For my fieldworking I have chose to study the culture of resturaunt operation. I don't know too much about this culture, but I believe it will be interesting to see how many different personalities and cultures can work together to achieve a common goal. The diversity provides great contrast when observing this group and I am curious to see the results.