main post and two pee’re reactions on given topic

Introduction

Reading closely and taking careful notes will make your research process smoother and more organized. Being able to closely read a text, summarize, and respond to key issues is an essential skill that will help you effectively cull resources for the information you need as you move into your major program of study.

For this discussion, you are going to conduct a close reading of a source and use this reading to pre-write in preparation for your summary response essay.

Part I: Initial Post

Read your instructor’s initial post in this forum.

Research

Go to the library tab in Canvas and follow these steps:

1. Access the ENG102 Library Course Guide (Links to an external site.).
2. Once you are on the library course guide, scroll down to find the theme you are choosing to explore in this class. Themes include the following:

• Closing the Gap Between College and Career
• Closing the Gap Between Military Service and Civilian Career
• Science Writing and the Public (Secular Science)
• Enterprising America and the World

1. Select a guide and a database.  Search key terms for your topic of interest.  Be sure to record these terms as you will report the terms used in this discussion.
2. Choose one of the articles to read for this discussion.

Think

Closely read and annotate the article you choose.

1. What information seems most significant? Why?
2. What is the author’s claim or thesis?
3. What details are important?
4. Do any words or phrases stand out? Why?
5. What do you still want to know?
6. What questions do you have as you read?

Write

Post your initial response: In this discussion response, write a short summary (5-7 sentences) of the most important points of information in the article. Then, write a short response (5-7 sentences) to the article, discussing the significance of those main points. Remember that a summary should be comprised of only your own words. Create a References entry, formatted in APA Style, for the article you chose. Conclude your post with any questions you have about searching the databases or choosing articles and note the key terms you used in your database search.

Part 2: Responses to Peers (Peer Review)

Respond to at least two peers with a minimum of 100 words each per response, offering specific feedback about the ideas they posted. Be sure to comment on the quality of sources.

A substantive post will do at least ONE of the following:

• Ask an interesting, thoughtful question pertaining to the topic.
• Answer a question (in detail) posted by another student or the instructor.
• Provide extensive additional information on the topic.
• Explain, define, or analyze the topic in detail.
• Share an applicable personal experience.
• Provide an outside source (for example, a website) that applies to the topic, along with additional information about the topic or the source (please cite properly in APA.)
• Make an argument concerning the topic.

Your initial posting should be 250-500-words and must be submitted by Thursday, midnight (MT), of this week. By Sunday at midnight (MT), respond to two or more of your classmates’ initial posts in one of the following ways:

• Build on something interesting or provocative that your classmate wrote.
• Explain why and how you see things differently.
• Ask a probing or clarifying question.
• Share your understanding of your classmate’s posting in your words.
• Offer and support an opinion with peer-reviewed sources or industry best practices.
• Expand on your classmate’s posting by providing constructive feedback.

Keep in mind that you’re expected to engage critically and not editorially (this is important to remember when we’re discussing “hot” or controversial topics). Work to demonstrate your understanding of the material from this module and, where necessary, include your sources, formatted and cited in accordance with APA style, according to the CSU Global Writing Center.

peers reaction #1

Closing the Gap Between Military Service and Civilian Career

I chose to reference a report titled The Military to Civilian Transition 2018 from the U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs (2018). The forward written by Paul R. Lawrence, Ph.D. Under Secretary for Benefits, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, introduces the reader to his understanding of the challenges transitioning military personnel and their families face based on his own experience. This report explains how the military to civilian transition requires a complex and dynamic network of relationships, programs, services, and benefits to be successful. Transition planning and assistance efforts by individual Service branches, the interagency Transition Assistance Program (TAP), and community resources delivered through local government, private industry, and nonprofit organizations are thoroughly explained throughout the report. Many organizations that partner with the VA to assist veterans during their transition are mentioned in the report. Statistics regarding the number of veterans experiencing difficulties adjusting to civilian life, leaving the military without a job, and living below the poverty level are expressed in this report. The most important part of this report is how it expresses the views of transitioning from the veteran and their family’s perspective. References are provided at the conclusion of the report for all of the contributors.

I chose this report rather than an article because I wanted to know more about what veterans experience when transitioning than I had read in the three articles that I had reviewed for this discussion post. As the daughter of a veteran and friend to many veterans, I have witnessed first hand some of the difficulties these American heroes have experienced while transitioning to civilian life and careers. This report was so incredibly informative and interesting that I am positive that I will select this subject for my final portfolio project for this course. My goal in returning to college to obtain my degree is to assist veterans in transitioning from service to civilian careers. I feel fortunate that I will be able to write about a subject that I am very passionate about for my final portfolio project in one of my final courses on my journey to my degree in human resource management.

Reference

The military to civilian transition 2018 – Veterans affairs. (n.d.). Retrieved April 26, 2022, from https://benefits.va.gov/TRANSITION/docs/mct-report-2018.pdf

peers reaction #2

Closing the Gap Between College and Career

In today’s job market, internships are the new entry-level jobs, which in turn make entry-level jobs the new mid-level jobs. And that means that getting your foot in the door — even with a long list of internships on your resume and a Bachelor’s degree diploma in your hand — is increasingly difficult to do. Search entry-level job openings on any given job board and you’re bound to come up with a slew of options that require two to even five years of experience. According to The Wall Street Journal, the “number of recruiters requesting two or more years of work experience for some middle-skill occupations rose as much as 30 percent from 2007 to 2010.” Even landing an internship now requires an established skill set. According to labor analytics company Burning Glass in its 2015 internships report, interns “need to have specific skill sets just to get in the door.” Employers expect interns to stroll in on day one with skills that include “expertise in specific software programs, advanced technical capabilities like risk management, or fields like market research and social media.”

But while employers continue to raise the bar higher and higher for even interns, and continue to be more and more selective about hiring, companies are also cutting back funding for training programs and mentoring. According to an article in The Washington Monthly in the September/October 2014 issue, U.S. manufacturers cut the staff responsible for employee training and development by as much as 50 percent between 2006 and 2013. When companies hire someone to do a job, they’re expected to already know how to do it. And then, when students arrive without these skills and without an innate familiarity with a workplace environment, employers are turning to place the blame elsewhere: higher education.  younger generations are going to be pitted against increasingly difficult odds, though, additional assistance is necessary. A Bachelor’s degree today just doesn’t cut it for many career paths, as that’s an increasingly prevalent mark on one’s resume and thus less of a distinguishing factor. While only 13 percent of 25 to 32-year-olds from the Silent generation had at least a bachelor’s degree, a full third of millennials do. Moreover, although internships may bolster the skills provided by a four-year degree and may push a young employee’s resume further toward the top of the stack, not everyone is cut out to pursue a four-year degree, and not everyone can afford the often-meager pay offered by internships.

Meghan

Reference:

https://web-p-ebscohost-com.csuglobal.idm.oclc.org/ehost/ebookviewer/ebook/bmxlYmtfXzIxNzY0MjhfX0FO0?sid=975a9aa5-ed3f-495f-bc63-98da34a16eda@redis&vid=0&format=EB&lpid=lp_1&rid=0