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Izdihar Sheikh

Amy Doty

English 1010

15 September 2018

Experiences throughout this course

In this summer quarter I learned a lot, I took whatever I learned last quarter and add onto it. Even though I didn’t feel I grew, or learn a lot last quarter, because I had a hard experience that will be never be forgotten. Though that hard experience taught me and push me to choose carefully from now on, starting from the classes and ending up by choosing the right instructor. My biggest struggles was when I retake this class but I wasn’t feeling that I am retaking it. I felt it was completely a new class to me, because what I have learned back in spring semester wasn’t enough to support me in anything. Though what I have learned in this class English 1010 and this specific semester have influence me positively as a student who dreams to be an academic writer. In the beginning of this class I wondered how I could plan for future things from what I have learned in spring quarter, like being able to be a screen-writer and film maker, or being able to write fiction or biographies. I have always felt that I have a lot to say but the only way to express that is by writing it but I was never confident about my writing after what I gained in spring quarter. I felt that I can’t even dream of future film making with the English and lack of knowledge I had back in then. But then I discovered that it was not all about me, and my English after knowing that many other student struggled with that too. It was the miscommunication between the students and the instructor back in then.  I felt so discredit. And my dream it’s impossible, But then after I retake this course I know that whatever I learned there to make me feel the way I felt, it was not right, and just by starting a narrative the first activity in this class I felt I collect my confident piece by piece, I was able to write my father story in English, even though it might be not perfect one, but I felt I could express all my feelings in by writing it. I wrote a lot about my father but never in English. That was my first time, and just by writing that piece I was able to feel confident little bit more especially after seeing the instructor and the classmates’ feedback on it through discussion board , and not just that, the discussion board that teacher created was very helpful to make students in class communicate in a better way. I have never seen class like this class, that it student were capable to help each other and communicate, and that was all because of our teacher and her ideas and her infinite kindness. The idea of making the discussion bored was really helpful for making students close to each other and help each other. However the reading that was required in this course was limited and focused on the important part of the book, it was the most important part and what we exactly need for the whole semester. Not to mention the social issue that string along with us the whole course, I liked how we went by level starting from our position, then antithesis which is against our position, then synthesis which mean argument and then later plug the sources into the arguments, the whole process has tremendous benefit on me as student. Even though I have never interested in writing essays. I first learnt how to state my position strongly about the issue, then the fun part was when I interviewed someone has totally different views about the social issue which was death penalty. The most challenge part was to plug the scholarly sources, here, I struggled with understanding the language of some of the sources, and I also struggled to find what I exactly need from that source. However I tried my best to make it through. And I found out after this essay that I enjoy express my feelings through writing more than anything else, which mean I will enjoy writing narratives and fictions more than anything else. I would enjoy reading novel, or poem instead of scholarly articles, even if the reading of scholarly articles have benefits more than fictions. Additionally using the class time to do peer view was so helpful in many ways. For example sometimes I would’ve come, and  have a very unorganized draft, after peer reviewing I was able to have an organized map for my essay, by simply reading one of classmate essay and see the structure that have been used. Also having the teacher feedback along with writing center feedback or smartthing was very useful tool to have a solid revision plan.  All these experiences helped me to be a better student especially in writing narrative which is my most favorite, and more ever the values of our work it shown in our commitment and hard work as students but most of all if you have teacher like I did in this course you will be able to grow without seeing that in yourself, I have become better student because of her, and I am sure a lot of other student have the same feelings, So work hard for yourself first and then for teacher like her who do the impossible possible to make you grew.

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Izdihar Sheikh

Amy Doty

English 1010

12 September 2018

Reflection on Essay 4

Writing an argument paper with sources was so challenging for me. Especially with my limited time and finding the right and required sources, even though we spent more than a week to learn how to write this paper but I still founded challenging  as I started to write it. My topic was about death penalty and the reasons why I am against it, I tried my best to follow the instructions, and find the right credible source for my essay but it was still hard and challenging, especially the language in the scholarly sources was conventional. The most changeling part was to pick what I need from a scholar sources, and then analyzing it was a bit easier but it was depending on what quotes or paraphrase that I had to integrate. For example when I read about an opposing view in New York Times when it’s stated that a study showed that for each inmates that put to death 3 out of 18 murders are prevented. But then it made me think that if we are preventing, we are losing at the same time. However I liked when Bryan Stevenson the executive director of the equal justice inventive stated how come as a society we determined who quality is, and whom should be executed. And also when he stated that Nebaraska shouldn’t have the authority to kill Dean Moore who was convicted of murdering two taxi driver in Omaha. And then there was another article that I founded on AUCL website that was about how inmates’ who have been discriminated by their bisexual identity or just by simply being poor. Not to mention the cruel methods that have been used and still used till today. After reading these both essay I wouldn’t agree more with the authors, and I do feel that Nebraska shouldn’t have any authority to kill Dean Moore. No difference happened and we gained nothing by killing him. We might just gained a family revenge and this how the community will be effected.  However, for the writing process as I founded challenging I went to the writing center and ask for help from a tutor. And then I came back and I revised my essay. I learned useful tool of how to find mistakes and grammar that it’s not correct by simply reading it out loud with tone. And use pause for a comma and stop for a period. Even though I used the methods and follow the instruction I still didn’t feel fully confident about my essay, but I also believe that what we learn from our mistakes is the best tool that we can use to help us grew more and become a good writer In future.

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Izdihar Sheikh

Amy Doty

English1010

31 August 2018

Writing Reflection

With completing essay 3 in composition class, I felt that I was able to benefit from all the things that were provided for this essay, as well as it refreshed my memory on the new things and the things that I already knew but needed a reminder for it. Especially the argument part and have a solid thesis statement. The biggest obstacle in completing this essay was the time, but even with that I have managed to complete the assignment on time especially as the teacher give us  enough time to complete and work on it. I found the essay easy in the begging, then after I started writing it, I struggled with extending ideas more. But then as I read it about 7-10 times I figured that I am adding new words and ideas each time and connecting them then as I look to the length of the essay I could reach to length that was required. Also having a revision plan with torture was useful but a bit confusing too. It was useful when we brain storm together but it was confusing because I felt I am getting away from what the instructor have told us to do. But what I did I mixed between both things and I could managed to come up with a fine essay. Not mention that the peer Group was useful too as I brainstormed with one of my classmates and learn how to have a structure, style and design so I can share my fear journey about the social issue that I have writing about it the whole semester and so the readers can feel it. Yet with expanding knowledge about this issue I was able to understand many things and with following the teacher instructor I think I was able to have a good, beneficial experience, as well as good future academic writing records.

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Izdihar Sheikh

Amy Doty

English 1010

6 August 2018

Reflection on writing

When I first worked in the position paper last week I felt so overwhelmed about my topic which was death penalty even though I chose it because I was interested to know more about, and also because I am against it. what made feel overwhelmed is that I was repeating myself more and more and struggling with organizing the paper even though the instructor gave me and my classmate plenty of sources for how start a position paper, but addition to all that the time that I couldn’t  spent in my essay was really limited too. I wrote the essay and then I revised couple of times but after I got the tutor feedback from smart thinking I knew that I had a lot of mistakes that I didn’t even notice and which I need to work on for the  next paper. And for that reason I think the revision process that I used wasn’t effective enough firstly because I needed to spend more on it and I couldn’t and also I didn’t use the effective revision strategies. Especially after I get revision suggestion from smart thinking tutor. I recognize that I didn’t have a good position paper as I expected to be. I had a lot of grammar mistakes, run-on sentence, spelling error, poor organization. I consider the feedback and I will make sure to work on that next time.

Though, one thing that I thought it was effective in my essay is the thesis and the clear statement because my reasons were recognizable for example when I put three clear reasons( In my opinion even though some people will say that death penalty serve justice, save innocent lives, and bring victim’s family justice and equality, I still recall it a discriminatory decision, and may often be used against indigent people in society and it’s also costly and its exceed the cost of putting person in prison for life). And I think if I took each reasons at a time without mixing it the essay would’ve be better and clear to the reader more.

However I think the time was the number one challenge that kept me from getting the assay I expected but I will make sure next time to apply more strategies and learn from my mistakes. Because the purpose of my essay and every other essay matter especially when it about social issue that it matter to peoples live.

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Izdihar Sheikh

Amy Doty

English 1010

13 August 2018

Is Not about the Quality of Mercy it is about Justice

In August 10, 2018 I interviewed Nizar Rasho who is a family lawyer from Kurdistan, northern Iraq at cafeteria in downtown Lincoln. As we start talking about death rows and I started questioning him, he stated that he is completely in favor of death penalty when it’s under certain circumstances such as being sentenced for 25 years. He also complained about the religious canon because the law can’t be follow any religion and it has to be civic. And he stated strongly that “If any person killed someone innocent they should be sentenced to death”. And here when I asked why, He respond to my question and said for many reason but most importantly is to decrease criminal tendency, and because the fear of the community matters,  also they should be sentenced, so the government and taxpayers don’t have to pay for more than 25 years for their expenses, such as security, food, clothing, medical, Likewise in the aggravating factor which mean the circumstances that are connected with the crime and it tend to exceed the felony more than the actual crime. Such as rape, then kill and stole that person belonging.

First he said that death row will decrease the criminal tendency for example, if the law didn’t punish that criminals they will repeat the crimes again. Evidence that Nizar had on that was according to his study in law. He said the proportion of the crimes committed by most criminals is criminal’s recidivism which means further offenses Nizar stated “when someone committed a crime such as murder if the law didn’t sentence them to death they will be a danger for the community so that means when the law sentenced them they guarantee the future of the

of the safety of the community” but when I asked how the future safety of any community will depend on one person to be locked up in the prison for life or sentenced to death for instance what we benefit from Carey Moore that would be killed in few days, if we put him down there are more to come plus we won’t change what he had already done by putting him on death row?  Then here when he responded that’s not about that person only is also about the gangs and the followers that they have outside the prison. On the other hand there many others that are on death row for their crimes instead of locking them up in the prison for life and pay for their expenses, the best way to get over that is to kill them so everyone feels safe. Although Nizar stated that Carey Moore was under aggravating factor law because he killed two taxi drivers but he was confused why the law didn’t convict him earlier and after 20 years passed, but he still see it that he deserve what he got because a lot of people voted for his death row.

Second, Then the fear of the community matters that means “when a very dangerous criminals still alive they will become an offensive danger on the community, but when they kill them the fear of the community will be under control. For example those criminals will have Gangs and followers out of the community, and so they can use them to commit more crimes. So if the law sentenced this individual criminals the proportion of the crimes will decrease andwhen the law or courts decided to sentenced someone to death is the reasons of killing or rape or very dangerous crime, the dangerous criminals should be killed so their followers get the fear to move on their crimes. To illustrate a common sense example, Saddam Hussein the former Iraqi president when he was in the prison his followers were so aggressive and sought for an opportunity to release him, on the other hand other people such as Kurdish celebrate his killing because they felt the justice took place and the fear is gone after all the massacres they had because of him. But when I asked Nizar what about the other people who might kill someone accidentally then he goes this will be extenuating circumstances which mean simply killing someone unintentional murder which is legally called (manslaughter), such as killing someone while driving normally by an accident, and in case for sure the law will be taking the circumstances into consideration.

Then in terms of the government responsibilities to take money from people and taxpayers which they don’t have to pay for more than 25 years for inmates expenses, such as security, food, clothing, medical. etc. For example if they have more than 25 years, imagine how much the expenses will be, and then all this expenses will be the government and the community responsibilities and that is not fair. According a common sense, most of the ministers of justice budget goes to inmates and their expanses. However there is two ways to save money for these inmates, direct way which mean government have no commitment to spend money for the inmates expenses, indirect way which is when the death penalty lead to decrease the criminals and that’s mean that will decrease the prisoners’ facilities.  But when I asked I have heard that the amount of the injection exceed the amount of putting person in prison for a life if it’s about facilities and whatever come with it? Then he stated is not about money is about justice.

Finally, the aggravating factor which divided to general aggravating factor and special aggravating factor, general is applied to all crimes, special is found in some crimes, such as stealing at night, or for example if a doctor or teacher used their jobs to commit crimes. Aggravating factor which mean the circumstances that are connected with the crime and it tend to exceed the felony more than the actual crime. Such as rape and then kill and stole that person belonging. For example Nizar stated he have read in a book about a criminal in 1880 his name was Tom Horn he was working federal filed agency he killed 20 people including a 14 years old boy. Until they captured him and sentenced him to death when he was in 43 years old, people later called him hiring gun man because of his extreme crimes. Hence in this case he used his position to kill all these people so he covered his crimes. So what you think in this case they should do? Nizar asked me. Then he goes in addition the death row can’t be under the political fighters and it’s should be under judicial supreme courts and the people. During the US history the two parties would try to pass the death row to the legislature to prove it, that mean the justice will be under the control of the political parties and which is totally wrong. Nizar said the right thing is to give the opportunity to people to vote for it and decide to do their own justice.

In Conclusion If a person commit a crime or crimes and they have more than 25 years according to court orders, they should be sentenced to death because it’s neither people responsibility to pay their money for that and it is nor the government right to take that money from them, besides to keep any community safe those criminals need to be either locked up for a life or sentenced to death depending on the crimes that they have committed.

Work Cited

Rasho, Nizar. Personal Interview. 10 August 2018

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Izdihar Sheikh

Amy Doty

English1010

16 July 2018

Experience Writing Throughout Time

Growing up as a child in a small farm which not exist and can’t be found in any maps had a huge impacts in my tendencies for writing and reading nowadays. In that small farm was so difficult to be at school as it was so far and not safe for many kids to go to that time, I remember since childhood I care a lot about everything around me, nature, animal, life, family, but education, readings books and writing was a missing part in my life as result of place and war. Then latter as I grew up I started to understand the benefits of books when my father taught me the value the education and books. My father inspires me by his small library that he depended on almost all his life. I barely remember as he passed away when I was child. but my mother always said that he was so passionate about his books and he had almost 10 thousands book later become as a small library for the town, he crossed miles to get to the places everyday regardless of unsafe road and situations so that people can read and be educated, I could see his books that were so old that you could see the dust of history has it mark on them. I could remember the books from 1930 and 1946 and even older if I could remember clearly. My father was the man who inspired me to read and keep books no matter how old they are, my mother said that he always wanted to expand his library and make other people benefit from these books, because books are the key to discover anything in our world, as teenager I started to write my journals and free writing about many thing that would be around me, I remember my first writing get published in local magazine was about women rights and I got the idea of seeing women suffer

And men are the leaders of the community always. Though  in English I have never write other than emails and text massages,  I always wanted to be good English writer as good as Shakespeare, mark twain, George Orwell’s and Charles John Dickens. I have always inspired by their books and I believe the magic of their books is in the feelings that the reader can feel in every single words that has been written, and that was because of the conditions and the environment that they were in that time. I always imagine if I was born in that time and environment I would be better writer by now, because of the nice environment and simple saint life that they lived at, away far from the new technology that we have today that has its negative impacts on learning as much as it has the positive impacts. I have always felt that good writing comes when the writer feels sad and pain and that’s how he/she can express feelings better regardless of the place that he chose to write at, or the materials that he/she use, though these things has a huge influences in writer’s mind. For me if I start writing a book I would read about what the other old writers chose as an environment or materials and I would start from there. Because the environment and all that come with it impacts on how we write in many ways, and the best way is to focus on how to start that way we get free from everything else but writing.