ARGUMENT TOPIC

Should the words "Under God" be removed from the Pledge of Allegiance, and "In God We Trust" from the US currency?

REVIEW OUTLINE

1. Introduction
a.Introduce the topic: blackberry smartphones
b. Describe criteria topics for reviewing
c. Set tone of review based on audience focus (young adults to mid 30-40s, usually more geared for businessmen)
2. Thesis
a. The BlackBerry Smartphone, with its many different models, is a great phone with easy to use technology for all types of people.
b. Clear meaning and value, balanced, and reasonable
3. Criteria
a. Price, business compatibility, customer service, easy to use
b. See template [B] for detailed response
4. Counter argue
a. Compare BlackBerry with iPhone and other smartphone/pda devices
b. Anticipate questions and refute or accommodate objections
5. Conclusion
a. Reiterate criteria
b. Give overall rating of the BlackBerry Smartphone

REVIEW CRITERIA

When shopping for a new phone, people treat it as if they are buying a new house or a new car, like their lives depend on it. It is not an easy decision to make, but when you know exactly what you’re looking for, things can be a little bit easier. For one thing, the price is a big issue. Costumers generally want more for less. BlackBerry products give you just that. The most expensive BlackBerry out right now is no more than $199.99, which is the BlackBerry Bold with the newest software and technology. You can even get a BlackBerry Pearl for as little as $49.99. Compared to other phones with the same technology, the BlackBerry is relatively cheap. Another thing to think about when looking for a phone, especially if you are a businessman, is the great use of computer software to make this PDA type phone easy to use for business and work. You can sync all of your e-mail accounts with your phone, download Word and Excel documents straight from your computer or e-mail, and it is very easy to make conference calls with several people. Costumer service within the company is also a big factor. Many everyday people don’t usually think about this until the day something goes wrong with their phone. The BlackBerry website has many different pages with useful information to help you if something happens to your device, as well as a phone number to contact for emergency help. There is even a Community Forums page to check out. The last and most important thing buyers generally look for is how easy it is to navigate through the phone. BlackBerry software makes it very simple to use their products, so people of all ages and with different technology backgrounds can use it without trouble.

AUDIENCE ANALYSIS

The BlackBerry Smartphone is widely used throughout the world. This phone is mainly used by the business and working class, but also many teenagers and young adults enjoy using the BlackBerry for everyday uses, such as texting and internet. The Smartphone includes normal cell phone features, such as calling and texting. What makes this a Smartphone, however, are the other, more modern features. BlackBerry’s are basically tiny handheld computers with their software and programs. It even has Word, Excel, and PowerPoint applications to help out businessmen on the go. Some things the consumers value in the BlackBerry are the build and styles of the many different Smartphones, the wireless e-mail access, and long lasting battery. Another thing that makes people choose BlackBerry’s over iPhones is the full non-touch screen QWERTY keyboard that won’t make up words as you try to type into a text or website. The consumers using this product for work find it very valuable that the BlackBerry is compatible with any computer software. In a review comparing the BlackBerry and iPhone’s Corporate Usage on boygenuisreport.com, the author stated that the Smartphone was “the hands-down winner for a perfect desktop extension.” Because many BlackBerry users have been given the phone by their company, many of their friends also use these devices. However, there are also some iPhone users out there who would like to change their friends’ views and make them iPhone users as well. It would hurt consumers not to know about all the features of both the BlackBerry and the iPhone and compare them. Just one factor could change a BlackBerry user into an Apple. It is very easy for Smartphone users to keep up with the new technology because there are automatic “over-the-air” updates for the software just about once a month or every two months. Also, with the applications new that keep popping up left and right, it makes it even easier to stay in touch with modern society. Some direct benefits of having the BlackBerry Smartphone include the RIM software allowing for easy downloading of applications as well as the effortless management of email and other programs, such as Word. Because the phone is used all over the world by people of many different ages backgrounds, it is simple to use and navigate through, but it is also as complex as a normal computer for those who need use it for work. Other benefits of having a BlackBerry include the entertainment portion of the phone, like the games and music player. Teens that use this product mainly purchase it for the great time-wasting game of Brick Breaker, but there are also other applications and games available for download in the BlackBerry AppWorld. One thing customers should know about the phone before buying it is the somewhat expensive cost. Of course, depending on the style of Smartphone, the price will vary, but the top of the line Curve and Bold range from $129.00-$199/00. No matter what phone you use now, check out a BlackBerry Smartphone and decided if it is the right choice for you.

REVIEW PROCESS

The topic I will be reviewing is a BlackBerry cell phone. I will rate it with a 5-star rating system.

COMMENTARY DRAFT

A jam-packed stadium, hoards of rowdy tailgaters, and crazed fans are just some of the things usually observed on a college campus during game day. It is special events like football games that truly show student’s pride in their university. Unfortunately, University of Central Florida doesn’t really measure up when it comes to occasions like this. Of course, the Memory Mall is full of students and alumni tailgating and pre-gaming. But when it comes to the actual games, our 50,000 person stadium is only about two-thirds of the way filled. School spirit not only means participating in athletic events, but also just having pride in your university. It is a very important phenomenon to a school, because it better distinguishes and defines it. When students have a good sense of school spirit, there is a certain atmosphere around the campus. I feel that though UCF has one of the largest student bodies in the United States, we are lacking that sense of pride and character.

Being a freshman at the University of Central Florida has been an interesting experience so far. I came in expecting to be completely overwhelmed by upper classmen with loads of Knights pride, and have found out that they’re just about as in to school as I am. Sure, they have UCF t-shirts to wear every other day and carry their keys on black and gold lanyards, but is that enough to say these students have tons of school spirit? Because of the attitudes of other students around me, I am not very prideful of my own school. I decided it was time to get involved with my surroundings, and auditioned for the KnightMoves dance team. KnightMoves is not only a dance team, but we are also a part of the spirit team. Being an active member of the spirit squad means that I must have pride in my school, and I must participate in all events occurring on and off campus. Since I am attending all of these school sponsored occasions and athletic games, I see everything that goes on at school. We only dance at football, basketball, and volleyball games, however, as a team, KnightMoves goes to many other games to support our athletes. Even though some other sports may not be as popular as football and basketball, I feel the students here at UCF should still want to take part in them, and facilitate a better atmosphere for the athletes to play in. If more kids tried to get more involved with a club, sorority/fraternity, or a sport like I did, they would feel more connected to the school, and most likely have more pride in their school.

Talking to other students around campus, I found that some disagree with my perspective; however many students concur that there is a lack of school spirit throughout UCF. When asked about his observances of students’ spirit during events on campus, junior, Kevin Kulbacki, says “No, I feel that the average UCF student goes to most events solely for free food and other items like t-shirts, and not because they are loyal to UCF or have pride in their school.” He also thinks that there is more than Student Government can be doing to get the kids more involved with their campus, but there is only so much. It’s like leading a horse to water. SGA can prepare all of these free events, but it is up to the students to take advantage of them and to actively participate. One event that many students are looking forward to is Spirit Splash, which takes place of the Friday during Homecoming Week. This is another event I also get the chance to dance at, and I am really hoping for a big turnout from the students. With Spirit Splash being one of UCF’s longest, and most known traditions, I am expecting a majority of the school to be there and take part.

Kulbacki’s brother attends Louisiana State University, and has experienced another school’s view of great school spirit; “It by no means matches any of the other true Southern Schools, in which college football isn’t just something to do, it’s a way of life.” In saying this, Kulbacki believes that if the University of Central Florida had a better football team, the pride amongst the students would strengthen. This should not be the case though. Just because a major sports team isn’t one of the top rated teams in the nation doesn’t mean that the students at that university shouldn’t still support them. William L Hamilton, from the NY Times, believes the same thing, and witnessed this phenomenon at an Ole Miss game in 2006. Hamilton writes, “Five hours later, the Rebels were defeated by Wake Forest in a blinding rain that pushed a 5 p.m. kick off back to 7 p.m. But the party in the Grove held its ground until midnight.” Even though Ole Miss didn’t have a great game, and ended up losing, the fans still had enough spirit within them to keep their heads up. These are the kinds of stories that UCF fans need to read, so they know it is okay to lose a game and still have pride in the school. In 2007 our new Bright House Networks Stadium held it’s first game, and to our dismay, the Knights lost to the Texas Longhorns. But with the new stadium brought a new sense of pride within the Knight Fans, and that helped pull our football team through to be undefeated for the rest of the season. What we need now is a new eye opener to rekindle that spirit. At the four home football games this season, there are always thousands of empty seats, and half of the people there leave before the fourth quarter even starts. If we keep this up, it will drag the hopes of the football players down, and we won’t have another season like in 2007.

Whether or not a student thinks UCF has great school spirit, there is always room for improvement. I strongly believe that once more students get involved with the sports and clubs; we can have one of the strongest universities in the nation. With over fifty thousand students attending our school, this should be no problem to achieve. When there is a free event, get all of your friends together and go hang out for a while. Maybe try to meet new people there, and even sign up to become a part of the club sponsoring the event. There is only one way to truly “Bleed Black and Gold”, and that is to exude pride for the Knights at University of Central Florida.

COMMENTARY THESIS

School spirit is a huge phenomenon that each university in the United States observes. It plays a big part in the unity of the school, as well as many athletic teams. Pride among college students varies within different social groups. Depending on who you ask, you will get different answers. However, I have noticed a majority of University of Central Florida students do not have enough school spirit. Once the Bright House Football Stadium was built, a huge boost of spirit among the students at UCF was observed. That spirit has died down since the freshmen and sophomores of this year don’t know what it was like not having their own football stadium. UCF’s Student Government is doing everything they can to get another increase in school spirit, though they haven’t seen the results they want just yet. They have so many free events set up for the students, but hardly anyone goes. People will go to the event, get their free item, and leave. Because UCF is the third largest university in the country, I feel we should have one of the most spirited schools, which means we really need to step it up.