DIFFERENCE BETWEEN LINEAR WRITING AND HYPERTEXT WRITING

Writing for a website is a big difference from writing the traditional linear paper. A website requires not only an interesting content but also a design that grabs the attention of the readers. A website is design for exploration, therefore it shouldn’t constrain the reader from one page to another. The website essentially unfolds through the reader. Therefore, each page has to be concise and succinct; it can’t meander from one point to the other. Each page requires a character of its own and that is what separates the website from a paper in an aesthetic manner.

In a linear essay, one an argument must be established in the beginning of the paper. In its essence, it has to have a thesis or an argument to propel the paper. This is where one can argue the critical thinking shows as oppose to a website. A linear paper requires impartiality. It is not representing any certain views and in most cases, it usually only has one interpretation.

"Critical thinking is the use of those cognitive skills or strategies that increase the probability of a desirable outcome. It is used to describe thinking that is purposeful, reasoned and goal directed - the kind of thinking involved in solving problems, formulating inferences, calculating likelihoods, and making decisions when the thinker is using skills that are thoughtful and effective for the particular context and type of thinking task. Critical thinking also involves evaluating the thinking process - the reasoning that went into the conclusion we've arrived at the kinds of factors considered in making a decision. Critical thinking is sometimes called directed thinking because it focuses on a desired outcome." (Diane F. Halpern)

A linear essay requires critical thinking where there is an objective. That is to prove point that evokes a certain mindset. In most cases, the thesis already shows the gist of the paper. A conclusion in front, which creates a certain mindset entering when reading the paper. In a website, the writing may be more personal. It usually tries to be evocative and readers are open to formulate their own opinions. In a linear writing, it has to be rather precise or where one has to “make logical inferences.” (Simon and Kaplan) A linear writing is a form of presenting empirical data. A website does the same thing in many respect but it is already influenced by the attitude of the writer. Both allows reader to criticize but a linear writing traditionally is one sided. Where the two sites differ they also meet. That is it is up to the writer and the reader to accept the information as the truth. Writers are in a much more difficult position because they many not believe in their thesis. Therefore, “Critical thinking is careful and deliberate determination of whether to accept, reject, or suspend judgment.” (Moore and Parker) Both are suppose to draw the opinions of all the readers and create an intellectual discourse about a certain matter.

Linear thinking vs. hypertext thinking

"Critical thinking is the development of cohesive and logical reasoning patterns." Stahl and Stahl, 1991
In linear writing, it is much easier for me to format my thoughts. I found that in hypertext writing, I would often write myself in circles, with no distinct "end" point. However, in website form, it is more acceptable to do this because of internal links.
"Critical thinking skills: understanding the meaning of a statement, judging ambiguity, judging whether an inductive conclusion is warranted, and judging whether statements made by authorities are acceptable."
Smith, 1990. In dealing with linear writing, ambiguity is easier to address without making the reader feel like you just forgot to add a webpage or a link. However, I think it is easier to address the opinions and your own judgements on the opinions of authors in hypertext because you can link out to their opinions and let the reader do some judgement for themselves.
"Critical thinking is "the art of thinking about your thinking while you are thinking in order to make your thinking better: more clear, more accurate, or more defensible."
Paul, Binker, Adamson, and Martin (1989)
In doing the hypertexts, I found that I was able to more easily challenge my own thinking because of the free- flowing format a website offers. It allows you to go off on tangents when needed, or to stay focused. In going off on tangents, I found that often I would contradict myself and this caused me to reevaluate what my point really was. In a linear format, I would have just stuck with a point and gone with it, regardless of if my thinking shifted. In contradicting myself, I found that I could make a more accurate point and get to the heart of what I was really trying to say. And in finding the contradictions myself, I could better prepare myself to combat holes in my writing and thinking.

Hypertext thinking vs. Linear thinking

"Critical thinking is careful and deliberate determination of whether to accept, reject, or suspend judgment" (Moore and Parker, 1994). This statement represents the biggest disparity between hyper-textual thinking and regular linear thinking. When writing in hypertext one must carefully judge the worthy information that they are going to write. Only the most important, original, and succinct ideas going to hypertext writing, and that differs from linear writing. In linear writing one takes all of the information and jumbles it together because they need to portray a large picture. But in hypertext one's goal is to give an accurate picture of just one piece of the overall puzzle. Along these lines is the idea of "the art of thinking about your thinking while you are thinking in order to make your thinking better: more clear, more accurate, or more defensible" (Paul, Binker, Adamson, and Martin 1989). This idea contradicts the practices of "smash and grab" writing, where one develops a thesis and then sets out to prove it's true against all opposition. Hyper-textual writing is a move away from this. In hypertext, one researches a topic and then comes to their view point. "The purpose of critical thinking is, therefore, to achieve understanding, evaluate view points, and solve problems" (Maiorana, Victor P. Critical Thinking Across the Curriculum: Building the Analytical Classroom. 1992). This idea shows that hypertext is the development of a point of view, not an argument or persuasion.

Philippines ranks number one in sending migrant female workers in the various countries of Asia (predominantly the China Territories). Speculatively speaking, there will be more women who will continue to work abroad to sustain their family in the Philippines ([See 1]). These women face many hardships such as abuse and discrimination in their search for work abroad ([See 2]). Migration often occurs because of poverty and thus they are treated as such in the country where they work ([See 3]). As Shu-Ju Adeng theorized, there is a category created for the Filipina maids or others in countries such as Taiwan and Hong Kong [(see 4)]. Cameron Wesson also discusses this global phenomenon of migrant working women and the difficulties they face of taking care of two families – their employer’s and their own [(See 4)].

Many of the authors such as Shu-Tu Cheng and other authors have discussed the nature of the treatment of these women. None have really contested varying views with each other [(see 5)]. Rather, they do not necessarily branch out. Rather they focus on the overall experience and there is not one specific topic that has not been covered. There are some view that should be covered such as the further marginalization of the migrant workers and the mentality of the employers when choosing a maid [(See 6)]. This goes along with exploring the reason that these women do what they do. In general, the whole field could be given further exploration of personal experience because not many have given personal accounts of people they have interviewed ([see 7)].

I would like to further the research in the overall experience of theses women especially the mothers who must rear their employers child and their own at the same time. There is also the interesting dynamic of a husband and wife relationship and how a female breadwinner undermines the status of a husband in the Philippines ([See 8)]. I want to make a contribution that will show the plight of the workers from their life in the Philippines to their life abroad. I want to make a comparison of before, during, and after their time in a various countries working for different people ([See 9)].

Annotated Bib

Sources for annotated bib

1) http://articles.hbindependent.com/2011-11-09/entertainment/tn-hbi-1110-boucher-20111107_1_drug-sales-brynn-ashley-boucher-victor-mac-davis

Shadia, Mona. "Waitress Pleads Guilty to Aiding Drug Sales - Huntington Beach               Independent." Featured Articles From The Huntington Beach Independent.    Huntington Beach Independent Article Collections, 09 Nov. 2011. Web. 15 Nov.   2011. <http://articles.hbindependent.com/2011-11-09/entertainment/tn-hbi-1110-            boucher-20111107_1_drug-sales-brynn-ashley-boucher-victor-mac-davis>.

Waitress pleads guilty to aiding drug sales

By Mona Shadia

This article describes the event in which the low wage worker and waitress, Brynn Boucher, aiding a drug pushers by connecting "customers," who actually turned out to be undercover officers, to her cocaine dealer. There was a case brought to court to decide if she should be just as responsible as the actual dealer because she was a major assist in the sale of the cocaine. This article is useful to my lit review because is shows how the struggling waitress is doing some assisting pushing on the side to help earn some extra cash. She got very lucky in the sense she didn't actually have the drugs on her so she doesn't have to serve jail time like the actual dealer Davis was assigned, but she still got herself in a bad situation with 3 years of probation and thousands of dollars of fines by merely trying to earn extra cash because her tip did not suffice in her survival.

2) http://revellian.com/2008/02/22/the-reality-of-casino-bartending-sex-drugs-and-videotape/

Revel, Bobby. "The Reality of Casino Bartending- Sex, Drugs and   Videotape |      Revellian." Revellian | Transgressional Fiction - Absurd Fiction. Revellian. Web.           15 Nov. 2011. <http://revellian.com/2008/02/22/the-reality-of-casino-bartending-   sex-drugs-and-videotape/>.

The Reality of Casino Bartending- Sex, Drugs and Videotape

By: Bobby Revell

This web blog was written in first person by a bartender who worked at a casino. He writes about his experiences of all the drugs that circulate between cocktail waitresses, bar backs, customers, and even management staff! Two of the cocktail waitresses on their break snorted oxy cotton pills, threw up on the job while handling 31 beverages that the bartender made for them to serve. The two waitresses puked while saving the drinks, not spilling a drop. This is extremely useful for my lit review because it shows how open drug use and selling is in the casino/ restaurant business. Even management staff is taking drugs on the job from workers below their ranking. It also shows how drug use has become a normal routine in every day work. The girls who snorted oxycotton were so accustomed to working that messed up it hardly affected their job performance.

3)http://www.drugs.com/forum/pill-identification/white-oblong-m363-tip-waitress-29577.html

Andrew. "White, Oblong, M363... Tip for Waitress? - Drugs.com." Drugs.com |    Prescription Drug Information, Interactions & Side Effects. Web. 15 Nov. 2011.   <http://www.drugs.com/forum/pill-identification/white-oblong-m363-tip-   waitress-29577.html>.

Andrew posted on Drugs.com web blog pill identifier.

A male waiter trying to identify a pill writes this web blog posted on drugs.com he received wrapped up in a five dollar bill tip. He discusses how this was given to him from a regular customer who he previously was complaining about his back pain to. This post shows how working low wage workers are even willing to take pills from strangers and identify their usage to help ease the rough conditions they are forced to work in. Waiters are stooping to a level of desperation they will take the risk of receiving pills from essentially strangers instead of immediately throwing it out.

4) http://uk.answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20101002115906AAy0uiA

Rosie. "Mystery Waitress Doing Drugs at Work...? - Yahoo! UK &                         Ireland Answers." Yahoo! Answers UK - Ask Questions & Get             Answers On Any Topic. Web. 15 Nov. 2011. <http:// uk.answers.yahoo.com/question/indexqid=20101002115906AAy0uiA>.

Mystery waitress doing drugs at work...? by Rosie

In this yahoo answer blog post Rosie is asking help to identify what kind of drugs her sketchy co worker is doing. She notices her co worker often going to the bathroom with a water bottle and coming out with it filled which is strange to the small restraurant workers because she easily could fill it at the workstation sink. This shows how drug usage of waitresses no only effects their change of personality, but it concerns co workers and managers as well. Rosie makes a statement how she thinks these drugs just a huge waste of money-- they suspect her using cocaine. But to the waitress using, high on the job could be well worth the usage of her money 

5)http://0-web.ebscohost.com.sculib.scu.edu/ehost/detail?vid=6&hid=18&sid=d1923347-3ea9-4a65-9b2c-a118f33755cc%40sessionmgr10&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWhvc3QtbGl2ZQ%3d%3d#db=a9h&AN=4949904

 Rose, Mike. "The Working Life Of A Waitress." Mind, Culture & Activity 8.1 (2001): 3-27. Academic Search Complete. Web. 15 Nov. 2011.

In this scholarly article Rose explores the hardships and stresses that come with holding a job as the low wage worker, a waitress by interviewing his mother. The physical, cognitive, social, and emotional dimensions of the job create a working environment that is no where near ideal. This article will help me portray reasons the use of drugs with low wage workers is prevalent on and off the job because it physically eases the pain that comes with running in circles all day, holding heavy treys, and bending over to clean floors Rose describes. He even discusses his mother obtaining arthritis from waitressing. Drugs help mentally reduce frustrations of dealing with rude customers described in the article. And drug use temporarily emotionally numbs waitresses when they have in the back of their head this is their only option of survival with limited education. Although it doesn't directly relate to drug use, many reasons are clear in the article as to why many waitresses do.

6)Shipler, David K. The Working Poor: Invisible in America. Vintage Books, a division of Random House, Inc. New York, 2004.

In Shiplers book he discusses how society brushes past the fact there are struggling low wage workers out there who are barley making a living. This relates to my topic because of waitresses low wages, they may try and push drugs on the side to help make extra cash, which often results in them using the drug theirselves because it is at hand and available. Also because they are invisible to the rest of society, using drugs may help ease their feelings of less importance in this world.

7) Ehrenreich, Barbara. Nickel and Dimed. New York, New York: Holt Paperbacks, 2001.

Ehrenreich writes about the difficult work envolved in holding a job at a low wage restaurant business. Also, since the works pay hardly holds up to a suitable standard of living, low wage restaurant workers may try and hold two jobs. An alternate job could easily be selling drugs which relates to my topic of waitresses and drug use.

  

8) Kovacik, Karen. "Between L=A=N=G-U=A=G=E And Lyric: The Poetry Of Pink-Collar Resistance." NWSA Journal 13.1 (2001): 22. Academic Search Complete. Web. 15 Nov. 2011.

In this collection of poems the emotions and hardships of being an American female waitress are portrayed. The ways of resisting and escaping the emotional distress are included in the poems. One way of escaping is through drug use. It masks true feelings and temporarily helps create a more comfortable state of being.

 9)Moody, Maryam. "Steak & Eggs." Off Our Backs 34.1/2 (2004): 26-32. Academic Search Complete. Web. 15 Nov. 2011.

This scholarly article describes the real experience of a waitress being sexually harassed by one of her customers. He makes remarks on  her lack of make up, rude remarks, love life and takes great interest in her when it is not appropriate. This kind of experience a low wage worker may go through could permanently scar them, and physiologically push them to take part in drug usage to help them feel better at work, and after work.

Mallory Miller