Sofia Fenner
Mr. Ippolito
Forensics C Odd
September 10th, 2019
Current Event 1
Citation:
Gardner, Lisa. "To Plot My Next Murder, I Went To The Body Farm" The New York Times, 2019,
https://www.nytimes.com/2019/07/16/books/review/body-farm-lisa-gardner.html?rref=collection%2Ftimestopic%2FForensic%20Science&action=click&contentCollection=timestopics®ion=stream&module=stream_unit&version=latest&contentPlacement=5&pgtype=collection.
In this article, novelist Lisa Gardner presents her experience with the Body Farm, a research facility dedicated to studying human decomposition. Prior to their demise, people donate their bodies to the Body Farm in order to advance forensic science. There, the bodies are "hanged from trees, submerged in ponds, burned in pits or buried in shallow graves" as experts examine what happens to them as they decompose. The farm was established in the 1980s by Bill Bass, a forensic anthropologist, when he sought out to find a method that would allow him to determine the cause of and time since death in a case. Gardner decides to visit the farm in light of a murder mystery she's been working on. She wants her thriller to be as accurate in its facts and procedures as possible, so she contacts the associate director Lee Jantz, who teaches her what she needs to know. Gardner learns that a funeral home transports the bodies to the farm, that trained forensic anthropologists are able look at a pile of burnt bones and identify the sex, age and the occupation of the deceased, no matter the way in which they were cremated, and that "the pieces of an infant’s skull feel like rose petals in the palm of your hand." I found the fact that changes in our DNA can be seen in our skeletons in as short as 10 years particularly interesting, since mutations occur throughout generations. After having visited the Body Farm, Gardner decides against having the victim in her book burned, seeing as a forensic anthropologist would still be able to identify the body, and comes up with an alternate ending.
In relation to the modern world, this article is relevant in bringing awareness to the facilities around the world that allow for the advance in the field of forensic science. Personally, I had never heard of the Body Farm, so this article was highly educational and interesting for me. It is only through the meticulous observation of decomposing bodies that experts are able to develop the skills to identify a human out of what looks like a few rocks. And these skills allow murders to be solved and criminals to be convicted. The article highlights the importance of the Body Farm to forensic research, despite its gruesome nature.
I thoroughly enjoyed reading this article because Gardner didn't just spit facts at the reader, but rather she gave her backstory and kept me entertained with her slightly comedic tone. In an attempt to not bore her reader, she steered clear of writing in a case study sort of manner, and instead wrote in a blog-style fashion, which I enjoyed. However, I would have liked to learn more about the process that the bodies go through at the Body Farm, and more details in general regarding the studying of the corpses. My suggestion would be to describe a typical day at the farm to the reader, who at this point, will be curious.
11 comments:
I liked how you used the vocabulary that we learned in class in your current events and another thing that I also enjoyed was that all of the quotes weren’t from the exact same person. One other thing that I liked personally was that everything in the current events had a reason to be their.
When you are starting a new paragraph you should use an indent and try to avoid starting a sentence with the word and.
What I learned about this current event was the importance of studying human decomposition.
I liked how you used the vocabulary that we learned in class in your current events and another thing that I also enjoyed was that all of the quotes weren’t from the exact same person. One other thing that I liked personally was that everything in the current events had a reason to be their.
When you are starting a new paragraph you should use an indent and try to avoid starting a sentence with the word and.
What I learned about this current event was the importance of studying human decomposition.
I liked how you used the vocabulary that we learned in class in your current events and another thing that I also enjoyed was that all of the quotes weren’t from the exact same person. One other thing that I liked personally was that everything in the current events had a reason to be their.
When you are starting a new paragraph you should use an indent and try to avoid starting a sentence with the word and.
What I learned about this current event was the importance of studying human decomposition.
Molly Palma
Mr. Ippolito
Forensics C-Odd
Due September 18th 2019
Current Event 2
Gardner, Lisa. "To Plot My Next Murder, I Went To The Body Farm" The New York Times, 2019,
https://www.nytimes.com/2019/07/16/books/review/body-farm-lisa-gardner.html?rref=collection%2Ftimestopic%2FForensic%20Science&action=click&contentCollection=timestopics®ion=stream&module=stream_unit&version=latest&contentPlacement=5&pgtype=collection.
This reviewer describes what Body Farm is, what the procedure is for dead bodies there, and who Lisa Gardner is all in her first three sentences. I think it is really interesting how the point of view shifts from an objective tone to one coming from Lisa Gardner herself. The reviewer chose to portray the novelist’s voice furthermore, when quoted her "the pieces of an infant’s skull feel like rose petals in the palm of your hand." I thought it was interesting how the reviewer suggested ways to make the article more effective. An example of this is her last sentence when she says that the ideal article would describe a typical day at the farm.
The reviewer described exactly how the bodies were treated at the Body Farm, quoting the article about the bodies being “hanged from trees, submerged in ponds, burned in pits or buried in shallow graves". She said this at the beginning and contracticed herself at the end by saying there wasn’t enough detail about the body-process. I would be interested in what the reviewer felt it lacked, specifically. I also felt that the reviewer used the pronoun ‘I’ a little too much. Since it was clear that she was talking about herself, it felt a little too over-the-top.
I chose this review because of the article title (not going to lie). I believe the reviewer did a good job fulfilling my expectations of how interesting the topic would be. I knew that you could donate your body to science, but I didn’t know what the process was for doing so. I think that by reading Gardner’s article or even the review would spark curiosity and maybe the question: would I want to do this myself? The review definitely related to the modern world, which deems a review relevant.
The three aspects I felt Sofia did well were her writing style, attention to details, and her honest approach to learning something new. Sofia’s writing style had an ease and carefree way that engaged me as a reader. I wanted to know more about the body farm! Sofia’s attention to the details of the article helped me visualize the body farm. I could actually see the bodies hanging from the trees. Finally, her honest approach to the article and the subject were refreshing. I too did not know what a body farm was until I read her review. She gave a clear picture of what the author was trying to convey.
Two suggestions I have are to add a bit of contrast to your review and add more connection to forensic science. The author discusses aspects of the body farm that suggest there is a negative perspective. Was there something in the article that rubbed you the wrong way or left you feeling gross? Add that feeling to your writing. Lastly, the body farm is a forensic science playground! Add more details of how forensics science is used or benefits law enforcement.
By reading this review, I learned the morgue gives bodies away for testing and experiments to multiple educational institutions. I did not know this, and I was a bit grossed out. I was also surprised at the type of poses and experiments performed on the bodies. At first, I felt bad for the bodies and the families of those people. However, I can understand the need to have the body farm and how it does help with forensic science.
Ellie Dessart
Mr. Ippolito
Forensics C Odd
18 September 2019
Current Event 2 Comment
Citation:
Gardner, Lisa. "To Plot My Next Murder, I Went To The Body Farm" The New York Times,
2019,
www.nytimes.com/2019/07/16/books/review/body-farm-lisa-gardner.html?r
ef=collection%2Ftimestopic%2FForensic%20Science&action=click&contentColle
tion=timestopics®ion=stream&module=stream_unit&version=latest&contentP
acement=5&pgtype=collection.
Sofia’s article was intriguing and informative. Firstly, the summary was concise and simple to follow. Sofia did a good job structuring her review of the original article by taking readers through the journey Gardner herself ventured on. Additionally, Sofia wrote from a relatable perspective, “Personally, I had never heard of the Body Farm, so this article was highly educational and interesting for me.” Her honesty reveals an open-minded attitude and eagerness to learn. Thirdly I enjoyed Sofia’s take on the author’s tone. She commented on the refreshing style, “In an attempt to not bore her reader, she steered clear of writing in a case study sort of manner, and instead wrote in a blog-style fashion.” Sofia’s note regarding the tone of the article is well-thought out and observant, demonstrating a high-level of comprehension and careful attention to details.
While I enjoyed Sofia’s review, there were a few aspects she could have improved upon. In the summary paragraph, I thought she should have saved her personal comments for the second or third paragraph. For example. “I found the fact that changes in our DNA can be seen in our skeletons in as short as 10 years particularly interesting, since mutations occur throughout generations.” While her input is important to the review, it distracted readers from forming their own thoughts in the objective summary. Secondly, Sofia could have improved her review by discussing more of the forensic science behind the article. In the second paragraph, she mentions the importance of the Body Farm, “It is only through the meticulous observation of decomposing bodies that experts are able to develop the skills to identify a human out of what looks like a few rocks.” However, she doesn’t elaborate on the specific processes used by scientists. How do scientists go about observing the bodies? How do they identify the humans? I wish Sofia’s second paragraph had a little more details and explanation.
I learned multiple things from Sofia’s summary. After hearing the Body Farm mentioned in class, I felt compelled to read more about it-- thanks to Sofia, I did! It was fascinating to read how scientists can discern so much from barely recognizable decomposed bodies. The article sparked new questions to ponder: How many people are willing to donate their bodies to science? At what cost are humans willing to help develop a field of study? I thoroughly enjoyed Sofia’s article and the impact she left on me as a reader.
Charlotte Dotson
Mr. Ippolito
September 15, 2019
Current Event #2
Gardner, Lisa. "To Plot My Next Murder, I Went To The Body Farm" The New York Times,
2019,
https://www.nytimes.com/2019/07/16/books/review/body-farm-lisa-gardner.html?rref=collection%2Ftimestopic%2FForensic%20Science&action=click&contentCollection=timestopics®ion=stream&module=stream_unit&version=latest&contentPlacement=5&pgtype=collection.
For current event 2, I read Sofia Fenner’s review of “To Plot My Next Murder, I Went To the Body Farm”. What first drew me to this article was the title; I was immediatly curiose and wanted to find out what exactly a body farm is. Sofia’s review was well written. The first thing she did well was her summary. It was written in a clear manner and wasn’t filled with any unecessary details. Secondly, Sofia’s crique/opinion of the article was well thought out and insightful. It is evident she read the articel closely. Additionally, Sofia used the perfect amount of quotes. She didn’t use too many where her own voice could not be heard, but used them approriatley to bring crediility to her review.
One thing to impove this review would be to include more direct information from the article itself. It was interesting to hear Sofia’s opinion, yet I belueve she should have saved it for the final paragraoh instead of mixing it in with the information from the article. Secondly, there was a lot of information in the article that I thought could have been included in this review. Sofia could have gone into more depth of science and factual information rather than spending so much time on her impressions of the article.
Overall, this review was written very well. I found the article very interesting, as the thought of a body farm is both fascinating and slightly gross at the same time. It is fascinating to think about the peoople who, knowing the tests their dead body will go theough, decide to donate their bodys to science. I think it is very impressive that people do this, as they want to dedicate themselved to furhtering forensic science.
Sarah Whitney
Mr. Ippolito
September 17th, 2019
Current Event 2
Gardner, Lisa. “To Plot My Next Murder, I Went to the Body Farm.” The New York Times, The New York Times, 16 July 2019, www.nytimes.com/2019/07/16/books/review/body-farm-lisa-gardner.html?rref=collection/timestopic/ForensicScience&action=click&contentCollection=timestopics®ion=stream&module=stream_unit&version=latest&contentPlacement=5&pgtype=collection.
In Sofia’s review of “To Plot My Next Murder, I Went to the Body Farm” by Lisa Gardner excelled in many aspects. First, she provided a very in-depth summary of her article that included a lot of important details for the reader to understand. Second, her relevance paragraph is very well thought out and specific. Lastly, Sofia’s explanation of what the author did well was very professional and shows that she read the article in-depth. Especially when she mentions the author’s light comedic tone.
Although Sofia did many things well, there are two things in which she can improve upon. First, I wish Sofia had included more quotes to give the reader a sense of the author’s original viewpoint. Second, her criticism of the author is lacking and could use a bit more description and examples to allow the author to better understand how to improve their article.
I found this review very interesting as it discussed the facilities surrounding forensic science, specifically one that studies how bodies decompose over time. This is very important to forensic studies as it helps in criminal cases when determining how long someone has been deceased. I find it interesting how there are people whose jobs revolve around science such as this.
Olivia Martin
Mr. Ippolito
September 17, 2019
Current Event #2
Gardner, Lisa. "To Plot My Next Murder, I Went To The Body Farm" The New York Times,
2019,
https://www.nytimes.com/2019/07/16/books/review/body-farm-lisa-gardner.html?rref=collection%2Ftimestopic%2FForensic%20Science&action=click&contentCollection=timestopics®ion=stream&module=stream_unit&version=latest&contentPlacement=5&pgtype=collection.
Sofia wrote an informative and fascinating review of “To Plot My Next Murder, I Went To the Body Farm” by Lisa Gardner. Firstly, I liked how she included many details in her summary. She not only explains what the body farm is, but elaborates why Gardner is at the Body Farm in the first place and what Gardner learns from the Body Farm. Sofia even includes that after visiting the Body Farm, Gardner “decides against having the victim in her book burned, seeing as a forensic anthropologist would still be able to identify the body”. Secondly, I think Sofia integrated many essential quotes into her review. Sofia uses quotes to support details in her summary, such as what happens at the Body Farm, when the Body Farm was established, and who established the body farm. Finally, I thought Sofia’s reflection of the article was well put. She efficiently summarized the importance of the Body Farm in her reflection while adding her personal opinion.
Although there are many positive aspects of Sofia’s review, she could slightly improve a few things. Firstly, Sofia could have mentioned more how the Body Farm helps forensic scientists in trial. She does mention “The article highlights the importance of the Body Farm to forensic research, despite its gruesome nature” at the end of her reflection, but it might be more informative to readers to learn about how crucial the Body Farm is when proving a suspect’s innocence. Additionally, I feel as if she should have only included her personal opinions in her reflection and not in her summary of the article.
Overall, I enjoyed reading Sofia’s review. I had never heard of the Body Farm, but found it very interesting. I now have a strong understanding of what the Body Farm is and its importance to the study of forensics. I was intrigued to read Sofia’s review because of the article title, and I am glad I did as it was very informative.
Sophia Prior
Forensics C Odd
October 18, 2019
Current event response
Citation:
Gardner, Lisa. "To Plot My Next Murder, I Went To The Body Farm" The New York Times, 2019,
https://www.nytimes.com/2019/07/16/books/review/body-farm-lisa-gardner.html?rref=collection%2Ftimestopic%2FForensic%20Science&action=click&contentCollection=timestopics®ion=stream&module=stream_unit&version=latest&contentPlacement=5&pgtype=collection.
In Sofia’s response, she did a good job of stating her opinions as well as summarizing the article. I also liked how she incorporated what we had learned in class on the Body Farm into her current event. In the first paragraph, she explained about the Body Farm and its purpose which helped to lead the reader into the rest of her response, as well as make the topic clear for the reader. In addition, she integrated quotes into her piece well, she used relevant information that helped the reader further understand her claim. Furthermore, she has a good way of visualizing the Body Farm in her text by incorporating descriptive language that the novelist Lisa Garner reported.
In this review, Sofia explained how the Body Farm related to the modern world. In the second paragraph she stated, “In relation to the modern world, this article is relevant in bringing awareness to the facilities around the world that allow for the advance in the field of forensic science.” I believe that this part could have been expanded, maybe include how these advances took place and specifically what they were. In addition, Sofia could have added a quote in the second paragraph, rather than two in the first paragraph to have widened the review.
I learned a lot from Sofia’s article, specifically about how the students used the bodies to further their forensic research. She explained how the trained forensic anthropologists worked on deciphering how the body died and how their research impacted the forensic world.
Post a Comment