The author does not make a claim but does state this research differs from previous research presented as it pertains to the mental health of individuals as opposed to just the physical health. The author states that the research makes the claim that there is an association between higher walkability and higher odds of depression symptoms in the most deprived neighborhoods of the Southeastern United States.

Introductory claims and concluding thoughts that connect the the research claims to the authors main point could be implemented here.

There isn't a claim made by the author but the paragraph does contain a presentation of the claim made in a research article that neighborhood socioeconomic status and the built environment do play a role in childhood obesity disparities according to data extracted from electronic health records at Massachusetts Pediatric Practices.

Could use a claim by the author to introduce the relevance of the research and some connective substance to tie argumentative point back to the main argument.

The author does not make a claim here but presents research published in 2006 that analyzes data taken from geocoded residential locations of adolescents in the years 1994-1995 of the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health. The conclusion is that lower socioeconomic status with high minority groups were reported to have reduced access to facilities which were associated with decreased physical activity and an increased likelihood of being overweight.

The same issue arrises here with specificity. Socioeconomic groups that contain minority groups do not necessarily translate to race, so more commentary could be implemented to make that connection. Low socioeconomic groups could encompass several categories as well as high minority groups that are not just race. Just being a little more specific could fix that and strengthen your argument in relation to main point.

In this paragraph, the author doesn't necessarily make any claims, but discusses research that makes the claim that race moderates the relationship between walkability and physical activity and provides evidence to support the claim via research on two southern universities that tested students of both african american and caucasian descent.

Again, it would help to address in the introductory paragraph what the target location is....Atlanta, Georgia, the South, United States etc... This study cites research on two southern universities, which might not be as effective in conveying your argument if it is applied to the entire US. Also, it might not be specific enough if your argument is relative to Atlanta since the south is comprised of several states with a vast amount of universities that comprise them.

The author does not initially make a claim but presents claims made by researchers that state that there were demographic differences between two cities, one affluent and one not affluent within Birmingham, Alabama that signify differences in the "Play Value". The author then concludes stating that this study provides further evidence regarding the challenges of being able to provide suitable play and physical activity environments for low income neighborhoods with minorities and immigrants.

The last claim in the paragraph could use some rephrasing if this is a statement/thought of the author. If not then disregard the next suggestion and make a connecting statement that relates the data to your questions presented in the introductory paragraph. Your introductory paragraph speaks to the correlation of race, the built environment, and health but the claim in the last sentence is that the research "further" proves a point regarding low income neighborhoods, minorities, or immigrants. These demographics can be comprised of many different races, which based off the content provided, both cities may or may not have the same proportion of race. So the point is vague in that regard. Specificity is key so the audience understands the connection between your listed demographics and the effects on race that you are exploring.

This introductory paragraph raises questions pertaining to the correlating effects of the built environment, health, and race. It also questions the significance of environmental factors over our own control with regards to health. Is this in general to the world, US, Georgia, Atlanta? Specificity might help here.

*Overall after reading your paragraphs, specificity in your research points would allow for stronger connections to your introductory paragraphs. Likewise, being more specific with your intended target in the introductory paragraph could allow your research to be more relative. Hope this helps!

This would be fantastic if all universities could obtain these natural landscapes. The picture below was taken at Cornell University and is yet another example of why I question the authors ability to make a sound case for extraordinary natural landscape and visuals on campus space that are feasible for the majority of universities.

This is an interesting statement that is both correct and incorrect in certain ways depending on the context. For instance, the author argues that disciplinary boundaries are being replaced with more integrative designs on campuses. In a sense, this is true in regards to campuses like Georgia State University that integrate with their city and share space, but not so much for many private and liberal arts colleges that create built environments that isolate them from the rest of the city. However, if you are applying this argument contextually to the landscape inside of the university campus, then it would be safe to say that universities have evolved to become more integrative.

This passage offers insight into the origin of Gulwadi and Scholl's perspectives as it emphasizes how the importance of location can be traced back to early American universities and their founders. It also states that these universities tended to be in rural, isolated areas and were self-sufficient, which are similar characteristics that the authors emulate.

It is important to understand that early American colleges and universities were primarily attended and designed by people that had higher socioeconomic statuses and more access to wealth, and because of this, their campus designs will tend to reflect that in some capacity, such as exclusionary building. Therefore, it is not surprising that the authors emphasize the importance of landscape and seclusion in their campus design because their perceptions are likewise focusing on universities that have comparatively more money to facilitate these accommodations.

In order to successfully bridge these two notions, the authors suggest focusing on communication and collaboration among the comprising stakeholders within the university, which is a problematic approach as it only pertains to the collective reasoning of university stakeholders. The authors illustrate a narrow perspective of the campus environment by assuming that the land where a university is located will only be inhabited by that university, thus seeing no need to include the opinions of others who are not directly associated with the university.

Georgia State University is a good of example of a college that conflicts with Gulwadi and Scholl’s stereotype of the built campus environment as it integrates with independent property owners in downtown Atlanta to create a campus that revolves around a shared space. The picture below of downtown Atlanta illustrates the level of congestion that property owners have within their community space. (photo credit: Brett Barnhill)

Thus, Georgia State University must communicate and collaborate with stakeholders that exist outside of its own realm when approaching campus design.

Gulwadi and Scholl’s vision of an ideal campus landscape seem to reflect environments that are isolated from cities and have natural access to beautiful scenery. Below, are pictures from Wake Forest University, which is consistently ranked among the top 25 universities in the country and is an exemplary depiction of a holistic learning environment.

(photo credit: Bryan Pollard) (photo credit: Bryan Pollard)

The problem with these pictures is that the campus is located in Winston-Salem, North Carolina and the scenery is relative to the geological/ecological make-up of that specific area. It would be impossible to come across this landscape naturally if your university was located in the arid desert of the southwest, which is one reason why universities face limitations within their access to natural landscape. Furthermore, when considering these limitations, it becomes apparent that Gulwadi and Scholl’s vision of an ideal campus is flawed and only representative of their linear perspective.

The preservation and utilization of open space on a campus as an “attentional resource” are components that the authors describe as being essential in creating a holistic learning environment. Although these design plans are practical and relative to the scheme of creating a holistic learning environment, it is important to keep in mind that these concepts may not directly translate to all campus environments.

The preservation and utilization of open space on a campus as an “attentional resource” are components that the authors describe as being essential in creating a holistic learning environment. Although these design plans are practical and relative to the scheme of creating a holistic learning environment, it is important to keep in mind that these concepts may not directly translate to all campus environments.

I concur with Gulwadi and Scholl’s assertion that a student’s perception of the campus landscape and environmental opportunities offered may influence their overall experience, however the task of interpreting how each student may perceive the landscape is complicated.

There are many aspects to consider when attempting to interpret a student’s perception of campus landscape, such as the historical background of the location(as well as its surrounding neighbors). Also, universities contain subsets of schools that are distinct in their field of study, including schools of health, natural science, social science, law, business etc…which can collectively create conflict in perspective from students. But, these are just a small example of potential conflicts that may arise from environmental influences and do not include the laundry list of variables that are more specifically pertinent to the history of each student.

Thus, it is important to include a multitude of variables that can potentially affect a student’s perception of the campus landscape when attempting campus design.

In this thought-provoking excerpt, the authors suggest that the American expectation of academic life on campus drives universities to offer a learning environment which encompasses the entire campus space, thus creating a perceived "holistic learning experience". This notion raises interesting questions, particularly with regard to the intended experience that universities aim for, in contrast to the reality of each student's perceived experience.

For instance, Georgia State University's campus is located in the middle of downtown Atlanta where you have an array of businesses and organizations that share common ground with the university. One student may absorb this environment as a motivational showcase, as citizens from different walks of life are seen on a daily basis integrating and collectively contributing to society. Another student may focus their attention on the considerable amount of homeless people spread out amongst the downtown area and internalize the disparity between socioeconomic classes as people are seen disregarding homeless individuals everyday.

As the train of thought dissents between these two examples, it is easy to see how difficult it can be for a university to create a campus learning environment that acts as a "holistic learning experience" and is also conducive to all students' perceptions.

"Recognizing Campus Landscapes as Learning Spaces", by Kathleen G Scholl and Gowri Betrabet Gulwadi, is a fitting title conceptually to counter the main viewpoint offered in the supplemental reading, "The College Amenities Arms Race", by Carla Newlon. In this article, Newlon states that in less selective universities the campus environment has evolved to cater towards an influx of students that have become accustomed to a “much higher standard of living". While selective schools like Harvard maintain academic precedence in their built environment, less selective schools like High Point University tend to focus on providing luxuries and amenities to appease students. The author ultimately suggests that these universities are making a "smarter business decision" by adopting this strategy, gauging from the expectations that students primarily seek in their campus environment.

The emerging conflict between these two articles sheds light on a pattern that could be corrosive if not met with reason, and is indicative of the decisions universities face today when creating their campus environment. While both types of institutions generate high amounts of revenue, Scholl and Gulwadi would agree that weighing business decisions over academic decisions in the campus environment can be detrimental to the reputation and integrity of the school, as well as to its educational value for students. Thus, schools that aim to recognize campus landscapes as learning spaces, will have priorities that differ from those less selective universities described by Newlon, with regard to the needs and interests of the students that attend them. Students that value academia will be more inclined to attend schools that embody those values in its campus, while students that seek luxury and comfort may opt for the latter and obtain an education that is potentially inferior in educational quality.

Newlon, Cara. "The College Amenities Arms Race." Frobes 31 July. 2014,  https://www.forbes.com/sites/caranewlon/2014/07/31/the-college-amenities-arms-race/#5c9b17e04883

These patterns and conventions that have been formulated in the study of vernacular architecture have surfaced from a long effort by people to record information through analysis. As technology continues to evolve, further progressions to discover patterns can be made potentially through assortment of data and the application of computer technology.

When applying this particular statement to Robert Steuteville's "The morbid and mortal toll of sprawl", it takes on a very dark and morbid approach. By replacing the physical properties of the room with the thoroughfares and adopting Steuteville's conjections, we are thereby enforced to travel these roads under dangerous conditions that have mounted significant evidence increases in death as a whole for those who travel them because of failed infrastructures.

Misperceptions of analysis and manipulation of evidence problems that can arise when analyzing architecture, and similarly are issues that Robert Steuteville would agree with in his article, "The morbid and mortal toll of sprawl".

This is interesting because there are vast differences amongst materials used for architecture from culture to culture from natural wooden floors to stucco walls and ceilings.

This makes me think about the gentrification that is occurring throughout Atlanta, and more specifically with the construction of condos and demolition of buildings. For instance, the destruction of "Thunderbox", a practice space for musicians in Atlanta had a story to it. That story has now vanished architecturally speaking, and has been replaced with a new wave replica of buildings that have no character, i.e. condos. However, the end of one buildings story can be the beginning of another buildings story, thus the condos story begins with the forced displacement of some of Atlanta's most prolific musical artists.

While we have made objects and artifacts throughout time that most certainly were systematically or intentionally designed out of necessity which shed light on cultural aspects, conversely, I'd argue that there are also objects that were not intentionally designed and may have been created randomly. There are mistakes that have led to the creation of objects, unintentionally.

I appreciate the acknowledgement offered in this paragraph to the importance of physically examining buildings in person. I also feel that this suggestion, while referring to a different subject matter, can also be applied towards Robert Steuteville's article on the morbid sprawl of thoroughfares. The fact is that information can be perceived differently. Steuteville stated that people's perceptions to the statistical increase in traffic deaths revolved around a lack of attention due to smart phones or whatever devices that deter attention. This information could be seen through a different light and processed in a sense more conducive to Steuteville's if people would survey these areas in person and well as drive the routes themselves. Likewise, information about a building can potentially be perceived differently if only viewed from a source such as a photograph and never examined physically.

I strongly agree with this statement offered in the text because the ability to analyze a building and infer historical context that details the cultural environment as well is not something a person "can just do". It takes a lot of effort and understanding of the location of the building contextually with historical records as well material usage, not to mention potential layers of culture that can evolve into a single building overtime.

In the article "The morbid and mortal toll of sprawl" Robert Steuteville suggests that the increase in traffic related deaths for 2016 can be attributed towards the dangerous infrastructure and design of our streets. Furthermore, he suggests that our modern design has contributed to the increasing traffic fatality statistics for over the past 50 years.

Steuteville states that the reason these roads have become more dangerous to drivers, resulting in this increase of traffic deaths, is due to thoroughfares. Thoroughfares are roads that encompass other individual roads, such as main roads or highways. The increase in construction of these thoroughfares is due to an increase in population that travels by vehicle in the area. The author explains that these wide roads encourage drivers to mindlessly partake in traveling these dangerous routes filled with vehicles traveling at high speeds, which is the main cause for the statistical increase, not because driver's share a lack of attention while driving, which has been the main interpretation for these results.

Steuteville, Robert. "The morbid and mortal toll of sprawl." Public Square: A CNU Journal, 26 Aug. 2016, https://www.cnu.org/publicsquare/2016/08/26/morbid-and-mortal-toll-sprawl.

We tend to express ourselves through our creations and much can be understood about our culture by exploring them contextually.