At a glance p 200

Website

Target audience: students of Mr. Bevill's English 103 class

Content and main argument: History of technology, information on how it has evolved, movie clips, work done by our group. Technology has transformed beyond belief in a short amount of time.

Purpose: To educate about technology and it's improvements

Level of decorum: organized, neat

Navigation and layout: we will use a panel on the left side, as most websites, to navigate to and from our work

Pamphlet

Target Audience: Mr. Bevill's English 103 class

Content: History of cell phones and how they came to the level of technology they are at today

Purpose: To educate, inform

Level of decorum: creative, colorful, eye-pleasing

Layout: Information throughout, many pictures.

Initial Brainstorm for Multimedia Project

I think our group wants to do something with how technology has improved over the past few decades or so. I think we will work separately and then combine all of our efforts together at the end on a website to organize all of our work. Each of us has different resources we can use to do separate parts better than others in our group may be able to, and so we will work on each of our parts with our own resources and programs to produce a final work that will be put together at the end for our presentation.

First Draft and Peer Review for Research Projects

The first draft of my research paper on vegetarianism I think was reviewed well. The peer review helped a lot with rewording and correcting my over-usage of similar phrases and words. It helped put my paper in the perspective of someone who knew nothing about my subject at all. They explained to me certain parts that were hard to understand or what needed more background information. This is also helped to lengthen my paper closer to the requirement.

Note Taking

My usual note taking style is to take hand-written notes during class on the high points in a lecture. However, if the teacher or professor moves too quickly through information, I may move to typing my notes so I can get down as much information as possible. I don't like to type the notes because I get distracted by the computer during class, which happens less when I am hand writing notes.

Powerful Image

This image was taken during the Holocaust. You can tell because of the poor living conditions these men are being subjected to. You can also tell by the condition of their bodies. They are thin; their skin is stretched to cover their bones. You can tell they are malnourished. Some of them are hurt and have poor quality bandages. This is an impactful image because as the viewer, you begin to care for these men who are smiling into the camera even though their lives are inadequate; they are subjected to live in poor conditions that are cramped and dirty.

Thank You For Smoking

Today in class we watched most of Thank You For Smoking. I have already seen the movie but a second time around in a rhetoric and writing class allowed me to focus on those parts of the movie that mentioned argument and reasoning. Certain parts of the movie were a little uncomfortable to be watching during a class period, but those segments didn't last long. It so far has been a good movie and I know it will continue to be. I wish I had never seen it before so that I would be surprised at the ending but I know how the movie ends. 

Research Experience in the Past

In the past I have written several research papers. I had to write one for Chemistry 105 last semester. The research paper is something that must be very organized so that you don't scare the audience or lose the reader with stats or boring writing. The point is to convince the audience that your point is right and they should also follow that reasoning. There must be a lot of logic in these papers, I think. Logos is important in these papers. Solid facts prove something that ethos or pathos could not. Pathos, however, is key. It hits the reader where it hurts and they will remember your paper for that reason. Research papers can be great, if done well.

Possible Research Topics

I was thinking about the research paper we have to write that is coming up and I brainstormed a few topics that I could focus on. My top three are obesity in America, smoking, and vegetarianism. For the obesity in America one, I would attack how it is growing and is getting out of hand. I would look at the medical factors and see exactly how unhealthy obesity is. I would also analyze how this affects children. For smoking I would do the same and also write about who smoking affects, besides the smokers themselves, such as those around them that receive second-hand smoke (their kids, their waitresses, their peers) and how it affects those people as well. For vegetarianism, I would propose how this would be best for the environment if a vegetarian diet was adopted by most in the population instead of the low amount of people that have that diet now.

All of these would be about Americans.

Peer Review Session

My peer review session went well. I traded papers with Paul Burns and read his paper about a Nike ad. It was a very interesting paper and I enjoyed talking to him about it. There were only a few grammatical errors in his paper and he said there were only a few lines that were confusing or run-on in my paper. This is a good sign because all I need to do is edit my paper and review it before turning in my final for a grade. Overall it was a good experience to hear what another student had to say about my paper and see if he could offer any new ideas to make my paper better. He told me what I could fix and I told him what he could fix and both of our papers are better for it. 

Remixing Culture

I thought that this piece of writing was very interesting. The author makes a very good point in explaining and giving good examples of how mash-ups can be a good thing. His example using Christina Aguilera is very interesting, vs. his example of the mash-up that involved the Beatles. I like the idea of the radio that only plays mash-ups and the thought process that the DJ has about them. This type of mash-up in culture is getting more and more prominent. Old artists such as Tupac or Elvis are having their work remixed and used again to make hits. Elvis' song, "A little more action" was a big hit a few years ago, and everyone knew he was long gone. Famous rap artists use words, stanzas, even beats from other artists and incorporate them into their own songs or remixes. These are boosts for the music industry and in no way bring down the value of the original. Listeners love it.

The New Math of Mash-ups Observation

This piece was very interesting to read. I thought that the author was very effective in what they were saying. It did influence me, a little, to think that maybe mash-ups aren't so bad after all and aren't an infringement on other people's work. Frere-Jones talks about the artists enjoying the remixes of their songs done by other people. This reinforces her main point that mash-ups are okay because even the people who's work is being used enjoy it, as well as the listeners. This author doesn't place any blame, even when he uses the word 'piracy' in the conclusion. He refers to a great mash-up as one that combines good sound with a message. He bashes the Grey Album because it does not have a strong message but is essentially a remix of the songs from Jay-Z and The Beatles.

Observation - p. 22 & 23

1. Write down your observations

My piece of visual rhetoric is a flyer found in the union. This picture is an advertisement for a party in Anderson, SC which is off campus. It has the date and time on there to inform readers. It has pictures of what I would assume to be members in the frat. There are five glowing people with blinded out eyes that are floating in the top part of the flyer. This is also a piece of public relations for the frat. The city in the background can represent night life, what they are promoting. The very top has adjectives to describe the party to interest the readers. Then in the center, the event is named "Freaky Friday" the date and place follows. Also listed is the DJ. Then there is a bi-line about how they are bringing in the new year. "Be owt or be talked about" follows as the last thing on the flyer. The flyer's background is purple, one of the fraternity's colors (also listed as an adjective along the top). Also in the background is a tinted-back image of a person's head from the back. The fraternity's seal is also placed in the background but is not tinted-back, but layered behind the wording and the image of the person's head.

2. Work with your observations to construct a preliminary thesis statement.

This advertisement is ineffective because it does not attract students to the party in Anderson.

3. Refine your argument by asking questions that make your statement less general.

The poor design is due to the layering of too many objects. Also there is a typo on the bottom line. The poster is too busy. The understandable lingo used is "owt". The unattractive elements are the floating, glowing heads of the fraternity members and the spread-too-wide letters. 

4. Revise your preliminary thesis statement to be more specific; perhaps include specific evidence that drives your claim.

This advertisement is ineffective due to its poor design, lack of understandable lingo, and unattractive elements.

5. Further polish your thesis be refining your language and asking questions about the implications of your working thesis statement.

This advertisement is ineffective in its attempt to bring Clemson students due to its poor design, lack of understandable lingo, and unattractive elements.

6. Write your working thesis to include a sense of the implications of your claim.

This advertisement is ineffective in its attempt to bring Clemson students to a party due to its poor design, lack of understandable lingo, and unattractive elements, and so the fraternities need to improve their marketing strategies if they want to accomplish high attendance at their parties off campus.

At a glance - p. 21

Does the image attempt to persuade the audience?

Yes, the image attempts to bring as many people as possible to a party in Greenville, especially women. It attempts to bring college-age students.

Are there sufficient elements in the image to analyze?

Yes, there are many graphics and plenty of information to analyze on the poster.

What do you know about the author or the intended audience?

I know that the author is a fraternity of Clemson. The audience is college-age kids in the Greenville area, including Clemson, possibly other universities such as Southern Wesleyan (doubtful), Converse, Furman, or Wofford.

What's your own interpretation of this image?

I find the image humorous. I think it strikes the pathos argument. It intends to be cool to attract people to their party but I think it fails in its attempt. I don't think it's very effective.

Creative Commons post

This billboard is an ad for LED lights. It uses logos appeal to show the audience that LED lights don't need as much energy. This appeals to the energy-savers and those wanting to go green, which is an ethos argument. It could also have some pathos, maybe showing people who waste energy what they could be using instead. This comparison could lead them to feel emotionally about what they could have or could use. The message is effective. People walking by can see the little amount of energy that is needed. It stands out not only with the brightness of the lights but also because the reindeer is larger than normal christmas lights and attracts attention because it is out of the normal range. This isn't a piece of art but simply an advertisement with the audience being the people in the city and electricity users. It's purpose is to get them to use LED lights and BChydro. The caption is really what brings the message home, although the bike-powered lights could speak for themselves. It does aspire to depict reality.

Reflections on "Free Culture" and "Address Before Members of the United States of Congress"

Free Culture

This author seems very angry about this entire issue. He repeats a lot of what he is saying for emphasis. What he's saying is that culture isn't free anymore and society isn't free anymore. I don't exactly know what he wants to change in Washington - what laws he wants changed. The law can't be taken away or lessened for copyright. People shouldn't steal others' work, end of story. However, I understand how he's arguing against the red tape of government and copyright restrictions. But an idea is an idea and if it were my idea, I would want everyone to make sure they knew it was mine, especially if it was a good one. It was easy to read but a lot of the things he was talking about I had no experience with and so I felt out of the loop, especially when he mentioned court cases. The only name I fully recognized was a "Mr. Gates." I assume he does have a point or otherwise the audience would not have applauded him, but he made his point angrily and danced around it, trying to say too many things at once.

Address Before Members of the United States of Congress

The speaker in this passage is clearly a representative from Disney since he shows clips throughout his speech of movies and explains why all the clips are not Disney movies, and then defends Disney. This was much easier to read and much more interesting. Instead of court cases, he explained how mush work went into making a movie such as Dinosaur. He made his point very clear. Piracy is unfair and should be handled because it is an issue. He asks congress to notice this and to do something about it. He mentions watermarks which are a good idea but I do not think that would be enough to stop the hackers. His point is very easy to follow and he makes the reader (or listener) care about what he has to say. He makes sense and is very persuasive.

Creative Practice p. 4

Our first assignment for our blog is to respond to the Creative Practice on page four in our textbook.

Before leaving for class, I see in my dorm room a poster for the Clemson men's basketball team's schedule. On my way down the hallway I see three strips of duct tape stuck to the wall advertising next week's hall activity: the duct tape challenge. Going down the stairwell, I see a flyer for free pop-tarts and juice before classes in the Johnstone common area.

Leaving the dormitory, I pass an entrance to Tillman hall that bears an elaborate crest with the word, "Agriculture," above the doors. Crossing Cox plaza, I see an ad for the local market being open in the grass. Proceeding towards Daniel, I cross in front of the outside amphitheater, overhearing conversations about FCA that night. I see many people bundled in North Face jackets and many girls walking in Ugg boots to keep them warm.

Walking closer to Daniel I see vending machines for food and drinks. One is advertising Clemson's Tigerstripe card. Climbing the stairs, I read about and ignore a welcome back party Friday night in Greenville. Finally opening the doors to the second floor hallway to Daniel, I see a corkboard for students to post flyers such as openings for roommates, a pool table being sold, and last semester's blood drive.

Most evident

The most evident types of rhetoric I passed would definitely be the student corkboard in Daniel. Most students look there for information and plus it is right when you open the door to the hallway. It grabs attention of students with multiple ads and flyers.

Also, the vending machines are very evident. They are bright orange and show the options inside (drinks, poptarts, junk food, etc.) These items capture student's attention because it is something they enjoy.

Most subtle

The carving of the word "Agriculture" above the Tillman entrance is definitely the most subtle. Most people don't even notice it since it is of similar color to the brick around it and is high above the doorway.

Most persuasive

The most persuasive would have to be the offer of free pop-tarts and juice flyer. Anything that has the word 'free' on it instantly catches people's attention and makes them think about whether or not they would like to have whatever is offered for free. In a college surrounding, free food will definitely persuade many, if not most.