Feb. 23: Blog Reflection

Over the quarter, I have come to change my opinion on blogs. I really did not have an opinion one way or the other prior to use of them. There are a few things that stick out in my mind with respect to my experience with blogs this quarter.
I have come to see a blog as more of just an online journal that can be very unclear at times to the reader, but I think that is the beauty of it. I really do see a place for it in academia, as it provides the reader with a medium to attempt to interpret the views of other individuals without any specifics. The reader is left to use his/her imagination, and therefore they are forced to learn something in the process.
I have come to like the fact that one can just "blog" whenever they please on any topic, and have it published on the world wide web. This can create a number of things. One of them is the idea of one just coming across the blog which has been created. Many times, the reader may not know at all what the writer is talking about, and can interpret the piece whichever way they choose. Many times the writer may not consider their audience, and just write whichever way they choose. This idea is very interesting in that the reader will try to draw conclusions from what is written, and whether or not it was what the writer intended, they can draw something positive and interesting from it.
Overall, I see it as very beneficial in writing and PWR. You just simply write having in mind that what is written is available for anyone to see, and that has some type of bearing on your writing strategies whether you are able to come to grips with that or not. Blogging will only continue to grow in popularity in my opinion.

Feb. 18: Midterm Pres. Reflection

I thought the presentations this past week went extremely well. It was obvious that people had met with their OCT's and conciously made an effort to improve upon what they saw as their weeknesses in their first presentation. Some things that stick out in my mind were people openly addressing what it was that the class saw as something that needed to be fixed, and then acting upon it. Less mistakes were made with powerpoint, and they eye-contact with the audience improved drastically. Also, the idea of having a work in progress presentation allowed people such as myself to focus on a different part of their research than the first time, and having to place such focus on a different allows one to extend their research much further in different areas of their hypertext. This will make it much easier in the long run. Overall, it is clear that these presentations were very worthwhile.

Feb. 7: "Obsessive Internet Use..."

I think this article brings many points to the surface which are already quite obvious to the average citizen. There is no doubt that the internet can become a serious problem for those who use it for the wrong reason, and for that matter, the ones who use it for the right reason and are tricked into using it for the wrong reasons. He cited that 6% of the users 1700 users interviewed were diagnosed with addiction, and to me that number is surprisingly low. There may be a bit of sampling error involved with that.
I think he should have elaborated more on the idea that the internet hurts "face-to-face"relationships. This is much more prevelant to both sexes, and to almost everyone who uses it. The addiction to AIM is a problem in this sense as well. Lastly, he referred to the addiction of users to continuously gain more and more information on something that interests them. I do not believe this is necessarily a bad thing, if it does not stray from its original purpose. If these were several books the individual was going through, then he would receive praise, but since its the internet it is seen as addiction. The internet is a great source for information, and when used properly it is nothing but advantageous. The author harps on negative connotations, but I see some positive in it as well.

Start Up Writing: Feb. 4

After the first presentation and then meeting with the OCT, I have developed a plan for the next presentation coming up in the next week or so. I will begin by focusing on my delivery. I am going to use powerpoint, so by this point I will focus on the idea that the powerpoint is to inform the audience, not to guide me in my presentation. Ways to get over this are to be as prepared as possible and rehearse the project as a whole. My content will include where I am currently at with my research. I will only very briefly reiterate certain points from my presentation, but will do my best to not be redundant. I really do not feel any anxiety whatsoever when I am up in front of the class, so I don't believe that is something I have to address. I am looking forward to seeing progress in my presentation skills, because I know that is the point of what we are doing and I dont want this to be a weakness in the future.

Jan. 31: Quote From Cripps "Theory"

"With hypertext, the visual is more easily recognized as an important component in authorship." Other than translating your written essay to a more succinct piece of work, I believe this is idea is at the core of the hypertext medium. It is the ability to portray your piece in a much more creative, visual way that makes the hypertext medium so useful at any level of production. Going back on my previous idea, a succinct translation is still very vital. A hypertext piece is similar to powerpoint in my opinion, as the more basic, cut and dry facts are needed or the interest of the reader may be lost. I thought this quote above was particularly stimulating becase the visual aspect is so key, as is creativity. The ability to include picture, links, and interactive menus will grab hold of the attention of the audiece and hold it throughout if performed correctly.

Jan. 31: "Electronic Reading" Reflection

I thought that this reading was applicable to the situation today regarding technology. The idea of electronics taking over the paper book medium is all over, and it is even easier to come to grips with as I sit there and read the article on my computer. I particularly liked the way the author stressed the ability of electronics to make paper obsolete through a sense of humor, as he stated that if you like the smell of paper books, we can make a "leatherbound laptop." The true advantage of this electronic medium is without a doubt it's ability to adapt, and there is no situation where something electronic cannot be used. My only rebuttal is that there is still something to be said for having a piece of literature in your hand, with the printed pages directly in front of you. For some reason which I cannot explain, you feel much more in control and able to dive into the piece. When I read an article on an electronic screen, I find it a bit more difficult to really focus on the piece, as I do better when something is in my hands. However, the author does suggest the handheld screens, so this may solve that problem. I have yet to use anything of this sort, so I cannot comment on this. Because of all the past innovations in technology, I believe that my rebuttal can be solved, but it is to be seen.

Jan. 10: Research Topic Reflection

I have developed two ideas for the upcoming research project. I will begin by reflecting on the idea of digital photography and/or digital art. This topic is something I am beginning to take more and more interest in, as I explore new methods for using my digital camera. I realize that there are countless possiblities when it comes to digital photography, and I only know of a few. In fact, some language, such as megapixels, etc., is foreign to me, and further understanding of this will allow me to take advantages of the many benefits that accompany the idea. A link to digital photography and information on this topic is http://www.cs.duke.edu/~parr/photography/faq.html. Another topic of interest which I have come across is the rapidly growing hobby of on-line gambling. This is a very hot topic at the current time, as teenagers across the globe are making mistakes with their money, and having to suffer terrible consequences because of it. This loophole, as one must be 21 to gamble, is being greatly taken advantage of, as I can think of countless numbers of my friends who take part in this on a daily basis. I am very interested in exploring studies that have been done to show the effects this is beginning to have on America's youth, both negative and positive. http://www.msnbc.com/news/544764.asp?cp1=1, this is a link addressing the fact that this is a problem, and I want to dive in and find out how big of a problem it is, and if something must be done, what should it be? To conclude, I would have to say at this point I am most drawn to the topic of online gambling. Although I am really interested in both, this topic is of utmost concern today, and I see it plenty in my everyday life.

Jan. 19: Oral Presentation Reflections

Over the recent weeks, I have viewed a couple presentations that have really stuck out in my mind.The first is the presentation that the new head football coach here at Stanford, Walt Harris, gave to the team for the first time. As one can tell, this was a bit nerve-racking for him, as he stands before a team who he will lead for years to come. He did quite well. His main asset was his confidence, looking people in the eye and in a way letting them know that he is "for real". His use of power point was impressive, as he bulleted the main points of his talk. His use of rhetoric was extremely business-like, and gave off a great impression to a room-full of individuals who began the talk in wonder of what this guy was going to be like. One great example of his rhetoric was how we continuously asked rhetorical questions to the group as a whole, challenging them to put their trust in him and follow his lead in order to win. It was an inspiration.The second is a presentation given by a professor in a political science class here on campus. His talk involved power point slides as well. Only this one was a bit different. MONOTONY. The tone of this man's voice was enough to put one to sleep, and he constantly stared at the same place in the crowd his entire talk. I found these two qualities distracting, and combined with the face that he never changed the tone of his dull voice, I found I really could not pay attention to his talk at all. I by no means doubt his intelligence, as he is a scholar, but his use of rhetoric was extremely ineffective. There were no promising rhetorical strategies used, and becuase of this the content was overshadowed.

Jan. 7: My Previous Blog Experience

My first blog entry will focus mainly on the fact that I really have no expreience at all with blogs. In fact, prior to the beginning of this course, I had not even heard the term before. Upon reading and expanding my knowledge on the subject, I must admit that I am impressed and eager to continue to learn much more about them. I have had some preconceptions about blogs after I first heard the word and what they were supposed to be about. I first looked at it as basically an online journal, or a forum to just write about whatever it is that is on your mind without worrying about grammar, format, etc.
I feel that blogs fit in well to my understanding of e-rhetoric, as we use technology to express the feelings we have within us. I dont read any blogs on a daily basis, but it is something that I may consider doing sometime, as the curiosity just abounds. Blogs are something extremely new to me, and the more knowledge I obtain from them makes me more and more happy that I am continuing to learn about them.