Meeting schedule for the rest of the Semester

We will NOT meet Nov. 29, but WILL meet Dec. 6. Final postings are due no later than Dec. 13.

--Brad

Some final thoughts

We've cruised through the semester, doing some interesting - even unexpected - things. At this point, I'd like you to begin reflecting on your experience with writing for electronic media, and how you will apply it as you continue your education or advance in your career.

Some of the compelling questions are:

• How do regional preferences affect both the presentation and the interpretation of information on the web? Remember your experience with the newpaper front pages. How might this be applied in another class (say, Humanities) or on the job?

• Reflect on the experience with the Lunch Counter Lady at soundportaits.org. How did the experience of hearing in the person's own words affect your understanding and empathy? Go back to soundportaits.org and find another person's story to listen to and read about, and write a summary. Also, if you could create your own sound portrait, who would you choose and why? Do you think it is actually possible to do so, and if so, do you think you might someday?

• How does the knowledge that your posts to your blog are open to anyone with a web browser affect your writing? Does it make you write better, or be more thoughtful, or is the anonymity of the audience make it not an issue? Consider the opportunity for feedback on a blog. Did you get feedback? Did you find it useful? Do you yourself offer feedback to other writers on on the web? How does the electronic media facilitate the feedback process, as compared to traditional media?

Answer these questions in your blogs, and email me when you have posted them. Consider this to be your "final project," and they are due no later than Dec. 13 - earlier, if possible. Create a separate blog entry for each of the three questions.

Email me if you have any questions.

--Brad

Non-Sequential Writing

One of the differences between writing for electronic media and writing for print is that many forms of electronic media support non-sequential writing. Sequential writing is the more familiar, with an order imposed upon the content 1) by the linear nature of print, or 2) by the dependencies of argument, order or other structure.

In non-sequential writing, information is presented in discreet chunks, without dependency on any other chunks. Chunks can be linked, of course, and packaged together, but each chunk should be able to stand on its own, as far as understanding by the audience.

For this exercise, practice writing in chunks. Use the "Today's Front Pages" website at the Newseum. Pick a newspaper from four different time zones in the United States, and write a short summary of the news presented on the front page. Each front page (one from each time zone) should be a discreet chunk. Post each chunk as a separate post to your blog. If you want to try it, try inserting a hot link to the other chunks (we'll get into this more later).

Portraits in text and sound

For the next phase of the class, read all of Chapter 1, beginning on Page 38. we're going to spend a couple of weeks on this chapter. For Oct. 4 do Assignment 1 on page 126. Go to the soundportraits.org website and listen to the Lunch Counter Waitress sound portrait. You may have to install realPlayer, but there's a link on the soundportrait website.

In your blog, write an extended essay that adresses the following:

• Why is it important to hear the story in the waitress' own words?
• Read the transcript - how is reading the transcript different from listening to the audio?
• Re-tell the story in your own words, as if you are writing to an audience that has never heard of the incident before. What details are important to capture?

Read and repond to your classmates.

The next assignment will be to do an exercise from the accompanying CD.

Voice

Read "Ashes" by David Sedaris in your text on page 139. Listen for Sedaris' voice in the text - what mannerisms are apparent? How does he use word choice and sentence structure to set a tone?

AFTER you have read the trext and formed a sense of Sedaris in your mind, go to the link to the text website (you'll have to set up an account) and listen to the audio clips of Sedaris reading his work. If you can't get to the Convergences site, try Googling "David Sedaris audio." How does hearing his voice influence, reinforce or change your initial impressions just from the reading?

How do you think the medium affects the message in Sedaris' case?

Post your response to your blog, and read and comment on your classmates's blogs before the next class meeting.

--Brad

Welcome to NET225S Writing for Electronic Media

This is the blog site we'll use for NET225S Writing for Electronic Media.

Check in here for assignments and discussions.

The first thing I want you to do is create your own blog site (you can use Blogger or any service you prefer) specfically for this class. If you already have a blog, I'd like you to create another one for the class.

--Brad