CWC Reflection

Sammi Branch

12/12/11

Now that my CWC project is complete I can look back and be happy with what I made, the process was long and pretty hard but the end product was successful. The most challenging part of the whole project was the communication aspect. Coordinating with the different members of the EnviroClub was difficult, but worked out for the most part.

This project was successful because my time management was really good compared to a lot of other big projects I have done. I seemed to have learned a little from past mistakes and got a start on this when it was assigned so that I didn’t have to cram as much at the end. I think that my interest in the subject also added to the overall success because I was motivated to do it not only to pass a class but for my own personal gain. The main challenge was communication. To overcome that challenge I got all of the members’ email addresses and contacted them frequently. Some replied a lot more than others but overall it was good. I also was in contact with Joe Lohr by phone, email, and in person quite a bit so that was helpful too. In the end I wasn’t able to do blurbs about each member of the EnviroClub because not all of them got back to me and I didn’t want to put any information about people without them knowing about it or approving it.

Adapting my documents to the audience was fairly easy because I was writing to my peer group for the most part. Sometimes I had to remember to reign in the humor and sarcasm because although most people would probably understand some might not and I didn’t want to isolate anyone. For example in one of my documents I used the phrase “and all of your wildest dreams will come true” which was a catch phrase from the movie Napoleon Dynamite. When I sent you a draft you commented on it without realizing where the phrase was from and one of my test subjects did as well so I knew that I couldn’t keep that line even though I thought it was funny. I also had to be extra conscious about giving context in my documents since the EnviroClub is new at Westminster this year and doesn’t have a recognized name around here yet.

If I could do it again I think I would push to have another meeting with all of the officers and the advisor of the EnviroClub because this time around I had one meeting like that. Joe was very helpful and enthusiastic which was great, but I would have liked to get the rest of the group’s ideas too just because brainstorming with more people is usually more productive. I would also work on my time management a little more. Although I think I did a really good job this time I know I could improve. Time management is always something I am working on.

I think I deserve an A on this project because I completed all of the assignments fully and on time. I also put a lot of time and effort into this project and thought about all aspects of it. I really tried to make professional and good looking documents that will be effective for their purpose and I think I achieved that goal. There are definitely aspects that I would improve if I were to do this again, but I wouldn’t change too much. I would definitely tweak a few of the documents to perfect them more, like the recycling guide, but when I look at all of my documents together I’m really proud of them, especially since I don’t consider electronic design one of my strong points. 

The 6 Steps

To determine art I usually look at the intent and purpose of the piece. If something is created with some sort of intention it is definitely artistic. Something created with intention could be a document that was made to inform people about the proper etiquette at formal dinners could be art if the final product conveys the intention effectively. Also, if something was made with a purpose, even if it is more abstract like to convey or express feelings is art as long is it conveys the intended feelings. Something I would not consider art would be something arbitrarily made with no purpose or intention or that doesn't represent the intention at all. 

Since most professional writing is made with a distinct purpose that definitely qualifies it as art in my book. Examples of when it may not be would be if it fails or misrepresents what it was meant to represent. It might be hard to define something like an instruction manual as art to some people, but the process of it was inherently artistic because it required knowledge, skill, and creativity to be completed effectively. 

To improve my own professional writing I should probably revise more with other people. Sort of like a combination usability test/revision would be helpful. It would also be good to get multiple opinions on each draft from people with different perspectives. This would require a lot more time but would pay off at the end to make sure that my work isn't just applicable to certain people. 

Resume reflection

Sammi Branch

Resume Reflection

The resume and cover letter assignment was more challenging than I expected. I didn’t realize how much thought I was going to have to put into adapting my resume to a specific job application. I think the main thing that I learned from this assignment is how to decide what information to put in your resume depending on what job you are applying for. I also realized that these days and especially in the Communication field each employer is probably going to ask for different specific things on your resume. This changed my opinion of having just a resume that you basically use for every job you apply for to keeping track of all of your accomplishments, job skills, and education and then putting that information together in a way that is applicable to the specific job you apply for.

The most challenging thing for me was keeping things concise while also getting across all of the information I wanted to get across. I think that the cover letter was a great way to highlight my writing ability and to promote yourself in a way that is a little more personal than just a resume. I think my resume and my cover letter were both effective because they showed all of my relevant experience in an aesthetically pleasing way. I adapted my resume to the job ad by choosing words that they job posting used and by researching the company and highlighting things about me that are in line with the company’s ideals. I think that I successfully cut out information that was irrelevant and organized the information in a way that made sense when you read it.

If I could do this again I think that I would make my resume a little more artistic. I didn’t make my resume look as nice as I would like it to, but I think that it was okay because I was applying for a business and professional job. I would have still liked to make it a little prettier. I also think that my cover letter could have been a little more direct, but since my resume was so industrial looking I thought that a more personal cover letter was nice. I actually couldn’t help writing it in a friendly tone because I had similar ideals to what was described on the website.

I would give myself a B+ or A- on this assignment because I spent a lot of time and effort catering my resume to the specific job I was applying for. I also researched the company and took time to think about my cover letter. I also spent a lot of time formatting my resume, but next time I might do it on something other than Microsoft Word because I think that that restricted my artistic ability with designing the resume. I could have put some more effort into the letter of transmittal but I didn’t really understand it or why it was assigned so I didn’t get very into writing it. 

University Usability

Ball State University - IN

Tasks:
Find tuition - time: 9.27 seconds
Find the start date of the fist summer session - time: 8.7 seconds

Questions:
How well organized do you think this website is? - answer: Pretty well organized. Easy to find things.

When I went on the website I decided to test for something that probably everyone looking at the school would want to check: tuition. I also wanted to check for something sort of random and that would be searched for less often because I wanted to see if everything was about the same level of accessibility. The tester I used found both in about the same amount of time, under 10 seconds, and she actually found the one I would have thought to be more difficult almost a half second faster than the tuition. I expected this website to be easily navigated because of its clean presentation, color schemes, and organization, so the results matched my expectation. My conclusion is that although this seems like a very boring place to go to college (the town website lists Wal Mart as a shopping destination...) the website is very well laid out, clear cut, and pleasing to look at. This reflects well on the college and makes me think that it might be a pleasant place to go to school.

team report reflection

Sammi Branch

Team Report Reflection

This team project was one of the tougher ones I have worked on at Westminster. A combination of busy schedules and tons of deadlines with a group of five students was stressful and got confusing a lot of the time. I think that as a group we worked well with each other, but it got harder as the project went on. Since it was assigned over such a long period of time it was hard to make a schedule that worked for everyone and it was also hard keeping due dates in mind. For me personally, the beginning of this project went a lot smoother because I had a lot more time to invest in the project, but as the semester went on I had less and less time to devote to this project.

Our group was successful because everything was completed on time and of good quality. Our communication within the group could have been improved, but as I mentioned it was difficult because of all of the variables going on outside of this class and this project. We tried to overcome the challenges of schedules, time constraints, and tons of due dates by texting each other reminders, emailing documents back and forth to each other, and planning who would be the person responsible for actually turning in each document or step.

I contributed more during the beginning of the project, but as the semester went by I found myself so busy that I couldn’t help out as much as I was in the beginning. I helped with writing the proposals, thinking of questions to ask Mark Ferne, editing our documents, and I designed the survey that Lauryn and I distributed and collected in Shaw and at the library. I feel like I was successful because I did the pieces I signed up for and tried to help out as much as I could. I also tried to make everything my best work before turning it into the group. In my head I still feel like I could have done more because I am used to taking charge in group projects, but I did not for this one because of how busy I am. I think not taking charge was my biggest personal struggle because since I have always done so I wasn’t sure how to give my input and create my pieces without being the final person to see the documents.

If I could do this project again I would try and set more specific deadlines for the group as a group which would also mean meeting as a complete group more often. It wasn’t really possible for this project this semester, but I prefer to do group projects as a group because I like to work off my group member’s ideas as well. I think that one way our group could have been more efficient would have been if we had been able to sit down and plan out each deadline and what needed to be done by each person before that deadline, but since a lot of the deadlines were shifting and changing and we weren’t able to meet as a group very often that became more difficult as time went on.

As a team I would give us a B+. I think we all tried very hard and under the conditions put our best work forward. We handed our assignments in on time and produced quality work. We also came up with a really cool idea and put a lot of thought into it. Our idea was also something that we all have a passion for. Plus, we came up with our idea, researched it and stuck with it from the beginning which was great so that we didn’t have to lose time changing ideas. I would give myself a B because I did not do as much work at the very end as other members but I worked hard the whole beginning and devoted as much time as I could to the project for as long as I could, but I don’t feel like I did way less than any member because to me it seemed like each member put in about equal effort and time but we all did so at different points throughout the project. If any member were to stand out to me as putting in the most time I would say Gary did because he took on a lot of the editing and was usually in charge of handing in the final documents. 

Happy NaNoWrimo

As she looked at the battered dead body of the victim, Ms. Bynthe thought it peculiar for such a violent murderer to take the time to redress the body in her nightgown and tuck her into bed.

Genre- murder mystery
audience- 18-24
plot/concept- Ms. Bynth is a murder investigator who specializes in bizarre cases where the murderers sees to have potential to be serial killers

What do you need?

Of the three major projects due this semester, the one I need to spend the most time on is my CWC. I need to put my ideas down and actually start making the documents. To do this I will need to sit down with Joe again for a while to brainstorm and put some thoughts together. The team project is going well, we just need to put the final pieces together and make sure it flows and is complete. The peer review will help with the last two parts and the extra time will be nice so that we won't be as rushed. I am not very worried about the resume/cover letter because as a completely individual project it will be easy to find time to do it.

I would like to know more about what the final CWC project might look like. Looking at past students' examples would be helpful, I'm just having a hard time visualizing what we will be turning in to you. I would also like to see some final documents that students before us have made to get more inspiration. I would also like to see some examples of student resumes and you could say what parts are good and what parts are bad. To me when we see examples of past students it is much more helpful than examples from a book - they just seem more relevant.

Status Report

• What did you, personally accomplish on you team project this week?

This week I revised the survey questions and Lauryn and I handed out and collected about 50 of them in the library and in Shaw. While we were collecting the surveys a lot of students asked us about why we were doing the survey and when we told them our idea of a 24-hour study room we got overwhelming support. Hopefully the survey’s will reinforce the information we gathered by speaking with the participants. I also expressed my thoughts about wanting to meet more to the group. I also did some research regarding 24 hour study areas at other schools around the country.

• What are you planning to accomplish next week?

I plan on meeting with the group and helping write the first draft of the team project. I also plan on doing more research about 24 hour study areas if we as a group feel it is necessary.

• What challenges are you facing individually and as a team?

Since we all basically talked about the same challenge – scheduling – I can tell already that it is and will be less of an issue for the rest of the project. We all realize that everyone is very busy and are working to take steps to make that less of an issue. I think we will start utilizing Googledocs and Google Calendar more effectively to help us stay on track.

• How can I help?

I think we are all set and on the right track for now. 

Resume quiz

67%

Job Ad

This job drew my interested because it is in the communication field and is related to art. The job is the Junior Art Director at The Fusion Agency. The writing style of the job posting interested me because it is very friendly and has a sense of humor. I can tell that their main priorities in an incoming employee are skill, personality, and dedication. It is refreshing to see a professional job posting with a sense of humor. It is important to be serious, but it is equally important to have fun at work so that you can be productive, successful, and happy.

The tone of the job posting is really the biggest draw for me into this ad. This company sounds like a great place to work where creative ideas would be encouraged and speaking up would not be frowned upon. I think I fit the bill because I have great communication skills and am good at coming up with ideas and thinking of new solutions to problems. They list a good amount of computer programs to be proficient and familiar with and outline the specifications that would come with the job. Just in the layout of the ad it is easy to see that this company is good at balancing work and fun, and even integrating the two.

From the job posting I can tell that the company is laid back but hard working. The work environment seems awesome and sounds like a place that I would fit in.  The job posting states that they are looking to hire someone who is "sharp, creative, and forward thinking" and that the employees there "check their egos at the door" and strive for excellence and to stand out. I feel like I fit the description of who they are looking for. Plus, the description of themselves and current employees fit the type of company I would like to work for: hard working and successful, but not lacking in humor or excitement.

http://www.fusionim.com/advertising_jobs.html

**I think I'm going to need to find a new ad because I don't meet the qualifications for knowledge about the computer programs and stuff like that..I picked this out more as something I would apply to after college when I have accomplished more

Topic Proposal Reflection

Team Proposal Reflection

As of now in this project we have completed and turned in our final Topic Proposal, written the survey questions, and had an interview with Mark Ferne, so we are on track and successfully met our first deadlines. There are definitely challenges associated with working in a group but when all members are in communication with each other the issues diminish. We can recognize the issues we have and address them because we are all open and understand that communication between teammates is helpful. As a team I think we have all contributed about the same amount of work, but if we could do it all over from the beginning I would prefer to do all of the work together as a team, but that is totally unrealistic considering there are five members in our team and we all go to school and have jobs.

We are on schedule and are ready to conduct research and move forward with our project. We have the Topic Proposal written up and turned in, Gary and Lauryn met with Mark Ferne, and the survey questions are written up so we are ready to do that whenever we want. I would say we are successful because we have all the necessary things done at this point. Everyone has been contributing equally and although it has been difficult getting the entire group together we have been making it work by staying in communication with each other.

The biggest challenge, as I have mentioned, is that we all have busy schedules so it is hard to find a time to meet that works for everyone. We try to manage that by meeting when the majority of the group is able to and keeping whoever isn’t able to show up to certain things informed and in the loop. We try and email, text, and call each other to make sure we’re all on the same page. We are pretty successful with this and being in class together twice a week helps because we can touch base and make sure we know what is coming up next.

So far I’ve helped out with the Topic Proposal, added my questions to the list of questions we had for Mark Ferne, and written the questions for the survey we will hand out. I’ve been successful in working with the group because I feel like I’ve done about the same amount of work as everyone else in the group – we’ve all contributed equally so far I’d say. If I could go back and start over I would probably try and have a few more meetings just to check in and make sure everything’s on track. This is mostly because when working in a group I prefer that almost everything is done together as a group. I know that this is unrealistic with this specific project however, because all of our schedules are so packed. Considering this, we have done a good job making sure everything is completed and turned in on time and also that it is of good quality. I would also ask people more about what they wanted to do and if there were things they really didn’t want to do so that we could plan accordingly. I don’t think there was really an issue with this but it might have been helpful. For the most part people volunteered for things but sometimes I think we had to assign things to people sort of randomly and I would want to ask everyone if that was cool if we did it again. This again, however, goes back to all of our schedules being so busy.

Overall I think we are doing a great job. We have everything completed and turned in that has to be turned in and we are ready to start gathering information and moving on to the next steps in the project. Also, we have a fun group dynamic, everyone gets along and has the same attitude towards the project so it is really easy to meet up and get our work done. We don’t have lots of clashing ideas or priorities so things go really smoothly when we’re all together.  

Finding Your Voice

Almost anything makes me laugh. I laugh in most situations, sometimes that's good and sometimes it's not, but that's how I am. I think most things are funny - irony, tragedy, stupid humor, random accidents, awkward situations...they're all really funny to me. I don't cry very often, but when I do it means that something is really wrong or that I just watched a sappy movie. People wouldn't know that I cry at all though because I hate being emotional in front of other people. I am a pretty open person, but I only open up about really important things to people I feel extremely comfortable around. I like almost everyone I meet and am open with all of my friends, but I only share serious feelings with my very closest friends. 

I tell the people I love that I love them. If I'm very comfortable with them I tell them why. 

Usually trivial things that happen throughout my day keep me up at night. I run through things that I did during the day, things I should have done, things I want to do tomorrow, etc. Sometimes I get caught up on things if I think I handled a situation poorly, or I get nervous if I have something important to do the next day and I imagine all of the possible scenarios that could happen. 

I know that I'm usually confused about things and that I have a very hard time making decisions. I also know that I think about how others are feeling a lot, maybe even too much, and that I love being around people to an extent and then once I reach my threshold I need to be by myself for a while. I think that people who are mean for no reason are evil. Holding negative opinions about people without any substantiation behind those opinions is evil too. Actually, that might just be ignorant but either way it's a bad thing. The most beautiful thing to me is nature. Being somewhere where I can't hear anything man made is really nice and that is my favorite place to be. I don't like crowded places or places with lots of ambient city noise. I'd rather be anywhere outside by myself or with some friends but removed from society. 

I respect passion in others. I really like talking to people when I can tell that they are passionate about anything. It makes me want to find something that I am absolutely obsessed with so I can be that passionate about something too. 

People excite my curiosity. I love to learn about people, where they come from and what they like to do because I feel like I can understand their actions better when I know more about their backgrounds. I feel way more comfortable around people that I know a lot about. I am very interested in how people work and why people behave the way they do.

If I were the ruler of the world the first thing I would do would be to say hi to everyone. I don't like the idea of being famous at all, or having that much power, but I would do something where everyone could see me and I could introduce myself. Then I would go and visit as many places as I could before I died. Speaking of death, I'd like to travel a ton before I die. I would also like to have a family and a husband that love me a lot and that I love a lot. I also want to find something I'm really passionate about and do something about it or with that so that I can feel like I made some sort of positive impact on something. 

Team Project Status Report

• What did you, personally accomplish on you team project this week?

This week as a team we completed the client report proposal. I was most involved in the first draft process. We met and brainstormed ideas and our most important points and wrote the first draft. Then I edited it once. I also wrote up the questions for the survey we will conduct.

• What are you planning to accomplish next week?

I am planning on conducting our research this week. I will hand out and collect the surveys around Shaw and the commons one day in between classes or around lunch when there are a lot of people hanging out around campus.

• What challenges are you facing individually and as a team?

As a group we have issues meeting together all at once. We all have very busy schedules because we all go to school full time and have jobs. We are going to try and meet more and if everyone can't make it I want to try and keep them more in the loop. Realistically we probably won't get to meet as an entire group very much. Personally, I will try to devote more time to the project next week because I don't think I will have as much other homework or work for my other job. I find it challenging to devote myself to this project. I know that this is supposed to simulate real life with multiple deadlines and keeping them balanced, but it is frustrating because I have a real life with a real job with real deadlines that I get paid to meet. I take school and this class seriously, but sometimes things come up with my other responsibilities that take priority over class assignments.

• How can I help?

I think we have it all under control. As long as we all commit more time to meeting as a group everything will continue going as planned.

Reporting Results

While reading a few Gallup.com articles I noticed that although the articles are about different subjects and use numbers, charts, and graphs for different purposes they all use them to reinforce what has already been explained in text. Each article had various forms of numbers, charts, and graphs and they were always incorporated smoothly into the body text. Also, in each article there was a section at the end called "Research Methods" that fully explained their methods clearly, but like the charts and graphs this was supplemental to the methods that were mentioned briefly in the text.

Between the three articles I read it was easy to see that the trend in Gallup.com articles is to write an informative article that is relatively easy to read and then supplement the facts with necessary information. Facts were generalized in writing and then the hard numerical data would follow. One example of this is from an article about Germans' rating their well-being. When explaining that only a small percentage of German's felt that they were thriving they said "less than half, 41.1%...". Here the writer is generalizing the findings and backing it up with the verifying information. Another example is when an article talks about trends over a longer time-span the text will be a summary of the findings and following there there will be a graph or chart that shows the findings in a more visual way. This is very effective in getting the information across because it can register with all different types of readers, and by looking at the chart or graph the reader can gather the information quickly.

I found that the same approach was applied when discussing the research methods used to gather the information in the article. Usually there would be a mention of the research methods within the article; just enough for the reader to understand the context of the information. Then at the end of the article there is a section detailing the methods for anyone who would like more specific information. This is very effective because not every reader will want to or need to know the exact details of the research methods.

The articles on gallup.com are very well written and considering that most of what they are about can be hard to follow for someone not interested in hard numbers, they get factual information across effectively and in a way that is easy to understand. The reason the articles are so effective is that they explain things in a general way and then use specific details to back those statements up, but they do not overwhelm the reader by stringing tons of numbers together in one sentence. By breaking the information up and showing it in a variety of ways they are making sure that all readers will understand the materials and all of their information is factual. 

Revision

To me the word revision sounds like work. I don't like the revision process because usually once I start revising something I tend to spend too much time revising it because I keep finding things I would like to change. I know revision is one of the most important parts of writing but it is a daunting task. When I do revise things I do it in stages. I go through for the big picture first - to make sure that I have the right ideas and that my paper is basically in the order I want it. Although my main goal isn't to proofread for punctuation and grammatical errors, that ends up happening because I can't skip over a mistake once I've seen it. I usually do these revisions first and highlight or note places that need a complete overhaul, then I go back to those places that really need work and try to fix those. 

After I have revised it once I read through my work again and do the same things but on a more detailed level. I basically keep getting more detailed in my revision until I drive myself crazy or start making my writing worse. I'd say at the beginning of the revision process my techniques are effective, but the end is sort of a toss-up. Sometimes I know when to stop and sometimes I revise so much that my paper begins to deteriorate right in front of me. 

Peer Review

I have only had a few experiences with peer reviews but luckily they have all been good ones. The only criticism I have of them is that sometimes they aren't as accurate as they could be because someone is afraid of hurting someone else's feelings. It is a somewhat delicate situation, but the person giving their document away for peer review must know that they will likely receive some reviews that they don't like. Even though you might hear some things you don't want to hear, honesty is key in peer reviews because honesty equates to a better final product.

I would say that peer reviews are good because it allows you to get someone else's opinion on something. Especially with larger projects I have noticed myself getting caught up in my research so much that my writing does not convey it in a way other people can easily understand. An outsider's opinion is very valuable in that sort of situation. I think it is also important, however, to know that not all of the revisions someone else makes will be appropriate. You have to know that sometimes you do know best, especially if it is about a topic you have put a lot of time and research into. When making a decision like that - to contradict something someone has corrected - you just have to know that you are definitely right. Personally, I need to be more open to criticism about my work and take it less personally when someone says something negative about it

CWC Ideas

Enviro Club

1.       Potential organization contacts:

a.       Brittany Evans – SLCC division contact

b.      Kyle Graser – PR officer

c.       Joe Lohr – Westminster division contact

2.       Potential audiences:

a.       Westminster students, faculty, and staff

b.      SLCC students, faculty, and staff

c.       Sugar House community members

d.      Salt Lake City community members

3.       Desired responses:

a.       After reading/seeing any documents the audience should have an increased awareness of environmental issues and information on how to make positive changes with their habits.

b.      Some of the documents will probably be used to increase audience participation in more Enviro Club activities. I imagine that I will create at least a few documents that would be promotional material for specific events that the Enviro Club is putting on.

c.       Hopefully the documents I create will help the audience to make changes in their daily habits that would decrease the amount of resources they use.

4.       Research:

a.       I attended the Envio Club meeting at Westminster to get a feel for the organization. I’ve spoken with Joe Lohr and he is excited about the idea of working with me for this project.

b.      I’ve looked through the Enviro Club website and brainstormed ideas to present as potential documents and directions the documents could go.

5.       Why this organization?

a.       I agree with the mission statement of the Enviro Club. I would love to be a part of this movement to educate people on how to make small changes that have big effects. I wanted to pick something that I am interested in so that I will be more motivated to make each document and make each document well. It is also very convenient that we are just starting the Westminster branch of this club, and that it is fairly new at SLCC as well. I see the newness of this club being an advantage when it comes to making documents because the organization has a lot of potential and needs to be promoted.

6.       Questions:

a.       What are your short term and long term goals for this club?

b.      Who are your target audiences?

c.       Does the information you want to get out differ depending on the target audience?

d.      How well known is this club already?

e.      What is your first priority right now where you are with this club? Are we looking at getting the name out there or can we jump right into promotional/informational material?

f.        How exactly is this club funded?/Do we need to keep any donor preferences/ideals in mind when creating each document?

g.       Are there any guidelines for layout/format that each document needs to meet?

h.      What is your style? How should we approach these documents? (friendly, humorous, serious, scare tactics, inspirational, etc)

i.         Where would you like to see these documents displayed?

j.        What types of documents are you thinking of so far?

k.       Is there anything you would like to complete that has a specific deadline?

Westminster Environmental Center

1.       Potential organization contacts:

a.       Kerry Case – Environmental Center Director

b.      Monica Ferreira – Outreach Coordinator

2.       Potential audiences:

a.       Westminster students, faculty, and staff

b.      Sugar House community members

c.       Greater Salt Lake City community members

3.       Desired responses:

a.       I imagine that most of the documents I would create for this organization would be to promote the organization itself and give information on different activities the club encompasses. Hopefully my documents would increase the audience’s awareness of what the Environmental Center does on and off campus, and that my documents would help to increase activity with Westminster community members in Environmental Center sponsored activities.

4.       Research:

a.       I have been involved in activities with the Environmental Center and I know many people involved in helping the center run smoothly. I know there are a lot of branches within the environmental center so I know the Center could use promotional and informational documents.

5.       Why this organization?

a.       Again, I am very interested in environmental issues and would enjoy working with the Environmental Center helping to inform and motivate the Westminster community in becoming more environmentally aware. I know there would be pleanty of opportunities for making documents that the Center would need. It is also convenient that it is located on campus and I am already involved in some of its activities, so my foot is already in the door.

6.       Questions:

a.       How much promotional material have you already put out?

b.      Are there guidelines in formatting that will need to be followed?

c.       What are some short term and long term goals for the Environmental Center

d.      What are some of the main ideas you would like to get more publicized?

e.      What events would you really like to see have more attendance/get bigger?

f.        Do you think we will focus mainly on the Westminster community? Are you trying to branch out into the surrounding community at all?

g.       Are there any projects you would like to see completed that have specific deadlines?

h.      Would you like to focus on one aspect of the Environmental Center and pursue that or would you rather produce documents for many different parts of the center?

i.         How is the center funded? Do we need to keep donor preferences in mind?

j.        What tone would you like the documents to have?

The Inclusion Center for Community and Justice

1.       Potential organization contacts:

a.       Kilo Zamora – Executive Director

b.      Saundra Stokes – Associate Director

2.       Potential audiences:

a.       Westminster students, faculty, and staff

b.      Salt Lake City community members

3.       Desired responses:

a.       I assume I would probably be making promotional material for the Inclusion Center that would be posted around campus and around the greater community. The goal of most of my documents would probably be to increase involvement with various activities the center sponsors. I think I would also make material that would advertise volunteer opportunities and workshops the center puts on.

4.       Research:

a.       I have looked at the Inclusion Center’s website and also have been a part of a few workshops the center has put on.

5.       Why this organization?

a.       I liked the way the center ran and organized the workshops I have been a part of. Also, I can identify and agree with what the center promotes. To help promote equality and diversity would help keep me motivated to produce good documents. Like the other two this is located on Westminster’s campus, but it is not Westminster’s organization. I like the idea that I could work on something so close to home that has an impact on the whole Salt Lake community. Since I’m not from here it would be nice to make connections in the community outside of Westminster.

6.       Questions:

a.       Would you like to focus more on reaching the Westminster community or the larger community in general? Or would you like equal focus on both?

b.      Do different audiences need different basic information?

c.       What tone would you like the documents to have?

d.      Are there guidelines in formatting that will need to be followed?

e.      Are there any projects you would like to see completed that have specific deadlines?

f.        What are some of your long term and short term goals for the Inclusion Center

g.       Who funds the Inclusion Center?

h.      How much material have you put out lately?

i.         What do you think the best way to reach your audience(s) would be?

j.        How well known is this organization already at Westminster and in the greater community?

Changing the World

I would like to share the idea that it is easy to make small changes in your lifestyle that will positively impact the environment. I want people to know that they can make simple changes in their habits that can make a big difference. I also want to show people how easily one small change can morph into bigger changes that might be more easily seen at a faster rate. There are so many different ways I can communicate this message it is hard to talk specifically about a few, but if I were to do this right now I would approach it as I would marketing a brand. I would want to use multiple different types of writing and incorporate other types of media to grab attention and most effectively communicate my ideas to my audience.

Now that everyone is using the phrase “going green” it seems to be losing its meaning. Also, it is beginning to imply that it takes a complete 180-degree change in habits to “go green” and be “eco-friendly”. I want to tell people that every little effort helps and I want to get the message out that small steps can make a big difference. I also want to tell people about changes that are really easy to make, so that more people will begin thinking about their choices a little more.  

To communicate easy ways to become more environmentally friendly I could do research and write a scholarly document. It would detail the facts behind some of the environmental issues and how reducing the use of resources could help with environmental efforts. This could be followed up by posters and flyers and more advertising-type documents that would have much more concise information. For example, I could make flyers with a bulleted list of the easiest ways to conserve energy, like turning off lights and unplugging unused electronics. These types of documents would definitely have a design element incorporated so that it would catch people’s attention.

Hopefully sharing my ideas would prompt people to take time to consider their decisions and the impact they have on the environment. For example, I’d love for someone who read one of my documents to go out and buy reusable grocery bags and use those when they shop. Even if it is just one person making one small change, I feel it is making a difference.

There are so many different types of writing that it can be used to share almost any type of idea. Plus, once you incorporate design elements or multi-media the coverage expands exponentially. Writing is a form of mass communication and should be utilized as such. To actually change the world the writing has to be outstanding and persuasive. Writing to change the world sounds a little less daunting when you consider that to change the world you have to start somewhere; probably small-scale, and then grow. The type of writing I have outlined would focus on starting small and hopefully be able to snowball into a larger movement. 

Proposal Analysis

As a persuasive speech to get the American Jobs Act passed was effective. Obama used a lot of persuasive techniques that seemed to make his audience feel good about what he was saying. The two strongest elements of his speech were his rhetoric and his relationship with the audience, and these two elements had a give and take relationship. Obama obviously knows his audience well. He knows what they are concerned with and would address those concerns, he knows a lot about their political backgrounds and used that knowledge to be more persuasive.
One example of the combination of Obama's effective rhetoric and knowledge of the audience is his phrase "pass this jobs bill and...". Obama strategically put a positive statement after that lead repeatedly. With this strategy Obama was getting the information out effectively while also persuading his audience to have a favorable opinion of the bill. These statements were directed at congress basically saying "if you pass this bill really good things will happen and you'll get credit for them". He also avoided saying the word "if" so that it was not only persuasive but also more commanding. By phrasing the benefits of the bill in this way Obama made Congress feel good; he stroked their ego. What this phrase was also implying is that if Congress does not pass the bill bad things will happen and it will be their fault. This phrase that Obama used repeatedly really stuck with me as the most persuasive part of his speech.

Research Methods

One method that will be helpful in our Client Report is a questionnaire. We will design a questionnaire that will gather as much information as possible in a format that is easy to for our participants to comprehend and easy for our team to organize. The basic information we hope to gather with each questionnaire includes: age, gender, major, grade level in college, hours per week spent studying, and if they see a benefit to an after-hours study area. Our questionnaire will also include questions that will help us gather information about why people would like to see an after-hours study area, how often they would use it, any frustrations they have with the library hours, and if they think this would be a valuable addition to Westminster's campus. We predict that other students have similar experiences and feelings regarding this as we do, and this questionnaire will help us see if our predictions are on track. It will also help to show us if we would have support from the student population with this movement.

Business letter - final draft

xxx South xxx East

Salt Lake City, UT xxxxx

9/9/11

John Doe

xxx South xxx East

Salt Lake City, UT xxxxx

Dear Joe:

I really enjoyed being a Student Ambassador this year. Many of the wrinkles we had during First Year Student Orientation last year were ironed out and that is great. The extra freedom the SA’s had to interact with the new students was valuable and fun. However, I would like to bring your attention to the amount of bottled water given out on campus.

I understand the need to provide water to students and their families during orientation and the issues this task can create, but I think there are solutions that can also help Westminster fulfill their pledge to work toward carbon neutrality. The bottled water around campus during orientation seemed like a step backward in that regard. I know that there are recycling bins around campus, but realistically not everyone will recycle theirs. 

As you know, all of the new students are given a reusable water bottle. If water filling stations were placed around campus, students could refill their bottles when necessary, and we wouldn’t have to have bottled water available for them. 

The real issue is how to keep the families of the new students hydrated. There are solutions that could greatly reduce or completely eliminate the need for bottled water. Westminster could have reusable water bottles (like the students get) available for a reasonable price on campus for purchase. This way families could buy a memento that would also reduce the amount of bottled water needed. Another idea is to include a BYOB (Bring Your Own Bottle) message in the orientation information packets sent to the families of students that explains that Westminster is environmentally aware and that there will be water stations around campus.

I think new students and their family members would be receptive to this idea. Reusable water bottle use has been heavily advertised lately as an easy way to “go green” and it seems like the people who are attracted to Westminster would like to be a part of our movement.

I hope that this issue can be discussed. I would love to find a way to completely eliminate the presence of bottled water distributed by Westminster at FYSO, but even reducing the amount would be a great accomplishment. Please feel free to contact me with questions or if I can be of any help with this project.

Thanks for your time,

Sammi Branch

Working In Teams

The benefit I have experienced most often while working on a team is that more points of view are represented in whatever the product the team is working on. For a past class I worked in a team of four to create a brewery and design advertising and marketing for that brewery. We all benefited from the pool of knowledge we had (many minds are better than one). Instead of just my experience with advertising I got to hear totally different points of view from my group members. Because of this our advertising was much more effective; when we ran into problems we had four minds working together to solve them (team members play devil's advocate for each other). This also ensured that our information made sense to more people. Sometimes when you work alone you can get narrow minded even when you are trying to be open. Team projects help to minimize that. With this same group project I experienced the pressure that comes with collaborating with different people. A lot of times it seems easier and more convenient to work by yourself because you don't have to set up meetings or compromise with other people. Those issues are annoying, but for a lot of projects the benefits outweigh the challenges and the project comes out well rounded and effective.

7893 South 9302 East

Salt Lake City, UT 73620

8/31/11

Joe Shmo

1100 South 7322East

Salt Lake City, UT 83201

Dear Joe:

I would first like to say that I really enjoyed being a Student Ambassador this year. Many of the wrinkles we had in the organization and production of First Year Student Orientation last year were ironed out and that is great. The extra freedom the SA’s had to interact with the new students was valuable and fun. However, there is one thing I would like to bring your attention to: the amount of bottled water given out on campus.

I understand the importance of providing water to students and their families during orientation and some of the issues this task can create, but I think there are better solutions to keeping people hydrated that will also help Westminster move forward in their pledge to work toward carbon neutrality.

According to Westminster’s website, in 2007 Westminster College pledged to work toward carbon neutrality in its operations. The excess of bottled water around campus during seemed like a step backward in that regard. According to Food and Water Watch bottled water produces up to 1.5 million tons of plastic waste each year and that plastic requires about 47 million gallons of oil per year to produce.

I know that we have recycling bins around campus that the water bottles could be recycled in, but the Food and Water Watch also states that over 80 percent of plastic bottles are thrown away. Hopefully that percentage is lower here at Westminster, but we could avoid this situation almost entirely – at least during orientation. As you know, all of the new students are given “welcome bags” that include a reusable plastic and metal water bottle. If water filling stations were placed around campus, students could refill their water bottles when necessary, and we wouldn’t have to have bottled water available for them.

The real issue is how to keep the families of the new students hydrated and comfortable. There are many possible solutions to this that could either greatly reduce or completely eliminate the need for bottled water. One idea is that Westminster could have reusable water bottles (like the students get) available for a reasonable price on campus for the families of students. This way parents could by a memento that would also reduce the amount of bottled water needed. Another idea is to include a BYOB (Bring your own bottle) message in the orientation information packets for the families of students that explained that Westminster is environmentally aware and that there will be water stations around campus. These two ideas could be used in conjunction with each other as well.

I think the new students and their family members would be receptive to this idea for a few reasons. One being that reusable water bottle use has been heavily advertised lately as an easy way to “go green”. Another being that it seems like the people who are attracted to Westminster are also environmentally aware and would actually like to hear that this was our policy.

I hope that this issue can be addressed and discussed. I would love to find a way to completely eliminate the presence of bottled water distributed by Westminster at FYSO, but even reducing the amount we provide would be a great accomplishment.

Thanks for your time,

Sammi

Audience Analysis

My primary audience will be the head of orientation. He is in his 30s and very friendly and open to incorporating new ideas into his work. His primary concerns with orientation are the happiness/welfare of the students and their families. He needs to make sure the families of the new students feel comfortable and safe leaving their child here. He needs to impress and reassure them. He also is concerned with the happiness and well being of the older students who help run orientation, but this is secondary to the new students and families. He is also concerned with relationships between the new students (and their families) and the school and campus. He needs to portray the school's values truthfully. He also needs to make sure he doesn't offend or madden anyone higher up in the school's administration.
My primary audience will most likely read my letter on his own time in his office or somewhere where he can focus. I don't think he is off-the-walls busy so I am fairly confident that he will take time to read it and concentrate on it. Normal every day distractions will probably occur, but I believe he will be interested in reading the letter since orientation is his primary responsibility. I also am sure he does not want to read anything too long or boring. In my mind short, pleasant and informative will be the best way to write this letter.

Response to Dr. Leddy

Hi Dr. Leddy,


I like a lot of the points you made about keeping things simple and organized when writing to a professor. I hadn't thought about receiving emails titled "English essay" from the professor's point of view. I'm sure that professors are grateful when students tell them what section they are in and when their class meets so that they can more easily identify the student. 
I don't like that you suggest signing all of this information at the bottom under your name. This information would be more helpful in the subject line, or if it is too long then in the first sentence written out rather than just listed at the bottom. To me it is more of an aesthetic preference, but I also think it would be beneficial to have that information up front so that the professor can get some context of who you are before they read your questions/comments/concerns. 


Thanks for your advice,

First assignment

Born and raised in rural New Hampshire, Samantha has always loved being outside. Drawing from her experiences outdoors and appreciation for nature, Samantha brings you right into the wilderness in her novel. Good advice and interesting perspectives are strewn throughout this great adventure book.