Blog Feedback!

I loved the blogs, I thought they were great especially because they influenced me to get my own blog. I liked that I could always look back on the instructions for the blog and I got to read others posts.
I liked it better turning in the assignment online, plus it saves paper ;) haha
I loved reading the other blogs. Some people had some really good insight. It was helpful that we had to comment on our peer's blog otherwise, although I want to see what my peers said, because of time constraints, I would probably do it less often than I would like. I think that it was a great way to be interactive and I liked receiving feedback myself. It was also a good way to get to know the class.
If I had not read others blogs, I would not have known them in the in-depth way that I feel like I know them now. I would continue this, I thought it was great!

Analysis of DSW Webpage

The form DSW used was effective because...

*Their alignment was sharp. 

They didn't use center alignment with their logo but would use some of it when it was appropriate.

They had a clean and simple set up. It was clear and not convoluted; everything was aligned with something.

*They had contrast.

They placed emphasis on the images of the shoes and the brands that went along with them, this emphasis made the shoes more important. They also had simple phrases to go along with them each of the pictures. These phrases weren't big but they were catchy and succinct. The different things you could buy were smaller but the pictures drew you in. 

*They made use of proximity.

The pictures are grouped together and the words are grouped together, and they chose an effective way to organize the information that made the website pleasing to the eye.

*They used repetition.

It is simple and fresh, all of the different tabs are organized the same way. The spring colors for this season are unified throughout the site. They also did the same pictures of shoes and just contrasted with colors (but the same scheme of colors). 

*Their composition was powerful.

How they placed and arranged the visual elements were effective because it was easy to navigate your way around the page. They used their white space and had unified colors.

Website Effectiveness

To solve the problems I listed in my last blog post, I decided to put the counterargument scattered throughout my paper. There was one paragraph dedicated to the counterargument, but I put the rest in one-liners in almost each paragraph. I feel like it did the job best.

Ineffective vs. Effective

Ineffective:



"ALIEN SPACESHIPS TO ATTACK EARTH IN NOVEMBER 2012!"

http://weeklyworldnews.com/headlines/26535/alien-spaceships-to-attack-earth-in-2011/

It says "the world's only reliable news" and this doesn't give them any credibility because there are other sources of reliable news. The topic also isn't believable. 

"Spaceships--My Passion"

http://artships.com/

The design is very poor and even though we haven't learned about it, it looks like a ten year old made this. It just sported spaceships and didn't give any real information.

"Latest-UFO-Sightings"

http://www.latest-ufo-sightings.net/

The content and the reasoning for the content were ineffective to me. 

"Universal Uclick"

http://www.universaluclick.com/comics/peanuts/

I just didn't think that it effectively spoke to me personally because it wasn't a topic I was interested in. I enjoy old time comics but the website wasn't appealing enough.

Effective:

"DSW"

http://www.dsw.com/?cm_mmc=google-_-Brand%20DSW%20Only_E-_-DSW%20Only-_-13446485

I love shoes and I think how they set up the website is appealing and I know they guarantee good business.

EPA Water News

http://water.epa.gov/

When researching water, I trust this site to give me accurate information because it has a .gov and the information is given by the EPA, whom I also trust. 

"CNN"

http://www.cnn.com/

I feel like this is a creditable source. Obviously there will be some discrepancy among stories but for the  most part, it is effective. 

"Happy-Dictionary.com"

http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/happy

I think dictionary.com is effective because it is able to give you the information you need and is simple and easy to work.

Paragraph w/o Patchwriting

Most of the time, we see “myth” as a false tale or some type of ritual other cultures perform, which we think doesn’t actually work. This definition can undermine the beliefs of others, but in consequence, it supposedly reaffirms our own. It is also what makes myths so intriguing because there is an element of mystery and possible truth. 

-The hardest thing was picking a topic, but now that I have chosen, it is difficult to figure out how to order the paper. Meaning, what is the most important topic after the opening paragraph and where should the counterargument go; should it be apart of each paragraph or it's own separate one?

Life-Lessons Learned in the Library

        I actually learned a lot from the class that we had Monday teaching us how to research. It's always been a struggle to figure out the most accurate sources to use when writing a paper. This is because all of our lives, we have grown up using google and clicking the first address that pops up. We rarely went through our schools online library search engine. It was only when we were forced to cite those types of sources, that we did so. We are so used to doing things that are easy and convenient. That is why we have microwave dinners and walking escalators. We are always in a hurry and we want the quickest way to get information. One thing I did learn in this class is that even though citing a book seems strenuous, it is not necessary that the whole book is read, just skim and find what you need. This method we used can still be applied to in-depth research, and should be applied. It is more effective if you are searching through titles and topics to find the article or information that most accurately represents your work to portray it most effectively. A way to find specific articles that are relevant for your topic is, in fact, using the search engine provided for the library. On our BYU page, you simply click on the Subject Guide tab and the the Course Guide tab. Then for this particular research assignment, we use the Writing 150 website and the search tools provided there. There are many ways to go about finding what you need. It offers a way to find books, find topics and narrow your search. The site is very simple and easy to understand and really helps provide information. I feel like it has opened my eyes to an easy way to obtain healthy and creditable articles. We are lucky to have a school that doesn't only have these sites and opportunities but teaches us how to use them.

Proposal

       I chose to do my topic on "Relationships affected by Internet". So in essence, I want to write about how social media can effect relationships. This isn't limited to the relationship of a boy and a girl, but all relationships: the relationship with children and their parents, the relationship of friends, and the relationship between a new married couple. The internet will always bring implications to a relationship if it is present or driving force in their lives. My initial stance is that social media negatively effects the relationship between newly weds. It also negatively affects parents and their children unless they are living far away. I still haven't produced my stance on friends, I think it may have duel implications. My research question will be more narrowly focused in order to find out more information. I am asking: How does Facebook effect these three types of relationships, and is its effect positive or negative? Should people refrain from using it to strengthen relationships? What barriers or break-throughs come from it?
      I have found some while researching that Facebook has been proven to do. It has been proven to make people jealous. This is an important thing when addressing newly weds and friends. It has actually been proven to predict break-ups as well. Some people are more bold on Facebook, this makes it easier to say how they are feeling. When you can be this open, it offers a way for people to be more kind. They are able to compliment more freely but it also offers a way to destroy someone's self-worth. This brings a different element of a relationship with the openness. I care about this topic because I feel like it is a current issue in our generation. Facebook has a real effect on how we interact and I want to know more about it and figure out if there is a way to solve the problems and highlight the strengths. I hope I can find 9 pages to write about because I really like studying relationships!

20 Issues of mine...

1.Online Textbooks
2. Newspapers (thrive or die?)
3. Political correctness
4. Facebook's effect on relationships
5. Texting's effect on relationships
6. Communication with dolphins via technology
7. Stem Cell Research
8. Cyberbulling
9. Video games
10. Government control on Internet
11. Causes of Violence (Media Related)
12. Harmful effects of plastic bags
13. Media leading to World's end
14. Intimacy affected by Internet
15. Foods effect on the body
16. Effects of Divorce
17. Politics
18. Judging vs. Discerning
19. Truth vs. Tolerance
20. Kids that play outside vs. Kids that watch TV

The List of 20 is complete and yet I still have no idea what to choose!