Learning How To Critique Work

           In my opinion, the whole week of "Campus-Project" presentations was a mini-lecture on how to critique others` work. It may have been lost in the shadow of the main event (the powerpoint presentations) by some students, but I was able to soak up a lesson from that minute-and-a-half "critique section" following each student`s presentation. Dr. Theado never failed to ask the class, "so… what did this student do right?" Never was a student`s need for improvement brought to light before the things they had done well. This, I believe, is lesson number-one. While it is a social reality that the presenter would be uncomfortable and feel utterly outnumbered if there were just a chain of negative comments hurled at him, it is also true that, in the name of improvement (which is the ultimate goal of class discussion on a student`s work), the positive aspects must be brought out so students know what things to keep, repeat, and practice. Without mentioning a student`s successes, they may never be seen again- because the student automatically groups them with the failures and tosses them out. Secondly, I learned the importance of word choice. No matter the good-intention of a student-critiquer, if the student comes off anything shy of polite to the presenter, the advice (that would otherwise be very helpful) is forgotten somewhere between the presenters negative feelings about the student who just made that shy-of-polite comment. Critiquing others` works can be a very important concept to grasp in the world of rhetoric. But, without the reinforcement of things done right, and the tone used to convey things done wrong, there may as well be no critique.

Adopting Appropriate Voice, Tone and Level of Formality

So like my blog this week right- lol its totes gunnu b abt writing and ways 2 improve it. Lol i no u prob alred no allz abt that… jk.

      While my attempts may be over exaggerated, I hope that I am able to convey a simple truth through them- the way you write determines how other people view you. Some may find this inconvenient, but the moment an employer reads a run-on sentence, there are certain ideas that go through his head that just may determine the way he thinks about you. That being said, it is of the upmost importance to understand what voice, tone, and level of formality are appropriate in a given situation and do your best to adjust. A few weeks ago in Composition 2, Dr. Theado kindly brought up the fact that some students (not necessarily in our class) would email him and say things like, "hey what were we supposed to read?" There is a certain level of formality expected when emailing a professor- some students fell short, and the professor noticed. Wear good-looking voice, tone, and formality like you wear good-looking shirts, pants, and shoes.

Focusing on Purpose

      In a few of my blogs, I have alluded to a Powerpoint presentation as a unique and effective way to convey a message. While I have written in relative depth about things like blogs, emails, and essays, I have yet to write in-depth about Powerpoint. While doing our "Campus Project" in Composition 2 (which requires a Powerpoint presentation), we were offered a handout focusing our powerpoint efforts and goals, as well as instructed on the art of Powerpoint. Through this project, I have come to understand the most important principle in presenting via slideshow. I was delighted to find this principle also on our list of  learning outcomes.
     In presenting to a live audience, whose attention is already split between screen and presenter, it is of upmost importance to focus on purpose. Any extra material will only serve to waste the time and attention of the one presenting as well as those in the audience.
   One of the first steps to focusing a presentation on purpose is simply limiting the topic and sub points. Before even opening Microsoft Powerpoint, a presenter who desires an effective presentation must ask, "What do I want them to take away from this?" A slide passes by an audience member`s eyes once- and only once. What is on that slide must be incredibly memorable, and anything unmemorable or irrelevant must be discarded. It will serve no positive purpose.
    Secondly, and obviously, slides must be concise and clear. Focus on purpose. Keep in mind the fact that a powerpoint presentation is not to provide reading material to the audience. A powerpoint presentation is there to compliment what the speaker says, not the other way around. A listener should be reminded of main points, and be afforded time and attention to listen to the speaker.
     Ultimately, focusing on purpose within a Powerpoint presentation means eliminating waste: images, themes, points, and speech that clutter the purpose. A successful presenter leaves an audience with simple, concise, and memorable ideas that will continue pulsing through the brain until it falls asleep that night.
      I am giving the Campus Project presentation tomorrow- hopefully I have practiced what I preach.

Using electronic environments for drafting, reviewing, revising, editing, and sharing texts

         I feel it necessary to blog on Wikipedia, as our class-wide Wikipedia project has just concluded and I`m "fresh" on the subject. While none of our learning outcomes for English 102 mention Wikipedia at all, Wikipedia has opened my eyes to many truths about research, writing, and editing. Because I won`t get a satisfactory grade writing about any random thing that I feel is important (only English 102 learning outcomes), I`ve found a learning outcome that has been achieved through my exploration of Wikipedia.  The skills I`ve used and applied relating to the website couldn`t be a better example of me learning how to "use electronic environments for drafting, ... editing, and sharing texts."
         Drafting text on Wikipedia is undoubtedly a unique process. Most of the time, I blog about semi-abstract concepts that I have mastered, like using appropriate tone or diction. In stark contrast, drafting text on Wikipedia is a highly technical and specific skill. In order to format text into headings, or cyber-links, you must perform specific actions, like sandwiching the heading text with double equal-signs, or double-bracketing the words you intend to cyber-link. And if you intend to include sources in a bibliography, and link the via superscript to the portion of the text they correlate to, you must perform more specific actions. Drafting on Wikipedia is a very technical and useful tool that I am thankful for learning in the classroom setting.
        Editing text on Wikipedia (what makes it so popular, or unpopular), is not unlike drafting it. In fact, you do the same things in editing a text that you would if you were the original author. What`s important here, though, is not the technical skills required to edit, but simply the ability and acuity in editing so that you can contribute to the massive source of information that is Wikipedia.
        None of this would matter if it weren`t for the "sharing texts" portion of this learning outcome. Wikipedia could not be a better example of a sharable text. Anything drafted or edited on Wikipedia is instantly shared (or made sharable) to the entire world. Through Wikipedia, we can draft, edit, and share to the entire world ideas and facts that might otherwise go unheard or unseen.

Integrating Personal Ideas With Those of Others

     Collaboration. It`s the engine of ingenuity. It fastens ideas down like plywood in dusty garages called brains and sandpapers the heck out of them. We`ve all heard the phrase, “Two heads are better than one.” What does that even mean? It means that the productive power of the human brain is increased exponentially when combined with another. When collaboration is approached appropriately, ideas blossom into masterpieces with the majesty of Van Gogh`s paintings and the abruptness of a bud popping into full bloom.

      But how does this relate to the writing process? Well, if there is one thing I`ve taken away from the past couple weeks in Composition 2, it`s that the physical part- the formation of words, sentences, paragraphs and pages- is an incredibly miniscule portion of the entire writing process. Our first assignment in the series of “Argument Essay” assignments was strictly to work with our ideas. We`ve spent several class periods simply refining ideas. So, it logically follows that something like collaboration would drastically influence the end result of our thoughts- what is written down on paper.

     “Too many cooks spoil the broth.” There is a right and a wrong way to collaborate. If the wrong advice is taken or the right advice disregarded from our peers, or if too much authority is given to the ideas of either our peers or us, we are due spoiled broth. One thing I have learned is that usually, my peers who I am collaborating with are my audience. If they do not understand a point made in my paper, I do not try to explain it to them. I am not going to be sitting beside every individual in my audience when they read my work. If something is misunderstood, it must be changed. My peer is always right when it comes to misunderstanding. Otherwise, respect should be given to anything they say, and it should be applied according to what I believe. Many times, the ideas of others have not been something I desired to work directly into my work, but provided inspiration and a spark to my work simply because of the extra thinking capacity provided. Ultimately, when both parties understand what is most effective about the collaborative process, there is nothing more conducive to a healthy writing atmosphere.

Understanding Writing as an Open Process

      It wasn`t until Wednesday`s essay workshop in my Composition 2 class that I grasped this concept`s relation to my current research paper. I understood writing as a process: I had systematically narrowed my topic from one of generality and vagueness to one that I thought would be appropriate, I had gathered what I thought to be sufficient sources, and I felt pretty confident in the work that I had done. Case closed, right? Wrong. In class I was challenged by my professor to look at my progress so far as a critical someone would- say, a corporate executive, and pick out the flaws and failures. The result was enlightening.
      I am a very step-by-step, systematic person, so it naturally follows that I am content with the step-by-step process of writing a research paper. However, when I finish those steps, I want to be confident that they are as perfect as they will ever be. I learned Wednesday that advancement in the whole process means refining past steps- something irritating to my very soul.While combing over my "perfect" thesis, I noticed a major problem. My thesis went something like, "Separation of church and state as it was intended is beneficial to our national government." By including the phrase, "as it was intended," I had set myself up for twice the research, reading, and writing that I truly intended to take on. While I do want to be clear on my definition of "church and state," I don`t want to write an encyclopedia. This aspect of my progress is currently under construction, along with my fantastic ideas of perfection.
       After several run-ins with mischievous logic-trouble-makers within my outline and plan for the paper as a whole, my eyes were also opened to problems within what seemed invincible- the bibliography. Yes, my bibliography was flawless as related to the criteria at the time I developed it- the works were credible, I had enough works, etc. etc. But what I discovered in Wednesday`s workshop was that my bibliography was disproportionate. I had a couple sources that were very meaty and in-depth, but if I really wanted information, I had far too many dictionary and encyclopedia sources.
       I have definitely learned, to my frustration, that the writing process by nature is an open process- I am going to have to refine and revise as I go. But, in the end, this will only make for a better outcome.
      

Using Writing and Reading for Inquiry, Learning, Thinking, and Communicating

       Because I`m long-winded when it comes to writing (maybe we should call that deep ink'ed?), I`m going to omit the more obvious half of my topic. Reading is the most effective means we have for learning. Reading allows us access to the thoughts and convictions of everyone that has ever lived. Having said this, I`m going to write about the use of writing as it's related to inquiry, learning, thinking, and communicating. I have learned more about this topic since beginning college, just as all the other topics I write about.
      I never thought you could use writing for learning. I knew you could use reading for learning, and writing for communicating, but never writing for learning. But in fact, the writing process naturally stimulates the brain in a way that is very enlightening. For instance, when I began writing a blog on the use of technology in rhetoric to address a wide range of audiences, I knew that email could address those far away, a text message could reach your best friends, and the powerpoint could communicate a message to a large group of people. However, it wasn't until I began weaving together paragraphs and holistically reviewing my essay that it hit me- technology has given us an effective way to communicate appropriately with virtually every audience you can think of. I learned the true power of technology- a truth that hadn't been completely clear to me until after writing.
    Secondly, writing can be used for thinking; but not just your average, every-day thinking. Writing is conducive to organized, mature thoughts. I have spoken publicly on many occasions, and on each occasion, whether I planned on looking off of some kind of outline or not, I always wrote out my thoughts first. It wasn't until I saw all of my thoughts; collective, organized, and with appropriate meaning (because you can tweak words on paper until they are exactly what you mean, but speech is different) that I really had an organized brain file of my thoughts and their relation to each other. Sometimes you have to read your thoughts to understand them. It`s an incredibly peculiar thing.
     Another peculiar, yet less fascinating thing may be why I waited until the third paragraph to discuss the first term in my topic. I understand why "inquiry" is separated from "communicating" (I did not form the topic, but chose it from a list), but for the purpose of this blog, I think it appropriate to link them. After all, inquiry requires a second party, unless you are in a mental hospital. Writing and its importance to communication is the true theme of my entire feed of blogs, so if you would like to fully understand the use of writing for communicating, go ahead and read my blogs! Writing is the way we transfer what we know and believe to others. If mastered, writing can be infectious. It can send a wave of emotion and action to your friend across the isle, the city counsel member down the street, the ears on the other side of the state, your fellow Americans, and to the ends of the Earth.

Writing as a Process

        I learned very early in my education that the kids who sat down and took their research papers step by step, task by task, always ended up with a better grade than those of us who wrote each word as it came to our heads. I learned that writing (mature writing) is a series of tasks. However, I am still learning exactly what is involved in that process. I suppose writing can be broken down into four steps: finding, evaluating, analyzing, and synthesizing. 

        Instruction by Mrs. Natalie Bishop, librarian here at Gardner-Webb University, has proved very useful to me when it comes to finding. I learned how to find an online database relevant to the information I am trying to find, and then search that database for journals, scholarly articles, books, and even pictures. This is a sure-fire way to find the exact material you are looking for. While using the internet and search engines such as Google may result in one or two useful articles, it could mean sifting through the boatloads of unhelpful links to get there. You could also go to a library to find relevant information in print, but who really does that anymore?

       Once you think you've found good sources, you need to evaluate. This is a concept I have come to understand quite clearly since being in Dr. Theado`s Comp 102 class. There is a lot of correct information out there. There is also a lot of incorrect information out there. I like to evaluate credibility by breaking it down into three levels. First of all, who published the material? If National Geographic puts their name on something, that information is as credible as every National Geographic piece that ever was and every National Geographic piece that will be. Second, whose material did the publisher publish? A journalist is a great writer, but not as knowledgable as an expert. Lastly, whose material did the author include? A journalist can be a very reliable source if the journalist includes an interview with an expert, or a statistic from the national bureau of xyz. If your piece survives my three-layered weed-out device, you can accept it as reliable- that is, if you think me a credible source. 

        It could be that you reach this point and realize that your source would be unfitting to include in your writing. This is where you would analyze. "How well does what this person is saying compliment what I`m trying to say?" One thing to take into consideration is the focus of the piece. For instance, the piece could be about disruptive children in the Hoboken, NJ public school system, but focuses on the teachers` reactions rather than your intended subject- the cause for student disruption. 

       After you have found sources, evaluated their credibility, and analyzed their focus, you can synthesize. Good writers work information gained from outside sources into their writing in smooth, understandable, and beneficial ways. They do not plagiarize. They synthesize. The purpose of everything mentioned above is to write stronger, more mature prose. So as writers, we should take information and implement it in a way that builds our message up and presents a healthy, wholesome argument. 

Using a Variety of Technologies to Address a Wide Range of Audiences

"Don`t believe everything you read on the internet"- Abraham Lincoln, 1856. 

       While the popularization of the internet may have allowed completely erroneous information to be broadcast to the masses, it also did some sort of good for rhetoric. It gave words a power that they had never seen before. The truth is, society`s advance of technology is the chief factor in the increase of vocal power. The question is no longer whether to use technology or not, but simply which technology to use. In the three weeks I have been attending classes here at Gardner-Webb University, I have already gotten my point across via blog, Word document, message board, powerpoint presentation, Facebook post, text message, and even via the latest craze among teenage Iphone users, "snapchat." You see, we, as communicators, are required (by the nature of what we are trying to say) to speak to a wide range of audiences. Technology is the means by which we speak to the precise audience desired. 

      There are many different audiences that we speak to, even in everyday life. As far as one-on-one conversation, there are specific technologies that are best suited to this type of rhetoric. We use text messaging to informally communicate with our friends. Honestly, I don't know that my friend would take me seriously if I submitted a paper or presented a powerpoint to ask about that homework assignment due tomorrow. Nor would my professor be very happy upon receiving a text containing that homework assignment. Sometimes, we ponder the motives of those drama queens who post status updates obviously intended for their guy friend (or once-guy-friend). Why would they post something intended for a single person on a social media site? When they post things like, "You`re going to miss me soon, you yellow-bellied double-crosser!", they have, in reality, mastered the art of technology choice. They have communicated a message to a multitude of individuals- I need attention.

     The technology of powerpoint has transformed the assembly, the business meeting, and the classroom alike. By refining a message into a series of concise points and slides, we have the ability to broadcast our message to a massive audience with the same ease as if we were presenting information to a single person. While the smallest, most intimate communication is adequately supported with the text message, the other end of the spectrum is supported by our friend the power point presentation. And it is effective. Thanks to our friends like the blog, powerpoint, and Facebook post, we can literally go tell the world.

Responding Appropriately to Different Audiences and Rhetorical Situations

         When Ms. Rachel Jeantel took the stand in the nationaly televised and internationally criticized trial of accused murderer George Zimmerman, she was not expecting to be instantly thrust into the public spotlight; mocked, ridiculed, or interviewed on some of the hottest news shows in the world. Was it a breath-taking testimony that ignited a momentum change in the courtroom which made her so famous (or infamous)? Was it her endearing narrative of her relationship to Trayvon Martin and the tears that flowed from the jurors eyes? No. It was her syntax. It was her diction. And it was her tone. Ms. Rachel Jeantel was criticized for the appropriateness of her means in relaying a message to the jurors. It is important to respond appropriately to different audiences and rhetorical situations.
         "Appropriate" is an interesting word. While my decision on what is "appropriate" may be as simple as choosing the double cheeseburger over the quadruple deluxe burger at McDonald`s, my decision on appropriate syntax for a given occasion can be incredibly daunting. For a doctoral thesis paper, it would make sense to include complicated, longer sentences for the purpose of including more detail and deeper thinking. We would call this "formal." But would we really employ this same tactic for say, an interview, even if it were a "formal" interview? Of course not. The interviewers want to hear from a human. Appropriate response, as far as syntax goes, will get you hired, earn you a doctorate degree, and perhaps even win a court case for you (or just save you from public ridicule).
         The structure of a sentence isn`t the only important aspect to consider when attempting to communicate appropriately. Appropriate diction is vital to communication, especially now, when words are changing, shortening, or becoming extinct altogether. We could misunderstand, misrepresent, and even be offended by a speaker who uses inappropriate diction. An audience who has not been in church as long as I have will not understand me when I mention things like "repentance," "communion," or "sanctification." Any message intended by me will be lost in the diction chasm between us. If society payed no attention to appropriateness in diction, the East would never understand the West, the North would never understand the South, the old would never understand the young, the skater punks would never understand the jocks, the nerds would never understand the popular kids, blacks would never understand whites; the audience would never understand the speaker. Rhetoric would collapse.
        We`ve all been reprimanded by our mothers: "Don`t talk back to me!" "Lose that tone right now!" Tone is important in communication. An inappropriate tone can be devastating to the speaker, but an appropriate one can move mountains.  Many coaches have been criticized for their "inappropriate tone" when dealing with players. Nine times out of ten, the coach claims that his players perform at an optimal level after being constructively screamed at. Learning to use appropriate tone is simple, but can be difficult. Does your attitude towards the subject achieve your purpose? My high school basketball coach was a master at carrying appropriate tone. His polite tone towards the referee`s good calls perfectly achieved his purpose- to get on the referee`s "good side."But, his furious and scornful tone also perfectly achieved his purpose- to let the ref know that there was animosity in the air, and the ref was not Coach`s best friend anymore. Tone is the kind of thing that will get you slapped if inappropriately employed. Just remember- before you speak, check your tone.
        While syntax, diction, and tone are only three of the many rhetorical aspects that must be appropriate for different audiences and situations, they are the most important. Syntax can win or lose a job, diction-a client, and tone-a friend. So, always keep in mind the appropriateness of your rhetoric.