Editorial Report

While making my final draft, it became evident that I had to make a few changes. But what all did I end up changing?

Before - After

How did the content change (even slightly - details matter!) when you re-edited it? Why do you think the content is being communicated more effectively in the re-edited version?

By reworking the intro to be more direct in its introduction, I believe that the listener can have an easier time finding out what the podcast is going to about. It also now includes a brief overview of the types of strategies which will be discussed.

How did the form change (even slightly - details matter!) when you re-edited it? Why do you think the form is presenting the content more effectively in the re-edited version?

By adding music I believe that the intro is more interesting, which makes the listener more likely to continue. Also, the podcast is more direct than before, which I believe will improve "listenability" of the podcast.

Editorial Report

During the process of making my final draft, I had to make a few edits, but how did they improve my podcast?

Before - After

How did the content change (even slightly - details matter!) when you re-edited it? Why do you think the content is being communicated more effectively in the re-edited version?

In my closing, I took the time this time to recap the main points of my podcast while still trying to keep it succinct. Before, it was difficult to understand what these points were, and by adding a reminder about why it is important helps to remind the reader of the point of ECE writing.

How did the form change (even slightly - details matter!) when you re-edited it? Why do you think the form is presenting the content more effectively in the re-edited version?

I tried to cut down on the length of the closing while still keeping it interesting. Also, adding a bit of outro music to help signify the end will let the listener know that there won't be any more content to listen to.

Reflection on Post-Production

So now that it'll all over with, how did it go?

What were some of the successes (or, things that went right) during this week’s process work? 

I think that while editing, I found my stride working in the podcast genre, and feel like the script and tone vastly improved during this week's edits as shown in the editorial reports and

What were some of the challenges (or, things that went wrong) during this week’s process work? 

Getting the audio to edit in correctly was somewhat difficult, but after inserting a few clips I began to get a feel for what all needed to be done each time to get it working properly.

How do you think next week will go, based on your experiences this week?

I'm looking forward to the next project, especially since I already have a couple of ideas on what I might talk about. Also, I'm more confident in editing audio at least, which should help in putting a video together.

How are you feeling about the project overall at this point?

I'm feeling good about it! Now that it's turned in I'm honestly pretty happy with how it turned out. I think it's a pretty helpful introduction to writing in my field and that it's interesting, at least to me.

Peer Review for Marvin Chaires

Moving on to a different type of genre, I'm going to go ahead and review a QRG to see how my information can be presented in different ways.

I'll be reviewing the piece "Chemical Writing in Some of Its Shapes and Sizes" by Marvin Chaires and giving my feedback for his rough cut so far.

An explanation of the peer review activity you selected for the project you reviewed

While writing a QRG there are a number of elements which will help the reader get the most from the piece, so I'll be making a re-design recommendation where I talk about the way that Marvin presents his information.

An explanation of how you think you helped the author with your feedback

I know that one of the things that's very important in a QRG is how the reader interacts with the text, so I hope that by providing a few suggestions for Marvin I helped him increase the readability and interactivity of his text so that the reader gets all the information they need.

An explanation of how you incorporated something from the suggested Student’s Guide readings (or any other course materials, if you’d prefer) into your feedback

Looking at the QRGs done by previous students (including myself) I realized that a QRG is a difficult form to master, since it requires a good integration of images and hyperlinking to keep the reader interested. Also, these examples show that separating the sections clearly is very important to make sure the reader doesn't get confused while reading.

One thing about their work that you admired or think you could learn from

I liked the way that they included a summary of what was important in each section so that the reader has a brief recap of the conventions of that genre before moving on to the next one being presented.

Peer Review For Kathryn Russell

So it's that time again where we look towards another student's work to see what can be improved for both their work, and possibly our own.

This week I'll be reviewing "Help" by Kathryn Russell, which in its current form is a podcast script rough draft. My comments will be on the podcast's use of form, since at the moment there are no genre conventions conveyed in the script.

An explanation of the peer review activity you selected for the project you reviewed

When creating a podcast, following the genre conventions is extremely important in ensuring the listener stays engaged and gets the information they need.

An explanation of how you think you helped the author with your feedback

By using the different genre conventions of a podcast, the reader will be much more likely to stay listening and still get the information that they need, learning about the writing in her field.

An explanation of how you incorporated something from the suggested Student’s Guide readings (or any other course materials, if you’d prefer) into your feedback

By looking at the genre examples of podcasts posted in D2L of student and professional works, I was able to gather a few tips on what should be included in the podcast to make it interesting to listen to.

One thing about their work that you admired or think you could learn from

I like how they planned to integrate so many different sources of information into their podcast, since I know that my current source list is rather lacking comparatively.

Open Post to Peer Reviewers

So, what's the deal with ECE writing?

Link To Rough Draft

Key information about your particular project that you would like anyone who peer reviews your draft to know

I know that this is a very rough cut and that I'll probably be going through another time to re-record the segments with a more coherent and focused recording session. Hopefully I can achieve this over spring break and update the draft so that I get more constructive feedback than I would with this draft.

Major issues or weaknesses in the “Rough Cut” that you’re already aware of (as well as anything you’d like to know from your editors about those weaknesses)

I would like to talk more about the presentations and lectures section of my draft, but I didn't quite have enough time to finish covering it this week. I would like to expand more on the emotion and logical appeals within the genre and help explain to students how these might be effective or ineffective for listeners.

Major virtues or strengths in the “Rough Cut” that you’re already aware of (as well as anything you’d like to know from your editors about those strengths)

I believe that the interviewees that I had for this project were very helpful in what they brought to the table for me to share with you, and that their insight helped me along the way. Also, I feel that the detail which I shared about the strategies used in research papers is a helpful way to cover the majority of tools writers use in that genre.

Reflection on Production

So now that I'm working more on my rough draft, I think it's a good time to do a bit of reflection on the work so far.

What were some of the successes (or, things that went right) during this week’s process work? 

I think it was a good start that I didn't wait until Sunday to get started on my rough draft, since it did take some time to write parts of the script for my draft. However, I feel more confident working with the podcast software I've been using and that should help with any future edits.

What were some of the challenges (or, things that went wrong) during this week’s process work? 

It was difficult trying to figure out how exactly to put an image into the listener's brain using only my voice since it's pretty hard to translate an image into solely words. Also, getting familiar with Audacity was a bit difficult at first, but that comes with doing something new.

How do you think next week will go, based on your experiences this week?

I think that next week will be really helpful since I'm still not quite sure if I'm on the right track with my drafts and I'd like a second opinion. But so far I'm feeling good about project two so I think next week should go well.

How are you feeling about the project overall at this point?

So far I'm feeling pretty good about the project so far, but I'm really looking forward to peer review to see if the techniques I've used in my drafts are effective in conveying my thoughts to the listener since it's difficult to tell for myself.

Production Report 8b

So now that I've done the introduction, I think that tackling the closing segment of my podcast will give me a good place to start for my rough draft.

Outline Closing:

As the world becomes more reliant on technology, ensuring that ECE majors are well prepared for all situations which they enter. Whether it be designing a new computer or the next Microsoft word, ECE majors are everywhere.

"Adaption of Outline Opening"

Podcast Closing

How did you decide to use form to present your content in the raw material you’ve shared here? How did the conventions of your chosen genre influence your choices?

At the end of the podcast it's usually important to thank the listeners and ensure that the segment wraps up in a way that doesn't leave any extra questions for the listener. Also, I wanted to thank everyone who helped me in the podcast such as my interviewees for their time.

How did the production of this raw material go? 

It was a bit difficult to make a script of the closing since I wasn't quite sure what information I wanted to include, but after that the production went smoothly, and I'm confident in my production for the rest of this project.

Production Report 8a

It's time to get started on the production of my rhetorical investigation, and I think it's a good idea to start with the introduction.

Outline Opening:

Talk about what's new in ECE recently, introduce the field and what happens in it.

• Maybe talk about VR Tech?
• Elon Musk and Tesla / SpaceX

So, when writing about these new things, what genres do ECE professionals use? What types of rhetorical strategies do ECE professionals apply when writing, and what is the process by which they create their work? Today we’ll talk about the genres of social media, lectures and presentations, and the academic research paper.

"Adaption of Outline Opening"

Podcast Intro

How did you decide to use form to present your content in the raw material you’ve shared here? How did the conventions of your chosen genre influence your choices?

Within a podcast, it's important to keep a listener's attention despite the lack of visual information for them to see. So, I tried to make the segment interesting enough and fun to listen to rather than being entirely filled with information.

How did the production of this raw material go? 

I think this part of the production was very successful since it was a quick section to finish, and I'm hoping that the intro is interesting enough to entice the listener to keep going. It took a little bit to understand the audio software I was using, but I now feel confident using it for later production stages.

Reflection On My Production So Far

After my work so far on Project Two, what do I think?

What were some of the successes (or, things that went right) during this week’s process work? Explain, with evidence.

Over the past week I completed my second interview of the project with Gavin Young, a graduate student here at the U of A. Through both of my interviews I found out a lot about the field in general and why it excites others, and about the writing that I'll be doing in the future.

What were some of the challenges (or, things that went wrong) during this week’s process work? Explain, with evidence.

Having enough time to prepare for my interviews was a difficult one since for both of my interviews I was only able to get into the room about 5 minutes early which didn't leave a lot of time to set up and prepare once I got there.

How do you think next week will go, based on your experiences this week?

I think we're off to a solid start for Project Two, and I'm interested to see where I'll be taking it with the production of my podcast this week. I think it should be exciting to get a more definite idea of where I'll be heading with the specifics of integrating my interviews and examples, but I still have a few questions.

How are you feeling about the project overall at this point?

While I really enjoyed being able to interview Dr. Tharp and Gavin, I'm still kind of confused on what we're actually supposed to be presenting in our projects. I can elaborate somewhat on the specifics of each genre, but I'm not quite sure how much detail we're expected to give or how to accurately depict the writing.

Production Schedule

So, how am I going to be managing my time this week? If you look at the spreadsheet below, we'll find out!

English Project 2 Schedule

What Is To Be Done

• Podcast recording sessions
• Production reports
• Rough draft of podcast
• Peer review for production and post-production
• Editing sessions
• Publish final draft

Location

• Primarily my dorm room, perhaps a study room for a quieter recording space

Resources Required

• Microphone
• Audio recording software
• Laptop

Date Completed

• Calendar - March 7th
• Rough Cut - March 13th
• Final Cut - March 27th

Post-Completion Changes

• None so far

Content Outline

In Progress Edits

So, how am I going to organize my second project this week?

Opening:

Talk about what's new in ECE recently, introduce the field and what happens in it.

• Maybe talk about VR Tech?
• Elon Musk and Tesla / SpaceX

So, when writing about these new things, what genres do ECE professionals use? What types of rhetorical strategies do ECE professionals apply when writing, and what is the process by which they create their work? Today we’ll talk about the genres of social media, lectures and presentations, and the academic research paper.

Body Sections:

• Despite being technologically inclined, ECE professionals are not always active on social media.

- Dr. Tharp's lack of active social media, having only a very barebones LinkedIn page and his response to professionals on social media from my interview with him. Important since it shows that despite having a computer background, many are still uninterested in social media.

- When talking to Gavin, he said that while he is slightly more active on social media (Facebook (Must be logged in), LinkedIn) he explains that it has little professional value to him personally. However, I think that these are some anomalies rather than the real trend.

• Presentations and lectures are common practice for academic professionals within the ECE field given to prospective students or other practicing professionals.

- Evidenced by Dr. Tharp's homepage, both presentations and lectures are important to ECE professionals. This is important since it shows that there are other genres than very formal writing.

- Though Gavin does not have to present a thesis for his master's, he is required to make regular presentations as a research assistant and teaching assistant. This is important since it shows that while ECE majors may not enjoy presenting, we are often required to do so.

• Academic research reports are by far the most well known type of genre within the academic ECE field.

- With hundreds of academic journals available, finding research on new topics within ECE is very easy to do. Covering a wide variety of topics, it is important to view these publications as a central piece of ECE writing.

- A vast majority of academic professionals write, and both Gavin and Dr. Tharp were able to provide their own writing examples such as Gavin's 14-3-3 paper and Tharp's Optimal Pole Placement paper, which show the conventions for academic writing.

Closing:

As the world becomes more reliant on technology, ensuring that ECE majors are well prepared for all situations which they enter. Whether it be designing a new computer or the next Microsoft word, ECE majors are everywhere.