PB3A

The article I chose is called “Freedom of Voice” by Maura Stetson. It discusses possible strategies teachers can use to aid their students in developing a writing voice. Stetson believes that nobody can teach voice, despite the fact that it is “the heart of writing.” The article focuses on four main strategies: Institutional vs. Authentic Voice, Freedom of Topic, Audience Awareness, and Linking with Literature. I will be incorporating bits and pieces from each section into my genre transformations. 

Originally, I wanted to turn the article into a movie trailer. I thought it would be a really cool and unique way of presenting the information. I am very hesitant to do this. Not because it would take a lot of time or be challenging, but because I’m not sure how well I will be able to explain and demonstrate the “why” behind it all. The movie trailer would be about one teacher’s determination to teach her students about voice and the struggles that come along with that. In the article, Stetson states many times how difficult it is to teach voice. It isn't like teaching someone how to properly use commas, it is developed through student individuality and them finding confidence in their thoughts. Along with that concept, I would convey the importance of student choice in writing and audience awareness. The movie would be tailored for an older audience, ranging anywhere from high school to adult. Sticking to the conventions of a movie trailer, I would only have to include enough story-line to give a general idea of what the movie is about. I am very torn about going with this idea— it could either be really awesome, or completely miss the mark. 

Have no fear, I have a back-up plan! If I don’t go with the movie trailer, I was thinking of doing a parenting pamphlet/brochure. One section of the article discusses how voice comes from having freedom and creativity when writing and that students as early as 3rd grade begin to lose this. For whatever reason, upon reading this, I imagined a doctor saying it. As if children were at risk of losing their writing voice in the same way they would be at risk of getting chicken pox without being vaccinated. With that in mind, I began looking up some parenting pamphlets to get a general idea of their conventions. Most of the ones I looked at dealt with learning/medical disabilities, or how to help a child succeed in school. I have a few different options on how to approach writing the pamphlet. I could write it from a teacher/administrator perspective and discuss how parents can implement and promote the use of voice outside of the classroom. Or, I could take a “medical” perspective and discuss “10 ways to prevent early onset voice loss.” Either way, I have to keep in mind that the article was written for writing teachers, but I will be writing for concerned parents. The language and tone I use must be sincere and somewhat empathetic, yet still convey legitimacy so the parents trust what I have to say. 

For the genre transformation geared toward a younger audience, I am going to write a blog post/article for high school seniors that are in the process of applying for college. One of the most important parts of the college application is an essay or personal statement. Speaking from experience, it can be extremely difficult to incorporate voice into something of this nature. You want to come across as professional and intelligent, yet still give an idea of who you are. Part of the article focuses on institutional vs. authentic voice. Students develop an institutional voice— the bland, robotic, and formal sounding tone we’ve all used at some point— very early on. Students believe that this type of writing will earn them a good grade, so they stick to the “rules” and avoid taking any risks. My blog post/article would explain the different ways students can incorporate voice into their writing— specifically for their college application essay. I am planning on including many examples to demonstrate each strategy in action, and using a friendly/conversational tone to relate to the students. I think adding some personal anecdotes of my experience in applying for college would also increase the relate-ability factor and add credibility to the piece by showing that I’ve gone through this same experience. 

Although my plans for WP3 aren’t 100% solidified, I think I will be able to figure everything out pretty easily. Once I start, I know everything will start to fall into place! 

Thlog Week 8

Thlog Thursday, here we go. On Monday we turned in our WP2s! I actually thoroughly enjoyed writing this paper. And I think that shows in the fact that I turned it in a day early. Class this week was cool! I liked watching the different tree painting videos on Monday. I think it was a really great way to demonstrate how one subject (in this case a tree) can be approached in many different ways. While WP2 focused on how people of different backgrounds addressed the same subject, the videos showed how people with the same skills and general knowledge can end up with completely different products. 

The mini lesson on foregrounding was really helpful to me. One comment I got multiple times regarding my WP2 was that my topic sentences were very broad and general. It wasn't until usually the second (but sometimes even later) sentence that I really got into what the paragraph was about. The main point of my paragraph should have been the focus and should have been foregrounded. Instead, it was pushed a little to the back and lost some of its impact and importance. I think to avoid this problem in the future I need to strengthen the end/transition of the previous paragraph so I can immediately dive into the important information without feeling like I have to explain or introduce it. 

I’ve been thinking a lot about WP3, and I still have no idea what I’m going to do. I have some ideas of what I think would be cool, but I’m just not sure how I would do them or if they would even be practical. Even though the quarter has gone by super quickly, I think it is starting to wear on me. My thoughts for WP3 are super scattered and the assignment in general is a little daunting to me. I am hopeful that once I fully dive in, everything will start to make sense and settle into place. 

Thlog Week 7

Week 7 done! WP2… almost done! This week as usual blew right by. I worked really hard on my WP2 over the weekend and really tried to take the comments I received for the last WP into consideration. My main goal for this paper was to have it flow and be more interconnected. I thought for a long time about how I wanted to accomplish that, so the writing process was really slow going. Something that really helped me with this WP was making lists. I made a list of what information I needed in my paper. I made a list of the moves I found within the articles. I made a list of what was unique to each article and a list for what they all had in common. This really helped me gather my thoughts and make sure I incorporated everything I needed/wanted to. 

The peer review session was really great. Instead of everyone reading each paper, we just read one. That way, we were able to really take our time reading and commenting on them. This also allowed us to talk a lot about each others papers as well as the WP in general. I got some really good feedback from the group member who read my paper. It was cool being able to exchange ideas and questions with the other two people in my group. Being able to talk through the things we found challenging, confusing, or difficult was super helpful! Now I feel like I am ready to re-visit my WP and spend a good amount of time editing and revising so I can make it the best it can possibly be. And this time I won’t forget to put the grading rubric in!

Thlog Week 6

Another week has come and gone! How is it already the end of week 6? After turning in PB2 last Monday, I felt as if we were given somewhat of a break from writing before having to gear up for WP2. Even though nothing was due, class was still jam packed! This week’s writing and processing tips were great. I have always written notes to myself when working on a paper, but seeing how Zack writes his notes gave me some new ideas that I'm eager to try for WP2. Also, I can now say I know how to use brackets. I honestly never knew what they were for and always found them to be a mystery. Now, I can hopefully start to incorporate them into my own writing. 

Learning about parallelism was also really cool. I feel like this writing technique isn't used all that often, but can be really effective. Parallelism was a great example of how writing isn't just about the content and structure of a text, but also how it sounds and fits together. Everything we learn seems to relate back to this idea— that writing is no longer solely about content, but rather how the content itself is written. With every concept we add on, we have more and more to consider when writing. It makes it kind of difficult because I feel like I need to incorporate everything into my paper. I’m slowly starting to realize that its not about cramming everything into one, but rather strategically choosing what tactics work best at the moment and then combining them. 

As for WP2, I finally have my topic and my sources! I'm super excited to get going on it and test out some of the new techniques we've been practicing in class!

Move It or Lose It

Often times when reading, we don't stop to consider the process the author went through to write what we are looking at. We get too focused on the information being presented to think about the other aspects that go into writing something. A writer’s “moves” are techniques they use when writing to achieve some sort of goal. As a reader, especially one who is learning to write, it is important to pay attention to these moves. Mike Bunn states, “When you Read Like a Writer, you work to identify some of the choices the author made so that you can better understand how such choices might arise in your own writing (Bunn,72).” 

• Adding Metacommentary: Writers use this move to further clarify the point they are trying to make. Every concept a writer discusses must be explained in their own clear and succinct words. One phrase that Dirk uses multiple times in Navigating Genres is “In other words.” This move allows Dirk— and other authors— to restate their ideas in different terms so they resonate more deeply with readers. 

• Addition: Addition is a common move used by writers. Phrases such as furthermore, moreover, etc. are characterized as additions. They are used as an extension to an idea or concept that was previously stated. Sometimes additions introduce a new tangent of thought, or just add on to the preceding one. In Navigating Genres, Dirk states, “In fact, the headlines are so important to the success of the newspaper that they are tested on volunteers to see the readers immediate responses.” 

• Cause and Effect: The cause and effect move can be used show how one thing results in another. For example, in Teaching Two Kinds of Thinking, Peter Elbow states, “Thus the two kinds of thinking have the opposite virtues and vices (Elbow 57)." Other cause and effect transitions include: as a result, hence, consequently, and therefore. 

• Capturing Authorial Action: In writing, authors will often include the ideas of others. This can be to prove a point by giving evidence from already existing findings, or to build credibility. Rather than directly quoting them, writers will give them credit before explaining the concept in their own way. Authorial action can be seen in the article Backpacks vs. Briefcases. For example, “In an article called The Rhetorical Situation, Lloyd Bitzer argues that there are three parts to understand the context of a rhetorical moment… (Carroll, 48)"

• Introducing Quotations: Another way to incorporate another person’s ideas into writing is through direct quotes. Writers will use certain words or phrases to introduce such quotes. For example, in Backpacks vs. Briefcases, Laura Carroll says “According to the Ad Council’s website… (Carroll, 50)” Sometimes, the idea you are trying to convey has already been said in the best way possible. Rather than copy it (can we say plagiarism?), authors will use a direct quote. However, the quote can't simply stand on its own. It needs context and ownership. This is where phrases like according to, come into play. It lets the writers know that what is to follow is someone else ideas, and that they are probably pretty important. 

The articles mentioned above contain many more moves, each one having its own purpose for being there. As I was reading the different pieces, I couldn't help but notice other moves the writers used as well. 

• That Was A Rhetorical Question: A very common move writers make is asking their readers a question. This tactic is used to get the audience on the same page of thinking as the author. The questions are designed to get readers to consider a certain aspect of the writer’s argument. The author doesn't intend for readers to actually answer the questions they ask. In fact, many authors will go on to answer the questions they ask immediately after they pose it. 

• Imagine This: Writers will often ask readers to imagine themselves in a certain situation. This move is used to engage with readers and to help further explain a point. For example, Dirk asks students to “imagine the chaos that would ensue if news broadcasts were done in raps.” Writers will then walk readers through the scenario and possible solutions or outcomes to such scenarios. 

• Once Upon a Time: Sometimes authors will use personal anecdotes or stories to help explain a concept. This move gives readers a real-life example to help them understand what the writer is trying to convey. In Navigating Genres, Dirk tells us of a time when he had to write a letter to a credit card company. This helps readers engage with the piece as well as connect to the writer. 

• Locked and Loaded: Many of the writers employed a technique in which they use bullet points throughout their writing. Bullet points can do a variety of things:
• Allow the author to separate multiple ideas
• Get a point across easily and efficiently
• Show the importance of certain concepts or ideas
• Hey Dude: Many of the authors used a very informal and laid back style of writing. They used ‘I’ statements and addressed the reader as ‘you’ throughout the piece. This move is used largely to appeal to the audience, which in this case is students. The choice of language and tone helps a writer connect to their readers. Student’s are going to lose interest very quickly if an article is dry and filled with jargon they don’t understand, just as a scientist might feel patronized if they read something that has been “dumbed-down.”

Thlog Week 5

We are officially more than half way through the quarter, yay! The comments from my WP1 gave me a lot to consider with my writing. One major comment was about the format of my paper. I progressed through it source by source, and then compared them at the end of the paper. Zack suggested I try to have something that flows more—interweaving the information about the sources throughout the paper and comparing/contrasting as I go—rather than having in these blunt sections. That technique never even crossed my mind when I was writing. I was almost disappointed when I read that comment. It made me think of how much better my WP1 could have been and how the issues I encountered could have been avoided. This feedback was so eye-opening to me, and I think I will approach the structure of my writing with more of an open mind in the future. 

Now, moving on to moves (see what I did there). This lesson was super interesting to me because I had never thought about reading and writing in such a way. First looking at moves through a non-academic context—The Rock and Michael Jordan—really helped me understand how it could be applied to a writer. When watching the two example videos, I started thinking of my own examples. I am not very familiar with wrestling or basketball, so I tried to relate it to a sport I was familiar with—tennis. Rafael Nadal, among many other pro tennis players are notorious for having a routine when serving. Rafa’s signature moves are walking up to the service line, picking his wedgie, pushing his hair behind his ears multiple times, bouncing the ball on the ground anywhere from 2-7 times, and then serving. He does this without fail every single time. Whether he does it to focus, put on somewhat of a show, or because of superstition, Rafael is known for this move and has a lot of seriously unfortunate wedgie picking pictures on the internet to prove it. 

Learning about how writers from different disciplines approaches writing the same topic was really cool! It shows yet again how rhetoric features play such a huge role in writing. The activities we did in class really helped me understand more of what we need to do for WP2. I’m super stoked to start writing it. The topic I have in mind is really interesting to be and I think it will make for a fun paper! 

PB2A: "I'm Going to Instagram It!"

Throughout my college career, I have read my fair share of scholarly articles. As a Communication major, I’ve not only had to find sources pertaining to class material, but also to support my own research. It is no secret that scholarly articles can be somewhat boring and tough to read through. This can be especially true when the subject matter is dry and the researchers use jargon you aren't entirely familiar with. However, the article “I’m Going to Instagram It! An Analysis of Athlete Self-Presentation on Instagram,” by Smith and Sanderson, was surprisingly different. It was easy to understand and more importantly, easy to see conventions and patterns in contained. 

More often than not, academic writing—whether it be a research paper, persuasive essay, or even an email to a professor—takes on a formal and professional tone. “I’m Going to Instagram It!” follows this convention and many others typically found in scholarly articles. Academic publications always begin with a detailed title that gives readers a clear idea of the topic being presented. In this particular title, readers can easily gather a rough idea of the who, what, where, and why of the paper. Immediately following the title is an abstract, which is basically a summary of what is to come in the rest of the article. It briefly discusses the author’s main points and basic findings. Following the abstract is a multitude of different headings and subheadings.These can vary from article to article, but will always appear in a scholarly publication in some form or another. In “I’m Going to Instagram It!” each subheading focuses on one aspect of the researcher’s hypothesis. For example, the first subheading titled Self-Presentation is dedicated specifically to defining the meaning of self-presentation and what it entails. After defining the different variables, the article continues into the method section, which is an in depth explanation of the research process. This includes how the sample was obtained, how the data was collected, and how the research was coded. After the method comes the results. This is where it can get especially hard for readers to follow along. The results section is filled with a lot of numerical data and little explanation as to what it actually means. Luckily, the discussion immediately follows the results. This is where the researcher makes sense of the results and answers whether or not the research questions or hypothesis was answered. Throughout the entirety of the paper, the researcher references other works and publications. In doing this, the researcher is able to support their ideas with already existing ones, as well as build credibility. These references are compiled into a list, and are put at the end, completing the publication. 

“I’m Going to Instagram It!”—much like most scholarly articles—was organized in a way that made it easy to follow and find information. At the end of the Literature Review section, Smith and Sanderson posed three research questions:

• RQ1: How were Goffman’s gender displays shown through Instagram photos by athletes as a form of self-presentation?
• RQ2: What were the differences between the gender displays in the self-presentation behaviors of the athletes?
• RQ3: What themes emerged from the captions used by the athletes in their Instagram photos?

The questions are arranged in this way to distinguish them from the rest of the text and to make it easy to go back to if need be. Some of the findings of this publication were that women were much more likely to partake in Goffman’s idea of ritualistic touching—touching another person or object— than were men.This behavior has been deemed feminine in the past and continues to be supported in such a way. Researchers also found that athletes posted more full length shots than expected. Past research has shown that power is linked to close-framed shots, such as a headshot. However, an athlete’s body and physique can often times be attributed to power and skill level. Athletes work hard to maintain their body and want to show it off.

There are many components that need to come together in an academic publication, and each section plays an integral role in the overall product. In my opinion, the discussion is the most important part of not only “I’m Going to Instagram It!” but also any scholarly work. While the early sections give readers much needed background information, and the results show the actual findings, the discussion is what brings everything together. This is where Smith and Sanderson draw conclusions and present their ideas based off of the data. Each research question is fully answered in the discussion, leaving readers with no doubts as to the purpose and discoveries of the article.

Even though many scholarly publications can be boring and tough to read, some such as I'm going to Instagram it, aren't so bad. It was interesting to look at this work from a different perspective than the one I usually would read it from. It wasn't about understanding everything, but rather finding the conventions and asking myself why they exist.

References

 Smith, L., & Sanderson, J. (2015). I'm Going to Instagram It! An Analysis of Athlete Self-Presentation on Instagram. Journal of Broadcasting & Electronic Media, 59(2), 342-358.