Week 10 Media Inquiry: The Importance of Formatting

Review of The Rooster Teeth Website

Rooster Teeth: Paradise for Gamers with a Sense of Humour

As a visual consumer, I have chosen to review the impact of design elements used on the website Rooster Teeth. This site brings together gaming, comedy, podcasts and cool products all in one place. It’s like Nirvana for gamers who enjoy social commentary and early access to information about the gaming culture. It is a gaming community.

Figure 1: Rooster Teeth Logo

Source: Roosterteeth.com

Background

Rooster Teeth Productions was co-founded by Burnie Burns, Matt Hullum, Geoff Ramsey, Gus Sorola and Joel Heyman in 2003 in the United States. It currently has over 8.2 million subscribers and over 4 billion video views, as of September 2015 (Rooster Teeth 2015).

It specializes in the creation of live action shorts, animated shorts and machinima (online videos of game play). The first machinima was done by Burns in 2003 using Halo: Combat Evolved. According to Rooster Teeth (2015) the popularity of these videos escalated and led to the creation of the iconic Red vs. Blue comic/science fiction series. This series is still in production in 2015 and is now in its 13th season.

Assessing the website rather than viewing content on the Rooster Teeth YouTube channel means that videos can be accessed a week earlier which is one of the key reasons I access the site. I also enjoy the social commentary pod-casts. I admire that these guys are doing what they love and providing a reputable platform for the gaming community. Oh, and the fact that they make a great living from doing this is incredible. They saw a need in the market and filled it. That’s great business.

They are living the dream.

Design Considerations

Figure 2: Rooster Teeth Banner

Source: Roosterteeth.com

Right from the outset, the Rooster Teeth logo is sharp, memorable, makes sense and is highly recognizable. The most effective logos have a simple message and design according to Ames (2015, p. 2) and do not have to be complex to work well. The quirky, no-nonsense nature of the logo is an excellent branding message. Viewers can reasonably assume they will find what they want on this site. Their ‘slogan‘ clearly states that this site is about comedy, gaming and community.

Initial observation reveals that this website is uncluttered and the main banner displays the Rooster teeth theme colours of saturated black values, red and white. The design is sharp and tabs are clearly visible. Readability is excellent due to the contrasting nature of colours (Ames 2015, p.3).

The banner logo features on the left hand side, keeping the brand prominent in an asymmetrical style. This is a conscious decision in regard to balance as the social media (share) links balance this out on the right hand side. This company also markets several products such as T-shirts and mugs with their famous logo and derivatives so brand placement on the website is important.

Figure 3: Rooster Teeth Home Page

Source: Roosterteeth.com

Fonts are sans-serif for easy reading and consistent over the page. Colours are used to ensure readability within the rule of best read colour combinations being light on dark, or dark writing on light (Ames 2015, pp. 3-4) This style of sans-serif font is normally associated with less formal written work, thereby appealing to the younger target audience of this website.

The home page is dynamic and changes every day due to newly uploaded content. The layout is deliberately asymmetrical (Ames 2015, p.6) with one main video link to the left and smaller, related links to the right. The main video link serves as the website’s “optical centre” (Ames 2015, p.6), even though it is to the left. It draws the viewer’s eye first to the video, then to smaller featured videos to the right, and finally to the “Recently Added Videos” section at the bottom.

In terms of graphics, gaming is a very visual medium and this website also features graphics over text volume. White space has been used well between videos, especially between the featured videos on the right hand side, which are presented in individual boxes for clarity of message (Ames 2015, p.5).

In conclusion, careful consideration has been given to design principles by the creators of the Rooster Teeth website. It’s no-nonsense, graphic, edgy appearance would appeal greatly to the gaming community.

References

Ames, K 2015, COMM11007 Media writing week 10: impact of design: study guide, CQUniversity, Rockhampton.

Rooster Teeth 2015, Rooster Teeth, viewed 23 September 2015,  https://roosterteeth.com/

Week 10 Media Practical: Tasks and Reflection

Blog Review and Reflection

Figure 1: Time for Review       Source: Speller International (2014)

Layout and Readability

In regard to the layout of this blog, I will admit that I agonised for days over which blog theme to use. I spent hours clicking through free themes on WordPress and played around with the program until I felt I understood its capabilities. This is usually the style in which I attack all tasks. Preparation is key.  I make sure I know what I have to do, am familiar with the software, and then I can finally get into it. This meant that a couple of weeks ticked by before I started to blog in earnest.

My main priority was to find a style which provided excellent readability for the viewer while being visually dynamic and interesting. I searched for a theme which utilised white space and fonts well (Ames 2015). I wanted a blog theme which displayed as a narrow reading area (that is, did not stretch across the whole screen) as I feel that narrow posts are more easily read on most devices.

The eye does not get as easily fatigued when it only has to track for a short distance (Rogers, Sharp & Preece 2015). I also tried to break up blog posts with relevant (or humorous) graphics to add interest for the reader (Ames 2015).

Added to this, as I consider myself an aspiring Graphic Designer (see my ‘About’ tab), I wanted to find a theme which could allow me to create my own whole screen background or to modify a great background through Photoshop. I needed to create something different and have my own input. The activities and blogging took such a long time to do well that spare time was limited, so I set up the personalization of my background as a reward for myself once I was almost finished all posts.

I used Photoshop to add personal and course details to a black and white photo of pencils (with colour tips). I also added a photo of me behind the pencils to really personalize it, but ensured it did not dominate as that is certainly not my style.

I could not change the font colour from red unless I became a Premium member which is currently out of my budget. I feel that the black and white background compliments the red writing well (Ames 2015), so that was the best compromise I could find.

I also wanted to find a theme which allowed me to add ‘recent posts’ and ‘recent comments’ in a prominent position along the sidebar for easy navigation for colleagues, as well as the inclusion of a slide show for some of my Photoshop creations. I also created a widget for social media contacts and most popular posts, which ranks them according to views. The ‘Confit’ theme seems to hit the mark.

Task Completion

I have completed all inquiry and practical activities in an academic style as this is what the blog task requires. I have tried to include references in every entry and have tried to ensure that my references are from reputable sources, such as the Study Guide, textbooks and periodicals. Referencing is difficult, so I have kept the Harvard printed out guide at my side like a tourist holds a travel guide.

I have also tried to include references in some quiz reflections, but tried to write these parts of the blog in a more personal and creative style. And…there’s been a revelation. Whereas before, I could not understand how people could pour out their daily happenings or discoveries via blog posts, I can now almost understand it.

I have discovered during this blog that I actually enjoy writing. Well, a lot more than I thought I would…

Especially if I have time to not write under pressure.

That said, panic is a great motivator!

I have found that some of these tasks take several hours to complete, so between other subjects, family, social and work commitments, every spare minute of time I have had has gone into trying to complete each task fully.  I hoped that ten weeks of effort would provide me with long-term benefits and this has proven to be the case.

Reflection on the Task of Blogging

I have tried to become more familiar with ‘blogging’ as a media art form, as previously I thought it was something I could never have seen myself doing. I love graphic design and don’t consider myself a writer.

This assessment was a lot of work, but I found that the activities were well structured to match the Study Guide. I knew what had to be done. I even knew why it had to be done. As each blog entry was published, I found my confidence in writing was growing. I still prefer graphic design, but it was nice to meet the challenge.

Canadian communication theorist Marshall McLuhan predicted that electronic media would turn the world into a global village, which is a very exciting prospect to be a part of (Whitaker, Ramsey & Smith, 2012 p.366).

Who knows? Instead of making my first million designing movie posters, I might earn it via blogging, Storifying and tweeting about movies instead.

References

Ames, K 2015 COMM11007 Media Writing Week 10: Impact of Design, CQUniversity, Rockhampton

Hicks, W 2013, English for journalists, 3rd edn, New York, Routledge.

Rogers, Y, Sharp, H & Preece, J 2015, Interaction design: beyond human computer interaction, 4th edn, John Wiley & Sons, West Sussex

Time for review 2014, digital image, Speller international, viewed 22 September, 2015,  http://www.spellerinternational.com.au/news/moving-times-year-review/

Whitaker, R, Ramsey, J & Smith, R 2012, Media writing: print, broadcast, and public relations, 4th edn, Routledge, New York.

Week 10 Technical: Blog Review

Blog Technical Review

Figure 1: Time for Review

Source: rightresponse.com

I have reviewed my blog entries against the Blog Submission Checklist and did not find many errors.  This may have been because I read my blog posts several times before original publication and incorporated feedback from peers as it was given. I have done my best to ensure that both punctuation and general grammar are correct.

It was an interesting exercise to read the posts aloud. This is something I have always done as it is a great way to pick up errors.  I managed to bore my eleven year old sibling to sleep in the next room by 8pm tonight, which is a record for school holidays!

I have checked all references and attempted to include consistent referencing from a variety of sources.

I have cleaned up my pages to make good use of white space (Ames 2015) although occasionally WordPress would not comply with my design vision. I discovered the ‘proof read writing’ tab provided by WordPress on my second last post, so I have randomly used it to check earlier entries.

Blog Strategies

I have spent some extra time double-checking my tags and categories so they are easy to locate and view for the reader.

These tags and categories include five choices of:

•  Weekly tags – e.g. ‘media week 7’ will bring up the three media posts for that week
•  ‘Inquiry Media Tasks’ – will bring up all inquiry tasks from weeks one through to ten
•  ‘Practical Media Tasks‘ – will display all practical tasks in order from weeks one through to ten
•  ‘Technical (Quiz Reflections)’ – will display quiz results and reflections in order from weeks one to ten
•  Course category – Media Writing COMM11007 will bring up all posts for this course in chronological order (from the most recent post).

This will ensure that readers are not confused with the COMM11003 posts from last term. Remember the good old days when four posts seemed like such a lot of work? Look what we have all achieved this term!

I also made a choice to not include cut and pastes of the questions from our blog activity pages. I feel this looks cumbersome and some of the questions are very long and will take up valuable reading time.

According to Rogers, Sharp and Preece (2015, p.30) most viewers scan the page, look to see if there is any item of interest, then leave the site. In terms of interaction design, you only have a few seconds to engage the viewer.

Therefore, I don’t want my readers disengaging as they read a long question.  I have instead tried to use headings and sub-headings which explain the topic succinctly.

I also made a choice very early on to create separate blog entries for each activity, rather than create one per week. I feel it offers a better user interface.

My justification for this came about as I learned more about tagging and categories as I had never used WordPress before. I wanted to be able to view all ‘inquiry’ or ‘practical’ blogs at once and enable the reader to do so as well.

This also satisfies my need to categorise things into neat little boxes. I have found some other blogs hard to read when one activity just joins on to the next. My readers can access the three weekly entries at the click of a tab, but each activity will be clearly delineated.

Individual blogs allow the reader to choose what they read. It also allows fellow students to choose what they critique. It also allows me to delete parts of my blog easily in the future.

I would like to use this blog as part of my digital portfolio in the future.

I have to say that this course has surprised me. It went from seeming like a terrifying beast to one that could be conquered.

And, what’s not to love about a course with a code ending in ‘007’?  Very cool. Shaken, not stirred.

I am not saying that I am about to make my first million via blogging, but I am now not closed to the possibility.

References

Ames, K 2015, COMM11007 Media writing week 10: impact of design: study guide, CQUniversity, Rockhampton.

Rogers, Y, Sharp, H & Preece, J 2015, Interaction design: beyond human computer interaction, 4th edn, John Wiley & Sons, West Sussex.

Time for review 2014, digital image, Right response, viewed 22 September 2015,  http://rightresponse.org/prevention/postvention

Week 9 Quiz: Active and Passive Writing

The Business Writing Centre Quiz:  Passive and Active Voice.

This quiz was not easy. It was not fun.

It wasn’t difficult, but it was frustrating due to its format.

Figure 1: Frustration                                                                 Source: pheed.com

I realize now that we have all been spoiled by our previous quiz formats, where challenging multiple choice options were provided and we were pushed to look really closely (and/or revise the textbook) to obtain that (elusive) first time perfect score. But more importantly, to learn in an active way.

Then upon completion of a ten question test we were motivated by instant feedback and scoring. Shock was replaced by determination. Another opportunity to consolidate the facts took place when we read the answer explanations and then re-sat the test.

Ah Moodle tests…… I MISS you!  (Yeah, I can’t believe I said that either!)

Experiencing better (than I had predicted) results on our previous weekly tests and realizing that I actually understood the writing style of Wynford Hicks was a bit like being that geeky kid who found out he fitted in just fine with the cool kids after all….

Thank goodness our weekly tests used a more dynamic format than this test.  This format is an absolute yawn.

And, we actually had to TYPE in our answers. What’s that about?

I did get some of the answers correct, according to The Business Center [sic]. As for the rest, I was very close. My sentences had the same emphasis and meaning. But I missed the finest details.

I don’t know what my score was, as I was too de-motivated to care by the end of this test. Perhaps something like six or seven out of ten of my first attempt.

Here’s an example of one of my typical results:

Of course, it makes sense now that ‘the supervisor’ and ‘he’ should agree. I think I fell for that old test survival strategy where I simply used part of the question in my answer.

Or, I would like to think it was a cultural thing, but I think I’m wrong.

My cousin told me she has a bullet proof plan when she doesn’t know the answer in her multiple choice exams. She said she just relies on the heavy metal approach (music, that is) and answers A-C-D-C!

Having done this exercise, I do clearly see the point that active voice is the recommended voice for the aspiring or experienced media writ………….. oh sorry, I feel asleep. What did you say?

References

Business Writing Center 2012, Passive and active voice, viewed 7 September 2015, http://www.businesswriting.com/tests/activepassive.htm

I keep hitting the escape key 2014, digital image, Grumpy cat pheed, viewed 16 September 2015, https://www.pheed.com/hashtagchelsea_#qp,all,all

Week 9 Media Practical: Review a Storify Submission

Review of Peer Storify Submission

Figure 1: Storify Header                  Source: Storify Submission (Pope’s Ponderings)

I have chosen to review Lynette Pope’s Storify submission titled Father’s Day Festivities at the Carnival on Collins. I chose this storify as one of my younger brothers is a Mackay representative player in soccer (see Week 5 practical blog) and we have visited Cairns a number of times for week-long carnivals. We went to the Sunday markets on Collins. It is a picturesque area with a relaxed atmosphere. I was keen to review this Storify for a trip down memory lane.

Who do you think is the audience?

The audience would include residents of Cairns and surrounding areas although this topic would be of interest to most readers, especially those who hope to visit the area.

What did you learn about the event?

There was plenty of good information in this Storify. The Carnival on Collins is the culminating event of the nine day Cairns festival, which has been running since 1961. The festival has had several name changes over the years, with the latest one profiling Cairns in its title.

This particular event is held on Fathers Day each year and provides free entertainment in a family friendly environment. There were over 250 market stalls. Over 25,000 people attended this free event. The carnival was a celebration of local talent, arts and crafts. There was also stage entertainment in the adjoining Tanks Arts Centre and the Cairns Botanical Gardens. Sixteen local talents performed across three stages. There were several street performers which entertained the crowd, including jugglers, musicians, stilt walkers and actors.

A global food village, reverse graffiti session and kids carnival area (including a climbing wall) ensured the crowds were kept busy.

What else (if anything) could be included that would make the story more interesting or have more impact?

Lynette included quotes from locals which was excellent and also provided a great variety of well-captioned tweets to support her story. According to Copeland (2012) the biggest value for journalists in using Storify is to show readers what kind of reaction an event or topic is getting.

Lynette had this aspect covered. I think she included the right amount of varied material and did not require other inclusions.

If the structure is confusing, how could it be improved?

The structure of this storify is not confusing at all.

I am in the final drafting stages of my Storify on the Mackay Walk 4 William event and know how difficult it can be to include all the desired details without overloading on text. Lynette included an excellent amount of text to deliver the facts.

Storify is a visual medium and flows well when the sequence is just right. I did notice that a tweet and text popped up at the end of the story about entertainers and thought this might have been better placed earlier in the story when entertainers were being discussed.

It can be challenging to conclude a storify curation, so I thought it was a great idea to finish with a quote from the organizer looking forward to next year’s event. Maybe a photo of Roz Pappalardo might have been a nice way to finish? But, I completely understand that organizers are by necessity, incredibly busy at these events, especially if they are being pursued by commercial media.

I met the organizer of the Walk 4 William well before the event and also lent a hand by way of thanks for allowing me to cover the event.

What do you like about the story?

Overall, I really enjoyed reading Lynette’s storify submission on the Carnival on Collins. She did a great job in portraying the event in a factual way while retaining the light-hearted spirit of the event.

Our family loves to visit Cairns, so Lynette’s storify was a good chance to see what is happening up there right now.

I believe that this storify is so well written that it could be used to attract tourists to next year’s event. Excellent work Lynette!

Stay tuned for my Storify below:

References

Copeland, D 2012, The do’s and don’ts of storify, ReadWrite, viewed 22 September 2015,  http://readwrite.com/2012/02/22/dos_and_donts_for_using_storify

Pope, L 2015, Storify Pope’s Ponderings, viewed 22 September 2015, https://storify.com/PopePonderings/father-s-day-at-the-carnival-on-collins

Week 9 Media Inquiry: Review a Curated Collection

Curation: Data Generated vs. Editor Reviewed

Although the purpose and audience of the “TripAdvisor” & “Conde Nast Traveller” pages are similar, they differ greatly in appearance and user interface. Trip Advisor is data-driven and presents The 25 Best Hotels of 2015.  The second collection has been curated by editors and presents Gold Standard Hotels of 2015.

Figure 1: Reviews on Trip Advisor   Source: Trip Advisor Australia (2015)

The TripAdvisor list is set up for those wishing to book a holiday in an award winning resort. It is a very visual database. It provides a simple user-driven slide show to allow the viewer to look at each hotel at their own pace. The data-driven curation is aesthetically pleasing and clean to look at. All information is available on the first slide. If the user wishes to explore the hotel further, this can be achieved by a simple double click, which flows effortlessly to a booking availability and features page.

The page appears compact, organized and simple to read. It also gives an option to expand the list (to display all entries down the page) and to collapse this list. The bottom of the webpage also provides a handy list of categorized hotels in areas such as small hotels, luxury, romance and so on. If the viewer did not find their ideal location in the Top 25 list, they may be able to view the other lists provided and Trip Advisor might retain their traffic and business.

Figure 1: Conde Nast Webpage (Source: cntraveller.com)

In contrast, the CNTraveller list is cluttered and requires a great deal of reading. This editor-written curation provides few visuals and those which are provided only show the exterior of most hotels. When the hotel is clicked upon, a slide show comes up of all website photos, not just those pertaining to the chosen hotel. This might cause frustration and confusion for the viewer.  The only navigation is to scroll down the page. Therefore, this page has poor utility. Rogers, Sharp and Preece (2015 p.20) outline that utility refers to the extent to which a product has the right kind of functionality to allow users to get information and navigate from one area of interest to the next.

There is a huge variation between fonts on this page, adding to the disorganized appearance of the site. Headings are small and hard to read. Lengthy blocks of content require substantial time to read to understand the features of each hotel, whereas in the Trip Advisor site, visuals provide explanation. Charges have also been provided in pounds, but no currency conversion facility is provided. This may prompt users to leave the page in order to obtain the required information.

Rogers, Sharp and Preece (2015, p. 8) define interaction design as being ‘about creating user experiences that enhance and augment the way people work, communicate and interact’. In short, if a curated collection and webpage do not improve or enrich the everyday lives of its users, they cannot be evaluated as being a ‘good’ interface. The Trip Advisor (data-driven) page is an example of good interaction design.

In conclusion, it is clear that in this instance, the data-driven curation is more effective and user-friendly than the editor-written curation. The Trip Advisor curation is compact, user-friendly and visually pleasing and offers good interaction design.

References

Conde Nast Traveller, 2015, Gold Standard Hotels 2015, viewed 20 September 2015,  http://www.cntraveller.com/awards/the-gold-list/gold-standard-hotels-2015/viewall

Rogers, Y, Sharp, H & Preece, J 2015, Interaction design: beyond human computer interaction,  4th edn, John Wiley & Sons, West Sussex

TripAdvisor, 2015, Top Ten 25 Hotels-World, viewed 20 September 2015,  http://www.tripadvisor.com.au/TravelersChoice-Hotels-g1

Week 8 Media Practical: Review of Raptr

Raptr – The Best Social Gaming Network

by Ryan Zamparutti

Figure 1: Raptr Logo                  Source: Steam.com

Social networking sites such as Facebook are great for family and friends to share their life events. Instagram allows users to follow friends and celebrities. Flickr allows photography fans to share their hobby and Pintrest is perfect for crafts and decorating.

While every one of these awesome platforms has revolutionised social connections between users, common to all these sites is the mind-numbing close-up of proudly cooked cupcakes or muffins. But where is the true sweetness of life? Where are the screenshots of Destiny, Call of Duty and Assassins Creed?

They are all on Raptr!

Contrary to popular belief, gamers are quite possibly some of the most social beings on the planet, spending hours per week directly connecting with their friends during online gaming (Cocilova 2013).

Now, Raptr brings gamers together in one easy-to-use social media platform.

Raptr is like a gamer’s dedicated Facebook.  It provides avid gamers with their own wall and up-to-the-minute reviews of almost any game ever designed. Thinking about spending precious dollars on a new game? Be sure to check out the Raptr reviews before handing over any coin.

The layout of the website is clean and straightforward. A desktop app is available for download which allows the user to upload screenshots and video directly to the website. Gaming accounts like Xbox Live and PlayStation can also be linked which allows the user to follow their activity.

Just like the best iconic games, Raptr ranks players against each other… the perfect appeal to the competitive nature of the gaming culture (see below). As users rank up in Raptr, free rewards are unlocked including coupons, DLC (downloadable content), cosmetic items and special offers. Gotta be happy with that.

Gaming live streams, videos and discussions are all available at the click of a button, in the ONE place. It’s like a beautiful oasis for gamers. The streaming feature alone is worth the free download.

Raptr is perfect for recreational or hardcore gamers.  But the sweetest ingredient of Raptr is the way it brings all of us together in a unique gamer’s paradise.

Group communities, chats and forums give users the chance to connect with like-minded people. Gamer connectedness is the hub of the universe. We all know that.

Figure 2: Raptr Score Card           Source: Cocilova 2013

References

Cocilova, A 2013, Review: Raptr desktop app makes gaming social, viewed 12 September 2015, http://www.pcworld.com/article/2045871/review-raptr-desktop-app-makes-gaming-social.html

Raptr logo 2015, digital image, Steam: viewed 12 September 2015, http://steamcommunity.com/groups/raptrcommunity

Raptr, 2015, Raptr, viewed 12 September 2015,  http://raptr.com/

Week 8 Media Inquiry: Social Media Review (What is Raptr?)

Social Media Networking Review of Raptr

Figure 1: Raptr Logo                           Source: Steam.com

Like many digital media students, I have a strong history in respecting and enjoying the medium of online gaming. Whereas years ago, gaming was restricted to playing from a disc on a (totally awesome!) Playstation 1 in the lounge with friends, advances in internet infrastructure and gaming interfaces have meant that online gaming is now the norm. The gaming environment has expanded from the lounge room to the connected world.

Since becoming involved in online gaming through the PS4 network, my enjoyment of the gaming environment has increased tenfold. As long as friends have the same game, we can catch up even for ten minutes to battle it out. Now, Raptr provides another avenue for connecting with like-minded gaming friends and acquaintances.

Raptr provides avid gamers with their own ‘wall’ which is similar to the concept used in Facebook. It includes group communities, chats and forums, also in a similar format to Facebook.

The layout of the website is very straightforward. Sections are dedicated to gaming livestreams, videos and discussions, all available for the user at the click of a button.

A desktop app is available for download which allows the user to upload screenshots and video directly to the website. Gaming accounts like Xbox Live and PlayStation can also be linked into this app which allows the user to follow their activity. In terms of personal use, this is an excellent feature, along with the ability to network with like-minded people.

Points can be accrued toward game downloads. If the user is on a limited budget, this is a very useful feature.

In terms of professional use, the Raptr website would be a very useful tracking tool for game reviewers and companies across multiple platforms. Game reviewers could use the desktop app to capture content to upload to articles and websites.

The activity tracker could provide valuable data for companies as to games which are trending or otherwise.  Game developers are constantly incorporating new methods to collect data on game use and are also developing new interactive formats to display this information (Andrews 2014).

Figure 2: Raptr Platform Game Card                            Source: Andrews 2014

References

Andrews, J 2014, What data journalism can learn from gaming, viewed 10 September 2015, http://coding.cindyroyal.net/what-data-journalism-can-learn-from-gaming/

Raptr logo 2015, digital image, Steam, viewed 8 September 2015, http://steamcommunity.com/groups/raptrcommunity

Raptr, 2015, Raptr, viewed 12 September 2015, http://raptr.com/

Week 8 Media Quiz: Words

The Last Quiz… Thanks for the Memories (a.k.a The Break Up Letter) 

Nine out of ten on my first attempt. Once again, I changed my answer and got it wrong. But, that is all part of the process.

I feel proud that I have grown in confidence throughout the weekly quizzes. Part of my procrastination in starting up my blog was that I was terrified of the grammar quizzes. I honestly now find myself looking more closely at commas and colons and checking that they make sense and give meaning for the reader.

Who would have thought?

And now, as I cool things off with Hicks, I have to finish as I began these quiz reviews – with a Yoda meme…

Figure 1: Yoda Meme                     Image source: memegenerator

And to finish: Note to a Textbook…

Dear  English for Journalists (2013),

I will not only remember your very poorly designed cover well, but the wisdom within your pages. 

I appreciated your attempts at humour, although very British at times.  

I was surprised to see that your down-to-earth musings included jokes about extra-marital sex and the important use of hypens in all the right places. You almost felt like you were standing in Dad’s shed when you joked that the omission of the hyphen in that phrase, to now read ‘extra marital sex’ suggested married couples working overtime (p. 81). Hicks, you sly dog!

Mind you, I still imagine you looking dapper in tweed trousers and wearing a monocle when you say this.  

“I say old chaps…..Did you hear the one about…?” You are probably much cooler than that. Maybe a warehouse dwelling metro-Londoner?

When I read your introduction, I never imagined I would see such a straight-faced joke on your pages. Neither did I think I would see the F or C word written without the ****! (p. 13)  But, that was to teach me about house style through shock value. I understand that now.

And, your friendly bagging of journalists and their frequent grammatical errors, was done with all the right intentions.  Your honesty made me realize that even imperfect English users like me, might just have a chance to be a good writer one day. 

So, as the final quiz for this class closes, I have considered where our relationship will go.

For so many of my past textbooks, I have sold them to recoup their ridiculous purchase price, or given them away.

But you, English for Journalists: I am not ready to break up with you yet.

I think I will send you straight to the pool room, as I am sure I will need to refer to you sooner, rather than later, if I am to survive my future grammatical existence. 

Again, thanks for the memories….

References

Fun it will be memories we will have 2014, digital image, Meme generator, viewed 8 September 2015, http://memegenerator.net/instance/57414219

Hicks, W 2013, English for journalists, 3rd edn, New York, Routledge.

Week 7 Media Practical: Review of Assignment 1

Review of Assignment 1 – Media Release and News Story

Although I had completed my assignment a bit early and had proof-read it many times, I appreciated having a checklist covering figures, quotations, punctuation and style. Hopefully it will help my overall grade.

I enjoyed completing the self-evaluation grid also, so that I could indicate the effort I felt I had put in. This task took me so long to get right, it was satisfying to have a chance to state that there had been attention to detail.

Between these self-evaluations for each task, and the (several) times we can attempt weekly tests, I have respected the way in which this COMM course encourages us to review and revise until we get it right. It’s a great thing to have a chance to aim for perfection. Well, our own version of it anyway.

I understand that approach is taken because in the real media world, journalists have to strive to get their writing perfect, every time.

And, yes, I still want to be the graphic design guy. I am available to design the cover of your next best-seller!

I have a whole new respect for journos in having done this course.

It has also been a weight lifted, to discover that journalists are required to write in simple, straightforward styles. They are encouraged to avoid jargon and pompous writing (Hicks 2013). What a relief that has proven to be.

That sounds more like my thing. Keep it simple.

In writing the news story and media release assignment, I constantly reminded myself that simplistic language was required. I used the exemplars provided fairly closely, so had fewer style issues.

I also kept a few hand-written notes from relevant blog posts, which I found useful in answering my questions.

I did cut and paste a lot of sentences around to ensure that the article would flow and make sense to the reader. I was extremely careful to not repeat the facts. Spelling errors should not really be a problem for most of us, thanks to spell-check functions on platforms such as Word.

However, American spellings, homonyms and so on should always be double checked.  Wynford Hicks taught me that! Legend!

References

Hicks, W 2013, English for journalists, 3rd edn, New York, Routledge.