John Olson
I really stayed in my comfort zone with my first unessay by doing a five paragraph essay which I was used to. For my second unessay I am planning on doing a magazine article because I think my survey responses and interviews would fit well in the magazine format. There are many key components to a good magazine article such as well-developed structure, enticing headlines, strong quotes, and a compelling argument. The structure/placement of my magazine will probably be the most difficult for me to do well due to the huge difference in layout when compared to regular essays. My audience should be captivated throughout the piece so I’m planning on using a mixture of strong quotes, personal narratives, and engaging pictures. While this medium will be new for me I am excited to get out of my traditional five-paragraph essay box.
John Olson
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Despite being a computer engineering major, I do not have much experience creating websites. That is why I am thinking of formatting my second unessay as a website. It would be an interesting challenge both to learn about creating websites and to figure out a compelling manner in which to lay out my argument within the website. Furthermore, websites are one of the most commonly used sources of information nowadays due to the large amount of time spent online by both children, teenagers, and adults. This makes this choice of medium seem very logical.
Creating a successful website is not easy though. Although there are many options out on the web that help people create websites, laying out the information throughout the website is very tricky. Luckily, there are some general rules that website developers try to keep in mind when formatting websites. One of the main rules is to keep everything simple. The more important something is, the larger or more obvious it should be. The color scheme can help with this since a good color scheme can help emphasize or de-emphasize different parts of the website. Another thing to keep in mind is the body of text on the web pages. Since it is hard to get internet audiences to read long bodies of text, the text on the website should be concise and should have plenty of headers to help quickly direct the reader to wherever he wants to go. Furthermore, facts are very important, but they are much more useful in graphics where they are more obvious and interesting to the reader. Another interesting fact I read is that the more white space there is between the text and the margins, the more likely it is that readers will stay interesting in the text. This shows that the less crammed a website is, the more effective it will be. Overall, I think this website will be a fun challenge for me. Even though there are a lot of guidelines for creating websites, they still do greatly rely simply on creativity. - Damon George Some Sources: Ciotti, Gregory. "10 Proven Ways to Build a Website That Customers Will Love." Help Scout Blog. Help Scout. Web. 5 Nov. 2015. Guglieri, Claudio. "20 Steps to the Perfect Website Layout." Creative Bloq. Future Publishing Limited, 7 July 2015. Web. 5 Nov. 2015. When I created my first unessay, I really did not think too far outside the box and I chose a familiar medium like a magazine article. As I think about my next unessay, I want to venture outside of my comfort zone and I would really enjoy trying to create a podcast. I have never done anything similar to a podcast for an assignment so this is definitely a new area for me.
Generally, podcasts are a form of digital audio where the speaker discusses a topic and these can range anywhere from someone reading their physical essay that they wrote to interviewing people and having a conversation with them. This form of my unessay can really come in any layout because there are no physically written words. Potentially I could begin my podcast with just me speaking and then gradually add people to the podcast by interviewing them or listening to their opinions and viewpoints. With this podcast, I could really appeal to any audience; however, younger kids may not find it interesting because they usually prefer visuals or images to help them understand what the work is about. With this podcast, I think it will give me greater freedom to experiment with new modes of communication for my thoughts and ideas. I hope it allows my listeners to see different variations of the “traditional essay” and how these new forms can affect the way you understand and retain the information. -Jacob Pesek The medium in which I am choosing to write my second unessay is a magazine article. Based off of the idea of relationship habits, I can talk about specific examples of these habits of people when they are attracted to one another another. An example of a relationship habit is showing off. This reminds me of the actions/attitudes as that of a fifth grader. I can talk about how certain habits change and develop over time, and with age. Depending on how much information I get, and the flow of the magazine article, I might decide to take it in another direction. Conflict resolution among one another goes hand in hand with relationship habits. How people handle situations that are less than ideal can be a recurring habit. Essentially these are their coping mechanisms. This can be seen as a relationship habit because it is directly affecting others lives. I can see an article of this topic being in a magazine such as GQ, or people magazine, so my audience would be to anyone who reads magazines. I think doing a magazine article gives me more options for my topic.
The genre of writing I decided to research for my second unessay was a magazine article. I intended to write the first unessay as a magazine article, but due to my lack of knowledge of that type of writing, and since I was pressed on time I opted out for a format I am more familiar with. After some research I found the key elements of a magazine page which are: headlines, intros, body copy or body text, pull quotes, subheads, and image captions. Some of these elements I have been familiar with from a young age, but I have never heard of the more subtle elements such as the byline which is used as an addition to the credits, and the folio which contains the page number and could also contain publication logo, date, month, section title, or web page (Elements). As for the common layout of articles, the writing is organized in columns separated by “gutters.” I have heard that columns helps the reader because the reader does not have to turn their head as much to read one line of text. A document from George Mason University, help me realize that every small detail, from subtitles to margin sizes, are carefully chosen by page designers to benefit the reader and to create a more inviting piece of writing in order to keep the reader engaged.
"Elements of a Magazine Page." Magazine Designing. N.p., 26 Mar. 2013. Web. 06 Nov. 2015. University, Credit, All Art With Rare Exception, and Should Be Credited. Some. Anatomy of a Magazine Layout (n.d.): n. pag. Web. -Jesus A. Lopez I think that my second unessay’s style will be quite similar to that of my first. And that is random, yet thought out. Let me explain. In the first unessay, I didn’t really know what I was going to write about and so I just started writing. Quickly, my ideas and experiences began to line up and I realized where I was going. The final product flowed pretty well, but was unlike anything I’d ever written. There was an introduction and a conclusion but the body paragraphs didn’t have any defined individual purpose. What I mean is that I could have taken out the spaces between my paragraphs and it would have still worked. I divided things into paragraphs just because not doing so would have been too foreign.
Although I don’t want the inspiration for my second unessay to be as painful as that of my first, the writing style will most likely stay the safe. I will however improve on length and concluding. Even though there isn’t a length requirement on the unessay, I still think I could have expanded on some of my ideas. Also, the conclusion on the last assignment was quite rushed, as I was doing it minutes before the deadline. Additionally, I am probably sticking with first person narrative and I might also break the fourth wall a little. In any account, it will be fun. I would write further for this blog, but I have to go sleep for my group's research on sleep. Peace. -Rudy Diaz Poetry is one of my favorite genres of writing. I find poems far more powerful than typical articles and essays because they are more imaginative and interpretive. Every poem has an intended meaning, but it is up to the audience to determine the effect it has on them and the way they take the information presented. While there are no “rules” when it comes to poetry, there are a few key elements that are usually considered.
The first element is the use of imagery. Imagery is all about placing an idea in a reader’s mind without directly telling your idea to him or her. This is where interpretation is most present. Another element is rhyme. Rhyme is not always used in poetry, but it is a common element that adds a lyrical and musical effect that also stimulates the reader’s mind. The third element is form. Whether the poem sticks to Italian sonnet form in iambic pentameter, or is just free form, there is usually some sort of pattern or well thought-out lack thereof aimed at pushing the idea towards the reader creatively and purposefully. The last element is poetic devices. Some common ones are alliteration, simile, and repetition. These are used to emphasize certain parts of the text. I am intrigued by the idea of presenting my unessay in the form of a poem because it is a very fun and creative medium to work with, it integrates my musical skills, and it allows me to tell a story while proving my point. -Frances Minigan As I have pondered many possible mediums for my un-essay I have decided to create my own creative medium.
I ruled out the possibility of making another magazine article, but wanted to branch out beyond a traditional essay. I researched blog posts, pictures, and poems. I decided on making an acrostic poem influenced un-essay. This means that I will abide by the rules of an acrostic poem, but instead of only using one word or phrase after each letter, I will write a paragraph. I have not decided the final style of the writing, for example more like a blog post, newspaper article, or traditional essay. The rules I will follow for the layout are to come up with a word, or phrase, that describes my topic or thesis. The next rule is to begin each paragraph with one letter of the chosen word or phrase. The final step is to create the work vertically, meaning write the word or phrase vertically and the paragraphs will follow in a normal manor. As of now, I am unsure of my audience because I have not decided on the final format, blog post, pictures, or traditional essay yet. Here is an example of what I am picturing for my un-essay: Chosen topic/thesis: The Gonzaga University community is inclusive and we all share in the excitement around sports teams. Chosen word/phrase: Spike Students of all grades and backgrounds unite with one common goal to create the best college experience for themselves and their peers. *continue paragraph (Intro) People on campus enjoy assisting others when they are in need of aid, whether they are in the classroom or on the soccer field. *finish paragraph In the Kennel, over 1200 students gather each game to support their Zag basketball players creating a fun and energetic atmosphere. *finish paragraph Kindess can be seen through small and large actions of students, *finish paragraph Everyone can sense the community of inclusiveness and support for sports teams on the Gonzaga campus. *finish paragraph (Conclusion) I am excited to see where this idea for my un-essay will take me and how it will turn out. After choosing the format to write the paragraphs, the rest of the essay will come more smoothly. -Sammy Vowles I want to write a magazine article for my second unessay. It is a moderately casual medium, but also a good way to convey research. After researching the subject I found that the big challenge in creating a magazine article is balancing information and aesthetics. According to a presentation done by the University of Oregon’s School of Journalism, art is the central focus of magazine articles. No one wants to read a piece that is filled with random pictures and scattered text, even if it may be compelling. Structure is essential in creating an effective article. I learned that the piece must convey an abundance of information in a confined area while providing a pleasing structure that allows the audience to read throughout the article smoothly. Every extra element has the potential to create clutter. Therefore, each part of the article should be cultivated with a specific purpose. Finding that balance between intellectual stimulation and art will be the most difficult part.
Magazine articles have particular elements that are universal. The theme and articulate layout need to be consistent throughout. For example, margins, folios (usually containing the magazine title, issue date and page number) and textual settings should be the same, page to page. I learned that certain aspects such as the heading, leads, captions, body, sidebar, subheadings, byline and pull quotes are fundamental to magazine articles – they separate a bland article with a compelling, aesthetically pleasing editorial. But creative devices such as rules, kickers, indentations, fonts and serifs are all ways to enhance the quality of the article and make it appear more professional. In conclusion, the content and general layout of the article will be strictly up to me. I think less writing is better because clutter is very unpleasing to the reader. Using the features that I researched will create a fascinating article that will hopefully draw the audience in both intellectually and aesthetically. - Dawson Matthews I am interested in doing a free verse poem for my second unessay. In the past I generally have not written much poetry. So I think it would be very beneficial for me to try to write in a medium that I am unfamiliar with. After researching the “rules” for free verse poetry I found that the main rule is there are no rules. There is no rhyme or rhythm, and there is no set meter in free verse poetry. The audience for free verse poetry differs greatly based on the topic of the poetry. Some free verse poems are featured in books, magazines, newspapers, or just published on their own. Despite the absence of rules or structure, free verse poetry is extraordinarily powerful. Some of the greatest poets have used free verse poetry to convey their ideas, including Walt Whitman, Langston Hughes, T.S. Eliot, and Emily Dickinson. The fact that free verse poetry is pretty open in terms of formatting, rules, and structure, but has the ability to be very powerful, really appeals to me. I think that branching out into poetry for my second unessay would really enhance my writing skills by forcing me to think outside the box.
Here is a link to some very famous free verse poems. -Danni Noonan |
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