Presentation

A good presentation can as elusive as the perfect coffee.  How much sugar and creamer are needed?  Are there too many pictures?  Too many words?  Were the coffee beans properly ground?  Did you make your point clear?  The same care and attention we pay our coffee should go into our presentations.

Just  as coffee has evolved over the years to become gourmet and at times playful, so has the art of giving a presentation.  Prezis, Powerpoints, short movies, interactive models, eye-catching colors, and shocking graphics have come to be the gourmet flavors of presentation.  Some are more traditional (Powerpoint) while others improve upon the standard and serve as a treat to the eye while conveying information (Prezi).

But it is not the medium that carries the importance of the presentation.  The one presenting, you the presenter, are the most important part of your message.  Your words, motions, intonation, and expression are more effective than any visual aid you can create on a poster or a computer.  We, as people, like people.  This sounds silly and maybe it is, but we gravitate towards real people.  The graphics might be amusing and elaborate on the points the speaker makes but they are only supplemental to the presenter.  Without a presenter of some sort, the message is one-sided.  A presenter invites people in better than any movie can.  They create the opportunity for interaction and for shared emotion to build.  When in front of a room, a presenter becomes the conductor of the room or the barista for the coffee of his or her message.  They can craft and mold the information presented before your eyes to deliver you the final message.

For the presentations we gave in class on our nonprofits, I would have spent more time preparing.  Taking  a few more minutes the night before to jot down my thoughts and the order I wanted to share them in would have improved my presentation.

Sources

What did you learn this week about accessing, evaluating and writing about sources? How might this impact your research process going forward?

Traditionally, Google has been the mother of all research for students.  However there are a plethora of other ways to conduct research that yield more specific and more scholarly sources.  Databases are one of the most effective ways to do this.  Nesting and narrowing your search can produce a manageable number of results that are highly relevant to your topic--not something you are guaranteed with Google.

Evaluating and writing about sources are crucial to the process of writing a research paper.  Simply having a list of sources whose content you have skimmed will not provide sufficient support to your argument.  An annotated bibliography allows you--and those who review your work--to be able to easily sort through your sources and follow the information trail.

Through the use of databases and narrowed searches, as well as an annotated bibliography, the process of research is simplified and improved.

Lit Review Concerns

I am not overly concerned about writing the lit review.  Getting some feedback on my question will confirm or adjust my initial approach to my topic.  After that, as long as I know the format that is required (APA, double spaced, font size, etc.), I will be able to begin this paper without too much pain.

However, I know there will be hiccups in the process.  For example, the struggle that comes in the form of procrastination.  When I have extended deadlines for assignments, I find myself in the position of having to prioritize.  And of course, the assignment due the latest is worried about last.  This is not a perfect practice.  The lit review is clearly an assignment that will take more than a day or two to do.  If I can manage to not procrastinate too long on this assignment, it will not be too overwhelming.

Research Papers

What has been your experience with research papers in the past? What did you like and dislike about doing them?

While research papers have long been the bane of many students' existence, I have always breathed a sigh of relief when one is assigned.  The typical rigidity and regulation required of a research paper makes them seem cumbersome and unpleasant.  I, however, revel in the structure and the potential of finding and sharing new information.  

As an avid fact and information finder and collector (did you know penguins can jump six feet in the air, bald eagles are no longer an extinct species, and doing a power stance at least once a day for two minutes increases your feelings of power and confidence), being able to delve deeper into a topic and find unique information and make more connections is exciting.  Previously, I have written a paper on the evolution and effect of subliminal messaging in advertisements over the years.  The process of researching and finding more information was enthralling and enriching.  I found bits of information and nuances of cultural shifts that I have continually been able to apply--these things I would not have known if I had not picked and researched this topic.

I do recognize the difficulty found in narrowing down a topic without getting impossibly specific and formulating the perfect thesis.  But those factors add to the challenge and the eventual feeling of accomplishment and satisfaction once they have been mastered.  This is not to oversimplify the task of specifying a topic or crafting a thesis that is elaborate and clear.  

Evaluation

• What are three essential characteristics of a good evaluation of someone else’s work? Why does these matter?

When evaluating the works of others, there are several things to keep in mind.  For one, keep in mind the audience and context of the person's work.  Just as the original author must keep in mind audience and the context of his or her work, so must the person evaluating.  The way in which work is written and presented is subject to its context.  Whether there is a formal audience or a casual one, the format and structure of language will be matched.  Also important to consider is the role of the author's voice.  Perhaps in a science or informational piece of work, the author's voice may not be as important but in a work of fiction or literature, voice might play a larger role.  The author's voice can be channeled in the form of syntax, diction, and structure or layout.  If not considered the role the author's voice plays in a work, an evaluation of his or her work can be inaccurate.  One of the other essential characteristics to bear in mind when evaluating the work of another person is the subject matter itself.  Some material lends itself to levity while other requires a sense of gravity.  This can be considered to be part of audience but it truly stands apart as another facet to evaluation.  What is presented in what way matter equally to any other matter in evaluation.

These essential characteristics to evaluation hold value as you look at the work of another.  Being able to have a toolbox to use when approaching a work allows for deeper and more thorough unpacking of its true message.  This benefits both the evaluator and the writer.

Project HALO

Only in the past four years have I personally owned a dog.  Before that, I would long to play with my aunt's dogs, friends' dogs, or any dog I could get my hands on.  Now I am so lucky to have my very own spoiled pup to call my own (yes, my four year old dog is still a puppy in my eyes).  Sophie joined our family from our local humane society.  The day she first came home with us, she was scared and timid.  She avoided all men and people wearing hats or gloves.  We quickly realized that our newest family member had suffered from abuse.  After much love and reassurance, Sophie is now a happy and playful member of our family.  She does not shy away from anyone (unless you are trying to make her go in her crate) and plays with all people.

Not every dog like Sophie is so lucky to find a home that will work with them.  Many dogs in her situation are avoided.  Project HALO (Helping Animals Live On) works with stray, homeless, and unwanted dogs.  They spay, neuter, and treat all dogs that come through their doors as well as provide a safe and welcoming space for the dogs.  Many of their dogs are adopted or live in foster homes.  The few that are unable to be adopted are housed in the shelter's facilities where they live under the kind care of volunteers and staff.

This organization demonstrates radical compassion as they face the challenges of being a no-kill rescue shelter.  But this does not deter them in the care they provide.

Raising Awareness of Digital Media Literacy

Digital media literacy continues to elude countless sectors of the population.  Being able to discern between sources and produce one's own media would benefit most of those who lack the ability to effectively use and participate in digital media.

For any topic one wants more information on, there are generally thousands, if not millions, of places to find that information through digital media--whether it be through music, web searches, or podcasts.  This often leads to information overload:  there is too much information for one person to effectively manage.  By narrowing searches and evaluating the validity and value of sources, one can whittle down the wealth of information to the necessary basics.

There are many ways to learn how to participate in and create one's own media.  Many schools (both primary and university level) and libraries offer classes to the public on different media outlets.  Some nonprofit groups and museums may do the same.  Being able to use one form of media, for example the internet, can be a toehold for understanding other media outlets.  Online, there are commonly tutorials on websites and Youtube that can help a person better understand and manipulate media.

Digital Media Literacy

In this time of social media dominance, the importance of digital media literacy has grown immensely.  At first glance, this can seem to be a very simple concept:  to be competent in and understand digital media.  And for the most part, this is correct.  However, digital media literacy remains elusive to millions of people despite its apparent simplicity.  This gap falls along generational lines, geographical lines, and socioeconomic lines.  For those who came from a generation when the idea of a computer was futuristic and belonged in a science-fiction movie, understanding the concept of Facebook or Google might be difficult.  Some people are in geographic locations that do not have access to broadband internet, thus hindering the possibility and probability of digital media literacy.  The issue is similar with socioeconomic divides--some cannot afford access to broadband internet or the devices to use that access.

Digital media literacy is vital to being a part of today's society.  It has become the norm for people to be referred to a website to apply for a job, to make a purchase, or to contact a service provider.  Without the ability to read, use, and understand digital media, it becomes more difficult for a person to connect and stay connected.
This is not to say that all other forms of communication are obsolete and that digital media--in whatever form is may be--is the only form of connection left.  More simply, digital media has become the dominant and accepted form.