Week 12

Final reflections of COMM11007...Hooray we made it!

 

This has been a challenging course for me. English was my worst subject at school (a long time ago now!) and this course brought back horrible memories of sitting in school trying to make sense of it all.

From the time of having this course approved to do as cross institutional to actually starting the course, its content had changed. I came in and saw the work and wanted to melt down and cry. Knowing I can’t do anything to change it, I did what I always do. I got in and worked it out and did the best I could to push through it all. There was no dropping this subject, I had to suck it up and do it!

The most beneficial thing about the course was learning to use Twitter. I still don’t like using it for posting things myself, but I do like how I can get news that is current on it. As a mother I always miss watching the news on TV, or getting to read news on the web proves just as hard. So after learning to use Twitter, I have found myself in those rare moments of no one around, checking it to see what is happening in the world! The local news to me is not of huge importance, and frankly, the things that get Tweeted here are not really on a large impact scale. I enjoy being up to date with real news and real issues. Usually the depressing things people on purpose do not watch the news for, but I find it is important. Some of those events can have impact on us one way or another. The GFC is a great example. I have a handful of friends who have no idea about how it happened or why. They just complain that things are so expensive now, like their rent. Then there is geeky me, who likes to know why, why, why? I do not like living under a rock or being ignorant to things that impact other people somewhere in the world. Just because it does not affect us directly, does not mean we should not care about others.  So Twitter now is a whole new way to get news for me!

I have also taken from this course some good tips to apply from a corporate perspective, be it public relations and media releases, or marketing tips for visual consumers.

The most challenging part of this course was the blog work. I am not a fan of blog work. I find it eats away at time, and often trying to get it published or look right takes away from the main points. It is all part of it at the end of the day, but it would be easier if other student’s asides from a handful did the work as well. Blog work becomes harder and more frustrating when not everybody is on board.

Again, as a parent, time management is so important. For me to go and review other student’s blogs and interact I am on restricted time. I am lucky I have my regulars I can review, but I hate how a criteria for an assessment depends on others. I do not like having to rely on others to catch up due to their poor time management, or care for their own work, so I can submit an assessment I know I put time and effort into. Not to mention juggling all other things we have in our lives.

I am not sure if the course has changed how I feel about media writing. As I said in the last post, growing up, my mother was strict on English and grammar, so I have always been able to pick writing and TV presenters to bits and point out their errors. If anything this course has probably made me pickier with it all! My poor family having to listen to me say ‘He said that wrong!’

Reviewing my blog

Ok, so I have reviewed and reviewed, and I think I have got most things sorted. With that said, I am sure before I hit the submit button I will check again. And after I hit submit I will find something to fix! I have gone through the weeks and found only two and a half activities not really done. The rest I have ticked everything off. Those ones I have missed I would have been caught up in usual life dramas and missed it. Or as in the audio script activity, hit a wall with it. I have checked my letter 'I' use, and capital letters and punctuation. I think I have it right but time will tell!

 

Quizzes!

I have completed all the quizzes! I have made sure I got full marks.

I found the most challenging of these the ones that involved, nouns, pro nouns, verbs and the like! Oh they made me hurt! The easier ones were punctuation and words.

I think these have helped me to be a better a writer because it has taught me to ‘stop, check, check, check, are you sure that’s right? Is that the right word? Is that in the right spot?’ and practice that in my own work. With that said I am still not the best at English and expect a few errors to pop up on this blog still and in future assignments! I am only human J

 

 

Week 11

Chapter 11 review

Key points:

-Broadcast is written for the ear, not the eye.
-Time is limited with broadcast.
-Use inverted pyramid for prioritising the story.
-Keep writing to lean to fit in with the time limit.
-Be aware of the readers abilities with words, pronunciation and punctuation.
-Choose appropriate lead for the story to grab the listeners attention.

What are the key differences between writing for broadcast and print media?

One of the key differences in writing for broadcast instead of print is the use of punctuation. Hyphens and commas are used a little differently and a lot more full stops are needed. This is so the presenter reading the story can present it with clarity and avoid stumbling or slurring over words. The use of hyphens to break down two words, or emphasis a break in between one word is not seen in print the way it is used in broadcast.

Pronunciation also plays a part in broadcast writing as opposed to print. Some words such as names and places may require the use of different phonetic spelling. This is to help the presenter correctly pronounce words in the presentation. This is not seen in print. Spelling of a word remains correct and unaltered.

The other key difference, is print is read once and remains a hard copy of a story. However the listening and visual audience may hear the same news item several times a day. Therefore the writing layout has to be changed around though out the day. The listener will recognise repetition and tune out or turn off. By freshening up the layout of how it is written to be presented, the listener hears it differently and will be less inclined to change station.

Also choosing words carefully and keeping sentences short are important in broadcast as limited time only allows for so much information to be delivered. Prioritise the information needed to compose the story and get the message across and be cautious of the length. Listeners are unable to return if they miss parts, unlike in print. So making sure the right lead with right information, bundled into a small time frame is of high importance. There is more time to read a story than to listen to one.

Week 5 interview-30 Second script

Well this task is somewhat difficult for me. I interviewed two Japanese students who were in my home for over two weeks. Their English clearly was not as fluent as their first language.

30 seconds of script for this interview literally would be four or five words. Not enough words between the two of them could compile 30 seconds of script! I chose to interview them as it was a different topic for me to use, and also they got to practise their English skills; listening and speaking.

If I had known I was to further use this interview to become a script later on in the course, I would have interviewed other people instead on a different topic.

 

Quiz 11 reflection

This quiz was interseting as it was based on the chapter where words can have more than one meaning. That just causes confusion for so many people! On first attempt I got 9/10 and then second time round 10/10. This one was not as hard for me for one reason. My mother!

She used to hound us constantly about correct English and grammar and she would correct us all the time. It was very annoying. Sadly, I have now turned into my mother and find myself correcting my children (and my husband).

 When people use 'them' instead of 'those' it makes me cringe! When I hear a news reader saying 'sudden' instead of 'suddenly' I cringe! Growing up, my mother was right, there was no such word as 'sudden' in the dictionary! It is now though. Many words have now been added to the 'English' language. For example the word 'tweeps' has been added. It means people that follow you on Twitter. It is a made up word. Yet we keep adding these made up word to the dictionary.

Being bought up very old school I hate that we add words like this. My mother was so determined to raise children with correct English and grammar. We were told 'If you can not speak the Queens English then do not speak it all!' Oh yes we gave our mother grief over this for sure. She did it for a very good reason though.

Week 10

Visual consumer inquiry

I chose to review the Fitzroy Island website.

www.fitzroyisland.com.au

 After going through this website I found many things that related to this week’s study materials.

Their use of visual principles followed the study guide to a tee!

Colour-This website has used images that contain a lot of blue (ocean and pools) and green (rain forest) which gives the consumer the feeling of calm, happiness and fun, and nature.

They use photos with these colours for a background image with lightened value, and then used the darker text over the top. Where they have used solid darker colours they have then used the lighter text.

At times (photos change) they use photos of sunsets that have a nice orange colour which is meant to give the feeling of happy and fun also.

The simple use of these colour techniques makes this website very visually appealing to the consumer. It is simple and not harsh and draws your focus to the page.

Logo-The logo for Fitzroy Island is very simple and contains only three colours; green, blue and yellow. Blue for the ocean, green for the forest, and yellow for the sun.

Words and Font-This website has chosen to use Arial font which gives a more informal, relaxed feel to the reader.

The introduction is strong with short and simple paragraphs with basic ‘need to know’ information. Headings are simple and have been made bold, with not drawing attention away from the focus of the page.

The use of white space between text and promotional boxes makes it easy for the consumer to scan the website to find the relevant information to them.

Balance- All the main photos used to enhance the message of the website have been place in the top centre with main information flowing underneath. This draws in the eye of the consumer as central focus.

The layout is easy to follow and does not seem heavy and draw away from the message that Fitzroy Island is trying to promote.

This website appeals to me as it easy and simple to use and you can locate what you need fairly quickly. It also gives you the urge for the need to relax and getaway! I chose this website to look at as I love the beach and have a passion for snorkelling so anything with that features those things grabs me instantly!

Review my blog

It was very tedious going back through my blog looking for spelling errors and lay out errors.

 I edited pages where I could, and although some headings appear small and in grey, in my construction page they are black and large. I have argued with my computer about this and I have decided to let it be as it is a technical thing beyond me as to why it is turning it grey and small as I publish it.

I think the layout is clean and simple. Not too overpowering  or with too much happening on the page. I have seen a few that have so much information on them they have scared me away! I have set things out with headings and used white space to break content down. 

I feel the only thing letting me down is the depth of my work (writing is not my strong point) and the headings in colours that are coming up different from the selection screen.

Quiz 10 reflection

I surprised myself this quiz and on first attempt got 9/10. I was pretty happy with that.

I found this chapter easy to read and not over bearing. When the chapter is lengthy I become confused and need to back track a lot. Short and simple gets the point stored into my hard drive and I have a better chance of applying it.

Second time I got 10/10 and was ready to move on to the final quiz!

Week 9

 

Trip Advisor Top 25 Hotels v Trivago Gold Standard Hotels

http://www.tripadvisor.com.au/TravelersChoice-Hotels-g1
http://www.cntraveller.com/awards/the-gold-list/gold-standard-hotels-2014/viewall

I found Trip Advisors form of review very short and simple. They were all displayed as direct quotes from previous guests at the hotels, and were more an expression of the traveller’s feelings towards their stay at the hotel, rather than a professional prospective.

The Trivago reviews I felt were much more thorough and informative. They were very specific and contained facts and figures and a background that gave you insight to each of the establishments.

While both these sets of reviews were aimed at traveller’s, I felt that Trivago was aimed towards a more high end market with its writing style in a more formal manner than that of Trip Advisor. Trip Advisor had simply selected the best feedback from guests, where as Trivago had a professional review for each hotel.

Both of these sets of reviews, really made me want to go on a holiday escape! However I did feel that the more appealing to the audience was the style and format of Trivago.

 Review a peer’s storify

I reviewed Sarah Barnhams article on the Gladstone Show.

https://storify.com/barnham_sarah/there-was-something-for-everyone-at-the-gladstone

I felt Sarah did a really good job of the content in this story. She made it appeal to a diverse crowd by including a variety of stalls and activities that were available at the show, to grab the interest of the majority of readers.

I think she could have used a stronger Introduction. It was attention grabbing but maybe some of the points she used to finish the story could have been used in the introduction such as when, where, why, who and how. They were the only things I would swap around with the structure.

The use of a variety of tweets were great as they each had a separate item and included things like the price of an activity so the audience could see what the event costs entailed. Maybe the inclusion of a few Tweets or Facebook posts from someone else at the show could have supported the story even more.

Over all I found this story was easy to read and I didn’t get bored so that to me is a good start! It wasn’t overloaded with irrelevant information. It was fast and to the point but with all the right elements included in the story.

Quiz 9 reflections

This quiz was tricky, tricky, tricky! First time round I shamefully got 6/10! And it was on the questions with the same words but different spelling. They get me all the time those ones. The moments you are writing an assignment and you say to whoever is near you ‘Hey, how do you spell...?’ because even as an adult you get confused! I see my son’s spelling tests each week and I am so glad I am not in school anymore because now I have spell check and learnt from many errors over and over how to spell certain words! And at least spell check underlines words in red just like a teacher in school. Tricky this week yes, but also yukky!

 

 

Week 8

Review a social media of interest

Yes...these are my eggs from my chickens ;)

For this week’s activity of social media, I decided to follow my interest of keeping chickens.

http://www.fresh-eggs-daily.com/
https://www.facebook.com/FreshEggsDaily
https://twitter.com/FreshEggsDaily
http://www.pinterest.com/fresheggsdaily/
http://instagram.com/fresheggsdaily

Fresh Eggs Daily is a blog  that also sends their information through many social media platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Pinterest.

The information they post on the blog then also gets sent out through the channels of social media, promoting their organisation to the maximum level by reaching all levels of the audience. No matter what platform you prefer to use, you can keep up to date with this organisation. Whilst it is primarily run by the one owner, she also promotes other business of similar interest with in it. Through sponsorship of the blog, other companies are benefiting from the use of Fresh Eggs Daily’s regular posts on social media.

Often the posts contain tips for healthy chickens, recipes, or competitions and give aways to promote the sponsors of the blog. Also with Instagram there is the opportunity for lots of photos to be shared. I know for myself personally all it took was someone else to like a post on Facebook from the blog and it had my attention from the content. Cute photo plus short texts made me click more, more, more!

I would use this blog linked with social media on a professional level to promote my business as it reaches such a diverse crowd across the world. Whilst chicken farming is not my first goal, it is a plan for a sideline project to run a small local egg farm one day (you know...when we win lotto!). It is something my kids also enjoy and it helps teach them to be gentle and take responsibility, so it is something we would venture into. A network like Fresh Eggs Daily is perfect for attracting the target audience required.

Practical-write a review article

 How do you like your eggs?

Fresh Eggs Daily is a social media network that has all your poultry needs covered. From tips on chicken and duck health, to kitchen recipes, to garden maintenance and competitions, Fresh Eggs Daily has it all.

Every day, Lisa, a fifth generation chicken keeper, keeps you up to date with what is happening on her farm with her flock. She also writes for a variety of magazines as well as working on her own published works. Sending out help and advice on her blog via Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and Instagram, Lisa has the world following her and her chickens closely.

Poultry lovers from around the world regularly post on the Facebook timeline, sharing problems, concerns, questions and happy moments they have enjoyed with their flock. Language proves no barrier when it comes to the love of poultry, with followers happy to join in the conversation on different breeds of chickens and ducks. Questions and reviews on health, diet, illness, wellbeing, coop maintaince, herbs, fruit and vegetables, predators, incubators, heats lamps, chicks, hens, roosters, ducks, geese, and all the other animals you can think of on a farm, are frequently posted to or by Fresh Eggs Daily.

With over 350,000 followers on Facebook and over 3500 followers now on Twitter, this social network continues to grow in popularity. Lisa is turning the typical stereo type of raising chickens and ducks into a new fashion, bringing the simplicities of life, into the new era of digital technology. By giving general home keeping an upbeat appeal, at the touch of a button of a social media platform, you too can get all the help and cuteness you need thanks to Lisa and her work at Fresh Eggs Daily.

Quiz 8

Well this punctuation quiz a lot harder than the first! So many I did a double take on. First attempt I got 8/10 so I was pleasantly surprised. Then on the second attempt I made a booboo and hit the wrong one and had to do it a third time. Third time round I got them all correct. Punctuation I am usually not too bad with but it is those damn apostrophes that get me all the time!

 

Week 7

Review a newsletter

I chose to review the first editon for this year of the Crocodile Specialist Group.
http://www.iucncsg.org/365_docs/attachments/protarea/News-7c3e7324.pdf

For a newletter, I felt it containted a little too much information. The editorial, book review, and current topics I found relevant for a newsletter but I felt the journal style reports included in it could have easily been placed in a seperate publication. For someone who is not within the community of the Crocodile Specialiast Group, I feel the information in this newletter could be too overwhelming.

I thought the layout and style was a little lacking and stuck in the 90's. Given the great programs readily available these days to make publications stand out, it could do with some formatting. It made the group appear to be not of a large scale yet a minority.

I felt if it was revamped/restructutered to contain the editorial, current topics such as regional reports, and book reviews, it would be easier to read and appeal to a wider audience, rather than restriciting the audience to simply existing members within the group.

I did think there were possible follow up stories for this newsletter, with the interest in the funding programs to students in research across various locations. A story on how the money has been allocated and how the student is progressing could make for interesting reading in further newsletters.

Quiz 7 reflection

Argh this one I was mad at myself because I didn't listen to the answer that first came to me. I always stumble on words that need " 's" and it drives me mad. This is my weak point with punctuation. I did get 7 out of 10 on my first attempt, but the ones I got wrong were ones I decided to change the answer to. Note to self, 'DO NOT change answers!'

 

Reviewing my own blog for errors!

I am sure there are many I have not picked up on. I tend to get my blog activities done while my toddler is asleep, so I do not expect my blog to be perfect and error free from punctuation and spelling errors. I try to focus on completeing the tasks as best I can. I will review my blog again before it is due as I do think it will affect my overall result at the end of the term. It is an English class, so why would poorly written work pass? I just need to be sure to be child free and distraction free as I go through my work with a fine tooth comb to find my mistakes!

Week 6

Photo Essay

 

The journey from chick to chicken

 

 

 

 

 

In June 2014, this one day old silkie chick, pops his head out from the comfort of mums warm feathers to have a look at the world.

 

 

 

At 10 days old, Doris, the mother, decides it is time for the chicks to meet the great outdoors. Ready to help Doris, are Darla and Debbie, to make sure the chicks are safe and close by to mum.

 

 

Now out of the comfort and safety of indoors, mother Doris sternly watches her adventurous silkie chicks.

 

 

Close by, Debbie is helping supervise the curious 10 day old chicks, and teaches them how to forage for weeds of the backyard.

 

On a cold winter's morning in July, the chicks have become independent and confidently enjoy a rice treat with the rest of the flock, who have all now accepted the chicks into their group.

 

Cirque de Soleil Media Kit Review

I reviewed the media kit for JOYA.

 

It contained a background of information on Cirque de Soleil itself that lead into a background/history of JOYA.

 

It containted the introduction and biography of the director with the who, what, when, where, why and how.

 

With quotes contained in the media kit, that press are able to use, they also provided links for videos, photos and websites. A facts section to the kit included media contact for further information, and costs and dates of the show.

 

http://www.cirquedusoleil.com/en/press/kits/shows/joya/content-temp.aspx

Quiz 6 reflection

First attempt at this weeks quiz I got 9 out of 10. Having written reports with figures before, this one was not as challenging for me as the previous ones, and again, I listened to my instincts and went with it! I found this quiz a little more straight forward than the others.