TC 231

Congratulations!

2005-12-09T10:49:00.000-08:00

Our work is finally finished. I want to thank everyone for a great quarter and hope all of you continue to refine the skills we have been working on for the past 10 weeks.

Of course, I can't resist one final link...

It takes a while to load, but it seems like an appropriate way to close out the blog given the pace we've been working at this quarter.

Have a great holiday!

Banished

2005-12-08T22:23:00.000-08:00

"Blog" made the Lake Superior State University 2005 List of Banished Words.

I would love to banish it, but a replacement doesn't seem very likely at this point.

Reminder

2005-12-08T15:40:00.000-08:00

I just wanted to remind everyone what you should have prepared to turn in tomorrow. I will need a copy of your definition and description along with a copy of ALL the sources you have used in your research. I will be assessing how effectively you have cited these sources in your work.

If you are using large documents such as textbooks or sizeable research reports, simply print out the pages that you referenced in your assignment. I don't need to have an entire 40 page research report and I certainly don't want all of you burning up print resources to hand in an additional 150 pages of documentation.

Also, make sure you arrive on time for tomorrow's class. I will collect your assignments, return your in-class writings, cover a few final ideas, and hand out course evaluations before we adjourn.

As stated in the syllabus, there will not be an opportunity to hand in a late version of this last assignment.

Definition and Description Presentations

2005-12-08T11:42:00.000-08:00

The syllabus says that we are supposed to give a definition and description presentation on Friday. How detailed are these presentations spposed to be? Are we just supposed to give a brief description of what we did ours on, like the instructions assignment? A little clarification would help. Thanks

Follow Up

2005-12-05T15:32:00.000-08:00

It's a little after the fact, but these instructions are worth a look.

I think anyone who gets this thing to fly probably already knows how to use it.

Blogs Strike Back

2005-12-04T12:49:00.000-08:00

The internet makes it a lot easier to shine a light on plagiarism cases. Guy Fawkes has decided to take advantage of this fact and offer up an award to the journalist who is responsible for the most egregious theft of ideas from people who are running blogs. You can see a list of nominations here:

Press Plagiarist of the Year Award - 2005

I think it's interesting to see all of the gyrations that new and old media sources are going through as they collide in this new environment. What do you think?

Jayson Blair and Documenting Sources

2005-12-02T14:54:00.000-08:00

How broad were the effects of Jayson Blair's actions? Take a look at some of the articles that chronicle the steps that were taken after the plagiarism charges were verified:

Changes at the New York Times

For those of you who simply can't get enough information about citing references, here is a collection of Web resources.

Speaker: Xbox Live Creator Cameroon Ferroni

2005-11-28T13:54:00.000-08:00

I just got an email about this...

Don't miss the upcoming brown bag lunch with Cameron Ferroni, creator of Xbox Live, Tuesday, 11/29 at 12:00 PM!

It's all over the news! Xbox 360 has arrived!

http://www.cnn.com/2005/TECH/fun.games/11/21/xbox360.ap/index.html

And now UW Honors is bringing you an extraordinary opportunity! Join Cam Ferroni, one the incubators of Xbox and creator of Xbox Live in a presentation and discussion about Xbox, Xbox Live and Xbox 360. Find out what is really involved in the launch of a console and an online service and learn about the exciting places that the console industry is heading in the future!

Xbox to Xbox360--the launch of a console and a phenomena
Tuesday, November 29, 12:00-1:20
MGH 389

*Arrive early to secure a seat*

Thought some of you might be interested.

Def/Des. Illustrations

2005-11-26T11:00:00.000-08:00

When the assigment description says we need to create one illustration of our own, does that mean a photo, something from paint, or what? And can we borrow illustrations from our sources and cite them?

Conference Sign Up Sheet

2005-11-22T12:33:00.000-08:00

The sign up sheet was temporarily removed from my office door because it violated the student privacy rules. It has been revised so that it only shows first initials and last names. I have posted the new version

If you haven't signed up yet, please do so before conferences begin.

Thanksgiving

2005-11-21T11:20:00.000-08:00

For those of you who will not make it to Wednesday's class due to the Thanksgiving holiday, please email me a copy of your definition and description outline. Thanks.

Track Changes

2005-11-19T10:59:00.000-08:00

I started using Track Changes on my revision assignment, and after a while, it just become very difficult to read my paper. All of the things I deleted were still there but crossed out in red, which made them extremely distracting. I found it hard to read through my paper and see how it flowed with all the crossed-out extraneous words and fragments sprinkled in between complete sentences.

I eventually turned Track Changes off, but when I turned it back on, I found that all the revisions I had made did not show in red anymore... So I was wondering if for the revision we turn in, we can just highlight the major things we changed and not bother with Track Changes? I am now halfway through revising and all the revisions I had made so far don't show up any more!

Cognitive Load Theory

2005-11-18T11:55:00.000-08:00

For those of you who are curious, Wikipedia gives a decent summary of CLT.

If you want to get deeper into the subject, Dr. Graham Cooper from the University of New South Wales in Australia did some research into CLT and instructional design that fits in with many of our goals for the definition and description assignment.

Sources for Friday

2005-11-16T14:14:00.000-08:00

When we turn in our sources on Friday, do we just need to bring the equivalent of a sources cited page? Or do we need printouts of internet articles and copies of any print texts that we are using?

Dismantled

2005-11-16T12:54:00.000-08:00

It's not really a definition and description, but it seems loosely related to what we did in class today. Seems the folks over at anandtech got their hands on an XBox 360 and decided to tear it apart.

I might like my pens better if they played games in HD.

Endangered

2005-11-14T16:57:00.000-08:00

In today's library presentation, Linda mentioned a site that chronicles the dangers of dihydrogen monoxide. Another all-star in this genre is a site encouraging the preservation of the Pacific Northwest Tree Octopus. People have fallen for this one as well.

There are a number of hoaxe sites out there, and many of them are not easily recognized. Thinking critically about the information on a Web site is a constant requirement when doing research online.

Reminder

2005-11-14T10:56:00.000-08:00

For next class:

In the handbook read:
• Description
• Definition Method of Development

In the textbook read:
• Chapter 9

Finally, if you have not done so already, take a few minutes to fill out the Library Workshop evaluation form. Your feedback will help Linda refine the content that she includes in future presentations. I am sure that any feedback you can provide will be helpful.

Progress report e-mail

2005-11-13T10:21:00.000-08:00

I don't remember what all needed to be included in the progress report e-mail. Would someone be able to remind me. Thanks

Reminder

2005-11-10T15:32:00.000-08:00

Make sure you complete the self and group evaluation forms and bring them with you to the library workshop on Monday:

• Self-evaluation form
• Group evaluation form

Library Workshop

2005-11-09T11:14:00.000-08:00

We will not be meeting in our regular classroom on Monday, November 14. Instead, we will be meeting for the library presentation in the Suzzallo Instruction Lab. Attendance is mandatory.

This is a special presentation that the librarians in the engineering library put together as a favor to us. In return, I ask that everyone arrive on time. Also, please make sure that you have reviewed the library workshop information before the session starts.

This is a great opportunity to learn about the university database system and to begin the search for sources you will use in the definition and description assignment.

Definition and Description

2005-11-09T10:50:00.000-08:00

Our last assignment is the definition and description assignment. We'll discuss this in more detail on Wednesday but it would be a good idea to check out the following materials in the meantime:

• Read the assignment description
• Check out the (beautiful) student example
• Download the peer review checklist

There are some important due dates that you should keep track of as well:

• November 14 - Progress report email (10 points)
• November 18 - Turn in at least three sources
• November 23 - Hand in a complete outline
• November 28, 30 - Individual conferences
• December 5 - Peer review
• December 9 - Final draft is due (no late papers will be accepted)

Revision Assignment

2005-11-09T10:42:00.000-08:00

The revision assignment will run concurrently with the definition and description assignment. However, the revision should not take up a whole lot of your time. I expect that it will take about 2-3 hours to make the changes and write the cover memo.

Read the assignment description.

There are some things that you should keep in mind as you work on this:

• It is due on November 21
• Changes must be tracked in MS Word. (Talk to me if you have questions)
• You will hand in the original assignment, the revision, and the cover memo
• The revision does not have to be an improvement
• The cover memo must be one full page

Citing pictures

2005-11-06T18:13:00.000-08:00

Do we need to cite pictures that we get off the internet? I was reading the book and it said, pictures put in documents that are being published need to cite the pictures, but pictures that are in papers turned in for a class do not need to cited. Do these rules apply for this class?

Proofread II

2005-11-03T16:29:00.000-08:00

We all know how easy it is for mechanical mistakes to fall through the cracks. It even happens to the New York Times!

This is even more evidence that you can't rely on spellcheck to do your proofreading for you.

Midterm question

2005-11-03T14:50:00.000-08:00

I was wondering much detail we need to know about an instruction manual. We have not really covered this in class, so will the midterm touch on the main points only, or should I worry about finer details too?

Study Break

2005-11-03T07:58:00.000-08:00

This video by Eugene Mirman is a good reason to interrupt your preparation for the midterm:

Do not trust President Nick Nolte...

Writing Process Link?

2005-11-02T19:20:00.000-08:00

What is the the link to the writing process?

Revision Assignment

2005-11-02T14:10:00.000-08:00

I was looking through the syllabus and noticed we have a revision due
"sometime later in the quarter" of either the article analysis or the
research report. Anyone know when exactly its due?

The Effects of Tone

2005-11-02T10:32:00.000-08:00

Sometimes warm and personal can be an advantage. That's the theme in this assessment of the tone used in business communications. The post makes some interesting observations about the tone a small company uses and what you will see in a mega-corporation's marketing copy. The post closes with the following advice:

"Don’t sweat sounding small. Revel in the fact that you can talk to customers like a friend."

This might be useful to consider as you are working on the instructions assignment. You are writing for an audience that will appreciate a little friendliness or a little attitude. How can you use this to your advantage?

Personality Types

2005-10-30T17:31:00.000-08:00

Personality types can have a significant impact on a group's ability to work together. You might find it worthwhile to take this test and find out what your own personality type is. Think about how it might affect your group interactions.

It should only take you a couple minutes to complete the test. For those of you who have taken the Myers-Briggs test before, it might be interesting to see if the results have changed since the last time you took it.

Mine did.

Proofread!

2005-10-28T11:15:00.000-07:00

("Sponsored by Youth Against War and Racim")

Opinions?

2005-10-26T19:15:00.000-07:00

During our discussion today, it seemed like most of you had some experience with a poor set of instructions. What effect did these instructions have on your perception of the company who created them? Did they have any effect on your ability to complete the task they were describing? Did you have to go to other resources like the Web or customer support?

Feel free to posts responses in the comments.

Instructions Assignment

2005-10-26T19:09:00.000-07:00

Here are the materials you will need to begin work on the instructions assignment:

• Instructions assignment description (PDF)
• Group information sheet (Word)
• Self-evaluation form (PDF)
• Group-evaluation form (PDF)

I will discuss the evaluation forms in class on Friday, 10/28.

Deadlines

2005-10-26T19:01:00.000-07:00

We will continue to pick up the pace with work on the instructions assignment and our midterm. Here are the dates that you should be keeping an eye on:

Friday, October 28
Instructions topics due via email by 5pm

Monday, October 31
Completed group information sheet will be handed in
Mid-quarter evaluation with CIDR*

Wednesday, November 2
Midterm review

Friday, November 4
Midterm exam

Monday, November 7
Complete instructions due for peer review/usability test

Wednesday, November 9
Final draft of instructions due

* I will explain more about the mid-quarter evaluation in class on Friday, 10/28.

Discussion section

2005-10-23T20:18:00.000-07:00

I am having a tough time creating a concise discussion section. I feel like I am just repeating the results section with more words. If anybody is having an easier time with this section and could give me some hints on what else I can do please let me know.

For Class on Monday

2005-10-23T14:06:00.000-07:00

I know we need at least one copy of our research report for peer review on monday, but do we need one more to turn in?

Research Report Graphs/Tables

2005-10-23T11:17:00.000-07:00

If we manipulate the raw data in any way at all, particularly through calculations, should we put a table or graph of the manipulated data into the discussion section as opposed to the results section?

Reminder

2005-10-19T11:25:00.000-07:00

For next class...

In the handbook read:
• Pronouns
• Modifiers
• Dangling Modifiers
• Voice

In the textbook read:
• Chapter 11

Also, keep in mind that we will have a peer review for the research report on Monday, October 24. The final draft of the report will be handed in on Wednesday, October 26.

If you want me to review a draft of the assignment, come see mne during office hours or send me an email so we can schedule an appointment at another time.

Cyclical

2005-10-17T17:23:00.000-07:00

This doesn't have a whole lot to do with technical writing, but it does touch on something that came up in class today:

2005 tied for worst year for tropical storms (CNET)

From the article:

"While it is unclear whether global warming has created more storms, many experts say it has made the storms that occur more intense."

Food for thought...although, I don't think I'll be looking to buy a Prius any time soon.

Reminder

2005-10-17T10:49:00.000-07:00

We will be doing a workshop on graphs and tables in class on Wednesday. Please make sure you bring in a copy of the lab notes (PDF).

Good Charts

2005-10-17T10:31:00.000-07:00

There are some great resources on the Web for creating visuals. This page, put together by some folks at Illinois State, offers some general principles for creating graphics, some explanations of the graphic types and how they should be used, and also gives some examples of bad visual design. The page lists a point from Strunk & White that really captures one of the main ideas I hope everyone comes away with in this class:

"A sentence should contain no unnecessary words, a paragraph no unnecessary sentences for the same reason that a drawing should contain no unnecessary lines and a machine no unnecessary parts."

It's easy to scan this for valuable information and well worth a look. It even includes tips for anyone who plans to use Excel to create visuals, something that will certainly be useful for some of you on the research report assignment.

Lab notes

2005-10-16T21:31:00.000-07:00

This reasearch seems like it will be very challenging to write a report about. Are we susposed to make some large assumptions about certain parts of the experiment? The lab notes do not seem to have enough information in them. Also, I think that the information from the results seems very confusing and vague. It seems to me like we are either missing somthing or we are susposed to make a lot of assumtions for this assignment.

Research Report

2005-10-14T15:59:00.000-07:00

You will need the following materials to get started on the research report assignment:

• The assignment description
• The lab notes you will use to write the report (PDF)
• A student example
• And if you don't have it yet, the Anatomy of a Research Report (PDF).

You may also find the revision checklist helpful as you begin to finish up a draft of the assignment.

Reminder

2005-10-14T15:58:00.000-07:00

For next class...

In the handbook read:
• Graphs
• Tables

In the textbook read:
• Pages 318-344

Reminder

2005-10-13T12:44:00.000-07:00

For next class...

In the handbook read:
• Abstracts
• Lab Reports
• Numbers

Also, download and print out the Anatomy of a Research Report (PDF). We will be reviewing this on Friday so bring a copy with you to class.

Just For Fun

2005-10-10T13:30:00.000-07:00

Someone went through the trouble of collecting a Hall of Fame for the poorly turned phrases of published science fiction writers. Some of the more unfortunate examples include:

`Just to the south of them, the new Socket was like a titanic concrete bunker, the new elevator cable rising out of it like an elevator cable...' -- Kim Stanley Robinson, Green Mars

`Its voice was soft, gentle -- but repugnant. Like the breath of a diseased infant. It was a sound with halitosis.' -- John Shirley, In Darkness Waiting

There's a lot more where that came from. You can check out the rest of the list here.

In Review...

2005-10-10T10:50:00.000-07:00

I wanted to open up a thread for discussion of today's peer review. How was the quality of the feedback you received? Will this help you make revisisons before the final draft is handed in on Wednesday? Feel free to share your thoughts...positive or negative.

If you don't feel comfortable leaving negative feedback, you can add an anonymous comment. However, if you post anonymously, I would like you to email the comment to me so I can make sure you get participation credit.

Reminder

2005-10-10T10:41:00.000-07:00

The final draft of your article analysis is due on Wednesday. Make sure you hand in a copy of your article along with your paper. I have office hours tomorrow from 12-1pm so you have another opportunity to get feedback from me.

Also, make sure you bring a copy of the Diagnostic Test with you on Wednesday. If you haven't taken the test yet, you still have time. You must complete it by 10pm tonight. After that, access to the test will be closed.

Commonly Confused

2005-10-05T10:58:00.000-07:00

Today we talked very briefly about some of the common mistakes we make when we write. English is full of all kinds of traps and pitfalls for the writer to fall into.

This test lets you test your ability to recognize and avoid some of the more common mistakes. It is an LJ meme so it only takes a few minutes.

Of course, it's not required, but it is kind of fun. If you're feeling brave you can report back with your results. If you're not feeling quite as brave, feel free to share your reaction to your score.

Also, I posted a PDF of the writing process document that we talked about in class.

Diagnostic Test

2005-10-04T21:13:00.000-07:00

One of the things we will be spending time with early on is the Diagnostic Test. This test can help you assess your proficiency with grammar. It will also help me determine where the common issues are and help me customize what we focus on during class discussion.

The format of the test is multiple choice. You should choose the incorrect example out of the four provided for each question. Of course, while this is not a graded exercise, it should still be a pretty useful.

Make sure you have taken the test by 10:00pm on Monday, October 10th. Print out a copy of the test and your answers before you submit it. We will go over the answers in class on Wednesday, October 12th.

Information Addicts?

2005-10-04T12:53:00.000-07:00

It seems that, as a class, we get a lot of use out of the Internet. We use it for gathering information, emails, instant messages, gaming, shopping and more. But have you ever felt like the amount of information that you have at your fingertips is overwhelming? Some people are beginning to recognize liabilities in the information economy.

One emerging position is that having a dizzying array of media at our disposal can make us less efficient instead of more productive. However, the expert’s prescription in this case is simply to disconnect from the network for a while.

Have any of you felt overwhelmed by the amount of information that is thrown at you each day? If so, what strategies, if any, have you used to deal with it?

My Internet

2005-10-03T17:24:00.000-07:00

The vast resources, endless uses, and accessibility of the internet has made it an inevitable part of my life. As a student, the majority of the information I use originates from the internet. As a gamer, I am able to interact, team up with, and meet people from all over the world on MMORPGs (Massive Multiplayer Online Role Playing Games). As a friend, I am able to keep in touch with everyone whether they are just a few blocks down the street, or on the other side of the pacific in Taiwan (my old home).
With the internet, I am able to keep up to date with my interest in the latest technology and electronics no matter what language it is in. There is no waiting for the news, everything is instant, with the mere touch of a mouse click. With the internet I am able to download videos and music that would otherwise be unavailable and enjoy them with friends in the comfort of my home. Although I have definetly become dependent on the internet, I feel that it has become an important assistant to me, making my world a more convenient place.

Reminder

2005-10-03T15:04:00.000-07:00

For next class:

• Hand in a draft of the Article Analysis with the cover memo
• Read Chapter 3

How I use the Internet

2005-10-03T13:58:00.000-07:00

My first exposure to the internet came when I was about 10 years old. My dad had bought a brand new computer with a super fast 14.4kbs modem! I primarily used it to download PC game demos.

Since then I use the web everyday for school, be it checking classroom web pages, sending emails, or logging on to check my tuition statement. I also put the internet to use for driving directions, news, shopping, gaming and staying in touch with family via AIM or email. My dad travels extensively for work, but I have chatted with him over AIM from every continent besides Antarctica.

The internet has changed the way I live, and in most ways its been for the better. I have not been victim of any internet crimes, such as identity theft, scam emails, or virus's that cause permanent loss of files.

Writing Memos

2005-10-03T12:01:00.000-07:00

For those of you who are looking for additional information about writing memos, check out your textbook. Chapter 15 offers a really good summary of the key points you should consider.

Also, I will format the title of my posts with *asterisks* so that they are easily discernible from the rest of the posts on the blog.

Things that the internet can be good for, maybe.

2005-10-03T09:13:00.000-07:00

The "internet" and "computers" in general, from my perspective, can be thought of as "Google Terminals." In the future, all things web/tech related will be owned and operated by Google, and the human race will be all the better for it. When stationed at one of these terminals, I will typically check my Gmail inbox every ten minutes. I will be in constant contact with >1 of my colleagues via Google Talk. And I will shop for tasteful yet inexpensive material goods through Froogle. And when I'm not doing any of the aforementioned tasks, I will be looking at satellite images of the local area and campus via Google Maps in order to make myself feel like I've been outside.

How I use the Internet

2005-10-02T23:22:00.000-07:00

These days I use it mostly to soak up information - Wikipedia, Googling for library docs, that sort of thing. My experience witht he internet started back in '94 (I think) with a dial-up account from a local ISP that dropped me in a UNIX shell (I had no idea what that was at the time). My fondest memories are reading sci-fi newsgroups in tin and downloading peoples' D&D mods from various ftp sites. I also remember downloading alot of 'demos' from people like Future Crew... I'm sure nobody remembers those now at all. They were kind of a first stab at enthusiast animation and music.

the internet through my eyes

2005-10-02T22:59:00.000-07:00

For as long as I can remember, I have had exposure to the Internet in some form or another. In the beginning, the internet was merely a source of information for me; I’d use it to gather resources for assignments and projects. As both I and the internet developed, I started to use the internet for more and more tasks. Not only is it a great information and learning tool, but the internet allows for global communication, whether it’s with my friends and family back home, or my other roommates in our house. I can sample new music from artists that I’ve never even heard of. I can read information that no publisher would ever dare to publish. I can organise a travel itinerary, buy books online and look up cooking recipes. I can read local news from any city in the world. There is a countless amount of information at my fingertips on any subject that I wish to know more about. I’m sure that there is almost nothing that you could think of that hasn’t already been placed on the internet by someone, somewhere.

how i use the internet

2005-10-02T22:10:00.000-07:00

I use the internet for three main purposes: information, communication, and entertainment. With useful websites such as Google and Wikipedia just a mouse-click away, I can look up any information on any subject in an instant. It is much easier to scroll through news headlines than to have to sit and wait for successive news stories on television. It is also much easier to organize information on the web (through indices, summaries, etc.) so that one does not have to flip through numerous books to find what one seeks. I also use the internet for communication through email and instant messaging, much like everyone else. As for entertainment, I usually download and listen to music and watch videos online more often than I watch TV. Basically, like someone before me said, I would be spending a lot more of time outdoors if I didn't have internet.

How I Use the Internet

2005-10-02T22:09:00.000-07:00

I find the internet to be a very valuable resource, and a great convenience to my life. To begin with, I enjoy e-mail and instant messenger, and I feel that they let me communicate in a very fast and efficient manner. I also enjoy being able to check the news and weather any time of day and have them always be up to date. I like the ability to quickly search for a topic of interest and have as much information as I could ever need. More than anything though, I just like the fact that all of the things I need are in the same place so that as long as I have internet access I don't need any other reference material.

Obsessive, Incessant Internet Use

2005-10-02T21:51:00.001-07:00

I get up in the morning and I sign on to the internet. Between classes I get online. After school I surf. Finally after I have dinner with my wife, I may get on the net. The only thing holding me back is my dial-up connection (free through the UW). Overall I find the internet to be a place of endless information. I get my news from the net, I invest solely online and most of my leisure time is spent there as well. Overall it’s a tool that makes my life easier and brings information to me faster and with more convenience

what the internet means to me

2005-10-02T21:51:00.000-07:00

To me the internet is not something in which I kill time with, instead it's a tool to help me mostly in my education. I use it to research projects, get information and communicate with others. The projects I research are school related and usually entil me downloading one article or another form several different sources. The information I get off the web is information from class and school websites, such as homework or due dates. I do not use e-mail a whole lot, but when I do it is usually to clearify something with my teachers. The rest of my time spent on the internet is either looking at sports scores or playing online poker.

Online Cole

2005-10-02T20:54:00.000-07:00

It is hard for me to imagine a world in which the internet does not exist. At least once a day, everyday, I get online. For the most part, I get online for entertainment--to check email, get sports, weather, or other updates, to play games, because I am bored and TV is lame--but I do sometimes get on for work related purposes; like research and other homework activities.
Most people seem to shop and so many other daily tasks on the internet, but I have not yet gone that far.

2005-10-02T20:30:00.000-07:00

The Web is loaded with activities for everyone. For me, I logged into the internet almost everyday for communication, education, and enjoyment. One of the major aspects about the internet that I like to use the most is communication tools that it offers. I use email, instant messengers, and chat-room to communicate to people that I know. The Web also offers me a great learning tool. If I need to look up something for homework or something that I need, I would log into a search engine and I could look up just about anything. Other activities that I used the web for are music, videos, games, and downloading software to make my computer a more efficient machine. The Web has been a part of my everyday life and it will be in the future.

Jordan vs. the Internet

2005-10-02T19:35:00.000-07:00

I would say the internet is pretty much directly responsible for increasing my procrastination when it comes to school. This is because almost all homework assignments require some sort of computer and internet use. For most people this might not be a problem but everytime I pick up my computer to start an assignment I get distracted and go look at sport scores for the day, illegally download music, check my facebook profile and email (I usually do this about 10 times a day minimun). I do use the internet though to check what is going on in the world and try to keep updated on current events. So, overall, I would say about half the time I spend on the internet is useful but at times it can be distracting and keep getting homework done in an efficient manner.

The wonders of the web

2005-10-02T18:33:00.000-07:00

Most recently I've used the web to buy textbooks on abebooks.com. My usual web based activities include emailing friends in Olympia, looking at guitars way out of my price range, and learning about amplifiers and other audio equipment. This is my first post on a blog and I'm still not exactly sure how it differs from a message board but I'm sure I'll be filled in soon enough.
Cheers,
Dan

Jowell's Online Habits

2005-10-02T17:06:00.000-07:00

The internet is embedded into my daily life. I use it to check my e-mail several times a day to keep up on recent affairs. There is nothing that spreads information faster than the internet. That is why I check the news online. From learning about the latest happenings around the world to reading up on trivial celebrity gossip, the internet quenches my thirst for all types of news. In addition, the internet makes the world a smaller place by uniting people all over the world. What a better way to use such technology then play computer games. Being able to frag people you do not even know is made possible because of the internet. I am also addicted to Final Fantasy XI. This massively multiplayer online role playing game or MMORPG consumes the bulk of my free time. I like it because I am able to play with a diverse community of thousands of people that provides a different experience every time I log on. The internet is a fun and exiciting tool that I use everyday.

How Steve Uses the Web

2005-10-02T16:19:00.000-07:00

I use the World Wide Web for both work and play. Most of the time it is a procrastination tool as I chat with friends on AIM or read articles that most defiantly do not add any useful knowledge to my over capacitated mind. When I am being productive I use it as a business and a learning tool. I have learned HTML, JavaScript, and I am learning PHP with the help of some online tutorials. Thanks to Google, I am able to find guides and practice projects to learn these languages. I also build web pages for a hobby and a job. I have a few clients from local companies to companies over seas in Taiwan. Business is pretty steady, when I graduate college hopefully I can start a company with the clients I have now and some determination. But for now, as a student usually use the web for pleasure. If it’s not random surfing similar to what I mentioned before, it’s shopping or checking out new CD releases or movie reviews. Basically, I used the World Wide Web for everything.

How I Use the Web

2005-10-02T15:43:00.000-07:00

I use the web for research, electronic mail, and instant messaging. I also take advantage of it for online gaming, online shopping, news, weather, and booking flight tickets to go home for holidays and special events. But lately, I’ve been catching myself learning how to modify my game consoles (Playstation 2, Xbox, Playstation portable, and Gameboy sp). The modification consists of adding a harddrive or a memory card so I can play music and movies on my consoles. If there wasn’t the internet, my life would be more physically active.

Wayne's Wide Web

2005-10-02T15:40:00.000-07:00

The internet is a wonderful tool, in fact I am at work right now communicating to other students in my class via a blog. Without the internet I would have a much more difficult time shopping, because I do research online on many purchases before I buy them. I also use the internet as a communication tool with online journals, instant messaging and e-mail. Research and assignments for school are usually made easier with school webpages. I like always being able to go to a class webpage and find all kinds of new and old info alike. Also I can look up atricles online before going to the library to save time.

Using the Internet

2005-10-02T14:44:00.000-07:00

I think it would be safe to say that I would be lost without the internet. I use it primarily for schoolwork, email, and instant messaging. However, I also utilize it for a host of other things, including renting movies, finding bus schedules, looking up song lyrics and downloading songs, finding phone numbers and obtaining directions, purchasing tickets, playing games, news, weather, and banking, to name a few. My first recourse whenever I need information is to turn to the internet, rather than anything "old fashioned" like a newspaper or library catalog. Though probably unhealthy and certainly addictive, I find the internet to be the most effecient and easily accessed tool for finding out what I need to know.

How To Add Posts

2005-10-02T14:29:00.000-07:00

There seems to be some confusion about how you can add your own posts to the class blog. It's actually really easy. Simply go to Blogger.com and log in with the username and password that you created when you first started your account. This will lanch the "Blogger Dashboard", which lists all of the blogs that you can contribute to. Most of you will only see a listing for "TC 231".

Next to that listing you will see a button to add a new post. Click on that button and type in your post on the following page. When you are done, click "Submit Post" and let blogger do the rest.

Blogger can use standard HTML tags so if you know some basic code you can add hyperlinks, audio, video and text formatting. I have placed a link to common HTML tags in the right column of the blog. I encourage anyone who is curious about HTML to give it a try.

You can always send me an email if you are having any trouble.

How I use the Internet

2005-10-02T13:39:00.000-07:00

One could say I use the Internet to check email, read news, search for information, communicate with others, and check online syllabi. This is correct, however the more accurate description of my online activity is procrastination. When I am home, I check my email every thirty minutes, even though I receive no more than 3 non-junk emails daily. I skim online newspaper headlines, but usually only read one article a day. If I was not introduced to instant messaging in high school, my GPA would have been much higher. Perhaps, via this Blog, this combination of the Internet and school assignments will morph my usage from procrastination to actual work.

Article Analysis

2005-09-30T15:50:00.000-07:00

We briefly discussed our first assignment in class today. There are some points that you might find helpful when you are starting your search for an appropriate article and begin your draft. They are:

• Pick an article that clearly addresses one of the audiences.

• Choose a print article. Web-based versions make it hard to discuss layout and illustration.

• Avoid really short articles. One page articles only give you a small amount of information to work with.

• Make sure it is science or technology related.

• The audience for this paper is myself and a student who has not taken TC 231.

Here are the dates you should keep in mind as we work on this assignment:

Due Dates:

Monday, October 3
Hand in photocopies of two potential articles

Wednesday, October 5
Turn in a draft and memo for instructor review

Monday, October 10
Complete Draft for Peer Review

Wednesday, October 12
Hand in the final draft with a copy of your article

Remember, I am happy to meet with you during office hours to discuss your progress and answer questions. You can also make an appointment in the Engineering Writing Center if you want additional help.

Reminder

2005-09-30T15:21:00.000-07:00

For class on Wednesday:

• Read Chapter 5 in the textbook.

• Download the Article Analysis assignment description.

• Take a look at a student example of the Article Analysis. Remember, this version does not include the cover memo.

• Read about the writer's strategies for the four audiences that we will be discussing for the article analysis assignment.

• Write a blog post (1 paragraph) that explains how you use the Web.

I will post some other tips for the article analysis assignment later today.

Syllabus

2005-09-28T21:26:00.000-07:00

Hey everyone, I'm not a genius with computers and when I try to download the syllabus, it is in code or something I can't read. Any suggestions?

Welcome to the Class Blog

2005-09-28T11:30:00.000-07:00

I will be using this site to provide online access to course documents, highlight relevant subjects on other web sites and post reminders about class assignments. Students traditionally have found this electronic component to be pretty useful, especially as we move into more collaborative projects later in the quarter.

Also, I will be sending out invites to the blog so that all of you can begin contributing your own posts and comments. If you have any trouble with the invite, please let me know quickly so we can work out a solution.

Please make sure you download a copy of the course syllabus if you have not done so already. Also, review the sections on Purpose, Preparation, Readers and Scope in the handbook and read through Chapter 1 in the textbook.

That should do it for Friday. I look forward to working with you this quarter!

TC 231

Congratulations!

Banished

*Reminder*

Definition and Description Presentations

Follow Up

Blogs Strike Back

Jayson Blair and Documenting Sources

Speaker: Xbox Live Creator Cameroon Ferroni

Def/Des. Illustrations

Conference Sign Up Sheet

Thanksgiving

Track Changes

Cognitive Load Theory

Sources for Friday

Dismantled

Endangered

*Reminder*

Progress report e-mail

*Reminder*

*Library Workshop*

*Definition and Description*

*Revision Assignment*

Citing pictures

Proofread II

Midterm question

Study Break

Writing Process Link?

Revision Assignment

The Effects of Tone

Personality Types

Proofread!

*Opinions?*

*Instructions Assignment*

*Deadlines*

Discussion section

For Class on Monday

Research Report Graphs/Tables

*Reminder*

*Cyclical*

*Reminder*

*Good Charts*

Lab notes

*Research Report*

*Reminder*

*Reminder*

*Just For Fun*

*In Review...*

*Reminder*

*Commonly Confused*

*Diagnostic Test*

*Information Addicts?*

My Internet

*Reminder*

How I use the Internet

*Writing Memos*

Things that the internet can be good for, maybe.

How I use the Internet

the internet through my eyes

how i use the internet

How I Use the Internet

Obsessive, Incessant Internet Use

what the internet means to me

Online Cole

Jordan vs. the Internet

The wonders of the web

Jowell's Online Habits

How Steve Uses the Web

How I Use the Web

Wayne's Wide Web

Using the Internet

How To Add Posts

How I use the Internet

Article Analysis

*Reminder*

Syllabus

Welcome to the Class Blog

Reminder

Reminder

Reminder

Library Workshop

Definition and Description

Revision Assignment

Opinions?

Instructions Assignment

Deadlines

Reminder

Cyclical

Reminder

Good Charts

Research Report

Reminder

Reminder

Just For Fun

In Review...

Reminder

Commonly Confused

Diagnostic Test

Information Addicts?

Reminder

Writing Memos

Reminder