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Writing to the World-Wide Web

Journal Assignments: Week #4

Replies should be posted to webclass@rpi.edu, the class' electronic discussion list.

ALL JOURNAL WORK THIS WEEK SHOULD BE DONE BEFORE CLASS TUESDAY!!!

You can do them separately or all as one document. There will be additional postings regarding Thursday's class (quiz, sorta) over the weekend. Watch for them!!!

  • Ms. Lapham discussed at length the idea of establishing credibility as an author. How does this relate to Mr. Hunt's presentation about ethos, pathos, and logos?

  • Cruise the CMC Studies Center (this is attached to your syllaweb); focus particularly on the magazine -- all the back issues are archived in the "Archive" link. Choose a site to critique, using the terminology we have learned from Collins, Hunt and Lapham. How well does the author(s) establish credibility? How is this accomplished? What rhetorical tools are in play? Give specific examples!!!

    At a larger level, how does the publication, CMCM, establish its own credibility? Look at all elements -- graphics, text, content, organization; look in all places -- tables of content, articles, reviews, editors' notes, indices, the masthead ... anywhere else?

    Some suggestions: if you are interested in critiquing people you "know," you may consider Lapham's article in the July 1995 issue; Doherty's article in the September, 1995 issue; the Doherty/Hunt "Last Link" collaboration in the January, 1995 issue; or Porush's "Last Link" in the March 1995 issue. However, anything in any issue is fair game -- find something that interests you! (Corrollary question: does the fact that you've "met" some of these people change the way you critique?)

  • Ms. Lapham made the following comment: "One responsibility reporters have is to tell readers what they need to know even if they don't know that they need to know it." Respond to this statement -- is it more or less true on the WWW? Why or why not?

    From Karen...
    Go to the URL:
    http://www.highfive.com/past_winners.html

    This site is the list of past winners of the "High Five Award for Excellence in Site Design." There are two sites I'd like you to look at:

  • September 6,The Spleen
  • January 10, 6168

    When you click on the link for these pages you'll be taken to the High Five site, where you'll find some information about why each site won an award. Click on the link from there and explore the site. Please look through both of these sites and select one to critique. (There are lots of great sites here for future exploration.)

  • Think about what Jeff Collins said about relevance, usability, and control. How does the site you chose score? Can you apply these terms to your chosen site at all? If these terms aren't appropriate, why did this site win a design award? Are there other criteria one could use to judge how well this site works?
  • Think about what Kevin Hunt said about logos, pathos, and ethos. What is the rhetoric of the page you chose?
  • Do you like either one of these sites? Why or why not? Do you personally think these sites are well designed?

    I chose these sites because I hope they will give you a different perspective on what the web can be about.

    Back to the Front of the Syllaweb ...