Chapter 5 Script and Proposal Formatting: Reflection

It was enlightening to learn about different scripting software. I would like to try out the CopyWrite (Mac) and Final Draft Screenplay and Movie Magic software programs, but it's good to know that a MSWord program still works just fine, because I dont have a whole lot of money to spend or time to learn these new programs and besides, the book says that projects usually don't start with scripts. One should try first a written document, such as an outline to give to the client, which is understandable.

The basic outline for the outline is:

Title, Image, Text, Links, Navigation, and Functionality.

An outline is all the details a flowchart cannot show.

I liked to see the examples of the different ways to do a script, such as a single-column vs. a three column format with narration and text transcript. It even goes up to a six column script for immersive exhibits in museums or complex presentations at major conferences and events.

The chapter wraps up with the fact that there is no 'one way' to format, but to just make sure it's clear and simple.

Chapter 7 Defining and Achieving Goals for Inform. Multimedia and Web Sites: Reflection

Chapter 7 is all about business web sites, non-narrative, just information.

There is a whole lot of questions; you have to carefully consider each one for the answers and get a good web site developed. A few examples of questions are: where are the resources, brand, doc. types, formats, corporate goals, info. needs, research modes, expertise, techology, culture and language?

The chapter also let us know that the user is very specific.

In this chapter, it started to explain what a use case was. That worries me. It reminds me of a hacker who knows exactly what web sites you went to and what key strokes you have made, obtaining your bank account number, pin, and answer to your own personal safeguard question, effectively stealing your money, destroying credit, identity take-over... your very life is ruined by this function if used improperly.

Don't forget your goal: to persuade, entertain, enable transactions, create sense of community, inform, and teach. Notice how inform and teach (to me the most important) are at the very end of the list.

That is pretty much what I got out of this chapter.

Chapter 3 High-Level Design, Manag., and Tech Skills Useful to the Interactive Writer: Reflection

I started to like the course material for this class because the book has a way of making me feel rather intelligent, and an interactive writer who holds her own. The book was saying that the student's in this class had to be both the editor and the writer in chapter 2, but in chapter 3, it let us know we should also develop additional skills to increase our chances of success. To put it into specific terms, "the more tools in your arsenal, the better." This made me see that this class was going to take a lot of work. It's not enough to be just told, "You're the editor and writer of your work now," you have to actually learn things, like Flowcharting and have basic HTML skills.

Oh boy.

Chapter 2 Writing for Many Media: Reflection

“Limit page information only to what information is needed on that page. Do not add extraneous information unrelated to the page’s purpose.”

That seems like a very simple instruction to follow, but if you think about it, organization is really hard if you have a lot to say. I have so much trouble writing a story in an order that’s understandable to a reader. People get confused because I don’t transition from one paragraph to the next—as flowing as it aught to be—and that’s only because the writer (me) is getting all of the thought process down first, then organizing afterwards, tightening all that information up with links, bullets, headings and subheadings.

Chapter 2 stood apart from Chapter 1 in its use of whole sections of dialogue, little captions of visually stimulating narration. It’s great use of how to ‘show’ the multimedia participant what you mean rather then overload them.

Digital Literacy/Technology Autobiography activity

Reflection Questions:

As far back as I can remember, I first started to learn how to use the computer in middle school, or at least learn how to use the keyboard properly.

The internet is standard. Everyone should know how to use it really and most figure it out on their own.

Facebook was just recent of this year. I still have trouble figuring things out with that, which is silly. I do not have a MySpace account, of which I am proud of. I have been invited by one person to Twitter, but have not accepted.

Utilizing online information is advantageous when you have school work to do, such as essays. Its a great communicator, a plethora of information at your fingertips, although not all properly sited. For instance, wikipedia.com.

There is so much space for the individual inside of the online 'community'.

You can limit disadvantages by properly researching the source of the information, and watching where you click. If it says free, its not. If you want legitimate information--a credible source--always go with the .edu or .org sites instead of .com. You can maximize its advantages by posting your work and receiving thousands of critiques. Its a publishing tool, an advertising unit. Also, you can use it to double and triple reference any source, or to find alternative documentation to back up the information you've already acquired.