I think I'm probably at my best as an interviewer when I'm already part of the way through the interview. I don't really like working with a pre-written set of questions. I also feel like the best questions and the most genuine answers arise from an interview that is as unrehearsed as you can make it without detracting from your credibility.
During my interview with Jennifer some of my assumptions were correct, and some weren't. I hadn't considered how unique her necklace was actually going to be. In fact, one of the initial assumptions I jotted down was that it 'looked like it might come with matching earrings.' I was under the impression that it was bought from a gift or jewelery store rather than thinking about the possibility that the necklace itself was essentially 'the story.' I don't think it interfered with the interview, though.
I didn't pay a whole lot of attention to the actual artifact itself during the interview, either. I focused more on Jennifer, the informant, and let her do most of the description herself. Because of this, I don't have as clear a recollection of the artifact as I do of her answers to my interview questions. I could have asked her to take off the necklace so I could inspect it, or I could have focused my questions around the necklace as an object, rather than the story behind it.
Wednesday, February 25, 2009
A Cultural Artifact - Jennifer Dempsey's Necklace
Jennifer suggested to me that her necklace would be a good artifact for our exercise.
"It has a story behind it," she said as Professor Wible was handing out Xerox copies of the exercise, and I immediately started to make some assumptions about what that story might be.
It's a necklace, I thought; it's probably either a gift, or a memento from a place she visited. I jotted it down in my little blue spiral notebook and started taking note of necklace's appearance. It's a pearl set in the bottom a figure-8-shaped frame, "for the eight Hawaiian islands." The pearl and setting hang on a long, thin silver chain, coming to a "V" in the middle of her chest, close to her heart.
"So what's the story with the necklace?" I asked her.
"It's from a trip to Hawaii," she responded. "My boyfriend got a big accident settlement and paid for my plane ticket and everything." I quickly underlined 'from a place she visited' in my notes, and admired myself for a second for being clever enough to infer that before she told me.
"I got it at a place where they let you pick the oyster and get the pearl out of it."
"Did your boyfriend buy it?" I asked, waiting for confirmation that it might also have been a gift.
"Well, I paid half," she said, and tugged on the chain on each side of the pearl, bringing the setting closer to her neck.
I asked her about its sentimental value, and she responded, "Well, we're not together anymore, so not all that much sentimental value. I would be upset if I lost it because I might not ever go back to Hawaii again... There are probably a bunch of other people with the same necklace, but I guess the pearl is one-of-a-kind. It's one-of-a-kind to me."
I asked her more about the place where she got the pearl.
"Yeah," she said, grinning, "they let you pick out the oyster--there's this ritual where you wave a stick and stuff." I was amused and curious about how the transaction actually occurs, and I asked her about how someone actually picks a good oyster.
"I tried to pick a big one... that was hairy," she said, and I couldn't hold back a big grin.
Laughing, I asked her, "Hairy?"
"The lady there said you want to pick a 'big hairy one'--I guess it was mold or moss or something--because they have the best pearls."
The experience she shared seemed genuinely memorable, and the necklace is truly a cultural artifact. It's a product of Hawaii's island culture, made special both by the ritual of retrieving the pearl and the context of a special trip. Thousands of miles east of Hawaii, the necklace still maintains its personal and sentimental value to Jennifer.
"It has a story behind it," she said as Professor Wible was handing out Xerox copies of the exercise, and I immediately started to make some assumptions about what that story might be.
It's a necklace, I thought; it's probably either a gift, or a memento from a place she visited. I jotted it down in my little blue spiral notebook and started taking note of necklace's appearance. It's a pearl set in the bottom a figure-8-shaped frame, "for the eight Hawaiian islands." The pearl and setting hang on a long, thin silver chain, coming to a "V" in the middle of her chest, close to her heart.
"So what's the story with the necklace?" I asked her.
"It's from a trip to Hawaii," she responded. "My boyfriend got a big accident settlement and paid for my plane ticket and everything." I quickly underlined 'from a place she visited' in my notes, and admired myself for a second for being clever enough to infer that before she told me.
"I got it at a place where they let you pick the oyster and get the pearl out of it."
"Did your boyfriend buy it?" I asked, waiting for confirmation that it might also have been a gift.
"Well, I paid half," she said, and tugged on the chain on each side of the pearl, bringing the setting closer to her neck.
I asked her about its sentimental value, and she responded, "Well, we're not together anymore, so not all that much sentimental value. I would be upset if I lost it because I might not ever go back to Hawaii again... There are probably a bunch of other people with the same necklace, but I guess the pearl is one-of-a-kind. It's one-of-a-kind to me."
I asked her more about the place where she got the pearl.
"Yeah," she said, grinning, "they let you pick out the oyster--there's this ritual where you wave a stick and stuff." I was amused and curious about how the transaction actually occurs, and I asked her about how someone actually picks a good oyster.
"I tried to pick a big one... that was hairy," she said, and I couldn't hold back a big grin.
Laughing, I asked her, "Hairy?"
"The lady there said you want to pick a 'big hairy one'--I guess it was mold or moss or something--because they have the best pearls."
The experience she shared seemed genuinely memorable, and the necklace is truly a cultural artifact. It's a product of Hawaii's island culture, made special both by the ritual of retrieving the pearl and the context of a special trip. Thousands of miles east of Hawaii, the necklace still maintains its personal and sentimental value to Jennifer.
Monday, February 9, 2009
2/10 Blog Post 7: What Writing Does and How It Does It - Activity 1a, p. 337
Features, Functions, and Student Activity of Ancient Rhetorics for Contemporary Student
Features: Many of the features of the book are present in most textbooks, regardless of genre. These include a table of contents, a preface/introduction with acknowledgments, a glossary, an index, review questions at the end of each chapter, and different sections or units to differentiate the book's contents. From a genre analysis standpoint, these features are typical of textbooks in liberal arts fields.
Functions: The first and most obvious function of the book as a whole is to inform the reader. In many cases, the book's function will actually serve as a supplement to lectures or classroom activities. More specifically, the book's different features also serve individual functions. The sections, table of contents, and the index typically function as reference points for the reader when he or she is looking for a certain item or section in the book. A glossary functions as a volume-specific dictionary, giving definitions based on the contents of the text. The preface/introduction usually gives the author's viewpoint on the creation and uses of the book, and is a forum for acknowledging contributors. Lastly, the review questions at the end of each chapter function as a study and review aid for readers, which brings me to the student activity portion of the textbook.
Student Activity: The student activities in the book appear in two forms--Rhetorical Activities and Progymnasmata. The rhetorical activities are structured so that students can use resources other than the book to develop a better understanding of rhetoric. They are also exercises in applying the rhetorical concepts learned throughout each chapter. The Progymnasmata, a term taken from ancient Greek rhetorical study, are intended to further develop the reader's familiarity with rhetoric. They are usually longer than the rhetorical activities, and are aimed at building upon the knowledge from preceding chapters.
Features: Many of the features of the book are present in most textbooks, regardless of genre. These include a table of contents, a preface/introduction with acknowledgments, a glossary, an index, review questions at the end of each chapter, and different sections or units to differentiate the book's contents. From a genre analysis standpoint, these features are typical of textbooks in liberal arts fields.
Functions: The first and most obvious function of the book as a whole is to inform the reader. In many cases, the book's function will actually serve as a supplement to lectures or classroom activities. More specifically, the book's different features also serve individual functions. The sections, table of contents, and the index typically function as reference points for the reader when he or she is looking for a certain item or section in the book. A glossary functions as a volume-specific dictionary, giving definitions based on the contents of the text. The preface/introduction usually gives the author's viewpoint on the creation and uses of the book, and is a forum for acknowledging contributors. Lastly, the review questions at the end of each chapter function as a study and review aid for readers, which brings me to the student activity portion of the textbook.
Student Activity: The student activities in the book appear in two forms--Rhetorical Activities and Progymnasmata. The rhetorical activities are structured so that students can use resources other than the book to develop a better understanding of rhetoric. They are also exercises in applying the rhetorical concepts learned throughout each chapter. The Progymnasmata, a term taken from ancient Greek rhetorical study, are intended to further develop the reader's familiarity with rhetoric. They are usually longer than the rhetorical activities, and are aimed at building upon the knowledge from preceding chapters.
Wednesday, February 4, 2009
2/5 Blog Post 6: What Writing Does and How It Does It - Activity 3, p. 303
I chose to analyze the National Rifle Association website for this post, since it fits the requirement for the exercise and it seems like it would be reasonably easy to decipher in terms of its audience and aims (no pun intended).
The url (http://www.nra.org/) doesn't immediately bring you to the organization website; rather, it is a flash site for NRA news (http://www.nranews.com/). Like the main organization website, it is directed at both NRA members who want to stay up to date with news that is relevant to the NRA as well as non-members who are interested in the NRA. The rhetoric is very pro-firearm, as one would likely imagine.
The main website lists "NRA Top News Stories," "NRA in the Media," and "Legislative Alerts" (punctuated by red capital letters). The navigation bar situated at the top of the screen lists options such as joining the NRA or renewing membership, contributing to the NRA, and "Politics and Legislation." The site is very visually manageable and navigable.
Assuming that the audience is primarily NRA members and those interested in becoming members, the website does a good job of catering to its audience.
In terms of the organization's aim, which is the advancement of shooting sports and the preservation of second amendment rights, the website also does a good job. The website includes lists of NRA-affiliated programs, and the news feed reports any change in the status of the organization or related legislation.
The url (http://www.nra.org/) doesn't immediately bring you to the organization website; rather, it is a flash site for NRA news (http://www.nranews.com/). Like the main organization website, it is directed at both NRA members who want to stay up to date with news that is relevant to the NRA as well as non-members who are interested in the NRA. The rhetoric is very pro-firearm, as one would likely imagine.
The main website lists "NRA Top News Stories," "NRA in the Media," and "Legislative Alerts" (punctuated by red capital letters). The navigation bar situated at the top of the screen lists options such as joining the NRA or renewing membership, contributing to the NRA, and "Politics and Legislation." The site is very visually manageable and navigable.
Assuming that the audience is primarily NRA members and those interested in becoming members, the website does a good job of catering to its audience.
In terms of the organization's aim, which is the advancement of shooting sports and the preservation of second amendment rights, the website also does a good job. The website includes lists of NRA-affiliated programs, and the news feed reports any change in the status of the organization or related legislation.
Thursday, January 29, 2009
1/29 Blog Post 4: Cover Letter Packet
The collection of documents that I looked over were a good illustration of the resume cover letter writing process. The materials included in the packet range from initial brainstorming and freewriting exercises to the final draft of the cover letter itself. Being able to see the contents of the assignment bundled together this way gives a good concept of the amount of work that should go into a solid resume cover letter.
The collection of documents also displays the importance of the writing process. In this case, the writer has the luxury of an instructor to edit the original draft of the document. In a more typical scenario, the writer may have to edit and revise his or her own documents, which must be done very thoroughly. Instructor comments and peer review are valuable assets in crafting a good quality piece of writing.
The writer of the documents did a good job of utilizing the revision processes to enhance the cover letter. The final draft projects a more professional tone with a well-reasoned rhetorical framework.
The collection of documents also displays the importance of the writing process. In this case, the writer has the luxury of an instructor to edit the original draft of the document. In a more typical scenario, the writer may have to edit and revise his or her own documents, which must be done very thoroughly. Instructor comments and peer review are valuable assets in crafting a good quality piece of writing.
The writer of the documents did a good job of utilizing the revision processes to enhance the cover letter. The final draft projects a more professional tone with a well-reasoned rhetorical framework.
Thursday, January 22, 2009
1/22 Blog Post 3: Nonacademic Writing: The Social Perspective," Lester Faigley
I think the point that Faigley is trying to make when he mentions a "continuous process of communication" is the way social interaction changes writing, especially under specific circumstances. In essence, he claims that there is no concrete set of rules for writing, because there are so many different social structures that dictate differences in writing across cultures.
Faigley initially analyzes the differences in writing in the workplace. He details how writing style can change between professions, and then projects that idea onto a broader framework--writing across different cultures and ethnicities.
As it applies to someone writing in the workplace, Faigley's piece may be interpreted as a suggestion that any worker should be able to adapt to the circumstances present in the workplace. By observing the norms of writing that already exist, a writer can more ably communicate in the workplace, and more readily adapt to any changes.
Faigley initially analyzes the differences in writing in the workplace. He details how writing style can change between professions, and then projects that idea onto a broader framework--writing across different cultures and ethnicities.
As it applies to someone writing in the workplace, Faigley's piece may be interpreted as a suggestion that any worker should be able to adapt to the circumstances present in the workplace. By observing the norms of writing that already exist, a writer can more ably communicate in the workplace, and more readily adapt to any changes.
Monday, January 19, 2009
1/20 Blog Post 2: Selzer, "The Composing Processes of the Engineer"
In Jack Selzer's "The Composing Processes of the Engineer," the author analyzes the writing process of a Chicago engineer, Kenneth E. Nelson. Selzer uses a comprehensive approach to study Nelson's writing, drawing from a number of sources collected from Nelson himself, such as all of his pre-writing materials like notes, outlines, and drafts. Selzer also conducted interviews with Nelson before and after written works were completed.
Selzer compares and contrasts Nelson's writing process with conventional methods of writing used by non-technical writers. To Selzer's apparent surprise, Nelson displays a great deal of creativity in his technical writing, particularly with regard to his audience. Since most of Nelson's written work deals with projects and project proposals, his ability to cater to his audience is essential to the success of his writing, and by extension the success of his career.
Another way that Nelson generates content for his papers is through research. As Selzer details, Nelson uses both library resources and the experience of his colleagues to build his written documents. Kenneth Nelson even refers to past writing, especially if the audience of his document is someone he has worked with before.
Another observation that Selzer makes about Kenneth Nelson is that Nelson creates a plan immediately and sticks to it. Nelson creates and assembles information according to a preliminary plan, and then arranges the content to suit the purpose of the document. Thorough planning and construction of the ideas and content of the document then translate to a relatively seamless draft and revision process. Nelson first creates a well-built document in the planning and outline phases, and merely refines the document in the draft and revision stages.
I thought that Selzer's conclusion was a little cloudy. He concludes that no real conclusion can be made from a single case study, which is probably fairly accurate. Selzer also suggests that, since Nelson's writing process showed some similarities to professional writers' writing processes, technical writers could be well-served to learn many techniques for creating written works.
Selzer compares and contrasts Nelson's writing process with conventional methods of writing used by non-technical writers. To Selzer's apparent surprise, Nelson displays a great deal of creativity in his technical writing, particularly with regard to his audience. Since most of Nelson's written work deals with projects and project proposals, his ability to cater to his audience is essential to the success of his writing, and by extension the success of his career.
Another way that Nelson generates content for his papers is through research. As Selzer details, Nelson uses both library resources and the experience of his colleagues to build his written documents. Kenneth Nelson even refers to past writing, especially if the audience of his document is someone he has worked with before.
Another observation that Selzer makes about Kenneth Nelson is that Nelson creates a plan immediately and sticks to it. Nelson creates and assembles information according to a preliminary plan, and then arranges the content to suit the purpose of the document. Thorough planning and construction of the ideas and content of the document then translate to a relatively seamless draft and revision process. Nelson first creates a well-built document in the planning and outline phases, and merely refines the document in the draft and revision stages.
I thought that Selzer's conclusion was a little cloudy. He concludes that no real conclusion can be made from a single case study, which is probably fairly accurate. Selzer also suggests that, since Nelson's writing process showed some similarities to professional writers' writing processes, technical writers could be well-served to learn many techniques for creating written works.
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