WASSUP?

So I'm in the last stage of this "booklet." Let me explain what this really is. It's a book. It's not small at all; it's about 100 pages of CVs and abstracts and other science stuff. Yeah fun. But I designed an eye-pleasing color with the color scheme I have been using for the name tags that I had to make. It looks cool. When I get a finished version, I'll take a picture and upload it here. I'm hopefully sending it to print tomorrow morning and one big project is finally done. YAY!

What else am I doing? Hmm. Well this morning I had to write a "Budget Memo" which from the example I had was not a memo at all it was a letter. So this "memo" was on the extra $10,000 that Dr. Lewis obtained so students can go to the symposium for free. (That's what the request letter was about, too.) For the most part he didn't cut out anything I said, majorly. But since I was misled in the format, my introduction and conclusion were cut or modified serverly. The lesson here is: When someone gives you an example that doesn't work at all and very general instructions, do your best anyway. I'm not upset that he misled me and my work isn't what he wanted. I'm just proud of the work I did do with the parameters I did have. There are right-brain people, and then there are left-brain people... I don't think the two should coinside or collaborate.

Next on my plate... Hmm. Well I have to write an ad for my replacement. Nothing to tricky. I'll worry about that when I get back from Italy.

When I get back I'll also have the program of events to do, a mini tour schedule to compile and... uhm.. there was something else..

OH that's right it's not symposium related, but nonetheless it's work. I have to create and edit some pages on the group website. I would let you all look at it now, but I want it to be in tip-top shape. :) I have to create a page about a visit the group had with a bigwig at NSF. I have some pictures and a news article to go off of. On top of that, I'll have to update the MNIS (the symposium) website with pictures of the event and highlights.

So that's what's cooking for me. Have a great Spring Break everyone!

Arrivederci!

WPG Task #11

I want my portfolio to describe me as a person outside of the work that will be displayed. I want it to show my attention to details, my hard work, my commitment, and my ability as a writer, editor, and designer. I want it to be a calm and designed well so the audience doesn't realize he/she is looking at a working web portfolio. I want the audience to be relaxed and inspired by my efforts to ask me about my work. I'd really like to do pastels or light "beachy" colors. I'm going to stay away from color schemes that look childish or trendy like black with neon colors or just using the primary colors as a scheme. These color schemes might be difficult to read for the audience.

The rest is sketched on paper.

WPG Task #4

Sorry had this done, just forgot to publish it.

I think my only audience is Dr. Wible and the graduates judging my poster and portfolio at the end of the semester. I expect they will want to see a variety of documents that display my diverse knowledge and ability to produce professional-looking documents to represent myself and my company/boss. My audience wants to be proud of yet another English student to complete the work from West Virginia University. I could see my portfolio (if deemed acceptable and excellent) being used as an example to future students. My capstone is not the typical one when it comes to professional writing and editing, but I feel it's just one of the many choices given to English students besides the obvious career choice of teaching. I believe my web portfolio will need to demonstrate the same qualities, tones, and ideas as my hard copy portfolio. Especially with everything going cyber and electronic now, my work will need to display WVU's ability to keep up with new technologies and protocols for capstone portfolios. I don't think the audience will want to see anything too personal such as pictures of my dogs or my trip to Italy. I don't think they will want to have my values and morals pushed on them through my portfolio. I would like the audience to think I am a multi-talented writer, editor, and designer (when it comes to layout of the documents). I want them to feel comfortable putting me into any writing situation or trust my insight and ideas.

WPG Tasks #2 & #3

Task #2 - I feel my portfolio will be a best work, academic portfolio displaying all the documents I created in the capstone class. The scope of my portfolio is an entire event's documents. Everything needed for a symposium/conference will be included like name tags, programs, and a collective portfolio. I think the reader would expect to see the items already mentioned and any writing or documentation that helped me get to the finished product. Also, the reader will expect to see pictures of the event, even though that is not the point of my portfolio, the reader will still want to see how the event went and not just the documents presented. I have to make a web portfolio of this, which I don't know how that will work with the 100+ page book I'm printing. I also have to do a poster display with the rest of my classmates and have samples of my work to present. I think the work will be judged on professionalism, use of previous knowledge in PWE, and individuality.

Task #3 - I want my web portfolio to display my ability to make such an item (most important). This is the first time I've had to do this, so I want to do the best I can. I want the portfolio to display my extensive knowledge I've acquired in the PWE classes as well as my general ability as a writer/designer/editor (second). I want my portfolio to include my creative flow through layouts, designs, ideas, and packaging. This isn't as big of a concern with my portfolio because either people like your vision, or they don't. But the acknowledgment that I have creative juices is enough (third).

(Others will be posted later.)

Portfolio Keeping pg. 39 - Taking Stock #8

What has really surprised me with my work, is my ability to keep a color scheme. Without realizing it, the cover of the portfolio of CVs and abstracts is (for the time being) green and blue scheme which matches the name tags I have designed. Pat of me, without thinking, incorporated two main colors from the schools being represented at the event (Marshall and WVU). I've kept the fonts the same as if this is all a "set" or "kind" that belongs together. I've made up for the lack of science knowledge with a more professional tone in all my work.

The finished product might look as if it didn't take long, but this has been a whole month process. I will have formated all the abstracts for consistency and most of the CVs will be cut or slightly modified to look like the average CV without taking away from the little bit of individuality that each CV brings. A lot of my work is strictly design and basic editing. I take a lot of pride into every color i pick, each word I use, or every project I am a part of. I've had to do a lot of scheduling ahead of time to get the products to turn out the exact way I want them.

Portfolio Keeping pg. 34 – Taking Stock #7

I did some searching on the department website, but I couldn’t find exactly what the policies of the department were. However, I did find some “goals” and “objectives” for being an English major or minor here at WVU.

As the website states: “Majoring in English can help develop skills in communication, research, critical thinking, and focused creativity. Students can improve their understanding of people and cultural knowledge. They can also learn how language works and how to use it effectively in a variety of contexts.”

#1 – Critical Thinking: Specifically in the professional end of writing, it is a must to be able to think in details and aspects of the project to make it the best it can be. Critical thinking involves your audience, purpose, message, and format/style. Having the ability to perform this skill is regarded, sometimes, more important than the letters on the page. I see this skill in editors. Cultural knowledge falls under this category because it defines the audience and message.

#2 – Focused Creativity: This sort of goes hand-in-hand with critical thinking. Once the steps for the big four mentioned above are complete, it’s time to put my individual mark on it or my twist on it. It’s important to find myself as a person while in college, but even more so as a writer/editor. Isn’t that why people have favorite authors? It’s why I absolutely love Nicholas Sparks. (In case you don’t know, he wrote Message in a Bottle, The Notebook, and A Walk to Remember. All three were made into movies, and he has at least eight more books including a memoir that is touching.)

#3 – Communication: After critical thinking and focused creativity, communication is key. We have to get our message across as clearly and concise as possible (unless we are Faulkner or Hemmingway). This skill is in a way taught to us through the critical thinking of the message, but it’s important to be able to explain to someone else why or how you approached the topic or project. Every field has its jargon or slang, but I feel in English, we have to be able to translate, for lack of a better word, what the other fields are saying for the general population. We understand our audiences more than any other professional field.

#4 – Research: Obviously this one is the least important in my eyes because anyone can learn how to research a topic. And from what I know, most English majors do not pursue a career in research. There isn’t much I can say to rationalize the lack of importance in research for my program, but again, this is just my opinion.

It's been FOREVER! - Lo siento.

Well it’s been a while since I’ve had a chance to sit down and write about what I’m working on. I’m sorry to all my classmates. I’m sure you’ll get over it. Haha. This is like three posts in one. I’m sorry it’s so long.

I have been working on collecting the CVs and abstracts for the portfolios. My boss has not completely decided if we have the funding to make enough for every participant, or just enough for show and browsing during the event. So I have to plan for both until I talk to him on Wednesday (3.5.08). I’ll have to do some research on the perfect binding and cost of each for these portfolios. I think I’ve decided to do the CV (which for those of you who don’t know what a CV is, it’s just an academic résumé) first and then the submitted abstract for each person in alphabetical order based on last name. I find that to be the fairest way to present the material, so the participants aren’t upset about where they are placed. After Friday (3.7.08) I should be putting the portfolios “to bed” as they say in journalism. (I’ll never be able to let that part of me die.)

After the portfolio is ready to print, I will work on handout programs for the event. Dr. Wible has seen my creativity in this area, so I’m quite confident that my boss will be pleased with my design of the program.

Upcoming projects include designing name tags/badges. I have to ask my boss what he is willing to spend to make such things to see if I can make nice ones that aren’t sticky and the “poor man’s name tag.” I want to make a good impression on the participants. I want it to be as professional looking as possible. I have decided that I will include the name and at least the country of each participant on the name tag since this is an international event.

I’m also getting ready to launch the website I have been working on for… well a long time. I’ve included a page about the symposium and will update it with details about the participants, speakers, maybe tentative schedule of speakers and students, maybe even pictures after the event is over.

Also, I have a big deadline with the resort coming up. I have to construct a room list with each guest in a same sex room. My problem here is, I don’t know how to delicately ask the not so obvious people about their gender. It has to be done by e-mail because some of them are from Marshall University. Any suggestions?

Of all the capstone students, I’m probably the only one who is this concerned with the audience’s thoughts about every minor detail. But I really want to make a good impression. Originally, I worried that I wouldn’t have enough “printed” work to display, but after writing this post, it seems that I have a lot of good work to display for the PWE poster display.

(To keep it light for making it all the way to the end of this post, I leave for Italy in 16 days now. YAY!)