Reflection: Texting and Driving

I decided to do my last project on texting and driving. I started off by showing a YouTube clip about a teenage girl who was texting her boyfriend and ran off the road and died. I then followed it with a quote that said, “Talking on a cell phone while driving can make a young driver’s reaction time as slow as that of a 70-year-old.” Next, I showed a clip of a teenager who was texting while driving and ended up hitting a guy on a bike and killing him. The quote I showed after was, “While teenagers are texting, they spend about 10 percent of the time outside the driving lane they’re supposed to be in.” Finally my last clip was of a girl who was texting her sister and died while texting on the road. “Answering a text takes away your attention for about five seconds. That is enough time to travel the length of a football field.” At the end of my project I stated a few more facts, and then put in a clip summing up the stories I stated above. My purpose of the project was to stop people from texting and driving! I revised my paper by showing it to my friends and making sure I had all the CRAP principles that I needed. My audience for the project was anyone who texts while they drive, but it was especially aimed to teenagers!

            I feel like this was one of my better projects. I started working on it very early because I new it would take a long time to put together. While doing this project, I learned how to make a movie on iMovie which I never done before! I feel like I didn’t really have many weaknesses in this project, because I learned a so much from the three previous projects! I started early, I sent it to family members and friends to look over, and if I had any questions I would email my teacher right away. Overall, I feel like this project was definitely one my favorite ones to make! This class has defiantly helped me to be organized and plan my time wisely; I am really going to miss it. 

CRAP and MAPS principles for Movie Project

My video uses a lot of design elements. For the audio, I used dramatic music for the facts and the video clips in the beginning. Then, at the end I used the song “One Last Breath,” by Creed. I used a lot of clips for my visuals, and I also made some animation that I could use to show some of my facts so my audience didn’t get bored. When I stated something on the slides, I would use white font with a black background to show a lot of contrast. I would repeat this coloring through my whole presentation. Also, my video has a pattern/repetition to it: clip, fact, clip, fact… This is continued throughout the entire video. I showed alignment by centering all the text I wrote. As for proximity, my facts are grouped together in the middle of the movie. My mode is a video. My audience is teenagers. The purpose of my video is to inform teens not to text and drive. I used clips of teens in situations like crashes or accidents to really get my point across to them. 

Copyright and Fair Use Movie Examples

1.)   A Parody is considered fair use

2.)   A particular use is more likely to be considered fair when the copied work is factual rather than creative.

3.)   Art is considered fair use

4.)   The Best Practices Guide will help you to figure out if your likely to be protected by fair use, and how to respond

5.)   Make sure your use of copyright material is transformative, the amount you use is proportional, and always give credit to your sources.

This will defiantly help me when doing my project. If I put a lot of facts in my presentation, it is less likely that I will be copyrighting. I also can’t make my video exactly like other videos on YouTube. I have to transform them into something completely different. Secondly, I have to make sure I don’t overuse other people’s information or work, and make sure there is a good balance between my voice and theirs. Lastly, I have to make sure to give everyone they credit they deserve when I do use their material. 

Reflection #3: Music Research Paper

            My topic for this research paper was Motown Music. My goal with this essay was to inform people that Motown Music helped break down the barriers between Whites and Blacks. I started my paper off with giving background information on the City of Detroit. In Detroit at this time, there were huge riots that occurred called the Detroit Riots of 1967. These were caused because of the racism that occurred against colored people in Detroit. I then went on to talk about the founder of Motown music, Berry Gordy Jr., and how he was a big influence on Motown music and the civil rights movement. Finally, I talked about how Motown Music helped transform the way Whites looked at Blacks, and therefore helped break down the barriers between them. For my interview I decided to use my grandpa. He was alive during this time, and he ended up giving me a lot of good quotes that I used! I decided to send my draft to my friend. He really helped proof read my essay and definitely gave me advice!

            I think my strengths for this project was definitely starting early! I gave my self a lot of time because I new this project required a ton of research. By doing this, it aloud me time to really proofread, re-arrange, and send of draft to my friend. What I struggled with at the beginning was finding research. Once I went to the library I found a lot of books that really helped with getting started! I also went on the Michigan State library source website and there I found a ton of articles and interviews! Next project I plan on staying on this same track and starting early. My goal next project is to get a 4.0! 

Four Things 50 Cent Can Teach You About Connecting with Your Audience

            There are four tips that 50 cent does to connect with his audience and they are: Crush all distance, Open informal channels of criticism and feedback, Reconnect with your base, and Create the social mirror.

           

            Crush all Distance: Having access to the inner lives of the audience. Their way of looking at things becomes your way, and you recreate this on stage. What you do on stage will then shock and excite the audience. But, in order to do this you cant be afraid of letting your personality be shaped by other people.

            Open inform channels of criticism and feedback: you must interact directly with the public, and hear their criticisms and feedback. 50 cent compares this to Eleanor Roosevelt and how when she was elected First lady she traveled all over the country listening to people complaints and needs. By doing this, people can “create a back-and-forth dynamic in which their ideas, involvement and energy can be harnessed for your purposes.”

            Reconnect with you base: You have a base of power that identifies with you; keep your association with it alive. Everyone starts off with deep ties within a specific social group. You must make sure you stay with these ties and not loose connection. For example, when Malcolm X was put in prison for being a street hustler, he later came out and became a high spokesperson. But, instead of loosing sight of the “street hustler”, that he once was, he interacted with them more, making sure to keep the association with them alive. They will give you the inspiration you need!

            Create the social mirror: You can use the criticism of fans to help improve what you do. When your audience is criticizing something you did, consider it you own fault. This will spare you any bitterness or anger that might come from people’s critiques, and instead help you to correct your appearance.  

            While reading this article I learned a lot. But, the thing that really got me thinking was: Reconnect with you base. After reading this section of the article I realized how true that statement was! So many famous singers and artists came to my mind. They all lost sight of the people that made them famous to begin with. Instead, they should reconnect with these people! This will help spread them self out to the widest possible audience, and give them the inspiration and power that they need. 

Bruce Ballenger, The Curious Researcher Quiz

The first thing I learned from Bruce Ballenger, The Curious Researcher was that when interviewing someone, don’t always expect to just read your questions. Instead, be prepared to ignore them. A lot of the times the questions you make up don’t always flow with the conversation, or just seem mechanical and so does their answers. Sometimes, you will have to come up with questions on the spot to get your interviewer on a more personal level, and help them realize that you are attentive to them, not just your note pad.

            Secondly, I learned how to evaluate and see if an Internet source is legitimate or not. For example, I should look to see if the document lists authors. Also, I should see if the document affiliates with a reputable educational institution. For example, a University. Finally, I can check to see if the author has published elsewhere on the topic in any journals or other publications.

            The third thing I learned from this book is that Journal Articles are better then Magazine Articles. Even though the Journal Articles may be harder to read, you are much more likely to learn something from this article because it is written by an expert and is usually narrowly focused. Also, it is especially authoritative because it is often subject to peer review. Other authorities have read the authors evidence and the published work has passed through a lot of different people. 

Reflection #2: Popular Cultural Artifact

My purpose of this paper was to really get the point across to people that airsoft guns are very dangerous if not used in the correct way. The audience I aimed this toward was the Chronicle of Higher Education. I decided to start my paper of with brief introduction on airsoft guns and how they are fun, yet dangerous at the same time. Then I stated my thesis. My next couple paragraphs were background information on airsoft guns. I then did a rebuttal paragraph on how airsoft guns are just a “toy” and gives kids a chance to exercise. After this I made three bold statements stating my side on airsoft: it causes eye injuries, it can be made into an actual weapon, and that kids are getting shot because cops think they are real guns. My paragraphs were very short and to the point, since that was the style of writing for this paper. I added a lot of angry tone to this paper to really try to get my point across. In the last paragraph I stated a potential way to solve this problem. I decided to send my rough draft and final draft to both my mom and my friend to look for any grammar errors or to see if they had any more ideas that I could add.

            Personally, I think this project was definitely harder then the last. I definitely learned to start early because the research part of this assignment took longer then I expected! I think my strengths for this project was that I had three very strong points to support my position on airsoft guns. My weakness was that I probably could have found a little more research, just to help support my point even more.  Like I said before, for my next paper, I am gong to start early especially on my research! I also plan on sending my drafts to a couple of my friends to look over my grammar or see if they have any new ideas they think I should add. My goal for next paper is to get a 4.0!