ENC 4416: A Reflection

This course, Writing in Digital Environments (ENC 4416), was one of the first courses I encountered that directly dealt with writing online. I minor in mass communication, so I was able to take other courses involving communication, social media, and a few others. However, this class was one of a kind as we directly focused on writing in digital environments. Our texts were very insightful as they brought things to my literal attention that I never thought about before.

Attention Span in Net Smart
In Howard Rheingold’s book NetSmart: How to Thrive Online he wrote about Five Literacies: Attention, Crap Detection, Participation, Collaboration, and Network Smarts. Attention stuck out to me the most out of the five literacies. Before reading this chapter I really didn’t care too much about how long I was spending online, on social media, and what I gave attention to and what I didn’t, and for how long. Even my perception of multitasking, I wasn’t fully aware of. I did recognized after reading the book, that when it came to me reading long documents, I would skim and search (as if I was searching Google) instead of actually reading and taking in what I needed to know. I would only skim for what I needed to know instead of reading the entire document to get full knowledge. So, I’ve been thinking more about attention and what I am paying attention to. What I really need to focus on and what I spend too much time focusing on. I also learned about distractions. This really hit home as I can get distracted very easily when working, especially online. It could be the TV in the background, the radio when a song comes on, checking e-mail or phone notifications, or me browsing other sites (aside from the ones I am supposed to be on), and anything else that takes my attention away from what I need to be doing. From reading the “Attention” chapter, I thought more about how I spend my time online. I’ve started trying to limit my time online, check my e-mails a few times a day (instead of constant) and read offline more. I’m still struggling with the distractions, however, I’m more aware that I need to stay focused when there is a task at hand.

I learned about “Attention”, but I think the most significant learning experience for me was reading Content Strategy. I’ve been one to constantly think creatively about my personal ideas and projects. Fan sites and groups are a little bit easier to maintain and create. However, creating something that is your own, your brand, is another thing. I’ve been trying to establish my personal blogs for a few years now. I would open and close them each time I run out of “content”. As I had written in my Twitter analysis about content, it takes more than just jotting ideas in a notebook. Time, effort, finding your niche, web design and online skills, and even the location/place, tools you need, and finances come into play. You also need inspiration and motivation, and I just seem to lack that over the time. I even had this issue with my fan sites. For the most part, I lacked drive, especially if I didn’t see a need for something or if I was participating and giving my all, and wasn’t getting in back in return.


With Content Strategy, since it’s easy to follow and has a TON of great ideas, I got inspired about re-crating my own brand and what I want. Chapter 5 (Audit), Chapter 6 (Analysis), and Strategy: Chapter 7 (Core) helped me the most. I think I just needed a refresher with the sites that I am currently running, and which direction I need to go with them. Overall, both books helped me to think about being a better person online and what I do with my time online. Do I just browse Twitter and look at videos all day, or do I create something that will make a difference?

Twitter Activity and Refelection

This is a summary of my Twitter account activity over the semester.

Twitter Activity

1. How often did you tweet?
On my personal Twitter account (@asouthernwriter), I wasn't as active as I usually was as far as making personal tweets (I did a lot of retweeting). My fan site account for Swamp People was more active, but nonetheless, I participated on my account. I usually tweeted/retweeted a few times a day, and sometimes I took a break and tweeted a day or two later.

2. How valuable were those tweets?
I mostly tweeted things related to my general and academic interests, related to my hobbies, and random things like quotes, photos, videos, some religious and political items, etc. Topics related to Southern studies, Latin American studies, technical writing, creative writing, food, cooking, and food studies, history, digital writing and technology. Among those tweets, I occasionally posted memes, trending hashtags, music, movies, celebrities, and my favorite TV show, The Walking Dead. I got a few shout outs as well. I asked questions and got a few responses from tweeters. Through all of this tweeting so far in the semester, I gained about 30 new followers. It seems like a small number, but this course was only six weeks and that's progress as I usually don't get that many followers within that amount of time. Unfortunately, I didn't utilize the #ENC4416 hashtag as many students did, but as I learn more, I will definitely use it as a reminder of what I learned.

Why #Southern #writers still captivate, 55 years after 'To Kill a Mockingbird' http://t.co/HlV0HJ2fHe

— A Southern Writer (@ASouthernWriter) July 11, 2015

High fives all around @whatsherface9 @yikesks @katz_emma @GosaliaM @ASouthernWriter @passthesushi @phenixvin @FoodPhotoAward & @meljoulwan!

— Leite's Culinaria (@leitesculinaria) July 24, 2015

Finished #GoSetAWatchman last night. I honestly expected a bit more, but nonetheless still a good book. The mock revival had me in tears! 😂

— A Southern Writer (@ASouthernWriter) July 16, 2015

How I feel after re-watching a season of #TheWalkingDead... pic.twitter.com/rVxcw2DWAN

— A Southern Writer (@ASouthernWriter) July 3, 2015

3. Are you following people that will provide valuable information to you?
I'm following a lot of people who provide tons of valuable information, as far as my general and academic interests. Among my followers list are current, past, and possibly future professors, some I have connected with whom I've never met, academics in a specialized field, students from different universities, various companies, and the other contains hobbies and interests.

Twitter: A Reflection

So, I've been an avid “tweeter” for years now. Throughout those years and depending on the online project, determined my level of usage. Besides using twitter for personal tweeting, sometimes I would work on a long-term project, a short-term project, other times it was promotional and/or for blogging purposes.

What I Learned Then... I’ve worked on and off on fan pages and groups for well over a decade. Working on fan sites, of course, you had to be up-to-date with sharing the latest news, projects, TV/Tour dates, and any other important information. In addition to that, you also had to make sure you had some kind of content going on to keep the interest of your visitors. Twitter allowed me to provide the glue to ensure the “stickiness” of the content. I was able to take advantage of internet memes and hashtags such as #ThrowbackThursday (#TBT) or #MusicMondays and use them to the fullest extent to promote the person or brand I was trying to get out there. Having content (and finding new ways to create content) was a key factor, especially if you had competing fan sites, you wanted to be able to stick out from the rest, which could sometimes be a difficult task due to your level of understanding your audience, web design, using social media, and finances.


What I Learned Now...
Since taking this course, I learned more about content strategy and how certain elements are important to generating readership and gaining followers on social media (I’ll be talking about this more in my 500 word reflection). Twitter has been significant in doing this because it’s not only used for personal use, but a way to spread news and messages from various topics and from people of different demographics. Twitter has become more than just a social media site, but a social platform all on its own. Overall, even though I didn’t get to use Twitter to the fullest in this course, my experience with Twitter this semester has shown that if you reach out with good content, they will read, listen, and follow.

Best 3 Discussions in the Course

Content Strategy for the Web Discussion #1

#3: What can we do to keep our content from dying? How do we keep it fresh?
If you’re looking to get into writing for the web or blogging (or if you’re already doing it), content is one of the biggest components of your site that you will have to focus on. For someone who has been dealing with web writing/blogging, doing fan pages, etc. for over a decade, content (and bringing new content to the table) is one of the most time consuming tasks. Some websites can do more with less when it comes to content. For example, fan pages use to be complex in what they offered, but now many popular ones just focus on news, multimedia (photos, video, audio), social media accounts, and sometimes a forum. This can also be said for other websites out there. Now with Wordpress and other blogging platforms, it’s easier to add content and pretty much anyone can set up a blog.

In regards to keeping content from dying and keeping it fresh, I believe finding your niche is one of the important. Why are you blogging/writing? Who are you trying to reach? What message are you trying to communicate? Once you figure it out (and you may not get it all at once), you can start writing. Keep track of what other bloggers in your niche or what the blogosphere is doing. Look for trends going on around the web. Product & restaurant reviews also help (sometimes if you promote a product or do outreach to them, they’ll give you something in return). Try to come up with your own ideas (I believe each person is unique and offer something). Videos and photos are big attention grabbers. If you run out of ideas, try doing blog memes (example: A Photo a Day for a Month or daily writing prompts – more examples here). And if you need to take a break to find what you're looking for (no matter how long it takes), it's okay to do so. You want to be motivated, inspired, and excited about what you write. If you don't like it, your visitors won't either. Also, don't be afraid to ask your visitors/readers for advice and what content they would like to see. Reaching out to established bloggers could also help (but don't feel disappointed if they don't respond). Some bloggers will offer tips and suggestions on their blog on how to get started.


#4: Find an example of a website that is doing more with less, and then tell us how and why.
- A website that serves as a good example of doing more with less is the official website of The Southern Food Alliance (http://southernfoodways.org). The websites doesn’t display a ton of content, but the design and usage of photos make it presentable. Navigation and social media are easy to find and navigate. There’s an easy way to listen to the latest podcast. Latest posts are easy to read, contains an eye-catching image, and straightforward as well. I think the layout and responsiveness (meaning it responds to the device you’re using which means easy navigation, less scrolling, etc. which means more of a better website experience) of the site helps with this idea of less is more.

Content Strategy for the Web Discussion #2

#2 Provide an example of a company or entity that uses many "channels" to deliver content, and provide examples of those channels and how they are working together.
– An example of a company that uses many “channels” for outreach is EA/Maxis for The Sims franchise (est. 2000). The Sims is a life-stimulated computer/video game that you can design and play as you like. Content-wise, the series provides extended spin-off games, expansion packs, game packs, and stuff packs with objects that provide extra or interactive game play. The game is in its 4th series and is still going strong. Over the years, EA/Maxis have created various channels to deliver content to its faithful Sims followers. They have a website and a fan forum for communicating (both which are mobile-friendly), social media accounts (Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, and Tumblr), a newsletter, and an app. In the past, they had a store where you can buy additional items, commercials were shown on TV, and there were printed materials and merchandising all over the web and in stores. The company also works with Sims-related fan sites to showcase upcoming game play items. For fan outreach, they also offer surveys and ask questions for feedback. They have partnered with different celebrities to market the product as well.

Spreadable Media - Discussion #6 (Chapters 2-4)

Chapter 2 Question

#4: How is YouTube a digital writing environment, and how does the medium (videos) influence the content of the digital writing and the "many different ways the site can be understood?" (94).

– YouTube is a digital writing environment because one its overall free, and content (from users in the form of video) is shared throughout the web. For example a “beauty guru” (one who shares and demonstrates/reviews beauty products) can create a video. That video reaches millions of people, and if a product is used, those viewers will go purchase that product. This is a win-win for the guru, consumer, and company. Other use YouTube as a way to communicate ideas, share self-created documentaries, talk about politics, meets others who are like minded, bring awareness to issues. YouTube has somewhat become online television. Pretty much any type of video you can think of is on YouTube (news, politics, cooking, how-to and other guides, music, old TV shows, movies, etc.) Even if videos are drawn to a certain discourse community, videos can attract those outside of its niche. These videos will also continue to stay on YouTube as long as the user (or someone else downloads it and keeps it up) has it on their channel. YouTube, Inc. has help jump start companies and careers for thousands of people.

Chapter 3 Question
#4: How does transmedia engagement allow for "multiple ways of engaging a narrative," and what are those multiple ways? Provide an original example to explain your ideas.

- Transmedia engagement allows the audience to engage with a show, brand, or product through various interactions. Storytelling is an original example. This can also include merchandising through several mediums as well. I remember growing up and being obsessed with Barbie. Mattel not only sold Barbie dolls and doll accessories, but they also marketed Barbie with storylines to go along with whatever they were selling. Barbie also had kid-sized items that could be used/played with as well. There were toys sold alongside Happy Meals from McDonalds, TV shows, movies (ex. Barbie and the Rockers), costumes for Halloween, you name it, Barbie was there. As time progressed, she became a part of the digital world and CD-ROM and video games were sold. Today, Barbie isn’t as popular as she was decades ago with girls, but Barbie is now on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, and Tumblr. Her official website is interactive and offers games, videos, contests, and other digital goodies. For old school Barbie lovers (or those who want to rekindle their childhood), there are a plethora of options to buy collectables and/or to purchase them on places like eBay. YouTube also has older commercials and even parts of Barbie’s films and cartoons. I think these examples are a great at showing how transmedia is engaging, and also how it’s connecting past and present through one medium, Barbie.

Rhetorical Analysis of a DWE: Ole Miss Center for the Study of Southern Culture

Joyce Jefferson
Monday, July 13, 2015
ENC 4416 – Writing in Digital Environments
Professor Dan Martin

Digital Writing Environment (DWE) Rhetorical Analysis: Analyzing the University of Mississippi’s Center for the Study of Southern Culture Website
http://southernstudies.olemiss.edu/

Digital writing and rhetoric has been a major part of the Internet since its conception. It’s how we communicate within our own networks and with others across the world by using websites, blogs, social media, video and audio, web conferencing, forums, wikis, and other communication. Academic institutions across the globe have been able to connect and share their platforms even more so today than in any other time period. Not only have these institutions been able to utilize the Internet for scholarship, but they’ve been able to bring awareness to political, social, environmental, agricultural, and economic issues, as well as promote various cultures and lifestyles. The mission statement of the University of Mississippi's Center for the Study of Southern Culture states that the organization: “investigates, documents, interprets, and teaches about the American South”. The Center emphasizes the interdisciplinary investigation and documentation of the South as a region of cultural, historical, geographic, and demographic complexity.

Southern Studies is a new interdisciplinary study that has been sought out and researched for decades by academia, students, or those who just have a general interest on the subject. Today, with computers and the Internet, Southern Studies has taken on a new importance. Analyzing this website, the focus will be on the general aesthetics and content, the audience, who writes in this environment and who cannot, plus others. Specifically, centering on the idea of “what does this particular environment say about how writing in digital environments work or are changing how we think.” This question is important in regards to the website, the center, and how people particularly perceive Southern culture overall. Has that perception changed? Has the website and the Center made strives to these changes. If so, how?

There are various pieces of evidence throughout the website that proves the site’s aim at exploring, promoting and preserving Southern culture. Upon accessing the homepage, there is a slider which has five slides with information. The first slide is an introduction to the Center, what they do, and the goals they are trying to achieve. The second slide is about the SouthDocs (Southern Documentary Project) documentation studies where the Center tries to “preserve” Southern culture through photography, film, oral storytelling. Their motto is “Telling the stories of the most storied place”. The third slide presents the different publications produced by the institution, including their 24-volume New Encyclopedia of Southern Culture series that presents an array of Southern related topics such as history, foodways, language, social class, folklife, music, and others. The fourth and fifth slides talk about Outreach and the numerous events, lectures, and symposiums the Center hosts; and lastly, the Center’s partner websites (SouthDocs, Southern Foodways Alliance, and Living Blues - which focuses on music) and affiliates. More evidence is predominant through the Center’s mission statement, history, and the academic program where they offer BA and MA degrees in Southern Studies.

There are several other university websites out there that have centers or offer courses in Southern Studies, but the Center for the Study of Southern Culture at Ole Miss proudly endorses itself as “the first regional studies center of its kind.” Not every university that offers Southern Studies have these types of programs. There are channels that are used to influence the delivery of the content. Besides the website itself, the Center offers a blog that has sharing buttons. Their social media accounts are probably their biggest platforms for outreach online. Offline, they have events and several print media components. All of these contents provide the “stickiness” of the website as they are used to seek out enthusiasts of history (with emphasis on the American South) and they spend their time looking through the whole site.

As with many digital environments such as news websites, they are open to the public for commentary and some outlets will actually allow you to write posts. However, since this is an academic institution, there are very strict limitations on who gets to write in this environment and who doesn’t.  Writing in this environment is done by the faculty, staff, alumni, and sometimes members of the Advisory Committee, a group of members from various backgrounds and locations who have an interest in Southern American studies. This group assist with and provide guidance on the program. These are people well-versed and studied in Southern culture and also other liberal arts fields (English, literature, film, anthropology, history, sociology, geography, etc.) They hold the power (reign supreme) because they are more knowledgeable about the subject, have had more training and experience. But the overall power in regards to the website is within the Core Staff itself, which consist of Southern Studies scholars, professors, and qualified staff members. They keep the website (and its social media sites) content running smoothly and keep it organized. They ultimately determine what content is appropriate for posting.

Halvorson and Rach define messaging as “the art of deciding what information or ideas you want to give to – and get from – your users.” (Halvorson 74) Even though there are restrictions on who and what gets published, the public isn’t completely shut out from this website as it caters to a variety of difference audiences. Of course students, scholars, professors, and historians are the primary audiences. But anyone who has a general interest in Southern studies can benefit as well. Every audience member is catered to in some way. The Center offers events (many that are free to the public), publications (magazines and books) which house a plethora of information (some free to read online), and for high school students, they offer prizes for the best creative writing pieces. The Center’s affiliated centers offer additional information and resources. These are just a few examples of what the Center offers for the public. The audience is able to contribute to this environment by sharing posts from the website, interacting with the Center on their social media platforms, and if they have an interesting story to tell, they can contribute to the Center’s DocSouth program.

In terms of “spredability”, the Center’s website and its affiliated sites make sure that their content is viewable for all. The website has a responsive design, so it’s more accessible via mobile. The only app they offer is for their oral storytelling. All content is easily shared around. There are cons to this environment however. As this is an academic website, the limitation on the control of content is probably one of those concerns. Not everyone will get their view point across, and not everyone’s story will be told. There is no open forum or comments section as of now to hear those different viewpoints. They pick and choose what will be posted. For example, on the website’s blog there is an article about the Confederate flag, but it’s only showed from one view point. What about the other side? This subject has always been a controversial one, but if you’re going to have an open debate and be honest about Southern history, it’s best to have an open conversation and show all sides.

One of the Center for the Study of Southern Culture and its partners’ main objective is to “bridge the gap between scholarly research and broad audiences interested in the American South.” Since its conception in the mid-1970’s, the Center has been making strives to promote scholarship about the American South. Pretty much every aspect of academia has gone digital and more people are connected more so than before, this gives a great opportunity for the Center to expand on this idea of promoting regional awareness. The Center’s programs and others like it changes how others over time have perceived the South. The region as a whole has gotten a bad rep due or our history involving slavery, and even more so after the Civil War. Books can only tell us so much, but with the use of the Internet, the Center has been able to produce written works, video, audio, films, and connect with people who lived through historical times or have connections to their ancestors. It all works because they are able to display it and show it to the world. In this sense, people are able to bring different perspectives to the whole story. They not only focus on the South from a historical context, but in the now, and the future. This allows the emphasis to be on politics, social class, race, economics, and an overall evolving culture. As Brian Ward, author of “What’s New in Southern Studies – And Why Should We Care?” writes: "New Southern Studies" (NSS) constellates southern localities in relation to a number of non or extra-national cultural configurations such as the global South, the native or indigenous South, and Greater Mexico. This is allowed, in turn, issues of empire, diaspora, immigration, cosmopolitanism, and cultural exchange to come to the fore." (Ward 694)

Net Smart author Howard Rheingold states that: “what matters most with present-day new literacies are not just encoding and decoding skills and individual needs to know to join the community of literates but also the ability to use those kills socially, in concert with others in an effective way.” (Rheingold 4). The Center has been very effective in this strategy as the overall message of The Center for the Study of Southern Culture is to promote, document, and study the American South by offering people from different backgrounds a chance to understand the culture and identity from a Southern, American, and global context. Their various publications, events, online and offline projects to bring about how the perception of the South is changing. The future of Southern Studies and the role the Center and other related institutions will play in the digital world is still developing.

Works Cited

Halvorson, Kristina and Rach, Melissa. Content Strategy for the Web. Berkeley: New Riders,

2012. Print
Rheingold, Harold. Net Smart: How to Thrive Online. Cambridge: MIT Press, 2012. Print
Ward, Brian. "What’s New in Southern Studies – And Why Should We Care." Journal of

American Studies 48:3 (2014): 691-733. Academic Search Complete. Web. 13 Jul. 2015