Providing a Visual Guide: Helping a Reader Understand Visual Design

Visual Directive

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The purpose of images and text in newspapers, magazines, text books, etc. is to effectively communicate their information. Authors can aid this process by providing a visual map for the reader/viewer that allows him/her to logically follow the sequence that the information is being presented in. This map directs a reader's attention from one piece of information as it guides them along the path to the conclusion. Kress and van Leeuwen in chapter 6, "The Meaning of Composition," in their book Reading Images discuss the techniques that authors may utilize while deciding how to best achieve this.

Given and New
The first characteristic of direction that Kress and van Leeuwen mention is that of the "given" and the "new." The given information is information that the readers are assumed to be familiar with and already know. When presenting given information, authors usually place it on the left since our culture reads from left to right. This tactic allows the reader to ground themselves in the context before moving on to new information or claim. The new information is placed on the right and is usually a presentation of the author's claim. 

The ad above is one for Bose headphones that is arguing that they are so good at canceling out noise that this rower can't even hear the waterfall behind him. In this instance, the "given" is on the left: a man rowing on the water without a care in the world; people universally understand relaxation. The focus, however, is on the "new" located to the right. Here lies the giant waterfall, the twist in the assumed story. Thus, the advertisement makes a great visual argument by making use of the left-right, given to new, strategy. I found this ad among many others in a blogpost about humorous ads, which has many other great visual arguments. That's essentially what makes advertisements effective. This website describes very well what makes up good advertising on their site.

Ideal and Reality
Another way to make a visual argument is to have the ideal part of the information on the top of the image with the reality part of the information located at the bottom of the image. This allows the readers eyes to move from top to the bottom as they do while reading. In doing this, combined with the strategy above, a reader is guided through information rather than left wading through the information themselves. 

Salience
Salience is something that most people don't usually think about because it is intuitive to us, but usually one image in a presentation is prominent and draws our eyes. Of course, you don't think about this because you do what is natural. If the designer  has done their job, then your eye should go to the image that is biggest and in central focus.

For example in this Listermint ad, the pastor is the central focus and the reader then notices the congregation cowering in the back corner after they take in the central scene of the preaching pastor. This also makes great use of the given and new as mentioned above. 

Linear vs. Non-linear Reading
This has been a topic in other blog posts, but society seems to be moving away from reading blocks of texts to scanning and power-reading based off of headlines and sub-headings. People have the ability to access more of the information that they want to read and more ability to sift out that information in which they are not interested. So instead of reading an entire article, a reader can scan down until they see a sub-heading that applies to what they were searching for. As Kress and van Leeuwen say, the reader is able to "use" the text rather than read it. I would agree with this. That would be why my blog is formatted with bolded subheadings, for reader ease and accessibility. Visual images also help to break up the linear reading since they provide an interest for the eye and require different thought processes to occur in order to interpret the argument. 

Sensory Overload

Communication Channels
One of the first things I learned in my communications classes here at Furman was how communication works. The basic idea is that an idea needs to be successfully transferred from one person to another.

As shown in the image above, the producer of the message had to make sure that they provided the receiver of the message with the proper tools in order to decode the message. While this specific instance is dealing with words, I think that this idea is applicable to the message of the chapter "Viewers Make Meaning" by Sturken and Cartwright. In this chapter, the authors discussed how every individual would decode an image differently using their own set of cultural and moral codes. Therefore, images that reach a mass audience are difficult to target towards an individual, but the hope is that enough of the audience is able to relate that somehow they can draw a meaning. Advertisers in particular hope that they eventually come to the conclusion that they want to buy the product. How can images that are directed at mass audiences still take an individualized approach?

Interpellation
In the chapter, "to interpellate" is defined "to interrupt a procedure in order to question someone or something formaly." Based on this description, I gathered that to be interpellated by images meant that I had a sensory overload by the image/s in front of me. The best example that I could imagine right now would be Pinterest.

 As displayed by this screen shot, the entire website is a collective of photos that are to be representative snapshots of either a product or a website. However, none of the pictures are necessarily remotely related to each other. On the site, a viewer does have the ability to go to specific boards that have categorized the "pins." But the homepage is a collage of pictures that pertain to many different topics. In my understanding of the concept, this would be interpellation because my mind is constantly interrupted by one image after another to decide whether I can pull meaning from it. I also really like this example because it shows that everyone truly does interpret images in their own way. For example, I could look at the green purse that one of my friends apparently thought was stylish and decided for myself whether or not I agree with that. If not, then I probably wouldn't repin it. Same goes for the food. If I decide that the spinach and artichoke pasta reminds me of my grandmother's recipe, then I am pulling meaning from past experience that others wouldn't have. Then, depending on whether or not I like my grandmother's spinach and artichoke pasta, I choose to make that recipe or not. 

Classy Taste

I would agree with the Sturken and Cartwright that the idea of having "taste" implies a higher social status that allows one to be educated and "cultured." They also say that culture is a evolving, growing process that is subject to change. Taking both of those points, I couldn't help but think of Duck Dynasty, the new-ish and popular show on A&E. Before this show, a still to a large extent, red-neck culture was classified as one that was not educated and that they did a lot of manual labor, hence the name. However, I believe that entire connotation of that name will never go away, Duck Dynasty is a show that is changing it. It shows other aspects of the country culture such as strong family values and an appreciation of nature. It may also help that these men are quite humorous. The image that they have made theirs is one of camouflage. Everywhere they go, they are wearing camouflage. If you have not yet experienced the new Duck Dynasty fad, here's a quick a preview. You can catch on Wednesdays at 10 EST on A&E. 

Granted, maybe it's my taste that isn't classy, but that's up for interpretation isn't it?

Appropriation

Towards the end of the chapter, Sturken and Cartwright refer to "cultural appropriation." This was defined as "the process of 'borrowing' and changing the meaning of cultural products, slogans, images, or elements of fashion." I immediately thought of the use of Uncle Sam as a slogan. While there is the traditional Uncle Sam image that recruits for the Army, many others have been made that are intended to recruit or encourage others to participate in some activity. In this way, the core meaning was used but the slogan was borrowed to promote something other than what that image was intended for. 

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And then, there's this:

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Is this an effective method of spreading other messages since a foundation meaning has already been set? 

As stated earlier, people interpret images and space differently, so I leave you with this final question. Do you see a duck or a rabbit?

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Sporting a New Look

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Action Images
When asked about a famous action sports shot, this picture is the first that popped into my head. It is one that is hanging in the basement of my house, along with many other sports related images. My family as been avid Alabama fans since before I was born; in fact, my mom was having contractions with me while the SEC championship was on in December of 1992, but my parents didn't go to the hospital until after the game was over (Bama won, and I still claim that must make me a lucky charm). This picture,  titled "The Kick," features kicker, Van Tiffin, attempting a 52 yard field goal with only 6 seconds left in the rival game against Auburn. He made it, and the Crimson Tide won 25-23. Believe me, I've heard the story told many times because Dad was watching the television as it happened. Across the nation, Alabama fans still herald this image as the most famous kick in Alabama football. I love this picture because it captures the action of the shot while maintaining the tension of the unknown. An Auburn player is in the air. Does he block it? The kicker is mid-kick. Has he yanked it left or right? The spectators can be seen, blurred, in the background, standing motionless, waiting. In essence, I believe that this picture shows all the sports media used to embody: the experience and the action. Now, however, it is shifting to a more sexualized, more erotic view of the human body. 

The Body Shift: Technical to Sexy
Until recently, the human body in sports photography was appreciated more for its ability to perform difficult technical skills than it was for how it looked while performing. Now, the body is being praised for its physical beauty as it performs muscular feats. For example, after a Google search with the key words "Male Athlete" in images, the first picture was one of a man running without a shirt and with clearly defined abs. The website held the title of "Hottest Male Triathletes of 2008." 

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Instead of being lauded for his triathlon time or for his ability to adeptly participate in many different sports, this young man is being looked at for his appearance while competing. This is completely opposite from the picture below. 

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This shot features Michael Phelps as he competes in one of his many Olympic races. However, Phelps is pictured on the front of magazine covers like this: 

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Gender Differences

Women, however, have been objectified sexually in sports for years. As the Rowe said in his chapter "Framed and Mounted: Sport Through the Photographic Eye," women are more frequently photographed as displaying some kind of emotion or outside of their sport. Rarely are they pictured while in action, if they are featured at all. One of the questions raised in the article was, "Is the shift towards viewing men sexually a move towards gender equality?" I would like to raise that one, too. But I would also like to ask how can society get more recognition for women in sports? Some say they aren't because they don't sell, but if the media decided to sell them, then maybe women's sports would begin to be just as popular as men's. 

Women can be just as intense as men. Take Serena Williams for example.

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Or Shawn Johnson. 

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Both of these women have incredible skills that can also be captured in photograph. What would it take for our society to recognize the beauty of the skills outside the sexuality of a physically fit body? 

The Universal Language

Of all our inventions for mass communication, pictures still speak the most universally understood language- Walt Disney.

One of the most life changing experiences that I have had was the medical missions trip that I was blessed enough to go on this past spring break. Our team went to Nicaragua where we set up a medical clinic in the impoverished village of Tepeyac. Here, we got to be the doctors and diagnose the patients after listening to the symptoms and asking more in-depth questions. So while I learned a ton, that was not the most touching part of the trip. What impacted me the most was the heart of the people. We had lines and lines who brought their children long distances to get medicine because Advil and ibuprofen simply aren't available to them. As people on most mission trips say, I realized how blessed I was. But even more so, I was confirmed in my ambition to one be a doctor that might be able to make a lasting impression on lives like these rather than have a week clinic that can't address long term problems. 


However, I remember this trip not only through what I learned, but also through my pictures. These are near and dear to my heart. The girl in this picture was named Kelly, and for some reason, she took a liking to me. When I look at this picture, it brings back memories of that time, of how we played games like "London Bridges," how I completely wiped out on the path and she laughed at me, and just the pure joy of being able to spend time with kids who didn't get the attention I had my entire life. I think that leads well into the power that images can have. In this case, this image is powerful for me, an individual, but other photos are able to touch a whole audience.

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A picture like this would touch many Americans as they remember what happened on September 11, 2001. Every year images such as these are played on repeat in order to remember. An image such as this is always taken in historical context as Sturken and Cartwright suggest in their chapter, "Images, Power, and Politics." When Americans see this, they not only think of those who died, but also of the war in Iraq and Afghanistan. They think of how terrorists became a real threat to the American public. They think of how this was the first major attack on American soil since that of Pearl Harbor. The context plays an important role in how Americans view this image because we are also seeing it from an American perspective. The site that I pulled this image from also contained a self-written poem titled Twin Towers, which is a prime example of the power of the image since Derec Jones was compelled enough to write his personal thoughts about it.

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Advertisements make use of images in a very compelling way. The one above is actually a public service announcement, but it really makes a statement by showing a fossil from the ocean that contains a plastic bag. When I first saw this image, I was struck by the fact that we do leave a lasting impact on our environment. I stopped to pause, to think about this, because this image showed the direct impact that humans have. And this, like actions, can be louder than words. I would say that an effective advertisement would be able to use an image and cause me to act upon it, i. e. go buy a product. So though this picture may not make me want to rally for clean oceans, it does cause me to be more conscientious of where I put my trash and how I treat the environment around me. Therefore, this is once again proves the power of the image.

Discussion Questions
How can the image be effectively used in the blogging community to make a point? Are pictures like the one above objective yet subjective at the same time? If not, where is the balance between presenting the image and how it is portrayed?

Redefining Journalism

So I was definitely one of the uninformed public that was under the impression that journalists were always trying to take an objective perspective while reporting the events. I believed that their whole purpose was to come across as unbiased to the public. After reading "Journalism of Verification," which Chapter 4 of Kovach and Rosentiel's book The Elements of Journalism, I have learned that their real purpose is to obtain and verify information objectively, but they do not have to write objectively at all. 

Methodology to Verification
Personally, I'm a very gullible person. I tend to always believe what people tell me, even if it's a bit ridiculous because I trust very easily, especially my friends. However, I have learned to question what I read in the media, which naturally means that I question what I read in the newspapers or hear on the news. Journalists want to present their audience with the truth that they have uncovered. And in order to this, they must have a method to ensure that the information they have is verifiable. I really liked this comparison to a methodology because I am a double major with biology, so I'm very methodical in how I go about my life. I usually have at least two To-Do lists running at once, I always make my bed the exact same way, and I have a routine that I follow strictly while getting ready for bed. I know these methods work for my lifestyle, so I stick to them. Therefore, this analogy really made sense for me. If reporters don't have a checklist to run through that clearly shows they are pulling information from a reliable source, then they may be selling something that is false.

Respect the Reader
I try to respect my readers by not boring you too badly. My life just really isn't that interesting, especially pertaining to digital communications. However, if you want a relevant anecdote, I did meet a cute boy in physics class today because I was incapable of connecting my iPhone to my email. 

So I acknowledged my lack of technological abilities and used them to my advantage. While I don't mean to offend any of you feminists out there, pretending to be inept (or actually being inept) at using technology is pretty good way to flirt. So there, I respect my readers by providing them with funny, engaging material. I really enjoyed the fact that this chapter pointed out that journalists should first and foremost respect their audience. They shouldn't deceive or hide anything, but rather should be as transparent as possible. I really like that idea because then not only do I trust the stories that I read from them, but I also want to continue to buy their news. 

Citizen Expectations
"What should citizens expect from the press as a reasonable discipline of reporting?" The authors posed this question as one left up to the reader. I'd like to leave that one for you as well. But I want to add on to it. What do we not tolerate from the press as a discipline of reporting? Are mockumentaries and docudramas still an acceptable form of journalism even though events are altered or modified? I think it is important that while information has become a commodity, the public still looks at it with a critical eye. Even though an information overload may be peppering the screen, are you still reading it with a grain of salt? 

Breaking News: Blogs can be informational resources or marketing opportunities

When I first read Chapter Four, "Citizen Journalists?" and Chapter Six, "Blogging Brands," I was first struck by how much I didn't know about the blogging world. I like to think that I'm pretty aware of social media sites, regardless of whether I'm a frequent user or not, but I know little about the website opportunities available to bloggers. 

Citizen Journalists

While there can be arguments for or against bloggers as journalists, I think that there is something compelling about reading a blogger's experiences in real-time. The excerpts from the blog about the Virginia Tech shootings really touched me, even years later, because they were so genuine. I'd never thought about war zone blogs, but hearing a perspective from people directly involved, not the government or other outside sources, really adds a new dynamic. So maybe, rather than looking at bloggers as journalists or not journalists, we can look at bloggers as adding a new dynamic to the art of journalism. By blogging real-time, there is no reason for a witness to fact check what they have witnessed and the emotions are still raw. I believe that this can give readers a better insight into the feel of a situation rather than just a relay of events that news companies usually give. Rhettburg makes a great point at the end of his chapter about how news sources and blogs are able to work together in a symbiotic relationship to promote news in the most efficient and effective manner. 

Gatewatching

Gatewatching was a whole new concept for me, though it makes sense as to why it would be a successful blogging technique. Bloggers are able to filter information on a topic and present a narrowly focused set of information that is very up-to-date. I hadn't heard of Slashdot before, but after looking at the site, it truly is tailored to its audience and offers easy-to-find information on technology updates. Before looking at this chapter, I hadn't really looked at blogs as an information resource before. I realize that they are still public forums on which anyone can post, but they can stand as a wealth of information as well. In school I've always been so used to analyzing validity of sources that I never considered blogs as anything more than personal diaries. 

Making Money

In the section about advertisements, I could see how bloggers who are truly devoted to posting could opt for this extra bonus cash, but I would think that having enough advertisements on one's blog to be able to support themselves would be a bit overwhelming for readers. The sponsorships, though, seem worse to me. I don't like the concept that bloggers are being hired out to give their "opinion" on a product. It makes me not trust them, whether or not I know about it, because they are being hired to say or promote something they may not truly believe in. I would be upset as a reader to find out about this as well.

Corporation Blogs

I do support corporations using blogs to their advantage. A key component to be competitive is being able to keep up with the ever advancing technology. As Rhettburg says, corporations can effectively participate in active discussions about their product on blogs that have already been created, they can directly speak with their customers and patrons, as well as promote new products or provide their supporters with breaking news. This gives a more genuine feel to companies because it provides that transparent nature that is becoming more popular for building credibility. I think blogs can also be seen as an effective form of customer service because someone from the company can respond and at least try to get readers to the person they need to talk to. I personally haven't read many corporate blogs, but I think that Oracle's blog is a great example of everything Rhettburg is talking about (Oracle is a company that provides business software and hardware systems). This is definitely an effective marketing technique in my eyes.

Discussion Questions
How can blogs be viewed more as an informational resource rather than solely personal opinions? How do bloggers that view themselves as journalists convince their readers that they are reliable?

Sowing My Seed: A Historical Overview of Blogging and Its Societal Influence

Dissemination and Dialogue

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So, here I am. "Sowing my seed" as John Durham Peters would say (quoting the Bible). I am publicizing my thoughts broadly and hoping that maybe someone will take the time to read them. This is the heart of dissemination- that a seed or thought is spread across a wide audience, knowing that it won't reach most people but with the hope that it reaches a few. In Chapter 2 "From Bards to Blogs" of Rettburg's book, he discusses this idea of information dissemination versus the idea of dialogue. Rettburg uses Peters as an example of one who supports the idea of dissemination of information, quoting Matthew 13:3-9 as an example. On the other hand, Plato strongly believes that dialogue is the most effective form of communication because a person is able to respond directly to the audience and that words are not being thrown around recklessly. I tend to agree with Rettburg that blogs are an excellent combination of both of these ideas because it allows for a wide audience to view the information while at the same time providing a means for direct communication through comments, etc. The Internet, in general, seems to have this set-up. I believe that this is beneficial because there are pros and cons to mass media and to personal conversations, but through these ends, the ideas are able to balance out. This ties back into the idea of author transparency that has been discussed in previous posts because the author is able to be known and communicated with easily.

Public Sphere
I am currently in a political communications class where we are reading Jurgen Habermas's book, The Structural Transformation of the Public Sphere. I thought it was quite interesting how Rettburg presented the idea of the public sphere here. He focused on the influence that the transition to silent reading has had on the public sphere. This shift led to a relationship solely between the text and the reader. This places more emphasis on the growing division between the private and the public because now even literature doesn't have to be a public event or read aloud. In class, we have been discussing the influence of capitalism and how this is driving the private realm to grow, but we haven't talked about how we read as influence on this as well. I do think that what an individual reads privately can easily be brought into rational debate within the public sphere, thus still allowing the private and public strata to interact.

Connectedness
In Chapter Three, "Blogs, Communities, and Networks," Rettburg focuses on how blogs and social media allow for people to be connected across the Internet. I have personal experience with this because Facebook has allowed me to still be connected with people from middle school or younger that I otherwise wouldn't have thought of in years. This is the audience that I'm used to tailoring my social media to. Blogs, on the other hand, allow for a different type of audience, one that the author likely doesn't know personally but is interested in the topic of discussion. This has caused my to change my personal writing style to tailor to people not knowing me or having the same background knowledge that I do. Others, like you who are currently reading this, may have a deeper understanding of this topic or may not have any exposure (though you found this blog, so congrats for that accomplishment!). Therefore, I try to be as clear with my wording and my explanations as I can.

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Rettburg discusses a site called LinkedIn, which is a more professional website allowing for employers to hire employees and for someone to gain professional connections. I hadn't heard of this site until I was a college student, probably because it wasn't relevant to my life until then, but I have yet to truly explore its potential. I do have an account though, and I'd love to begin building those connections. This idea leads into the idea that "weak ties" are more effective socially than "strong ties" because those people that are only acquaintances usually hold information that you don't have. Through weak ties, it may be easier to find a job opportunity due a web of connections rather just a small, inner circle.

Internet Permanence
Rettburg says that internet postings are "persistent" because they continue to be around despite being deleted or hidden. I tend to think that postings are more than persistent but rather are permanent. Anyone could screen shot something or copy it without your knowledge, so although it may be completely eliminated from the World Wide Web, an unknown person may have access to this still. I cannot count the times that I was told, "If you don't want it across the front page of the newspaper, don't post it." I try to take this seriously because bosses and family and countless others could make that happen. The idea of this permanence makes me nervous, however, because it lends itself to cyberbullying.

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Cyberbullying is a growing issue because it is easy to be anonymous and to manipulate material. Also, because digital media is becoming so accessible, it is difficult for parents to constantly monitor what their children are doing on social media. This makes it easier for people to say things or do something that they would never do in real life; anonymity gives them a surprising boldness. If you see cyberbullying, please report it because it really impacts the lives of those involved.

Life Postings
The final topic Rhettburg discusses is the idea that anything we do digitally can be monitored and publicly shared if desired. This includes where we are, what we search and read, when we get emails, what events our calendars have on them, text messages sent, etc. I shudder to think about this, not because I have something to hide, but simply because privacy is a luxury that is quickly slipping away. Needless to say, the world does not need to know everything about me, nor do I care to know where others are at all times or what they are doing. A public image is important to have, but a private understanding of yourself and time to be truly alone is also healthy. 

Discussion Questions
How do we feel about private life being so publicized, and permanently, through digital media? How can bloggers most effectively take advantage of the weak ties that they have established on their blogs?

Evaluating Online News Sources: Huffington Post

Huffington Post
In my digital communications class, our teacher assigned us a group project to evaluate an online news source based on a list of questions. My group looked at the Huffington Post. Below is our evaluation of its digital effectiveness.

Evaluation

What is your first impression of the site? Think of the “3 second rule.”

Attention grabbing headline and photo; they catch my eye and allow me to easily scan their featured article or the most breaking news of the day.

How does this site establish credibility? How does it establish trust? Or does it? 

This site uses minute-to-minute updates in a scrolling runner at the top the links to articles within their site and gives the time that the news was updated. This helps to establish credibility by seeming on top of breaking news. They also link to other news sites with articles that address the same topics so as to show that their articles are credible.
Authentic voice? The blog posts that Huffington features definitely have authentic voice because they use first person to relate to their audience.

Genuine? This first person usage makes the article and opinion of a blog seem genuine.

Transparency? Faces and names of the blog authors are easily available. The comment area under the articles also allows for readers to ask questions of the writers. The names of contributing reporters are also given at the bottom of the article.

What is the general writing style?

Biased? Links to featured blog articles may show bias by the columnists blogging their own opinions on news happenings

Objective? An attempt to be objective when reporting the news by their staff writers

Does the writer IDENTIFY with his or her readers, or not? How (or why not)?

The blog posts try to identify with the readers by writing in first person and pulling from some of their own experiences. The news articles just seem to relate the happenings and events, but they do pertain to information that American readers would want/need so in that way they identify with the readers.

Does the writing style get to the point?

The writing style of the news articles do get to the point because they lay out in shorter sentences what the article is about. They try to relay fact as quickly as possible. The blogs give the general gist of their ideas at the beginning/introductory paragraph and then later on, if the reader continues to read, they give their opinion of the news matter.

How is it arranged? Is it arranged in reverse pyramid style?

The site is definitely arranged in reverse pyramid style because it starts with a big headline that a reader can click on to see the actual article. Then within the article there are links to other articles that are relevant to what is currently being read.

Is content shaped for scanning? How is the content layered? (p 32)

The content is shaped for scanning because the headlines are on the home webpage with what they seem to believe will be most popular at the top. As stated before, a reader can navigate to the actual article by clicking on it.

Is the tone or rhythm of the site consistent throughout?

The tone is not the same throughout because they have such a wide variety of news coverage that there are silly or weird articles advertised next to more serious articles.

How does the site use headlines?

The site uses headlines to catch the readers’ attention and in turn, lure them into reading the following article. The head story for the page is the first headline you notice because that story takes up the entire computer screen when you first arrive at the sight. The rest of the headlines are clear and in bold, black font. The content of the article is clearly presented in the headlines so that the reader knows what the article is about.

How does it use links? Effectively or not?

Links are effectively used because readers can not only navigate to the article they wish to read but also have hyperlinks available throughout the story to other articles that are relevant or might interest them. In this way, the reading is not constrained to being linear.

How is multimedia used? Is it distracting? How is it displayed on the site? Does the multimedia tell the same story as the text, or a different side of the story?

In multiple articles there are YouTube videos at the top of the article either showing news coverage of the event from a news source or a video of the actual event itself. The multimedia is a supplement to the text and helps to validate the article that is written below. I would say that it is not distracting because it’s just another option for information, but doesn’t automatically start playing.

How does the site “package” stories? 

The site will give links back to cited sources if needed. They also give the option of reading other articles to supplement the article. There are links internally, links externally, and multimedia options in each article.

How are graphics used?

Too cluttered? Are the graphics consistent through out the site, and consistent to the brand? Do they encourage or discourage use, and how?

Within the article, there are images such as graphs to help give a visual to the numbers that an article may reference as well as pictures taken from the event. The images are not too cluttered. Along the sides are pictures and headlines to help introduce other articles. The image presentation is consistent with what the site is trying to sell and is in the same format throughout. I think that they encourage users to read something because the color helps to add contrast to the text.

Can each page stand on its own?

Each page can stand on its own because it has a clear title for what the article is and allows readers to still navigate their way around the overall site from each page by using the toolbar at the top of the screen.

How is the navigation? Do you get lost? Do you always know where you are? How (or why not)?

The navigation is fairly easy by using the toolbar at the top of the screen. A reader can choose which section they want to read or can easily return to the home page if desired. The featured blog posts that are offered to the left of the page on the home screen were a bit difficult to navigate/understand where I had gone. It wasn’t clear where these featured blogs took me nor did I know how to find them again. Everything else was fairly simple to understand because it was clearly labeled. They also have a search bar if a reader is looking for something in particular.

How does the site incorporate/interact with its audience? How does it embody the social aspect of the internet (or does it)?

The site allows for readers to post comments at the bottom of the articles to voice their opinion or to question/verify facts. They also have a Facebook page, Twitter account, or email subscription as ways for a reader to stay connected and interact with the site. This employs the social aspect of the Internet because it enables readers to give opinions or comments and to spread articles by sharing them  on Facebook or retweeting something on Twitter.