Online Writing versus Printed Literature

Online Writing vs. Print Literature
The whole approach to online writing is different than that of print, namely, because the reader approaches the material differently. The writer's function remains the same- to communicate information in an organized manner- but the way they go about accomplishing this goal is different. Brian Carroll discusses this idea in chapters 2 and 3 of his book, Writing for Digital Media.

Credibility
From my personal experience, one major difference between online and printed material is that credibility has changed. For projects at school, teachers don't mind if a student uses a book as a cited source because that has been checked and approved by a publishing company. Since the author is published, they automatically have a significant amount of credibility. Online sources, however, may not be entirely credible because anyone has the ability to post whatever they would like, whether or not their words are true. In this case, the more transparent the website, the better I can understand where the information is coming from. 

Differences due to Changes in Credibility Perceptions
Transparency is a new phenomenon that I feel makes the Internet a more connected and interactive place than any other form of media. By being transparent, I can tell who you are, where you stand (meaning what your bias is), and where your sources come from (if you hyperlink to them as most websites do). From there, I can better judge if I trust your information, just as you are doing with what I'm writing. This idea of credibility encompasses other major changes in the media as well such as timeliness and immediacy, which may lead to less credibility as news sources rush to get information out. It also causes people to be more accountable because their actions and their reputation are being promoted throughout the digital world. Thus, I believe that credibility differences from print to online sources is the biggest change that society has experienced.

Writing Style
If credibility is the biggest change, then writing style may be close behind in my book. As previously stated, the audience expects something different when they come to read an online source. Rather than preparing to read a novel word-for-word and engage their brains with the material, an online reader is looking to scan, browse, and glance. The tone of online writing is different. People simply want to hear what needs to be said. Online news articles tend to do this best in my opinion. They lay out the facts and leave it at that. I, personally, appreciate this style because I get what I was looking for and don't have to sort through extraneous material. 

Visual Style
Visual style is also important, unlike many books. Online, text must be broken up, whether it be by headlines or bulleted lists. Readers eyes are looking for visual interests that help them to organize the material that they are reading. Under this category, simplicity falls as well. As a fellow reader, I know that if a website seems too complex or too busy, I'm turned away before I even begin. Aesthetics play a huge role in whether or not a website captures my attention. It must be clean, but I also prefer color.

Composing Headlines and Blogging Etiquette

Hopefully, based off of the title for this post, you were able to gather what I would be writing about. Headlines are tools that an audience uses to be able to scan effectively and to pick reads that interest them. So thanks for being interested! 

Headlines
In the book, Writing for Digital Media, Brian Carroll addresses the idea of being able to write an effective headline. He says that headlines not only allow readers to choose what to read but also "help readers determine what not to read." I think that this is an excellent point because readers will skip over articles or posts that don't have engaging and informative titles. I, personally, enjoy writing puns or creative titles, but those usually obscure the information behind the article, and readers will gloss over this. After reading the chapter on "Headlines and Hypertexts," I realized that, with all the time that I spend on the Internet, I already knew most of how to write an effective headline simply based on experience. If I don't know what an article is about, I won't read it. If the headline is too small or hidden, I don't notice it. I realize the ease of having text broken down into sections that are easier to scan (Therefore, if you're here to read more about blogging etiquette, please easily continue to scan down to that section- it's conveniently labeled for you). Sometimes headlines can be difficult to write, but if your writing itself is focused enough, you should be able to use "the key-word method." In other words, think about the overarching content that you discuss and try to include those words in your title. 

Hypertexts
Hypertext is most commonly found in the form of hyperlinks. I've found that Wikipedia seems to make the most effective use of these. Not only can a reader find examples all three types of hyperlinks: embedded links, inline links, and anchors, but a reader's experience is enhanced by their use. For example, say that I wanted to look up what an anesthesiologist is, Wikipedia has a definition that is easily accessible. But as the article progresses, there are links to other pages that help provide various definitions that may benefit my comprehension of what an anesthesiologist is. Also, at the bottom, there are a list of external links for sources outside of Wikipedia that can enhance and enrich the experience. (Remember, though, that Wikipedia may not always be a reliable source even though it often gives a good base understanding). Hypertexts, too, I already knew a lot about from experience. I find myself incorporating hyperlinks by imitating how other sites present them. Carroll notes that hyperlinks should be distinct from the other writing so that readers can distinguish them, they should be consistently presented in the same way, and they should not disrupt the readers experience. I thought it was an interesting point that he discussed how these links were allowing us to get away from a linear way of reading and allowing us to bounce through mountains of material.

Blogging Etiquette
This was a topic that I was a little bit more unfamiliar with since I don't frequently read blogs and have never had one of my own. The general points that I picked up from Carroll's chapter, "Blogito, Ergo Sum," was to update frequently and to be as transparent as possible. Also, it is usually a good idea to follow your own code of ethics, which I had not really thought about. However, more people will trust you if you can show who you are, where you stand, and what your morals are. With trust comes credibility. Therefore, since my blog is an analysis of topics in digital communication, I will always try to provide links to any online sources and to reference the author and title if it is not. I want to promote interconnectivity and allow others to form their own opinions of what I have addressed. 
The book I have been pulling from is available online for a price, so you can read Writing for Digital Media as well if you decide to purchase it.

Emergence of a New Electronic Field of Literature

This summer I made it my goal to spend a significant amount of time reading for fun. One reason being that I simply enjoy it and don't make enough time for pleasure reading to be one of my priorities in college. The other, more alarming reason, was because I could feel my critical analysis abilities slipping away. The time that I had spent in high school honing these skills was deteriorating as I slowly lost my vast vocabulary bank and my attention span. Even though I wanted to read, I could barely make it through three pages of a captivating book before I was distracted and my mind started wandering. Only recently have I obtained my previous reading levels and speed again. 
These were all observations that I had made on my own about myself, so after reading "Is Google Making Us Stupid?" by Nicholas Carr, I was more than able to relate . In this article, Carr discusses how our brains are rewiring themselves to deal with the presentation of text and literature on the Internet. Since this is a new mode of communication, our brains are compensating for the immediate gratification and information overload by becoming "power browsers." By referencing other cultural shifts such as growing prevalence of typewriters or the Industrial Revolution, Carr is able to show how, previously, humans also had a shift in their way of thinking. After the Industrial Revolution, our thought process has become focused on making our systems as efficient as possible, and people even make this goal their career by becoming an industrial engineer. This idea is spilling over to the Internet and creating a society where information dispersal must also be as efficient, quick, and accessible as possible. Therefore, our minds adapt to be high-power processors as well that reject leisurely reading and textual dissection. My question to this is: Is this change truly a negative thing as Carr implies because if this is the direction that our society is going, why then do we need to have the ability to deeply analyze authors such as Emerson other than for appreciation? I see only a few losses: that of a previously valued skill and that of appreciation for aesthetically pleasing literature.
This leads into the discussion of Ulmer's "Introduction: Electracy". Honestly, much of this article went way above my head with all of the discussion of metaphysics and states of being. However, I did form a simple definition of the term electracy that Ulmer has coined: the art of being literate in the electronic field. He defines it using a variety of analogies but never directly; therefore this was the simplified, succinct definition that I formulated. Ulmer explores the idea of how electracy is a build off on previous ways of thinking such as orality which led to literacy which in turn has helped lead to electracy. These each address different modes of communication, various institutions for information dissemination, and unique reasoning skills needed for discernment. Ulmer also introduces the idea of aesthetics and imaging, though I wasn't entirely sure what he meant by this. Does the presentation of the Internet, or websites that an audience is viewing, significantly effect how they perceive the information? 

Tying Digital Communications to Medicine

Welcome to the first blog post for Digitalk, a blog designed for discussing topics within digital communications. I am a student at Furman University that is double majoring in biology and communications. I feel like I need to post something about who I am or what I like, but I really can’t think of anything remotely relevant. Therefore, I will share that my favorite food is fried okra and that I truly believe that my Patronus animal would be an otter (and if you didn’t catch that reference, I highly recommend reading Harry Potter). Also, I believe that the Doobie Brothers are good highway driving music.

I had a dream the other night where an unknown someone asked my roommate and me what we wanted to be when we grew up. The million-dollar question for college students. I, of course, immediately answered, “She wants to be a surgeon,” while gesticulating at my roommate (because it is all too normal for me to answer questions about her life). Then, as the stranger continued to stare at me, I panicked and said I wanted to be a teacher. The dream continued on to me standing alone in a classroom full of children running circles around me. I woke up stressed about how in the world I was going to control these kids for all 180 days that make up a school year. Therefore, being a teacher can be ruled out of my life mission statement though I now have greater respect for my teachers after that dream. Right now, I am aiming to be a doctor, or more accurately, to get into medical school. And that’s as far as my life plan goes.

Thus, my mission statement would have be: I aspire to be a doctor that always helps others to the best of my abilities, and that by taking this class, I will better be able to access these people in need and to present myself and my practice in a desirable way. I want to be a doctor that is well rounded, knowledgeable in fields outside of medicine, and up-to-date with the ever-advancing technology. I believe that this class to will help me to meet these goals.

In terms of other projects that will be done throughout the semester, I have a few ideas for topics. I would love to explore something in the science area since that is what I am interested in. I think that exploring research at Furman would be interesting by possibly looking what opportunities there are, how it has benefitted students, why Furman is such a big proponent, etc. If it needs to be more focused I could pick a specific project that students are currently working on, maybe mine from this summer that examines the molecular mechanisms of T-cell activation. I also love music and think it would be interesting to look into how many students at Furman have played musical instruments and whether or not they think this has had benefits for them. I am also involved in Furman University’s Medical Missions Organization, and I think I could push for how and why third world countries need medical care and more specifically how we at Furman are able to answer those needs. Those are rough outlines of what I think I could pursue for future projects after being focused and finding a main argument to present.