September 2005 Archives

Many of my fellow classmates today asked me where my portfolio was. Well, let me tell you it's been quite the fun day. If it wasn't for Dr. Jerz's help and understanding I think I'd be in a ball crying, cursing blogs everywhere. Or rather, cursing my own carelessness. Movabletype just didn't agree with me today.

With that said, here it is! I think for this portfolio as opposed to my past portfolios for other classes, I dug a little deeper into my head for my feelings and opinions.

I like to write shorter blog entries with stronger opinions or perhaps lessons I've learned that I find particularly valuable. I try to pack a lot of wit into fewer words. Let me know how you all feel about this, and thanks for reading.

A blog is like a sofa -never fear newbies, some advice for you

News Webpages V. Television News -the difference is in the information

Spot News Experience -no nerves next time

The Reporter's Notebook -an unassumingly handy tool

Change will do you good -sometimes it's not you who needs to change, it's your instructors!

Comments:

http://blogs.setonhill.edu/ValerieMasciarelli/011059.html
http://blogs.setonhill.edu/EvanReynolds/archives/011154.html

I had about 5 or 6 more comments...but for some reason I can't find them. It may be AOL, because AOL and the blogosphere don't get along well for me.

Majoring in journalism has really made me critical of my writing, but in a positive way.

The classes I'm taking are extremely helpful. In high school, I always wondered why I had the same problems year to year in my writing. The same "SHOW DON'T TELL...MORE POP, LESS ICE!" I never realized it was the was the way I was being taught, not the way I'm writing.

By writing news articles, I've learned how to cut my writing A LOT, and just provide useful information people actually want to read. The news writing has in turn helped me to more easily decifer what information to put in papers for my other classes. Here's one girl who's NOT changing her major.

Besides the fact that I tend to use many more words than needed to express myself in writing, I also noticed I'm very capitalization happy. For the rough draft of my spot news article in EL227, Val checked it over and noticed I had about 5 improper nounse capitalized! She looked at me like I was insane. Love ya, Val. =D

What's really wierd is that I'm noticing even when I speak I choose my words more carefully. I guess I'm speaking more...eloquently? It's getting to the point where I correct my friend's grammar! They never change, though (I try).

My initial reaction to this book after flipping through it, "Is this for pre-schoolers?" The big, cartoonish font throughout the pages threw me off a little bit.

After reading the information, I realized just how handy the little book was. I liked how it's geared specifically toward writing for a student paper.

One of the first things I came across that was new to me were the differences between hard and soft news. First of all, I felt a little embarassed when the latter fell under the category of "Basic Journalism Vocabulary." Truthfull, I never really took the time to even notices the distinct differences. Hard news is news that is stricly factual, and soft news is more entertaining (in a sense).

Another helpful tip was a remedy for writer's block: GO SOMEPLACE ELSE! Ever since gaining that advice, I get up from my desk and go someplace else for information, and I usually work much more efficiently.

Not only did I learn information from the book, but I learned a good lesson. Flip through something you normally wouldn't take a second glace at, you never know what help you might find.

Millions of Americans turn to the television first to get the news. It's quick, conveniant, and what doesn't audio and visial add to any experience(Hah)? Television is more entertaing.

But are we getting all the facts? After watching several televised news programs and then scanning news web pages, what I found surprised me.

The web pages provided a tultitude of information, that I felt was very important, that the televised news programs did not. On the homepage, all the top storys appeared with pictures for quick, up to date access. The menu provided easy navigation through different categories of news. Each page in the different categories provided links to similar news stories. All the news I needed, with the click or a mouse.

Each story provided me with much more information; cut and dry, no annoying commercials.

This leaves me wondering two things:

Will television news ever take a back seat to news webpages?

I found this link, which has a piece of information proving my point. It says the news web pages provide instant, up to date, streaming information in case of emergencies(in this case, Hurricaine Katrina).

How can television get away with cutting so much information? (Oh yeah, commercials- how could I forget?)

Maybe we shouldn't be too quick to turn on the television. These days, most people have access to a computer as well. Or a newspaper, which I feel is equivalent in reporting pertinent facts, but obviously cannot include the amount of news web pages can.

Sometimes efficiency doesn't always yeild the best results. Take the time, log online- maybe you'll learn something BESIDES the fact that New Orleans is flooded. Tell me something I didn't know, please!

For EL227, we were to cover one of four events happening at SHU. The football game, opening of the DeChantal Hall, Opening Liturgy, or the Honors Convocation. I chose the honors convocation because, well, it ws the only one I was able to attend!

Now I, being an Arts & Entertainment writer for The Setonian, was a bit scared to do a spot news article.

I attended the convocation, observed very closely, and frantically scribbled quotes and happenings during the convocations. I was honestly nervous at that point how my article would turn out.

I was pleased, once I planned the story out, how well my article turned out. After The Setonian came out on the stands, I was excited to see the articles were relativly similar.

The quotes were clearly different, but the information was almost exactly the same, as well as the tone of the article.

This assignment gave me experience, and a little bit of confidence- and I don't think I'm going to be so nervous next time around.

I'm sitting with my Newswriting class in A309, because everybody is getting a blog today! To the newbie bloggers, a blog is like a sofa. You have to get used to it, you have to break it in, and eventually blogging will become comfortable. Sometime I think my fellow students are intimitated by blogs, but they really aren't scary. Think of it merely as a online notebook that the whole world can see(that's the catch). Anything goes in the world of blogging, almost anything.

Academics, Spots, Clubs, Personal stories...feel free to write about anything. Please keep it clean, use proper netiquette. Don't make personal attacks, do not purpously try to offend others. We're all mature adults here, although not every blogger may be. You have to respect everybody, even if they're disrespectul to you (try to defend yourself in a tasteful manner).

A blog is a place for your thoughts, your questions and your comments. Please do not feel what you write may seem stupid. If what you say is important to you, others will see the importance in your writing as well- even if it does take a little time.

Remember, we're all here to help! Please leave me a comment or e-mail me if you have any questions!