So for sources, I am still fuzy on this subject.
I might ask my internship director and interview the volunteer in sustainability (IU) director.
I do not know if we can use ourselves or my own research as a resource or if that doesn't work.
Thursday, March 10, 2011
Boys vs. Girls: sexual selection and science
The south is probably not the first place I would think about great scientific discoveries coming from. And that is precisely why this article is really interesting.
First we meet a cowboy who exemplifies certain stereotypes with the boots and lots of land and southern drawl, juxtaposed to his advancements in science when choosing a boy or girl for parents. To his surprise, it led to an increase in the selection of girls over boys.
The article takes time to situate the reader in some of the major theories between selection of sex, and how seemingly from the beginning of time males have been preferred.
The article immediately grabbed my attention and I was so invested in the outcome of certain situations that were brought up that I had to keep reading.
Based on our class discussion on Tuesday I would categorize this as possibly a human interest and trend piece. It is very well rounded with facts, figures, people, quotes, and anecdotes. It is a trend because it talks about how the economy and social interactions are even starting to reflect this trend.
First we meet a cowboy who exemplifies certain stereotypes with the boots and lots of land and southern drawl, juxtaposed to his advancements in science when choosing a boy or girl for parents. To his surprise, it led to an increase in the selection of girls over boys.
The article takes time to situate the reader in some of the major theories between selection of sex, and how seemingly from the beginning of time males have been preferred.
The article immediately grabbed my attention and I was so invested in the outcome of certain situations that were brought up that I had to keep reading.
Based on our class discussion on Tuesday I would categorize this as possibly a human interest and trend piece. It is very well rounded with facts, figures, people, quotes, and anecdotes. It is a trend because it talks about how the economy and social interactions are even starting to reflect this trend.
Tuesday, March 8, 2011
Check your morals at the door
The newsweek article titled, "So Long, Gideons" is about Gideons Bibles in hotel nightstands, or lack thereof.
As of recently the trend has been to remove the Bibles in nightstands and some controversy has ensued as a result. Seemingly always at the forefront of making statements, a boutique-styled Manhattan hotel is used juxtaposed to even more conservative hotel chains like Marriot doing the same things like taking these Bibles away.
Instead of religion, these nightstands are now being filled with things that would encourage a little more wild lifestyle. Condoms, sexual toys, etc., now stock the bars within rooms, late check-outs for hangovers and a general catering to a younger generation is on the rise.
This article makes me think of how political correctness and cultural and religious sensitivities have had a huge role in this change.
The author Roya Wolverson kept my interest the entire article which is always a plus. The first few articles automatically provide human interest which is something that I usually look for. It also had appeal to my age group.
The writing style was descriptive and fluid, nothing seemed out of place necessarily. I did wish, however that the article was a little longer because I was actually intrigued with this subject.
(posted at 2:15pm March 8, 2011)
As of recently the trend has been to remove the Bibles in nightstands and some controversy has ensued as a result. Seemingly always at the forefront of making statements, a boutique-styled Manhattan hotel is used juxtaposed to even more conservative hotel chains like Marriot doing the same things like taking these Bibles away.
Instead of religion, these nightstands are now being filled with things that would encourage a little more wild lifestyle. Condoms, sexual toys, etc., now stock the bars within rooms, late check-outs for hangovers and a general catering to a younger generation is on the rise.
This article makes me think of how political correctness and cultural and religious sensitivities have had a huge role in this change.
The author Roya Wolverson kept my interest the entire article which is always a plus. The first few articles automatically provide human interest which is something that I usually look for. It also had appeal to my age group.
The writing style was descriptive and fluid, nothing seemed out of place necessarily. I did wish, however that the article was a little longer because I was actually intrigued with this subject.
(posted at 2:15pm March 8, 2011)
Thursday, March 3, 2011
Almost a Mile Below South Dakota continued
So I decided to write more on this because within our class discussion I have more things that I was thinking of.
There is so much techy and sciency-y lingo that it was distracting from easy readability. Sentences like the following: " the entire assemblage will eventually contain 31 gallons of –154°F liquid. xenon—the medium that will actually detect the dark matter— so precision is essential. "
was such a distraction because I felt lost with the constant usage of terms like that.
It was my least favorite article that we have read because it seemed like weak writing, I can not identify the exact thing that made me feel that way but it was jus
There is so much techy and sciency-y lingo that it was distracting from easy readability. Sentences like the following: " the entire assemblage will eventually contain 31 gallons of –154°F liquid. xenon—the medium that will actually detect the dark matter— so precision is essential. "
was such a distraction because I felt lost with the constant usage of terms like that.
It was my least favorite article that we have read because it seemed like weak writing, I can not identify the exact thing that made me feel that way but it was jus
Story Ideas
My current story ideas are How-To articles:
I either want to do how to green your dorm room, because that is a huge part of my current internship or, how to survive as a recessionista.
I will be developing these further at a later date.
______________________________________
Edited today 7:00pm
How-to articles are hard because they have to be skillfully written and not be cheesy so while I'm still exploring that idea, I also want to consider other options.
I intern with the IU office of sustainability and I really love it. I have 3 main responsibilities, the most important is arguably the creation of a stable green dorm room certification program. As a part of my work I have developed multiple lists and even a website for this subject and I think it could be relevant and interesting.
The green movement, namely sustainability have become huge topics of discussion recently and I would like to draw on that.
Secondly I know that there have been many takes on the recession and how to deal with it so I thought why not make a list of things that a woman can do to make her life recession-proof. This would have a slightly smaller audience of females, or I suppose it could also include males. I'm still trying to work with it.
I either want to do how to green your dorm room, because that is a huge part of my current internship or, how to survive as a recessionista.
I will be developing these further at a later date.
______________________________________
Edited today 7:00pm
How-to articles are hard because they have to be skillfully written and not be cheesy so while I'm still exploring that idea, I also want to consider other options.
I intern with the IU office of sustainability and I really love it. I have 3 main responsibilities, the most important is arguably the creation of a stable green dorm room certification program. As a part of my work I have developed multiple lists and even a website for this subject and I think it could be relevant and interesting.
The green movement, namely sustainability have become huge topics of discussion recently and I would like to draw on that.
Secondly I know that there have been many takes on the recession and how to deal with it so I thought why not make a list of things that a woman can do to make her life recession-proof. This would have a slightly smaller audience of females, or I suppose it could also include males. I'm still trying to work with it.
More interesting lead
In a small town in North Dakota, dark matter is casting a dark shadow on scientific opportunity
“If it ends up that dark matter is not made of WIMPs, it will be much more disappointing in a philosophical sense than in a personal sense, in that humankind won’t know what dark matter is,” Shutt says.
__________________
Above was some random brainstorming...
Possible lead that I hope is more interesting?
Physicists in South Dakota are attempting to shed light on a dark matter. Dark matter could potentially hold the key to theories on the universe.
Today, most (but by no means all) physicists agree that dark matter exists, and that it is probably made up of what they call WIMPs, or weakly interacting massive particles. “Massive” doesn’t mean that the particles are large, but that they have mass and therefore both respond to and cause gravitational pull. “Weakly interacting” means that the particles, despite having mass, nonetheless only rarely interact with matter. Scientists also assume that WIMPs are electromagnetically neutral, which is why we can’t see them.
As revolutionary a concept this is, the truth is that no one has ever directly observed the stuff.
from there I have writers block ...
Retroactive post
So I might have had the worst week in the history of awful weeks. Probably just a case of re-occuring bad luck. I had my car broken into. Things totaling $400 were taken from my car and on top of that my computer has a virus, the kind that can not be fixed or if it is fixed will equal the cost of a new computer. How did this happen? I am not sure however, I am now in the market for a new laptop, I have told my parents that it would make a great early graduation gift.
Anyways...
A Race to Find Dark Matter
The reading for today was a sciency one. I will be completely honest I read the first few paragraphs multiple times to orient myself with the subject because I was extremely confused.
It did not catch my interest at all and being that I do not come from a science background I found it a little troubling to have to stop and reread parts so often. I think while a writer must always be aware of their audience it is equally important to consider who might just happen to read the article.
Even with the lengthly explanation of certain terms, I felt a little lost. It did not have a Colonel Troutman moment for me. The fact that these discoveries are happening a mile below the earths surface could have been really interesting but I did not feel that way.
The lead was week and standard, more of a newspaper sound that a magazine article. The use of sources was appropriate and added a little bit of depth. Some of the explanations or descriptions of people were insightful, witty and literature-like. Other than the dialogue, I just feel like the piece in general lacked an anchor of the story or a central theme. Including facts and figures like millions of dollars or ounces of matter is irrelevant if the writer has not been able to connect some of the dots for us in regards to why we should even care.
Anyways...
A Race to Find Dark Matter
The reading for today was a sciency one. I will be completely honest I read the first few paragraphs multiple times to orient myself with the subject because I was extremely confused.
It did not catch my interest at all and being that I do not come from a science background I found it a little troubling to have to stop and reread parts so often. I think while a writer must always be aware of their audience it is equally important to consider who might just happen to read the article.
Even with the lengthly explanation of certain terms, I felt a little lost. It did not have a Colonel Troutman moment for me. The fact that these discoveries are happening a mile below the earths surface could have been really interesting but I did not feel that way.
The lead was week and standard, more of a newspaper sound that a magazine article. The use of sources was appropriate and added a little bit of depth. Some of the explanations or descriptions of people were insightful, witty and literature-like. Other than the dialogue, I just feel like the piece in general lacked an anchor of the story or a central theme. Including facts and figures like millions of dollars or ounces of matter is irrelevant if the writer has not been able to connect some of the dots for us in regards to why we should even care.
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