History of Journalism: Project #2

Glogster or prezi

Narrative Analysis: Media Studies

Intro to Discourse

hypodermic needle theory

Media & Technology (debate)

Media technology is often seen as the "wave of the future". The message is clear: if you don't want to be left behind in the last century, you've got to join the system. Here's an example:

What Most Schools Don't Teach

Media technology includes desktop publishing, print-on-demand, the internet, video-games, cable, satellite, and global television, digital and interactive television, CD's, DVD's, Blue Ray, etc. Every year new products appear on the technological horizon--each one promises to be better than the last. But who remembers the 8-track, or the laser disc, or the Atari 2600? The central question might be: do we need all this stuff? The media's answer: yes.

The Story of Stuff (2007) video documentary

Technological Determinism: The assumption that technological progress is inevitable and that it is necessary for social change.

Okay, technology and computer programming seems like it's here to stay for a while. It definitely can make our lives easier (or more complicated). Let's set up a little debate. Where do you stand on the issue?

Volunteers (teams of 4) will choose either to be PRO technology, or ANTI technology. These two groups will be asked to discuss the topic while the rest of us view the debate in a classroom fishbowl.

But first, let's go do some research.

Anti Technology: build a case against rampant consumption of technology--is all technology necessary? What are the negative effects of some technology? Look this up and be prepared to declare: why can't we live a simple life in our cabin in the woods like Thoreau. 

Pro Technology: build a case for the consumption of technology--how does technology help us improve our lives? Look this up and be prepared to declare: we can't live without technology! 

Others: (choose 1 item from this list and research. Each of you will present a quick 1-2 minute presentation on the item and ultimately decide if the innovation/invention was good or bad for humanity)

• The Wheel
• The Printing Press
• The Internet
• Semiconductor electronics
• The Atom Bomb (Nuclear Fission)
• Cement
• Air conditioning
• Fracking
• Dynamite
• The Steam Engine
• Refrigeration
• Optical lenses
• The Telegraph
• The Radio
• The Microwave
• The Telephone
• The Television
• The gun
• The Airplane
• The mechanized clock
• Paper money
• The assembly line
• Cigarettes
• Styrofoam
• Alcohol
• The Cotton Gin

News Media

American News Media: Biased & Oversimplistic

Representation in the Media

The term verisimilitude is the appearance of being real or truthful. Since concepts like "truth" and "reality" are largely subjective, the narratives, images, and stories we tell can either support the status quo (maintaining power structures). [by the way, verisimilitude is created in our writing by copious (lots) of detail and description.]

How we depict or represent characters in novels, television programs, comics, and films, for instance, or how images are used by the media to sell products or persuade us can marginalize or reinforce stereotypes of certain hegemonic groups. This all gets tricky because representation is a political act as much as it is an attempt to create meaning. For the masses, that often means shoveling a perspective in front of you (the audience) and showing you a simplified concept.

Writers often do not mean to be cruel or ignorant, but want to get across their point as easily as possible. Busy writers tend to cut corners by relying too much on archetype, templates, stereotypes, cliche, or simplistic representation (particularly with minor characters). It's easier to depict your antagonists as a commonly hated group that is easily recognizable than it is representing the truth. A man in a black hat represents a bad man in Westerns; a Nazi represents evil in war films, etc.

Why is this important? By showing a representation of reality, the media creates meaning for us. We are basically told what to think, based on what the media (or particularly a small group of elite corporate executives) wants us to think.

The Hegemonic Model: the ruling classes rule us through influence and persuasion rather than force. This is done by creating a consensus about an idea, social group/event, or product. This is a Marxist theory. The media makes things they want to "sell us" seem "natural"--which supports the status quo and the current structures of power. Essentially, we are in consensus about who is to rule or lead, and who is to follow. 

The Pluralistic Model: Consensus is created from the views and values of the masses, which allows the media to cater to or "sell" diverse viewpoints or products to the masses through consumer "choice". In this model, the media's job is to please, entertain, or satisfy the presumed needs of the masses. It is the masses job to select media that supports or addresses their need or desire.

Let's examine representation in the media. There are 4 documentaries/speeches that we are going to examine. For each one in the coming classes, we will view, discuss, and write about our findings. Before we do that, however, a little academic vocab.

• Marginalization: the process of treating a person, idea, product, or concept as inferior, insignificant, or peripheral (out of direct sight).
• Hegemony: an identifiable or dominant social/cultural group.
• Stereotyping: representation used to categorize a group of people (usually in a negative light).
• Stereotype: an easily recognizable "character" who is seen not as an individual, but symbolizing a group or type.
• Verisimilitude: Semblance or appearance of truth or reality, usually as details or description in a text.
• Representation: how a text produces verisimilitude or "truth" of reality.
• Audience: the targeted group of a text.
• Consensus: agreement about a concept/idea or way of doing something.
• Status Quo: the existing state of affairs; the current situation. 

To Consider/Discuss:

1. How does the Media represent these groups to its audience?
2. What is the cost or effect to these groups by the Media's use of marginalizing and stereotyping? (What's at stake?)
3. How do these arguments support or challenge the status quo?

1. Miss Representation (documentary)
2. The Mask You Live In (documentary)
3. Middle Eastern & Muslim Stereotypes: Eefa Shehzad (TED talk/speech)
4. Black men in America (clip)
4. The Celluloid Closet (documentary)

Media Studies: Vocabulary

Well, there certainly are a lot of words out there. The discipline of Media Studies--just like all academic subjects--has its own important vocabulary. Getting to know some of these words will certainly help you understand some of the key concepts and ideas in this course. Take a gander...

Semiotics: the study of signs and symbols.
Semiology: the science of symbols, language, linguistics.
Denotation: the dictionary definition of a word (or standard, agreed upon definition of a word).
Connotation: the attached meaning or secondary meaning of a word--not part of the original dictionary definition.
Sign: the combination of a concept, sound, or visual image in a physical form.
Signifier: the physical form of the sign, as perceived or understood by our senses (touch, taste, smell, sound, or sight).
Signified: the mental concept to which the sign refers.
Symbol: a noun that represents an idea or concept.
Code: a system of signs based on culturally agreed upon rules.
Paradigm: a network of signs that are an assembled group of ideas, including attitudes, beliefs, and experiences.
Text: a signifying structure composed of signs and codes.
Open texts: a text that can have many different meanings based on time, culture, environment, gender, politics, and experiences of the reader/viewer.
Closed texts: texts that encourage a single or agreed upon definition, permitting little space for different "readings" or interpretations.
Encode: Giving an idea or concept a specific form (text). The "author" is the "sender"--the person responsible for encoding the text.
Decode: The process an audience or viewer/reader (the receiver) uses to unlock or understand the text.
Context: the social, historical, or political conditions which provide a structure within which certain actions, events, or processes have meaning.
Reading: the process of interaction when a text is analyzed or interpreted.
Intertextuality: the reading of a text in light of or with an understanding of other similar texts.
Metaphor: a fundamental mode of communicating in which the relationship between two things is suggested (also simile, analogy)
Metonomy: another fundamental mode of communicating referring to the associated relationship between two things, implying codes that allow a reader to decode the suggested meaning. Metonomy uses parts of elements of something to stand in for the whole.
Narratology: The study of narrative structures.
Narrative: the process of organizing information into recognizable patterns, such as cause-effect of events, to suggest a "story".
Mediation: the act of channeling or delivering social knowledge or cultural values through an institution to reach an audience. In mass media, the audience is the masses. Us. The 99%.
Genre: categories of media products. Books, music, videos, films, television, computer games or apps, the internet, live performance, etc.
Discourse: structured representation of events or the interpretation/analysis of social and cultural power structures. How we interpret the world, makes the world.
Hegemony: an identifiable or dominant social/cultural group.
Audience: the targeted group of a text.
Representation: how a text produces verisimilitude or "truth" of reality.
Verisimilitude: Semblance or appearance of truth or reality, usually as details or description in a text.
Stereotyping: representation used to categorize a group of people (usually in a negative light).
Marginalization: to regulate or confine a group of people to the lower or outer edge of the masses.
News: new information on a subject of interest to the targeted audience.
Synergy: how one industry expands into another to monopolize or make profit.
Mega-Conglomeration: the elite companies that control products for mass consumption.
Celebrity: a famous or celebrated person, often chosen by the masses (or corporations) to represent an aspect of society.

Media & Consumerism: Zombies!

Like a Greek Chorus, Zombies represent us. They are us in the mass sense: the public opinion, the zeitgeist of the times. They speak (and eat brains) for us as a collective. They put the mass in mass media. As such, when you watch a zombie film, it is helpful to also watch for the satire that generally tags along. Horrible? Yes. But underlying the disturbing feeling of not being sure how to react to something that is neither alive nor fully dead, is a commentary about us as human beings. This makes Zombies a popular modern symbol.

show Night of the Living Dead...

Consumerism: Big Ideas that Changed the World

Please watch the following clips and respond to the videos in your notebook/journal.

Consumerism, the Musical

George Carlin on Consumerism

Consuming Kids

Story of Stuff Documentary
http://storyofstuff.org/

Zombies: for some of you, let's watch and creatively respond to one of the films.

Sorry about the gore.

HOMEWORK: Respond to the film. Write about zombies, use zombies in your poetry, in your haiku, in your stage plays. Use zombies as a jumping off point to comment about mass society as you see it. Consider some of the concepts we have been talking about regarding taboos, society, culture and counter culture.

What Makes Mainstream Media Mainstream?

Today, let's take a gander at the article "What Makes Mainstream Media Mainstream" by philosopher and writer Noam Chomsky. This article was originally published in Z Magazine in 1997.

As you read Chomsky's article answer the following questions:

1. According to Chomsky, why is media easier to study than other parts of intellectual culture?
2. How does Chomsky define "the elite media" or the "agenda setting media"? Who are they/what do they do?
3. According to Chomsky, what is the real mass media trying to do to its audience?
4. What are the three "currents" Chomsky mentions to examine when determining bias in the Mass Media?
5. According to Chomsky, what is our presumed "job" as a mass media audience?
6. What does Chomsky mean when he says, "a responsible man"--what defines a responsible man to the Elite Media?
7. What are some interesting historical facts about how the media evolved in America?
8. What is the job of a public relations industry?
9. Who was Bernays, what did he write, & what issue propelled him to fame? (3 parts to this question!)
10. What did James Madison write was the main goal of the U.S. Constitution?

Main points not to miss in Chomsky's article:

A. Different media do different things: Hollywood (film) appeals to a mass audience, for example. So do most Newspapers (but not all), etc. Different television programs are directed toward a specific audience. It is helpful to think about who exactly this audience is?
B. How do we study the Media? Chomsky stresses that we should ask: 

1. What appears (what is the product)? or Who is the BUYER. 
2. What DOESN'T appear (what was left out of the message)? Who is ignored? (the OTHER) 
3. How is the product biased or slanted toward its audience? What is the motivation of the SELLER?

• Chomsky stresses the point that when we study the media, we begin by asking questions about its structure--in other words, how is it built or constructed and for what purpose? 
• If we take the Rap industry, for example, we might start off an examination of it by asking: how is the industry built, and what purpose does it serve? Who is the audience for this Rap Industry, and who benefits from it? (i.e., you are examining the subject by looking at its structure of power and authority--who has the power?)
• If possible, it is helpful to find the "internal record" in the system--what do the people on the inside say to each other about what they're up to--or people from the outside (often once insiders) who criticize the industry? For example: what do former Rap stars criticize about the Rap industry? 
• Once we establish a hypothesis (thesis or main idea or controlling idea), we investigate or research the media product to see how well it fits our thesis. 

Now let's discuss what you think.

1. Do you agree/disagree with Chomsky's position? Why or why not? (Use evidence and examples to support your opinion, please!) 
2. How does Chomsky change the way you understand MEDIA? 
3. What questions do you still have about the political motivations of the mainstream media?

A Career in Media Studies: Is It For You?

One side effect of studying the media is that you might find that you love the subject and would like to study it as a major in college. While you are still a few years away from having to make that decision, knowing what this course can do for you and your future career can be helpful.

Even if you decide that media studies is not for you as a career, building your literacy and communication skills will definitely impact your fiction and poetry skills. Learning how to write journalistically can enhance your writing ability, not to mention your personal communication skills. Many publishers prefer the stark and clean journalistic writing style when buying manuscripts.

Today, let's focus on our future a moment. Use your journal/notebook/graphic organizer for this assignment. Check out the bulleted list below to see if a college program in Media might be something you'd like to pursue as a professional career. Click on and read the various college programs in Media Studies. What skills, topics, or subjects do these programs seem to cover? Focus on areas that these programs have in common.

Various College Programs in Journalism/Media Studies:

• University of Rochester
• SUNY Buffalo
• CUNY Queen's College
• MCC
• New York University
• Penn State University
• Vassar College

And, of course, there are many others.

Lab Task: Part II:

Now that you've seen a few examples of college programs in media studies, take the next 15-20 minutes to research college programs you might be interested in. What course content do these programs cover? What do these programs promise to do for a student? What makes the program unique?

Be prepared to share your findings with a partner or peer group.

NOTE: Revisit this project at any time during the year when you are wondering why you are studying this stuff. It may help get you back on track. 

Course Criteria

Course Description:

Building on various units and skills covered in the 9th grade year, students will continue to develop their writing skills while examining the discipline of journalism and media studies. This course focuses on the content, history, artistry, and philosophical issues the discipline encounters. Students will be asked to write creatively in a variety of genres (including journalism, creative non-fiction, film, graphic novels/cartoons, photography, television, new media, etc.). Students will study, learn, and critically think, discuss, and write about the role of Media in our lives and culture, and continue to develop their writer's voice in a variety of original writing projects to build a creative writing portfolio. 


Course Objectives:
• To understand and explore the characteristics of effective writing
• To learn successful writing techniques for non-fiction and script writing
• To explore and develop each writer’s own authentic voice
• To practice the writing process (from brainstorming through publication) in a variety of writing projects
• To communicate effectively in class and small-group discussions
• To read and research a variety of different texts as models, inspiration, and for a better understanding of the topics central to the academic fields of Communications, Media Studies, and Journalism.

Course Requirements:
• Participate in class assignments and projects
• Read, read, read; write, write, write!
• Engage in the complete writing process
• Keep a folder for handouts/work in progress/writing exercises
• Keep a writer’s portfolio of all work in progress and completed/revised work
• Keep a journal or writing notebook for writing assignments and practices
• Adhere to standard written English language conventions and grammar
• Communicate regularly with the teacher and peers through conference and discussions
• Attend school events and author’s nights (extra credit available*)
• Respect and follow the rules and procedures of the school and classroom

Course Evaluation:
25% Attendance, behavior, participation, homework, discussions
25% Portfolio (graded each term), classwork
25% Writing practices, writing projects
25% Tests/quizzes

Media Studies Introduction

"We spend 1/3 of our lives immersed in the media."--Ziauddin Sardar, "Introducing: Media Studies"

Genres commonly covered by Media Studies:

• Film
• Television
• Music 
• Newspapers
• Magazines
• Internet: social media/new media

College programs in Communications or Mass Communication are other names for Media Studies. The fields of Journalism and Film Studies are connected to Media Studies on the artistic side. Media Studies is also connected to Technology, Cultural Studies, and Sociology on the more scientific end. Much of Media Studies is influenced by Political Science, Psychology, Economics, Philosophy, and Education. They're all related.

This course focuses on the content, history, artistry, and philosophical issues the discipline encounters. You will be asked to write creatively, of course, but also to study, learn, and critically think about the role of Media in our lives and culture. How, for example, media influences us.

Our major units will include:

• Journalism
• Creative Non-fiction
• Film
• Graphic Novels/Cartoons
• Photography
• Television
• New Media

Please watch the following PREZI about our course.

Writing Satire

Satire is a genre of literature, and sometimes graphic and performing arts, in which vices, follies, abuses, and shortcomings are held up to ridicule, ideally with the intent of shaming individuals, and society itself, into improvement.^[ Although satire is usually meant to be funny, its greater purpose is often constructive social criticism, using wit as a weapon.
A common feature of satire is strong irony or sarcasm—"in satire, irony is militant"^[—but parody, burlesque, exaggeration juxtaposition, comparison, analogy, and double entendre are all frequently used in satirical speech and writing. This "militant" irony or sarcasm often professes to approve of (or at least accept as natural) the very things the satirist wishes to attack.
Satire is nowadays found in many artistic forms of expression, including literature, plays, commentary, and media such as lyrics.  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Satire

please read this introductory material.
The Onion is an American news satire organization. It is an entertainment newspaper and a website featuring satirical articles reporting on international, national, and local news, in addition to a non-satirical entertainment section known as The A.V. Club. It claims a national print circulation of 200,000 and says 90 percent of its web site readers are between 18 and 44 years old.Since 2007, the organization publishes satirical news audio and video online, as the "Onion News Network". Web traffic on theonion.com amounts to an average of 7.5 million unique visitors per month.^[
The Onion's articles comment on current events, both real and fictional. It parodies traditional newspapers with stories, editorials, op-ed pieces, and man-in-the-street interviews, using a traditional newspaper layout and an editorial voice modeled after that of the Associated Press. Its humor often depends on presenting mundane, everyday events as newsworthy ("Everyone Forgets To Bring Swimsuits To Coworker’s Party"). Other common themes include surreal exaggerations or puns, such as "‘Grand Theft Auto V’ Missions To Focus Largely On Tutoring, Community Outreach", and contrasting media portrayals against reality by treating the fictional version as the more real ("Obama Fondly Recalls Frustration Of First Term"). http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Onion

Assignment: due by midnight tonight  Please go to The Onion site:http://www.theonion.com/?ref=auto     Familiarize yourself with the site, noting on the bar the various topic areas coved by the satirical news cite:  video, politics, sports, business, science tech, entertainment and breaking news.

Select three articles under three headings and respond to the following: Please send along.
1. What is the headline?
2. What is being parodied?
3. What point is the author attempting to make through his parody?

Writing Obituaries

Writing obits. For generations, the journalism culture demanded that young reporters cut their teeth on obituary stories – “writing obits,” we would say. The thinking was that obituaries were easy to write and possibly not very interesting or important. Today, in many newspapers (except for the larger ones), the obit story has been relegated to a classified advertisement. But writing obits is important work. It always has been. Bert Barnes spent 20 years at the Washington Post writing obituaries before retiring in March 2004. He has written an article for the Post about his experiences on the obit desk.

In it he says: I loved that work. It taught me that even in the monotony of the daily grind, life could be funny and beautiful, surprising and strange. Death is no big deal if you don't love life. I only wish I could have met more of the people I wrote about. One of the first exercises I had in a beginning news writing class in college was to write my own obituary. All of us in the class had to do that, and we had a lot of fun with it. I remember trying to figure out who the pallbearers would be. I still think that’s a good assignment for a beginning student because they have all the information available without having to interview anyone or look anything up.

Please read the following two obituary examples. Note what aspects of the life are covered and how the notable individual is even quoted.

Sir John Mortimer, who has died aged 85, was a celebrated barrister, author and raconteur. He often used his legal exploits to fuel his writing, and his most famous courtroom creation was Rumpole of the Bailey."I was raised , educated and clothed almost entirely on the proceeds of cruelty, adultery and neglect," he said of his upbringing as the son of a successful divorce lawyer.Sir John's prodigious career was shaped by two events at a young age. His father lost his eyesight, and it became the youngster's duty to describe the world and keep his blind father entertained.His father made it clear he expected his only son to take over his legal practice, and so Sir John began a career in law, later becoming a Queen's Counsel.

He first came to the public eye when he successfully defended Oz magazine against charges of obscenity in 1971.He had already acted for Penguin Books when they published Lady Chatterley's Lover by DH Lawrence. Later, he successfully defended the Sex Pistols when their Never Mind The Bollocks, Here's The Sex Pistols album resulted in an attempted prosecution.Permissive societySir John became a beacon for the permissive society, but also defended high moral standards. "Liberty is allowing people to do things you disapprove of," he said.

Already the author of several plays and novels, Sir John wrote Voyage Round My Father in 1971. A loose set of anecdotes about his childhood and late father, the play was later adapted into a successful television film starring Laurence Olivier.Two instalments of autobiography, Clinging to the Wreckage and Murderers and other Friends, followed.Displaying his offbeat view of life, Sir John revealed in the latter how he found murderers "really the most relaxed people" he had come across."Generally, they had disposed of the one person that was irritating them," he said.Sir John rose at 5am each morning to write, and his prodigious workload brought him success in many fields.

As well as the adaptation of Voyage Round my Father, he brought his own novels Summer's Lease and Paradise Postponed to television.'Breakfast with a fraudster'In 1981, he translated Evelyn Waugh's classic novel Brideshead Revisited into a phenomenally successful television series, and wrote the film screenplay of the 1999 film Tea with Mussolini.A celebrated member of the literati and one-time chairman of the Royal Court, Sir John led a self-professed double life for many years.He described a typical day as "breakfast with a fraudster, down to the cells to see a murderer, and off to rehearsals at the end of the day".

When he left the Bar, Sir John channelled his adversarial energy into his character, Rumpole of the Bailey, portrayed on screen by Leo McKern.After making its debut as a BBC television play in 1975, Rumpole became an ITV series in 1978 and brought its creator fame across the world. In 1980 it was adapted for radio with Maurice Denham in the lead role, with Timothy West picking up the part in 2003.

Sir John was the quintessential champagne socialist, a champion for reform and permissiveness, who nevertheless lived in the wealthy Chilterns and backed the monarchy and fox-hunting.Despite failing health, he remained active well into later life, attending the February 2008 launch of his play, Legal Fictions, in a wheelchair.He told The Times: "One of my weaknesses is that I like to start the day with a glass of champagne before breakfast.

When I mentioned that on a radio show once, I was asked if I had taken counselling for it."Large and idiosyncraticHe remained disappointed by the modern Labour Party, saying, "we don't ask for much, but it would be nice to have a spoonful of socialism".

He was married twice, the first time to author Penelope Mortimer. After their marriage collapsed, her autobiography detailed infidelities and rows.Sir John would say only that "marriage between two writers is always difficult".His second wife, Penny, was a model booker when he met her, and 23 years his junior. Sir John was able to explore this true life theme of age difference in his novel The Sound of Trumpets.

Although he constantly borrowed from his life to enhance his writing, he remained as large and idiosyncratic as any character he created.In his novel, Felix in the Underworld, the book's central accusation is that the novelist expects others to live out dramatic moments for him.From the clapboard home of his childhood to the wooden benches of the High Court, the same could not be said of Sir John Mortimer.

Story from BBC NEWS:http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/2/hi/entertainment/1023315

EXAMPLE 2:

Steven P. Jobs, the visionary co-founder and former chief executive of the technology company Apple Inc., died on Oct. 5, 2011. He was 56.
Apple said in a press release that it was “deeply saddened” to announce that Mr. Jobs had died. “Steve’s brilliance, passion and energy were the source of countless innovations that enrich and improve all of our lives,” the company said. “The world is immeasurably better because of Steve.”
In August, the company announced that Mr. Jobs, who had battled cancer for several years, was stepping down as chief executive but would serve as chairman. Apple named Timothy D. Cook, its chief operating officer, to succeed Mr. Jobs as chief executive. Mr. Jobs became chairman, a position that did not exist previously.
In January, Mr. Jobs took a medical leave of absence from Apple, his third. Mr. Jobs had seemed to recover from pancreatic cancer after surgery in 2004, and received a liver transplant in 2009.
He made a surprise appearance in March to introduce the company’s new version of the iPad. After he was greeted by a standing ovation, Mr. Jobs alluded to his leave but did not say whether he was planning to return to the company. “We’ve been working on this product for a while and I didn’t want to miss today,” he said.
In June, in his last public appearance before stepping down, Mr. Jobs presented the company’s new online storage and syncing service, iCloud. 
Perhaps more than any other chief executive, Mr. Jobs was seen as inseparable from his company’s success. The company has outflanked most of its rivals in the technology industry with the iPhone and the iPad, which have been blockbuster hits with consumers.

At Apple, a creativity factory, there was a strong link between the ultimate design-team leader, Mr. Jobs, and the products. From computers to smartphones, Apple products are known for being stylish, powerful and pleasing to use. They are edited products that cut through complexity, by consciously leaving things out — not cramming every feature that came into an engineer’s head, an affliction known as “featuritis” that burdens so many technology products.
That restraint was evident in Mr. Jobs’s personal taste. His black turtleneck, beltless blue jeans and running shoes gave him a signature look. In his Palo Alto, Calif., home years ago, he said that he preferred uncluttered, spare interiors and explained the elegant craftsmanship of the simple wooden chairs in his living room, made by George Nakashima, the 20th-century furniture designer and father of the American craft movement.
Great products, Mr. Jobs said, are triumphs of “taste.” And taste, he said, is a byproduct of study, observation and being steeped in the culture of the past and present, of “trying to expose yourself to the best things humans have done and then bring those things into what you are doing.”
His product-design philosophy was not steered by committee or determined by market research. The Jobs formula, according to colleagues, relied heavily on tenacity, patience, belief and instinct. He became deeply involved in hardware and software design choices, which awaited his personal nod or veto.
Mr. Jobs, of course, was one member of a large team at Apple, even if he was the leader. Indeed, he often described his role as a team leader. In choosing key members of his team, he looked for the multiplier factor of excellence. Truly outstanding designers, engineers and managers, he said, are not just 10 percent, 20 percent or 30 percent better than merely very good ones, but 10 times better. Their contributions, he added, are the raw material of “aha” products, which make users rethink their notions of, say, a music player or cellphone.
Mr. Jobs undeniably proved himself a gifted marketer and showman, but also a skilled listener to the technology. He called this “tracking vectors in technology over time,” to judge when an intriguing innovation is ready for the marketplace. Technical progress, affordable pricing and consumer demand all must jell to produce a blockbuster product.
The Early Years
Mr. Jobs founded Apple in Cupertino, Calif., in 1976 with Steve Wozniak, and built an early reputation for the company with the Apple II computer. After the Macintosh was introduced in 1984, the company’s business stalled, and Mr. Jobs’s relationship with John Sculley, then Apple’s chief executive, soured. Their conflict ended with Mr. Jobs’s departure from Apple in 1985. The following year, with a small group of Apple employees, he founded NeXt Computer, which ultimately focused on the corporate computing market, without notable success. In 1986, he bought the computer graphics division of Lucasfilm Inc. and re-established it as the independent animation studio Pixar.
A decade later he sold the NeXt operating system to Apple and returned to the company. In short order he was again at the helm and set out to modernize the company’s computers.
After he returned to Apple in late 1996, Mr. Jobs became the product team leader, taste arbiter and public face of a company that has been a stylish breath of fresh air in the personal computer business. With the introduction of the iPod, iTunes, iPhone and iPad, Apple has shaken up the music and cellphone industries. Mr. Jobs was long known for his intense focus on product design and marketing, but after Apple introduced the iPod digital music player in 2001, he also came to exemplify what is hip across many American and international cultures, in areas from business to music.
Following His Own Path
Mr. Jobs’ instinct to heed his own counsel did not always serve him well. When he was diagnosed with a rare form of pancreatic cancer in October 2003, his early decision to put off surgery and rely instead on fruit juices, acupuncture, herbal remedies and other treatments — some of which he found on the Internet — infuriated and distressed his family, friends and physicians, according to a biography of Mr. Jobs by Walter Isaacson(“Steve Jobs” by Walter Isaacson; Simon & Schuster; $35). By the time Mr. Jobs underwent surgery in July 2004, the cancer had spread beyond the pancreas.
When he did take the path of surgery and science, Mr. Jobs did so with passion and curiosity, sparing no expense, pushing the frontiers of new treatments. Mr. Isaacson said that once Mr. Jobs decided on the surgery and medical science, he became an expert — studying, guiding and deciding on each treatment.
According to Mr. Isaacson, Mr. Jobs was one of 20 people in the world to have all the genes of his cancer tumor and his normal DNA sequenced. The price tag at the time: $100,000.
The DNA sequencing that Mr. Jobs ultimately went through was done by a collaboration of teams at Stanford, Johns Hopkins, Harvard and the Broad Institute of MIT. The sequencing, Mr. Isaacson wrote, allowed doctors to better tailor drugs and target them to the defective molecular pathways

Your assignment: Writing your own obituary.

Your life was significant. That does not mean it has to be a fantasy, but clearly deserves 500 words. Flesh it out; make it real. 

Transitional Words & Phrases in Articles

Transitional Words & Phrases

Using transitional words and phrases
helps papers read more smoothly, and at the same time allows the reader to flow more smoothly from one point to the next.

Transitions enhance logical organization and understandability
and improve the connections between thoughts. They indicate relations,
whether within a sentence, paragraph, or paper.

This list illustrates categories of "relationships" between ideas,followed by words and phrases that can make the connections:

Addition:
also, again, as well as, besides, coupled with, furthermore, in addition, likewise, moreover, similarly

When there is a trusting relationship coupled with positive reinforcement, the partners will be able to overcome difficult situations.

Consequence:
accordingly, as a result, consequently, for this reason, for this purpose,
hence, otherwise, so then, subsequently, therefore, thus, thereupon, wherefore

Highway traffic came to a stop as a result of an accident that morning.

Contrast and Comparison:
contrast, by the same token, conversely, instead, likewise,
on one hand, on the other hand, on the contrary, rather,
similarly, yet, but, however, still, nevertheless, in contrast

The children were very happy. On the other hand, and perhaps more importantly, their parents were very proactive in providing good care.

Direction:
here, there, over there, beyond, nearly, opposite, under, above,
to the left, to the right, in the distance

She scanned the horizon for any sign though in the distance she could not see the surprise coming her way.

Diversion:
by the way, incidentally

He stumbled upon the nesting pair incidentally found only on this hill.

Emphasisabove all, chiefly, with attention to, especially, particularly, singularly

The Quakers gathered each month with attention to deciding the business of their Meeting.

Exception:
aside from, barring, beside, except, excepting, excluding, exclusive of, other than, outside of, save

Consensus was arrived at by all of the members exclusive of those who could not vote.

Exemplifying:chiefly, especially, for instance, in particular, markedly, namely,
particularly, including, specifically, such as

Some friends and I drove up the beautiful coast chiefly to avoid the heat island of the city.

Generalizing:
as a rule, as usual, for the most part, generally, generally speaking, ordinarily, usually

There were a few very talented artists in the class, but for the most part the students only wanted to avoid the alternative course.

Illustration:
for example, for instance, for one thing, as an illustration,
illustrated with, as an example, in this case

The chapter provided complex sequences and examples illustrated with a very simple schematic diagram.

Similarity:
comparatively, coupled with, correspondingly, identically, likewise, similar, moreover, together with

The research was presented in a very dry style though was coupled with examples that made the audience tear up.

Restatement:
in essence, in other words, namely, that is, that is to say, in short, in brief, to put it differently

In their advertising business, saying things directly was not the rule. That is to say, they tried to convey the message subtly though with creativity.

Sequence:
at first, first of all, to begin with, in the first place, at the same time,
for now, for the time being, the next step, in time, in turn, later on,
meanwhile, next, then, soon, the meantime, later, while, earlier,
simultaneously, afterward, in conclusion, with this in mind,

The music had a very retro sound but at the same time incorporated a complex modern rhythm.

Summarizing:
after all, all in all, all things considered, briefly, by and large, in any case, in any event,
in brief, in conclusion, on the whole, in short, in summary, in the final analysis,
in the long run, on balance, to sum up, to summarize, finally

She didn't seem willing to sell the car this week, but in any case I don't get paid until the end of the month.

Purpose of an Editorial; Editorial Pre-Writing Exercise

Purpose of an editorial: 

    
 Primary: to persuade! If you can't take a stand, you do not have a good editorial 
 Secondary: to inform and/or to entertain

 

How do editorials achieve their purpose?
 

 They May Criticize or Attack: If they criticize, they require suggestions for change. If you launch an attack against something, you must be impeccable in your charge. An attack is forceful; criticism does not have to be forceful, but it has to be held down with facts and suggestions for change. Defend: Stand up for an individual or an institution under attack by society.

 Compliment: Show evidence that the compliment is deserved. Offer praise when warranted.

 Instigate, advocate or appeal: To instigate editorially would mean that the newspaper intended to go on a crusade for something--improvements in the school study hall system, for example. Or you might advocate that this be accomplished by backing suggestions put out by a school committee that studied the problem. An appeal editorial might mean that you’d encourage  people to donate to a school fund drive or vote for a  tax levy increase.

 Entertain: An entertaining editorial is good for the reader’s soul, but it should have a worthwhile point and should be written about something worth the reader’s time.

 Predict: Support your predictions with fact.

Where Does the Editorial Writer Begin?
 

 Choose an issue

ResearchDo not share your ignorance!  Instead, use primary and secondary sources 

Gather Support  (logos)

Gather as many details as possible to convince others that your position is the right one.  Present facts, evidence, written statements from reliable sources or authorities in the subject (experts). Make comparisons to similar situations that support your argument, pictures or images that strengthen your argument.
Present the opposing argument along with evidence that it is fallacious (based on faulty reasoning), weak, or simply not as strong, important, realistic, practical etc. as yours. 

Connect support to purpose The body should have clear and accurate details and examples that you specifically connect to your opinion.  Give strong arguments in the beginning and end of the editorial. Show the opposing arguments and their weaknesses. Offer a solution at the end. Be strong – do not waver in your convictions. Stick to your argument or opinion. 

 General Information 

Your editorial should be clear and forceful. Do not preach. Paragraphs should be brief and direct. Give examples and illustrations. Be honest and accurate. Don't be too dramatic.

Avoid moralizing editorials. They tend to preach and turn the reader off. Whatever type of editorial you write, it must be built around logical framework.

PLease copy and past the following, respond to the questions and send along.

 Editorial Pre-Writing

Your Opinion Can Change the World!

            Note: Pointing out what’s wrong is easier than contributing to a problem’s solution – and a good editorial’s concern should be to better a situation, not bludgeon it. Remember, also, no matter what your purpose or topic, an editorial is no place to indulge in personal attacks. Be smart! Don’t whine or gripe – use your energy to convince! 

1. What is a problem/issue that our socieity faces today?

  

2. What is your  view/position on the problem or situation?

   

3. What would you like to achieve with your editorial? (What is the desired result?)

  

  

4. How will you persuade your audience to adopt your viewpoint as theirs? List at least 4 persuasive points.

   

5. How will you arouse your readership to action in your conclusion? 

6. How will your editorial serve a public purpose?