Understanding the Discipline

1A: History & Theories

Communication is a two-way street and a somewhat like a transaction. There is a sender, a receiver, and "noise" in the middle that can cause for miscommunications. Generally speaking when communicating we are looking for a response and often times we are using persuasive messages to get that person to either agree or follow through with our "desired" action. Putting our understanding of persuasion to the test we were assigned a project to come up with a persuasive campaign looking to bring awareness to a certain cause/trending issue. This was actually the "design your own project" option so the ability to hold ourselves accountable was put to the test fully throughout this experience. We decided to base our campaign around a topic we are rather familiar with, technology usage and spread awareness of how much life we're missing out on due to technology. This is where Tech Effects was born, utilizing key concepts and theories learned in persuasion such as ELM, fear appeal, visual persuasion, and color as persuasion. My team and I wanted to make this campaign speak to our target audience, college students clearly and effectively through simple print ad designs and video to appeal to the young target audience as visual persuasion. We created two advertisements that would be seen in magazines harping on actual facts surrounding the addiction to technology and their effects. The campaign video was used to spread awareness and tie in color as persuasion, Nick Sneider, one of my group members filmed and edited the video in black and white to symbolize how dull life is when you use technology. ELM was represented as central processing was used to persuade the audience to think thoroughly about the overall message. To represent the fear appeal loss framed stats were used to show the negative effects of excessive phone usage.  What I enjoyed most about the this project was the challenge of taking theories learned and applying them correctly and effectively to create a cohesive campaign. 

1B: Issues & Trends

When they say communication is intertwined it is 100% accurate. The project created for my final in persuasion could have easily been used as an example for not only this objective but also for principles, vocabulary, and competencies. However, this Vlog Life Online vs. Life Offline goes into detail about the current issues and opinions surrounding this idea of there being a disconnect between the two. Identifying how in today’s society it’s more common to find out where a friend is through social media than just picking up the phone and calling them raises the question of how much we’re time spending online versus offline. Another major topic mentioned in this video is in regards to anonymity online and people claiming to be someone they’re not. The sad reality is that today this is a trending issue and there are even television shows based on the concept of cat-fishing someone. After conducting preliminary research I wanted to get opinions from my friends, acknowledging only representing my opinion in this video would be rather biased. These interviews supported the claims I was making and fit nicely into my discussion. Having interviewed younger individuals as well created a more relatable message that other young people can connect with. The main point of this project was to express how I am aware of life being different online versus offline. To be an effective communicator in general you must be aware of current issues and trends that are happening around you and learn how to keep yourself educated appropriately. 

1C: Principles, Vocabulary, & Competencies

Knowing the foundational concepts of traditional and visual communication allows for you to be able to play and "break the rules". To be honest, once you know the basics you get to learn theories and tactics that aren't always easy to grasp yet allow more room for creativity in the implementation. Advertising in the most simplest explanation is rather manipulative in the way it persuades people to do things. In persuasion one approach we became rather familiar with was fear appeal, using persuasive messages in attempt to arouse fear in order to change behavior by avoiding said threat/harm. This is one of the most effective tactics as human beings we react rather quickly when we're in danger or in harms way, also known as "flight or fight." When using fear appeal in advertising it is crucial that the ad provides a solution and an attainable call to action. 

For this project we were assigned the task to create a fear appeal ad in relation to an current issue. Going with a relevant issue in the media and something near and dear to my heart it was easy for me to choose the topic of drug addiction. There are already millions of fear appeal ads that attempt to persuade people to not use drugs and raise awareness. For my ad I wanted to take a different approach speaking to both the addict and family members. Based off research and observation from someone in my personal life there is a desensitization these addicts face when being incarcerated. The fear behind this ad stems from the idea that you're locked up with murderers, rapists, and real criminals for having a mental illness - addiction. The sad truth is that many addicts do return to prison as they struggle with everyday challenges and due to the lack of treatment. The ad resonates with family members as they know what it's like to try and fill in their loved one in a short phone call maybe once a week. This was a challenging assignment/task as it required a lot more research skills than design skills. Combining these two skills together allowed me to produce not only this advertisement above but an essay that showcases my ability to apply key persuasive theories.

Creative & Critical Thinking

2A: Critical & Analytical Thinking

In all seriousness no matter what course you take in the communication department you will be asked to think not only critically but also analytically. The one piece of advice I received over the years that I now tell the students I mentor is, "show DON'T tell." That's why I can confidently say this entire portfolio is a true presentation of my ability to think critically and analytically. My ability to articulate how I have successfully achieved these objectives I must analyze all the work I have done through my college career and map out my thoughts. This process was a lot harder than I imagined as the old soul that I am I have to handwrite everything before typing to just get my ideas on paper and out of my head. These explanations that you're reading right now have been changed over time after thinking critically on what the best way to ensure the reader comprehends easily what I'm trying to convey. Additionally, the changed made over the course of designing this portfolio has also been made based on the feedback provided both my peers and professors. Analyzing this feedback allowed me to create a clear cut plan each time on what was crucial to change and what was already acceptable. Being more of a creative than an analytical thinker this whole process has been challenging. Overall, I am a visual learner and person in general so I have been able to push myself outside my comfort zone with this task to create a portfolio I am proud to show off. 

2B: Creative Thinking

One thing I love about my major is the amount of creative projects we're assigned. For someone like myself who strives on being creative this made me feel like home. My creative thinking skills will never stop expanding and improving over time however they have made serious improvement through the various communication courses and projects I have taken thus far. At first my first step in creating anything was to jump right on the computer and start designing. With learning the basics of visual communication design we're taught a concept called PRAC to ensure our work does not look like "CRAP". In all seriousness what this concept actually stands for is proxemics, repetition, alignment, and contrast. My design skills in the beginning were less than mediocre and have made immense improvements since then due to further practice with the creative process. Honestly, to be able to think creatively on a daily basis can be rather exhausting as you're required to constantly trying to come up new and innovative ideas while still keeping the basic principles equally represented. 

The one skill taught that helped solve the problem of executing complex projects/ideas is timeboxing. The idea of allowing yourself a certain amount of time for each task never occurred to me but makes perfect sense as it holds you accountable and ensures your project is moving forward. There are many different ways to timebox but the most effective way I have used this tool during my creative thinking is by identifying the task at hand, generating an associated word list, and then sketching. I generally allow myself more time on the sketching aspect than the others as this where I fully flush out my ideas. Depending on what type of project I am currently working on will really determine the structure of my timeboxing. This can easily be used across any type of project or assignment and I've even used it for papers as well. Personally, this process of mapping out my ideas, giving myself a certain amount of time, and really sketching ideas out before even turning on my computer has lead me in a much more successful direction when creating anything. I thoroughly enjoy the creative process and am constantly challenging myself with new passion projects and searching for inspiration online. To think creatively does require structure and timeboxing has provided me just that. The provided examples showcase the growth in my creative thinking and how my define skills have benefited and refined because of it. 

Performance Skills

3A: Writing Skills

If I am being honest with myself writing grammatically correct has never been one of strong suits. Throughout my educational career I have worked tirelessly to improve these skills. Entering Fundamentals of Copywriting I was dumbfounded when I found out all the basic grammar rules and guidelines I have learned throughout the years are essentially thrown out the window. The art of copywriting is not easy and took a lot of work to improve and develop as an effective copywriter. The one thing in particular I gained from this course is my new found ability to not only manipulate words but facts to make and support stronger claims. 

After a semester long of writing ads I can proudly say I have one for not only a quad cane but also a bitter melon. Who would of thought? Definitely not me. As if I thought those were hard, the final was the biggest challenge. We were set out to create what I call "creative cover letters" which essentially means ads about ourselves in hopes to convince an employer to higher us. This not only required my writing skills but also made me tap into the critical and creative thinking skills I have developed over the years. This of course was a challenge however I was able to produce unique cover letters that I am proud of and can potentially use for future jobs I may apply for. 

3B: Group Skills

3C: Verbal/Nonverbal Skills

Reflecting upon when I display my verbal and nonverbal skills the most I always come back to Professional Presentations. It was an honor to have Dr. Frank Tavares as my professor and I can honestly say I grew as a speaker and presenter in that semester alone. Comparing the presentations executed in that class to the ones today I am impressed at the level of professionalism we maintained, even though it was our first presentation. That group created randomly by Dr. Tavares was one of the most effective teams I have worked on. This highly efficient collaborative environment made for a smooth and more relaxed presentation. Trying to maintain professionalism in all aspects the group of five females wore all black and had our hair well kept. Throughout the presentation we used non verbal communication effectively by making eye contact with our audience and being mindful of our vocalics to minimize the amount of inflections at the end of our sentences. This foundational course really did lay a solid foundation for my presentation skills and has allowed me to lose that sense of fear I used to feel before presenting to a crowd.  

3D: Technology Skills

In this degree you are guaranteed to be put outside your comfort zone, learning something you never thought you would, and surprising yourself. That was 100% the case when learning how to create animations. Utilizing my skills from Photoshop, Illustrator, and good ole' figuring it out with tutorials I was able to create some really interesting animations that I couldn't be more proud of. What you can do in three months is amazing when you put your mind to it. 

Personal & Professional Identity

4A: Cultural Diversity

Being asked to be a mentor/tutor fall 2016 reopened my eyes to how much I love teaching and talking about my field. When originally asked to teach with my co-mentor Nick I was super nervous, naturally. Knowing deep down inside the only way to grow is to really reach outside your comfort zone I knew this was the perfect learning opportunity. We chose to teach the chapter focusing on how communication shapes and contributes to personal identity. This chapter and topic of communication is beyond fascinating to me as the self does not identity from within originally as it is shaped from other's perspectives of ourselves. Below are the slides I designed and created for teaching and to hopefully ignite discussion among the class. Being aware of not only my surroundings and understanding of them it is crucial to take into account those around you as well. Before starting out lesson we made the announcement that we wanted our time together to be an open discussion and not just a straight lecture. I designed this lesson plan to include areas to ask questions and encourage audience participation. The main reason for this was to not only confirm their understanding of this information but also to get feedback from a culturally diverse audience. It was most interesting when we asked the students to mention what they saw first when showing a picture of an older white man and then a black female flight attendant. We hypothesized based off supporting research from the textbook that the people are more likely to notice the flight attendants race over the mailman simply because she's not white. To our surprise they did not and said they didn't even notice that at first. This gave even more insight in regards to cultural diversity and how a group of students in a diverse community identity and categorize people versus those in a predominately white or predominately black community. Being able to have an open discussion about cultural diversity and where the self fits in is extremely important and I'm proud to say I was able to lead a discussion in the topic. 

4B: Ethical Communication

Trying to identify an example of ethical communication from my education experiences was not the easiest process. This is a major aspect in being an effective communicator however there is not just one clear cut example, which required me to think outside the box to make this connection. Luckily through my position as a Peer Assistant in a first-year communication course for my department, I did encounter several situations where my ethical communication skills were required. From receiving emails, having tutoring sessions, and taking attendance there were various occasions when students definitely crossed that "line". Despite still being a student at the time it was imperative for me to remain professional and yes, ethical when constructing my responses. Depending on the context of the conversation there were times when I had to consult with the instructor to ensure I was responding in an appropriate manner.

There was one situation in particular where a student claimed they did not have as many absences as I had recorded. Having a set method in place to take attendance in this class of over 50 students I was understanding of how I could of made a mistake. After reading the email and realizing which student I was actually receiving this from I looked up what they looked like and confirmed I had barely seen them in that class the first half of the semester. Instead of responding by saying the student was wrong and that there was nothing I could do about it I advised we would need to meet in person to go over the recorded dates missing and flip through their notes to prove they were in class. Remembering what it takes to be an ethical communicator one key factor is fairness and respect for others, giving the student the opportunity to prove that they were in fact there those day I had marked absent and taking responsibility on my part for the error.  Again, through this entire process as being a Peer Assistant I have had several experiences where I had to remember what it takes to an effective and ethical communicator and I am truly grateful for the experience. 

4C: Personal Reflection

As a communication major you are encouraged to self reflect. Personally, I find this a critical skill to have as it requires you to not only think about all that you may have accomplished but also areas of improvement. With that being said, I cannot say there is one particular course that really allowed me to grow in the area of personal reflections however there have been certain projects that triggered me to further reflect and establish my personal identity. As a student today especially in a highly digital field we are taught that we will be judged by our social media presence and what we have out there. I can honestly say back in 2008/8th grade when I created my Twitter, "I wonder what my future/potential employers will think of me?" Do I think about that now? Yes. The conversation behind the importance of establishing a personal identity/brand began in my Fundamentals of Copywriting course and continued on in my Public Relations Workshop. Both semesters were roller coasters through self exploration and thinking "outside the box". When it came to creating our final the second time around I set out to not only meet the expectations but to surpass them, especially when there's a prize on the line. 

The assignment required: 

1. A Comic Book that displays my professional qualities and how I overcome the “villains” in my life.
2. A Direct Mail Piece to a company that I would want to work for. Inside will be “things” that represent me and why I’m a good fit for their company. Can anyone guess what company I chose? 
3. A Pinterest Board of all my professional qualities.

One main challenge faced was presenting boring information in creative ways as that takes careful thought and risk-taking. One thing I had to keep in mind was that being simple and straight to the point is crucial. Having the task of creating a whole comic book focused on my professional strengths I was triggered to further brand myself. I started off the branding process by collecting images of various colors, textures, and typography that continuously caught my eye and from there made a branding board. Once that was complete I moved on to my business cards. This project took a lot longer than expected and actually ended up being printed wrong. I was left with the option to have 500 business cards I hated, do nothing about them and buy new ones, or get creative - I chose to get creative. I took each card and added my desired gold accents. I am pleased with them as of now, but definitely have plans of changing them in the future. These two projects tired into this final as the second component was to create a direct mail piece. During the semester we had a similar assignment however it was for a company not for ourselves. The second time around I saw a huge improvement in the way I executed my box. The creative aspects were entirely more creative and represented who I am in general and professionally.