12 October 2009
Introduction
This blog focuses on the issues that challenge the field of Web design. The goal of this blog is to explore the various aspects of Web design – pedagogy, gender, race, age, accessibility, and communicability -- through rhetorical, theoretical, ethical, and pedagogical means. Web design is affecting different segments of the community through somewhat pragmatic ways. From corporations to households, Web sites are playing an integral role in communication, interaction, and education. The role of visual design is becoming synonymous with writing style, purpose, and audience. Web design is changing rapidly, and Web designers must be aware of its growing importance in every facet of our techno-savvy communities.
Brumberger, Eva. "Visual Communication in the Workplace: A Survey of Practice."
Brumberger, Eva. "Visual Communication in the Workplace: A Survey of Practice." Technical Communication Quarterly 16.4 (2007): 369-395. Communication & Mass Media Complete. EBSCO. Web. 05 Oct. 2009.
Brumberger examines the importance of visual design in the workplace based on surveys – in the form of charts, tables, and graphs – of professional and non-professional designers. She organizes her discussion in the following manner: a review of the past and present literature, research methodology, results, discussions, and implications. She gives recommendations for future pedagogical directions that she believes will help educational curriculum be more valuable for its students. She notes a survey respondent’s claim, “Unless you are communicating through the spoken word alone, everything you say/write/show is visual. Just as most technical writing courses address presentations, different types of writing, and different ways of disseminating writing, they should also address creating and using graphics, graphical layout techniques, and other visual display[s] of information” (388). From this quote, it becomes evident that visual design is an important skill and is relevant in the workplace.
This article is significant because it gives a real world, pragmatic element to the importance of good visual design skills. It addresses the pedagogical issues of teaching students to be viable in the workplace and acknowledges the value of visual communication abilities. She asserts that the roles of designer and writer have converged into one. Possessing a clear understanding of theories and structures, she highlights the importance of visual design in desktop publishing, document-design, Web design, and presentation software.
Brumberger mentions numerous articles on visual communication and acknowledges other researchers that propose similar thoughts to her own. This article highlights the importance of Web design. The research within the article is methodical and systematic. She proves that “technical writers appear to dedicate comparable amounts of time to visual communication regardless of the industry sector in which they work” (378). The assessment reveals the implied importance of visual communication and highlights the seriousness of visually designed hypertexts. Regardless of education or job title, visual design is a regular and expected component of communication in most workplace environments. The survey results convey that visual design has become increasingly important, and the role of the technical communicator includes visual design capabilities. Finally, given the research, it is now critical for employees, employers, and educators alike to understand and invest in visual design.
Brumberger examines the importance of visual design in the workplace based on surveys – in the form of charts, tables, and graphs – of professional and non-professional designers. She organizes her discussion in the following manner: a review of the past and present literature, research methodology, results, discussions, and implications. She gives recommendations for future pedagogical directions that she believes will help educational curriculum be more valuable for its students. She notes a survey respondent’s claim, “Unless you are communicating through the spoken word alone, everything you say/write/show is visual. Just as most technical writing courses address presentations, different types of writing, and different ways of disseminating writing, they should also address creating and using graphics, graphical layout techniques, and other visual display[s] of information” (388). From this quote, it becomes evident that visual design is an important skill and is relevant in the workplace.
This article is significant because it gives a real world, pragmatic element to the importance of good visual design skills. It addresses the pedagogical issues of teaching students to be viable in the workplace and acknowledges the value of visual communication abilities. She asserts that the roles of designer and writer have converged into one. Possessing a clear understanding of theories and structures, she highlights the importance of visual design in desktop publishing, document-design, Web design, and presentation software.
Brumberger mentions numerous articles on visual communication and acknowledges other researchers that propose similar thoughts to her own. This article highlights the importance of Web design. The research within the article is methodical and systematic. She proves that “technical writers appear to dedicate comparable amounts of time to visual communication regardless of the industry sector in which they work” (378). The assessment reveals the implied importance of visual communication and highlights the seriousness of visually designed hypertexts. Regardless of education or job title, visual design is a regular and expected component of communication in most workplace environments. The survey results convey that visual design has become increasingly important, and the role of the technical communicator includes visual design capabilities. Finally, given the research, it is now critical for employees, employers, and educators alike to understand and invest in visual design.
Coupland, C. “Corporate Social Responsibility as Argument on the Web."
Coupland, C. “Corporate Social Responsibility as Argument on the Web." Journal of Business Ethics 62.4 (2005): 355-366. JSTOR. Web. 05 Oct. 2009.
This older article articulates a present day trend in ethical and rhetorical issues of corporate websites. Coupland predicts the future importance of language and social responsibility of Web design. He acknowledges that Web sites communicate with “broad and discerning” audiences. Coupland recognizes that corporate sites, Web site in general, would need to consider addressing a variety of interests in its readership. He argues that theoretically speaking all businesses would need to understand the social components to Web sites. In his research, he notes four rhetorics identified in data: societal legitimation, responsible legitimation, other de-legitimation and context specific legitimation. He provides direction that will help corporate Web sites thrive in the future.
The article is significant because it shows a clear progression of modern day Web sites. Through Coupland’s research, we gain of sense of the Web design then as compared to the Web design now. The strength of the argument lies in the fact that all of Coupland assertions became true. Today, it is common knowledge for companies to design Web sites that interact with the public. The design element mentioned by Hocks is adding new elements to the standard that Coupland predicted. The article affirms the progression of digital media and Web design.
Problems with Coupland research method include reference his previously published texts. Overall, the research method was not scientific or technical. It appeared to be a repertoire of ideas. Unlike the Güyer article, he does not have a rigor of research. Therefore, his ethos is weakened.
This older article articulates a present day trend in ethical and rhetorical issues of corporate websites. Coupland predicts the future importance of language and social responsibility of Web design. He acknowledges that Web sites communicate with “broad and discerning” audiences. Coupland recognizes that corporate sites, Web site in general, would need to consider addressing a variety of interests in its readership. He argues that theoretically speaking all businesses would need to understand the social components to Web sites. In his research, he notes four rhetorics identified in data: societal legitimation, responsible legitimation, other de-legitimation and context specific legitimation. He provides direction that will help corporate Web sites thrive in the future.
The article is significant because it shows a clear progression of modern day Web sites. Through Coupland’s research, we gain of sense of the Web design then as compared to the Web design now. The strength of the argument lies in the fact that all of Coupland assertions became true. Today, it is common knowledge for companies to design Web sites that interact with the public. The design element mentioned by Hocks is adding new elements to the standard that Coupland predicted. The article affirms the progression of digital media and Web design.
Problems with Coupland research method include reference his previously published texts. Overall, the research method was not scientific or technical. It appeared to be a repertoire of ideas. Unlike the Güyer article, he does not have a rigor of research. Therefore, his ethos is weakened.
Forlizzi, Jodi and Cherie Lebbon. “From Formalism to Social Significance in Communication Design."
Forlizzi, Jodi and Cherie Lebbon. “From Formalism to Social Significance in Communication Design." Design Issues 18.4 (2002): 3- 13. The MIT Press. JSTOR. Web. 05 Oct. 2009.
Despite being an older article, many key modern day issues are presented in the text. By using two case studies, Forlizzi and Lebbon examine the future of visual design and the way it differs from methods used in the past. Today, not only are consumers repeatedly inundated with an expansive variety of images, they [the consumers] are increasingly, exceedingly diverse in a many aspects – age, gender, income, education, and socio-economics. No longer can visual designers of any medium – especially web designers – rely on intuition or consumer studies. Now they must attempt to connect to the consumer by creating empathy and dialogue. In particular, one quote summarizes the entire article. Forlizzi and Lebbon state, “Designers can no longer only be concerned about the interaction of word and image; they also must be concerned about the interaction between the audience, the content of the communication, and the outcomes of the design. In order to create dialogues that effectively persuade the viewer to adopt a new belief or change behavior, the communication designer can no longer rely solely on intuition” (5). The web designer should be able to engage the viewer, the audience visually and socially.
This article is significant because it illuminates visual design, in various mediums, from a traditional perspective and pertinent modern-day concerns. For the most part, it methodical and well researched. The article gives two case studies that are allow for a varied yet comprehensive approach in assessing visual design. However, there is one major critique to the article. With a Black feminist perspective, the article does not address the disproportionate amount of heterosexual African-American women with HIV and AIDS; however, it concentrates on gay men and IV drug users. By not mentioning that key fact or acknowledging that the elements of visual design would be different for each group, the author’s ethos and research methods are questioned. I hope to fill this gap in my own research.
Despite being an older article, many key modern day issues are presented in the text. By using two case studies, Forlizzi and Lebbon examine the future of visual design and the way it differs from methods used in the past. Today, not only are consumers repeatedly inundated with an expansive variety of images, they [the consumers] are increasingly, exceedingly diverse in a many aspects – age, gender, income, education, and socio-economics. No longer can visual designers of any medium – especially web designers – rely on intuition or consumer studies. Now they must attempt to connect to the consumer by creating empathy and dialogue. In particular, one quote summarizes the entire article. Forlizzi and Lebbon state, “Designers can no longer only be concerned about the interaction of word and image; they also must be concerned about the interaction between the audience, the content of the communication, and the outcomes of the design. In order to create dialogues that effectively persuade the viewer to adopt a new belief or change behavior, the communication designer can no longer rely solely on intuition” (5). The web designer should be able to engage the viewer, the audience visually and socially.
This article is significant because it illuminates visual design, in various mediums, from a traditional perspective and pertinent modern-day concerns. For the most part, it methodical and well researched. The article gives two case studies that are allow for a varied yet comprehensive approach in assessing visual design. However, there is one major critique to the article. With a Black feminist perspective, the article does not address the disproportionate amount of heterosexual African-American women with HIV and AIDS; however, it concentrates on gay men and IV drug users. By not mentioning that key fact or acknowledging that the elements of visual design would be different for each group, the author’s ethos and research methods are questioned. I hope to fill this gap in my own research.
Güyer, Tolga. “The measures weighted stratum and weighted compactness on the weighted digraph-based models of the hypermedia and navigation."
Güyer, Tolga. “The measures weighted stratum and weighted compactness on the weighted digraph-based models of the hypermedia and navigation." Computers and Education 53.2 (2009): 252-260. EBSCO. Web. 05 Oct. 2009.
Güyer examines the construction of hypermedia and user navigation with empirical data – charts, tables, and graphs. Güyer asserts that in Web design research, a structural analysis of navigation in hypermedia is important. It models that user behavior that is performed in hypermedia. Güyer’s study has two main goals: changing the graph-based definitions of “the hypermedia and navigation carried out in
different methods to where weighted digraph model and weighted results are used” and making “a generalization for the weighted forms of the known stratum and compactness measure” (253). Güyer asserts that graphs are suitable examples for modeling hypermedia and the WWW.
This article is significant because it is based on in-depth qualitative research, and it will help Web designers contemplate the direction of the field in the future. Web sites will become more instructional in nature. Similar to Bush’s concept of the Memex, Güyer proposes a transformative educational function of Web design based on weighted models of hypermedia and navigation.
There is extensive research in this article. The ideas appear original, rigorous, and innovative. The data demonstrates qualitative research. The results seem to forecast the evolution of Web site design and its future role in an instructional capacity. Due to these innovations, designers and users will encounter more teaching Web sites – the educational environment of the future.
Güyer examines the construction of hypermedia and user navigation with empirical data – charts, tables, and graphs. Güyer asserts that in Web design research, a structural analysis of navigation in hypermedia is important. It models that user behavior that is performed in hypermedia. Güyer’s study has two main goals: changing the graph-based definitions of “the hypermedia and navigation carried out in
different methods to where weighted digraph model and weighted results are used” and making “a generalization for the weighted forms of the known stratum and compactness measure” (253). Güyer asserts that graphs are suitable examples for modeling hypermedia and the WWW.
This article is significant because it is based on in-depth qualitative research, and it will help Web designers contemplate the direction of the field in the future. Web sites will become more instructional in nature. Similar to Bush’s concept of the Memex, Güyer proposes a transformative educational function of Web design based on weighted models of hypermedia and navigation.
There is extensive research in this article. The ideas appear original, rigorous, and innovative. The data demonstrates qualitative research. The results seem to forecast the evolution of Web site design and its future role in an instructional capacity. Due to these innovations, designers and users will encounter more teaching Web sites – the educational environment of the future.
Hocks, Mary E. “Understanding Visual Rhetoric in Digital Writing Environments."
Hocks, Mary E. “Understanding Visual Rhetoric in Digital Writing Environments." College Composition and Communication 54.4 (2003): 629-656. JSTOR. Web. 05 Oct. 2009.
By analyzing native hypertextual writing and reading processes, Hocks focuses on Web sites and the way they are changing academic conventions. Despite being an older article, Hocks examines the way that visual design is interconnected with verbal meaning – issues that are still pertinent today. Hocks concentrates on three aspects: audience stance, transparency and hybridity. Used to sway the audience, she argues that visual rhetoric is critically vital in all digital environments – web design. In addition, she proposes that rhetorical decisions influence visual design –there is a visual nature to digital design. The article critiques – assessing weaknesses and strengths – of hypertext theorists Jay Bolter, Michael Joyce, Richard Lanham, Patricia Sullivan, and others. She emphasizes that the definitions of electronic writing includes graphics, screen designs, and other digital forms.
However, primarily from a pedagogical standpoint, this article is significant because it analyzes major theorists in the field. Hocks gives added insight into the issues of visual design – the words and the images. Like Forlizzi and Lebbon, Hocks acknowledges the complexity of visual design and meaning as a blend of words and images and assesses the way visual design interacts with the audience. She argues, “Audiences can experience the pleasures of agency and an awareness of themselves as constructed identities in a heterogeneous medium” (633).
By analyzing native hypertextual writing and reading processes, Hocks focuses on Web sites and the way they are changing academic conventions. Despite being an older article, Hocks examines the way that visual design is interconnected with verbal meaning – issues that are still pertinent today. Hocks concentrates on three aspects: audience stance, transparency and hybridity. Used to sway the audience, she argues that visual rhetoric is critically vital in all digital environments – web design. In addition, she proposes that rhetorical decisions influence visual design –there is a visual nature to digital design. The article critiques – assessing weaknesses and strengths – of hypertext theorists Jay Bolter, Michael Joyce, Richard Lanham, Patricia Sullivan, and others. She emphasizes that the definitions of electronic writing includes graphics, screen designs, and other digital forms.
However, primarily from a pedagogical standpoint, this article is significant because it analyzes major theorists in the field. Hocks gives added insight into the issues of visual design – the words and the images. Like Forlizzi and Lebbon, Hocks acknowledges the complexity of visual design and meaning as a blend of words and images and assesses the way visual design interacts with the audience. She argues, “Audiences can experience the pleasures of agency and an awareness of themselves as constructed identities in a heterogeneous medium” (633).
Richards, Anne R. “Music, Transtextuality, and the World Wide Web."
Richards, Anne R. “Music, Transtextuality, and the World Wide Web." Technical Communication Quarterly 18.2 (2009): 188-207. Communication & Mass Media Complete. EBSCO. Web. 05 Oct. 2009.
Richards argues that the verbal and visual medium of the WWW are transtextual in nature. She proposes a new argument – the aurality of all hypermedia. Richards acknowledges the difference between traditional approaches to the WWW and the issues of interactivity and usability in modern times. She predicts that the emergence of music will become mainstream in the development of websites – often sound was marginalized. However, with new interactive capabilities, the WWW is able to incorporate various mediums in complex ways. Richards states, “I attempt to expand current constructions of the Web from that of a dialogue between verbal and visual elements, into that of a conversation among verbal, visual, and aural elements” (188). Critical analysis of the ways audiences viewed words and images have benefited the web designer. Now, the designers will need to analyze critically how audiences will construct meaning from what they hear.
This article is significant because Richards acknowledges a new layer in visual design – words, images, and music. Like Hocks, Richards acknowledges the verbal and visual aspects of web design but adds the aural component as well. Similar to Forlizzi and Lebbon, she highlights the differences between traditional issues in hypertext and those of present times. In addition, Richards highlights Sui’s suggestion for the shift to the aural – one being the presence of “feminist methodologies” (190). In summary, this article urges the web designer to develop an appreciation for the aurality of web sites because there is an increasing expectation for sound in multimedia (207).
Richards’s research is thought provoking. She highlights issues related to aurality – tone, volume, pitch, rhythm, velocity, etc. The research is methodical and systematic – asking the necessary questions from various aspects. She combines charts, tables, and rhetorical questions. She hypothesizes what a technical communicator should find when analyzing multimodal texts, but she acknowledges that multimodal texts have the potential to generate multiple meanings with a wide range of effects (193). By assessing multiple genres of music, Richards adds ethos by addressing characteristics of music from African American spirituals to classical music to Bluegrass.
Richards argues that the verbal and visual medium of the WWW are transtextual in nature. She proposes a new argument – the aurality of all hypermedia. Richards acknowledges the difference between traditional approaches to the WWW and the issues of interactivity and usability in modern times. She predicts that the emergence of music will become mainstream in the development of websites – often sound was marginalized. However, with new interactive capabilities, the WWW is able to incorporate various mediums in complex ways. Richards states, “I attempt to expand current constructions of the Web from that of a dialogue between verbal and visual elements, into that of a conversation among verbal, visual, and aural elements” (188). Critical analysis of the ways audiences viewed words and images have benefited the web designer. Now, the designers will need to analyze critically how audiences will construct meaning from what they hear.
This article is significant because Richards acknowledges a new layer in visual design – words, images, and music. Like Hocks, Richards acknowledges the verbal and visual aspects of web design but adds the aural component as well. Similar to Forlizzi and Lebbon, she highlights the differences between traditional issues in hypertext and those of present times. In addition, Richards highlights Sui’s suggestion for the shift to the aural – one being the presence of “feminist methodologies” (190). In summary, this article urges the web designer to develop an appreciation for the aurality of web sites because there is an increasing expectation for sound in multimedia (207).
Richards’s research is thought provoking. She highlights issues related to aurality – tone, volume, pitch, rhythm, velocity, etc. The research is methodical and systematic – asking the necessary questions from various aspects. She combines charts, tables, and rhetorical questions. She hypothesizes what a technical communicator should find when analyzing multimodal texts, but she acknowledges that multimodal texts have the potential to generate multiple meanings with a wide range of effects (193). By assessing multiple genres of music, Richards adds ethos by addressing characteristics of music from African American spirituals to classical music to Bluegrass.
Spoel, Philippa. "Communicating Values, Valuing Community through Health-Care Websites: Midwifery's Online Ethos and Public Communication in Ontario
Spoel, Philippa. "Communicating Values, Valuing Community through Health-Care Websites: Midwifery's Online Ethos and Public Communication in Ontario." Technical Communication Quarterly 17.3 (2008): 264-288. Communication & Mass Media Complete. EBSCO. Web. 05 Oct. 2009.
Spoel examines the correlation between websites and communal communication. The article analyzes professional identities, health-care relationships, and forms of community constructed in two midwifery websites. By evaluating two models – consumption model and community model. By utilizing a rhetorical critique, Spoel evaluates the results of health-care organizations that host a website and the members of the community. She seeks to understand
the complexities in the rhetorical negotiations between the web site design and the public. Her study illustrates “the value of rhetorical analysis for developing a richer appreciation of the situated constraints and opportunities that shape the online communicative actions of diverse health professions in relation to diverse publics” (265-266). Her research confirms the importance of understanding how components of Web design connect to broader, more complex issues.
This article is significant because it highlights the relevance of web site design. It illuminates the interconnectivity between visual design, identity, and community. The strength of the article lies in its ability to connect the relevance of visual design to unrecognized mediums. Spoel presents the argument in a methodical, systematic, and unique manner.
Despite being relevant to my result in Web design, Spoel argument has some issues. The survey included only two websites in Ontario, Canada. Similar to Ittersum’s study, Spoel’s research was not a national, global, or diverse study. Therefore, the qualitative results could be inaccurate. Similarly, the Web site would have predominately interacted with a female clientele.
Spoel examines the correlation between websites and communal communication. The article analyzes professional identities, health-care relationships, and forms of community constructed in two midwifery websites. By evaluating two models – consumption model and community model. By utilizing a rhetorical critique, Spoel evaluates the results of health-care organizations that host a website and the members of the community. She seeks to understand
the complexities in the rhetorical negotiations between the web site design and the public. Her study illustrates “the value of rhetorical analysis for developing a richer appreciation of the situated constraints and opportunities that shape the online communicative actions of diverse health professions in relation to diverse publics” (265-266). Her research confirms the importance of understanding how components of Web design connect to broader, more complex issues.
This article is significant because it highlights the relevance of web site design. It illuminates the interconnectivity between visual design, identity, and community. The strength of the article lies in its ability to connect the relevance of visual design to unrecognized mediums. Spoel presents the argument in a methodical, systematic, and unique manner.
Despite being relevant to my result in Web design, Spoel argument has some issues. The survey included only two websites in Ontario, Canada. Similar to Ittersum’s study, Spoel’s research was not a national, global, or diverse study. Therefore, the qualitative results could be inaccurate. Similarly, the Web site would have predominately interacted with a female clientele.
Van Ittersum, Derek "Distributing Memory: Rhetorical Work in Digital Environments."
Van Ittersum, Derek "Distributing Memory: Rhetorical Work in Digital Environments." Technical Communication Quarterly 18.3 (2009): 259-280. Communication & Mass Media Complete. EBSCO. Web. 05 Oct. 2009.
Ittersum examines the future of digital media and human memory. He organizes his discussion using the following themes: memory practices, research study design, negotiating the tradeoffs, committing to constraints, adopting new technologies, and a conclusion. He provides recommendations for future research in the ways that software meets the needs of the user. He notes a prominent theory that states an object affords, or offers, organisms certain possibilities for action within specific environments. His data comes from a several interviews with small groups of selected graduate students. He concludes that users of digital media will not adopt new technologies that do not align with their existing methods.
Ittersum addresses software but presents a similar question to web design. How can web design aid the memory of the user? How can web design be more adaptable to the existing methods of the user? He urges designers not to overlook the ways users will work with the digital media. Designers must go beyond usability issues, address the software’s usefulness, and question whether the design is problematic for the user. With the proliferation of graphics, Ittersum attempts to assess the effects on memory. The strength of the article is that it postulates an additional consideration for web design – the human memory. However, due to the small, selected group analysis, the work has questionable research methods.
Overall, the ethos of this article is somewhat weak. It is not blind study but a selective one. To me, it seemed as if the method selection, analysis, and results are skewed. Ittersum only chose graduate students, and, in one study, both results came from one gender – female.
Ittersum examines the future of digital media and human memory. He organizes his discussion using the following themes: memory practices, research study design, negotiating the tradeoffs, committing to constraints, adopting new technologies, and a conclusion. He provides recommendations for future research in the ways that software meets the needs of the user. He notes a prominent theory that states an object affords, or offers, organisms certain possibilities for action within specific environments. His data comes from a several interviews with small groups of selected graduate students. He concludes that users of digital media will not adopt new technologies that do not align with their existing methods.
Ittersum addresses software but presents a similar question to web design. How can web design aid the memory of the user? How can web design be more adaptable to the existing methods of the user? He urges designers not to overlook the ways users will work with the digital media. Designers must go beyond usability issues, address the software’s usefulness, and question whether the design is problematic for the user. With the proliferation of graphics, Ittersum attempts to assess the effects on memory. The strength of the article is that it postulates an additional consideration for web design – the human memory. However, due to the small, selected group analysis, the work has questionable research methods.
Overall, the ethos of this article is somewhat weak. It is not blind study but a selective one. To me, it seemed as if the method selection, analysis, and results are skewed. Ittersum only chose graduate students, and, in one study, both results came from one gender – female.
Williams, Robin. The Non-Designer's Design Book: Design and Typographic Principles for the Visual Novice.
Williams, Robin. The Non-Designer's Design Book: Design and Typographic Principles for the Visual Novice. 3rd ed. Berkeley: Peachpit Press, 2008. Print.
Williams addresses the need to helping those who are not formally trained in basic web design. The book discusses common elements – contrast, repetition, alignments, and proximity – in terminology that is easy to understand. In addition, Williams addresses the use of color in various digital media – including Web sites. Despite their level of training, Williams acknowledges the increasing number of individuals who are attempting Web design. The book provides recommendations and directions for good Web design in a simple, technical free vocabulary.
This book is significant because it uses simple, clear instruction for basic Web site design. It allows anyone to comfortable with Web design basics and confident in Web design construction. A general critique of the text reveals the general tips needed in basic Web design. This text fits into my project because it allows me to cover the general tips in Web design.
Williams addresses the need to helping those who are not formally trained in basic web design. The book discusses common elements – contrast, repetition, alignments, and proximity – in terminology that is easy to understand. In addition, Williams addresses the use of color in various digital media – including Web sites. Despite their level of training, Williams acknowledges the increasing number of individuals who are attempting Web design. The book provides recommendations and directions for good Web design in a simple, technical free vocabulary.
This book is significant because it uses simple, clear instruction for basic Web site design. It allows anyone to comfortable with Web design basics and confident in Web design construction. A general critique of the text reveals the general tips needed in basic Web design. This text fits into my project because it allows me to cover the general tips in Web design.
Zappen, James P. "Digital Rhetoric: Toward an Integrated Theory."
Zappen, James P. "Digital Rhetoric: Toward an Integrated Theory." Technical Communication Quarterly 14.3 (2005): 319-325. Communication & Mass Media Complete. EBSCO. Web. 05 Oct. 2009.
Zappen hypothesizes the future of digital rhetoric based on literature reviews for other theorists. Zappen examines a wide range of issues in the literature on digital rhetoric through novel strategies of self-expression and collaboration, the characteristics, affordances, and constraints of the new digital media, and the formation of identities and communities in new digital environments. He highlights the ways that new digital media is forming identity and forging social communities. He asserts that traditional rhetorical views must be refashioned and redefined in order to adapt to the new digital media. Zappen proposes an integrated theory of digital rhetoric that addresses new paths in rhetorical studies – specifically science and technology.
This article is significant because it highlights the dichotomous benefits and challenges to digital rhetoric. It has the potential for revealing a new direction in rhetorical studies, but simultaneously it reveals the difficulties of adapting new digital media to traditional methods. Unlike traditional rhetorical studies, Zappen implies that digital rhetoric is a combination of integrated theories. With digital rhetoric, there is a potential to expand and transform older theories. Zappen uses quotes from well-known leaders in the field to propel his own ideas. By concluding with questions and calls for more in-depth research, Zappen raises more questions than he gives answers.
Zappen’s research is thought provoking but weak. He offers more questions than answers, and, seemingly, he calls for others to do the empirical research. The remarks of other theorists help him make valid points, but there is not a rigor in the research method.
Zappen hypothesizes the future of digital rhetoric based on literature reviews for other theorists. Zappen examines a wide range of issues in the literature on digital rhetoric through novel strategies of self-expression and collaboration, the characteristics, affordances, and constraints of the new digital media, and the formation of identities and communities in new digital environments. He highlights the ways that new digital media is forming identity and forging social communities. He asserts that traditional rhetorical views must be refashioned and redefined in order to adapt to the new digital media. Zappen proposes an integrated theory of digital rhetoric that addresses new paths in rhetorical studies – specifically science and technology.
This article is significant because it highlights the dichotomous benefits and challenges to digital rhetoric. It has the potential for revealing a new direction in rhetorical studies, but simultaneously it reveals the difficulties of adapting new digital media to traditional methods. Unlike traditional rhetorical studies, Zappen implies that digital rhetoric is a combination of integrated theories. With digital rhetoric, there is a potential to expand and transform older theories. Zappen uses quotes from well-known leaders in the field to propel his own ideas. By concluding with questions and calls for more in-depth research, Zappen raises more questions than he gives answers.
Zappen’s research is thought provoking but weak. He offers more questions than answers, and, seemingly, he calls for others to do the empirical research. The remarks of other theorists help him make valid points, but there is not a rigor in the research method.
Conclusion
The information contained is this blog is multifaceted and multifocal. The annotated bibliographies provide me with new insightful ways to approach the broad field of Web design. I see shortcomings in some of the research, but overall the bibliographies give me a sense of direction. The article presented in this annotated bibliography can be used in a number of ways to promote a comprehensive understanding of Web design. While compiling my list of annotated bibliographies, I noted that I have a variety of articles in Web design; however, in the future, I would like to have a narrower focus of research. My goal is to expand on the research findings in this blog and provide a more refined research repertoire for my final paper. Despite the limits of this blog, it remains a launching pad for future research in the area of Web design.
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