Blog 9

Outline of Group Project Presentation

I. Introduction of class project topic "Saving Money While Improving Student Satisfaction at USM" and the main ideas supporting the topic used in group documents. The majority of the groups are proposing a 4-day school/work week on campus in order to save on energy costs, but all focus on some way the school can save money and even go 'green.'

II. First, the website should be introduced because all of the class's documents will be found on here. There will ideas and tips on what can be done on campus and in students' homes to save the school and students money. There will be links to open each of the other five documents created by the different class groups.

III. Next, the PowerPoint will be opened from the website and presented. The group leader will describe and discuss what they included in the Powerpoint and why.

IV. The Podcast will then be played, and then the group leader will talk about the different parts of the Podcast and why they chose to include interviews with faculty and students.

V. Then, the brochure is opened and viewed page by page the way you would open and hold it in your hands. The brochure group leader will talk about the design elements they employed and why.

VI. Pictures of the t-shirt design will be displayed from the website, and the group leader will describe the different graphics and wording used, as well as the audience targeted. Then, the flyer will be presented and its connection to other documents will be discussed, and its purpose will be stated.

VII. Lastly, our class's public service announcement will be played. The PSA group leader will discuss the content of the PSA and how it contributes to the overall class topic.

VIII. Conclusion: briefly revisit each document and its role in "Saving Money and Improving Student Satisfaction at USM" and restate the importance of USM saving money and increasing students' overall satisfaction.

Blog 8

This is my free pass blog.

Blog 7

http://dentistry.umc.edu/index.html

To: Web Development and Support Group
Subject: The University of Mississippi Medical Center School of Dentistry Website

Dear UMMC School of Dentistry Webmaster,

The School of Dentistry website is so easy to navigate and provides good information in a simple fashion. This saves so much time since the different parts of the site are clearly found at the home page as well as on other pages throughout the site.

Even though the pages are simple, they provide enough graphic elements to keep the reader’s attention on the page and not take away from the text. Occasional photographs and consistent blue coloring bring the site together and help it maintain uniformity – you know what site you are on. The blue brings a peaceful and comfortable feeling to the site making it more personable. Making prospective patients and students feel at ease will likely make the school more appealing and memorable. The home page and patient pages show that the school really does care, and that it is a place any one can count on for a good dental experience. Student pages give the impression that it is an encouraging educational environment and furthers the students’ magnetism toward the school. Faculty pages are fairly cut and dry telling who the faculty member is and what they do in the school. The site provides the information that allows the user to have qualified expectations of UMMC’s School of Dentistry.

The home page provides links for different people such as faculty and staff at the school, current or prospective students, patients, and even those wanting to make a contribution to the school. There is a very orderly flow from each link on the homepage. Each link takes you to new pages that have even more detailed links associated with the original subject page. Little searching is required, which saves time and frustration.
Those using the website are not looking for entertainment or detailed visuals, we are searching for information. Doctors, patients, and students do not want to have to sort through “fluff” to find facts, figures, and other resources. Information is clearly marked and fulfills the demands of the reader. I have had no issues finding what I needed on the website. The home page is easily returned to from any of the pages deeper within the site making navigation a breeze.

While the majority of the website is functional and appropriate for users, the application portion does not live up to the rest of the site. Unfortunately, it often logs out of the application after saving, forcing the applicant to login over and over while filling out different sections. Another issue I have encountered was that attached documents do not show up, even after submission. Applicants then must contact the school to find out if the submission was successful. Advisors and recommendation letter writers also have frequent mishaps with submission of letters. It seems to be intermittent, but no time for an application site to fail is a good time. As you would imagine this is fairly frustrating, and gives users a negative feeling toward the institution. The website is a direct representation of the School of Dentistry and the problems associated with the application pages reflects the functioning of the school itself. Since this is the only real functional issue with the website, it is easily forgiven, but not forgotten by users.

If the application pages were corrected, then there could be no complaints about your well put together site. I appreciate the time and effort you put into to making this site easy to navigate and full of useful information.


Sincerely,
Arielle Spivey

Blog 6

Our section decided to do our final project on “Increasing Satisfaction of Students While Saving Money at Southern Miss.” We split into six groups according based on the different documents we are going to create: powerpoint presentation, brochure, t-shirt/flyer, podcast, public service announcement, and a website. Our purpose is to convince USM faculty and students, as well as the community and alumni, that actions can be taken to improve the campus for its occupants while saving the school money. The time period we focus on is the present and future. We will use ideas from other institutions of higher learning that have proved to save them money that could easily be applied here at Southern Miss.
So far we have decided on which document each group is creating, and discussed what the proposals from the groups need to include. I believe we’re on schedule, as we have another course project, final portfolio, and more blogs due in between now and the final project due date with a month left. I doubt that any group has more than a proposal finished, if even that. My group plans to utilize a group member’s sister who has the use of design tools that we can create an effective flyer and t-shirt. The only problems we encountered as a class was that multiple groups wanted the same document and bickered until one gave up. I expect my group will successfully produce the required documents.
Most groups chose the members and some formed as a result of other groups filling quickly, but everyone seems to understand the need to work together to get this done and done well. We haven’t had much group interaction since we just formed, but I have been elected the leader in the group, which is fine with me. Our group consists of four people who get their work done, so my job will be relatively easy. Other groups don’t even know who all of their members are since several people weren’t at the meeting where we got into groups.
My recommendation for this project is to start the project at the beginning of the semester so there is more time to brainstorm and work on it throughout the semester.

Blog 5

Since I am planning on going to dental school after graduation, I looked up different dental programs:

http://www.dental.uab.edu:16080/students/prospective-students/dmd-program/helpful-tips.html
http://dentistry.umc.edu/students/prospective/predoc/admissions_process/
http://www.lsusd.lsuhsc.edu/ddsadmissions.html
http://www.utmem.edu/dentistry/Admissions/DDS/DDSgenpolicy.html

Some Qualifications, skills, and experience they are all looking for:

-thorough knowledge of the basic biological and physical sciences and proficiency in communication skills
-good social skills, as dentistry is considered the ultimate ‘people profession’
-knowledge of the profession, integrity, motivation, leadership, maturity, and social awareness
-Possession of appropriate hand-eye coordination is considered essential to a successful application
-experience or shadowing in a dental clinic
-All dental school applicants must take the Dental Admissions Test (DAT) that is administered by the American Dental Association

I feel that I possess the necessary skills and knowledge to be considered for dental school. I have a broad background in biology, and am knowledgeable in chemistry and physics. During the latter years of high school and throughout college, I’ve become an effective communicator in groups, and am an even more proficient one-on-one communicator. My social awareness is more acute than that of most college students, and feel that I know how to act appropriately in different social settings.
My interest and knowledge of the dental profession has increased dramatically since I began shadowing two general dentists and two orthodontists. I realized very quickly what part of dentistry I wanted to pursue: general family dentistry. I was surprised by some of the patients that came in to the office, and felt that oral health was largely overlooked by society. I have very strong feelings about this, and want to bring it to the public’s attention – we need dental care in addition to health care for everyone. There is a very strong correlation between your overall health and your oral health.
In between work and planning a wedding, I studied for, and took the Dental Admission Test this past summer. I have been told that my scores are good enough for an interview, and are within the range of averages at the schools I am applying to.
In the past year, I have been elected to two leadership positions within the student organizations to which I belong, and really enjoy what I do with the groups, and am trying to bring in more members, and increase the involvement of current members.
While I was still a dependent of my father when I went to college, I was already very independent. At home, I was allowed to make many decisions about my life, but I was responsible for a lot of my own belongings, as I paid for them myself. I knew a lot of basics as a young adolescent, such as how to properly clean, cook, do laundry, and yard work. I was shocked to find that many of my peers had not touched a lawn mower or could not do their own laundry.
Artistic ability and manual dexterity have been prominent in my family. My mother was an art major and very skilled designer. My father has always been a hands-on, do-it-yourself man, and taught me how to work on household machines, as well as my own cars. So naturally since I was child I have enjoyed getting my hands dirty by working on art and design projects, and working with my dad fixing things. I got into sewing and cross-stitching when I spent time with my grandmother during the summers, and really enjoy creating things with my bare hands.
I am applying to three different schools, but would really prefer to be a part of the University of Mississippi Dental School. I am a resident here, and the tuition is considerably less when you are a resident. The application is due November 1 to this school, and I’m in the home stretch with only my application essay left, which is essentially a Personal Statement. It asks that you write about your self as a person, including achievements, awards, overcoming adverse conditions, and any other material you deem important. I tend to have a really hard time talking about myself, and find this to be a daunting task.

Blog 4

To: T. Leoni, Manager, Personnel Department
From: Donald Pryzblo, Manager, Data Processing Department
Subject: Payroll Errors

Dear T. Leoni:

Upon reviewing the computer files, time tickets, and time sheets corresponding to the payroll checks, I have found the errors brought to our attention.

The majority of inconsistencies occurred between time sheets and time tickets that the Personnel Department clerks transcribe. Some were made between the time tickets and computer files, as well. As the manager of the department, I am hoping to get your help in ensuring errors in payroll processing are kept to a minimum.

You and I had spoke about having the computer operators in the Data Processing Department compare their entries to the original time sheets. Unfortunately, the computer operators will not be able to perform this task on top of their other duties. At this time, we cannot afford to hire additional help to review the payroll documents.

It would be very much appreciated if you could speak with your clerks about carefully reviewing the documents being copied. I will also speak with the computer operators about being more vigilant in their transcribing. I believe that by working together we can make sure that payroll is processed efficiently and correctly.

If there is anything I can do to help you, please don’t hesitate to ask.

Sincerely,

Donald Pryzblo
____________________________________________________

First of all, I started off by changing the subject line from all caps, and making it less threatening. Then I provided a salutation to T. Leoni, to make it more personable, and less like a sudden attack. I changed the first sentence to make it sound more neutral, and not short or sarcastic with quotation marks.
On the next paragraph, I changed the sentences from finger pointing to stating the facts, and asking for the manager’s help in the situation. I also recognized that the errors were not solely on Personnel’s clerks.
Then, I nicely, but clearly stated that the computer operators could not take on the task of reviewing the clerks, errors, and that due to financial reasons, more employees could not be hired to take on the job.
To finish it off, I expressed appreciation for having the manager’s help, and presented a united front to prevent such problems from occurring.
I using a complimentary closing to also ensure the reader that there were no hard feelings, and that I was a friend, not an attacker.
Overall, I changed the e-mail to remain professional, as it is written in the work setting, but keep it friendly at the same time. I got the point across without accusatory commentary or curt sentences.
I did add some length to the e-mail, but it was necessary considering the original was short, and did little more than point fingers away from himself, and his department.

Blog 3

I looked at three different web pages for the biology department at three universities, and found the most effective and engaging to be on the Saint Louis University’s biology web page. The least effective page was the University of South Carolina site, and in the middle was my own biology department at USM. What made the SLU web page the most appealing was its clean-cut layout, and the highlights of what you can experience as a biology major at their school, such as hands-on learning at the St. Louis Zoo, Botanical Gardens, or Medical Center. On the other side of the spectrum was USC’s looked unprofessional and had too much text on one page. Southern Miss had very little writing, but a slideshow of pictures plays on the home page showing various opportunities available in its biology classes, and did not look like a high school student created it. USC also had a picture of the biology department’s building – less than exciting. Also, in SLU’s biology introduction, they name the organizations that many biology students are involved in, something that I didn’t find out about until the end of my sophomore year at Southern Miss. The web pages are:
http://www.usm.edu/biology/
http://www.biol.sc.edu/undergrad/overview.html
http://www.slu.edu/x14762.xml

Some constraints about the way you write are the audience you are writing for, and the group you are representing in your writing. Everything that is put on the department web page reflects everyone within the department, as well as the institution itself. As far as the audience, you don’t want to intimidate potential students with unnecessary vocabulary and too many statistics. These recruits want to know why they should choose one school’s biology program over another, and that’s what you need to give them – be to the point, but not too cut and dry. While being clear and concise, you also want to make them feel like they would be a part of a group that cares about its members. This can be attained by using ethos, pathos, and logos that pertains to the audience and those the writing represents. You must take into account the stakeholders in your communication, or your writing may have a widespread negative effect.

There are certain things to keep in mind for creating an appealing and attractive brochure for biology recruitment. One would be to include the different opportunities the school and biology department provide for science majors. Also, the use of photos that reinforce the potential out-of-classroom learning experience will likely make the text more memorable. Too much writing will put off a prospective student, and they may not read about all of the great things the program has to offer. A clean, well put together introductory site will likely encourage those viewing it to explore other links within the biology department for further investigation. However, too boring or simple and the reader will forget about it, and too much will likely make them want to get away as quickly as possible. There must be moderation to achieve a successful balance of writing and visual aids to give the reader enough to make them want to know more.