Creative Gallery: Final Version of CitySearch Google Map

View CitySearch USA in a larger map

Essay: Final Revised Draft

http://docs.google.com/Doc?docid=0ASCj6nlVlf_UZGZqd3AyMjRfMzl3NW45cXRjeg&hl=en

Creative Gallery: Google Map

View CitySearch USA in a larger map

Status of Creative Gallery

So far, I have created a movie on using Windows Movie Maker. I have completed the rough draft of my movie and uploaded it onto YouTube. However, I would still like to make some changes to my movie. I am planning on experimenting with different background music for my video, and I would also like to learn how to use more of the features available through the program. I feel like I have learned a lot just by trying out different types of animation and transitions. In addition to my video, I am also considering using Google Maps to write a type of narrative or a series of short narratives specific to different places on the map. I would like to record funny or embarrassing stories that people have to tell about their childhoods. I am not exactly sure if this will work out, but I think it would be a good way to put a different creative spin on my project.

Rough Draft of Video

Vampires vs. Clumber Spaniel

Vampire and Dog Movie

Here is our movie

Essay: Final Draft

http://docs.google.com/Doc?docid=0ASCj6nlVlf_UZGZqd3AyMjRfMzl3NW45cXRjeg&hl=en

Creative Response Possibility

I am still not entirely sure what I will create for my “creative response.” I am considering attempting to create a variation of the PostSecret project while also incorporating some of the elements of Project Mortified. I work at an afterschool program as a class instructor. I choose what classes I want to teach and what grade levels can sign up for my classes. We have just started a new class period which will last about six weeks. I have decided to teach a creative writing class for 3rd through 5th grade students. I am planning on presenting the students with writing prompts such as, “What are you most afraid of?” and “What do you think the world will be like in 50 years?” I am going to ask the students to write short paragraphs and to include illustrations if they would like. I’m also going to tell the students that they do not have to put their names on their work and that their identity will never be revealed to readers of their works.

I am curious as to how anonymity will influence the writing of elementary school students. Since students are constantly reminded to put their names on their papers, I wonder how their writing will change when they are freed of this responsibility. I will teach the class for 45 minutes every Monday and Wednesday starting next week. I am anxious to see how the class will develop and what type of writing the students will produce. Ultimately, I would like to use the students’ writing and illustrations to produce a book of anonymous stories, quotes, and images created entirely by elementary school students.

Google Map: London

View Story Map in a larger map

The Last Person In The World

http://linkedstory.blogspot.com/2009/11/last-person-in-world.html

"Creative Response"

Wikipedia defines détournement as the process in which “an artist reuses elements of well-known media to create a new work with a different message, often one opposed to the original.” This statement influenced me to consider how I would create a détournement in opposition of my current research subject. In reading the rough drafts of my classmates, I have discovered that many of us are focusing on similar topics. However, no topic is entirely the same as another. Therefore, I think it would be interesting to create a new essay incorporating the thoughts of my classmates. I would focus on those students whose research was similar to mine but who had developed some assumptions contradicting my own.

In his essay “Methods of Détournement,” Guy-Ernest Debord states that, “one is not limited to correcting a work or to integrating diverse fragments of out-of-date works into a new one; one can also alter the meaning of those fragments in any appropriate way.” Though I would integrate the views of my classmates into my own essay, I would also explain my own interpretations of their words and how they are relevant to my topic. My current research topic considers how online anonymity enhances the connection between members of online communities. In order to compose a détournement, I would need to consider how online anonymity can lead to discontent among internet communities. I think that this would be an interesting perspective to look into.

I am also considering doing some type of anonymity project similar to PostSecret. I would like to somehow merge PostSecret and Project Mortified. I am considering what types of things kids would say if they were given a post card and told to write down a secret. I think it would be both comical and interesting. I am still not sure how I will go about doing this type of project.

Essay Rough Draft: Amanda Berardi

http://docs.google.com/Doc?docid=0ASCj6nlVlf_UZGZqd3AyMjRfMzB2a2YyYzZobQ&hl=en

I think that my research topic is very clear in my essay draft. I have tried to refer back to my main question in every paragraph so that there is a clear sequence to the information I present. I also like how I have incorporated my sources into my writing. I am somewhat concerned that my three content areas, PostSecret and Project Mortified, online blogging, and online review sites, are not clearly connected. I am also considering adding more sources to my paper. I have not yet completed my works cited page, but all of my sources are from my bibliography.

Diagram of Essay

http://docs.google.com/Doc?docid=0ASCj6nlVlf_UZGZqd3AyMjRfMjk3dHJ0ZGNkdg&hl=en

Research Project Reflection

After completing my Google Docs presentation, I feel that my thoughts are coming together and that my project is progressing. I think that I will be able to start outlining my essay based off of my presentation and my bibliography from Diigo. I expect that my essay will follow the same train of thought as my presentation; however I know that I will have to elaborate more on my ideas. I will also likely have to complete more research in order to support my key assumptions.

While I feel that my project is moving along well, I am concerned that my topic has evolved a great deal since the beginning of the semester. I began my research questioning the use of text messages among young people and how this is affecting speech and grammar. I then decided to focus my research on online anonymity. After viewing many sources on the presence of anonymous online authors, I eventually decided to research the reasons why people choose to remain anonymous online and how online anonymity has contributed to the development of Internet communities.

Despite switching my research topic, I still feel that I am on track to complete my paper. I may have to find additional sources since many of my links on Diigo no longer directly relate to my topic. I am confident that I will be able to further develop my research and structure my ideas in the form of a paper, and I look forward to continuing my research on this topic and learning more about the subject.

Research Project Bibliography

http://docs.google.com/View?id=dfjwp224_28zmpqkdgx

Revised Presentation

Research Project Progress

So far in the semester, I feel that I have made significant progress towards my final research topic. I plan on continuing to explore the question of, “What is an anonymous online author?” I have found numerous sources that I can use to build upon my topic and complete my final paper. Still, I have a long way to go until I will be satisfied with my project.

While I have decided on a research question, I have still not determined the key assumption or theory of my research. I hope that this will evolve as I continue to explore the sites of have bookmarked on Diigo and as I look for more sources. I am planning on revising my slide show presentation so that it clearly communicates the theory of my research. I also hope to find or create more images for my presentation that will better reflect my thought process. I hope to make use of Pixlr.com to edit photos and images that I find.

As of now, my slide show presentation states that anonymous online authors can control their level of anonymity. While I still agree with this theory, I also hope to look more into who can be classified as an anonymous online author. I was originally thinking in terms or professional writers, authors, and bloggers, but I now plan to research the ways that every Internet user is evolving into an online author.

After I have completed more research, I think that I will feel more comfortable starting my research paper. I want to come up with a clear theory that I feel I can strongly support before I begin writing. Though I still have a great deal of work left to do, I feel confident that I am on track to produce a well constructed research project.

What is an anonymous online author?

What is a multimedia author?

A multimedia author is one whose writing contributes to a single archive of thoughts and ideas. Multimedia authors cannot claim their work as their own because the texts that they create are influenced by other sources, and in turn contribute to the creation of new works by other multimedia authors.

According to Foucault, discourse is not “a thing, a product, or a possession, but an action.” The value of multimedia writing does not lie in the author who claims possession of the words, but in the activity of writing itself. A multimedia writer takes action to record his or her thoughts through words, pictures, or videos. These actions can then inspire further action in other writers who may build off of text that has already been recorded. It is not important to note who the thoughts belong to, but instead how they contribute to the realm of multimedia writing.

Barthes claims that, “the writer can only imitate a gesture forever anterior, never original.” Though an author may develop a new idea about a previously discussed topic, his words can never be entirely original. It is impossible for an author to write without the use of knowledge acquired from authors who wrote before him.

Therefore, it is not necessary for multimedia writers to strive to create original ideas that they can call their own. Instead, multimedia authors are writers who knowingly borrow and elaborate on the ideas of others in order to create a collection of text that is continuously growing and changing.

Research Proposal, Final Copy

Numerous Internet users navigate through websites and publish writing, pictures, and videos with the belief that their personal identities are anonymous to others. In the past, this sense of anonymity may have been justified. However, as technology continues to advance, it is becoming more and more difficult to remain anonymous online. Every time an individual updates their online status or publishes a photo, they are leaving small traces of their online identity. Even if a website offers secrecy, sophisticated search programs and software can likely be used to identify the “anonymous” users. In considering the changing condition of online identity, I have decided to research the question of whether the possibility of online anonymity is diminishing.

Through the use of ambiguous user names, site members can craft identities for themselves based on their writing and other publications, rather than accurate personal information. Still, the opportunity to write without having to take responsibility for one’s words may influence individuals to fail to consider the impact of their publications on internet users. Though Internet users may be allowed the freedom to write and publish their thoughts without claiming authorship of their work, should users remain aware of the possibility of losing their right to anonymity should their online publications prove harmful to others? In what ways should the law be able to interfere with online identity? It is even still realistic for websites to offer members anonymity? Furthermore, how would the elimination of online anonymity change the material that Internet users publish on the web?

I plan to look deeper into these questions through my research. I suspect that the possibility of online anonymity is becoming less and less realistic. As technology continues to advance and as the law adapts to fight crime online, Internet users will not only be discouraged but prevented from remaining anonymous. Through my research, I hope to offer insight into the evolution of the Internet and how advancements online are contributing to the end of online anonymity.

I will begin my research by exploring the following websites:

“Benefits of OpenID.” Openid.net. http://openid.net/get-an-openid/individuals/. 9/13/09.

Dignan, Larry. “Obama taps OpenID for government websites.” ZDNet.com. http://news.zdnet.co.uk/security/0,1000000189,39746744,00.htm. 9/14/09.

Perez, Sarah.“The End of Online Anonymity.” ReadWriteWeb.com. http://www.readwriteweb.com/archives/the_end_of_online_anonymity.php. 9/13/09.

Whitelaw, Kevin. “Gotcha! Why Online Anonymity May Be Fading.” NPR.org. http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=112450627. 9/14/09.

Whittaker, Zach. “Should the anonymity shroud be lifted online?” Zdnet.com. http://blogs.zdnet.com/igeneration/?p=2663. 9/14/09.

Research Proposal

The emergence of social networking websites has certainly influenced the flow of information and means of communication across the globe. Websites such as Facebook and Twitter have made it increasingly easy for individuals everywhere to publish their writing, as well as pictures and videos, online. While the majority of these websites provide the opportunity for users to claim authorship of their online publications, it has proved just as easy for members of these sites to claim anonymity. Through considering these varied forms of online authorship, I have decided to research how the works of online writers, photographers, and filmmakers change when their true identities remain unknown to readers and viewers.

Through the use of ambiguous user names, site members can craft identities for themselves based on their writing and other publications, rather than accurate personal information. In some cases, the possibility of remaining unknown may influence persons to write freely and without bias, as they will not be judged in relation to their personal identity, but only by the value of their words. However, the opportunity to write without having to take responsibility for one’s words may also cause individuals to fail to consider the impact of their publications on internet users.

While social networking sites appear to be increasing chances for individuals to share thoughts and communicate with ease, these sites are also raising issues of personal authorship and identity. Do online publishers have certain responsibilities to site users? Though there do not seem to be extensive guidelines as to what is and is not appropriate behavior on these sites, are their unwritten rules that users follow in order to increase usability and member friendliness? Does the possibility of publishing under a false or indefinite identity have a positive or negative influence on what publishers write, photograph, and film?

I would like to examine these questions by researching the use of social networking sites, including Facebook, Twitter, and Myspace. I plan to collect sources and data through both internet research and personal interview. I will use search engines to generate sources that relate to the content of social networking websites. I also plan to search internet databases such as LexisNexis and Jstor for articles relating to my topic. Finally, I would like to interview individuals who have used social networking sites for varied purposes and ask them questions about what aspects of the sites they find beneficial, as well as which they feel may be harmful. Using sources that discuss both the positive and negative implications of online social networking, I hope to offer insight into the influence of multimedia authorship on the material published on social networking websites, and how this material changes in relation to the amount of information the author reveals about him or herself.

http://www.cnn.com/2009/TECH/08/04/marines.social.media.ban/

Plagiarism and the Plagiosphere

When reading Edward Tenner’s, “The Rise of the Plagiosphere,” and Jonathan Lethem’s, “The Ecstasy of Influence,” I began to think not only about how plagiarism is defined, but also about how this definition has evolved and changed throughout time and across different sources of media. Prior to reading these excerpts, I viewed plagiarism as a forbidden and deceitful practice. However, as I continue to explore the topic, I have begun to question the validity of plagiarism as well as the difficulty of identifying these practices.

Throughout the past couple of decades, technology has advanced to the extent that writing and publishing are no longer limited to pen and paper. Instead, individuals can compose text and publish their work easily and quickly through internet sources including blogs and social networking websites. Furthermore, those who use text messaging and e-mails as means of communication are becoming authors in their own sense. As the practice of writing changes and evolves across new and more advanced mediums, one must question whether practices of plagiarism are also taking on new forms. Tehher states, “What NASA did to our conception of the planet, Web-based technologies are beginning to do to our understanding of our written thoughts. We look at our ideas with less wonder and with a greater sense that others have already noted what we’re seeing for the first time.” If we are writing with the sense that others have already taken note of our ideas, is it still wrong to use the thoughts of others in order to further develop our own?

In “The Ecstacy of Influence,” Lethem discusses Dariush Mehrjui, an Iranian filmmaker who creates a film adaption of J.D. Salinger’s novel Franny and Zoey. Lethem explains how a showing of the film is canceled because, “its announcement [brings] threat of a lawsuit down on the Film Society” who is willing to show it. In response to the film’s cancelation, Lethem questions, “why would [Salinger] care that some obscure Iranian filmmaker had paid him homage with a meditation on his heroine?” This dilemma elaborates on the topic of plagiarism and when it should be prohibited. Is it truly harmful to base a film or a piece of writing off of a previous work, even if the new creation brings light and draws new audiences to the original work? I agree with Lethem that this form of plagiarism would likely have been viewed as a form of flattery towards Salinger rather than an insult.

As forms of plagiarism change and evolve, so must our previously negative interpretation of these methods. Plagiarism is certainly a practice that can sometimes be considered thievery. However, I do not feel that building off of the writing of others should typically be classified as stealing. If writers, filmmakers, and artists can use works of the past to enhance their work today, they should be encouraged, not forbidden, to take into consideration the thoughts of others.

"Digital Native"

Throughout my early childhood I did not use a computer frequently, nor was I eposed to a great deal of technology through my parents or older family members. However, as I grew older I learned to use a computer for word processing and to access the Internet. My earliest memories of technology include computer science classes in elementary school. These classes started as early as second grade and continued through high school and into college. Outside of school, I have been surrounded by digital technology, including cell phones and MP3 players for years. I first started using a cell phone in junior high and recieved my own phone my first year of high school.

My first memories of using the Internet are of my fifth grade classroom and the lessons we were taught on how to use the Internet appropriately in school. I believe that this was also the year that I set up my first e-mail account.

I currently use the Internet most often for classes and for communicating with my friends and family members. I use my cell phone quite often to make calls and send text messages. I also use Facebook and Skype to keep in touch with others. While it does have its faults, I feel that the Internet has evolved into an extremely useful resource.