Monthly Archives: January 2017

There are many different forms and styles of writing. Some people may feel like less is more, while others say that detail is everything. For the majority of the time, it is best to keep writing simple and clean. Below are some examples that give a better understanding of effective writing. 

Writing with clarity:
Poor Example: We looked for the tools on the floor in the shop and we couldn’t find them. 
Better Example: We looked for the tools on the shop floor and could not find them. 

Reducing Clutter
Poor Example: Due to the fact that I have a test tomorrow, I will make sure that I study and I will also make sure that I complete all of my homework assignments tonight. 
Better Example: Because I have a test tomorrow, I will study and complete my homework assignments tonight. 

Sentence Variety
Poor Example: My mother is a teacher at an elementary school. Last year, she won the teacher of the year award. We were very proud. 
Better Example: We were very proud of my mother, an elementary school teacher, for winning the teacher of the year award last year. 

Sentence Emphasis:
Poor Example: The police officer said that the car crash was very serious and the driver is lucky to be alive
Better Example: The driver is lucky to be alive after a very serious car crash, the police officer said. 

My second week in class was was exciting. We learned about basic graphic design elements on Tuesday. I enjoyed learning the basic elements that would be included in many of our projects throughout the rest of the semester. I never knew there was so many things to consider when doing graphic design. I think learning about the basics will help me keep in mind what to do when designing. 

On Thursday Croom taught us the ins and outs of typographty. We learned how choosing the right font can effect the mood and overall goal of a graphic design piece. Learning about the history of typography was fascinating. Learning all the key terms that go with typography I think will be helpful when considering what font to use and how to properly space words/letters. At the end of class we played different typography games. These games were fun and helped me improve my attention to detail and the difference between serif and sans serif. This week interesting and I think will be very helpful for my future designs!

   This week in PR Pubs, we focused on the basic values and principles of design and typography. Our assignment was to find designs and fonts on campus and discuss how said values and principles were applied to them.
      To start, I visited my girlfriend at an OU IT service center and found one of their training posters.

      As you can see, there are more than the two to three font types we’re advised to use in a single design; however, considering this particular page is meant to promote better memory of the listed steps, that flaw might be considered a strategy here.
       Despite its lack of visual interest, it does boast legible fonts. Its most important point is in red and, if my seventh grade obsession with the font is any indicator, Papyrus.

      This is another design from the same center. I actually like this one, because it’s both cohesive as a piece and in consideration against other posters and messages across campus. Most of them, as seen here, tend to use sans serif fonts. The fact that this one also includes its specific logo within OU along with OU’s crimson ties the whole piece together.
         I also appreciate the simple design above the check-in station that clearly depicts an OU ID card. It’s always a help to those who don’t speak English as their first language or who have learning disabilities to include a widely understood visual aid that helps get the point across.
       These pieces from a student-focused, client-oriented group on campus have provided what-not-to-do versus what-to-do examples, and I hope I’m able to create works more like the latter.

This week we started to learn about the design elements and I’m very excited. Graphic design was something that I really enjoyed and always wanted to get better at but never had the chance, and now I do. Learning about where typography came from and all the different aspect of it was really cool because having a deeper knowledge of what I’m doing also make me feel better at it. I always knew that there was space between lines of text but I didn’t know that was called leading until now. There’s a lot that goes into design text and choosing the right font or size for a design. There’s so many different fonts and typestyles that I didn’t know about before. 

Design is a way that the designer can express themselves but you can only go so far before it’s illegible or too clutter or too sparse. It’s a perfect balance that’s difficult to master and that takes time. I hope during my time in this class I will become better at balancing my designs with the hope that people will want to look at them. The design principles are there as a guide for a designer so the audience will be interested in the design. Legibility is one of the most important elements because if it isn’t legible, why did you make it? That’s why I think typography is the most important aspect of design and one of the best parts the process.

What gets me *jazzed* about public relations is that the field is always growing and shaping new possibilities. I’m also really bad at math and there’s not a lot of that in PR. ​I’ve noticed that public relations professionals hold themselves to a higher standard and strive for excellence in everything they do which is something I try to do everyday and I want to get better at doing. What motivates me to be the best I can be is my family because they have supported me through numerous major changes and crazy life decisions. No matter what I do or decide they’ve always been by my side cheering me on and I don’t want to disappoint them.

Writing fits into everything I do in life. From tweeting to writing papers in class I have to write all of that. I will definitely say that I’m not super confident in my writing ability and I think I can get a little crazy sometimes with fancy words and it gets really cluttered or it sounds rantesque like it does right now. I want to grow and become a much better writer than I am right now and I know that I have a long way to go. I’m determined and excited to begin this class and to succeed. I never back down from a challenge and a challenge this class will be.