Hands on Advice

As the semester slowly comes to an end I find my self reflecting on how much I've learned and how much I thought I knew but didn't until taking this class.  I must say taking this class will be a great asset for me in the future.  The skills learned in this class will not only help you get through your courses in college efficiently but will also help you excel thereafter in the future.  From mastering new techniques for common programs such as Microsoft Word and Excel to learning completely new skills for not so common programs such as Expression Web and Microsoft Assess, the skills taught in this class can be appreciated by any group of people. From statistical wizards to artistic proteges, this class will meet the needs of everyone.  I've really enjoyed this class and have learned so much. No longer do I sit at my computer with a puzzled look when trying to finish my lab report using Excel or glare angrily when figuring out how to format a specific document. My advice for incoming students is to come to class with the intent of learning something, because no matter how technically equipped you think you are you WILL learn something new.  Be sure to finish assignments on time and don't forget to save them in the right folder. In addition don't hesitate to be creative on assignments, but just be sure to know when it is the right time to show your your imaginative side. 

Sights on Websites

With a blend of professional designs and creative motifs, the websites made by the class offered something new and unique to see and learn.  The websites were all well structured and offered ingenuity in numerous ways.  Although, I personally enjoyed visiting all the websites three of my favorite websites were those of Kim's, Kaileigh's, and Elena's.  

Each of the websites offered something innovative and appealing.  I really liked the layout of Kim's website. I found the idea of relating a story of one her characters very creative and the comic strips and stories were really entertaining to read.  In addition I found the colorful scheme of the website very appealing especially since it correlated to the subject of her website.  Similarly I found Kaileigh's layout very well structured and creative.  The use of different colors and the reformatting of pictures by adding borders made her website aesthetically appealing.  I particularly liked the movie page, which provided short reviews and whose background correlated to the theme of the page.  Elena's website likewise offered something innovative.  The use related styles of the page made the website fit together.  Each page offered something different, but at the same time correlated to the main topic of the website.  The pictures were fun to look at and the tips and details entertaining to read.

 Along with being well designed, all the websites created by the class held something personal, creative, and new to share, which is a sign of a good website and a job well done.

P.S. you can visit my website www.cs.trinity.edu/~emahmood

With a second group of PowerPoints came a second batch of enlightening presentations.  The PowerPoints presented Tuesday were all extremely well crafted and presented equally intriguing topics in an entertaining manner as the previous group of presentations.  A specific presentation I truly enjoyed was that of Elena Grout's.  Her presentation on Nanowrimo was well designed from the individual slides used to the layout of text and photos applied.  Her layout related perfectly to her topic, making her presentation more cohesive and effective as a whole.  She also had great control of the topic and presented it eloquently making it really enjoyable to be part of the audience.  Ending on this note, I must say, I really have learned a lot from the presentations and thought that every one did a wonderful job of sending across a message through the use of effective PowerPoints.

An Octopus and Crater Prevail!

With an array of topics and diverse applications of PowerPoint features, the presentations from class were both entertaining and informative. From the the topic presented  to the features used, each PowerPoint presentation had something different to offer. From following the rule of adding images to convey a message to adding text in varying amounts, each presentation offered something new and enabled us as an audience to determine which method and application of a presentation seemed most effective.  

Although I genuinely enjoyed each of the presentations and all of them offered something interesting and beneficial as both on a PowerPoint and general knowledge standpoint, two presentations I thoroughly enjoyed were Kaileigh's "Evolutionary Biology: Case Study of Octopuses"  and Brandon Shaw's "Planetary Biology: Crater's".  Both presentations effectively utilized animations, media, text and intriguing topics and were presented in a way to appeal to any audience.  

 

Kaileigh's presentation applied effective use of images to convey a message.  In addition the layout for the presentation was consistent and was well related to the theme of her topic.  Her personal animation with sound was also a great touch, bringing the presentation to a whole new level by making the audience better relate to the topic. On a similar yet subtly different note, Brandon's presentation was equally as effective and entertaining with its application of media, via a video clip and personalized slides.  Brandon had great control of his topic and articulated it in an enjoyable yet informative fashion.

 Both of these presentations as well as all the others presented provided me with a wealth of information on general non-PowerPoint related subjects as well as PowerPoint related matters.  Each presentation was unique, effective, and informative in many ways.

Good PowerPoint Gone Bad

Useful, Convenient, Fun; PowerPoint presentations have become an eminent tool utilized by nearly all. From high school students, to professors, and business executives, PowerPoint presentations enable one to efficiently convey a message in a meaningful and entertaining fashion.  Implementing various tools offered by PowerPoint, one is able to dress up a dull and often difficult to visualize presentation into eye appealing narrative.  Although creating a PowerPoint presentation is relatively straightforward and easy, creating a good   PowerPoint presentation seems to be difficult on various accounts.  As the author of the article "Really Bad PowerPoint- and How to Avoid them" Seth Godin proclaims, "Almost every PowerPoint presentation sucks rotten eggs".  However, this by no means is the fault of the creator.  Living in a technologically advance era we tend to rely on technology to complete tasks easily, which is highly beneficial, but often times we forget the intuitive thought that must also be applied to these tasks.  Using the preset templates, fonts, colors, and textboxes we hope to fly through the process of creating a PowerPoint, which often turns out to dull and difficult to conceptualize.  Recognizing the various takes on what makes a good or bad PowerPoint from the articles given, I believe there are 5 major considerations one should make while creating a PowerPoint such as;

1. Keeping it clean and simple

2. Adding vital and major text only

3. Applying a self-created theme

4. Utilizing high quality graphics 

5. Using colors effectively

The degree or amount of text used is often a debatable matter when creating PowerPoint presentations.  The authors of the articles argue that limited text is the best in the case of a PowerPoint.  Arguing that text in PowerPoints should be limited as 6 words per slide or considering 1 figure as "even better" I find the articles guideline questionable.   Although I agree text should be limited as long arrays and bullets of text can make a slide dense and difficult to understand the main points, I find the limit to be too drastic.  The amount of text added should be sufficient enough to not only stand on its own but also not be completely void of detail as this could lead to vagueness.  

Alas my final advice to those seeking to make a good PowerPoint is to have fun or at least be interested while making it.  For in the end those that are personalized and intuitively conceptualized stand apart as the good PowerPoint from the bad.

The Greater Good of Excel

Expertise on Excel can be vital for many purposes.  The perfect tool for almost any type of statistical or graphical analysis, the program has been a predominant media source used in many science and mathematic courses.  These two fields by no mean limit the scope for which Excel can be used.  It is also a great tool for managing personal accounts and simply getting a better understanding of a certain set of given data.  

For long my experience with Excel has primarily revolved around the basics.  From entering data to creating charts, my general perspective on Excel was using it for simple tasks for a set of lengthy data. However, through this course I have learned that Excel can be utilized for many more complex and meaningful functions.  By learning how to incorporate the different functions, specifically the "IF" function and understanding how it can be applied to a variety of situations both for academic and personal reasons is something I really appreciate.  In addition learning how to select contiguous cells was an extremely helpful method.  I have constantly been left befumbled, questioning how I could combine different sets of data for a single chart, often leading me to, sadly, copy and paste numerous times.  I have already started applying the variety of skills and techniques for Excel in many of my classes and let me say I now spend more time comprehending the actual data and purpose of many labs rather than wasting my time venting out frustrations on how to actually use Excel!

Aspiring to enter the scientific field, one where labs require analysis of statistics and graphs, Excel will continue to be a valuable commodity to me and the material learned in this course can be greatly utilized to enhance dull graphs into professional documents and analyze large sets of data through simple means.

The CLT for the needs of all..

Often times we overlook the many utilities offered to us or simply find it tedious to learn how to use these new utilities.  We fail to realize how these utilities can be used for our benefit.  The AT&T Center for Learning and Technology located in the first floor of the Library is one such utility that can be highly useful and used for a number of projects.  In addition managed by a group of highly skilled and helpful staff learning how to use new equipments seems far from difficult. Including resources like computers, scanners, cameras, recording studios and much more, the CLT center can be accessed for multiple academic projects or used to enhance one's personal interest in a specific subject.  

The CLT is conveniently organized into five areas each used for specific tasks.  These areas include the Studio, the Digital Audio Lab, the Media Presentation Lab, the Video Conference Center, and the Innovation Studio.  Each lab holds high-end equipment needed for any type of project.  From media presentations to art projects, the labs in the CLT can be utilized by any student with any major.  The Studios at the CLT provides students with an open area workstation complete with Windows and Macintosh, color and black laser printers, scanners, and media editing software.  The Digital Audio Lab equipped with synthesizers and digital audio editing hardware offers students the chance to record and mix their own music or composition.  While the Media Presentation Lab offers video projections for viewing presentations, the Video Conference Center allows students to engage in video chats with people across the world.  When one needs training or wants to develop new programs, such as possible lecture podcasts, the Innovation Studio is the perfect place.

The utilities offered by the CLT are convenient for class projects.  For example, the scanners and video recording equipment can later on help in the production of personal websites for this class.  In addition these equipments could be used to create and highlight professional scientific documents by using the digital cameras and scanners provided to add photos to reports.  

No mater what task is at hand the CLT is equipped with the equipment and helpful minds needed to create professional and needless to say mind-blowing projects.

Photoshopping: Truth or Dare to manipulate...

Beneath the heavy black smoke epitomizing war, behind the cheerful college crowd highlighting diversity, and within the model body signifying perfection, lies the ever so subtle manipulative techniques used to convey slanted ideals. Photoshopping photos has for long been used as a way of promoting appeasing or often unappealing ideals that the public generally holds or dismisses.  It has become common practice to accentuate the features of an individual to make the person in question look more appealing in a photo (a general technique used by fatigued actresses to ensure they look their best or even better).  An equally common practice is highlighting or minimizing certain portions of a photo to convey a political message as seen with the notorious photo of the note inscribed by President George W. Bush.

 

The photo of the note with the text "I think I may need a bathroom break.  Is this possible?" was magnified and used as a tool to defame the character of the President.  The photo taken by Hany Farid of Dartmouth college was altered by Reuters.  Although, the note was indeed real, its magnification was a manipulation that caused a harmless, general photo to become the image of defamation and controversy.  This manipulation resulted in establishment of a false characterization, showing the President as imprudent or immature. The manipulation was significantly harmful as it not only negatively altered the context of the photo it also lead to the unjustified debasing of an autoritative figure.  Often times photos are used to show the truth, but many times the truth seen is not true at all.   

The Many Faces of Google

When someone coins the term search engine, the first site that comes to mind is often Google. Google is vastly popular in today's society, being utilized for academic and entertainment searches alike.  Although this is today's popular search engine, there are many other equally efficient search engines and many interesting features within Google itself that the general public fails to realize.  As Chris Nolan, the Assistant Librarian, discussed these vast features and search engines often obscured, I learned that Google has a lot to offer and there are certain techniques that can be utilized to easily find the best suited document for a certain need, along the way learning some amusing facts.

Google is the most widely used search engine to this day, not surprisingly it does a great deal of business to fund its growth. Google is primarily funded by the funds obtained from advertisements and sponsored links.  This search engine organizes results in the order of popularity or the number of links the site can respond back to and the reputation of the site.  For example CNN is ultimately given more weight than a unknown personal website.  In addition Google places searches in order of relevance, word frequency, and word arrangement.   The little "I'm feeling lucky" tab, the one many of us considered as a pestering unimportant hindrance on the search engine site is actually a manipulated advertising tool highlighting the efficiency of Google's organizing system by showing how searches would others be found-through time, difficulty, and luck. 

Google also utilizes indexes to relate keywords to specific websites.  Ironically, this has led to many acts of "vandalism" or means of debasing.  The term "google bombing" was created to describe the use of terms and relating them back to a particular link, setting it as an index.  This  "bombing" was the cause of linking "miserable failure" to particular politicians.  Another fault in the organization of searches, is the fact since popular links are linked to more they appear on the top of the search engine, whereas scholarily links are found more later, as they do not generally appeal to the general audience.  To counteract this problem, Google developed Google Scholar, a search engine offering primarily scholarily articles. 

Another way to obtain credible articles is to look for websites ending with .org, suggesting a non-profit organization, and .edu, suggesting an education institution.  However, these sites may not always be scholarily and may contain biases.  Sites with more advertisements also tend to be less scholarily, as a result most scholarily articles are devoid of advertisements.   Examining advertisements can also be used to determine the bias of the site.

The best bet for finding sufficient articles is to search more than one engine, as different engines gather different information.  Some common search engines include Google, Yahoo, Dogpile, and Ask.  However, directories have also been created to fulfill the needs of those looking for academic articles.  Such directories include the librarian's internet index and infomine.

Chris Nolan's discussion provided a great outlook on the vast majority of articles and documentations technology has enabled us to obtain.  In addition it showed that the growing use of technology has led many documents to be biased and often irrelevant and such articles must be avoided when conducting academic research.

Copy,right or Copyright?

From the years of elementary school, the issue of plagiarism has constantly been expressed.  "Copying others work is wrong", school teachers would explain to their young pupils.  As the years progressed, students were continuously advised not to plagiarize, the emphasis of not copying gradually elevating each year of school.  However, as students learned the basics of plagiarism, the only consequence of the act known to them was the possibility that they would receive a dreadful zero.  Many people are concealed from knowing the greater importance of plagiarism and copyright as well as the complexity of the subject matter.  I was one of those people.  The presentation given by Diane Graves, the librarian at Trinity University has opened my eyes to the gravity of the situation and the as well as the controversies surrounding it.  

 

Although the issue of plagiarism is a commonly known issue, I had little knowledge of copyright laws before the presentation. Copyright laws in the United States have dated back from the 1790's.  Then simply defined as who can copy and distribute work for a certain amount time, the laws have greatly been modified over the years, especially with the growth of technology and internet use. Copyright laws were implemented to provide protection to authors or creators of original works.  By providing an author ownership of his or her work, he or she can make copies and distribute the work and display them publicly.  The laws also partially promote creativity, calling for people to make original works rather than blatant or manipulated copies of others. 

To ensure that these laws are followed, the government has deemed it illegal for anyone to copy or distribute the work of others without gaining prior permission from the copyright owner.  However, materials from the Public Domain are exempt from this law. The Public Domain holds materials "that can be used without requesting copyright permission".  In essence they are publicly available for use.  Publications for which no author, publisher, or copyright holder can be found, also known as "orphan works" are not part of the Public Domain.  Many mistakenly believe that if the creator or author of a work is deceased or the item is out of print, that the work automatically enters the public domain.  This is not true. The term for copyright in 1790 allowed the work to be copyrighted for 14 years before going into the Public Domain, however, the current term for copyright in the US for published works is now defined as the author's life span plus 70 years.  If the work is produced by a public company then copyright extends from the date of publication plus 95 years. However, this general term was further lengthened by the Sonny Bonny Act, also known as the Mickey Mouse Protection Act.  The bill passed in 1998 extended the term of copyright an additional 20 years. Copyright laws seem to be strict and the consequences a little more harsh than just receiving a bad grade. Copyright infringement is a felony.  Criminal cases and lawsuits are possible when considering copyright infringement. 

Copyright terms have generated much controversy within the nation, especially in regards to education. The extensive length of time before a work goes into the Public Domain makes it difficult to use numerous works for educational purposes. The "Fair Use" doctrine was implemented to allow limited use of copied material without gaining permission under justified reasons, such as for education.  However, this does not mean that all educational use falls under "Fair Use".  Strict limitations are administered.  Files online can be used the first time as "Fair Use", but its utilization for a second time requires the institution to pay per person.  This in my opinion is not particularly fair.  Education is ultimately being confined as the lengthy terms of copyright keep materials out of the Public Domain.  Although the "Fair Use" doctrine is supposed to promote education, it does not serve an efficient function in the escalating world of higher education.  As the number of students in higher education increases, doesn't that simply mean that in the end an institution must pay large amounts to use a document? As institutions use funds and money to provide students with documents, which will one day enter the Public Domain, they are losing money they can instead use to pay professors or provide better technology, ultimately to improve the quality of a student's education.  The government has stagnantly stressed the importance of education. I find it ironic that in a way they may actually be limiting it by unrealistically lengthening the term of a copyright.

Facebook: A race to "friend" as many people as possible or something much more.

With the growing addiction to computer screens and the internet, our day and age has become habituated with the use of technology to complete many social activities.  Whether it be from sharing photos, to joining groups, or even communicating with others, common tasks have been facilitated through the use of the internet.  The growth of Facebook is no surprise with our societies growing need to complete things quick and on a large scale.  

Although defined as a "social networking" site, Facebook has progressed into a much more meaningful tool, used to reveal the often obscure images of everyday people.  Ironically, it has ultimately developed into a predominate figure in the academic world.  'Facebooking' has become a daily and constant activity for nearly all college students, almost analogous to life sustaining activities for some.  Although, Facebook is primary utilized by students to keep in touch with friends or acquaintances, it has gradually progressed into a mean of venting out personal ideals.  As illustrated in the article "Facebook: A campus fad becomes a campus fact" in the Christian Science Monitor, Facebook is being used to establish "groups", a novice replacement of fliers and petitions, to advertise social and political ideals.  In addition, the ability to post documents and media has provided an effective way of backing up many of these views which may otherwise be limited to a piece of paper in fliers.  It offers a quick and easy way for many students to participate in social activities and fight for a personal cause.  

I've been a stagnant opposer of "social networking" sites, but as my cousin typed my username and stood there waiting for me to type in my password I was forever constrained to the world of Facebook.  Amazingly enough, Facebook has opened me to various views and issues, often viewed through the status's of friends or the groups or events created and joined by others.  As stated by the article "Thoughts on Facebook" enables a way to share and subsequently learn.

http://www.csmonitor.com/2006/1213/p13s01-legn.html

From Word to Pages...

Throughout my middle school and high school years, being able to properly create a Word document was a requirement rather than an option.  I took a formal computer skills and accounting class my freshman year of high school, which required me to learn the general structure of Word and it's applications.  Although I have a basic understanding of Word, my level of expertise can be greatly enhanced. My connections with Word were recently limited when I switched from a Dell to a Mac and subsequently from Word to Pages (a Mac's equivalent of Word).  As I learned to navigate through the obscure Pages of Mac, I regrettably left Word behind.  I would like to brush up my skills on using keyboard shortcuts, creating indents, and changing style sets.   

The Initiation of a New Blogger

Hi! My name is Esha Mahmood.  I'm from Cedar Hill, Texas or more generally described as a "town 30 minutes away from Dallas".  Just as the name suggests, my bustling hometown is a valley adorned with a surplus of trees and a serene lake, well at least half of it.  From thriving corporations and heavy duty traffic to cedar filled landscapes and hilly drives, my town is the perfect example of an oxymoron.  Here is a google earth link for Cedar Hill. http://maps.google.com/maps?ll=32.58496,-96.951101&z=12&t=h&hl=en

Did I mention Cedar Hill is filled with bobcats and alien-like activity.  Before I get carried away with my many stories concerning these subject matters, let me tell you a little about myself.  I enjoy reading, watching movies, and traveling.  I've been fortunate enough to have come across many diverse ideas and have encountered many different cultures through these activities. Like many, I have a fascination with learning new things.  This may be why I'm a current events fiend.  My day is incomplete if I haven't read or watched the news.  Although I never quite understood why people were obsessed or addicted to certain things, I am guilty of being obsessed with the series "LOST".  I've gone through a 24 hour "LOST" marathon!  Who can blame me, the show is amazing.  

I'm on the premed path and aspire to follow the family profession.  Being brought up by a family full of physicians, I've been acquainted with medical jargon, the sanitized halls of hospitals, and the desire to help others.  I come from a small family of four, composed of my parents, my younger sister, and me, but have a large extended family and vibrant cultural background.  I've joined the chemistry, psychology, and cultural club here at Trinity University and will be joining TUVAC.  In addition I hope to participate in biological research in the near future.  I must admit, my computer skills are by no means great.  I did take a technology course my freshman year of high school, but a lot of what I know is self learned.  I am excited to be able to broaden and sharpen my skills and hope to extend my technological experience from simply using Microsoft Word and the Internet on basic grounds to much much more!

Just send me an e-mail at emahmood@trinity.edu if you want to know anything else!