Being a CUPID Associate this semester has taught me a good deal about writing for a professional audience. When people asked me to describe what I was working on I could talk about a specific project, but I had difficulty articulating the class. My go-to answer was that being an Associate is a lot like having an internship. There were deadlines to meet, a real audience established, and deliberate expectations set by the other Associates and Dr. Pope-Ruark. On top of these factors, each of the Associates focused on a project or two throughout the semester and saw it through completion. We relied on each other to complete individual tasks that contributed to the overall representation of CUPID Associates.
Associate Maggie
In order to uphold our ethos established by previous Associates, we had to complete tasks on time and to the best of our abilities. The Associates helped me complete tasks, and I assisted their needs when requested. I think this is very applicable to professional communication in the workplace. Where you rely on your co-workers to complete their projects and encourage their growth while working on your own tasks. This environment allows a reciprocation of learning.
This semester I focused on updating the content on the website, categorizing the resources in the CUPID lab, and producing a video on the CUPID lab. The first part of the semester I worked on balancing and updating the posts on the website. This required finding out more information on topics and interviewing past Associates. I learned a good deal from that experience, especially the need for prompt, professional communication. In the end, the pages featuring the projects on the CUPID Elon website are balanced and comprehensive thanks to the help of interviews and research.
The other project I worked on was categorizing the books and electronics in the CUPID lab. There are some fantastic books on a wide range of topics in the CUPID library that not many students know of. I went through and made a reference sheet with the titles and important information such as year, topic, and author.
Books in the CUPID Library
The last project I worked on was producing, filming, and editing a video for the CUPID lab. At our Associate meetings were discussed that the blog should be a multimedia experience where readers can engage in text, images, sounds, and videos pertaining to CUPID. We have made a conscious effort to include posts that include images and outside links to interesting videos or trailers. But as the semester progressed I wanted to challenge myself to put together a video.
As a professional writer, I really understand the importance of visual rhetoric and the ability to convey a message using images and sounds. I felt that a video would add to our range of media and extend the idea of professional writing. With this in mind, I shot video with a camera one evening in the lab. As a novice filmmaker, I experimented with lighting and different shots. I edited the material in Avid Media Composer and added in audio and titles.
While in the editing stages, I realized many ideas from the rhetorical triangle are also applicable to video. For example, I looked at the audience of the video as readers of the blog and took into consideration the context they would have of the lab. I realized I needed to put in certain titles as clues for the audience, but there were titles that I left out because the audience already has a certain level of understanding.
Fall 2012 Associates
I learned very important features of filming, especially the need to check your audio as you are filming. I had filmed many interviews with fellow Associate Emily Bishop, but later found out that the camera did not record the audio because of the levels of the microphone were turned off. But the most important thing I learning from this project was the importance of multimedia literacy. I am realizing that the publishing world is shifting to place more importance on digital convergence. To make the CUPID blog more relevant and improve my skills and proficiencies, it was a good learning challenge to develop, shoot, and produce a video.
I have thoroughly enjoyed my time as an Associate. I want to thank Emily, Christine, and RPR for facilitating my learning and growth throughout the semester.
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