Blog 10: Self Reflection

1. How do you think you are doing so far in your senior project and why?  P, AP, CR, or NC
With my senior project, thus far, I think I am doing fairly well. Personally, I believe I am doing AE work for various reasons. First off, my research has been extensive and relevant, I have had great interviews (in total 4), and have turned in everything on time (except one interview deadline), all even though I switched my topics twice this year. Also, I have received AEs and Ps on all my work in reference to my senior project thus far.
2. What one thing do you think you have done well on and why?
One thing in particular that I believe I have done well on is my research. I have learned so much from my research in the past couple months from various sources such as websites, news articles, books, and interviews. Personally I believe that the most important part of the senior project is the research because it is the basis for all of the other components and it is a part that I believe I have excelled at. 
3. What is one thing you would like to improve on and why?  
One thing I would like to improve on would be my service learning. I really would like to have more hours not only for a better grade, but also because I want to gain more experience on my topic. So far I only have 8 hours working at the Poly Post newspaper, however, I plan to gain more hours through doing service learning with the Editor-in-Chief of the newspaper and going with her to seek stories during winter break such as at basketball games and such for the paper's website. Not only will this help me in terms of hours, but also in getting out of the office type work that is required in journalism and getting myself immersed in the action of journalism; getting stories on the 'streets'. 

Blog 9: Science Fair Proposal

REDONE
As of: December 8th, 2011
1. What is your hypothesis?

If a journalist has been in the business for over ten years, then their income will range from $60,000 to $75,000.
2. Identify the dependent (produced), independent (manipulated) and control variables in your hypothesis.

Dependent Variable(s): Income

Independent Variable(s): Experience in terms of years in business

Control Variable(s): Journalists in the United States
3. What is the connection between your science fair project and your senior project EQ?

My senior project EQ is about success and what is most important to gain success in journalism. My science fair project is about measuring success by using income as a measure of success.
4. How will you perform the experiment?  Include the equipment you plan on using.
Materials
-Computer/Laptop
-Internet Access
-Email address ( specifically for this experiment)
-Survey
-100+ journalists with various experience levels, income levels, and employers

*I will produce a survey asking the following questions: (I will produce the full survey script within 24 hours): 
1) How long have you been in the journalism field? (Ex: College graduation to date)
   a. 0-5 years
   b. 6-10 years
   c. 11-15 years
   d. 16-20 years
   e. 21+ years
2) What is your approximate current income per year?
   a. Under $20,000
   b. $20,000-$40,000
   c. $41,000-$60,000
   d. $61,000-$80,000
   e. $81,000-$100,000
   f. Over $101,000
3) How would you describe your current employer?
  a. Freelance Journalism
  b. Magazine or Journal
  c. Newspaper (Local or National)
  d. News Agency
  e. Other
*I will contact various magazines, publications, and employers to journalists by using the Internet/magazines.
*I will email the EXACT SAME survey to AT LEAST 100 journalists from various income levels, experience levels, and employers.
*I will take this data and create a graph to compare the relationship between experience level and range of income for journalists. 
*In addition, I will research data from the U.S. Census Bureau on the recorded income of journalists in the United States and compare my gathered data with the U.S. Census Bureau data. 
5. Which category will your project be listed under? 
Behavioral/Social Science

Blog 8: What I've Learned So Far

1. What have you learned how to do since you started working on your senior project?
I wouldn't say that I learned how to do this, but I definitely improved it. I learned how to improve my copyediting skills. At the Poly Post, most of the time I am editing stories that will be featured in the weekly newspaper issue. This includes making grammatical corrections, giving feedback, and giving suggestions for improvement on stories.
2. Post evidence of this accomplishment.  It can be in the form of a picture, video, document, etc..

Photo 1 (Above): This is one of the various stories I have copyedited while at the Poly Post Newspaper.
3. What research helped you to do this and how?*
The following research helped me because it featured AP style writing and how to write it, which is what is used for writing the Poly Post. Thus, by reading this article, I was able to know what corrections needed to be made, what to do, and what not to do when writing AP style. Prior to working at the Poly Post, I had heard about AP Style writing, but never actually used it or knew much about it. For example, when an article I was copyediting at the Post came in, I knew how to correct percentages from 5% to 5 percent, among other corrections needed. Another form of "research" would just be my service learning because before I receive a story to copyedit, it has gone through the rest of the editors, thus it gives me an idea on what the editors are looking for and what they want and do not want in the stories. 


Article: The Basics of Associated Press Style by Tony Rogers (http://journalism.about.com/od/writing/a/apstyle.htm)

Blog 7: Independent Component 1 Plan Approval

1. Write a description of what you plan on doing for your independent study component.

For my independent study component, I plan on working on the I-Poly Yearbook, The Globe. There I will be working on copy (print journalism) and photojournalism. As Assistant Photo Editor, my work will include taking photos at school events, choosing photos for the yearbook, interviewing for possible stories, attending weekly editor meetings, etc.

2. Describe in detail how you think your plan will meet the 30 hours of work requirement.

Yearbook work takes quite a bit of time. I have yearbook elective twice a week for approximately 1.5 hours each time totaling into roughly 3 hours a week. In addition to that, I attend weekly editor meetings that are approximately 1.0 hour each week. In total, I will be working on yearbook for 4 hours per week. Since the due date for the Independent Component is until early February and there are about 13 weeks of school weeks until that deadline, I will have the 30 hours of requirement done by that date, if not more than the required hours.

3. How does your independent study component relate to your EQ?

Since my essential question and senior project revolve around the topic of journalism, yearbook is the perfect fit. The answers to my essential are most likely going to be skills and qualities needed for success in journalism, so what better place to practice and perfect the skills I will gain from my senior project research than yearbook. 

Blog 6: Defining the Essential Question

1. What is your EQ?
My essential question is: What is most important to success in journalism?
2. Define the words in your EQ to make sure we are on the same page regarding what your EQ means.
Important: most essential, most necessary
Success: Having a stable career, having recognition to some degree
Journalism: As of now, my topic is journalism in general, but I am most likely leaning toward having my topic be in print or photojournalism. Thus by journalism I mean the profession of working at newspapers, magazines, or any publications.
3. What are some possible answers to your EQ so far? 
As of now, some possible answers would be:
-Time management skills
-Experience
-Having interviewing skills
-Having a proper education in journalism
-Having journalistic ethics
-Having journalistic integrity
-Having journalistic credibility
-Being a good communicator 
4. What has been your most important source and why?  Be specific.  If it is a person, name them and what they do, if it is an article, book or video, name the title and author.  
My most important source to date would have to be: "10 Tips for Journalistic Success" by Bob Eggington. This article has been important to my research and my essential question because even though it is short and simple, it laid out everything that journalist's should have including time management skills, discipline, and connections.

Blog 5: Second Interview Questions

Revised on October 24th, 2011


For my second interview, I will be interviewing Doug Spoon, the Faculty Advisor of the Poly Post newspaper on Cal Poly Pomona University. I am doing my service learning at the student-run publication.

Some questions I have are the following:

1) How did you come to be the Faculty Advisor for the Poly Post?

2) What are your duties as Faculty Advisor?
3) Apart from your experience with the Poly Post, what other experience do you have in the field of journalism?

4) What is your educational background?

5) What does journalism mean to you and why?

6) What makes a good journalist? (Skills, qualities required, etc.)

7) What would you say is key to running a large publication like the Poly Post?

8) In your opinion, what is the most important part of the newspaper?

9) What drew your interest into becoming a part of journalism/being part of the Poly Post?
10) What positive and negative aspects have you taken from journalism?


I will also be interviewing Cecily Arambula, she is the Editor-in-Chief at the Poly Post and current communications student at Cal Poly Pomona University. Prior to becoming EIC, Cecily was on the Poly Post staff, as well. 


I will be asking the following questions:

1) How did you come to be the Editor-in-Chief for the Poly Post?

2) What are your duties as Editor-in-Chief?

3) Apart from your experience with the Poly Post, what other experience do you have in the field of journalism?

4) What is your educational background?

5) What does journalism mean to you and why?

6) What makes a good journalist? (Skills, qualities required, etc.)

7) What would you say is key to running a large publication like the Poly Post?

8) In your opinion, what is the most important part of the newspaper?

9) What drew your interest into becoming a part of journalism/being part of the Poly Post?

10) What positive and negative aspects have you taken from journalism?

Blog #4: Presentation Reflection

1.  In what way did the first interview affect your presentation?  Please explain, be specific and use an example.
My first interview was for my previous topic in interior design, but I did my presentation on my new topic (as of now) that is child care. The two are not similar in any way, so unfortunately I wasn't able to use the information from my first interviews for my presentation.  
2.  What you say stood out about your presentation performance and why?
In my opinion, what stood out about my presentation performance was the organization I had with my board and my order. Although I forgot one step due to my overall nervousness, I think that order was shown through my presentation. 
3.  What was the most challenging to do and why?
The most challenging thing for me was to keep under five minutes. I was so worried about going over my time that I forgot one of the steps I had planned earlier in my rough and final drafts. 

Blog #3: Senior Project Presentation 1

Five Minute Presentation Rough Draft

Lesson: Types of Child Care

Objective: Students will learn to identify several of the different types of childcare facilities. These include: Day Care Centers, Family Child Care, and In-Home Care.

Procedure:

1.     I will introduce my lesson by asking, “How many different types of child care facilities can you think of?” and I will call on three students to give their opinions/thoughts. (20 seconds)

2.    I will announce to the students that the lesson I will be giving is titled Different Types of Child Care. (15 seconds)

3.    I will then communicate to the audience what my objective is for this mini lesson. (See Objective above). (15 seconds)

4.     Using my presentation board, I will show the students a table of the three basic types of child care that includes a photo and a basic description. Here, I will expand briefly on each specialty. (1 1/2 minute)

5.     Next, I will check for understanding by calling on students and having them guess the type of child care like explained in the “Check for Understanding” section below. (1 minute)

6.     I will then communicate to the audience what my overall goal for this year and my senior project is. This is that I wish to discover something that I hope will become a career for me. (30 seconds)

7.     I will conclude with asking the students if they have any further questions or need any clarifications on the mini lesson. (10 seconds)

Approximate Total Time: 4 minutes

Check for Understanding: I will check for the students’ understanding by having the students play a small game. At the end of my lesson, I will have the students guess the type of child care by giving them clues and then calling on three students. Example: Which type of child care requires the caregiver to visit one’s home? Answer: In-Home Care.

Resources/Materials: To further enhance my lesson, I will be using a poster board organized as a table to show the different categories of child care. This will include a photo or sketch and a brief description about each specialty and their basic pros and cons.

 Evidence of L.I.A.

Literal: Thus far, I have learned many facts about child care and the different types that exist within it. For example, I didn’t know that there were so many different types of child care like Montessori schools, faith-based schools, in-home care, nurseries, etc. that served various clients, children, and purposes.

Interpretive: For this portion, I will draw connections from our lives as children. Almost every child in America has had some sort of caregiver be it a family member or at a facility meaning most of the audience members will have some sort of memory of a daycare they attended. Later in life, we will also have to deal with child care if we have children of our own. This, I believe, will allow students to further comprehend and identify what each of these different types of child care are.

Applied: This will be included in the conclusion of my Five Minute Presentation where I will communicate to the audience what I hope to achieve this year, which is that I hope to learn more about child care on a more professional basis and maybe even take it to the next level and make it a career.

Blog #2: Interview Check (Interior Design)

1. Who are you interviewing and why?
For my first interviews, I have chosen to interview two interior designers in my area.
For my first interview, I will be interviewing Barbara Volk. She is an interior designer at Classic Touch Interiors in West Covina, CA. I chose to interview her first because Classic Touch Interiors is in my community area and also because they are an established interior design business with years of experience.
For my second interview, I will be interviewing Lissette McKindle. She is the Interior Design Manager at IKEA in Covina, CA. I chose to interview her as one of my first interviews because she has experience at IKEA and offers a different perspective into the world of interior design than that of an interior designer at a design firm, like my previous interview. She works with various customers on a daily basis through IKEA offering interior design advice as well being a salesperson for IKEA all at the same time.
2. What additional questions will you ask them (in addition to the 5 we require)?
In addition to the five assigned questions, I plan to ask Ms. Volk and Ms. McKindle the following questions: 
Q: Why did you choose interior design as your profession?
Q: In your opinion, what is the most important element when designing a space (e.g. lighting, texture, color, etc.)
Q: In your opinion, what is the best part about being an interior designer?
Q: What is a typical day for you, professionally?

Blog #1: Senior Project Topic

Q: What is your senior topic?
My senior project topic is Journalism. As of right now (09/27/11), it's just journalism, but I hope to narrow it down more specifically once the year progresses. I have changed my topic several times, but now I am 99.9% sure it will remain journalism for the rest of the year. 
Q: Why?
The reason behind this is because Journalism is something I have wanted to do as a career for some time. In the future, I hope to become a writer, professionally, thus I also want to major in either English or Journalism when I attend college. I have experience with journalism from yearbook and just love researching, writing, and being creative.
Q: What do you hope to accomplish after studying this topic all year?
After studying the whole year about journalism, I hope to narrow down on what I want to pursue as a career in the field of journalism. I also hope to get my foot in the door to possible internships I will need in college next year when I will hopefully be a journalism/communications major.