Reflections

During the time completing this course work, I have gain many knowledge and information about issues in publication and design. Putnis and Petelin (1996, p. 234) stated as we will be keep in thinking and learning as we write more. The things I have learned and knowledge I gain are applicable in my future career. Therefore, this assignment makes me gained extra skills in web blogging, as I was not familiar with the blogging system.

Initially, discussing issues in publication and design enable me to set my purpose in targeting my audience accurately. Putnis and Petelin (1996, p. 241) says many writers did not consider the content they are writing. Hence, prior to the serious weblog I had to set my target audience, purpose, and context, thus my audience can understand and interested in the topic I discussed. Besides, I learned to choose topics carefully as I am living in a multiracial country, the topic can be offensive to other races and lead to public uproar if I did not select carefully. Although it seems limiting my skills in web blogging, I viewed it as a challenge for me to test my weblog skills. For instance, language, punctuation, and sensitive issues. Consequently, bloggers should respect other cultural background readers before posting some issues blindly.

Furthermore, I also learned that references are essential for web blogging. Copyright infringement is a serious issue if blogger did not reference upon using others information. Moreover, there are many blog readers in the internet, there is chances that others may quote our information. Hence, information accuracy is important in order to provide a credible weblog to the audience.

Reference List:

Putnis, P, and Petelin, R 1996, "Writing to Communicate", Professional Communication: Principles and Applications, Chapter 7, pp. 223-263, Prentice Hall, Sydney

Item 4 - Emoticons & Email Etiquette, Ethical Publishing, Audience Expectations, Image & Text Differences

Emoticons and email ettiquette

Many years ago, people perceive email in a wrong way because most readers are overconfident on their method of perceiving a email. The problem is that readers do not notice their mistakes of perceiving emails and they never bother to trace the sender intention. Will, a New York publisher explained different sender might change the way reader perceive the email such as emails from manager. Moreover, there is negative effect to the reader if the sender being either formal or informal, this can lead to reprimanding the reader if being too formal while informal message can lead to unprofessionalism. Furthermore, Will also explains that the way people uses email reflect the way they treat others. Some peoples are being so vague that they do not provide full information upon sending email. This is wasting the reader and sender's time in replying each other in getting the final information. Hence, emoticon has been created to explain the intention of the email users.

The main issue on this article is words can be perceived in different meaning and so do emoticon. There are many emoticons used by email user to enhance their intention while sending an email. Nevertheless, the reader can perceive an emoticon differently. According to Turnage (2007) explained that using emoticon can inflict confusion to the reader. Here is an example for further explain, a man who attached a smiley face at the end of the text, and the receiver is woman. There are many ways to interpret the email with that smiley face, firstly she can assume the sender is being friendly. On the other hand, she may also assume the sender trying to express other meaning through the email, which could make her feel uncomfortable.

In my opinion, using emoticon in emails are risky than text in email, this is due to too many perceptions from people around the world. Thus, using text would be enough to explain the sender's intention. Furthermore, Payne (2010) stated using emoticons often would lower the credibility of the email as it seems to be a less formal message, it is also common mistakes which often used by many email users. The email user should always have email etiquette in order to make your message or content credible. Emailreplies.com (2008) explained email etiquette enable a company to gain professionalism, efficiency, and protect from liability. Thus, this creates credible information and save reader's time to communicate.

Reference List:

Emailreplies 2008, "Email Etiquette", Emailreplies.com, viewed 16 June 2010, <http://www.emailreplies.com/>

Payne, C 2010, "E-mail Etiquette: A Quick Guide to Writing a Professional E-mail", Resumes, Jobweb.com, viewed 15 June 2010, <http://www.jobweb.com/resumesample.aspx?id=784>

Turnage, AK 2007, "Email flaming behaviors and organizational conflict", Journal of Computer-Mediated Communication, viewed 14 June 2010, <http://jcmc.indiana.edu/vol13/issue1/turnage.html>

Item 4 - Visuals, meaning, cultural/ situational context & photojournalism issues

The power of the photograph

Initially, there was a war in Europe and it leaves unhappy memories to the locals. Nevertheless, the tourist finds the city, Dubrovnik, attractive as it was the city destroyed during the war. There is a photo gallery in the city displaying photographic of the war. However, very few local would visit the photographic gallery due to terrific memories they had. Hence, most visitors are the tourist. Wade Goddard, the photo keeper stated an important purpose they organize this gallery, which is a photographer tells the true stories as he felt, smell and touched the story. Comparing to editors who sitting on their chair and choosing the content for the readers, the editor actually choose photograph based on their political and ideological views. Besides, Funell (2007) wanted to let the government understand the consequences on the nation before sanitising a new war. This will create impact to the women and children. Furthermore, Walsh (2006, p.32) stated photograph can give realistic feeling the reader. Hence, the tourists enable to understand the meaning of the photography by looking on it. One of the tourist said that photographs on magazine are different from what they saw in the gallery.

Turner (2004) stated photojournalism has become a special form of witnessing. This is where the issues occur where photographer and editor telling different stories in different mediums but the same event. As magazine will be published in the whole nationwide, hence the editor has to edit the multimodal text carefully in order not to bring sensitive and offensive issues to the readers. Besides, this is about war issue and it has relation to the government. Therefore, there is law and regulation that limit what a magazine can show to its reader. However, the reader might doubt the accuracy of the story from the editor

In my opinion, Wade Gorddard is doing a good thing in keeping the history alive through photography. However, this could be also bringing sadness to the locals. He is telling the true story of the war to the audience by showing "evidence" that he has. This also reminds the audience that editor does not always provide credible and truthful information to the reader. Hence, keeping the photo gallery would be good as it is always telling the true story.

Reference List:

Funell, A 2007, "The Power of the Photograph", The Media Report, ABC.Net, viewed 13 June 2010, <http://www.abc.net.au/rn/mediareport/stories/2007/2051819.htm>

Turner, L 2004, "Warfare, photojournalism, and witnessing", The Left Atrium, Viewed 14 June 2010, <http://www.ecmaj.com/cgi/content/full/170/1/82>

Walsh, M 2006, “’Textual shift’: Examining the reading process with print visual and multimodal texts,” Australian Journal Language and Literacy, vol. 29, no. 1, p.24-37

Item 4 - iPAD, New Media Ecosystem & Multimodality, Audience Expectations

Glaser & Son Review the iPad

Glaser Mark who is a reviewer went to test drive an iPad with his son in the Apple Store. Here is a short review of the iPad, Glaser stated that new product usually cost the most and features less functions. Besides, though the design of iPad is brilliant when compare to Kindle 2, but the iPad is heavy after few playtimes. Moreover, the gaming apps attracted the younger generation user with its massive looking screen and vibrant colour. The news app and browsing, which is the focus of the device are lacking of multimodal text. Multimodal texts contain various elements such as picture, audio, and video (Kress & van Leeuwen, 2006)

On the other hand, the iBooks apps launched very few books for the children although it has attractive screen. Overall, the iPad still lack of many important features such as USB port, camera, and swappable battery.

The first issue, which Glaser highlighted is lack of multimodal text in the iPad's browser. The web designer includes text and not many pictures attached. This could make the web browser look boring, and Kress & van Leeuwen (2006) explained today's reader read the pathway whatever they like. Hence, the web browser should enhance with rich multimodal text in this advance technology. The following issue is lack of books for the children. Weinreich (2000) explained that children read on new media than in hardcopy. Thus, the iPad could encourage more children to read books if it offer variety of children books. The remaining issue is about the battle with the print media. The reason for this issue is due to current readers still prefer print media than digital form. Whattheythink (2009) showed a research of adults prefer reading print media instead of digital media. Some people find it difficult to read on an Ebook, especially the senior consumer. However, this might not be an issue after few years later because Ebook is still new to the reader and all the readers need is time to adapt this new technology.

In my opinion, there is not much of issues on iPad. It can be solved with few months once new issues occurred. For instance, the ibook stores can release more children book to attract more kids to read. Besides, multimodal text can be enhanced with richer content to gain the reader's attention. Lastly, there will be updates from Apple to inform the consumer that extra features have been added. Thus, iPad usually suited people who have disposable income.

Reference List:

Kress, G & van Leeuwen, T. 2006. Reading images. Chapter 6: The meaning of composition.

WhatTheyThink 2009, "Two Out of Three Americans Prefer Print Media", WhatTheyThink.com, viewed 14 June 2010, <http://whattheythink.com/news/index.cfm?id=40687>

Weinreich, T 2000, "Children's reading habits and their use of the media", The International School Librarian's Congress in Malm

ø, viewed

16 June 2010, <http://www.cfb.dk/site.aspx?p=423>

Item 4 -Magazine Publishing, New Media Ecosystem, Audience Expectations, Genre

Magazine reader find information insufficient

How Magazines Use Social Media to Boost Pass-Along, Build Voice

As social networking site is growing more users with this years, many brands decided to maintain its customers by creating a fan page on Facebook and Twitter. Initially, the editor will post some useful message to its customers. Useful messages as in providing valuable offer to the follower. Besides, the magazine editor is trying to trace their follower's comments and fulfill their needs. According to Webpronews (2009) stated fan page owner can trace people who share its information. However, magazine fan page will attract advertiser to join the post. Therefore, magazine is helping its advertiser to voice up the brand name, creating salience to the follower.

The first issue of magazine using social networking is that editor cannot control advertiser's actions in advertising in the post. Although the editor can warn their advertiser, it does not guarantee advertiser's actions would cause follower to leave the fan page. Dawson (2007) stated that the loyal fan would leave the page once they feel the page is being commercialized. Besides, once magazine has built a strong fan based in social networking site, it is likely that they could not make mistakes in content. Kress & van Leeuwen (2006, p.204) stated different cultural perceive different text and photograph differently. Thus, mistakes such as cultural issues, grammatical issues and copyright infringement could make the fans leave the fan page. The magazine follower may bash the fan page with hatred and negative messages, this will create a bad image to the magazine. For example, Digital SLR Photography's fan page receives some negative comments about insufficient information. In addition, maintaining relationship with readers through social network is still a new strategy for the editor and the learning curve is high. One mistake could ruin the fan page. Therefore, there is no absolute strategy in building voice to the readers and editor have to be very careful in handling them because reader have authority to ruin the image of a company. However, according to Pitt (2002, p.14) the editor cannot just ignore the reader as they will leave once they are not being entertain.

In my opinion, many magazines uses social networking site to voice out their product. The editor must take effort to provide some valuable information to its readers. For instance: Brand A is giving gift if readers sign up for 3 years subscription. Besides, I do notice the reader can actually ruin a magazine's image by leaving negative comments. Thus, the editor must have to reassure that their magazine has no offensive message to the audience, as the consequences are unbearable.

Reference List:

Dawson, P 2007, "Interactive Media", Social Networking, viewed 15 June 2010, <http://www.netmag.co.uk/zine/big-question/social-networking>

Kress, G and van Leeuwen, T 2006, ‘Reading images Chapter 6: The meaning of composition

Pitt, LF 2002, "The internet and the birth of real consumer power", Business Horizons, Vol. 45, Issue. 4, viewed 15 June 2010, <http://ey8wm2dy8n.scholar.serialssolutions.com.ezlibproxy.unisa.edu.au/?sid=google&auinit=LF&aulast=Pitt&atitle=The+Internet+and+the+birth+of+real+consumer+power&title=Business+horizons&volume=45&issue=4&date=2002&spage=7&issn=0007-6813>

WebProNews 2009, "Using Facebook Traffic To Drive Brand Loyalty", WebProNews, viewed 16 June 2010, <http://www.webpronews.com/topnews/2009/10/26/using-facebook-traffic-to-drive-brand-loyalty>

Item 2. E – Good design for screen genre

A good document design for screen genre need to fulfil many criteria, and it is different from print-based text. For example, reader who read on screen usually see words and image combined with logo, menu, hyperlinks, and video clips (Walsh p.30 2006) Hence, a good document designer should follow the principles of screen design.

Slide 1

Slide 2

Slide 3

There are many ways to define a good document design for screen genre. The slides above seem to be similar in terms of design. However, Reep (p. 135, 2006) explained general document consist of balance, proportion, sequence, and consistency. The slides above did not fulfil balance design. The graphic are place in different areas each slide, thus it look imbalance when reading from slide 1 to slide 3. Besides, Reep (p.136 2006) stated that experienced designers seldom use equal amount of space for text and graphic page after page. Nevertheless, slides above have same space for text and it interfering the reader’s ability to use the document.

On the other hand, Nielsen (1997) explained in order to create a scannable text, it has to highlight the keywords for easier reading. However, the slides above contained all highlighted text. This make the reader have difficulties in finding the important keywords.

Salience is an essential theory to keep in mind, as it can create a visual clue to assist the reader to notice and remember the document easily. Factors such as foreground, background, relative size, contrast, colour, and sharpness can create salience for reader (Kress & van Leeuwen 2006) However, slide 3 does not create salience to the reader. This is mainly due to the size, and sharpness of the picture used in the slide. Furthermore, there are too many picture in one slide, hence the salience to the reader is narrow down.

Reference List

Kress, G and van Leeuwen, T 2006, Reading images. Chapter 6: The meaning of composition.

Nielsen, J 1997, ‘How Users Read on the Web’, Useit.com, viewed 19 April 2010, <http://www.useit.com/alertbox/9710a.html>

Reep, D C 2006, ‘Chapter 4: Principles of Document Design,’ in Technical Writing, 6^th edn, Pearson Edu, Inc, New York, p. 173 – 190

Walsh, M 2006, “’Textual shift’: Examining the reading process with print, visual, and multimodal texts,” Australian Journal of Language and Literacy, vol.29, no.1 p24-37

Item 2. D- New forms of media publishing

Technology growth has become a norm in today’s media trend. The media user begins to switch to a better technology in order to follow the trend. New media enable user to receive, create, and share information with the world, such as comparing TV and the Internet. The broadcast TV is declining as it only works as a ‘push’ medium, while the internet serve ‘pull’ service which user can search information they want instantly (Naughton, 2006). However, broadcast TV is not completely diminish, as some segmented audience still need it. For example, current news, and World Cup final. Therefore, the ecosystem would not disappear but a changed ecosystem. (Naughton, 2006)

Besides, current popular media such as Youtube, Facebook, Twitter, and online newspaper have changed the communication between author and reader. Youtube user can compose an entertaining video to communicate with the audience whenever they want. In addition, composing video is faster to in delivering to the audience compared to journalism. Moreover, Facebook and Twitter is changing the trend in journalism as well. Facebook and Twitter can be linked with blogs, hence the journalist can update through Facebook and Twitter with click on their computer or mobile phone. The update is done within few minutes as compared to print journalism. Clark (2009) stated that every media is moving to online as a trend to compete in the market because printed news are slowly being push to one side.

There are some issues on new media such as Youtube videos that affecting the political campaign. Petersen (2008) stated some minor videos can create major awareness from the audience. For example, “Obama Girl” actually can hurt the candidate without siding any other parties.

Reference List

Clark, JL 2009, ‘Print Journalism VS. Online Journalism’, Writing Hood, viewed 19 April 2010, <http://writinghood.com/online-writing/print-journalism-vs-online-journalism/>

Naughton, J 2006, ‘Blogging and the emerging media ecosystem’, viewed 17 April 2010, <http://reutersinstitute.politics.ox.ac.uk/fileadmin/documents/discussion/blogging.pdf>

Petersen, S 2008, ‘The Press and Political New Media’, The Bivings Report, Bivings Group, viewed 19 April 2010, <http://www.bivingsreport.com/2008/the-press-and-political-new-media/>

Item 2. C- Explain briefly types of blogging communities & methods to build blogging communities. Then, discuss the structure of one blogging communit

A blogging community is a group of blogger that being formed under one blogging platform. For example, Blogger.com, Xanga.com, and MySpace.com These bloggers might have different topic in their post, however, all the bloggers have one common interest, that is share the information that they are passionate about. There is also an interesting blogging community definition. Anthony (2009) explained that many people always think blogging community occur in cyberspace, nevertheless, there is an offline blogging community. That is blogger organize a gathering event is bar or restaurant to share their blogging thoughts. Most importantly is to socialise, make friends and share ideas.

Here is a method of creating a blogging community, this is a seven-step process suggested by Nikkis (2010)

Step 1: Read and discover other blogs you share the common interest.

Step 2: Leave comments on others blog, not to forget leaving your blog address on the comment box. Thus, the others can find you.

Step 3: Often reply comments, not necessary a lengthy comments but a simple one will do. The others will know whether their comments had been heard.

Step 4: List the blog in the directories.

Step 5: Often write more than a post in one day. This will provide variety of information to the reader.

Step 6: The content of the post have to be entertaining in order to keep the content fresh. Hence, reader would not feel bored when reading the blog.

Step 7: Marketing your own blog. Signature is essential tools to use in message board on forums and email.

There are three types of blogging communities: (White 2006)

1. Single Blog/ Blogger Centric Community:

One owner or an organisation owns the type of blog, thus there may be more than one blogger in this blog. However, this is not a blog where accumulate all the post show off to the reader. An example of this type of blog is eHow.com.

2. Central Connecting Topic Community

This group of bloggers does not attract as much blogger as Single Blog did because Topic Centric blogger focus on particular issues and interest. Hence, they take need some time to gain attention from the community. Most of the Topic Centric blogger post about food, travel and political issues.

3. Boundaried Communities

Boundaried Communities is the type of blogs that collect other blogs and blog readers under a single platform. The blog functions similar to forums as it have tools such as discussion board and social networking features. Besides, bloggers get to connect to other blogs fast and easily. Example for this type of community is Bloggst.com

The example of Central Connecting Topic Community is a group of food blogger. Eat Local Challenge. This blog has similar characteristics with Central Connecting Topic Community. It has a group of blogger to share to passion western food. Moreover, it has tools such as hyperlinks, RSS, comment box, and social networking links.

Reference List

Anthony 2009, What Is A Blogging Community, The Travel Tart, viewed 18 April 2010, <http://www.thetraveltart.com/what-is-a-blogging-community/>

Nikkis 2010, How to Build a Blogging Community, eHow, viewed 19 April 2010, <http://www.ehow.com/how_2152382_build-blogging-community.html >

White, N 2006, Blogs and Community – launching a new paradigm for online community?, The Knowledge Tree, Australian Flexible Learning Framework, viewed 18 April 2010, <http://kt.flexiblelearning.net.au/tkt2006/edition-11-editorial/blogs-and-community-–-launching-a-new-paradigm-for-online-community>

Item 2. B Classification of blogs & opinion about the most appropriate classification approach

There are various kind of blogs to be categorized, different readers find different type of blogs interesting. Hence, here are the types of blogs, subject matter, devices, and media for better understanding.

The subject matter can be classified as:

Travel blogs – Travelling experiences sharing

Political blogs – Political issues discussion

Educational blogs – Information of careers, job, and schooling

Music blogs – Opinions about music

Blawgs – Blogs that discuss on legal topics

(Revell 2009)

Devices for blog can be categorize as:

Moblog – PDA and Smartphones

Vlog – Web- Cameras

(Revell 2009)

There are different types of media for blogging:

Vlog – Blogs that compose by video

Linklog – Blogs with hyperlinks

Tumblogs – Blogs that contains missed media

Phlog – Gopher Protocol

(Revell 2009)

As blogs nowadays uses combination of styles, I do find it hard to identify the type of blog. However, I will classify the blog with the topic the blogger used if when I find it hard to classify them.

Upon comparing the classification of blogs with Revell and Margaret Simons, I find similarities and differences between these two authors. I do find pamphleteering blogs, political blogs, and Blawgs blog have similar function, that is in expressing strong point of view of certain issues. The different is pamphleteering blog does not necessary focus on political events. Educational blog, Digest blog, and Popular Mechanics blog have similarity as in most educational blogs collect information from certain platform in order to educate to the readers. On the other hand, I find news blog and music blog have the same features as well, that is providing latest information from events and press conferences.

There are some types of blogs that Revell did not mention, that is diary and gatewatcher blog. Diary blog is very popular among in the Asian cultural as this type of blog states the happenings around the blogger such as family and friends. Gatewatcher blog is very rare among the classification of the blog, as it is about a group of people who control the information exposure to the audience (ABC Radio National 2008) This is where Revell did not mention.

Reference List

ABC Radio National 2008, A Taxonomy of blogs, The Media Report 2008, viewed 19 April 2010, <http://www.abc.net.au/rn/mediareport/stories/2008/2372882.htm>

Revell, M 2009, Blogging Types, Webeditorblog¸ viewed 18 April 2010, <http://www.webeditorblog.com/ >

Items 2. A – Blogs as current phenomenon & benefits to the community

Current blogosphere

Source: Sifry

Source: Marketing Chart

The report above shows the numbers of weblogs in the blogosphere. The report was complete from March 2003 to March 2007. It shows over 70 millions weblogs existing in the blogosphere while 120,000 weblogs are created each day (Sifry 2007) In 2008, the size of the blogs has increased to 133 millions (Marketing Charts 2008) This shows the blogging community is growing rapidly as years passing by and has hit mainstream.

Current Trend in Europe, Asia and Malaysia & Types of blogs prevalent in certain countries

The current blogging trend in Europe is about institutional affairs, political issues, and agriculture issues. Bloggers seeks to find answers from their government. The bloggers also join a community to improve their country. (Bloggingportal.eu 2010)

On the other hand, BloggerBlog.com (2006) stated that 46% of the Asian blogger blog to build and maintain social relationships. While 74% of the readers prefer blogs by their friends and family. Besides, Asians blog reader does not find business and political blogs interesting. However, South Korea and India have different trends which post about self-improvement is becoming popular.

In Malaysia, there is over 74% of the blogger are below 25 years old and 64% of them are female. Nearly half of the blogging community use the medium to express their opinions. Moreover, most of the bloggers also blog about technology, travel, and music and this is similar to Asian blogosphere trend (Ooi 2006)

Benefits of prevalent blogs to the community

Political blogs

The European blogger who blog about political issues are to make the country a better place, hence, the issues can be aware and notice if political bloggers join the community to raise awareness. Blogosphere such as Bloggingportal.eu aggregate all the bloggers to strengthen up community and provide information to the readers.

Society blogs

Most Asians prefer to give personal opinions in their blogs, and certain blogs can provide professional and credible opinions in certain issues or reviews to the readers. For example, SapiensBryan is a blogger who provide latest technology news. The reader can gain information about latest technology from this blog.

Reference List

BloggersBlog 2006, 'Blogging is a Social Activity in Asia', Bloggers Blog, viewed 16 April 2010,

Blogging Portal 2010, Home, Blogging Portal, viewed 18 April 2010,

Marketing Charts 2008, 'Blogging Hits Mainstream', Integral to Media Ecosystem, Marketing Charts, viewed 17 April 2010, <>

Ooi, J 2006, 'Study: Blogging for social connection and self-expression', Blogs, CNET Asia, viewed 18 April 2010, < id="61971059">

Sifry, D 2007, 'The State of Live Web', Sifry's Alerts, viewed 18 April 2010,

Item 1. Purpose of the blog

The purpose of this blog is to discuss the issues of blogging phenomenon, types of blogs, and the blogging communities. The blogger of this blog wants to achieve his purpose by adding his opinions and media in those mentioned issues with sources to build this blog as credible as possible. The target audience, targeted audiences are university students who blogs and are aware of the blogging phenomenon.