April 13th Response

"Choosing how to express your meaning is every bit as important as the message itself, which is really what rhetoric is," (Boyd, 87)

I like this simple definition because at times I find myself grappling with what "rhetoric" means in relation to writing. When I wrote my cover letter I tried to be very careful to sound confident but not cocky, inspired but not obsessive, etc. Writing (or talking) about myself has always been a little challenging-- I prefer to listen to what someone else has to say in a conversation because I usually find their life much more interesting than my own thoughts or actions. I also do not like to talk about myself. This made it hard for me to create my cover letter because it is a document in which I primarily describe myself and in which I also describe the things about myself that would be suited for whatever position I am applying to. Finding a balance between writing something that showed my confidence in my knowledge of the design field and also my understanding that I do not (and will never) know everything and my desire to learn more was a challenge.

I found that one of the best ways to show my knowledge of the design field was to use design jargon-- to talk about typefaces, particular design elements, and other things that only people who are experienced or knowledgeable about design would know. On page 89 Boyd references this:

"Jargon is the terminology used by those in a particular profession or group to facilitate clear and precise communication, but this rhetorical tool is not limited just to the professional world. For example, anyone who participates in a sport uses the lingo specific to that sport, which is learned by doing. Doctors use medical jargon and lawyers use legal jargon, and they go to school specifically to learn the terms and abbreviations of their professions..."

By using design jargon I not only proved that I am familiar with the design field, I communicated this in a "clear and precise" way. In doing so, I realized who my audience is (professionals in the design industry) and catered my writing to their expertise.

In Gee's introduction he discusses literary studies as being "social practices". I like this approach because it is very similar to what I was just reading about in Boyd's piece on rhetoric. It is about expression, not just what one is writing or doing. The rights and wrongs of expression change based on one's surroundings and target audience. Gee explains this with his drinking buddy scenario. This knowledge is helpful in interviews. This is because one's actions in an interview should depend upon the company he/she is interviewing with. For example- if it is a laid back office then maybe one shouldn't wear a suit whereas if it is a more upscale office one should probably wear a suit.

I'll be honest here in saying that the Cooper reading was a little hard to follow, and although I read it I don't feel that I have anything valuable to say about it.