(1) Be in a group of 3-4. Ideally, these won’t just be the people you always work with. Move around. Each group will compose one response to this blog post before leaving class. This response should include detailed answers to one or two the italicized questions below. It also needs to include a response to part 4.
(2) Start acquainting yourselves with The Where, The Why, and The How. Take a look at the pdf and the color images posted to Courseweb. Read the introduction and at least one example closely. What do you notice stylistically? How the sentences work? Do you have a favorite—how does it work? What is most notable about the content of the piece(s) at hand? How do the texts and images work together and/or against each other?
(3) Take a look at the following NY Times pieces.
A Surgical Procedure’s Risks Go Unmentioned – How is the nature of the text here similar to the texts in The Where, The Why, and The How; how is it dissimilar? Take note of the style of the art – how does it work with and/or against the text? If you had to assign a question as the title for this piece, what might that question be?
Who Made That Corkscrew? – How is the nature of the text here similar to the texts in The Where, The Why, and The How; how is it dissimilar? How does the art work with and/or against the text?
*** (4) Look again at the WWH’s table of contents. What makes a good title question? Name at least 4 features. For each member of your group: come up with as many questions as possible. Aim for 7 or more each.
Writing (for) the Public - Sp 2014 
Group: Ellen, Morgan, Diana, Alyssa
Q; What do you notice stylistically
For “How does gravity work”, they put the apple and the universe together. They use more scientific words and there are also personal words that goes along with the article. For the apple image, they do a good job relating the concept of gravity and space, there was an cause and effect relationship in the image.
Q: How do the text and the image work together or against each other?
The test talked about dark matter and dark energy, the image does a good job portraying the the two concepts, the image shows the light and the dark. the contrast impact the eyes and grabs the readers attention. A lot of the times, scientific articles can be rather boring, but the images did a good job grabbing our attention. The text is usually more scientific than the image. So having an image along with the article is a good balance.
(4) Features
– Needs to be specific that it only asks one question
– Engaging
– Thought provoking
– Simple diction, clear, concise for a wider audience.
Sophia Yanik, Marissa Ghantous, Ben Hoffman, Kara Poliskin
2. The author uses scientific diction to further illustrate his knowledge in the topic. Also, the sentence structures are complex and somewhat long. The author gives detailed information in a small space. The images reflect what the text is saying because there is the vision of the stars. Similarly, the picture adjacent to question 1 looks detailed and complicated.
4. Features: concise, basic, not easily answered, thought provoking
Questions:
What makes a bully?
Why is it easier to bully hidden behind a cellphone?
Can you things on the internet ever be legal?
Why are parents unaware?
What qualifies as sustainable foods?
Where is it most popular?
We focused on “How Much of Human Behavior is Predetermined?”
What is notable about the content of the piece?
-The example is titled with a question, which the combination of the text and image attempt to answer. The text provides an explanation of how science attempts to explain human behavior, but ultimately concludes that the scope of science is limited and cannot provide a complete and total picture of why human beings act as they do.
Do you have a favorite sentence– how does it work?
We particularly enjoyed the final sentence: “Alas, this a moral question, and science cannot answer it.” This is a bold sentence that makes a statement that some people (particularly those interested in science) might disagree with. The sentence allows further discussion; although it concludes this particular example, it leaves the reader with something to think about and explore after finishing the piece.
How do the images and text work together/against each other?
We found some discrepancies with the text and image. In the text, the author writes that none of the interesting human behaviors are influenced by genetics, but the image suggests that a portion of our genetic make up is responsible for behaviors, such as our reaction when bitten by a spider. There’s a lot of room for interpretation. We found this project extremely abstract and difficult to swallow all at once.
What makes a good title question?
1. Thought-provoking
2. Appeals to things the reader is interesting in
3. Offensive, or nearly offensive
4. Comedic or humorous
5. Confusing- encourages readers to explore
Good title questions we could use
Kaylie
1. What parts of my body are important to make a good swimmer?
2. What are three ways to get healthier?
3. What role does the heart play in cardiovascular exercise?
4. What foods best fuel the body?
Natalie
1. What does your arch say about your stride?
2. Does your playlist influence your workout?
3. Are the color of your shoes a reflection of your soul?
4. Does working indoor or outdoor influence your running style?
Caroline
1. What effects when babies talk?
2. What does their eye contact mean?
3. What does your preferred form of technology say about you?
4. Should 2-year-olds use iPads?
Erika, Alyson, Allison
We chose the question: “How much of human behavior is predetermined?” We feel that the text and image work very well together because the person in the picture is defined by his genetic makeup/chromosomes, which is the topic of the section of text. We also thought it was cool that the illustrator included a spider in the picture since it is mentioned in the text; it really tied in the text with the image in our opinion. We found this example to be notable because it is a very common question, and the text doesn’t even attempt to answer it: we do not know how much of human behavior is predetermined, yet we still think make constant moral judgments in our society.
In terms of what makes a good question, we feel that by looking at the table of contents that brief questions that ask about straightforward facts are most beneficial to this type of project. The questions are reminiscent of those that a child would ask; they are simple and to the point. There is no flowery language or puns being utilized because the nature of the question in itself is interesting and attracts attention. Also, the questions may appear to have an answer when in fact they can only be answered with just theories that are not definitive and yet not often questioned more.
Potential questions:
1. How does Adderall work?
2. What are the differences between a depressed brain and a healthy brain?
3. Why should we take art classes?