Community Profile :Article link : https://www.movingtoportland.net/suburbs/lake-oswego/
The article “A Guide to the City of Lake Oswego, Oregon” was a very interesting choice of material, because it included many of the common aspects of profile writing, but also strayed in places. This article was a profile with a purpose. Observing that that this write-up was published on a website called “movingtoportland.net", it is safe to assume this profile is a resource for people who are considering moving to the Portland area or the neighborhoods around it. This article was probably written to entice these potential new community members. Author Shelly Gowdy, a local Real Estate Broker, would personally benefit from these new additions, who would then be searching for homes in her area. Written by a current member of the community being profiled, the tone is personal and the language is lively, evoking pathos. With the intent, author and audience of this article in mind, the profile is expectedly more persuasive and therefor includes a more bias perspective. Reading even the introductory sentence, you get a sense for both angles of this article. As the 21 Genres book says is common of the usual format of profiles, the writing starts with a snappy hook phrase, expressing that Lake Oswego is “not your typical bedroom community”. Yet, this statement is also evidently a positive promotion of the town. Then, Gowdy provides some of the community's history. Not only do facts such as “the first iron furnace on the Pacific Coast was built in Oswego in 1866,” build Gowdy’s credibility (ethos) by suggesting an extensive knowledge of the town, but it also adds depth and character to Lake Oswego that might make it stand out when compared to similar suburban areas. Gowdy presents many other specific facts sandwiched between appealing adjectives which work to emphasize the interest of Lake Oswego as well as incorporate a more logical approach to her presentation. Gowdy shares that Lake Oswego is a “thriving city of almost 37,000.” She also includes more direct facts like “the summit of Mountain Park (Nansen Summit) is 975 feet in elevation”, and that “in 1976, then-U.S. Sen. Mark Hatfield won approval of federal legislation declaring the lake non-navigable”. She even includes a link to the Oregon Attorney General’s Opinion considering the lake navigation, as well as many other hyperlinks such as : the Lake Oswego School District, Lake Oswego Parks and Recreation, Portland Monthly Magazine and Tryon Creek State Park, which allow the reader to explore further and see that the article’s content can be traced back to other outside sources. A link to ZipRealty is included when the article boasts that that this brokerage company declared Lake Oswego the “third best school district in the country with the most affordable homes” in May of 2013. Referencing awards and recognitions such as this, reinforces the logical appeal. An effective method of Gowdy’s is how she always follows her statements with specific examples. From the reading we’ve done, I know that adding detail is important in profile writing. When Gowdy touches on the town's interactions (another frame!), she mentions that Lake Oswego offers “a variety of community activities”, she then goes on to say, “events include the July Fourth Boat Parade and fireworks display; Earth Day, a water-quality education program; and a Christmas Holiday Boat Parade featuring lighted watercrafts”. Gowdy most likely has a wealth of personal knowledge regarding her city, yet I think it could have been beneficial for her directly cite more of her facts. She has placed footnotes at the conclusion of the article, but she could also incorporate in-text citations. Focusing primarily on framing the town itself, Gowdy mentions Lake Oswego’s residents only occasionally and refers to them in a pretty general sense. She claims that the town is largely made up of families, retirees and wealthy professionals with solid educational backgrounds. Interestingly, she also chooses to include that you can expect the to see luxury vehicles such as BMWs and Mercedes along with SUVS on the Lake Oswego streets. Gowdy selects 5 demographic statistics such as the percent of multiple methods of transportation and the average build year of the homes. Gowdy mixes selective facts, statistics, history, external sources, demographics, local insights and information with charming yet professional language to paint a favorable picture of Lake Oswego and achieve the credibility needed to successfully encourage her reader to move here.
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Wikipedia Article (croissants!)https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Croissant One of the most important things I learned in my French class last semester was where in Fort Worth I could buy the best, most authentic croissants. This kind of specialized guidance might only come from a wise French teacher, but pretty much every other detail about croissants can be found on their designated Wikipedia page! The difference between the information I got from my French teacher and that on the Wikipedia page is a matter of opinion versus fact. I was inspired to choose this topic because I love French culture and I wanted to know more about this tasty dish. Wikipedia could be equally helpful for someone who knew nothing about French cuisine and the delightful taste of this pastry and sought to gain a general understanding. Wikipedia seeks to inform its curious audience using articles that are clear and comprehensible yet neutral and detailed enough to gain an intelligent reader’s trust. As a croissants connoisseur, the opening sentence pulls me right in. The author creates a yummy image by describing the croissant as a “buttery, flaky viennoiserie pastry”. This might be considered a use of pathos because the imagery appeals to your emotion...or at least to your appetite! This brief phrase is one of the few places I identified pathos. I believe the minimal use of this appeal is intentional. In this case, it is more effective for the author to prove their knowledge with facts and statistics rather than by manipulating emotions. This introductory section which defines and summarizes the subject is included on each wikipedia page. Despite the small appearance of pathos, this introduction contains mostly ethos. The author wants to quickly gain credibility so that the reader will feel intrigued to read the rest of the article and trust its content. The next subsection, “Origin”, includes examples of ethos in the form of quotations, source citations and evidence. The author describes that the dawn of this delicious pastry began with “the Kipferl, ancestor of the croissant”. If the author knows additional background information that varies slightly from the specific topic of the page, they come across as having a deeper understanding of the subject. Later in this section, the author refers to an outside source. The article says, “the earliest French reference to a croissant was among the “fantasy or luxury breads in Payen’s Des substances alimentaires, 1853” . By citing a text and giving a date and author, the writer of this article shows that they have researched their topic using a trustworthy source. After covering the most-likely origin of the croissant, the article includes a “Culinary Legends” subsection which includes alternative stories regarding the pastry’s creation. Wikipedia strives to maintain a neutral viewpoint, and I think the effort to present multiple ideas about the creation of croissants upholds that goal. Factoring in many different beliefs is another way wikipedia can establish credibility, because it shows a wide, unbiased understanding. Logos comes in strong throughout the “Overview of Manufacturing” subsection, where the writer uses details and numbers to prove their authenticity. The text specifically states that “the ideal temperature of the dough should be around 19 C to best hydrate the ingredients”. The author gives a precise number as well as the reasoning behind it. Another detailed line says, “croissant dough is typically laminated until 16-50 fat layers are obtained. The optimal number of layers can be determined by balancing certain crumb properties with specific volume,”. Knowing such a precise process for a particular desired outcome is something only an intelligent and experienced author would know. Another commonality of Wikipedia is the readability of the article. The opening summary paragraphs of the croissant entry are simple and straightforward. Throughout the entry, the language grows more complex. By the final subsection “Ingredient Functionality During Processing”, phrases like “viscoelastic properties” and “saccharomyces cerevisiae” are being tossed out. My understanding of this section was not as clear, but stating a more scientific perspective to this snack also adds credibility. It is useful that Wikipedia includes plenty of hyperlinks in this section to assist with unfamiliar terms. There is a lot more complex information about croissants than I ever expected. By covering so many aspects of a seemingly simple subject suggests that a lot of time and effort went in to composing this article. The purpose of this page is not to make you love croissants, but to tell you everything you could ever want to know about them. Yet...it is hard to read the entire article without feeling a little croissant-craving! The main intention is to educate and inform, which can only be done when the audience trusts what their reading. The author(s) rolls together layers of ethos, logos and a sprinkle of pathos and bakes it into a convincingly factual article that is easy for the reader to digest! <---- Couldn't even wait until after the picture to take a bite.... I hardly follow any celebrities on Instagram. Frankly, I just do not care enough to keep up with their hectic and seemingly fabulous lives. University of Washington quarterback Jake Browning (HERE) is my exception.
Although Jake is a student living a fairly average life, he has many different eyes on him. Like any junior in college, he must have close friends, family and classmates following him. Jake is also a public figure trusted to embody University of Washington athletics and the values of the entire college, so he needs to uphold a positive public image. Recruiters and coaches may also be investigating his instagram as he approaches his senior season and possibly a professional football career. Most young people hoping to stay “relevant” have accounts on Instagram, but Jake is motivated by much more than a need to follow the trend. Photographs are the principal feature of instagram, paired with captions of up to 2,000 characters. The text is limited, but "a picture is worth a thousand words". Despite the lack of written explanations, Instagram easily communicates plenty of information about the user. With many audiences and objectives, Jake uses his Instagram profile to present himself as a bright, friendly, talented and well-rounded young man that friends, fans and recruiters alike will respect and appreciate. Jake accomplishes this portrayal with the subtle, almost undetectable, use of rhetorical devices. Along with utilizing ethos in his pictures, Jake also gains credibility with what is not on his account. He does not get into any “comment wars” and never posts anything inappropriate or negative. There may be some guidelines from staff regarding the content on his profile, but ultimately Jake has authority. He posts photos from moments that seem very special for him. He maintains a very personal and authentic voice. He seems very honest and humble by uploading mostly photos with others, and mentioning his appreciation for them in the attached caption. It easy to realize that Jake is a team-player. Pictured hugging teammate Dante Pettis, he says “shoutout to @dmainy8 for breaking the record tonight”. For a picture with star quarterback Peyton Manning he writes, “got to learn a few things from one of the greatest to play the position this past weekend”. This post demonstrates his respect for for others, a willingness to learn and improve, dedication to his sport and even hints at professional aspirations. Also, he adds “#sunburned” as a response to the redness in his face which shows his humor and modesty. This same post also appeals to logos. The location tagged is the “Manning Passing Academy” and the photo is with Peyton himself. Anyone receiving coaching from such a star would expectedly be a very promising player. He reinforces his athletic talent with game photos that show him running, passing, holding trophies, celebrating and playing with impressive form and rippling muscles. He lets these pictures do the talking, never adding any boastful or conceited captions. For one picture he even admits, “it wasn’t the prettiest but we’ll take a win any day”. Other times he will simply state the season record (“5-0”, “6-0”) as the caption. Another understated caption pairs with a picture of his recent acceptance letter to the University of Washington Foster School of Business. He writes, “got accepted”. Jake uses these more concrete examples of success to prove his athletic and academic chops, but a heart full of love for family friends also comes through his page. It was this pathos that enticed me to follow him. His page allows any faraway fan to see his sweet, more personal side. Among other family members, he often shares the spotlight with his adorable 5-year-old sister. The picture of her in her ballet outfit captioned with “good luck to this princess as she takes on ballet class” absolutely melts my heart. Similarly, his photos with and complimentary captions for his friends make him appear very grounded. Pictures with his buddies hanging out or in goofy poses serve as a reminder the Pac-12 Player of the Year is also a funny college student. His most recent picture of him and two friends says it best: “just guys being doods”. As we scroll aimlessly through our feeds, we don’t often stop to realize the purpose behind a picture. Taking time to review Jake’s page as whole has led me to believe he is a great guy that anybody would be lucky to have as a friend, any little girl would be lucky to have as a big brother and any coach would be lucky to have on their team. |
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April 2018
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