Month: December 2023

How was it different to construct an argument that you were giving to the class as a presentation than to write an essay? 

Constructing an argument by writing it out in essay form is drastically different from giving it orally in a presentation form. For starters, the presentation is timed, while the essay format is given a word limit that if read out, would far outlast the presentation time limit. Also, the oral PowerPoint option uses photos as a medium of expression, not just words. Some presentations do not even have any words at all. 

How did you make choices about the structure of your argument? If you chose to organize your presentation in a certain way so that your audience would follow it more clearly, is that something that you could also make use of in your written work? 

Yes, I broke up my presentation into two parts, one for each comic I was analyzing. This style of organization is something I strive to do in all of my written essays. 

Was your analytical thinking process any different?

Analytically, my thinking process was immensely different when constructing a PowerPoint presentation because I had to focus on making a different point every 10 seconds. 

What decisions did you make about the visuals for your presentation? How did you go about creating an impact for the slides that accompany your spoken words?

I decided to use bits of the comics I was analyzing to accompany my points. In theory, they should have complimented my argument perfectly that silence in both “Sabrina” and “It’s Lonely at the Center of the Earth” accompanies the healing process and can either be detrimental to the character or give them space to express and get rid of the rage inside them. 

What did you learn by giving this type of presentation, where you had no control over the timing of the slides and couldn’t put much in the way of text on your slides, as compared to other presentations you have given? 

The Halfa Kucha format kept me disciplined, concise, and on task while presenting. There was no time for tangents or distractions. For someone who likes to get sidetracked and tell somewhat unrelated stories while they present, this was a challenge for me but proved useful in the long run. 

What did you notice about your classmates’ presentations that you might think about incorporating into your own presentations in the future?

Some of my classmates used generic photos rather than bits of the comics they were analyzing. I do not think I would go down that road if I had to do this assignment over again. However, that perspective is useful for other PowerPoint presentations in the future. 

What do you think you could have done better in your presentation?

One of my slides accidentally slipped ahead while presenting and messed up my speaker notes. I think if I used a different way of keeping my notes in front of me like a Google doc or a Word doc, then I would not have gotten messed up and could have moved through the presentation better. 

Halfa Kucha is a form of presentation that I have not experienced at all before. The challenge is to convey complex themes through a harmonious blend of visuals and speech, a task that offered unique insights and learning.

Constructing a clear and interesting argument is the first obstacle. I finally chose this topic because I considered both Spinning and Kindred describe trauma from a female perspective. The difference is that Spinning is a memoir that records Tillie’s personal experiences, while Kindred puts women’s trauma into a broader and historical background. Different from essay writing, the presentation demanded a more focused and streamlined approach, ensuring that each slide succinctly complemented the spoken word. Structuring the argument for the presentation was an exercise in clarity and brevity; it necessitated the distillation of complex ideas into digestible chunks without losing their essence. This experience highlighted the importance of structural coherence, a strategy I now see as equally beneficial in written work. It has taught me the value of clear, concise argumentation, regardless of the medium.

The choice of visuals was pivotal in this presentation. Each image was carefully selected to resonate with the themes of trauma and recovery, enhancing the narrative rather than detracting from it. The challenge lay in finding the delicate balance between visual impact and informational content. I aimed for each slide to evoke emotion or understanding, supporting the narrative arc. This process was a lesson in restraint and impact, teaching me how a well-chosen image can speak volumes, a principle that can be applied to enhance the persuasiveness of written arguments as well. In addition, I put some core sentences on the slides to let the audience better understand my ideas. Through the preparation and rereading of these books, I learned that mourning is an ongoing process, and reconnection is not just about getting back to “normal”. The whole recovery is about growth, acceptance, and forging a new path forward.

The unique format of a timed slideshow presentation forced me to adapt my speaking to a predetermined pace. This restriction made me more conscious of the timing and rhythm of my speech, a skill not usually exercised in other formats. Observing my classmates’ presentations was equally enlightening. Their diverse approaches to storytelling and visual engagement provided me with a broader perspective on presentation styles and different arguments. Reflecting on what could have been improved, I believe my pacing could have been better synchronized with the slides, and I could use more concise words to convey my ideas in limited time.

This experience has been instrumental in honing my skills in constructing arguments and delivering presentations. It has taught me the importance of structure, visual storytelling, and the rhythm of speech. As I move forward, these lessons will not only influence my future presentations but also enrich my approach to writing, allowing me to convey complex ideas with greater clarity and impact. Storytelling, whether through spoken words or written text, is a powerful tool in dissecting and communicating intricate themes such as trauma and healing, and this experience has been invaluable in appreciating and harnessing this power.

When I first read the prompt, I was immediately stuck on what topic I wanted to choose. I decided to take a look at the quotes from Judith Herman, and that was when I was certain I wanted to use the three stages of recovery. When I think of recovery, the first characters that struck out to me were Teddy from Sabrina and Tillie from Spinning. I thought these characters had the most clear and complete process of recovering from their trauma, which is why I chose them as my focus for the presentation.

One of the biggest challenges I encountered was the time limit. Since I wanted to explain how the characters underwent the three stages, it was difficult for me to fit all of the information in 3 minutes. To solve this problem, instead of directly separating the presentation into three stages, I combined some stages and made changes to my focus. I decided to include my observation of patterns in these stages. For example, I remember from the Literacy Narrative Storyboard assignment we analyzed comics with the five types of choices authors utilize in their comics. Specifically, I found that subject-to-subject transitions were common in scenes when the characters were making a process to their healing process.

In terms of visuals, I chose pages of comics that aligned with the point I was presenting. A pattern I created was having one page for one of the stories, one page for the other story, and a page that included both of the stories. This is because my presentation was formatted in this way. I usually explained how Teddy was experiencing one of the stages and on the other page explained Tillie’s experience. However, after hearing everyone’s presentation, I thought it was interesting how many people included pictures that were not screenshots of specific pages. I found these pictures made the presentation more engaging, which is one of the changes I would make if I were to redo this assignment.

This was the first time I had done a more formal presentation in college and the first time using auto-advanced slides. It has been many months since I have presented in front of an audience, so it was at first a bit intimidating. Also, I had to spend extra time to practice my talking speed. Being unable to control my slides forced me to spend more thinking about what words I wanted to say. I had around 20 seconds to make a point, so I needed to choose what was important and how to express my ideas in this short amount of time. Though it was difficult, I thought it made my presentation much more insightful and compact.

Finally, I realized I forgot to include a title for my presentation, if I were to place a title, I would make it “The Power of Resilience: A Journey of Healing.”