Response Hypertexts

After reading all the response hypertexts written by the class and looking at their websites, I think that Nicolas Feigenbaum, Lauren Tsugawa and Craig Benko are three exceptional papers that deserve an A. They all showed that they read and understood the assigned readings and were able to turn it into a cohesive discussion that showed the readings relationship with the websites we were required to look at. Along with an understanding of the material, they all created websites that were well organized and suited their projects. The designs of the websites were able to get me interested and I found myself going through the various pages with interest.
I noticed that will all of these three projects, they were able to effectively split the essay into several pages that made it easier to read. Each page was not long with text and provided interest in the design and with pictures, photos and color. This is one area where my project was lacking. I was not able to divide it into small, easy parts that allowed for the reader to read them all, or just pick the pages they were interested in. I also failed to create a layout of my project that was visually stimulating to the reader in a way that would capture their interest and keep them reading my page. In particular, Nicolas did a wonderful job of partitioning the paper into 7 different pages where the titles effectively conveyed what the page was about and he kept the text to a minimum that made it seem like less of a job to read.
All three students did a good job of linking the assigned readings to the various websites we were required to use. They were able to connect them all with a cohesive theme that was also interesting for people to read. The language used was also well done because they kept the tone light in a way that made the reader feel more connected to the project, rather than boring them with a serious tone. For example, Lauren made her paper feel more like a conversation between the reader and herself by using language often seen in casual conversation between two peers. This creates a feeling of intimacy between herself and the reader that allows the reader to feel more comfortable and confident while visiting the site. I think that I did a good job of connecting the text to the different websites and made it into a comprehensive essay that showed an understanding of the material. However, after reading these essays, I think it would have been better for me to have concentrated on keeping a more casual tone and less of an academic one. I think it is a more effective form of writing when dealing with websites. People do not look at websites expecting an academic environment. That would only make them feel like they were in school and it would discourage them from reading further into the site. By keeping a casual tone, the average reader feels like they are having a conversation with the author in a more natural and comfortable environment, encouraging the reader to continue to read and engage in the conversation.