The text I am considering
in this project builder is an email from my Physics professor. This email,
falls under the genre I am calling “informational email”. The students
enrolled in Physics 1 this quarter are the audience of this text. Her purpose
for writing this email is to both, introduce herself and let the students know
about all the information and class preparation that they will be held
accountable for on the first day of class. She is a professor of physics at
U.C.S.B., writing this introductory letter to all her incoming students. This
implies that the email is under the context of university life and academic
pursuit.
The style she uses when writing this email is very formal and logical. She uses many strategies to effectively order the information in her message. As this is the most likely the first time these incoming students have taken her class, she intends to be as clear as possible. She employs numbering systems in two ways throughout; Roman numerals to broadly categorize the largest three divisions, and then standard Arabic numerals to divide certain information and give it a chronological order. She also uses bullet points and bold headers to give further order to her email.
The tone, somewhat reflected by the style, is a friendly but authoritative and very matter of fact. The friendly tone is portrayed through her thoroughness of detail. She is very willing to help which gives her a very accommodating and understanding feel. Also the occasional use of exclamation points enhances the friendly tone, because it makes it seem as though she is excited about the class and through the excitement she shows support and welcoming to the incoming students. The authoritative and matter of fact tone are implied by the very plain diction and syntax. She writes for clarity, rather than making extra effort to sound flowery. The matter of fact tone is especially displayed in the fact that she structured the text with such underlying order. It tells you that her main goal is to pass on information.
In this text she uses many of the conventions expected of a formal email. She starts off with a header: “Dear Physics 1 students,”, then proceeds to leave a line before she starts writing the main body. She also ends the email according to standard email convention, by writing a closing line, “best regards,” and then her name, indicating sender of the message. The order that I have discussed in the above paragraphs, is also a convention of writing an email geared towards transferring information to a large audience. Another element expected of emails, which she uses, is the use of the word “you”. This makes the message more personal as the reader feels as though she is addressing them.
When considering this
genre as a whole, once sees that both context and convention contribute to
making the genre of the text what it is. Notable features such as the header
and closer are remnant of physical letters, which have been carried over in the
new medium made possible by technology. The context plays the biggest part in
making the text what it is. It is an email sent by a college professor to
college students on their u-mail email addresses, which is why it contains all
the components discussed above.
Text:
“Dear Physics 1 students,
This message contains I) announcements for the 1st week of classes, II) tells you how to get set up with the MasteringPhysics homework system and the etext version of the textbook for Physics 1, and III) how to get set up with your i>clicker2.
I. Announcements:
1) Reminder: please bring your i>clicker2 to all classes, starting next Tuesday, Jan 6.
2) The reading assignments for next week are posted on Gauchospace. The first homework assignment is due next Wednesday, Jan 7, by midnight.
3) Please note that discussion sections will meet during the 1st week of classes. Bring with you a #2 pencil, an eraser and a ParScore Scantron form (8 1/2" x 11"). You will use these to complete a pre-course quiz on what you already know about physics. Attendance at section is required.
II. Setting up MasteringPhysics and the etext for Physics 1:
You can go to the UCSB bookstore buy a MasteringPhysics access code that includes the eText version of the book. The bookstore is open today (Saturday) and Sunday as well as next week.
Alternatively, you can make the same purchase through the MasteringPhysics Website, http://www.masteringphysics.com/
In either case, you will need the following information:
• A valid email address
• A student access code (Comes in the Student Access Kit packaged with your new textbook, or available separately in the bookstore. Or, you can purchase access online athttp://www.masteringphysics.com/)
• The ZIP code for your school: 93106
• The MasteringPhysicsCourse ID for Beth Gwinn's Physics 1 for Winter 2015: MPGWINN92015
• Your seven-digit UCSB perm number, which you will use when prompted to enter your student ID.
Registration
1. Before registering, you should watch a short video with tips and tricks for registering with MasteringPhysics, at http://www.masteringsupport.com/videos/registration_tips/registration_tips.html
2. Go to http://www.masteringphysics.com/ and click Students under Register.
2. To register using the Student Access Code inside the MasteringPhysics Student Access Kit that you purchased at the UCSB Bookstore (either on its own or shrink-wrapped with the book), select Yes, I have an access code. Click Continue.
-OR- You can Purchase access online. To do this, Select “No, I need to purchase access online now”. First select your textbook: Young and Freedman, University Physics with Modern Physics, Technology Update, 13th edition. Be sure to select the correct version!
Then select access to the eText, to get the online version of the textbook, and click Continue. Follow the on-screen instructions to purchase access using a credit card. The purchase path includes registration, but the process differs slightly from the steps printed here.
5. License Agreement and Privacy Policy: Click I Accept to indicate that you have read and agree to the license agreement and privacy policy.
6. Select the appropriate option under "Do you have a Pearson Education account?" and supply the requested information. Upon completion, the Confirmation & Summary page confirms your registration. This information will also be emailed to you for your records. You can either click Log In Now or return to http://www.masteringphysics.com/ later.
7.Make a record of your Login Name and Password. You'll be using these frequently, so make sure you don't forget them!
Log In
- Go to http://www.masteringphysics.com/.
- Enter your Login Name and Password and click Log In.
Enroll in the correct course
Upon first login, you’ll be prompted to do the following:
- Join your MasteringPhysics course by selecting “yes” and then entering the Course ID for Physics 1: MPGWINN92015
- When prompted to enter your student ID, enter your seven-digit UCSB perm number.
- CAUTION: Be absolutely certain that you enter this information correctly! If you make a mistake, you may not get credit for your work with MasteringPhysics.
Click Save and OK.
Congratulations! You have completed registration and have enrolled in MasteringPhysics for Physics 1. To access your course from now on, go to http://www.masteringphysics.com/, enter your Login Name and Password, and click Log In. As I create assignments and made them available to you, you'll see them displayed. You can also click on eText to access the eText version of the textbook orStudy Area to access self-study material.
Important: Do the assignment "Introduction to MasteringPhysics"
The first assignment is "Introduction to MasteringPhysics." The purpose of this assignment is to familiarize you with how MasteringPhysics works. You should complete this assignment by Wednesday, Jan.7 before attempting any subsequent assignments.
Support If you have difficulties or questions about MasteringPhysics, access Customer Support at http://www.masteringphysics.com/support/ , where you will find:
- System Requirements
- Answers to Frequently Asked Questions
- Additional contact information for Customer Support, including Live Chat
This is a nice service that you have paid for, so use it!
Hint: If you experience any technical difficulties, the first thing to check is whether your computer and browser satisfy the system requirements for MasteringPhysics. Seehttp://www.masteringphysics.com/site/support/system-requirements.html for details.
III. How to use and register your i>clicker2 remote transmitter
You'll be using your i>clicker2 remote transmitter in every Physics 1 lecture meeting, beginning with the 1st class meeting. Make sure that you register your i>clicker 2 no later than Friday, January 9, 2014.
USING YOUR i>CLICKER2: To learn about using your i>clicker2, read the Student Quick Start Guide. A pdf is posted on the Physics 1 Gauchospace page, under the link “How to register your i>clicker2 remote transmitter”
REGISTERING YOUR i>CLICKER2: In order to get credit for your participation, you must register your i>clicker2 remote. Here's how:
Go to http://www.iclicker.com/registration. Complete the fields with your first name, last name, student ID, and remote ID. Your student ID is your seven-digit UCSB perm number.The remote ID is the series of numbers and sometimes letters found on the bottom of the back of your i>clicker2 remote (see the photo below). CAUTION: Be absolutely certain that you enter all of this information correctly! If you make a mistake, you may not get credit for your work with i>clicker2.
NEED HELP with your i>clicker? If you have any issues with your i>clicker2 remote transmitter, contact i>clicker technical support for guidance. They're available Monday through Friday 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. Pacific time at <support@iclicker.com> or 866-209-5698.
Best Regards, Prof. Beth Gwinn”
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