M Frick Blog

Welcome to my blog for Writ 318!!

[rirmore]

What am I most proud of?

In regards to my writing, I am most proud of pushing myself to answer and analyze the questions that we had to do in this class. I have definitely improved a lot on how I can make my writing more meaningful and not just doing it because I have to. I was taking more time and thinking deeply about the content I was creating. Since writing was never my strongest area of education, I am just so happy that I was able to do this.

[mfrick]

Reading this really shows how much growth has happened. It is inspiring to see how pushing yourself to think deeper and engage with the questions changed the way you approach writing. Turning writing into something meaningful instead of just an assignment is such an important shift, and it is clear how much confidence and reflection you have gained through this process.

[callie1305]

Original Content Prompt #3

“What do you like most about your learning?”

I think the aspect of being able to reflect back to who I was as a writer before this class, and compare to after, makes me see how far I have come. I learned a lot about what all goes in to Web Writing. There is a lot more behind the scenes than just the content you see. You have to think strategy, the audience you are writing to, the purpose of your writing, and so forth. These are things I never considered even 5 weeks ago!

[mfrick]

Reflecting on growth like this is so powerful. It really shows how learning about strategy, audience, and purpose changes the way you see writing, especially in digital spaces. Realizing how much happens behind the scenes in web writing makes your progress so clear, and it is exciting to see how much our understandings have deepened in such a short time.

[mfrick]

What are you most proud of with your writing process?

What I am most proud of in my writing process is how much more intentional and organized it has become. I now spend more time planning, outlining, and revising instead of trying to get everything perfect in one draft. I have learned to use feedback to strengthen my ideas rather than just fix small errors. I am also proud of my ability to connect sources, data, and personal insight in a clear way. Overall, I feel more confident taking my time with writing and trusting the process from brainstorming to final draft.

[mfrick]

What do you like most about your learning?

What I like most about my learning is that it feels connected and purposeful. I am not just memorizing information, but learning how to analyze, reflect, and apply ideas to real situations, like social media, classrooms, and communication. I enjoy when assignments let me combine creativity with critical thinking, because it helps me understand concepts more deeply. I also like seeing my growth over time, especially in writing, organization, and confidence. Being able to look back at earlier work and recognize how my thinking has become clearer and more detailed makes the learning process feel rewarding and meaningful.

[mfrick]

What do you like the most about your essay?

What I like most about my big essay is that it connects something I use every day, Instagram, with academic ideas about writing, audience, and engagement. Looking at teacher influencer accounts made the project feel real and relevant instead of abstract. I am especially proud of how I combined data like likes, comments, and post types with rhetorical analysis to show patterns, not just describe what I saw. I also liked thinking of teachers as writers and content creators who use tone, design, and consistency to build trust. It helped me see social media as a meaningful space for studying writing and communication.

[mfrick]

What questions about writing skill development do you have?

One question I keep coming back to is how I can best promote my students’ writing skill development, especially in elementary classrooms and high school ESL settings. I wonder how to balance teaching foundational structures with encouraging students to find their own voices and take risks in their writing. I’m also curious about what kinds of feedback are most supportive for language learners. How can comments build confidence while still pushing students to grow? Another question is how to create activities that make writing feel meaningful and authentic, not just an assignment, so students see themselves as real writers in and beyond the classroom. @npfannen

[mfrick]

What helps you get into a writing mindset? Why?

I like having a drink like a homemade iced latte because it makes the time feel intentional, like “okay, now it’s work time.” Sometimes having a comfort show playing quietly in the background helps too, since it’s comforting but not something I have to actively watch.

[vrvu-mu]

Introduction Help

Hey all! I was wondering if I could receive feed back on my introduction. Do you understand what my analysis is about? Are there any elements in this that are confusing?

[mfrick]

Your introduction explains the topic and purpose clearly, and I understand that you’re analyzing how different content types affect engagement on Instagram. One thing that might be confusing is the long list of creator names and categories all at once. You could maybe simplify that or briefly explain why those specific creators were chosen.

[plefty]

Peer Feedback 2: Introduction

My introduction is lacking a tie into how this relates to our academic goals as a class. I would appreciate any ideas that would help me present this research as an academic endeavor that reflects the goals of this class.

[mfrick]

Your introduction is clear, but you could connect it more directly to our class by mentioning concepts like content strategy, audience analysis, and using data to understand web writing in real digital spaces. Framing it as practicing the same analytical methods we’ve been learning would help show how this project fits the course goals.

[taliajoy]

Peer Review #2

In my method section, are there any steps missing that would keep you from repeating my study? Or any spots it would be helpful to expand?

[mfrick]

This is really clear and easy to follow, and I feel like I could repeat your process. The only things I might want more detail on are how you compared engagement across accounts with different follower sizes, and how you made sure your coding stayed consistent across all posts.

[mfrick]

Peer Review Request: Research Question and Hypothesis

For this part, I’d love feedback on whether my research question and hypothesis are clear and actually match what I’m studying in the three Instagram accounts. Does the question feel focused enough, or is it trying to do too much at once? For the hypothesis, do you think the connection between visual consistency, instructional language, and supportive tone makes sense as an explanation for how trust and authority are built? I’m also wondering if the wording is clear and not too jargon-heavy. Let me know if anything feels confusing, too broad, or if the hypothesis could be stated more directly.

[mfrick]

Peer Review Request: Platform and Creator Background

For this part, I’d love feedback on whether my breakdown of Instagram’s features and the three creators’ roles makes sense and feels clear. Do the points about Reels, carousels, and images sound accurate based on how these accounts actually post, or are they too broad? I’m also wondering if the differences between Teach Create Motivate, Big Hearts Little Minds, and Bridging Literacy come through, especially in how professional or personal each one feels. Let me know if anything is confusing, repetitive, or could use a more specific example to really show what I’m noticing.

[mfrick]

Peer Review Request: Background on Content Strategy

For this section, I’d love feedback on whether my working definition of content strategy is clear and not overly complicated. Does it make sense how I connect strategy to patterns, consistency, and audience needs in the teacher Instagram space? I’m also curious if the “strategy as pattern” bullets feel specific enough, or if they come across as too general. Finally, do the connections I make to web writing and information design feel natural and relevant, or do they seem a little forced? Let me know if any parts are confusing, wordy, or could use a simpler explanation or example.

[mfrick]

What is your 'go-to' video content??

On Instagram and YouTube, I usually watch lifestyle and faith based content from creators I already follow. On Instagram, that looks like reels showing day to day routines, testimony style videos, and behind the scenes moments, while YouTube is where I go for longer form content like vlogs, sit down talk videos, podcasts, and more in depth faith focused discussions.

[plefty]

Original Content week 3

How does experience analyzing data help draw conclusions?

Analyzing data to draw conclusions about writing has helped me approach this project with a clearer mindset. Instead of relying on assumptions about what makes content effective, I am using likes and comments to see how audiences actually respond to different writing choices. This has made me more aware of how audience, platform tools, and content purpose shape engagement. It has also helped me focus on explaining why certain patterns appear, rather than just describing them.

[mfrick]

I like how you explain this shift in your mindset. Focusing on likes and comments instead of assumptions makes the analysis feel much more grounded in what audiences are actually doing. I also think it is important that you are paying attention to the why behind the patterns, not just pointing them out. That focus really shows how data can help explain writing choices and audience behavior more clearly.

[merlejohnh]

What digital space am I planning to focus on?

I am planning to focus on instagram as my digital space. I chose instagram, as there are a lot of accounts and posts that meet the topics I am looking for. Also instagram, is one of the platforms I am more familiar with, and have used a lot. I also chose instagram because it combines posts with captions, and allows for videos, with multiple metrics I can use to gauge the amount of engament. Including Likes, Comments, and Shares, but also reposts. The last reason I chose instagram is that it is a platform that I feel has a consistent algorithm, and allows for content of the same type to spread to those who want to see it, even though this may affect my data.

[mfrick]

I think Instagram makes a lot of sense for this kind of project. Being familiar with the platform helps you focus more on the analysis instead of figuring out how the space works. I also like that you point out how many different engagement metrics are available, since that gives you more ways to think about audience interaction. Your note about the algorithm is important too. Even though it can influence the data, it is still a big part of how content actually circulates on Instagram.

[taliajoy]

Faith on the Feed

Narrowing down the accounts I want to focus on for this project has been a process. I knew off the bat that I wanted to focus on Christian influencers that I already have some knowledge of from podcasts or social media. The accounts I chose have specific purposes for their social media presence (faith, lifestyle, testimony, etc). I tried to find creators who post consistently, so I know I have enough data to choose from. And finally, I found that the accounts I chose all have an authentic feel (and aren't brand-heavy), so my research stays fun, and I know that the creators are posting real-life content. 

[mfrick]

I really relate to this approach. Starting with accounts you already know makes the analysis feel more grounded, and focusing on creators with clear purposes and consistent posting makes the data easier and more interesting to work with. I also like your point about authenticity. Choosing accounts that feel real instead of brand heavy definitely helps keep the research engaging and meaningful.