Rachel Nolen

Millersville University - Elementary Education

[callie1305]

Original Content Writing Prompt #2

“What do you like the most about your essay?”

I like that I was able to think more in depth about my writing process as a whole. It is not something I usually give any thought because I never have a real opportunity to do so. It is nice to reflect on how I have grown as a writer, and how I have become more aware of my style as the semester went on.

[rnolenn]

I really like how you focus on reflection as the strongest part of your essay. Taking time to think about your writing process isn’t something we often get to do, so it’s interesting that this assignment created that space for you. Your point about becoming more aware of your writing style shows real growth, especially as the semester progressed. That kind of awareness can make a big difference in future writing because it helps you make more intentional choices instead of just writing to finish an assignment.

[rirmore]

What do I like most about my learning?

What I liked most about my learning is that I was learning a subject I had never really known existed. Before taking this class, I did not have a really good idea on how deep and intricate web writing actually goes. What I thought was really cool was that I was able to talk to one of my friends who runs the axid instagram page and talk to her about a content strategy we should focus on more. I would not have known what a content strategy was until I learned it in this class.

[rnolenn]

I really like how you point out that web writing and content strategy were things you didn’t even realize were fields before this class. That realization alone shows how much your perspective has shifted. It’s also really cool that you were able to apply what you learned outside of class by talking with your friend about an Instagram content strategy. That kind of transfer, taking course ideas into real-life situations, is a significant part of learning, and it demonstrates the practical and relevant nature of this material.

[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.

[rnolenn]

I really relate to what you said about being more intentional and organized in your writing process. The shift from trying to perfect a first draft to planning and revising really shows growth, especially in an advanced writing course. I also like how you mention using feedback to strengthen ideas, rather than just fixing surface-level issues. That’s something I’ve been working on too. Your point about connecting sources, data, and personal insight stood out, because that balance is hard to achieve and really important for academic writing.

[rnolenn]

What are you most proud of with your writing process?

I’m most proud of how much my writing process evolved through revision. Instead of treating feedback as something to “fix” quickly, I used it to rethink my research question, data coding, and analysis. I learned to slow down and ask why my data mattered, not just what it showed. Revising helped me see writing as a thinking process rather than a final product. By the end, my draft felt more focused, clearer in its purpose, and more connected to the audience and culture I was studying.

[rnolenn]

What do you like the most about your essay?

What I like most about my essay is that it treats social media engagement as something created by real people, not just numbers on a screen. Framing likes, comments, and saves as audience choices helped me think differently about content strategy and made my analysis feel more meaningful. I’m also proud of how the project centers teachers as a discourse community with shared experiences and values. That focus helped me move away from business-centered content strategy models and toward an analysis that feels more grounded in everyday learning and community building.

[rnolenn]

Where will you adjust your essay to strengthen your point?

To strengthen my essay, I want to spend more time explicitly connecting my data to the culture of the teaching community I’m analyzing. I do a good job presenting engagement numbers, but I can push further by explaining why teachers respond to certain posts, especially Reels and multiphoto posts. Adding clearer transitions between sections will also help the argument feel more cohesive. Finally, I plan to refine how I introduce images by explaining what the reader should notice and how those visuals support my claims about content strategy, rather than assuming the connection is obvious.

[rnolenn]

Week 5 Check In

As I think about web writing after this class, I’m still curious about how writers balance being creative while also writing for things like algorithms, accessibility, and people who are just skimming. How do you keep your own voice without everything sounding the same online? I’m also wondering how much writing really needs to change across platforms. Can one idea work in multiple spaces, or does everything need to be totally rewritten? And beyond likes and clicks, how do writers know their work is actually effective or connecting with people?

@npfannen

[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.

[rnolenn]

That makes a lot of sense! I like how you’re really digging into actual audience responses instead of just guessing what works. I’m curious; are you noticing any patterns in how different types of posts perform, or does it seem more about the way the writing is framed? It seems like understanding both the audience and the platform tools could really change how you approach creating content.

[rirmore]

What space am I focusing on?

The space that I decided to do my data collection from is Instagram. I chose to do instagram because that is the platform that I spend most of my time on personally. I also think that it is a platform that people our generation use the most. I figured that I could get more data from the content posted on instagram. It is also the easiest platform for me to access and find all of the data needed.

[rnolenn]

Instagram feels like a really solid choice, especially since it’s a platform you already use a lot. That makes a big difference when you’re spending weeks analyzing content. I also agree that it’s where our generation is most active, so there’s no shortage of data to work with. I’m curious what features you think will be the most useful for your analysis posts, captions, comments, or engagement numbers? It seems like Instagram gives you a lot of options depending on what patterns you want to focus on.

[vrvu-mu]

So Many Choices

how are you narrowing your account choices? Walk us through your process of selecting

There is a lot of content out on the internet. It was a hard choice to decide what accounts I should choose to do the project on. I first narrowed down my options based on my own personal interest. Foe example, I am not going to do a long project on sports because I am not interested in sports and will have a more difficult time staying motivated to complete my work. Then, after narrowing down my option to content I enjoy, I began to think about my data set. I need a poster who has at least 30 recent posts that I can use as data. This narrowed down a lot of my option because a lot of accounts I have interest in do not post a lot. Now After narrowing down my options twice I have only a few accounts to choose from. I decided to choose an account that I found had a wide range of content that I could analyze because I am interested in content type affecting engagement. This lead me to one account that I could use. I then went and found similar content creators in that same field.

[rnolenn]

This makes a lot of sense, especially starting with your own interests. I like that you’re honest about motivation; doing a long project on something you don’t care about would be rough. The way you narrowed things down by looking at how much content was available also stood out to me. A lot of people forget that part. I’m curious what kinds of content you noticed varied the most on the account you chose (posts, reels, captions, etc.) and whether you already have guesses about which ones might get more engagement.

[rnolenn]

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

My 'go-to' video content right now is anything hair or beauty. I find these videos really relaxing to watch and gain some great tips from them as well. Most of my video content is viewed on TikTok.

[rnolenn]

User Experience Analysis: Tumblr

As Tumblr users, we tend to interact with content in a fast, scroll-based way that blends visuals and short-form writing. The platform encourages informal, reflective posts rather than highly polished or promotional content. For this class, Tumblr functions as a shared academic space that still feels creative and low-pressure. Tags help organize posts and connect them to course topics, while the dashboard layout supports quick reading and engagement. This environment shapes how we write, pushing us to be clear, concise, and visually aware.

[rnolenn]

Narrowing Account Choices

I narrowed my account choices by first deciding on a clear content space: teaching and education. From there, I looked for accounts that target a similar audience and share comparable goals. I paid attention to content themes, visual style, and posting consistency to make sure the accounts could be fairly compared. I also chose accounts I already enjoy following so the research process would feel sustainable and interesting. This approach helped me balance academic requirements with personal engagement and long-term motivation.

[rnolenn]

Digital Space Focus: Instagram

I am focusing on Instagram for my content analysis project because it is a highly visual platform where content strategy is easy to observe. Creators make clear choices about images, captions, posting frequency, and engagement, which makes patterns visible over time. Since my project centers on teaching-focused accounts, Instagram allows me to see how educators share resources, build trust, and connect with their audience. The platform also provides accessible public data, such as likes and comments, which makes it easier to analyze engagement without advanced tools.

@npfannen

[rnolenn]

Week 3 Check In

Hi Dr P!

As I’m working through this two-week content analysis project, I have a few questions that would help me stay organized and confident. How do you recommend deciding what counts as “enough” data for a manageable analysis? I’m also wondering how detailed my observations should be when connecting content patterns to content strategy. Finally, how much interpretation is expected compared to a description of what I see? Any guidance on balancing scope, depth, and clarity would be really helpful as I move forward with this assignment. @npfannen

[rirmore]

In order to stay organized this semester, I put all of my assignments and due dates in my planner. This allows me to keep track of when things are due along with what I have going on outside the class to remain on track. I find it so much easier to have things hand written out in a place where I can look at it all at once!

[rnolenn]

I do the same thing with my planner. Writing everything down by hand helps me actually process my deadlines and see how my assignments fit in with everything else I have going on. Having everything in one place makes it much easier to stay on track and avoid forgetting important due dates.

[rirmore]

Staying Organized

The way I organize my notes for this class is in a notebook where I color code the different chapters. This helps me keep track of what information belongs to which chapter. I also like to use headings in my notes to keep my information organized. I use bullet points to organize my notes under the headings because that has always been my strategy.

[rnolenn]

I do the same thing with my notes, especially using headings and bullet points to keep everything organized and easy to follow. Color-coding is also something I rely on because it helps me quickly see which ideas go together and what belongs to each section. Having a consistent system like that makes it much easier to review and actually understand the material as the semester goes on.