[SOLVED] Outlets for social media

Though there are many outlets for social media, we will focus largely on Twitter for a few reasons. The tweets are brief, it’s almost entirely text based, and it’s relatively easy to engage with other readers/writers.

For your first assignment, you will explore Twitter and identify a public account (one open to any reader) and analyze its effectiveness and its approach. Your rhetorical analysis will be posted to the discussion board and you’ll reply to two of your classmates as well.

Step 1: Select a public Twitter account

You may wish to identify a Twitter account that is related to your major—such as a professional organization—or to a hobby or even a product that you enjoy.

Step 2: Analyze the account
Review past tweets and replies to see how the account interacts with readers. Perform a rhetorical analysis of the Twitter account based on the characteristics of technical communication explained in Markel, pp. 6–11. Specifically, Markel explains that technical communication:

Addresses particular readers.
Helps readers solve problems.
Reflects an organization’s goals and culture.
Is produced collaboratively.
Uses design to increase readability.
Consists of words or graphics or both.
Not all of these points will be relevant to a Twitter account, but many will. Consider how and if the account meets the eight measures of excellence which Markel identifies (pp. 11–13):

Honesty: Is the document honest and truthful? Does it avoid misleading the reader?
Clarity: Does the document “convey a single meaning the reader can easily understand”?
Accuracy: Is the information in the document accurate? Is it objective and unbiased? Does the document include all the relevant facts?
Comprehensiveness: Does the document give readers everything they need to “follow the discussion and carry out any required tasks”?
Accessibility: Does the document enable readers to quickly and easily find the information it contains? Is it well-organized?
Conciseness: Is the document clear, concise, and specific? Is it easy to read?
Professional appearance: Does the document look neat and professional? Does it give readers a positive first impression?
Correctness: Is the document free of careless errors? Does it follow conventions of documentation, grammar, punctuation, spelling, mechanics, and usage accurately and consistently?
Step 3: Write your analysis memo

Using memo format, write a 2-3 page memo addressed to me that analyzes the account you have chosen. Your memo should be an integrated, clearly explained analysis and not just a list of details or answers to questions. Because this is a social media account, you may also want to address rhetorical strategies such as the use of humor or appeals to emotion. Since very few accounts rely solely on black and white text, make sure to include visual components (color, font, images, etc.) in your discussion. Conclude the analysis memo with an evaluation of the document’s overall effectiveness and excellence.