Over the course of my observations of McComas Gym’s weight room, it was easy to figure out what type of audience would be interested in my essay. Based off this audience, I developed a persona who represents the weight room community by combining many of the characteristics I observed in individuals in the weight room. My developed persona is an ideal representative of an “insider” to the weight room community, as well as a representative of my essay’s audience.
The type of audience who would be interested in the essay I wrote would be members of the actual weight lifting community. By talking specifically about McComas weight room in my essay, the ideas and observations in the essay would be beneficial to someone that actually uses the weight room. For example, I go into depth about the types of exercises that an average person does. By knowing what is actually going on when you are in the weight room, you can modify your workout to be more efficient, such as by not basing your entire workout around dumbbell exercises, since this area of the weight room tends to get very crowded. For someone who uses McComas gym, it would also be interesting to read about all of the things that go on in the weight room they perhaps would not take note of during their usual workout. By reading the essay, the reader becomes aware of all of the small details regarding the weight room that they perhaps did not notice.
Another smaller audience that would be interested in my essay would be the people who are associated with the management and upkeep of McComas. This is because everything that goes on in the weight room directly affects their jobs, and influences the decisions that they make to run the gym. Since McComas is currently being renova...
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...at is going on. For example, a new journal article could talk about a recent discovery in supplements, which would change what supplements an individual would use. Preferably, the audience would want statistics to back up claims, because everyone is looking for the next thing to give them the edge in lifting or competition.
The audience is a large factor in any essay, simply because the type of audience for an essay can have a large impact on the style and content of the essay itself. By choosing to have an insider persona as an audience representative for the weight lifter community, I was able to write a focused essay that goes into depth about different subjects of weight lifting. The focused essay itself would be a field study that summarizes and analyzes all of the data that I had gathered through my research, which would be relevant to the audience itself.
The gym is a place where a typical American college student goes to work out their bodies. Based on the fact that I personally could be considered a gym rat, a stereotypical name for someone who spends a lot of time in the work out area. This is partially by choice being on the swim team requires the strength training equipment that is available to our disposal in the gym. While I have been to the gym many times I haven’t really taken the time to take in the other people around me. Within this ethnographic exercise I will explore the college gym norms within Roger Williams University.
Another key strength for Planet Fitness is the Judgment Free Zone philosophy. This attracts the average person instead of the body builder type that typically dominates work out centers. By adopting this policy the gym can reach a larger demographic, since majority of the Oshkosh population would be considered average in terms of work out usage. Other key strengths that are associated with the Judgment Free Zone are a free personal training, and easier to use machines so that members feel comfortable in the gym. As a part of the marketing mix we plan to implement a new member orientation to help members feel more comfortable when they come into the gym. This would greatly improve our product and is a key strength to Planet Fitness
At the Gym, written by Mark Doty, dramatizes the conflict within the mind of a bodybuilder and his desire to change who and what he is. The speaker observes the routines of the bodybuilder bench-pressing at a local gym, and attempts to explain the driving force that compels him to change his appearance. The speaker illustrates the physical use of inanimate objects as the tools used for the “desired” transformation: “and hoist nothing that need be lifted” (5,6). However, coupled with “but some burden they’ve chosen this time” (7), the speaker takes the illustration beyond the physical use of the tools of transformation and delves into the bodybuilder’s mental state. The speaker ends by portraying the bodybuilder as an arrogant, muscular being with fragile feelings of insecurity.
When I reached the weight area I noticed the surrounding walls covered in mirrors. Throughout the gym floor, next to water fountains, you can find plastic containers hinged against the wall filled with antibacterial cleaning agents and paper towels. The open space and the high ceilings trapped the sound of the ongoing pop music interrupted by the occasional grunt or the crash of a dumbbell on the matted floors. The metal on metal as weight bars are hoisted back onto their rack. The commotion of treadmills, elliptical, and stationary bikes is the white noise of the gym. Briefly, I analyzed my surroundings observing how the weight area was mostly male dominated with a handful of women, an absolute disparity in comparison to the cardio sections.
I will be sharing a significant experience that had a major impact on me and changed my life. The event I will be focusing on is the first few months of my fitness journey. I will apply four social psychological concepts and theories to the event. These concepts and theories will be used to interpret, and gain a fuller understanding of the event and how I was influenced by others.
Law and Order: SVU (Special Victims Unit) and Bones were the two shows I decided to watch for analyzing content. The reason more than one show was picked was because I wanted a little variety in the information and data I was receiving. Different shows are going to provide different information and provide different data. These two shows covered a wide spectrum of crime shows and would be helpful in providing variety in the data collection process. My topic of choice was gender and how gender roles are portrayed in these television shows. I chose Law and Order: SVU and Bones because they portray two very different versions of crime shows. Law and Order: SVU is a crime show that shows the police side of the crime process. This show deals specifically with the arrest, fact-finding process, and trial process of a crime. It does not deal with the scientific aspect of determining how victims were killed or hurt. Bones in contrast, is not entirely focused on the arrest and trial process but more specifically focuses on the scientific and anthropological aspect of determining facts in a crime scenario. Although the show does have some of the police actions involved, its main focus is on science. In conjunction with this idea, I find these two shows the most enjoyable to watch and was curious about how they portrayed gender roles. The question was whether they would be similar or not.
Imagination plays a crucial role in creating communities and its identity. Fiction, in this case will cover both absolute fabrications and biases in the discourse of history's narration. History can be malleable in the hands of narrators, which they use to unite their audience into a common interpretation of their history. Alicia Barber, The author of the essay, Local Places, National Spaces: Public Memory, Community Identity and Landscape at Scotts Bluff National Monument, talks about two community's disagreement on a tourist spot's proper use and maintenance. Barber analyzes the community's relations to the landmark and how it affects the discourse of history's narration, the malleability of public memory, and how it all connects with community identity. Michael Ignatieff wrote about a civil struggle between two groups who identify themselves very differently from each other. In his analysis, he mixed his personal account of the situation, explaining the role of narcissism in the discourse of history's narration. His essay, The Warrior's Honor: Ethic War and the Modern Conscience, describes a more radical conflict from fabricated major differences. These two authors describe two very different approach to their conflicts, but their discourse to the narration of their history are similar. Their fabrications and biased narrations stem from their egocentric imaginations that support their identity.
Finally, it was about to be my senior year. My school hired a new coach, which meant a clean slate for every player – including myself. Doubt overwhelmed me instantly, wondering whether I should even attempt coming back after taking off for three years. When I showed up to the first weightlifting in the winter, every girl shot dirty looks at me. None of them had to speak for me to know what they were thinking. “Why is she here? She thinks she’s good enough to come in for one year and play? I hate senior walk-ons.” The intimidation from the other girls was just as wearisome as the discouragement from
In this audience analysis, I have addressed a situation in which I am called on to present quarterly sales information at an in-person meeting to a group of stakeholders, including managers, salespeople, and customers. I will explain how I will address the communication to this audience by answering the following questions: (1) What characteristics of the audience must I consider?, (2) What communication channels are appropriate? (3) What are some considerations to keep in mind given the diversity of the audience?, and (4) How would I ensure that my message is effective?
For this week’s observations assignment, I have chosen to observe my home away from home the gym. Now, to garner a view of the entire gym I select to jump on the stair master which offers the best vantage point of the facility. The location of the gym is on the island of Hawaii centrally located between the different sides of the island. The time of observation is the peak operating hour of 1600. Additionally, the gym setting is natural lighting, upbeat music, and young patrons. Furthermore, the patrons of the gym are a mix of ethnicities; however, the primary ethnicity is Polynesian because of the gym 's location. Moreover, the socioeconomic class of the gym patrons seems to be middle-class citizens who dress well, have the latest technology gadgets, and newest training aids. So now that there is information regarding the atmosphere let’s move onward to the social norms.
In today’s society it is very easy to forget that not all men and women are equal or have the same goals put upon them when they grow up. This plays a big factor when it comes to the gym; a very well known male dominated location, where the myth that if a woman lifts too much she begins to look too manly and lose that feminine physic. Due to this myth, I decided that I would go to the YMCA, located in the outskirts of downtown Phoenix. I wanted to make it look as normal as possible for everyone so it didn’t look like I was just staring at him or her for an hour. I wore the “proper” gym attire for men (basketball shorts and an old t-shirt). The sets of experiments I was going to be observing was
A certain familiarity is developed over time that makes it home. Sitting here I can vividly picture being there. I drive my car into the pot-hole filled parking lot off the highway and park in the same spot I always have, people just seem to know that's my spot. Walking around to the back I open the brown door and enter. The familiar damp smell of sweat still pierces my nose when I walk into the hallway even after all these years. The rhythmic beating of the speedbag and clanging of the punching bag hanging from the ceiling echo through the hall. When I walk into the gym I see our instructor Dean with his long dreads sitting at his desk talking on the phone. It sounds as if he is trying to set up some fights for us. I turn my head to the left and see everyone doing their own thing. Chris is kicking the stuffing out of the heavy bag, he thinks he's such a bad-ass. Mitch and Don are goofing around as if they were fifteen, even though they're almost forty. Stretching out is Cara, she's the only female fighter but I wouldn't mess with her.
Strategy: I contacted Jillian Michael to discuss how I want the activity to be done and whom it is for. I will inform her on my objective and goals for this activity and tell her the population of interest. We then will discuss the needs of the community regarding exercise and healthy eating and the best way to incorporate them in a college student’s life.
There are many ways to define popular culture. Many individuals have grappled with the question what is popular culture? And how to critically analyze and deconstruct the meanings. Looking at the root words of popular culture is where to begin. Raymond Williams states ‘popular’ means: “well liked by many people" or “culture actually made for the people themselves (Storey, p.5). This is part with the word ‘culture’ combine to look at how the two words have been connect by theoretical work within social and historical context. John Storey approaches popular culture in six categories, they are as followed: “Popular culture is simply culture that is widely favoured or well liked by many people”, Popular culture is “the culture that is left over after we have decided what is high culture”, Popular culture is “mass culture”, “Popular culture is the culture that originates from ‘the people.” and “Popular culture as a site of struggle
Without the audience, there is no specific way a writer can establish structure for their essay. The purpose of the audience is easily overlooked by most writers resulting in an improper balance to their essay. In Bartholomae’s Inventing the University he states “ After taking on the sound of the specialized discourse, students must try to seem as insiders with their academic by beginning with common points…” Through his statement, Bartholomae attaches the concept of using similar language as the audience in order to to gain their attention. Through similar language it is easier for the audience to connect with the writer and have a better reception of the writing. Similar to the purpose statement, the audience must be addressed clearly and properly in the assignment. When writers fluctuate between different audiences their writing can come off as sloppy and not personal. Without the proper connection to the audience, the writer will struggle to convey their purpose effectively, which can ruin a paper. Although a paper may include a clear purpose statement and address the audience properly, the paper will not be efficient without credible