Beginning of Class Writing: Explaining an Idea to Different Audiences

For today’s beginning of class writing assignment, you will have an opportunity to explain an idea found in your article for today’s class to two different audiences: a 7 year old and a college student.

First, create a new memo addressed to Professor Ellis with the subject “Reaching different audiences.”

Next, find one an idea, concept, technology, or process in your article. Write one sentence explaining that you will write copy for explaining what this is to two different audiences: a 7 year old and a college student.

Then, write two short paragraphs explaining the topic to each age group. Think about what someone in each group will know, what they need to know, and how to explain it using appropriate language.

Finally, write an APA bibliographic entry for your article.

Copy-and-paste your memo into a comment made to this blog post.

12 thoughts on “Beginning of Class Writing: Explaining an Idea to Different Audiences

  1. Nikka

    TO: Professor Ellis
    FROM: Nikka Rosenstein
    DATE: 11/7/2017
    SUBJECT: Reaching Different Audiences

    In this memo, I will endeavor to explain the reasons why computer scientists would pit artifical intelligences against humans in games, both to a 7-year-old and to a college student.

    An AI is a very complicated computer program that’s designed to try to think and learn like a human. Right now the AIs we make are a little bit like humans but still very difference, but scientists are trying to get better at making AIs that will be just as smart as people. One way that they’re testing different ideas for making AIs better is to have them play games, like board games and video games, against human players. Some games, like chess, have a lot of math involved, so it’s easier for a computer to beat a human. Now scientists are making AIs that play very complicated games like Starcraft to see how the computer reacts and plays with humans, so they can study that and make more human-like AIs.

    Scientists have been working on artificial intelligence for decades, but we’re still very far from true AI like we see in science fiction. Since an AI grows by learning from its experiences instead of being programmed, computer scientists often make progress by teaching an AI about something and then seeing how it performs compared to a human. We learned a lot by watching computers learn to win at chess and go, and now some scientists are teaching AIs to play more complex video games to see if they can learn more from these different environments. These aren’t just bots or programmed enemies, but live artificial intelligences that are playing these games in real time against human opponents, and that can teach us a lot about how AIs learn and utilize that knowledge compared to a human being.

    Woyke, E., & Kim, Y. (2017). StarCraft pros are ready to battle AI. MIT Technology Review, 120(5), 18-20.

    Reply
  2. Preston I.

    To: Professor Ellis
    From: Preston Isolani
    Date: 11/7/17,
    Subject: Reaching Different Audiences

    I will be discussing how servers operate and why the growing player base of ‘Player Unknown’s Battle Grounds’ is directly tied to the servers as well as the growing fanbase being a slight issue.

    For games to be able to play online they have these things called servers. They basically leave a spot for each player to save all their data right away. However if there are too many people trying to save their data it doesn’t work anymore or some people can’t play at all. It costs a lot of money to be able to set up more of these servers so the company that owns the game has to think of a way to work around this issue. The game company wants to find a way for more people to play so they can make more money.

    For online games to function all of the data is routed through the game’s servers. They store the data and pass it through their databases and back to the player in real time to store information as well as provide playing space. There is a finite amount of people allowed as servers can only hold a preset amount of items. When the servers reach capacity it can cause issues such as the the probability of maintenance being necessary as well as the servers shutting down from a crash. While there is a lot of revenue being made by Player Unknown there is a issue of expanding as well to allow for a larger player base since maintaining so many servers is a costly thing to upkeep. That’s why Player Unknown is trying to find some sort of alternative or solution to their issue.

    Clark, T. (2017). Winner winner. PC GAMER, Holidays Issue 2017, 32-39.

    Reply
  3. Jen Travinski

    TO: Professor Ellis
    FROM: Jennifer Travinski
    DATE: November 7, 2017
    SUBJECT: Reaching different audiences

    In the article, “Mapping the future: cartography makes a comeback,” I will explain what cartography is, what it’s become and why it is having a resurgence in popularity in the workplace to both a college student and a seven-year-old.

    To the college student:

    Cartography is the study and production of maps and charts. Traditionally, the profession was relegated to map making. Now, with the advent of advanced satellite systems, digital mapping tools and open source geographical tools, the need for modern cartographers has increased dramatically—by more than 40% from 2007 to 2015. The issue is that we are able to gather a plethora of amazing geospatial data but are unable to make sense of and use it effectively without modern cartographers. The traditional applications for cartography, such as atlases and globes, are still necessary but cartographers are now data analysts as well and are needed to streamline route optimization.

    To the 7-year-old child:

    Cartography means making maps. A map is a drawing of land or water and it shows things like roads, hills and buildings. A map is important because it helps you to know where you are, and it helps you know how to get to another place. People used to just make handheld maps and globes. For a while, mapmaker jobs weren’t really needed as much. But now, mapmakers are very popular because they are some of the only people who can understand modern maps. Modern maps use computers to see pictures from space. These space pictures show where you are, and you can see these pictures in layers, like layers in a cake. The problem is, now that we have things like the internet, we have too many layers of cake and too many space pictures. It gets confusing, so we need more mapmakers to help us understand it all.

    Enthoven, T. (2017, November). Mapping the future: cartography makes a comeback. Wired, 32.

    Reply
  4. NawiesniakP

    TO: Professor Ellis

    FROM: Paulina Nawiesniak

    DATE: November 7th, 2017

    SUBJECT: Reaching Different Audiences

    This memo will present the importance of blood pressure and how to make sure that our blood pressure rates are in a good standing. Lastly, I will mention how can we prevent out blood pressure to be too high or too low, how to keep it at normal.

    Dear 7-year old child :

    Blood pressure is like a volume button. If we turn up the volume button the sound appears louder, in this case if we get scared or surprised our blood pressure will rise up. On the other hand, when we are preparing our self for the good night sleep we are slowly turning the volume button down for a quieter sound. The same way our blood pressure is at a normal steady rate at night causing the heart to be relaxed. In order for our volume to be, not too high or not to low we will most likely adjust and play around with the button first to see what rate of volume is best to listen and is most pleasant to our ears in this case the normal and regular heart rate would be 120/80. If the volume button is turned up our blood pressure in this case can go up to around 140/90, for example. Some ways of maintaining the volume button to be somehow in the middle is do adjusting it first. The same goes for the blood pressure if we notice our blood pressure is becoming too high or too low, we might want to change and adjust some things up. In this case we can adjust the way we eat, so we can eat less chips or chocolate and switch to more of whole foods like veggies or fruits. Another way to adjust the blood rate could be exercise and doing different activities outside the house like running or riding our bike. Lastly, we must make sure that after every bed time story we get a good night sleep. Those can be some of the way of helping us maintain a regular and steady volume don’t won’t hurt our ears.

    Dear College Student:

    Blood pressure is the blood that travels from your heart to the rest of the body as it is being distributed. It is being pushed and “pressured” and forced to come back up to the heart from your body. This cycle repeats nonstop. Our regular blood pressure is 120/80. Number 120 represents the systolic pressure this is the act of your heart contracting to pump the blood out and this is also when the blood pressure is the highest. Number 80 represent the diastolic pressure which represents the heart being at rest and fueling its energy up for another contraction. At this point the blood pressure happens to be the lowest. Some ways of making sure that we maintain a healthy blood pressure is to care for our bodies the right way. Good diet, exercise and rest are the keys to normal heart pressure. Let’s think about how hard are our hearts working for us in order to live, why not work hard for our heart in making sure that it is maintained and cared for the right way.

    Dold, K. (2017, November 1). Healthy-up your blood pressure. Dr. Oz the Good Life, 16-17.

    Reply
  5. Donovan Valle

    TO: Professor Ellis
    FROM: Donovan Valle
    DATE: 11/7/17
    SUBJECT: Reaching different audiences

    The following memo will contain two different explanations for the concept of using the human body to heal itself. One explanation will be geared toward a seven year old kid, and the other will geared be toward a college student.

    Explanation to 7 year old: You may have seen people or have friends and relatives that have gotten sick with life threatening diseases like cancer and heart disease. A lot of the time, it is hard for doctors to help find a way to stop the disease. In your body there are what’s called cells. Cells are small little things that live inside your body and on your skin, so small you can’t even see or feel it, that do many different jobs to help keep the body alive and healthy. There are also some bad ones that hurt the body and can get you sick, these are what cause cancer. However, scientists are taking some of these little tiny microscopic cells, and training into super-cells to help fight the bad cancer cells so that once it goes away, it doesn’t come back.

    Explanation to college student: There have been some new and revolutionary techniques into treating and defending many life threatening illnesses such as cancer and heart disease by using the body’s own mechanisms and re-purposing them to do new things. For example, scientists are using a new FDA approved method called Kymriah, which allow them to extract T-cells from a cancer patient into a petri dish, re-train them to fight a specific cancer, and re-inject these super T-cells back into the body. Also, scientists have been able to re-engineer benign strains of bacteria such as E.coli, and insert them into the body to fight off other bad bacteria that are resistant to drugs. These are just some examples of the scientists hacking the body’s own mechanisms and using it to cure diseases.

    Engber, D. (2017, November-December). Body, heal thyself: science is looking inward for new fixes to what ails us. Popular Science, 16-17.

    Reply
  6. Ronald Hinds

    TO: Professor Jason Ellis
    FROM: Ronald C. Hinds
    SUBJECT: Reaching Different Audiences
    DATE: November 07, 2017

    In this memorandum I will try to present a topic to two different audiences and to observe their reactions and understanding of the data. My first audience member is a 7-year-old and the second audience member is a college student at New York City College of Technology. A new idea at the University of Hartford in Hartford, Connecticut, involves inquiry based learning. In other words, students can with this method of learning, develop and answer their own research questions.

    I would ask the 7-year-old if he has ever done an experiment like making a tornado in a soda bottle? His “yes” answer tells me that he knows what a simple experiment can show. This new approach using computer simulated software as a learning tool can help students conduct experiments easily. By using this new software, a student can easily move on to more complicated experiments.

    A simulation that helped students was one which analyzed blood flowing through a filtration device. It allowed for the study of fluid flow distribution, electric potential and alternating polarity. The results of this simulation can progress to heat transfer etc.

    References

    Dagastine, Gary. (2017, October 17). Simulation Apps Bring Stem to Life. IEEE Spectrum, 54(10), S22-S23.

    Reply
  7. creunis

    To: Professor Ellis
    From: Creunis Lors
    Date : 11/07/2017
    Subject :“Reaching different audiences.”

    The topic the i will be breaking down is what is known as “ Demonstration Movies “. i will provide two different synopsis of the subject one targeted to a college student audience and the other to a young 7 year old.

    7 year old :Demonstration movies are movies showing people how to to perform a certain task .
    It is basically a video that records someone one doing something so that the person watching it can learn something new. These movies usually come with a product . one example is on a new phone . on a new phone you can find your first turn it on that there is a video showing the basics of to get started

    College student : a demonstration video is a tutorial of how to perform certain task captured on video . these movies are usually demonstrating how to use a technological product or software.

    Online theater: Making Software Demonstration Movies, (Nov. 2005). Intercom. Pg 26-28

    .

    Reply
  8. zina

    TO: Prof. Ellis
    FROM: Zinab Adam
    DATE: 11/07/2017
    SUBJECT: Reaching different audiences.

    In The FMJ Magazine; section Advice and Opinion, there is an article under the title “Happiness Works” which is basically linking workplace design, productivity and wellbeing as the base in facilities. I will be explaining these concepts to two audience with different level of understanding,a 7 year old and a college student.

    Wellbeing means how well, and healthy you are. Productivity is how much you can do, for example in school how fast, and well you can do your class work is can be called as how productive you are. So if you are healthy and doing well in school is the same as what we can say about the building where you live. The way that building is design is the same way that is your body like, how well the elevator, the doors, windows, the heat, and even how clean is the hallway make you and your family and neighbors happy that what we call it productivity and well being.

    Recently is being discussed a lot that the workplace design, productivity and well being are pretty connected and they also linked to employees or occupants engagement and happiness.
    The way that the workplace design is really affect mood and leed to how active and healthy and well to do your work in fast efficient manner which refer to the level of your productivity and well being in the workplace. In addition, we can add the psychological overview of the occupants and employees.

    Advice and opinion- Happiness works(2017, May). Facilities Management Journal, (25/5),10.

    Reply
  9. Artilese

    (My article that i read might be inappropriate for a 7 year old. I’ll give it my best shot)

    TO: Professor Ellis

    FROM:Edgar Artiles

    DATE: November 7th, 2017

    SUBJECT: Reaching different audiences

    Today i will be explaining to a college student and a 7 year old the rise of craft brewing in Beijing china.

    College Student:

    In the capital of China Beijing; Locals have been influencing the beer market by operating and crafting their own unique beers. This western influence has caught the attention of local government and also many foreigners looking to tap into a market ready to flourish. Western Companies as Anheuser Busch InBev and SABMiller are aggressively investing taking big chunks of the market, making those in local government re visit their laws on beer production and exports. Many breweries have been surfacing creating jobs and strengthening the economy, but no regulations has been set as of yet. As china ventures into its new journey , many are already planning on tasting what china has to offer, CHEERS!

    7 Year Old:

    Do you know what beer is? Have you seen grown ups drink it? Well beer is a liquid that like soda it can be made in different forms and flavor and like soda it can be extremely harmful for you. Why do grown ups drink it? Well beer is an adult drink used to relax or party and it makes people act funny, a lot of it can be really harmful and dangerous. In China most of the beers are imported meaning they make the beers here in the United States of America and ships it to china to sell. Now in China people are learning how to make their own beers and this is making the government wonder how to control it and make money from it. Beers are for adults only and you should never drink until after your over 21 years old.

    Brackmann, L. (2017, September). How Beijing Became a Great Place for Craft Beer.Travel+Leisure pp. 32-38.

    Reply
  10. Howard Daley

    From: Howard Daley
    Date: November 7, 2017
    To: Professor W. Ellis
    Subject: “Reaching Different Audiences”
    In this Memo i will relate The concept of Integrated Pest Management (IPM). This is a relative recent practise in the effort to manage the enduring conflict between property owners/ managers and municipalities.
    To the Seven year old:
    I know that just like me you too just hate pests! You also do not like it when the Exterminator comes to your home and spray that awful stuff. You ask yourself why do they keep spraying? They were here a month ago. Does this stuff works? Well there is another way and it is a better way to deal with pests. First you should know that all pests do not get hurt or killed by the same bait and sprays. The cockroaches you see may all be different so we must use different ways and sprays to kill them. The rats and mouse are also different so they also need different bait as well. When we can find the names and how the live we will have a much better way to keep them out of your house and stop scaring you.
    Th the College Student:
    The application of insecticide and rodenticide in the home to manage the pest population has taken on a more effective approach. Gone are the days when the exterminator comes to your home and lay out bait and spray the corners only to return in thirty days to repeat the process. In this recent approach we call the Integrated Pest Management or the IPM. This is a process whereby both Exterminator and homeowner learn as much as possible about the pests they are dealing with, life cycle, food preferences, exit and entry points among other facts.
    The idea is to apply and manage the pest population using this approach that are both effective and relatively safe around the human population.

    Penn State Extension On the Web. (2011.May). Common Urban Pests School Integrated Pest Management http://groups.earthlink.com/forum/messages/00025.html

    Reply
  11. Mei,Huakang

    TO: Professor Ellis
    FROM: Huakang Mei
    SUBJECT: Reaching different audiences
    DATE: 11/07/2017

    In this memo, I am going to explain the reasons why some of the countries want to ban Uber service, both to a 7-year-old and a college student.

    To 7-year-old student,Uber is an smart-phone application that helps you to request a car to get you to point A to point B, also it cost you less compared to the traditional ride hailing service. However, some of the countries does not allow Uber to use because some of the countries their Uber drivers does not have a license. And there’s conflict between the traditional taix drivers and the Uber drivers.

    To college student, Uber is an trending cellphone app that helps you to request a car to get you to your destination. It cost you less money, and this is also the reason why dose the traditional taxi drivers has conflict with the Uber drivers. Moreover, the most important reason that government want to ban the Uber service is some of the Uber driver does not carry a license. If those Uber drivers commit a crime, they are not easy to get caught.

    Reference
    Livingston , S. (2017, September 25). Uber is being banned in London. Retrieved November 07, 2017, from http://www.thetravelmagazine.net/uber-may-disappear-from-london.html

    Reply
  12. G James Mitchell

    To: Professor Jason Ellis
    From: James Mitchell
    Subject: Reaching Different Audiences
    Date: 11/07/2017

    This memo is to explain a concept from the article below, to two different audiences – preschool and college aged.

    Then, write two short paragraphs explaining the topic to each age group. Think about what someone in each group will know, what they need to know, and how to explain it using appropriate language

    To a 7 yr old:
    When buying new toys, it’s important to see what kinds of toys your friends are playing with. You will more than likely be playing with them while friends are with you. So if they have hot wheels, but you have army men you’re not having to borrow something in order to play the game. Also, if you’re buying toys that only you can play with, it may end up sitting in the closet while you’re out playing with friends. It’s always better to have toys that other kids can be excited about.

    To the college student:
    When using new tools look at the trends of the market. If people spend most of their time on instagram or facebook, then that’s where you’ll want to share your ideas. Same goes with any start up campaigns or group initiatives. Start marketing your contributions where you know your friends and peers are active. As you witness the market shift, shift with it to stay current.

    Vaynerchuk, Gary (09/2017). “When do you Really Need the Next big Thing?”. Inc. Magazine, 206.

    Thank You,

    James Mitchell

    Reply

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