A Next Generation of Digital Genres: Expanding Documentation into Animation and Virtual Reality  

The purpose of this paper is to discuss virtual reality and interactive animation as potential documentation tools for training and information distribution and to discuss applications available for developing these genres.

Hailey, David E. Utah State University (2003). Articles>Documentation>Interactive>3D

Overview of a Distributed-Hard-Drive-Based Educational Plan  

Although empirical research indicates that media selection may not impact learning a great deal, results are inconsistent and sometimes contradictory. We have done recent studies indicating that inconsistent results may be caused by the extent to which educational developers are modifying the genres within which they typically teach – e.g., converting lectures to essays and converting demonstrations to posted instruction sets. Typically, the instructional developers who significantly modify their educational genres do so because digital media (usually designed for dissemination on the Internet, CD-ROM, or DVD) preclude the large format heuristics we accept as necessary in our traditional classes. New technologies, available this year, seem to provide a solution for this problem. In recent studies, we have successfully placed traditional educational genres on very large, external and/or removable hard drives which we combine with Internet technology to overcome the bandwidth problems we faced in the past. Because this involves a unique, step-by-step process of examining educational materials, re-combining them into external drive technlologies, and then developing new distribution methods, we call the process 'Distributed Hard Drive Protocol.' This paper describes six new, protocols we have developed for educators, trainers, and archivers.

Hailey, David E. and Christine E. Hailey. Utah State University (2000). Articles>Multimedia>Instructional Design>Education

Studies in Reading Theory and Document Design

This course will cover how reading theory interacts with a rhetoric of graphics to influence the way that documents are designed for maximum effect on the audience.

Zachry, Mark. Utah State University (2002). Academic>Courses>Graduate>Rhetoric

Technology for Professional Writers

This course is a variation of Utah State University's twice-annual Technology and the Writer Course. The Technology and the Writer course is based on research done in the 1990s to determine which writing professions demanded the best salaries and were most likely to survive overseas outsourcing.

Hailey, David E. Utah State University (2005). Academic>Courses>Technology>Technical Writing

Toward Identifying the Font Used in the Bush Memos

The following evidence from a forensic examination of the Bush memos indicates that they were typed on a typewriter: 1. The specific font used is from a typewriter family in common use since 1905 and a typewriter capable of producing the spacing has been available since 1944. 2. The characters “e,” “t,” “s,” and “a” show indications of physical damage and/or wear consistent with a well used typewriter. 3. The characters that are seldom used show no signs of damage or wear. 4. The quality of individual characters is inconsistent throughout the memos beyond expectations from photocopying and/or digitizing but quality is consistent with worn platen and variations in paper quality. 5. Overlapping characters occasionally indicate paper deformation consistent with hammered impressions. 6. Critical indicators of digital production or cut and paste production are missing. Implications are that there is nothing in this evidence that would indicate the memos are inauthentic. Furthermore, from the point of view of the physical evidence in the documents (excluding any rhetorical evidence or external evidence, which is not examined in this study) no amount of additional research on the part of CBS would have lead them to exclude the documents from their 60 Minutes report.

Hailey, David E. Utah State University (2004). Design>Typography>Journalism

Usability Studies and Human Factors

This course focuses on two interrelated subjects of importance to the field of professional communication: human factors and structured user research. Class readings, discussions, and projects will provide you with opportunities to build on your existing knowledge about professional communication and how knowledge about human factors and user research can enhance your work. We will examine strategies for user interfaces in a variety of contexts, including both online and print publications.

Zachry, Mark. Utah State University (2003). Academic>Courses>Graduate>Usability