January 29, 2018

My name is Ruthann Cooper. I’ve chosen the theme of a dairy free lifestyle. I have found many videos, images, articles, recipes and facts to support that going dairy free is easy to do and is great for you.

I was drawn to this theme after taking human nutrition last semester. My teacher has been dairy free for years and discussed the benefits- I was sold. Better skin? Yes, please! Less bloating? Yes, please! Eat good for you and yummy foods? Sign me up! I even got my roommate on board. During my research for this lifestyle change I found out that it is a worldwide trend. For better quality food choices it costs more but you can go dairy free with minimal changes of food prices. It is easy to start and easy to maintain. In my opinion it’s one of the best diet changes you can make. I tried low carb, I tried counting calories, I tried working out. None of those made me feel the way going dairy free did. I feel refreshed. Other people should be interested in this because so many college kids are trying to staying healthy, have clear skin, and avoid gaining weight. This is an accessible way to do so.

This brands me as a student because its related to people’s health. As a nursing major I will be learning all about the human body. I want to make sure I am taking care of myself before others. I am also very interested in dietetics and might make that my field of study when I pursue a higher degree. Dietetics is the study of diets effect on human health. This is a great way to have first-hand experience.

Through the curation process I have already learned so much. There are many statistics and studies about dairy’s effect on the human body. For example, 75% of the world’s population cannot correctly digest milk. Crazy right? I plan to share these facts through compositions like Dr. Hyman, dairy free recipes, a blog about the lifestyle, and a Harvard study. In this research as well I have noticed the focus on persuasive and informative genre conventions. They use a lot of ethos. It’s hard to not believe it once you’ve heard it. Some sources like blogs use narratives. Some articles subvert the statistics or may make them seem unreliable but in the end everyone supports dairy free ideas (including the statistics).

So to wrap this up going dairy free is perfect for project one. Not only is it something I am very interested in but it includes many styles, genres, modes, and rhetorical appeals. I can’t wait to share more!

February 12, 2018

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Dairy free is a common lifestyle trend in today's society. More and more people are lactose intolerant and reluctant to continue on the milk train. Unlike paleo or vegan, this fad is easier to shop for and complete. Many people are turning to alternatives like soy, coconut, and other nut-based kinds of milk. These new options have created lots of new information to be produced on the subject- from ads to blog everyone has an opinion on the subject.

A common source cited by nutritionists and dietitians is Dr. Mark Hyman. His video on six reasons you should avoid dairy is very informative and influential. He wants to inform his viewers of things they don't know about dairy. He focuses on people who are looking for answers to problems in their health. His large audience includes those who are searching for "ways to lose weight" or "why won't my skin clear up?” Who wouldn't want to listen to a quick fix video? Anyone with internet capabilities is able to view his YouTube videos and he uses this to attract a variety of age groups. Though YouTube is geared toward younger people it is very user-friendly and one click away from being viewed. It also has the ability to be shared in many ways. Though one viewer may see this link through his channel, others may see it shared on Facebook, Twitter, and many other applications. You don't even need an account to view his channel. He does this to make sure his audience is constantly growing. A benefit of YouTube includes a forum. Followers can communicate with Dr. Hyman. Many people comment on questions, comments, and concerns.

The genre of this composition is informative. He starts off with a controversial stance. He argues that the United States Department of Agriculture is in the pocket of the dairy industries. This tone leads the listener into wanting more. The mode being visual and auditory is an advantage. The viewer can see it on his face- he wants his audience to believe as wholeheartedly as he does in his mission. The style and design of keeping it a quick video is very effective. People know that in nine minutes Dr. Hyman will have shared six key reasons not to consume dairy. He keeps it simple and to the point. The six reasons he points out are all based on factual evidence and reasoning. He uses pathos and logos quite often throughout the video. He appeals to the emotion of the audience and being wronged by companies they thought honest. He also uses logic in that the facts he is sharing are concrete and honest. His sources are reputable and logical. The point of his video is to convince his reader through an informative speech that dairy-free is the lifestyle they want to live.

A simpler composition regarding dairy free is a gif found on Tumblr. This visual mode is used in the gif by layering a popular ice cream over a popular scene in one of the most famous romantic comedy movies. In this particular scene the actor (Ryan Gosling) is filled with emotion and whether you are actually watching the movie or just the gif you can feel it. This is why the composer of the gif chose this particular part. In trying to convince the audience of why this ice cream is delicious they want something that represents that emotion. In the scene, the character is telling the love of his life "I want all of you, forever, you and me, every day". In the context of the ice-cream, the composer makes it look like he is saying that statement to the ice cream. For food, this means that he is calling it something yummy and he could eat any day, all day long. The use of Tumblr, a mass media sharing website ensures that the image is seen by many people. All across the world viewers of any age, gender, or race saw this posted and shared it. It has many re-blogs and reposts along with comments. The choice to post it here was to make sure if someone was looking up dairy free it would pull up. Quick gif images engage the viewer and don't require a lot of time or effort to find. They are fun to peruse and easy to access. A simple google search would even pull up the image. Similar to the video mentioned earlier Tumblr doesn't require any accounts to be linked. The use of ethos and pathos is evident. Ethos in the sense that they are convincing the viewer to buy this product because it is so likable. This is "proved" from the emotion shown in Ryan Gosling. The composer uses pathos because anyone looking up dairy free is looking for recipes, opinions, ideas regarding it. Those viewers are influenced by this gif because it appeals to emotion. This image makes the viewer intrigued and laugh (maybe at least crack a smile). Overall this composition is informative and narrative in the genre. The composer wanted to inform the viewer about this dairy-free product and show narrative in using the scene from The Notebook.

Often seen in dairy free is the use of blogs. Those who chose the lifestyle want to share it with the world. Blogs are universal sharing websites. With many choices to read from authors must compose their websites very appealing to their followers and future viewers. This particular blog, for example, uses narrative as a genre. Her media is visual. The blog can be connected anywhere on any device with internet access. Anyone can view it and she makes it very simple to follow and get updates when she posts. Milk Free Mom pulls in viewers because she is a mother which is a commonality with her many of her viewers. She uses recipes, meal plans, branding (advertising), products and her blog. She makes sure her viewers aren't missing out on anything. By using product testing, picture uploads and step by step recipes people are engaged. She optimizes what her views are looking at. The Milk Free Mom blog also utilizes ethos and logos. She appeals to the viewer's emotion by making it personal. Her followers are friends and she shares her experiences with them. She becomes credible because her viewers watch her testing and see the outcome of products. They then look forward to seeing what she has to say because it influences what they will buy. By using the simple style and design of a blog people aren't  bogged down with reading a lot. All posts are quick reads and easily understood. Her point gets across without being overbearing. In this way, she is more likable. Though her audience is directed toward moms she also doesn't disregard other viewers. Anyone is welcome to follow and read her posts. She also puts her contact information on the blog so if viewers have questions she can respond.

One of the more often seen compositions would be the campaign from So Delicious to go dairy-free. As a very popular brand, they are seen all across the world in a variety of stores. They can be found in stores like Walmart, Target, Publix and Winn Dixie. Buyers can see these products up close face-to-face. They are informative and persuasive. They obviously want the buyers to purchase their products but also want to inform them on why they are the best in the dairy-free category. The mode is visual and by touch- physically picking up the product. The media is where you buy the product. Other than stores you can access what items they produce on their website. It is online that you find a lot of information on their ideas. They use pretty fonts and images to draw in the reader. The more pretty a product looks the more likely someone is to purchase that item. It is exactly why advertising is so important in the industry of dairy free. As an up and coming industry, this company is one of the most reputable. Their audience is anyone looking into their products online and in stores. This can be anyone with a means to purchase the product. This could include all ages, genders, and races. The style and design they use are in the fact they have so many flavors and options. It would be hard to not find something that satisfies your taste buds with such variety. Their site and in stores is also arranged very visually appealing. It is from that they use all types of rhetorical appeals. Ethos is used because due to being a well-known brand they can be seen as credible. Pathos uses the customers desire to find something they will enjoy to their benefit. They want to convince you to buy it because it looks good and satisfying. Logos is used with the ethos that logically because they are well known and look good why wouldn't you buy their product.

All of these compositions come together to show dairy free in a new light. All individually draw the reader in for different reasons. With a variety of rhetorical appeals among other things, the viewer has many reasons to stay on the topic. When staying on the topic the viewer may choose to become dairy free. The whole reason each composer chose each method is to inform, persuade, or show through narration why they should be intrigued by dairy free.

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April 18, 2018

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