Digital Sense by
Compete in the digital world with pragmatic strategies for success Digital Sense provides a complete playbook for organizations seeking a more engaged customer experience strategy. By reorganizing sales and marketing to compete in today's digital-first, omni-channel environment, you gain newfound talent and knowledge from the resources already at hand. This book provides two pragmatic frameworks for implementing and customizing a new marketing operating system at any size organization, with step-by-step roadmaps for optimizing your customer experience to gain a competitive advantage. The Experience Marketing Framework and the Social Business Strategy Framework break down proven methods for exceeding the expectations customers form throughout the entirety of the buying journey. Customizable for any industry, sector, or scale, these frameworks can help your organization leap to the front of the line. The evolution of marketing and sales demands a revolution in business strategy, but realizing the irrelevance of traditional methods doesn't necessarily mean knowing what comes next. This book shows you how to compete in today's market, with real-world frameworks for implementation. Optimize competitive advantage and customer experience Map strategy back to business objectives Engage customers with a pragmatic, proven marketing system Reorganize sales and marketing to fill talent and knowledge gaps Today's customer is savvy, with more options than ever before. It's critical to meet them where they are, and engagement is the cornerstone of any cohesive, effective strategy. The technological revolution has opened many doors for marketing and sales, but the key is knowing what lies behind each one'what works for your competitor may not be right for you. Digital Sense cuts through the crosstalk and confusion to give you a solid strategy for success.
Irresistible by
[PRINT] "One of the most mesmerizing and important books I've read in quite some time. Alter brilliantly illuminates the new obsessions that are controlling our lives and offers the tools we need to rescue our businesses, our families, and our sanity." --Adam Grant, New York Times bestselling author of Originals and Give and Take Welcome to the age of behavioral addiction--an age in which half of the American population is addicted to at least one behavior. We obsess over our emails, Instagram likes, and Facebook feeds; we binge on TV episodes and YouTube videos; we work longer hours each year; and we spend an average of three hours each day using our smartphones. Half of us would rather suffer a broken bone than a broken phone, and Millennial kids spend so much time in front of screens that they struggle to interact with real, live humans. In this revolutionary book, Adam Alter, a professor of psychology and marketing at NYU, tracks the rise of behavioral addiction, and explains why so many of today's products are irresistible. Though these miraculous products melt the miles that separate people across the globe, their extraordinary and sometimes damaging magnetism is no accident. The companies that design these products tweak them over time until they become almost impossible to resist. By reverse engineering behavioral addiction, Alter explains how we can harness addictive products for the good--to improve how we communicate with each other, spend and save our money, and set boundaries between work and play--and how we can mitigate their most damaging effects on our well-being, and the health and happiness of our children. Adam Alter's previous book, Drunk Tank Pink: And Other Unexpected Forces that Shape How We Think, Feel, and Behave is available in paperback from Penguin.
How Are Digital Devices Impacting Society? by
Digital devices have changed how people communicate, obtain information, and go about countless other daily activities. Through objective discussion, numerous direct quotes, and full-color illustrations this title examines What Are the Origins of the Digital Device Controversies? How Are Digital Devices Impacting Privacy and Social Interaction? How Do Digital Devices Affect the Brain and Thought Processes? How Do Digital Devices Affect Physical and Mental Health? Do Digital Devices Promote Crime?
Superfandom by
As fandom sheds its longtime stigmas of geekiness and hysteria, fans are demanding more from the celebrities and brands they love. Digital tools have given organizations--from traditional businesses to tech startups--direct, real-time access to their most devoted consumers, and it's easy to forget that this access flows both ways. This is the new "fandom-based economy": a convergence of brand owner and brand consumer. Fan pressures hold more clout than ever before as audiences demand a say in shaping the future of the things they love.In Superfandom, Zoe Fraade-Blanar and Aaron M. Glazer explain this new era of symbiosis. For producers, it can mean a golden opportunity: brands such as Polaroid and Surge, preserved by the passion of a handful of nostalgic fans, can now count on an articulate, creative, and, above all, loyal audience. Yet, the new economy has its own risks--it's also easier than ever for companies to lose their audience's trust, as Valve did when it tried to introduce a paid mod system for its Skyrim video game.Examining key cases that span a wide range of consumer markets, Fraade-Blanar and Glazer explain why some kinds of engagement with fans succeed and some backfire. Throughout, the authors probe fandom's history, sociology, and psychology. From the nineteenth-century American Alice Drake, who bribed her way into the houses of her favorite European composers, to Hatsune Miku, the Japanese virtual celebrity whose songs are composed entirely by fans, the dynamics of fandom--the activities we perform to show we belong to a group of people with common interests--may be as old as culture itself.For groupies of financier Warren Buffet and enthusiasts of Cards Against Humanity alike, the consumer relationship has been transformed. Superfandom is an essential guide for those who care about, contribute to, and live in our rapidly expanding fan-driven economy.
Digital Marketing for Dummies by
Does your digital marketing pack a punch? Written with the marketer's best interests in mind, this friendly, down-to-earth guide shows you how to use proven digital marketing strategies and tactics to expand the reach of your brand, increase audience engagement, and acquire and monetize customers. From current best practices in SEO and SEM to the latest ways to effectively use content marketing and influencer marketing--and everything in between--Digital Marketing For Dummies helps you get the most out of all your digital marketing efforts. What worked in digital marketing just a few years ago is quickly losing relevance as electronic platforms--and the people who use them--continue to evolve. So how do you keep afloat in this fast-paced and ultra-competitive environment? Don't sweat it! Digital Marketing For Dummies takes the guesswork out of marketing in the digital age, offering the latest tips and techniques for utilizing technology to get your product or services out to the masses. Whether you're looking to craft a killer campaign from scratch or just want to beef up your social media presence, you'll find everything you need to meet your business goals--and boost your bottom line. Develop an individually tailored digital marketing campaign Offer an effective lead magnet to convert visitors Keep your audience invested in your brand, products, and services Create a return path with frequent and strategic communication with your customers If you're ready to benefit from the latest and greatest digital marketing has to offer, this no-nonsense guide sets you up for success.
Digital SLR Photography All-in-One for Dummies by
The complete beginner′s guide to DSLR photography It doesn′t matter if your camera says Canon, Nikon, or Sony on the outside. If a passion for photography is on your inside, this all-encompassing guide will be your new best friend. Packed with instruction on how to take your photos from so-so to stunning, Digital SLR Photography All-in-One For Dummies gives you all the easy-to-follow guidance you need to capture stills, portraits, action shots, and moments in time you′ll be proud to share. Clocking in at over 600 pages, this no-nonsense guide covers it all! From controlling light, color, focus, and exposure to editing images to improve the final product--and everything in between--it′s the only guide to DSLR photography you need. If you′ve caught the photography bug but aren′t sure where to turn to improve your skills, you can bank on building an impressive portfolio with the simple tips and tricks provided inside! Set the right exposure in any situation Know when to use flash and when to turn it off Edit your images into masterpieces Take better photos of people and places Get ready to develop your photographer′s eye and start snapping shots like the pros.
Design Elements by
This updated version of Rockport's bestselling Design Elements offers expanded and updated content in a new, cleaner format for easier navigation. Author Timothy Samara has added more than 50 new diagrams and more than 100 new images of real-world projects with an increased emphasis on web and environmental design projects. The 20 Rules for Good Design has been revisited and expanded to 25 Rules. The book covers all the design fundamentals from working with grids, color application, typography, imagery and how to put it all together. Expansion and new material includes: -Composition/layout, visual hierarchy, -Form and composition in relation to concepts and meaning -Color psychology and narrative -Color coding -Reference palettes for time periods, cultures, and businesses -Special color and printing techniques -Combining type styles, editorial text setting issues, plus -Web-related type style and hierarchy issues -Strategies for using photography; design drawing; medium and meaning; pictorial and non-pictorial -image-making options; semiotics, symbolic and metaphorical image use; type as image -Making type and imagery work better together -Finding flexibility in design systems -The design process, from creative concept development and practical work-flow standpoints... -Plus a complete project case study with major decision-moments keyed to respective sections! Being a creative designer is often about coming up with unique design solutions. Unfortunately, when the basic rules of design are ignored in an effort to be distinctive, design becomes useless. In language, a departure from the rules is only appreciated as great literature if recognition of the rules underlies the text. Graphic design is a "visual language," and brilliance is recognized in designers whose work seems to break all the rules, yet communicates its messages clearly. This book is a fun and accessible handbook that presents the fundamentals of design in lists, tips, brief text, and examples. Chapters include Graphic Design: What It Is; What Are They and What Do They Do?; 20 Basic Rules of Good Design; Form and Space-The Basics; Color Fundamentals; Choosing and Using Type; The World of Imagery; Putting it All Together? Essential Layout Concepts; The Right Design Choices: 20 Reminders for Working Designers; and Breaking the Rules: When and Why to Challenge all the Rules of this Book.
Outside the Box: Hand-drawn packaging from around the world by
In an age of slick, computer-generated type and Photoshopped perfection, hand-drawn packing is enjoying a global resurgence. As shorthand for something more authentic, homegrown, handmade, or crafted, hand-drawn packaging is found on everything from supermarket eggs to Chipotle drink cups. In this exhaustive and lavishly illustrated survey, organized by four types--DIY, art, craft, and artisanal--Gail Anderson pulls back the curtain on the working processes and inspirations offorty letterers, illustrators, and designers from all around the world through insightful interviews, process sketches, and her infectious love of the medium.
Min by
Minimalism has informed some of the greatest graphic design in the history of the art form. It gave us the Helvetica font and decluttered web design, and it allowed graphic designers to focus with renewed diligence on the relationship between form and function. Today's resurgence in minimalist graphic design--as creators move away from the ornate, decorative patterns that have saturated our visual culture for the past decade--calls for a closer look at the movement in its new, contemporary context.Min showcases around 150 outstanding minimalist designers working across a wide range of formats and media--from independent magazines and album cover designs to corporate identity and branding. Three sections--"Reduction," "Geometry," and "Production"--define key approaches to minimalism in its visual forms. Each section presents a range of contemporary works, all produced in the past three years. These are accompanied by exclusive interviews with leading practitioners and proponents of minimalist design (Jessica Svendsen, Made Thought, Eric Hu, and others) that offer an in-depth look at their creative processes. Finally, essays tracing the evolution of minimalism in graphic design allow for a useful comparison of the first wave of minimalism in the 1960s to its renascent form today.
The Non-Designer's Design Book by
For nearly 20 years, designers and non-designers alike have been introduced to the fundamental principles of great design by author Robin Williams. Through her straightforward and light-hearted style, Robin has taught hundreds of thousands of people how to make their designs look professional using four surprisingly simple principles. Now in its fourth edition, The Non-Designer's Design Book offers even more practical design advice, including a new chapter on the fundamentals of typography, more quizzes and exercises to train your Designer Eye, updated projects for you to try, and new visual and typographic examples to inspire your creativity. Whether you're a Mac user or a Windows user, a type novice, or an aspiring graphic designer, you will find the instruction and inspiration to approach any design project with confidence. THIS ESSENTIAL GUIDE TO DESIGN WILL TEACH YOU The four principles of design that underlie every design project How to design with color How to design with type How to combine typefaces for maximum effect How to see and think like a professional designer Specific tips on designing newsletters, brochures, flyers, and other projects
Illustration That Works by
A straight-to-the-point "everything-you-need-to-know" guide to the world of professional illustration for aspiring artists and recent art-school graduates--not only the technical essentials (the difference between narrative versus conceptual illustration, diagramming a composition, mastering negative space, and the impact of different mediums from watercolor to digital to textiles), but industry insights, real-world insider advice, and honest personal development tips from an experienced teacher ("if you say your style is 'manga' or 'anime' then you have no style"). From a Newsweek cover depicting the Bush family as characters on Game of Thrones; to the Sistine Chapel (the complete illustrated bible)--visual storytelling through illustration has been an important mode of communication in every culture since ancient times. Unlike a fine artist, an illustrator creates images that serve a specific purpose, and successful illustrators need much more than just talent. Drawing on a decade of teaching, including at Maryland Institute College of Art and as cofounder of the new Baltimore Academy of Illustration, along with over three decades of professional experience as an illustrator for clients like Marvel Comics, Relapse Records, and The Village Voice--Greg Houston places aspiring artists and recent graduates squarely in the current marketplace, and inspires them to pursue work in the large and lucrative field of professional illustration in a way that will be personally and professionally rewarding for years to come. Illustration that Works demonstrates exactly why illustration is so important to the way we see and communicate today, and how it can be done effectively in an infinite number of styles. Includes: Thought-provoking assignments - Illustrate an op-ed that's either pro or against religion in the public sphere - Create 3 posters for an HBO documentary series on sex (that can still be displayed anywhere) - Illustrate a pair of identical twins whose lives have veered apart dramatically 400 examples of artwork - Assignments completed by talented students - Pieces from 50 classic and contemporary master illustrators including Brian Sanders, Marshall Arisman, Roberto Parada, Steve Brodner, Paul Rogers, and Greg Spalenka - Houston's own pieces, both finished and failed
AutoCAD and Its Applications Basics 2017 by
AutoCAD and Its Applications-Basics is a useful tool for both classroom instruction and independent study. The heavily illustrated text not only tells you how to use AutoCAD, it also shows you how to use AutoCAD. In addition to teaching AutoCAD, this text serves as a valuable resource once you begin a career in the drafting and design industry. Whether you are learning AutoCAD for the first time or updating your skills, this book is a must. AutoCAD and Its Applications-Basics provides complete instruction in 2D drafting and AutoCAD tools. It features complete coverage of AutoCAD drawing and editing commands and additional topics, including dimensioning, parametric drafting, hatching techniques, dynamics blocks, layouts and plotting, annotative objects, external references, and sheet sets. Heavily illustrated to make learning easy. Step-by-step use of AutoCAD commands. Exercises on the companion website correlated to each chapter reinforce AutoCAD concepts. End-of-chapter review questions and drawing problems check comprehension. End-of-chapter practice questions and problems for the AutoCAD Certified Professional Exam help students prepare for professional-level certification.
Changing the Subject by
Trenchant, expansive essays on the cultural consequences of ongoing, all-permeating technological innovation In 1994, Sven Birkerts publishedThe Gutenberg Elegies, his celebrated rallying cry to resist the oncoming digital advances, especially those that might affect the way we read literature and experience art—the very cultural activities that make us human. After two decades of rampant change, Birkerts has allowed a degree of everyday digital technology into his life. He refuses to use a smartphone, but communicates via e-mail and spends some time reading online. InChanging the Subject, he examines the changes that he observes in himself and others—the distraction when reading on the screen; the loss of personal agency through reliance on GPS and one-stop information resources; an increasing acceptance of "hive" behaviors. "An unprecedented shift is underway," he argues, and "this transformation is dramatically accelerated and more psychologically formative than any previous technological innovation." He finds solace in engagement with art, particularly literature, andhe brilliantly describes the countering energy available to us through acts of sustained attention, even as he worries that our increasingly mediated existences are not conducive to creativity. It is impossible to readChanging the Subject without coming away with a renewed sense of what is lost by our wholesale acceptance of digital innovation and what is regained when we immerse ourselves in a good book.
Manga and Anime Go to Hollywood by
The media industries in the United States and Japan are similar in much the same way different animal species are: while a horse and a kangaroo share maybe 95% of their DNA, they're nonetheless very different animals-and so it is with manga and anime in Japanese and Hollywood animation, movies, and television. Though they share some key common elements, they developed mostly separately while still influencing each other significantly along the way. That confluence is now accelerating into new forms of hybridization that will drive much of future storytelling entertainment. Packed with original interviews with top creators in these fields and illuminating case studies, Manga and Anime Go to Hollywood helps to parse out these these shared and diverging genetic codes, revealing the cross-influences and independent traits of Japanese and American animation. In addition, Manga and Anime Go to Hollywood shows how to use this knowledge creatively to shape the future of global narrative storytelling, including through the educational system. Northrop Davis paints a fascinating picture of the interrelated history of Japanese manga/anime and Hollywood since the Meiji period through to World War II and up to the present day - and even to into the future.
Animation by
The Discovering Art series introduces readers to major art forms, styles or movements, and periods. Books in the series discuss early development and pioneers; important changes over time in style, tools and techniques; influential artists; and more. The series serves as an excellent starting point for student researchers and anyone hoping to develop an appreciation for art in its many forms. Sidebars, vocabulary terms, and fully documented quotes add depth and information to the text. Book jacket.
Autodesk 3ds Max 2015 Essentials by
Get up to speed quickly with this compelling, full-color guide to Autodesk 3ds Max With its real-world, hands-on exercises, Autodesk 3ds Max 2015 Essentials helps new users learn the fundamentals of Autodesk 3ds Max quickly become productive. The task-based tutorials add real-world context that help you become familiar with the workflow scenarios of a professional environment, and provide that extra level of understanding to make you more proficient overall with the software. Updated for 3ds Max 2015 and recommended as a preparation resource for the 3ds Max certification exam, this guide teaches the basics of modeling, texturing, animating, and visual effects. You'll have fun creating a retro-style alarm clock, animating a thrown knife, modeling a chair, and more, all while you learn modeling, rigging, animating, rendering, architectural visualization, and other career-essential techniques. This colorful, engaging book features: Chapter-opening learning objectives Step-by-step tutorials Full-color screenshots and illustrations Downloadable exercise files Learn all the crucial techniques you'll need from authors Randi and Dariush Derakhshani, Autodesk Certified Instructors with years of professional experience under their belts. Artists, students, educators, and hobbyists will benefit from the guide's techniques and tutorials, getting to know the program as a whole and gaining insight into which aspects of the 3D production pipeline are most appealing. Whether you're a beginner or migrating from another 3D application, Autodesk 3ds Max 2015 Essentials provides the solid foundation.
Spectacular Digital Effects by
By developing the concept of the "digital effects emblem," Kristen Whissel contributes a new analytic rubric to cinema studies. An "effects emblem" is a spectacular, computer-generated visual effect that gives stunning expression to a film's key themes. Although they elicit feelings of astonishment and wonder, effects emblems do not interrupt narrative, but are continuous with story and characterization and highlight the narrative stakes of a film. Focusing on spectacular digital visual effects in live-action films made between 1989 and 2011, Whissel identifies and examines four effects emblems: the illusion of gravity-defying vertical movement, massive digital multitudes or "swarms," photorealistic digital creatures, and morphing "plasmatic" figures. Across films such as Avatar, The Matrix, the Lord of the Rings trilogy, Jurassic Park, Titanic, and Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, these effects emblems heighten the narrative drama by contrasting power with powerlessness, life with death, freedom with constraint, and the individual with the collective.
America Toons In by
Animation has been part of television since the start of the medium but it has rarely received unbiased recognition from media scholars. More often, it has been ridiculed for supposedly poor technical quality, accused of trafficking in violence aimed at children, and neglected for indulging in vulgar behavior. These accusations are often made categorically, out of prejudice or ignorance, with little attempt to understand the importance of each program on its own terms. This book takes a serious look at the whole genre of television animation, from the early themes and practices through the evolution of the art to the present day. Examining the productions of individual studios and producers, the author establishes a means of understanding their work in new ways, at the same time discussing the ways in which the genre has often been unfairly marginalized by critics, and how, especially in recent years, producers have both challenged and embraced this marginality as a vital part of their work. By taking seriously something often thought to be frivolous, the book provides a framework for understanding the persistent presence of television animation in the American media--and how surprisingly influential it has been.
HTML5 Quick Markup Reference by
This book is a condensed reference for HTML5 markup. It presents the essential HTML5 elements and attributes in a well-organized format that can be used as a handy reference. HTML5 Quick Markup Reference is an HTML5 reference title covering tags and parameters central to HTML5 markup using the NetBeans 8.1 IDE. The book covers the tags used in HTML5, logically organized by topical chapters. It gets more advanced as chapters progress, covering the new media tags and file formats that are best for use with HTML5, as well as key factors regarding the data footprint optimization work process, in-lining .CSS and .JS files, and why data footprint optimization is important. What You Will Learn: The tags supported in HTML5 What comprises an HTML5 content production workflow Concepts and principles behind HTML5 content production How to install and utilize Inkscape for Windows, Mac OS X and Linux Concepts behind spline curves, strokes, fills, patterns, and rendering Digital illustration data formats and data footprint optimization Who This Book Is For: Website developers, Flash developers, user interface designers, HTML5 game designers, teachers, and educators.
HTML 5. 1 and Css3 Ultimate Cheatsheet by
The new 2015 edition includes beta HTML 5.1 & CSS 4 coverage. NEW: 7 HTML elements, 22 HTML attributes, 25 CSS4 selectors, 42 CSS properties.
Web Style Guide by
[PRINT] A classic reference book on user interface design and graphic design for web sites, updated to reflect a rapidly changing market Consistently praised as the best volume on classic elements of web site design, Web Style Guide has sold many thousands of copies and has been published around the world. This new revised edition confirms Web Style Guide as the go-to authority in a rapidly changing market. As web designers move from building sites from scratch to using content management and aggregation tools, the book's focus shifts away from code samples and toward best practices, especially those involving mobile experience, social media, and accessibility. An ideal reference for web site designers in corporations, government, nonprofit organizations, and academic institutions, the book explains established design principles and covers all aspects of web design--from planning to production to maintenance. The guide also shows how these principles apply in web design projects whose primary concerns are information design, interface design, and efficient search and navigation.
Professional WordPress by
The highest rated WordPress development and design book on the market is back with an all new third edition. Professional WordPress is the only WordPress book targeted to developers, with advanced content that exploits the full functionality of the most popular CMS in the world. Fully updated to align with WordPress 4.1, this edition has updated examples with all new screenshots, and full exploration of additional tasks made possible by the latest tools and features. You will gain insight into real projects that currently use WordPress as an application framework, as well as the basic usage and functionality of the system from a developer's perspective. The book's key features include detailed information and real-world examples that illustrate the concepts and techniques at work, plus code downloads and examples accessible through the companion website. Written by practicing WordPress developers, the content of this edition focuses on real world application of WordPress concepts that extend beyond the current WordPress version. WordPress started in 2003 with a single bit of code to enhance the typography of everyday writing, and has grown to be the largest self-hosted website platform in the world. This book helps you use WordPress efficiently, effectively, and professionally, with new ideas and expert perspectives on full system exploitation. Get up to speed on the new features in WordPress 4.1 Learn cutting edge uses of WordPress, including real-world projects Discover how to migrate existing websites to WordPress Understand current best practices and tools in WordPress development WordPress was born out of a desire for an elegant, well-architected personal publishing system built on PHP and MySQL, and has evolved to be used as a full content management system through thousands of plugins, widgets, and themes. Professional WordPress is the essential developer's guide to this multifunctional system.
Teach Yourself VISUALLY WordPress by
Clear the "blog fog" with this complete visual guide to the WordPress platform Teach Yourself VISUALLY WordPress, 3rd Edition introduces you to the exciting possibilities of one of the world's most popular blogging platforms, and shows you how to build your blog from idea to execution. This edition has been updated to reflect the changes and new features of WordPress, and includes coverage of mobile blogging solutions that allow you to post on the go. Richly illustrated with screenshots and examples from the author's own WordPress blogs, this highly visual guide walks you through the setup and creation process step by step, and offers expert tips and tricks every step of the way. From installing WordPress and choosing a theme to custom site editing and self-hosting, this book provides the answers you need and helps you get organized and published quickly. This is your essential guide to getting the most out of WordPress, from basic setup to advanced mobile features. Customize your site with plug-ins, themes, and personalized editing Blog whenever, wherever, with mobile blogging solutions Buy your domain, choose a hosting service, and set up the admin stuff Learn the best practices that result in engaging, dynamic websites Whether you're promoting a business, building a personal brand, or just have something to say, this is your no-nonsense guide to building your blog.
SEO for Dummies® by
Your fully updated guide to search engine optimization Packed with tips, tricks, and secrets, SEO For Dummies shows you how to create and maintain a website that ranks at the top of search engines and drives high-volume traffic. Using plain-English explanations and easy-to-follow instructions, this friendly guide helps you come to grips with search engine basics'what they are, which ones are important, and how to get started'and build a search-engine-friendly site. SEO is an integral part of getting a site to rank in the various search engines in order to attract potential customers. In the new edition of this bestselling guide to search engine optimization, you'll learn the ins and outs and best practices of successful SEO in order to make your website content more search-engine friendly so that it ranks higher among searches and draws the masses. Covering the latest information on pay-per-click options, using social media to boost your profile, and managing your platform and reputation to positively impact your search engine rankings, this hands-on guide is the fun and friendly place to start learning how to move your site to the top of the rankings. Develop a search strategy and use local search capabilities Build sites that increase your search visibility Analyze results with updated tracking tools Maximize content marketing strategies If you're asking yourself the essential question of "how do I get people to visit my site," you've come to the right place!
Getting Gamers by
Video games are big business. They can be addicting. They are available almost anywhere you go and are appealing to people of all ages. They can eat up our time, cost us money, even kill our relationships. But it s not all bad This book will show that rather than being a waste of time, video games can help us develop skills, make friends, succeed at work, form good habits, and be happy. Taking the time to learn what s happening in our heads as we play and shop allows us to approach games and gaming communities on our own terms and get more out of them. With sales in the tens of billions of dollars each year, just about everybody is playing some kind of video game whether it's on a console, a computer, a web browser, or a phone. Much of the medium s success is built on careful (though sometimes unwitting) adherence to basic principles of psychology. This is something that s becoming even more important as games become more social, interactive, and sophisticated. This book offers something unique to the millions of people who play or design games: how to use an understanding of psychology to be a better part of their gaming communities, to avoid being manipulated when they shop and play, and to get the most enjoyment out of playing games. With examples from the games themselves, Jamie Madigan offers a fuller understanding of the impact of games on our psychology and the influence of psychology on our games."
The Game Production Handbook by
The Game Production Handbook, Third Edition gives producers, leads, and studio managers all the information they need in order to successfully develop a game from concept to release-ready gold master. Fully revised and updated to reflect the rapidly evolving game development landscape, the third edition of this definitive and best-selling text covers pre-production, production, testing, and code release, as well as more specific topics including voiceovers, mo-cap shoots, marketing, localizations, managing external contractors, writing documentation, and project management practices. All-new material in the third edition includes new sections on mobile gaming and product management, an overview of useful production tools, and new interviews with industry professionals who offer an insider's view of successful game development as well as highly relevant real-world examples that contextualize the resources provided by the text. A detailed case study of a fictitious game project illustrates the production cycle, documentation, and other key production concepts. Accessible enough for beginners and comprehensive enough for experienced developers, The Game Production Handbook, Third Edition is an invaluable standalone text for students and professionals alike.Prepare students to successfully enter the exciting world of game development with The Game Production Handbook, Third Edition.New to the Third Edition: -Offers new interviews with industry experts who discuss insider knowledge and real world examples of what works and what doesn't work in game development.-Contains new sections on product management, audio as it relates to the production process, financing options, and the latest relevant production tools.
Pixel Art for Game Developers by
Is the art for your video game taking too long to create? Learning to create Pixel Art may be the answer to your development troubles. Uncover the secrets to creating stunning graphics with Pixel Art for Game Developers. The premier how-to book on Pixel Art and Pixel Art software, it focuses on the universal principles of the craft. The book provides an introduction to Pixel Art, its utility, foundational elements, and concepts such as light and shadow. It offers tutorials on creating animations and serves as a functional guide for the most common methodology in 2D game development. Gamers love the retro feel of Pixel Art, and lucky for you it is easy to create. You'll love the tiny file sizes that will reduce compile times and help your game run faster. Providing you with the skills to create the characters and environments needed for 2D games, this book will help you: Create tilesets to build game environments Understand light and shadow Work efficiently with pixels Use atmospheric and linear perspective Create professional-quality Pixel Art This book has chapters dedicated to theory as well as step-by-step tutorials, both of which describe the process explicitly. Whether you are an artist, programmer, indie developer, or certified public accountant, after reading this book, you'll understand the steps necessary to create production-quality Pixel Art graphics. Praise for the Book: Pixel Art and Pixel Art games are very popular and the technique is a great way for independent creators to create very good-looking games with limited resources. It's frankly shocking that there hasn't been a resource like this before ... a very timely book. --Chris Totten, George Mason University, Washington, DC, USA
Thinking about Video Games by
The growth in popularity and complexity of video games has spurred new interest in how games are developed and in the research and technology behind them. David Heineman brings together some of the most iconic, influential, and interesting voices from across the gaming industry and asks them to weigh in on the past, present, and future of video games. Among them are legendary game designers Nolan Bushnell (Pong) and Eugene Jarvis (Defender), who talk about their history of innovations from the earliest days of the video game industry through to the present; contemporary trailblazers Kellee Santiago (Journey) and Casey Hudson (Mass Effect), who discuss contemporary relationships between those who create games and those who play them; and scholars Ian Bogost (How to Do Things With Videogames) and Edward Castronova (Exodus to the Virtual World), who discuss how to research and write about games in ways that engage a range of audiences. These experts and others offer fascinating perspectives on video games, game studies, gaming culture, and the game industry more broadly.
How Games Move Us by
[NOT AVAILABLE 9/27/21]
This is a renaissance moment for video games -- in the variety of genres they represent, and the range of emotional territory they cover. But how do games create emotion? In How Games Move Us, Katherine Isbister takes the reader on a timely and novel exploration of the design techniques that evoke strong emotions for players. She counters arguments that games are creating a generation of isolated, emotionally numb, antisocial loners. Games, Isbister shows us, can actually play a powerful role in creating empathy and other strong, positive emotional experiences; they reveal these qualities over time, through the act of playing. She offers a nuanced, systematic examination of exactly how games can influence emotion and social connection, with examples -- drawn from popular, indie, and art games -- that unpack the gamer's experience. Isbister describes choice and flow, two qualities that distinguish games from other media, and explains how game developers build upon these qualities using avatars, non-player characters, and character customization, in both solo and social play. She shows how designers use physical movement to enhance players' emotional experience, and examines long-distance networked play. She illustrates the use of these design methods with examples that range from Sony's Little Big Planet to the much-praised indie game Journey to art games like Brenda Romero's Train. Isbister's analysis shows us a new way to think about games, helping us appreciate them as an innovative and powerful medium for doing what film, literature, and other creative media do: helping us to understand ourselves and what it means to be human.
The Game Believes in You by
What if schools, from the wealthiest suburban nursery school to the grittiest urban high school, thrummed with the sounds of deep immersion? More and more people believe that can happen - with the aid of video games. Greg Toppo'sThe Game Believes in You presents the story of a small group of visionaries who, for the past 40 years, have been pushing to get game controllers into the hands of learners. Among the game revolutionaries you'll meet in this book: *A game designer at the University of Southern California leading a team to design a video-game version of Thoreau's Walden Pond. *A young neuroscientist and game designer whose research on "Math Without Words" is revolutionizing how the subject is taught, especially to students with limited English abilities. *A Virginia Tech music instructor who is leading a group of high school-aged boys through the creation of an original opera staged totally in the online game Minecraft. Experts argue that games do truly "believe in you." They focus, inspire and reassure people in ways that many teachers can't. Games give people a chance to learn at their own pace, take risks, cultivate deeper understanding, fail and want to try again-right away-and ultimately, succeed in ways that too often elude them in school. This book is sure to excite and inspire educators and parents, as well as provoke some passionate debate.
Game On! by
Find out about the fast and furious growth and evolution of video games (including how they are quickly taking over the world!) by looking at some of the most popular, innovative, and influential games ever, fromPong, the very first arcade game ever, to modern hits likeUncharted. Learn about the creators and inspiration (Mario was named after Nintendo’s landlord after he barged into a staff meeting demanding rent), discover historical trivia and Easter eggs (The developers of Halo 2 drank over 24,000 gallons of soda while making the game), and explore the innovations that make each game special (The ghosts in Pac-Man are the first example of AI in a video game). Whether you consider yourself a hard-core gamer or are just curious to see what everyone is talking about,Game On!is the book for you!
Unreal Engine VR Cookbook by
[PRINT] "With his YouTube channel, Mitch's VR Lab, Mitch has helped thousands of people understand the foundations of locomotion and interaction mechanics with clear and concise UE4 videos. I'm thrilled that he has taken the time to bring all his knowledge and experience in working with Unreal Engine and Virtual Reality to the Unreal#65533; Engine VR Cookbook.... Mitch is uniquely qualified to share this book with the world." -Luis Cataldi, Unreal Engine Education, Epic Games, Inc. For game developers and visualization specialists, VR is the next amazing frontier to conquer-and Unreal Engine 4 is the ideal platform to conquer it with. Unreal #65533; Engine VR Cookbook is your complete, authoritative guide to building stunning experiences on any Unreal Engine 4-compatible VR hardware. Renowned VR developer and instructor Mitch McCaffrey brings together best practices, common interaction paradigms, specific guidance on implementing these paradigms in Unreal Engine, and practical guidance on choosing the right approaches for your project. McCaffrey's tested "recipes" contain step-by-step instructions, while empowering you with concise explanations of the underlying theory and math. Whether you're creating first-person shooters or relaxation simulators, the techniques McCaffrey explains help you get immediate results, as you gain "big picture" knowledge and master nuances that will help you succeed with any genre or project. Understand basic VR concepts and terminology Implement VR logic with Blueprint visual scripting Create basic VR projects with Oculus Rift, HTC Vive, Gear VR, Google VR, PSVR, and other environments Recognize and manage differences between seated and standing VR experiences Set up trace interactions and teleportation Work with UMG and 2D UIs Implement character inverse kinematics (IK) for head and hands Define effective motion controller interaction Help users avoid motion sickness Optimize VR applications Explore the VR editor, community resources, and more If you're ready to master VR on Unreal Engine 4, this is the practical resource you've been searching for!
Bit by Bit by
An acclaimed critic argues that video games are the most vital art form of our time Video games have seemingly taken over our lives. Whereas gamers once constituted a small and largely male subculture, today 67 percent of American households play video games. The average gamer is now thirty-four years old and spends eight hours each week playing--and there is a 40 percent chance this person is a woman. In Bit by Bit, Andrew Ervin sets out to understand the explosive popularity of video games. He travels to government laboratories, junk shops, and arcades. He interviews scientists and game designers, both old and young. In charting the material and technological history of video games, from the 1950s to the present, he suggests that their appeal starts and ends with the sense of creativity they instill in gamers. As Ervin argues, games are art because they are beautiful, moving, and even political--and because they turn players into artists themselves.
The Green Screen Handbook by
Whether you're on a budget or working with high-end HD, this expert guide gives you step-by-step instruction to green screening (or chroma keying) technology in the competitive digital video landscape.
The Videomaker Guide to Video Production by
From the editors of Videomaker Magazine comes this new edition that you have been waiting for. The Videomaker Guide Digital Video, fifth edition, provides information on all of the latest cutting edge tools and techniques necessary to help you shoot and edit video like the pro's. Learn about equipment, lighting, editing, audio, high definition, and all aspects of video from the leading experts on videography!
Web Video by
Whether you're an expert in video production or are just getting started, you need to know how to produce the best video possible for the Web and then make sure it gets seen by a wide audience. This is a guide to planning and shooting, editing, choosing a distributor, marketing your video and making a profit.
Color Correction Handbook by
The colorist working in film and video is the individual responsible for breathing life into characters, bringing a mood into a scene, and making the final product polished and professional-looking. This craft is an art form that often takes years to perfect and many trial-and-error attempts at getting it right. Here to help both the newcomer and professional who needs to brush up on their skills is the first book to cover a wide variety of techniques that can be used by colorists, no matter what system they're using. Whether you're using a video editing package with a color correction tool built in (Final Cut Pro, Premiere Pro) of a dedicated application (Apple Color, Assimilate Scratch, Baselight, or DaVinci), this book covers it all. From the most basic methods for evaluating and correcting an overall image, to the most advanced targeted corrections and creative stylizations typically employed, you'll find this highly organized book a solid reference that's easy to navigate. The accompanying DVD contains footage as well as cross-platform exercises and project files for readers to experiment with. After reading the techniques, readers will learn to apply the methods that all of the color correction applications use, how to problem-solve and trouble-shoot, how to maximize the effectiveness of each tool that's available, and they will discover how to creatively combine techniques and tools to accomplish the types of stylizations that colorists are often called upon to create. Praise for Color Correction Handbook: "From Alexis Van Hurkman comes an up-to-date, most welcome, encyclopedic guide for colorists: Color CorrectionHandbook (Professional Techniques for Video and Cinema). The breadth of this work is almost impossibly ambitious: Van Hurkman embraces all the important topics, and the liberal use of illustrated examples, with accompanying waveforms and solutions from various platforms, succeeds in providing a single reference work for the colorist at almost any level of expertise.... Colorists will find gaps in their knowledge are as well-served by this book as the aspiring colorist already under the tutelage of a master." Ron Lingelbach Colorist, Dolby Laboratories; Founder, TKcolorist Internet Group (TIG) "Color correction is a complex and subtle craft. The student needs to sit next to professionals on a real jobs, and ask them continuously what they just did, and why they did it. The professional rarely has the time and the patience to answer newbie questions, and the earnest scholar quickly ends up outside the grading suite, wondering sadly whether there was an easier road to knowledge. Now, at last, there may be. Alex Van Hurkman's book comes with a DVD of example material you can load onto your color grading workstation. It covers many useful real examples, explaining what you might do to make the images look better, what is the easiest way to do it on any of the popular platforms, and even how to explain what you are doing to others. If you want to learn color correction, this book will make a difference. "Dr Richard KirkColour Scientist, FilmLight LtdRecipient of 2010 AMPAS Scientific and Engineering Award "Van Hurkman covers the theory and the practical application of color-correction very well...it's always good to understand the theory of *why* the image looks good or bad and how it relates to photography, electronics, and physics. I have no doubt Van Hurkman's book is as close as we're going to get to a standard textbook for the world of color correction. If nothing else, I think it communicates the idea to neophyte filmmakers that there's far more to color-correction than just having the software or the box. It's *experience* that makes good color -- not the system." Highly recommended. --Marc Wielage/Senior Colorist Lowry Digital/Burbank
Apple Pro Training Series by
In the only Apple-certified guide to iMovie, readers will be creating original works within the first few pages. Using real-life material and practical lessons that they can apply immediately to their own projects, this book/media combo offers a complete, self-paced course in all aspects of iMovie. Focused lessons take you step-by-step through everything from organizing and importing your videos to creating polished movies. The reader will master iMovie tools quickly through fun, real-world projects, create professional looking sports highlights from home videos, learn to make a "Hollywood-style" movie trailer, and discover new ways to publish and share projects using iMovie Theater and iCloud. For mobile users, the book includes a section dedicated to iMovie for iOS. This self-paced learning tool has an easy, accessible style and ample illustrations and keyboard shortcuts to guarantee that readers become proficient with iMovie in no time.
Producing Great Sound for Film and Video by
In Producing Great Sound for Film and Video, Fourth Edition audio guru Jay Rose revises his popular text for a new generation of filmmakers. You'll learn practical, time-saving ways to get better recordings, solve problems with existing audio, create compelling tracks, and boost your filmmaking to the next level! Here you'll find real-world advice and practical guidelines for every aspect of your soundtrack: planning and budgeting, field and studio recording, editing, sound effects and music, audio repair, processing, and mixing. Rose's combination of solid technical information and a clear, step-by-step approach has made this the go-to book for producers and film students for over a decade. New in this edition: Insights and from-the-trenches tips from top professionals Instructions for getting the best results from new DSLRs and digital recorders An all-new companion website www.GreatSound.infowith downloadable diagnostics, examples, and exercises for you to try What you need to know about new regulations for wireless mics and broadcast loudness An expanded "How Do I Fix This?" section to help you solve problems quickly Whether you're an aspiring filmmaker who wants better tracks, or an experienced professional looking for a reference, Producing Great Sound for Film and Video, Fourth Editionhas the information you need. Please visit the book's companion website for more information and companion files: http://www.GreatSound.info
How to Shoot Video That Doesn't Suck by
Video is everywhere. Over 90 percent of American homes have some form of video camera, we upload 24 hours of video to the Web every minute, and we watch videos two billion times a day on YouTube. Problem is, most of it is bad--but here's how to make it not only better, but also great. How to Shoot Video That Doesn't Suck is all about the language of video. It's about how to think like a director, regardless of equipment (amateurs think about the camera, pros think about communication). It's about the rules developed over a century of movie-making--which work just as well when shooting a two-year-old's birthday party. Written by Steve Stockman, the director of Two Weeks (2007), plus TV shows, music videos, and hundreds of commercials, How to Shoot Video That Doesn't Suck explains in 74 short, pithy, insightful chapters how to tell a story and entertain your audience. Here's how to think in shots--how to move-point-shoot-stop-repeat, instead of planting yourself in one spot and pressing "Record" for five minutes. Why never to shoot until you see the whites of your subject's eyes. Why to "zoom" with your feet and not the lens. How to create intrigue on camera. The book covers the basics of framing, lighting, sound (use an external mic), editing, special effects (turn them off), and gives specific advice on how to shoot a variety of specific situations: sporting events, parties and family gatherings, graduations and performances. Plus, how to make instructional and promotional videos, how to make a music video, how to capture stunts, and much more. At the end of every chapter is a suggestion of how to immediately put what you learned into practice, so the next time you're shooting you'll have begun to master the skill. Accompanying the book is a website with video clips to illustrate different rules, techniques, and situations.
Final Cut Pro X by
The world's best-selling guide to Apple's video-editing powerhouse, completely updated for Final Cut Pro X••Final Cut Pro X has been completely rewritten from the ground up and will appeal to a much larger audience.•Step-by-step lessons will provide a strong foundation in all aspects of video editing.•Author Diana Weynand is the best-selling Final Cut Pro author of all time.•DVD includes lesson and media files for 40+ hours of training. Completely revised for Final Cut Pro X and featuring compelling new footage, this best-selling, Apple-certified guide provides a strong foundation in all aspects of video editing. Renowned author Diana Weynand starts with basic video editing techniques and takes readers all the way through Final Cut Pro's powerful features. Each chapter presents a complete lesson in an aspect of video editing and finishing, using professional broadcast footage. Apple has completely rewritten Final Cut Pro X from the ground up and is targeting a much broader professional audience. The book covers Final Cut Pro's exciting new features, including a completely redesigned interface, people detection, and Magnetic Timeline. Final Cut Pro X is now being sold as a standalone product only through the Mac App Store and retails for $299, $700 less than the previous release of the Final Cut Studio Suite. The user base is 2 million and conservatively is expected to more than double with this release.
The Social Media Bible by
The go-to guide to social media skills, now in an updated and revised Third Edition The Social Media Bible is comprehensive 700-plus page social media resource that will teach corporate, small business, and non-profit marketers strategies for using social media to reach their desired audiences with power messages and efficiency. This newly revised 3rd edition addresses technology updates to the iPad, apps, Foursquare, and other geotargeted networks. New case studies and company profiles provide practical examples of how businesses have successfully implemented these strategies, using the newest social media marketing tools. Updates and changes to Google's search engine algorithms More information on plug-ins, widgets, apps, and integration Updates on Twitter and Yammer and new information on Google+ The latest in mobile marketing Master the latest social media tools and deliver powerful messaging in the most effective way possible with The Social Media Bible.
The Culture of Connectivity by
Social media penetrate our lives: Facebook, YouTube, Twitter and many other platforms define daily habits of communication and creative production. This book studies the rise of social media, providing both a historical and a critical analysis of the emergence of major platforms in the context of a rapidly changing ecosystem of connective media. Author José van Dijck offers an analytical prism that can be used to view techno-cultural as well as socio-economic aspects of this transformation as well as to examine shared ideological principles between major social media platforms. This fascinating study will appeal to all readers interested in social media.
A Social Strategy by
Book- Almost no one had heard of social media a decade ago, but today websites such as Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn have more than 1 billion users and account for almost 25 percent of Internet use. Practically overnight, social media seems indispensable to our lives--from friendship and dating to news and business. What makes social media so different from traditional media? Answering that question is the key to making social media work for any business, argues Miko'aj Piskorski, one of the world’s leading experts on the business of social media. In A Social Strategy, he provides the most convincing answer yet, one backed by original research, data, and case studies from companies such as Nike and American Express. Drawing on his analysis of proprietary data from social media sites, Piskorski argues that the secret of successful ones is that they allow people to fulfill social needs that either can’t be met offline or can be met only at much greater cost. This insight provides the key to how companies can leverage social platforms to create a sustainable competitive advantage. Companies need to help people interact with each other before they will promote products to their friends or help companies in other ways. Done right, a company’s social media should benefit customers and the firm. Piskorski calls this "a social strategy," and he describes how companies such as Yelp and Zynga have done it. Groundbreaking and important, A Social Strategy provides not only a story- and data-driven explanation for the explosion of social media but also an invaluable, concrete road map for any company that wants to tap the marketing potential of this remarkable phenomenon.
Writing on the Wall by
Papyrus rolls and Twitter have much in common, as each was their generation's signature means of "instant" communication. Indeed, as Tom Standage reveals in his scintillating new book, social media is anything but a new phenomenon. From the papyrus letters that Roman statesmen used to exchange news across the Empire to the advent of hand-printed tracts of the Reformation to the pamphlets that spread propaganda during the American and French revolutions, Standage chronicles the increasingly sophisticated ways people shared information with each other, spontaneously and organically, down the centuries. With the rise of newspapers in the nineteenth century, then radio and television, "mass media" consolidated control of information in the hands of a few moguls. However, the Internet has brought information sharing full circle, and the spreading of news along social networks has reemerged in powerful new ways. A fresh, provocative exploration of social media over two millennia, Writing on the Wall reminds us how modern behavior echoes that of prior centuries--the Catholic Church, for example, faced similar dilemmas in deciding whether or how to respond to Martin Luther's attacks in the early sixteenth century to those that large institutions confront today in responding to public criticism on the Internet. Invoking the likes of Thomas Paine and Vinton Cerf, co-inventor of the Internet, Standage explores themes that have long been debated: the tension between freedom of expression and censorship; whether social media trivializes, coarsens or enhances public discourse; and its role in spurring innovation, enabling self-promotion, and fomenting revolution. As engaging as it is visionary, Writing on the Wall draws on history to cast new light on today's social media and encourages debate and discussion about how we'll communicate in the future.
Status Update by
Social media technologies such as YouTube, Twitter, and Facebook promised a new participatory online culture. Yet,nbsp;technology insider Alice Marwick contends in this insightfulnbsp;book, “Web 2.0” only encouraged a preoccupation with status and attention. Her original research—which includes conversations with entrepreneurs, Internet celebrities, and Silicon Valley journalists—explores the culture and ideology of San Francisco’s tech community in the period between the dot com boom and the App store, when the city was the world’s center of social media development. nbsp; Marwick argues that early revolutionary goals have failed to materialize: while many continue to view social media as democratic, these technologies instead turn users into marketers and self-promoters, and leave technology companies poised to violate privacy and to prioritize profits over participation. Marwick analyzes status-building techniques—such as self-branding, micro-celebrity, and life-streaming—to show that Web 2.0 did not provide a cultural revolution, but only furthered inequality and reinforced traditional social stratification, demarcated by race, class, and gender.
How to Measure Social Media by
Your 100% Actionable, Proven Framework for Delivering Rock-Solid Social Media Business Metrics--Painlessly Think social marketing is worth it? Prove it. If your boss hasn't demanded that yet, he will. Then what? Hand him some jive about "return on conversation"? Think that'll fly? You'll be gone so fast you won't know what hit you. You know damn well what your boss cares about: Sales Volume. Costs. Revenue. This book will help you measure all that: credibly, accurately, and in drill-down detail. Bet you can't wait to see his face when you walk in with metrics that stand up to his most brutal questions. We're not just talking about getting "buy-in" or begging for your proverbial "seat at the table." We are talking about numbers that make careers. This book will prove your indispensability to even the most clueless executive in your company. Here's the best part: It's not hard. You won't need to become a math nerd. The tools are cheap (or free), and you're probably sitting on most of the data. This book will give you everything else, including simple step-by-step techniques for creating measurable strategies and getting the data to prove they deliver. You'll also get super helpful hands-on exercise worksheets where you can jot down your answers and notes. Nichole Kelly has been refining this stuff for 14 years. She's helped hundreds of marketers prove their value to bosses and boardrooms. Now it's your turn. If you're a marketer or agency pro, this is a game you have to play. Win it. Reliable answers to questions like: How much revenue did our activities on social media platforms generate this month? Are social media prospects more likely to convert to customers? Which status update delivered the highest conversion rate? How long do we retain new social media customers? Do they spend more or less than customers from other channels? Do they make repeat purchases more often than other customers? And much more...
Air and Light and Time and Space by
From the author of Stylish Academic Writing comes an essential new guide for writers aspiring to become more productive and take greater pleasure in their craft. Helen Sword interviewed one hundred academics worldwide about their writing background and practices. Relatively few were trained as writers, she found, and yet all have developed strategies to thrive in their publish-or-perish environment. So how do these successful academics write, and where do they find the "air and light and time and space," in the words of poet Charles Bukowski, to get their writing done? What are their formative experiences, their daily routines, their habits of mind? How do they summon up the courage to take intellectual risks and the resilience to deal with rejection? Sword identifies four cornerstones that anchor any successful writing practice: Behavioral habits of discipline and persistence; Artisanal habits of craftsmanship and care; Social habits of collegiality and collaboration; and Emotional habits of positivity and pleasure. Building on this "BASE," she illuminates the emotional complexity of the writing process and exposes the lack of writing support typically available to early-career academics. She also lays to rest the myth that academics must produce safe, conventional prose or risk professional failure. The successful writers profiled here tell stories of intellectual passions indulged, disciplinary conventions subverted, and risk-taking rewarded. Grounded in empirical research and focused on sustainable change, Air & Light & Time & Space offers a customizable blueprint for refreshing personal habits and creating a collegial environment where all writers can flourish.
Doing Essays and Assignments by
Lecturers, request your electronic inspection copy here. Have you ever been stunned by a low grade, when you were expecting an A or B? Are you struggling to make the jump from a second to a first? Doing Essays and Assignments gives you an insider's view on what tutors and professors really want when they assign essays and projects, and reveals how you can raise your game and achieve the best grades. Drawing on a survey of lecturers, and examples of real student work, this handy guide provides practical advice to help you not only understand what is expected of you, but also get ideas on how to deliver what your tutor is looking for. Providing a behind-the-scenes look at marking, find out how you can successfully craft the perfect written assignment, and discover tips and techniques on: Planning and deadlines, helping you manage your workload effectively Gaining higher marks through critically formed arguments Communicating clearly with the correct language, grammar, and expression Avoiding common marking pitfalls such as referencing and plagiarism. This new edition also reveals how to successfully navigate group work, literature reviews, and presentations to improve your grades. With valuable insight from tutors, and practical tips to apply to your work, you might just want to keep this book to yourself...!
Write Like a Pro by
For those looking to become great business writers, this practical guide supplies clear instruction and examples of how to organize thoughts into written form, impart information with pinpoint accuracy, persuade, and hold the reader's interest: in short, to use language to get what you want. * Presents a clear, no-nonsense guide to excellent writing using easily grasped tricks and techniques employed by top writers * Encapsulates these key writing methodologies in ten basic techniques, each broken down into ten actionable steps * Provides an immediate "take-away" and valuable, practical advice for becoming a better writer in each paragraph * Describes and demonstrates the steps in a way that is memorable and even enjoyable to learn
Steps to Writing Well by
Writing well is just a step away! Join the thousands of students who have learned to write well with Jean Wyrick's clear, thoughtful advice. STEPS TO WRITING WELL, Thirteenth Edition, is the ultimate step-by-step guide to writing effective academic essays. Wyrick offers friendly, practical guidelines for composing different types of essays, with discussion of everything from choosing a topic to developing an essay to polishing your prose. New "Visualizing the Process" flowcharts provide at-a-glance summaries of the steps for completing each of the major assignments in the text; many new professional readings and sample essays offer useful models for academic writing and also touch on engaging topics intended to spark ideas for your own writing. A wealth of exercises, group activities, and longer assignments provide additional essay topic ideas and opportunities to apply and review what you are learning.
Models of Proposal Planning and Writing by
This book is an essential weapon for anyone looking for funding in the extremely competitive grantseeking world. It explains how and why to approach both public and private sponsors with not just information, but persuasion, for the best chance for success. * Provides a detailed discussion of pre-proposal contacts that identifies the questions that help to qualify potential funding sources and enable readers to fine-tune proposals so they more closely match sponsors' logical and psychological needs, priorities, and "hot buttons" * Supplies comprehensive analyses of the key features that made successful proposals persuasive, including verbatim reviewer comments and sponsor grant award notification letters * Incorporates new content and features in this updated edition, such as model proposals covering a broader range of health, education, and social service topics; easier-to-read annotations; expanded information on budgets and budget narratives; and a logic model that can be adapted for project-planning purposes * An essential resource for anyone seeking funding for economic development (e.g., city planning, land use, urban revitalization); education, such as for libraries, day care programs, public and private schools, and colleges and universities; first responder services; government agencies; health care; philanthropic organizations; social services; fine or performing arts; and religious or other special interest groups
The St. Martin's Handbook by
PACKAGE THIS TITLE WITH OUR 2016 MLA SUPPLEMENT, Documenting Sources in MLA Style (package ISBN-13: 9781319087326). Get the most recent updates on MLA citation in a convenient, 40-page resource based on The MLA Handbook, 8th Edition, with plenty of models. Browse our catalog or contact your representative for a full listing of updated titles and packages, or to request a custom ISBN. Andrea Lunsford’s comprehensive advice in The St. Martin’s Handbook, Eighth Edition, supports students as they move from informal, social writing to both effective academic writing and to writing that can change the world. Based on Andrea’s groundbreaking research on the literacy revolution, this teachable handbook shows students how to reflect on the writing skills they already have and put them to use both in traditional academic work and in multimodal projects like blog posts, websites, and presentations. Integrated advice on U.S. academic genres and language follows best practices for helping students from both international and native-speaker backgrounds improve their understanding of academic English. Throughout The St. Martin’s Handbook, Andrea Lunsford encourages all of today’s students to learn everything they need to communicate effectively with the diverse people sharing their classrooms, workspaces, and civic lives.
Writing Online by
[PRINT] "Contrary to the old adage about finding new names for old things, Writing Online: Rhetoric for the Digital Age gives new life and new meaning to old names. The book and its companion website transform ancient rhetoric as a process of oral compositioninvention, arrangement, memory, style, and deliveryinto a digital rhetoric, a dynamic process of writing for the World Wide Web: dynamic because it shows not only how to write in a Web-based medium but, more importantly, how to learn and adapt to a medium that is constantly evolving and changing. Unlike conventional books that provide specific solutions to specific problems, Writing Online reenacts the process of solving Web-based writing problems, explaining everything from how to create a simple web page to how to develop a sophisticated content management system and everything in between: HTML, HTML5, CSS, JavaScript, PHP, and much more. As a digital rhetoric, moreover, Writing Online recreates the ancient processes of oral composition for a digital era. Digital invention becomes a push-pull process of transmitting information via searches, alerts, news aggregators, and read-write algorithms. Digital arrangement becomes a question-and-answer process inviting multiple responses via intuitive navigation systems and dynamic patterns of organization. Digital memory transforms the ancient memory palace into a dynamic, programmable content management system. Digital style provides computer-based tools to enhance writers' word choice, argumentative structures, and feedback. Digital delivery resituates speakers and writers in onscreen environments that balance functionality and aesthetics for optimum responsiveness and usability." James P. Zappen, Professor, Department of Communication and Media, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
Art Inc. by
You don't have to starve to be an artist. Build a career doing what you love. In this practical guide, professional artist Lisa Congdon reveals the many ways you can earn a living by making art--through illustration, licensing, fine art sales, print sales, teaching, and beyond. Including industry advice from such successful art-world pros as Nikki McClure, Mark Hearld, Paula Scher, and more, Art, Inc. will equip you with the tools--and the confidence--to turn your passioninto a profitable business. LEARN HOW TO: * Set actionable goals * Diversify your income * Manage your bookkeeping * Copyright your work * Promote with social media * Build a standout website * Exhibit with galleries * Sell and price your work * License your art * Acquire an agent * And much more
The Episodic Career by
Find your most rewarding place in today's economy. Award-winning author, researcher, and analyst Farai Chideya offers a practical guide to the ways in which work in America is changing and how you can navigate today’s volatile job market. Since the Great Recession of 2007–2009, America’s work landscape has changed dramatically. Many people experienced long-term unemployment that eroded their savings, and the globalized economy means that not just jobs but entire career tracks are created and destroyed in front of our eyes. We’re living in an age of rapid disruption where we can barely adjust to one new reality before a new new reality comes along. So how are we supposed to live a rewarding life—working fulfilling, stable jobs that also cover our monthly expenses—in such a chaotic economy? In The Episodic Career, Farai Chideya explores the landscape of employment in America. Profiling the rich, the poor, and people from every strata in between, Chideya seeks to understand the many kinds of work we do—for example, not just job fields, but whether we seek to build institutions or seek social change while earning money. In addition, Chideya provides a self-diagnostic tool to help you find your work/life “sweet spot.” You’ll see how different types of people have navigated their careers and forged their own paths even in times of hardship. As a young reporter at Newsweek, CNN, and ABC, Chideya realized that her working-class Baltimore childhood and factors like Ivy League education affected how people viewed her, and she takes a frank look at stereotypes, employment discrimination, and how to create healthy workplaces. Ultimately, she asks how we as a country can sustain the American Dream. Knowledge of the workplace is power over your career. The Episodic Career provides the big-picture vision of the world economy, as well as the particulars of salary, family, health, and lifestyle that you need to thrive in a rapidly changing world.
The Career Guide for Creative and Unconventional People, Fourth Edition by
A practical career guide for creatively inclined job seekers of all ages, with tips and counsel on how to use your independent and innovative talents and passions to make money, express yourself, and find a job you love. This new edition of the popular guide for individuals seeking work that suits their unique skills has been completely revised and updated to reflect the freedom offered by the new work order, delve more deeply into freelancing as a career, explore social media as it relates to creative job searches, provide new success stories, and bring all salary information up to date. It also includes descriptions of more than 270 creative jobs, from the mainstream (architect, web designer) to the unexpected (crossword-puzzle maker, police sketch artist). With knowledgeable career guidance, real-life success stories, and eye-opening self-evaluation tools, the fourth edition of The Career Guide for Creative and Unconventional People helps unique individuals find work that supports and compliments their personalities and passions.
What Are the Jobs of the Future? by
This title in the At Issue Series explores what will be the jobs of the future in this rapidly changing economy. The role of technology, what skills will be needed, the continuing importance of a college degree, as well as co-working, freelancing and flex schedules are all discussed in What Are The Jobs Of The Future?
The Career Playbook by
Are you about to graduate and begin your job search? Or are you a young professional trying to choose the right field or looking for that perfect position that will catapult your career? Figuring out a career and getting a great job has never been more difficult. On top of that, today's graduates are looking for not only good jobs but positions that will help them launch careers in which they can grow and prosper. But knowing what to look for and how to actually land a great job is exceptionally challenging when you're trying to get an interview, make enough money, and position yourself for advancement. Based on an in-depth survey of thousands of graduates and young professionals, and hundreds of interviews with the world's top business and nonprofit leaders--not to mention James Citrin's decades of experience as a senior partner at the premier executive search firm Spencer Stuart--The Career Playbook offers recent graduates and aspiring young professionals actionable advice for excelling. From his practical tips on generating valuable introductions, nailing interviews, and negotiating compensation to strategic advice on the arc of a career, the importance of relationships, how to cultivate a mentor, and knowing when to change jobs or industries, Citrin provides an invaluable guide to the most urgent questions that are at the heart of every person's career deliberations. Packed with first-person advice from graduates and young professionals themselves, as well as the perspectives of seasoned CEOs, entrepreneurs, leaders, and experts, such as Virgin's Sir Richard Branson, Facebook's Sheryl Sandberg, Third Point Advisors' Daniel Loeb, author Malcolm Gladwell, and US Navy SEALs' Admiral Eric Olson, The Career Playbook is an essential resource for landing, launching, and thriving in your career.
No Fears, No Excuses by
A provocative new approach to discovering your true calling in life and achieving not just a good career, but a great one Over the past three decades, professor Larry Smith has become something of a "career whisperer" for his students at the University of Waterloo. Each year, millions of talented college students graduate with little or no real sense of what their next step will be, yet they are determined not to settle for a so-so career; they are looking for a great career. Smith points out that only a few fortunate souls are born knowing exactly what they want to pursue in life. The rest of us have to stop making excuses and start asking ourselves tough questions about achieving our goals. In his straightforward, no-nonsense approach, Smith itemizes and dismisses all the usual excuses, fears, and worries that people hide behind when trying to find their true direction. His unusual take on this challenging conundrum is both universal and timely, and his stunning TEDx talk on this subject has been viewed by more than six million people so far. This is the perfect book for any college graduate who is wondering where he or she fits into the world. It won't necessarily be easy, but if you follow Smith's guidance, your career dreams can indeed come true.
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