1. Who Am I?: Using Visual Media Wordle

First Wordle Submission

Second Wordle: Implementing different fonts, sizes, colors

Wordle is a multimedia application that generates word clouds. As a class, we were each assigned to complete a Twenty Statements Test. This test consists of writing down twenty self-descriptors that signify yourself and must be completed as fast as possible. From the test results, we individually created a word cloud on Wordle. There were some difficulties that I encountered using the Wordle application. Sometimes it doesn't open in certain web browsers such as Google Chrome and Firefox. Secondly, you have to make sure you separate each word with commas (short, tall, happy, sad) and phrases have to be hyphenated (blue-eyes, music-lover) before you generate a word cloud or it won’t load. 

If you want to change the font color and font size for certain words, you can't do it in the 'create' section. If you want to implement these changes, you have to go to the advance section (see second Wordle submission). I would say it’s a little difficult and time consuming if you want to make these changes, because you have to tinker around and find the right weight (The format to change the weight of a word would look like, Imaginative: 800) and font color for each word. However, it makes the word cloud more visually appealing. Trying to change the font color proved to be a little tricky, what I figured out is you have to generate (remember you have to be in the advance section and each word must have a weight assigned to it for the word cloud to load) the word cloud, then go to the color section (located on the tool bar) and then choose edit custom palette. Then pick the colors you want, and make sure you write down the call numbers for each color. I found it helpful to write out the words on a piece of paper, then the weight for each word, then use a semicolon and type the call number for each specific color you want to use. Then copy and paste it in the advance section. 

For Example:

Imaginative: 800:ff0066

Student: 350:009900

Wife: 350: 009900

Daughter: 450: 009900

Wordle is a visually appealing program to use. This is a great application to use after reading an assignment and trying to address the main points from a reading, or create a word cloud for a specific theory. Such as the ideology of Marxism, one could create a word cloud with the words: proletariat, bourgeoisie, industrialism, agrarian, false consciousness and much more.  As for coming up with descriptors, it’s always difficult to trying to think 'Who Am I'? I guess it poses some existential dilemmas. I have taken the self-descriptor test before, and still find it difficult to list things about myself. I always seem to run out of descriptors before I even get to #10 and then I really have to think about what descriptors to use.

Sources: Wordle, Big Huge Labs, Simply Psychology