Information Literacy
The reading response: Planning an Electronic Portfolio exemplifies my information literacy by thoughtfully evaluating the relevance, credibility, and ethical use of both primary and secondary sources. Drawing heavily on Reynolds and Davis’ Portfolio Keeping: A Guide for Students, we engage critically with their core ideas, particularly the distinctions between process and presentation portfolios and the central aspect of reflection (p. 1, 4, 7). By integrating direct citations and applying them to real-life examples from student ePortfolios, I hope to demonstrate an ability to synthesize authoritative academic guidance with personal and practical observations.
My analysis of portfolio navigation and multimodal design choices further shows a discerning eye for relevance and effectiveness, identifying where design either supports or hinders the rhetorical goals of the portfolio. In doing so, the document models ethical and purposeful engagement with digital content and highlights how design decisions impact clarity, credibility, and the responsible presentation of self in academic and professional contexts.
Planning an Electronic Portfolio
Planning an Electronic Portfolio
Reynolds and Davis explore the purpose of ePortfolios as a complex blend of learning,
reflection, and presentation. They emphasize that ePortfolios serve as meaningful collections that
showcase not only a student’s best work but also their learning process and growth over time
(Reynolds and Davis, p. 1). This duality is key. There are two primary types of portfolios
discussed: process (or learning) portfolios and presentation portfolios. A process portfolio is
meant to demonstrate the learning journey, emphasizing drafts, revisions, and the reflection that
come with those steps. On the other hand, a presentation portfolio is meant to showcase the final
products of learning, refined and polished for an audience such as instructors, employers, or
peers (p. 4).
Before reading this, I had mainly thought of a portfolio as a place to put finished work, a
digital binder of my best essays. However, this text pushes me to rethink the portfolio as a
dynamic space where development and experimentation are not only visible but central. The
process portfolio’s emphasis on artifacts, like drafts, informal writings, or even multimedia
elements, invites a broader and more flexible definition of what counts as valuable work. The
idea that reflection is not just an add on, but the
“heart and soul of portfolio keeping,”
surprised me (p. 7). I hadn’t fully considered how vital it is to not just do the work but to
interrogate my choices, habits, and patterns throughout. That kind of metacognitive practice,
thinking about my own thinking, will likely improve how I learn and write in the long run.
When considering our final project and the types of portfolios listed, I’m inclined to think
that a hybrid approach might serve me best. I want to represent my best work, yes, but I also
want to show how I got there. That means including not just final drafts, but pieces of the
journey, drafts, brainstorms, feedback, maybe even screenshots of peer comments or my
planning process. These kinds of inclusions highlight my effort and adaptability, which are just
as important as the final product.
Multimodality plays a powerful role here, particularly in an ePortfolio. In contrast to
traditional assignments that are often limited to text on a page, the affordances of digital tools
allow me to include videos, audio, hyperlinks, and interactive elements. These tools make it
possible to demonstrate rhetorical awareness in ways a standard paper never would. For instance,
I might include a video commentary walking viewers through my thought process in revising a
piece. I could also use design elements like color and layout to guide readers through thematic
threads that run across my work. This capacity to shape not just the content but the experience of
my portfolio lets me craft a more memorable and persuasive narrative about who I am as a
thinker and writer.
Reflecting on these possibilities, I now feel inspired to include stuff I wouldn’t have
before, personal voice memos, sketches from my planning phase, maybe even a “failure file” of
drafts that didn’t work but taught me something anyway. These choices help me own my
learning process and show that I’m not just aiming for perfection but for depth, adaptability, and
growth.
Portfolio examination:
Upon examining the provided ePortfolios, it's evident that each student has approached
navigation, design, and multimodality with varying strategies, reflecting their individual
interpretations of effective digital composition.
Navigation and Design
In "Generating Inquiry" by Jovhanise Leonard, the navigation is straightforward, with a
clear menu that delineates course outcomes and projects. This structure aligns with Reynolds and
Davis's emphasis on choice and variety in portfolio design, allowing users to easily access
different sections of the portfolio (p. 6). The design is clean, utilizing ample white space and a
consistent color scheme, which enhances readability and user engagement.LinkedIn
Emanuel Milazzi's "Outcome 1" portfolio also features a clear menu, but the inclusion of
images without descriptive text or captions can be disorienting. Reynolds and Davis highlight the
importance of reflection in portfolio design (p. 7); providing context for visual elements would
enhance the reflective quality and user understanding.
The "Generating Inquiry" portfolio by Reemanxlol presents a minimal design with a
basic menu structure. However, the lack of descriptive labels for navigation items and the
absence of a cohesive visual theme may hinder user experience. As Reynolds and Davis suggest,
portfolios should demonstrate variety and thoughtful design choices to effectively showcase the
creator's work and learning process (p. 6).
Use of Multimodality
Leonard's portfolio incorporates PDFs of projects, which, while functional, could benefit
from embedded content or interactive elements to fully leverage the affordances of
multimodality. Reynolds and Davis note that electronic portfolios offer opportunities to
demonstrate visual design skills and synthesize ideas through hyperlinks and other navigational
pathways (p. 5). Integrating such elements could enhance the user experience and engagement.
Milazzi's portfolio includes images related to the content but lacks interactive or
multimedia components. Incorporating videos, audio reflections, or hyperlinks could provide a
richer, more engaging experience, aligning with the multimodal potential of ePortfolios as
discussed by Reynolds and Davis (p. 5).
Reemanxlol's portfolio primarily relies on text, with minimal use of images or other
media. To fully utilize the capabilities of an ePortfolio, integrating diverse media forms would
better showcase the creator's skills and learning journey, as suggested by Reynolds and Davis (p.
5).
Strengths and Areas for Improvement
Leonard's portfolio excels in organization and clarity, making it easy for users to navigate
and understand the content. To enhance it further, incorporating more multimedia elements and
interactive features would provide a more dynamic representation of her work.
Milazzi's portfolio benefits from a clear structure and relevant images. adding descriptive
text for images and integrating interactive components would improve user engagement and
comprehension.
Reemanxlol's minimalist approach ensures a distraction-free environment but may lack
the engagement that multimedia elements can provide. Enhancing the portfolio with varied
media and a cohesive design theme would better demonstrate the creator's competencies and
learning process.
In summary, while each ePortfolio demonstrates thoughtful consideration in navigation
and design, incorporating a broader range of multimodal elements and providing context for
visual components would enhance their effectiveness in showcasing the creators' skills and
reflective learning, as advocated by Reynolds and Davis.
Works Cited:
Reynolds, Nedra, and Elizabeth Davis. Portfolio Keeping: A Guide for Students. 3rd ed.,
Bedford/St. Martin's, 2014.
Leonard, Jovhanise. “Generating Inquiry.” ENC1102 Portfolio, Wix.com,
https://jovhanise.wixsite.com/enc1102-portfolio/generating-inquiry.
Milazzi, Emanuel. “Outcome 1.” Final E-Portfolio, Wix.com,
https://emanuelmilazzi10.wixsite.com/final-e-portofolio-1/outcome-1.
Reemanxlol. “Portfolio.” ENC02 Portfolio, Wix.com,
Through the Library Research Modules, I strengthened my ability to locate, assess, and ethically integrate credible academic and popular sources, which directly supports the outcome of information literacy. My work on tonal modulation in superhero films involved exploring how humor interacts with action and drama, using tools like multimodal analysis, genre studies, and reception theory. I learned how to gather and evaluate sources from databases, film archives, and audience platforms like IMDb and Rotten Tomatoes, ensuring they were relevant and trustworthy. These modules helped me refine search strategies, cross-check perspectives, and understand how to use research not just to support a point, but to build a richer, more nuanced argument. I now better understand how humor shapes emotional pacing and audience engagement in film, and how to back that claim with ethically sourced data.
Library Research Modules
Tonal Modulation in Action/Drama Narratives: The Role of Humor in Balancing Tension and Action
1. Research Question
How do superhero movies use humor as a narrative tool to balance tension and action, and
what is the impact of this tonal modulation on audience engagement and character preception?
This question investigates the duality of humor and tension in high stakes action narratives,
analyzing it’s function in relieving narrative stress, deepening character relatability, and
enhancing audience emersion.
2. Critical Conversation
Superhero films have emerged as cultural touchstones, blending action, drama, and comedy to
appeal to broard audiences. Within this genre, humor has evolved as a key narrative element
that alleviates tension, enriches character depth, and sustains audience intrest during high
stake moments.
Relevant Conversations:
Film studies: Examines how genre conventions blend humor and drama to create unique tonal
hybrids. Narrative Studies: discuss the role of tonal contrasts in storytelling, particularly how
humor breaks tension without undermining narrative stakes.
Reception studies: Focuses on how humor influences audience preceptions of characters and
their emotional responses to narratives.
This research contributes to ongoing debates about how humor in superhero movies balances
there dual roles as lighthearted escapism and emotionally compelling storytelling.
3. Chosen Research Method
Method: Multimodal Analysis
Superhero movies rely on complex interactions between verbal, visual, and auditory elements.
This method allows for a comprehensive study of how humor is integrated across multiple
narrative layers, including:
Scripts and Dialogue: Analyzing comedic timing, verbal wit, and sitiuational humor.
Visual Humor observing non verbal elements, such as physical comedy and visual gags.
audience Feedback: Analyzing publicly available reviews, ratings, and commentary to asses
audience responses to humor.
This method is suited for superhero movies due to they’re reliance on multimodal storytelling,
blending dialogue, visuals, and action to convey tonal contrasts.
4. Basic Methodology
This study employs genre analysis and rhetorical criticisms to evaluate humor’s role in
superhero movies.
Genre Analysis: Identifies reoccuring patterns in how humor interacts with action and tension
across selected films. rhetorical criticism, Explores humor as a rhetorical tool to create
emotional release, establish character relatability, and enhance narrative pacing.
Theoretical Frameworks:
Comedy Theory: Examines types of humor (e.g situational, slapstick, self depreciating) and their
narrative effects.
Narrative Theory: Investigates how tonal shifts structure pacing and character development.
Reception Studies: Focuses on audience interpretations and reactions to humor.
5. Plans for Making Sense of this data
Data collection,
Selected films represent diverse approaches to humor within the superhero genre:
Deadpool (2016): A self aware, humor heavy narrative that uses darker humor to engage
audiences.
Guardians of the Galaxy (2014): Known for it’s ensemble driven comedic tone.
Thor: Ragnarok (2017): Combines mythological themes with humor to redefine it’s tone.
Avengers: Endgame (2019): Balances high emotional stakes with moments of humor to alliviate
tension.
data points:
Textual Data: Analyze scripts to identify instances of humor, timing, and it’s narrative function.
Visual Data: Study physical comedy, visual gags, and non verbal cues.
Audience Feedback: Use aggregate reviews, critical commentaries, and audience responses
from platforms like Rotten Tomatos, IMDb, and YouTube.
Coding and Categorization:
code instances of humor (eg. verbal, physical, meta humor) and classify their narrative role.
Compare humor heavy scenes to high tension moments to evaluate audience impact.
Comparative Analysis:
Contrast humor strategies in lighter films (Guardians of the Galaxy) with those in darker ones
(captain deadpool.)
Analyze patterns in how humor influences pacing, emotional stakes, and audience preceptions
of characters.
6. Selection Criteria
Why These Films?
They illustrate varied approaches to humor in superhero movies, ranging from humor dominant
to tension-heavy narratives.
Each film represents a milestone in the genre, shaping audience expectations and critical
discourse.
Their accessibility ensures robust analysis of scripts, visuals, and audience engagement data.
Why Multimodal Analysis?
Superhero films rely heavily on multimodal storytelling, combining verbal and visual humor to
convey tonal shifts. This approach captures the interaction of these elements, providing a
nuanced analysis of humor’s role in balancing tension and action.
7. Timeline for Conducting Primary Research
Week 5: Preparation and Planning
Finalize selection of films and obtain scripts.
Identify key scenes with humor and action for detailed analysis.
Begin gathering audience feedback from review platforms and commentary forums.
Week 6: Data Collection
Analyze selected films for humor instances, coding them by type and narrative role.
Collect visual and textual data, noting interactions between humor, action, and tension.
Gather audience feedback data (e.greviews, critical commentary, and social media discourse).
week 7 Data analysis
Compare humor’s role across films, focusing on narrative structure and audience response.
Identify recurring patterns in how humor balances tension and enhances character perception.
Analyze contrasts between humor heavy films (guardians) and darker ones (deadpool).
Week 8 Drafting Findings
Synthesize analysis into a cohesive narrative, focusing on humor’s role in balancing tension and
action.
Highlight implications for broader genre conventions and audience engagement.
To conclude
By exploring humor as a narrative tool in superhero movies, this research illuminates how tonal
modulation balances high-stakes action with emotional accessibility. The findings will contribute
to ongoing discussions on genre evolution, narrative strategies, and audience engagement in
contemporary cinema.