Elon University's English Depertment Back Cover Newsletter  

Please follow this link to see the published Back Cover Layout4.pdf.

Client Memo for "The Back Cover"

To: Rebecca Pope-Ruark

From: Anna Becker, Morgan Ferretti, Molly O’Brien

Date: April 22, 2011

Re: “The Back Cover” Client Memo

Introduction

Over the past two months we have surveyed, revamped, and written a new edition of The Back Cover for Spring 2011. Our aim has been focused on targeting improvements that could be made, so that we can increase the readability of the newsletter. Through focus groups and surveys to students and professors on Elon’s campus we were able to compile ideas for how to improve the newsletter. All the while trying to stay true to the theme and template that has defined previous editions.

Rhetorical Analysis  

When we first received the assignment and after we talked to you, there had been mention of potentially low readers and visibility. Therefore, before writing we designed a survey. Our questions aimed to find out what people liked about the newsletter if they had read it, and what would encourage people to read it if they had not. We designed an online survey and scheduled two open forums for students and staff. Attached is our Data Report, which gives a detailed description of what we extracted from both of those feedback forums.

After those forums we were able to make more educated rhetorical decisions for our edition of The Back Cover. Our goal was to make the newsletter informative, as well as eye catching. Therefore, we implemented more student based stories, added pictures, and tried to make the articles attention catching. Therefore, we wrote articles on two current students and one previous one. We wanted it to be relate-able to the students on Elon’s campus, as well as highlight the work that the English Department has done. Shorter blurbs were added around those articles so that readers could also enjoy quick, informative pieces of text on things that they need or wanted to know. This included new classes, teacher highlights, etc. The pictures were added as well as a way to connect a face to the story. It also breaks up the large amount of text and allows the newsletter to be more playful and colorful.

As you will see, we kept the layout of The Back Cover the same as the previous editions. This choice was made to give consistency to all of the publications. It allowed us to keep the logo as well, which we felt would be necessary. Overall, we hope that you approve of our decisions for design and content and aimed to make this newsletter the strongest yet.

Further Application

We believe that in order to benefit both students and faculty in the English department, The Back Cover should consistently focus on topics that are relevant to the readers. In this way, students and faculty across each of the concentrations will have a greater understanding and appreciation for the work that their colleagues are doing. It is important that The Back Cover give an equal amount of focus to each of the concentrations and even to interdisciplinary work related to English. By giving some attention to related work outside of the department, we are helping to reinforce the interdisciplinary teamwork that Elon, as an academic community, so values.

Final Thoughts

We would like to thank you for the opportunity to have worked on this edition of The Back Cover. Hopefully our attempts to make it a strong publication were accomplished.  Through our forums, small changes in design, and very defined subject matter for our articles, we hope that we have met your expectations. It has been a pleasure working with you and we hope to continue this relationship in future projects.