Sample keywords from PSN analysis

In reviewing the transcripts, a cluster of keywords surfaced — “fear,” “afraid,” “worried,” and “anxiety” — when discussing composition of new media projects. Following are conversational tokens in which the keywords appear:

• A19: Fear. And it would specifically be a fear that I know exactly how I want to design something and just don’t know how. Because, probably like most of us, I spend a lot of time online. I know what I like. Um, I love thinking about designing compositions because I do a lot of photography. And it feels very natural for me to design websites as far as... layout, knowing where I want things, color choices; things that I just consider instinctive. They’re instinctive to me, but there’s actually a lot of theory behind some of the choices I’m making. But, I just don’t know how to do it all... yet. And that’s what would stop me. It’s not the desire. It’s just time.
• A22: I feel very encouraged when an instructor says, “I know you’re learning. I know it’s really a draft form.” And part of the theory of the web anyway is that every website is an ongoing project anyhow. But to hear an instructor confirm that so that you don’t feel worried about a grade... which actually at this level seems ridiculous anyway to me... to even think… think about grades anymore seems silly. Um, but when you get that direct statement saying just do the work and it’s going to be okay. I know you’re learning. Then I’m willing to try something because I’m comfortable with that.
• C25: [excerpt] Um, you know, trying to figure out then what… what are sort of the different pathways somebody could take. And maybe it’s sort of my issue with control because [pause], though I want them to have options, I’m afraid of [pause]… I’m afraid I’m not getting my point across. And I’m especially afraid in turning something… I mean the absolute deep-rooted fear that drove me to a manuscript paper was grade. I mean, I… I just… I could not… I could not figure out what kind of grade… whether I… If I completed what I had, I had no concept of how… how good it would be. And, I like getting good grades.
• C28 : [excerpt] Um, and it also has to do with, sort of, image… Like I, I respected Dr. Romberger and I didn’t want to turn something in to her where I was afraid she would look at it and go “What is this steaming pile of nothing?” [laughing] You know and so I couldn’t turn something in to her I wasn’t… I wasn’t, sort of, pretty confident in… Um, that I wouldn’t think she would at least go. “Hmm. Okay… Kind of clever.” You know, something like that. And I just was unsure of… I, I was afraid of looking elementary and basic in my web design because I haven’t used the latest tools a lot. I’m comfortable with the concepts. I’ve talked about it all. I’ve read the, the Wysocki and the, the different pieces and, and I think about that stuff, but at the end of the day, I’m walking away with a grade. That’s going to be the record of this class. And, you know, if I hope to get a recommendation from the professor, I would like the work I had produced to have been, sort of, consistently positive… maybe even… maybe not as memorable, but, sort of, consistently positive. And I feel… I felt a real anxiety about that. I mean that… that was a… that was a problem for me to think that [pause]… How would I know if it was good enough for the standards that were set for the class?
• C33: [excerpt] Um, so if there was, if there was a reason for it… I mean, if it, if it’s just, for instance, the paper I wrote last night for a different class that was, sort of, very old… you know, conservative… The class was kind of conservative. The paper format was kind of conservative and a little prescriptive. So I, I wouldn’t have even asked in that situation because [pause] the professor probably isn’t that comfortable with it.  So, I would be afraid to have someone assess something they’re not… having taught myself, I know that I have given some very poor assessments if I don’t know what I’m, what I’m doing with it [laughing]. Um, and because I want to meet [clears throat] the expectations of the class. Now, that’s why I really wanted to do it in Text and Technologies because I felt it fit with the expectations of the class. I felt it had a purpose and that was an issue of time… um, ultimately. But, yeah, I think… I think fear of how the person is going to assess it would keep me away. I think fear of how much time it will take would keep me away.