Logan Frey

Andrew Brown

April 10th, 2017

UWRT 1104

Studio: The Number of Words

I. Sum It Up: Y3W
Good Morning America created a segment called Your Three Words (Y3W), based upon the
notions that linguists noting the shortest number of words to convey a full idea, a solid concept,
is three words.
Watch any three of the following videos:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wxGqYFelGuM
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NnJlNCgIyCk
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TP9p0CGAmWk
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2ofnUpa-fxc
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-JaW8K60K1w
1. Devise your own three words. You may use whatever impetus you wish, such as your
weekend in three words, or your date in three words, your week so far in three words, or even
your semester in three words. But, you must use three words: no, they dont have to be a linear
phrase, but could instead simply be three words which have meaning to you in relevance to your
subject. Ready for Summer!
2. Explain your impetus. Did you go with your weekend in three words? What did you use for
your basis, and explain why you picked that? For my basis, I chose to describe my semester in three words.
I chose Ready for Summer, because throughout the entire semester I have been working towards being able to
return home to Mooresville, North Carolina and spend the summer on Lake Norman.

3. What song would you like your three words set to as a soundtrack? Why? If I had to select a song
that I would like my three words set to as a soundtrack, I would choose Gravity by John Mayer. This song has
been a huge part of my life, due to the fact that it has provided a great outlet during tough situations throughout my
life.

II. Six Word Memoirs

Think three words is hard? Then lets try six! It will either be twice as hard, or twice as easy!
These are nothing new. The trick is that they seek to tell a story, a narrative of some sort. Some
people use them to reflect on life, or a personal mantra, even a personal policy of living.
According to academic legend, someone once bet Ernest Hemingway that he couldnt write a
story in only six words that would make people weep. His response by evenings end: For sale:
Baby shoes. Never worn.
Here are a couple of web sites where six word memoirs have been discussed and exemplified in
various ways. Please look at least at one of the two
https://www.edutopia.org/blog/clarity-brevity-6-word-memoirs-jonathan-olsen
http://digitalis.nwp.org/site-blog/making-writingwriting-making-six-word-me/4744
Here are some of the examples I love, as people reflect upon their lives. Notice the following six
word memoirs all share something in common:
Secret to life: marry an Italian. ~ Nora Ephron
Brought it to a boil, often. ~ Mario Batali
I asked. They answered. I wrote. ~ Sebastian Junger
Well, I thought it was funny. ~ Stephen Colbert
Born bald. Grew hair. Bald again. ~ A. J. Jacobs
Fearlessness is the mother of invention. ~ Arianna Huffington
Their commonality is that they are all about the writers, themselves.
For your task you are to compose a six-word memoir about yourself. Underneath, give me a
short bit about context, say no more than three or four (3 - 4) sentences. If I had to compose a six-
word memoir about myself, I would say that my six words would be live every day to the fullest. My six words
may be a common saying, but it is something that I strive to achieve due to the unpredictability of life. On June 22 nd,
2013 I lost a very close friend of mine which has taught me to appreciate life and all the wonderful things life has to
offer.

III. Ten Word Answers

Lawyers, politicians, and professional speakers all know the trap of ten word answers.
Answering a question in ten words can be so generic, so trite and patented, that nearly anyone
can guess the next ten words. And with each ten-word answer, the more predictable the
discourse becomes.
Here is an example of how a ten-word answer can be used against the one giving it. Watch the
following snippet from The West Wing, an episode which features a Presidential debate against
the sitting President Bartlett, and his opponent, Governor Ritchie. The clip is in two parts, and I
think the first video sets the tone rather well for the adversarial debate (and how a crazy wife can
cause an adrenaline surge) ...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VyqzPu5pX6U
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=85dKvletfSo
As you might have noticed, that ten-word answer cost Ritchie the debate, and the election, all
because he had trouble being concrete. The only way to effectively use such ten word answers is
by being as concrete and specific as possible.
1. Contemplate this question: Where is your life headed? Provide your own ten-word answer,
please. Be actual or figurative as wished after class or years to come; professional or spiritual,
as you wished. Six words: no more, no less. (Did you notice all those six word answers strung
together?) Graduate with a business degree; work in the sports industry.
2. Explain why you chose those ten words and what they mean to you. I chose those ten words to
include in my ten-word answer because they display my hopes and dreams for years to come. My goal in terms of
academics and college related is to graduate in 4 years with a degree in Business and a concentration in Marketing,
and apply my knowledge in business to a sports related career. I recently acquired an intern position with the
Carolina Panthers and hope that I can progress within the organization and continue to grow in order to receive a
lifelong career working in the sports industry.

IV. More Words

In many cases, short answers do not work. Period. Situations are often too complex, too
complicated, to rely upon simplistic responses. Short answers can be direct and powerful in few
situations, but mostly, short answers for major concepts, simply do not work well. This video
clip showcases one of the most startling examples in recent media. Please watch the following
clip...
Newsroom Scene ~ Why America is Not the Greatest Nation
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1zqOYBabXmA
1. Tell me about an event when you gave an answer to a question or response to an action,
without giving enough information, and were misunderstood. An event in which I provided an answer
to a question or response to an action without giving enough information was when I presented my senior project in
high school. At the end of the presentation I asked the three panel members if they had any questions regarding my
project and one of the teachers said, what did you gain from this experience. Due to the unexpected question, I
was quickly put on the spot and had to gather my thoughts; all to respond with the answer, I gained a lot of
knowledge about sports, which was the topic of my senior project.

2. Tell me about an event when you knew you had to explain yourself, for an answer or an
action, and it was the last thing you wanted to do all you wanted to do was be done with it, and
yet, you were called to the carpet to explain. An event in which I knew I had to explain myself, for an
answer or an action, and it was the last thing I wanted to was when my parents discovered that I had been drinking
with friends. Although my parents are very lenient, they would rather know the truth rather than find out later about
me lying and going behind their backs to do something. With that being said, When they found out about me
drinking with my friends, I had to explain myself for my actions and take responsibility for what I had done
regardless of wanting to explain myself or not.

3. Tell me about an event when you looked at another person and your minds little digital
screen flashed up WTF? or WTH?. You wanted to know but you also didnt want to know.
You know that asking for an explanation would likely be as bad as what had happened. Tell me
about it. What made you want an answer and if you asked? The one event in which I looked at another
person and my minds little digital screen flashed WTF? or WTH?, and I wanted to know what was going on
was when my Mom was on the phone and I saw her get extremely gloomy. My natural instinct was to wonder what
was going on and I immediately wanted to know what happened that made her feel so down so quickly. Due to my
intense curiosity, I had to ask her what had happened and she responded by saying Grandma has cancer and doesnt
have long to live. With that being said, the only thing I could do was be there for my Mother in a time of sorrow,
and it was my curiosity that pushed me into knowing the unbearable news that no one should ever have to deal with.

VI. Reflection
In your own words, discuss your personal responses as a student to wanting to know about length
of an assignment or other piece, such a paper. Are you a paragraph, sentence, or word counter, or
do you aim to respond with as much information as you know you should? As a student wanting to
know about length of an assignment or other piece, such a paper, I would say that I would consider myself as the one
who aims to respond with as much information as I know I should. With that in consideration, I would consider
myself as the type of individual that tends to surpass the guidelines in terms of length. Reflecting on previous
writing assignments, I find the tendency to write more than is asked for due to the fact that I tend to acquire lots of
information or generally have a lot to say.

Do admit to those times youve said to yourself, yeah, Im done, and known you should have
elaborated a little more. Or, about that time you had to meet four pages length on a paper, and
you did three pages and one sentence at the top of page four. Or, were you the one who
increased margins and font sizes to make it look bigger? Guess what? We teachers know. Some
of us care enough to call you on it.

After completing this studio, what are your feelings on this? Gonna change your behavior?
Again, be honest.
And yes, Im going to ask for a paragraph or two. No, Im not setting words or sentences.
After completing this studio, I feel as though it has opened my eyes to the vital usage of three-word, six-
word, and ten-word responses when the time calls for it, and when to elaborate on a topic in other circumstances. In
some situations, such as a conversation a three-word or six-word response is a suitable response, but when it comes
time to fully describe or go into detail regarding a topic, those detailed descriptions come in handy. This studio
allowed me to view different examples of situations in which a three-word, six-word and ten-word answer is suitable
in terms of responding to individuals or arguing your case, but it has also allowed me to view how powerful a three-
word, six-word, and ten-word phrase can be. When I read Ernest Hemingways six-word response, it struck me how
powerful a six-word phrase such as For sale: Baby shoes. Never worn can be.

Reflecting on the knowledge I have gained through completing this studio, I would say that the most vital
information I was able to retain was how little the length of a paper or phrase matters in terms of delivering a
powerful message. As stated above, some students tend to meet the bare minimum when it comes to meeting the
length requirements while writing a paper, therefore their paper will reflect the effort that was put into it. In my
opinion, when it comes to writing a paper, it shouldnt be graded or even have a required length; the basis of writing
a paper should be based upon how powerful the meaning behind the paper is and how well the message is delivered
through that individuals writing. With that being said, this studio provided exciting insight on how to establish a
powerful three-word, six-word, and ten-word phrase when it comes to responding in a suitable manner.